James Ward-Prowse

[chiknsmack]

19 minutes ago, The Kraken said:

Sorry but you’re talking complete bollocks. It was eminently clear from pre season and early season that Lavia was intended to be the main man. In that PL season he started all of our games in August; so right from the first game he was pitched into a starting first team role. Romeu started just one game in August and was on the bench in three more before his move to Girona was agreed.

It was eminently clear before that that he wasn't bought to be the club's only DM. He impressed enough in preseason to get the starting role over Romeu, in the same way that Livramento impressed enough in his first preseason to get the starting role over KWP. But just like Livramento he wasn't bought to be an immediate starter, and just like Livramento he broke down because teenagers can't play every game in the PL and instead should be backup to, or backed up by, established players.

It is because of the good start Lavia made that letting Romeu leave was even considered. It was not part of the plan when Lavia signed.

[The Kraken]

1 minute ago, chiknsmack said:

It was eminently clear before that that he wasn't bought to be the club's only DM. He impressed enough in preseason to get the starting role over Romeu, in the same way that Livramento impressed enough in his first preseason to get the starting role over KWP. But just like Livramento he wasn't bought to be an immediate starter, and just like Livramento he broke down because teenagers can't play every game in the PL and instead should be backup to, or backed up by, established players.

It is because of the good start Lavia made that letting Romeu leave was even considered. It was not part of the plan when Lavia signed.

Literally nobody said that Lavia was bought to be the only DM. But he was very clearly identified as our primary starting CM that season, right from the very first pre season games the intention was clear that this lad was deemed something special.  Then all through pre season and then the league in August, he was absolutely front and centre. I remember watching the pre season games and commenting on here that I was surprised how Romeu wasn’t getting much action and Lavia seemed to be being favoured.

It’s a complete and utter fabrication to suggest, what was it you said? Ah yes, “Lavia was signed to start the season as Romeu's backup/apprentice before taking over around mid-season”. He didn’t start as backup to anybody, right from the very first pre season game he was massively prominent, then he started literally every single league game until Romeu left the club. SFC also signed Maitland-Niles, a terrible signing but quite clearly the intention was he’d be the support act in CM to Lavia’s main role.

 

[S-Clarke]

1 hour ago, chiknsmack said:

It was eminently clear before that that he wasn't bought to be the club's only DM. He impressed enough in preseason to get the starting role over Romeu, in the same way that Livramento impressed enough in his first preseason to get the starting role over KWP. But just like Livramento he wasn't bought to be an immediate starter, and just like Livramento he broke down because teenagers can't play every game in the PL and instead should be backup to, or backed up by, established players.

It is because of the good start Lavia made that letting Romeu leave was even considered. It was not part of the plan when Lavia signed.

I would argue that both Lavia and Tino were investments that the club envisaged huge return on in the near future, and that they'd play pretty much from day 1 - and they both did. They were both head and shoulders above everyone else which was pretty much expected by the club I'd have thought.

I agree that he wasn't bought as the only DM, sadly we brought in AMN who we thought could do that role - but he's not even a footballer, so that was a poor sight by the club.

Lavia and Tino were brought as first team players though, with a view to sell on for mega money within 12 months - which happened pretty much.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

I thought there was a mix of things going on with Romeu's departure.

He was very happy at the club and the area. He had become our regular starter by then.

Later, and I read it as contract negotiations, there was a hint of a move somewhere else.

Livramento's success was the perfect example for SR (even if he was starting to look tired, before his injury)

They were also looking to significantly reduce the wage bill.

Lavia turned out to be another good fit.

Whether the club had told Romeo that his minutes would be more limited. Or if he could see SR's approach and saw he wasn't going to be first choice.

The club may have had to give Latvia some assurances to get him here too.

When the offer came in, it would have been a tough decision for Romeu. Some of it suited him. Some of it suited the club's goals. The deal needed some additional help to get over the line, even then.

It would have been perfect if the club had realised it was a position that already needed strengthening. That young players are not going to be able to consistently perform across a season, not to mention fatigue and injury.

There were plenty of minutes there for both of them. It's a shame that the club didn't find a way for that to be communicated to both enough, that they both wanted to stay. Had they both played, then there would perhaps been an issue elsewhere, but could have been resolved. We really needed both.

AMN, as others who knew much more than I did about him, commented on what a poor replacement he was for that position at the time.

There's a bit of me that thinks the club gets carried away with itself (not just SR). I'd hope it's mainly PR, but suspect they actually believe it. So cutting wages and bringing in young talent may have made them keener than they should have been to move some players on.

Throughout all this, and his career, Romeu was a consummate professional. One of my favourites in recent years. A mix of everything we want in a midfielder from breaking up play, technical ability and getting us organised and moving.

[East Kent Saint]

Scores from open play to start WHU revival , now 3-1 !

[CB Fry]

Just the fiftieth first team appearance for JWP for West Ham.

Such a shame he hasn't had any game time at all and has spent the whole season kicking his heels 😪😪😪😪😪

tHe gRaSs iS nOt aLwAyS gReEnER

[SaintTex]

10 hours ago, CB Fry said:

Just the fiftieth first team appearance for JWP for West Ham.

Such a shame he hasn't had any game time at all and has spent the whole season kicking his heels 😪😪😪😪😪

tHe gRaSs iS nOt aLwAyS gReEnER

 

Interestingly.. 

JWP 2,916 league minutes

the other 4 top players we sold have less league minutes combined : 2,356

• ABK 163
• Lavia 32
• Salisu 855
• Livramento 1306

Edited May 12 by SaintTex

[JRM]

21 hours ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

I thought there was a mix of things going on with Romeu's departure.

He was very happy at the club and the area. He had become our regular starter by then.

Later, and I read it as contract negotiations, there was a hint of a move somewhere else.

Livramento's success was the perfect example for SR (even if he was starting to look tired, before his injury)

They were also looking to significantly reduce the wage bill.

Lavia turned out to be another good fit.

Whether the club had told Romeo that his minutes would be more limited. Or if he could see SR's approach and saw he wasn't going to be first choice.

The club may have had to give Latvia some assurances to get him here too.

When the offer came in, it would have been a tough decision for Romeu. Some of it suited him. Some of it suited the club's goals. The deal needed some additional help to get over the line, even then.

It would have been perfect if the club had realised it was a position that already needed strengthening. That young players are not going to be able to consistently perform across a season, not to mention fatigue and injury.

There were plenty of minutes there for both of them. It's a shame that the club didn't find a way for that to be communicated to both enough, that they both wanted to stay. Had they both played, then there would perhaps been an issue elsewhere, but could have been resolved. We really needed both.

AMN, as others who knew much more than I did about him, commented on what a poor replacement he was for that position at the time.

There's a bit of me that thinks the club gets carried away with itself (not just SR). I'd hope it's mainly PR, but suspect they actually believe it. So cutting wages and bringing in young talent may have made them keener than they should have been to move some players on.

Throughout all this, and his career, Romeu was a consummate professional. One of my favourites in recent years. A mix of everything we want in a midfielder from breaking up play, technical ability and getting us organised and moving.

At the time I recall talk that Romeu's departure was also linked somehow to our dealings with Man City, we were doing loads of business with them and Romeu moved to Girona owned by the same people.