West Ham's Freebie Eleven: Surviving in the Prem on a shoestring

Whilst we continue to be linked with every goalkeeper and forward ever to appear on a football pitch, there's a pool of talent available on free transfers if Sullivan and Gold decide they fancy surviving on the cheap. As if!

How about this for eleven released Premiership players to at least provide cover for a first team eleven, only one of whom was relegated last season?

Jussi Jaaskelainen (Bolton) 37

Bosingwa (Chelsea) 29 Ryan Nelson (Spurs) 34  Carlos Cuellar (Aston Villa) 30 Nicky Shorey (West Brom) 31

Danny Murphy (Fulham) 35 Mohamed Diame (Wigan) 24 Paul Scharner (Wigan) 32

Salomon Kalou (Chelsea) 26,  Hugo Rodallega (Wigan) 26

Pavel Pogrebnyak (Fulham) 28)



Of that lot, I am amazed that Pogrebnyak is available after scoring six in twelve for Fulham. Scharner and Cuellar are bot versatile and can offer cover for a variety of positions. And Kalou and Rodallego would add class.

I have ignored the namesake sicknotes Owen Hargreaves and Michael Owen and, strangely, did not feel drawn either to the QPR namesakes, Gabbidon and Shittu! That said, QPR's Akos Buzsaky might be worth a gamble as might Fulham's Andy Johnson. Danny Guthrie of Newcastle might also be worth a look and is only in his mid 20s.

Bring in the suggested eleven, sign a quality left back and centre back, and Robinson for £1m to replace Green, and I reckon we would have enough to stay up!

Team

Robinson

Bosingwa  Tomkins   A.N Other   A.N Other

Noble   Diame  Nolan

Kalou     Vaz Te

Pogrebnyak

Subs: Jaaskelainen, Cuellar, Reid,  Rodallega, Cole, Shorey, Taylor  

What this shows is that the priority should be quality defenders as there's enough forward talent out there going for a song!