posted Jan 7, 2009

We haven't officially sold anyone as far as I am aware. Etherington, Bowyer and Quashie won't be missed from midfield if they do leave so long as we keep Parker, Noble, Mullins, Collison (Collinson?) LBM (for the rest of the season at least) Behrami, Dyer and Faubert. That is plenty of cover for midfield with the likes of Reid, Stokes and Stanislas hanging around as young prospects.

Davenport is likely to leave, maybe we'll see Spector with him. Jimmy Walker may move down the leagues but from what I read in the programme he is a massive presence in the dressing room. Up front meanwhile, apart from Bellamy rumours, I haven't heard anything about anybody leaving.

So from these supposed fringe players leaving, we would have a match day 18 of:

Green, Neill, Upson, Collins, Ilunga, Behrami, Parker, Noble, Dyer, Bellamy, Cole (Ashton he returns)

Subs: Latsvuka, Tomkins, Lopez/Gabbidon, Mullins, Collison, Tristan, Di Michele/Cole (when Deano is back)

Now you don't see he likes of LBM, Sears or Faubert who could come in for injuries. We got enough depth, so long as we don't have 5-10 injuries at a time...

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jan 7, 2009

DAVENPORT,BOWYER and ETHERINGTON are all expendable assets.

ZOLA obviously has the last word!!

SPECTOR,GABBIDON,FAUBERT and BOA can all leave
they are NOT needed,nor is QUASHIE?!?!?!

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jan 7, 2009

so far so good. im liking the fact that the finge is being sold now. (if these deals do go through) this means that:

1) it gives the big name players the assurance that noone worth having will be sold and the club is thinking of moving forward.

2)we will likly have about 5 to 8 players off our huge squad list with hopefully around 15 million to play with. zola can then bring in around 3 or 4 players and then we can really see zola's and nani's skills in action

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jan 7, 2009

Nice we refer out players as 'assets' now. I suppose when a player makes an error, we will call him a 'bad asset', or maybe just the first 3 letters?

I guess footballers are not human and are simply a resource to the business we call West Ham United Football Club plc

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jan 7, 2009

Steve Clarke said they would like to have no more than 23 first team players at any one time for training purposes, i.e. two teams of 11-a-side plus an extra keeper.

This makes sense and means that we can expect to see first team squad players leaving.

There is still talk of acquiring a couple more yongsters, with one German from Brescia even being loaned straight back to Brescia for the time being.

This is all sounding like an excellent thought-out long term strategy by the management "team" (i.e. Nani and Duxbury included), where we have a solid first team, shorn of the deadwood and those unlikely to get many games, and supplemented by youngsters who will be the future of this club.

If Nani's scouting is as good as the Ilunga signing suggests, we could be the next Arsenal ... as in UEFA Cup at least!

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jan 7, 2009

Agreed 44
the management team seem to be doing very well.
and the problems with Gudmundsson seem to be dying down and not looking so serious, were soon to aquire 10 mil from transfering deadwood this Jan, maybe more.

Cant wait to see what happens in the summer.

COYI!!!!!!!!!!!

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jan 7, 2009

cant wait for bowyer to leave. A shadow of the pacey, active player midfield dynamo he was at Leeds. AInt played one good game for us.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jan 7, 2009

You must have read my post of several days ago tannerman, because the first part is exactly what I wrote.
But I don't think you will see us spending the money we get in, or certainly not all of it, especially as management's plan seems to be to reduce the squad, not build the numbers back up. That would defeat the purpose of trimmimng both numbers and wage bill

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jan 7, 2009

I doubt this money will be used for purchases, too many other financial issues going on, but that's okay, let Zola get more quality out of what he has.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jan 7, 2009

Henners - I suppose when a player makes an error, we will call him a 'bad asset', or maybe just the first 3 letters?
=============
What 'a ba'?

1) No one has actually been sold.

2) Our First team squad, in terms of senior players, is in the bottom third of teams in the EPL - our 'huge' squad is made up of lots of youth players.

3) Charles - people can come up with ideas independently of you, honest.

4) I am - Bowyer played a number of good games for us last season - including the 0-3 against Reading (possibly our best performance last year) the 3-0 over Boro and the 0-5 against Derby. 4 goals in 15 appearances - not bad for such an apparently poor player.

add comment | complain about this comment