Whilst the public- facing comments made after three pre season games may be positive, there is no papering over the cracks in the squad that Nuno finds himself trying to shape into a side fit to take on the Championship.
West Ham have big issues to solve with just fourteen days for Director of Recruitment Nils Koppen to earn his pay and bring players into the club. Relegation from the Premier League showed how poorly balanced the side was.
Losing Disasi, Fernandes, Summerville, Wilson and Traore without a single replacement arriving leaves the Hammers management scrabbling round for reinforcements from within the ranks of youngsters. As Nuno’s assistant Rui Pedro Silva said tonight:
“We are trying our best to develop these kind of [young] players because they’ve got the quality to be in the squad, to be the future of the Club.
Youngsters are being used to plug the gaps in West Ham’s squad
They need to grow up, they need to feel what it is to play for a big club. We are developing these kind of players and sometimes the game is the best moment for them to feel the pressure, to increase their game.”
Whereas, what he meant was ‘we are trying to develop these players because there is nobody else“.
Which is a real warning light flashing away. Nobody wants to be negative under this new regime but without incoming transfers within the next two weeks, the Hammers position as favourites for automatic promotion looks questionable, to say the least.
I think it is going to be a balancing act. We do need some good players to come in, in key positions, but developing the talent in the Academy & youngsters will save the club a fortune, but also bring speed, quick football, but with inexperienced players.
Kante had to quicken up his game, as he found out being dispossessed in the 1st 30 secs. and he probably will, now he knows. When the last subs were brought on, the game picked up and accelerated, while making Rangers look as if they were chasing the game a little. Same in the last 2 games, which is quite impressive. Sometimes you think the U21s should play + a few key players (Dinos, Taty, Bowen, a midfield playmaker,…).
Take Orford. If he plays regularly and proves he can handle it, WHU will have a very good player in the team for many seasons to come and who knows the heights he could reach, if all goes well. At some stage you have to decide whether or not the academy players have enough talent to come good in the Championship, while winning enough points to keep WHU in contention.
Otherwise looks as though NES is experimenting and testing his players again.
I know there has been a lot to sort out by Kretinsky, new staff were needed, players to retain. But surely Nuno had an idea who he would want to replace Fernandes or Summerville.
In my view with Summerville we should have said he had to stay, until a replacement had been found. Instead with have sold with seemingly no idea who we need and no one lined up at all.
Worrying times, as long as we dont now panic buy and bring in another Fulkrug v2 or Todibo V2!!
Every comment of late is negative…..if the kids are not good enough bin the Academy then and spiral back into debt by paying over inflated fees for players and put them on stupid wages…like it or not the mess that Sullivan has left will take some putting right and doing it in one summer is not reality that will happen.
These Kids are going to have to grow up and be men like it or not and if playing people out of position to see if they can possibly do a job then it is best done during friendlies……will new players come in of course they will but if it is but getting a player in just for the sake of it is stupid….so again let us see if some of this much lorded talent we have can man up and do a job for the club and if they cannot cope with the pressure then you get shot of them that is the harsh reality of the football world.
Just concentrate on 2 signings for now, number 10 and left wing, these are urgent. But does not help that not putting players in right position. Potts or JWP holding, Kante at 8, Lamadrid on left, Earthy at 10 would at least make the most of what we have FFS
Agreed MT. It’s a balancing act for the coaches and recruitment team.
If Hammers want a reset of a more dynamic, fluid movement team then we need to be ready for some unwanted results here and there.
However, if automatic promotion is non negotiable then we will need more quality in certain areas no question about it.
As things stand, the squad is adequate for attritional football only.
Dull, tepid, but hard to break down.
We still look vulnerable from crossing from wide areas.
So as things stand entertainment will be scant.