The off-season: West Ham United

Last season West Ham United were the most average team in the Premier League and probably in the world. Too good to go down but too crap to vie for European places, there season petered out by February. With the recent takeover Hammer fans should be expect to challenge for Europe. Yet the money has been tighten and Alan Curbishley needs to sell before he can, which has lead him to shed some excess weight already.

GK: Robert Green, James Walker

After Richard Wright was sold back to old club Ipswich Town, it will be just two keepers battling it out. I don't know why Green has been ignored by McClaren and now Capello in the England reckoning. He clearly is better than most English keepers around.

RB: Lucas Neill

Now with Pantsil having gone to Fulham, Curbishley will probably need another right-back but he still has the option of playing Spector here.

LB: George McCartney

West Ham United seems to be lacking full backs, with only McCartney being the only left-back. And he's not that good either. There has been rumours of Nicky Shorey at six million pounds but with purse strings being tighten, Curbishley has to look elsewhere.

CB: Danny Gabbidon, Anton Ferdinand, Matthew Upson, Jonathan Spector, James Collins, Calum Davenport

Probably a well packed area but with too many inferior players. Gabbidon, Collins & Davenport are surplus to requirements whilst Ferdinand has been shopped around since his off-the-field behaviour has been overshadowing his performances. It only leaves Upson & Spector as the real centre-backs likely to keep their places.

WG: Fredrik Ljungberg, Julien Faubert, Kieron Dyer, Matthew Etherington, Luis Boa Morte

At one point Curbishley had too many right-wingers but after getting rid of Norberto Solano and most likely to payout Ljunberg to go somewhere else the number and quality of wingers is just right.

CM: Scott Parker, Mark Noble, Hayden Mullins, Lee Bowyer, Nigel Quashie

After hopefully getting his worst buy in the form of Quashie, it is most likely Curbishley will just consolidate in this area.

FW: Dean Ashton, Craig Bellamy, Carlton Cole

After selling Zamora (which I think is a bad idea) and not keep Henri Camara, there is a need for a striker, especially with the injury problems of Bellamy and Cole's uncertain future. There haven't been any names flouted around, since it will require a considerable amount to pay for somebody decent.

Summary

In: 1 x Right-back, 1 x Left-back, 1 x Forward
Out: Collins, Davenport, Ljungberg, Quashie