Daily WHUFC News - 22nd August 017

Late penalty breaks West Ham United's hearts in defeat at Southampton
WHUFC.com

Two goals from summer signing Chicharito was not enough for West Ham United to claim their first points of their season as the Irons fell to a 3-2 defeat at Southampton.

The Hammers appeared set for another tough afternoon on the road as goals from Marco Gabbiadini and Dusan Tadic put the Saints 2-0 up either side of a Marko Arnautovic red card.

Javier Hernandez was on hand to tuck in Michail Antonio's saved effort on the stroke of half-time before the No17 again proved his goalscoring prowess in the second period, knocking home after Fraser Forster saved a Diafra Sakho header.

However Southampton were awarded another penalty in the last minute of the match, from which Charlie Austin scored to give the hosts the win.

The Irons started the afternoon with difficulty before the contest even began as Winston Reid – who signed a new deal at the London Stadium on Friday– was ruled out in the warm-up due to a calf injury. Angelo Ogbonna came into the side in his place.

Despite West Ham United having the best early chances at St Mary's through Arnautovic and Michail Antonio, it was the Saints that took the lead on Eleven minutes as Gabbiadini slotted home after an exchange with Nathan Redmond.

Antonio looked tricky and moved the Hammers into dangerous territory but West Ham's afternoon was made much more difficult after a straight red card for Arnautovic.

The Serbian No7 was given his marching orders after a clash with defender Jack Stephens in the 33rd minute and Southampton doubled their lead just four minutes later from the penalty spot.

Ogbonna was adjudged to have brought down Steven Davis in the area and Dusan Tadic saw his spot-kick find the net via Joe Hart's feet.

Slaven Bilic's side were however given hope going into the second half after some brilliant work from Antonio saw the No30 get a shot on goal. The effort could only be parried by Fraser Forster, allowing Chicharito to sweep home his first goal for the Hammers.

Forster was again called into action early in the second period as Hernandez's teasing ball into Antonio could only be palmed out for a corner. Andre Ayew then saw a headed effort blocked by Stephens, although some calls suggested the ball had made contact with his upper arm.

Hernandez continued to prove a thorn in Southampton's side as the Mexican saw a tantalising effort on the half-volley swerve agonisingly wide of the home team's goal.

Gabbiadini came close to his second for the hosts after rattling the crossbar from 35 yards while Joe Hart was called into action twice in quick succession, making two difficult saves just after the hour mark.

Bilic made two changes half-way through the second period with Edimilson Fernandes and Diafra Sakho taking to the field in place of Antonio and Ayew, and the latter had a big hand in West Ham's equaliser.

Aaron Cresswell delivered a delicious ball into the box, from which Sakho saw his header palmed onto the cross-bar, and Chicharito was again on hand to finish the rebound and draw the Hammers level.

However Southampton were awarded another penalty in the closing moments of the game, after Pablo Zabaleta was ruled to have committed a foul, which substitute Charlie Austin tucked away.

Southampton: Forster; Cedric, Yoshida, Stephens, Bertrand; Davis (Long 80'), Romeu, Lemina (Ward-Prowse 64'), Redmond, Tadic; Gabbiadini (Austin 80')

Subs not used: McCarthy, Bednarek, McQueen, Boufal

Goals: Gabbiadini 11', Tadic (p) 38', Austin (p) 90'

West Ham: Hart; Zabaleta, Fonte, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Rice (Obiang 76'), Noble, Antonio (Sakho 67'), Ayew (Fernandes 67'), Arnautovic (s/o 33'), Hernandez

Subs not used: Adrian, Byram, Masuaku

Goals: Hernandez 45', 73'

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Bilic praises ten-man Hammers for Southampton spirit
WHUFC.com

Slaven Bilic focused on praising his players instead of criticising the match official after ten-man West Ham United came within a whisker of a courageous draw at Southampton.

The Hammers fell a goal down to Manolo Gabbiadini's early finish before losing Marko Arnautovic to a red card after the Austrian was adjudged to have elbowed Jack Stephens by referee Lee Mason.

Mr Mason then awarded a penalty for Jose Fonte's foul on Steven Davis before two Chicharito goals either side of half-time hauled the visitors level at St Mary's Stadium.

West Ham, who had seen their own penalty claims turned down when Stephens appeared to handle Andre Ayew's header, then conceded a second spot-kick in added time, when Pablo Zabaleta was penalised for a nudge on Maya Yoshida, enabling substitute Charlie Austin to break Claret and Blue hearts.

"We showed character and we showed quality and we showed that we could cope with ten men and we could score two goals and stop them from scoring," Bilic observed, when asked to sum up his team's performance.

"To be fair, we started off so good, we had two or three chances to take the lead and we didn't, so we were very disappointed to lose in the end."

One player who had every right to feel disappointed was Chicharito, who scored two typically predatory goals – his first for the Club following his summer move from Bayer Leverkusen – to drag his short-handed team level.

"He is a goalscorer but if we're also talking about him we must also talk about the second half, when we asked him to play on the wing because we needed to use his legs," he observed.

"We had to have two banks of four and sometimes defend with six when they attacked with their full-backs, so we have to praise him not only for his goals but also for his great attitude and great defensive work."

While he was proud of his players' performance, the manager simply would not be drawn on whether the major decisions had gone against his side on the south coast.

"I don't want to talk about the penalty decisions, because there is no point talking about it. I only want to say that I'm very proud of my team and they showed everything I said – commitment, quality, character, team spirit and we never gave up.

"I don't want to talk about the red card, either. I am the manager and I want to talk about the game and the decisions are going to lead to someone else talking about it. Of course the player is disappointed, but I am going to talk about the quality of the game and not about the decisions.

"It's very hard to play with ten men, especially as we were already one goal down. We then conceded a second goal and it was difficult to come back. On paper it was very difficult to keep it to 2-0, but we showed character and commitment and that we are fit enough to do it for each other.

"As soon as we equalised, we defended how you are meant to defend, very deep, and we waited for our chances and we got them. It was our gameplan at half-time and unfortunately we conceded a third one late on."

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Chicharito: West Ham can take positives from Southampton defeat
WHUFC.com

Chicharito believes West Ham United can take heart from a spirited fightback despite ultimately losing 3-2 at Southampton.

Javier Hernandez scored his first two Premier League goals for the Hammers on Saturday to bring Slaven Bilic's side back level after the Saints took a 2-0 lead.

If not for a debatable penalty decision in the 90th minute – which Charlie Austin tucked away – the Irons would have left St Mary's with a well-earned point.

But Chicharito believes West Ham United's true ability was shown with the comeback, and the spirit from this is the key factor for the team to remember rather than the heartbreak of the defeat.

"I will take confidence from my goals," Hernandez said: "They show the character of this team. We never give up and we tried to improve as much as we can following the last game [the loss to Manchester United].

"I'm happy that I scored two goals. You need to look on the bright side, at the positive things. Getting off the mark gives me motivation and it gives me confidence."

The Mexican admitted that he and his West Ham teammates were frustrated by a couple of refereeing decisions but feels the side can also take positives from their performance with ten men, after Marko Arnautovic was shown a red card in the first half.

It was after Arnautovic's dismissal that the Irons scored their two goals. Hernandez was on hand to tuck home after Michail Antonio's shot was saved, and was again in the right place to score following a Diafra Sakho header that was palmed onto the crossbar.

"When you're playing most of the game with ten men it's really frustrating," Hernandez conceded: "But we came back.

"It is very hard to play with just ten men. With eleven men it's hard so with ten it's very, very hard. We did it pretty well and we were drawing the game.

"Sometimes we make mistakes. It's very frustrating because we played a good game after the sending off. We need to move forward."

Moving forward means looking to West Ham United's Carabao Cup contest with Cheltenham Town on Wednesday evening.

Chicharito will be hoping to once again get on the scoresheet in the cup match this week as Slaven Bilic's side look to progress into the third round of the tournament.

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Antonio: We've just got to move forward
WHUFC.com

Michail Antonio believes West Ham United can take huge heart from their performance at Southampton.

The Hammers fell two goals down and lost Marko Arnautovic to a first-half red card, before roaring back through a brace of superb finishes from Chicharito, only for Charlie Austin's last-gasp penalty to break Claret and Blue hearts.

Antonio himself produced an all-action display on his return from four months out with a hamstring injury, reminding everyone of his power and ability to fashion chances out of nothing.

"It was devastating, really, we managed to get back to 2-2 from 2-0 down, but what a way to lose it!" said the No30, whose shot led to Chicharito's first goal on the stroke of half-time.

"I'm not going to make any comments about what actually happened, but the boys were devastated to lose it and we are just going to have to pick ourselves up and go again.

"There were loads of positives we can take from the game, especially from the second half, so we're going to take them away and get ready for Newcastle.

"There is lots of frustration. The boys are still in the dressing room now and all talking about it, saying they can't believe what's actually happened. I don't really know what you want me to say!"

Antonio was among those hugely impressed by the impact made by Chicharito, who reacted quickest on two occasions to finish clinically after Fraser Forster had saves from the winger and Diafra Sakho respectively.

"What a massive purchase we've got in Chicharito!" he exclaimed. "He is a fox in the box and he has shown the quality of player we have managed to bring in.

"We have just got to move forward. I'm getting back to my fitness and I'm starting to look sharp like I was at the beginning of last season, so hopefully I can keep progressing with that and start putting the ball in the back of the net."

The belief West Ham showed to draw level when the odds were stacked against them impressed Antonio, who insisted there is absolutely nothing wrong with the spirit in the camp, despite the fact they have now lost their opening two Premier League matches

"It shows there is nothing wrong in the camp, that we all believe in each other as we kept pushing forward and slinging balls in the box," he said.

"Basically, we had two balls which deflected and Chicha was in the right spot because he's a fox. Hopefully we can keep putting balls in the box and he can keep scoring goals."

Next up is a trip to newly-promoted Newcastle United and Antonio is sure the Hammers can get off the mark at St James' Park.

"We will be three games into the season and we need to get some points on the board, then we have Huddersfield at home and the season can start from there," he said.

He saved his final word for the Claret and Blue Army, who created a superb atmosphere at St Mary's Stadium with their non-stop singing and support for their team, even when circumstances were conspiring against them.

"They were the atmosphere," he observed. "They helped, they pushed us and managed to get us back into the game and the penalty just took it away from them in the final minutes of the game."

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5/7 shots on target: How Chicharito & Antonio impressed v Southampton
WHUFC.com

Despite suffering a late loss to Southampton on Saturday West Ham United can still take positives from the contest on the south coast.

Chicharito got his first two Premier League goals for the Hammers since signing this summer and the fixture also saw the return of Michail Antonio to action, who looked lively until his substitution midway through the second period.

Both players deserve praise for their efforts in the fixture on the south coast with each showing in their statistics just how strong their respective performances were.

Javier Hernandez's two goals in the contest both came after Fraser Forster had made initial saves, from Antonio and Diafra Sakho, and the Mexican's brace was netted with his only two shots on target in the fixture.

The No17 only attempted one more effort on goal in the entire game – a swerving half-volley which went narrowly wide – meaning Chicharito scored twice from three shots in this match.

Chicharito also did his duty defensively, making two defensive actions in the fixture in the form of an interception and a clearance.

Interestingly the striker didn't spent too long in possession, and his two attempts at take-ons did not succeed, but Hernandez's impact was still crucial for Slaven Bilic's side.

Hernandez also created two chances for his teammates, an amount that was equalled by Antonio.

The No30 missed the opening day contest with Manchester United but returned to the starting XI on Saturday, reminding the West Ham United faithful of his pace, power and ability.

Although Antonio couldn't get a goal he did test Forster on a number of occasions, seeing three of his four shots hit the target and put pressure on the Southampton shot-stopper.

The former Saints winger was a force in the air for West Ham United, winning six of his nine aerial duels during his 67 minutes on the field. Antonio also left Southampton defenders in his wake with his speed, succeeding with each of his four-attempted take-ons.

Antonio put serious pressure on the right-flank and gave Ryan Bertrand a seriously tough test for the Saints, and also exerted his pace up front as he and Hernandez fluidly switched throughout the contest.

Although the result ended in a defeat West Ham United supporters can take great comfort in how Chicharito and Antonio performed, and can now look to next week's matches against Cheltenham Town and Newcastle United with excitement at what the talented duo do next.

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SOUTHAMPTON 3-2 WEST HAM – MATCH REPORT
AUTHOR: BRIAN KNOX. PUBLISHED: 20 AUGUST 2017 AT 1:52PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Match Report by @WestHamAmerican

West Ham fell at St. Mary's today 3-2 in an up-and-down match that saw both moments of brilliance for the currently homeless Hammers, and moments of indiscipline, which cost West Ham the match. Slavin Bilic's side completely had the wheels come off late during last Sunday's opener at Old Trafford. (Swansea fell victim to the same fate today) And it looked as if the Manchester United hangover would continue today, as West Ham's opening half almost went as poorly as possible.

West Ham found themselves 2-0 down, and down to 10 men after 38 minutes due to Manolo Gabbiadini's opening goal and a Dusan Tadic penalty kick; which along with Marko Arnautovic's red card in the early minutes of play, showed the worst opening moments any Hammer supporter could hope for. This doesn't even include Winston Reid being stretchered off the pitch during opening warm-ups, suffering from some form of calf injury.

Michael Antonio and Havier Hernandez finally gave the vocal West Ham visiting fans something to cheer about in the 44th with Antonio's shot from the edge of the box earning a save from Forster, but Chicharito cleaning up the rebound. With a 2-1 deficit and only ten men, securing at least a point looked challenging, but momentum was on West Ham's side.

That momentum carried over into the 73rd minute when one of Aaron Cresswell's signature crosses found the head of Diafra Sakho, but his header met the crossbar. Once again Hernandez was present to strike the rebound into the roof of the net. With the match at 2-2, and Chicharito sporting a brace, Bilic looked to hang on and at least collect at least a point.

However, three minutes into the stoppage time, Pablo Zabelta, with Jose Fonte, clumsily brought down Maya Yoshida, as the defender chased James Ward-Prowse's cross, giving Southampton another penalty and Charlie Austin left no doubt as he scored the game winner.

As devastating as this result was, there were some bright spots. Obviously, Hernandez's scoring ability seems as strong as advertised. The return of Antonio was a success. Hopefully having Kouyate, Carroll, and Lanzini back in action will open up the West Ham attack to where Chicharito will have more opportunities.

During the match, the lack of discipline was stunning. While Zabaleta and Arnautovic are new to the club, Bilic will have to direct his starters to keep their heads about them. Last season West Ham was the most red carded side in the league. This league is unforgiving enough without playing almost an entire match with ten men.

Hopefully as the summer transfer window comes to a close, the club's position at the bottom of the table will not turn away any of the prominent targets we have bid on during the final two weeks. The board have made some great moves and once this team is at full strength, the wins will come. West Ham were the better team today, but with two spot kicks and a red card, it is nearly impossible to win anything as a visiting club. It will be interesting to see how Bilic selects for the midweek League Cup match. While this team is in desperate need of a victory, it can ill-afford to suffer any more prominent injuries. Stay tuned to The West Ham Way for all the information as the summer transfer window comes to a close.

Saints: Forster, Soares, Bertrand, Yoshida, Stephens, Davis, Tadic, Romeu, Lemina, Gabbiadini, Redmond.
Substitutes: McCarthy, Bednarek, McQueen, Ward-Prowse, Boufal, Long, Austin.

West Ham: Hart, Reid, Cresswell, Fonte, Zabaleta, Rice, Arnautovic, Noble, Antonio, Ayew, Chicharito.
Substitutes:Adrian, Byram, Masuaku, Ogbonna, Obiang, Fernandes, Sakho
Referee: Lee Mason

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REF WATCH: LEE MASON – SOUTHAMPTON VS WEST HAM
AUTHOR: SAMTWHWREF. PUBLISHED: 19 AUGUST 2017 AT 8:59PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by SamRoyden



After receiving the biggest defeat on the opening day of the Premier League in 11 years, West Ham needed to kick start the season at Southampton who haven't scored in 9 fixtures at St Mary's. Slaven Bilić gave youngster Declan Rice his first Premier League start in a changed team which saw Michail Antonio break into the starting 11 after returning from a hamstring injury.

The referee appointed for his gameweek 2 fixture was Lee Mason. Mason hasn't bathed himself in glory over the last couple of seasons with wayward and controversial decision making. This fixture was Mason's first Premier League fixture of the season after being appointment Cardiff vs Sheffield United in the Championship last week.

During the first half, Lee Mason had a number of high profile decisions that needed to be made which was meant an incident packed first 45 minutes. In the first 20 minutes, I thought that Mason was in control but the game very quickly got away from him. The first big decision Mason had to make was when Dušan Tadić clattered into Javier Hernandez on the half way line making no attempt to play the ball. When looking at the challenge, it's reckless. Tadić completely misjudged his challenge and in my opinion was rightly cautioned. There were calls for a red card and if the Southampton man caught Hernandez with either foot or leg, I would have expected Mason to show Tadić a red card.



Ultimately, the deciding factor was whether the players safety was at risk or not and it's something I think about during every decision. As I mentioned above, the challenge was reckless, Tadić used his body and in the Laws of The Game, a challenge of this reckless sort is warranted with a caution. If Tadić caught the Mexican, leading with his foot or leg, this would have been excessive force and this would warrant a red card.

Lee Mason had a very interesting 30 seconds midway through the first half after missing two fouls where both players subsequently should have taken disciplinary action. Marko Arnautović was on the receiving end of an elbow to the newly signed midfielder Mario Lemina after both players went up to challenge for the ball. In my opinion, this was a foul as Lemina caught Arnautović but it was unintentional and was for leverage to jump instead of trying to endanger. Mason's decision making on this incident bothered me for two reasons: Firstly, was that it was a foul and Lemina should have been cautioned and secondly Arnautović sustained a head injury and the game should have been stopped. Lee Mason failed to do either of these which is poor decision making by the referee.

While Arnautović was on the floor injured, Mark Noble stupidly went into a challenge two footed with Mario Lemina who committed to a sliding challenge. Mark Noble caught the Southampton midfielder high on the shin and Lee Mason completely missed this challenge and eventually blew for Arnautović to receive treatment. In my opinion, Mark Noble should have been sent off as it was a very poor challenge as he used excessive force. Noble was very lucky to be on the field and this was another decision Lee Mason failed to see.

Marko Arnautović always had a bad temperament which we saw in his Stoke days on a couple of occasions and his actions during the game was completely stupid and unnecessary. After the ball had gone by Jack Stephens, Arnautović struck the Southampton defender with his elbow in the neck region. Lee Mason and his assistant referee got this decision spot on and Arnautović should have no complaints. This is a stupid challenge by Arnautović and therefore he will miss the next three games for violent conduct

The misery continued for West Ham as José Fonte conceded a penalty for blatantly pulling back Stephen Davis. This was a stone wall penalty and Mason was on hand to award it. Fonte wasn't cautioned for his attempt to stop Davis from controlling the ball inside the area but should have been given a caution for this but Mason chose not too. Even though Fonte made no genuine attempt to play the ball, it wasn't an obvious goalscoring opportunity so it wouldn't have been a red card offence.

The second half for Lee Mason was a lot quieter than the first but he continued to have game-changing decisions to make. The first decision Mason had to make was whether Jack Stephens intentionally handled the ball or not after Ayew's header struck the defenders arm. There is no doubt that Andre Ayew's header hit Stephens on the arm; From my first view it appeared that his arm was in a natural position but I've seen these given. I do have to question Lee Mason's positioning for the corner. Mason was positioned on the edge of the D on the penalty area. Mason should have been nearer to the corner of the 18 yards box so his vision could not be impaired and to allow your assistant referee to look along his line of sight. Upon replays, it was clear that Mason's view was obstructed and he couldn't have given a decision as he couldn't see it. Positioning is taught very early in a refereeing career, especially for set pieces which allow your assistant referee to look across the line and for the referee to look into the crowd of players to give you, as the referee, the best opportunity to give a decision. It's strange that Mason took this position and he was guilty of taking other strange positioning throughout the game.



I've said before that goalkeepers are over protected by officials but I thought Mason got the decision to disallow the Southampton goal correct. As the ball ricocheted in the air, West Ham goalkeeper Joe Hart was poised to jump and collect/challenge for the ball but as Hart was about to jump, Nathan Redmond barged into the England number one and the goal was correctly disallowed.

I thought that Lee Mason had an average performance, with a handful of mistakes and a terrible 30 seconds in the first half but overall his performance was overshadowed by a very soft 91st minute penalty decision for Southampton's second penalty of the game. Southampton defender Maya Yoshida went down under minimal pressure by West Ham's Pablo Zabaleta whilst trying to latch on to a Ward-Prowse cross. Lee Mason pointed straight to the spot with West Ham players bewildered with his decision and cautioning Zabaleta in the process. Firstly, it was clear that Mason's position was poor once again as he took up a position which didn't give him a side on view of the challenge. Secondly, admittedly there was pressure from Zabaleta but there wasn't enough to give a foul in my opinion. If this incident occurred anywhere else on the pitch, it would not be classed as a foul. Thirdly, and more frustrating from a fans perspective, Zabaleta gave Lee Mason a decision to make in the final seconds of normal time. He should be experienced enough not to do that which Bilić will be furious about.

West Ham now sit rock bottom of the Premier League after two games. For the last 30 minutes of the game, I thought we looked comfortable and gunning for a draw with two great goals from Javier Hernandez. Since his sending off, Marko Arnautović has apologised on Instagram but his stupidity means he will be absent for three games against Cheltenham, Newcastle and the first home game of the season against Huddersfield. This kind of attitude and lack of self control cannot be tolerated and it put us in a difficult position for the rest of the game. Our defence is looking very suspect already after conceding 7 goals in two games. The amount of space that we gave Southampton in the middle of the park was a concern. There was no urgency in the middle of the park to put pressure on Southampton and time after time they split our defence with balls through midfield and defence just like Manolo Gabbiadini.

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A REFLECTION ON SOUTHAMPTON
AUTHOR: EXWHUEMPLOYEE. PUBLISHED: 20 AUGUST 2017 AT 10:04PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by Leon Shearing @leonshearing

Firstly I'd like to thank ex for the opportunity to write this article. To even be considered is an honour in itself. Cheers ex.

Wow, where do I start. A rollercoaster of a day but then we are all used to that following our beloved hammers.

It starts early 5:45 (no need for an alarm) as I awake eagerly anticipating another West Ham away day. We hit the road at 8:30 to meet with the rest of the lads I attend games with. I don't know why but I still get overly excited about going to watch West Ham. It's not all about the football but about the build up to the game, the company you keep, the other fans you meet and discuss your opinions with, learn their views and the new friends you make along your way. There really are some great characters you come across sporting the famous claret and blue. Southampton is one away day that I look forward to more than most. We take over yates' each time we are down the south coast. The place gradually fills by the minute with the claret and blue army turning up in their droves to support their idols and the atmosphere is building. By around midday the beer is flowing the place is buzzing and jam packed. People laughing, joking and generally having a good time. Choruses of bubbles ring out around the boozer and everywhere you look there is a fellow hammer singing their heart out. There are blokes wearing Mexican football shirts, sombreros and taches in honour of our little pea who I'm sure will become a cult hero. After a few more pints we take the short down the hill to St Mary's stadium which is a ground I quite like. It holds good memories for me as it is the place where I took my daughter for her first away game last season, a 1-3 win which I'm certain you all remember, shame that result couldn't be repeated yesterday.



On learning the starting 11 I had mixed views with Slav's selections. Fonte coming in for Ogbonna, I don't really rate Fonte that highly. He was brought into the club in January as cover for Ogbonna as he had been playing with an injury for a period of time. I think it's fair to say that Fonte hasn't lived up to the expectations of our loyal fans. My preferred centre back pairing in a flat 4 is Reid and Ogbonna. For me Ginge is above Fonte in the pecking order as for me he is a no nonsense centre half that gets the job done, is reliable and gives his all for the shirt.
Reid being stretchered off in the warm up was a huge blow for us. He is the best centre back at the club in my opinion and I for one hope that the injury isn't too serious and he is back fit sooner rather than later.

Cresswell coming in for Masuaku was a no brainer. I rate both our left backs but Arthur didn't exactly cover himself in glory at Old Trafford a week ago. I'm sure you have all seen the footage of his shenanigans in the lead up to Lukaku's second goal and that doesn't sit well with me or most if not all of you I'm sure.

Declan Rice coming in for Obiang was harsh in my opinion. Although Obiang wasn't great last week he was one of our stand out performers last term and he can feel aggrieved to have been left out. Having said that I do feel that Rice has earned his chance and I'm all for giving the youth their shot, after all we are the academy of football.
This maybe controversial but lots were singing his praises after his substitute performance against Man Utd last week, but coming in when you are 2-0 down and the game effectively lost wasn't too difficult. Man Utd didn't need to press the game so there was lots of time and space for Declan to do his thing. I'm not in anyway trying to say he didn't look impressive, I'm just trying to look at the bigger picture. From what I have heard and seen of the young man in the media and on the pitch I think he has a very bright future ahead of him and we may have a future star on our hands.

To have Antonio back is a great boost for the club and the fans. He us a favourite in the terraces and rightly so. He offers something that no one else at the club does and I don't mean his crazy goal celebrations. He is quick and ridiculously strong on the ball. His unpredictability is a great asset. I love how he is always positive and direct. I feel pace is something that we lack massively. The modern game is all about pace and a lot of goals are scored from fast counter attacking football especially in the premier league. I feel that we move the ball too slowly the vast majority of the time which when breaking gives the opposition time to get numbers back behind the ball. This is why I believe Antonio is vital to our football club.

After watching yesterday's game and the defeat at Old Trafford last week we seem to be lacking on the fitness front, this I believe has been an issue for us for some time, stretching back to last season. The match sharpness will come I get that. There is fit and then there is match fit but we seem to be a couple of yards of the pace. There was numerous times yesterday that we wasn't even close to winning the "second ball" which obviously invites pressure. It's difficult to do this with 10 men I understand that but to lose out on it so many occasions tells me it is an issue. I hope this is something that Slav and his staff have picked up on and it will he addressed.

I'm hearing and reading a lot of "Slav has got "x" amount of games to sort it out or he has to go"
The board gave decided that he is the man for the job so for me this talk is crazy and frankly a little over the top for this early in the season. I mean what would be the point of working with the manager over the close season on a shortlist of players that he wants at the club, backing him with the funds to get the personnel in and then not giving him time to work with the new recruits. We have moved deadwood on and got in some very good players. With a little under 2 weeks remaining in this window I don't think and hope that our business is concluded. The squad is beginning to gain depth something if which I don't believe we have had for a very long time.



Give Antonio and some of the fringe players a crack in mid week for the league cup tie and with Lanzini, Kouyate and Carroll hopefully in contention for Newcastle in the league next weekend things can only get better.

We move on together COYI

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Carvalho injured - or refusing to train?
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 18th August 2017
By: Staff Writer

Hammers target William Carvalho has failed to report for training with his current club this week - boosting rumours that he may yet be on his way to West Ham.

The defensive midfielder was the subject of a bid in the region of €30million by West Ham last week, since when the two clubs have been haggling over a the price (with an agreement yet to be reached).

However reports from Lisbon today suggest that Carvalho may be deliberately missing training in an attempt to push through a move to the Premier League.

Although he was unavailable for the Champions League game against Steaua Bucharest in midweek due to suspension and a purported shoulder problem, local news outlet Correio da Manhã claimed today that the 25-year-old had refused to train since.

And that, claims the report, is in protest at the manner in which club president Bruno de Carvalho is handling negotiations, which look set to drag on into a third week.

Meanwhile another Portuguese outlet, Jornal de Notícias, claims that the Hammers have now increased their bid to €35miliion - still some €5million short of Carvalho's minimum release fee of €40million.

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Winston Reid calf injury 'not serious' after West Ham defender stretchered off in warm-up
By Lyall Thomas & Andy Charles
Last Updated: 19/08/17 6:22pm
SSN

West Ham defender Winston Reid has picked up a calf injury but it is "nothing serious" according to manager Slaven Bilic The New Zealand international had to be stretchered off in the warm-up before Saturday's 3-2 Premier League defeat at Southampton. Bilic replaced him in the staring eleven with Angelo Ogbonna and said the timing of the knock was ironic after a pre-match discussion with his team. "It was like we were just talking; the players were doing the warm-up and it had been a long time since he had them all back and then (this happened)," Bilic said at full-time at St Mary's. "It's nothing serious but it was serious enough to rule him out of this game."
Hammers medical staff were swift to react when Reid went down - just days after he signed a new six-year deal - and they quickly summoned a stretcher. West Ham confirmed soon after that Ogbonna would start in his place and that Reid had suffered a calf injury.

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Slaven Bilic refused to criticise referee despite controversial calls in Souathampton defeat
Last Updated: 20/08/17 8:16pm
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Slaven Bilic wouldn't be drawn on referee Lee Mason's performance after West Ham's controversial defeat at Southampton. The Saints ended their goal drought at St Mary's and increased 10-man West Ham's misery with a 3-2 Premier League victory secured by a stoppage-time penalty from Charlie Austin. Mason sent-off Marko Arnautovic in the first-half after the Austrian elbowed Jack Stephens and then awarded a penalty for Jose Fonte's foul on Steven Davis, from which Dusan Tadic scored. A double from Javier Hernandez, either side of half-time, drew the visitors level but Mason awarded a dubious late penalty for a foul by Pablo Zabaleta. "I don't want to talk about the penalty decisions, because there is no point talking about it," Bilic said. "I only want to say that I'm very proud of my team and they showed everything I said - commitment, quality, character, team spirit and we never gave up. "I don't want to talk about the red card, either. I am the manager and I want to talk about the game and the decisions are going to lead to someone else talking about it. Of course the player is disappointed, but I am going to talk about the quality of the game and not about the decisions. "It's very hard to play with 10 men, especially as we were already one goal down. We then conceded a second goal and it was difficult to come back. On paper it was very difficult to keep it to 2-0, but we showed character and commitment and that we are fit enough to do it for each other."
Despite the defeat, there were plenty of positives for Bilic to take, including the performance of Hernandez, who joined for £16million from Bayer Leverkusen earlier this month. The striker took both his goals nicely and put in a huge amount of work when asked to fill in on the left wing when the Hammers were defending with 10-men. "He is a goalscorer but if we're also talking about him we must also talk about the second half, when we asked him to play on the wing because we needed to use his legs," Bilic said. "We had to have two banks of four and sometimes defend with six when they attacked with their full-backs, so we have to praise him not only for his goals but also for his great attitude and great defensive work."

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West Ham close to completing William Carvalho deal from Sporting Lisbon
By Sky Sports News
Last Updated: 20/08/17 8:12pm
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West Ham are close to signing William Carvalho, according to Sky sources. The Portugal international is understood to want a move to the Premier League and has a £40m release clause in his contract, but there is an awareness the deal needs to be done because other clubs have been alerted to his availability. Despite holding talks over the past two weeks, Sky Sports News understands Sporting will only sanction a deal to sell Carvalho if West Ham match the buy-out fee.
The 25-year-old, who helped Portugal win Euro 2016, is a product of the Sporting academy and has scored nine goals in 137 appearances since making his first-team debut in 2011. Sporting have recently signed midfielder Rodrigo Battaglia as a potential replacement for Carvalho. West Ham manager Slaven Bilic has made five major signings during the summer transfer window, with Pablo Zabaleta, Joe Hart, Marko Arnautovic, Javier Hernandez and Sead Haksabanovic arriving at the London Stadium. But the Hammers have lost both of their Premier League games so far this season, losing 4-0 at Manchester United and 3-2 at Southampton.

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Newcastle pondering sensational swoop for Geordie West Ham striker Andy Carroll
The £130,000-a-week West Ham striker has emerged as an option for his old club with an emotional, season-long loan on the cards
The Mirror
BYTOM HOPKINSON
22:30, 19 AUG 2017

Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez is considering a sensational swoop for Geordie boy Andy Carroll. The £130,000-a-week West Ham striker has emerged as an option for his old club with an emotional, season-long loan on the cards. And in a double raid on London, Benitez could take Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere, who will be allowed to leave Arsenal this summer, on loan as well. But it is a move for Carroll six years after he left the club which will really appeal to the Gallowgate faithful.
Carroll has been plagued by injury and the Hammers were willing to sell the 28-year-old to China in January. A move for the player did not materialise but if Newcastle firm up their interest then it is likely that West Ham will let him return to St James' Park. Meanwhile, West Ham are lining up a move for out-of-favour Barcelona midfielder Andre Gomes. Club representatives are due to meet the 24-year-old's agent this week to see if a deal is possible.

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West Ham reopen talks over £30m William Carvalho deal as Sporting Lisbon look for compromise over midfielder
Sporting have turned down a £22m bid from West Ham, which forced Slaven Bilic to look elsewhere
The Mirror
BYJOHN CROSS
12:59, 20 AUG 2017UPDATED15:28, 20 AUG 2017

West Ham have reopened talks with Sporting Lisbon over a £30m deal for William Carvalho. The Portuguese club have turned down a £22m bid from West Ham for the Sporting midfielder. West Ham pulled the plug and began to look elsewhere but it now appears Sporting are ready to find a compromise. Sporting are under financial pressures to sell this summer and in the past Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal have all looked at Carvalho but not signed him. That leaves West Ham in pole position this summer and if they can reach £30m with add-ons then they might find a deal. West Ham have backed Slaven Bilic heavily in the market with Joe Hart and Marko Arnautovic and are ready to dig deep again. Bilic wants a new midfielder and it looks a deal for Carvalho is back on.

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Declan Rice scouting report: West Ham youngster looks at home in Premier League on first start
Rice, 18, got the nod against Southampton, after an impressive cameo against Manchester United on the opening weekend
The Mirror
BYADRIAN KAJUMBA
17:13, 19 AUG 2017

Two games into the campaign and Declan Rice will already have to reset his aims for the season.

"My next target is to start in the Premier League, that's what I am aiming for," he said less than a month ago after featuring during pre-season for West Ham.


He can now tick that off after being handed a full debut against Southampton.

Rice, 18, got the nod, after an impressive cameo against Manchester United on the opening weekend, ahead of more experienced options Pedro Obiang and the versatile Edimilson Fernandes.

Rice captained West Ham's under-23s to promotion last season and, on a roller-coaster afternoon for the Hammers, his leadership and willingness to take responsibility, qualities they lacked at Old Trafford, stood out.

Almost instantly Rice, who played in a holding midfield role but his best position is centre-back, was bossing around his more experienced teammates, telling them where they should be, who to mark and who they should pass to.

And in the second half, as the Hammers chased an equaliser, it was the youngster showing maturity beyond his years and telling veteran Pablo Zabaleta not to rush a throw in with a 'calm down' gesture.

He was always checking over his shoulders, making sure he was aware of the dangers and passing options around him, and wasn't afraid to drop into high risk positions to demand the ball or be an extra body in defence.

Nothing showed off his nous than one first-half passage when West Ham scrambled back to try and stifle another Saints forward raid.

Rice spotted Nathan Redmond running into space, tried to alert one of his teammates to the forward's lurking threat.

But when nobody responded to his shouts Rice sprinted back into West Ham's back line and did the marking job himself, showing off his defensive instincts.

On the ball, Rice had little opportunity to show off what he could do especially after West Ham went down to 10 men in the first half.

This was a day for keeping it simple, doing the dirty work, trying to plug gaps in midfield and make himself available.

He did that to good effect and effortlessly during his 75 minutes on the pitch which ended with a deserved standing ovation from the travelling fans.

And he won't have to wait long to start a second game in the Premier League.

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