The hype surrounding the arrival of Pablo Fornals has surprised me though I have few doubts we have inherited a very talented young midfielder.
That judgement however, is based to some extent on a video clip in which he demonstrates some extraordinary dead ball line skills as he turns a left back inside out and backwards.
If truth be told I knew nothing about the player until two or three days ago when he appeared in the media as a possible signing and we learned later he had been Manuel Pellegrini’s major target for several weeks.
Frankly, like most others I was waiting for a top defensive midfielder to arrive because as mentioned on several occasions recently we currently have nearly a team of attacking midfield operators and just two who are capable of sitting in front of a defence which conceded so many goals last season.
Anderson, Lanzini, Fornals, Yarmolenko, Wilshere, Snodgrass, Diangana, Antonio, Obiang (at the moment anyway) and Holland ( a first team squad member) are the names in the frame offensively.
Rice and Sanchez, at opposite ends of the age scale, are the two who can protect the back four as the rallying cry from inside the club is all about a “return to the West Ham Way.”
I’ve lived long enough to remember it and the days when Ron Greenwood claimed the fans came because they knew they would be entertained and not necessarily get results. Put another way the West Ham Way boils down to “you score four and we’ll score five.”
As mentioned at various times over the last three or four days it’s difficult to see what happens if Dec gets injured although one can only assume Mark Noble would be seen as the answer. Personally I think that would be like using a sticking plaster on a gaping wound.
With a bit of dough left in the pot, and with hopefully more to come from sales, maybe a DM will appear although getting a good one when Declan is clearly destined to play whenever fit will be difficult. Alongside that is the need for a decent striker.
We have to trust the manager’s philosophy that we will dominate the ball thus making it difficult for other teams to gain possession and advance too often on our goal. Frankly it will HAVE to be that way as I see it.
Yes I trust the boss but I would still love to see another defensive midfielder just in case of a disaster as from the little we’ve seen I really cannot believe Sanchez is the answer or that the admirable Nobes is the answer in there.
COYI
Issa could probably do a decent job there if absolutely necessary. Zabaleta could also do a job there in a less physically demanding role that may increase his longevity. Cullen is a possible option, untested so no way of knowing if he could step up.
Aside from that, where is the next Declan Rice? There has to be somebody in Europe under 23 who has stepped up to the first team in a decent league and looked quality. They are the ones we need to get before they become the next big thing and are then out of our reach.
Calm down, Hugh, mate. Give them a chance to finish all their summer business. Let’s accept that they probably have a plan, to which we are not privy.
Hugh I agree with what you are saying – I regard another attacking midfielder as not really being necessary – unlike a defensive midfielder. As for the “West Ham way” – that would be our perfomance against Huddersfield last season when we won 4-3 – and I didn’t really feel happy after that performance. This season will be the acid test for Pelle – remember Slav’s fantastic first season – Mikey does have a point tho so I will reserve judgement until the end of teh transfer window or at least until after the first five games (tho I dont think I could take four losses on the bounce again)
Let’s hope so Mikey. The facts are simple enough, of our 22 seasons of PL football, there have only been 2 ( 97/98 & 15/16) where we have finished with a plus GD. A good young DM & a proven striker should be imperative.
Maybe Josh Cullen is in Pelle,s thoughts.
In terms of dominating possession we already do that to most teams but we create less chances, we do need more players that can make those key passes, we also need clinical finishers, if we keep Hernandez hopefully Fornals will be the player that puts the ball into spaces he can exploit.
Pelle of course wants at least two senior players in every position and he has that today. We also have Johnson, Holland, Diangana, Cullen, Silva and a few more youngsters who can break through.
GK Fabianski/Roberto/Martin
RB Fredericks/Zabaleta
LB Cresswell/Masuaku
CB Diop/Balbuena/Reed/Ogbonna
DM Rice/Sanchez
CM Noble/Obiang
AM Lanzini/Wilshere
RM Forlans/Snodgrass
LM Anderson/Yarmolenko
CF Arnautovic/Antonio/Hernandez/Hugill
I’m certain that he will try to sell and replace Obiang and Sanchez in midfield.
He will also try to get one forward in and sell Hernandez and Hugill.
Possibly also replace Ogbonna with another CB.
GK Fabianski/Roberto/Martin
RB Fredericks/Zabaleta
LB Cresswell/Masuaku
CB Diop/Balbuena/Reed/Ogbonna
DM Rice/Sanchez
CM Noble/Obiang
AM Lanzini/Wilshere
RM Forlans/Snodgrass
LM Anderson/Yarmolenko
CF Arnautovic/Antonio/Hernandez/Hugill
We also have Johnson, Holland, Diangana, Cullen, Silva and a few more youngsters who can break through.
I’m certain that he will try to sell and replace Obiang and Sanchez in midfield.
He will also try to get one forward in and sell Hernandez and Hugill.
Possibly also replace Ogbonna with another CB.