Topic: General West Ham thread

[Ciara (with a capital "C")]

Yet if they won their remaining 3 games (they won't), then they could conceivably finish in the top 10. It's a mad season.

But they have been poor this season. Decimated by injuries as much, if not more than we have, struggling to adjust to life at the new stadium, poor recruitment and some baffling team and tactical decisions by Billic at times.

They have been waiting for this Spurs game for a long time now. Since they went out of the Cup competitions, this has been the only thing the fans have looked forward to. I am half hoping the beat Spurs to possibly take the pressure off the LFC game, which there would be if they lose to Spurs. They have struggled there against the bigger sides this season - beat Chelsea early in the Cup, but shipped goals against United, City twice, Chelsea again and Arsenal.

I think he is gone regardless. I do have some sympathy for him as I don't think he got the players he expected to get because their owners are giant turds acting like they are Man City but without the money, and the impact moving to a new stadium had. Losing Payet didn't help. And the injuries. Cresswell, Reid, Ogbonna, Obiang, Antonio, Carroll, Ayew, Sakho, Byram, Masuaku all had long periods out. I think staying up should have been acceptable for them this season given the conditions.

I am not really sure where they go from here to be honest. I think the owners are looking for a high profile manager to put in place, perhaps to try and make the club a more attractive proposition, for potential players and maybe owners. They seem a feasible option for anyone wanting to buy a PL club, and as long as the money was right, I don't think they'd give a shit who they sold to. The fans hate the owners and despise Brady, so I think they would be happy too. They just need to not implode in the meantime IMO.

[disgraced cake]

Owners are gobshites but don't think Bilic has any devine right to stay, they're poor. If anything I think they actually should get rid. Not sure who they could replace him with, having said that.

[Ciara (with a capital "C")]

Yet if they won their remaining 3 games (they won't), then they could conceivably finish in the top 10. It's a mad season.

But they have been poor this season. Decimated by injuries as much, if not more than we have, struggling to adjust to life at the new stadium, poor recruitment and some baffling team and tactical decisions by Billic at times.

They have been waiting for this Spurs game for a long time now. Since they went out of the Cup competitions, this has been the only thing the fans have looked forward to. I am half hoping the beat Spurs to possibly take the pressure off the LFC game, which there would be if they lose to Spurs. They have struggled there against the bigger sides this season - beat Chelsea early in the Cup, but shipped goals against United, City twice, Chelsea again and Arsenal.

You've had your fun, WHU... please go back to being shit next week!!

[sms1986]

That's got to be West Ham safe that, which is a good thing for us! Someone sneak in holiday brochures into the home changing room before our match!

[The North Bank]

Starting to like west ham, I have no problem paying for their stadium after tonight.... and lazagna gate in 2006.

[Cliff Bastin]

It was the lasagna!

[TheShanklyGates]

Jumped from 15th to 9th tonight

Hadn't realised how close it was in mid table.

[rafathegaffa83]

Jumped from 15th to 9th tonight

Hadn't realised how close it was in mid table.

They've played more games than most so they'll probably slip back down

[Buggy Eyes Alfredo]

uncomfortable tonight when pressed by West Ham.

[rafathegaffa83]

I wonder what yesterday's loss means for Bilic's future there.  They had some decent chances in the first half (especially Ayew's) and put in a better effort than Stoke did against Arsenal. However, they looked disinterested once the second half began. It also struck me how quickly they fell apart once they abandoned three at the back.

Their recruitment was piss poor in the summer. West Ham spent a fair bit on any older player who wanted to join them in January (Fonte and Snodgrass). They also were prepared to pay a lot for Defoe and were linked with both Zabaleta and Yaya Toure last week. But they still have a massive question mark upfront and need another creative outlet other than Lanzini.

[Lush is the best medicine...]

Apparently the deal with zabaleta is done, £100k a week. Decent lad by all accounts but he looks pretty much shot

Some people never learn.

[Ciara (with a capital "C")]

Maybe they think Byram can learn from him but realistically, he is finished. £100k a week is crazy. They need to start not buying players who are so injury prone. They have Alvaro Arbeloa on their books but abandoned him at the start of the season because of his fitness and they quickly realised he was finished too. Yet still bring in this guy - strange.

Antonio has played at RWB/RB this seeason, maybe frees him up to go play where he is best.

[Yiannis]

Apparently the deal with zabaleta is done, £100k a week.

Good fucking God. That's insane money.

[Adam_LFC]

They are basically QPR with more money. Willing to buy players who are done for ridiculous costs.

[El Lobo]

I like them a lot more after yesterday

Good guys

[The North Bank]

Didn't even turn up yesterday, not that they had to , nothing to play for.
I see them being a good team to offload players from big clubs that are surplus to requirements to. Giroud, Walcott and  Wilshere would be great for them.

[thelinnen]

Didn't even turn up yesterday, not that they had to , nothing to play for.
I see them being a good team to offload players from big clubs that are surplus to requirements to. Giroud, Walcott and  Wilshere would be great for them.

If you's finish 5th I'd be a stupid move to offload a 1 in 2 striker and a player with double figure goals in the summer.

[The North Bank]

If you's finish 5th I'd be a stupid move to offload a 1 in 2 striker and a player with double figure goals in the summer.

They'll get that every season and we ll never finish higher than the usual.

[thelinnen]

They'll get that every season and we ll never finish higher than the usual.

You could get 75 points, next season that will be probably enough for top 4.

[The North Bank]

You could get 75 points, next season that will be probably enough for top 4.

Top 4 has been failure for a decade, and wont be success next season.

[newterp]

Didn't even turn up yesterday, not that they had to , nothing to play for.
I see them being a good team to offload players from big clubs that are surplus to requirements to. Giroud, Walcott and  Wilshere would be great for them.

To be fair - neither did the Mancs, Soton or Stoke against your lot.

[thelinnen]

Top 4 has been failure for a decade, and wont be success next season.

Assuming the table stays as it is, we'll see if you still feel that way when the window closes.

[The North Bank]

Assuming the table stays as it is, we'll see if you still feel that way when the window closes.

Ill feel better if west ham buy some of our dross

[Sir Psycho Sexy]

I wonder how differently things could have gone if Ayew scored

[The North Bank]

I wonder how differently things could have gone if Ayew scored

Youve had enough bad luck in recent years, you shouldnt wonder about your good luck.

[rafathegaffa83]

Apparently the deal with zabaleta is done, £100k a week. Decent lad by all accounts but he looks pretty much shot

Some people never learn.

Good grief

They are basically QPR with more money. Willing to buy players who are done for ridiculous costs.

This. All to bring in names.

[RedForeverTT]

It is easy to be reckless when you are spending taxpayer's money. Thieves.

[Ciara (with a capital "C")]

These are about to pull off one of the best signings of the summer in Javier Hernandez IMO.

The one thing they desperately need is a goalscorer - Carroll has injuries concerns and I think Ayew will be similar.

They have upgraded their keeper with Hart, about to sign Arnautovic and have signed Zabaletta. Still think RB is weak for them, and could do with another quality CM but decent summer business so far if Hernandez and Arnautovic sign.

[Crosby Nick]

Gor Blimey, you must be fwilled and no mistake Ciara!

[pyroparty]

He's shit. So's "Arnie".

[Xabi Gerrard]

Good little team they're building. 2 time PL winning keeper, prolific PL & Bundesliga striker and one of the best attackers outside of the top 6.

Don't think I'd take any at Liverpool (although Hernandez could have been an interesting squad option) but for a club aiming to be 'best of the rest' in the PL its good business.

[Nick110581]

Wonder if their home atmosphere will improve.

[rafathegaffa83]

Their signings are merely a short-term fix. If it gets them into a European berth, they'll be happy, but there is potential for this to go massively awry again. They have too many older players.

Players aged 28+ during this season:

Adrian (31 in January), Darren Randolph (30), Joe Hart (30), Winston Reid (29), Aaron Creswell (28 in December), Pablo Zabaleta (33 in January), James Collins (34 in August), Angelo Ogbonna (29), Jose Fonte (34 in December), Sofiane Feghouli (28 in December), Cheikhou Kouyaté (28 in December), Robert Snodgrass (30 in December), Mark Noble (30), Michail Antonio (28 in March), Andy Carroll (29 in January), Diafra Sakho (28 in December), Andre Ayew (28 in December), Javier Hernandez (29), Marko Arnautovic (29 in April)

A lot of older, injury-prone players there. I wouldn't be surprised if they start off well, but end up knackered after Christmas.

[kavah]

Blimey even young creswell is 28.

[bird_lfc]

He's shit. So's "Arnie".

I wouldn't say shit but it's about their level for both players.

They'll still be floating around mid-table.

[ggcc14]

I can see William Carvalho failing at WHU but at least he can pass if nothing else. They barely put 5 passes together at Old Trafford, worst game i've seen of Ayew and Arnautovic looked pretty underwhelming too.

[Chris~]

I can see William Carvalho failing at WHU but at least he can pass if nothing else. They barely put 5 passes together at Old Trafford, worst game i've seen of Ayew and Arnautovic looked pretty underwhelming too.

His agent must be delighted. Was surely running out of clubs to link him too.

[OOS]

I can see William Carvalho failing at WHU but at least he can pass if nothing else. They barely put 5 passes together at Old Trafford, worst game i've seen of Ayew and Arnautovic looked pretty underwhelming too.

Their midfield was nonexistent on the weekend, so it won't be hard to improve.

[rafathegaffa83]

I could see either Bilic or Hughes being one of the first to sacked first. Neither have resolved their endemic defensive problems

[ggcc14]

Galatasaray signed West Ham winger Sofiane Feghouli on a five-year contract for $5.01m, the Turkish club announced on Monday.

The 27-year-old Algeria international spent one season at West Ham after joining the Premier League club on a three-year deal from La Liga side Valencia last year.

Feghouli scored four goals in 27 appearances for the Hammers, including one against NK Domzale in the Europa League in West Ham's first match at the club's new London Stadium last July.

After the deal was announced, Feghouli expressed his gratitude to West Ham supporters following his brief spell at the club.

Paris-born Feghouli came through the ranks at French club Grenoble before joining Valencia.

Having played for France at youth level, he chose to play for Algeria and scored their first World Cup goal in 28 years with a penalty against Belgium in 2014.

Looked a good player at Valencia, surprised he's been so poor for them.