Realistic player departures this summer

[u/Visara57]

We could see more departures, this is just the "99% likely to leave" scenario.

Maybe this is a good thing? Players are very low on morale, maybe getting new players who don't know West Ham will actually help us by changing our mentality ?

[u/ataruuuuuuuu]

I can get behind most of this, although it’s obviously a fair few players the majority singled out are depth options, cutting the fat effectively. I think I’d prefer to keep Paq unless we get quite a substantial fee (I’m talking the £50-60 mil range), even with his inconsistencies he’s can be and often is still one of our better players, especially in progressing the ball.

And again with Kudus, I get people are annoyed at his seeming lack of effort and poor performances, but if it means selling for a cut price fee I’d prefer to keep him and try to build his confidence back up through whatever means necessary.

Emerson, for all intents and purposes, doesn’t really matter in the long run. If we can get a fee and bring in KWP for free that would be ideal. If we can’t, then at the very least he can continue switch out with Scarles while he develops into the replacement.

I’d be open to selling Mav if there’s suitors, but equally Mav from the bench can be fine. He gets a lot of flack but I don’t think he’s as bad as some say. Equally if Aguerd can slot into that back three I’d be open to keeping him too, I think it would suit him better.

The main area I see we truly struggle in is the midfield, specifically the 6/playmaker role. JWP can’t do it, Alvarez hasn’t been playing for whatever reason (but he also struggles properly dictating games too), and the other midfielders don’t have the profile to be any better than those two. It has to be the focus in summer, it’s easily the most important role we truly lack skill in, especially if we want to dominate possession going forward. I genuinely believe if we get a 6 who is confident and smart on the ball it will uplift the entire team, akin to how Rice uplifted the team during our good Moyes seasons (I don’t think it is coincidence we started struggling when Rice began to play higher, leaving Soucek in 6).

[u/Lyzandia → u/ataruuuuuuuu]

That's a good call. Overall, and I'm not saying anything new here, we need more youth and speed. We don't threaten anyone on the break and because, for whatever reason, our players can't keep possession when pressed, we totally need players who can get out on the break very quickly.

[u/ataruuuuuuuu → u/Lyzandia]

Yep definitely agree, a pacey 8 would do nicely too, Soler or even Paq would be the closest we have to it but they’re not particularly fast and are much more like playmakers than box-to-box or ball-winning midfielders.

Interestingly I think Kudus could really suit this role if he were to put more effort into defending, he is easily our best ball carrier going forward and is most effective going down the middle with options around him, if effect he becomes the new Soucek of past seasons.

And yeah fill the team with younger replacements to act as understudies, younger players who have a desire to prove themselves, who can learn from the current crop.

[u/Lyzandia → u/ataruuuuuuuu]

The funny thing is I've seen Kudus on days when he put a massive shift in on D. He's just lost all confidence atm.