How do you rate the current West Ham squad?

We are in big trouble, of that there is now no doubt. As the side slowly but surely started to slip southwards over the past few months, it became clear to many that the squad was, at best, capable of keeping us in the upper lower reaches of the table. At worst, and especially if injuries hit hard, were very likely to be involved in yet another relegation dogfight.

Andy Carroll; you almost feel that it could only happen at West Ham don’t you!  Hopes were pinned firmly on the big man but his size 11 boots haven’t been sullied by Boleyn mud for over half a year and boy has it shown.

Bad luck, bad judgement, bad signing? Who knows?

We all have our opinions on why we find ourselves where we are, but one constant always underpins every single team, and determines how successful that team will be, and that is the strength of the squad. More than ever it has become a squad game, where the rich and powerful clubs amass and collect star players like grubby fingered little kids collect football stickers.

Whilst we, along with most of world football, can’t remotely compete with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City, and of late Arsenal (Ozil) and Tottenham Hotspur  (£110M…mind blowing by our standards), we can, and indeed MUST compete favourably with the Cardiffs, Sunderlands, Fulhams, Palaces, and Aston Villas of this world. The end game is clearly defined if we don’t manage to match these ‘table mates’ of ours. We go down.

Setting to one side the thorny question of Sam Allardyce and his cost/benefit analysis, just how decent is West Ham’s current squad? And do we have the depth required to make a fight of things now the going has become truly tough?

We need to be realistic here. There are some teams/squads that simply are not up to standard, and are playing at THEIR maximum. I, along with most of you, shake my head in disbelief when the same old players make the same old mistake with the same old result. But what if that player simply is unable to do what is expected of him because he just isn’t up to the job ?You cant make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear and all that…

I really feel we have a number of players who fall into this category, who could best be described as Championship standard rather than reliable, trustworthy Premier League competitors who will, more often that not, get a 7/10 rather than alternating 6’s and 5’s, looking half-decent one week then playing like a Sunday morning stalwart with dodgy knees who overdid the Jack Daniels the night before. Here is my current assessment:

Jussi Jaaskelainen: More plusses than not. Experienced but hate his free kick positioning! 6/10

Guy Demel:  Some decent overlap play but own goals and mistake littered performances. 5/10

Razvan Rat: New boy who looks good on the ball. Promising but Jury still out.  6/10

James Collins: Such a trier, brave as you like but always a mistake lurking.  6/10

James Tomkins: Decision-making needs work. Battler and always-committed 7/10

Winston Reid: Brilliant performer and badly missed of late. A great find for West Ham 8/10

Joey O’Brien: Never been fully convinced. Lacks composure on the ball 5/10

Mark Noble: Quality on ball and total commitment. Pick of the bunch for me 8/10

Mohamed Diame: Huge disappointment. Goes missing and loses possession too much 6/10

Ravel Morrisson: Priceless skill, suspect temperament, work in progress 7/10

Jack Collison: Patchy performances but lack of regular games to blame? 6/10

Kevin Nolan: Hasn’t been worth either captaincy or place in side for months. Awful.  3/10

Ricardo Vaz Te: Lacks consistency and commitment to the cause. Luxury player. 5/10

Matt Jarvis: Struggled of late as no one to hit in the box. Quality player if used correctly. 7/10

Stewart Downing: Showing now why so highly rated and in previous England set up. 7/10

Joe Cole: Dying embers of a great career. Needs to show some old flashes…if capable? 6/10

C.Cole: Just short of real Premier League quality but he gives his best, even if that means trying and failing! 5/10

Modibo Maiga: Simply out of his depth. The league is too fast and physical for him. Languid/lazy! 4/10

Andy Carroll: Can’t remember what he looks like…

So for me, two 8/10, four 7/10 and the rest mainly 5s and 6’s. Perhaps these ratings equate to a deserved place just above the bottom three, and confirm a lack of real quality. What do you think?