Faz

Ok. Mendy is a little older but appears to be quality. Let's see how it gets on. Bellerin I'll give you. Shaw I don't recall seeing for some time now Chilwell is debatable- maybe the same level Robertson is a little older and, imo, not as good. Holgate at or around the same level (and I think is primarily a centre back) Even if all the above are better (Hint: they aren't) it still doesn't mean MT isn't one of the best young full backs in the PL. By most measures he's a talented footballer who deserves a shot. I'm glad we give these guys the opportunity. Why the constant need to denigrate everything associated with the club you supposedly support?

We get pretty much top prices for our players at the time they were sold. The only one I was really disappointed with was Wanyama, but we weren't really in control by then.

Very happy for you to provide a list of those ahead of him.

FFS He is one of the best young full backs in the country. Is he ready, yet, to displace Bertrand? No, of course not. But a 21yo Bertrand wouldn't displace today's Bertrand either.

If you're suggesting he isn't the finished article, I think everyone would agree with that. But surely most don't expect that at his age and 40 appearances behind him he would be? For me he is already a better defender than Danny Fox - I don't get any on those "Where the **** is Fox" moments when he plays. His attacking play will improve with time and confidence, imo. Quite rightly, his immediate priority is not to get caught out too much defensively - which inevitably he will given his age. It's bloody fantastic that we are developing our own, and giving them the time to develop their potential. It gives me a good feeling to see our own youth playing coming through. Frankly, if you can't see the positives in that you should consider supporting West Ham.

Well, he currently is exactly that, cover. What else are you expecting from a 21yo who has the current England LB in front of him in the pecking order? He'll have the opportunity to develop. The expectations of some on here are pretty ridiculous. Where do you suggest we go to unearth world class LB cover who would be prepared to slug it out with Bertrand.

And yet, somehow, he plays Premier League and International under 21 football. Makes you wonder what professionals see for n the lad that a punter like you can't, doesn't it?

Pessimists tend to have shorter life spans. Just saying.....................

Who does Deluded play for at the moment, and how much will he cost us?

...

Which Club Statements?

Piece by Sam Wallace in The Telegraph today suggests the funds are in place, but it's getting the permission to send them from China that is the remaining issue. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/07/30/chinese-company-lander-holdings-risk-missing-chance-buy-controlling/

There's loads of complaints about high squad turnover in previous years, and the complaints when Uncle Les delivers on his promise of a quiet window. No way for Uncle Les to win on this one.

Uncle Les promised us a quiet window.

Post your "Dear Virgil" letters here!

No, but you would presume that in (probably) paying a lump of cash as well for signing said contract, Uncle Les would have re-set his expectations on our ambitions for him and the Club. You also have to presume by our re-action that they went beyond giving us 5 months playing time. You can imagine his new agents dissing his previous agent for getting him to sign the deal and explaining how they can get him out of it and in to a nice new shiny one with Klipperty Klopp, and keep his bonus, and get a big new signing on fee, and a pay rise. I know football is more of a business these days than a sport, but the longer term interest of the club are in not letting him get his way. Stand firm Les, Stand firm.

So his current Agents garnered no benefit from the improved contract. Hmmmm.........

Perfectly achievable here - unless, of course, it really is just abut the money.

That wasn't the point you were making. If your point had been we don't get enough goals from midfield I'd have agreed with you. My point, was that any team shorn of it's key goal scorer (as we were last season) would struggle to achieve, unless they can pay someone of equivalent quality sufficient that they're happy to sit on the bench.

Well, last season Everton would have been buggered without Lukaku, ManU without Zlatan, Chelsea without Costa, Arsenal without Sanchez, Spurs without Kane. Shall I go on?

Nah. Much too young for West Ham. He'd be the tea boy there.

Behave. Our back 4 will clearly be Cedric, Stephens, VVD, Bertrand. All things being equal. Happy to see Step[hens continue to build on his progress last season.

I reckon he's been told to go away, get his head right, and come back ready for the fray. Didn't we do something similar with Morgan?

I thought it was Mo who withdrew him from the squad? And it didn't really impact the charity, did it?