Well knock me darn wiv a fevva, the cold weather's arrived and Matty Upson has tweaked his ham string. It happens; but it puts into sharp perspective, the ridiculous decision to sell James Collins. I can't recall a more senseless unforced sale of a player than this in over 40 years supporting West Ham.
No, he wasn't the best player in the team but behind Cole and Green he was the third most important. Our best defensive pairing was Upson and Collins, but our second best pairing was Tomkins and Collins. Bobby Moore needed Jack Charlton next to him and Tony Gale had Alvin Martin. All of our centre backs are in the "footballing" mould, but you need a bit of brawn in there as well. Collins was dominant in the air and a better footballer than he was given credit for. We particularly didn't exploit his goalscoring capacity, from set pieces. We haven't had someone who can deliver a good cross for some time now, how ironic that we use the money from the sale of Collins to buy Diamanti, someone who could have delivered just that ball from a set piece.
There has also been the collateral damage done to James Tomkins, who was developing very nicely in a secure environment until Collins went. His confidence looks shot to bits at the moment and da Costa doesn't look ready to me.
We have conceded 24 goals in 11 games since Collins left and only twice did we concede only one. That is an atrocious statistic. To risk selling him at a time when we had no full backs except Ilunga who obviously immediately got injured, was an unbelievable decision.
But apparently we have no reason to worry, Nani has reportedly said he's happy with our strike force, it's one of the best in the league. Well if we're going to continue shipping 2 or 3 goals a game it's going to have to be!
El Martillo
8 comments:
Ok but what's done is done now isn't it? Or are you going to buy him back for us?
I didn't exactly hear anyone singing his praises when he was at the club so it annoys me to hear them now.
Whats done is done. This is a problem that can now only be solved in the window.
We need proven premier league players at the back (sign Steven Taylor or David Wheater ffs!). Now is not the time to experiment with Serie A children.
Funnily enough I wouldn't mind getting in Italian defenders, as I hear they are the best. I refuse to criticise our Italian signings, I think they have been great in all honesty, bar Jimenez thus far.
Leaving aside Behrami, which of our Italian signings have been fantastic exactly? Savio? Di Michele? Diamanti? (jury very much out and rumoured to be struggling to settle!) I think Nani's performance in the transfer market has been no so much hit and miss as hit and miss, miss, miss.
The problem is Hammalot, it won't be solved in January. Upson will have to be sold as his contract is now dangerously short, would you sign extended terms at West Ham at the moment when you could soon be free to negotiate a move to a top club for your last major contract?
So if a centre back had to be sold, and I don't think one did, why wasn't it Upson; at a time when we should have been able to attract a maximum price for him.
Certainly he's a good player but his contract situation was well known and our own parlous financial situation was there for all to see.
As for signing proven premier league players, where's the money going to come from and didn't the two you mention receive the Quashie Achievement Award (they both got relegated)
To those complaining that "it's easy to say that now"; I have sung his praises on here many times and warned that his sale would be a major mistake.
Morning HF, I couldn't agree more with you on Nani, in fact there is another article gestating on exactly that topic. Was he responsible for Behrami? I had a feeling that that transfer was on the horizon before Nani arrived. There are also some concerns over his fitness. He had multiple knee operations before coming to us and his form since returning has been a little concerning. No need to push the panic button but Faubert was supposed to be fast before his op.
You keep going on about the sale of james collins! Hes injured at the moment, just like he was for the best part of the last 2 years, or have you forgotten that in the midst of your anti west ham rants?
916, this isnt my article!
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