Blind Hammer looks at the case for meeting Shelvey’s wage demands.
West Ham are down to the bare bones in our creative midfield. This crisis has arisen at a critical season defining period. The familiar injury blight which routinely afflicts our squad has returned with a vengeance. The offensive threat of Manu Lanzini and Marko Arnautovi? are reportedly missing for at least a month and possibly longer. Past Hammer of the Year Antonio has been a shadow of his former self. The risk is that he will be rush back for the Palace game and will in turn break down again. The plan B of the long ball to Andy Carroll, bypassing the need for midfield development is in turn precluded by his potentially seasoning ending injury. Sakho also has the injury blight and no interest in playing. Hernandez shows no evidence he can function in a team which relies on direct play. He, more than any, requires creativity to feed him. Ayew is constantly linked with moves away; suggesting Moyes does not see him as a long term option.
Moyes has all Window insisted he will hold his nerve with what he has got but these pressures are likely to force even his cautious approach to crack. With the ridiculously compressed lower half of the table West Ham, like half the league, are only 2 bad results away from plunging back into the relegation mire.
We have far too little squad depth in the number 10 role. The lack of this cover and the extensive minutes that Lanzini was forced to play in both cup and League meant that injury was pretty much inevitable. It also meant that for some time now Lanzini has had no pressure for his place in the team.
Additional midfield creativity is needed then not just for cover but for competition in the squad. In this role various names have arisen. Wilshire’s recovery of form at Arsenal seems to have cemented his future there, rather than at the London Stadium. Samir Nasri ticks all the boxes of experience as a proven previous Premier League performer. Yet there is no evidence that he is currently pulling up any trees for Antalyaspor. Rather, although only 30, he seems a player drifting to the end of his career, a player with his best days very much behind him. We need a faded star whose legs have gone, remember Álvaro Arbeloa, like we need a hole in the head.
So that inevitably brings us to a consideration of Newcastle United’s midfielder Jonjo Shelvey. Shelvey has been consistently linked with a move to West Ham throughout the Window. On the face of it there is much to recommend such a move. Newcastle apparently needs to sell to fund further recruitment. Shelvey is in the right age bracket, 5 years younger than Nasri at 25 with his best years ahead of him. On the other hand, since he joined Newcastle two years ago, he has been an inconsistent performer, despite impressing on his debut against West Ham. The main question mark hangs over his disciplinary record. He has picked up two red cards this season. On the other hand he has earned praise for his long-range shooting and his ability to pick out passes. These prize and rare attributes gained Shelvey England recognition. Why then would Newcastle release such a talent? The fact is that for whatever reason Shelvey is not delivering. He has yet to register a goal or an assist this season.
Despite these drawbacks my instinct is that Shelvey could be a good fit for West Ham. We are unlikely to attract a world class number 10 even if we could afford the staggering transfer fee which would accompany such a move. Shelvey would most fit the profile of affordability, potential talent and proven experience. As a bonus as a childhood Hammer supporter Shelvey is allegedly also keen on the move.
There is undoubtedly some attitudinal and disciplinary baggage. With our current management setup, this does not over concern me. Moyes has already shown that he can manage big and allegedly difficult personalities like Arnautovic. No matter how big a personality Shelvey may consider himself, I doubt that he will over awe characters like Moyes or Pearce.
So why have we not sealed a deal? According to reports West Ham, whilst keen, are balking at Shelvey’s £90,000-a-week wages. It is not clear as to whether these are demands or simply match what he is currently on.
If Shelvey was recruited on these wages he would immediately catapult into the highest wage bracket at the club. Most damagingly he would almost certainly exceed the wages currently paid to Lanzini.
I can understand Sullivan’s reluctance to disturb wage structures. Already West Ham appear willing to pay over the odds. Any potential move away from West Ham for Ayew is likely to flounder because clubs cannot, apparently, afford his wages. Even defenders like Fonte are reportedly on wages of £65,000 a week, making moves away unlikely. This is no small issue. One of the structural problems which eventually led to Aston Villa’s relegation was the ridiculous and unwieldy wage burden which eventually crippled the club.
However west ham also require some realism in their wage structure. If Shelvey’s wages do indeed dwarf Lanzini’s this will need to be rectified anyway. If not then Lanzini will feel the need to move on. The fact is that West Ham are paying 2 of their highest wages to Hernandez, and Hart, over £100,000 a week, both of whom can best be described as average performers. It is likely that at least hart, and probably Hernandez will be released from the wage bill in the summer. The alleged £85,000 that the perennially unfit Carroll is supposed to pull in a week, places the £90,000 for a fit young developing creative midfielder of international pedigree in context.
Shelvey could provide an important element to the club. He would provide not just competition but support to Lanzini. If either is struggling to master play then either could be relieved from the bench. In the event we are having to chase a game then both could be thrown on to a do or die effort to break down a defence. With these options it would be much harder for teams to simply target Arnautovi? for rough treatment to eliminate the West Ham threat. My view is that the Board should make this happen, even if the result is a renegotiation for Lanzini.
COYI
David Griffith