Amazing to think a team with Cullen, Aribo, Beilik, Bauer, Phillips, Taylor and Grant (half a season) need play offs to go up from L1. So glad they did though. What a day!
This is what a Thomas and co need to realise, you are not going to get out of this league with kids and injury prone players, you need quality and bucket loads of it.
Amazing to think a team with Cullen, Aribo, Beilik, Bauer, Phillips, Taylor and Grant (half a season) need play offs to go up from L1. So glad they did though. What a day!
Keeping Grant or replacing him with a goalscorer would likely have seen us go up automatically, we weren’t far off in the end.
The younger players on that list also improved as the season went on.
Amazing to think a team with Cullen, Aribo, Beilik, Bauer, Phillips, Taylor and Grant (half a season) need play offs to go up from L1. So glad they did though. What a day!
Keeping Grant or replacing him with a goalscorer would likely have seen us go up automatically, we weren’t far off in the end.
The younger players on that list also improved as the season went on.
Not to mention they are far better players now than they were then. Especially in the case of that midfield.
Just googled Cullen and found reports of him being tracked by Southampton, Wolves, Norwich, Leeds, Crystal Palace, Burnley, Sheffield United and ... West Ham United! He must be doing something right.
Amazing to think a team with Cullen, Aribo, Beilik, Bauer, Phillips, Taylor and Grant (half a season) need play offs to go up from L1. So glad they did though. What a day!
This is what a Thomas and co need to realise, you are not going to get out of this league with kids and injury prone players, you need quality and bucket loads of it.
Cant agree. I don't remember their actual birth dates but I think:
Phillips was 22/23 Dijksteel was 21/22 Bielik was 20/21 Bauer was 25/26 Sarr was 25/26 Purrington was 21/22 Pratley was 32/33 Cullen was 21/22 Aribo was 21/22 Taylor was 28/29 Grant was 20/21 (Parker played in the second half the season, I am certain if Grant had stayed, we would have won the league that season)
We had some experience mainly on the bench but these players (Grant aside) were our starters for the final.
Our experience was dropped in sporadically that season and were inconsistent.
We also had Parker, Pearce, Solly, Williams, JFC, Reeves, Lapslie and Maxwell on the bench that day.
West Ham got rid of someone who could already have stepped into Mark Noble’s shoes for them, I hope he goes on to prove he is Premier League quality at least (I’m 90% certain he will)
I'm delighted he was able to declare for Ireland. Such a likeable pro, always turns up and will keep going to the end. One of our best players too (although that's not saying much)
West Ham got rid of someone who could already have stepped into Mark Noble’s shoes for them, I hope he goes on to prove he is Premier League quality at least (I’m 90% certain he will)
Good signing by Burnley. Cullen will keep them competitive in the middle of the park which is something Matt Holland failed to do when we got relegated from the Premier League.
Good signing by Burnley. Cullen will keep them competitive in the middle of the park which is something Matt Holland failed to do when we got relegated from the Premier League.
Holland was POTY in 2008, the first season down from the Championship so our failings weren't HIS fault. And he was nearing the end of his career by then
At this stage of his career you really can't compare Josh Cullen, who has only played up to Championship level (a season and a bit) plus a couple of years in Belgium, with Matt Holland, who played 6 seasons in the Premier League and 6 seasons in the Championship.
Good signing by Burnley. Cullen will keep them competitive in the middle of the park which is something Matt Holland failed to do when we got relegated from the Premier League.
Holland was POTY in 2008, the first season down from the Championship so our failings weren't HIS fault. And he was nearing the end of his career by then
shame about the following season. he was 34 at the time.
Surprisingly had a look at the stats for that season and apart from Nicky Bailey (43 starting appearances),Mark Hudson (captain 43 app) kelly Youga (32) no other players started a match more than 30 times throughout that campaign. Most barely making 20 starts.
Good signing by Burnley. Cullen will keep them competitive in the middle of the park which is something Matt Holland failed to do when we got relegated from the Premier League.
Holland was POTY in 2008, the first season down from the Championship so our failings weren't HIS fault. And he was nearing the end of his career by then
I don’t really know how he won that . I though we were much better before he came back into the side
Comments
https://www.hammers.news/transfer-news/west-ham-eye-shock-move-to-bring-josh-cullen-back-to-the-london-stadium/
Phillips was 22/23
Dijksteel was 21/22
Bielik was 20/21
Bauer was 25/26
Sarr was 25/26
Purrington was 21/22
Pratley was 32/33
Cullen was 21/22
Aribo was 21/22
Taylor was 28/29
Grant was 20/21 (Parker played in the second half the season, I am certain if Grant had stayed, we would have won the league that season)
We had some experience mainly on the bench but these players (Grant aside) were our starters for the final.
Our experience was dropped in sporadically that season and were inconsistent.
We also had Parker, Pearce, Solly, Williams, JFC, Reeves, Lapslie and Maxwell on the bench that day.
Surprisingly had a look at the stats for that season and apart from Nicky Bailey (43 starting appearances),Mark Hudson (captain 43 app) kelly Youga (32) no other players started a match more than 30 times throughout that campaign. Most barely making 20 starts.
https://fbref.com/en/squads/7a8db6d4/2008-2009/Charlton-Athletic-Stats
But then he's surrounded by better players