Spector Wonderland - The West Ham Revelation

goddamnit ... specs needs to be kept as close as possible in the back of ...... the other team

 

West Ham aren't exactly tickling the twine in league play; if Spector is generating goals the Undertaker better find a space for the man in the starting lineup in midfield.

 

Exactly. He didn't really play until November as he was training with the team. It seems really natural to move a guy from a wing position to the center if he has lost some lateral movement. Most fullbacks are undersized. Even if they had the skills they would get pushed off the ball in a league like the EPL. Spector is a pretty big fullback compared to the Bornsteins and Cherundolo's of the world.

 

I've read this a few times but I don't know the details... what was the injury? Is the lateral movement something that will return with time? Does he need to have surgery at some point?

 

he looks like he is in pain out there sometimes...

He has definantly g\otten stiffer that is for sure.

 

Yeah, and he lacked the lateral quickness necessary to be good at fullback.

 

His is just sad, but not that unusual, even if the details are a bit weird.

 

Freddy's career arc is all downward. He lacks Spector's sudden upward reversal, at least so far.

 

maybe because as a youth he played in the midfield or striker and went abroad where the coaches put him in the defense and now suddenly the revelation is that he can play midfield or attacking role.

imagine that. he just looks very comfortable in the attack. Maybe he just enjoys taking risks in the attack as opposed to a role of minimizing risks in the defense.

 

correct me if im wrong, but it was in fact a US Youth national coach that started the RB move.

 

he was randomly put in central defense as injury cover at the last minute in a u.s. youth match where a manchester united scout had come to watch the attacking player that spector marked the entire match. it was literally spector's first time playing defense, but man u's scout reported back on how the guy he was supposed to see was shut down by some american kid. was a fluke that spector was in defense on that day, and man u (not the u.s. youth system) was responsible for spector's somewhat permanent switch to the back.

 

a quote about the injury: "He missed the 2008 Olympics and most of the 2008-09 club season after surgery last June to repair a torn labrum and shave down a bone spur in his right hip"

speaking as an observer of sport and not from any med expertise major injuries often require 2 seasons for the athlete to get all of the form back.

no idea if specs gets all his lateral explosiveness back however.

 

SPECTOR OPEN TO OFFERS

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12876_6659092,00.html

looks like West Ham are gonna cash in rather than keep him on. Pity he really was finding a niche it was seeming like. I think hes done plenty well enough for a upper level championship side certainly to be interested. Since QPR are cutting Leigertwood loose (sp?) they could throw Spector right in there. Heck there might be a Premiership level side interested in a bargain. Say.....Birmingham if they do lose Larrson, maybe Wolves.... Id like him to stay in england though myself, hes suited to that style of game IMO.

 

Pure speculation would love to see him go to Bolton. They currently have about 16 healthy guys going at once. Coyle seems like the kind of guy that could find him a niche somewhere in the scheme of things. Even at RB he'd play an attractive style getting in on the attack.

 

I doubt he's good enough to get in the team, and he should be looking to be more than a bit-part player at this stage in his career.

 

Half the team is injured or hobbling back. Doesn't Specs have six months left on his contract? With Arsene sniffing around Cahill. And Coyle fighting a two front war for Wheater and Gentiletti, Spector could provide a lot of cover in a lot of areas. I'd like for him to remain in the top flight. He won't even be a bit part player in the Nats setup if he drops to the Championship.

 

O'neill in for Grant it looks like.

 

It's a needed move.

 

well it looks like Grant is indeed staying at West Ham. Thatll pay dividends for them down the road i think. Hes a really good coach and he will keep them up IMO.

 

Avram Grant - Hebrew for Tony Sparano.

 

I wish him luck. He is good enough to compete for a starting role in the PL so I'd hate if he dropped to the Championship. He must still have some interest in Germany or even Holland.

 

Really suprised no one posted before me today.

Another league start, this tim at RM and another goal, what's new?

 

I've been a Specs basher in the past, but I have to admit that he made a nice "soccer IQ" run to get in position for that goal today. He does seem to be pretty good at burying his chances.

 

Kinda makes you wish he had stayed a striker all these years, doesn't it?