Daily WHUFC News - 7th February 2016

Southampton 1-0 West Ham United
Barclays Premier League
WHUFC.com

West Ham United slipped to Barclays Premier League defeat at St Mary's on
Saturday evening, as Maya Yoshida's early goal earned ten-man Southampton
all three points. The Japanese defender nipped in after just nine minutes
to convert Victor Wanyama's low centre and notch, as it turned out, the
game's only goal. For the Hammers, Winston Reid saw a header brilliantly
kept out by the in-form Fraser Forster, while Enner Valencia had claims for
a spot-kick after a coming-together with Yoshida.
The visitors' cause was significantly improved after the break by the
dismissal of Wanyama, who saw red for a rash lunge on Dimitri Payet, but
still there was no way through. Substitute and debutant Emmanuel Emenike
went closest with a near-post header as Southampton clung on to a fifth
successive clean sheet to send the Hammers home empty handed. Cheikhou
Kouyate missed out paving the way for Victor Moses to return, while Andy
Carroll made a welcome return to the matchday squad, joining the fit-again
Sam Byram and new boy Emenike on the bench.
At a sodden St Mary's the Saints started with the bit between their teeth
and Adrian was called into action after eight minutes. The Spaniard stooped
to his right to repel Cedric's header from a deep Shane Long centre. But
there was nothing he could do moments later to prevent Yoshida firing the
Saints in front. It was a messy affair. Victor Wanyama prodded a low cross
into the box and there was Yoshida to gleefully blast home from point-blank
range. Then Graziano Pelle leapt to meet Cedric's ball in but this time,
thankfully, nodded over the top.

In response, Victor Moses was allowed to run, and run, but his 20-yard drive
was blocked and looped harmlessly into the arms of Fraser Forster.
Forster had no such luxury after 28 minutes. Dimitri Payet's free-kick was
met by a glancing Winston Reid header and Forster reacted smartly to foil
the New Zealander. Alex Song tried to send the rebound goalward but there
were too many bodies between him and goal. Reid had another go from a Payet
corner but his header, from a tight angle, cleared the crossbar.

Into the second half and the Mark Noble's early ball set Enner Valencia in
the clear down the right. The angle was a tight one and the Ecuadorean's
near-post drive was comfortably gathered. And as West Ham began to turn the
screw, Wanyama gave the visitors a considerable helping hand. The
midfielder's lunge on Payet was wild and unnecessary, and earned a straight
red from referee Mark Clattenburg. The Hammers made a double switch on the
hour, the first tactical, the second enforced. Moses made way for Carroll,
while an injured James Tomkins limped from the field, replaced by January
recruit Byram. But despite their numerical advantage, West Ham very nearly
conceded a second. Shane Long nipped in at the expense of James Collins and
missed by a whisker at the near post. Adrian wasn't getting there.

Slaven Bilic rolled the dice for a third and final time with the
introduction of debutant Emenike and his impact might have been instant. The
Nigerian latched onto Valencia's fine right-wing cross, only to head wide of
the near post. Then, Valencia sought to take matters into his own hands. His
fierce strike from the edge of the box cannoned into the body of Carroll and
into the arms of the grateful Forster. Still West Ham pressed, now with
three up top, but the ball just would not fall for the visitors in the box
as five minutes of additional time came and went.

Southampton: Forster, Cedric, Yoshida, Clasie, Fonte, Long, Mane (Romeu 56),
Wanyama, van Dijk, Pelle (Austin 72), Bertrand
Subs: Stekelenburg, Tadic, Martina, Ward-Prowse, Juanmi
Goal: Yoshida 9
Booked: Clasie
Sent off: Wanyama

West Ham United: Adrian, Tomkins (Byram 61), Reid, Collins, Cresswell, Song,
Moses (Carroll 61), Noble (c), Payet, Antonio (Emenike 73), Valencia
Subs: Randolph, Obiang, O'Brien, Oxford
Booked: Payet, Valencia

Referee: Mark Clattenburg

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Young Hammers end season on a high
WHUFC.com

West Ham United's U18s finished off their Barclays U18 Premier League South
campaign in some style with a 2-0 victory away at Brighton and Hove Albion
on Saturday 6 February. In the first half, in-form forward Dan Kemp fired
the visitors ahead from the penalty spot, his fourth goal in as many games,
before Grady Diangana netted to seal the three points by scoring an
outstanding lob with 20 minutes left. After three home 2-1 victories over
Aston Villa, Southampton and Swansea in recent weeks, the Academy made just
one change to the starting line-up. With Alfie Lewis representing the U16s
on the far pitch at the American Express Elite Performance Centre, captain
Noha Sylvestre returned to the midfield alongside Matty Carter. The hosts
looked sharp in the opening stages of the game and could have taken an early
lead when the Seagulls' centre-forward ran through on goal however towering
goalkeeper Rihards Matrevics was off his line quickly to smother the ball
and clear the danger.

It was West Ham who took the lead after half an hour when a throw into the
box found Jahmal Hector-Ingram, who spun round and was tripped by a Brighton
defender. However, despite the visitors claim for a penalty, their cries
fell on deaf ears. Moments later, Kemp was felled in the box and this time
the spot kick was given. Kemp, picked himself up and fired into the corner
to take his recent goal tally to four goals in as many games. The visitors
maintained their impressive tempo and almost extended their lead when a
quick counter-attack involving Browne, Diangana and Hector-Ingram allowed
Borg to get forward on the left and fire a powerful low ball across the face
which fell inches away from Hector-Ingram finishing at the back post.

Into the second half, and the Hammers' game plan appeared to be working
well, with the Seagulls struggling to control the Hammers attacking threat.
The pressure told on 69 minutes when the home goalkeeper was forced into a
mistake and his short clearance went straight to Diangana, who doubled the
visitors lead with an audacious lob from 30 yards. Having played all 22 of
their Barclays U18 Premier League South fixtures, the Hammers will have to
wait to see if they have qualified for the top four play off spots. In
total, they have won eleven along the way, with four draws and just seven
defeats.

Once the other teams in the league have completed their fixtures in both the
Northern and Southern league, the two leagues will split into three
four-team groups based on league position. Each team will then enter the
end-of-season play-off stage against the matching teams in the Northern
division.

U18: Matrevics, Eggleton, Akinola, Rice, Borg, Carter, Sylvestre, Browne
(Kanu), Diangana, Kemp (Scully), Hector-Ingram
Subs not used: Leonard, Lewis, Henry.

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Bilic - We're gutted
WHUFC.com

Slaven Bilic was disappointed with the manner in which his side fell to
defeat at Southampton on Saturday. The Hammers were made to pay for making a
slow start, with Maya Yoshida taking full advantage to score the only goal
of the game with nine minutes played. Victor Wanyama's red card early in the
second half gave Bilic's side a route back into the contest, but he was
frustrated that they could not make use of that opportunity. "Of course we
are gutted because this was a great opportunity for us," he said. "It's a
game we didn't deserve to lose - we made a sloppy start but were the better
team for three-quarters of the game. "The end of the first half, the start
of the second half and especially after they went down to ten men we were
better, but we can't start like that. "We helped them a lot. They started
lively, but we gave them a couple of corners unnecessarily, and from the
quantity of balls into the box they've scored. "We played really good after
that, until we got to the box, but our delivery was not good enough. "They
defended well, even with ten men you can fill the box with numbers and we
were getting into the situations where you need some extra quality. "A
better cross, or some excellent movement , but we didn't do it. We didn't
test their keeper [often enough] and they defended really good. We are
gutted that we lost this way. "Tuesday is the next game, we have to lift
ourselves up, learn from our mistakes and beat Liverpool."

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Southampton 1-0 West Ham United
By James Gheerbrant
BBC Sport

Southampton earned their fourth win in five matches, despite a third red
card of the season for midfielder Victor Wanyama. Saints started strongly
and took the lead when Maya Yoshida smashed home Sadio Mane's centre.
Wanyama received a straight red from referee Mark Clattenburg for diving in
on West Ham midfielder Dimitri Payet. The hosts survived a late scare when
defender Cedric sliced a clearance narrowly past his own post. Striker
Emmanuel Emenike - a January arrival on loan from Fenerbahce - made his
debut for the Hammers, but he missed the opportunity to earn a point for his
side when he headed wide from Enner Valencia's cross. The victory lifts
Southampton to seventh in the Premier League table, just one place and two
points behind their opponents.

Wanyama's moment of madness

West Ham will be disappointed not to take anything from the game after
playing the last 37 minutes with an extra man. Wanyama - in his third season
at St Mary's - is one of Southampton's senior players and can be a highly
effective operator at the base of midfield, but his appetite for a tackle
can also be his undoing. Having already been dismissed against Bournemouth
and Norwich this season, Wanyama became the first player since Wes Brown in
2013-14 to receive three red cards in the same season. In truth, it was
perhaps a case of the player's reputation preceding him, as Wanyama's
challenge didn't appear to make significant contact with Payet, but Mark
Clattenburg - whose tally of five red cards this season is the
second-highest among referees - decided that the tackle was worthy of a
straight red.

Saints defence stands firm again

Southampton were more adventurous in their attacking play before the red
card (left), dropping much deeper when they were down to 10 men (right)
That Southampton were able to see out the remainder of the match with 10 men
owed much to another excellent performance from their back four, plus
goalkeeper Fraser Forster.

Southampton boss Ronald Koeman
Since Forster returned from patellar tendon surgery last month, the team has
recorded five clean sheets in a row - roughly seven and a half hours of
football without conceding. It wasn't one of Forster's busier evenings -
though he did show his class with a brilliant reflex stop from a Winston
Reid header - as centre-backs Virgil van Dijk and Jose Fonte dominated
Hammers strikers Enner Valencia and substitutes Emenike and Andy Carroll.

Missed opportunity for wasteful Hammers

For West Ham, this was a missed opportunity to overhaul Manchester United in
fifth place - and the Hammers will rue their profligacy in front of goal.
Slaven Bilic's side had 18 shots - but only found the target with two. Enner
Valencia had been in excellent form, with four goals in his previous four
games, but here the Ecuadorian striker was uncharacteristically wayward,
shanking an effort wide from the edge of the area when well placed.

Man of the match - Maya Yoshida
Not only did Yoshida (right) score the game's only goal, he also made seven
clearances and three interceptions

What they said

Southampton manager Ronald Koeman: "I'm very pleased with the final result.
It was a difficult game from the start, more difficult after the red card to
Victor Wanyama. "But even with one less on the pitch we had the best chances
to score a second. We showed very good defensive composure, good defending.
I don't remember one big chance [for West Ham]." On Wanyama's sending off:
"You can't do that tackle. It's a hard tackle. You give the referee the
possibility to give the red card."

West Ham manager Slaven Bilic: "First I would like to congratulate
Southampton. They were very good at defending in the box. They deserve this.
"We did not create enough. Our crosses were quite poor, they defended really
well. When you lose a game like this, we are gutted. "For me it was a red
card. When that second leg comes... it was a reckless challenge."

The stats you need to know

Two of Maya Yoshida's three Premier League goals have been against West Ham
United.
Victor Wanyama is the seventh player to be sent off three times in the same
Premier League season, joining Vinnie Jones, David Batty, Slaven Bilic,
Craig Short, Frank Queudrue and Wes Brown.
There has been a Premier League high of 10 red cards in West Ham games this
season (four for them, six for the opposition).
Fraser Forster's clean-sheet percentage is the best of any goalkeeper with
30 or more Premier League appearances, with 18 clean sheets from his 35
games (51.4%).

What's next?

Southampton visit Swansea next Saturday, while West Ham travel to Norwich.

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Southampton 1-0 West Ham Utd
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 6th February 2016
By: Staff Writer

West Ham slumped to a disappointing defeat at the hands of Southampton this
afternoon - despite enjoying a man advantage for much of the second half.

The Saints were reduced to ten men just eight minutes into the second half
when Victor Wanyama received his marching orders for the third time this
season following a scything challenge on Dimitri Payet - a 'tackle' not
dissimilar to the one by Everton's James McCarthy that sidelines Payet for
several weeks earlier in the season.

However West Ham barely troubled Saints 'keeper Fraser Forster thereafter -
despite enjoying nearly 80 PER CENT of possession in the second half -
meaning that Maya Yoshida's eighth-minute strike was enough to secure all
three points for Southampton who closed the gap between them and the Hammers
from five to just two points.

The Japanese international, taking advantage of uncertainly in the Hammers
rearguard struck from only six yards out to score the only goal of the game
after Enner Velancia inadvertently sent the ball into his path, following a
half-hearted attempt to clear the ball from danger.

Disappointingly that was the tenth match out of 28 this season in which the
Hammers have conceded an early first half goal - from which Slaven Bilic's
side have only gone on to win twice.

Yet they really should have been granted the opportunity to level from the
spot when goalscorer Yoshida clearly clipped Valencia's ankle as both
players approached the byeline as the half wore on - but not according to
referee Mark Clattenburg, who simply waved play on despite the Ecuador
international's protestations.

That incident may well have still been playing on the official's mind when
Wanyama decided to hook his legs around Payet's ankles as the Frenchman
strode into opposition territory eight minutes into the second half. Whilst
the challenge was an ugly one with potential to cause serious injury, many
officials would have deemed a yellow card sufficient.

Not that it proved to be any great advantage to West Ham, who instead of
trying to break down a resolute Saints side with eleven men were left with
the task of doing so against ten men playing even deeper than they already
had been!

Sadly for the Hammers key man DImitri Payet was having an off day and, as
has often been the case this season, when he fails to spark so do West Ham.

Indeed the closest West Ham came to scoring following Wanyama's dismissal
came when Yoshida went perilously close to scoring an own goal from a hashed
attempt at a clearance that almost looped over the head of goalkeeper
Forster.

And not even the introduction of Andy Carroll - making his first start since
the 3-1 win at Bournemouth last month - and new signing Emmanuel Emenike
could help West Ham find that elusive goal that would have given them a
share of the spoils - something that they probably deserved on balance of
play.

There was further bad news for West Ham when James Tomkins limped off midway
through the second half with what looked like a strain - an injury that
could potentially keep him sidelined for several weeks.

And with replacement Sam Byram Cup-tied as a result of his previous
involvement in the competition with Leeds United, that could mean a recall
for Joey O'Brien against Liverpool in the FA Cup replay against Liverpool on
Tuesday night.


Ten games in which West Ham have fallen behind early on

Aug: Leicester (h), Bournemouth (h)
Sep: Leicester (a), Norwich (h)
Oct: Sunderland (a)
Nov: Tottenham (a)
Dec: Southampton (h)
Jan: Bournemouth (a), Newcastle (a)
Feb: Southampton (a)

Total: W2 D2 L6

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Slaven Bilic 'gutted' as West Ham lose to 10-man Southampton
By Sam Drury
Last Updated: 06/02/16 8:41pm
SSN

West Ham manager Slaven Bilic believes his side lost their clash with
Southampton in the first 15 minutes of the game. Maya Yoshida scored the
only goal of the match at St Mary's in the ninth minute and despite the
sending off of Victor Wanyama just after half-time, West Ham were unable to
muster an equaliser on Saturday night. Bilic said he and his players were
'gutted', not just by the result but also by the manner of it.
"First I would like to congratulate Southampton, they fought and they were
very good in defending the box so they deserve it," the Croatian said.
"It was one of those defeats that is really hard to take and it was down to
- I said this to the guys in the dressing room at half-time - the first 15
minutes, where we basically gave them a couple of corners unnecessarily.
They were better on the second balls, they were better in the first 15
minutes. "We started better in the second half and then when they were with
10 men, we were dominating and all that but we didn't create enough. "Our
crosses were quite poor or they defended really well. You can lose a game
but when you lose a game like this - we are gutted."

Asked about the decision to send off Wanyama for his challenge on Dimitri
Payet, Bilic insisted that it was the correct decision. "It didn't turn out
to be a key moment because it was 1-0 at the end," he added. "It was a red
card, I mean he didn't get Dimitri but, in my opinion - sliding is OK of
course - when that second leg comes and you do scissors, it is so dangerous.
"It was a reckless challenge from their player so, for me, it was a red
card." The Hammers boss also confirmed that the calf injury that forced
James Tomkins off was not "too bad" and that the defender had initially felt
it in the warm-up but indicated that he was fine to play regardless.

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West Ham boss Slaven Bilic to be offered new contract to keep him at the
club until 2021
22:30, 6 FEB 2016
BY FOOTBALL SPY
The 47-year-old signed a three-year contract when he joined in the summer
but has sufficiently impressed the board for them to think longer-term

The Mirror

West Ham are to offer Slaven Bilic a new contract that will keep him at the
club for the next five years. The 47-year-old Croatian joined from Turkish
club Besiktas last June and signed a three-year deal. He has led the club
into the top cluster of clubs in the Premier League and the chance of a
place in the fifth round of the FA Cup. They play Liverpool at Upton Park on
Tuesday in a fourth-round replay. West Ham have also achieved a league
double over Liverpool, won at Manchester City and opened the season with a
victory at the Emirates against Arsenal. Bilic's brief was to ensure that
West Ham are in the top flight when they move to their new home at the
Olympic Stadium next season. That was essential - and under Bilic it is now
guaranteed. Indeed, there is every chance West Ham will be playing European
football in their re-vamped base. His approach and success has impressed the
club board of David Gold, David Sullivan and Karren Brady. And his style of
play and the import of players like Dimitri Payet and Manuel Lanzini has
made a firm favourite with the fans. Bilic met with co-owner Sullivan last
Tuesday and a new deal was on the agenda. It looks certain Bilic will agree
to the offer as he looks to build on the success he has achieved this
season. The talks also reflect the determination and ambition of the West
Ham board to bring long-term stability to the club by fending off any
interest from other clubs in Bilic. He has assembled a squad capable of
challenging for honours - and kept within the budget guidelines.

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Shoddy Hammers fail against Saints ten men
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on February 6, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

There's little point in beating around the bush.that was a poor performance
with the team finally paying the price for a shoddy start which is becoming
as much a feature of the season as the big away victories.

The first half - as it has been on many occasions this season - was a total
non event for us which would perhaps be more acceptable had Saints been all
that - the weren't.

And anyone who thought lightning might strike twice when Saints when down to
10 men as Villa had done on Tuesday after Wanyama's shocking foul on Payet
wasn't watching the same game as me.

With Payet again failing to spark and Alex Song again showing much that's
worst in his game,it was never going to happen.

The Hammers lacked pace and tempo and as a result a very solid Saints
defence kept its fifth successive clean sheet as the Irons huffed and puffed
making very little impact -disappointing doesn't get close.

Saints keeper Fraser Forster was called on to make just one save when he did
well against a Reid header from a Payet cross and to be honest that was
about it.

However, it was disappointing in the extreme to watch Song lose possession
in a dangerous position and set up a Saints attack which could easily have
brought a goal as early as the eighth minute.

A minute later some disorganised defending saw the home side go in front
when Valencia - not fancying the tackle - produced a half challenge and Maya
Yoshida leapt in to shot home from six yards.

We never looked like getting it back. The build up was pedestrian and
laboured at times and for me, Valencia was lightweight, and Song ineffective
as a creative force.

Even after Wanyama had justifiably been dismissed Saints kept a decent shape
and we simply didn't have the subtlety to break them down.

So we leave the south coast still haven't not managed to get a single
victory at the place - this was a seriously bad day at the office and Slav
has to pick the team up big time for Tuesday night.

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Slav keeps his anger under control - JUST!
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on February 6, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

I really wouldn't have wanted to be a West Ham player this evening given the
clear mood of Slaven Bilic when he appeared before the cameras.

After missing a very big opportunity on the south coast this was one very
unhappy Croat who whilst refusing to point fingers looked like a man who's
lost a tenner and found a 5p coin.

He was unhappy with the team performance at every level declaring: "We gave
away unneccessary corners in the first 15 minutes and they were better than
us in the second ball.

"The in the second half when they had gone down to ten men we dominated them
but didn't create anything like enough.

"Our crosses were poor and that's not good enough in a game like this. Yes,
you lose games but this is one that you simply feel very annoyed about."

Slav confirmed that James Tomkins had felt a calf before the game but after
he came off in the second half had told the manger that he was okay. "

But this was an angry man who just about kept the lid on it.

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