Daily WHUFC News - 20th September 2016

Manager on Monday
WHUFC.com

West Ham United boss Slaven Bilic says his team need to toughen up in order
to improve their Premier League fortunes. Saturday's 4-2 loss at West
Bromwich Albion was the Hammers' third in a row, and the second by that
scoreline in succession, as individual errors took their toll. The manager
is confident that better form is around the corner – especially as this
group showed what they were capable of with a seventh-place finish last
term. He explained: "It's my responsibility to act, and to try to change it.
For me, last year was exactly what I meant with how we wanted to play.
"Defend as a unit, like brothers, and to be solid. Tough men, tough to beat.
We wanted to do that with the players who had skill and quality, and we did
that for the majority of the season. "At the moment, we are not doing that.
I'm not going to hide behind being unlucky or individual mistakes. "You have
to act before the opponent, it's not complicated to detect the problem, but
it takes effort to solve it – although it's very simple. "The problem would
be if we had a new team, but we have to start doing the things we were
doing. It's not like we have to show them Atletico Madrid and say 'look, we
have to do that'. "We have to start doing what we were doing, not a long
time ago."

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Antonio – The season starts against Southampton
WHUFC.com

Michail Antonio says the Hammers have to forget what has happened in their
opening five Premier League fixtures and start all over again when they play
host to Southampton on Sunday.
This weekend's 4-2 defeat at West Bromwich Albion was the Hammers' fourth
from those five games, but Antonio is sure his team's form will soon
improve. The 26-year-old has shown the way with five goals of his own, but
is determined to play his part in turning those goals into points. He said:
"It's the Premier League – if you make mistakes you will get punished.
Defensively we're not doing it, going forward we are - but you can't just
blame defenders as we have to do it as a team. "Right now, we have to start
again. The Premier League season starts against Southampton – we have to
start there and push on because right now it's just not clicking together
defensively. "We don't have the resilience we had last year and we need to
get that back. We haven't changed players, nothing's changed – the only new
player there is Arthur and he's a quality left back. "I don't see what the
difference is. It has to be mentality more than anything, because we haven't
changed players. We have to forget everything that's happened and start
again. "We've all played the games to understand what we need and we have to
perform on the day. "Like I said last week, I'm not happy scoring when we're
losing – I'd rather not score and win. Hopefully I can score and win next
week."

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Loan round up
WHUFC.com

Martin Samuelsen was in action for Blackburn Rovers as they recorded their
first league win of the season
Josh Cullen and Lewis Page played for Bradford and Coventry as they drew in
League One
Josh Pask's Gillingham were beaten by Port Vale in England's third tier

Most Hammers out on loan endured a difficult weekend in the Football League
as only Martin Samuelsen was in winning action. The Norwegian international
was a 93rd minute substitute for Blackburn Rovers in their emphatic 4-2
victory over Rotherham United, a win which lifted Owen Coyle's side from the
foot of the Championship. However, the afternoon began in disastrous fashion
for Rovers, who conceded after just twelve minutes to a Danny Ward strike.
Ten minutes later though, the hosts equalised through Craig Conway before
forward Marvin Emnes fired Blackburn in front just before the half hour
mark. Ben Marshall saw Coyle's men started the second period on the front
foot when he curled home within a minute of the restart and though Ward gave
the Millers hope with his second, Sam Gallagher pounced in injury time to
seal Rovers' first league win of the season. Winger Samuelsen entered the
field for his second appearance to help the Lancashire outfit see out the
final moments.

In League One, Josh Cullen and Lewis Page both helped their loan sides –
Bradford City and Coventry City respectively – to draws. Cullen and the
Bantams were held at home to struggling Bristol Rovers despite managing more
possession and attempts on goal than their opponents, though it was
something off the field which made the headlines in Yorkshire. Midway
through the second period – with the clash still goalless – the players were
led from the field by the referee due to a flying drove above the Valley
Parade pitch. After a three-minute delay, the action got back underway and
the hosts thought they had won it when Australian defender James Meredith
headed home with 17 minutes remaining. But, with just four minutes left on
the clock, Rovers sub Charlie Colkett – on loan from Chelsea – fired in an
equaliser to pile on the frustration for Bradford and Cullen, who played the
full 90 minutes for the fifth time this campaign.
There was also a full match for Page, though Coventry could only record a
goalless draw with Oldham Athletic. The hosts, who went closest through
Marvin Sordell in the second half, will be looking to bounce back against
Gillingham next weekend as they look to lift themselves from the bottom of
England's third tier. The Gills will be hoping to do the same, however,
after a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Port Vale on Saturday.

Hammers defender Josh Pask played the entirety of the clash at Vale Park and
Josh Wright gave the Kent side the lead in the first half. Remie Streete and
Alex Jones hit back in the final 15 minutes for the hosts though, and
condemned Gillingham to their third league defeat this term. Reece Burke and
Kyle Knoyle's Wigan Athletic drew 0-0 with Fulham in the Championship,
though the pair were not involved, while Stephen Hendrie did not take part
in Blackburn's win. Luka Belic did not feature for Motherwell in their 4-2
win over Hamilton Academical, nor did Doneil Henry for AC Horsens. Finally,
there was a place on the bench for midfielder Geroge Dobson as Walsall
recorded a terrific 1-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers at the Bescot Stadium.

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Feghouli - We need to react straight away
WHUFC.com

Sofiane Feghouli is keen to help West Ham get straight back on the winning
trail and is pushing for a starting place against Accrington Stanley in the
EFL Cup third round on Wednesday.
Feghouli started the season in impressive fashion following his summer move
from Valencia, but unfortunately picked up a hamstring injury during the
final pre-season game against Juventus and was forced to miss the start of
the campaign. The Algeria international has now made a full recovery and
made his Premier League debut during the 4-2 defeat against West Brom on
Saturday. Despite the disappointing defeat at the Hawthorns, Feghouli says
the players are determined to put things right and will learn from their
defensive mistakes. Feghouli said: "In the first half we conceded three and
got ourselves into trouble through our own errors. We saw an entirely
different side to the team in the second half and now, we need to do
everything we can to win our next game in the League Cup. "Each and every
one of us will take a long look at ourselves and we all know that we need to
do more when we wear the West Ham colours. "I was disappointed with my first
Premier League game. Personally, I don't like losing and I am unhappy on the
team's behalf and of course, for the fans that travelled to see us. We have
another game on Wednesday and we need to react straight away and get the win
to take us forward. "We are a good team with some great players, but we need
more from everyone in the squad, and I will be the first to try to give
more. "We can't afford to make any mistakes and as I said, we all need to
evaluate our performances and to do more. We can't just play one half of
football, we need to give 100% and be fully concentrated for ninety minutes
in every game."
Following a frustrating start to the campaign, Feghouli is now hoping his
injury problems are behind him and hopes to show his best form, starting at
London Stadium on Wednesday night.
Feghouli added: "I was injured for a little bit, but now I feel really good.
"I played with the reserves last week and on Saturday, so I will be
available to the coach. I want to play in every match and want to play 90
minutes in every game. "I am hungry and I can't wait to defend the colours
of West Ham and to help my team to improve in the coming weeks."

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Sinclair - Payet could be even stronger
WHUFC.com

Trevor Sinclair made over 200 appearances for the Hammers and became a fans
favourite during his five-year spell at West Ham United. Sinclair will never
forget being part of one of the most exciting team's in the club's history
and playing alongside the likes of Paolo Di Canio, Rio Ferdinand and Frank
Lampard. The former England winger is now relishing the chance to see
another fans favourite Dimitri Payet showcase his talents in a claret and
blue shirt. Despite the disappointing start to the campaign, Sinclair has no
doubts there is enough quality in the squad to turn things around and
believes Payet could become an even stronger player this season....

There are a lot of people saying that the new Stadium is not the same as the
Boleyn Ground, but for me it is twice as good. It is needed for the Club to
go forward. There is a fantastic atmosphere when the fans get behind the
players and they start producing. Hopefully the Stadium will start growing
on some of the fans who have yet to be won over.

I was lucky enough to be part of a great team and we were showmen. We wanted
to show off on the pitch and playing with the likes of Paolo Di Canio, Joe
Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Michael Carrick – I'm sure we would have
all enjoyed playing on this pitch and this platform to showcase your skills.
I am sure the fans will grow to love the Stadium and I just hope the team
can do the business. There is a lot more expectancy on West Ham and a lot of
the teams who they come up against will want to play well, so I hope the
lads enjoy the Stadium and get West Ham right up the table.

West Ham were not too far away from the top four last season and finished
seventh. But they could have easily been in the top six and they got a few
injuries at the wrong time. With the playing staff they have got available
they should be looking at another top ten finish. I look forward to seeing
how the players gel together with the likes of Payet, Zaza and Lanzini who I
believe has a lot more to show. Payet got rewarded for his early form last
season with a new contract and rightly so because he was the match-winner on
a number of occasions. I was looking at him then, because is it football you
are striving for and being as good as you can or is it the finances and
rewards. It is obviously about football because he has since gone onto
another level once again and gone to a different platform.
He performed very well at the European Championship Finals during the summer
for the host nation. He is a late developer so he should be fresh mentally.
If the fans can show the same love towards him then I think the Club will
get even more special things from him.

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FT - Norwich City 0-2 West Ham United PL2
WHUFC.com

FT: The Hammers left it late but they've beaten Norwich City 2-0 here at
Carrow Road. It took until the 86th minute to break the deadlock. Dan Kemp
was brought down in the box and although Antonio Martinez's penalty was
saved he slotted in the rebound. Marcus Browne made sure of the points late
on as the Hammers head back to London with three points. Thanks for tuning
in. We'll see you next Monday at the Chigwell Construction Stadium for the
visit of Brighton. Good night.

90+2: GOAL! 2-0 to the Hammers. Sylvestre squares in to Browne who caps off
a great display.

90: 6 mins added on here. West Ham lead 1-0 and they're playing against nine
men!

88: GOAL! Antonio Martinez has scored from the spot. Crazy few minutes.
First Norwich's Louis Ramsay was shown a red card for a second booking. Then
Dan Kemp was broguth down in the box and Toby Syme was also sent off.
Norwich now down to nine men and the Hammers deservedly lead! 1-0

83: Another chance for the Hammers. A long range effort by Martinez is
well-saved by Killip, tipping the ball round his post. 0-0.

82: GREAT CHANCE. Makasi fires over after Akinola's knockdown. It's ALL West
Ham! 0-0.

80: Akinola heads Kemp's corner onto the side-netting. The Hammers still
look the more likely winners in this match but they're running out of time.
0-0.

77: Chance for Norwich. Kieran Higgs stings the gloves of Trott. Back at the
other end, Martinez shoots straight at Killip. 0-0.

73: 2 great chances. First Browne is laid in by Martinez and forces a good
save from Killip. Then Neufville hits the side-netting. The Hammers are
getting closer! 0-0

69: Kemp and Lewis are on for Gordon and Diangana. 0-0.

67: WHAT A SAVE! Trott manages to flick the ball round the post after a
Norwich header. 0-0.

64: A clash of heads between Neufville and a Efete. Neufville looks okay
though. Dan Kemp and Alfie Lewis are being readied on the bench. Their
introductions are imminent.

60: Terrific surging run by Browne from his own half. He's brought down in
the area but the referee waves away the appeals. Looked a penalty from here!
0-0 still.

58: Browne is back on his feet and looks ready to continue.

57: Marcus Browne is down receiving some treatment. Let's hope he'll be okay
to continue. 0-0.

55: There's a similar pattern in this second half. The Hammers are probing
but are yet to find that killer pass to unlock the Norwich defence. 0-0.

48: Neufville's cross is diverted towards goal by Martinez but Killip
manages to keep hold of the ball. Good start by the Hammers!

46: The second half begins!

The teams are out again. Second half almost underway.

A decent half by the Hammers. They've had the better chances in this first
45 minutes but are yet to make a breakthrough so far. 0-0.

HT: All-square at the break. Norwich City 0-0 West Ham United.

45+1: Rice heads over a Browne corner and that's half-time. 0-0 at the
break.

45: 2 added minutes.

43: Heading towards half-time and neither side has broken the deadlock.
Martinez just has a low shot which is saved easily by Killip. 0-0

37: Makasi has a long range strike that sails over after a good knock down
by Diangana. 0-0.

36: Jake Eggleton and Sam Ford have been sent to warm up. They'll be looking
to make their first league appearances for the PL2 side this season.

33: The Hammers grip on the game has loosened a little. They still look the
more dangerous though and you feel as if the first goal is going to come
from them. 0-0.

31: Good chance for Norwich. Emersson Mututala-Sambu fire overs from the
edge of the box. 0-0

28: Marcus Browne cuts the ball back to Jaanai Gordon but his shot is well
saved by the Norwich keeper. 0-0.

24: Great save by Nathan Trott. A Norwich corner is whipped in and headed
goalwards but Trott palms away and the Hammers clear the danger. 0-0.

20: Terrific cross from Alex Pike falls to Browne. His shot is deflected
behind. 0-0

18: Apart from the Martinez chance, there's been little in the way of
goalmouth action so far. The Hammers are looking the sharper though. 0-0.

14: So unlucky. Marcus Browne surged forward and managed to poke to the ball
to Martinez. The Spaniard could not round keeper Killip though. Great move!
0-0

12: Another booking given by the referee, this time to a Hammer. Alex Pike
came in late on Louis Ramsay.

9: The Hammers are moving the ball very nicely so far. Marcus Browne is
looking to make things happen. Still 0-0.

7: Two booking already dished out by the referee to Norwich City players.
They'll have to be careful.

4: Strong start by the boys. Diangana has just been fouled on the edge of
the box. Toni Martinez is stepping up.... But his effort hits the wall.

7.00pm: We're underway at Carrow Road! Come on you Hammers!

6.35pm: Teams are out warming up. A reminder of the Hammers' team: Trott;
Pike, Rice, Akinola, Neufville; Makasi, Sylvestre; Diangana, Browne, Gordon;
Martinez. Subs: Matrevics, Eggleton, Kemp, Ford, Lewis.

6.10pm: As mentioned earlier, Tunji Akinola is one of a few names returning
this evening. Great to see him back after injury. Should expect a big crowd
this evening as it is free entry at Carrow Road. The teams will be out to
warm-up shortly.

6pm: Good evening from Carrow Road, Norwich for tonight's Premier League 2
clash between West Ham United and Norwich City. The Hammers will go into the
match as favourites as their East Anglian opponents have failed to register
a point so far this season. There's a few changes for the Terry Westley's
men tonight as Alex Pike, Tunji Akinola, Grady Diangana and Jaanai Gordon
all come into the starting eleven. Kick off at 7pm!

West Ham United: Trott, Pike, Rice, Akinola, Neufville, Makasi, Sylvestre,
Diangana (Lewis 69), Browne, Gordon (Kemp 69), Martinez.

Subs not used: Matrevics, Ford, Eggleton.

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Start again
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 19th September 2016
By: Staff Writer

Michail Antonio believes West Ham have to start the season all over again
when they face Southampton at the Olympic Stadium next weekend. The England
winger may be enjoying the form of his life currently but with West Ham
firmly entrenched in the Premier League's relegation zone after five games,
knows the team simply has to do better as a collective unit. "Right now we
have to start again," he told whufc.com. "The Premier League season starts
against Southampton – we have to start there and push on because right now
it's just not clicking together defensively. "We don't have the resilience
we had last year and we need to get that back. We haven't changed players,
nothing's changed – the only new player there is Arthur [Masuaku] and he's a
quality left back."

However Antonio - who leads West Ham's goalscoring chart with five to his
name already this term - was at a loss to explain a complete loss of form
that has seen West Ham win just two of their nine competitive fixtures thus
far this season. "I don't see what the difference is," he mused. "It has to
be mentality more than anything, because we haven't changed players. We have
to forget everything that's happened and start again. "We have to perform on
the day. Like I said last week, I'm not happy scoring when we're losing, I'd
rather not score and win. Hopefully I can score and we can win [against
Southampton] next week."

Antonio's disappointment was echoed by team mate Sofiane Feghouli, who made
his Premier League debut during the 4-2 humbling at the Hawthorns on
Saturday.
"Each and every one of us will take a long look at ourselves," he said. "We
all know that we need to do more when we wear the West Ham colours. I don't
like losing and I am unhappy on the team's behalf and for the fans that
travelled to see us. "We have another game on Wednesday and we need to
react straight away and get the win to take us forward. We are a good team
with some great players but we can't afford to keep making mistakes. "We
all need to evaluate our performances and to do more. We can't just play one
half of football, we need to give 100 per cent and be fully concentrated for
ninety minutes in every game."

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Slaven Bilic under pressure at West Ham as new contract plans shelved
15:57, 19 SEP 2016 UPDATED 16:24, 19 SEP 2016
BY MIKE WALTERS
After shipping 11 goals in their last three games, the Hammers will hold
fire and leave Bilic to concentrate on turning fortunes around
The Mirror

Slaven Bilic is under pressure to halt West Ham's alarming slump after plans
to discuss a new contract were shelved. Manager Bilic blasted the Hammers'
capitulation at West Brom as "embarrassing" and "amateurish" after their 4-2
defeat at the Hawthorns left the Eastenders in the drop zone. Co-owners
David Gold and David Sullivan were planning to open talks with Bilic about a
new deal in the New Year. But after watching the Hammers ship 11 goals in
their last three games, the Two Daves will hold fire and leave Bilic to
concentrate on turning fortunes around on the pitch. There is no immediate
danger of him being axed – Gold and Sullivan are believed to be in favour of
giving the Croatian time to prove he is not a one-season wonder. They are,
however, spooked by the distant threat of relegation to the Championship,
which would be a massive setback financially after West Ham's move into the
London 2012 Olympic stadium. Wednesday night's League Cup tie against
fourth-tier minnows Accrington is not expected to be an unassailable
booby-trap. But if Premier League results do not improve, starting with next
weekend's home game with Southampton, 48-year-old Bilic will be on thin ice
before the first frosts of winter.

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West Ham postpone Slaven Bilic contract talks but manager's job not in
jeopardy
The Telegraph
Talks over the improved contract Slaven Bilic was intending to negotiate in
January have been postponed until he arrests West Ham's slump CREDIT: REX
Matt Law, football news correspondent
19 SEPTEMBER 2016 • 7:00PM

West Ham United will shelve plans to offer Slaven Bilic a new contract
unless he can quickly turn around the club's alarming slump – but his
position is not under immediate threat.

The Hammers have lost four of their first five Premier League games,
conceding 12 goals in the process, and were knocked out of the Europa League
by Astra Giurgiu.

Co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold are sympathetic to the fact that
Bilic's team has been hit by a number of key injuries to Andre Ayew, Andy
Carroll, Diafra Sakho and Aaron Cresswell, which means his job is not yet in
any jeopardy.

The pair also acknowledge that it is extremely early in the season, but
Bilic will have to work hard to earn the new deal that was promised to him
by Sullivan in March, when West Ham were riding high last term.

Although he signed a three-year contract when he was appointed West Ham
manager, which still has two years to run, Bilic was assured he would be
rewarded for last season's work with an improved deal.

In March, Sullivan said: "I will give Slaven a new deal in January. I just
want to see that he is not a one-season wonder. I'm sure he is not, but we
will talk next January - or at the end of next season."

Bilic's current deal contains a clause which allows the 48-year-old to be
sacked with no compensation if the club are relegated from the Premier
League, something he would no doubt seek to remove in any new contract.

But, even though there are no plans to sack him, West Ham will not risk
giving Bilic a contract and removing the clause while the club are losing
games and fighting at the wrong end of the table.

Bilic himself may be reluctant to enter negotiations, even if the club
wanted to, while he is devoting all his attention and time to trying to
solve the problems that have contributed to the poor start.

Having invested more than £50 million on new players this summer, Sullivan
and Gold expected West Ham to challenge again for European qualification but
that already seems unlikely.

The pair do not like to sack managers, but are also notoriously reluctant to
commit themselves to agreements they may later regret.

Bilic is likely to attempt to bring some stability to his defence by giving
former Real Madrid defender Alvaro Arbeloa his West Ham debut at right-back
against League Two Accrington Stanley in the League Cup on Wednesday night.
Teenager Reece Oxford may also start.

Following the problems inside the London Stadium, there will be a greater
segregation between the West Ham and Accrington fans while the club have
already attempted to start a migration process that will see more
like-minded supporters seated together in a bid to stop the in-fighting that
has blighted recent home games.

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London Stadium home discomforts and defensive meltdown leave Slaven Bilic's
West Ham battling to avoid 1978 fate
KEN DYER
Evening Standard

Slaven Bilic, to be fair, did warn West Ham fans that this season could be a
difficult one — but not this difficult! A list of injuries as long as your
arm as soon as the season began, eight goals conceded in two games, third
from bottom of the Premier League with only three points from five matches,
out of the Europa League before the group stages and still trying to settle
into their new home... it's been a nightmare start for the Hammers manager.
Acclimatising to a new life in the London Stadium, a venue as far removed
from the cosy Boleyn as you could possibly imagine, was never going to be
easy. "Thirty-eight away games this season," was how one pessimist put it. A
fair point, but that in no way excuses the clueless defending the 57,000 new
and old West Ham fans witnessed at home to Watford just over a week ago, or
the apology of a performance the away faithful were forced to endure at West
Brom on Saturday.
In truth, though, the signs of defensive fraility were already there last
season. In West Ham's last 10 Premier League matches they conceded an
average of two goals per game. Over 38 matches, Bilic's team let in 51
goals, 10 more than Southampton who finished one place - and one point -
above them. True, the club moved swiftly to sign Norwegian defensive
midfielder Havard Nordtveit on a free transfer from Borussia Monchengladbach
but the main focus was always up front where names such as Carlos Bacca,
Michy Batshuayi and Alexandre Lacazette popped up frequently but then slowly
disappeared over the summer horizon. Injuries certainly did not help Bilic's
cause. Andre Ayew, the club's record £20.5million signing from Swansea, is
out until Christmas with a thigh injury, but it was the serious ankle
problem to left-back Aaron Cresswell in a pre-season friendly in Austria
which really hurt the West Ham manager. The club signed a replacement in
French defender Arthur Masuaku from Olympiakos and he had looked solid
enough until Saturday when his inexplicable handball started the rot at The
Hawthorns.
On the other flank Bilic believed he could convert Michail Antonio into a
top right full-back, but the player wasn't so keen. As a result, the squad
look a little lopsided with three right wingers contesting one spot in
Antonio, Algerian international Sofiane Feghouli and Gokhan Tore. The vastly
experienced Alvaro Arbeloa should make his debut in Wednesday's League Cup
tie at home to Accrington. Bilic must hope the former Real Madrid right-back
can bring some much-needed authority to a back four which is in meltdown. In
midfield, Bilic's central pairing of captain Mark Noble and Cheikhou Kouyate
are similarly well under par. So far the Croatian has used the promising
young defender Reece Oxford only sparingly, perhaps giving credence to the
persistent speculation that the teenager, who has refused to sign a new
deal, will be off to lucrative pastures anew in January. Improvements have
to happen soon, but perhaps this is the true "West Ham Way". In 1978, when
West Ham legends Trevor Brooking and Billy Bonds were in their pomp, they
were relegated. West Ham 2016 must improve quickly to avoid a similar fate.

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Slaven Bilic outlines 'The West Ham Way' after West Brom defeat: "Defend as
a unit, like brothers!"
22:30, 18 SEP 2016 UPDATED 22:41, 18 SEP 2016
BY MIKE WALTERS
The Hammers produced a shambolic defensive display to concede four against
the Baggies with the Croatian manager now under intense pressure
The Mirror

Slaven BilicSlaven Bilic has provided his own definition of 'The West Ham
Way'. This was supposed to be the season West Ham joined the big-game
hunters, but it is unravelling into a Cockney rabble. The Two Daves and
Auntie Karren delivered their move to a nice rented home, and the Hammers
were ­planning to go on a European tour after hanging on to pied piper
Dimitri Payet . But fans are fighting each other in the Taxpayers Stadium
and, on the pitch, manager Slaven Bilic is facing a defensive meltdown he
branded "amateurish." West Ham have become the first English side to
establish a Romanian bogey team, and 50 years after the club's holy trinity
of Moore, Hurst and Peters won the World Cup, they have taken to losing 4-2
every week by way of tribute. England boss Sam Allardyce was driven out of
the East End because pearly kings demanded football as shiny as the sequins
on their suits, and Bilic has restored the 'West Ham way' at the academy of
football: Stylish, open, drives you mad. If it is too early to talk of
crisis, the yelping will be unbearable if Accrington Stanley roll out both
barrels in the League Cup on Wednesday night. At least Bilic had the decency
to pull no punches after the Hammers squandered 71 per cent possession. He
admitted: "I know what I believe to be the West Ham way – you defend as a
unit, like brothers, to be solid and tough men, and then you do it with
skill and quality. "We were doing that for the majority of last season but
are not doing it. The first goal was nothing to do with the structure of the
team and the fourth one was a bit amateurish." West Ham were negligent,
­incompetent and plain useless at the back as Albion's £13million record
signing Nacer Chadli decorated his home debut with two goals and assists for
Salomon Rondon and James McClean. Manuel Lanzini and Michail Antonio
replied. West Brom were clinical, and their first home win under Tony Pulis
since March has probably delayed his walk to the end of the plank after the
Baggies passed into Chinese ownership last week. Defender Jonny Evans said:
"Our performance shows we are fighting for him."

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Reece Oxford stalls on new West Ham deal to put Manchester United on alert
Reece Oxford's West Ham contract expires at the end of next season
Talks over a new deal for Oxford have stagnated since initial discussions
Manchester United, Arsenal and Manchester City want to sign the player
West Ham's hopes of keeping hold of their star young talent look bleak
By SAMI MOKBEL FOR THE DAILY MAIL
PUBLISHED: 22:31, 18 September 2016 | UPDATED: 22:31, 18 September 2016

West Ham's hopes of keeping wonderkid Reece Oxford are looking increasingly
bleak as Manchester United plot a swoop for the starlet. Oxford has just
signed a lucrative deal with Nike that will net him a significant rise from
his previous contract making him one of the sportswear giant's top teenage
earners. The package underlines his standing as one of the most high-profile
young sportsmen in England, but his future at West Ham is not so secure with
his current deal due to expire at the end of next season and no agreement
over an extension in place. Manchester United are in pole position to land
the talented teenager if he decides to leave the London Stadium at the end
of the season. Arsenal and Manchester City are also interested in the
central defender, who can also play in centre midfield. Initial talks over a
new Hammers deal took place over the summer but the hierarchy were unable to
settle the matter.

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Slaven Bilic urges West Ham to stop 'amateur' defending following crushing
defeat by West Brom
West Ham lost 4-2 against West Brom on Saturday in the Premier League
Slaven Bilic described the defending of the fourth goal as amateurish
Bilic has urged his West Ham players to return to the form of last season
By ADAM CRAFTON FOR THE DAILY MAIL
PUBLISHED: 22:30, 18 September 2016 | UPDATED: 00:11, 19 September 2016

This was not in the blueprint for West Ham United. Careering from one
calamity to another, amid security issues at the London Stadium and
increasingly desperate form on the pitch, this was not how the future was
envisaged when they left Upton Park last season. On Saturday at West Brom,
Slaven Bilic's side were 4-0 down inside 55 minutes to a West Brom team that
had scored only six goals since March. At times, the defending was farcical,
as mistakes from West Ham defenders Athur Masuaku and Angelo Ogbonna allowed
West Brom to take a 2-0 lead through a Nacer Chadli penalty and Salomon
Rondon. This increasingly fragile side was then further exposed as West Ham
conceded from a corner, as James McClean steered in the third. West Ham then
contrived to leak a goal from their own corner kick, as the home side raced
upfield on the counter with no West Ham defenders in sight and Chadli scored
his fourth. They did at least make the score respectable through Michail
Antonio and Manuel Lanzini goals. It is a world away from the form of last
season, when West Ham finished 7th in the Premier League and only four
points off Champions League qualification. Jonny Evans, the West Brom
defender, warned that West Ham have been found out by opponents. 'They play
a very expansive and open game of football. Last season it worked for them
because they caught a lot of teams by surprise. Teams have watched them. We
studied them this week and we saw that they are not always working back and
the wingers. They leave a lot of players high up for the counter-attack and
we knew if we were patient today and worked the ball in the final third, we
could hurt them.'
On Saturday evening, Bilic did not spare his side from criticism, describing
the defending for the fourth West Brom goal as 'a bit amateruish'. Bilic
urged his side to return to the form of last season after leaking 11 goals
in their last games against Manchester City, Watford and now West Brom.
'The last thing you will hear form me is dishonesty or hiding,' Bilic said.
'It is my job and my responsibility. I don't want to hide away from that. I
want to solve it. 'The first goal is nothing to do with the structure of the
team, the fourth one is a bit amateurish to be fair. But anyway despite
individual mistakes we don' t look like the guys who . . . something is
missing. Is it one win, is it six points? I don't want to be the one that
hides behind unluckiness or individual mistakes. For West Brom, it was an
uplifting afternoon for Tony Pulis, who eased the pressure on his job
following the takeover by Chinese investor Guochuan Lai. Evans insists the
players are behind their manager. 'Obviously we sympathise. We feel it too
as players. We need to take responsibility as players. We spoke about that
before the game. 'Obviously, Tony Pulis is the manager. He has a very
well-known way of playing football and as players, we all buy into that. Our
performance today shows we are fighting for him. We have reputations to keep
and I think the one thing Tony Pulis does with his teams is he gets them all
working hard. I don't think you can say that anyone in a Tony Pulis team
doesn't work his socks off, week in and week out. I hope the fans appreciate
that.'

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