No tears from me at the news that Jan Lastuvka will return to Shakhtar Donetsk after a year-long loan spell at West Ham. The guy never played in the Premiership, fortunately, but did play a major role in our exit from the League Cup at Watford. Quite why Green needed to be rested from that game, I do not understand, but the decision was costly. Lastpickeva came for a corner, flapped, touched it onto Mullins and the ball rebounded into an empty net. Hopeless! My old mate Old Skool Pete will tell you about the "world class save" Lastuvka made in the first half but, in truth, it was fairly regulation - good height and protecting the near post. I certainly would not quibble at the judgement that £2.6m is too much much the guy, especially as Stech is apparently impressing.
The rumour that we will not meet the valuation for Kovac is more worrying, however. I am not totally convinced about Kovac but he has certainly earned his corn in the recent injury ravaged months. We definitely need an understudy for Parker, given his injury blighted track record, and Kovac has not disgraced himself. Let's see who Nani has up his sleeve.
Unless, of course, the bankers are dictating transfer policy. Hopefully it is down to translation problems but I don't like the sound of Lastuvka's claim that, "Zola said that he would have liked to have me in his squad next season, but the club cannot afford to pay so much for me." Hmmmmmm.
14 comments:
Not fussed about him going.
Kovacs' first four passes on Saturday (three of which should have gone to players in good positions) went to the oppositon, who had they been of sterner stuff, would have punished us.
I agree he hasn't been too bad an understudy for Parker but 6 million quids worth?? hmmmm not sure about that.
Stech and Kurucz will be fine waiting in the wings
Kovac was alright but I have no worries about him going. What did he have that Hayden Mullins didn't?
Kovac just can't cut it, I'm afraid. Too slow and lacks skill on the ball. Perhaps he can do a job at centre half but not in midfield. £6 mill is too much anyway
They want £6million? They can go whistle!
I'm sure I read somewhere it was 6 mill. Correct me if I'm wrong someone. Mind you, half that is too much.
As an understudy to Parker, wouldn't Josh Payne be the right choice? Heard good things about him and Zola must rate him. And fits in with the philosophy. So why do we need Kovac as second choice? He's ok but never gonna set the league alight..
Payne shows promise but we can't afford to be overly reliant on kids can we?
I'll shed no tears if Kovac goes - he is one-paced, lazy in tracking-back and his passing is awful for an experienced international. Barring his goal against Everton he has done very little, although his heading is ok. I'm in total agreement with ANON16:33 - he is no better than Mullins. In fact, I'd say Mullins is better (and probably significantly cheaper). I might consider Kovac for about 2-3mil but I just feel that he won't take us forward.
How about we take Steve Harper and Nicky Butt off the Geordies on freebies ... the offer Micheal Owen pay as you play wages ...
They are no worse than Kovacs and Latsvuka ... and if Owen only turned out half as often as Kieron Dyer, he'd be an improvement on the Tweedle dum and Tweedle dee show we've had up front recently ..
Harper wont leave. Butt is a shot bolt IMO. Owen? I would take him on the pay when you play basis. I'd also have Nolan.
Denbighammer this is to you: You must be on Crack if you think Hayden Mullet is better than Kovac? Kovac is a lazy no concentration level slow ass almost no technique oaf, but to say Hayden Mullet is better? Your INSANE! Hayden Mullet is one of THE PREMIER AVERAGE and or DONKEY-FIED players in the entire PL. He should be wit a Championship team at best. Kovac is different class to a lump of dog poo like Mullet. Your be saying bring back Bobby Zamora and that Luis Boa Donkey should be given a new contract next. Where's your ambition and talent standards?
West Ham have been lumbered with a ridicules amount of absolutely s*** players over the past 10 seasons. Going back to Redknapp when he signed Titi Camara, Daily and Rigo wit Rio’s money. Then under Pardew, we collect the kinda players like he trying to create an ALL STAR DONKEY SANCTURY. And Curbishley was even worse, he wanted to pay BIG BUCKS for absolutely f****** awful players like Boa Donkey, Ljungberg, Dyer and co – never got rid of one s*** player other than Zammo, kept Mullet, Bowyer etc, even though they were Championship players.
Nani’s actual signings have been good so far, it’s the first time in a very. very, very long time that we have not squandered either vast sums or what ever cash we had on total garbage.
So please never mention again that you’d have Hayden Mullet back. He was an embaressment to West Ham United.
Peace!
DD, not sure where you get the "Nani signings have been good" stuff. Behrami and Ilunga were very good signing, but the rest? Our kids have come through quicker than the Nani signings. Savio? Jury out! Kovac, Lastpickeva, Di Michele, Lopez, Tristan - good signings? Really?
Let's not get carried away - if Redknapp had signed them, we would be terming them crap signings!
Firstly Savio is young and I been looking into why we signed him and watching videos of him he has so much potential and you can expect someone of that age from playing seria b football to the premiership in the first season to be fantastic as most of the time he has came off the bench.
Kovac was average we could sign better players however why do we sign defensive midfilders. Parker is a creative player but can't shoot makes fantastic tackles so good defensive player. Noble is class lacks pace he is your standard center mid. I was reading today we want some player from inter and he is an attacking midfielder about time. We have one problem at west ham and that is scoring goals we finished on negative goal difference AGAIN and we all know it is not our defence we need an atttacking midfielder and a striker that's going to get us 15-20 goals a season without sitting on the physios bench for 3/4 of the season.
I agree Jack but do we have the money to buy them? We also need somebody to play 50% of the season as a defensive midfielder given Parker's injury record! And possibly a right back or two if Neill goes. And an understudy left back. That is quite a shopping list for a club whose owner is facing bankruptcy!
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