faubert93 wrote:I know we all have our thoughts on Jack Wilshere...
This morning he posted an image on instagram which read:
"There comes a time when you have to choose between turning the page and closing the book"
I take that as him leaving arsenal. So where next. Maybe here, who knows?
I took it that he is getting a full time job at Islington Central Library.
After all, he does have experience at working in one part-time for the last 10 years....
Benny the Ball wrote:
"Cuenca 'ammer" - Peaches
good luck to your ambitions but that's a potential 7 new starters....
that's not going to happen...
:lol:
While it might not be 7, I understand Pellers was after 6 players, which ties up with Jinxed's info yesterday. On top of that we may still bring in loans (cant wait for us to stop doing loans).
I would suggest that the new signings will all be starters, with those that stay from last season making up the squad.
Team needs re-built, I think Peaches is on the right track and that more than half of the team on the opening day will be new faces.
BtB
I agree with you that in theory half the team on first day deserves to be new faces, its just the problem of playing a team of that nature i.e. its likelihood of being less than the sum of its parts rather than the desirable more than. Its very difficult for 5 or 6 new players to hit the ground running and if you aren't careful it will be such a mess that it will be difficult to even see who are the little gems and who are the deep rooted turnips. We can only hope Pelle can get those players early enough and thereafter live up to his reputation in organising and getting the best out of his players. I still think however that we may see these players fed in a little slower though I can't see us fielding less than four of them that first match so I may just be defying my own logic there as one will likely be a goalkeeper which mean only 3 new outfielders. So forget all that applied logic of mine, you are probably right it will probably be at least 5. Needs must I guess.
Götze? Seems doubtful that one. I also start disbelieving any transfer link as soon as West Ham and Everton are mentioned as interested clubs. Seems as though linking us two to any half decent player is the easy way to make a story.
Still think Wilshere would be a good signing if he’s going to sensible over his contract. He has played lots of games over the last 2 seasons.
I don't see Everton competing with us for too many of our targets until they sell some players. Brands clearly stated recently that they have to sell before they buy.
Just watched a video of Gotze skills from 2018. Can't say I'm that impressed. Masuaku has better skills. Also notice that his assists and goals aren't all that great either, and he only managed 19 games last season.
I've yet to see a striker mentioned as part of Pellegrini's transfer wishlist , if Arnautovic goes who replaces him - really hope they have a change of heart on this
look at our current options though? Arnie, Carroll, Hernandez, Antonio, Hugil, Martinez.
Rondon has been banded about.
I thought Arnie squashed those rumours recently saying he's happy here and there has been no approach?
!
I don't think he quashed them he was just very diplomatic which was sensible and respectful. (esp for him)
Fact is he would likely be a fall back option for a top 4 team so if it should happen it will likely be post World Cup before we know for sure or anything goes through when those alternatives can be assessed by the Big Beasts and if they manage to get their targets. Either way you can bet someone will make a late effort but if its below the top 5 or 6 (or a big foreign team) I can't see him being interested. I think he realises he has a good thing going here that will potentially rise to Paulo proportions if he keeps it up, so only a top team and Champions League would likely be of interest. I would be very surprised if Everton would be enough to prise him away for example. Though mavericks are always capable of a surprise on or off the pitch I guess so you can't guarantee anything.
Burnley Hammer wrote:Just watched a video of Gotze skills from 2018. Can't say I'm that impressed. Masuaku has better skills. Also notice that his assists and goals aren't all that great either, and he only managed 19 games last season.
Probably why they're considering letting him go. He's still living off that WC Final winner.
Gotze is a shadow of the player he used to be or at least hyped up to be.
We need TWO defensive midfielders if we’re going to be playing four at the back with such attacking full backs next season. I know we can’t believe most of the transfer rumours out there, but I’m so surprised we haven’t been heavily linked with a handful of defensive midfielders seeing as that’s our problem position.
Last edited by HammerAl on Thu Jun 14, 2018 11:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
"Hi fellas, It seems hands have been shaken. "Welcome Felipe Anderson" - however the player is now to sort salary terms and finalise his bonus with Lazio - this shouldn't take long.
Moving on - Yes MP had asked about Two players from City, Diaz and Moreno who is currently on loan at Flamengo in Brazil
All this transfer talk is pulling me back in after Moyes and the stuff around him and Bilic's firing lost me completely.
As a Toulouse fan, and someone who watches a whole lot of them and Ligue 1 in general, I'm really happy we're looking at Diop. The guy is absolute class, and given how Toulouse play - a very open style - he gets exposed more often than not to an onrushing forward. His reading of the game is excellent, one of the best guys for interceptions per game in the league last season, and his ball presence is pretty calm, he doesn't overly revert to a long ball but instead plays it shorter.
I'd be over the moon if we got him in.
Santos, I caught a few times for Nice last season too, and while I don't have anything bad to say about him at all I can't say I ever watched him and thought he was their stand out player. He's tidy enough, but I would certainly say if it's a race between he and Diop then the latter would get my nod. The physical side of his game is absolutely fine, though, and I don't get this talk of him not being cut out for the Premier League based on his height - he's got a lot of strength in him, and a low centre oif gravity. He might not be the first person who look to to win a header in a crowded box, but he does have a pretty mighty leap on him too.
On the other four names raised from France, leave Saint-Maxim well alone - pretty dribbler, but absolutely average at everything else and not a great defensive contributor. Pastore I would say isn't worth the wages based on his injury history and his declining impact for PSG over the recent years, even if the price is low.
Seri would be an incredible signing but he's definitely not a forceful defensive midfielder.and is much more of a front foot player, looking to create from the centre of the park. I'm not convinced that he's what we need, but I can certainly see him being a good signing for us were we to have any chance of bringing him in, if that makes sense.
And Thauvin - I have no idea if he'd be a good signing or not, to be honest. I wouldn't hold his Newcastle stint against him in any way, he was there for less than six months and at a point in time when they were in complete shambles publicly and privately. He's been a fantastic player for Marseille for two seasons straight now, and pretty much pulls that team up - not unlike Payet did for us in Bilic's first season. He could be really good for us, if we built a team that used him as a right winger. But I'm just not sure, as with Seri, he's what we need - I suppose it depends on what formation Pellegrini is planning for us. As a right winger in a three behind a good striker, he could be excellent. He's actually less impactful when played more centrally, so I'm not sure if we were going to do this 4-2-2-2 thing people are talking up we'd get as much from him.
Still, between Pellegrini signing, a Director of Football being installed, and our reported targets being reasonably sensible and achievable without going too over the top, I think I might actually be excited to be a fan of the club again.
Not sure it’s fair to say he’s living off that WC Winner. He’s an immensely talented player. He’s had a bad couple of years for a mixture of reasons. One of them being moving to Bayern and not being played. Bringing him to West Ham would be unbelievable. A new challenge and someone like Pellegrini in charge of him may get him back to the player he was. I think missing out on the WC will a big motivation to him.