January transfer window...

[BWFC_Insane]

our lack of central defensive cover is a bit scary...

who plays there in the stiffs? and why have we not seen any of them on the subs bench ever??

Read in a paper Bish that Stoke are looking to loan out Abdoulaye Faye till the end of the season with Burnley and Celtic interested.

Surely that would be worth looking into given our lack of defensive options? Especially if we're buggering around for the likes of Wheater and waiting for them to be available on a free in the summer?

[Lofthouse Lower]

Agreed. He has dropped to fourth pick there and a 6 month loan would suit me.

Still not convinced by Knight, and each passing week brings about more proof, for me.

[BWFC_Insane]

Agreed. He has dropped to fourth pick there and a 6 month loan would suit me.

Still not convinced by Knight, and each passing week brings about more proof, for me.

Faye is a better defender than Knight IMO!

[Armchair Wanderer]

I saw a report of the recent reserves game where we lost 1-0 to ManU reserves. It was only a reserves game but considering I'd heard of most of the Utd team, but not our own, 1-0 was fairly decent. Considering that the vast majority of those players have never even been on our first team bench, what's going on there?

SWP - depends if he's an "overpriced English player" or someone who needs a second/third chance, i.e. reasonably priced. Wages are probably a big deal here too, not sure we can afford another winger at the top of our wage structure.

[Armchair Wanderer]

Agreed. He has dropped to fourth pick there and a 6 month loan would suit me.

Still not convinced by Knight, and each passing week brings about more proof, for me.

Faye is a better defender than Knight IMO!

Didn't he also want to leave?

[BWFC_Insane]

Agreed. He has dropped to fourth pick there and a 6 month loan would suit me.

Still not convinced by Knight, and each passing week brings about more proof, for me.

Faye is a better defender than Knight IMO!

Didn't he also want to leave?

Faye? Yes, but in the circumstances on a 6 month loan I don't see that as any reason to not have him back.

[seanworth]

Agreed. He has dropped to fourth pick there and a 6 month loan would suit me.

Still not convinced by Knight, and each passing week brings about more proof, for me.

Faye is a better defender than Knight IMO!

Didn't he also want to leave?

Faye? Yes, but in the circumstances on a 6 month loan I don't see that as any reason to not have him back.

I would have him back. Faye wanted to leave but he did follow Big Sam if I recall right. Think it was the changes at that time he didn't like. Could be wrong though.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

i wouldn't be unhappy to see SWP around - but NOT if his arrival soaks up all the available funds in wages...

Entirely right

I would have him back. Faye wanted to leave but he did follow Big Sam if I recall right. Think it was the changes at that time he didn't like. Could be wrong though.

Entirely right

[BWFC_Insane]

i wouldn't be unhappy to see SWP around - but NOT if his arrival soaks up all the available funds in wages...

Entirely right

I would have him back. Faye wanted to leave but he did follow Big Sam if I recall right. Think it was the changes at that time he didn't like. Could be wrong though.

Entirely right

Faye was all set to sign a contract with us but then Allardyce tapped him up and offered him a huge deal up at Newcastle, his head was turned by the money, but also by the Lee debacle that was unfolding in front of everyone.

Still be a good addition for 6 months for me as he'd improve our back four and he is experienced!

[ohjimmyjimmy]

We need some good old fashioned steel back in our defence. Two clean sheets in 23 games is simply not acceptable.

[hisroyalgingerness]

We need some good old fashioned steel back in our defence. Two clean sheets in 23 games is simply not acceptable.

Agreed. If you go back to last March, we're actually 3 in 34

[ohjimmyjimmy]

It was more of an annoyance earlier in the season when we were scoring goals and winning games 4-2, 3-2, 3-1 etc. But now the goals appeared to have dried up, there's only one way we can go unless it's sorted...*gulp*

[a1]

We need some good old fashioned steel back in our defence. Two clean sheets in 23 games is simply not acceptable.

yeah, it is.

its scoring goals that they need to be doing more of .. as the man further up sez.

[ohjimmyjimmy]

Are you for real?

We've scored more at this stage of the season than in any of the last few i can recall, yet still a bottom 3 defensive record. Explain why we should have to need to score 3 to win every game? Is the answer then to either a) jizz money on SWP or b) tighten up the defensive side of things

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....

[ohjimmyjimmy]

We need some good old fashioned steel back in our defence. Two clean sheets in 23 games is simply not acceptable.

yeah, it is.

its scoring goals that they need to be doing more of .. as the man further up sez.

Just to get it clear in my head....two clean sheets in 23, or 3 in 34, is acceptable?

[CrazyHorse]

When you're 7th with a positive goal difference, yeah it's perfectly acceptable.

[ohjimmyjimmy]

Thats....fine.



Despite the fact it seems we're now doing everything in our power to chip away at that positive goal difference, you're not in the least bit worried that we've stopped scoring goals whilst carrying on conceding the same?

[CrazyHorse]

Thats....fine.



Despite the fact it seems we're now doing everything in our power to chip away at that positive goal difference, you're not in the least bit worried that we've stopped scoring goals whilst carrying on conceding the same?

A tiny bit worried yeah, but not too much.
Having more clean sheets than us isn't doing West Ham any favours is it?

[Worthy4England]

Thats....fine.



Despite the fact it seems we're now doing everything in our power to chip away at that positive goal difference, you're not in the least bit worried that we've stopped scoring goals whilst carrying on conceding the same?

I am.

I don't understand the argument against us tightning up defensively a little.

I don't believe our strike force will be consistently bagging 2/3 a game all season. Our better season's in the Prem, we managed 47-49 goals, combined with a greater number of clean sheets. So for me it's about trying to balance the two - not look for one over the other.

Having a couple of big wins - 5-1, 4-2 distorts the equation somewhat, as you still only get 3 points for them. That's a quarter of our goals bagging us 6 points. Take them out of the equation as outliers and you're back nearer an average of a goal per game, which if the oppo is nigh on guaranteed to get 1, could use some improvement, in my opinion.

[Worthy4England]

Thats....fine.



Despite the fact it seems we're now doing everything in our power to chip away at that positive goal difference, you're not in the least bit worried that we've stopped scoring goals whilst carrying on conceding the same?

A tiny bit worried yeah, but not too much.
Having more clean sheets than us isn't doing West Ham any favours is it?

Aye, but they ain't scoring many either.