Let me start this by stating I am not a fan of Moyes, but in the interest of balance I thought it would be good to review how he has performed by the numbers (all figures from WyScout) to remove my bias. There is a split in the fanbase as to whether Moyes deserves his chance to implement his vision for West Ham & utilise the RB model which is a totally different conversation for another day.
Defence
Starting with the defence seems appropriate as Moyes is often described as pragmatic or cautious, with a “let’s not lose first” approach. This is obviously a departure from Pellegrini who very much always talked up attacking opponents & looking to win. Under Moyes it has been stated we have been more organised & stronger defensively, yet statistically it would also point to (depending on your viewpoint) a more passive/structured approach. The PPDA (Passes Per Defensive Action) is on average 18.02 which is an increase of 7.10 passes on Pellegrini. In addition the defensive duel attempts are down by 13.41 per 90 too, although success rate is up by 1.08% to 60.77%.
Another indicator of West Ham sitting deeper & is the need to commit to sliding challenges has dropped by 1.12 per 90. Under Pellegrini this was at 7.16 sliding tackles attempts per 90, suggesting there was a greater need to engage in more “last ditch” tackles or urgency to prevent dangerous situations. This isn’t a positive in my eyes as often slide tackles are to try make up for positioning or “desperation” to prevent a dangerous opportunity from developing, rarely is a slide tackle the best means of retaining/adjusting possession.
In terms of shots faced we are currently seeing on average 12.25 per 90 (increase of 0.41 per 90), whilst this isn’t ideal facing more shots the accuracy of these has decreased by 7.69% (39.33%). As a result of facing more shots & engaging less in duels we have seen an increase in the number of clearances at 19.88 (0.61 increase) & 47.19 interceptions per 90 (4.56 increase).
Overall the number of goals conceded is marginally worse by 0.01 with West Ham conceding on average 1.69 goals per 90. So defensively it is a real mixed bag as it can be argued we have seen some improvements, but nothing which demonstrates great change bar a deeper defensive line. The most significant part is that Moyes has had Fabianski available for 14/16 games this season, whereas Pellegrini could only call upon him 8/19 times which was a monumental problem defensively.
Passing
I very much doubt this will come as a shock but under Moyes retention of the ball isn’t very high on the list of priorities.
In his 16 EPL games this season West Ham on average have dropped by more than 76.32 passes per 90 (averaging 333.31)with a success rate of 78.51% (decrease of 2.92%). What is more alarming is the rate in which the number of forward passes, PTFT (passes to final third), PP (progressive passes) & smart passes have decreased. We now in possession complete 17.22 less forward passes with a success rate of 69.81% (3.77% decrease) per 90, & only 45.81 PTFT per 90 at 62.67% (9.56 PTFT decrease per 90 & 9.31% decreased success rate).
To compound our lack of control in possession further we have seen PP drop to on average 62.63 & 70.47 % per 90 (decrease of 11.85 PP & 3.87% per 90). Our smart passes at 3.94 sees a drop of 3.38 on average drop per 90 although the success has increased by 6.48% to 42.62%. This has impacted on our ability not only to retain possession but to also create or exploit spaces through set sequences.
As a result we have seen an up surge in direct/long passes of 47.31 an increase of 1.89 per 90 with an overall completion rate of 53.61% (2.72% decrease). This has had varied results in matches as not all long passes have shown a purpose beyond bypassing the midfield & trying to get Antonio running behind. Under Moyes I think we can agree West Ham haven’t been good enough on the ball. There has been a big departure from “defending with the ball”, relying on patient play to try & create spaces in order for a more direct style.
Attack
This is an area which may surprise some as to how we have faired under Moyes, whilst it is a mixed bag it is more positive perhaps perceived. There have been some improvements across the metrics. Although, I feel we do need to prefix this with the fact Moyes has had Antonio available for all bar 4 games (missed 10/19 under Pellegrini), players returning to fitness, plus the additions of Soucek & Bowen.
Since the appointment of Moyes we have engaged in less defensive duals with an average of 58.94 per 90 but increased success of 0.42 resulting in 41.04 duals won. A nice surprise can be seen in the xG (expected goals) increase, which is on average up by 0.23 to 1.49 per 90. Therefore, has in turn seen attempts at goal on average increase per 90 to 10.31 (up by 0.47), whilst this is an solid improvement our on target success rate has dropped 7.96% to 38.16%.
A concern is that positional attacks with shot opportunities has decreased to 22.19 per 90 (5.76 drop per 90), in spite of this once again the success rate for shots opportunities has improved to 18.48% (1.85% averageincrease per 90). Areas which have be supported the improvement can be found when accessing the stats at our ability to counterattack & cross. This is where the likes of Antonio, Soucek & Bowen have proved pivotal in my mind to improve on our outputs to Pellegrini’s time. On average West Ham have 4.31 counterattacks with shots opportunities per 90 which has a success rate of getting off a shot at 29.11% (2.12% increase). When looking at the rate of crossing on average per 90 is 0.26 less at 15, but an increase of 3.45% has resulted in 34.09% success rate. The increase can be attributed in part to Bowen proficiency, but more importantly the numbers in the box has increased. What we are now seeing is the likes of Haller, Soucek, Antonio & now fit Yarmolenko (when playing) attack the opposing box.
What is interesting is our proficiency from set pieces & our ability to place ourselves into shooting positions. This is where Moyes has excelled with on average achieving 0.88 shots from 3.13 free kicks per 90 & a 32.81% shots on target rate. This in turn represents an upturn of 0.45 shots across an additional 0.97 free kicks per 90 & a 14.39% in shots on target. Where we haven’t necessarily had as much of an improvement is when attack corners under Moyes. Whilst we on average have 5.38 corners per 90 we only achieve 1.25 shots & on target 24.97%, therefore we achieve 0.17 less shots per 90 on average & 4.12% less accurate than under Pellegrini.
There has been improvement to the previous half of the season in some areas which has helped to ensure we are a consistent threat both in open play & at set pieces. What is interesting is the marginal increases in attack despite the significant drop off in our ability whilst in possession of the ball.
Conclusion
As stated at the top I am not a fan & have reservations that he is a credible candidate to bring long term success. Pellegrini prior to leaving was 1 point per match whereas Moyes is 0.94 & needs to a win plus a draw over the next 3 games to reach the same milestone. Should Moyes match what Pellegrini achieved this season, arguably the club should be spared the pit of despair which will flow from relegation. What I find interesting is how are one record is acceptable to continue on as West Ham manager whereas the others was deemed sackable? I know many will point to the money spent during his time as a reason, but this does ignore the fact this is money which had been promised in previous times under Bilic. I will add Pellegrini did become his own worst enemy in the preference to field Roberto during Fabianski’s injury, but was let down in the clubs inability not to acquire a left back & centre midfielder as requested.
There are some signs of encouragement when we access the figures of Moyes’ 2nd tenure over the club, but also some red flags too. Not being able to hold possession in the EPL is a dangerous game as have to rely on a strong defensive unit which evidently we don’t have with full back being a particular weakness. Even though we have rejected the high line employed by Pellegrini a deeper starting position hasn’t improved our resilience & the in my view passiveness demonstrated by the PPDA is a concern. Bowen & Soucek have been a revelation who without them I genuinely believe we would have been relegated with Norwich by now.
For me the numbers don’t stack up to a manager who has been able to turn around a team significantly enough to be viewed as the person to bring long term success. I accept the argument that should the imbalances in defense be addressed in the summer we could improve, but will the changes be significant enough to improve the squad & push us back up the league? I have my reservations on this, and would appraise the market in the summer. Although, you fear under Gold, Sullivan & Brady this will only be done should a manager of a particular mould be free to move without compensation.
It has been little over 10 years since the Gold, Sullivan & Brady (GSB) walked through the doors of West Ham & took over a club on it’s knees. Whilst we suffered relegation under crippling financial pressures & ill equipped team, they where able to prop us up to a knee & gain promoting under Big Sam. This is where the praise for them is then hard to find or manufacture. At one point I thought they was doing a fine job, but admittedly football was only a distraction, and I paid little attention beyond match days. As my love for football & West Ham came back I became more engaged, and started to see the club for what it was & is becoming. Amongst many fans there is a bitter feeling, a line that has been crossed too many times, where loyalty is a commodity to exploit & a love once so strong now tainted. It sounds extreme to say but it is like watching a member of your family wilting away and feeling powerless to arrest the tide or change course.
Hopeful promises not Pledges
There is an inability within our board to take responsibility for their words or actions with them simply unaware that their words have impact. Every promise made has been broken or turned into something else, with Gold via TalkSport claiming they aren’t liers & never made any pledges to the fans & in fact hopeful promises. Refusing to accept that they failed to meet the expectations they set. Instead peddling the new narrative that us fans simply misunderstood & shouldn’t hold the board accountable for their failures.
They have often spoken a good game using sympathetic journalists & outlets to tell a narrative where they attempt to control a truth, which is simply their truth but not reality. Quite simply their words are hollow, without any meaning & hold no weight as are false platitudes looking to apply lip service. All this has brought about protests against the board demanding answers as to their poor management across every facet of the club. The Hammers United team made great headway in bring the fans together in it’s thousands to voice its dismay at the clubs board who refuse at acknowledge they have any responsibility in our current state.
The Stadium Move
GSB have presided over a tumultuous time in West Ham history with it being much of their own making & in a bid to solely line their own pockets in my opinion. The moment they stepped through the door their eyes were fixated on the Olympic Stadium & the lure of increasing the prestige of the club. Upton Park had served its purpose for them even if David Gold of 442 Green St. would consistently fawn over his youth days at the club & the magnificent old girl, a cunning ruse to present a feeling of belonging & a wrench to leave. Promises & statements where made clear to fans that Upton Park was our past with the future successes due to be found at the now London Stadium.
With reluctance as a majority we accepted the move as we wanted the promises to be true. Gold stated we wouldn’t move unless the pitch was as close as it is Upton Park with Brady promising us a “Worldclass TEAM in a Worldclass stadium” (the team I will touch on later). Instead we we got neither promise & our spiritual home was not only sold off cheaply then sold for a profit 24 hours later, but our history was sold off via auction. This was said to give us fans the chance to own of history, but feels more like a clearout of what the board consider “tat” in their new house move. To the highest bidder parts of our history was flogged & discarded by the board but cherished fans. Upton Park has since been demolished with any reference to West Ham all but gone, albeit upheld by the World Cup Winners statue.
Demolition of our spiritual home Upton Park
Infrastructure
West Ham arguably have the worst infrastructure in the top 2 divisions in the UK & is a direct result of neglect & looking to cut costs in any way possible. Our training facilities are of an awful standard by modern EPL levels, and yet the board are blasé about it. Gold proudly stating we have spend £10m on our training facilities alone, ignoring that £4m was on Chadwell Heath for the academy with Rush Green still sporting portacabins. By contrast Leicester City have commissioned a £100m training complex.
Via Forbes; “Its main building including offices for staff members along with 30 bedrooms that effectively doubles up the vast arced space as a hotel. There is also a rehabilitation center along with hydrotherapy, medical, dining and educational facilities. there is a covered ‘show’ pitch with 499 seats and an elevated camera platform that has been, according to the club website, ‘specifically devised to allow Academy teams to sample an authentic match-day experience’. Beyond that is a vast sports hall that contains a full-size indoor pitch with changing rooms and a cryochamber within walking distance. The 45-feet-high construction is fully ventilated to avoid any humidity. Outside there are twelve full-size pitches, six part-size grass pitches and several warm-up areas.“
Via Forbes; “Liverpool’s advanced new facility situated in Kirkby is close to completion with little change given from £50 million. Bournemouth’s approved move to a new site will set them back £35 million with the Cherries having followed Leicester’s lead and secured land that was formerly a golf club.“
With all that in mind we are meant to be impressed by the outlay our board have made on our facilities that is on average £1m per year, which would be impressive if not for the reality of the state of UK football.
The scouting & analysis department is even worse state than that of the training facilities. After the Burnley protests during Moyes 1st stint at the club Sullivan promised a ground up restructuring of this department & to take a step back from a shambolic strategy in which he relied heavily on trusted agents to bring him players, with scouting & analysis threadbare. To date West Ham have a single scout on the books whereas Southampton have over 60 employees scouting & analysing players from youth level to 1st team, again West Ham employ a solitary scout. Under Pellegrini the club had a Director of football & 7 scouts with there seemingly being a structure to deals & identifying then acquiring players. Sullivan ultimately disbanded all this when Pellegrini left as clashed with Husillos criticising via sympathetic journo’s eager for a story as missed doing the deals & playing real life Football Manager. To compound matters when the team was disbanded they took all the data they had amassed on players & potential targets too. Once again the board have presided other this terrible mismanagement & reverted to type without a second thought to the promise made to improve standards. Ultimately scouting is a costly affair & hard to quantify value in the short term in the long term the value comes in the selling on of players for profit & players moving you higher up the league. Such is the shambles of our scouting & recruitment structure we fail to identify our internal weaknesses & then address in the market.
Recruitment
It has been been 8.5 years of shooting fish in the barrell & taking whatever comes to the surface for West Ham & the odd controversy step for for Mr “Mayhem” Henry. For all the faults of Husillos & Pellegrini what they did do was highlight areas of weakness & take steps to improve where permitted. In the below you can see that there was less of a focus on attack as previous managers with defense & centre midfield being more critical. The issue was that for years the squad was unbalanced & ill equipped not recruiting for an specific style of play or identity.
For years full back & central midfield positions have been an issue always with an eye on doing it on the cheap. Extravagant fee’s where merely reserved for those which sell season tickets which in the eyes of Sullivan is only attacking players. Millions have been wasted on vanity signings & poorly chosen options with little to no accountability unless your name is Husillos or Pellegrini who’s main crime was signing Roberto. The vastly concerning trend is the over reliance of agents to help in bringing the team together with many players sharing an agency. In particular Salthouse who has Antonio, Cresswell, Fredericks & Randolph on his books, with all four ideally not at the club as not of the required standard. We have issues at fullback but with Salthouse as a “consultant” there is no really urgency to displace one of his clients to the betterment of West Ham, instead it is better to direct Sullivan to other areas of the squad he can help in. When you look back at players linked there is a common thread Craig Dawson, Said Benrahma, Che Adams, Scott Hogan, Jamaal Lascelles all Salthouse agency clients. Rather than the agents being a necessary evil as part of thee negotiation process they are an active entity when shaping our transfer strategy.
Experts in Failure
Jose Mourinho once commented that Wenger was an expert in failure, yet had he turned his eye to East London rather than North he would have seen 3 who hold the title proudly. GSB have preceded over a decade littered with controversy, deceit, unethical use of media outlets including social media platforms & sheer incompetence. They have zero idea on how succeed & refuse to employ others in to take the club forward. After sacking Moyes for not being good enough to lead West Ham on, Sullivan went for the vanity of a big name in Pellegrini (who was free) to usher a new era. Pellegrini wasn’t backed in his final window where 2 pieces of his jigsaw was missing in a CM & LB, but Noble was deemed good enough for the board whilst cutting the wage bill considerably. Rather than admitting Pellegrini as well as Bilic was right CM was a problem Pellegrini was relieved of his duty & the man no deemed good enough 18 months previous now is. It was a colossal failure to not look at other options with the much fancied Kovac also free, as a misguided belief that a British manager would ensteel hard work & passion back into the side. Even still there was alleged interest from Howe & Dyche, but they cost money which GSB wouldn’t commision. In their long history of football not once have they paid to get the man for the job, which shows a manager has no real value to them. Across the club we are either woefully understaffed, under financed or ill equipped for the level the club plays at. GSB have always tried to limit cost & save money in anyway possible rather than truly invest in the “hopeful promises” made as the eye has always been on selling for huge profits.
Until they finally leave I do believe the love for the club will be tainted with us lurching from one failure to another. The board will continue to take zero accountability utilising their usual means to place blame at the feet of their employees & fans alike. Our club is in a chokehold being held against the will of its many supports, by those who profess to be “one of us” yet fail to do the right thing. By selling the club Sullivan can finally try to buy his boyhood club Cardiff & Gold can have a happy retirement away from the demands of operating a club in an elite environment, Lady Brady can continue with her media work not embarrassing a fanbase.
We have been stripped of our history, heritage sold off to the highest bidder, seen our clubs facilities plus infrastructure fall to levels comparable to league one & treated with contempt. The shortcomings of the club are coming home to roost this season after all the cut corners, lack of funding & unprofessionalism coming to the fore. Leadership is derived from the top but when that is dysfunctional, unprofessional & delusional this filters down to the very bottom. Everything that is wrong with the club is due to a collective failing but the it starts & ends at the top who have the means to do the right thing but refuse.
A lot is made of Felipe Anderson with many fans on either side of the argument steadfast in their beliefs. For those that rate Felipe believe him to be misused and often made the scapegoat. People on the other side of the fence believe him to be lazy, a bottler in a challenge & not effective going forward. So I thought I would review if this was a matter of perception or fact supported by statistics. I will look at how he has performed defensively, in attack & while passing the ball.
Lazy Defending or Underappreciated
So, the first thing Anderson is often criticised for is his lack of commitment to a tackle & in defensive engagements. For fairness I have compared last season’s data with our current year also comparing against Declan Rice & Robert Snodgrass. Upon review the data last season Anderson was engaged in 6.77 defensive duels per 90 which placed him second against our comparisons. What is interesting is that Anderson’s success rate being 3.54% higher than that of Snodgrass but committing less fouls per 90 at a rate of 0.52. This then led me to question does the fact that Snodgrass commits double the fouls per game to Anderson, add to the perception one is far more committed than the other? Or, does this show that Anderson is more measured when engaging defensively & efficient in stopping his opponent. To try & understand this further it’s important that we access the figures from this season where Anderson has been polarised by fans the most defensively, whereas the likes of Snodgrass praised. This season Anderson has been involved in 7.56 duels per 90 only bettered by Declan Rice by 0.10 duels & 1.74 more duels than Snodgrass. When we review the percentages Anderson & Rice win 59.03% of theirduels as opposed to the 50% won by Snodgrass. Anderson has also committed more fouls this year as is 0.33 more likely to commit a foul but commits less than 0.31 fouls to Snodgrass. These stats would point that Anderson is playing deeper than his debut season & having to commit more to defensive situations to compensate for others. Due to Anderson having to be engaged in more defensive duels & sitting deeper Anderson the likelihood to incept the ball has dropped by 1.09. Although, the rate of interceptions has dropped Anderson still has the 2nd highest interception rate at West Ham & bettering Snodgrass by 1.16 per 90.
In the below images we can see two instances where both Anderson & Snodgrass commit fouls to highlight the types of engagements they experience/create.
In the left hand image Sheffield United are building the attack from the right with Anderson looking to engage quickly & help out his full back. Anderson comes into contact with the wing back for Sheffield United & stretches out a leg to try & nick the ball off his opponent. Unfortunately, the wing back anticipates & pushes the ball slightly further ahead to win the foul. Had Anderson waited to engage this could have allowed Fredericks time to engage. In this sequence there was danger with a Sheffield United player running into the channel vacated by the right back & the foul stopped the attack in a non threatening area of the pitch. In the right hand image the Southampton midfielder is shielding the ball & under pressure with West Ham providing good cover ensuring all passing options are limited. Snodgrass rather than hold position engages aggressively being easily turned & ultimately fouls the player. Had he jostled into position West Ham players where ideally placed to pressure the midfielder in a 2 on 1 & initiate any of the passing options.
Duels per 90 (18/19)
Duels won % (18/19)
Interceptions per 90 (18/19)
Fouls per 90 (18/19)
Duels per 90 (19/20)
Duels won % (19/20)
Interceptions per 90 (19/20)
Fouls per 90 (19/20)
Rice
7.15
67.69
5.18
0.51
7.66
59.03
5.32
0.82
Anderson
6.77
54.51
4.14
0.72
7.56
59.03
3.05
1.05
Snodgrass
6.75
50.97
2.33
1.24
5.8
50
1.89
1.36
In my view Anderson’s defensive work is often underappreciated & ignored as his aggression in the tackle is tempered with composure. In reviewing clips of Snodgrass who is revered as “dogged” & “determined” there is a recurring rashness to challenges & poor timing. This assertion is backed by the statistics on Snodgrass success rate in defensive situations. Anderson has in fact improved defensively this season to last & across most stats is only second to Rice, and yet is classed as lazy defensively.
Due to West Ham having to defend more this season than last a focus has been placed largely on Anderson’s defensive attributes. What can be gleaned from these stats is more often than not he outperforms all midfielders bar Declan Rice defensively. To put that into a greater context Anderson & Rice win the same percentage of duels per 90 (59.03%), yet the left winger is criticised for not winning more.
The below heat maps of Anderson (left) & Snodgrass (right) show that our wingers have to do a lot of covering for the full backs. Additionally, it must be noted that those playing in the left channel spend most of their time in the middle third of the pitch rather than the final part where they offer the most threat.
It could be argued there is a misconception as to his defensive prowess & other less accomplished players have been elevated above for no quantifiable reason beyond perception.
Attacking
It has been a bit of a mixed bag for Anderson this season when we look at the attacking statistics. I for one have been disappointed in Anderson’s output this season, but once reviewing against others in the team I have been guilty of underappreciating his efforts. I have mentioned in a previous blog that I feel Anderson has been having to start deeper than previously when engaging in attack, and this has had a detrimental effect our play & his outputs too. Once again, I will compare Anderson’s attacking outputs against his teammates this time Antonio, Snodgrass & Diangana (on loan with West Brom). Although, in my view Anderson as started deeper his holds the most dribbles per 90 with 7.20 with a success rate of 55.47% which betters all in this comparison section. For those interest Yarmolenko has the highest success rate of 60.66% (4.55 dribbles per 90). The stats for Anderson would show that he is constantly available for the ball & pushing the team further up the pitch 0.46 attempts more than Antonio, & 3.4 attempts more than Snodgrass. Within the squad on two “dribblers” of the ball have a better success rate (Yarmolenko & Lanzini) but the number of dribbles is considerably less. Therefore, without Anderson there is a very heavy burden on Antonio to carry the ball with Bowen is the next prolific carrier at 5.18 dribbles per 90.
For me I feel a lot of the frustration with Anderson predominately boils down to his goals & assists not being higher enough. In reality last season Anderson overperformed with 10 goals when statistically based on chances was expected to only score 5.25 goals. His teammates also should have enabled him more assists too with expected assists 5.47 but poor finishing limited it to 4 assists. Fast forward to this season Anderson is performing almost in line with the expected goals & assists metric with 6 assists (xA 4.6) & 1 goal (xG 2.07). By comparison the second in the ranking for assists is Snodgrass on 5, but his effectiveness in open play is less with 4 coming from set pieces. These stats show that Anderson is overperforming when supplying for his teammates with a lower rate of expected success than his debut season. The rate of expected goals & tally would also support that Anderson is having to play deeper, therefore unable to find positions to score as previously demonstrated. What is a concern is the drop in shots on target by Anderson dropping by 10.74% this could be related to confidence but in some cases a result of lacking concentration when required. As a side note it is encouraging to see Antonio has vastly improved on his shot on target % by 2.21
Shots on target % (18/19)
Dribbles per 90 (18/19)
Dribbles Success % (18/19)
Assists (18/19)
Expected Assists (18/19)
Goals (18/19)
Expected Goals (18/19)
Anderson
44.07
7.09
51.69
4
5.47
10
5.25
Antonio
39.73
7.89
54.59
5
4
7
8.39
Snodgrass
29.73
4.23
51.16
8
8.85
4
3.36
Diangana
33
8.89
51.89
0
1.4
2
1.21
Shots on target % (19/20)
Dribbles per 90 (19/20)
Dribbles Success % (19/20)
Assists (19/20)
Expected Assists (19/20)
Goals (19/20)
Expected Goals (19/20)
Anderson
33.33
7.20
55.47
6
4.6
1
2.07
Antonio
41.94
6.74
53.33
2
2.37
2
4.52
Snodgrass
37.04
3.82
47.13
5
4.37
5
2.76
Diangana
40.63
8.24
51.52
5
4.67
5
3.37
**Diangana stats are from his loan with West Brom
Another area that Anderson is criticised for is his passing ability which people would argue impacts our ability to attack effectively. What is obvious from the stats is that Anderson’s in some areas his passing numbers has dropped, but would show adaptation of his game. With Anderson starting position being further back & we see the opportunity to play through balls have been a little limited. The frequency to which they are attempted has dropped by 0.54 per 90 with the success rate dropping also by 6% when trying to force play positively. In contract Antonio makes only 0.69 attempts with only a 33.33% success rate, whereas Snodgrass whilst attempting less that 18/19 his 0.66 attempts are more successful at 53.33%. Whilst it is clear aspects of his passing game has declined this year other aspects has improved such the success of his progressive passes at 83.13%. What this means for West Ham is that Anderson is managing to progress play & find his teammates with greater regularity than previously. Therefore in situations where Snodgrass is used in his stead the team receive 4.66 less progressive passes with less accuracy too at only 69% success rate. No player either bar Diangana currently at West Brom complete as many key passes per game than Anderson with 0.84.With Anderson in the opportunities for teammates happen with great regularity which would indicate his vision & ability the recognise patterns of play better than the likes of Antonio & Snodgrass.
PP per 90 (18/19)
PP Success % (18/19)
OD won % (18/19)
KP per 90 (18/19)
PTPA Per 90 (18/19)
TP per 90 (18/19)
TP per 90 Success % (18/19)
Anderson
8.97
79.29
43.43
0.58
5.23
2.57
40.21
Antonio
4.13
72.50
38.46
0.76
2.7
0.76
36.36
Snodgrass
5.73
83.43
43.71
0.44
2.55
0.85
23.06
Diangana
5.27
65.63
42.08
1.06
3.5
1.81
35.35
*PP – Progressive Pass OD – Offensive Duels KP – Key Passes PTPA – Passes to Penalty Area TP – Thru Passes
PP per 90 (19/20)
PP Success % (19/20)
OD won % (19/20)
KP per 90 (19/20)
PTPA Per 90 (19/20)
TP per 90 (19/20)
TP per 90 Success % (19/20)
Anderson
8.4
83.13
43.65
0.84
4.78
2
34.21
Antonio
3.55
76.09
34.93
0.69
2.7
0.69
33.33
Snodgrass
4.49
69
39.91
0.44
2.55
0.66
53.33
Diangana
3.74
83.33
41.73
1.06
3.5
1.25
20
*PP – Progressive Pass. OD – Offensive Duels KP – Key Passes. PTPA – Passes to Penalty Area. TP – Thru Passes **Diangana stats are from his loan with West Brom
Conclusion
Anderson has had a difficult second season but there are promising signs that should West Ham improve the key problem areas Anderson could be back to his best. There is a level of consistency which does need to improve with Anderson, but statically steady & predominately towards the top of the squad for midfielders across all disciplines. There seems to be an unfair perception upon Anderson as to his ability in & out of possession in relation to his teammates. For me I feel this misconception or underappreciation for what Anderson does is in relation to his intensity. The likes of Antonio & Snodgrass always appear to be at full velocity but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are in control or effective for their teammates which is supported in stats. In short, I believe Anderson is an underappreciated & important member of our squad & a poorer side without him playing. There are areas of improvement but feel if relieved of his defensive burdens can engage further up the field & start to turn in performances with more goals & assists.
I should start this by saying the blog is based on the assumption that we manage to survive this season. This is going to be a long one as I look at the squad & state whether I would keep or sell & who I would potential look to as a replacement. This is purely a bit of fun as I don’t expect wide changes to the squad as money will be tight for the next couple seasons in my opinion. When looking at the current team & replacements I will do so based on Moyes comments in wanting to adopt the model of Red Bull & taking risks on younger players.
Lukasz Fabianski
It’s been a tough season for Fabianski & WHU fans alike with his injury ruling him out for months which saw a steep downward turn in results. Has taken a bit of time to get himself back to fitness as the Liverpool game proved with uncharacteristic mistakes, but he has been phenomenal since signing. Now we have had a break with Covid-19 he will have had all the rest he needed and return stronger. If there is anyone who could help save us from a relegation it could be this man.
Keep/Sell: Keep
Replacement options: N/A
Darren Randolph
As back up Randolph is a decent option and not likely to rock the boat as number 2 with him also counting to our HG number too. Having Randolph around also means that we can send Trott out for another season to gain more experience too.
Keep/Sell: Keep
Replacement options: N/A
David Martin
David Martin WHU born & breed got to make the debut of his dreams helping WHU beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge much to the delight of all in claret & blue. Has a year left on his contract & worth keeping around not only for the HG count but a good character to have around the club.
Keep/Sell: Keep
Replacement options: N/A
Roberto
Arrived with some positive reports & seen as a bit of a coup to get a good shot stopper … then we saw him play. Unfortunately for us & Pellegrini he played one too many games which cost all involved. Has a year left on his 2 year deal but needs to go for his own good as well as ours
Keep/Sell: Sell, release …. just anything to move away
Replacement options: Trott (ideally sent on loan), Anang
Pablo Zabaleta
Zabaleta has been a brilliant professional and always given 100% for the club since signing, but his time is rightfully at an end with his contract finishing at the end of the season. The hope is that with Zabaleta leaving this gives Ben Johnson the opportunity to step up & challenge for the spot.
Keep/Sell: Out of Contract
Replacement options: Ben Johnson
Ryan Fredericks
Fredericks has so much pace that it is infuriating that it we really see it in an attacking sense. Whilst he is a decent player, he often having to rely on his pace to compensate for poor positional play & awareness. Even though Fredericks has shown in glimpses that he could be a quality RB he just hasn’t moved on who offer not very much in either direction.
When you look at the market there are stronger players in his position and younger too. My personal pick would be Moussa Wague from the possible replacements and someone Barca are willing to let go as they continue to use their young players to fund questionable transfers.
Reid as far as I am concerned has been an amazing servant for the past 10 years & if not for his injuries would likely be a key defender still. A testimonial has been well earned & deserves to use this as a farewell game to the fans. Reid has given me two amazing memories such as the smashing one in against Millwall to beat them at Upton Park. The other will forever live long in the memory “HE ROSE SO HIGH… NEARLY TOUCHED THE SKY… 2-1 DOWN, 3-2 UP! ITS MEANT TO BE. ITS SURELY MEANT TO BE, IN CLARET AND BLUE” … Goosebumps every time!!
Injuries have denied us Reid for almost 18 months also still has 3 seasons left of a mind boggling & ill advised 6 year deal. If we could get a few million for him I would thank him for his services with a testimonial and move on. Cardoso prior to signing was supposedly highly rated so now could be the time to provide more exposure with the first team & easy him into the EPL.
Keep/Sell: Testimonial & Sell
Replacement options: Cardoso can provide cover as 5th choice
Angelo Ogbonna
Ogbonna has probably at this point been the Hammer of the Year with some solid performance in what has been an inconsistent season for many at the back. At 32 he brings an experienced head & by all accounts is quite a character which every squad needs. There have been times this year where the defense has been all at sea with Ogbonna being the only port in the storm, but that is not to say he has had his moments too.
I do like Ogbonna and his experience would be essential going into another season although for me he would be 3rd choice helping to develop the younger CBs in our squad.
Keep/Sell: Keep
Replacement options: N/A
Fabien Balbuena
Balbuena came in last season & was true to his name “The General”. For whatever reason he has really struggled this season with the movement & pace of the opposition. The Burnley game at Turf Moor epitomised this when caught in possession as the last man due to a heavy touch after moving his feet too slowly. I would like to think that this season has simply been a blip & he’ll come back stronger for it as a good professional, but not sure his pace & ability on the ball is enough.
Should a decent offer come in over the summer I would take it and look to invest in young Portuguese CB Eduardo Quaresma from Sporting Lisbon. It would be an ambitious deal to try and achieve with him potentially looking higher, but at 18 we could be the perfect stepping stone for him. This deal if we could pull off is exactly the type of move a RB team would make that when bears fruit is very lucrative. The major stumbling block though in any deal is likely the relationship with the “Dildo Brothers” as dubbed by the Lisbon hierarchy.
Keep/Sell: Sell
Replacement options: Jérôme Onguéné, Ben Godfrey, Eduardo Quaresma
Issa Diop
Been and up and down season for Issa Diop considering how consistent he was last season. It could be argued that all the interest distracted him slightly combined with issues at Goalkeeper disrupted his performance more than we would have hoped. Prior to the enforced break he was starting to get back to his standard set from last season & becoming a great threat at set pieces too.
Diop is likely our 2nd biggest asset when it comes to a potential sale, but I would resist as much as I could. Diop is a player you ideally build around where should you get the right partner for him will flourish & allow us to have a solid base to build from. His aggression is a huge asset for us especially when complemented by the right partner comfortable playing in a deeper role & tidying up loose ends.
Keep/Sell: Keep
Replacement options: N/A
Arthur Masuaku
Masuaku is a player that really could be a good left back & statistically his numbers always look pretty good, but with Masuaku there is always a “but”. He rarely loses the ball, effective tackler, can whip in a good ball & pace, but defensively is awareness & positioning is often poor. Masuaku really isn’t good enough as a winger either so really only effective as a wing back which is a formation, we don’t have the players to really execute.
Masuaku hasn’t really developed much in his time at the club at like with Fredericks and really should look to cash in & move for my personal favourite Malang Sarr who is also a free agent come July. The versatility would be a great asset being able to comfortably play in CB & LB. Sarr would also give us finally a LB that can defend first & give some support to an often stretched backline.
Keep/Sell: Sell
Replacement options: Malang Sarr, Philipp Max, Aaron Martin
Aaron Cresswell
Cresswell like Reid has been a good servant to the club & always gives it his all, although it looks like now, he is starting to struggle more and more with the pace in the EPL. He has good technical ability but doesn’t create or assist enough with is frustrating when you see him pinging the ball in from 25+ yards against Man Utd earlier in the season.
I would take the money for Cresswell this summer & move for Nathan Ferguson who is a free in July after his contract expires at WBA. There is likely to be a fair amount of interest in Ferguson but he someone we should go all out for along with Sarr. With both we would get players who are young, great potential, adept in multiple positions & represent great resale value later too.
Keep/Sell: Sell
Replacement options: Jamal Lewis, Ryan Manning, Nathan Ferguson
Carlos Sanchez
Let;s be honest this was a waste of money and a last minute deal secured as it was possible on the limited budget that was left last season. Thankfully his contract is up and both parties can move on.
The important part now is finding a replacement CDM who is an improvement which should be too hard considering how Sanchez just didn’t work out. The ideal replacement for me is Pulgar who we should have bought last season, but the money dried up so the €9m was too expensive when we had to commit to Ajeti too. Pulgar would bring a good piece of tenacity to the CDM and look to play it simple moving play on quickly in favour of running with the ball. Something we desperately need is his ability in dead ball situations too which we struggle with when Snoddy is out of the team.
Keep/Sell: Out of Contract
Replacement options: Erick Pulgar
Declan Rice
The Jewel in the crown and worth his weight in gold to many in Claret & Blue. Rice has been one of the best defensive midfielders in the EPL, and this is the contentious point I would move him to CB. There is a method to the madness I assure you and think it could be something that truly benefits Rice & the club long term. Rice has often said he likely sees himself back at CB which I think is a smart choice as would be superb ball playing CB. Whilst he would need to improve in the air Rice’s, maturity, composure & ability to read the game would likely see him match really well with thee aggression of Diop with Rice controlling the backline.
So this means a replacement is required with Rice dropping into CB & leaving a hole at CDM. The sensible choice would be Sangaré at Toulouse who statistic not only matches Rice defensively but eclipses in his attacking contributions too when passing & carrying the ball. Sangaré athleticism would bring a new dimension to the midfield allowing Souček to move centrally of a 3 and marshal the space in front of the defense. Sangaré would give us another imposing figure who is hard to manoeuvre around & a stronger runner with the ball too
Keep/Sell: Keep
Replacement options: Ibrahima Sangaré
Jack Wilshere
I love Jack Wilshere and believe when fit is our best player technically who has great intelligence with the ball. Had he been injury free I have no doubt he would be a pivotal player for us, but alas he just can’t keep fit. With his awful fitness record and huge wages, it is a burden we can do without. Wilshere I would love to be past his injury problems, but history shows that isn’t likely so selling or releasing is the only option.
What I would look to do is to move for Cheick Doucouré at Lens who at 20 is a great prospect. Whilst Doucouré has mainly been deployed as a CB or CDM he has developed into a box to box type utilising his athleticism effecting in a high intensity high press. The player would be a departure from Wilshere although his passing is good & looks to move the ball quickly. Another plus with Doucoure is that for the certain games having high energy players over guile would be more effective & allow others like Fornals to be more forward thinking when played centrally.
Keep/Sell: Sell
Replacement options: Cheick Doucouré
Robert Snodgrass
The Tartan Argie Robert “McMessi” Snodgrass is impossible not to like in my opinion and has an incredible workrate which is massive appreciate by WHU fans. With all that being said I feel his time is coming to an end for us & other options should be explored. Every squad needs characters and big personalities but at 32 we can’t rely on him to continue his workrate. Whilst Snodgrass does have 5 assists for the club this year this has been largely from set pieces & often slows the team down in counter attacks especially on the wing. Therein lies the problem with Snodgrass of what is his position now personally think he is most effective at CM but workrate is really all that is offered in open play bar the occasional goal. I feel bad criticising Snodgrass as I do like him, but sentimentality isn’t going to move the club forward & improve the squad.
With highly rated youngster Coventry showing promise in the youth system & on loan I would argue the moving on off Snodgrass opens a path to the first team. I’m a firm believer we should develop our youth in the first team and those that swim earn their place like Rice. Should they not really perform then EPL experience will make them more attractive to Championship clubs & bring in a decent fee. Coventry would bring a lot of enthusiasm to the team & a desire to prove himself which is part of the key aspects Moyes does say he is looking for in players.
Keep/Sell: Sell
Replacement options: Conor Coventry
Tomáš Souček
In the short time Souček has been at the club he has made a positive effect on the squad & unlucky not to have capped his debut with a goal. Ultimately the game will be remembered for WHU capitulating a 3-1 lead to Brighton after the impressive Souček left the field of play. Should we stay up (assuming we will) Souček stay will be made permanent which is great news as finally address one of our issues in CM.
As stated previously in the blog I would move Souček to the centre of a 3 to marshal the space in front of the backline & provide an aerial shield in the centre. With Souček’s sheer athleticism too he will ensure we are not overrun which has often been the case with an aging Noble at the centre of proceedings
Keep/Sell: Keep
Replacement options: N/A
Mark Noble
Mr. West Ham himself Mark Noble is still an important part of the WHU team, but now should be allowed to be a squad player. He has said it himself he is 32 & can’t be expected to drag the team forward for much longer. I love Noble as one of us, you can see the hurt and anger when we lose although now should be marginalised now as part of the squad. He offers a great deal to new players helping them integrate as well as bringing on through the youngster preparing them for the 1st team. With the replacements we could ease our reliance on Noble finally and start to build around younger more dynamic players.
A player we have been linked to previously is young Flynn Downes at Ipswich who could be viewed as a long term plan as a replacement for Noble with him being bought & loaned back to Ipswich in the short term.
Keep/Sell: Keep
Replacement options: Long term replacement Flynn Downes
Manuel Lanzini
I have been a big fan of Lanzini from the moment that he arrived and promised huge potential. Unfortunately, Lanzini hasn’t really moved on from his first 2 seasons and the big injury has seemingly affected him too. Often Lanzini has flattered to deceive & despite the early promise at the start of the season he was on the way back, his performance have dipped. I would like to hope that Lanzini can rekindled his form and effectiveness to drive the ball on from midfield, but at 27 not sure he will improve further.
Another reason for the lack of patience to simply “wait & see” is the emergence of Eberechi Eze who we have been heavily linked too & my choice to replace. Eze who turns 22 this month would be more than effective in the Lanzini providing greater, strength, flexibility and pace. In a QPR squad that has at times over achieved Eze has stood out as the player in the EFL behind Bowen. With Eze we can expect goals plus assists to date he has managed 12 goals & 8 assists along with a really skilful player ready for the next level. The hope is a deal could be struck with QPR and Hugill going the other way.
Keep/Sell: Sell
Replacement options: Eberechi Eze, Benrahma
Pablo Fornals
Right now Fornals is my favourite player at WHU. Guillem Balague was astounded when WHU managed to pull off this deal believing Fornals is built in the mould of a Barca CM, too which I agree. Fornals took his time to settle into the league but remained humble, worked hard & took his chance when it came along. Along with Wilshere & Yarmolenko Fornals is highly technical player who can pull strings given the right support. His 4 goals & 5 assists are a decent return for a player who has been asked to perform out of his best position.
Fornals in a midfield 3 deployed as a free role really could see him not only flourish individually but pull strings for us in attack. As we saw in the Southampton game Fornals when he moved centrally spotted Bowen & supplied an inch perfect pass for Bowen to chip into the net. Not only is Fornals vision when passing fantastic his intelligence is second to none. Add to that Fornals has incredible ability to “ghost” into positions of threat to influence play.
Keep/Sell: Keep
Replacement options: N/A
Andriy Yarmolenko
Yarmolenko is one of the most technically gifted players in the team but like many others injuries are stopping us seeing the best of him. With the club looking to cut wages this is an obvious player to look to move on & reluctantly agree. Can’t help but feel had we had him 4/5 years ago we would have an exceptional player. Yarmolenko also seems like another with a great personality but sentiment gets you nowhere in football.
As they say where one door closes another opens & if anyone deserves a door to be opened it is Diangana after a brilliant season at WBA. The loan move for Diangana has really seen him develop taking the EFL by storm & becoming a fan favourite too. With his pace, trickery and newly found composure he would be a great deputy to Bowen & push hard to start. Holland has also done well on loan & should be around the squad but will have to fight for his place with others ahead right now.
Keep/Sell: Sell
Replacement options: Grady Diangana, Nathan Holland
Felipe Anderson
Felipe Anderson has struggled this year often finding himself isolated on the left & having to do too much work in the opposite direction covering our LB. His stats also support this showing his defensive contribution higher than last season. All in all this has made for a frustrating season for player & fans alike. Anderson to me is often underappreciated as offers so much to the team, but unless he has scored or assisted, he is criticised. That isn’t to say he is above criticism and his price often is the driving force for the heavy expectation, but if support isn’t good enough options become forced.
I would keep Anderson as I believe should the squad improve, we shall see the best of Anderson. As we know when he is at his best, he can be a nightmare for teams with that innate ability to nutmeg a Mermaid. If we can unshackle Anderson from his defensive responsibilities, we could once again get one of the best players outside the top 6.
Keep/Sell: Keep
Replacement options: N/A
Jarrod Bowen
Bowen arrived in the January window and went right to the wire on deadline day. Prior to arriving Bowen was my favourite player in the EFL & so excited to have captured him. Should we stay up we have a player who will be keen to support Haller at every opportunity offering a goal threat & creativity too. I fully expect Bowen to be an important part of our survival bid adding to his tally of 18 goals (Hull & WHU) in the process.
Keep/Sell: Keep
Replacement options: N/A
Michail Antonio
I would sell Antonio this window … had to get the contentious piece out of the way first. Antonio at 30 is another which isn’t going to be part of our future regardless how much I like him, and his one sprint away from his pinging a muscle. Antonio can cause chaos in an opposing defense but more often than not a lack of composure results in wayward shot or misplaced passes. With the lack of composure it makes more infuriating that Antonio is placed up front rather than on the wing were far more effective. If we are ever to sell Antonio now is the time as he comes into the last year of his contract. Selling is far more preferable than losing on a free or extending a contract for a then 31 year old as with history of injury problems.
As a replacement the club should look no further than Mounir Chouiar. If you don’t follow @RockyWhu I recommend you do as really has an eye for a player & can’t praise Chouiar highly enough and rightly so. In a struggling Dijon he has really impressed and has similar qualities to Dimitri Payet. Chouiar fits the model Moyes wants to follow & would secure a player who really could be a star player for us if can fulfil his potential.
Keep/Sell: Sell
Replacement options: Mounir Chouiar
Albian Ajeti
I do feel for Ajeti as we hijacked what could have been a decent move to WBA to join us & seems to have had very little trust placed in him since arriving. His movement always seemed to be there but could clearly see was lacking sharpness & confidence. Unfortunately for Ajeti his chances have been almost not existent which I envision is not going to change anytime soon.
Looks like his time is up but you would hope that we could potentially offer him in any kind of deal with Brentford for Ollie Watkins. Since being converted into a ST Watkins has been a revelation scoring 22 goals in 38 appearances as part of a brilliant counter attacking trio with Benrahma & Mbeumo. Any potential deal would not only be dependent on us staying up but rely on Brentford not gaining promotion to the EPL.
This season we have been woefully short up top & ideally would not only promote Xande Silva to the 1st team but look for another. Silva looks a real talent with great pace, good movement & composure which would compliment Haller if given the chance.
My personal choice & one I wish we took in the summer window is Marcus Thuram with 14 & 8 assists in all competitions for BMG. Thuram has power, pace & since moving from winger to ST has been pretty deadly.
Keep/Sell: Sell
Replacement options: Ollie Watkins, Xande Silva, Marcus Thuram
Sebastian Haller
Haller like Anderson is often underappreciated for what he does because he doesn’t run around looking headless which sometimes can be said for Antonio. Haller gives a real focal point to our attack & if we can get him the support he deserves, we’ll see the player which convince us to part with over £40m. For all the criticism Haller gets he is still our top scorer with 7 whereas the more fancied “attacker” Antonio is only on 2. The idea of selling Haller is not a backwards to go forward step it is an admission that the board failed in providing on their promises to the fans.
With tactical changes as well as strengthen both defense & midfield we could flood Haller with support from Bowen, Anderson & Fornals to start reaching our potential as a team.
Keep/Sell: Keep
Replacement options: N/A
Ideal Squad
Whilst this is unlikely a squad consisting on the below is not only an XI full of talent but a team of potential & depth. All replacement players are in bold too.
The first installment is around another problem position of Central Midfield. We often bemoan our lack of threat upfront & fragility in defense on those areas alone without address the real crux of our squads problem. I also viewed football as games are often won & lost in midfield, this is the engine room, the link between defense & attack, where enforcers, flair & vision come together as one.
With Soucek due to arrive (albeit should we stay up) that is the first step in the right direction to resolving our central midfield. Personally I feel that to resolve our issues we need to sign two CMs. By converting to a 3 which could utilise Fornals in a free role & make tough choices our ability to control & play in CM would greatly help the team. One of the biggest choices which could also save us lots of money in finding Diop a long term partner at CB is moving Rice alongside. Many I know will disagree but this would give us a long term partnership to build around, with ball carrying CB in Rice & a good blend of aggression & guile between them. This would leave a hole in our midfield but I believe with 2 signings (1 as cover) we would replace Rice’s influence in CM & improve the overall play too.
I would only make other changes to the CM passed on players leaving & I shall cover a couple of those in this blog.
Ibrahim Sangaré
Goals 0 Assists 1
My first pick & is a must for me is Ibrahim Sangaré. This is a player I was desperate for at the beginning of this season & as you can see from his stats he is more than a simple replacement for Rice. Whilst Rice is dribbled past less & interceptions higher Sangare is highly perficient in defensive situations with his only real weakness is his frame can count against him when having to turn quickly but with his great stride can more than compensate for this. With the addition of Soucek we have a player to marshall space in front of the defense & deal with ariel ball, Sangaré would offer a dynamic box to box type player. Sangaré game has massively developed at Toulouse from a DM to being an all-round midfielder who is a focal point of everything in midfield. Whilst he only has the single assist to his name his expected assist rate is higher than Rice, and Sangaré has really stood out in a struggle Toulouse team at the foot of Ligue 1.
In my mind, a midfield 3 of Sangaré, Soucek & Fornals could be a formidable unit that would give us the platform to start & reach goals we all want. Soucek & Sangaré provides 2 incredible athletes, who possess imposing frames, power, strength & height can marshall defensive situations whilst then being effective in the transition to attack or at set pieces. With Fornals alongside using his intelligence to link the play to the attack & pull the strings, we finally can allow the likes of Anderson, Bowen & Haller to concentrate fully on attack as Sangaré & Soucek are there to cover out of possession.
TransferMarkt Value:£8.5m
Erick Pulgar
Goals 4 Assists 3
Erick Pulgar is a player we were heavily linked with prior to his €9m move from Bologna to Fiorentina, and even though was exactly the profile we wanted the money dried up & pumped out last £8m on Ajeti. Once again WHU is linked with Pulgar and would be a very smart move from the club to go for along with Sangaré and take the place vacated by Sanchez. Personally, the addition of Pulgar would bring a new dimension at DM as not only proficient defensively also a creative outlet. Another added bonus with Pulgar is quality delivery from a dead ball situation too which we often struggle with when Snodgrass is not playing.
Pulgar doesn’t often dribble as the stats show but this is in favour getting the ball to his teammates to influence the game further up the pitch. At 26 Pulgar is a good age with him likely to be relatively inexpensive in modern terms seems like a no-brainer for me as would provide fierce competition to Soucek & Sangaré, also variation which is vastly needed. All in all signing Pulgar & Sangaré is all we need for competition & to move our CM on with any other additions being as direct replacements.
Transfermarkt Value: £11m
Flynn Downes
Goals 2 Assists 1
Flynn Downes could be a real wildcard and a player we have been rumoured to have scouted previously and supposedly a WHU fan too. Based on what Moyes has said previously about the RB model Downes would fit perfectly as only 21, and potential to develop much further under the right guidance. At his relatively young age has amassed little over 80 games too which is impressive in tough divisions.
Unfortunately I haven’t been able to see Downes myself, but statistically is a solid performer and is highly rated at Ipswich by club & fans alike. This could be an interesting deal if it could be struck & should Downes make the grade with him likely secede Noble.
TransferMarkt Value:800k
Eberechi Eze
Goals 12 Assists 8
Eberechi Eze is my favourite player in the EFL Prior to Bowen and been brilliant to watch this year. Eze is someone I have been desperate to see step up in WHU Claret & Blue, and with the selling of Lanzini this could be a reality. Eze has played everywhere in the midfield this season & that flexibility would give us the ability to utilise multiple tactical plans. Lanzini whilst I was a massive fan of his has often flattered to deceive & not developed as was hoped after a solid 1st season. Eze due to his physique would offer a better option through the centre opposed to Lanzini with his strength and speed a great asset in breaking the lines.
Eze’s composure, creativity & vision has been this brilliant too and 20 goal contributions in 37 league appearances show how impressive he has been in a solid season for QPR as a whole. The only stumbling block could be meeting QPR demands but hopefully, a cash plus Hugill deal could be reached.
In this blog I will be discussing who I believe would be good targets to fill the position of Right Back. With Zaba leaving and Fredericks flattering to deceive once again we are in a position where we need to improve at right back. Personally, I would sell Fredericks this summer & look to Johnson to push a new right back for a starting spot. Time to start investing in youth especially when highly rated by those within the club.
*NOTE: All values are from TransferMarkt so not reflective of the selling clubs valuation in the market.
Timothy Castagne
Goals 2 Assists 2
Timothy Castagne has already been linked with the club over the January window and performed well for Atalanta in both Serie A & Champions League. Castagne has been a bit of a utility man this year playing right & left midfield as well as left back too. Castagne flexibility could be a huge asset to WHU with him being able to be deployed multiple formations.
Statistically he is a solid all rounder too which would give us stability & tenacity at the back plus a genuine threat when attacking. This is the type of right which would allow the likes of Bowen to play more centrally, therefore closer to goal. Another plus is Castagne would surely supply the likes of Haller with quality delivery which has been sorely lacking.
TransferMarkt Value:£14m
Moussa Wague
Goals 0 Assists 2
Moussa Wage is a real exciting talent and linked to the club also another young prospect Barca could regret allowing to leave in years to come. Unfortunately for him Covid-19 came at the wrong time with the eventual cancellation of Ligue 1 stopping his loan move to only 5 appearances for Nice. In that time though he managed to get an assist in each game he started with his positive & aggressive play.
At 21 the sky could be the limit with Wague who has real good pace & really looks like a complete right back who is comfortable in a more attacking role too as wing back. Wague would have been an interesting on to watch had Ligue 1 continued as he is up against Youcef Atal who is a very good right back in his own right too.
TransferMarkt Value:£6.5m
Jayden Bogle
Goals 1 Assists 4
Jayden Bogle turns 20 in July and already has 82 games under his belt at Derby. He excelled under Frank Lampard last season & continued to develop this season too. Yet another right back who has the versatility to play anywhere along the right hand side too. For me he is a much smarter deal to try and make than the much fancied Max Aarons.
Due to his age there would need to be some patience and willingness to allow him to develop in the first team, but is a EPL player in the making for sure. Bogle would allow WHU to secure a position for the long term & a player with huge potential plus fantastic resale value. If truly adopting the RB model of young players this would be a deal which epitomises their transfer model.
TransferMarkt Value:£5.7m
Nathan Ferguson
Goals 1 Assists 1
Nathan Ferguson has burst onto the West Brom scene this year under Bilic & excelled in either full back position which is more impressive considering naturally a CB. He had a failed move to Crystal Palace in January with suspected issues on the medical that was unconfirmed. Ferguson is a free agent this summer & therefore should be high on the list of target with his ability to play anywhere in the back line.
Ferguson has been linked with many clubs and will have his pick soon enough too. Personally, it would be a no brainer of a deal as highly rated 19 year old who could become a mainstay in the 1st team. The only aspect that could hold back a deal is the medical if the Palace rumours are true, but a few injury problems never stopped us before from taking a risk.
TransferMarkt Value:£3.6m
Matty Cash
Goals 3 Assists 4
Likely to be the number 1 target for Moyes this window after an impressive season to date from Cash who is likely to cost a fair amount too if we are to secure him. Like all the options above (bar Ferguson) Cash can play anywhere along the right of the pitch allowing for tactical flexibility.
Cash has been a real star for Nottingham Forest and contributed highly to both the defense & attack as proven by his 7 goal contributions so far and defensive stats. Cash would be a great addition to the club but I’m not convinced the club will stump up the money to prise him away after failing in January to meet their demands.
We are coming into transfer season and so starts the merry go round of rumours & speculation as to who WHU are looking at. This lead me to think about what would I do if I was Director of Football & what areas I would target.
For myself I firmly believe you always improve on you worst players rather than trying to improve on your best to build a squad. Looking at WHU there are some very glaring issues which we have failed to resolve season after season namely at full back, central defense & central midfield. I have my reasons as to why I think this has been the case & namely being these positions aren’t “exciting” therefore don’t increase ticket sales around renewal time, but I degress.
In this blog I am going to list some targets for Left Back as I think it is time to move on from both Masuaku and Cresswell. In part 2 & 3 I will cover targets for Right Back & Centre Midfield positions . The list details the targets I would move for this upcoming window which could be inexpensive & fit the RB model that Moyes has referenced on a number of occasions.
*Note: All valuations are from TransferMarkt therefore don’t necessarily reflect club value.
Malang Sarr
1 Goal 0 Assists
My favourite pick of the left backs is Malang Sarr 21 from Nice who is highly flexible with the abilty to comfortably play at CB or LB. Not only is his flexibility a huge asset he is also a free agent come 30th June. Sarr has predominately played in a CB this season for Nice but has been successful at LB for the club & at U21 level for France too. Sarr in my mind is a future starter for France & a solid defender who would provide great cover for any winger to concentrate on attack while Sarr works the 1v1 & reads the game well to intercept the ball.
Whilst Sarr would be slightly more limited in the attacking play that Masuaku what we would have is assurance in the left hand channel that we have a strong defender who can be successful on the ground & in the air against an opposing winger. At his young age too is only going to improve more with greater exposure to LB & over time develop the attacking side of his game to provide greater assistance in attack. As can be seen via the passing Sarr is a very forward thinking player with his passing & accurate when pushing the ball forward into the final 1/3.
TransferMarkt Value: £14.4m
Aarón Martín
0 Goals 0 Assists
My first pick of 2 LBs who have plyed their trade in the Bundesliga this season is Aarón Martín. Off the back of a solid U21 tournament with Fornals & Spain it has been a tough season for Martín at Mainz with him being less productive with his passing & progressive play than in the 18/19 season. What has been improved upon is his defensive play this season & playing style is centred more around interceptions & applying pressure than tackling ofter to retain possesion. Tackling is an area that Masuaku is surprising successful in along with a low percentage of being passed, which would highlight a lack of concentration in pivotal moments as can often be caught out positionally.
Martín managed a much better expected assist rate than that of both Masuaku & Cresswell but let down by poor finishing. Additionally, Martín produces much better results with the ball at his feet than Cresswell although often dispossessed which is an area Masuaku excels within as retain possession well. Whilst Martín isn’t tearing up trees compared to our existing LBs his statistics do show a fairly rounded player who at only 23 should improve further & provide greater threat in attack too.
Transfermarkt value: £9.45m
Philipp Max
8 Goals 5 Assists
How Phillipp Max is still at Augsburg and not caught the eye of clubs not only in the Bundesliga but Europe I will never know. Max has consistently been a great asset for Augsburg providing not only assists but goals too which is impressive from a LB. His versatility & strength in attack means he has been deployed as a LW on occasion. He is much more in the mould of a modern FB who takes risks with the ball to influence the play & push the team forward.
Defensively whilst his stats don’t show a tough tackling all action defender his other attributes make him a too dangerous to discount. For me Max is the type of defender well suited to providing an outlet to a free roaming winger allowing them to move centrally & influence the game more whilst he hugs the touchline. Should Moyes look to revert back to the 532 formation Max is ideally placed to fulfil that role.
TransferMarkt Value: £12.15m
Jamal Lewis
1 Goal 0 Assists
All things consisted it has been a real tough season for the Norwich team but I have huge respect for entrusting those that got them to the EPL in particular their youngsters. One of many youngsters that have impressed is Jamal Lewis quite a solid all rounder who really could excel with a strong team around him.
Should Norwich be relegated this season he would be high on my list of targets and at 21 is potential is huge with the right level of game time & patience to develop. For me he would provide great balance down the left and good pace who would suit a high energy, high pressure team. Therefore if RB truly is the model Moyes is aspiring to build WHU in then Lewis would epitomise the new style of play.
TransferMarkt Value: £10m
Ryan Manning
2 goals 5 assists
The wildcard of the list is QPR Ryan Manning who has performed consistently well all season and was linked in January. At 23 now is probably the time for him to make the next step and test himself at EPL level. Speaking with my brother-in-law (who is a QPR fan) he has nothing but good praise for him and along with Eze is a massive part of the squad.
Manning is once again the profile that Moyes is rumoured to be looking towards as a young hungry championship eager to prove themselves. Manning would also be relatively inexpensive too which would be music to the boards ears, bearing in mind over 10 years WHU have spent 16m collectively on 14 FBs Masuaku being the most expensive at 6.5m.
Custodian: a person who has responsibility for taking care of or protecting something.
Over the past 10 years West Ham United have had an identity crisis that is far more rooted than the surface issues reported via mainstream media. Since the arrival of GSB they have declared themselves as saviors, owners & most recently during the PR machine to move away from Upton Park as custodians.
The term custodians is a curious one for GSB to associate themselves with, as there has quite often been little care or responsibility taken with regards to West Ham. Furthermore, the notion of “protecting something” is also an area the board are fast & loose with, such as changing our badge to incorporate London for marketing.
The marketing exercise was another tearing of the soul which came with leaving our spiritual home. Another immediate & jarring “out with the old & in with the new” philosophy pointing to West Ham as a Brand rather than a community as it once was.
As a fanbase we are constantly reminded how we are simply misunderstanding GSB & that our assertions they are not fit to run our great club is unfounded. Yet, they have only truly invested in the club after relegation under Avram Grant, to the tune of £43m not the £100m perpetuated by media. A club is more that it’s assets and the league it plays in, it’s the community & most importantly the fans.
As custodians GSB have a duty to the fans to take care of them & to protect what they hold dear, but alas this doesn’t serve GSB wants or desires it would seem. Karren Brady to the Supporter Advisory Board made a promise that West Ham would always take the full allocation of away tickets, but it is another promise they do not wish to keep. Hammers Untied were asked by the board to front up a bond to increase allocation from 1,800 to 3,000 at Anfield highlighting the desire to limit die hard fans support. The only reason they had to limit allocations is to protect themselves & try to preserve their image as well intentioned if not overly ambitious. The protest that transpired at Anfield demonstrated perfectly that GSB are misguided in their belief they are best for the club & a GSB custodianship brings success. Not only was the protest loud & clear that GSB are not wanted by the fans, what spoke louder is the support for the team which is unwavering even in the face of defeat.
Black balloon protest Liverpool February 24th
Other words closely linked with custodian is keeper, guardian & protecter but yet when we review a decade under GSB we see very little of those traits unless we are discussing their own self interest. Over the decade we have seen the club used to avoid tax by David Sullivan & to fulfil his desire to play director of football ably supported by agents. David Gold has liken the fans to morons & so desperate for praise liked a tweet that not only talked about their ability as limited but made light of a tragic suicide. This is but a snippet of the levels of shame they have brought to the club.
Guardians & protecters to themselves is what they truly are, this once again highlighted with the laughable 2,500 they claimed attended the “Stoll on GSB” via The Standard. Those that were there can confirm the numbers was significantly higher and the police in attendance estimating far in excess of 5,000 fans attended.
Stoll on GSB 29th February
Owner: a person who owns something.
Those that stolled on GSB has pushed back on their custodianship & outright questioning the ownership. GSB are possessors of the club & holders of the clubs soul, which many feel will only be the fans again when they finally sell up. GSB have insisted they want the best for the club & yet their practises say otherwise. Proudly claiming they have spent 10m on facilities when by comparison Leicester have spent 100m on theirs. Defiantly stating over 3m was spent on creating a scouting network under Pellegrini only for it to be dismantled to 1 scout on his dismissal. By contrast Southampton have approximately 40-50 people working in the analysis & scouting department.
As owners their actions are rational as the club is their possession to do with as they will & to hold only themselves accountable. The GSB ownership in their eyes are entitled to take £18m in interest payments to date & create a supporters group in the OSB as a conduit to demonstrate a perceived willingness to address fans directly. They fail to recognise that a net spend is nothing without context & simply spending money on transfers is meaningless when teams such as Bournemouth are spending more. Additionally, the imbalances of spending highlights a naivety in squad building & misplaced belief that only buying “exciting” attackers is worth investment over creating balance.
Total spend over GSB “custodianship”
If GSB were truly custodians they would be curating a culture which revered it’s fans, opened honest & open dialogue with the likes of Hammers United. Rather than alienating 20,000 season tickets holders who failed to renew since leaving for the London Stadium.
Protecting the clubs name by avoiding controversy, rather than actively seeking it with carelessness & ill informed media segments littered with inaccuracies.
Guarding our future by investing in our infrastructure ensuring we are spending money wisely on players that fit our club, offering elite training environments & promoting youth from within.
Ultimately, a custodian should recognise when they don’t have the ability to protect anymore & take responsibility in find another who can. Under the banner of Hammers United thousands of disenfranchised fans are rightly demanding our club is run as it should. In the mind of thousands we have been torn away from our heritage under false pretenses to fulfil a dream of reaching the fabled next level. Under their custodianship too many “hopeful promises” have been made on aspirations & plans for the club but in reality GSB “Sold us a dream, delivered a nightmare”
WHU: Pretty Bubbles in the Air 