The most exciting thing is that all players are contributing, even players like Pratley and Pearce who didn’t end the season as first choices. They showed their experience in the final but didn’t get many starts between them in our good run. With Kayal and Hemed still to play much we could get even better.
Their performances show how players like them and Solly shouldn’t be written off.
None of them have pace and they won’t stand out for their technical ability, but all three are intelligent and very committed. Put good players around them and they’re capable of playing their part in a successful side.
On a bad day I think we will see the likes of Solly, Pearce and Pratley look totally inadequate, whereas I can't imagine that to be the case with players like Kayal and Field. But yes I do agree, they can't be written off as those solid experienced types really help the more talented flair players around them. I think we have managed to find a nice blend which will hold us in good stead.
Solly, Pearce and Pratley are your leaders in the dressing room and your warriors on the pitch during the game. They do the ugly stuff that gets you the result.
They've got the younger players around them to do the running and fancy stuff.
Not sure I agree, I swear Pratley has picked up a yard or two of pace since March/April!
A bigger threat than RD is the next transfer window where we will probably lose Cullen, Leko and Field. And possibly LT as well. LB And SG will have to work their magic all over again
A bigger threat than RD is the next transfer window where we will probably lose Cullen, Leko and Field. And possibly LT as well. LB And SG will have to work their magic all over again
Pretty sure they will already have targets lined up to replace them all especially Taylor. And while recruitment has been excellent for a couple of years now it remains to be seen whether replacements will have the same impact as the above.
Or who knows maybe RD will stump up the cash to sign them all up if we're doing well...or maybe not...
One thing I found interesting in the Gallen interview is where he says we can't have a repeat of this summer, I like to think he's confident we can secure all our players with an expiring contract (excluding Page and JFC who I think will both be released in the summer)
The great thing is that footballers know football (noshit) soooo, if we lose Cullen or Leko etc... we will pick up someone else as we are surely the prime place for Prem fringe youth to develop under Bowyer.
We have adapted brilliantly, it'll be telling how Bowyer deals with the break as we probably didn't need it, we were flying and capable against anyone, buutt that's not to say going in fresh helps us next week.
The great thing is that footballers know football (noshit) soooo, if we lose Cullen or Leko etc... we will pick up someone else as we are surely the prime place for Prem fringe youth to develop under Bowyer.
We have adapted brilliantly, it'll be telling how Bowyer deals with the break as we probably didn't need it, we were flying and capable against anyone, buutt that's not to say going in fresh helps us next week.
In Bowyer we trust.
The break has given us the chance to get everyone fit and to help bond all the new arrivals into an effective team.
And didn’t Gallen say last week they are working with Taylor and his agent on a new contract?
A bigger threat than RD is the next transfer window where we will probably lose Cullen, Leko and Field. And possibly LT as well. LB And SG will have to work their magic all over again
They were sent out on loan by their clubs for a reason. They won’t be taken back unless their clubs have buyers for them. In Cullen’s case my guess is if West Ham need somebody in midfield come the January window they will do the typical PL thing of opting for an expensive foreign name signing. West Brom might want to try and derail any threat to their own promotion bid by Charlton by taking their players back if they are playing well but the danger of that is they could disrupt their own team spirit by doing so if they then do or don’t play them in their own team. I don’t think January will be as big a problem as people fear.
A bigger threat than RD is the next transfer window where we will probably lose Cullen, Leko and Field. And possibly LT as well. LB And SG will have to work their magic all over again
They were sent out on loan by their clubs for a reason. They won’t be taken back unless their clubs have buyers for them. In Cullen’s case my guess is if West Ham need somebody in midfield come the January window they will do the typical PL thing of opting for an expensive foreign name signing. West Brom might want to try and derail any threat to their own promotion bid by Charlton by taking their players back if they are playing well but the danger of that is they could disrupt their own team spirit by doing so if they then do or don’t play them in their own team. I don’t think January will be as big a problem as people fear.
I believe you may be missing the point with Cullen. The worry is that West Ham will recall him in January in order to get a fee by selling him, as I believe his contract runs out at the end of the season and he can walk.
A bigger threat than RD is the next transfer window where we will probably lose Cullen, Leko and Field. And possibly LT as well. LB And SG will have to work their magic all over again
They were sent out on loan by their clubs for a reason. They won’t be taken back unless their clubs have buyers for them. In Cullen’s case my guess is if West Ham need somebody in midfield come the January window they will do the typical PL thing of opting for an expensive foreign name signing. West Brom might want to try and derail any threat to their own promotion bid by Charlton by taking their players back if they are playing well but the danger of that is they could disrupt their own team spirit by doing so if they then do or don’t play them in their own team. I don’t think January will be as big a problem as people fear.
I believe you may be missing the point with Cullen. The worry is that West Ham will recall him in January in order to get a fee by selling him, as I believe his contract runs out at the end of the season and he can walk.
What would be the incentive for Cullen to agree to be sold in January by West Ham if he can sign for a club a few months later at the end of the season and ask for a signing on fee as a free agent ?
Though if Charlton are in the mix for a promotion spot come January and the PL is starting to look achievable then it wouldn’t surprise me if RD put the money up for LB to try and buy him. I suspect we are not going to be talking about a huge sum if he is soon to be out of contract.
21st will still be a good season. 25% of the way there.
We will do a lot better than 21st I reckon, Len. Be prepared to be pleasantly surprised, they'll no doubt be a few struggles, but I reckon we'll do much better than 21st.
For what it's worth, in the pre-season prediction poll my vote was 7th-12th. We're on course.
A bigger threat than RD is the next transfer window where we will probably lose Cullen, Leko and Field. And possibly LT as well. LB And SG will have to work their magic all over again
They were sent out on loan by their clubs for a reason. They won’t be taken back unless their clubs have buyers for them. In Cullen’s case my guess is if West Ham need somebody in midfield come the January window they will do the typical PL thing of opting for an expensive foreign name signing. West Brom might want to try and derail any threat to their own promotion bid by Charlton by taking their players back if they are playing well but the danger of that is they could disrupt their own team spirit by doing so if they then do or don’t play them in their own team. I don’t think January will be as big a problem as people fear.
I believe you may be missing the point with Cullen. The worry is that West Ham will recall him in January in order to get a fee by selling him, as I believe his contract runs out at the end of the season and he can walk.
What would be the incentive for Cullen to agree to be sold in January by West Ham if he can sign for a club a few months later at the end of the season and ask for a signing on fee as a free agent ?
Though if Charlton are in the mix for a promotion spot come January and the PL is starting to look achievable then it wouldn’t surprise me if RD put the money up for LB to try and buy him. I suspect we are not going to be talking about a huge sum if he is soon to be out of contract.
I guess it may depend on what suitors he has and what they have to offer, but I can't see West Ham passively sitting by whilst his contract runs down ( see Weegie's comment above).
"Promotion spot", "RD put the money up" - I like your thinking Woody
A bigger threat than RD is the next transfer window where we will probably lose Cullen, Leko and Field. And possibly LT as well. LB And SG will have to work their magic all over again
They were sent out on loan by their clubs for a reason. They won’t be taken back unless their clubs have buyers for them. In Cullen’s case my guess is if West Ham need somebody in midfield come the January window they will do the typical PL thing of opting for an expensive foreign name signing. West Brom might want to try and derail any threat to their own promotion bid by Charlton by taking their players back if they are playing well but the danger of that is they could disrupt their own team spirit by doing so if they then do or don’t play them in their own team. I don’t think January will be as big a problem as people fear.
I believe you may be missing the point with Cullen. The worry is that West Ham will recall him in January in order to get a fee by selling him, as I believe his contract runs out at the end of the season and he can walk.
What would be the incentive for Cullen to agree to be sold in January by West Ham if he can sign for a club a few months later at the end of the season and ask for a signing on fee as a free agent ?
Though if Charlton are in the mix for a promotion spot come January and the PL is starting to look achievable then it wouldn’t surprise me if RD put the money up for LB to try and buy him. I suspect we are not going to be talking about a huge sum if he is soon to be out of contract.
West Ham can recall him and he can play with the stiffs for the rest of the season. I'm sure Cullen would love to finish the job if we are still up there, but it won't be in his hands.
Comments
LB And SG will have to work their magic all over again
Or who knows maybe RD will stump up the cash to sign them all up if we're doing well...or maybe not...
One thing I found interesting in the Gallen interview is where he says we can't have a repeat of this summer, I like to think he's confident we can secure all our players with an expiring contract (excluding Page and JFC who I think will both be released in the summer)
We have adapted brilliantly, it'll be telling how Bowyer deals with the break as we probably didn't need it, we were flying and capable against anyone, buutt that's not to say going in fresh helps us next week.
In Bowyer we trust.
And didn’t Gallen say last week they are working with Taylor and his agent on a new contract?
I'll take a top half finish any day.
21st will still be a good season. 25% of the way there.
The worry is that West Ham will recall him in January in order to get a fee by selling him, as I believe his contract runs out at the end of the season and he can walk.
Though if Charlton are in the mix for a promotion spot come January and the PL is starting to look achievable then it wouldn’t surprise me if RD put the money up for LB to try and buy him. I suspect we are not going to be talking about a huge sum if he is soon to be out of contract.
Be prepared to be pleasantly surprised, they'll no doubt be a few struggles, but I reckon we'll do much better than 21st.
For what it's worth, in the pre-season prediction poll my vote was 7th-12th.
We're on course.
"Promotion spot", "RD put the money up" - I like your thinking Woody
With that in mind, I'd bet he'd love more than anything to be given a new West Ham contract ...... but he's 23 now and needs to play.
But if Wet Sham were going to let him go, Charlton is the place he'd love to be, as part of Bowyer's 'journey'.
He'd still be a Hammer's fan though.