With the arrival of the new Spanish goalkeeper, Adrian, it seems to poke fun at an issue that has been debated over since the departure of Robert Green. We are approaching a new season with heavy doubts laden over the position of who is the number one goalkeeper, and where we go in the future.
Adrian seems to be a solid goalkeeper. Having impressed in the Spanish leagues, yet he doesn’t seem to be the caliber of goalkeeper I would have liked the club to sign. Jussi Jaaskelainen has been brilliant for the club. He has brought solidity and consistency as a perfect model to the team, and has helped the manager complete his task of building from the back. However, despite the length that goalkeepers can and will carry on in football, Jussi Jaaskelainen’s time seems that it may not be too much longer, considering the age he will be in August. The services of Jussi, despite having signed an extension, seem to be short-lived. However, is Adrian the new long-term policy?
It worries me, personally, that we have invested in this goalkeeper; mainly because this 26-year-old has only been able to make his introduction into Spanish football in the last year. Even though he has become a mainstay and an ever present in the Real Betis team, I am still skeptical of this signing. I am skeptical because it doesn’t seem a large step forward for the club. This is because the fiasco surrounding our goalkeepers has continued.
I beg to ask the question, what about Stephen Henderson? Henderson has been at the club since January of 2012, and when he was signed was rumored to be one of the brightest prospects in the championship. However, despite proving good back up to both Green and Jaaskelinen, the Irishman seems to be a pointless signing. He has spent more time out of the club on loan and last January, it was rumored that he would be part of an exchange deal to bring Paul Robinson in. The club needs to make a decision on Stephen Henderson. It seems that he either needs to move for the sake of his own career, or that he needs to be a permanent fixture in the West Ham United goal. However, the signing of Adrian seems to point to the suggestion that Stephen Henderson’s time at West Ham United could be over, or that Jussi Jaaskelinen’s career is being brought to a close.
I am not suggesting that the club should bring in a goalkeeper of Julio Cesar’s quality. He would be a very good signing for the club, and would offer some form of progress. However, Cesar would demand high wages and considering his record last year, and his injury problems, Cesar would be a bad move. It would be nice to have seen the club bring in a goalkeeper of Steklenburg’s standard. Fulham have made a very good acquisition in Steklenburg, and I hope that Adrian can live up to the very same standard that a high quality goalkeeper is required to be at. Nevertheless, for now, the signing of Adrian seems to be solid, but not the long term solution that I was hoping would have been brought in.
Fiasco?
Leave off
What the hell are you on about? What fiasco? We offloaded Green & bought in jaaskelainen who’s had a great season. He’s probably got a year or so left at the top hence the new contract. Adrian has been bought in, on a free, as an understudy who will hopefully step up to the plate once Jussi retires. Either way we’ve got a year to have a good look at him & if he’s not upto it we move him on and look again. BFS obviously doesn’t fancy Henderson. Where’s the fiasco?
What a terrible article – sensationalist to say the least.
Jussi is 38 yrs old and possibly has one or two seasons left in him at the top level. Bringing in the Spanish “Rob Green” as an understudy to be groomed to take over the No 1 jersey makes absolute perfect sense.
Adrian is only 26 – in goalkeeping terms a youngster. Let’s give him a bit of time under the wise guidance of Jussi and Sam before we panic buy and waste money on an area which I feel we are now well and truly covered.
Now about getting strikers…
Henderson was brought in last year for an inflated fee to save Portsmouth from going bust, thus saving us from loosing the points accumulated from the games against them. My feeling is that the transfer was nothing more than a mechanism of keeping us in the promotion hunt. Henderson maybe a solid keeper but never a real contender for the number 1 jersey.
I’m not so sure what point you are trying to make? Jussi was one of the best keepers in the league last year, far better than anyone expected and there is no reason why he can’t be at the top level for another 2 – 3 years; look at freidal!
Adrian is a young keeper that has just completed a full season in la liga and kept 11 clean sheets. He would have faced some of the most potent strike forces in the world and will get better as experience is key to a keeper, which is why some excel at a later age. And he has cost us nothing!
I expect jussi to be number 1 next year but does it matter. I’m in favour of playing who ever is in form and hope that Adrian is at jussi’s level. Competition can only motivate better performances.
Across the board the signings being made an discussed are forward thinking and not the mend and make do attitude we had to endure for so long. Henderson served his purpose as second choice to a club fighting for survival. We are not that club anymore and Adrian gives us a first rate keeper to replace Jussi when he hangs up his gloves. Personally i think we have a renewed direction and purpose and could cause some serious problems to clubs who underestimate us !! #coyi
yeah, I’m really gutted that Fulham signed that superstar goalkeeper & we wasted all our money in yet another ‘goalkeeping Fiasco’…
Footballing shock…. 2nd choice goalkeeper not as good as 1st choice
another great story.. Keep up the good work….!!!!!!!! ??? *#*#
When ill thought out articles like this are pumped out, it gives the site Forever West Ham a bad name.
Start off with having something worthwhile and thought provoking to say!
You’re a tool of the highest order, pointless, utterly pointless article. Twat…
with most other sites saying what a good free signing Adrian is, 11 clean sheets in a season in La Lega does not seeem to be a bad signing.. How can signing a young goalkeeper who has proved himself capable in a top european league be called a Fiasco??
Whoever we sign for next season, there will allways be certain sites that moan & bi*ch saying we should have signed some else instead. BFS is triyng to strengthen the squad in all areas.if Jussi gets injured we only have Henderson as cover.
Adrian is a great signing & shows that the club are thinking about the future. Signing quality players & creating competion for the starting 11.
Have faith & back the effort the club are putting in to bring the right player’s into the club.
Is it any wonder BFS thinks some of our fans are deluded when they publish nonsense like this?????
Pathetic, ridiculous article. 1/10
Biggest load of bollox I’ve ever read
So, signing a young goalkeeper isn’t a long term solution? Righto.
We signed Henderson to protect Portsmouth’s position and the points we had taken from them, he may still turn out to be good enough, if not we’ll move him on for a nominal fee and recoup our losses.
Jesus, what a waste of 5 minutes that was. Ridiculous article. Not done yourself any favours with this, complete shit.
Jussi had a good season and is good for another; we have just signed Adrian on a FREE after some fine performances, and will be given time to settle into life in England and prove his worth. So…
WTF are you moaning about? Our GK situation is in good shape FFS.
Some fans are always looking for shit to moan about and you sound like one of them.
Here’s an idea, why not title your next article ‘The Forever West Ham Fiasco Continues’
“Adrian seems to be a solid goalkeeper. Having impressed in the Spanish leagues, yet he doesn’t seem to be the caliber of goalkeeper I would have liked the club to sign. Jussi Jaaskelainen has been brilliant for the club. He has brought solidity and consistency as a perfect model to the team, and has helped the manager complete his task of building from the back”
dear oh dear, where do we start with this on?
How do you know what Adrian is like? Unless you have been following him all year, which is unlikely given the fact that no one had any idea about WHUFC’s interest until we signed him then you, like us all, WOULD NOT HAVE A CLUE WHAT HE IS LIKE.
Secondly Jussi CONSISTENT???? Did you watch the first and some of the second part of the season.
As the Yanks would say “back to writing 101 my friend” Oh, and my son would like his crayons back.
You should sign Niki Mäenpää, FInlands first goalkeeper from Venlo in Holland… Hes looking for new club and wants to go to england. would be good to learn from jaaskelainen and then take his place. has quality to play in EPL
What a load of rubbish !