As the transfer window wound down to its last few weeks, it seemed that West Ham’s recruitment team and Graham Potter could do no right. After a promising start to summer business in signing a left back and a goalkeeper, transfer business had all but stopped and the Irons looked like a basket case. Whilst the prioritising of El Hadji Malick Diouf and Mads Hermansen as first incomings might have been odd priorities, it seems good business in hindsight.
However, credit where it is due and Graham Potter took a lot of stick from Hammers fans for the decision to loan out Edson Alvarez. The Mexican captain had come off of a trophy win in CONCACAF in June and it seemed his stock was high.
But we have known since early in the pair’s relationship that Potter does not rate Alvarez, who was sent packing off to Turkey on a loan to free-up squad space to enable the Hammers – eventually – to sign Mateus Fernandes and Soungoutou Magassa.
Whilst a sale would have been infinitely preferable, Potter’s decision is looking pretty well judged from Alvarez’ debut for Fenerbahce last night.
Looking like a compilation of all the worst parts of his West Ham career – save the red cards- Alvarez is the ‘star’ of a video nasty social media compilation of all of the missed tackles, losses of possession, lack of pace and wayward passes which produced something of a nightmare debut for the Mexican who had been lauded on his arrival in Turkey.
Pretty sure the local fans in Turkey will be looking at his move from West Ham with a growing sense of realisation that the Hammers got the best of that deal.
So there’s one decision that Potter seems to have got right. Until we see how Magassa performs, of course, it is too early to start jumping around. But you’d feel pretty sure his own debut will be significantly better than that of the man he’s replaced.
Magassa is a young player, like Kante who we also signed, they need to be nurtured not pressurised, he wasn’t Monaco’ first choice CDM, as Potter said with Fernandes he has made a good start young in his career but maybe unlike Fernandes his English isn’t good yet and he is coming to a new league with a much higher level of intensity so we need to give him time.
I hope Alvarez finds his feet in Turkey and like Aguerd we can move him off our books, he plays with passion and maybe a bit recklessly but that’s probably why so many of us liked watching him, he is like us a street fighter who will go out on his shield.
If JWP added that kind of passion we might take too him a bit more, Noble wasn’t so different to Alvarez, frequently out of position and making stupid challenges but giving 100% every game. Magassa and Kante in the u23’s look like they have the passion and aggression give me that over sideways and backward passes every day of the week.
Magassa, from the little I have seen, appears to be the AWB of the midfield world. Very precisely timed, accurate tackling and precise possession maintaining, if not visionary, passing.
Oh, and he can run.
Not sure this article will age well, especially when we’re expected to allow our new players a chance to bed in. He’s had barely any preseason and they just parted ways with the coach who brought him in.
Potter failed to use him correctly, yet he was successful at Ajax and Mexico and if he’s unsuccessful in Turkey he could be headed back to us.