Parkes on the summer signings problems

Phil Parkes has joined ClaretandHugh to give his thoughts on all things Hammers during the international break. Yesterday he blogged that Adrian should be rested as he believes a break will help the player a lot. Today he looks at the club’s summer signing policy and where it has taken the club.

By Phil Parkes

I believe the buying policy in the summer was average to put it at it mildly. I’m trying hard to be kind here!

If I’m being brutally honest I would have t say that by and large the signings were poor and have done nothing to improve the quality of the squad.

This has been a big topic of cnversation on the various Hammers evenings I do with the likes of Tony Gale and Dev where we have found a lot of discontent among the fans.

You look at the likes of Tore, Feghouli and Zaza  and the only words that’s left to utter is “Why?” Not one of them has made any sort of impact.

There have been some serious misjudgements and one of the guys summed it up at one of our evenings when he said: “It’s as though whoever was responsible went out with a list 0f five players for various positions and got number five in each case.”

That has been one of the biggest issues for me – there is nobody who can come on when things aren’t going well and change the game.. Coupled with what looks like a loss of confidence and spirit we are struggling.

I think there is something in the argument that we have relied too heavily on Payet who is a luxury player.

He will of course thread those wonderful little balls in behind and produce great runs and set pieces but he won’t track back or tackle – that’s not his game!

He was bought to provide the creativity the side lacked so nobody should get after him and criticise for him things which aren’t and never were a part of his game.

I have a lot of faith in Slaven and like him as a bloke. I remain sure he will sort out what was always going to be one of the ost difficult seasons in our history.