After the mistakes of last summer, hopefully the Hammers are learning the lesson and not going to enter another Premier League season with just three centre backs: Lopetegui’s decision to send Nayef Aguerd out on loan without a replacement almost backfired spectacularly. Stand-in centre backs Vlad Coufal and Aaron Cresswell performed admirably but both are leaving next month.
Much-reported links with Chelsea defenders Trevor Chalobah, Axel Disasi and Tosin Adarabioyo (tbrfootball.com and others) suggest Graham Potter seeks a reunion with former Blues’ centre backs. Would that they were available and priced at levels which the Hammers are likely to afford. None have been released by their club as yet: However the TBR report suggests “The Blues are expected to make both players available in a bid to fund moves for their own centre-back targets”.
Chelsea have never done the Hammers any favours in the transfer market and it seems far more likely that they’ll be loaned out or sold overseas as was the case with Conor Gallagher. More likely are the stories linking the Hammers with Swiss Aurèle Amenda or CJ Egan Riley if he decides to quit Burnley.
Either way the Hammers will need to recruit to provide cover – Nayef Aguerd returns with a long-term knee injury that is likely to require more than just a few weeks off to fix. Konstantinos Mavropanos (main pic) is likely to find himself the player sold to fund the rebuild and allow for improvement. The Greek has been in and out of the starting eleven and of late has been more often on the bench after several clumsy performances.
Martin
There won’t be a summer rebuild. We have very little money to spend and will need to sell before we can buy. With the exception of Kudus and Bowen we have no players whose current value exceeds what we paid for them.
There is also the question of who would want to join West Ham right now given next year will be a relegation fight. We will have to look at virtual unknowns in the African and South American markets.
Michail Antonio has enough experience to make an admirable centre-back. So much easier playing at the back than trying to create and score up front. He knows all about positioning and would make a great rock in our defence. He wouldn’t be on his own and would be very familiar with our side having been here for so long.
Not as tall as would be ideal but super fit and built like a brick outhouse. Could be our new Ogbonna and Zouma rolled into one and up and running to boot.
Obviously only for the next three or four years though.
COYI
SULLIVAN OUT
Comes and goes, not consistent enough.
Too many mistakes, pass backs.
Hardly ever starts a game.
Time for him to go.
Of course he wants to start at the back, he appears to consider attacking football a luxury that shouldn’t be attempted by his team
If we had a dynamic midfield instead of JWP, Rodriguez, Alvarez and Soler then the defence would not be under continuous pressure.
Games are won and lost in midfield. Playing slow sideways football this season has been our key weakness.
We need pace, creativity and a striker to be our focal point to get us up the pitch!
“Games are won and lost in midfield. Playing slow sideways football this season has been our key weakness.”
Absolutely spot on
I thought Mavropanos had the best stats of the 3 so why would we sell him first. I remember when he played against England earlier in the season he was almost the best player on the pitch
For some reason Kilman gets away with mistakes but mavro gets hammered for them.
It doesn’t help that our defence has such a weak midfield infront of it.
Also mavro was a stiedten pick, whom this site particularly Martin has an agenda against.
For those fans getting misty-eyed over Tim Steidten – he was responsible for Mavropanos and Alvarez – now both likely to leave for much lower fees than we paid
That’s when Moyes had final say on who came in though. Still think the bubble was only signed to get his head on JWP corners.
Would you have preferred Glasner, Brighton’s coach or Hans Flick playing attacking style of football (all Tim recommendations) compared to what Sullivan & Brady gave us this season?
Ruben Amorim would have been an overwhelming success at LS given appropriate (& limitless) backing.
Rebuild should start on the side line POTTER FIRST
If we are to progress, the rebuild has to start with the owner and Brady. They after all gave us JLo followed by Potter.
Would we be able to keep Todibo? I doubt he would want to stay and thought he was off to United. They will probably do a straight swap for Harry Maguire 😩
its Kilman that needs replacing Hes been weak in the tackle and has never commanded our penalty box and backline That’s where our big promlems occur time and time again We havnt improved since he joined us Just take a look at our goals conceded record Figures dont lie
100% / £40m up in smoke 💨🔥🔥🔥
If we hadn’t appointed JLo we could’ve swerved Kilman & Rodriguez.
Bad recruitment of coaches inevitably leads to poor recruitment of players. Sullivan summer transfer window fills me with dread.