Tuesday 17 June 2014

Kouyate.....Errr....another centre back???


As reports continue to surface that West Ham have succeeded in capturing the signature of Senegalese defender Cheikhou Kouyate for a fee of 8.5million Euros, many Hammers fans may be left feeling bemused as to what is going on. With the success last year of the current centre back trio of Reid-Collins and Tomkins one would have thought that was one area where reinforcements were not a major priority. As a consequence, rumours are already gathering that despite the preseason trip to New Zealand, that Reid's wage demands (reported as 60K per week) may force an Upton Park exit.

In many respects the Kouyate signing makes sense; Allardycian in style and physique, the muscular 6 foot 4 inch powerhouse will undoubtedly welcome the opportunity to link up with Senegalese national team captain Momo Diame. Moreover, his relative versatility whereby he can double up as a defensive midfielder may well prove useful, even if it does ring of the disappointing Alou Diarra.

However, with Kouyate's experience to date mostly limited to playing for FC Brussels and Anderlecht in the not so demanding Belgian national league, the transfer fee seems unusually high - especially when Arsenal had apparently signed him for 6.5 million in January.  

Whatever way you cut it, this signing looks to signal the start of a major squad overhaul...

10 comments:

  1. Ginge is getting on. Reid should be our future captain for OS. Tomkins is one of ours and must stay. Patience, all will be revealed in good time.

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  2. Disgusted by this blog, are you really so stupid to forget our Christmas dilemma, starting four fullbacks because no fit centre halves were fit. Get off big sam's back, get behind this player, and judge our transfer policy half way into the season.

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    1. Last Christmas was a once off - in the history of the club have we wver lost three players from the same position over such a short period?

      BTW congrats to Rog 'the relegator' for finally ditching his nickname. I guess it's back to magic for him!

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    2. In history well! 2004 England U21 match Anton Ferdinand and Davenport both got injured in the same match. Seem to remember struggling to get a decent side out and panicking to get in loan deals (you could do that in those days), We used Ferdinand, Mackay,Davenport,Ward, D Powell, Melville, Dailly, McClenahan and I am sure we used Mullins and Fletcher as well. 10 CB in one season!! I for one am happy to have another option at CB and this fella can play central mid, a position that we also will be light on with no Nocerino, Taylor, J Cole or Collison to call upon. Lets hope he can deliver and is the player we all hoped Diarra should have become. Forever West Ham, COYI.

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  3. My previous post deleted, his priority is defensive midfield,

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  4. We need competition within the squad, that means 2 players for each position therefore we require 4 centre backs which, if these unconfirmed reports are true,we now have 4 decent CB's. We now need to find a couple of full backs (who aren't afraid to get forward with a bit of quality) and we'll have the backline sorted. On to the midfield....... COYI

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  5. Problem is that they start whingeing if they dont get picked - i think we need three centre backs and anpother one who can play further forward - that can be Kouyate.

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    1. Sounds like Diarra all over again.

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  6. How do you pronounce his first name...?Cheekoo

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  7. He's always been a defensive midfielder. Anderlecht had a injury crisis a couple of seasons back so moved him into defence, he performed well so they left him there until half way through last season when they moved him back into defensive mid and he was a revelation. This is when Big Sam scouted him, so I;d imagine he was being brought in to play next to Noble, giving him more licence to get forward.

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