EVEN as Graham Potter was quoted earlier this month as saying he didn’t need a striker at West Ham, fans pointed to the dreadful shortage of attacking play and goals in last season’s Premier League campaign and begged to differ: It seemed the Board disagreed with Potter too as, surprising nobody, Callum Wilson arrived on a ‘free’ transfer to patch up the Antonio-shaped hole left by the 35 year old’s departure from the club.
Understandably, Callum Wilson’s reception has been mixed from a fab base with a long-enough memory to recall the dubious comments made by Wilson on his and best mate Antonio’s podcast.
As part of a wide ranging interview with talksport.com, the former Hammers number nine has begged the West Ham fan base to forgive and forget and judge the new Hammers number nine by what he achieves on the pitch:
“I feel like the West Ham fans should support him, he’s a good friend of mine, and he is a quality player, all you need to do is try and keep him fierce. If we keep him fit, he will guarantee to bring goals to the club. So just back the boy and he’s come from me”
Antonio begs the Hammers’ fan base to give best mate Callum Wilson a chance now he’s in a West Ham shirt
Can Wilson stay fit: Therein lies the sixty-four thousand dollar question. After two full seasons out injured in the last five years, the signs are not good but Graham Potter in his own recent interview claimed ‘success’ with Niclas Fullkrug and says he plans to repeat the treatment to get Wilson firing much like Danny Welbeck at Brighton, still turning out and creating chances at 35.
I suspect the fans would rather seen Callum Marshall, the 20 year old who impressed so much in pre-season, given a chance to grow into the first team striker he so desperately wants to be. No sign of Marshall at the weekend in the last pre-season games may mean he’s being loaned out for another year-something to follow up this week.
You do not see many Strikers playing in the first team at the age of 20 in the Premier League and that is why Wilson has also been brought in. Marshall is still very young inexperienced and not strong enough to play week in week out. That will come in time. Saying that though mabey putting him in cup matches and games where we are winning will help him immensely.
Wilson pffff a leopard can’t change its spots
Plenty of time to develop Marshall. No need to burden him with regular starts just yet. Wilson will do well for us for the relatively short terms of engagement he has with us.
Sit back and allow the management to do their job. If Marshall turns out to be Michael Owen 2, then he will start every game and Wilson will have to occupy a seat on the bench.
Somethings just can’t be preplanned. COYI
If Marshall turns out to be Owen II he will be sold for profit.
Not the signing we wanted, and that’s clearly been recognised by the club when they did the signing media. Blame the board, not the player.
On the positive side, it’s a one-year contract mostly based on performance. If nothing else, he’ll be competition for Fulkrug which we didn’t otherwise have.
As has been said, Marshall is promising, but not ready. Needs a season in the Championship at a side that’ll play him week-in-week-out, like Potts.
Callum Marshall was ill and on antibiotics. That’s why he never featured against Lille.
I thought Marshall has just had a shoulder operation
no you’re mixing him up with Daniel Cummings
I’m of the mind, that if you’re good enough, you’re old enough.
Arsenal have had no issues introducing much younger players, teenagers, into their 1st team.
I say keep Marshall around the 1st team and give him minutes in games that will only feed his confidence, 20 minutes when we have a 2 or 3 goal advantage (here’s hoping).
Same with Potts, Earthy, Orford and Casey.
The EPL is the level we expect them to achieve, so let’s push them. If they’re good enough, they’re old enough.
Have they fitted enough new bits to make him into a robot?
He needs to prove his fitness and score at least 6 goals before being accepted by majority of fans.
When all fit frontline has Summerville/Paqueta/Guilherme/Bowen/Fullkrug all capable of scoring goals.
Bonus would be new striker who averages 10-12 goals a season but not at the expense of new midfielders.
You know what’s going to happen…As soon as he starts to warm up the morons/ tourists/YouTube believers will start to boo him…He will be the pantomime villain until he scores.. Probably after he scores as well…This is where we are with Sullivan’s ticket policy..The sooner ST holders are ALL placed in the lower tiers the better the atmosphere will be…And there should be a no re sale put in place for those seats….But it won’t happen cause we are the idiots in this scenario.. Apparently.
I don’t doubt Wilson will score goals if he stays fit ! As a fan I will support the players / team . Let’s hope he stays fit and does well good luck to him .
For me it has nothing to do with how many goals he scored against us That is what he was paid to do
hopefully he can now score for us
BUT I am not impressed with the promise of young players when older injury ones are still being brought in It’s getting like groundhog day EVERY window
I think another year out on loan would be ideal for Marshall. A season in the Championship, playing at a higher level than last season, will improve him beyond measure and have him ready to perform for us next year. He’ll be 21 and vastly more experienced.
As for Wilson? All we can do is hope he can stay fit. Ensuring that he is completely match fit before he is considered for game time should be the plan. I believe that was the problem with Fullkrug last season.