Daily WHUFC News - 4th May 2018

Ladies' season finale next step down 'path to success'
WHUFC.com

West Ham United Ladies general manager Karen Ray is backing her team to
return to winning ways in their final fixture of the 2017/18 season. The
Hammers were edged out 2-1 at Lewes in the FA Women's Premier League
Southern Division on Sunday, ending a 13-match unbeaten run that included
two historic cup final victories and impressive league wins over Cardiff
City, Swindon Town and Portsmouth. Now, Ray and her players are preparing to
end a promising campaign with the visit of Queen Park Rangers to Rush Green
on Sunday 20 May – a day which will celebrate the Ladies with a host of
special events on and off the pitch. "There is no clear defining moment for
us as a team, we have proven that our success wasn't a temporary moment in
time," said Ray. "It has been a consistent improvement and obsession with
the little things and we have shown that we can beat teams at the top. "Both
the players and staff are constantly hearing 'if only the season started in
2018'. Yes of course we can't help but grimace at that thought, but
ultimately those uncomfortable moments in 2017 have pathed the way for us.
"Without being pushed outside of our comfort zone and endured those moments
in which you have to all dig deep and stick together, we wouldn't have seen
the very best of ourselves. It's those dark moments that put you on the path
to success and here we are. "As a team we have a real passion and desire to
win, because at the top of the pyramid results matter and you are judged on
your ability to win. Jack Sullivan and I set out in December to build a
winning team and that meant creating a professional environment with an
intense group of players and a passionate group of staff. "As a team we have
been given all the resources to succeed and everyone believes in the Club's
values and ethos which have propelled our successful 2018. "It's easy to
say you want to be the best player, the best coach and the best team. But it
is the moments in between when your back is against the wall and you have to
ask yourself if you're prepared to dedicate and commit enough to achieve it?
"You won't find us in a comfort zone, because we know the only place we can
become better is when we step outside of it. Those uncomfortable moments
where implicit learning takes place. That is where West Ham United Ladies
path to success will always begin."
The Hammers host their London rivals at Rush Green for the 2pm kick-off with
tickets available to book now. All U16 and Adult Season Ticket Holders and
Claret Members can attend for free, while Adult tickets are otherwise priced
at just £3. Gates open at midday, and you could have your photo taken with
the two trophies won by the team this season, as well as getting involved
with football inflatables, a creative corner where you can design your own
banner, foosball tables, and meeting a Hammers legend. A range of food and
drink options will also be available on the day, including the Rib Man.
What's more, if you book tickets in advance, you will be entered into a
prize draw to win one of 20 places in a half-time penalty shootout on the
Rush Green pitch!*

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Hammers youngster Alese in England U17s Euros squad
WHUFC.com

West Ham United youngster Ajibola Alese has been named in the England squad
for the UEFA Euro U17 Championships, which get underway on Friday. Defender
Alese appeared for the Club's Premier League 2 side on five occasions this
term, despite only turning 17 in January, and has been rewarded for his
progress with a place in Steve Cooper's final 20-man squad. Alese debuted at
this level in February and will hope to play his part as the Young Lions
look to go one better than last year's runners-up finish to Spain. The
tournament is taking place on home soil, with six venues in the Midlands
playing host to the 16-team tournament. England's campaign gets underway on
Friday with a game against Israel at Chesterfield's Proact Stadium. They
follow that by taking on Italy at Walsall on Monday, before concluding the
group stage with next Thursday's meeting with Switzerland at Rotherham.

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Cresswell: I couldn't care less who scores as long as we get the points
WHUFC.com

Aaron Cresswell says West Ham United cannot afford to allow negative
thoughts to enter their heads as they prepare for Saturday's crunch Premier
League fixture at Leicester City. The Hammers head to the East Midlands
eager to secure the three points that should secure their top-flight safety,
winning their first Premier League fixture at King Power Stadium at the
fourth attempt in the process. Cresswell, who scored an outstanding goal in
the 2-2 draw at the King Power in April 2016, says he and his teammates have
put Sunday's home defeat by champions Manchester City out of their minds and
are fully focused on defeating Claude Puel's side. The Foxes have themselves
picked up just one point from their last four matches, losing 5-0 at Crystal
Palace last time out, and have not won at home in the league since 20
January – but the No3 insists the men in Claret and Blue cannot and will not
take anything for granted. "We've got to focus on ourselves now," said West
Ham's assist-leader with seven. "We've got Leicester this weekend and we
need to dust ourselves off, go again, work hard and get ready to face them
on Saturday. "All we can do is have a good week in training and put all our
focus on our next game. We need to try and stay as positive as we can and go
out there and beat Leicester. "If you look at Leicester, they lost 5-0 on
Saturday, but they had a man sent-off at Crystal Palace on Saturday and it
changed the game even more. They are still a good team, but we need to go
out there and believe we can beat them. "It would be nice to get another
goal against them, but it's not about who scores the goals, but all about
the result. I couldn't care less who scores as long as we get the points. "I
couldn't tell you the points tally we need to get to but we are certainly
not safe now. The Premier League is so unpredictable, so any of the teams
around us could pick up points between now and the end of the season. "We've
got three games to go and we're not going to be negative about anything.
We're going to stay as positive as we can and concentrate on the job in
hand."

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SULLIVAN IS THIS AS GOOD AS IT GETS?
AUTHOR: EXWHUEMPLOYEE. PUBLISHED: 3 MAY 2018 AT 8:50PM
TheWesthamWay.co.uk
Written by @farehamhammer

All Moyes fault? Dream on! As per usual The Cons little lackeys are working
on behalf of the cons, desperately trashing, David Moyes, in any way they
can. Desperately trying to deflect blame away from the lying, thieving,
self-styled "Messiahs" who own The Club. Always the manager never the
self-styled "Messiahs". I'm not saying that Moyes is blameless, he most
certainly is not. However, the real reason that we are, where we are, is due
to EIGHT years of lies and MORE lies and a chronic lack of investment by the
"Messiahs". Who appointed Moyes in the first place? Who said he would have
money to spend in January? You got it in one. The Messrs. What did they do
in January? Sold Ayew and Fonte for £26 million, bringing in Mario for £2m
on loan and Jordan Hugill for £9m. All that matters to the Messrs is money.
Whether it be ripping the "Customers" off, by charging them £10 to join the
non-existent 50,000 waiting list for season tickets or making phantom 'bids'
for a player! Bids they know are time wasting and insulting to the selling
Club. Or offering a player they are 'trying' to sign, peanuts for personal
terms, ensuring that the 'deal' collapses. When it comes to money the Messrs
certainly are a bag of 'party' tricks.

Through their years at The Daily Sport, they have built up a whole array of
contacts to spin their lies and to garner their sympathy, when they get
found out. Divide and rule has always been their aim. Whether it be
Birmingham City Football Club or West Ham United, they are RUTHLESS people
who lie when their lips move. FOUR, relegations on their C/V, tells you they
would rather be relegated than invest in their football team. We bid 25m for
Joe Allen but Stoke couldn't get their signing over the line. We had a bid
for James Maddison accepted, but David Moyes did not want him, we 'just'
failed to get Leo Dendoncker, as we ran out of time to do a medical "All
utter BOLLOCKS"! Nobody is interested in that crap anymore, and neither are
they interested in reading that Sullivan is working "twenty-four hours round
the clock in a bid to bring new signings in"! When he is lounging around his
pool in Marabella. Lies, lies and MORE lies!

I just shake my head when people say: "Bring in Rafa Benítez, Eddie Howe or
this manager or that in. No decent manager wants to work for the Messrs.
Their name stinks in the world of football. They interfere and publicly
ridicule the manager, when they feel like it, and he is still expected to be
competitive with a team built on cheapies, freebies and loan after loan.
Would you want to work under such a set up if you are an ambitious manager?
Not on your life! Yet they get people to put it across that if you boo and
chant: "SACK THE BOARD"! It will prevent deals for players that they already
have in place, from joining us. As a player would be put off by the toxic
atmosphere. No people are not fooled, they know who the problem is. You only
had to listen to Mark Sager on Talk Sport, to realise that. Public opinion,
is turning irreversibly against the Messrs.

About 87% of West Ham's support want them out. The other 13%? Well it's like
certain relationship statuses: complicated! Like, the rest of us they know
what the Messrs are all about. But to them, it's almost like being deeply in
love with a partner who is a serial love cheat, yet they love the partner so
much they hope somehow, they will mend their ways. Similarly, the 13% are
giving The Messrs one last chance… till the end of The Summer window. BUT
they MUST spend big. This after EIGHT years of lies and MORE lies, and a
chronic lack of investment? There is more chance of Hillary Clinton giving
Donald Trump a blow job than that happening! Where is the money coming from?
Everything the Club owns is mortgaged to the hilt. Sullivan is ALREADY
getting his tearjerkers in. Crying, about agent fees and signing on fees
blah blah. Watch out for the newest gem! "We couldn't clinch deals as the
transfer window closed too early 6th of August".

Well what do we do to get rid of them? That is not going to be easy
unfortunately. They had to do with fans turning against them while they
owned Birmingham, that did not phase them too much. The way they wore their
old flat caps incognito against Southampton. Indicated they liked their role
of Villains of The London Stadium. Indeed, Sullivan has said that if they
have not turned things around in five years they would be off, conveniently
when they can sell up without having to pay any penalties. No chance! Leave
West Ham in the hands of a couple of ruthless asset strippers, will see us
land up like Sunderland or worse. No time for apathy, no time for turning
back, it's time to fight for the soul of West Ham United. Going on social
media and tweeting! Sell up! or F*** off! You have destroyed our Club! (I do
it as well!) But in reality, it is about as effective as Trump coming on
stage and going on about 'crooked' Hillary and his supporters shouting LOCK
HER UP!! Some sixteen months after the USA Presidential election.

At present West Ham's fanbase, passionate as it is, it is all over the
place. Some have marched, some have been up to see Brady. Some are not sure
whether to march, say a prayer for The Club. The Messrs have been successful
at dividing us. No more! Time for us to unite, time to elect one body to
take the fight forward, time for leaders to organise and mobilise West Ham's
passionate support. If we March, we march as ONE! One powerful voice of
defiance! It is not just about marching either, one must be thankful to
those groups of supporters, who took time off from work to meet with Brady.
Dialogue must be kept with the "Messrs". But no longer can they be allowed
to dictate what they will talk about and what they won't. Beer shelves, more
Claret seats, a better match day experience. Yes, that is nice. But it's
time to talk about finances, transfer budget for this window. Director of
Football, bringing in someone LIKE Zola NOT as manager, but to work with the
youth and first team on a one to one basis, to improve the technical ability
of all our players. You only have to look at the inability of our midfield,
to do simple things like retaining possession, to realise we badly need
someone to work one on one with the players.

We also need to know what the plans are to overhaul our scouting system.
Karren Brady's decision to get rid of most of our scouts has not paid
dividends. For the last few years, we have been signing rejects from the top
Clubs in the Premier League, as well as Europe. One or two like Declan Rice
and Nathan Holland have done well, but the majority have not made the grade
at our Club either as they are simply not good enough. Let's not be too
depressed about our Club, there is enormous potential! But it is being run
to the ground by a pair of wideboys!! The sad part about it is this:
Contrary to what many think, they DO know how to run a football Club! They
have the ability to identify top transfer targets before anyone else but
won't spend the bloody money! However, they are not going to sit down and
discuss anything meaningful willy nilly. I'm afraid we are in a desperate
situation, it's time to March or time to die! A massive and united March is
the one thing they don't want and fear. Time to put our differences behind
us and FIGHT for West Ham United! If we cannot do that, then they will kill
West Ham United… bit by bit. Surely, we can't let them do that?

We are more than a football Club, we're a way of life!!!

FarehamHammer!!!

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Board facing Leicester snub
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 3rd May 2018
By: Staff Writer

West Ham United's Board of Directors could be set to receive a frosty
welcome from their counterparts at Leicester City this weekend. KUMB
reported back in February how the Foxes had shunned a bid from the Hammers
for Islam Slimani as a result of comments made by vice chair Karren Brady
regarding chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha in her tabloid column last year.
And it is being suggested that Brady, plus fellow Board members David Gold
and David Sullivan could potentially be banned from the Foxes Boardroom on
Saturday when the two teams meet in what is a vital match for West Ham, who
need at least one more win from their remaining three matches to secure
Premier League survival. This weekend's meeting will represent the first
occasion on which West Ham have visited the Midlands club since Brady's
column was published in 2017. Despite United's vice chair having since
apologised, Srivaddhanaprabha is understood to harbour a grudge.

* In other related news, Leicester City have refused to allow a group of
volunteers to collect money for Isla Caton outside the King Power stadium
this weekend.
A small band of travelling West Ham supporters have been raising funds at
various away venues this season in order to send the three-year-old to
America for vital treatment. However the group have been told by Foxes
Liaison Officer Jim Donnelly that they would not be permitted to collect
outside the stadium this weekend as the club were holding two other
(non-related) collections on the day.

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NOT ALL GOOD FRIENDS AND GIVE US A POINT OR THREE
By Goatygav 3 May 2018 at 17:00
WTID

So here we are again – unhappy as can be. Saturday is filling many fans with
trepidation as Leicester are a very good team and we're not exactly in the
best of form. There are more than a few predicting doom, in the form of
relegation, for West Ham come the end of the season but are they right to do
so. West Brom can't catch us so we could only go down in 19th or 18th spot.
Three points will, all but, ensure survival. Should those points arrive this
weekend then Southampton would need to win at least two of three vs Everton,
Swansea and City to finish above us. Stoke must win both to overhaul us and
Swansea, like Southampton, would also need 2 wins from Bournemouth,
Southampton and Stoke. So why the positive outlook?

Leicester's points haul, from their last 5 is one worse than ours with a
WLLDL compared to our WDDLL. This against marginally easier opposition, of
Brighton, Newcastle, Burnley, Southampton and Palace, compared to our
matches with Southampton, Chelsea, Stoke, Arsenal and City. In isolation
there's not much in that but other factors are at play. The sending off, for
the red card offence of pulling down Zaha while in the clear on goal, this
weekend of Mark Albrighton means he misses the fixture against us.
Albrighton is a key player in the Leicester team. Another massive
contributor to their midfield engine room is Okazaki who is a major doubt
along with their keeper Schmeichel. Between the sticks Ben Hamer,
Schmeichel's replacement, comes off a 5 goal tonking. Not ideal for a
replacement's confidence at the

Probably more than any of the reasons in the previous paragraph, though, is
the fact that these points are far more meaningful to us. We're desperate
for them. Leicester appear to be coasting in to a mid-table finish without
any real motivation. This need for points often plays a big factor in
matches at this stage of the season. Mid table safety often softens teams
with motivation waning compared to the hungrier teams attempting to avoid
relegation.

Of course there's still the clear and present threat of the Mahrez/Vardy
partnership but it looks like they're effectiveness has been seriously
blunted of late with other key players missing. Add Albrighton in to that
mix and it's looking even more difficult for them. All things considered I'm
seriously optimistic for this weekend and for good reason. Bring 'em on!

It's highly unlikely that West Brom, despite putting up a spirited fight,
will survive. Stoke are showing a similar hunger for which Paul Lambert
deserves some credit. When things have gone against him, and his team, he's
not made excuses but has chosen to commend his players for their efforts and
promised to do everything in their power to win games. But taking maximum
points against Everton and Swansea will be an ask.

Like so many others I can't wait for the end of the season. I'm going to
reserve judgement on whether I believe David Moyes deserves the job beyond
that point until all the games have been played. When you're not picking up
any points, and so many others are on the 'get rid' bandwagon, it's easy to
make snap judgements. I also believe that it's not right to discuss
someone's employment position while they're still in the job so I do my best
to avoid any speculation.

I was on record, the day before David Moyes' appointment, as stating that he
would 'take us down' if put in place. At that stage I genuinely thought that
we'd be relegated with a few left to play but there are positive aspects to
the job he's done and I sincerely wish that I am proven wrong. I'm as
critical as the next fan when it comes to DM's in match tactics. Double and
triple subs have been tactical errors, especially the double in the Arsenal
game, but I'm not as bought in to the 'Negative' or 'Dinosaur' perspectives
that have been shared. A degree of pragmatism has been adopted by Mr Moyes
under current circumstances and I can't really blame him for that. If
results go our way this weekend we could be mathematically safe by 19.00 on
Saturday night due to Southampton and Swansea still having to play each
other, as well as one other fixture, while being 6 and 5 points behind
respectively.

Overall the game on Sunday was pretty forgettable. There were signs of
Lanautovic linking well again. Both need to start the remainder of games
IMHO. I watched it in the pub where there were adjacent tv screens with the
Snooker as the alternative. Higgins really was excellent. On this occasion
the Goat was doing the staring at his brilliant 136 break to put him 8-3 up
– not, as in HH's report, the men staring at the Goats. All riveting stuff
as the snooker fan in the picture below is testament to. Man City are a bit
special. What pleases me the most is that a team playing intricate,
enterprising and entertaining football are winning things which pokes one in
the eye of the 'pretty football wins nothing in England' merchants who've
held the game back decades in this country.

No such boredom in the game this coming weekend.

COYI!

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DEFENSIVE MEASURES
By Blind Hammer 3 May 2018 at 08:00
WTID

Blind Hammer looks at the need for squad overhaul.

Whatever division West ham compete in next season the priority for squad
overhaul is now clear. The honeymoon period for Moyes is well and truly over
but to lamblast a coaching team barely 6 months into their tenure for a
structural weakness which has persisted for over 2 years is probably unfair.

What is clear is that Moyes has not yet cracked the defensive squad problems
that he inherited from Slaven Bilic. He has so far shown, like Bilic, only
sporadic indications that he can set up a team able to defend.

Our latest 4-1 reversal against Manchester City was the 15th time we have
conceded three or more goals this season. We officially have the leakiest
defence with 67 conceded in 35 games. The Manchester city reversal was the
fourth 4-1 defeat this season.

The depressing fact is that none of this is new. Even in the last season at
the Boleyn the alarm bells were ringing. After January in that final season
the team began to ship goals at an average of 2 a game. Luckily we had
enough Payet and Antonio inspired firepower to resist falling into trouble
then. This only served, however, to paper over the alarming defensive cracks
that were emerging. Remember the penultimate Boleyn match where Swansea
decimated our ailing defence, 4-1? Despite these warning signs the problem
has exacerbated rather than improved. Not just the top six sides but
moderate and even poor sides routinely thrash us. Last season Watford and
West Brom both spanked us by each scoring 4 goals against us in a fortnight.
Burnley and Swansea similarly combined to score 7 goals against us recently
again in a fortnight.

This is why, fore 2 summer windows now, I have written multiple pieces
criticising squad transfer strategies. We have, as a team pursued a glory
dream of assembling a team firstly to meet an illusory squad depth challenge
of the Europa League, and then a grandeur project of developing an exciting
team fit for the new Stadium. At no time was I ever convinced that the
seriousness of our defensive weaknesses were recognised or addressed. Sadly
the latest Winter Transfer window reinforced this problem. Quite what the
thinking was that we could solve our difficulties with the recruitment of 36
year old Patrice Evra is the biggest blow to my confidence with Moyes. The
releasing of Fonte was equally mystifying. Whilst Fonte was not a world
beater, to gamble on the fitness of Collins and read when they both have
appalling injury records was bizarre in the extreme. David Gold pleaded
hindsight of not anticipating injury to defend the Fonte sale. This is not
an acceptable excuse. I wrote last summer that we had the most injury prone
defence in the league and that not to reinforce it then was criminally
negligent. We were too obsessed with our unfit Strikers and not recognising
our unfit defenders. I said then it would come back to haunt us and sadly
this has proven true. If this physical fragility in defence was obvious last
summer was it should have been even more obvious this January. The
performances of rice have been exposed by the unfair responsibilities of a
young teenager having to perform in a structurally dysfunctional unit.

I am now impatient with those who simply think we can get out of this hole
by embracing a more expansive style. The West Ham tradition of exciting
football was always just as much built on defensive skills as much as
attacking talent. Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters were lifted by the talents
of Bobby Moore. Brooking and Devonshire were shaped by the ferocity and
determination of Billy Bonds. Alvin Martin and Tony Gale allowed the talents
of Cottee and MacAvennie to flow.
We will never have an exciting team until we sort out defensive basics.
Expansive attacking play is based on confidence. There is nothing more
guaranteed to destroy confidence than the dreary albatross around the neck
of a team routinely conceding 2 or more goals a game. This is the reality of
the defensive millstone that West Ham has carried for far too long. If we
are relegated we will have no way back unless we solve this. We can see now
that Hart's recruitment was a serious judgement failure and Zabeleta's
recruitment is stopgap. The problem needs serious attention from the most
skilled analysts available. The time for glory ambition has passed. We need
to get back to basics. It is time finally, this summer, to sort out our own
back yard of our defence
COYI
David Griffith.

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WEST HAM TO OFFER PLAYER AS MAKEWEIGHT FOR MIDFIELD TARGETFeatured Image
Date: 3rd May 2018 at 9:00pm
Written by: Josh Challies

West Ham are set for a major rejuvenation this summer after a rollercoaster
campaign, which has left David Moyes' side still battling to avoid
relegation to the Championship. The Hammers sit just three points above the
relegation zone with three matches to play but the Scottish boss is already
starting to target is summer activity, with WestHamWorld claiming a fresh
offer for Leander Dendoncker. According to their information, West Ham will
lodge a new bid for the 22-year-old Belgium international if they secure
points against Leicester City this weekend, which would provide the Hammers
with a major boost in their quest to avoid the drop. However, that's not the
only big news as it's also claimed that West Ham will offer Cheikhou Kouyate
to Anderlecht to drive down the price for Dendoncker, offering the Senegal
international as well as a fee of £12m. 28-year-old Kouyate previously spent
six years in Belgium with Anderlecht and is said to still have a strong
connection to the club.

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Reece Oxford prepared to snub West Ham return as the defender hopes to stay
with Borussia Monchengladbach
Reece Oxford does not believe he has a future playing at West Ham United
Oxford is on loan in Germany at Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach
There have been suggestions that the 19-year-old could be sent back to
London
But he wants to continue playing in Germany where he feels he is wanted
By Tom Farmery For Mailonline
PUBLISHED: 18:02, 3 May 2018 | UPDATED: 18:08, 3 May 2018

Reece Oxford does not want to return to West Ham and hopes he can stay in
Germany. Reports on Thursday suggest that Borussia Monchengladbach are to
send Oxford, 19, back to West Ham but he believes he has no future at the
East London strugglers. Oxford is impressed with the chances given to his
former team-mate Declan Rice, also 19, this season but it has created
another hurdle in his path.
Rice has been voted Young Hammer of the Year for the second season in
succession and also made the breakthrough for the Republic of Ireland. Now
Oxford hopes West Ham will accept a fair price to transfer him to Germany
rather than price him out of a summer transfer. Oxford was recalled from his
loan spell in January by manager David Moyes before rejoining the Bundesliga
side on the final day of the winter transfer window until the end of the
season. He played in a handful of games, but was used out of position in
midfield. The defender made only three appearances for the Hammers during
the month he spent back in London. Oxford has made six appearances for
Monchengladbach during the second half of the season. The German club have
previously made no secret of their desire to sign the West Ham academy
graduate.
Max Eberl, Monchengladbach's sporting director, said after Oxford's initial
loan spell earlier in the season that he had been pleased with his
contribution. Eberl said: 'It was very important for us that Reece could
come back to Monchengladbach. 'We're particularly pleased that a player who
didn't play every game – in fact, he only played four [for Monchengladbach]
– was still really keen to return. 'He saw what we had promised him in the
summer was beginning to happen.'

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Marcus Bettinelli on West Ham radar as David Moyes looks for new No 1 with
Joe Hart and Adrian failing to convince
David Moyes has rotated between Joe Hart and Adrian in goal this season
Hart's loan will expire at the end of the season and West Ham want a new
keeper
They will target Marcus Bettinelli regardless of whether Fulham are promoted

By Sami Mokbel for MailOnline
PUBLISHED: 15:42, 3 May 2018 | UPDATED: 15:42, 3 May 2018

West Ham have begun the search for a new No 1, with Fulham goalkeeper Marcus
Bettinelli a leading contender to fill the void. David Moyes has alternated
between Joe Hart and Adrian in goal this season; neither completely
convincing the Hammers boss. And West Ham have started the process of trying
to sign a new custodian this summer with Bettinelli emerging as serious
candidate. The 25-year-old has impressed for the Cottagers in their race for
promotion this season, and his performances have caught West Ham's eyes. It
remains to be seen whether Fulham would even entertain letting the former
England Under-21 star leave this summer, particularly if they secure a
Premier League return. Nevertheless, West Ham are set to launch a move for
Bettinelli regardless of Fulham's league status ahead of next term.
Bettinelli is likely to move onto England manager Gareth Southgate's radar
once he makes the step up into top-flight football. England scouts have made
regular checks on Bettinelli this season with a view to a potential call-up
if he is playing in the Premier League next term. Indeed, Bettinelli's stats
this season make for impressive reading; eclipsing some of England's current
senior internationals. He has kept more clean sheets than Jack Butland,
Fraser Forster and Hart so far this season, and conceded considerably less
goals than the established trio. Similarly, his saves per goal ratio and
distribution accuracy is far greater than the aforementioned threesome.

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