Domino theory: everyone calm down

As Aaron Rodgers told Green Bay Packer fans two years ago everyone needs to R-E-L-A-X. We’re three weeks into the summer transfer window and it seems many Hammers fans are resigned to the fact that there won’t be any major summer signings. (How quickly we forget we’ve already made one big signing in Pablo Zabaleta.). If there’s one thing Hammers fans like more than the Hammers it’s moaning about the Hammers.

After a flurry of rumors about signing young promising strikers in the early days of the transfer season it’s been quiet on the transfer front from West Ham. Hope sprang eternal when rumors of Kelechi Iheanacho signing quickly were everywhere. Fans were excited about possibly having our transfer business done before summer even started. (That was a complete pipe dream by the way) Now a month in and it’s been silence on the signing front and many fans are frustrated and worried there won’t be any improvement in personnel in East London.

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The domino theory is at play here and unfortunately the Hammers are at the mercy of other teams signings. It would be nice to be able to spend 80 million and be the first domino to fall but West Ham isn’t in that position. Every team in the world is looking to bolster their attack this summer and until they do they won’t let go of anyone that can produce. It makes sense why offload someone productive before you have a replacement in place?

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Notice that no one has made a major striker signing yet? Not Man City, not Man U, not Chelsea, not Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, no one has signed a big striker yet. There’s no reason to worry just yet about the Hammers signings.....yet.

One of the big boys will make the first domino fall and then Iheanacho, Michy Batshuayi, Olivier Giroud, and the rest will begin to fall as well. Once they start falling is when we can truly start to determine how this summer is going to go. West Ham need Manchester City to get Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, to truly get negotiations for Icheanacho started. They need Chelsea to get Romelu Lukaku, to free up Batshuayi, they need Arsenal to make a move to get Giroud negotiations started. It’s all a horrible game of dominoes which the Hammers can’t control.

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The lack of information on the transfer front doesn’t worry me one bit yet. It’s completely logical and to be expected. However, once the dominoes start to fall is when we can truly start to worry. Sure, Everton have made signings as has Leicester City but we’re not looking for players in those positions. The Hammers are interested in one position and one position only: striker. Until others make moves we just have to wait it out and RELAX.

Even if we manage to strikeout and get none of the big three we’re linked with I’m not too worried about next season. The team under-performed last season and has the talent to be a top half team.

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Let’s not forget some of the “bargain” players we’ve signed over the years have been pretty damn good. Aaron Cresswell, Dimitri Payet, Cheikhou Kouyaté, Manuel Lanzini, Diafra Sakho (when fit), and even guys like Edimilson Fernandes. I bet we can sign a few more if we have to.

So can we please calm down and quit acting like a team that is a lock to go down?