There is presently something of a media and social media ‘feeding frenzy’ around our club. The media love promoting stories on the ‘crisis club’ of the moment and we have duly obliged in providing them with their early season focus. It is predictable that the media would be ‘all over’ our current woes and it has been compounded by endless negative conjuncture on social media. At the moment, West Ham related media stories are the on-going financial/Legal disputes with E20, Defra Sakho’s discarded ‘super car,’ the absence of suitable training facilities and a coherent scouting/recruitment system at the club and the estimated timing of Pellegrini’s sacking. If anything, social media is even more painful to read, characterised as it is by the most profound and thoroughgoing negativity. The best example of which is the depressing (and defeatist) conjecture that we may well remain without a PL point until the end of October!!
In addition, former professionals are also adding fuel to the fire, with Tony Cascarino urging the club to sack Pellegrini, Tony Cottee arguing that David Moyes should still be in charge, and Craig Bellamy speculating about our inability to retain Arnautovic’s services beyond the end of the January window. Another ex-professional, with strong views about our current predicament, is ex-Gooner and Sky Pundit, Paul Merson. Merson has been scathing about our performances so far this season and, in a recent edition of Sky’s Sports’ ‘The Debate, he has specifically criticised the decision to sell Cheikou Kouyate to Crystal Palace, for a reported fee of c.£11m. Merson forcefully argued on the Sky programme: ’I think if there was one player that could get around midfield and hurry people up, it was Kouyate who has gone to Crystal Palace. He went for a cup of tea, I think it was about £8m, which is nothing.’
Is Merson right about Kouyate’s sale? I would say both yes and no! I do firmly believe that West Ham are missing a powerful, box-to-box, type midfielder. The type of player that contributes the graft/energy to compliment the more creative midfield players. We are currently being outfought in midfield and that was clearly demonstrated in both home defeats against Bournemouth and Wolves. As well as losing Kouyate, we have crucially also sent both Fernandes and Cullen (as possible alternative options) out on loan, leaving us with Rice, Obiang, Sanchez, Noble and Wilshere as our available options. You cannot criticise either Noble or Wilshere for not fulfilling this midfield power house role, they can both graft, but they are arguably more technical players, with the ability to pass the ball and orchestrate play. While Obiang and Sanchez are specialist defensive midfielders, whose role is to shield the defence and break up opposition attacks. Could Declan Rice suit the role? Potentially yes, in time, but we must consider his age and relative inexperience. So, yes, we are definitely missing an experienced, Kouyate type player.
Indeed, I would undoubtedly have argued for retaining Kouyate if he was still the power house player that performed so well in his first two seasons at the club. He was particularly impressive in 2015-16, when he was a major factor in our successful campaign. However, over the subsequent two seasons he was quite never the same force and was frequently criticised by fans for his decreased work rate and tendency to cheaply lose possession. As such, I was fairly open to his sale this summer, but I had anticipated that he would be replaced by a box-to-box midfielder who could perhaps be considered an upgrade. Unfortunately, that deal did not materialise and we are presently living with its consequences, a squad with a obvious lack in that department.
One piece of social media conjecture that I did find interesting was the reports that we presently have a first team squad of 23 players (i.e. two short). This has led to the suggestion that one or two free agent signings could still arrive at the club. I am not sure if this is correct, but if it is then the priority must surely be to identify whether there is a suitable free agent who could add some much needed work rate and grit to our midfield. If not then, then that may well be one of our priorities in the January window, if we definitely cannot find a solution within the resources of the current squad.
SJ. Chandos.