The 2016 summer transfer thread
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- Turns to Stone
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Re: The 2016 summer transfer thread
I'm not sure whether it's happened by design or by accident, but Bilic playing Antonio at right-back has actually got him to a position where he has 4 genuine full-backs. Two left-footed, two right-footed and all genuine Premier League quality.
That is something that very few other West Ham managers have manged to achieve (and particularly from G and S who seem to have a predilection for attacking players.
Just having two players in each position is something that has been alien to us for many years, and if we take out any previous mentions of the likes of Lacazette or Ibrahimovic at the start of the summer, I can't help but think that if we can keep the majority fit, it's the best squad we've ever had.
I also agree with Pinky and think that Bilic has been playing Antonio at right-back to force the hand of the board to fund a right back....he's too smart to have just kept playing him there imo.
That is something that very few other West Ham managers have manged to achieve (and particularly from G and S who seem to have a predilection for attacking players.
Just having two players in each position is something that has been alien to us for many years, and if we take out any previous mentions of the likes of Lacazette or Ibrahimovic at the start of the summer, I can't help but think that if we can keep the majority fit, it's the best squad we've ever had.
I also agree with Pinky and think that Bilic has been playing Antonio at right-back to force the hand of the board to fund a right back....he's too smart to have just kept playing him there imo.
Last edited by Turns to Stone on Fri Sep 02, 2016 5:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Maroonmachine
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Re: The 2016 summer transfer thread
Maybe Pinky is right, maybe that was Slavens plan all along. Although you'd think all he had to do was ask.
- Turns to Stone
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Re: The 2016 summer transfer thread
I'd imagine the response he would have got was 'What? We only just bought Sam Byram last January....here, have another South American forward'Maroonmachine wrote:Maybe Pinky is right, maybe that was Slavens plan all along. Although you'd think all he had to do was ask.
Re: The 2016 summer transfer thread
So,you and others think that Bilic's cunning plan to get another FB out of the owners was to deliberately fail to automatically qualify for Europa League and,probably CL ?Turns to Stone wrote:
I also agree with Pinky and think that Bilic has been playing Antonio at right-back to force the hand of the board to fund a right back....he's too smart to have just kept playing him there imo.
So what about the £2.5m the owners gave him for the hapless Tore? Unfortunately the FB issue is 100% down to Bilic,imo.The really frightening thing is that, had Antonio muddled through a little bit better and Cresswell not got injured till today, we would have been looking at half a season with Byram as our only FB!!
- Turns to Stone
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Re: The 2016 summer transfer thread
No, I think that G and S wanted Bilic to get on with what he had and move Reece Burke around and slot other players in.ashbanki wrote:
So,you and others think that Bilic's cunning plan to get another FB out of the owners was to deliberately fail to automatically qualify for Europa League and,probably CL ?
So what about the £2.5m the owners gave him for the hapless Tore? Unfortunately the FB issue is 100% down to Bilic,imo.The really frightening thing is that, had Antonio muddled through a little bit better and Cresswell not got injured till today, we would have been looking at half a season with Byram as our only FB!!
No manager has ever been able to convince G and S to part with much money for defenders in their time at West Ham and Bilic is no different. I doubt that any manager wants to go into a season with just 6 recognised defenders though.
We'll never know though. It's all just conjecture.
- bitter-iron-ny
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Re: The 2016 summer transfer thread
He IS that bad.ironstu wrote:I've never seen Sam Westley play. He's obviously not that rated after our last minute scavenge for a full-back. How bad really is he? And if he is that bad, how the hell is that allowed to happen at a professional football club?!
And he won't be cutting oranges at half time 'cos he'd f*** that up too.
- Aceface
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Re: The 2016 summer transfer thread
I don't believe for a second it's anyone other than Bilic who saw Antonio as a defender.
He dropped a massive bollock and should take the flak for it rather than an easier scapegoat like Sullivan.
He dropped a massive bollock and should take the flak for it rather than an easier scapegoat like Sullivan.
- Colours never run
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Re: The 2016 summer transfer thread
Aceface wrote:I don't believe for a second it's anyone other than Bilic who saw Antonio as a defender.
He dropped a massive bollock and should take the flak for it rather than an easier scapegoat like Sullivan.
It's laughable just how much the Chairmen get blamed for. It seems that if the face fits, you can get away with a lot. This fell only at Bilics door and he deserves the criticism. And I'm sure he accepts it after recently admitting it weren't working out.
- the celestial insect
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Re: The 2016 summer transfer thread
Bilic might have been right -- maybe Antonio would make a good RB if he himself was 100% into the idea and there was time for retraining. Neither of those things were the case.Aceface wrote:I don't believe for a second it's anyone other than Bilic who saw Antonio as a defender.
He dropped a massive bollock and should take the flak for it rather than an easier scapegoat like Sullivan.
- Iron-on-transfer
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Re: The 2016 summer transfer thread
bitter-iron-ny wrote:Any update on Mersongate?
He's still contemplating his next move.
- Aceface
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Re: The 2016 summer transfer thread
Those things could have been ascertained at the end of last season. Given it arguably ruined our only chance at playing in the Champions league for the foreseeable.the celestial insect wrote: Bilic might have been right -- maybe Antonio would make a good RB if he himself was 100% into the idea and there was time for retraining. Neither of those things were the case.
To carry it on into another season was flat out, 100%, no take-backsies wrong.
- the celestial insect
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Re: The 2016 summer transfer thread
Makes you wonder what the discussions were when Antonio signed his new contract. Anyway, thankfully it's resolved nowAceface wrote:
Those things could have been ascertained at the end of last season. Given it arguably ruined our only chance at playing in the Champions league for the foreseeable.
To carry it on into another season was flat out, 100%, no take-backsies wrong.
Re: The 2016 summer transfer thread
Don't think Bilic played Antonio there to get a right back. He thought Antonio with his engine and not scared of a tackle would adapt, but he didn't. Lets face it we all thought he would do a job when put back there in an emergency last season, but as time went on it was clear he wasn't.
Biggest problem is what we lost further forward. If Antonio had another Antonio playing in front him he would have looked a lot better at right back.
Biggest problem is what we lost further forward. If Antonio had another Antonio playing in front him he would have looked a lot better at right back.
- Wilko1304
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Re: The 2016 summer transfer thread
I can imagine that Slav may lament the fact Antonio's run there was also at a time when the team was weaker ahead of him.
- smuts
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- thejackhammer
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Re: The 2016 summer transfer thread
Or Marcus Rashford?smuts wrote:Does anyone have any Merson quotes on Matt Tubbs?
- Korea Hammer
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