ClaretandHugh Facebook Group member Matt COYI Briard has been running the rule over the Hammers nearly men and has come to his conclusion that another big overhaul is necessary this summer. Here’s who gives his view on who stays and who goes!
By Matt Briard
After another woeful performance at Wolves last night and coming on the back of the FA Cup game at the weekend, I have been thinking ahead for next season and what we need.
Another overhaul is required as there are a number of players/positions that need upgrading from the current crop.
It’s not all doom and gloom and in Pellegrini I trust, but this squad of players need improving, let’s also try and give some game time to Silva, Coventry, Holland etc in the PL and see what they have, can’t be worse than the present..
Remember the last two seasons we have only confirmed safety with 2 or 3 games before our final game, so this season despite seeing several lows, we have seen a number of highs, playing much better football (by and large!), equalled our second highest ever score, winning 4 consecutive games in the PL..
In addition we have a number of players in their thirties and need to look at reducing the average age of the squad.
I have listed the players below but on reflection this may not take shape for two summer transfer windows.
Give Silva game time
Adrian – Not in Fab’s class and I believe he will go in the summer. In the games he has played this season, looked way off the pace.
Zaba – Great servant to the club, but lacks pace and is now 34, we need to bringing in younger RB.
Arthur – Horrible season for the lad, everyone knows he is not a left back and he has been badly exposed.
Cresswell – Turned 30 and again has been in different, ideal time to change in the summer and buy two left backs.
Ogbonna – Another player who will be 31 in the summer, always seems to be a mistake in him, reserve at best but shouldn’t be in the first team.
Oxford – Clearly not in Pelle’s plans and very likely to go in the summer.
Obiang – Average at best, surprised not sold this January, looks like a return to Italy in the summer.
Injection of pace required – tough decision needed
Snodgrass – This is a hard one and Snods has shown a great mentality this season, but he will be 32 in September has no pace and the full back and midfield areas really need injection of pace.
Fernandez – A mix bag on loan in Italy, would be surprised if signed on a permanent, but chances of game time at the LS slim.
Antonio – He has been poor for the last couple of seasons and never know whether he will be a 3 or 7 out of ten. If a decent offer is received we should sell.
Carroll – Out of contract, no more chances bye bye.
Hernandez – For £140,000 a week as a sub, this guy has been a big let down, 31 in June, recoup some decent money and save big on wages.
Hugill – Doing a decent job at Boro and hopefully this will lead to a permanent deal being signed. No realistic chance of making it into our first team.
Arnie – We all know he is more than likely to be off in the summer, £45-50m, I trust Pelle to spend this money wisely.
As a rough calculation if we were to sell these players, this would bring it circa £100-120m, if the board can give a further £60m on top of this, this is a serious amount of dough to play with.
As they say Rome was not built in a day, it will take time but I believe we will get there.
COYI 
You can add Perez to that list.
We will need at least two strikers, more steel and pace in midfield to support Rice, a left back, a reserve right back, a centre back to rotate with Diop and Balbuena.
As for attacking flair, once Manu and Yarmo are back to complement Anderson, we will be pretty well served there.
Cannot put in simple words how much we have missed Lanzini this season.
Probably better to do this sort of exercise at the end of the season? There are definitely a good number who need moving on, but a poor end to the season would make it harder to sell them & harder to get decent replacements.
Snodgrass, Zaba and Cress should be staying we need players with character, Antonio possibly also if we see his best form. The rest including Perez and Martinez can go. We are better buy a lesser number of players but more athletic and higher quality in the summer. We can use the u23’s as subs
I would hope we retain Snodgrass, Cresswell and Antonio. We never have a problem with their commitment or effort and they have real quality. I’d like to see them feature in a regular line-up with Rice, Diop and Balbuena to give us shape and consistency.