West Ham 23-24, now with Silverware

Cellar-Door

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It is time to start a new West Ham thread, for what looks like it may be one of the most pivotal periods for the club since the Icelandic banking collapse.

Let's start at the top:

Ownership- David Sullivan remains the largest shareholder at about 39%, Newest investor Daniel Kretinsky sits at just under 28% (with rumors that his buy-in included options to buy more at set times), the estate of the late David Gold holds 25% while Tripp Smith holds 8% and 1% is held by various others. There have not been many rumors recently of any major change (the Gold estate liquidating their share, or Kretinsky buying out Sullivan) and Sullivan certainly isn't acting like he plans to sell up so expect much the same.

Manager- Sullivan has stated that David Moyes will be back.... if he wants to. An interesting phrasing, there have been some rumors that now that he finally has the trophy that long eluded him, Moyes may decide that a return to Scotland and the Celtic job, and Sullivan's choice of words may indicate the would be allowed to leave if Celtic came calling.

Players:
West Ham have 4 players out of contract:
1. Vladimir Coufal- but a 2 year option which seems likely to be exercised
2. Manuel Lanzini- also has an option, likely to be exercised
3. Aaron Cresswell- unclear if he'll return, a set piece specialist, good delivery, but simply doesn't bring much defending or in attack and 33
4. Antonio Ogbonna- 35 year old CB... could be back on the cheap, but age and injury make him a depth piece, he may choose to go somewhere he can still play (Italy?)

The big one... Transfers likely outgoing
1. Declan Rice- Sullivan confirmed he'll be allowed to leave, frontrunners include Arsenal and Munich, with price rumors in the 90M+ range (also some rumors West Ham might take a cash and player swap deal)
2. Scamacca- a big signing less than a year ago, struggled mightily in Moyes system. If Moyes is back Scamacca is likely gone.
3. Nikola Vlasic- major disappointment, loaned to Torino, will likely be either loaned or sold.
4. Ben Johnson- former rising youngster, he's fallen a bit out of favor and with his deal expiring in 2024 a potential sale.

WIll come back to add targets and the like later.
 

67YAZ

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First, congrats on a European trophy! Amazing stuff. I know a massive Hammers fan here and she still hasn’t come off cloud 9.

As a neutral, I found it frustrating for a Scamacca to get played over Antonio. I know Scamacca was a big investment, but at this point he’s still a one trick pony - he’s a massive target man. He lacks the other skills and nous of a well rounded modern 9, which Antonio has.

Scamacca has 10 caps for Italy, but 7 of those are late match subs. Mancini has been using him to chase a late goal by hoofing it into the box. But Scamacca also hasn’t scored for his country.

Who knows what more Scamacca shows in training, but he’s already 24. Moving him now to a club that uses a target man is probably the best way to recoup some fee.
 

Eric1984

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Jun 14, 2001
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I didn’t realize there were other Hammers here - I haven’t seen a thread in years! COYI!

Glad that if Dec has to leave us, it was like this. I never thought I’d live to see a day like yesterday. Still too euphoric to look back clinically on a depressing domestic campaign and ponder other departures. That will come soon enough.
 

Cellar-Door

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I didn’t realize there were other Hammers here - I haven’t seen a thread in years! COYI!

Glad that if Dec has to leave us, it was like this. I never thought I’d live to see a day like yesterday. Still too euphoric to look back clinically on a depressing domestic campaign and ponder other departures. That will come soon enough.
I used to start a thread every year, but since it was at first just me talking to myself, then just me and Flex I stopped.
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
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Jan 10, 2004
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WH are a really interesting side. No question that they underachieved in the league but the Conference win is really cool. Spending the Rice money well is going to be huge. They're going to need a like-for-like at DM, even if it's obviously going to be a step down in quality- a new 6 plus some other pieces. Supposedly McTominay is on the market. I know Utd fans like to crap on him but he's middle-of-the-pack type, better than replacement value.

Everton found Vlasic when we played his Croatian club in an early round of Europa, back when we qualified for such things. I always rated him - he has a mean streak that reminded me of Vardy. Unfortunately that was the summer when we had a horribly bloated squad for attacking mids and he never played. He did decently well at Torino - 5 goals, 8 assists all comps https://www.transfermarkt.us/nikola-vlasic/profil/spieler/293200 - still think there's a player there.
 

Cellar-Door

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Looks like West Ham and FINALLY going to move into the 21st century and appoint a Technical Director
View: https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1668964368686407681


Tim Steidten has a good record with Leverkusen and has a reputation for using data analytics heavily. Hopefully a sign that they plan to build out the woefully understaffed scouting and data analysis groups and have an actual long-term plan for once.
 

FlexFlexerson

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Looks like West Ham and FINALLY going to move into the 21st century and appoint a Technical Director
View: https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1668964368686407681


Tim Steidten has a good record with Leverkusen and has a reputation for using data analytics heavily. Hopefully a sign that they plan to build out the woefully understaffed scouting and data analysis groups and have an actual long-term plan for once.
I'm embarrassed for myself to learn that West Ham didn't have a technical director. Now I'm retroactively embarrassed for the club but also immediately pleased with this hire. Quite a roller coaster in 2 minutes.
 

Cellar-Door

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So I was wrong in my extension guesses.
Cresswell and Coufal apparently had their options exercised earlier in the year.
Lanzini is leaving (sad, but makes sense, he's seen reduced play time.) Will always wonder how his career goes without that injury on National duty. He was amazing in 17-18 for us and was looking like a rising starter for Argentina... never the same after the injury.

Ogbonna pending, he has been offered a contract but has not made a decision yet.
 

Eric1984

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Arsenal bid 115m pounds for Dec but not sure how it’s structured
 

Cellar-Door

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To the surprise of few, after Arsenal's bid of 75M with 15M addons was rejected (add ons considered unlikely by WHU, 75M spread over 4 years allegedly), City have entered the fray. Rumors are that a bid is going in that will be the same as Arsenal's, but the addons are considered much more likely, and the 75M is all to be paid within 2 years.

Will be interesting to see if that is accepted or WHU hold out for the 10M more to make it 100M.
 

Eric1984

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At least that will keep him from City this year.. Also -- nothing beyond circumstantial evidence that he did anything shady (and yes, his yellow card when his relatives had so much money on that particular match was pretty shady if you've seen the clip.

As for Sunday's match, I was beyond thrilled with the quick start -- JWP announcing his presence with authority, feeding Aguerd's goal on his very first set piece (and then feeding Antonio in play later on -- I was stunned to see that from Antonio, who has been pretty useless). Horrified by how overmatched the defense was by Chelsea's attack for the rest of the first half. And once Aguerd had to go off and they went down a man, I thought it was over, so Areola's save on the PK was absolutely huge and the defense was just stout.

So without Aguerd this week vs. Brighton, I'll be interested to see what DM does -- whether Kehrer or Ogbonna get a start or if he starts Alvarez and puts him in the back. They haven't beaten Brighton in like their last 10 or 15 attempts.
 

wallythe24

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Jun 21, 2011
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Brighton will be a test , our record against them is shocking. We've never beaten them in the Premier League.
We've signed another Centre-Half , Dinos Mavropanos from Stuttgart. ( He used to play for The Arse ). He may start on Saturday.
Hopefully we'll have a striker by then too.
 

67YAZ

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Love the Kudus move (if you can get it over the line). He’s fearless and built like a brick shithouse - he won’t have any problems with the speed or physicality of the EPL. His ability to drive with the ball as well as run off 9 playing hold ip should make the attack a lot more dynamic. A Bailey-Kudus-Bowen trio could really go hard on the counter.
 

shaggydog2000

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Brighton will be a test , our record against them is shocking. We've never beaten them in the Premier League.
We've signed another Centre-Half , Dinos Mavropanos from Stuttgart. ( He used to play for The Arse ). He may start on Saturday.
Hopefully we'll have a striker by then too.
The Mavropanos West Ham has bought is a lot different from the one that last played for Arsenal. He had good loans in Germany and then was sold to Stuttgart. He's evolved into a very good physical defender, but I don't think he's a great passer. He wouldn't fit the Arsenal team, but it sounds like he's just the sort of player West Ham would be looking for in the middle.
 

wallythe24

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The Mavropanos West Ham has bought is a lot different from the one that last played for Arsenal. He had good loans in Germany and then was sold to Stuttgart. He's evolved into a very good physical defender, but I don't think he's a great passer. He wouldn't fit the Arsenal team, but it sounds like he's just the sort of player West Ham would be looking for in the middle.
Arsenal fans at the time said he was ' promising '. He's come on an awful lot since then.
He doesn't need to be a great passer. Win it. Give it to someone who can pass. He's a real threat on set plays too.
 

Eric1984

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The man is a unit. Enormous. And they loved him in Stuttgart. This feels like potentially a nice move. I hope they use him pretty quickly.
 

nayrbrey

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wallythe24

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67YAZ

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Kudus is going to be great. The only question here is that Ajax is so dominant in the Eredivise, that he doesn’t do as much defending and pressing as Moyes will ask of him. Kudus absolutely can - he’s built like a bulldog - but that’s a real difference.
 

wallythe24

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Kudus is going to be great. The only question here is that Ajax is so dominant in the Eredivise, that he doesn’t do as much defending and pressing as Moyes will ask of him. Kudus absolutely can - he’s built like a bulldog - but that’s a real difference.
Only time will tell , I think he'll have no problems.
 

Eric1984

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Nice win on Friday. Bowen continues to be on fire and JWP is nails on set pieces. What a pickup. And it was good to see them control the pace, though the opposition needs to be taken into account. Still, that bad late goal was frustrating to see, especially when Luton Town could justifiably have been awarded an equalizing PK in stoppage time for what really did look like a JWP handball.
 

wallythe24

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Jun 21, 2011
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Nice win on Friday. Bowen continues to be on fire and JWP is nails on set pieces. What a pickup. And it was good to see them control the pace, though the opposition needs to be taken into account. Still, that bad late goal was frustrating to see, especially when Luton Town could justifiably have been awarded an equalizing PK in stoppage time for what really did look like a JWP handball.
Was never a penalty at the end.
JWP is going to be MASSIVE for us.
 

wallythe24

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Jun 21, 2011
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Last night's win is our 17th consecutive game in European competition without defeat. A record for an English club.
Up The 'Appy 'Ammers , I'm off for pie, mash and liquor to celebrate.
 

wallythe24

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Jun 21, 2011
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Kudus is going to be great. The only question here is that Ajax is so dominant in the Eredivise, that he doesn’t do as much defending and pressing as Moyes will ask of him. Kudus absolutely can - he’s built like a bulldog - but that’s a real difference.
It's lovely being right isn't it ?
He has indeed been great.
 

67YAZ

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It's lovely being right isn't it ?
He has indeed been great.
Thank you for recognizing my brilliance.

Of course, I can hear my mother’s voice right now - “even a broken clock is right twice a day.”
 

Kliq

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Thank you for recognizing my brilliance.

Of course, I can hear my mother’s voice right now - “even a broken clock is right twice a day.”
To be fair, "Ajax being so dominant in the Eredivise" isn't a very accurate statment.
 

Cellar-Door

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The player I was totally wrong on.... JWP. I thought he was gonna be a decent plugger, he;s been exceptional.
 

67YAZ

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Back on September 5th , I said JWP was going to be MASSIVE. I'm right once in a while too.
It's lovely being right isn't it ?

Now if only Southgate would listen about JWP. Or maybe that’s covered in “Dear England”? Haven’t seen it.
 

nayrbrey

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The team has been a fun watch this year. Just a good collection of players giving their all.

What they have done with the Rice money has been amazing. Getting Kudus, Alvarez and JWP for almost exactly the 116 million received (43/38/34.8) is a massive win.
 

Eric1984

my real name is Ben
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Jun 14, 2001
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Well -- color me shocked. A visit to Goodison is usually a point at best. But after the predictable 85 minutes of crap -- with Areola and Alvarez playing balls-out and everyone else looking like they should be arrested for loitering -- they came alive. It has typically NOT been the West Ham way to dig in when the chips are down like that and come away with the go-ahead in the last 5 minutes and pour in two more in stoppage time. Soucek's laser off Kudus's feed -- WOW.