Daily WHUFC News - 15th May 2018

Lanzini thanks West Ham fans for support this season
WHUFC.com

Two-goal hero Manuel Lanzini has thanked the West Ham United fans for their
incredible support throughout the 2017/18 season. Lanzini scored two
excellent goals for the Hammers in Sunday's finale, taking his tally to five
in the Premier League for the campaign, as the Irons saw off Everton 3-1 at
London Stadium.
The Argentinian expertly tucked home from the edge of the area with his left
foot in the first half to put West Ham ahead, before curling home an
exquisite finish to secure the three points for the Irons.
The 25-year-old was given a standing ovation by West Ham supporters when he
was substituted in the second period, and Lanzini has personally expressed
his gratitude to the fans for their continued encouragement. "I always say
that the West Ham fans are amazing," Lanzini told WHUTV. "All season they
have followed us at every Stadium and for this has been really good for us.
I want to say thank you to them. "I am really happy because we've finished
like this. We deserve this. It was a long season – sometimes good and
sometimes not good – but we finished good. This is good for us and good for
the people, for all of us."

Lanzini's two goals saw the midfielder named the Betway Man of the Match in
Sunday's finale, but the South American has praised the quality of the
passes into him for the goals, with Cheikhou Kouyate setting him up for the
first finish. Lanzini added: "I think the finishes were good because the
passes to me were good, and then I tried to do what I could with them."
The No10 has also offered praise for manager David Moyes. The Scotsman
joined the Hammers in November, with the Club in the relegation zone, and
has guided the team to a 13th placed finish and 42 points, with the Irons
collecting seven points in their last three matches. "He's a good coach and
a good person. He's done a good job and we will stay in the Premier League,
and that's down to his good work. But first he's a good person as well."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Noble: Sunday was just a brilliant way to finish the season
WHUFC.com

Mark Noble thanked the Claret and Blue Army for sticking with him and his
West Ham United teammates until the very end of a tough season. The Hammers
signed off the 2017/18 campaign with seven points from their final matches
to climb to 13th in the Premier League table, having at one stage sat in the
bottom three with just 14 points from the first 17 top-flight matches. The
finale came on Sunday, when two outstanding goals from Manuel Lanzini and a
rocket from Marko Arnautovic secured an emphatic 3-1 win over Everton amid a
feelgood atmosphere at London Stadium. "Brilliant, the way we played from
start to finish," said the skipper, reflecting on the victory. "They came on
strong at the start of the second half, but with our quality going forward,
we put the game to bed.
"We definitely should have been two or three up in the first half. With my
chance, I thought I was offside but I should just have worried about
finishing it. But it's just a brilliant way to finish the season. The season
we've had has been tough, but I can finally go on holiday and enjoy myself."

"We've got special players. We were in a bad position because we didn't show
that. I honestly think we can really compete with the best when we play that
way and we've proven it this season in some of the games. "It happens every
year that I look at the table after we've finished and I see we are five or
six points off the top eight or nine. When you see the games we've chucked
away and the points we've lost this season, it could have been us, but
that's football for us. The last few weeks, the training ground has been
fantastic. It's been a good place to play football."

Noble was grateful to the tens of thousands of supporters who stayed after
the final whistle to show their appreciation to the players who, in turn,
thanked the fans for their loyal support throughout a challenging campaign.
"I'm just really happy for everyone. Thank you to everyone who stayed behind
and clapped the boys because we played at Leicester away last week and we
saw there weren't many people left. There were loads left for us and it was
fantastic for them to stay and clap the boys."

Noble, his wife and two children, as well as every player and their family,
will now enjoy some well-earned time off before returning for pre-season
training in early July. The No16, for one, is relishing the opportunity to
recharge his batteries before embarking on his 15th season as a first-team
player. "There are a few big, big decisions to be made over the summer but
that's the last thing on my mind at the minute. I can't wait to go on
holiday with my family and enjoy the time off and come back raring to go
next season."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sir Trevor: My final West Ham game was an amazing and emotional experience
WHUFC.com

Sir Trevor Brooking brought down the curtain on his illustrious West Ham
United career on 14 May 1984. The gifted midfielder pulled on a Claret and
Blue shirt for the 643rd and final time as the Hammers hosted Everton at the
Boleyn Ground. However, unlike the season just ended, West Ham failed to
rise to the occasion, losing 1-0 to complete a disappointing end to the
1983/84 campaign which had begun with five consecutive First Division wins
but end with John Lyall's side losing four of their last six matches to slip
to ninth in the table. The last game of the season might have ended in
defeat, but it was still an occasion to celebrate the career of Brooking,
who had scored 102 goals across 17 seasons as a first-team player. Then 35,
the five-time Hammer of the Year had made just one appearance in the 1982/83
season – on the final day against Arsenal – after undergoing successful
surgery to rectify a longstanding groin injury.
However, he had returned, pain-free, for the start of the 1983/84 campaign
and started 35 of West Ham's 42 First Division matches, scoring what turned
out to be his final goal in a New Year's Eve win over Tottenham Hotspur,
five League Cup ties and three FA Cup matches. The penultimate game of
Brooking's career came on Saturday 12 May, when Nottingham Forest were the
visitors to Upton Park. Despite West Ham taking the lead, Forest fought back
to win, but it was still an unforgettable occasion for the Barking-born
playmaker. "There was a surprise for me before the match when the Forest
manager Brian Clough made a presentation to me on the pitch – a cut-glass
bowl to mark the end of my career," Brooking wrote in his autobiography My
Life in Football. "It was a nice gesture. "An even bigger surprise followed
when my six-year-old son Warren walked out as our match-day mascot. I had no
idea he'd been selected for the job."
A little more than 48 hours later, the Hammers were beaten again by FA Cup
finalists Everton, angering manager Lyall, Brooking recalled. "John Lyall
was furious in the dressing room afterwards. He launched into us and accused
us of complacency and missing a great opportunity," he wrote. "He said we
should have finished in the top four, instead of which we let it slip in the
last weeks of the season. He was probably right." Having received a dressing
down, Brooking began to get changed out of his kit for the final time, but
then there was a knock on the door from Chairman Len Cearns. "He looked at
John, then he looked at me. 'Sorry John," he said, 'but the crowd won't go
home until Trevor goes out and says goodbye'. So I put my gear back on and
went onto the pitch amid great cheering.
"I ran around the pitch, waving to the crowd and picking up the scarves they
threw at me. It was an amazing and emotional experience, but what surprised
me more than anything was that it seemed virtually everyone in the stadium
had stayed behind to bid their farewells. "Quite unforgettable. I was
lapping it up while the rest of my teammates were getting a rollicking from
the manager!"

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Alese and England progress to Euro semi-finals
WHUFC.com

West Ham United defender Ajibola Alese progressed to the UEFA U17 European
Championship semi-finals on Sunday as his England side were 2-0 winners over
Norway in the last eight of the tournament. The teenage centre-back, who
broke into the Hammers' U23 side this season, has played the Young Lions'
last two matches in the campaign and will be hoping to help his team – the
competition's hosts – claim silverware this summer. Also with a spot in the
semis already booked are Italy – who England beat 2-1 in the group stages –
and Belgium, while the winner of Monday night's Republic of Ireland vs.
Holland tie will also join them. Either side of the 2-1 victory over the
Italians was an opening contest win against Israel and a 1-0 defeat to
Switzerland. Upon securing a spot in the last four, 17-year-old Alese told
whufc.com: "The whole team are really excited for the semi-finals. There is
a sense of confidence within us, now. "I think we were mostly in control
against Norway and we scored an early goal, which confirmed our dominance in
the game. "Overall in the tournament so far, we've played really well. We've
show resilience to come back from losing positions and we've shown that we
can play good football against good oppositions."

Bobby Duncan – cousin of former Three Lions senior team captain and current
Glasgow Rangers boss Steven Gerrard – got England off to a good start in
their first knockout-round game before Arsenal's Xavier Amaechi put the
result beyond doubt. Though Alese was left out as England secured their
qualification to the quarters with two wins from as many games, the defender
has been pleased with his performances since coming into the side and is
hoping to continue his good form. "I think I played well in the game against
Switzerland," he explained, "and we were unlucky to lose. In the quarters,
it was a different kind of game but it was difficult. "We all have
confidence, the whole team, that on our day we can beat most teams. If we
face Italy again, they will be looking for revenge though so we have to be
ready and play even better. "For me personally, if I was able to cap off
this season with a medal, it would be nice after the campaign I've had. "We
are playing as hosts and the support is amazing, so hopefully we can do
that. Every tackle, every piece of skill, good play or goal is cheered very
loudly. "It's great to have thousands of people cheering you on, wanting you
to win so hopefully we can keep going and win twice more."

The two semi-final fixtures will both take place on Thursday 17 May, with
the final scheduled three days later on Sunday.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham to enter transfer window manager-less
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 14th May 2018
By: Staff Writer

West Ham are set to enter the transfer window without a manager as the Board
ponder who to appoint as the club's next full time head coach. David Moyes'
short-term contract expired last night just a matter of hours after he
guided the Hammers to a respectable 13th-place finish in the Premier League,
with the club apparently no closer to announcing their new choice. And
whilst the Scot remains in the running to continue the job he began last
November, West Ham have revealed that they may not have a man in place until
the beginning of next month - which happens to coincide with the season
ticket renewal deadline. The 2018 summer transfer window opens this Thursday
(17 May) as a result of the decision to move the deadline forward to 9
August - 48 hours ahead of the start of the 2018/19 Premier League campaign
(on Saturday 11 August).

The leading candidates to follow Moyes in the West Ham hotseat are as
follows...

Manuel Pellegrini (64, Hebei Chinese Fortune)

The Chilean cut his managerial teeth in South America with clubs such as San
Lorenzo and River Plate before trying his luck in Europe with Villareal,
Real Madrid and Malaga. In 2013 he arrived in England and won the Premier
League with Manchester City in his first season. He has been in China since
2016.

Paulo Fonseca (45, Shakhtar Donetsk)

The former Portuguese central defender has been coaching since retiring as a
pro at the age of just 32. Having led relative minnows Pacos de Ferreira to
the Champions League, he was hired by Porto -but fired before the season was
out with the Dragões in third place in the league. Successful spells at
Pacos (again) and Braga led to Fonseca moving abroad for the first time to
manage Shakhtar in 2016, since when he has won the domestic double and taken
the Ukrainians to the last 16 of the Champions League.

Rafa Benitez (58, Newcastle Utd)

One of the most well-known faces in the Premier League, Benitez worked at
Liverpool and Chelsea before moving to Newcastle where he is adored by the
fans having led the Magpies to instant promotion from the Championship and a
top ten Premier League finish. Wanted by West Ham when Sam Allardyce left,
West Ham's Board were unsuccessful but hope once more to lure the former
defender - who has also enjoyed spells with the likes of Real Madrid, Inter
and Napoli - to east London.

Unai Emery (46, Paris St Germain)

Emery has alerady confirmed that he will be leaving Paris this summer, which
will no doubt have been music to the ears of West Ham's Board who are not
know for paying compensation for managerial staff. However Arsenal are
likely to have first dibs on the Spaniard, who spent much of his playing
career in the Spanish second division.

David Moyes (55, out of contract)

Moyes exceeded all expectations at West Ham having succeeded Slaven Bilic at
the tail end of 2017 by steering the Hammers clear of relegation and into a
13th-place finish, largely as a result of taking seven points from United's
final three matches. An experienced Premier League manager, he is the safe
choice should the Board choose to go British.

A number of other names have been linked with the vacancy in recent days,
including Ronald Koeman, Carlo Ancelotti and Marcelo Bielsa.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
David Moyes: West Ham manager could be set to leave
By Simon Stone
BBC Sport

David Moyes could be set to leave West Ham despite guiding the club to
Premier League survival. The Scot met senior Hammers figures on Monday and
while a final decision on his future is yet to be made, the indications are
the two sides will go their separate ways. Moyes took over at West Ham in
November with the club in the relegation zone. But the former Manchester
United manager has experienced difficulty getting to grips with the club. He
has complained about the amount of leaks to the media and also had to deal
with the aftermath of the events of 10 March, when fans ran onto the pitch
during a home defeat by Burnley and children went to the Clarets dug-out for
safety following widespread protests against the club's hierarchy. Moyes is
credited with getting the best out of £25m forward Marko Arnautovic.
Although the Hammers flirted with relegation after a run of two wins in 12
Premier League games, seven points out of the last nine allowed the club to
finish in 13th spot, nine points in front of the drop zone.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
No role for Moyes as interview process begins
KUMb.com
Filed: Monday, 14th May 2018
By: Staff Writer

West Ham's desire to sign a big name manager means that David Moyes is
unlikely to be offered a full time role at the club. The 55-year-old Scot,
who led the Hammers to 13th spot in the Premier League last season met with
the Board earlier today in order to hold discussions with view to landing a
permanent role at the club. However it is reported that Moyes was told he is
unlikely to be offered the position on a permanent basis, despite having met
all the targets set of him last season. Representatives of West Ham have
also met with at least one other candidate today, as the Board seek to
secure the club's 16th full-time manager. Rafa Benitez, whose future at
Newcastle United remains in doubt, and former Manchester City title-winning
boss Manuel Pellegrini remain the club's leading contenders to replace
Moyes.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bilic, Moyes, Hugill, protests & Carroll - West Ham's 2017/18 Premier League
season rewind
The 2017/18 campaign was quite the rollercoaster for the Hammers - when has
it ever been different though?
By Sam Inkersole
West Ham Correspondent
11:35, 14 MAY 2018UPDATED11:37, 14 MAY 2018

After 38 games, ten months, two managers and a flirtation with relegation,
West Ham ended the 2017/18 Premier League in fine style on Sunday afternoon
as they breezed past Everton 3-1 at the London Stadium. The final 13th place
finish may well paper over the cracks somewhat, it's only two places below
where the club ended last term, but the battle against the drop this season
was very real and only avoided after beating Leicester City a little more
than a week ago.

Back in August 2017, there was cause for optimism. West Ham had signed Marko
Arnautovic, Javier Hernandez and Joe Hart - Premier League proven players -
and the deadwood had also been binned that had underperformed the season
before. But the warning signs were there from early at the start of this
season. If you can stomach it, let's take a look back at the campaign and
the good points, as well as the bad.

The first three away games

Thanks to the London Stadium being used for the World Athletics
Championships last summer, West Ham had to play their first three games of
the season on the road at Manchester United, Southampton and Newcastle. West
Ham lost all three and Slaven Bilic offered his resignation after the 3-0
drubbing at St James' Park, which was declined by the Hammers co-owners and
the Croat stayed on. The warning signs were already alarming as Bilic's side
shipped ten goals in those three games and scored just two goals of their
own.
Declan Rice had a confidence hit after Bilic subbed him at half time against
the Toon following a mistake, Marko Arnautovic had thudded an elbow into the
face of Saints defender Jack Stephens and was banned for three games - it
wasn't an ideal start.

The first home win

West Ham comfortably beat Huddersfield Town 2-0 at the London Stadium in
their first game back at home on September 11 but would only win one more
game in Stratford before November 4. Bilic was on the ropes, especially
after a 3-0 thumping at home by newly-promoted Brighton on October 20.

Then there was the horrible final minute at Selhurst Park as Michaul Antonio
crossed into the box for no-one rather than keeping hold of the ball in
injury time, Crystal Palace broke and Wilf Zaha scored a very late equaliser
in a 2-2 draw. We can't forget the 3-2 win over Spurs Wembley in the Carabao
Cup though, that was fun.

The end of Slaven Bilic

With only wins against Huddersfield and Swansea City in the Premier League
to his name, Liverpool arrived in east London for Saturday evening football
on November 4 and duly romped to a 4-1 win.

Two days later, it was curtains for Bilic as the Hammers had slumped into
the relegation zone. Karren Brady was dispatched to Rush Green on the Monday
morning and told the Croatian to pack his bags after two and a half years at
the helm. It should have been done sooner but the owners had no choice and
like that, Bilic was out.

The beginning of Moyes

It didn't take long for West Ham to appoint David Moyes as manager until the
end of the season to replace Bilic and the Scotsman was bullish in his first
interview after being handed the job. "If you don't run, you won't play,"
was the quote that stuck out. Not that he got off to a good start. West Ham
lost the three of their first four games under Moyes, including that 4-0
whacking at Everton but it was the 2-1 loss to Man City that, weirdly,
started a revivial.

The revival of Marko Arnautovic

December 9 2017 should be a day that sticks out for West Ham fans as it was
the game that Moyes unleashed Marko Arnautovic as a centre forward. The
Austrian had been like a £25m club-record bust up until his mazy run and
super finish past Thibaut Courtois that earned the Hammers a precious 1-0
win over Chelsea at the London Stadium, their first under Moyes and just
their third of the season in the league. Arnautovic would go on to score ten
more goals between then and the end of the season. That also started a run
of three clean sheets in the league, culminating in the 3-0 victory at Stoke
City. The Boxing Day game at Bournemouth will stick out in the memory for
the hugely controversial late equaliser by Callum Wilson who was offside and
also handballed it but referee Bobby Madley overruled his linesman to award
the goal. At the end of 2017, West Ham were one place above the relegation
zone in 17th.

January...

As always, West Ham were linked with a lot of players who didn't arrive -
Leander Dendoncker, Islam Slimani, Ibrahim Amadou, William Carvalho (again),
Fedor Smolov to name but a few - and in came Joao Mario on loan and Jordan
Hugill. The latter has played 22 minutes of Premier League football since
then. Also in January, the revelations came to light of alleged racist
remarks made my former head of recruitment Tony Henry and after a very swift
investigation, Henry was fired in disgrace. The Hammers played eight games
in January across all competitions and only lost one of them - the 2-1 FA
Cup reverse against Wigan. There was a 4-1 victory over Huddersfield in
there, a 1-1 draw with Spurs when Pedro Obiang scored the goal of the season
and a 2-1 victory against West Brom.

The protests

By the time March arrived, Swansea had dispatched West Ham 4-1 at the
Liberty Stadium and Moyes' side were only three points off the drop zone in
14th. Burnley were the visitors to the London Stadium up next. We all
remember what happened. Ashley Barnes put the visitors ahead and the fans
had enough, revolted and threw their ire in the direction of the West Ham
co-owners. Four pitch invasions later, West Ham had lost 3-0, their third
defeat in a row and had fallen to 16th in the table. New security was
introduced for the remainder of the season but the seething feeling in the
stands was very evident, though a 3-0 win over Southampton the game after
helped hugely.

Back-to-back 4-1 defeats, Andy Carroll and seven points from nine

Moyes side were trounced by Arsenal and Man City in April and it culminated
in Andy Carroll and Moyes having a bust-up at Rush Green after the latter
failed to give the former some game time against City.

May was a different story though as West Ham went unbeaten, picked up seven
points from the final nine available and ended the season in 13th. The 2-0
win at Leicester effectively sealed their Premier League place, getting a
point against Man Utd was a bonus and they played Everton of the park on the
final day.

It was not the easiest of seasons but David Moyes, aided by his backroom
team of Alan Irvine, Stuart Pearce and Billy McKinlay, did what they had to
do. It wasn't pretty, it was borderline tough to watch at times, but the
Hammers will be a Premier League team next season.

Now, let's never go through that kind of season again....

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham owners make huge promise to supporters ahead of summer overhaul at
the London Stadium
David Sullivan and David Gold have taken to the matchday programme to
outline their plans for this summer
By Sam Inkersole
West Ham Correspondent
07:52, 14 MAY 2018

West Ham co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold have promised to "leave no
stone unturned" this summer in order to have a successful 2018/19 campaign
after a two seasons of struggle at the London Stadium. Ahead of the final
day meeting with Everton on Sunday afternoon, the Hammers could finish tenth
in the table if they beat the Toffees and other results go in their favour
and that in turn will bring an extra £14m in prize money. A tenth-placed
finish certainly won't gloss over what has been a real struggle in E20 this
season as West Ham secured survival just last weekend with a 2-0 win over
Leicester City and followed that up with a 0-0 draw against Manchester
United on Thursday. David Moyes contract as manager will expire in the next
few days and he is expected to have a meeting to discuss his future with the
Hammers board next week while football.london understands the likes of Unai
Emery, Marco Silva, Manuel Pellegrini and Paulo Fonseca are on the clubs
wishlist as a new manager if they cho
Gold and Sullivan penned a joint article in the matchday programme for the
Everton game and have reflected on what has been a tough campaign but also
informed us all of their plans for this summer - loosely. The owners said:
"One thing that hasn't wavered is our desire and ambition for West Ham to be
successful. Along with every other member of staff here, everything we do is
aimed at trying to improve the experience we offer our supporters. "However,
we know that, ultimately, for the vast majority of our supporters, what
matters most is a strong team, playing good football and regularly winning
matches. "This summer, we will leave no stone unturned in making sure that
everything is in place to give our management and playing staff the best
chance possible of success next year."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Dean Ashton explains why he expects David Moyes to leave Hammers
Play Video
Moyes' contract officially expired at midnight on Sunday
By talkSPORT - @talkSPORT
Monday, May 14, 2018

Dean Ashton has told talkSPORT he expects David Moyes to leave West Ham now
the Premier League season is over. Moyes guided the Hammers to top flight
safety following his appointment as Slaven Bilic's successor in early
November. The Scot stabilised a club that had serious relegation worries,
winning nine and drawing 10 of the 31 matches played under his guidance.
However, he was never truly accepted by the West Ham support, and many have
called for him to be dismissed at the end of the season. His contract with
the London Stadium club actually expired at midnight on Sunday, so he is
officially out of a job, and there has been no statement from the club
clarifying his position. This is the reason Ashton, the former West Ham
striker, believes Moyes will be replaced as manager this summer. Speaking to
Monday's Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast, Ashton said: "I think the fact we've
not heard anything yet makes me think he will definitely leave and they'll
bring somebody new in. "I think he's done a really good job. He was brought
in to keep them safe - it's as simple as that. "He's not been brought in to
bring in fantastic football to watch, he's been brought in to keep them up -
and that's what he has done. "I'm still not sure the supporters have taken
to him, but you can see - especially yesterday - there's a real base there.
"[There are] some great attacking players, but I think they need a few more
defenders and they certainly need two or three midfield players, for me.
"But you can see there's a nucleus of players there, where, whoever it is -
David Moyes or a new manager - who comes in, they've got great attacking
flair and if they can be shored up at the back and in midfield there's no
reason why they can't have a great season next year."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
David Moyes uncertain on future at London Stadium despite 'really enjoying'
time with Hammers
By Billy Hawkins - @bhawkinsss
Monday, May 14, 2018
TalkSport

David Moyes really enjoyed his time in charge of West Ham but he remains
uncertain on his future at the London Stadium. The Scot's tenure as manager
of the east London club officially ended at midnight on Sunday, and there
has been no confirmation as to whether he will extend his stay into the
2018/19 campaign.
The former Everton, Manchester United and Sunderland manager was appointed
in November as successor to Slaven Bilic, with West Ham facing the serious
threat of relegation after a disastrous start to the season.
Moyes guided West Ham to victory in eight of the 27 Premier League matches
played under his guidance, including a 3-1 defeat of his old club Everton on
the final day that secured them a 13th place finish. Still, fans have never
truly got onside with David Gold and David Sullivan's decision to hire Moyes
as West Ham manager, and there have been more calls for him to leave this
summer than stay. And speaking to talkSPORT, Moyes admitted he will wait to
see what happens regarding his future at the London Stadium. "I've really
enjoyed West Ham," Moyes told Jim White. "Ever since I came everybody made
us really welcome, and we sort of got on with the job. "We tried to be
upfront and honest with everything which we've seen and what we think needs
to be done, and we'll do the same in the future. "We'll see what happens.
"The backroom staff are great lads, whether we want to see each other much
more after the way we've been… but we've had a great time together. "Stuart
Pearce, Alan Irvine and Billy McKinlay have made my job a lot easier and I
think because they've all been managers in their time they all know what
it's like, and everything we've had to do they helped muck in with all the
jobs. "There's so much going on at football clubs now and the experience
they've given me has really helped. They've been good."

Discussing the victory over Everton, which could have been Moyes last game
in charge of West Ham, he continued: "It was great. The players played
really well yesterday and overall the performance was as good as we have had
probably this season. The players knew it was to try and finish higher up
the league and we did that in the end."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
David Moyes waits to hear from West Ham owners as he bids to convince them
he should stay
KEN DYER
ES Sport

David Moyes is waiting for the opportunity to convince West Ham he remains
the right man to take the club forward. Moyes' short-term deal expired at
midnight, so West Ham are effectively without a manager until the club's
­owners, David Sullivan and David Gold, come to a decision. It is understood
the board will not be rushed and it could be 10 days or more before they
decide their next step. Former Manchester City manager Manuel Pelligrini,
currently in charge of Chinese Super League team Hebei Fortune, has been
linked with the job, along with Rafa Benitez, Marco Silva and Sean Dyche.
Moyes, though, believes he has a strong case for a longer deal, after
­completing the job he was given in November, when West Ham were in the
bottom three, by keeping the club in the Premier League. After flirting with
relegation for much of the season, West Ham finished 13th and the Scot knows
that significant investment in the playing squad is essential during the
summer if the club are to make progress. "I don't know anyone who could make
that big a difference in six months," said Moyes. "Even Pep Guardiola took
time to get his team right. "You need longer. Everybody always thinks there
is something better out there and I would say, more often than not, it's
proved wrong. When I came, it was said the players didn't run around but you
looked at that performance against Everton and go 'wow', the running with
the ball and how good they were without it. "What would influence me? Good
performances like that mean there is something on which to build here."
On a potential meeting with the club's owners, Moyes said: "We're no further
forward. We'll meet and talk next week, although we've not arranged the
day."
He also had a message for Gold and Sullivan, when he told them: "You've had
plenty of time to see if what is going on here is right but if you don't
then it's not a problem because I'll have options myself." He added: "It's
not us challenging each other, though. I've had really good relations with
the board since I've been here. I speak regularly with them.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham's free-flowing final performance gives David Moyes hope for next
season, whether he stays or not
JACK ROSSER
ES Sport

David Moyes says West Ham's performance in the final game of the season gave
him the sense there's a foundation to build on at London Stadium. The
Hammers signed off on a turbulent season with an encouraging, free-flowing
3-1 win over the Scotsman's former club Everton, as a fine brace from Manuel
Lanzini and an 11th goal of the season for Marko Arnautovic secured a 13th
placed finish. Moyes, whose contract officially ran out at midnight on
Sunday, joined the club in the relegation zone and has saved the club while
dealing with a shoddy defence, boardroom issues and a culture of
ill-discipline within the squad. Despite that, questions still remain over
his future, and he'll sit down for talks with owners David Sullivan and
David Gold this week. However, if he was in any doubt as what could be
achieved next season, the 55-year-old admitted he was given hope by the
final showing of the season. "I tell you what – the improvement in the
players I would say, when I came in they said they didn't run around, you'd
look at today and say 'wow'," Moyes said. "Running around without the ball,
good with the ball.
"So, will it influence me? Yeah, I think when you get good performances it
makes you think 'Hey, there's something to build on here.'"

After taking criticism from the stands over his team selections and style of
play, Moyes feels the attacking display against the Toffees was one of their
best this season. "It came very close, how good the performance was," he
added. "I thought we played really well with the ball. There were signs
against Leicester, signs against Manchester United. "The players are
improving. When I go back to when I took over, and how I was trying to get
results by hook or by crook, it certainly looks much more structured. "We've
got a very good way of playing. They were very good the players."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Next West Ham manager odds: Will David Moyes stay at London Stadium?
STANDARD SPORT
ES Sport

West Ham have a vital summer ahead if they are to avoid another season of
turmoil at London Stadium. There is plenty to decide over the coming weeks,
with contracts expiring and loan deals coming to an end. However, first and
foremost, they must find a manager. The Hammers are, technically, currently
without a first team manager, with David Moyes' contract having expired at
midnight following the final game of the season against his former club
Everton. The Scotsman, who arrived in November, replaced Slaven Bilic with
the east Londoners dropping into the bottom three on the eve of his
appointment. Having dealt with problems on the pitch, in the dressing room
and in the stands, securing a 13th placed finish is a job well done for the
55-year-old. However, despite his relative success over the last six months,
there is still some division over the future of Moyes and his coaching
staff, all of whom also had a contract to the end of this season. Some fans
are pining for a more ambitious appointment, while there remain questions
both from Moyes' side and at boardroom level as to how his proposed changes
would sit over the coming season. Standard Sport runs you through the
frontrunners to be in charge at London Stadium come August…

Next West Ham manager Betfair odds
David Moyes 1/3
Ronald Koeman 4/1
Carlo Ancelotti 6/1
Marcelo Bielsa 8/1
Sean Dyche 8/1
Manuel Pellegrini 10/1
Eddie Howe 14/1
Rafa Benitez 16/1
David Wanger 16/1
Unai Emery 20/1
Rui Faria 20/1
Luis Enrique 25/1
Massimiliano Allegri 25/1
Leonardo Jardim 33/1

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
WEST HAM 3, EVERTON 1. LOVE THAT REAR VIEW MIRROR.
By David Hautzig 13 May 2018 at 17:37
WTID

This is supposed to be fun, isn't it? Not a weekly argument over who should
manage, who should play, who's a supporter and who isn't. So as we all
waited for today's finale, which could be a finale on so many fronts, I'd be
hard pressed to believe anybody isn't thrilled this interminable, poisoned
season is finally in the rear view mirror.

It's so rare that West Ham do anything noteworthy in the opening minute of a
match….at least on the pitch….that one could be forgiven for not being
settled when Lanzini was fed in the box 45 seconds into the match. Had he
not slipped at the last moment he might have had a real chance to give the
home side an early lead.

West Ham looked energetic yet calm in the opening ten minutes. Masuaku set
up Arnautovic in the area but his shot was blocked by Jagielka. Seconds
after that, Arnautovic turned into the supplier when he rolled a pass to
Noble in the box. The captain was six yards out when he sent a hard, low
shot that four times out of five would have been a goal. But today was the
fifth time I guess because Pickford got a hand to it for a fine save.

It's hard to ignore a simple fact of life this season. When Masuaku played
and played well, we were a decent outfit. When he missed six matches due to
his overactive salivary gland, we were abject. So when Funes Mori scissor
tackled him from behind in the 15th minute, which forced him off, the only
saving grace was that it was the last match of the season. Everton must
practice scissor tackles when they prepare to play us.

West Ham came inches away, maybe even one single inch, from taking the lead
in the 27th minute when Lanzini sent a through ball from near the center
circle that found Mario in full stride. The Inter Milan loanee had
Arnautovic in the box but decided to let a low shot go and it almost found
the far corner but rolled just wide.

Ogbonna has had a truly fine season for us. But in the 31st minute he should
have had to hang his head from making a mistake that led to an opening goal
by Niasse. Ogbonna tried to head a Sam Special away and just made a mess of
it. Niasse jumped on the error and was in alone on Adrian. But the on again,
off again West Ham number one made a very good save with his leg and won a
meal, not just a drink, from his central defender.

It's rare a mistake by a West Ham player turns out benefitting West Ham. But
in the 39th minute, Mario tried to find Arnautovic with a pass near the top
of the Everton eighteen yard box. He just missed that pass, but then again
so did about four Everton players. The ball rolled into the path of Lanzini,
who took a few more steps into the box and fired a low shot past Pickford
and into the back of the net.

West Ham 1
Everton 0

There is one thing about my second favorite sport, ice hockey, I
occasionally long for in football. A few minutes after the Lanzini goal,
Arnautovic tried to chase down a long ball. Pickford gathered it up before
Arnie could get there. The England keeper decided to greet the West Ham
frontman with a knee in the thigh. Intentionally. In hockey, I can all but
guarantee that at some point later in the game Pickford would have paid for
that. At worse, a two minute penalty would have ensued for the player
exacting justice. In football the punishments are far more serious.
Rightfully. But I would have loved to see someone skate through Pickford's
crease with a high elbow as a little reminder not to pull that s*#t again.

Halftime
West Ham 1
Everton 0

Everton came out for the second half with more energy, not to mention an
extra body in midfield due to a tactical change, and caused the home side to
fall back on their heels. While we waited for Moyes to adjust, which
prompted visions of the Vogons in Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy, Everton
won a corner and kept West Ham in their own end.

By all accounts, Michael Keane has had a good season for the Toffees. But in
the span of a couple of minutes he made two mistakes that led to two
opportunities for West Ham. First he gave up a corner when his attempted
clearance went the wrong direction, and then a minute later he was called
for a foul on Kouyate at the edge of the Everton penalty area. Cresswell
took both set pieces, and neither amounted to much. But at least the action
was on their end of the pitch for a little bit.

What makes a great goal? Stunning bits of skill have delivered West Ham fans
that goal by DiCanio, that free kick by Tevez, and recent blasts by Obiang
and Noble. But in the 64th minute, I'd argue we saw a goal of equal
greatness. Just for different reasons. The way Arnautovic went around Keane
like the English defender wasn't even there. The way the shot was right at
Pickford….almost on a line to his forehead….yet he couldn't even fathom how
to stop it. Maybe I'm overstating it. But I was awestruck by that
Arniestrike.

West Ham 2
Everton 0

Everton almost got back into the match in the 73rd minute when Niasse got on
the end of a long ball on the right side of penalty area. His blast went off
Adrian's hands and off the post for a corner. Moments later, Everton won a
second corner and this time they capitalized. Declan Rice tried to clear the
area, but his header went back into the danger area and after an initial
attempt was blocked Niasse did very well to split the West Ham defense with
a little flick to himself and his shot from point blank range gave Adrian no
chance.

West Ham 2
Everton 1

The Hammers came back reasonably strong after the Everton goal. First,
Arnautovic tried to feed Mario inside the Everton penalty area but Keane got
a foot in and sent it out for a corner. The home side won a second corner
seconds later but again Mario didn't find a teammate in the box.

Remember what I said above about Arnautovic's goal? Well, I won't wax as
poetic but in the 82nd minute we were treated to another wonderful bit of
football. Zabaleta sent a long, cross field pass for Lanzini to run onto.
The man they call The Jewel gathered the ball and took a few steps towards
the edge of the area. Then, he let loose with a curling right footed shot
that Pickford got a hand to. Not that it mattered. The Everton keeper should
be thankful he didn't lose a finger as the ball flew into the back of the
net.

West Ham 3
Everton 1

Everton might have made the final minutes as nervy as a meaningless game can
be in the 85th minute when Walcott went in on Adrian alone on the right side
of the box, but the West Ham keeper made a good stop with his right foot.
The ball flew into the air and landed at the feet of Niasse on the left side
of the box. His shot bounced off the turf and headed towards goal but Adrian
made a diving stop to his left and pushed the ball out for a corner.

You cannot buy class. Nor can it be overstated. In my world, the way I try
to raise my two kids, the same can be said for kindness. When James Collins
was announced as a sub, I thought it was a class move by Moyes. It has been
widely reported that not only has the club not offered him a new deal, they
haven't even had the courtesy to tell him they won't. Total radio silence.
When Noble embraced Ginge and handed him the Captains Armband, I was
overcome by the moment. It was one of the classiest, kindest, most Captain
like moments I have seen in my many years on this orb watching men and women
play games.

Final Score
West Ham 3
Everton 1

42 points. 13th place. Considering how precarious our position was eight
days ago it doesn't look so awful. But of course it was. Fans turning on
fans, the Burnley game, the shambolic play at times, the behavior and words
of the board at times. Yet I believe the ethos and the heart of the club
will always prevail because those things don't reside in Stratford or with
the board. They live within the supporters. Millions of them. So regardless
of who our manager is, or which players come or go, it will always be West
Ham United. The club I inexplicably latched onto about 25 years ago.

Have a good summer.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
THUMBS UP TO MOYES
By Tony Hanna 14 May 2018 at 07:16
WTID

Last week I was each way on my opinion of whether West Ham should continue
with David Moyes beyond this season. I am at the point now where I really
hope he gets a new contract. When he was appointed I am sure most of us
would have taken 13th and 42 points in a heartbeat? The football we played
against Everton on the weekend was delightful and the way Arnie, Lanzini and
Mario linked together was hopefully a taster of what is to come next season.
But on reflection the advantage Moyes holds now is that he knows the players
inside out. He knows what the team can do and what it can't. He knows where
we need to improve and he knows who is surplus to requirements. Get a new
manager in now and he won't know any of this until he has got games under
his belt and the likelihood will be that our summer transfer budget will be
spent on hopefully the best players we can buy in our budget, but without
the knowledge of who we really need to get the best out of the team. So it
is a thumbs up for David Moyes from me. Personally, I would keep Adrian as
number one next season. To get a top keeper will be expensive and I just
don't see the need when the money is best spent elsewhere. The central
defensive midfield role is the top priority and I would also like to see
Mario signed on a permanent deal or at least for an extended year-long loan.
As for signings, one of the first ones I would try and get done is Craig
Dawson from West Brom. He is a quality defender who can play full back or as
a central defender.

Back in mid-November when David Moyes became manager I asked in my article
for your predicted finishing positions in the league. We were currently 18th
in the table. Forty seven of you had a crack and there were five people who
correctly predicted 13th. They were; Heedsy, Iron Mike, Milk Man, Dave
Innots and Rob who had a cheeky double chance 13th/14th tip. There were a
few including myself that missed by one; the others were hammermolder,
Hammertime Mikey, Tom, IronFish, Daz and Paul Smith. Peter Jameson was the
only one who had us getting relegated which is remarkable considering our
plight at the time so I am sure he is very pleased to get the wooden spoon!
Thanks to all for having a go.

So, it is goodbye to West Brom, Stoke and Swansea. At the beginning of the
season I doubt many would have predicted that trio in its entirety getting
relegated, especially with Brighton and Huddersfield in the frame. Which
leads me to reconfirm one of my strong view points on relegation matters. I
wrote an article a few years ago titled "Is three up, three down fair?" I
followed that up this season with a similar piece. Last week I wrote an
article "Survival in the League of Fourteen." For those who missed it that
article focused on how the PL has now become two divisions in one. An elite
group of six with a separate division of fourteen clubs who are basically
playing with a singular goal of avoiding the drop. When I started going to
football in the 1960's there were 22 clubs in the top flight, a league we
fondly remember as the old first division. Every season two teams were
relegated (9%) and the top two from the 2nd division took their place. The
1960's through to 1980 was an era where up to fourteen teams every season
had some slither of a chance of winning the title when the competition
started. In the 23 seasons from 1958 to 1981 there were no fewer than 13
different Champions. I saw Manchester United, Spurs, Chelsea and Manchester
City all relegated. Forward to today and we now have twenty teams, a
reduction of two, yet an increase up to three teams who will be replaced
each season. With the elite six having no chance of being relegated that
effectively means three from fourteen (21.4%) will drop – quite an increase
from 9%. But when you get a season like this one when none of the clubs that
were promoted last season have been relegated and none of last seasons
relegated teams are promoted back, it effectively means in just two seasons
that SIX of the fourteen bottom dwellers (42.8%) have changed. Middlesbrough
could alter that stat if they are promoted through the play offs but I hope
you see where I am going here? The effect relegation has on clubs is awful.
Already we have clubs and forum sites looking at the lists of players at
Stoke, Swansea and West Brom to see what players will be easy pickings. This
whole scenario is only making this league of fourteen more unstable and the
top six are loving it. Their financial stability and growth means they will
grow even more powerful at the expense of the others whilst this system is
in place.

The transfer news is very thin on the ground at present and I would imagine
the decision on David Moyes tenure at the club will play a significant part
on any early dealings. Here are some early odds that I am sure will
fluctuate over the next week or so.

Manuel Lanzini is 1-2 (66%) to remain at West Ham with Liverpool at 5/2
(28%) for his signature. Looks like this could be a bit of re-run of the
winter window, hopefully with the same result.

Joe Hart his future seems as up in the air as it was before he signed his
loan deal with the Hammers last year. Celtic are 3/1 (25%) favourites and we
are second favourites at 6/1 (14%) which just goes to show I think the
bookies are just guessing as much as Joe is at present.

Craig Dawson is 14/1 (6.67%) to join the Hammers with Newcastle and Celtic
the early favourites to sign a player who I think would be a great
acquisition for our club.

Marouane Fellaini is 7/1 (12.5%) to become a West Ham player although the
way the market is framed I think the bookies have as much of a clue about
where he will end up as they do Joe Hart.

Shaqiri has a number of clubs showing interest after Stokes relegation and
Everton currently lead the pack. West Ham are quoted at 6/1 (14%).

Elsewhere Spurs at 5/4 (44%) are leading the chase for Alfie Mawson and our
January interest in him seems to have waned. Antoine Griezmann looks
Barcelona bound and Liverpool are strong favourites to sign Jack Butland and
Nabil Fekir. Burnley lead a pack of clubs for West Broms Jay Rodriguez
whilst Leicester's Riyad Mahrez could end up at either Man City or Chelsea.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::



http://vyperz.blogspot.com