Transcript
Speaker: Welcome back to the hammering away podcast is episode number 30. Um, we are without Joe this week. He's abandoned us for greener pastures. He's on vacation, but, uh, we got Ollie back on the podcast. You've probably seen him on Twitter. It's, um, at OC zero two, like underscore underscore or something like that. Um, but welcome back to underscore. Yeah. Well, I mean, what a game to make your return on though.
Speaker: Yeah, I know. I know. Had to come back here. Nothing this season is making sense to me after that game. That's all I can say. We're just like... We just won't die. You know? This team will not die. It's the funniest club in the world. Like, I don't... Ariola pulling up 9 .5 ratings. You know, 3... What was it? 3 .15 extra year. Yeah, yeah. Like, it's mental. Like, like...
Speaker: So I went to post ariola stats like on the anyway account, right and I was looking at the sofa score and it was like 3 .17 like XG prevent that I was like that can't be right.
Speaker: I was like, I was like, should I post this? This doesn't seem right. And then he, he posted it on his Instagram. I don't know if you saw that. I saw that in the group chat. Yeah. It's crazy. I mean, Ariola, like, I think sometimes he's not commanding in his box. I think it's the one thing I would say about him. Like there's a few times in corners, he flaps at corners, but there's a shot stop, but he's ridiculous.
Speaker: That's a thing with him. And I saw somebody say it where it's the kind of thing where it's like, well, if he could do that, he wouldn't be at West Ham type of thing. Yeah, because for us to have somebody who can just keep the ball out of the net, the way he does is crazy. He's so athletic. Like the way the way he moves, like now whenever I watch Fabianski, it like gives me the ick.
Speaker: Well, the thing is, Fabianski, when he's played this season, because Fabianski was like, they were obviously a member of 21, 22. That was all debate about like, when Ariola was first joined, he started playing in Europa League, he was like, oh, we should play him in the league. But Fabianski was still kind of doing a job for us, but obviously, over time, Fabianski just declined. But when Fabianski's played this season, he's been awful. He played in that United game, didn't he? He was terrible. Yeah, no, he was terrible against United. I think he played another game
Speaker: in 2024 where he was just atrocious. He came on for the penalty against Sheffield United, which I don't blame him for, but he was stuck in mud.
Speaker: Yeah, which is weird because he actually was kind of doing okay. You remember that that little period where Ariel was out after the foam game? Yeah, and then you started against wolves. Yeah. Yeah, we got a clean sheet. I was like, maybe, maybe, maybe he's fancy is the problem. This thing, I was just thinking, like, will he play Fabianzky on Thursday? Because I think you can't.
Speaker: I also think he can. I think it would be ridiculous to drop Ariel, but I think he absolutely is going to start Fabianzky. And here's my, here's my cope. I'll tell you my cope. Yup. Aguirre is going to play on Thursday.
Speaker: Right. Right. Yeah. And that whole aerial, like Garrett's like calamitous just generally, but he's always played better with Fabiansky. Like, cause he's been fine in the Europa, the Europa League games this year. Like he was really good in Freiburg last time he went there. Um, so hopefully like he's just not the worst defender in the world for like 90 minutes.
Speaker: I mean, Aguirre is a weird one because I think he's like, when I was last on it, we were talking about Aguirre being like, Joe was saying that Aguirre is like Man City. Yeah, he means it. Joe is a maniac, bro. But he was playing super well. He was playing super, super well last year. It was right before, probably right before the mistake he made against Newcastle that we would have been talking about. Yeah, I remember that. Yeah, no, no, I think it was the, yeah, because he scored against Southampton.
Speaker: It was after that game, but I don't, I think the squared though would be, this is my, it's not really a hot table. I think he would do just as well as what zoom is doing with mapper panels. I don't think, I think the grid and zoom in together is the prop. I mean, a grid is probably playing worse in the zoomer, but I think the problem is the grid and zoom in together, not to say just as individuals.
Speaker: So my issue with that, right, so I completely get it, especially because the way that they like to play like theoretically, like they both like to, you know, come up and like try to win the ball and like get close to the so theoretically, one comes up and you have an athlete who can cover the other one, right? Because they're both really good athletes. My issue though, is that with a grand, like,
Speaker: He just gives away goals. Zuma can play bad, but not directly give away a goal. I know it's weird to say that after he just gave away a penalty. But with a grid, and this was especially, I said this after the forest game, he was our best player for like half an hour. And then one moment and then we're down. And like, you can't, we can't have that.
Speaker: No, I think the feeling of Guerre and Zuma, Zuma's actual good defender, he gets his body in the way, he can win the ball in the air. Guerre's just weak, isn't he? But he looks good on the eye. He's good bringing the ball out. You know how he walks with the ball when he's trying to find that diagonal? I feel like I'm watching Real Madrid. Yeah, that's what I mean. As soon as he's like...
Speaker: on the back foot, he can't, at least with Zuma, like, I know he can't move his legs very well, but like, oh my goodness. This is the thing, like, in principle, a Gued should be, should fit right in there, left centre back. Like you said, we can't, I think he's confident shot as well, to be fair, because you don't go from what he was doing last season when he played to what he's doing now. Well, that's my big thing with him, and I was thinking about this. I hope that, like, him being dropped and, like, being at a team for a few weeks,
Speaker: is kind of just going to give him a chance to like step back. You know, like now we're playing better like, like Peketa is back, you know, and then obviously Ariel is better goalkeeper than Fabian X. He I think that's been clear for a long time now. But I do think like, you know, maybe he'll find some comfort on Thursday playing with Fab just because like the communication, the talking, like maybe it'll put him more at ease. And you know, if he has a good game in Germany, then maybe he can be a viable option. I think it's a little scary being like, let's throw him back in.
Speaker: and like a big league. Yeah, I don't think he'll play. I don't think as long, I mean, he probably will because Zoom is always injured, but I think he won't get back in the season. I think he's going to leave anyway. I think he probably would have left anyway. I think he probably would have left anyway if we could have got a replacement. They were talking about Saudi league.
Speaker: I think he's one of the players that was, I think Exus said this before, I think he's one of the players that was unhappy with the style last season, same with like them Rama and stuff so it won't surprise me if he goes and to be honest I'm not, the way he's played this season I'm not really bothered, I mean last season I would have been annoyed but he just looks completely shocked, you know he looks nothing like the player he was so
Speaker: Well, I also think in the summer, it just would have been difficult to find a replacement as fast because those rumors started coming around in like August. And yeah, you know, it was like we, we had to keep him and he you know, he's, he was starting to find his feet before he went to Afghan, which kind of makes it even more of a shame that he's come back and it's worse than it's ever been. But yeah, with him, it's kind of the same thing.
Speaker: as with like Skamaka, we're like, look, he's obviously a very talented player and there are things that he's very good at. There's a reason we bought him. It's not like flawed scouting, but he also has flaws. Um, and if he's playing this bad and you know, then there's the whole thing where, you know, he faked being sick before Afghan, so he wouldn't get hurt. Oh, those rumors. Yeah. If we can recoup the fee that we paid for him, I'd be happy to let him go.
Speaker: I don't know. I don't know who's going to pay that though. Do you? How much you pay? So do you pay five mil? You paid like 30 mil. Yeah. Yeah. Someone will take him. Yeah. I mean, if we can get like 25 million pounds rising to 30. Take it. Yeah. I don't know. Yeah. I think AC Milan are also interesting. Yeah. I was going to say there'll be someone in Italy or France taking back. The other thing I was thinking is,
Speaker: mavropanos did like i wasn't really sure of him but after i think after united game he kind of sold me i was thinking he'd made that mistake in the f .a cup that united game it was an absolute machine the one we won two nil before christmas and then this is the thing i don't get with moise as well it's like that uh after the arsenal game we played the same back four i just lost six nil the week before and the fact is we haven't gone on the bench
Speaker: who has, I mean, made one mistake in FA Cup games, like Zuma and Aguero made way more mistakes than that this season. Like, I don't get it. How can you not change a back four after losing 6 -0? I think that's what shot Aguero's confidence, because he made another mistake. Two more mistakes. He should have dropped him after the Arsenal game.
Speaker: He was really setting his ways trying to get that back before to work and he was kind of finding it in early December. Well, after the full game, I should say. Um, but I don't know, to me, like I was happy with how Mavropanos was managed up until that, like he should have started the forest game. Before that, it was like a little harsh on him that he didn't get some starts, but like, I understood it. Like he wanted, you know, a Garrett and Zuma was his ideal pairing cause like the left foot. Um, but yeah, I mean, in Mavropanos, I think also clearly needed time to settle in to the English game.
Speaker: Because, you know, he, because you say the FA Cup mistake, he also was horrendous against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup. Oh, yeah. Really terrible. This is the problem is he's getting, if he's playing with a makeshift bat four, he had a 1 -0. Ben Johnson was decent in that game, but like, you know. I mean, he also made a mistake against Brentford. I'm just playing devil's advocate. I think, yeah. I think, you know, he's earned his place and he should stay in the team, but you know.
Speaker: Um, somebody else. So I actually, I wanted to talk about the game for a second before, because there's a lot to talk about with the squad right now, but like kind of started off in the first half. I thought we did okay. Like, I don't know what you thought, but first like 30 minutes, I thought that we were, we were well in the game. We were playing well. And then it was like the last 10 minutes of the first half it got shaky and it's such a cheap penalty to give away.
Speaker: I don't know whether I think it's, I don't know, it was a soft penalty. I don't agree though, the game was quite even. It was kind of just a, you know, we were kind of sitting back, you know, what we do, kind of soaking up the pressure, just letting them have the ball. But like you said that, I mean, it was great. It was a shocking penalty. It was good to save Mariota, but it was a soft head. And after that, I was like, I was like, let's just get out of the club, mate. Then he had to score in. But like, it was just frustrating. But I don't blame Zuma.
Speaker: Sorry, not to cut you off, but I was... I don't blame Zuma. I think it was soft. It's tough for sure. My thing with it, look, I think it has to be given, just because like, not that he puts his arm at the wall, but like he, it's tough because like he tries to block it with his knee, right? And when he moves his knee out, his arm kind of naturally goes out too and hits him on the arm.
Speaker: Yeah. But the thing about it is like, the other thing I'll say is I thought that that was going to be a great pass and that, um, I don't know who Beto was trying to find with that, but it looked like somebody was going to be in. So like, if that happened against us, like I'm screaming bloody murder if we don't get a penalty for that. Um, but yeah, I, after the penalty, I thought that, you know, I was like, we'll go in at halftime, like we'll come out and like, now we'll really take the game to them. It was kind of tough. Yeah.
Speaker: It didn't, this is why the game is so weird because there wasn't one point in that game. Like, and when they, when they made it one nil and then McNeil had that chance when Ariola made that ridiculous save in the box, like in the six yard box. Like after that, I was like, we're just going to be too free. We didn't look like any point in that game until we scored from that corner. Then we were really going to go on and win or get a point. And then the goal kind of came out of nothing really. It was, I think we kept the ball for a bit. Kudos had a shot.
Speaker: Um, and it was a good, it was good header to be fair right in this corner, but even then he brought, he brought Phillips on. I don't know about Phillips. What do you think? I'm still, I mean, I think Jerry's still out. Yeah. So talking about the one thing I do want to say is after they scored, I think Moyes did bring Paquetta, I can tag striker role. Oh, he put it in my front for the last 30 minutes. Yeah. Yeah. Which I think helped us keep the ball and then got us the corner. But yeah, with Phil's look, I thought it was the right sub.
Speaker: I didn't think word props was playing well. He gave us the corners to start. It's time. Like, but like, I didn't think he was having a great game. And, you know, like, obviously, obviously he's a huge fan of Calvin Phillips. Look, I saw somebody say he runs around like a referee. I don't, I don't, I don't know what he's doing out there. Cause he's always, he's always moving. Right. And it's like, it's almost like he doesn't know where to be.
Speaker: You know what he does, right? I think he does what, you know what Suchak used to do a lot? Like when we were moving out of Suchak, he would not, Suchak would deliberately be marked, so he doesn't have to get the ball. I feel like Phillips sometimes does that. Like, do you know what I mean? He's because he made that mistake in like the first game. It wasn't his fault, but and his first game, Bournemouth scored that goal from that back pass. And I think since obviously then he's got a red, he's made another mistake against Manny Knight, like
Speaker: I think just everything's kind of against him, so he doesn't really want the ball. But what my problem was, he came on, he came on like 70th minute, didn't he? Like, I know Anana and like Ghana and stuff, you know, they're good players, but they were just breezing past him. Yeah, but he's just come on, like he shouldn't be, that's my problem. I think he's just not, he's not fit. I don't think we should have signed him personally. If he's not fit, we shouldn't have taken the chance on him mid season.
Speaker: Look, I mean, you can't know that much about a player's fitness and obviously city aren't gonna be totally honest about it. Look, I totally like I back their decision to sign them. I think you have to take that chance. But it's it's been terrible so far. And I like and it's like you say it's like, because is it an effort thing because he's when he's moving around, he looks like he's kind of moving well, but he's just not
Speaker: He's like, it's like he's always like two seconds late to where he needs to be, which is what's driving me crazy with him. And the other thing, and I tweeted this and it's like, not trying to be mean, but he just like kind of doesn't feel like one of us. Yeah, like this whole squad is so together and then he's just kind of
Speaker: It's like Ing's, Ing's gives me the same vibe. Ing's comes on, I'm like, you are not one of us. You're not a West Ambler. No, I think that's my main, that's a one, probably criticism I would have is just a lack of, lack of sub, like good sub options. That's why I was, that's why I just wouldn't have let, I know that everyone mind about Ben Rama and he was having a poor season, but like,
Speaker: He was probably, he was probably, he's, you know, you'd rather him than Max L. Cornet, Ings. Like, he's, he's more likely to get you a goal and assist than those guys. But I know you wanted to leave. I just thought we had to sign someone, didn't we? I think that's my issue. Is that like with Ben Rama, right? Look, I totally get selling them both. Cause I think that to get 25 million theoretically for, for now, some Ben Rama is a pretty good business. Yeah. Um,
Speaker: But look, apparently they didn't want to panic buy anybody. They were trying to loan people. They didn't want to pay for SAR. My thing is like, dude, you have to panic buy somebody. It's time to panic. Like sometimes panic buying is not a good habit to make, but sometimes you have to panic.
Speaker: Like is would be signing his mail SR for like 15 million and putting him on like 80 K a week. Like, would that really destroy us that much financially? Like get, get serious. We just made 30 million, 35 million in the January window. Once the career and, uh, then Rama deals go through. Yeah. Also that's my thing is if we did sign some 15 million.
Speaker: He's probably the type of player you can make your money back on, because someone in the league, like a Brentford or someone, would snap him up for 10 million, come to someone. 26. But this is also another thing, is they knew Four Nails wanted to go back to Spain. We've known for ages, everyone knows about Ben Roman to leave. I don't get how they don't, you know, go to January and go, we have a list of 10 targets, these are viable, get them. I think Moi's just, he just likes to challenge them. He just likes a small squad.
Speaker: Well, yeah, but I think my thing is that it's also not on Moi. It's like, totally, I should say. No, I don't blame Moi. It's partially, it's like, you know, I think everybody in that room has to take some blame. Look, you come up with two targets, right? You have Osmond, Muy Jota. You know that the Jota deal is going to be difficult because of the Saudi thing, right? Yeah. So you go for Osmond. Now he's got this whole agent issue going on. What bothers me is that Brighton signed him. Yeah, Brighton, Brighton have agreed to deal. That bothers me. Um,
Speaker: But look, David Sullivan should not, look, he hired Stuyten, Noble, Moyes, and he put them in a transfer committee to make these decisions. He should not let somebody from the outside, no matter how much he trusts them, he should not let them tell him something and he shouldn't go sour on a deal that's like being discussed.
Speaker: That's, that's not okay to me. And I think it's still the, most of the blame should go on style 10, just cause it's his job, sign players, group players. Yeah. But I think Sullivan's just got to keep his nose out of it. The, the further away he is from it, the better. Well, that's what I mean. He normally has his favorite agents. Well, that he ends up off the deal up in the last minute. He, I mean, I don't think he's that much involved.
Speaker: fully anymore releasing time. He's not. He's gotten better with it, but I think that this was one of those instances where it's like, hey, old man, like back the fuck up. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I probably should bring us on to stardom signings, if you're going to call them that. Alvarez. You go first. I mean, he, I think he's like what Rice was in 20, in 2021 season, like,
Speaker: And that's when Rice first kind of had his first big break of the season and everyone started recognizing like this guy's a real deal in terms of like Alvarez is so underrated because obviously what happened with Rice is as he got older and he got you know he realized he could go forward more and drive forward more he started playing higher up. And we didn't sign anybody to... No and this will mean all the defensive work in football in general goes kind of unnoticed and I think what Alvarez is doing is kind of what Rice is doing back then
Speaker: in that season, and he's just, yeah, he's crazy good on the interceptions, how many times he's, you know, and he's still, the fact that his run was in the 96th minute, he ran the length of the pitch just to get in the, but anyone was still like, we're a 2 -1 up, he doesn't have to necessarily make that run. And you know, somebody, not somebody, he said, he was like, I feel like a strain in my hamstring, but I didn't care, I ran through it, which is awesome. And I think, you remember when we signed him,
Speaker: iX fans especially were like, oh, he's so bad on the ball. Like he sucks on the ball.
Speaker: No, he doesn't. No, I don't know. He's not. He's not pretty with it. Sometimes he's not like a world beater with the ball, but he's a central midfielder where if you give him too much space, he's going to find the pass. It's going to break lines or he's going to do something. He's even shown. I think he's getting so much more comfortable. Um, I think I said to you when we were texting, like it's gone under the radar. I think during this horrible run of form that we've had, he's kind of.
Speaker: adding more to his game and like getting more comfortable being here. He had four dribbles against Everton. Like the way he was carrying the ball was amazing. Um, which to be honest, I had no idea it was a part of his game. And then he created that chance for kudos. I don't know if you remember the save Pickford had. Oh, right. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And he played that ball. He played the ball against Freiburg for kudos at home. Like he can pass. Yeah. Oh yeah. No, that one on one kudos side. Yeah, that look. Yeah. So I mean,
Speaker: And like you said, he's, he's coming to leader in the team now, I think. And that was, that was the one thing I was a bit, I still am a bit like cautious about. I don't, I don't think Zoomer should be captain. I think people like Alvarez, Bowen, probably more kind of suited to that in terms of leaders. And I think Alvarez might been, you know, cause Zoomer's not gonna, you know, people like Bowen and Alvarez were out last Zoomer at this club. So I think they're,
Speaker: definitely in contention maybe for next captaincy. Well, I think, I think it was a weird thing for Moyes this summer because it was a lot like, like Bowen was kind of like not, for example, I think Bowen's shown a lot of growth in that since this year where he's taken on a responsibility and role like that. And I think Moyes, you know, obviously was trying to sign players like McGuire. I mean, you promised McGuire the captaincy. Um,
Speaker: Obviously, Ward Proust and Alvarez is like a leader for Mexico. I don't think he's Mexico's captain, but I think he has Captain Mexico and players like that. So I think it was just kind of a weird thing where it was like, well, Ward Proust just got here. You know, Bowen hasn't really shown that yet. We just have to give it to somebody who we deem as very reliable and is going to always be in the team.
Speaker: I think managers, you know, they like to have defenders or midfielders do it. Yeah. Um, cause if you think about it, Zuma hasn't been this bad until after Christmas, it didn't start until after the man United game. And he was our best player that day. I think just as like, as it's gone on with Zuma, he's just looked more leg, like more leggy intensive, falling apart. Yeah. He just can't move. He can't, he can't get across quick enough. Like he used to, cause I remember
Speaker: I remember when he first signed in that partnership with Bonner, no one looked at him before. This guy's had two serious injuries that have completely messed him up. But I think he got that one in his first season and then he had all that scandal.
Speaker: He's kind of all just like you said, falling apart. So, I mean, I, I was surprised Sue Check didn't get captaincy actually, as well, to be honest. I was horrified of that. To be honest, look, I like Thomas Sue Check. Don't, nah. I just, I can't do that, to be completely honest with you. I don't know why. I just can't do it. Cause, you know, it's like. You want to talk about that goal though. We're going to talk about Thomas Sue Check. Like where,
Speaker: Anything you know about Thomas Uchek, or you thought about Thomas Uchek, which I get in a vin. I thought he's done that. I didn't even know that he knew he was allowed to do that. Let alone know that he could do it. The guy could barely make a five -yard pass sometimes, but he's outside the foot in it into the top corner. Has he ever hit a ball with the outside of his foot before? No, I don't think I've ever seen him do that. He's mental, is it? Bro, and to take it down on the chest,
Speaker: Like the composer is just ridiculous. In the last minute of the game, it's crazy. I think that is the main good thing about Alvarez, though, joining, is I know everyone moans about Sucek, he can't keep the ball, et cetera, but his game was always getting in the box, scoring goals, playing for the forward. We don't want, we don't necessarily want him on the ball. We don't want him dictating our play. And the problem is when Rice was obviously
Speaker: going further forward, Sucek would be that guy that would find himself with the bolt in our half, and we don't want that. So now we've kind of got Alvarez, who just knows he's going to sit there. Sucek is now getting back in the box, and we're not having him on the ball as much. What I think is so interesting about Sucek is, so look, obviously, I don't even know where to start with this. So I'm going to start with the system, right? This 4 -3 -3 or 4 -2 -3 -1, whatever you want to call it. The reason that we do it with those three midfielders
Speaker: is because they all have a ton of really good qualities, but none of them are really where they need to be athletically, like as a primarily midfielder and just a two man pivot. So obviously we play the three and it kind of covers like their deficiencies and you know, puts what they're good at to the top. So when you look at it, obviously, every summer this team is going to want to get better.
Speaker: And also we signed Phillips in January. I'm sure that a more athletic midfielder to challenge to check is going to be something that they look for. Right. But what makes you check so difficult is these goals that he brings because, you know, obviously every of those goals are important, but if you want to challenge at the part of the league that we are challenging at, we want to stay challenging at.
Speaker: We don't, we don't have, you know, a Mo Salah or early Holland or somebody who's going to give us, you know, 25, 30 goals. I mean, Bowen, Bowen might do it, but like we can't rely on that gear and you're out. So we need different guys to chip in with, you know, six goals, eight goals, nine goals. And,
Speaker: that goal threat just makes him so valuable on top of everything else that he does because you know all the duels he wins for us are huge um and i think especially these last two games i think his passing i don't want to call it underrated because it's atrocious a lot of fun but look when he's playing well and he's making quick decisions with the ball and just kind of getting it out of his feet to somebody who knows yeah
Speaker: The second goal against Brentford is a perfect example. A ball comes to him, he one touch into Bowen's feet forwards, just through his face. Whereas his biggest issue comes when he's just, you know, walking around on the ball, trying to figure out what to do. Dilly dallying on the ball. Yeah. Because the same thing happened the year he scored 10 goals. Obviously the goals were the big part of it, but I specifically remember the leads away game that we won. Obviously, he was so good on the ball that day.
Speaker: Yeah. And it's like, he can hold his own. If, you know, he's not that going right. I think you're right though. Like when he, he's better when he's not thinking about what he's doing. Like he said, when he gets it one touch at his feet, rather than, you know, when he's like got the ball and he's looking for options and that's when he ends up getting caught out and they're like, Oh, Sue check, you can't do this. You can't do that. But like you said, when he's just kind of moving with the play, then he's fine. But like you said, the three midfielders, they all compliment each other well because they all got different
Speaker: different action routes. And I think that's so good about our forward line as well is I don't think it's spoken about much in the mainstream media, but in terms of like the fact we have three guys up front that technically can play anywhere across the front and most, all three of them could probably start for most teams in the top load. They wouldn't look out of place in the top six. I'm not saying like Boeing would start with a sack up, but if you put Boeing in Arsenal, I don't think you're seeing a much bigger drop off in terms of what people might be expecting.
Speaker: I mean, and forget ours front as well. Yeah. And just like, forget Arsenal, like Liverpool love Bowen. He walks into that United team. Yeah. Like it's crazy. And then he's the one who you look at and you don't know where he fits at the top six clubs even more. I mean, Paquetta walks into all those midfields as far as I'm concerned. Um, and I think they could all use kudos. Arsenal wanted kudos. Chelsea wanted kudos. I mean, I'm, I'm quite worried because I mean, I find
Speaker: I think Beket is kind of like another rice situation. We know he's probably going to Man City, but Kudos is that one was like, we can't afford to lose two big players in the same summer. And I think I could see someone like Chelsea dropping big money on him. You're not going there. Yes, I mean, it's not viable for him, but you never know. I'm not worried about no damn Chelsea.
Speaker: I think it's the same thing with Paquetta. Obviously it's going to be difficult.
Speaker: But I think that we just have to, you know, evolve and change the way that we create chances. You know, like you got to bring in, and you know, it's harsh on War Prowse and Suchak to even say this. And it's not to say that they should be dropped forever. Like this is competition. This is a squad. I think that, you know, you bring in like an athletic midfielder who can like partner Alvarez and can compete for that place with Suchak and War Prowse. And this is ideally if we get your European football again.
Speaker: And then after that, you need a, you need a striker who will run the channels and can, you know, play. Cause we need, if you remember 21, 22, who created most of our changes? It was really Antonio was our best creative outlet. And so it was like that guy just up there, you know, that's the thing is moist, moist system suited Antonio down to the ground. And that's why we couldn't sign anyone. That was my excuse. Not signing it. Well, cause you know, there's not many players played away. Antonio plays that were available in the market.
Speaker: But yeah, I think that, you know, when packet talk goes, you just have to look.
Speaker: first striker now who can emulate that means slanky, obviously, there's reports that we're obsessed that we really like him. He's probably gonna cost upwards of 65 70 million. Yeah, which would put us off. But, you know, it's up to style 10 boys to find a player who can play that role and who can bring some chance creation to the team. And I think that you put bone back out on the right. And if you can have a midfield pivot that's viable, then that allows you to bring kudos into the 10, where I think he does
Speaker: I would say he creates better from that role when we've seen him in it. I think part of that is also that like, when it's him and Bowen as the striker and the right wing, their sole job is to be far forward and to like score the goals. Um, but yeah, I just think that, and then obviously you have to sign a left -winger. Well, this is the thing, Kudas can't, he can't play on the left. And I don't know why Moyes, I think it was Manny, right away, Moyes put him on the left.
Speaker: This just naturally didn't make sense. And that's why we should have signed it. We should have signed a natural left wing in January. But the thing I was going to say about Piquetto, the big loss if we lose him, won't just be Piquetto. The form fact is link up with Emerson, because since the conference league final, I think Bowen and Emerson are the two players taking that game and just rambled it. I mean, Emerson before, I remember even before the game, we were like, no one thought Emerson was going to restart that game, did they?
Speaker: Yeah, no, people were furious. Do people were like, like, we were in a meltdown on Twitter. I mean, like, I was kind of like, it's fine. Like, I don't really like Cresswell anyways. But I was like, that's a super, super weird decision. Yeah. Because he barely, I mean, he'd been in and out of the team, but he wasn't like, yeah, that's what I mean.
Speaker: last season on speaking lies and not you know Chelsea was scammed us about one of their fringe players and then this season he's just been his link up okay it was just that he's meant it's meant to how good he looks with him I mean it's hilarious because you know went through really all of last season besides the Chelsea at home game and the Fiorentina game being like
Speaker: Oh, well, you know, we just signed pick at this friend so he could be happy. And then, and then now like there are two most important players. I mean, the stat that we do the other day, I mean, we must be up to like a 76, 77 win rate when those two play that like over a 20 game sample size. That's insane. That's unheard of. We've won in all competitions now 13 of 20 games. No, no, no, that's not right. 15.
Speaker: of 22 games, I think, when Emerson and Paquette to play. Yeah, I mean, that's just meant, I mean, the thing with Emerson though, right? It's not just the fact he's linking up Paquette, but like one -on -one defending, I can't think of many wingers that have actually like, you know, beaten him, beaten him up this season in a sense. He's just like the exact like type of athlete that you would want to build. Yeah. Building a fullback and like, you're like, well, what kind of athlete should I make them?
Speaker: It's probably Emerson with like more pace, but like the size and he's already fast. It's not to say he's not fast, but like the ideal fullback is like Frimpong at Leverkusen. But yeah, I mean with Emerson, like the size, like he's stronger than most wingers. He can keep up with wingers. He's not afraid to dive in. He's not afraid to win the ball and then pick up to help so much like coming back and doubling up on people. I think, yeah, I think Emerson as well.
Speaker: It's probably the first time in his career where he's actually kind of been settled at a club. Let me think about it. Like he's been yo -yoing between, he was at Chelsea. I'm pretty sure he's gone on loan. Yeah, like, yeah, he was, he was on loan at Leon. Like he's actually at a club where he's settled and appreciated.
Speaker: I mean, it's interesting because I think, you know, just off the top of my head, the two best seasons of his career, and you know, he was great in the Champions League run for Chelsea, but full seasons, the two best seasons of his career are that year at Lyon, where he started basically every game. And then this season, I think is by far the best season in his career. And it's just interesting because, you know, to get to Chelsea, you obviously have to be a top player or had to be a top player. Um,
Speaker: So he gets there, but then he doesn't really play and nobody really knows what he is. And he kind of gets this rep for being lazy and not really caring. And he kind of comes here, he's in that team. It's like, he plays, does he really care? He plays against Chelsea. You're like, well, he just doesn't like Chelsea. And then he's like a bit, it's because it's interesting. He's always had this rep as like a big game player who's like not totally there for just every week. But I can't remember one game this year. He's got a bad performance.
Speaker: This is my problem with Hammer. This probably gets us onto Hammer of the Year. This is my thing with the Hammer of the Year, like Emerson, Beketa, Ariola, Bohen. I mean, I think Kudas probably hasn't played because he didn't start the season. I don't think he, I mean, he has been ridiculous, but he probably is last. I mean, Ariola, Emerson, Beketa, Bohen, and then Alvarez as well. Like, it's just, I don't know. It's a nightmare to vote for it because I can't remember a season where I've been a fan.
Speaker: Yeah, that's true, though. Think about it, because, like, he played in the Euros final, he turned up in the Champions League semi -final.
Speaker: where I've just kind of shrugged and been like, I have no idea what I'm supposed to vote for. Well, I mean, it's always been, I mean, it's always been Declan Rice. Yeah, I mean, it's always been Declan Rice, even like, you know, not to, because I don't like, I don't want to like, describe Sucek because he's been an amazing sign of his, but I think him winning Hammer the Year of a Rice that year was nonsense. Oh yeah, because he's, yeah. It was just because he scored and he liked potato salad and everybody was like, ah, Thomas Sucek.
Speaker: I think if you look at the most consistent performance, if you go to, I mean, hammer is obviously not going to be like, let's say bone, for example, if you score 20 goals, but he's had five bad games and he's obviously still going to win hammer at the year. But I think Emerson has generally not had a game this season. I thought like this guy's like cost us or he's not, he's not been good enough. But no one's ever gone, gone. When we lost a game this season gone, Emerson was the reason we lost that game in our back four.
Speaker: Like, not once. When we drew against Bournemouth, he was being mad lazy getting back. I remember that when we drew Bournemouth in August. He was madly forward. That's been the first game of the season. Yeah. I'm always supposed to smack them around. No, but like, he wasn't even bad that day, though. He was just bothering me a little bit. But let me ask you a question.
Speaker: Yeah. Besides Declan Rice, right? Besides Declan Rice taking him out of the equation. Who is the last player who is this consistent for West Ham? As consistent as Emerson Smith this year? It's week in, week out. You know what you're getting. It's probably going to, it's probably going to be, well, like Pyatt was at time, I guess. I don't know. Like, I mean, Pyatt was always, he was always just creating a league. There's chances he would create was, I mean, Keyot,
Speaker: Kiate had a time where he was pretty consistent for us. His first season, right? Yeah. Around the same time, Payet. Lanzini was quite consistent that season with Payet, but I don't know, he's probably, yeah, I mean, he's probably got to be like, that not, I can't think of. Can't know. Because it's just like, even when Beketa was out, like, you just know what you're going to get. Yeah. And I think, I think Beketa being out harmed us in a sense of Emerson wasn't as good.
Speaker: in our build -up because that is so much of our build -up, that left -hand side. It's really the link. We're playing a right back and left wing. There wasn't going to be the same consistency with Ben Johnson, I forget. That is also another crazy thing.
Speaker: It just meant all the fact we didn't sign a left wing and we ended up playing Ben Johnson there for three games. There's no other club like it, honestly. Ben Johnson, Paquette de Roal at Old Trafford. He actually played well. He played well. He did play well. What's so funny to me is we just didn't sign a left winger. We didn't win a game for two months and we're two points off six in March. Yeah, and also... It's crazy. Paquette has come back and he's not necessarily played that great in those two games.
Speaker: He's played, I mean, I don't know what you think, but I've not really noticed him like loads in terms of, we saw seven goals and he's not been involved in, he's only been involved in like one. Well, I think a big thing with him is he just brings so much balance to our team. Like not only can kudos go out on the right and stuff, but bone and kudos are both very direct players. If you want to, if like, obviously he's not a winger, he's just,
Speaker: a makeshift winger, he's playing this like hybrid role. But if you want to call him a winger, he's probably the least direct winger in the world. Right? Yeah, definitely. So it kind of gives us that lopsided look where he's just trying to pick all those passes to them. And you know, obviously, it helps us get the ball up the pitch at Emerson. I thought he was pretty good against Brentford. I didn't think he was as involved as he usually gets. Probably our worst player against Everton.
Speaker: Yeah, I can't remember. He wasn't in the game much. Yeah, he wasn't in the game much. I mean, I don't think anybody said this because, you know, everybody loves him. And I mean, I don't even want to say it, but just like for the record, I think the goal was his fault. There was a goal.
Speaker: Yeah, because he picks up the ball, right? And I mean, it's like, I don't, I don't blame him because this is what his role is in the team. He has to take risks with the ball. Um, but if like, cause look, I think people get crazy. Everybody wants to blame somebody for a goal. I think every once in a while, it's just like, God, fuck. Um, but look, he picks up the ball. He tries and like, we were kind of.
Speaker: what's the word we were soaking up pressure soaking up pressure and we got our foot on the ball and it's okay like like let's keep it for a second like let's like catch our breath and he tries to play bone through it gets intercepted kind of gets played back you drop he jogs back
Speaker: And I mean, I can't blame him. I wouldn't think James Garner could put that ball in either. Yeah. That was, that was a ridiculous cross three fair. I think, I think the thing with the character as well, though, he, he just brings confidence in other players. Yeah. Like he said, like when he's doing, yeah, when he's doing flicks past three or four players, like people like Sue check more proud, so you aren't necessarily like Sue checks, not the most comfortable. They start getting confidence and that's obviously when the whole, whole team uplifted because he's also.
Speaker: When he plays up front, he's also like, he's stronger than people realise. He's also that out ball like Antonio is sometimes. Like we look in the second half, we were looking for him with that long ball.
Speaker: So I think this is my theory, based on how we started off against the Bristol city at home. I think that the whole plan for Kudus being gone for Avcon, I think he was going to move Paquette to the striker and bring Bowen back out to the right. Think about how good we were those first 10 minutes against Bristol. I mean, I know it's the championship side, but like, imagine we got two months of that, or I guess they went out in the group, but like a month of just like,
Speaker: I think, I mean, we won, we won the United game because he moved to get the run. Well, he moved, yeah, and he set the first goal up and then he set the second one up. But the first one was mainly because he was through the middle. Well, no, he set up both goals, you know? Yeah, I mean, I mean, the first one was the first one was the reason he set the first goal up was mainly because he was in that position. Yeah, yeah, essentially. I mean,
Speaker: But then if Beketa did play century, who would have played in the left? That's my only thing. He played Antonio on the left against Forrest. I mean, Antonio's not. And he came against Brentford. Brentford is a left wing. Antonio is not. I know on Twitter everyone goes, oh no, he's not a striker. He is not a winger. I'm sorry. He's not a winger then. If he's not a striker, what is he? He's not a winger anymore. If he's not a striker, he's not a footballer. I mean, he was a winger seven years ago.
Speaker: He was a winger like six hamstring injuries ago. Yeah, that's what I mean. Let's get over it. I think he'll probably leave in the summer, Antonio. But I still like, I think he's a good sub at the last. I don't think he will. Do you not think, I'm not sure. I think he will. Because I think he'll see his contract out. Because I think his contract will end after next season. Yeah, he must have been over here. I think he'll just see his contract out. He still does the job. I think it will start, that'll bring me on actually to Thursday. Who would your loan -out be for Thursday?
Speaker: So that's what's super interesting about it is, like, I would love to give Antonio a minute, especially because these European teams, they have no idea what to do with them. Yeah, that's true. But to be honest, I'd probably go, probably bring a Garrett in for Zuma, just because you have to. Probably keep the same line, apart from that. And then apart from that, probably keep it unchanged. And then after that, I think maybe, like, you start,
Speaker: Antonio instead of one of bow and arcudus against Burnley. And then you bring Phillips in for Burnley too. I mean, if Calvin Phillips cannot get it going against Burnley at home, you just shouldn't play again. No, he's probably done. Yeah, I don't think we're going to start. We probably won't start him anyway. I was thinking earlier today, I was like,
Speaker: Price is dropping. Price of the brick is going down. You know what's quite funny about Calvin Phillips though is the fact him playing for us, it made him not being less and less likely to play for England. If he didn't join us, he probably would have been started at the Euros. But now everyone's seen the way he's been playing.
Speaker: I mean, I think he has been stitched up with a couple of those goals. I mean, that one from Zuma was just ridiculous. I'll probably play Ben Johnson first there as well, to be honest. I mean, Kufar's that guy, but I think he needs a rest. I think that's a problem. I think we do burn our fallbacks out.
Speaker: players like Sucek. That's why Sucek was poor, because he just never gave him a rest, did he? Burned out, yeah. You play Thursday, Sunday, every game. This is my thing, though. And look, the Burnley game is a huge game, because if we win that game, we put ourselves in such... Because I think Newcastle don't have a game this weekend, because they play City in the Cup, right? So we'll put ourselves five points ahead of them. I think Brighton's game got cancelled, because...
Speaker: Basically we're putting, like obviously they'll have a game in hand, but we're putting distance between ourselves and, you know, everyone likes to obsess about a game at hand, but you can only put the points on the board. And teams look at that and they'll think that they're further away and, you know, we'll keep pace with United. Look, I don't know who United play next weekend. They're very lucky. They've got, they've got Everton at home. But I mean, if we, I mean, we're still, I mean, United would probably win that. So they win that. We're still two points behind, but like you said, we've put a nice distance with us and Newcastle.
Speaker: because we're two ahead of Newcastle, same games. And Brighton, like you said, Brighton, I don't think they've got a game, have they? Brighton would throw us the home. Oh, do they? Yeah, they're terrible anyways. Walks probably aren't as good as what people think. And also, this was a point I was going to make, is Europe will go down to eight spaces probably this season. If Man City, if Liverpool win the conference league, if Liverpool win Europa League,
Speaker: If Man City probably will do fine on the Champions League, Arsenal, even if Arsenal get to semi -final, court -final, it's all going to boost the chances of them in eight spaces. I mean, half the league... We could get to eight spaces without Villa winning the conference league. Villa can go out to Ajax this round, and then us, Liverpool, City and Arsenal, can handle business.
Speaker: Yeah, I mean, if we get four seasons in Europe, that would be mental. Four seasons in Europe would be unbelievable. I think we should start farming conference league trophies though. You know what I mean? What we do is we win it every season and then you go back into Europa League.
Speaker: And then you come, you come third in your group and then just keep, we're going to be like severe. We're going to just like, we're going to have like 10 conference league trophies of the conference week. Dude, that would be too funny. What are your thoughts about our game first in terms of opposition though? I mean, they drew it by a minute, but I'm nervous. The thing that makes me nervous about it is just that, look,
Speaker: any professional sport, it is hard to beat a team four times in the season. Yeah, that's a, that's a big ask. Well, if we, if we can get a draw on Thursday in Germany, you know, get like a one, one or two, two, and we can bring that back to the summit. I think that I think people don't actually realize how good we are at home, especially under Moise these past three, four seasons.
Speaker: We don't really let down at home. Obviously the Arsenal game was at home and we lost Everton this year. That Arsenal game is a bit of a fluke though. How often does that happen? This is like the worst home form we've had in 12 months. I mean obviously Newcastle. Maybe we actually suck at home. Maybe I have no idea what I'm talking about. I think those Europe games though, the fact that the second leg is at home as well, being that it plays a part,
Speaker: I think, I generally think we can get to semi -finals again, to be honest. I mean, the fans... It all depends on the draw, doesn't it? Yeah. All depends on the draw. Fans of a part of the play. I mean, look. I'll be honest with you, I'm gonna look up these fixtures right now. I'm confident in the Europa League. Yeah, I'm having a look. I mean, Bialabicuse is still in it. They're one of the teams that I don't want. Bialabicuse in Liverpool, AC Milan, Roma have started to pick up form.
Speaker: But I wouldn't be surprised if Brighton beat Roma. I wouldn't be surprised. Roma and AC Milan, we would give problems. We would give them serious, serious problems. Imagine we played AC Milan and Mois pulled out the old, the Kufal, Ryan Fredericks on Rafael Liao. That would be the funniest thing ever. But like, yeah, let me look at these teams.
Speaker: We just have to get through Freiburg. I'm super nervous about Freiburg. If we get through them, I'll be very happy with that. Benfica and Rangers, one of those teams is going to go through. Obviously both good sides, but we can beat them. Marseille, Villarreal, one of them is going to go through. We can beat one of them. Roma Brighton, we can beat one of them. Sporting at Atlanta, we can beat one of them. Can you imagine if Schumacher came back to the bowl for your Oakley quarterfinal?
Speaker: What would you even say if he came back? Wait, who just came back to play for now? Adalanta. No, they play sporting in the round this season. Oh, that's on Wednesday, I'm looking at. Oh, why the hell are they on Wednesday?
Speaker: It's come back at dogs. Imagine he comes back. Have you seen that Louis Suarez celebration against boys when he like dives in front of the dugout? Oh my goodness. Yeah, he does. Like I said, let's come back.
Speaker: I think he's actually really been doing anything this season has he? He was scoring a few goals early on but now there's like questions about his like energy. Six goal, yeah six goals, 20 games. He's not Sebastian Haler, I'll say that. I thought Skamaka was going to be
Speaker: That guy can't lie. I still kind of like Skalako. I mean, he was injured. He was injured for most of the season, wasn't he, really, after Christmas? He barely played any games.
Speaker: I like him. I think he's got a lot about him in his game. He's got to learn how to play with more energy, just because the modern game, there's no room for somebody to just be walking around in a modern game. Even Messi at PSG, it hurt them that he was just playing. Yeah, that front three. I think also the thing people don't give enough credit for more is, and especially in mainstream media,
Speaker: is the fact that we basically haven't really ever had a proper striker that's worked in terms of on our bitch was a left winger, he moved up from Tonya was a wing dream in this. Yeah, on our bitch would be a joke on our bitch was left winger, he moved him up front. And Tonya was a winger, he moved not from
Speaker: Kudas, Kudas isn't a striker. We play him up front sometimes. He's basically moved Bow into striker most of the season. We've never, we've never utilized, we have proper, you know, we've never, every striker we've signed has just been. And we're going to sign another one this summer. We have to because Danny Ings will leave. Antonio will kind of go to third. He kind of is moving into, he's not, I mean,
Speaker: There hasn't been many times where we've, even last season, we always went back to Antonio, didn't we? I mean, Antonio - This is the first time we've gone away from him and it has - With the boys, yeah. Fired back in our face. Yeah, yeah. Danny Ings just has to, we have to cut ties, I don't know. I think that's probably one of the worst side of the signings. It probably is the worst one of the signings. For the wages, I mean, he's just done - He's one of the worst guys.
Speaker: It's one of the worst times it really goes through. Yeah, for the money, the wages, yeah. You know who missed out on Ollie Watkins? When he was driven, when he was available, when Gerard wanted to get rid, he would have done perfect. Perfect boys fit, I think. Who do you think some of these targets are going to be this summer? Because I think, obviously, Slinky, his name was gone, or Slinky?
Speaker: That's what you say his name? Yeah, yeah, like obviously his name is going around. I would be I think he's unrealistic. He is unrealistic. I totally agree. I think I think we're going to target him. It's gonna be the kind of thing where it's like late May and exes like here that like here a few targets like, Oh, we inquired about so like, Oh, they want 90 million. Yeah, that's it. Yeah, that's it. I think I wonder if you
Speaker: will be back. I think Connor Gallagher will be back because he's got 18 months left in his deal. And I think he'll get to a point where Chelsea end up, you know, Chelsea have won an inscribe, Oshim, and they'll end up signing a big midfielder again. And they'll, even though he's been born like one of the most consistent players, he's probably won there and get shepherded out to raise funds. Connor Gallagher, Connor Gallagher in that Warped House role.
Speaker: Yeah. Are you kidding me, bro? You'd be crazy. I think in terms of strikers, I wouldn't be surprised. And I don't think that we'll sign him. I kind of hope we don't because I don't know how he's been since he tore his ACL. But Tammy Abraham, I would not be surprised if we were like with him, considering he always wanted him before he went the wrong way. Amanda Brozier as well. No.
Speaker: I think he's probably done, but he was another one that... I'm sure the male will like this with him. Another one that Moyes wanted. Yeah, I think it's all primarily proven though, isn't it, Moyes? I think even Scott McTominay might probably have his name linked again. Maybe Harry Maguire again.
Speaker: I'm totally okay with wanting proven players. I think it's just, it's about picking players, like balance and picking the right ones. Cause look, primarily proven comes up premium, right? So you're going to, he's going to want a striker that he can trust. Maybe he won't be able to get one. So we'll have to go abroad just cause of the price. Gallagher would be great, but I think, look, this summer there are a lot of places that are going to need to be filled.
Speaker: there's going to have to be like some style 10 specials, you know? Like seriously, because look, we can spend big on a striker, on another midfielder, maybe on a winger, on a center back, but you know, we're going to need cover at fullback. You got to find somebody cheap. And then, you know, one of those positions, you're going to have to find somebody between like 10 and 15 million, because we're not going to have all of this money to spend. Well, like obviously, there's going to be 85 million coming in. Yeah.
Speaker: I'm just trying to think when was the last time we signed? Koo fouls will be the last player we signed when someone was like, who's that on their road of him? Yeah, that's what he was studying, starting with specials. I think, like you said, we're going to need Cresswell, we'll leave. Ben Johnson, from what I was hearing, I don't think Ben Johnson is going to sign a new contract. Yeah, they want to keep them, but I think that they're not going to get their field done. So I think we need two new full backs. We'll definitely need another centre back.
Speaker: Which is fine though cuz in terms of the full backs We've been linked with that kid the English kid who pushed her again. What's his name Archie Brown? Okay. Yeah, so I saw that that was like a Steinberg Steinberg link, which I think is interesting and he's homegrown Which would you know be good and I think it's so funny that like a sign that has died to his name like written all over it is like
Speaker: he's going to sign a homegrown player from Belgium. Like, which is ridiculous. Obviously he was at the Asian cup watching a, what's his name? Young Sue. I can't remember his name, but he, apparently he can play right back and left back. Apparently we like him a lot. I would be down. I'll just say, I was thinking Tilo Cara, what would we do with him?
Speaker: Is he still, has he got a question to buy? He's gone. Yeah, they're going to buy him. I think it's an obligation. He was a bit of a weird sign in. He definitely wasn't a moist sign in. He was, yeah, they had a panic by him. But look, I mean, for a panic buy, it worked. Yeah. We need a proper direct left winger, I think. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I think in terms of someone like what Maxwell Corne was sold to us as, which we just need
Speaker: We need, we need more of it. We should need more for the bench. Look, I disagree with you, but I do agree. Well, that's why I want it. Sar is cause like, then you have like a direct guy who can play right and left. He can come off the bench in terms of like replacing Peketa. I think kudos and Bowen are already so directly. You need somebody who can kind of cut in and pass the ball a little bit. Um, anyways, kind of coming up on time here. I do have one more question for you before we call this quits.
Speaker: Vladimir Kufall, it's been going around Twitter, Vladimir Kufall, will he ever score a West Ham goal? I don't think so, because he doesn't take any shots. I can't remember, have you ever seen Kufall take a shot? I don't think he's ever had a shot on target. I've seen, he has cleared off the line against Arsenal, or Chelsea. Do you remember that? It was the Chelsea game. When we beat the Masiwaku goal game,
Speaker: Right after they scored their first, he had a shot clear off the line. I can't believe I remember that. That is disgusting. I was actually going to say one more thing. Last time I was on here, I said, like, Morgan Gibbs -White, before us go down. And you were like, you were like, no. At least we've done real this season. He's a good player. Every time I see him doing well, I'm like, God damn it. I've got that one right. I can't. Yeah, I don't think Kufar was cool.
Speaker: He's, dude, I've seen him run through on goal with nobody anywhere near him. I can't remember. And he tried to square it. Yeah, it was a game. No, it was a lockdown game. It was less Sheffield United. It was in Sheffield United. We won. Oh my goodness. I think it was both those games. Yeah, he went through. It was the game where
Speaker: Rice scored a penalty. He went through one on one. I don't know if he hit the post or he tried to square it. He took about 20 minutes to do something. I don't think he'll score. He got through and I remember seeing him looking around for help. He's on the other side of the world. He must have played a decent amount of games now though. I think he's pushing 150, 200, probably 150. Because he's missed time with injuries.
Speaker: Yeah, I mean he's played a lot of games. This year and the first, the lockdown year. His numbers are still really good though, in terms of success. He's been great this year with his end product. Because there was a time when I thought he was finished. He's played 100.
Speaker: played 114 Premier League games for West Ham. So add 20 to that. Yeah, probably nearly 150, isn't it? I think it was last season I thought he was finished, to be honest. He looked just...
Speaker: He looked done. He was getting skinned by every winger. He seems to be back to his best. I think he had like a full summer to kind of get his body right because he was dealing with injuries a lot of the second half of last season. So I think he came back like healthy and fit this year and fresh, which I think same goes for a lot of these players, which is funny because considering we had like no time off.
Speaker: I think I think the conference league win has just like elevated like confidence or so many players like They just feel that pedigree, you know, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, kind of like puff out your chest a little bit Anyways, thank you everybody for listening today You know where find us find the blog at hammering dash away blog Twitter account is hammering underscore away the Instagram is hammering away underscore and
Speaker: And the TikTok, which we finally posted on again for the first time, and God knows how long, is hammering .away. You can go catch all suit checks, 90th minute winners on there. Thank you everybody for listening again, and we'll see you next week.
