Ever since the summer of 2006, when West Ham pulled off two of the most unlikely signings in Premier League history, Javier Mascherano and Carlos Tevez, the summer transfer window is full of strange rumours of world class players that are heading to Upton Park, 99.9% of which are complete and utter rubbish.
This summer seems a little different however, there is a real belief from the fans that something special could come from the side next season, exciting names like Andy Carroll, Romelu Lukaku, Massimo Ambrosini, Benat Extebarria and Scott Sinclair are being heavily linked with a move to the mighty Irons! I am rather sceptical of this, due to the fact that over the years we have been linked with huge names that sweep the whole West Ham community off their feet for five minutes before we come back down to earth and realise we don’t have the finances to pull off such a big coup. Some examples of this is the three or four summers in a row that we were set to sign Luca Toni and Adriano when they were at the pinnacle of their careers and instead signed players like Mido, Savio, Ilan and Nolberto Solano.
Also the 2011/12 season in the Championship we were linked with out of favour City striker Carlos Tevez again, and at one point he was odds on to sign with us. However the strangest and most farcical rumour was that of Ronaldinho, the two time World Player of the Year, was linked with a move to East London despite already signing for Atletico Mineiro.
The second season back in the Premier League is always tough, but I would hope to see more of the same again next season, gaining some experienced free agents such as AC Milan legend, Ambrosini along with the already signed Razvan Rat can only be a positive for the club. Some Premier league experience is needed too though, I would like to see our chairmen offering contracts to well-known Premier League defenders such as Richard Dunne, Maynor Figueroa and Danny Simpson, along with loan moves for players like Raheem Sterling or Scott Sinclair to add some much needed pace and youth to proceedings next season.
Another player that will seem like a new signing for the club next year will be the exciting prospect that is Ravel Morrison, after having a great year out on loan at Birmingham he will be vying for a first team spot in the middle next season, I believe a player like Ambrosini could really help Morrison’s development, along with the encouragement from club captain Kevin Nolan who is a key cog in raising the youth players morale. I would also like to see Rob Hall feature a bit more from the bench this coming season too, from what I saw of him at Birmingham he looked like a great prospect, and he has that extra yard of pace that we currently lack down the right side.
I personally cannot see us getting a player of Lukaku’s ability on loan, for a start Lukaku is a better player than Demba Ba and Torres currently, so why would Chelsea not keep him for themselves? I would see this as stroke of luck to be honest, it seems more than likely that we will get Andy Carroll on a permanent basis sooner or later, and any club that played two upfront last season were over run in midfield, this happened to us against Everton at Goodison Park in the second half when we brought on Carlton Cole with Carroll, it just didn’t work.
If all went according to plan my realistic line up for the opening day of next season would be a 4-2-3-1 formation, Jussi in goal, supported at the back by Danny Simpson, Winston Reid, James Collins and Razvan Rat, Ambrosini and Diame sitting in front of the back four, but the Italian would give Diame room to move and make his darting runs forward too , Matt Jarvis on the right, Nolan behind the striker and loanee Scott Sinclair on left, with big Andy Carroll up top. This line up would easily gain us a top half finish and if Big Sam puts some real importance into the cups I can see us having a really good season and even making an appearance at Wembley along the way.
Prediction- 8th place and a League Cup run!
Written by Luke Boarer
Well Carroll does Not Excite me both injury prone & 7 goals from 24 games is not a top striker! We need a forward who will score 15 minimum and closer to 20! Sadly AC has been far too over hyped just because his awkward size put him in the air does not guarantee him to be the best available!
Personally i think andy will go back to liverpool…we seemed to be linked with darren bent..that doesnt fill me with hope much..he was a great prospect that never did do much…why sell cole to get bent????…crouch?? Not sure about thb..blows hot and cold but far too cold lately…..a player id love to see us go for is matt smith at oldham..he could be a great player in sams format even if it was just as cover and he wouldnt cost a fortune
Hate to rain on your parade but Carroll is going back to Liverpool. Maiga off to Marseille, Carlton Cole to MLS and Wellington Paulista back to Vasco de gama. Now what? Darren Bent available and knows where the net is as does Gary Hooper. West Hma however in true fashion will probably get cheap option in Crouch and a free agent in Kevin Phillips
Do you really believe that farcical report in goal this morning? This is the time of year when football writers have nothing to report so either mAke stuff up or regurgitate old stories, which is exactly what this is. The mickeys don’t want him, the barcodes can’t afford him and its World Cup year next year! Carroll is not a bloody idiot, but you are if you believe he’s going back to Liverpool by choice. Unless someone else (with far more to offer) joins the race I’m pretty confident he’ll be at the bolyne next season.
It worries me that we appear to be addressing defence (bid going in for Ludovic Sane and in talks with Douglas from FC Twent), Midfield in Bernat but what we are and have been for years is an out and out Goal scorer. Sure, Andy Carroll provides a good aerial threat and is good with his hold up play but he’s not the prolific scorer we need for next season. A club like ours has to use the money wisely. £15m for Andy Carroll???? Why not spend £6m on Gary Hooper and another £8m on Jordan Rhodes and play 2 man attack
Totally agree !!!!!!
why do we always have to look at English strikers in Bent, Crouch, Carroll, Rhodes and Hooper why can’t we look abroad and look at little gems like Andreas Cornelius he would be cheap, young and prolific IMO, and this would enable us to spend money on other areas like right wing and the CAM position to give a striker the oppurtunity.
Hate one up front !!! If you have a good , strong midfield why do you need five !!!! Sick of seeing a big lump that holds the ball up for overlapping players that don’t overlap !!!! Too easy for most defences playing against one striker cos they can push players on and cause us problems !!! Two up front and then let other teams worry about us !!!!
romelu lukaku come to west ham??????????/ hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah NEVER EVER will this happen . end of
Well the Hype and tripe season is well and truly with us. We should ask where the stories that appear in the press originate from. Is it Players, Agents or Football Clubs, so let’s look at players trying to get to a better club, or more money, Agents well that’s them trying to generate cash for themselves, and that means the player the represent will be linked with every club, then there’s Football Clubs, well they want to get rid of players they do not want for prices that will allow them to buy others. So my view is that until it is confirmed as with last time, rumours will abound top names will be bandied about, some as smokescreens for ones that are targeted so that other clubs do not try and hijack the transfer, because after all we have to do it on a budget. So what do we need, well here’s my view, another Goalkeeper, 2 Cenrebacks, 1 Right Back, 1 Midfielder, 1 for the Right Wing, and 1 Striker. The reason is simple, cover for injuries, and with older players like Joe Cole, and Kevin Nolan you could rest them. This would allow Sam to get rid of Demel, and keep O’Brien at right back, Nolan could go to if neccessary along with Vaz Te. Then we could with one up front and midfield players coming through. As many managers understand and strive for and that is: get the system right, then get the players to play the system, and new ones coming have to know what is expected of them and how the team plays. Not rocket science I hear you say, well perhaps, but not many get it right. So Sam plays with a system, so should he be looking for players that can play that system, and keep us mid table next year, yes I believe so. The hype will never stop it fills column inches, and the owners add to the furor with “We will make five signings” good sounbite, but they never say who the signings will be so two already are Razvan Rat, and maybe Andy Carroll. So for the rest “Roll Up”, “Roll Up” you pays yer money and takes yer choice, draw up a list of everyone available and those wanting away from relegated premier clubs and we will probably see the links mentioned somewhere.
What I would like is to get the whole thing over quickly, so that theyb can all have a good pre-season in order to open the nest season with some balance and understanding between whoever is in the squad.
Well we all need to live in hope with something, so here’s mine Danny Simpson for Right back, Ludovic Sane, Douglas for defence, with Bernat and Jonjo Shelvey for Midfield, this still leaves the right wing spot to be filled.
To me this could give us a starting line up of:
New Goalkeeper, Simpson, Sane, Douglas, Rat, then New Right Wing, Shelvey, Bernat, Diame, Jarvis with AC or ANOther up front, with the rest for cover or rotation. As I say suprplus to requirements, Demel, O’Neill, McCartney, Nolan and Vaz Te. Make Noble Captain and give some games to Potts, Hall, and then progressively see if the academy players can setp up to the premiership to provide replacements.
I’m forever dreaming, sounds familiar.
If you play one up front you must give him the service ….. Noble hasn’t got a forward pass in him and the full backs can,t deliver . Problems in midfield need sorting fast . Why do you think we score so few goals … cos we don’t create chances . Carroll not perfect but causes mayhem given the right ammunition . Lukaku went to West Brom so why is it so funny that he might look at Hammers … Much bigger club . in London , bigger crowds and more money .
How stupid is Dave?? Obviously a West Brom fan getting bored of refreshing the rumour linking the Baggies with a move for Bentley so comes to join in with a set of fans that support a club who can offer to buy the players they loan in and not look foward to a season with Marc Antoine Fortune as the main striker. Good luck in not slipping too far down the league.
Feel sad already hate all these foreign connections, they come here get known then go to other clubs, what is becoming of West Ham, In a few years time we will not have any modern day TRUE West Ham Legends or Hero’s for our youngsters to talk about.