January Transfer Window - The Verdict.

[Risso]

The difference we'll notice in matches is that Moreno plays (potentially LM or LB and that Dhuran or Traore may get a run out instead of Ings/Bailey.

It's hardly a 1/10 window on that basis especially since most voices were saying they didn't rate Ings and weren't sure that Digne was an upgrade.

Is it really such a hard concept to grasp, that rate Ings or not, selling somebody who has contributed more goals than anybody else and not replacing him, leaving us without another recognised striker is hardly a recipe for success. The ownership/management haven't been able to put together a squad capable of achieving the top half, and I can't see them doing so for the forseeable when they consistently make bad decisions.

[kippaxvilla2]

Which two people voted brilliant?!

[LeeB]

Which two people voted brilliant?!

One of them was Bert, the other was Lange

[kippaxvilla2]

Lolz

[boozey182]

He is very selective about who he wants to work with. I've seen a couple of people suggest that he has been the one to reject certain deals

That's something I have missed. Can you elaborate?

I can try, but there may not be anything to it. I'd just seen a couple of things on Twitter, honestly can't remember who said it now, but it seemed to have some substance. That he was being very particular about who was being brought in - that perhaps the club (Lange) was suggesting people, but he wasn't convinced by them. Was happier to wait until his ideal target came available.

That might be complete rubbish, but it seems to ring true to me, knowing the level of planning and research he seems to put into management in general. It stands to reason that he would be very particular about who he uses his budget on, in terms of ability, physique, mentality etc. I would imagine there are a lot of boxes that you would need to tick in order to be a player he wants to work with. And this would explain why we ended up not spending the money that appears to be available.

[Drummond]

The difference we'll notice in matches is that Moreno plays (potentially LM or LB and that Dhuran or Traore may get a run out instead of Ings/Bailey.

It's hardly a 1/10 window on that basis especially since most voices were saying they didn't rate Ings and weren't sure that Digne was an upgrade.

Is it really such a hard concept to grasp, that rate Ings or not, selling somebody who has contributed more goals than anybody else and not replacing him, leaving us without another recognised striker is hardly a recipe for success. The ownership/management haven't been able to put together a squad capable of achieving the top half, and I can't see them doing so for the forseeable when they consistently make bad decisions.

I'm not going to bother searching for your post history about Danny Ings, because everyone knows your opinion of him.

As for the insults, take a look at yourself, you seem unable to see, or consider, anyone's else's opinion if it's different to yours. So get down of your high horse.

I've said numerous times I'd like another one up top, that doesn't mean, because we didn't get one, that the world is going to end.

They didn't finish top half under the last buffoon, and certainly wouldn't have if your pal had stayed in charge. As it stands there's every chance we will under the new guy.

[Risso]

The difference we'll notice in matches is that Moreno plays (potentially LM or LB and that Dhuran or Traore may get a run out instead of Ings/Bailey.

It's hardly a 1/10 window on that basis especially since most voices were saying they didn't rate Ings and weren't sure that Digne was an upgrade.

Is it really such a hard concept to grasp, that rate Ings or not, selling somebody who has contributed more goals than anybody else and not replacing him, leaving us without another recognised striker is hardly a recipe for success. The ownership/management haven't been able to put together a squad capable of achieving the top half, and I can't see them doing so for the forseeable when they consistently make bad decisions.

I'm not going to bother searching for your post history about Danny Ings, because everyone knows your opinion of him.

As for the insults, take a look at yourself, you seem unable to see, or consider, anyone's else's opinion if it's different to yours. So get down of your high horse.

I've said numerous times I'd like another one up top, that doesn't mean, because we didn't get one, that the world is going to end.

They didn't finish top half under the last buffoon, and certainly wouldn't have if your pal had stayed in charge. As it stands there's every chance we will under the new guy.

"Your pal". I'll leave it there, and try to debate with somebody more worthwhile like Footy or Flinstone.

[pauliewalnuts]

I've said numerous times I'd like another one up top, that doesn't mean, because we didn't get one, that the world is going to end.

Yeah but we haven't just not got one more up top - we have one LESS. That's the thing.

[Clampy]

Even if we had kept Ings (who ran round like an old man according to some) people still would have been unhappy.

[pauliewalnuts]

Even if we had kept Ings (who ran round like an old man according to some) people still would have been unhappy.

I don't know what others would have thought, can't speak for them, but I'd have been much happier.

I don't remember, for all the criticism of Ings, anyone saying "Let's just go with Watkins on his own" or "let's sell Ings and send Archer on loan". And before you say it, Duran isn't ready for the Premier League and hasn't played in four months - something Emery was very clear on when we signed him.

[LeeB]

He is very selective about who he wants to work with. I've seen a couple of people suggest that he has been the one to reject certain deals

That's something I have missed. Can you elaborate?

I can try, but there may not be anything to it. I'd just seen a couple of things on Twitter, honestly can't remember who said it now, but it seemed to have some substance. That he was being very particular about who was being brought in - that perhaps the club (Lange) was suggesting people, but he wasn't convinced by them. Was happier to wait until his ideal target came available.

That might be complete rubbish, but it seems to ring true to me, knowing the level of planning and research he seems to put into management in general. It stands to reason that he would be very particular about who he uses his budget on, in terms of ability, physique, mentality etc. I would imagine there are a lot of boxes that you would need to tick in order to be a player he wants to work with. And this would explain why we ended up not spending the money that appears to be available.

This is it for me. And if it backfires on the manager he's only got himself to blame, but then again he will know this.

[kippaxvilla2]

Some but a lot less than are currently I think.

[Bobby Boy]

It hardly screams of ambition or pushing  on does it?

Selling Ings for £12 million without a ready made replacement just seems self-sabotaging to me.

Let's all hope and pray that West Ham stay up so we can pocket the clearly desperately needed extra 3 million quid.

Underwhelmed.

[boozey182]

He is very selective about who he wants to work with. I've seen a couple of people suggest that he has been the one to reject certain deals

That's something I have missed. Can you elaborate?

I can try, but there may not be anything to it. I'd just seen a couple of things on Twitter, honestly can't remember who said it now, but it seemed to have some substance. That he was being very particular about who was being brought in - that perhaps the club (Lange) was suggesting people, but he wasn't convinced by them. Was happier to wait until his ideal target came available.

That might be complete rubbish, but it seems to ring true to me, knowing the level of planning and research he seems to put into management in general. It stands to reason that he would be very particular about who he uses his budget on, in terms of ability, physique, mentality etc. I would imagine there are a lot of boxes that you would need to tick in order to be a player he wants to work with. And this would explain why we ended up not spending the money that appears to be available.

This is it for me. And if it backfires on the manager he's only got himself to blame, but then again he will know this.

He's backing himself to get a lot out of what he's got, and I admire that. It's a risk, as you said, but we've made funds available to managers in the past and they've bought for the sake of it - Bruce in his first window buying Hogan was the classic example. He bought him because he could, not because he needed to. Maybe the same last January with Digne and Coutinho?

I really hope we can keep our momentum going for the rest of the season - finishing in the bottom half now would be a huge disappointment.

[paul_e]

I've said numerous times I'd like another one up top, that doesn't mean, because we didn't get one, that the world is going to end.

Yeah but we haven't just not got one more up top - we have one LESS. That's the thing.

We really haven't got 1 less. we play with 2 up front, 1 out and out striker and 1 'loose' forward.

Going into the window we had 4 players to cover those 2 positions: Watkins, Ings, Archer and Bailey. Of those Archer was given very little gametime and Ings didn't really fit (but was scoring goals despite that).

Now we have 4 players to cover those 2 positions: Watkins, Duran, Bailey and Traore. In terms on impact on the team Duran replaces Archer fine because, as above, Archer wasn't being played. That means all that's really happened is we've swapped Ings for Traore and given ourself some competition for Bailey. Yes it means we at risk if Watkins get injured but we had the same risk if Bailey had got injured and Bailey has a much worse fitness record that Watkins for us. It's not ideal and a more experienced option to cover Watkins would've been great but we're not weaker than before and we don't have less options in attack. Lets also not ignore the fact that Bert has played 70-80games as a centre forward and has about a 1 in 2 record there so it's not like he's a complete unknown as a 9.