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I’ve always been impressed by a managers ability to convert players from 1 position to another and solve problems. Joe Linton from striker to midfield general etc..

Who would be a candidate for that in our team?

My shout would be AWB to Central Midfielder. Given that we have KWP who can play RB. 
I just think he has the skill, can time tackles very well (better than anyone on the team) and has pace.
Everything we lack in the midfield.

Who else?
 

Tony Cascarino agrees with me haha! 

the midfield general is our biggest issue. We saw the difference putting Mengasa and Fernandes in midfield made. You need monsters in that position. You can’t have teams just running through you like they’re never getting tackled. AWB will sliding tackle the shit out of you and win 90% of the time. 

if you’re going to “experiment” do that. We are blessed that do some odd reason we have a competent RB in KWP so we wouldn’t lose out. 

 

threesixty wrote: ↑24 Oct 2025, 15:38

John Drake" wrote: ↑24 Oct 2025, 14:23 Have to say I'm staggered by the idea of Soucek as a centre back. Arguably he would win a few headed duals but the lack of pace and woeful passing/ control would surely be a massive liability.

And don't call me Shirley 

 

Sometimes it’s more about positioning and timing than pace. You see it with Van Dyke. Not the fastest in the world but he’s always where he should be. 
our current CD are not switched on enough.
Plus soucek can actually head the ball and is actually a goal threat from corners. I’m not sure any of our cd’s have scored yet? Maybe Mav ages ago?

John Drake" wrote: ↑24 Oct 2025, 14:23 Have to say I'm staggered by the idea of Soucek as a centre back. Arguably he would win a few headed duals but the lack of pace and woeful passing/ control would surely be a massive liability.

And don't call me Shirley 

 

Sir Alf" wrote: ↑24 Oct 2025, 14:11 Worth yhinking about 360 but unlikely. Managers seem to do the “definition of insanity” routine a lot

My converted starting 11 with far less converts
Compact in midfield. Potts and Summerville to come on for Magassa and Wilson.

————/-/-/aerola
KWP - Soucek - Kilman - Diouf
——AWB - Magassa - Todibo- Fernandes
——Bowen - Wilson

Have to say I'm staggered by the idea of Soucek as a centre back. Arguably he would win a few headed duals but the lack of pace and woeful passing/ control would surely be a massive liability.

And don't call me Shirley 

Worth yhinking about 360 but unlikely. Managers seem to do the “definition of insanity” routine a lot

My converted starting 11 with far less converts
Compact in midfield. Potts and Summerville to come on for Magassa and Wilson.

————/-/-/aerola
KWP - Soucek - Kilman - Diouf
——AWB - Magassa - Todibo- Fernandes
——Bowen - Wilson

My converted team:

————/-/-/aerola
KWP - Soucek - Kilman - Diouf
——AWB - Todibo - Paqueta 
——Bowen - Wilson - Summerville 

Or

—————areola
——KWP-Soucek-Kilman
—————-Todibo
       AWB - Paq - Diouf 
——Bowen - wilson - Summerville 

I feel like apart from maybe Potts are mid’s are just not strong enough. I think a mid with decent tacklers in Awb and Todibo + Paq will make it harder for teams to control the midfield. Which is always our problem. 

Since Carroll we haven't had a proper no 9. We converted Arnie and Antonio and have had "false"": ones. Says it all really. 

southbankbornnbred wrote: ↑24 Oct 2025, 07:35

John Drake" wrote: ↑24 Oct 2025, 00:13 Mads can become Nuno's latest technical innovation. The False 1.

Isn’t he already a false #1?

John Drake" wrote: ↑24 Oct 2025, 00:13 Mads can become Nuno's latest technical innovation. The False 1.

Soucek as a CB.
Diouf as a box to box midfielder as he can’t defend.
AWB to a midfielder.
 

Mads can become Nuno's latest technical innovation. The False 1.

Rossal wrote: ↑22 Oct 2025, 11:38 Turning Hermadsen into the next Eyal Berkovic is our best bet at the moment 

I thought this thread was going to be about religion, which reminds me that I read somewhere that at Twickenham stadium, Billy Graham tried to convert 100 people he managed 90 but 10 bounced back off the posts.

Steve Potts could do a half decent job wherever he was played and despite his lack of inches was a very capable central defender.

Antonios strength pace and athleticism allowed him to be effective wherever he was played and turned out to be a very effective centre forward at his peak when converted by Moyes

George Parris would do a job wherever selected and give it his all.

Bonzo naturally became a centre half as the legs got older and continued to lead by example.

Tony Gale a midfielder at Fulham became a classy ball playing centre half who would much prefer to take a ball down on his chest rather than head it such was his class.

Hayden Mullins although primarily played in a defensive midfield role for us was signed as a utility player and could be called upon to fill in as a centre back even left back when required.

He was another very underrated player keeping Mascherano out the side.

All those mentioned above had something about them and would be prepared to give it a go.

Good lads one and all.
 

Geoff Hurst was the obvious one, inspired decision by Ron. Not a major change of position but I think Alan Dev was a right winger originally but I remember he played most of his career on the left. Martin Peters seemed to do well anywhere as he wore every shirt from 1-11.  Outside West Ham Thierry Henri was probably one of the most sucessfull, as he joined Arsenal as a winger.  And was it Harry who moved Bale up from left back to a flying winger?

dealcanvey wrote: ↑23 Oct 2025, 10:57

Was it Moyes who moved Rice up to DM or Pellegrini? 

Antonio and Arnautovic to CF were both hella successful.

Thank you, Mr Moyes.

Arnie and Antonio. Arguably two of our best forwards in recent years. Mainly because we have been so bad at signing them but still Moyes done well to spot the potential there especially in Arnie who has played as an ST ever since.

Was it Moyes who moved Rice up to DM or Pellegrini? 

I like the way that Arteta has converted Declan.

Steve Potts from a right back to a centre back was successful. I’d play KWP & AWB ahead of Kilman & Todibo they’re so poor. In fact I’d play almost anyone who can tackle ahead of those two. In an ideal world I’d never have to see either player in a West Ham shirt ever again. 

Strength 
Pace
Agility
Ability
Smartness

How many of our players tick a majority of these boxes?
Our current midfield and defence ticks NONE
 

If Nuno has anything to do with converting players after that last fiasco then it's a big fat no from me. That Full Back and Paqueta experiments will live long in the memory of how not to do it.

I absolutely take the point about the horrible position we're in - and trying to find the right blend of players in midfield. We are hopeless in that key area at the moment and have been since Rice left.

But I just don't fancy the chances of most players in this squad being able to adapt to a brand new position, in a different part of the team, while we're in the middle of a huge dogfight for points. The fans will slaughter them. Especially if we try a full-back there ahead of Potts, for example.

Plus, AWB is our best right back. I know KWP has played pretty well there - and fair play to him: he's been better than I thought. But in terms of ability, AWB is the better player. He was class last season.

Play your best players in their best positions is surely the best starting point?

Good ol' Joe.