[Archived] Summer Transfer Window

[Sandiway Blue]

i'll lump on. curbs has all the future of a snowman.

big-up the 'bacup rappers', bacup blue.

please don`t associate me with them dole-dossing muppets they rank on my list joint top with the dingles in terms of people i despise the most.....

[Lathund]

I think Ljungberg's (There's a g, not a d) problem at Arsenal (Aside from injuries) is that since Bergkamp retired (And perhaps even the season before that; he wasn't as good as he used to) his role in the side has changed, making him less efficient. I've seen him in every competitive game, as well as a bunch of friendlies, that he's played for Sweden over the past six years or so, and he's still a quality player. And again, largely due to the fact that he's employed in a different role for the national team. Depending on how Curbs plays him he can do very well.

Ljungberg at that price is a better signing than most of the average players we've seen go for very inflated prices this window.

And on a related note:

Also note that there's a massive difference between "past it" and "past his best". If goals scored was all that counted, and a player scored 30 goals his first season and then 20 for each of the following ten then he'd be "past his best" but by no means "past it". I could agree that Ljungberg is past his best, but even so he's still quality. "Fat Ronaldo" is, even now, quality despite being nowhere near what he was like in the late nineties.

[Pugg]

I think West Ham could be in big trouble next year, but only if they are unlucky. They had some injuries last season (like everyone) but they have seemed to sign injury prone players. Bellamy usually picks up a couple in a season, Faubert is out for about 6 months, Ljungberg had injury problems at Arsenal etc etc. If, however, they all stay fit and out of trouble (particulary Bellamy) then I think it'll be a top half finish for them.

[pleasure]

please don`t associate me with them dole-dossing muppets they rank on my list joint top with the dingles in terms of people i despise the most.....

as one rossendalian to another, no offence meant, BB. they are annoying scroats. the replies they get on youtube are quite funny, though.

[krislu]

So how much money has been spent in the Premier League now, around £300m? From those we have spent roughly £500k. If we don't sign some quality then surely we can not expect the club to do better than last season, or even copy it. If the situation stays like this until the end of the transfer window then I will be very happy with us finishing around 12th - 10th.

[Philly Rover ®]

Edit: I thought I'd posted this before, but obviously not. What do the American's on here think of Eddie Johnson? To me he looks quite similar to Yakubu; strong, pacey and direct, and quite a composed finisher. Is there any reason why he hasn't made it to Europe yet, he's always looked good whenever I've seen him. Is he just going the same was as Donovan and Beasley by not living up to early potential?

I'm in agreement with what the others have said on Johnson: he's athletic and talented, but a bit of a head case. The latest rumor has him joining Porto (whilst Freddy Adu joins Benfica, by the way), and I have a feeling the Portuguese league might suit him more than the rough and tumble Premiership.

Of course, Sparky working with someone like Johnson could be just what he needs to get him back on track. I still wouldn't advocate signing him, but the type of signing that Eddie Johnson would be (i.e. talented but thus far having failed to put it all together) is perfect with Sparky as manager.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Good signing for West Ham(again)..they have without doubt strengthened considerably this close season.

We are going for European competition again, was it not recognised that squad size and lack of cover did wear us down towards the end of last season?.........

Frustrating.

[Blue blood]

We are going for Eurpean competition again, was it not recognised that squad size and lack of cover did wear us down towards the end of last season?.........

Frustrating.

I agree, frustrating is the word.

Why didn't we bid for Mido? Ok I know he didn't have a great season last season, but he had a good one the year before that. And we were interested in him before and were talking about having two top class strikers. If he's willing to sign for Brum i'm certain he'd have been willing to sign for us, and a fee of £6m really wouldn't be beyond us.

[John]

I was getting told in work today (by Spurs, West Ham fans) that sometimes you have to pay over the odds to get to the next level.......

I think we have to realise we cannot afford to pay over the odds at this moment in time.

[joey_big_nose]

what??? wham top 7 ??? you must be joking !! they nearly got relegated because of conceding too many goals, they have a very bad defence and haven`t done anything about it.they will not finish in the top half imo.for me curbishley isn`t that good a manager,and also there will be too many ego`s in that dressing room for them to play together as a team.rovers will definitely finish above wham this season no matter how much dosh egghead throws at them!

While I agree their defence is poor (although Upson when fit and Neill are decent) they haven't finished signing players yet. They have a quality set of attackers (Bellamy, Ashton, Boa Morte, Ljungberg) and a very very good holding midfielder in Parker. I don't like the way they are throwing cash around but they are building a side that can challenge for the UEFA cup spots.

Last year the only teams with more quality than us outside the big four were Tottenham and Newcastle (although injuries and poor management did the barcodes). This year we are probably looking a four or five sides having arguably more talent on paper (and Moyes at Everton and Redknapp at Portsmouth who like Hughes can squeeze the most out of limited finances) along with many of them bringing in decent managers. We are going to be up against it, make no mistake. UEFA cup is doable but we need to bolster the attack, play to our strengths (high tempo, attacking, muscular football played down the flanks) and pray that we don't get injuries to key players.

From a neutral standpoint it promises to be the most competitive season in years. I quite fancy Spuds to break into the top four as much as I despise them, or at least get very very close. Derby and Wigan look goners unless they pull something dramatic out of the hat before the season starts.

[neekoy]

Any Arsenal fan, or anybody that watched Baptista for even a second last season, will tell you how shocking he was. I think he had one half decent game where he scored a couple, but that was in the cup to inferior opposition.

There will certainly be more players coming in and with Ashton returning and Neill coming into excellent form (ask ANY West Ham fan - they love him) they are going to be a big team next season. Curbishly has done very well this summer. They have depth and quality.

Out of interest, where do you think they'll finish next season?

Liverpool was inferior?

As far as Neill goes you obviously didn't watch him in the recent Asian cup debarcle, his form has dipped quite considerable since the WC.

I don't understand where all this talk of depth and quality come from. I count three that I would take in our first team, and I still rate, ppound for pound, our defence, midfield and attack better.

Current Squad

No. Position Player

1 GK Robert Green

2 DF Lucas Neill

3 DF George McCartney

4 DF Daniel Gabbidon

5 DF Anton Ferdinand

6 DF Matthew Upson

7 MF Freddie Ljungberg

8 MF Scott Parker

9 FW Dean Ashton

10 FW Craig Bellamy

11 MF Matthew Etherington

12 FW Carlton Cole

13 MF Luís Boa Morte

14 DF John Paintsil

15 MF Mark Noble

17 MF Hayden Mullins

18 DF Jonathan Spector

19 DF James Collins

20 MF Julien Faubert

21 GK Richard Wright

22 DF Tony Stokes

23 GK James Walker

24 DF Jordan Spence

25 FW Bobby Zamora

26 FW Hogan Ephraim

27 DF Calum Davenport

28 MF Kyel Reid

29 MF Lee Bowyer

30 DF James Tomkins

31 GK Marek Štěch

32 FW Carlos Tévez

33 MF Nigel Quashie

34 DF Christian Dailly

[philipl]

I agree with neekoy- last season's performance was more the norm for that squad than the season before.

So this morning, we have Jason Roberts saying both he and Benni have pledged their futures to Ewood.

Nery Castello or whatever that Mexican is called is closing in on a £10m move to Citeh, Everton are after Braaten whilst everybody including the Rovers has the hots for Roque. Citeh are also signing half the Thai national squad.

So we can expect the first choice front line this season to be Roque and Beattie with Jason and Benni off playing Champs League tiddlywinks somewhere.

[Texan Rover]

Edit: I thought I'd posted this before, but obviously not. What do the American's on here think of Eddie Johnson? To me he looks quite similar to Yakubu; strong, pacey and direct, and quite a composed finisher. Is there any reason why he hasn't made it to Europe yet, he's always looked good whenever I've seen him. Is he just going the same was as Donovan and Beasley by not living up to early potential?

Johnson is complete crap.

I don't see him much these days, but watched nearly every game he played while at FC Dallas and have seen every appearance he's made for the national team. He's completely over his head against decent opposition, though you can count on the occasional poacher's effort against inferior CONCACAF talent.

People have been fixated on Johnson for a while because of his pace and body, but he's never amounted to much. Obviously you can't teach speed and he's got plenty of that, but he's injury-prone and is known in Dallas to be something of a spoiled little bitch. He's a streak scorer and will pile on the goals against crap defending, then go silent for the next ten matches. His best attribute is pace, but he wastes it by holding up play too often, clearly reluctant to run at defenders and try to create his own shot.

This ought to tell you enough: FC Dallas traded Johnson to Kansas City two winters ago for a roster allocation, which basically amounts to salary cap space. Why would a mediocre MLS team show such willingness to trade away one of the hottest young American talents, particularly a goal-scorer? Only one explanation, as far as I'm concerned: he's crap. Well, maybe two: he's crap and he has a bad attitude.

I'm not going to say that Sparky (or someone else, like SAF) couldn't turn Johnson into a player, because I'm sure it's possible. I'm just saying that I would be near livid if Rovers paid more than about 500K for him. He'd be a project, and there's no way he cracks the top five in Rovers' pecking order up front. If I'm being honest, I'd rather see Jeffers given an extended run than EJ. I could probably go through every Premiership squad and pick two strikers that I'd rather have than Johnson. That may be true of the Championship as well if I can pick two attacking players of any position.

In short, NO to Eddie Johnson at Rovers!

[brfc fan]

Jason and Benni battling on

[benhben]

Liverpool was inferior?

As far as Neill goes you obviously didn't watch him in the recent Asian cup debarcle, his form has dipped quite considerable since the WC.

I don't understand where all this talk of depth and quality come from. I count three that I would take in our first team, and I still rate, ppound for pound, our defence, midfield and attack better.

Current Squad

No. Position Player

1 GK Robert Green

2 DF Lucas Neill

3 DF George McCartney

4 DF Daniel Gabbidon

5 DF Anton Ferdinand

6 DF Matthew Upson

7 MF Freddie Ljungberg

8 MF Scott Parker

9 FW Dean Ashton

10 FW Craig Bellamy

11 MF Matthew Etherington

12 FW Carlton Cole

13 MF Luís Boa Morte

14 DF John Paintsil

15 MF Mark Noble

17 MF Hayden Mullins

18 DF Jonathan Spector

19 DF James Collins

20 MF Julien Faubert

21 GK Richard Wright

22 DF Tony Stokes

23 GK James Walker

24 DF Jordan Spence

25 FW Bobby Zamora

26 FW Hogan Ephraim

27 DF Calum Davenport

28 MF Kyel Reid

29 MF Lee Bowyer

30 DF James Tomkins

31 GK Marek Štěch

32 FW Carlos Tévez

33 MF Nigel Quashie

34 DF Christian Dailly

What are you on about? Gabbidon, Ferdinand, Parker, Noble, Bellamy, Ashton, Tevez and Ljungberg would all be regulars in our squad. Parker, Bellamy Ashton and Tevez would be in the starting eleven. How good do you actually think our team is?

[philipl]

What are you on about? Gabbidon, Ferdinand, Parker, Noble, Bellamy, Ashton, Tevez and Ljungberg would all be regulars in our squad. Parker, Bellamy Ashton and Tevez would be in the starting eleven. How good do you actually think our team is?

behnben, you are saying 4 of the West Ham squad would get starting positions for Rovers. Of those 4, one (the best by a mile) is history as he's gone to Man U.

So 3 out of 11 - methinks you are agreeing with neekoy. West Ham have to spend many more millions before they are better than relegation candidates.

[Eddie]

I think we would probably be quite happy to see any of Gabbidon, Ferdinand, Paker, Noble, Bellamy, Ashton, Tevez, Ljunberg, Neill, Boa Morte and even Zamora in our squad. How many would make the first team? I don't know. What you always have to ask yourself is how many players would a West Ham fan say that they wanted from our team? Probably Benni, MGP, Bentley and Nelsen for sure. After that it would depend on the person, they might have seen enough of Warnock to want him, might like Savage, might not be put off by Friedel's age. The majority of most premiership squads are pretty much the same wherever you go, just slightly better or slightly worse, but the difference isn't large. We would prefer to stick with the majority of our squad, but I'm sure that West Ham fans would probably feel the same way.

[benhben]

Thought he said hed only take 3 for our squad. Still, West Ham have a large number of players that would make our squad. You can hardly say they havent strengthened.

On another note, Lua Lua is unsettled at portsmouth. Could be a good player to come off the bench after Benni and Roberts have tired out defences.

[thenodrog]

That idea of drog's gets worse every time I read it. Never mind, at least Lancashire United bought Blackburn buses so one of his dreams is coming true.

You'll never 'get on' in life will you Philip? Sarcasm isn't all that well paid is it? Anyawy have you ever heard of performance related bonus's? The City of London and most modern businesses are rife with them. Football is a business and performance in the Prem is increasingly not solely judged on the field of play is it?

With you in JW's chair it's odds on Hughes would have gone this summer. As it is I'll be suprised if we get more than one more season out of him anyway unless we try to do something different to re-imburse / reward him and his staff than other 'better placed' clubs will surely offer.

[neekoy]

Whilst I can only see three players to strengthen our first team, I have no doubt West Ham would take the four Eddie mentioned as well as Brad, Warnock, Samba, Emerton and Savage, then they would be a shot for top 6.

I don't think they are solid enough at the back to stop the flow of goals that was the issue last year and the sale of Reo-Coker means they have no defensive cover now either.

They need to spend big dollars on a world class centre back and defensive midfielder otherwise I see a bottom half finish for them this year, if Curbishly can't control the ego's and gets the sack, relegation candidates.

[thenodrog]

So 3 out of 11 - methinks you are agreeing with neekoy. West Ham have to spend many more millions before they are better than relegation candidates.

I say they'll stay up so would you care to accept a 'small' wager on that Philip?

[Texan Rover]

You'll never 'get on' in life will you Philip? Sarcasm isn't all that well paid is it? Anyawy have you ever heard of performance related bonus's? The City of London and most modern businesses are rife with them. Football is a business and performance in the Prem is increasingly not solely judged on the field of play is it?

With you in JW's chair it's odds on Hughes would have gone this summer. As it is I'll be suprised if we get more than one more season out of him anyway unless we try to do something different to re-imburse / reward him and his staff than other 'better placed' clubs will surely offer.

How can you not understand that giving the manager financial incentive to buy low and sell high works at cross purposes to trying to win football matches?

[Hughesy]

Im predicting 9th for West Ham. Our of the entire squad only 1 or 2 would push for a strating place in our team.

Tevez - But he is off soon anyway!

Bellamy - Instead of Roberts

Parker - Possibly instead of Savage.

Except for that I would say they wouldnt get in our team. Yes they have a decent squad but like someone said earlier, Our starting 11 is much stronger, and also it has been together for abit now and therefore doesnt need time to gel.

[Texan Rover]

Im predicting 9th for West Ham. Our of the entire squad only 1 or 2 would push for a strating place in our team.

Tevez - But he is off soon anyway!

Bellamy - Instead of Roberts

Parker - Possibly instead of Savage.

Except for that I would say they wouldnt get in our team. Yes they have a decent squad but like someone said earlier, Our starting 11 is much stronger, and also it has been together for abit now and therefore doesnt need time to gel.

Seems to me that those saying West Ham are guaranteed relegation fodder are probably being a bit too harsh. It's not as if they're like Fulham, spending 20m on a bunch of Championship-quality players. I'd say they have a decent squad and can certainly put together a top-half starting 11 if they're injury free:

Wright or Green

Neill/Pantsil -- Ferdinand -- Upson or Gabbidon -- Spector/Neill

two from Ljungberg, Etherington, and Boa Morte on the flanks, Parker and one of Noble, Bowyer, Ljungberg, and Boa Morte in the middle

Ashton -- Bellamy

I don't think that's a side to sneeze at, and they're probably not done yet. If they didn't have such a crap manager I'd say top half was a very good bet.

[Hughesy]

If they had a better manager in charge with that bunch of players - maybe Allardyce, Hughes or O'Neill then i would say they are almost certain top 8. But i believe with the current regime they will be between 8th - 10th.