setting the standard

[heatherfox]

I know Big Sam has a history with Kevin Nolan but what do you guys and girls think about this - should we have been showing some ambition and going for his type of player as Nolan is class. Personally speaking I think he would have been a cracking signing. Also,what about Michael Johnson he was linked with us during the transfer window, again I think he would be a top player to sign.

[Callabinho]

More than a cracking signing, way too good for this league. We need to match standard to be fair if we want to stick with the favorites label. I think that the Nolan signing may spark a few of the other good players to stay. My heart says that we will win the league dropping no points but my head says second place or play offs, which i would take to be honest!

[wattolcfc]

How you can say we will win the league when we don't even half have a team let alone a squad is beyond me

[Babylon]

West Ham have richer owners.

West Ham have parachute Payments.

West Ham will flog several of their players and probably bring in £20m+..

The player has previous with the manager.

He signed a five year contract on big wages.

West Ham are playing shit or bust as they will be moving to the Olympic stadium and can't afford to be in this league for long.

Whilst it would be lovely to buy players like that it's ridiculous to even expect us to.

Two years ago being linked to players like Derbyshire and Nugent would have been met with applause and amazement. Now people expect us to be signing premier league captains... Insane, absolutely insane.

[heatherfox]

I know there's loads of time left to sign players etc. but given our 'core squad' I'm struggling to see where the basis is for us being favourites for promotion. We need (in my opinion - rightly or wrongly) around 5 to 6 players minimum. To get them all in and get them to gel as a team seems a long way off at this stage - hope I'm proved well and truly wrong though.

[Joe.]

I know there's loads of time left to sign players etc. but given our 'core squad' I'm struggling to see where the basis is for us being favourites for promotion. We need (in my opinion - rightly or wrongly) around 5 to 6 players minimum. To get them all in and get them to gel as a team seems a long way off at this stage - hope I'm proved well and truly wrong though.

The bookies aren't going to give us long odds for people to jump on now while we've got owners ready to back Eriksson all the way. We have a good core squad despite what you may think, and with the right additions there's no reason why we can't be pushing for a top six finish next season. Show a little patience.

[heatherfox]

Joe

I'm thinking of the defence primarily, given that of the back four, Sven brought in Naughton, PVA, Mee, Bruma - all lone players- which suggest 's he didn't 'fancy' the players we had and therefore he will need to bring in players he does 'fancy' i n the close season

[filou]

More than a cracking signing, way too good for this league. We need to match standard to be fair if we want to stick with the favorites label. I think that the Nolan signing may spark a few of the other good players to stay. My heart says that we will win the league dropping no points but my head says second place or play offs, which i would take to be honest!

Totally agree we need to start matching them in every way.

[Babylon]

Totally agree we need to start matching them in every way.

So you think we should play Russian roulette with our finances/club?

[cc_star]

Nolan would get in many, many Prem sides, his choice to step down b4 seeing who else might be interested is odd, unless he's seen that WH will be going for it in a way he couldn't have expected.

Nolan is fantastic

[shiv]

Last season Ipswich and Middlesbrough (might have been the season before with Boro) both made signings which raised a few eyebrows. I remember thinking that they were both going to challenge for the title and genuinely thought they would both get promoted. Look what happened there. I think as long as we sign players who have quality at this level but are not necessarily "big names", we will go up. Nugent and Derbyshire are perfect examples.

[Bert]

Norwich got promoted with Grant Holt (released on a free by Forest) leading their line last season. No-one expected him to do so well.

QPR won the league with a Combo of Mackie/Helguson leading their line. Whilst its great to have a 20 goal plus striker, what's more important is that the players want to play for the club, there is a good team spirit and they are resolute. Funnily enough, exactly what we seen from Norwich and QPR last season.

Give me Richie Wellens over Shaun Derry any day, but whose going into the premier league? Derry.

A decent pre-season and we'll be in the mix, regardless of who we sign. We need to trust Sven, anyone who doesn't, look at his stats - he's done it wherever he goes.

[Callabinho]

Bert has hit the nail on the head, I admit that I am guilty of panicking at times, looking at West ham an shivering, however I did so when Cardiff announced Bellemy! Both QPR and Nowrich showed that TEAM ethic and cohesion is what gets you out of the league. Norwich played football, they did so as a team no Nolans or yakubu just 11 players, a wise manager, and beleif and trust in their own ability. I'm sure QPR fans covered their mums 3 peice Suits in Jizz when they signed Derry and Makie. Who's to say that Nugent and Derbyshire won't have a similar impact. With the right sort of belief a few new decent players we will be in with a shout. I am aware I have contradicted my earlier post but hey!

[Adster]

Bert has hit the nail on the head, I admit guilty to panicking at times and looking at West ham an shivering, however I did so when Cardiff announced Bellemy! Both QPR and Nowrich showed that TEAM ethic and cohesion is what gets you out of the league. Norwich played football, they did so as a team no Nolans or yakubu just 11 players, a wise manager, and beleif and trust in their own ability. I'm sure QPR fans covered their mums 3 peice Suits in Jizz when they signed Derry and Makie. Who to say that Nugent and Derbyshire won't have a similar impact. With the right sort of belief a few new decent players we will be in with a shout. I am aware I have contradicted my earlier post but hey!

Mmm beer

EDIT: Fvck! Missed it!

[That lad from Japan]

To sign Nolan, west ham took out an unsurcured loan so they could pay his transfer fee and wages for the first year. They are banking on promotion and should they not get promoted, not only will they have an empty ground but the only thing that will save them from going under is upton park. Glad im a leicester fan.

Also West Ham have 60 mil of debt the owners aren't richer in fact they dont come too close to our lot. Why would we want a player thats ageing on a 5 year contract worth around 2.5 million a year. We are looking to sign maynard, nugent and derbyshire when they will lose 7 or 8 players and have spent a lot of money on replacing them with a midfielder that will spend more time looking up to see the ball in the air than actually having it at his feet

[1969]

we all know the sides relegated from the premier league have a massive advantage because of the parachute payments - even if they carry a large debt. but the championship is a different challenge to the premier league and players like derbyshire and nugent- as part of a decent squad - are what we need to mount a serious challenge without risking our future financially.

[Callabinho]

I think Vassell will have a cracker next season. fully fit in this league, I think he will be an important player for us he has certainly still got it!

[DJ Barry Hammond]

West Ham will be up there, Big Sam is no mug and I can see why some might be looking at others and getting concerned that we haven't confirmed anything yet in terms of new signings.

However, it is still a little early and I expect a lot more developments at the turn of the month. Sven will also use the loan system to his advantage again, but this will depend on top prem sides finalising there squads so there is no doubt going to be some very late arrivals as well, but I'd like to think we can get off to a good start and be close to the top come the start of October - I don't see us occupying the bottom half.

And finally as good as Nolan is, we still have Andy King (for now) and he is going to be our X factor again next season (in a big way that could mean he then moves on to pastures new).