Preview - Stoke City
WHUFC.com
The background
West Ham United will look to end their five-game wait for a victory when
they play host to Stoke City at the Boleyn Ground on Saturday. After
claiming the scalp of Chelsea in October, three draws and two defeats have
followed, although the Hammers were unfortunate not to beat Manchester
United last time out. Only the post stood in their way of a famous Old
Trafford victory, and Slaven Bilic's men will have taken great confidence
from their trip to the north west. Stoke City, meanwhile, have been in fine
from recently, having won three of their last four fixtures. Last weekend
they defeated Manchester City 2-0, while Southampton and Chelsea have also
come up short against the Potters in the last month. Mark Hughes' side are
currently eleventh in the table, a point behind the Hammers in a congested
top half.
The history
The Hammers have met Stoke on 92 occasions previously, winning 35 and losing
33 of those matches. However, the Londoners have not defeated the Potters in
either of the last two seasons, drawing both meetings last term and losing
both the year before. Last season West Ham were 2-0 down against Stoke at
the Britannia Stadium, but goals from Enner Valencia and Stewart Downing
drew them level. The boot was on the other foot at the Boleyn Ground, when
Aaron Cresswell's free kick was cancelled out by an injury time goal from
Marko Arnautovic.
The match
Team news
West Ham United
The Hammers will be without at least five players on Saturday, with Victor
Moses, Winston Reid (both hamstring), Diafra Sakho, Manuel Lanzini (both
thigh) and Dimitri Payet (ankle) all injured. Enner Valencia has also been
out for the last month, but has returned to training this week.
Stoke City
For Stoke, defender Marc Muniesa is expected to return after missing the
last six games with a hamstring injury. However, strikers Peter Crouch and
Peter Odemwingie are out, as is goalkeeper Shay Given.
Match info
Saturday's referee is Andre Marriner, and he will be assisted by Scott
Ledger and Eddie Smart. Keith Hill is the fourth official.
West Ham have gone five league matches without a win (D3, L2).
Stoke have lost just two of their last 10 league matches (W6, D2).
They have kept six clean sheets in their eight most recent league games.
However, they have only scored six goals in their last 10 matches away from
home in the Premier League.
The Potters are the joint-lowest scorers in the top flight, along with Aston
Villa, having managed just 13 goals in 15 games.
Ticketing, travel, coverage and other info
Tickets for this match have SOLD OUT.
A showery day is expected on Saturday, with temperatures reaching a high of
12C (54F).
There are no closures planned on the District and Hammersmith & City lines
serving Upton Park station. Click here for full information on TfL services
and here for National Rail.
If you're not heading to the match, make sure you follow all the action on
our digital channels. Our live Match Centre has audio commentary, in-running
stats, text updates the best pictures and more, while you can get involved
in the conversation on social using the hashtag #WHUSTK
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Tony Carr MBE celebrates with international group!
WHUFC.com
Club Ambassador Tony Carr MBE was on hand to celebrate with a visiting
Malaysian group who were in London as part of the Foundation's international
work. The 1MCC group from Kuala Lumpur has a long standing relationship with
the Foundation and visit annually to receive a full West Ham United
experience. After a wonderful two weeks with the Foundation, the group were
joined by Club legend Tony Carr MBE to hand out awards and celebrate the
achievements of the young group during their time in the capital. He offered
words of encouragement to the participants and explained how they need to
stay dedicated to the sport if they are to be successful and play
professional football one day. "I'm glad to hear you've enjoyed a fantastic
two weeks with the West Ham United Foundation! I've been told that there are
some really talented players among you and I think it's crucial to take the
lessons you have learnt here, back to Malaysia and really work hard at them.
"It's a very demanding task becoming a Premier League footballer and I know
many of you have a dream of becoming one in years to come. Hopefully during
your time here at the Foundation you've developed your ability as
footballers, as well as improving your English language skills and can take
great confidence from this experience."
Foundation staff was on hand to treat the visitors to an array of fun
activities during their two weeks, including a Stadium tour, a matchday
experience, excursions to London and competitive matches against the West
Ham Academy and Kicks teams to name but a few. The group were lucky enough
to see behind the scenes at the First Team training ground at Chadwell Heath
where they caught a glimpse of what the everyday life of a Premier League
footballer looks like. During their time at Chadwell, the young Malaysian
group had the opportunity to meet some of the West Ham United Ladies players
who put their English language skills to the test by requesting a rendition
of I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles. After an impeccable vocal performance, it
was time for the group to take to the field against a young Academy side,
where their progress over the two weeks saw them edge their way to victory
in a close encounter. Foundation Football Development Manager, Bryan Glover
was delighted at the developing partnership and stressed the importance of
the Foundation's international work. "This is another great example of our
fantastic international programme which invites people from across the world
to come and receive a full West Ham United experience. We have a great
relationship with 1MCC and it's been brilliant to have them over once again.
"The young participants have applied themselves fantastically well during
the time they have been here and it's great to have Tony Carr come down and
offer them an idea of what it takes to become a professional footballer.
"Some of them are taking part in things that they'd never get the
opportunity to experience and our partnership with 1MCC has enabled us to
really make some dreams come true these last few weeks!"
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Prices slashed for Wolves tie
WHUFC.com
West Ham United are delighted to confirm that ticket prices have been
reduced for the Emirates FA Cup third round visit of Wolverhampton Wanderers
to the Boleyn Ground. The Hammers will host the Championship side at 3pm on
Saturday 9 January 2016, embarking on what the Club hopes will be a fourth
successful challenge for the world's most-famous knockout competition. Adult
ticket prices for this mouth-watering FA Cup tie have been reduced to £20
for Season Ticket Holders and £25 for non-Season Ticket Holders in all
Bands. Over-65s and Under-21s ticket prices have been set at £10 for Season
Ticket Holders and £15 for non-Season Ticket Holders in all Bands. Under-16
Season Ticket Holders can secure a seat for just £5, while Under-16
non-Season Ticket Holder seats are priced at £10 each. Tickets are on sale
to Season Ticket Holders now, with a priority window being open until 9am on
Tuesday 15 December. Buy now here! Tickets will be on sale to Academy
Members from 9am on Tuesday 15 December, with a General Sale starting from
9am on Thursday 17 December. West Ham have met Wolves twice previously in
the FA Cup, both times at Molineux - a 5-1 second round win in February
1910, in which George Webb scored a hat-trick, and a 3-1 fourth round
victory in January 2004. The Hammers are three-time FA Cup winners, having
lifted the trophy in 1964, 1975 and 1980, while Wolves have won it four
times, doing so in 1893, 1908, 1949 and 1960.
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West Ham V Stoke
KO 15:00
11 December 2015
Last updated at 11:58
Barclays Premier League
Venue: Upton Park Date: Saturday, 12 December
TEAM NEWS
Winston Reid and Victor Moses have joined West Ham's lengthy injury list
after being ruled out until the new year with hamstring problems. The
Hammers are already without Dimitri Payet, Diafra Sakho and Manuel Lanzini,
although Enner Valencia could return.
Stoke defender Marc Muniesa is expected to be involved after missing the
last six games with a hamstring injury. The Potters remain without strikers
Peter Crouch and Peter Odemwingie and goalkeeper Shay Given.
MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES
Alistair Bruce-Ball: "Stoke produced one of the most thrilling performances
of the season last Saturday in beating Manchester City, and it will be
interesting to see if Mark Hughes is bold enough to unleash his front three
of Bojan, Xherdan Shaqiri and Marko Arnautovic again. The Potters are just
one point behind West Ham, having taken 10 points from their last five
games, while the Hammers have managed just three points in that time as
injuries have taken their toll. "If Mauro Zarate had kept his cool they
could have snatched a win at Old Trafford last weekend, but will they be
able to trouble Stoke's stonewall defence without the likes of Payet, Sakho
and Lanzini?"
Twitter: @alibruceball
WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic: "It's going to be hard without players like
Lanzini, Payet, Moses and Sakho, but we played without almost all of them
against Manchester United and still we created enough chances to score
goals. "As I said, when all the players were available it was also about the
squad. Now, we have a tinier squad but it's time for those those players to
step up."
Stoke manager Mark Hughes: "After a performance and result like that
[against Manchester City], there's been a real crackle about the group and
some banter. You sense a lot of confidence. "But the challenge is being able
to do it week in, week out, not just in one-off games. "You've got to be
able to go up against teams at the bottom, as we saw against Sunderland,
where we didn't really start the game as well as we should have done."
LAWRO'S PREDICTION
I was at Old Trafford last week for West Ham's 0-0 draw with Manchester
United and was very impressed with Slaven Bilic's side. Stoke were also very
impressive as they beat Manchester City last week, and it will be
interesting to see if they go for it on Saturday as much as they did in that
win. Stoke have not conceded a league goal while Ryan Shawcross has been on
the pitch this season.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
Stoke are unbeaten in four league meetings with West Ham (W2, D2).
The Hammers have won just once at home in their last five league meetings
(D2, L2).
West Ham
West Ham have gone five league matches without a win (D3, L2).
However, they are unbeaten in their last five league games at home, winning
two and drawing three.
Their clean sheet against Manchester United last weekend was their first in
10 league matches.
After scoring an average of 2.2 goals per game in their first 10 league
matches, they have averaged just 0.6 in their last five.
The injured Dimitri Payet created 47 goalscoring chances in the Premier
League this season - no other West Ham player has created more than 19.
Stoke
Stoke have lost just two of their last 10 league matches (W6, D2).
They have kept six clean sheets in their eight most recent league games.
However, they have only scored six goals in their last 10 matches away from
home in the Premier League.
The Potters are the joint-lowest scorers in the top flight, along with Aston
Villa, having managed just 13 goals in 15 games.
Marko Arnautovic has scored in both of his Premier League appearances
against West Ham.
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Moncur's backing Bilic
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 11th December 2015
By: Staff Writer
Hammers cult hero John Moncur has admitted he's not been surprised with the
impact his former teammate Slaven Bilic has had at West Ham since his
arrival. In a wide-ranging interview in Blowing Bubbles Monthly, Moncur, who
joined West Ham from Swindon in June 1994 for £1m, believes Bilic is the
right man to take West Ham forward to an exciting future in the Olympic
Stadium.
"He certainly was the one [candidate] that stood out for me because I know
him, I played with him. He's a great lad," the 49-year-old explained. "He
had all the experience to come in and do the job that he is doing. He was a
good international manager, and he likes to play the West Ham way. "I think
he has proven that he has got good recruitment skills, that he has the right
people round him and that he knows the European market as well as English
players. I think he has done a great job and it doesn't surprise me that he
has done so well up to now.
"I think he is going to be the one to take us onto the new chapter when we
move into the new stadium. I think the project over five years if we stick
with him, the club will be in healthy hands."
Elsewhere in this month's issue, George Parris writes in his exclusive
column that Manuel Lanzini's injury is as big a blow as losing Dimitri
Payet. "He's scored some crucial goals already, and took his goal against
Spurs very well, and you just thought he was starting to step out of Payet's
shadow," he wrote. "With no Payet until 2016, we needed him to keep scoring,
creating chances, and playing well but his injury is very cruel on Slaven
Bilic."
Meanwhile, Sky Sports' Bianca Westwood believes now is a brilliant time to
be born into West Ham's brave new world following the arrival of her nephew,
but admitted there was a time she didn't want any child of hers, niece or
nephew to support West Ham. Blowing Bubbles' writers also give their views
on whether or not it's time for the Premier League to consider a winter
break, and if it's time we stopped taking Karren Brady for granted. The
latest issue of Blowing Bubbles Monthly is now available to read for FREE on
your computer, tablet or mobile phone.
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West Ham v Stoke preview: Slaven Bilic faces growing injury problems
By James Walker-Roberts
Last Updated: 11/12/15 1:48pm
Ssn
Injury-hit West Ham will be looking to end a five-match winless run when
they host Stoke on Saturday. The Hammers have lost a number of first-team
players to injuries in recent weeks, with defender Winston Reid and winger
Victor Moses the latest to be sidelined. They have not won a match since
Dimitri Payet suffered an ankle problem against Everton and they are in
danger of falling away from the top six. While the Hammers have not won in
the last five, Stoke have won four of their last five in all competitions.
After their impressive victory over Manchester City last weekend they were
dubbed 'Stokealona' by Barcelona-based newspaper La Vanguardia in
recognition of the entertaining football they produced.
We look at 10 questions that could be answered by the end of the weekend.
They would move above the Hammers in the table if they win at Upton Park.
Team news
Reid and Moses are out until the new year with hamstring injuries and join
Payet (ankle), Diafra Sakho and Manuel Lanzini (both thigh) on the
sidelines. But forward Enner Valencia could return to the squad if he passes
a late fitness test on the ankle injury which has kept him out for five
weeks.
Stoke could have fit-again defender Marc Muniesa back in the squad after the
Spaniard missed the last six first-team games in all competitions while
recovering from a hamstring injury. He has returned to full training and
played for the Under-21s but forwards Peter Crouch and Peter Odemwingie
(both hamstring) and goalkeeper Shay Given (knee) remain sidelined.
Opta stats
Marko Arnautovic has scored in both of his Premier League appearances
against West Ham.
Stoke have not conceded a Premier League goal while Ryan Shawcross has been
on the pitch this season (407 minutes).
Stoke have the lowest chance conversion in the top flight this season,
scoring with just 10.6% of their attempts.
Stoke's Premier League games have seen just 27 goals scored this season -
fewer than any other club.
The injured Payet has created 47 goalscoring chances for West Ham in the
Premier League this season - no other Hammers player has created more than
19
Paul Merson's prediction
It was a fantastic result for Stoke the other day [against Manchester City],
and with West Ham getting all these injuries and stumbling slightly, I can
see Stoke compounding the misery. They're starting to click; Arnautovic,
Shaqiri, Afellay and Bojan clicked against Man City and looked like the
Harlem Globetrotters. When they all connect they're so good, but they can
also be the other way, a bit soft. But I don't like going against them,
they're a good team, and this would be a big win for them if they want to
look towards the top six or seven.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-2
Betting
West Ham are the 6/4 favourites with Sky Bet for victory at home while Stoke
are outsiders for the win at 19/10 and the draw can be backed at 11/5. Marko
Arnautovic has scored in both of his Premier League appearances against the
Hammers and the Stoke forward is available at 11/4 to net this weekend. West
Ham striker Andy Carroll heads the first goalscorer odds at 5/1 and the top
prospect from the Potters is Bojan at 13/2.
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Slaven Bilic says West Ham need to show they can overcome obstacles
Last Updated: 11/12/15 2:27pm
Ssn
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic says he will not allow his players to use the
club's current injury crisis as an excuse for below-par performances. The
Hammers play host to Stoke on Saturday and are looking to continue their
solid start to the season, which has them sitting seventh in the table.
However, key players Dimitri Payet, Enner Valencia, Diafra Sakho, Manuel
Lanzini, Victor Moses and Winston Reid have all picked up injuries in the
last month, meaning Bilic will have to utilise his squad players in the
coming weeks. But the Hammers boss is confident he has the resources to
cope, and pointed out that a supposedly below-strength side drew 0-0 at
Manchester United last week and could have won. "I'm not trying to find
excuses," said Bilic. "I'm not happy, of course, but I am not trying to be
positive - I am positive. "It's time to show we can overcome these
obstacles. I'm sure we will show we can play without these players. "They
are great players, that's why we got them, and that's why they were playing
regularly, but we have to get through this period without them. "It's going
to be hard without them, but we played without almost all of them against
Manchester United last week and still created enough chances to score goals.
"When they were available, it was all about the squad. Now we have a tinier
squad but it's time for those players who didn't play, with team work and
team spirit, to step up."
The Hammers are now without a win in five and this weekend they play host to
an in-form Stoke side, who beat Manchester City 2-0 last Saturday. "Stoke
played really well against Man City, and not only then, but also Southampton
was a really good away win," said Bilic. "Against Chelsea, and last week
against City, a few of their moves were top-class football, which doesn't
surprise me because up front they have top-quality internationals. "Xherdan
Shaqiri was at Bayern Munich and Inter Milan, big clubs were fighting for
him, so it's credit to (Stoke boss) Mark Hughes for getting him. "The same
happened with Bojan Krkic the year before. "Then they have Marko Arnautovic,
a top-class player, Jonathan Walters, and Mame Biram Diouf on the bench.
They are a good, solid team and much better when t hey attack the space or
counter attack. "I am impressed and it's going to be a very difficult game
for us - but we are also good, of course."
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West Ham fan admits he left his own wedding early to watch match, got a
divorce 18 months later
10:10, 11 DEC 2015 UPDATED 10:12, 11 DEC 2015
BY WILL MAGEE
This guy is a zero on the romance scale but gets a ten for commitment, so it
all balances out really...
The Mirror
Bill Shankly famously said that football isn't a matter of life and death -
it's more important than that. The Liverpool icon was meant to have had his
tongue firmly in his cheek when he uttered those immortal words, but for
some fans that's just about the measure of it. There are some supporters so
fanatical, so ardent, that they'll do almost anything for their club.
They'll make any sacrifice for the sake of the team on matchday. Even if
that sacrifice is their wedding day - and perhaps their marriage, to boot.
We're all for supporter commitment, but this West Ham fan may have gone a
bit far. The gentleman in question called up TalkSport recently to discuss
his love of the Happy Hammers, but then regaled them with this unbelievable
anecdote about how his support for the club basically doomed his nuptials -
mainly because he left his newlywed bride in a registry office so he could
rush off to see the Irons lose 3-1. This is probably the most ridiculous
tale of anti-romance we've ever heard, in all honesty. Though the fan
doesn't explicitly blame the speedy break up of his marriage after only 18
months on his wedding-day indiscretion, the implication is pretty clear.
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Moncur: No problems at Chadwell Heath
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 11, 2015 in News, Whispers C and H
I'm not at all sure that Chadwell Heath is at the bottom of the club's
injury problems. But Slav's decision to move to Rush Green is clever- it's
all about trying to put a couple of per cent on performances and protecting
team spirit. I never suffered a single issue at the training ground in my
time at the club but I remember players who did blame the place. On one
occasion we used the synthetic pitch and you should have heard the moans
about bad backs afterwards. Blimey, I was 35 and had no problem whatsoever,
it's psychological and because we have a clutch of injures people are
looking for a reason. I was brought up playing my football on Hackney
Marshes so Chadwell Heath was brilliant by comparison! Had any of us gone in
moaning to Billy Bonds or Harry Redknapp, they'd have laughed us out the
place. I can imagine that a few of the foreign players have been in to see
Slav and had a little moan-up about things so to protect the squad as best
he can - and also team spirit - the manager has acted. Things may be a bit
more advanced abroad and Slav did mention that one or two players had been
moaning so he's done the clever thing - move on to a place where the pitches
and training facilities are that much better and exclude any reason for back
biting. In these days of sports and science it's all about putting an extra
two or three per cent on performances and if the move down the road does
that then great! I imagine Winston Reid's injury put the tin hat on things
but I remain unconvinced about the taining ground argument. We've had a lot
of rain and guess what, grass gets wet and people slip but Chadwell Heath?
Nah I don't think the grass there is any different to anywhere else.
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Matthew Etherington claims Victor Moses hasn't done himself justice at West
Ham United HITC John Verrall
Victor Moses has scored once in 11 appearances for West Ham United. Matthew
Etherington has told the Sentinel that Victor Moses has failed to do himself
justice with his performances at West Ham United so far. Moses made a bright
start to his Hammers career, but he has struggled to make an impact more
recently. And Etherington says that the winger's lack of consistency is now
becoming a worry. "I think he started well at West Ham, but he's gone a bit
quiet to be honest," Etherington, who used to play for West Ham, said. "I
was really excited by his signing personally, but he hasn't really done
himself justice yet. "Like he was at Stoke, I think he's one of those
players with loads of natural talent and it's just a case of doing it
consistently."
Moses' failure to perform to a consistent standard has been one of the major
issues in his career. The Nigerian is one of the most threatening wide-men
in the Premier League on his day, with his pace and power making him a
nightmare to mark. However, he has a tendency to allow his levels to drop,
and that has been one of the reasons why he has struggled to find a
permanent home. Moses has been loaned out by Chelsea for the past three
seasons, and he has spent time at Liverpool and Stoke City prior to his move
to West Ham. Moses has made 11 appearances for Slaven Bilic's, and he has
scored once. He is currently out injured, meaning he will miss the Hammers'
match against Stoke at the weekend.
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Blackburn Rovers boss Paul Lambert gives fitness update on West Ham loanee
Doneil Henry, does not want repeat of season-ending injury HITC Mathew Nash
The Canadian has featured once in the Championship for Rovers. Doneil Henry
is a player who West Ham certainly have a lot of hope for regarding the
future. The talented 22-year-old arrived in January from Cypriot side
Apollon Limassol as something of a gamble from Sam Allardyce. The Canadian
international is however, nine months on, still waiting for his West Ham
Premier League debut. In fact, to date, his only game for West Ham was in a
disappointing 2-1 loss to Astra Giurgiu in the Europa League. So he was
recently loaned out to Championship side Blackburn Rovers. Last term he
impressed during a similar spell at Ewood Park, after a recommendation from
Ryan Nelsen saw Gary Bowyer snap him up. Unfortunately he suffered an injury
and the deal was cut short, with Henry not playing again after March last
season. Now his new loan boss has described how he will be managing the
player's fitness in the weeks to come.
New Rovers boss Paul Lambert told the Lancashire Telegraph this week: "We
just had to watch that he never broke down again. That's important because,
if he did break down, we'd have to send him back to West Ham. "We have to
manage him a little bit. I think he was feeling the effects of the training
last week, so that was why we decided to leave him out. "It's been a long
time, not playing and training, and he's come into this where it's high
intensity. "We've just got to man-manage him to make sure he's okay."
West Ham fans will certainly be pleased to hear that Henry is seemingly in
safe hands at Ewood Park. His spell ended too soon last time he was with the
club and that did his future chances at West Ham no favours. His current
deal expires at the start of January but there is an option to extend it. If
he can continue to thrive at the Championship club, who seem to be turning
things around under the management of Lambert, then in time he might just
become the West Ham regular it is hoped he will be.
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West Ham star provides injury update after Slaven Bilic predicts return date
Londn 24
09:40 11 December 2015 Pete Evans
Manuel Lanzini says his recovery is going well and his manager predicts the
West Ham playmaker could be back by December 20. The Argentine has enjoyed
an eye-catching start to life at Upton Park only to suffer a thigh injury in
training last week which ruled him out of the 0-0 draw with Manchester
United and this weekend's clash with Stoke. Initially the Hammers said he
was expected to be sidelined for up to six weeks but speaking at his weekly
press conference on Thursday Bilic explained that he 'hopes' Lanzini could
be back for the Swansea trip in just nine days. And the 22-year-old was
feeling equally positive about his chances of a speedy return. "Trust me
when I say I am as desperate to return to action as you are," he told the
club's official website in a message to fans. "Thankfully my recovery is
going well and I may be able to return in a few weeks. "I'm feeling a lot
better now, I'm hoping to get back as soon as possible, there's nothing like
the feeling of running out on the pitch every weekend so I'm hoping for a
quick recovery and hopefully I get back to the level I was playing at before
the injury." If Lanzini does not make the trip to Swansea then he could
return for either of their festive fixtures against Aston Villa away and
Southampton at home.
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Slaven Bilic rules out warm weather winter trip and reveals chairmen talks
over injuries London 24
07:00 11 December 2015 Brad Pinard
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic admits dealing with the Hammers' training
ground has been tough in recent weeks. The Chadwell Heath pitches are not in
a fit state, according to Bilic, as the rock hard ground is covered by a
slippery surface, causing injuries. Four key Hammers are out with muscle
injuries which can all be brought back to the training ground pitches and so
change has been made with the Hammers moving two miles down the road to Rush
Green from next week onwards. Bilic reveals he spoke to David Gold and
Sullivan in midweek about the move and that Upton Park is also a venue that
can be used for training. "It was an easy conversation. I spoke yesterday to
the chairman and he agreed totally with me. "Ok Rush Green is not ready, we
weren't planning on moving until next season, but the pitch is my concern,
not the kitchen or play room. "The plan was to move at the start of next
pre-season but it could be October or any time. "Another solution was to
change here and go over there on a mini bus. There are a lot of things
missing there off the pitch. "We will also monitor these pitches, maybe in
one month they are ok or maybe we can mix. "Maybe Upton Park too, in
previous years when West Ham play away on the Saturday they would train at
Upton Park." Sam Allardyce notoriously took his team to Dubai or Malaga for
some warm weather training, which was reported to have been more a 'team
bonding' event. Bilic admits he won't be doing that but is pleased he has
made a change. "I heard that in recent years the managers were taking the
players to Malaga to train," Bilic said. "I would like to avoid that, to fly
to Spain for training, you don't need that." I wanted to do something and I
am sure I had to do something. The groundsman has told me the pitches at
Rush Green are better so we will go there."
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How Hammers could line up v Stoke as summer signing grabs first start London
24
07:20 11 December 2015 Brad Pinard
West Ham are struggling with injuries and Slaven Bilic will make changes
against Stoke on Saturday. With a number of key men out such as Dimitri
Payet, Enner Valencia and Diafra Sakho, Bilic's team have struggled lately.
With added new injuries to Winston Reid, Manuel Lanzini and Victor Moses,
Bilic has decisions to make. Michail Antonio should in for his first start
for the club and Carl Jenkinson could also be recalled to replace Reid.
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Neville decision could scupper West Ham plot to sign The Beast Alvaro
Negredo HITC Dan Coombs
One of Gary Neville's first moves as Valencia boss could prevent West Ham
from signing Alvaro Negredo. West Ham are in need of reinforcements over the
coming transfer window to solve their injury problems, and one of the best
players linked is striker Alvaro Negredo. An editorial in The Metro this
week suggested the Hammers go back in for Negredo, having failed to sign him
in 2013 when he moved to Manchester City instead. It would be an outstanding
deal. Negredo is a proven goalscorer who has Premier League experience, and
is physically suited to playing in the league. After struggling this season
at Valencia, he would also have a point to prove to them, as well as
Manchester City. Gary Neville's early actions as boss of Los Che would
indicate though that a move is off the table. Negredo, nicknamed The Beast,
had been selected for only five matches in La Liga, scoring once, but
Neville has brought him back into the fold.
Spanish newspaper Marca reported how Neville decided to recall the striker
for their Champions League match with Lyon, while the move was hailed by
club captain Dani Parejo, reported Football Espana, who said: "He's an
important player for us and we are very happy because he can provide a lot
to the group."
Negredo made his comeback against Lyon, his first match since October 3, and
it was a bittersweet affair as the French side won to condemn Valencia to
the Europa League, but he himself praised Neville's approach and 'clear
instructions', reported Football Espana. The signs are that any club
attempting to sign him have been dealt a blow by Neville's decision to
involve him, and essentially take him off the transfer market, and unless
things change over the next month, West Ham will have to look elsewhere.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Saturday, December 12
Friday, December 11
Daily WHUFC News - 11th December 2015
Slaven speaks - Stoke City
WHUFC.com
Slaven Bilic held his pre-match briefing with the broadcast media ahead of Saturday's Boleyn Ground Barclays Premier League date with Stoke City. However, this weekend's match was low down the agenda when it came to questioning of the manager, who was quizzed about the injury issues which are currently affecting his Hammers squad. The manager revealed timeframes for injuries suffered by Winston Reid and Victor Moses, some more positive news regarding Manuel Lanzini, and also talked about plans to move first-team training sessions from Chadwell Heath to Rush Green.
What can you tell us about Winston Reid's injury, which was reported on Wednesday evening?
SB: "Winston has injured his hamstring in the training session on Wednesday and he will go for a scan on Friday. Then we will see how long he is out for. It doesn't look good. Has has done it before and it's one of them, when they tell you four to six weeks. It doesn't look to be a small one. "It happened in the very beginning of the training in the activation, like a long warm-up. Straight after, he slipped and he felt it rupture, so it's most definitely a rupture and we're going to see on Friday exactly how long it's going to be. It's not just going to be the Stoke game, it will be longer. We will know more after the scan."
Slaven, you also lost Victor Moses at Manchester United, so can you update us with regard to his injury situation?
SB: "Victor is out for four to six weeks. It's blow. We now have six injuries. Before the Everton game we had a full squad and they were all training and all fit and everything. First, against Everton we had two injuries with Valencia and Payet, both of them from tackles. After the international break, we've had four injuries, starting with Sakho, then Lanzini, Moses and now Winston Reid. "Of course it's a big blow for us because they are six very important players, but we are going to move on and we have to get over this period without them. We have a good medical team that will usually bring the players back very soon, so we have to compensate their absence with team-work, like we did against Manchester United. That was really good, so I want us to continue the way we are playing.
What impact does losing your main goalscorers and assist-makers to injury have on the way you will approach matches?
SB: "It's logical that they created and scored most of our chances and goals, because they were the ones who played in those positions - left, right, up front or behind. They were doing their job really good and we're going to miss them of course, because they're great players. That's why we got them and they've been playing regularly. "It's a good thing Valencia is back now and he's training with us today, so we'll see if he is in good shape in terms of fitness and in terms of if he is available. He is a great player and we're delighted he is back. "It's going to be hard without players like Lanzini, Payet, Moses and Sakho, but we played without almost all of them against Manchester United and still we created enough chances to score goals.
"As I said, when all the players were available it was also about the squad. Now, we have a tinier squad but it's time for those those players to step up. "It's impossible to compensate for these players individually, but with team-work and spirit that we have already got, we know we can do it. It's time for those players who didn't play that much, but worked hard in training, to step up and for the rest of the team to help them and for us to continue."
Do you have a theory as to why you have suffered so many injuries in recent weeks?
SB: "It's the million dollar question. On the one hand you see it happening at many Premier League clubs, but to be fair I don't care about other clubs in that sense. "There have been a lot of things said since I came here about the pitches that we have here at Chadwell Heath, and they're not ideal. If you saw Reidy's injury, he slipped because our pitches are very soft on the surface, but underneath they are very, very hard, so that's the worst combination. "Not only this year, but throughout the years we have a history in that and the players are moaning as they are not happy about the quality of the pitches. "So, I've decided that we are a club in transition regarding our training facilities and we are planning to move next season to Rush Green, but because of the quality of the pitches we're going to go there earlier. "I've decided, from Monday, we are going to move to Rush Green and start to train there because we can't continue to miss this much players with these kind of pitches, which are not in good shape. "We're going to move on Monday. The plan was to go next year, but because of the situation we're going to do it now. "I don't see any other reason because we have a good medical team and good players and the sessions are good, and I told you that since I came here it was an issue - last year, two years ago or five years ago. It has nothing to do with the groundsmen or the medical staff - it's just the way the ground is here."
How do you try to be positive in this current situation?
SB: "I am not trying to be positive - I am very positive. I said to the players it is time for us to show that we can get over the injuries. "The season is very long and in every season you more or less have these situations. One day, you think 'Do we have too many players?' and 'Can you keep them all happy?' and then in basically no time you have the totally opposite situation. "No matter how hard it is, you have to stay positive and I am. We have a good team and I'm sure we're going to show that we can play without those players, who we're going to try to bring back as soon as possible."
Will you buy players in January?
SB: "I said four weeks ago that I was quite happy and we'd only sign a player if an exceptional one became available, or if someone goes, then we would have to replace them. "In every club there is always room for one player to come, but only if he is exceptional or can make the team better. Now, if we think about Stoke or Swansea, we want to have two or even three players!
"These are not long, long term injuries. valencia is back and I hope Lanzini will be back for the Swansea game. Dimitri Payet looks really good and has come back for treatment. His ankle is very, very stable and who knows what will happen in two or three weeks. "I am not hoping but expecting a few of them to come back very, very soon and when they do, there is no need for new players, except if we find one who is exceptional."
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Chadwell Chatter - Manuel Lanzini
WHUFC.com
Hola!
On Wednesday I was lucky enough to visit our fantastic new stadium in Stratford for a tour alongside Joint-Chairman David Gold, Aaron Cresswell, Reece Oxford and some lucky competition winners. It is a very impressive stadium, not only the stands and the pitch but all the other facilities; they are just excellent. I think the move is really going to give West Ham a boost and that is obviously very important. I really think the fans and the players will enjoy it and I'm sure we'll have some successful years in the near future. Throughout my career I have been lucky enough to play in some fantastic stadiums so far, I think this stadium is going to be absolutely incredible, all footballers will want to come and play here and it'll help the Club grow.
One of the most important things is that the fans, I'm sure, are going to enjoy coming here, and we're going to be relaxed about putting on a really good show.
I'd also like to thank all the West Ham fans who have wished me a speedy recovery since getting injured last week, it honestly means a lot! One of the most frustrating things about being injured is the uncertainty, the not knowing how long it'll take to recover and return to full fitness. Trust me when I say I am as desperate to return to action as you are. Thankfully my recovery is going well and I may be able to return in a few weeks. I'm feeling a lot better now, I'm hoping to get back as soon as possible, there's nothing like the feeling of running out on the pitch every weekend so I'm hoping for a quick recovery and hopefully I get back to the level I was playing at before the injury.
We're nearly half way through the season and I think overall we've had a fantastic start. Despite having a few disappointing results recently I think we can bounce back and continue on our good run. We have a few injuries now which doesn't help but we have good, strong squad and I am confident we can cope.
See you soon!
Manu
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View on the Visitors - Stoke City
WHUFC.com
Stoke Sentinel's sports reporter Pete Smith lifts the lid on Saturday's visitors. Stoke come into this game off the back of the 2-0 win over Manchester City and one defeat in six. It all seems to be going well at the moment?
"Absolutely, the team are hitting new heights. Against City, they tried a new formation and it clearly worked very, very well. They looked like a slick attacking side which hasn't always been the case. There's a real feeling that this is the best Stoke side in a generation, the likes we haven't seen for 40 odd years.
"The result last weekend was unreal, it was certainly the crowing result of the season so far and it shouldn't be overlooked how good they really were."
It's not just Stoke's league form, but a League Cup semi-final with Liverpool to look forward to?
"Yes, and it's something the fans are quite rightly really looking forward too. For Stoke, it has been all about avoiding relegation for a long time, and more recently getting into the top ten. The next stage upward is challenging for a trophy. They last won the League Cup back in 1972 so it's something the fans would dearly love to win again."
Presumably Mark Hughes is a popular figure at the Britannia?
"He can't put a foot wrong in the fans' eyes! People haven't forgotten all the good work Tony Pulis did in laying the foundations, but Mark Hughes has taken them that step further. The vast majority of transfers have worked well, tactically he's spot on and the fans are right behind him."
Jack Butland has been sensational this season
Which players have stood out for you this season so far?
"Jack Butland has been the star of the season so far, he was man of the match in almost every game right at the start. The fact we haven't missed Asmir Begovic shows how good he really is, he's still young too.
"Since Ryan Shawcross has returned from injury the defence has looked much more solid, they picked up a few more clean sheets too. His return to fitness and form is remarkable really considering he had major back surgery in the summer.
"Then obviously the forward trio of Marko Arnautovic, Xherdan Shaqiri and Bojan Krkic have stolen the headlines, and rightly so. Their quality is obvious for all to see."
Having said all that, what is Stoke's Achilles heel?
"In most departments they've been solid so far, they haven't conceded many goals, in fact they've tended to concede more goals against the smaller sides, Watford and Sunderland, then the big teams."
In all likelihood, this is the last time Stoke play at the Boleyn Ground, what memories stick out for you about this stadium?
"It has to be the 1972 League Cup semi-final which has gone down as one of the greatest League Cup games ever. West Ham won away 2-1, meaning Stoke had to come to the Boleyn Ground and get a result to progress to the final. In particular Gordan Bank's penalty save late on from Geoff Hurst is one of the defining moments in Stoke City's history."
How do you think Saturday's game will pan out?
"It'll be a tight game; neither side will give much away so I think it'll be a 1-1 draw."
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Rio - Slaven is doing a great job
WHUFc.com
Former Hammer Rio Ferdinand praised the effect current manager Slaven Bilic has had since he returned to the Club in the summer. Ferdinand, one of the greatest players to have come through the famous Academy of Football, made 158 appearances for the Claret and Blues, winning the illustrious Hammer of the Year award in 1998. The defensive duo overlapped at the Boleyn Ground for two seasons between 1995 and 1997 and when asked about his former teammate, the south Londoner had nothing but praise: "He has done really well; I was shocked that no one tried to hire him before now to be honest. He was great for Croatia; he's a real good guy.
"I always got on well with him when we played together. When he came back to West Ham, I called him, gave him a bit of advice, and obviously he's taking it all on board! But seriously, he's a top lad, a top manager and I really get on with him."
Like many fans and pundits, some of the results Bilic has orchestrated in his short tenure so far have caught the imagination and allowed the West Ham faithful to dream big once more. With wins over Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City already secured, Ferdinand clearly believes West Ham are on the right track: "They've been a great surprise this year; they've had some fantastic results. "Dimitri Payet is a massive loss, I was surprised that he wasn't picked up before now. He's a great coup for West Ham and he's proved in the first few months how talented he is. "If they can get him back soon I'm sure they'll have a strong second half of the season. In terms of a target, I think West Ham have got to be happy with a top 10, top eight finish."
Having come through the Academy alongside the likes of Michael Carrick and Joe Cole, Ferdinand left West Ham in 2000 for Leeds United before joining Manchester United where he won a staggering six Premier League titles as well as the Champions League in 2008. On his return to Boleyn Ground, his first since retiring as a professional footballer, he reflected on where it all began: May 5 1996, a 1-1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday. He recounted: "My debut has to be my stand out memory, I remember coming out, standing on the touchline with Harry Redknapp, it was the stuff of dreams. I envisaged it for a couple of years before it happened, but until it happens, you're never really sure if you're ever going to get there. "On the day, the fans were so loud and really supportive; they really got behind me as a home-grown, young player. It was a great feeling that day. "I remember the great atmosphere, for any young player to come through at a club; you never get that type of love or adulation anywhere else. When you come through a club's youth system, the fans definitely see a part of themselves in you; they definitely feel a part of your journey. Every fan loves to see their club producing young, exciting talent. "I've got loads of memories here; it's a beautiful place to play football. It hasn't got long left, I've always liked being able to see the flats above the stand, but yes, great memories."
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Hammers on the home straight
WHUFC.com
West Ham United report more Season Tickets already sold for 2016/17 season than in any other in their history
Number of people on the Priority List exceeds available Season Tickets several times over
New CGI shows stunning new claret and blue detail around concourse area, keeping promise to supporters
West Ham United are delighted to announce that they have already sold more Season Tickets for their first season in the former Olympic Stadium than in any other year in the Club's history, despite there still being nine months to go until their first game.
The Hammers passed the milestone last month, and, with the iconic venue winning plaudits the world over during the Rugby World Cup and Slaven Bilic bringing entertaining football back to E13, demand for tickets to see West Ham in Stratford in the 2016/17 season continues to surpass all expectations.
The Club have pledged to do all they can to help as many Hammers fans as possible get a Season Ticket, but, as there are now several times as many fans on the Priority List as Season Tickets available, it is imperative that any supporter on the Priority List attends their Reservation Centre appointment when they are offered one next year.
Furthermore, any supporter wishing to buy a Season Ticket for next season is urged to join the Priority List immediately to stand any chance of securing a seat.
Due to the unprecedented demand, the Club can confirm that in the event that any member of the Priority List does not get an appointment at the Reservation Centre for next season, they will be offered the chance to join the Priority List for Season Tickets for the 2017/18 season.
Details of the Priority List sales process can be found here.
With the sales period for existing Season Ticket Holders set to conclude in January, the Club have today announced how the process for new Season Ticket sales at the UEFA Category Four venue will work for members of the Priority List.
Work resumes
The Club have released a new CGI showing how the stunning claret and blue colouring in the concourse of the Bobby Moore Stand, which will further ensure the Stadium truly looks and feels like West Ham's new home. The image shows how Hammers legend Moore's shirt will proudly adorn the stand carrying his name, with huge crossed hammers standing guard alongside it.
Those improvements will be just one of a number of key changes made following the recommencement of work at the new Stadium as preparations for West Ham United's first game at their stunning new home in Stratford enter their final phase.
The successful run of summer and autumn events required a pause in the construction timetable, but, following the Race of Champions finale last month, the contractors have now resumed their work in earnest. A number of major changes are set to take place to ensure the world-class venue is ready for the arrival of the Claret and Blue Army in August 2016.
To celebrate the resumption of the construction period, Hammers trio Aaron Cresswell, Manuel Lanzini and Reece Oxford accompanied Joint-Chairman David Gold on a tour of the new Stadium, together with a handful of lucky competition winners made up of Founders, supporters who have already selected their seats, and members of the New Stadium Season Ticket Priority List.
Commenting on today's announcements, West Ham United Vice-Chairman Karren Brady said: "I am both delighted and proud to be providing such positive updates today.
"Firstly, our confirmation of further extensive West Ham detail throughout the Stadium ties in perfectly with the contractors commencing the major overhaul needed to ready the Stadium for our first game there next August.
"The new designs further add to those we announced earlier this year, which will see 'West Ham' spelt in the new 'Kop' style East Stand, a claret crossed hammers design adorning three stands and claret and blue featuring inside and outside the new Stadium.
"We have always promised our supporters that this will look and feel like the home of West Ham United and today's new CGI is further evidence that we have been true to our word.
"Secondly, it is fantastic news that we have now sold more Season Tickets for next season than in any other in our history, and that is with nine months still to go before our first game. Demand for Season Tickets has surpassed all of our expectations and that is testament to the rapid progress we have seen on and off the pitch over the past few years.
"We desperately want as many Hammers fans as possible to sample what will be an unbelievable experience of watching their team in this stunning new venue, so I would urge anyone already on the Priority List to make sure they seize their opportunity when it comes around. And I would encourage anyone yet to join to do so immediately to stand any chance of getting what will be the hottest ticket in London come August 2016."
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Priority List process explained
WHUFC.com
West Ham United are pleased to announce the sales process for supporters on the New Stadium Season Ticket Priority List.
Now that the seat selection process for existing Season Ticket Holders is nearing the end, supporters on the Priority List can expect to start receiving their Reservation Centre appointments in the New Year.
From the beginning of January, the Reservation Centre will begin contacting supporters on the Priority List to schedule their seat selection appointments. Following the call, each group will need to confirm their booking with a £10 appointment confirmation fee, which will be deducted from the final cost of their Season Ticket.
Supporters will be contacted based on the order in which they joined the Priority List and, with several times as many names on the Priority List as available seats, we ask that supporters are patient during this process.
With demand so high, it is vitally important that you attend your appointment to avoid missing out. Similarly, rescheduling your appointment will impact your choice of seats.
When you confirm your Season Ticket seat for the Club's momentous first season in the new Stadium, you can join our founding fathers by being recognised as a Founder. This is a one-time opportunity for your Founding status to be proudly displayed, for all to see, acknowledging how you helped to build our exciting future.
If you buy a Season Ticket in our new home, you can also share your priority with two friends or family members who can join you at your Reservation Centre appointment so you can select your seats all together.
You can confirm your additional supporters when you receive your phone call to schedule your appointment. Supporters are therefore advised to consider who they wish to bring with them in the run-up to January, so that you have all the appropriate details to hand.
On the day of the appointment you can expect a presentation about the Stadium and you will then be invited to select your new seats using the state-of-the-art Virtual Venue. The new software allows you to virtually 'sit' in your seat at the new Stadium to check out the views.
Once you have chosen your seats, you will be required to pay 25 per cent of your Season Ticket value. The remaining balance is payable by Sunday 1 May. Please note if your appointment is on or after 1 April 2016 you will be required to pay in full.
A Monthly Payment Plan is available courtesy of V12 Season Ticket Finance, for which you can apply in person during your appointment.
Due to the unprecedented demand, the Club can confirm that in the event that any member of the Priority List does not get an appointment at the Reservation Centre for next season, they will be offered the chance to join the Priority List for Season Tickets for the 2017/18 season.
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West Ham move training grounds months ahead of schedule
BBC.co.uk
West Ham will move to their new training ground months ahead of schedule as they attempt to combat a growing injury list. Winston Reid and Victor Moses have joined Dimitri Payet, Diafra Sakho and Manuel Lanzini on the sidelines. The Rush Green site is unfinished but the pitches are in use and they will begin training there from Monday. "The Chadwell Heath pitches are soft on top but hard underneath, which is the worst combination," said Slaven Bilic. "The pitches are better there than here. We can live without the great dressing room, the kitchens and the free area for now."
The Hammers were due to relocate to their new Rush Green HQ, where they currently play under-21 games, at the start of next season. But Bilic said they "can't continue to risk" using the pitches at their current Chadwell Heath base. 'It doesn't look good'
Reid and Moses are facing up to six weeks on the sidelines with hamstring problems. Centre-back Reid was injured during training and will get the results of a scan on Friday. "It doesn't look good," said Bilic, whose side host Stoke on Saturday. "It's one of those they tell you is four to six weeks but it doesn't look like a small one. He slipped and felt it rupture." Moses, on loan from Chelsea, suffered his injury in a goalless draw at Manchester United last weekend. Bilic added: "Victor is out for four to six weeks. It's a blow, we have had six injuries since the Everton game. "Before that we had a full squad, then Payet and Valencia were injured against Everton and now we have four muscle injuries."
Attacking midfielder Payet and striker Sakho are both out until February, while Lanzini is out for six weeks with a thigh problem suffered in training. Bilic could have Enner Valencia back to face Stoke after the striker's five-week absence with an ankle injury.
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David Gold says new stadium will help West Ham reach new levels
By Amy Lewis, Sky Sports News HQ
Last Updated: 10/12/15 3:01pm
SSN
West Ham co-chairman David Gold believes the club can claim a top-six finish - and that their new stadium will help them build on that success next season. The Hammers are due to move into the Olympic Stadium for the start of the 2016/17 season and the final phases of the construction work are already underway.
"We dream of the impossible where we pursue the impossible," said Gold. "I would still say to you that our ambition is to finish in the top half of the division. Can we finish higher, in the top six? Yes we can."
The club revealed they have sold more season tickets for their first season in the Olympic Stadium than any other previous campaign with 30,000 seats already taken up out of the 54,000 capacity. And Gold expects to have capacity crowds at nearly all of their matches at their new home. West Ham co-chairman David Gold is targeting a top six finish this season and says they want to bring European football to the Olympic Stadium. "Everyone was very dubious as to whether we could fill the stadium," he said. "We were confident with all the work we did and all the enquiries we made. The reality is that we are going to be coming very close to filling this stadium with season ticket holders. "Let alone the thousands who would want to come because they would want to see this iconic stadium."
West Ham will have to make extra payments if they finish in the top 10 of the Premier League. The contract also states they have to pay an additional fee if they win the FA Cup or qualify for the Europa League or Champions League. The club will not have to pay for turnstile operators, much of the security and steward personnel and catering staff on match days. Gold defends the importance of West Ham's contribution. "There's no doubt that a lot of people feel this has been funded by the taxpayer but without West Ham this wouldn't have happened," he said. After hosting international events such as the Rugby World Cup over the summer, the stadium's construction work is expected to be ready by late spring. Defender Aaron Cresswell visited the ground and says he looking forward to playing at the club's new home. "This is the first time I have been here at the stadium of course it is fantastic facilities," he said. "I'm not too sure the manager is going to be too happy with the pitch but it's going to be ready in time for the new season. Doing a mini tour around the inside bits and it looks fantastic."
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Bastian Schweinsteiger given three-match ban for elbowing Winston Reid.
By Paul Vinnell
Last Updated: 10/12/15 5:28pm
SSN
Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger will serve a three-match suspension for elbowing West Ham's Winston Reid. The ban begins with immediate effect after the Germany captain accepted an FA charge for violent conduct. The incident, last Saturday at Old Trafford, was not seen by the match officials but was caught on video. Schweinsteiger caught Reid in the throat as the players battled for position from a first-half free-kick during the 0-0 draw.
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Chadwell Heath pitch is too firm and causes injuries!
December 10, 2015
thewesthamway.co.uk
Matthew Etherington
Hi all, first and foremost we have a very tough game coming at the weekend, Stoke are starting to fire on all cylinders. Shaquiri, Arnoutavic, Bojan are all in form. A very decent side.
The reason for this post is the injuries we have at the club right now, it's ridiculous. I can only speak of my time at this great club and say that the training ground was always way too firm, don't get me wrong the surface was pristine but always liable for injuries. It was like literally training on a road for 2 hours every day. Eventually your muscles say enough, there come the injuries, either during training or on a match day. I was there for five seasons and every pre-season the pitches would get re-layed. Still too firm. When I went back to train last summer (2014) the training ground was still way too hard and nothing had changed. I had a muscle injury myself within a few days. At Stoke's training ground with decent pitches (plenty of rain also!) we had minimal injuries, me and my groins/muscles injuries, in the early years at Stoke, were absolutely fine.
People will say "Premier League pitches are the same now, so get on with it". They are not. Chadwell Heath is a lot firmer than any training ground/Premier League pitch I have played football on. I'm sure the Chairmen, who have done such an admirable job since taking over, know this. I think we all agree it needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. Thankfully this appears to now be the case with the club moving to Rush Green on Monday as opposed to the end of the season. You do have to question why it has taken so many injuries to make this happen however. I don't believe the medical team are at fault either, personnel has changed a few times over several years and we still seem to get numerous injuries every season lets hope the move to Rush Green now solves the problems.
COYI
Matty.
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Caretaker Rants: Parker haters you should be ashamed!!
December 10, 2015
WestHamWay.co.uk
@caretaker_rants
Hard working, a grafter, 100% committed. These are just a few qualities which we love to see in a player at West Ham. Three times Hammer of the Year, almost single handily keeping the club up one year, winning the Football Writers Player of the Year award when we finished rock bottom of the league. A few milestones which you can say wouldn't be possible without having the initial qualities I mentioned. Scott Parker had, and achieved everything I have mentioned so far, yet it was almost three years ago that he was shamefully booed by a large number of our supporters on his return to Upton Park, something which I have never forgotten and ultimately will go down as one of my lowest moments at the ground.
This isn't a biography on him so I won't bore you with a factfile on Scott but I think we can all agree that his performances and level of consistency during his four years with the club (and in particular the last two) were at a level not seen by anyone for years and probably haven't been seen since. Someone who knew nothing about Scott could be mistaken for thinking he had left in the same circumstances that surrounded Paul Ince perhaps, which could explain why he was booed on his return, but this was certainly not the case.
After getting relegated in 2011 Scott was awarded the Football Writers Player of the Year which is a prestigious honour and to my knowledge has never been given to someone at a club which finished bottom of the league. Scott had started playing regularly for England, and we all knew deep down that he wasn't going to hang around in the Championship and lose the place that he had worked so hard to earn, nor could any of us deny him a move when you consider what he had done for the club.
Now comes the controversial part, Scott eventually joined Spurs very late on in the transfer window. Spurs had just finished fifth in the league and were a club progressing and whilst they are rivals of ours, and of course I would have preferred to see him in another shirt, I didn't begrudge him that move, especially since he was/is a Spurs fan. Then a lot of fans started to turn bitter and sour, all sorts of nonsense emerged from fans who had read in The Sun (of all rags) that Scott had threatened to go on strike if he didn't get his move to Spurs. Scott did place a transfer request to seal his move to Spurs, something which is a common procedure with football players, but at no point would he ever have dreamed of refusing to play if he didn't get his move.
Scott started the season with us and played four games with us, at the time nobody questioned his commitment, and why should they? This guy was one of us out there, giving everything he had for the shirt. Yet as soon as he left people were saying that 'his heart wasn't in it' and that he was 'dodging tackles' for fear of getting injured. Statements that were absolutely bull$hit and an insult to Scott. Another classic line was that he had left to earn more money as he was greedy. We were paying him such a high salary that I doubt he earnt much more money at Spurs, if at all.
So what if he went so Spurs? Are we West Ham fans or anti Spurs fans? To this day I still find it childish and pathetic that so many ignorant fans somehow forget everything he did for us and simply want to focus on the fact that he joined Spurs. As I said before, Scott is a spurs fan, so why the hell should he be denied a move to his club? If, for example Mark Noble had been a Crystal Palace player and joined us we would all laugh at Palace fans and consider them small minded in their hatred aimed towards Mark. Joe Cole refused to sign a new contract with the club when we finished 7th yet that didn't seem to bother people and he is often referred to as a West Ham legend, but he certainly didn't contribute as must to the club as Scott did on the field. Michael Carrick also went to spurs, yet he always gets a good reception on his return, and rightly so.
Scott openly said after the game that he was disappointed and upset at getting booed, so that tells you all you need to know about the guy, he didn't stick the knife in and mention the fact that Spurs had won the game late on, he simply stated what a great time he had at the club and how he was proud of his time here, and that is why I am still disgusted by what I witnessed that day.
Agree or disagree, let me know @caretaker_rants. Thanks for reading and take care people.
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Watch out…Paolo's tweeting!
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
It looks like DiCanio…it feels like DiCanio and may well be DiCanio. But until the blue tick appears beside his twitter name @OfficialDiCanio there's no 100 per cent certainty. Still it looks like the legend has now emerged on the social network having announced his arrival like this:
Paolo Di Canio @OfficialDiCanio 51 mins51 minutes ago
Delighted to finally be on Twitter! Looking forward to hearing from you all #yesitreallyisme
If it really is the main man then we can stand by for some serious fun over the next few years for Paolo is certain to become a very controversial figure. So welcome to the playground Paolo – err hopefully, We look forward to hearing from you. Within just a couple of hours PDC has collected over 700 followers, seen his first tweet retweeted 50 times and liked 59.
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Olympic Stadium LED wrap approved
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
The London Legacy Development Corporation has confirmed that the proposed LED Stadium Wrap for the former Olympic Stadium has been granted planning permission on the 27th October, subject to conditions of operation and impact mitigation. The procurement process for the new wrap is ongoing and a preferred contractor should be announced before the end of the year. The news was published in LLDC's board meeting from 24th November.
The wrap will stretch around the north, east and south sides of the Stadium and would be capable of displaying moving, colour content. The LEDs will be housed in a structure attached to back of the existing Stadium bowl. Hours of usage will be limited so as to be sensitive to neighbouring uses and ecology. The west side of the Stadium, facing the Fish Island Conservation Area, will not have any LEDs.
The LLDC say the wrap is intended to fulfil the following objectives:
Enhance the Stadium aesthetics and provide a creative, feature lighting installation;
Provide flexibility to reflect the look and feel of events taking place within the multi-use Stadium;
Provide a positive community asset – promote the wider Park, whilst ensuring content is sensitive to neighbours and neighbouring uses;
Provide the opportunity for Stadium naming rights partner activation.
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Rush Green Planning Permission approved
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
Planning permission to transform Rush Green into a state of the art training facility has been approved by London Borough of Havering this week with minor conditions attached.
The full planning decision published three days ago can be found HERE . The council puts certain conditions on the transformation of Rush Green and requests further information where they claim insufficient information was supplied in the original planning application on behalf of West Ham.
Earlier today Slaven Bilic announced that the first team would be moving to Rush Green on Monday but the current ground also has basic facilities and the first team will need to slum it until the transformation of Rush Green is complete.
In February 2009, West Ham entered into an option agreement to purchase the freehold interest in the 29 acre Rush Green Ford Sports Ground from the Ford Motor Company. In September the same year, they completed the acquisition of the property for a sum of £1.4 million.
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Gaffer gets right response after shock
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
Slaven Bilic's out-of-the-blue decision to move the first team squad to Rush Green from Chadwell Heath came as a surprise to everybody inside the club today.
The manager had told nobody outside of his coaching staff what he had in mind but has immediately received the full backing of the board.
Whilst he clearly doesn't KNOW that Chadwell Heath is responsible for the injury record at the club he suspects that the soft/hard ground may be responsible.
And with start of the art training pitches in place at Rush Green he is determined to eliminate any last risk.
A club source said: "Nobody knew about the decision until today. We thought the changeover would take place next season but the facilities are in place and it's the manager's decision. He will get all the support he requires.
"There are three world class pitches at Rush Green – all of which had laser beams used on them to make sure they were 100 per cent level.
"Not everybody is of the view that Chadwell Heath is the sole problem but all the facilities are in place at Rush Green and if the manager wants to use them it's entirely his decision.
It could have the effect of freshening everybody up as well."
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West Ham ranked 8th in injury table
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 9, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
Despite the growing Injury list with Lanzini and Reid added in the last week, West Ham only sit in 8th place with regards to the most number of injuries in the Premier League. With Enner Valencia set to return as soon as Saturday, West Ham could drop as low as 10th in the Premier League in terms of number of injured squad players.
1st Newcastle 10 Injuries
2nd Bournemouth 9 Injuries
3rd Manchester United 9 Injuries
4th Arsenal 7 Injuries
5th Liverpool 7 Injuries
6th Manchester City 7 Injuries
7th Everton 6 Injuries
8th West Ham 6 Injuries (Payet, Valencia, Lanzini, Sakho, Reid and Moses)
9th Spurs 5 Injuries
10th Aston Villa 5 Injuries
11th Southampton 4 Injuries
12th Sunderland 4 Injuries
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Irons to move from Chadwell Heath
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
Slaven Bilic has announced the squad is on its way from its Chadwell Heath training headquarters. The news comes at more or less the same time as the crushing news that Winston Reid is set to miss the next four weeks with a new hamstring injury – his third in less than a year. Many fans have been questioning the Chadwell Heath facilities for a long time and whilst the announcement is a shock, there is absolutely no question that it will be met with widespread relief. The manager made the news public in his morning press conference ahead of the weekend match against Stoke City which sees the squad without Reid, Payet, Moses, Lanzini and Sakho. Bilic declared: "We were planning on moving the training ground to Rush Green at the end of the season, now we are moving that forward. "We will be training at Rush Green from Monday. The pitches here at Chadwell Heath are soft on top, but hard underneath which is the worse combination. So I have made the decision to go to Rush Green where the pitches are better."
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Reid's worrying injury history
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
Winston Reid's injury problems – and his hamstring in particular – are becoming a regular issue in his West Ham career. The central defender – always an awesome presence when available – has now gone down with his third 'hammy' problem inside 11 months. And in football season terms that can be translated to nine games missed as a result and laid off for a total of 53 days.
Within the same 11 months the central defender has also suffered thigh muscle strains and hip problems which saw him miss 56 days and eight games. And back in the 13/14 season the Kiwi was laid off for a total of 85 days which saw him miss 16 games.
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Boots issue raised again on injuries
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
A story suggesting in part that the boots worn by players may be contributing towards the injuries suffered by Premier League players is again doing the rounds on social media following the shocking injury crisis at Upton Park. The Mail Online published a story back in October saying that six Premier League stars who suffered devastating cruciate ligament injury blows in the last six weeks were wearing Nike boots. The players were Danny Ings ( Liverpool), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Tim Krul (Newcastle), Tyrone Mings (Bournemouth), Callum Wilson (Bournemouth) and Max Gradel (Bournemouth). A quick check on Google has shown this morning that Winston Reid – who has suffered his third ligament injury in less than a year – is also using Nike boots along with Enner Valencia, Manuel Lanzini and Dimitri Payet. However, there is absolutely no evidence connecting the Irons injuries to the brand of boots the players wear and within the Mail story a footwear industry source said: "Injuries are part and parcel of the game and have always occurred. What brand is being used is a complete coincidence – this has nothing to do with boots!"
Injury data analyst Ben Dinnery is quoted as saying: "Nothing shouts out that this is a problem with football and certainly not Nike. "In almost every case there has been some form of coming together with either the turf or an opponent. I know that Eddie Howe and Sean Dyche have investigated and found that the injuries were unavoidable." And a West Ham source, when asked by ClaretandHugh whether we should be over-worried by Winston's injury record over the past 12 months said: "No, it really is down to bad luck."
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West Ham pair Winston Reid and Victor Moses out for rest of year
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 10/12/15 10:59am
SSN
West Ham duo Winston Reid and Victor Moses have been ruled out until the new year with hamstring injuries. Defender Reid was injured in training on Wednesday and could be set for a long spell out, with the results of a scan expected on Friday. Jack Sullivan, son of Hammers' joint-chairman David Sullivan, tweeted: "Very bad news. Reid injured in training 4-6 weeks with hamstring. But some players will return faster than anticipated due to hard work."
On-loan Chelsea winger Moses sustained a similar injury against Manchester United last weekend and manager Slaven Bilic fears he will not be available for up to six weeks. They are the latest additions to a growing casualty list at Upton Park which threatens to derail their fine start to the season. West Ham have already lost Dimitri Payet and Diafra Sakho until February while Manuel Lanzini is out for six weeks with a thigh problem. Enner Valencia has been out for five weeks with an ankle injury but he could give Bilic a boost by being added to the squad to face Stoke on Saturday. On Reid, Bilic said: "It doesn't look good. It's one of those they tell you is four to six weeks but it doesn't look like a small one. He slipped and felt it rupture. "Victor is out for four to six weeks. It's a blow, we have had six injuries since the Everton game. Before that we had a full squad, then Payet and Valencia were injured against Everton and now we have four muscle injuries."
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West Ham's Olympic Stadium to include Sir Trevor Brooking Stand as club sell more season tickets than ever before
West Ham are in their final season at Upton Park ahead of the big move
Slaven Bilic's side will ply their trade at the Olympic Stadium next year
David Gold toured the new ground with three players on Wednesday
By MATT BARLOW FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 12:01, 10 December 2015 | UPDATED: 12:01, 10 December 2015
As West Ham prepare for their last Christmas at the Boleyn Ground they are also busy decorating the Olympic Stadium ready for the big move next year. New computer-generated images have been released as the project enters its final phase, detailing how parts of the venue will look when they move from Upton Park to their new home in Stratford in the summer. There will be claret everywhere - and some blue - with Bobby Moore's No.6 shirt above the concourse of the stand which will carry his name. A stand will also be named after Sir Trevor Brooking, as at Upton Park, and the crossed hammers design will be on display in the lower tier seats of 54,000-capacity arena. West Ham have already sold more season tickets for next season than at any other season in the club's history, thanks to a bigger capacity at the new venue and price cuts which mean adult season tickets start at £289. Numbers have not been revealed but Sportsmail understands the club is on track to have sold 35,000 season tickets for 2016/17 by the end of this year, an increase of about 10,000 on this season. Each current season ticket holder has been invited to buy an additional two before sales are opened in February to those on a waiting list of more than 20,000. Co-chairman David Gold toured the site yesterday with three players – Manuel Lanzini, Aaron Cresswell and Reece Oxford – and some competitions winners. They settled into what will be the home-team dressing room as Gold pointed out how it was big enough for 25 players, and therefore meets UEFA criteria. 'We're ready for Europe,' said Gold, as he led the entourage through the claret-and-blue tiled shower rooms, across a warm-up track for athletes, down the tunnel and out onto a horribly churned-up pitch, a result of the 'Race of Champions' motor sport bonanza last month. A brand new Desso pitch will be installed next year and overseen by head groundsman Dougie Robertson.
With the Rugby World Cup matches and other autumn events over, the construction work have restarted to make the stadium ready for its new tenants. The interior and a new on-site club store will start to take shape next month and West Ham are working to further personalise the stadium subject to planning permission. Vice-chairman Karren Brady said: 'The new designs further add to those we announced earlier this year, which will see 'West Ham' spelt in the new 'Kop' style East Stand, a claret crossed hammers design adorning three stands and claret and blue featuring inside and outside the new Stadium. 'We have always promised our supporters that this will look and feel like the home of West Ham United and today's new CGI is further evidence that we have been true to our word. 'Secondly, it is fantastic news that we have now sold more season tickets for next season than in any other in our history, and that is with nine months still to go before our first game. 'Demand has surpassed all of our expectations and that is testament to the rapid progress we have seen on and off the pitch over the past few years.
'We desperately want as many Hammers fans as possible to sample what will be an unbelievable experience of watching their team in this stunning new venue, so I would urge anyone already on the Priority List to make sure they seize their opportunity when it comes around. 'And I would encourage anyone yet to join to do so immediately to stand any chance of getting what will be the hottest ticket in London come August 2016.'
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West Ham join crowded race to sign Boca Juniors goal machine Jonathan Calleri
HITC
Olly Dawes
West Ham are the latest club to be linked with a move for Boca Juniors star Jonathan Calleri. According to Calcio Mercato, West Ham have made contact with the representatives of Boca Juniors striker Jonathan Calleri. The Hammers have been hit by a stunning run of injuries in the final third, with Dimitri Payet, Manuel Lanzini, Victor Moses, Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia all on the treatment table. Fans now unsurprisingly want to see West Ham bring in a new striker in January, and reports suggest that the Upton Park hierarchy are at least exploring that possibility. Calcio Mercato report that West Ham have contacted the representatives of Boca Juniors hero Jonathan Calleri, who is attracting plenty of interest from English clubs. Stoke City were suggested to be leading the race for his signature over the summer according to The Mirror, whilst Argentine newspaper Ole published a shocking report earlier this season, suggesting that Championship club Brighton were pursuing a stunning deal to bring Calleri to the South Coast. Earlier this week, Marca claimed that Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are pursuing the 22-year-old ahead of the January transfer window, with both clubs needing attacking reinforcements. Now, it appears that West Ham have entered the race for Calleri's signature, and after racking up 21 goals and 11 assists in 53 games for Boca, it's no surprise that clubs are queueing up the Argentine hitman - and the Hammers may now be hoping to pip their rivals to his signature.
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West Ham open talks with Chelsea transfer target Jonathan Calleri – report
Will Giles for Metro.co.uk
Thursday 10 Dec 2015 9:45 am
West Ham have held talks with Chelsea transfer target Jonathan Calleri, according to reports. Calleri, 22, is set to leave Boca Juniors imminently after appearing to bid farewell to the club on Twitter. Chelsea and Inter are both believed to be keen on the player, but according to Calciomercato, West Ham have entered into talks with the player's entourage. It's claimed that Inter are struggling to finance a deal for the Argentinean, and although Chelsea will likely be seen as a more favourable destination than West Ham, Slaven Bilic could go all out for the striker given the injury crisis that has engulfed his squad.
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West Ham's Winston Reid and Victor Moses out until new year with injuries
• Defender Reid hurt in training session during week
• Moses suffered problem against Manchester United
Thursday 10 December 2015 10.42 GMT Last modified on Thursday 10 December 2015 10.44 GMT
The Guardian
West Ham's Winston Reid and Victor Moses have been ruled out until the new year with hamstring injuries. The defender Reid was injured in training on Wednesday and could be set for a long spell out, with the results of a scan expected on Friday. The on-loan Chelsea winger Moses picked up his injury against Manchester United last weekend and his manager Slaven Bilic has ruled him out for four to six weeks. They are the latest additions to a growing casualty list at Upton Park which threatens to derail their fine start to the season. The Hammers have already lost Dimitri Payet and Diafra Sakho until February while Manuel Lanzini is out for six weeks with a thigh problem suffered in training. Enner Valencia has been out for five weeks with an ankle injury but he could give Bilic a boost by being added to the squad to face Stoke on Saturday. Bilic said: "Reid got injured in training, it doesn't look good. It's one of those they tell you is four to six weeks but it doesn't look like a small one. He slipped and felt it rupture. "Victor is out for four to six weeks. It's a blow, we have had six injuries since the Everton game. Before that we had a full squad, then Payet and Valencia were injured against Everton and now we have four muscle injuries."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Slaven Bilic held his pre-match briefing with the broadcast media ahead of Saturday's Boleyn Ground Barclays Premier League date with Stoke City. However, this weekend's match was low down the agenda when it came to questioning of the manager, who was quizzed about the injury issues which are currently affecting his Hammers squad. The manager revealed timeframes for injuries suffered by Winston Reid and Victor Moses, some more positive news regarding Manuel Lanzini, and also talked about plans to move first-team training sessions from Chadwell Heath to Rush Green.
What can you tell us about Winston Reid's injury, which was reported on Wednesday evening?
SB: "Winston has injured his hamstring in the training session on Wednesday and he will go for a scan on Friday. Then we will see how long he is out for. It doesn't look good. Has has done it before and it's one of them, when they tell you four to six weeks. It doesn't look to be a small one. "It happened in the very beginning of the training in the activation, like a long warm-up. Straight after, he slipped and he felt it rupture, so it's most definitely a rupture and we're going to see on Friday exactly how long it's going to be. It's not just going to be the Stoke game, it will be longer. We will know more after the scan."
Slaven, you also lost Victor Moses at Manchester United, so can you update us with regard to his injury situation?
SB: "Victor is out for four to six weeks. It's blow. We now have six injuries. Before the Everton game we had a full squad and they were all training and all fit and everything. First, against Everton we had two injuries with Valencia and Payet, both of them from tackles. After the international break, we've had four injuries, starting with Sakho, then Lanzini, Moses and now Winston Reid. "Of course it's a big blow for us because they are six very important players, but we are going to move on and we have to get over this period without them. We have a good medical team that will usually bring the players back very soon, so we have to compensate their absence with team-work, like we did against Manchester United. That was really good, so I want us to continue the way we are playing.
What impact does losing your main goalscorers and assist-makers to injury have on the way you will approach matches?
SB: "It's logical that they created and scored most of our chances and goals, because they were the ones who played in those positions - left, right, up front or behind. They were doing their job really good and we're going to miss them of course, because they're great players. That's why we got them and they've been playing regularly. "It's a good thing Valencia is back now and he's training with us today, so we'll see if he is in good shape in terms of fitness and in terms of if he is available. He is a great player and we're delighted he is back. "It's going to be hard without players like Lanzini, Payet, Moses and Sakho, but we played without almost all of them against Manchester United and still we created enough chances to score goals.
"As I said, when all the players were available it was also about the squad. Now, we have a tinier squad but it's time for those those players to step up. "It's impossible to compensate for these players individually, but with team-work and spirit that we have already got, we know we can do it. It's time for those players who didn't play that much, but worked hard in training, to step up and for the rest of the team to help them and for us to continue."
Do you have a theory as to why you have suffered so many injuries in recent weeks?
SB: "It's the million dollar question. On the one hand you see it happening at many Premier League clubs, but to be fair I don't care about other clubs in that sense. "There have been a lot of things said since I came here about the pitches that we have here at Chadwell Heath, and they're not ideal. If you saw Reidy's injury, he slipped because our pitches are very soft on the surface, but underneath they are very, very hard, so that's the worst combination. "Not only this year, but throughout the years we have a history in that and the players are moaning as they are not happy about the quality of the pitches. "So, I've decided that we are a club in transition regarding our training facilities and we are planning to move next season to Rush Green, but because of the quality of the pitches we're going to go there earlier. "I've decided, from Monday, we are going to move to Rush Green and start to train there because we can't continue to miss this much players with these kind of pitches, which are not in good shape. "We're going to move on Monday. The plan was to go next year, but because of the situation we're going to do it now. "I don't see any other reason because we have a good medical team and good players and the sessions are good, and I told you that since I came here it was an issue - last year, two years ago or five years ago. It has nothing to do with the groundsmen or the medical staff - it's just the way the ground is here."
How do you try to be positive in this current situation?
SB: "I am not trying to be positive - I am very positive. I said to the players it is time for us to show that we can get over the injuries. "The season is very long and in every season you more or less have these situations. One day, you think 'Do we have too many players?' and 'Can you keep them all happy?' and then in basically no time you have the totally opposite situation. "No matter how hard it is, you have to stay positive and I am. We have a good team and I'm sure we're going to show that we can play without those players, who we're going to try to bring back as soon as possible."
Will you buy players in January?
SB: "I said four weeks ago that I was quite happy and we'd only sign a player if an exceptional one became available, or if someone goes, then we would have to replace them. "In every club there is always room for one player to come, but only if he is exceptional or can make the team better. Now, if we think about Stoke or Swansea, we want to have two or even three players!
"These are not long, long term injuries. valencia is back and I hope Lanzini will be back for the Swansea game. Dimitri Payet looks really good and has come back for treatment. His ankle is very, very stable and who knows what will happen in two or three weeks. "I am not hoping but expecting a few of them to come back very, very soon and when they do, there is no need for new players, except if we find one who is exceptional."
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Chadwell Chatter - Manuel Lanzini
WHUFC.com
Hola!
On Wednesday I was lucky enough to visit our fantastic new stadium in Stratford for a tour alongside Joint-Chairman David Gold, Aaron Cresswell, Reece Oxford and some lucky competition winners. It is a very impressive stadium, not only the stands and the pitch but all the other facilities; they are just excellent. I think the move is really going to give West Ham a boost and that is obviously very important. I really think the fans and the players will enjoy it and I'm sure we'll have some successful years in the near future. Throughout my career I have been lucky enough to play in some fantastic stadiums so far, I think this stadium is going to be absolutely incredible, all footballers will want to come and play here and it'll help the Club grow.
One of the most important things is that the fans, I'm sure, are going to enjoy coming here, and we're going to be relaxed about putting on a really good show.
I'd also like to thank all the West Ham fans who have wished me a speedy recovery since getting injured last week, it honestly means a lot! One of the most frustrating things about being injured is the uncertainty, the not knowing how long it'll take to recover and return to full fitness. Trust me when I say I am as desperate to return to action as you are. Thankfully my recovery is going well and I may be able to return in a few weeks. I'm feeling a lot better now, I'm hoping to get back as soon as possible, there's nothing like the feeling of running out on the pitch every weekend so I'm hoping for a quick recovery and hopefully I get back to the level I was playing at before the injury.
We're nearly half way through the season and I think overall we've had a fantastic start. Despite having a few disappointing results recently I think we can bounce back and continue on our good run. We have a few injuries now which doesn't help but we have good, strong squad and I am confident we can cope.
See you soon!
Manu
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View on the Visitors - Stoke City
WHUFC.com
Stoke Sentinel's sports reporter Pete Smith lifts the lid on Saturday's visitors. Stoke come into this game off the back of the 2-0 win over Manchester City and one defeat in six. It all seems to be going well at the moment?
"Absolutely, the team are hitting new heights. Against City, they tried a new formation and it clearly worked very, very well. They looked like a slick attacking side which hasn't always been the case. There's a real feeling that this is the best Stoke side in a generation, the likes we haven't seen for 40 odd years.
"The result last weekend was unreal, it was certainly the crowing result of the season so far and it shouldn't be overlooked how good they really were."
It's not just Stoke's league form, but a League Cup semi-final with Liverpool to look forward to?
"Yes, and it's something the fans are quite rightly really looking forward too. For Stoke, it has been all about avoiding relegation for a long time, and more recently getting into the top ten. The next stage upward is challenging for a trophy. They last won the League Cup back in 1972 so it's something the fans would dearly love to win again."
Presumably Mark Hughes is a popular figure at the Britannia?
"He can't put a foot wrong in the fans' eyes! People haven't forgotten all the good work Tony Pulis did in laying the foundations, but Mark Hughes has taken them that step further. The vast majority of transfers have worked well, tactically he's spot on and the fans are right behind him."
Jack Butland has been sensational this season
Which players have stood out for you this season so far?
"Jack Butland has been the star of the season so far, he was man of the match in almost every game right at the start. The fact we haven't missed Asmir Begovic shows how good he really is, he's still young too.
"Since Ryan Shawcross has returned from injury the defence has looked much more solid, they picked up a few more clean sheets too. His return to fitness and form is remarkable really considering he had major back surgery in the summer.
"Then obviously the forward trio of Marko Arnautovic, Xherdan Shaqiri and Bojan Krkic have stolen the headlines, and rightly so. Their quality is obvious for all to see."
Having said all that, what is Stoke's Achilles heel?
"In most departments they've been solid so far, they haven't conceded many goals, in fact they've tended to concede more goals against the smaller sides, Watford and Sunderland, then the big teams."
In all likelihood, this is the last time Stoke play at the Boleyn Ground, what memories stick out for you about this stadium?
"It has to be the 1972 League Cup semi-final which has gone down as one of the greatest League Cup games ever. West Ham won away 2-1, meaning Stoke had to come to the Boleyn Ground and get a result to progress to the final. In particular Gordan Bank's penalty save late on from Geoff Hurst is one of the defining moments in Stoke City's history."
How do you think Saturday's game will pan out?
"It'll be a tight game; neither side will give much away so I think it'll be a 1-1 draw."
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Rio - Slaven is doing a great job
WHUFc.com
Former Hammer Rio Ferdinand praised the effect current manager Slaven Bilic has had since he returned to the Club in the summer. Ferdinand, one of the greatest players to have come through the famous Academy of Football, made 158 appearances for the Claret and Blues, winning the illustrious Hammer of the Year award in 1998. The defensive duo overlapped at the Boleyn Ground for two seasons between 1995 and 1997 and when asked about his former teammate, the south Londoner had nothing but praise: "He has done really well; I was shocked that no one tried to hire him before now to be honest. He was great for Croatia; he's a real good guy.
"I always got on well with him when we played together. When he came back to West Ham, I called him, gave him a bit of advice, and obviously he's taking it all on board! But seriously, he's a top lad, a top manager and I really get on with him."
Like many fans and pundits, some of the results Bilic has orchestrated in his short tenure so far have caught the imagination and allowed the West Ham faithful to dream big once more. With wins over Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City already secured, Ferdinand clearly believes West Ham are on the right track: "They've been a great surprise this year; they've had some fantastic results. "Dimitri Payet is a massive loss, I was surprised that he wasn't picked up before now. He's a great coup for West Ham and he's proved in the first few months how talented he is. "If they can get him back soon I'm sure they'll have a strong second half of the season. In terms of a target, I think West Ham have got to be happy with a top 10, top eight finish."
Having come through the Academy alongside the likes of Michael Carrick and Joe Cole, Ferdinand left West Ham in 2000 for Leeds United before joining Manchester United where he won a staggering six Premier League titles as well as the Champions League in 2008. On his return to Boleyn Ground, his first since retiring as a professional footballer, he reflected on where it all began: May 5 1996, a 1-1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday. He recounted: "My debut has to be my stand out memory, I remember coming out, standing on the touchline with Harry Redknapp, it was the stuff of dreams. I envisaged it for a couple of years before it happened, but until it happens, you're never really sure if you're ever going to get there. "On the day, the fans were so loud and really supportive; they really got behind me as a home-grown, young player. It was a great feeling that day. "I remember the great atmosphere, for any young player to come through at a club; you never get that type of love or adulation anywhere else. When you come through a club's youth system, the fans definitely see a part of themselves in you; they definitely feel a part of your journey. Every fan loves to see their club producing young, exciting talent. "I've got loads of memories here; it's a beautiful place to play football. It hasn't got long left, I've always liked being able to see the flats above the stand, but yes, great memories."
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Hammers on the home straight
WHUFC.com
West Ham United report more Season Tickets already sold for 2016/17 season than in any other in their history
Number of people on the Priority List exceeds available Season Tickets several times over
New CGI shows stunning new claret and blue detail around concourse area, keeping promise to supporters
West Ham United are delighted to announce that they have already sold more Season Tickets for their first season in the former Olympic Stadium than in any other year in the Club's history, despite there still being nine months to go until their first game.
The Hammers passed the milestone last month, and, with the iconic venue winning plaudits the world over during the Rugby World Cup and Slaven Bilic bringing entertaining football back to E13, demand for tickets to see West Ham in Stratford in the 2016/17 season continues to surpass all expectations.
The Club have pledged to do all they can to help as many Hammers fans as possible get a Season Ticket, but, as there are now several times as many fans on the Priority List as Season Tickets available, it is imperative that any supporter on the Priority List attends their Reservation Centre appointment when they are offered one next year.
Furthermore, any supporter wishing to buy a Season Ticket for next season is urged to join the Priority List immediately to stand any chance of securing a seat.
Due to the unprecedented demand, the Club can confirm that in the event that any member of the Priority List does not get an appointment at the Reservation Centre for next season, they will be offered the chance to join the Priority List for Season Tickets for the 2017/18 season.
Details of the Priority List sales process can be found here.
With the sales period for existing Season Ticket Holders set to conclude in January, the Club have today announced how the process for new Season Ticket sales at the UEFA Category Four venue will work for members of the Priority List.
Work resumes
The Club have released a new CGI showing how the stunning claret and blue colouring in the concourse of the Bobby Moore Stand, which will further ensure the Stadium truly looks and feels like West Ham's new home. The image shows how Hammers legend Moore's shirt will proudly adorn the stand carrying his name, with huge crossed hammers standing guard alongside it.
Those improvements will be just one of a number of key changes made following the recommencement of work at the new Stadium as preparations for West Ham United's first game at their stunning new home in Stratford enter their final phase.
The successful run of summer and autumn events required a pause in the construction timetable, but, following the Race of Champions finale last month, the contractors have now resumed their work in earnest. A number of major changes are set to take place to ensure the world-class venue is ready for the arrival of the Claret and Blue Army in August 2016.
To celebrate the resumption of the construction period, Hammers trio Aaron Cresswell, Manuel Lanzini and Reece Oxford accompanied Joint-Chairman David Gold on a tour of the new Stadium, together with a handful of lucky competition winners made up of Founders, supporters who have already selected their seats, and members of the New Stadium Season Ticket Priority List.
Commenting on today's announcements, West Ham United Vice-Chairman Karren Brady said: "I am both delighted and proud to be providing such positive updates today.
"Firstly, our confirmation of further extensive West Ham detail throughout the Stadium ties in perfectly with the contractors commencing the major overhaul needed to ready the Stadium for our first game there next August.
"The new designs further add to those we announced earlier this year, which will see 'West Ham' spelt in the new 'Kop' style East Stand, a claret crossed hammers design adorning three stands and claret and blue featuring inside and outside the new Stadium.
"We have always promised our supporters that this will look and feel like the home of West Ham United and today's new CGI is further evidence that we have been true to our word.
"Secondly, it is fantastic news that we have now sold more Season Tickets for next season than in any other in our history, and that is with nine months still to go before our first game. Demand for Season Tickets has surpassed all of our expectations and that is testament to the rapid progress we have seen on and off the pitch over the past few years.
"We desperately want as many Hammers fans as possible to sample what will be an unbelievable experience of watching their team in this stunning new venue, so I would urge anyone already on the Priority List to make sure they seize their opportunity when it comes around. And I would encourage anyone yet to join to do so immediately to stand any chance of getting what will be the hottest ticket in London come August 2016."
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Priority List process explained
WHUFC.com
West Ham United are pleased to announce the sales process for supporters on the New Stadium Season Ticket Priority List.
Now that the seat selection process for existing Season Ticket Holders is nearing the end, supporters on the Priority List can expect to start receiving their Reservation Centre appointments in the New Year.
From the beginning of January, the Reservation Centre will begin contacting supporters on the Priority List to schedule their seat selection appointments. Following the call, each group will need to confirm their booking with a £10 appointment confirmation fee, which will be deducted from the final cost of their Season Ticket.
Supporters will be contacted based on the order in which they joined the Priority List and, with several times as many names on the Priority List as available seats, we ask that supporters are patient during this process.
With demand so high, it is vitally important that you attend your appointment to avoid missing out. Similarly, rescheduling your appointment will impact your choice of seats.
When you confirm your Season Ticket seat for the Club's momentous first season in the new Stadium, you can join our founding fathers by being recognised as a Founder. This is a one-time opportunity for your Founding status to be proudly displayed, for all to see, acknowledging how you helped to build our exciting future.
If you buy a Season Ticket in our new home, you can also share your priority with two friends or family members who can join you at your Reservation Centre appointment so you can select your seats all together.
You can confirm your additional supporters when you receive your phone call to schedule your appointment. Supporters are therefore advised to consider who they wish to bring with them in the run-up to January, so that you have all the appropriate details to hand.
On the day of the appointment you can expect a presentation about the Stadium and you will then be invited to select your new seats using the state-of-the-art Virtual Venue. The new software allows you to virtually 'sit' in your seat at the new Stadium to check out the views.
Once you have chosen your seats, you will be required to pay 25 per cent of your Season Ticket value. The remaining balance is payable by Sunday 1 May. Please note if your appointment is on or after 1 April 2016 you will be required to pay in full.
A Monthly Payment Plan is available courtesy of V12 Season Ticket Finance, for which you can apply in person during your appointment.
Due to the unprecedented demand, the Club can confirm that in the event that any member of the Priority List does not get an appointment at the Reservation Centre for next season, they will be offered the chance to join the Priority List for Season Tickets for the 2017/18 season.
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West Ham move training grounds months ahead of schedule
BBC.co.uk
West Ham will move to their new training ground months ahead of schedule as they attempt to combat a growing injury list. Winston Reid and Victor Moses have joined Dimitri Payet, Diafra Sakho and Manuel Lanzini on the sidelines. The Rush Green site is unfinished but the pitches are in use and they will begin training there from Monday. "The Chadwell Heath pitches are soft on top but hard underneath, which is the worst combination," said Slaven Bilic. "The pitches are better there than here. We can live without the great dressing room, the kitchens and the free area for now."
The Hammers were due to relocate to their new Rush Green HQ, where they currently play under-21 games, at the start of next season. But Bilic said they "can't continue to risk" using the pitches at their current Chadwell Heath base. 'It doesn't look good'
Reid and Moses are facing up to six weeks on the sidelines with hamstring problems. Centre-back Reid was injured during training and will get the results of a scan on Friday. "It doesn't look good," said Bilic, whose side host Stoke on Saturday. "It's one of those they tell you is four to six weeks but it doesn't look like a small one. He slipped and felt it rupture." Moses, on loan from Chelsea, suffered his injury in a goalless draw at Manchester United last weekend. Bilic added: "Victor is out for four to six weeks. It's a blow, we have had six injuries since the Everton game. "Before that we had a full squad, then Payet and Valencia were injured against Everton and now we have four muscle injuries."
Attacking midfielder Payet and striker Sakho are both out until February, while Lanzini is out for six weeks with a thigh problem suffered in training. Bilic could have Enner Valencia back to face Stoke after the striker's five-week absence with an ankle injury.
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David Gold says new stadium will help West Ham reach new levels
By Amy Lewis, Sky Sports News HQ
Last Updated: 10/12/15 3:01pm
SSN
West Ham co-chairman David Gold believes the club can claim a top-six finish - and that their new stadium will help them build on that success next season. The Hammers are due to move into the Olympic Stadium for the start of the 2016/17 season and the final phases of the construction work are already underway.
"We dream of the impossible where we pursue the impossible," said Gold. "I would still say to you that our ambition is to finish in the top half of the division. Can we finish higher, in the top six? Yes we can."
The club revealed they have sold more season tickets for their first season in the Olympic Stadium than any other previous campaign with 30,000 seats already taken up out of the 54,000 capacity. And Gold expects to have capacity crowds at nearly all of their matches at their new home. West Ham co-chairman David Gold is targeting a top six finish this season and says they want to bring European football to the Olympic Stadium. "Everyone was very dubious as to whether we could fill the stadium," he said. "We were confident with all the work we did and all the enquiries we made. The reality is that we are going to be coming very close to filling this stadium with season ticket holders. "Let alone the thousands who would want to come because they would want to see this iconic stadium."
West Ham will have to make extra payments if they finish in the top 10 of the Premier League. The contract also states they have to pay an additional fee if they win the FA Cup or qualify for the Europa League or Champions League. The club will not have to pay for turnstile operators, much of the security and steward personnel and catering staff on match days. Gold defends the importance of West Ham's contribution. "There's no doubt that a lot of people feel this has been funded by the taxpayer but without West Ham this wouldn't have happened," he said. After hosting international events such as the Rugby World Cup over the summer, the stadium's construction work is expected to be ready by late spring. Defender Aaron Cresswell visited the ground and says he looking forward to playing at the club's new home. "This is the first time I have been here at the stadium of course it is fantastic facilities," he said. "I'm not too sure the manager is going to be too happy with the pitch but it's going to be ready in time for the new season. Doing a mini tour around the inside bits and it looks fantastic."
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Bastian Schweinsteiger given three-match ban for elbowing Winston Reid.
By Paul Vinnell
Last Updated: 10/12/15 5:28pm
SSN
Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger will serve a three-match suspension for elbowing West Ham's Winston Reid. The ban begins with immediate effect after the Germany captain accepted an FA charge for violent conduct. The incident, last Saturday at Old Trafford, was not seen by the match officials but was caught on video. Schweinsteiger caught Reid in the throat as the players battled for position from a first-half free-kick during the 0-0 draw.
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Chadwell Heath pitch is too firm and causes injuries!
December 10, 2015
thewesthamway.co.uk
Matthew Etherington
Hi all, first and foremost we have a very tough game coming at the weekend, Stoke are starting to fire on all cylinders. Shaquiri, Arnoutavic, Bojan are all in form. A very decent side.
The reason for this post is the injuries we have at the club right now, it's ridiculous. I can only speak of my time at this great club and say that the training ground was always way too firm, don't get me wrong the surface was pristine but always liable for injuries. It was like literally training on a road for 2 hours every day. Eventually your muscles say enough, there come the injuries, either during training or on a match day. I was there for five seasons and every pre-season the pitches would get re-layed. Still too firm. When I went back to train last summer (2014) the training ground was still way too hard and nothing had changed. I had a muscle injury myself within a few days. At Stoke's training ground with decent pitches (plenty of rain also!) we had minimal injuries, me and my groins/muscles injuries, in the early years at Stoke, were absolutely fine.
People will say "Premier League pitches are the same now, so get on with it". They are not. Chadwell Heath is a lot firmer than any training ground/Premier League pitch I have played football on. I'm sure the Chairmen, who have done such an admirable job since taking over, know this. I think we all agree it needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. Thankfully this appears to now be the case with the club moving to Rush Green on Monday as opposed to the end of the season. You do have to question why it has taken so many injuries to make this happen however. I don't believe the medical team are at fault either, personnel has changed a few times over several years and we still seem to get numerous injuries every season lets hope the move to Rush Green now solves the problems.
COYI
Matty.
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Caretaker Rants: Parker haters you should be ashamed!!
December 10, 2015
WestHamWay.co.uk
@caretaker_rants
Hard working, a grafter, 100% committed. These are just a few qualities which we love to see in a player at West Ham. Three times Hammer of the Year, almost single handily keeping the club up one year, winning the Football Writers Player of the Year award when we finished rock bottom of the league. A few milestones which you can say wouldn't be possible without having the initial qualities I mentioned. Scott Parker had, and achieved everything I have mentioned so far, yet it was almost three years ago that he was shamefully booed by a large number of our supporters on his return to Upton Park, something which I have never forgotten and ultimately will go down as one of my lowest moments at the ground.
This isn't a biography on him so I won't bore you with a factfile on Scott but I think we can all agree that his performances and level of consistency during his four years with the club (and in particular the last two) were at a level not seen by anyone for years and probably haven't been seen since. Someone who knew nothing about Scott could be mistaken for thinking he had left in the same circumstances that surrounded Paul Ince perhaps, which could explain why he was booed on his return, but this was certainly not the case.
After getting relegated in 2011 Scott was awarded the Football Writers Player of the Year which is a prestigious honour and to my knowledge has never been given to someone at a club which finished bottom of the league. Scott had started playing regularly for England, and we all knew deep down that he wasn't going to hang around in the Championship and lose the place that he had worked so hard to earn, nor could any of us deny him a move when you consider what he had done for the club.
Now comes the controversial part, Scott eventually joined Spurs very late on in the transfer window. Spurs had just finished fifth in the league and were a club progressing and whilst they are rivals of ours, and of course I would have preferred to see him in another shirt, I didn't begrudge him that move, especially since he was/is a Spurs fan. Then a lot of fans started to turn bitter and sour, all sorts of nonsense emerged from fans who had read in The Sun (of all rags) that Scott had threatened to go on strike if he didn't get his move to Spurs. Scott did place a transfer request to seal his move to Spurs, something which is a common procedure with football players, but at no point would he ever have dreamed of refusing to play if he didn't get his move.
Scott started the season with us and played four games with us, at the time nobody questioned his commitment, and why should they? This guy was one of us out there, giving everything he had for the shirt. Yet as soon as he left people were saying that 'his heart wasn't in it' and that he was 'dodging tackles' for fear of getting injured. Statements that were absolutely bull$hit and an insult to Scott. Another classic line was that he had left to earn more money as he was greedy. We were paying him such a high salary that I doubt he earnt much more money at Spurs, if at all.
So what if he went so Spurs? Are we West Ham fans or anti Spurs fans? To this day I still find it childish and pathetic that so many ignorant fans somehow forget everything he did for us and simply want to focus on the fact that he joined Spurs. As I said before, Scott is a spurs fan, so why the hell should he be denied a move to his club? If, for example Mark Noble had been a Crystal Palace player and joined us we would all laugh at Palace fans and consider them small minded in their hatred aimed towards Mark. Joe Cole refused to sign a new contract with the club when we finished 7th yet that didn't seem to bother people and he is often referred to as a West Ham legend, but he certainly didn't contribute as must to the club as Scott did on the field. Michael Carrick also went to spurs, yet he always gets a good reception on his return, and rightly so.
Scott openly said after the game that he was disappointed and upset at getting booed, so that tells you all you need to know about the guy, he didn't stick the knife in and mention the fact that Spurs had won the game late on, he simply stated what a great time he had at the club and how he was proud of his time here, and that is why I am still disgusted by what I witnessed that day.
Agree or disagree, let me know @caretaker_rants. Thanks for reading and take care people.
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Watch out…Paolo's tweeting!
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
It looks like DiCanio…it feels like DiCanio and may well be DiCanio. But until the blue tick appears beside his twitter name @OfficialDiCanio there's no 100 per cent certainty. Still it looks like the legend has now emerged on the social network having announced his arrival like this:
Paolo Di Canio @OfficialDiCanio 51 mins51 minutes ago
Delighted to finally be on Twitter! Looking forward to hearing from you all #yesitreallyisme
If it really is the main man then we can stand by for some serious fun over the next few years for Paolo is certain to become a very controversial figure. So welcome to the playground Paolo – err hopefully, We look forward to hearing from you. Within just a couple of hours PDC has collected over 700 followers, seen his first tweet retweeted 50 times and liked 59.
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Olympic Stadium LED wrap approved
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
The London Legacy Development Corporation has confirmed that the proposed LED Stadium Wrap for the former Olympic Stadium has been granted planning permission on the 27th October, subject to conditions of operation and impact mitigation. The procurement process for the new wrap is ongoing and a preferred contractor should be announced before the end of the year. The news was published in LLDC's board meeting from 24th November.
The wrap will stretch around the north, east and south sides of the Stadium and would be capable of displaying moving, colour content. The LEDs will be housed in a structure attached to back of the existing Stadium bowl. Hours of usage will be limited so as to be sensitive to neighbouring uses and ecology. The west side of the Stadium, facing the Fish Island Conservation Area, will not have any LEDs.
The LLDC say the wrap is intended to fulfil the following objectives:
Enhance the Stadium aesthetics and provide a creative, feature lighting installation;
Provide flexibility to reflect the look and feel of events taking place within the multi-use Stadium;
Provide a positive community asset – promote the wider Park, whilst ensuring content is sensitive to neighbours and neighbouring uses;
Provide the opportunity for Stadium naming rights partner activation.
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Rush Green Planning Permission approved
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
Planning permission to transform Rush Green into a state of the art training facility has been approved by London Borough of Havering this week with minor conditions attached.
The full planning decision published three days ago can be found HERE . The council puts certain conditions on the transformation of Rush Green and requests further information where they claim insufficient information was supplied in the original planning application on behalf of West Ham.
Earlier today Slaven Bilic announced that the first team would be moving to Rush Green on Monday but the current ground also has basic facilities and the first team will need to slum it until the transformation of Rush Green is complete.
In February 2009, West Ham entered into an option agreement to purchase the freehold interest in the 29 acre Rush Green Ford Sports Ground from the Ford Motor Company. In September the same year, they completed the acquisition of the property for a sum of £1.4 million.
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Gaffer gets right response after shock
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
Slaven Bilic's out-of-the-blue decision to move the first team squad to Rush Green from Chadwell Heath came as a surprise to everybody inside the club today.
The manager had told nobody outside of his coaching staff what he had in mind but has immediately received the full backing of the board.
Whilst he clearly doesn't KNOW that Chadwell Heath is responsible for the injury record at the club he suspects that the soft/hard ground may be responsible.
And with start of the art training pitches in place at Rush Green he is determined to eliminate any last risk.
A club source said: "Nobody knew about the decision until today. We thought the changeover would take place next season but the facilities are in place and it's the manager's decision. He will get all the support he requires.
"There are three world class pitches at Rush Green – all of which had laser beams used on them to make sure they were 100 per cent level.
"Not everybody is of the view that Chadwell Heath is the sole problem but all the facilities are in place at Rush Green and if the manager wants to use them it's entirely his decision.
It could have the effect of freshening everybody up as well."
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West Ham ranked 8th in injury table
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 9, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
Despite the growing Injury list with Lanzini and Reid added in the last week, West Ham only sit in 8th place with regards to the most number of injuries in the Premier League. With Enner Valencia set to return as soon as Saturday, West Ham could drop as low as 10th in the Premier League in terms of number of injured squad players.
1st Newcastle 10 Injuries
2nd Bournemouth 9 Injuries
3rd Manchester United 9 Injuries
4th Arsenal 7 Injuries
5th Liverpool 7 Injuries
6th Manchester City 7 Injuries
7th Everton 6 Injuries
8th West Ham 6 Injuries (Payet, Valencia, Lanzini, Sakho, Reid and Moses)
9th Spurs 5 Injuries
10th Aston Villa 5 Injuries
11th Southampton 4 Injuries
12th Sunderland 4 Injuries
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Irons to move from Chadwell Heath
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
Slaven Bilic has announced the squad is on its way from its Chadwell Heath training headquarters. The news comes at more or less the same time as the crushing news that Winston Reid is set to miss the next four weeks with a new hamstring injury – his third in less than a year. Many fans have been questioning the Chadwell Heath facilities for a long time and whilst the announcement is a shock, there is absolutely no question that it will be met with widespread relief. The manager made the news public in his morning press conference ahead of the weekend match against Stoke City which sees the squad without Reid, Payet, Moses, Lanzini and Sakho. Bilic declared: "We were planning on moving the training ground to Rush Green at the end of the season, now we are moving that forward. "We will be training at Rush Green from Monday. The pitches here at Chadwell Heath are soft on top, but hard underneath which is the worse combination. So I have made the decision to go to Rush Green where the pitches are better."
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Reid's worrying injury history
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
Winston Reid's injury problems – and his hamstring in particular – are becoming a regular issue in his West Ham career. The central defender – always an awesome presence when available – has now gone down with his third 'hammy' problem inside 11 months. And in football season terms that can be translated to nine games missed as a result and laid off for a total of 53 days.
Within the same 11 months the central defender has also suffered thigh muscle strains and hip problems which saw him miss 56 days and eight games. And back in the 13/14 season the Kiwi was laid off for a total of 85 days which saw him miss 16 games.
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Boots issue raised again on injuries
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
A story suggesting in part that the boots worn by players may be contributing towards the injuries suffered by Premier League players is again doing the rounds on social media following the shocking injury crisis at Upton Park. The Mail Online published a story back in October saying that six Premier League stars who suffered devastating cruciate ligament injury blows in the last six weeks were wearing Nike boots. The players were Danny Ings ( Liverpool), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Tim Krul (Newcastle), Tyrone Mings (Bournemouth), Callum Wilson (Bournemouth) and Max Gradel (Bournemouth). A quick check on Google has shown this morning that Winston Reid – who has suffered his third ligament injury in less than a year – is also using Nike boots along with Enner Valencia, Manuel Lanzini and Dimitri Payet. However, there is absolutely no evidence connecting the Irons injuries to the brand of boots the players wear and within the Mail story a footwear industry source said: "Injuries are part and parcel of the game and have always occurred. What brand is being used is a complete coincidence – this has nothing to do with boots!"
Injury data analyst Ben Dinnery is quoted as saying: "Nothing shouts out that this is a problem with football and certainly not Nike. "In almost every case there has been some form of coming together with either the turf or an opponent. I know that Eddie Howe and Sean Dyche have investigated and found that the injuries were unavoidable." And a West Ham source, when asked by ClaretandHugh whether we should be over-worried by Winston's injury record over the past 12 months said: "No, it really is down to bad luck."
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West Ham pair Winston Reid and Victor Moses out for rest of year
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 10/12/15 10:59am
SSN
West Ham duo Winston Reid and Victor Moses have been ruled out until the new year with hamstring injuries. Defender Reid was injured in training on Wednesday and could be set for a long spell out, with the results of a scan expected on Friday. Jack Sullivan, son of Hammers' joint-chairman David Sullivan, tweeted: "Very bad news. Reid injured in training 4-6 weeks with hamstring. But some players will return faster than anticipated due to hard work."
On-loan Chelsea winger Moses sustained a similar injury against Manchester United last weekend and manager Slaven Bilic fears he will not be available for up to six weeks. They are the latest additions to a growing casualty list at Upton Park which threatens to derail their fine start to the season. West Ham have already lost Dimitri Payet and Diafra Sakho until February while Manuel Lanzini is out for six weeks with a thigh problem. Enner Valencia has been out for five weeks with an ankle injury but he could give Bilic a boost by being added to the squad to face Stoke on Saturday. On Reid, Bilic said: "It doesn't look good. It's one of those they tell you is four to six weeks but it doesn't look like a small one. He slipped and felt it rupture. "Victor is out for four to six weeks. It's a blow, we have had six injuries since the Everton game. Before that we had a full squad, then Payet and Valencia were injured against Everton and now we have four muscle injuries."
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West Ham's Olympic Stadium to include Sir Trevor Brooking Stand as club sell more season tickets than ever before
West Ham are in their final season at Upton Park ahead of the big move
Slaven Bilic's side will ply their trade at the Olympic Stadium next year
David Gold toured the new ground with three players on Wednesday
By MATT BARLOW FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 12:01, 10 December 2015 | UPDATED: 12:01, 10 December 2015
As West Ham prepare for their last Christmas at the Boleyn Ground they are also busy decorating the Olympic Stadium ready for the big move next year. New computer-generated images have been released as the project enters its final phase, detailing how parts of the venue will look when they move from Upton Park to their new home in Stratford in the summer. There will be claret everywhere - and some blue - with Bobby Moore's No.6 shirt above the concourse of the stand which will carry his name. A stand will also be named after Sir Trevor Brooking, as at Upton Park, and the crossed hammers design will be on display in the lower tier seats of 54,000-capacity arena. West Ham have already sold more season tickets for next season than at any other season in the club's history, thanks to a bigger capacity at the new venue and price cuts which mean adult season tickets start at £289. Numbers have not been revealed but Sportsmail understands the club is on track to have sold 35,000 season tickets for 2016/17 by the end of this year, an increase of about 10,000 on this season. Each current season ticket holder has been invited to buy an additional two before sales are opened in February to those on a waiting list of more than 20,000. Co-chairman David Gold toured the site yesterday with three players – Manuel Lanzini, Aaron Cresswell and Reece Oxford – and some competitions winners. They settled into what will be the home-team dressing room as Gold pointed out how it was big enough for 25 players, and therefore meets UEFA criteria. 'We're ready for Europe,' said Gold, as he led the entourage through the claret-and-blue tiled shower rooms, across a warm-up track for athletes, down the tunnel and out onto a horribly churned-up pitch, a result of the 'Race of Champions' motor sport bonanza last month. A brand new Desso pitch will be installed next year and overseen by head groundsman Dougie Robertson.
With the Rugby World Cup matches and other autumn events over, the construction work have restarted to make the stadium ready for its new tenants. The interior and a new on-site club store will start to take shape next month and West Ham are working to further personalise the stadium subject to planning permission. Vice-chairman Karren Brady said: 'The new designs further add to those we announced earlier this year, which will see 'West Ham' spelt in the new 'Kop' style East Stand, a claret crossed hammers design adorning three stands and claret and blue featuring inside and outside the new Stadium. 'We have always promised our supporters that this will look and feel like the home of West Ham United and today's new CGI is further evidence that we have been true to our word. 'Secondly, it is fantastic news that we have now sold more season tickets for next season than in any other in our history, and that is with nine months still to go before our first game. 'Demand has surpassed all of our expectations and that is testament to the rapid progress we have seen on and off the pitch over the past few years.
'We desperately want as many Hammers fans as possible to sample what will be an unbelievable experience of watching their team in this stunning new venue, so I would urge anyone already on the Priority List to make sure they seize their opportunity when it comes around. 'And I would encourage anyone yet to join to do so immediately to stand any chance of getting what will be the hottest ticket in London come August 2016.'
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West Ham join crowded race to sign Boca Juniors goal machine Jonathan Calleri
HITC
Olly Dawes
West Ham are the latest club to be linked with a move for Boca Juniors star Jonathan Calleri. According to Calcio Mercato, West Ham have made contact with the representatives of Boca Juniors striker Jonathan Calleri. The Hammers have been hit by a stunning run of injuries in the final third, with Dimitri Payet, Manuel Lanzini, Victor Moses, Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia all on the treatment table. Fans now unsurprisingly want to see West Ham bring in a new striker in January, and reports suggest that the Upton Park hierarchy are at least exploring that possibility. Calcio Mercato report that West Ham have contacted the representatives of Boca Juniors hero Jonathan Calleri, who is attracting plenty of interest from English clubs. Stoke City were suggested to be leading the race for his signature over the summer according to The Mirror, whilst Argentine newspaper Ole published a shocking report earlier this season, suggesting that Championship club Brighton were pursuing a stunning deal to bring Calleri to the South Coast. Earlier this week, Marca claimed that Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are pursuing the 22-year-old ahead of the January transfer window, with both clubs needing attacking reinforcements. Now, it appears that West Ham have entered the race for Calleri's signature, and after racking up 21 goals and 11 assists in 53 games for Boca, it's no surprise that clubs are queueing up the Argentine hitman - and the Hammers may now be hoping to pip their rivals to his signature.
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West Ham open talks with Chelsea transfer target Jonathan Calleri – report
Will Giles for Metro.co.uk
Thursday 10 Dec 2015 9:45 am
West Ham have held talks with Chelsea transfer target Jonathan Calleri, according to reports. Calleri, 22, is set to leave Boca Juniors imminently after appearing to bid farewell to the club on Twitter. Chelsea and Inter are both believed to be keen on the player, but according to Calciomercato, West Ham have entered into talks with the player's entourage. It's claimed that Inter are struggling to finance a deal for the Argentinean, and although Chelsea will likely be seen as a more favourable destination than West Ham, Slaven Bilic could go all out for the striker given the injury crisis that has engulfed his squad.
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West Ham's Winston Reid and Victor Moses out until new year with injuries
• Defender Reid hurt in training session during week
• Moses suffered problem against Manchester United
Thursday 10 December 2015 10.42 GMT Last modified on Thursday 10 December 2015 10.44 GMT
The Guardian
West Ham's Winston Reid and Victor Moses have been ruled out until the new year with hamstring injuries. The defender Reid was injured in training on Wednesday and could be set for a long spell out, with the results of a scan expected on Friday. The on-loan Chelsea winger Moses picked up his injury against Manchester United last weekend and his manager Slaven Bilic has ruled him out for four to six weeks. They are the latest additions to a growing casualty list at Upton Park which threatens to derail their fine start to the season. The Hammers have already lost Dimitri Payet and Diafra Sakho until February while Manuel Lanzini is out for six weeks with a thigh problem suffered in training. Enner Valencia has been out for five weeks with an ankle injury but he could give Bilic a boost by being added to the squad to face Stoke on Saturday. Bilic said: "Reid got injured in training, it doesn't look good. It's one of those they tell you is four to six weeks but it doesn't look like a small one. He slipped and felt it rupture. "Victor is out for four to six weeks. It's a blow, we have had six injuries since the Everton game. Before that we had a full squad, then Payet and Valencia were injured against Everton and now we have four muscle injuries."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Thursday, December 10
Daily WHUFC News - 10th December 2015
Etherington expects 'difficult' Stoke test WHUFC.com
Matty Etherington says West Ham United will have to be at their best to
overcome another of his former clubs on Saturday. Stoke City arrive at the
Boleyn Ground in great form, having defeated Manchester City at the
Britannia Stadium and as League Cup semi-finalists. After an indifferent
start to the campaign results-wise, Mark Hughes' side have closed the gap on
the Hammers to just one point ahead of this weekend's clash. Etherington,
who spent six seasons with both clubs, reaching the FA Cup final with West
Ham in 2006 and Stoke in 2011, is expecting a competitive match between the
pair. The winger, who made 195 appearances in Claret and Blue before turning
out 177 times in Red and White, pinpointed Swiss playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri
and Austrian attacking midfielder Marko Arnautovic as Stoke's two main
threats. "Stoke have got some good players there," he confirmed. "Shaqiri
has been playing his best football recently, especially in their Premier
League win over Chelsea, having been disappointing up until then.
"Arnautovic is also a decent player and he seems to have been playing his
best football consistently this season, so they are a decent team. "I don't
think they were performing to their best earlier in the season, yet they've
made a relatively good start and have now won a few games. I definitely
think there is more to come from them."
While the Potters have picked up their form and results in recent weeks,
beating Chelsea twice ahead of last Saturday's 2-0 win over Manchester City,
the Hammers have struggled to pick up points on home turf. Just nine of West
Ham's 23 points have been gathered from games at the Boleyn Ground, and
Etherington expects Stoke to make it tough for Slaven Bilic's
injury-depleted side to add to that tally. "It's another difficult home game
for West Ham, but all the games in the Premier League are difficult these
days. Even the teams down the bottom are fighting and the top teams are
finding it hard to beat them. "It'll be another hard game at Upton Park, but
there is a lot of attacking talent in both teams, so I'm expecting a
competitive and entertaining game."
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Reid targets Stoke success
WHUFC.com
Having gained a hugely creditable point at Manchester United on Saturday,
Winston Reid is targeting a return to winning ways when West Ham United host
Stoke City this weekend. West Ham gained many plaudits for their display at
Old Trafford - achieved without four of their star attacking names - but the
point extended their winless run to five. Reid said the positive of the
performance outweighed the disappointment of not claiming maximum points and
thinks that will stand them in good stead when they take on the Potters. He
said: "Stoke are no easy team, they've improved themselves since they
changed their coach. Mark Hughes has changed their football, changed their
personnel and they are a tough team to play against. "We played against them
last year and didn't beat them and, although they have added more flair to
their team, they still have that doggedness and are hard to beat. "When you
come across those teams in the league you have to prepare yourself that it's
going to be a battle and it won't be any different come Saturday. We'll have
to make sure we're ready for it."
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Winston Reid sidelined for up to six weeks
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 9th December 2015
By: Staff Writer
Winston Reid has joined West Ham's lengthening injury list after suffering a
hamstring strain during training earlier today. The Kiwi international is
facing up to six weeks on the sidelines after sustaining the injury at
Chadwell Heath earlier today and joins the likes of Dimitri Payet, Diafra
Sakho and Manuel Lanzini. Reid's injury - as exclusively revealed on the
KUMB Forum earlier this evening - has left manager Slaven Bilic facing an
injury crisis as he approached the Christmas programme.
In addition to the aforementioned injuries, he is also without Enner
Valencia and Victor Moses (both injured) - although the former is hoping to
return to the first team squad in time for this weekend's clash with Stoke
City at the Bolen Ground.
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SO WE NEED A 20 GOAL A SEASON STRIKER
By Iain Dale 9 Dec 2015 at 17:00 WTID
Guest Post by Ennate
IEvery time we fail to win, we see comments on WHTID about our need to find
a striker who can score us 20 goals in a season, so I decided to look into
how many such players there have been in the Premier League.
In the 24 seasons that this competition has been running, there have only
been 37 players who have scored 20 or more goals in a season; between them
they have achieved this benchmark 62 times. In three seasons, 1997-1998,
1998-1999 and 2008-2009 no players scored 20 goals, and in two other seasons
only one player reached this level. The highest number of scorers to reach
20 were in the early days of the PL, in 1993-1994 and 1994-1995, when 6
players got 20 or more. In 2009-10 there were 5 players to do this, but the
most frequently occurring statistic was three players in a season in the
entire league; occurring in seven seasons, including the four most recent.
Alan Shearer has the best record, scoring 20 or more on seven occasions,
with Thierry Henry on 5, Ruud Van Nistleroy on 4, Les Ferdinand on 3, and
Aguero, Suarez, Van Persie, Rooney, Tevez, Drogba, Wright, Fowler and Andy
Cole on 2, and 23 players achieving this level only once in their PL career.
The team winning the league doesn't necessarily include a 20-a-season
scorer, though it is becoming more frequent, having occurred in each of the
last seven seasons. The teams including these top scorers usually make the
top 10, bit not necessarily so. Shearer's 23 goals in 1999-2000 only took
Newcastle to 11th; despite Mark Viduka's 20, Leeds only achieved 16th in
2002-2003; Darren Bent's 24 only got Sunderland unlucky 13th in 2009-10;
Southampton only just avoided going down in 1994 with Matt Le Tissier on 25
goals; and Andy Johnson's 21 in 2004-2005 didn't prevent Crystal Palace's
relegation.
So I conclude from this that 20-goal-a-season strikers are rarer than we
think they are, and they are becoming more likely to be with top 5 clubs
(only 2 exceptions in the last 10 years). 23 of these 37 top scorers – about
60% – have only achieved this feat once, for various reasons. Some haven't
been able to achieve the same level again, some have transferred overseas,
and some still remain in the PL and may reach that score again in the
future.
So next time someone calls for the owners to buy us a 20-goal striker, we
have to be realistic about our chances. They are rare, and expensive, so our
best chance is to find an under-the-radar talent as we did with Sakho, and
if we do find one, we will battle to keep him if Real Madrid, Barcelona or
PSG comes calling. The question is, do we need a 20-goal striker to get into
the top 5, or do we need to get into the top 5 to attract a 20-goal striker?
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A MAJOR TEST OF CHARACTER AND QUALITY; PLUS, EMULATE GREENWOOD AND JUST SAY
'NO'!
By S J Chandos 9 Dec 2015 at 08:00
WTID
The 0-0 draw with Manchester United was a magnificently gritty performance.
The likelihood is we are going to need much more of that grit and character
over the next couple of months. The current injury situation will fully test
the character and the quality of the squad. Although the loss of the likes
of Payet, Lazini and Sakho is a massive blow, the fit players now need to
step up and compensate in the short to medium term. And a major factor in
keeping us moving forward will be that we continue to show the type of
character so amply demonstrated at Old Trafford.
The light at the end of the tunnel is the possibility that Enner Valencia
could make an early return over the festive period/new year period. There is
also the possibility that Lanzini might return earlier then currently
predicted. In addition, we have the added bonus of the recent return of Alex
Song and Pedro Obiang to not only augment our defensive midfield capacity,
but also, in Song's case, add leadership/experience, creativity and the
ability to pick out those killer passes in the final third. Finally, Antonio
got some serious PL game time at Old Trafford and Zarate is currently
playing his best football since he arrived at the club. In my view, Antonio
has to play against Stoke City and bring his pace and power to the forward
line. There is also the possibility that he might provide Carroll with an
improved supply of the type of accurate crosses that he relishes. While,
Zarate is not only showing his class/skill, but is really digging in and
combining his flair with an hitherto unfamiliar application and industry.
No one should under-estimate the threat that the current injury crisis poses
to our season. But if we can keep accumulating the points and staying in
touch with that golden 4th spot then it will be a real achievement and one
that could pay dividends when the likes of Payet and Sakho return in
February. We currently have enough first team regulars to pick a strong team
and bench. However, Bilic must be considering which of the U-21 players are
best placed to step up (if needed). The first name considered will
undoubtedly be Reece Oxford and there is no doubt that he will continue to
receive measured PL/FA Cup exposure over the remainder of the season.
However, the youngster is such a top prospect that there is a tendency to
forget that he is still only 16 years of age. At that age he needs carefully
handling, besides which his main positions of defensive midfield and central
defence are currently well covered. There are also competing claims for
Samuelson (on one month's loan at Peterborough) and Gordon, who has really
shown good goal scoring form of late. They (all things being equal) will all
get their chances this season or next. However, I feel that the strongest
immediate claim could come from Josh Cullen, who has produced some excellent
U-21 midfield performances and looks mature and ready to step up. If we are
looking for an extra attacking midfielder for the bench then I feel that
this excellent 19 year old prospect can (if called upon) make a successful
transition – sooner rather than later.
Talking of Reece Oxford, there have been news stories recently that Arsenal
and Manchester United are looking to submit c.£8m bids for the youngster's
services this January! The likes of Oxford represent this club's future. Mr
Sullivan and Mr Gold should ask themselves if they want to repeat the Rio
Ferdinand scenario, where the club sold an outstanding youth product only to
watch him mature and excel at another club. I am pretty sure that they are
acutely aware of this and understand the crucial importance of the Academy
serving the future success of the Hammers, not that of other clubs. I
personally do not think that the story makes any sense at this juncture. But
if a bid does arrive in January, I would urge them to emulate Ron
Greenwood's response to a 1967 c.£200,000 Manchester United bid for Geoff
Hurst's services. He simply sent a one word reply to Matt Busby, 'No.'
Short, sweet and to the point!
The move to the Olympic Stadium is on the horizon and that, in conjunction
with the new lucrative TV deal, has the potential to move West Ham to
another level. We must look to gatecrash the top PL teams and compete for
Champions League football year-on-year. These are not dreams, they distinct
and realistic objectives, achievable through the correct management of the
club both on and off the pitch. The so-called 'big clubs' look to feed off
the emerging talent of the lower PL teams. That is one of their strategies
for maintaining their hegemony and weakening the challenges of aspirant
clubs. You cannot blame them for doing it and no doubt West Ham will do the
same when/if we get to that exalted position. However, we are at a crucial
stage in building a better future for our club and we must resist the
temptation to weaken ourselves long-term for short-term financial gain.
I do not want to see a 23 year old Reece Oxford winning titles/cups and
England caps with another club. I want to see him achieving those things
with the Hammers! That is the vision and the ambition – the board need to
make it happen!
SJ. Chandos.
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January Transfers, Santon in? Injuries investigated?
December 6, 2015
ExWHUEmployee
If you had said to me that we would have got a draw at Old Trafford before
the game I would have taken it but I cant help but feel a little
disappointed. We hit the post twice and Zarate missed an absolutely golden
opportunity which I would have bet my house on him scoring. There were
periods of the game when we were totally dominated. If you put into the
equation that Manchester United could have had both Fellani and
Schweinsteiger sent off, although at Old Trafford this is about as likely to
happen as Mr Moon staying to watch a whole game at the Boleyn Ground.
The injuries are getting a joke but to be honest this is something that has
always happened to us. I remember when I first start going to West Ham I
was also frustrated that the likes of Julian Dicks, Stewart Robson and Frank
McAvennie were always injured. This continued with the likes of Simon
Webster, Fredi Kanoute, Kieron Dyer, Dean Ashton, Craig Bellamy and many
others down the years and so is nothing new. The club have investigated the
Chadewell Heath training ground to see if there is anything wrong with the
pitches but they didn't find anything. These investigations have been
carried out at least two times in recent years but have been fruitless on
both occasions.
First we were created with the pre match news that Lanzini would be injured
for the match. I was the first to report on twitter that the club are not
overly worried about the thigh injury but couldn't risk him against
Manchester United as it happened on the Friday in training before the game.
Victor Moses' injury is likely to have a much longer duration with over a
month the likely outcome. As you will all know by now Sakho is also out
for three months something I reported early on in the week.
The only consolation I am trying to take from all these injuries is that it
is giving fringe players a chance to prove themselves. I thought Antonio
looked quite good after coming on. It also now gives Andy Carroll a chance
to prove that he has fully recovered from all of his injuries.
I thought Winston Reid was superb against The Red Devils and when he plays
like that he is as good as any centre back in the league. I also felt that
Ogbonna played well, Noble had a very good second half and other than the
Chelsea game that was Andy Carroll's best contribution so far. I felt that
the defence looked a lot better with Tomkins at right back and I would keep
that back four as the same. Mark Noble made a lot of important
interceptions, won the ball and disrupted their play frequently. I also
thought Alex Song looked like he is edging back to his brilliant best.
We hav been linked with a number of players again this week and Davide
Santon could be someone that we would consider. As you will have seen there
has been a common theme for players that we are interested in and they are
mainly right backs. I thought James Tomkins played very well at right back
again and surely has to be the first choice there but obviously he isnt a
natural right back so we will look abroad.
If you read other websites you will see they have been quite contradictory
in their transfer news. One minute saying we wont buy players the next
linking us with £8m pound footballers. The bottom line is we will need to
sell before we buy. There is hope that we may be able to persuade Norwich
to make the Jarvis deal finalised for around £4-5m. There is a
consideration of selling Collins but this isn't going to make us any money
because of his age and the fact his contract runs out in the summer. There
was also stories linking Tomkins with Sunderland but again I cannot imagine
this has any substance and we wouldn't consider selling, which was the
answer I got when I asked a well placed source. Talk of Oxford leaving for
£8m as I said on the day is ludicrous. Players being sold will dictate
players being bought. Of course I woul d love to sit here and tell you all
the players we are going to sign because that brings in more hits etc but
this isnt what we do on our website we pride ourselves on being accurate.
Both Jack Sullivan and I will keep you up to date with all the news.
For those of you who haven't see it, please get involved with the
competition that we have running. It really is a great opportunity and I am
shocked that more havent entered it yet. Here is the link:
http://www.thewesthamway.co.uk/#!Win-a-signed-shirt-from-a-player-of-your-ch
oice/maip4/566048800cf21dcdb62ba10c
We also have our weekly competition in association with the Ribman. Say to
him that you read the website and if you are the random number of customer
your meal will be free! It really is lovely so is well worth chancing it at
the game against Stoke.
This week on the website we should have some cracking articles including one
from Dave Sullian which cannot be missed exclusively discussing transfers
past and present.
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Winston Reid added to growing injury list
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 9, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
Chairman's son Jack Sullivan has added further injury woes by revealing
Winston Reid has also suffered an injury in training and could be out for
between four and six weeks with an injured hamstring. Master Sullivan
tweeted out "Very bad news… Reid Injured in training 4-6 weeks with
hamstring. But some players will return faster than anticipated due to hard
work" Reid has made twelve appearances after suffering a hip injury earlier
this season.
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Fabulous message of hope from fan
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 9, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
ClaretandHugh Facebook member Eamonn Driscoll delivered wonderfully
positive and uplifting message to the gloom and doom merchants this evening.
We were so impressed with the optomism and hope that we felt it deserved a
much wideer audience and unhesitatingly bring it to you ll here.
When I stop and think about it Lanzini, Payet, Moses, (and of course Bilic)
are all new this season and have been instant hits. The fact we are going to
miss these players so much shows what great signings/loans they have been. I
think Antonio is going to be another hit (he is also the future – not a
loanee), Zarate is a revelation under Bilic and Carroll needs a run of games
and our support; we all raved about him when he finished his loan from
Liverpool. The reason we don't have money to spend is because we have a
bigger quality squad now, albeit with more injuries than you'd expect. So
far this season we've seen a much more entertaining style emerging and some
amazing results. We should be pleased with the direction and points we've
accumulated. Yes, we have seen some baffling displays as well, but I agree
with those that have said there's not been enough protection in front of the
back four. We were overrun in midfield against Watford. Song looked great
against Man Utd, let's hope it's the same against better attacks. So yes,
perhaps it's going to be a tough few weeks while this new combo work each
other out but the future still looks very bright.
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Gold hits back at "insult"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 9, 2015 in News, Whispers C and H
David Gold has hit back hard at a supporter who has lashed out at the club's
medical staff and training facilities. Forgetting that Dimitri Payet, Victor
Moses, Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia were all injured in match action, a
Gold Twitter follower hit out at both areas of the club 's operation. The
training ground conspiracy theory has regularly been raised and dismssed as
a reason for a lengthy injury list but Gold denied it was a problem Manuel
Lanzini has of course joined the walking wounded as the result of a knock in
training which presumably provoked the Twtter outburst. But the co chairman
said: "There is nothing wrong with our training facilities, we are mid
table as far as injuries are concerned. And when their medical staff were
labelled as 'a joke' he replied: "I'm sorry but this is an insult to our
medical staff who are dedicated, loyal professionals who care passionately."
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Confirmed: No January spending plans
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 9, 2015 in News, Whispers C and H
Confirmation that West Ham will refuse to spend in January has emerged this
morning in the national press. ClaretandHugh has regularly reported that
with no cash in the kitty and the FFP ceiling reached, the Irons will need
to sell to buy but that any new arrivals are unlikely. Now The Mirror's
Darren Lewis has reported this morning that the club's current injury crisis
will not create a rush to buy in January. In commenting on the Manu Lanzini
injury he declares: "It is understood, however, that the seventh-placed club
feel they still have enough within the squad not to have to spend their way
out of trouble. Andy Carroll will keep his place in the side while Nikica
Jelavic, Mauro Zarate and Michail Antonio, a £7million signing from
Nottingham Forest in the summer, will now be handed more significant roles
over the festive period."
Darren also includes a credit for this site in his report on the FA Cup draw
declaring: "Sullivan told the Claret and Hugh website: "It's a decent draw,
its been four or five games since we have been drawn at home in the Cup. We
are due four or five home draws. "We will be treating the FA Cup very
seriously. We must give Wolves respect. It's not an easy draw, but it's one
we expect to win."
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Chav corner to be moved to the OS
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 9, 2015 in News, Whispers C and H
Chav corner is to be recreated at the Olympic Stadium next to the away fans
in the lower south stand in Stratford. The current Chav corner at the Boleyn
Ground is located in the corners of Sir Trevor Brooking lower and Alpari
West Stand and is one of the best places for atmosphere and signing in the
ground. West Ham hoping to recreate that atmosphere next to the away fans
again in their new stadium. A Liverpool supporting reservation centre sales
advisor confirmed to me earlier this week that current season ticket holders
will need to upgrade from band 4 to band 3 to stay in the area
affectionately known as Chav corner. Although Band 4 will reduce to £499 at
the OS, band 3 will be £599 meaning those who want to be located in that
lower area next to the away fans will need to fork out an extra £100 or be
forced to move to the upper tiers to enjoy the £499 band 4 price reduction.
My season ticket is in Sir Trevor Brooking lower and tomorrow (Thursday) I
go to the West Ham Stratford reservation centre for my 12pm appointment to
renew season ticket in the Olympic Stadium. I will let you know how I get on
both good and bad.
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At long last - some good news for the Irons Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on
December 9, 2015 in News, Whispers C and H
Enner Valencia is set to return from injury at the weekend against Stoke
City. The Ecuador international has made a far faster than expected recovery
from injury and although he isn't expected to start could feature "for 30
minutes." Valencia's return is a massive boost for our injury stricken squad
and manager Slaven Bilic, giveng him a badly needed option following the
news of Diafra Sakho's long term lay off. and the other injury issues.
Valencia suffered his injury against Everton but forecasts were that he
wouldn't be back until the 20th of this month but the news of his recovery
puts him nearly two weeks ahead of schedule. A delighted ClaretandHugh
source declared: "At last we have some good news and it could be that he
will feature for perhaps 30 minutes." He added: "Alex Song too is gaining
some much needed fitness. So the news isn't all bad. It is an interesting
weekend for the manager."
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West Ham may rival Arsenal for Porto midfielder Ruben Neves transfer after
scouting mission - report Default author imageGOSSIP Mark Brus for
Metro.co.uk Wednesday 9 Dec 2015 10:59 am
West Ham scouts have watched Porto midfielder and Arsenal target Ruben Neves
ahead of a possible shock transfer bid, according to reports. The Hammers
had representatives at a Porto match recently and the Premier League's TV
money makes a move possible, according to O Jogo (via Sport Witness). Neves
would likely cost around £21.8million, which would break West Ham's transfer
record of £15m paid for Andy Carroll in 2013. It seems more likely that
Arsenal remain favourites for Neves after extensive scouting of the
18-year-old, but West Ham also have injuries to key players in midfield and
seem interested in this exciting deal.
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West Ham's Michail Antonio keen to take his chance after Victor Moses injury
SAM LONG 2 hours ago0 comments Evening Standard
West Ham winger Michail Antonio could not have asked for a better stage to
finally showcase his talents than Old Trafford. The 25-year-old joined
Slaven Bilic's side from Nottingham Forest in the summer but is yet to start
a game for the Hammers this season. But the winger replaced the injured
Victor Moses during Saturday's 0-0 draw at the Theatre of Dreams and is
determined to become a regular for the east Londoners. "Hopefully I can
build on this," he told the club's website. " We have got a few injuries in
the position I play. "I have been patient for my chance but now I need to
take it and keep the shirt." Dimitri Payet is out until the New Year with an
ankle injury while Manuel Lanzini, Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia have all
joined the Frenchman on the treatment table in recent weeks. The extent of
Moses' hamstring injury is not yet known but Bilic admitted that it "didn't
look good" in the wake of his side's stalemate with United. Antonio is now
in line to be included in the Croatian manager's starting line up for
Saturday's clash against Stoke if the Chelsea loanee fails to recover.
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Marriner The Man For West Ham Trip
stokecityfc.co.uk
12:30 9th December 2015
Match officials information ahead of Saturday's game
ANDRE MARRINER will referee Stoke City's Barclays Premier League clash with
West Ham United this weekend. It will be the Potters' second game of the
season with Marriner in charge; having already been under his watch during
the 2-2 draw with Leicester City at the Britannia Stadium in September. The
Hammers haven't yet had the official oversee one of their fixtures this
term, although he was the fourth official for their 2-1 home defeat against
Leicester City earlier in their campaign. In total, Marriner has officiated
13 matches in a number of competitions this season, booking 51 players and
sending off three. His last port of call was St James' Park for Newcastle
United's 2-0 win over Liverpool on Sunday, whilst before that he was in
Poland for Legia Warsaw's 1-0 victory against FC Midtjylland in the UEFA
Europa League. Marriner will be assisted on Saturday by Scott Ledger and
Eddie Smart, with Keith Hill the fourth official.
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WEST HAM TO BATTLE LEICESTER FOR CHAMPIONSHIP DEFENDER By Matthew Brown
IronsInTheCircle
West Ham are considering a move for Burnley right-back Tendayi Darikwa in
January, according to Shoot. The Hammers are said to have been scouting the
Championship defender throughout the current campaign, despite the
23-year-old having only joined Burnley in July. Slaven Bilic is understood
to be keen on recruiting a new right-back in the January window, but the
Hammers boss may also face competition for Darikwa's signature from fellow
Premier League side Leicester City. Darikwa signed for Burnley from
Chesterfield in the summer on a three-year deal.
It's unlikely that the Clarets would let the defender leave easily, though,
having also seen last season's first choice right-back, Kieran Trippier,
depart for Tottenham Hotspur in July.
West Ham's current first choice right-back Carl Jenkinson is on loan from
Arsenal until the end of the campaign, whilst Joey O'Brien hasn't played yet
this season. Darikwa has played in all 19 of Burnley's Championship matches
so far this term, providing one goal and one assist in that time.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Matty Etherington says West Ham United will have to be at their best to
overcome another of his former clubs on Saturday. Stoke City arrive at the
Boleyn Ground in great form, having defeated Manchester City at the
Britannia Stadium and as League Cup semi-finalists. After an indifferent
start to the campaign results-wise, Mark Hughes' side have closed the gap on
the Hammers to just one point ahead of this weekend's clash. Etherington,
who spent six seasons with both clubs, reaching the FA Cup final with West
Ham in 2006 and Stoke in 2011, is expecting a competitive match between the
pair. The winger, who made 195 appearances in Claret and Blue before turning
out 177 times in Red and White, pinpointed Swiss playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri
and Austrian attacking midfielder Marko Arnautovic as Stoke's two main
threats. "Stoke have got some good players there," he confirmed. "Shaqiri
has been playing his best football recently, especially in their Premier
League win over Chelsea, having been disappointing up until then.
"Arnautovic is also a decent player and he seems to have been playing his
best football consistently this season, so they are a decent team. "I don't
think they were performing to their best earlier in the season, yet they've
made a relatively good start and have now won a few games. I definitely
think there is more to come from them."
While the Potters have picked up their form and results in recent weeks,
beating Chelsea twice ahead of last Saturday's 2-0 win over Manchester City,
the Hammers have struggled to pick up points on home turf. Just nine of West
Ham's 23 points have been gathered from games at the Boleyn Ground, and
Etherington expects Stoke to make it tough for Slaven Bilic's
injury-depleted side to add to that tally. "It's another difficult home game
for West Ham, but all the games in the Premier League are difficult these
days. Even the teams down the bottom are fighting and the top teams are
finding it hard to beat them. "It'll be another hard game at Upton Park, but
there is a lot of attacking talent in both teams, so I'm expecting a
competitive and entertaining game."
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Reid targets Stoke success
WHUFC.com
Having gained a hugely creditable point at Manchester United on Saturday,
Winston Reid is targeting a return to winning ways when West Ham United host
Stoke City this weekend. West Ham gained many plaudits for their display at
Old Trafford - achieved without four of their star attacking names - but the
point extended their winless run to five. Reid said the positive of the
performance outweighed the disappointment of not claiming maximum points and
thinks that will stand them in good stead when they take on the Potters. He
said: "Stoke are no easy team, they've improved themselves since they
changed their coach. Mark Hughes has changed their football, changed their
personnel and they are a tough team to play against. "We played against them
last year and didn't beat them and, although they have added more flair to
their team, they still have that doggedness and are hard to beat. "When you
come across those teams in the league you have to prepare yourself that it's
going to be a battle and it won't be any different come Saturday. We'll have
to make sure we're ready for it."
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Winston Reid sidelined for up to six weeks
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 9th December 2015
By: Staff Writer
Winston Reid has joined West Ham's lengthening injury list after suffering a
hamstring strain during training earlier today. The Kiwi international is
facing up to six weeks on the sidelines after sustaining the injury at
Chadwell Heath earlier today and joins the likes of Dimitri Payet, Diafra
Sakho and Manuel Lanzini. Reid's injury - as exclusively revealed on the
KUMB Forum earlier this evening - has left manager Slaven Bilic facing an
injury crisis as he approached the Christmas programme.
In addition to the aforementioned injuries, he is also without Enner
Valencia and Victor Moses (both injured) - although the former is hoping to
return to the first team squad in time for this weekend's clash with Stoke
City at the Bolen Ground.
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SO WE NEED A 20 GOAL A SEASON STRIKER
By Iain Dale 9 Dec 2015 at 17:00 WTID
Guest Post by Ennate
IEvery time we fail to win, we see comments on WHTID about our need to find
a striker who can score us 20 goals in a season, so I decided to look into
how many such players there have been in the Premier League.
In the 24 seasons that this competition has been running, there have only
been 37 players who have scored 20 or more goals in a season; between them
they have achieved this benchmark 62 times. In three seasons, 1997-1998,
1998-1999 and 2008-2009 no players scored 20 goals, and in two other seasons
only one player reached this level. The highest number of scorers to reach
20 were in the early days of the PL, in 1993-1994 and 1994-1995, when 6
players got 20 or more. In 2009-10 there were 5 players to do this, but the
most frequently occurring statistic was three players in a season in the
entire league; occurring in seven seasons, including the four most recent.
Alan Shearer has the best record, scoring 20 or more on seven occasions,
with Thierry Henry on 5, Ruud Van Nistleroy on 4, Les Ferdinand on 3, and
Aguero, Suarez, Van Persie, Rooney, Tevez, Drogba, Wright, Fowler and Andy
Cole on 2, and 23 players achieving this level only once in their PL career.
The team winning the league doesn't necessarily include a 20-a-season
scorer, though it is becoming more frequent, having occurred in each of the
last seven seasons. The teams including these top scorers usually make the
top 10, bit not necessarily so. Shearer's 23 goals in 1999-2000 only took
Newcastle to 11th; despite Mark Viduka's 20, Leeds only achieved 16th in
2002-2003; Darren Bent's 24 only got Sunderland unlucky 13th in 2009-10;
Southampton only just avoided going down in 1994 with Matt Le Tissier on 25
goals; and Andy Johnson's 21 in 2004-2005 didn't prevent Crystal Palace's
relegation.
So I conclude from this that 20-goal-a-season strikers are rarer than we
think they are, and they are becoming more likely to be with top 5 clubs
(only 2 exceptions in the last 10 years). 23 of these 37 top scorers – about
60% – have only achieved this feat once, for various reasons. Some haven't
been able to achieve the same level again, some have transferred overseas,
and some still remain in the PL and may reach that score again in the
future.
So next time someone calls for the owners to buy us a 20-goal striker, we
have to be realistic about our chances. They are rare, and expensive, so our
best chance is to find an under-the-radar talent as we did with Sakho, and
if we do find one, we will battle to keep him if Real Madrid, Barcelona or
PSG comes calling. The question is, do we need a 20-goal striker to get into
the top 5, or do we need to get into the top 5 to attract a 20-goal striker?
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A MAJOR TEST OF CHARACTER AND QUALITY; PLUS, EMULATE GREENWOOD AND JUST SAY
'NO'!
By S J Chandos 9 Dec 2015 at 08:00
WTID
The 0-0 draw with Manchester United was a magnificently gritty performance.
The likelihood is we are going to need much more of that grit and character
over the next couple of months. The current injury situation will fully test
the character and the quality of the squad. Although the loss of the likes
of Payet, Lazini and Sakho is a massive blow, the fit players now need to
step up and compensate in the short to medium term. And a major factor in
keeping us moving forward will be that we continue to show the type of
character so amply demonstrated at Old Trafford.
The light at the end of the tunnel is the possibility that Enner Valencia
could make an early return over the festive period/new year period. There is
also the possibility that Lanzini might return earlier then currently
predicted. In addition, we have the added bonus of the recent return of Alex
Song and Pedro Obiang to not only augment our defensive midfield capacity,
but also, in Song's case, add leadership/experience, creativity and the
ability to pick out those killer passes in the final third. Finally, Antonio
got some serious PL game time at Old Trafford and Zarate is currently
playing his best football since he arrived at the club. In my view, Antonio
has to play against Stoke City and bring his pace and power to the forward
line. There is also the possibility that he might provide Carroll with an
improved supply of the type of accurate crosses that he relishes. While,
Zarate is not only showing his class/skill, but is really digging in and
combining his flair with an hitherto unfamiliar application and industry.
No one should under-estimate the threat that the current injury crisis poses
to our season. But if we can keep accumulating the points and staying in
touch with that golden 4th spot then it will be a real achievement and one
that could pay dividends when the likes of Payet and Sakho return in
February. We currently have enough first team regulars to pick a strong team
and bench. However, Bilic must be considering which of the U-21 players are
best placed to step up (if needed). The first name considered will
undoubtedly be Reece Oxford and there is no doubt that he will continue to
receive measured PL/FA Cup exposure over the remainder of the season.
However, the youngster is such a top prospect that there is a tendency to
forget that he is still only 16 years of age. At that age he needs carefully
handling, besides which his main positions of defensive midfield and central
defence are currently well covered. There are also competing claims for
Samuelson (on one month's loan at Peterborough) and Gordon, who has really
shown good goal scoring form of late. They (all things being equal) will all
get their chances this season or next. However, I feel that the strongest
immediate claim could come from Josh Cullen, who has produced some excellent
U-21 midfield performances and looks mature and ready to step up. If we are
looking for an extra attacking midfielder for the bench then I feel that
this excellent 19 year old prospect can (if called upon) make a successful
transition – sooner rather than later.
Talking of Reece Oxford, there have been news stories recently that Arsenal
and Manchester United are looking to submit c.£8m bids for the youngster's
services this January! The likes of Oxford represent this club's future. Mr
Sullivan and Mr Gold should ask themselves if they want to repeat the Rio
Ferdinand scenario, where the club sold an outstanding youth product only to
watch him mature and excel at another club. I am pretty sure that they are
acutely aware of this and understand the crucial importance of the Academy
serving the future success of the Hammers, not that of other clubs. I
personally do not think that the story makes any sense at this juncture. But
if a bid does arrive in January, I would urge them to emulate Ron
Greenwood's response to a 1967 c.£200,000 Manchester United bid for Geoff
Hurst's services. He simply sent a one word reply to Matt Busby, 'No.'
Short, sweet and to the point!
The move to the Olympic Stadium is on the horizon and that, in conjunction
with the new lucrative TV deal, has the potential to move West Ham to
another level. We must look to gatecrash the top PL teams and compete for
Champions League football year-on-year. These are not dreams, they distinct
and realistic objectives, achievable through the correct management of the
club both on and off the pitch. The so-called 'big clubs' look to feed off
the emerging talent of the lower PL teams. That is one of their strategies
for maintaining their hegemony and weakening the challenges of aspirant
clubs. You cannot blame them for doing it and no doubt West Ham will do the
same when/if we get to that exalted position. However, we are at a crucial
stage in building a better future for our club and we must resist the
temptation to weaken ourselves long-term for short-term financial gain.
I do not want to see a 23 year old Reece Oxford winning titles/cups and
England caps with another club. I want to see him achieving those things
with the Hammers! That is the vision and the ambition – the board need to
make it happen!
SJ. Chandos.
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January Transfers, Santon in? Injuries investigated?
December 6, 2015
ExWHUEmployee
If you had said to me that we would have got a draw at Old Trafford before
the game I would have taken it but I cant help but feel a little
disappointed. We hit the post twice and Zarate missed an absolutely golden
opportunity which I would have bet my house on him scoring. There were
periods of the game when we were totally dominated. If you put into the
equation that Manchester United could have had both Fellani and
Schweinsteiger sent off, although at Old Trafford this is about as likely to
happen as Mr Moon staying to watch a whole game at the Boleyn Ground.
The injuries are getting a joke but to be honest this is something that has
always happened to us. I remember when I first start going to West Ham I
was also frustrated that the likes of Julian Dicks, Stewart Robson and Frank
McAvennie were always injured. This continued with the likes of Simon
Webster, Fredi Kanoute, Kieron Dyer, Dean Ashton, Craig Bellamy and many
others down the years and so is nothing new. The club have investigated the
Chadewell Heath training ground to see if there is anything wrong with the
pitches but they didn't find anything. These investigations have been
carried out at least two times in recent years but have been fruitless on
both occasions.
First we were created with the pre match news that Lanzini would be injured
for the match. I was the first to report on twitter that the club are not
overly worried about the thigh injury but couldn't risk him against
Manchester United as it happened on the Friday in training before the game.
Victor Moses' injury is likely to have a much longer duration with over a
month the likely outcome. As you will all know by now Sakho is also out
for three months something I reported early on in the week.
The only consolation I am trying to take from all these injuries is that it
is giving fringe players a chance to prove themselves. I thought Antonio
looked quite good after coming on. It also now gives Andy Carroll a chance
to prove that he has fully recovered from all of his injuries.
I thought Winston Reid was superb against The Red Devils and when he plays
like that he is as good as any centre back in the league. I also felt that
Ogbonna played well, Noble had a very good second half and other than the
Chelsea game that was Andy Carroll's best contribution so far. I felt that
the defence looked a lot better with Tomkins at right back and I would keep
that back four as the same. Mark Noble made a lot of important
interceptions, won the ball and disrupted their play frequently. I also
thought Alex Song looked like he is edging back to his brilliant best.
We hav been linked with a number of players again this week and Davide
Santon could be someone that we would consider. As you will have seen there
has been a common theme for players that we are interested in and they are
mainly right backs. I thought James Tomkins played very well at right back
again and surely has to be the first choice there but obviously he isnt a
natural right back so we will look abroad.
If you read other websites you will see they have been quite contradictory
in their transfer news. One minute saying we wont buy players the next
linking us with £8m pound footballers. The bottom line is we will need to
sell before we buy. There is hope that we may be able to persuade Norwich
to make the Jarvis deal finalised for around £4-5m. There is a
consideration of selling Collins but this isn't going to make us any money
because of his age and the fact his contract runs out in the summer. There
was also stories linking Tomkins with Sunderland but again I cannot imagine
this has any substance and we wouldn't consider selling, which was the
answer I got when I asked a well placed source. Talk of Oxford leaving for
£8m as I said on the day is ludicrous. Players being sold will dictate
players being bought. Of course I woul d love to sit here and tell you all
the players we are going to sign because that brings in more hits etc but
this isnt what we do on our website we pride ourselves on being accurate.
Both Jack Sullivan and I will keep you up to date with all the news.
For those of you who haven't see it, please get involved with the
competition that we have running. It really is a great opportunity and I am
shocked that more havent entered it yet. Here is the link:
http://www.thewesthamway.co.uk/#!Win-a-signed-shirt-from-a-player-of-your-ch
oice/maip4/566048800cf21dcdb62ba10c
We also have our weekly competition in association with the Ribman. Say to
him that you read the website and if you are the random number of customer
your meal will be free! It really is lovely so is well worth chancing it at
the game against Stoke.
This week on the website we should have some cracking articles including one
from Dave Sullian which cannot be missed exclusively discussing transfers
past and present.
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Winston Reid added to growing injury list
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 9, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
Chairman's son Jack Sullivan has added further injury woes by revealing
Winston Reid has also suffered an injury in training and could be out for
between four and six weeks with an injured hamstring. Master Sullivan
tweeted out "Very bad news… Reid Injured in training 4-6 weeks with
hamstring. But some players will return faster than anticipated due to hard
work" Reid has made twelve appearances after suffering a hip injury earlier
this season.
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Fabulous message of hope from fan
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 9, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
ClaretandHugh Facebook member Eamonn Driscoll delivered wonderfully
positive and uplifting message to the gloom and doom merchants this evening.
We were so impressed with the optomism and hope that we felt it deserved a
much wideer audience and unhesitatingly bring it to you ll here.
When I stop and think about it Lanzini, Payet, Moses, (and of course Bilic)
are all new this season and have been instant hits. The fact we are going to
miss these players so much shows what great signings/loans they have been. I
think Antonio is going to be another hit (he is also the future – not a
loanee), Zarate is a revelation under Bilic and Carroll needs a run of games
and our support; we all raved about him when he finished his loan from
Liverpool. The reason we don't have money to spend is because we have a
bigger quality squad now, albeit with more injuries than you'd expect. So
far this season we've seen a much more entertaining style emerging and some
amazing results. We should be pleased with the direction and points we've
accumulated. Yes, we have seen some baffling displays as well, but I agree
with those that have said there's not been enough protection in front of the
back four. We were overrun in midfield against Watford. Song looked great
against Man Utd, let's hope it's the same against better attacks. So yes,
perhaps it's going to be a tough few weeks while this new combo work each
other out but the future still looks very bright.
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Gold hits back at "insult"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 9, 2015 in News, Whispers C and H
David Gold has hit back hard at a supporter who has lashed out at the club's
medical staff and training facilities. Forgetting that Dimitri Payet, Victor
Moses, Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia were all injured in match action, a
Gold Twitter follower hit out at both areas of the club 's operation. The
training ground conspiracy theory has regularly been raised and dismssed as
a reason for a lengthy injury list but Gold denied it was a problem Manuel
Lanzini has of course joined the walking wounded as the result of a knock in
training which presumably provoked the Twtter outburst. But the co chairman
said: "There is nothing wrong with our training facilities, we are mid
table as far as injuries are concerned. And when their medical staff were
labelled as 'a joke' he replied: "I'm sorry but this is an insult to our
medical staff who are dedicated, loyal professionals who care passionately."
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Confirmed: No January spending plans
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 9, 2015 in News, Whispers C and H
Confirmation that West Ham will refuse to spend in January has emerged this
morning in the national press. ClaretandHugh has regularly reported that
with no cash in the kitty and the FFP ceiling reached, the Irons will need
to sell to buy but that any new arrivals are unlikely. Now The Mirror's
Darren Lewis has reported this morning that the club's current injury crisis
will not create a rush to buy in January. In commenting on the Manu Lanzini
injury he declares: "It is understood, however, that the seventh-placed club
feel they still have enough within the squad not to have to spend their way
out of trouble. Andy Carroll will keep his place in the side while Nikica
Jelavic, Mauro Zarate and Michail Antonio, a £7million signing from
Nottingham Forest in the summer, will now be handed more significant roles
over the festive period."
Darren also includes a credit for this site in his report on the FA Cup draw
declaring: "Sullivan told the Claret and Hugh website: "It's a decent draw,
its been four or five games since we have been drawn at home in the Cup. We
are due four or five home draws. "We will be treating the FA Cup very
seriously. We must give Wolves respect. It's not an easy draw, but it's one
we expect to win."
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Chav corner to be moved to the OS
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 9, 2015 in News, Whispers C and H
Chav corner is to be recreated at the Olympic Stadium next to the away fans
in the lower south stand in Stratford. The current Chav corner at the Boleyn
Ground is located in the corners of Sir Trevor Brooking lower and Alpari
West Stand and is one of the best places for atmosphere and signing in the
ground. West Ham hoping to recreate that atmosphere next to the away fans
again in their new stadium. A Liverpool supporting reservation centre sales
advisor confirmed to me earlier this week that current season ticket holders
will need to upgrade from band 4 to band 3 to stay in the area
affectionately known as Chav corner. Although Band 4 will reduce to £499 at
the OS, band 3 will be £599 meaning those who want to be located in that
lower area next to the away fans will need to fork out an extra £100 or be
forced to move to the upper tiers to enjoy the £499 band 4 price reduction.
My season ticket is in Sir Trevor Brooking lower and tomorrow (Thursday) I
go to the West Ham Stratford reservation centre for my 12pm appointment to
renew season ticket in the Olympic Stadium. I will let you know how I get on
both good and bad.
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At long last - some good news for the Irons Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on
December 9, 2015 in News, Whispers C and H
Enner Valencia is set to return from injury at the weekend against Stoke
City. The Ecuador international has made a far faster than expected recovery
from injury and although he isn't expected to start could feature "for 30
minutes." Valencia's return is a massive boost for our injury stricken squad
and manager Slaven Bilic, giveng him a badly needed option following the
news of Diafra Sakho's long term lay off. and the other injury issues.
Valencia suffered his injury against Everton but forecasts were that he
wouldn't be back until the 20th of this month but the news of his recovery
puts him nearly two weeks ahead of schedule. A delighted ClaretandHugh
source declared: "At last we have some good news and it could be that he
will feature for perhaps 30 minutes." He added: "Alex Song too is gaining
some much needed fitness. So the news isn't all bad. It is an interesting
weekend for the manager."
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West Ham may rival Arsenal for Porto midfielder Ruben Neves transfer after
scouting mission - report Default author imageGOSSIP Mark Brus for
Metro.co.uk Wednesday 9 Dec 2015 10:59 am
West Ham scouts have watched Porto midfielder and Arsenal target Ruben Neves
ahead of a possible shock transfer bid, according to reports. The Hammers
had representatives at a Porto match recently and the Premier League's TV
money makes a move possible, according to O Jogo (via Sport Witness). Neves
would likely cost around £21.8million, which would break West Ham's transfer
record of £15m paid for Andy Carroll in 2013. It seems more likely that
Arsenal remain favourites for Neves after extensive scouting of the
18-year-old, but West Ham also have injuries to key players in midfield and
seem interested in this exciting deal.
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West Ham's Michail Antonio keen to take his chance after Victor Moses injury
SAM LONG 2 hours ago0 comments Evening Standard
West Ham winger Michail Antonio could not have asked for a better stage to
finally showcase his talents than Old Trafford. The 25-year-old joined
Slaven Bilic's side from Nottingham Forest in the summer but is yet to start
a game for the Hammers this season. But the winger replaced the injured
Victor Moses during Saturday's 0-0 draw at the Theatre of Dreams and is
determined to become a regular for the east Londoners. "Hopefully I can
build on this," he told the club's website. " We have got a few injuries in
the position I play. "I have been patient for my chance but now I need to
take it and keep the shirt." Dimitri Payet is out until the New Year with an
ankle injury while Manuel Lanzini, Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia have all
joined the Frenchman on the treatment table in recent weeks. The extent of
Moses' hamstring injury is not yet known but Bilic admitted that it "didn't
look good" in the wake of his side's stalemate with United. Antonio is now
in line to be included in the Croatian manager's starting line up for
Saturday's clash against Stoke if the Chelsea loanee fails to recover.
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Marriner The Man For West Ham Trip
stokecityfc.co.uk
12:30 9th December 2015
Match officials information ahead of Saturday's game
ANDRE MARRINER will referee Stoke City's Barclays Premier League clash with
West Ham United this weekend. It will be the Potters' second game of the
season with Marriner in charge; having already been under his watch during
the 2-2 draw with Leicester City at the Britannia Stadium in September. The
Hammers haven't yet had the official oversee one of their fixtures this
term, although he was the fourth official for their 2-1 home defeat against
Leicester City earlier in their campaign. In total, Marriner has officiated
13 matches in a number of competitions this season, booking 51 players and
sending off three. His last port of call was St James' Park for Newcastle
United's 2-0 win over Liverpool on Sunday, whilst before that he was in
Poland for Legia Warsaw's 1-0 victory against FC Midtjylland in the UEFA
Europa League. Marriner will be assisted on Saturday by Scott Ledger and
Eddie Smart, with Keith Hill the fourth official.
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WEST HAM TO BATTLE LEICESTER FOR CHAMPIONSHIP DEFENDER By Matthew Brown
IronsInTheCircle
West Ham are considering a move for Burnley right-back Tendayi Darikwa in
January, according to Shoot. The Hammers are said to have been scouting the
Championship defender throughout the current campaign, despite the
23-year-old having only joined Burnley in July. Slaven Bilic is understood
to be keen on recruiting a new right-back in the January window, but the
Hammers boss may also face competition for Darikwa's signature from fellow
Premier League side Leicester City. Darikwa signed for Burnley from
Chesterfield in the summer on a three-year deal.
It's unlikely that the Clarets would let the defender leave easily, though,
having also seen last season's first choice right-back, Kieran Trippier,
depart for Tottenham Hotspur in July.
West Ham's current first choice right-back Carl Jenkinson is on loan from
Arsenal until the end of the campaign, whilst Joey O'Brien hasn't played yet
this season. Darikwa has played in all 19 of Burnley's Championship matches
so far this term, providing one goal and one assist in that time.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
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