24 Jan 2022 20:12:20
While there are obvious gaps in our squad, January is notoriously a difficult time to bring players in.

This is made more complicated by the Afcon, even if the player we want isn't at the Afcon, many squads are spread thinner than usual because of it. Which of course isn't made easier if players are having to isolate as well. Meaning clubs are more reluctant than usual not to lose their best players mid-season.

While for our club there is the issue of who will be our manager in the summer. It's generally not sensible to sign a player for a lot of money on a long term deal if you know that the manager will change and with it the tactics and playing style. As you can't be certain that the new player will suit the next manager.

Really the club need to know who they are going to hire in the summer before they can sign any players onto long term deals.

I know there are several players such as Zakaria or Kamara who seem like obvious exceptions to the rule. Players who should suit any manager within reason, fill a massive hole in the side, and should be available for a minimal fee (although I would expect wages to be higher than usual as you would need to compensate the player for missing out on a large signing on fee by just waiting until the summer) .

However, if they are confident of getting their first choice (most likely Rice) in the summer, do they mess that deal up by going for a cheaper option now? It certainly doesn't make sense to sign one of Zakaria or Kamara now as well as Rice in the summer.

While Rice would cost a huge amount more, he is EPL proven, as well as counting as homegrown and he fits the club's preferred profile.

Personally I'd sign Kamara now, and if Rice is a possibility in the summer then go for him and look to sell Fred. Also surely negotiating for Rice will be a bit easier if we are in a position of strength by already having a great option at CDM rather than putting all our eggs in one basket. Harder to be held to ransom if you are no longer desperate.

1.) 24 Jan 2022
24 Jan 2022 21:58:12
Interesting the lens we view. Maze would have thought that if (big if) Rice is a target then signing Kamara would potentially make the deal more difficult.

Kamara reportedly asking for 150-200k in wages plus a fee of circa 10-15m either in January or via ancillary fees should he sign for free in the summer.

So assume (at the lower end) wages of 150k per week over say 5 years = 39m. Plus 10m fee = 49m. All that for player who might site on the bench (if Rice signed) .

More financial constraints makes the deal more difficult for Rice - especially with some surgery required elsewhere. Not to mention given Rice and Kamara (as you suggest) play similar roles, the likelihood is one will be backup.

So there you have it folks (younglings and business grads take note), to put yourself in a position of negotiating strength when procuring an asset worth 100m + wages + on costs + fringe benefits you have to spend circa 49m on a backup asset first.

Kudos to Professor Shappy.

2.) 24 Jan 2022
24 Jan 2022 22:19:18
To illustrate that a little further let’s assume Rice were to be paid 200k per week on similar terms to Kamara. For the two players combined the cost would be circa 110-115m (capex) plus 90m+ (opex) wages only - there would be additional costs to this obviously.

The club will of course amortise and depreciate appropriately but these are heavy numbers to be carried on the balance sheet for players who play in the same role.

The logic put forward of ‘position of negotiating strength’ scares the good mother Mary out of Maze and makes Maze fear for the economic future of civilisation - all Xbox, no acumen.

3.) 24 Jan 2022
24 Jan 2022 23:05:05
People who are raving about kamara, and zakaria how many of. you have actually seen them play.

4.) 24 Jan 2022
24 Jan 2022 23:10:23
Maze we are going to likley need 2 or 3 players in cm,

Matic lingard mata cavani will all be leaving on frees,

Along with grant, martial, and who ever else is looked to be sold, potential massive saving in wages does free up potential for adding players.

Again all depends on manager, its pointless getting anyone in now, untill a new manager is sorted.

5.) 24 Jan 2022
24 Jan 2022 23:21:12
Seriously I nearly choked on my tea maze ?? best reply I've seen on this page for ages.

6.) 24 Jan 2022
24 Jan 2022 23:36:08
Matic has another year left on his contract.

7.) 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022 03:51:55
Here's a wild idea, play both of them.

8.) 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022 04:16:01
Shappy what happens to Garner then? weren't you raving about him just yesterday and now you two players sign in the same position he plays?

9.) 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022 06:40:19
I'd have thought that was simple, but if I need to spell it out I will.

Will Pogba be a part of our midfield next season?

Will Donny be a part of our midfield next season?

Will Matic be a part of our midfield next season?

The answer to all three is likely no.

So who does that leave?

Fred, McTominay and Garner.

One who definitely isn't good enough, one who might be good enough but might also only be a squad player, and an untested kid at this level.

It's a squad game, yes Kamara and Rice play in the same position. Just as Bruno, Pogba and Donny are all offensive midfielders who play in the same role.

Are you expecting Rice to sign and play the full 90 minutes in all 60 of our games next season?

If Rice was to get a rest, be suspended or even out injured who would you play as our deepest midfielder? Both McTominay and Fred have proven they aren't best suited to the role and cannot play it to a high enough standard for a title challenging team. Maybe you could play Garner there if he has successfully stepped up. Yet anyone who has watched him would realise he is more like a deep lying playmaker than a purely destructive CDM. Personally I think he plays best alongside someone like Rice or Kamara, when given license to step forward a little.

If the next manager wants to play with a midfield three then we will need to sign more than one midfielder.

If we had options of Rice, Kamara, Fred, McTominay, Bruno, Garner and Hannibal next season for three midfield positions then that looks about right. Five tried and trusted experienced at this level players, and two kids looking to step up.

Across 60 games the five experienced players will all make 35-45 appearances, while the two kids should also get 20-25 appearances.

Unless of course you'd rather stick with players who aren't good enough and give in to Pogba and give him a 500k per week deal.

10.) 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022 06:52:12
The idea that buying a player to help negotiate for another that plays in the same position doesn’t sound logical to me. I really don’t think West Ham care that we have a player already, the price will be what they set and for Rice it will be a lot. We would however be in a weaker spot selling Fred because WE would be desperate to get him and his wages off the books.

11.) 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022 09:34:04
What Shappy says actually makes sense. Look back at past transfer dealings over the years. Every time we have desperately needed a player for a given position, teams know they have us over a barrel, and prices go up. When we buy players to add competition/ backup in positions we already have good players in, we tend to get better deals.

Also, we need more than one CDM. Firstly we need cover in case of injury and to rotate and keep the first choice player fresh. Secondly, most players (some sulky french forwards excluded) benefit from competition for places.

I'm not necessarily convinced that Kamara is the one we should be going for now if we are going for Rice in the summer, but the basic premise of getting another CDM in looks pretty solid to me.

12.) 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022 11:36:19
Its quite simple really. We get Kamara and Zakaria now and in the summer Rice would cost us what they see fit. Rice would not be short of suitors, Chelsea would get him if we dont. doesn't matter how many midfielders we have.

I agree Shappy that Donny, Pogba and Matic may not be there but only Matic has had any game time this season so the other 2 shouldn't be in the conversation don't you think? Its McFred in the middle and unless one of those 2 leave, i don't see the need to sign 2 players in that position.

13.) 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022 12:08:55
How do you see not see the need to sign two midfield players when Matic, DVDB and Pogba are more than likely leaving in the summer while Fred and McT have been criticized all season for not being good enough. While Garner is a kid playing in the Championship and Hannibal is a child. In an ideal world I'd keep only Mct and Garner and get 3 new midfield players.

14.) 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022 12:22:57
Hannibal is 19 and a full international at that age too. RR has said he rates him. We need to plan and buy to the plan, not just looking at numbers of players. We signed one of Liverpool’s highly thought of young midfielders as well so if we can’t shift what we have, keep buying players without giving our young players a chance, the mess will continue.

15.) 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022 13:53:59
What Shappy says isn't that buying Kamara will have any effect on West Ham. What he says is that being in a position of strength you don't held to ransom like with Maguire. So having already Kamara you can jump out of the Rice deal if they are asking the bank of England as Moyes said. Then the season have a lot of matches and we are in need for more legs as Pogba Donny Lingard Matic Mata Pereira, all player might be out of our books. Six players who play for 6 to ten might leave and i am glad to promote Hannibal and Garner but we need two more. I am not saying sign Kamara because I don't know him but what Shappy says is right, we need more.

16.) 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022 14:05:53
Unruly, what sign players and keep them on the bench like Amad, Donny etc?

17.) 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022 14:12:34
Red Man, I'd never suggest signing players for the sake of signing players.

Like most things in life it's a balancing act. Personally I think we should have a squad of 18 outfield players who are all good enough to start every week. The rest of the squad should be for academy players. I flat out don't agree with having "squad" players made up of players in the mid to late 20's who aren't good enough. Pointless. If you're going to send out a player who isn't good enough to start then they should at least be developing and maybe growing into a player good enough to start.

As for our midfield options currently Bruno is the only one who is definitely good enough to start. McTominay looks like he might have the potential if used correctly and able to develop.

Donny has flattered to decieve so far. Fred the red is a technically superior footballer to Fred the Brazilian. Useful in certain situations but not a guy to play regularly and for that reason I'd bomb him out the door. Matic is past his best and need to move on. He struggles with the pace for 90 minutes now let alone twice a week. Pogba is around about 25% the player he thinks he is, while he now struggles to stay fit. Mata is well past his best. Lingard and Andreas Pereira are not and never have been good enough.

Maybe Garner will be, while Hannibal looks ready to explode onto the scene. The only issue Hannibal might have is that the only player we have good enough in midfield is Bruno and he plays the role probably most suited to Hannibal.

As I see it, Bruno and Hannibal can share the offensive midfielder role.

McTominay and Garner are good box to box midfielders. McTominay the more powerful player, Garner the classier more technical.

That leaves a gapping hole in defensive midfield. That's why I think we need two players in that part of the pitch. I'm not sure there is someone in the academy who is a holding midfielder who looks ready to break through. So we probably need to sign two players in this role. Personally I'm impressed with Kamara and think he'd be a great option. But he's not the only one, just my personal favourite.

The biggest issue we have had over the past few years from a tactical point of view is we have been unable to win the midfield. In attack we bypass it as the players we have aren't technical enough, in defence teams run straight through it. That all stems from not having a player to anchor the midfield. Someone who can shield the defence but also dictate the tempo of the game. Move the ball forward quickly and accurately over both short and longer distances. One or two touch, always available for a pass.

With a heavy schedule next year with a world cup in the middle of the season we can't expect one player to come in and perform that role for 60 games. While competition for places should push players to excel.

18.) 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022 14:24:00
UA,

You cannot keep players on the bench if there is no one on the field now, can you.

19.) 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022 14:52:43
I agree with a lot of what Shappy says - 2 midfielders have to come in and there is an argument for 3 . Mata / lingard/ Donny/ Pogba/ perreria/ Matic will go or drift into obscurity until contracts are up - and then there is Bailly/ Jones/ cavani looking to leave and question marks over Telles and Fred so money is there on salaries.

{Ed002's Note - A busy weekend then.}