Cloggy's end of season transfer review - Part 3

10 June 2010 15:32
Here we look at the strikers of last season. Name: Guillermo Franco Nationality: Mexican Position: striker Appearances: 16 (7 as a substitute) Review: Franco has been a solid performer for us this season.  Despite the fact that he didn't really play that much, he still managed 5 goals and 3 assists (and he should have gotten another goal against Sunderland at home, but it was wrongly disallowed).  His partnership with Cole, for me, was the best possible combination we had this season.  Franco worked his socks off and tried to find Cole whenever he could with little flick on’s or passes.  All of this from a 33-year-old freebee that was deemed surplus to requirements at Villareal. Many Hammers fans didn't know anything about Franco, but I had seen the Argentinean born striker play for the 'yellow submarine' and for his country in the World Cup of 2006. Franco has never been a really prolific striker in Europe (just take a look at his stats when he was at Villareal) but the truth is that Guilles game isn't all about getting goals himself.  He is a workhorse striker who tries to get other players into the game.  For that reason solely I'd of liked him to get a new contract at West Ham.  He certainly did more than Mido and McCarthy, he adapted himself quite quickly to the English high tempo game and he managed to get us some important goals and assists. He might not have been the 15 goals a season striker we all want, but he has showed effort, commitment, passion and cleverness.  That is more than a lot of our strikers can claim this season. Rating: 7/10   Name: Aurajo Ilan Nationality: Brazilian Position: striker Appearances: 11 (5 as a sub) Review: He arrived on a free transfer from St Etienne in January, with many hammers fans being somewhat underwhelmed by his signing.  After all, a striker who wasn't good enough anymore for a French league club was surely not good enough for us?  After all he only managed a measly 31 goals in 93 games whilst in France. Well the truth is, it all wasn't as straightforward as it would seem. Ilan didn't want to extend his contract and was therefore released. Also, the French league is notorious for being a defensive minded league (the opposite if you like from the premier league). But Hammers fans can be forgiven for acting negative against the former Sochaux striker, after all if you here that we're about to sign a Brazilian striker, you'd like to think it's someone like Robinho or Adriano. What we got instead was a 29 year old striker who managed a total of 4 goals in 11 games, of which he started 6.  It isn't a bad ratio if you look at it.  However, Ilan offered next to nothing apart from those 4 goals. He has always been a finisher, a fox in the box, but not like Franco a workhorse striker. You could argue therefore that signing Ilan was a mistake because we were involved in a relegation battle and we needed someone who'd work his socks off for the team. The Brazilian does not fall into that category; his game was all about being at the right place at the right time to poke to ball into the back of the net (and sometimes he'd fail miserably at that too, think of the Everton away or Burnley away). Sadly, like I said before, when your team spends most of its time in its own box defending for their lives, Ilan is just not the type of striker you need.  He hasn't got the pace to counter attack the opponent, nor is he a particular good header of the ball.  I fully expected him to be released from his contract, and quite frankly I wasn’t disappointed.  He scored a few goals, but that was it.  Time to move on to bigger and better things. Rating: 6/10   Name: Achmed Hossam Mido Nationality: Egyptian Position: Striker Appearances: 9 (4 as a substitute) Review: What can I say? He was on loan, cost us next to nothing in terms of wages and he didn’t score in a brothel, never mind for us. Nuff said.  Rating: 2/10   Name: Benedict McCarthy Nationality: South-African Position: Overweight Striker Appearances: 5 (3 as a substitute) Review: Do I have to? Alright let's put it this way: he was busier trying to help the local McDonalds and Pizza Hut stores keeping in business than he was playing games for West Ham.  Utter waste of money, and now found to be too fat for the WC.  For a man who stated that it was a sort of dream coming true playing for West Ham and wanting to go to the WC in South-Africa that is more than disappointing, it's plain criminal. Let's just hope a miracle happens and he somehow has a late call-up to the WC squad of the Bafana Bafana and he will performs well there, that way someone can take him off our hands (we'll even throw in Dyer and Spector for ya!!) Rating: 2/10 (and that's kind coming from me)

Source: FOOTYMAD