A week on from achieving promotion back to the Premier League at Wembley, it is finally begin to sink in that we will once again be rubbing shoulders with huge clubs such as Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal.
No longer will I be searching what the nearest train station is to Bristol City or going around the houses to collect my Cardiff City away ticket.
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From reports it seems Sam Allardyce has a decent enough budget to dip into this summer to ensure that West Ham do not just survive in the Premier League but also establish themselves back where they belong. With along term plan in place, the owners are really putting the club first and I can only imagine the first position they will be looking to strengthen in will be up front.
After the final last week, Carlton Cole said on twitter that he took a major pay cut to continue to play for West Ham in the Championship.Fair play, he only played for around 14k a week.
He also said that he was basically driven to Stoke last summer as Sam Allardyce and the owners tried to sell him on, but understandably Cole didn’t fancy a move to the Potteries. It was no secret that Allardyce didn’treally fancy him in pre-season and the likes of John Carew were added to the squad after first choice signings didn’t join the club and players such as Freddie Piquionne failed to make an impact.
For the first few months of the season, West Ham blew hot and cold, but were still up there at the top of the league. The defence were superb, James Tomkins, Abdoulaye Faye, George McCartney and Joey O’Brien were solid and Green was as perusual on top form. The only problem was scoring goals.
The Upton Park crowd didn’t take to new skipper Kevin Nolan and he found it tough to do anything right before Christmas, and it was the penalties of Mark Noble that seemed to be saving our bacon week after week.
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I, along with plenty of others where I stand were getting increasingly frustrated with Carlton Cole. His first touch at times was worse than mine and his lack of aerial prowess was becoming embarrassing for a man with his height and strength, not to mention his composure in front of goal.
Now I appreciate him taking the pay cut and to be fair he played well in the final three games of the season, but as he proved throughout the whole of the season and even more so last season, he is not good enough tolead the line in the Premier League.
In modern day football there is no place for sympathy with a player like Cole. Just because he did sacrifice some money it doesn’t mean he is suddenly a legend at Upton Park. Just because he communicates on Twitter doesn’t mean he deserves to play week in week out against the best defenders in theworld.
It may be an unpopular opinion and may even be viewed as a rant, but when you play with just one striker you need him to score more than 15 goals in a regular season to be competitive. Cole has not done that in any season in his entire career from when he broke into the Chelsea side in 2001 and he certainly won’t next season.
I am happy to keep Carlton; who turns 29 at the start of next season; of course; he clearly loves it in East London and feels at home here having been born just south of the river, but to start the season with him as our mains triker in August is surely not an option.
Every now and again Cole works very hard and defends well from corners etc, a handful of his goals this season were terrific, but they are few and far between and for every one thing he does well, he seems to do four things poorly. In my opinion he simply isn’t good enough to lead the line in the Premier League, we have to be realistic and think with our heads not our hearts.
Disagree? Let me know below or abuse my Twitter account:@Brad_Pinard
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The fact that we are still so undecided on this issue after 5 years only strengthens the authors point.
I couldn’t agree more, he’s far too inconsistent has the ball control of a bouncy castle at times, 15 goals in the 2nd tier of football (that’s 43 games including the play off games)that is not good enough to be the main striker, 5 premier league goals 2010/11 season and 10 premier league goals 2009/10 season, a squad player yes, we will not survive on this kind of strike rate,
In his defence he only started 31 games, so a 1 in 2 strike rate isn’t so bad!
I’m not being funny but fans like you are the problem with this Club your over critical and you give the players a hard time when their not doing well which don’t help. Cole is loyal and gives it his all. he has been our top goal scorer so many seasons and he will be hungry for the premiership. it’s about time everyone game him a break.
sorry but i feel it’s fan’s like you that are the problem, “ah he tried bless him, can’t hit a barn door with a bango” but he’s a trier, yep the other 19 teams in the division are going to feel sorry for us and maybe let us score a few, coz he’s a nice bloke and tries, we need a clinical striker not a bloke that falls over, scuffs the shots, back passes right into the heart of our own defence, Tell me one thing what have we really achieved with CC as our main striker, and don’t say get promoted, coz we got relegated also
No No No fans like you are the problem over exaggerate as I said he has been our top goal scorer season after season he goes out there and he is all over the field, I’m sure when you was watching the play offs and he scored you were thinking Cole is terrible we should of never signed him. he is a sought after striker and for a reason. Fans like you don’t get behind the team in the tough times you’d rather boo em. Only singing when your winning type of fans and that is not the West Ham way
35 goals in 3 seasons complete, i’m not exaggerating, you still can’t tell me what we’ve achieved with CC as the main striker, and NO I have never boo’d a current or former WHU player, this sentimental claptrap has to stop, I spend a fortune going to WHU games and to watch the team I love, but you have to draw the line he is at best a squad player in the Premier league, why do you think only Stoke city came in for him, 16 goals in 2 seasons in the prem from 2009-2011, if the manager thinks like you we’ll be back in the championship very quickly
Sorry Danny but i have to chip in here. I ahve been a fan of West ham all my life and I have NEVER booed my team. I always support my team through good times and bad (too many bad times for my liking) however this does not preclude me from having an opinion on whether or not a player is good enough to be our main goal threat in the hardest league in the world. I am not getting on Carlton’s back, I appreciate his loyalty and his hard work, but my opnion (and that’s all it is) is that he is not good enough to be our main goal threat, too inconsistent, ball control not good enough, not clinical enough in front of goal. End Of! Top goal scorer season after season. 10 goals in the Prem is nothing to write home about. Probably explains why we got relegated in the first place. How dare you judge my support for my team when i am simply offering my opinion on a player.
I never said he should be our main striker but he should be in the squad without question he adds value to the team, we need a prolific goal scorer who can net 20 – 25 a season minimum and 15 from Carlton would be welcomed on top of that. I’m pulling for Bas Dost
maybe you should read my first reply to you
“what have we really achieved with CC as our main striker”
I did and my last comment still stands
Danny your 100% right and 80% of West Ham fans will agree with you! This guy is a tool!
all i said was he should not be our main striker, and if you think he’s good enough for that you are deluded, too much sentimental nonsense, if you are going to abuse me over my view, at least read everything that i have posted,
He is a frustrating player who never quite seems to use his strength. During the Wembley final he competed for an amazing 32 long ball headers winning 22 of them with only 5 balls into feet including his goal. Without him we would have lost. A pity that we play that way but his loyalty to West Ham means a lot to me
The guy is west ham through and through. Could do better sometimes but seems to produce when he has to, a fit Carlton cole is a decent striker. Seems to me that he is also a strong character in the camp so why get rid of him?
No one said get rid, just not use him as the main striker!
100% with you all the way Brad, we havn’t had a quality striker since the Welsh Bell(end) left.
I think your article on Carlton is spot on !
Firstly we need to remember players like cole willing to go down the division just to stay at the club, unlike some star players who we bought for a decent amount of price and wont sign new contracts just because we was relegated
Even a good front man is nothing without a good team gel and loyalty spirit.
Give Maynard and baldock a chance in pre season matches. they deserve it.
Keep cole, if we lose him, we might lose one of the few players who really cares for the club and not fortunes.
He’s a good idea, from now on, dont sell star players to bigger clubs.
What a load of Crap, yet again forever West Ham posts a load of rubbish.
Why post such negative posts ALL the time.
Its always this player isnt good enough or why sign him etc etc.
Carlton Cole is loyal and to be honest without him this year we wuoldnt have gone up… simple as!
So go support Arsenal or something, we dont need negative fans like you here.
I wonder how many times you BOO’d at Upton Park this year…. unbelievable.
Carlton Cole, just like Marlon Harewood before him is one of the most infuriating players ever to have pulled on a West Ham shirt. Large, powerfully built and mobile, his touch at times is non-league standard and I wonder how the hell he ever became a footballer. Then, often in the same game, he pulls the ball down surrounded by defenders, uses quick feet to make space and lays the ball off or takes a shot. At times your not sure if you are watching the same man. My opinion hasnt changed since I first saw him…the only consistent thing about Carlton is his inconsistency, and at Prem level thats a concern. I dont feel he is a first pick striker, but certainly worth keeping as a squad player. I like the guy a lot, but the seasons have proved my point.
Your views are unfair and wrong. Every club has some nuts masquerading as fans and you are a liability to us real fans. Get a life and a real attitude.
The end of your article gave the game away when you invited people to ‘abuse’ not ‘respond’ to it. You wrote this to get a big reaction and it’s worked. Well done you.
This article is typical of this site- negative and ignorant. I won’ be back.
Carlton’s isn’t a 20 goals a year man. He’s a player who gets his share, but sets up just as many and occupies multiple defenders allowing space for others. The system didn’t work earlier this season cos he was isolated with only an out of form Nolan trying to pick up the pieces. They were out-numbered. Since Vaz Te came into the side and Collison started to make more beaks from midfield the system has worked. This is n no small part due to Cole’s excellence which certainly lasted more than the last three games the ‘author’ claimed.
If we play the same system which works, then we need Cole or a similar player. The only thing that worries me is that Carlton’s body has taken a pummeling over the years so we cannot expect him to play 30+ games so we will need another striker of a similar ilk.
For those fans calling for a 20 goals a season player- it would be nice wouldn’t it? But those type of players tend to go to better, bigger teams who have more financial power than we do currently. So get real and back what we’ve got.
I really disagree with you article. What you don’t seem to get is that a lone striker isn’t just there to alone score a lot of goals. The main thing is to hold up play. Im sure Cole will do well in the Prem as it won’t be as crowded as in the CC. With a couple of wide/creative players that can feed balls into the box we will be fine next season.
Absolute joke of an article. Instead of looking at his goal scoring record try looking at the job he does for the team. I think this season he has improved his all round game allot. We have played him up top on his own all season and hes a constant threat to the opposition center halves with his size and power. Look at how many opposition managers last season said the Cole was the difference and was unplayable. Anyone who thinks we should sell our top scorer the last 3 or 4 seasons running is a complete mug, hes our 2nd or 3rd longest serving players and has shown immense loyalty to stay and more than help the club back to the Premier League when a move to established Stoke City looked a far more attractive destination, even if he would only be warming the bench. I think he was offered something like £40k a week to join them but instead took a 50% pay cut on his £35k a week wages to stay. Maybe some of our fans can learn from his loyalty and get behind the team and players. Your probably one of these deluded fans that thinks Michael Owen would be a great signing or that now were in the Prem we can afford and attract a top European goal machine. Im sure Carlton will prove you all wrong next season. ALWAYS BELIEVING
I stick by 100% of the article, thanks for some of the constructive responses. You can tell the people who actually have a decent opinion by their spelling and grammar to be honest. Cole is not good enough to be our main striker and I have said we should keep him at the club but not start him; something some people have missed. For people to question my loyalty, support etc is laughable as you will struggle to find someone who went to more games last season, but that doesn’t mean I have a more valid opinion, just that I am entitled to it. I still believe if Cole is our main man next season we will struggle to survive.
Cheap shot from you about the spelling and grammar that says more about you than those you criticise.
I personally don’t question your support or your loyalty- I don’t know you so how could I? However I do question your knowledge and understanding of the game if you cannot see that Carlton’s role in this team is to act as a focal point for the attack, rather than to score 25 a year. It’d be nice if he could do both but we are not a club who could afford the £15-20 million or so it would take to buy such a player.
You just seem to be regurgitating the criticism he was getting earlier this season when he was being made to look poor due to the predictable set up of the team around him. Since the team has been set up in a more attacking way he has looked what he is- an effective front man who holds the ball up, brings others into play and scores a fair percentage when the team is creating chances for him.
I agree we need another striker to take the weight off his shoulders. There are worse options than Yakubu who would fit into our system and seems to be available for West Ham type money.
Btw- no need to get so defensive. You deliberately wrote a provocative article in order to get a reaction for a site that tends to not get many. So you’re only reaping what you deliberately sowed.
you really sum this site up Brad, as usual full of negative crap. most of your writers are the same, why bother???
Go to whu web site or use this link
http://www.whufc.com/articles/20120528/big-sam-looking-up_2236884_2790209?
Now tell me that Sam does not rate him.
I think you will find your view is not in line with the either the club or the the majority of fans.
Without wanting to drag this on any longer, I’m finding myself in the weird position of wanting to defend Carlton here.
If you look at the top goalscorers in the Premier League for the season just gone (http://www.worldfootball.net/torjaeger/eng-premier-league-2011-2012/), the top 3 scored 20 goals plus (even excluding penalties) and below that you’re largely in the 10 to 15 range. To be fair, if you do a look back to previous seasons it’s not that different either.
I think we all agree he’s infuriating as he clearly has ability so if the management decide he’s good enough to stay, we have no option but to fully support him.
My attitude towards him has really changed this season as he has continued to develop this unbelievable ability to score or do something great just as my faith in him is at breaking point. The guy works bloody hard for the team and I think in the state we’re in right now, that’s going to be really important next season if we’re to pull clear of relegation. We definitely don’t want a sulky money grabber who gets easily upset when the going gets tough and chances are not coming thick and fast.
COYI !!!
To be honest I am ambivolous towards CC, don’t really care if we keep him or not as our upcoming season will not be decided by the volume of goals he scores. I think he has shown the kind of loyalty we would wish to see from our players and that is to be respected. If he does start next season then he must have a poacher, a la Cottee along side him to get the tap in he doesn’t. personally I would like to see Maynard given a chance because that guy is fast and knows where the goal is. Whoever, Cole cannot be left up from by himself and be expected to give a 20 goal return. What does make me sad is the vitriolic responses to this article from people who all support the same team and should be revelling in the fact that we are back where we belong, have money to spend and in Sam have someone who can be trusted to spend that money to best effect. It is all about opinion but let’s be grown up about it and remember personal attacks, vitriolic responses should be left to the Mancs, Scousers, Spuds and West London mob; we are West Ham………United!
Another foreverwestham article, another nonsensical article from someone lacking football knowledge.
Carlton will never be an out and out goal scorer – his role is to hold up the ball, make the defender’s lives difficult and bring other players into the game. Emile Heskey was much lauded for providing this role but scored a lot less in his time in the Premiership!
I thought WHU supporters wanted to keep the ball on the floor. So they want a Big, tall weak centre forward ? Confused ? – I am ? They have always supported players who graft for the team. Every time he gives the ball away he stops and looks. Confused ? – I am ? They want to stay in the Premiership. If his goals scored did not get us automatic promotion ( thanks Vaz Te for all you did ) how will they stop us being relegated ? Confused – I am ?
Cole is not good enough but he’s the best we’ve got and definately got us up as he shouldn’t have got a toe in for Vaz Te s goal . good post mate and any of you that dis agree don’t watch him properly , bad touch and miles too weak in the air for a man of his size !! Most strikers score a handful of great goals in a season so I think you are only seeing that and not the basics in which as a pro should be easy ! Think BFS is too wise to have him lead the line in the Prem !