Whether you look at the transfer business which West Ham concluded last night with a half-full glass or half empty mindset, there are most definitely areas that are stronger than in June, and areas in which the club are weaker. Heading into an international break on the back of a three – nil away win is a huge positive irrespective of who did, or didn’t arrive on deadline day – and I suspect there is one West Ham player who is feeling pretty excited about the way the window panned out.
Despite being linked with strikers during August – notably Idrissa Gueye and latterly Franculino Dju, neither were followed up with successful bids and so, some would say predictably, the Irons go into the next 16 Premier League games with Callum Wilson and Niclas Fullkrug.
Wilson looked awesome at the weekend and certainly helped shift opinions of many ‘disbelievers’.
However, the Premier League campaign is long and both Hammers’ thirty-something forwards are, on past performance, likely to succumb to injury. Graham Potter must surely realise now that Jarrod Bowen’s place is on the right and not as a makeshift striker.
The sharp eyed among you may realise that Callum Marshall remains with the squad and is West Ham’s de facto third choice striker.
Patience required, but opportunity will knock for Callum Marshall
Which might not seem much at present, with Fullkrug and Wilson more than capable of sharing 90 minutes between them. Marshall will secretly be delighted that West Ham chose not to bolster the front line with a young ‘prospect’ to leap ahead of him in the pecking order.
The young forward performed will enough in pre-season for Potter to keep him training with, and attached to the main squad. With the injury record of the Hammers’ duo ahead of him, it will only be a matter of time before Marshall gets his chance: Whilst he may have to wait several months, my money’s on West Ham’s number 50 to grab the opportunity whenever it finally comes knocking.
The important statement in the article is ‘they can share 90 minutes between them’.
Effectively showing they only have max. 45 minutes each and neither are going to see out full game.
On a bad day they could both get injured.
Can’t leave it until this situation occurs and need to play Marshall and Cummings in preparation.
Amongst academy players Guilherme also needs a more permanent time his pace is appreciated.
Surprised in Forest game that Potts didn’t come on for Prowse considering Irving was considered to be going
With regards to Liverpool spending over £400m they.have wanted quality players and recouped over £200m in sales etc.
Agree Bowen can play across front line but it’s been proved his sprint and crossing from right is where he’s most effective.
What puzzles me is the fact that within West Ham there are a lot of positive comments about Scarles, Potts, Marshall, Earthy, Orford, Fearon etc. but it is as if they are never really trusted and welcomed into the first team. It appeared to happen for Scarles until he had an off game. They seem to have to wait until they are 22 plus to get accepted. Conversely, Liverpool, Arsenal, City and Utd have all given opportunities to their teenage academy players. In addition, we seem to have no problem in buying 19- and 20-year-olds from South America to Senegal with great expectations. So, is our Academy all it is cracked up to be or is there some other underlying reason our youngsters struggle to make the grade?
Everything the Academy instill in its players seems to be what Potter wants (possession, quick accurate passing,…)
Potts and Earthy were in the Championship and Marshall in League One and they obviously handled the physicality. Not only that but all 3 were highly rated after their stints. Guilherme just speeds past the opposition – no problems there.
Ask a coach and you get a lot of positive sounds, which you trust as much as when a club board gives a vote of confidence in a struggling manager😊
Wonder what Noble thinks, he is meant to be getting academy players into the 1st team I think. He was 17 for his 68th min. debut – just checked.
Come on fans,could have done with a couple more but we can give the youth players a run if needed
Plus side is we still have Paqueta, who has already made a good partnership with Fernandes and we still have Soucek who I love, he is always a threat in the box and he works his socks off
We have got 2 Strikers in Marshall and Cummings when fit again
And we have managed to clear some of the dead wood.
Sullivan had no intentions of buying anymore he wanted to keep the cash
We do now need to get behind the boys and cheer them on and let’s beat Spurs
Come on you Irons
A lot of clubs seem to be investing heavily in their academies, poaching the best from other clubs’ academies, etc. probably due to PSR and wage bills, etc. In theory the PL will see more and more academy players coming through I guess.
I hope the attitude is they compete with the squad on an equal footing and on what they bring to the team. In other words they have to be trusted and used. Maybe not for 90mins at the start that is all. Anyway, talk is cheap, but would be interesting to see how it works out in training and whether they are there as squad members with equal expectations. Physically though, they are not yet the athletes others are.
Picking up on what has been said here, up front Callum Marshall who is quick, never stops and everyone who knows says a real talent, he’ll be great alongside our current forwards bringing a different skillset and ability to the team. Fernandes and Paqueta would love sliding passes through for him. It is early for him, but that’s what he is there for and he seems to relish it. They seem to have the character to bounce back from a mishap too. He is the type of player who will always give CHs a tough time👍
Does anyone else get the idea that they never meant to spend any money outside of the French youngster. Bidding for the Brazilian centre back only because they knew they were headed to Palace and they would not get them. So they actually got one they didn’t expect.
I think they did as usual and decided they had spent enough. Gave a lot of waffle about buying others and only paid lip service.
It would be good to a get a full list of whose left, whose joined, what basis, comparable wage bill, average age etc. it hasn’t been a bad window-we needed a bit of a clear out and key areas such as midfield and defence have sort of been addressed though with a lack of depth in all areas.
I just wish the window shut before the season started and, in any event, we got our business done earlier rather than penny pinching. Well done to c&h for staying on top of things- couldn’t have been easy especially in the darker moments!
Big winners from this transfer window are Marshall, Earthy, Potts and Scarles. If we get any injuries during the season they could well get their opportunity.
Why do I keep hearing the same worn out trope that Bowen can only play on the right? We all saw how awesome he is playing on the left, in the middle, and up front in the last game against Forest. Infact In fact I would say Bowens best position is anywhere he wants to be in a free role.
How are we ever supposed to compete with the top six though when they seem to have a monopoly on the commercial side of things. Liverpool just spent £450 million on players. Those players added to a team that were already champions. What use are the so called financial FairPlay rules and what chance is there for the rest of us outside the so called big six.
Same can be said for Earthy, Potts, Scarles. I just hope they are given minutes.
3 up with 9 minutes of added time on Sunday was prime time to bring on one or two of the kids to get a run out.
I saw Potts was linked with Watford on loan, and Earthy a host of clubs. Scarles will be used when AFCON kicks off.
I fear these players will simply drop off the radar and out of the club, and at 20 plus they either make the step up or they are sold.
It’s ruthless but the next batch of 18/19 year olds will be coming through as the next greatest thing.
The club really are poor at managing youth in terms of a pathway and successes since Tony Carr left the club. Meanwhile he’s at Arsenal and look what they are doing with youth.
I feel that so far the youngsters including Callum have not had much of a look in however if we start playing better and improving results then the door will be open to giving them some game time Potts and Callum have earned their chance so fingers crossed…
I hope you’re right but if Fullkrug and Wilson are both injured I expect Potter will play Bowen at centre forward instead of giving an opportunity to a young player. Ditto Moyes and Lopetegui.
Hope you’re right Martin and that Callum gets his chance. He’s a special talent, and playing alongside the other Callum will help his development.
Youth brings speed. Late twenties and on brings experience and smarter movement. So very important for forwards in the Premier League.
If the team does not play through balls for the speed merchants to explode upon, then speed over distance is wasted. If the team builds up and plays Pep Southgate football then it is important to have the instincts and experience of the ‘old’ men up front.
Niclas Fullkrug and Callum Wilson have a good 5 years left in them yet. Not attributes to be thrown away or ignored.
In 5 years time they will be 37 and 38 respectively. I don’t think they’ll be tearing up the league at that age somehow.
I’m thinking maybe Taffy means 5 years between them, i.e. two and a half years each. Because, as you say, 37 and 38 are a bit unlikely.
Come on fans,could have done with a couple more but we can give the youth players a run if needed
Plus side is we still have Paqueta, who has already made a good partnership with Fernandes and we still have Soucek who I love, he is always a threat in the box and he works his socks off
We have got 2 Strikers in Marshall and Cummings when fit again
And we have managed to clear some of the dead wood.
Sullivan had no intentions of buying anymore he wanted to keep the cash
We do now need to get behind the boys and cheer them on and let’s beat Spurs
Come on you Irons