Chelsea 2-2 West Ham United
WHUFC.com
Cesc Fabregas scored a late equaliser from the penalty spot to help Chelsea
earn a 2-2 draw with West Ham United and prevent the Hammers from moving
into the top four. A wonder strike from Manuel Lanzini in the first half
looked to set West Ham on their way but Fabregas got on the scoresheet on
the stroke of half-time with a free-kick from the edge of the box. The
Hammers restored their lead when substitute Andy Carroll made an immediate
impact and fired the ball past Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois. West Ham
were just three minutes away from securing their first victory at Stamford
Bridge since September 2002 when Michail Antonio clipped Ruben Loftus-Cheek
inside the box and referee Robert Madley had no hesitation in pointing to
the spot. Fabregas kept his composure and struck the penalty past Adrian to
net his second of the game and ensure the game finished all-square in an
entertaining London derby. Despite having to settle for a point, Slaven
Bilic and his players can be proud of another impressive display and head
into the international break still dreaming of securing a top four finish
come the end of the season. The day got off to the perfect start when West
Ham opened the scoring in spectacular fashion on 17 minutes. Gary Cahill
slid in on Dimitri Payet and the ball fell nicely to Lanzini who curled an
unstoppable shot into the top corner and gave Courtois no chance in the
Chelsea goal for his fifth goal of the seasom. The Hammers were brimming
with confidence and could have doubled their lead on 22 minutes when Payet's
side-foot volley from the edge of the box flew just wide of the post.
West Ham still had to be on their guard at the other end and when Fabregas
chipped the ball into the box on the half hour mark, Loic Remy attempted a
backward header which was easily dealt with by Adrian. The Hammers
immediately raced down the other end and Diafra Sakho's pass was back-heeled
by Lanzini into the path of Aaron Cresswell who fired a left-shot which
deflected inches past the post. Chelsea drew level on the stroke of
half-time when Winston Reid gave away a foul on the edge of the box
following his challenge on Oscar. Fabregas showed his quality and curled the
free-kick into the top left hand corner. West Ham blew a golden chance to
restore their lead on 54 minutes when Aaron Cresswell raced clear into the
box but saw his shot from the tightest of angles cannon back off the bar.
Bilic opted to make a change on the hour mark bringing on Carroll for Sakho
and the move immediately paid off as Payet's pass released Carroll through
on goal and the Hammers forward makes no mistake striking the ball past
Courtois It could have been game over if Carroll's header was not cleared
off the line on 87 minutes. Chelsea made the Hammers pay as they were
awarded a penalty on 88 minutes after Antonio brought down Loftus-Cheek and
Fabregas converted the spot kick into the corner of the net.
Chelsea: Courtois, Ivanovic, Terry, Cahill, Azpilicueta, Fabregas, Mikel,
Willian, Oscar (Loftus-Cheek 82mins), Kenedy (Pedro 46mins), Remy (Traore
62mins)
Subs not used Begovic, Baba, Pato, Matic,
Bookings: Ivanovic, Fabregas, Willian
West Ham: Adrian; Antonio, Reid, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Kouyate; Noble, Lanzini
(Obiang 81mins), Payet; Sakho (Carroll 59mins), Valencia (Emenike 75mins)
Subs not used: Randolph, O'Brien, Oxford, Song
Bookings: Reid, Adrian, Antonio, Ogbonna, Kouyate
Referee: Robert Madley
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Slav laments 'unacceptable' penalty
WHUFC.com
Slaven Bilic claimed West Ham United paid an 'unacceptable' penalty as a
late Chelsea spot-kick prevented his team from scoring a famous win at
Stamford Bridge. The Hammers were ahead 2-1 through substitute Andy
Carroll's fine finish when Ruben Loftus-Cheek went down under a questionable
Michail Antonio challenge a foot or two outside the West Ham penalty area,
only for referee Robert Madley to award a penalty. Cesc Fabregas, who had
earlier equalised Manuel Lanzini's exquisite opener with a free-kick on the
stroke of half-time, stepped up and sent Adrian the wrong way with a minute
of the 90 remaining - leaving Bilic feeling rather hard done by. "It was a
great game of football and for Chelsea and West Ham fans and the neutrals,
it was a privilege to be part of this game for the people who watched it
live, I am sure they enjoyed it," he began. "I have nothing but praise for
our players, they did fantastically and we are gutted because we deserved to
win this game and also because of their equaliser. "Chelsea have great
players, of course, and they are capable of scoring goals and maybe they
could have scored before when it was 1-1 and all that, so given the time we
conceded the goals so late, you would be gutted anyway, but when you concede
from a penalty that wasn't a penalty it makes it really hard and
unacceptable. We didn't deserve it."
After Lanzini's 25-yard curler opened the scoring, Carroll emerged on the
hour-mark and gave John Terry and Gary Cahill nightmares with his power and
aggression. The No9 scored within 90 seconds of his entrance, then saw two
headers cleared off the line as West Ham went within a whisker of making the
game all but safe. As it was, those spurned opportunities came back to haunt
them late on. "On the one hand we were missing that kind of luck and extra
quality because when it was 1-0 and 2-1 we were close to being two up,
either at 2-0 or 3-1, and I was expecting us to score," Bilic continued.
"OK, we could have killed the game off, but it wasn't a penalty and it's so
clear. We are not getting those decisions. "We are not thinking about 'Are
we fourth? Are fifth?' but thank God we are not fighting relegation. We are
only thinking about this 90 minutes and we didn't deserve to concede a
second goal like that. "It was nowhere near the [penalty area] line. It was
obvious. It was easy because it wasn't like he slid inside. It was way out
of the line. "It wasn't the sort of game where I want to be moaning because
I want to be talking about football, but this is the second week in a row.
"The Chairman emailed me a few days ago to say we have had four penalties in
four years! That's a record!"
While his frustration was there for all to see, the manager was full of
praise for his team after breaking the 50-point barrier in the Premier
League for the first time in more than a decade. With an international break
to recharge and refocus, West Ham will go into their final eight matches
with a UEFA Champions League place still within their grasp. "We are playing
good and we are a good team," he explained. "We have momentum and character
and are defending with numbers and passion. When we have the ball, we are
calm and we have pace and quality up front.
"It's great to work with this team."
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Carroll - We deserved the win
WHUFC.com
West Ham United forward Andy Carroll felt his side deserved to leave
Stamford Bridge with all three points but says the players are determined to
end the season on a high note and challenge for a European spot. The Hammers
were just three minutes away from securing their first victory at Chelsea
since 2002 when a penalty was awarded after Michail Antonio had clipped
Ruben Loftus-Cheek on the edge of the box. Cesc Fabregas converted the spot
kick to grab his second of the game and secure a 2-2 draw to deny West Ham
all three points which would have taken them back into the top four. Carroll
says the players were disappointed in the dressing room after the game but
says it shows how far the team have come and they feel they can beat any
team in the top flight. Carroll said: "It is disappointing to only come away
with draw. We conceded just before half-time and then just before the end
which is upsetting. "But we worked really hard and we did deserve the win
and I as said it was a bit upsetting to only get a point. "I have had a look
back at the penalty incident and it looked just outside of the area so it
was unlucky that they were given a penalty. "I said last week there are not
many teams who come away from the big grounds disappointed to have only got
a draw. "Last week we had that feeling against Manchester United and it is
the same against Chelsea that we have not got the three points. "All the
lads 100 per cent want us to get into Europe. That is what we are pushing
for. It would have been nice for us to come away with a victory and push us
even higher up the table but we will have a nice break and come back and
work harder from there."
Carroll was thrilled to be back among the goals after netting his first
strike since the 2-0 home win over Liverpool back on January 2.
The Hammers striker had only been on the pitch for sixty seconds when he was
played through on goal by Dimitri Payet and struck the ball past Chelsea
keeper Thibaut Courtois. Carroll was also pleased to see Manuel Lanzini on
the scoresheet in the first half and says he was not surprised to see the
Argentine star score another wonder goal. Carroll added: "It was a great
ball in from Dimitri and the keeper came rushing out and left a gap down the
side of him and I just had to put it in there so it was a nice start. "It
feels good to be back among the goals. Obviously I was not starting but it
still feels good to come off the bench and score and it feels really good.
"It was an incredible strike from Manuel and he has got that ability. It is
no surprise to us that he put it in like that."
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Chelsea 2-2 West Ham United
By James Gheerbrant
BBC Sport
Cesc Fabregas scored a free-kick and a late penalty as Chelsea earned a
point to frustrate West Ham's Champions League ambitions. The Hammers took
the lead when Manuel Lanzini beat Thibaut Courtois with a sumptuous curling
effort from 25 yards. Fabregas's superb set piece on the stroke of half-time
pegged them back. Substitute Andy Carroll looked to have won it for West
Ham, before Fabregas snatched a point after Michail Antonio fouled Ruben
Loftus-Cheek. Victory would have moved West Ham in front of Manchester City
into fourth place, but Slaven Bilic's side were unable to add Chelsea to
Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal on their list of away scalps this
season. Chelsea, who remain unbeaten in the league under interim boss Guus
Hiddink, stay 10th.
Hammers hard done by?
After Carroll finished clinically from Dimitri Payet's superb through-ball,
West Ham were two minutes plus added time away from their first victory in
Stamford Bridge at 14 years when substitute Loftus-Cheek tumbled in the
area. Referee Robert Madley pointed to the spot, but replays appeared to
show that rather than being clipped by Antonio, the midfielder tripped over
his own feet. In addition, Antonio - who had scored in each of his previous
three league matches - appeared to be outside the box when Loftus-Cheek went
down. "To concede that late is gutting, but to concede it from a penalty
that is not a penalty is unacceptable," Bilic said. "It was not close to the
line. It was way out. It was not a penalty. We are gutted and we are not
getting these decisions."
Fabregas shines as Blues show fighting spirit
Cesc Fabregas's all-action display (left) was in contrast to an ineffectual
performance by his West Ham counterpart Mark Noble (right)
Following last week's defeat by Everton in the FA Cup, reigning league
champions Chelsea have nothing left to play for this season - but they
showed plenty of battling spirit to take a point from this match. The Blues
were not at their fluent best but 18 crosses and 22 shots told the tale of
their unstinting endeavour in forward areas. Fabregas, a superb performer
last season, has endured a much more difficult campaign this time round, and
has sometimes been accused of going missing in difficult matches, but here
he was at his influential best. His free-kick was masterful, getting the
ball up and down from 25 yards and beating the dive of Adrian after Winston
Reid had fouled Oscar. But his performance was about much more than goals -
the 28-year-old Spaniard also had more shots, passes and touches than anyone
else on the pitch.
Man of the match - Cesc Fabregas
Fabregas made 81 passes and had 100 touches in a performance reminiscent of
his best displays of last season
What they said
Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink: "We stared well in the first 10 minutes but we
then started losing the possession too easily. We reacted just before
half-time, especially with the beautiful Fabregas free-kick. In the second
half we got caught on the counter, but we reacted perfectly to get the draw.
"This is a very good West Ham side. They are knocking on the door for the
top four. I was happy with the late penalty decision. It's difficult for me
to make a judgement - I think he was tripped on the line. On the line is
part of the box."
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic: "I don't look too much at the table but what
gives me confidence is the way we are playing, no matter who or where. "We
are capable and we are having chances against any team. That approach should
take us far."
The stats you need to know
Cesc Fabregas scored twice in a Premier League game for the first time since
December 2009 - a game which also featured his last goal direct from a
free-kick.
Fabregas is the fourth Chelsea player this season to score a direct
free-kick goal in all competitions (Oscar, Willian, Hazard being the other
three).
Four of Manuel Lanzini's five Premier League goals this season have been
scored away from home.
Chelsea have now conceded in each of their last nine Premier League games at
Stamford Bridge.
What's next?
Chelsea face Aston Villa on 2 April, while West Ham host Crystal Palace.
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Chelsea 2-2 West Ham Utd
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 19th March 2016
By: Staff Writer
West Ham Utd were denied a place in the top four tonight by a dreadful call
from match official Bobby Madley.
With the game entering the final minute of regular time, and with West Ham
leading 2-1, the Yorkshire official gave today's hosts, reigning Premier
League champions Chelsea a lifeline by awarding a last-ditch penalty.
However TV replays confirmed that the incident had taken place outside of
the area - and that Chelsea substitute Ruben Loftus-Cheek tripped himself
over as he surged into the penalty area.
Only last week West Ham were denied passage through to the FA Cup semi
finals when what would have been the winning goal by Michail Antonio was
disallowed in the closing stages by Martin Atkinson at Old Trafford.
And this week the Hammers were robbed of the opportunity to rise above
Manchester City into fourth spot in the table by Madley's appalling call - a
decision so terribly poor that many supporters were left questioning whether
the referee's impartiality had been compromised.
West Ham opened the game against the Premier League's form team on the back
foot, but it didn't take long before Slaven Bilic's side began to take a
foothold. And with just 17 minutes on the clock, Manuel Lanzini put the
visitors ahead with one of the best goals you'll see all season.
Receiving the ball some 30 yards from goal, the diminutive Argentinian drove
towards the Chelsea penalty area before unleashing a fierce, dipping drive
that beat Blues 'keeper Thibaut Courtois all ends up.
Despite dominating proceedings for the rest of the half, it was the hosts
who were to score next, on the cusp of half time, as West Ham criminally
switched off.
With just seconds of the opening 45 remaining, and the game deep into the
third of three added-on minutes, a free kick on the edge of the area was
despatched into the top corner by Cesc Fabregas after Winston Reid had
unnecessarily conceded a free kick.
And thus Chelsea, despite being distinctly second best, went into the half
time interval on level terms.
The Blues, who must have been wondering how they were still level once again
looked stronger from the restart. However it was to be West Ham that scored
next, through Andy Carroll, who grabbed the winning goal in the
corresponding fixture at the Boleyn Ground earlier in the season.
WIth a third of the second half played, Carroll - who had replaced Diafra
Sakho moments earlier - stole in at the far post to convert Dimitri Payet's
low centre. The big Geordie, who has endured ye another stop/start season
illustrating that when he's at his best, he's hard to beat.
Sadly West Ham's number nine wasn't quite so sharp with just three minutes
of time to go when his goal-bound header didn't quite carry enough on it to
beat the defender positioned on the goal line. And having missed the
opportunity to put the game to bed, West Ham left themselves open to a
sucker punch.
What they wouldn't have been expecting was for said blow to come from the
referee. But incredulously Madley decided to blow for a penalty in the home
side's favour, with mere seconds of normal time remaining, despite
Loftus-Cheek having tripped himself over - and outside the penalty area.
Fabregas gleefully accepted the opportunity to level from the spot and save
Chelsea's unbeaten record that stretches back some 14 games - in itself, a
Premier League record this season.
And once again, West Ham were left to pick up the pieces having been denied
the chance to break into the top four by a questionable call from a
questionable official, whose actions left many travelling fans wondering if
it's not only snooker, tennis and athletics that are bent.
West Ham Utd: Adrian, Antonio, Reid, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Kouyate, Noble,
Lanzini (Obiang 81), Payet, Sakho (Carroll 59), Valencia (Emenike 75).
Subs not used: Randolph, O'Brien, Oxford, Song.
Booked: Reid, Adrian, Antonio, Ogbonna, Kouyate.
Chelsea: Courtois, Ivanovic, Terry, Cahill, Azpilicueta, Fabregas, Mikel,
Willian, Oscar (Loftus-Cheat 82), Kenedy (Pedro 46), Remy (Traore 62).
Subs not used: Begovic, Baba, Pato, Matic.
Booked: Ivanovic, Fabregas, Willian.
Referee: Bobby Madley.
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Chelsea 2-2 West Ham: Late Cesc Fabregas penalty denies Hammers
By Gerard Brand
Last Updated: 19/03/16 11:42pm
SSN
A controversial late Cesc Fabregas penalty earned Chelsea a 2-2 draw against
West Ham at Stamford Bridge. The Hammers were heading for a place in the top
four until Fabregas equalised with a penalty a minute from time after
Michail Antonio brought Ruben Loftus-Cheek down, but replays showed the
contact was outside the area. Manuel Lanzini had put West Ham ahead with a
fine effort from range, before Fabregas equalised late in the opening period
with a 25-yard free-kick.
West Ham hit the bar through Aaron Cresswell in the second half, but Andy
Carroll regained their lead with his first touch just second after coming on
with 25 minutes remaining. The result leaves West Ham in fifth, a point
behind Manchester City in fourth, while Chelsea stay 10th, 10 points off the
top four. The draw also makes it mathematically impossible for Chelsea to
retain the Premier League title they won by eight points last term.
Chelsea made three changes from the side that lost 2-0 at Everton in the FA
Cup last weekend, with John Terry returning to the starting line up.
But it was West Ham, who made three changes themselves, who took the lead
after 16 minutes. After being laid on by Dimitri Payet 25 yards from goal,
Lanzini produced a superb, curling effort into the top right corner, past
the despairing dive of Thibaut Courtois. Just before the half-hour mark,
Chelsea had appeals for a penalty turned down by referee Robert Madley after
the ball looked to have hit Enner Valencia's hand inside the area.
It was West Ham who should have doubled their lead through Cresswell moments
later, but the left-back's drive across the face of goal after being set up
by Sakho on the left side of the area went just wide of Courtois' post. The
visitors looked to be going into the break ahead, but Chelsea got themselves
level in controversial fashion in first-half stoppage time. Before stepping
up to take a free-kick 25 yards from goal, Fabregas rolled the ball back two
yards, meaning the wall was set up behind the referee's vanishing spray 12
yards away, before the Spaniard cleared the wall and found the top corner
with a fine curling effort, much to the West Ham players' dismay.
The hosts took their momentum into the second half, and came close after
Branislav Ivanovic's ball across the face of goal was turned just wide at an
angle by Oscar. Cresswell was within inches of regaining West Ham's lead
just before the hour mark, but struck the underside of the crossbar 12 yards
out from the left side of the area. But just seconds after coming on,
Carroll put the visitors ahead. Getting on the end of Payet's pass as West
Ham broke, the striker scored with his first touch, stroking the ball past
Courtois from 15 yards.
One of Willian's umpteen corners found Fabregas with a clear header with 20
minutes remaining, but the midfielder could only put his effort over from
eight yards. Carroll almost got a second with 10 minutes remaining, but saw
his header from eight yards from Payet's corner beaten away by Courtois,
before seeing another goal-bound header from a corner cleared off the line
by Bertrand Traore.
Then came the controversy, as substitute Loftus-Cheek was brought down as he
ran through on goal by Antonio, but the contact looked to be outside the
penalty area. Fabregas converted with aplomb from the spot to dent the
Hammers' Champions League aspirations and spare themselves another home
defeat.
Soccer Saturday verdict - Charlie Nicholas
West Ham would have been disappointed not to have won the game, especially
after taking the lead twice. They are such a good side to watch,
particularly in the final third. Lanzini scored a stunning opener and they
looked the better of the two sides.
Other than Fabregas and Willian, Chelsea offered little early on. But,
after Fabregas' equaliser on half-time, Chelsea were right at it. West Ham
suffered a cruel blow right at the end with Chelsea's penalty, it was harsh
but it's a modern-day penalty. West Ham are still in the mix for the top
four, they're a strong side and they didn't disappoint in their display
today.
Player ratings
Chelsea: Courtois (6); Ivanovic (5), Cahill (5), Terry (5), Azpilicueta (6);
Mikel (5), Fabregas (7); Willian (7), Oscar (6), Kenedy (6); Remy (6)
Subs: Loftus-Cheek (6), Pedro (6), Traore (6),
West Ham: Adrian (6), Antonio (7), Reid (6), Ogbonna (6), Cresswell (7),
Kouyate (6), Noble (6), Lanzini (8), Payet (7), Valencia (7), Sakho (6)
Subs: Obiang (6), Emenike (6), Carroll (7)
Man of the match: Manuel Lanzini
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Chelsea penalty to deny West Ham was outside the box, says Slaven Bilic
By James Kilpatrick
Last Updated: 19/03/16 6:58pm
SSN
West Ham boss Slaven Bilic was adamant that the penalty Chelsea were awarded
shouldn't have been given as the contact was outside the box. West Ham
manager Slaven Bilic felt Chelsea's late penalty was outside the box and
should not have been awarded in the 2-2 draw at Stamford Briidge.
The controversial spot-kick was converted by Cesc Fabregas, as the Blues
continued their unbeaten league record under Guus Hiddink. The Hammers were
heading for a place in the top four until that incident a minute from time
when Michail Antonio brought down Ruben Loftus-Cheek, with replays showing
the contact looked to be outside the area. And Bilic feels the challenge did
not merit a penalty, and the referee has cost his side another vital three
points. "To concede a goal very late it is gutting anyway no matter how you
concede it, but to concede it like that from a penalty, which was basically
outside the box, it makes it unacceptable," Bilic told Sky Sports. "It was
outside, way outside. It is clear Antonio didn't want to trip him, he
touched him but it wasn't even close to the line. "It was one metre. So we
can say it was hard and at full speed, and the player went down in the box,
but we are not getting those penalities, we are not getting them."
Aside from the late penalty, Bilic was very pleased with his side's
performance and the way his team played. "We like the way we're playing, to
attack with numbers and we have that kind of quality. They're doing basics,
dirty work and when we have the ball we're really good." "Of course I'm
proud of them but we deserved more, and it wasn't down to us and it wasn't
down to Chelsea, no matter how great that move from Willian it wasn't a
penalty."
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Chelsea 2-2 West Ham: Cesc Fabregas brace rescues a point for Guus Hiddink's
men - 5 things we learned
17:02, 19 MAR 2016 UPDATED 18:44, 19 MAR 2016
BY ADRIAN KAJUMBA
Fabregas twice pulled the Blues level after Maunel Lanzini and Andy Carroll
scored for the visitors at Stamford Bridge
The Mirror
Cesc Fabregas scored a late penalty to deny West Ham a place in the top
four. Fabregas scored his second goal of the game from the spot in the 89th
minute to earn Chelsea a 2-2 draw. West Ham were heading for fourth after
Andy Carroll came off the bench to put them ahead a minute after he came on.
Manuel Lanzini had put West Ham in front in the 17th minute, a lead
cancelled out by Fabregas's free-kick on the stroke of half-time.
And the Spanish midfielder had the final word from 12 yards after Michail
Antonio tripped Ruben Loftus-Cheek just inside the box as he bore down on
goal.
1. No more 19th century football
West Ham should have won, having led 2-1 with just minutes to go, but there
was still further evidence of how far West Ham have come under Slaven Bilic.
Two years ago Jose Mourinho accused the Hammers of playing '19th century
football" under Sam Allardyce to get a point at Stamford Bridge. But this
was no backs to the wall display. They went toe-to-toe with Chelsea, more
than matched them and should have claimed all three points and a place in
the top four. With the squad he has built, West Ham no longer have any need
for defensive displays under Bilic or to fear anyone.
2. Lanzini has steel and style
Lanzini lined up in central midfield for and the little Argentinian produced
a big performance in the West Ham engine room. Despite his slender frame he
showed he can mix it alright. He stood out for his simple hard work and
non-stop running as much as his brilliant opening goal.
3. Bilic has found the best role for Andy Carroll
Despite all his injury problems Andy Carroll still has plenty to offer if he
is willing to accept being a super sub. When he comes off the bench he is
almost a guaranteed game changer as his strengths are so different to most
players in the Premier League. He instantly gave Chelsea something different
to think about when he came on at Stamford Bridge and scored after just a
minute on the pitch. This was his third goal out of four this season as a
sub.
4. Chelsea aren't on their holidays
They may have dropped more points but Chelsea haven't taken their foot off
the gas yet. They didn't play badly or like a side who were already on their
summer holidays. If they were they wouldn't have fought back twice to earn a
point. They had a strong spell at the start of the second half but conceded
when they were on top and responded well to going behind a second time and
were rewarded with another equaliser. They have little to play for between
now and the end of the season but the prospect of trying to ensure they
retain their places when Antonio Conte arrives in the summer should keep
Chelsea's players on their toes.
5. Kenedy has bright future
In a bleak season for Chelsea, Kenedy's emergence has been another positive.
He has been playing left-back recently but despite the return of Chelsea's
first-choice defence Guus Hiddink still found a way to get him in the side,
playing him further forward down the left
flank in Eden Hazard's absence, ahead of the likes of a much more
experienced player like Pedro. That is a sign of the impression he has made
on the Dutchman.
Player ratings
Chelsea
Courtois 6 - No chance for either goal but did produce two sharp saves from
Valencia and Carroll.
Ivanovic BOOKED 6 - Booked trying to make up for his mistake and caught out
for winner.
Cahill 6 - Won't be happy with his role in either goal.
Terry 7 - Produced one vital goalline clearance on his first start for over
a month.
Azpilicueta 7 - Returned to left back and looked good in both halves.
Mikel 6 - Conceded loads of fouls. Fortunate not to be booked.
Fabregas BOOKED 8 - Pushed and probed all game and stepped up with two
goals.
Willian BOOKED 6 - Couldn't fault work rate but unable to produce moment of
inspiration.
Oscar 5 - Really quiet for most of game and blew great second half chance.
Kenedy 7 - Lively and produced some eye-catching skill. Always tried to make
things happen.
Remy 5 - Only on edges of the game and threatened once or twice.
Subs
Pedro (Kenedy 46) 6
Traore (Remy 62) 5
Loftus-Cheek (Oscar 84) 5
West Ham:
Adrian BOOKED 7 - Good saves from Willian and Remy. Couldn't do anything
about either goal.
Antonio BOOKED 6 - Undid his good work after solid shift as emergency
right-back by conceding late penalty.
Reid BOOKED 8 - Marshalled defence well but push on Oscar to concede
free-kick was costly.
Ogbonna BOOKED 7 - Growing in strength by the game. Numerous vital blocks
and interceptions.
Cresswell 7 - Got forward well and almost scored twice, hitting the bar the
second time.
Kouyate BOOKED 7 - All-action display. Always there to get a foot or stick
his head in.
Valencia 5 - Worked hard but posed little attacking threat after bright
start.
Noble 7 - Continued his good form. Always available and kept things ticking
over.
Lanzini MOTM 8 - Dictated play in central midfield and scored brilliant
goal.
Payet 7 - Not his best game - has set high standards - but still set up
Carroll.
Sakho 7 - Led line well. Good target-man for West Ham to play off.
Subs
Carroll (Sakho 60) 7
Emenike (Valencia 75) 5
Obiang (Lanzini 82) 5
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FA Cup replay tickets: Here are the selling times!
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 19, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
ClaretandHugh has finally discovered the timetable for supporters wanting to
buy their tickets for the FA Cup replay against Manchester United.
Season ticket holders were able to able to get theirs today starting from 9
am but many fans contacted CandH with conflicting reports on how they had or
had not been able to get hold of theirs.
Season ticket relocations which provides priority to the STB Stand ST
holders to any ST seats not taken up by existing ST holders can be bought on
Thursday March 24 from 9 am.
Members will be able to apply on Saturday March 26 from 9 am and the
remainder - subject to availability- will be on general sale from 10 am on
March 28.
The later start time is due to the Bank Holiday and Mark Noble Testimonial
and tickets.
We understand that an announcement was made on the official site at some
point over the last 24 hours but was then removed. However, this evening we
have managed to establish the sales programme and clear up any outstanding
issues.
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So hard to take as Irons twice cheated
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 19, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
The Irons were twice cheated - once from a free kick deliberately taken from
the wrong spot and at the end when Michail Antonio brought Ruben
Loftus-Cheek down with replays showing contact was outside the area.
Wrong.out of order and bang disappointing - add it all to the foul on Darren
Randolph last weekend which denied us a a win at Old Trafford and the sense
of injustice become intensely overwhelming.
We were the better team, had players who totally bamboozled Chelsea but in
the end were beaten by to set pices from far too much to say for himself
Fabregas.
The Hammers were quite outstanding in he first half when Payet and Lanzini
totally ran the show and with Sakho leading the line Chelsea had no answer
to the pace, style, invention and class.
Lanzini lashed home an opener in 17 minutes after great work from Payet and
headers from Sakho and Kouyate but the cheating Fabregas pulled one back in
first half injury time.
Reid had blocked off Oscar bit with the bal too close to the box to get up
and down, the former Gooner pulled the ball back two yards and lashed home.
Unfazed, the Hammers again took the lead with two minutes of Andy Carroll's
appearance as sub for Sakho when he was put through by Payet to ram home
with ease.
Fabregas headed over and saw another overhead shot go the same way as the
game boiled up by Carroll could have clinched things when he saw an effort
cleared off the line by Traore and just failed to reach an Emenike cross.
The it had to be Fabregas making things level with the penalty that never
was - makes yer sick it was awarded and double sick it was him.
But it's four points off them this season and we sit on 50 points in fifth
place.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Sunday, March 20
Saturday, March 19
Daily WHUFC News - 19th March 2016
Friday 18 Mar Updated Friday 18 Mar 15:12
WHUFC.com
PREVIEW
Preview - Chelsea
The background
With the Blues falling out of both the FA Cup and the Champions League in their last two matches, there may not be a better time for West Ham United to face Guus Hiddink's side.
And it's a chance for the Hammers to do the double over their London rivals, having beaten Chelsea, then managed by Jose Mourinho, 2-1 back in October.
Goals from Mauro Zarate and Andy Carroll either side of Gary Cahill's equaliser from a corner secured Slaven Bilic's side's sixth league win of the campaign that day.
And there will be concerns for the hosts at Stamford Bridge too, with the Hammers in great form having jumped up the league table into fifth.
Previous to their defeats to Everton and Paris St. Germain which meant they exited two competitions, Chelsea have just one win from their last five home league matches.
Currently sitting down in tenth, Chelsea are set for their lowest league finish in 20 years unless they can catch those four places above them.
The history
The Hammers will take on Chelsea for the 105th time on Saturday, with the Blues having edged the previous meetings over the years.
This weekend's hosts have won 47 of those, with West Ham victorious on 38 occasions. The two sides have played out 19 draws.
In the last meeting at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea – who went on to win the league – were 2-0 winners with John Terry and Diego Costa grabbing the goals in December 2014.
Match info
Team news
Chelsea
Diego Costa is banned for the Blues after his red card at Everton last weekend, and Eden Hazard is a doubt.
Last season's champions will also be without Kurt Zouma and Radamel Falcao who are out with long-term problems.
West Ham United
The cup-tied Sam Byram missed out at Manchester United last weekend but could return on Saturday, however James Collins and James Tomkins will miss out through injury.
Another player unavailable for selection will be Victor Moses, who is ineligible to face his parent club.
Match facts
Robert Madley is referee at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. The official has taken charge of 25 games so far this season, issuing 70 bookings and four red cards
If West Ham record the victory on Saturday, it will be the first time they have completed the league double over Chelsea since the 2002/03 season
The Hammers, however, have only won two of the last seven meetings between the sides
The Hammers are unbeaten in their last seven matches (W5, D2)
Chelsea have only won three of their last nine outings in all competitions (W3, D3, L3)
With Manchester City not playing until Sunday, a win for the Hammers would put them into the top four
Ticketing, coverage, travel and other info
Away tickets for Saturday's match have SOLD OUT
A cloudy but dry day is expected at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, and the temperature will be 8C (46F) at kick-off
There will be no district line service between West Ham and Tower Hill due to planned engineering works this weekend, but replacement bus services will operate
Supporters should travel to Fulham Broadway if travelling by tube to visit Stamford Bridge on Saturday
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Payet wins another award!
WHUFC.com
Dimitri Payet has been voted PFA Fans' Player of the Month for February after his string of terrific performances propelled the Hammers to fifth in the Barclays Premier League table.
The Frenchman, who enjoyed a sensational month in the league and Emirates FA Cup, just pipped teammate and Hammers skipper Mark Noble, who came second, to the award voted by supporters.
The 28-year-old's impressive displays saw him register a goal and assist at Norwich City and contribute to wins over Aston Villa and Sunderland for Slaven Bilic's side. His brilliance was clear in the FA Cup too. There, he again showed his talent by setting up Angelo Ogbonna's dramatic fourth-round replay winner and in the 5-1 destruction of Blackburn Rovers by scoring a 25-yard free-kick and marvelous individual goal. Payet was voted winner just ahead of Noble, who plays in his Testimonial match at the Boleyn Ground on Monday 28. The captain smashed in a late leveller at Carrow Road and was influential throughout the month of February. The latest accolade comes just a fortnight after Payet picked up the London Player of the Year award in recognition of his super season as a whole. The Frenchman, who has ten assists and eleven goals to his name since moving to east London from Marseille last summer, was also recalled to his national side for upcoming friendly matches with the Netherlands and Russia. Everyone at West Ham United would like to congratulate Dimitri on his latest achievement.
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From the Terraces
WHUFC.com
Lifelong Hammers fan Jack Fawbert looks back at some special moments at the Boleyn Ground...
Until the age of 12 I wasn't very interested in football. Then, in 1962, a mate from school took me to see West Ham beat Everton 4-0 at the Boleyn Ground. I immediately fell in love with everything about the experience; the roar of the crowd, the chicken run swaying to 'Bubbles' and the commitment of all those men in flat caps. I saw every game of the 1964 cup run, including the final. I saw every home game of the European Cup Winners' Cup run as well as the Final at Wembley. Our coach from Barking broke down on the way and we just got inside the stadium as they kicked off. Much has changed since those halcyon days; the flat caps are gone, as have the old chicken run and the standing terraces in the, then uncovered, North Bank.
But, many things have stayed more or less the same; the closeness of the pitch to the terraces where, in Trevor Brooking's words 'you can smell the grass', the singing of 'Bubbles', the passion of the fans and, of course, those famous claret and blue shirts. Whilst the claim that 'football is always better in the past' is questionable, not least because of a seeming collective amnesia about the bad times, there is no doubt that such 'tradition' and 'heritage' are very important to West Ham fans like me as well as to the new generations of fans who have bought into the 'West Ham family'. Whilst nostalgic reminiscences of 'the good old days' of Greenwood, Lyall, Moore, Hurst and Peters also need to be tempered with the realities of a more globalised, commercialized and corporate enterprise today, the years of commitment to an ideal held by many thousands of people like me has to be memorialised into the very structures and ethos of the new Stadium as we venture into a brave new world post-Boleyn Ground.
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Cheik's in for five more years!
WHUFC.com
West Ham United are delighted to confirm that Cheikhou Kouyate has signed a new long-term contract with the Club.
The Senegal star has put pen to paper on a deal that will keep him at the Club until summer 2021.
For Kouyate, the new contract comes after 20 outstanding months in Claret and Blue, during which the No8 has caught the eye and won over fans and pundits alike with his power, pace, technical ability and knack of scoring important goals.
Get your Kouyate shirt now - personalise your 2015/16 shirt for £15
In all, the midfielder becomes the ninth player to commit his future to the Hammers since the start of 2015, following Payet, Mark Noble, Winston Reid, Adrian, James Collins, James Tomkins, Aaron Cresswell and Diafra Sakho.
Speaking to West Ham TV, Kouyate said the Club's vision for a successful future, on and off the pitch, played a big part in his decision to ink his new deal.
The 26-year-old said: "I am happy to have renewed my contract with West Ham. I am very happy and would like to thank everybody here at the club, the manager, the fans and also my parents. I think that it is the start of the next chapter for us to go on and discover the new Stadium."
"It means that the Club trusts me and that means a lot for me. There is a lot of work for me still to do and I need to continue working hard and prepare for the move to the Olympic Stadium and most of all to keep on entertaining the fans."
Born in Dakar, where he started with the ASC Yego club, Kouyate moved to European football with FC Brussels in 2006 at the age of 16.
From there, the 6'4 player was snapped up by RSC Anderlecht, where he enjoyed six outstanding seasons, winning four Belgian Pro League titles, three Belgian Super Cups and appearing more than 40 times in European competition.
Kouyate moved to east London in summer 2014 and has not looked back, immediately catching the eye with his athleticism and will to win.
Likened to former France star Patrick Vieira, the new Hammer scored fine goals against Arsenal, Manchester United – winning the Club's Performance of the Season award for his display against the Red Devils – Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City.
Kouyate began the current campaign with another Barclays Premier League goal against the Gunners, followed by a last-gasp equaliser at home to Norwich City and another in a victory over Aston Villa.
It has not just been the African player's goals that have set him apart, however, as Kouyate is also regularly among the Hammers' leaders in tackles, interceptions and blocks made.
Capped more than 20 times, Kouyate has captained his country and appeared for the Lions of Teranga at the 2012 London Olympic Games and 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.
With West Ham riding high in the Barclays Premier League, still in the Emirates FA Cup and preparing to move to the 54,000-seater Stadium in Stratford, and Senegal through to the third round of 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying, Kouyate's star is set to rise still further for Club and country.
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From the Boardroom - David Gold
WHUFC.com
I want to start with more fantastic news for the Club and I am thrilled that Cheikhou Kouyate has pledged his long-term future to West Ham United and signed a new five-year contract.
It once again proves that we are determined to bring in top quality players and keep them on a long-term basis as we move ever closer to our historic move into the new Stadium during the summer.
We have won the right to dream and for once our dreams are coming true. Our dream was not to face a relegation struggle and challenge at the very top and that is what we have done.
It will be a surprise to many but we always felt that the squad of players that we were putting together would help us knock on the door of the big teams.
As I said earlier in the season the big boys will start looking over their shoulders and that has proved to be the case.
In fact we are now looking over our shoulders at some of the big teams! We have come a long way.
I hope our good run against the London teams can continue on Saturday when we face Chelsea.
We have already done the double over some big clubs this season, notably Liverpool for the first time in over 50-years and this is another great opportunity for us by beating Chelsea at their place.
We know it will not be easy as they have gone 13 games unbeaten in the Premier League and have been on an incredible run since Guus Hiddink took charge. They will be looking to continue that run.
However we are not the team of yesteryear and have every chance of pulling off the double.
It is hard to believe the transformation that has taken place at the Club but it was always our plan to bring in quality players.
We had confidence in the manager and have continued our policy of bringing in quality signings.
We are over our injury scares of a few months ago when we were getting more than normal and all our players are coming back which is great news.
It is fantastic news that Dimitri Payet has won the PFA Fans' Player of the Month for February with Mark Noble coming second.
It once again shows the quality of our players and the impact that Slaven is having on players like Mark who is arguably having his best season.
Although Dimitri has missed two months of the season, he has been absolutely exceptional throughout the rest of the season and keeps getting better.
The fans are singing his name every game and only special players are treated in this way.
He has the natural ability where he relates to the fans and enjoys the fans love. It is a one-off and he would certainly be my Player of the Year with Mark Noble just behind him.
It is the perfect storm – we have players who have been at the club for a number of years and are having their best season.
We also have new players coming in who are performing beyond our expectations and have a manager who is exceeding our expectations.
All these things have come together at a time when we are celebrating our final ever season at the Boleyn Ground and we then prepare for our move to the new Stadium during the summer.
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FA Cup replay date confirmed
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's Emirates FA Cup quarter-final replay against Manchester United will be played on Wednesday 6 April, with a kick-off time of 7:00pm. The tie will be the last ever match in the competition to be played at the Boleyn Ground and will be live on the BBC. The Hammers were held to a draw at Old Trafford last Sunday when Anthony Martial cancelled out Dimitri Payet's superb opener. The Frenchman curled in a 30-yard free-kick to send the travelling supporters wild, but his fellow countryman Martial was able to equalise with seven minutes remaining. In the previous round, Slaven Bilic's side had progressed by beating Blackburn Rovers 5-1 at Ewood Park. The winners of the quarter-final replay will face Everton at Wembley on Saturday 23 April at 5:15pm.
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The Big Interview - Cheikhou Kouyate
WHUFC.com
Cheikhou Kouyate joined the list of West Ham United players to commit their long-term future to the Club on Friday when he put pen-to-paper on a new five-year deal.
The Senegal midfielder is excited at the prospect of playing an integral role as the Hammers look to establish themselves at the top end of the Barclays Premier League in the Stadium on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
More immediately, he also has ambitions of getting his hands on silverware this term…
Congratulations on signing the new deal, Cheikhou. What is your reaction?
CK: "I am happy to have renewed my contract with West Ham. I am very happy and would like to thank everybody here at the club, the manager, the fans and also my parents. I think that it is the start of the next chapter for us to go on and discover the new Stadium."
What was the main reason for agreeing to extend your contract?
CK: "It means that the Club trusts me and that means a lot for me. There is a lot of work for me still to do and I need to continue working hard and prepare for the move to the Olympic Stadium and most of all to keep on entertaining the fans.
"We know that this is the last season here at Upton Park and that this summer we leave behind this stadium, but I am really excited to begin the next year with my team. I am delighted to have signed the contract which allows to play a part in this project."
How excited are you to play in front of 54,000 West Ham fans next season?
CK: "Even when playing at Upton Park, I get excited by the support the fans give us. It is the same when we play away from home too, they are always there for us. At Manchester United this weekend, there were around 10,000 fans and their support sent shivers down my spine. So now, imagining the new stadium, when we will have over 50,000 fans behind us, it is just going to be magnificent."
Do you feel like you have a special relationship with the fans?
CK: "It is incredible with the fans. I have never seen that in my career, the fans here really are magnificent. I often speak with Dimitri and we are both really impressed by the fans here."
On the pitch, how have you grown as a player?
CK: "It is my second year in England. I used last year as a year to learn and I think that I learnt a lot from Sam. This year, we have had a new manager in Slaven and he has helped me a lot. He has helped me to open up my game and I think that working with him will allow me to improve a lot more as a player.
What has been the highlight of your West Ham career so far?
CK: "I want to keep that to myself because we really want to go right to the end of the FA Cup this year. I take pleasure from every game that I play in a West Ham shirt and we really want to win the Cup. We have two finals before the final. First of all, we will give our all to beat Manchester United at home. Then if we manage that, it will be at Wembley and I am really striving to win this cup with West Ham and to try to guarantee a place in Europe for us for next season."
How much has the manager helped you?
CK: "He has really helped me and he is a coach that is really close to his players. He speaks to us a lot and personally, he speaks to me a lot and he has freed my game up. He is a coach that can take us forward and I am really pleased to be working with him. "
What are your hopes now for yourself and for West Ham?
CK: "We have our project here and I will be trying to lead West Ham as far as I possibly can. Within a few years, I think you will see us playing our football at the highest level possible."
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Adrian has fond memories of Stamford Bridge
WHUFC.com
Adrian has enjoyed many career highlights at West Ham following his move to the Boleyn Ground back in June 2013. Few could forget his match winning penalty against Everton in the FA Cup last season, while he will never forget his first save for the club when he made a superb block to deny Manchester United's Tom Cleverley on his debut at Old Trafford. But one of the best games for Adrian came against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge back in January 2014. The Hammers were facing a relegation battle at the time, but their season turned around following a superb display in west London when they came away with a 0-0 draw against the former Premier League champions. One of the biggest factors behind that result was the superb form shown by Adrian that night as he made an incredible 39 saves to stop Chelsea getting on the scoresheet. One of the best saves was to deny Oscar's curling effort which looked destined for the top corner and it won him the save of the season at the Club's end of season awards. Adrian says he will never forget that match and hopes to come away with another clean sheet this weekend. West Ham return to the Bridge with different aspirations this season and can move into the top four on Saturday if they manage to secure another crucial three points.
Adrian said: "I have happy memories of going to Stamford Bridge. For a goalkeeper that had to be my best game there because I kept a clean sheet after many shots on targets and I made a number of saves. "We came away with a point and it was so important for us because we were fighting relegation at that moment and at the end of the season that point was crucial for us. "Now it is a different story and we are in a good position in the table and now we are playing for other things. "We are a different team and we have the chance to beat them and I think it will be a very good game on Saturday."
Adrian understands why the Hammers fans are starting to dream about Champions League football next season following the Club's superb run of form. But the Spanish keeper is refusing to get carried away and says the players must stay focused on the final nine league games to ensure they give themselves the best possible chance of finishing in the top four. Adrian added: "Everybody can dream about this (Champions League) but we have to take it step-by-step and we just have to focus on the next game. "The West Ham philosophy is like this that we have to keep working and prepare for the next game. We now have Chelsea and if we beat them it will put us in an even better position in the table. "The league is so tight and the top of the table is so close. If you lose two games in a row you can lose your position so we have to keep our concentration.
"We are in a good position in the table and are confident and we will keep looking to achieve that goal. "We have a big chance to beat them and they are not having the best Premier League season but they will want to beat us playing at home and move towards the top of the table. "But we have shown that we will fight towards the end and it will be a great game for both teams."
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Cheikhou Kouyate: West Ham midfielder signs new deal
BBC.co.uk
West Ham midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate has signed a new contract with the club until the end of the 2020-21 season. Kouyate, 26, joined the Hammers from Anderlecht in 2014 and has made 63 appearances, scoring eight goals. "There is a lot of work for me still to do and I need to continue working hard," Kouyate told the club's website. West Ham are currently fifth in the Premier League, two points off a Champions League place, and move to the Olympic Stadium next season.
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Chelsea v West Ham United
SAT, 19 MAR 2016PREMIER LEAGUE
15:00
Venue: Stamford Bridge
Dimitri Payet has had a hand in 21 goals for West Ham this season.
TEAM NEWS
Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard will be out for up to four weeks with a hip problem, according to his national coach Marc Wilmots. Diego Costa is suspended after his red card in the FA Cup defeat last weekend.
West Ham remain without James Tomkins and James Collins because of calf and hamstring injuries respectively. On-loan winger Victor Moses is ineligible to face his parent club, but Sam Byram is available after being cup-tied last week.
MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES
Simon Brotherton: "Claudio Ranieri is a shoo-in for manager of the year, but Slaven Bilic should be on the podium too, with West Ham now genuine contenders for Champions League football.
"They're only a couple of points behind Manchester City and have only lost two of the last 16 league games. "This looks a good time for the Hammers to go to Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea hardly on the crest of a wave after being knocked out of both the Champions League and FA Cup in their last two matches. "Guus Hiddink has steadied the ship well, and they remain undefeated in the Premier League since his return, but too many draws have limited their progress up the table."
Twitter: @SimonBrotherton
WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic: "Chelsea are thinking there's nine games to go and if they click they can finish very, very high also. "In that sense it's not a great time [to play them] because now they have only Premier League. Make no mistake - I'm expecting them to be really hungry and totally focused on the Premier League."
LAWRO'S PREDICTION
Chelsea's season was effectively ended by that FA Cup defeat by Everton, and they will be without suspended striker Diego Costa at the weekend. I am tempted to back the Hammers to win again, but Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink remains unbeaten in the Premier League since taking over before Christmas and I think he will rack up another draw here.
Prediction: 1-1
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
West Ham have won just one of their last six meetings with Chelsea (D1, L4) - but that came in the most recent clash, a 2-1 victory at Upton Park in October. Nemanja Matic and then-Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho were sent off in that game.
Chelsea are unbeaten the last nine times they have hosted West Ham in the Premier League (W7, D2).
Chelsea
Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 13 Premier League matches, the best current run in the top flight. They have not lost in the competition in Guus Hiddink's second spell at the club.
The Blues have drawn five of their last six home games in the league, keeping a clean sheet in only one of those matches.
Only Everton and Manchester City have scored more than Chelsea's 27 home goals in this season's Premier League.
Chelsea are the only team in the Premier League not to concede a goal inside the opening 15 minutes of a match this season.
West Ham
West Ham have won their last three Premier League matches. The last time they won four in a row in the league was in February 2014.
The Hammers have scored more goals away from home than at Upton Park this season.
They have scored three goals in a game on five occasions in this season's Premier League: four of those have come on the road, including last time at Everton.
Dimitri Payet has five goals and five assists in his last seven competitive appearances for West Ham United.
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FA Cup semi-final: Everton v West Ham or Man Utd live on BBC
Bbc.CO.UK
Everton's FA Cup semi-final tie against West Ham or Manchester United will be shown live on BBC One. The match will take place at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, 23 April, kicking off at 17:15 GMT. Crystal Palace will take on Watford at the same venue on Sunday, 24 April at 16:00 GMT, with the match to be shown on BT Sport. The winning semi-finalists, who receive £900,000 from the FA's prize fund, will meet in the final on Saturday, 21 May.
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Payet wins another award!
March 18, 2016
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
BKHammer
Dimitri Payet has been voted PFA Fans' Player of the Month for February after his string of terrific performances propelled the Hammers to fifth in the Barclays Premier League table reports whufc.com. The Frenchman, who enjoyed a sensational month in the league and Emirates FA Cup, just pipped teammate and Hammers skipper Mark Noble, who came second, to the award voted by supporters. The 28-year-old's impressive displays saw him register a goal and assist at Norwich City and contribute to wins over Aston Villa and Sunderland for Slaven Bilic's side.
His brilliance was clear in the FA Cup too. There, he again showed his talent by setting up Angelo Ogbonna's dramatic fourth-round replay winner and in the 5-1 destruction of Blackburn Rovers by scoring a 25-yard free-kick and marvelous individual goal. Payet was voted winner just ahead of Noble, who plays in his Testimonial match at the Boleyn Ground on Monday 28. The captain smashed in a late leveller at Carrow Road and was influential throughout the month of February. The latest accolade comes just a fortnight after Payet picked up the London Player of the Year award in recognition of his super season as a whole. The Frenchman, who has ten assists and eleven goals to his name since moving to east London from Marseille last summer, was also recalled to his national side for upcoming friendly matches with the Netherlands and Russia. Everyone at West Ham United would like to congratulate Dimitri on his latest achievement.
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West Ham United are attempting to seduce Alexandre Lacazette
March 18, 2016
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
BKHammer
According to L'Équipe, Premier League side West Ham United are attempting to convince Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette to join them in the summer. The Hammers continue to send scouts on a weekly basis to observe Lacazette, with the Frenchman having already been the subject of a concrete bid from Newcastle United in January. Slaven Bilic has also asked Dimitri Payet to attempt to convince Alexandre Lacazette about the advantages that would afforded to the player of Premier League exposure and a London lifestyle. Owing to the increased Premier League TV deal, West Ham United have between €35m and €40m to spend on a striker this summer. West Ham's ultimate success in terms of convincing Lacazette will be down to the fact of whether or not they can offer Champions League football, because if they cannot, then it will be difficult to convince Lacazette and/or Michy Batshuayi, who the Hammers are watching intently. Lacazette's agent David Venditelli had the following to say on the matter: "At the moment, the idea is that Alexandre Lacazette will be at Lyon next season. In any case, we will discuss things when the time comes with Jean Michel Aulas. We have enough experience us two to know what we need to do for Alex's interests and for the club."
If West Ham fail in their pursuit of Lacazette, then they will turn to Batshuayi, who is a player that Slaven Bilic adores. However, the Hammers will face the competition of Atletico Madrid, Juventus and other Premier League sides for the Marseille man's signature in the summer. André Ayew is another player on West Ham's shopping list for the summer, according to the report.
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Dimitri Payet wins PFA Fans' Player of the Month award for February
Last Updated: 18/03/16 10:56am
SSN
West Ham forward Dimitri Payet has been named the PFA Fans' Player of the Month for February in the Premier League. Payet's performances last month helped Slaven Bilic's side to two wins and a draw as they stayed in the hunt for Champions League qualification. The Frenchman, who has been called up to his national squad for the friendlies against the Netherlands and Russia, won 41.6 per cent of the vote to beat off competition from West Ham team-mate Mark Noble (39.6 per cent) and Tottenham forward Christian Eriksen (18.8 per cent).
That selection was reduced from an initial 12-man list featuring Cesc Fabregas, Diego Costa (both Chelsea), Danny Rose (Tottenham), Fraser Forster (Southampton), Heurelho Gomes (Watford), Jamie Vardy (Leicester), Robert Huth (Leicester), Ross Barkley (Everton) and Salomon Rondon (West Brom).
Every month, throughout the English football season, fans will have the opportunity to vote on skysports.com for who they think has been the best player in the Barclays Premier League, Sky Bet Championship, Sky Bet League One and Sky Bet League Two, after Sky Sports teamed up with the PFA to be the digital platform for the Awards. Before the vote opens each month, an expert panel will produce a shortlist of contenders. Fans will then be able to vote for the player they think deserves the award. The panel includes Sky Sports football pundits Paul Merson, Ian Holloway and Peter Beagrie. That trio will be joined by Mike Riley, general manager of Professional Game Match Officials, and Malcolm Clarke, chairman of the Football Supporters Federation, as well as the winning fan from each month.
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Chelsea v West Ham preview: Slaven Bilic meets Guus Hiddink in Premier League for first time
Last Updated: 18/03/16 1:05pm
SSN
West Ham travel to Stamford Bridge this weekend confident of heaping yet more misery on a Chelsea side which have exited the Champions League and FA Cup. Chelsea are 10th with nine games to play after climbing from perilously close to the relegation zone a week before Christmas. West Ham are fifth, two points behind fourth-placed Manchester City, and take their quest for the top four and Champions League qualification across London. The Blues were knocked out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain and FA Cup by Everton last week, but the ailing champions will be aiming to finish the season on a high.
Team news
Guus Hiddink will be without striker Diego Costa, who is suspended for the game following his red card against Everton last weekend, while the Dutchman may also have to do without Eden Hazard, who missed the loss at Goodison Park with a minor hip injury. Kurt Zouma and Radamel Falcao remain sidelined through injury.
West Ham defender James Tomkins was expected to resume full training this week but will miss Saturday's trip. Tomkins is recovering from a calf injury and, like James Collins (hamstring), is anticipated to be available following the international break. On-loan Chelsea winger Victor Moses is ineligible to face his parent club, but Sam Byram comes into contention after being cup-tied for last week's draw at Manchester United.
Opta stats
Chelsea have won seven and lost none of the last nine Premier League games against West Ham at Stamford Bridge. The Blues have kept six clean sheets and conceded just three goals in that nine game run. Overall, West Ham have won just two of the last 19 Premier League meetings with Chelsea (W2 D3 L14). The Blues are unbeaten in 13 Premier League games since Jose Mourinho left (W6 D7), but have only won two at home (W2 D5). The Hammers have lost just two of their last 16 Premier League matches (W7 D7 L2).
Merson's predictions
Chelsea will be desperately trying to stop Slaven Bilic's side reaching the Champions League when the two sides meet at Stamford Bridge. West Ham are right in the hunt for European qualification but to get a result at Chelsea they will have to play from the first whistle. In recent weeks they've only come alive when they've been behind. They came back from 2-0 down against Norwich and they did the same at Everton, before going on to seal all three points. They can't afford to give Chelsea a head start. Again, there's not a lot between these two sides and I'm going for another 1-1 draw.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-1 (Sky Bet's odds: 11/2)
Betting
Chelsea are odds-on at 7/10 with Sky Bet despite their contrasting campaign to their London rivals, with West Ham available at 19/5 to win and 11/4 to secure a point. The Hammers are currently marginally odds-on for a top-six finish at 10/11, compared to their hosts' price of 7/2, and 8/1 to finish in the Champions League qualification places. Find out what the Soccer Saturday pundits and Jamie Redknapp are backing in their Sky Bet tips here.
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Irons admit striker interest – plus 11 others!
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 18, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
West Ham have tonight admitted the club has been tracking Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette but have warned fans not to get fixated on the odd one or two strikers mentioned in the media.
We were told by our most senior source: "He is one of 12 we have been looking at. We scout a huge number of players every season and Lacazette is one of them.
"It would be wrong for anyone to run off with the idea – as always seems to be inferred – that the name which may escape into the public domain is the only one that interests us."
The Sun reported earlier today that Slaven Bilic is believed to have asked Dimitri Payet to help convince his fellow countryman to move to the Premier League.
French international Lacazette has scored 64 goals in 165 Ligue 1 appearances for Lyon, attracting the attentions of Newcastle in the January transfer window.
The player's agent declared that the Lyon star wouldn't decide his future until summer adding that at the moment his future was seen as being at the French club.
And our source said: "That is our understanding too. He's on the list – along with all the others!"
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Keep Saturday evening 23rd April free
Posted by Sean Whetstone on March 18, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
Our potential FA Cup semi-final at Wembley stadium against Everton will be played on Saturday 23rd April with a 5.15pm kick off so keep that date keep just in case.
Watford's semi-final with Crystal Palace at Wembley will be played on Sunday April 24th at 4pm
Each club will get an allocation of 31,500 for the semis.
The FA cup replay between West Ham and Manchester United will be played Wednesday 6th April under the Boleyn ground lights.
The FA have already announced ticket price reductions for both the FA Cup semis and the final at the Wembley. The lowest priced tickets for the semis will be £33 which will account for 14% of the the overall tickets while the highest priced tickets will cost £63 which will account for 19% of all the tickets.
Should we make the FA Cup final this year, lowest priced tickets start at £50 (14% of all tickets) with the highest at £120 (19% of all tickets)
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OS contract decision on the way
Posted by Sean Whetstone on March 18, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
A reconvened appeal hearing against the decision to release full details of West Ham's Olympic Stadium deal with the LLDC was heard in London yesterday. OSA coalition of 14 supporters' trusts and groups had a complaint to the Information Commissioner upheld last year, the judgement ordered publication last year by the LLDC decided to appeal the decision. The coalition which has been backed by a number of GLA members, former Government ministers, MPs and others, has been seeking the contract's full publication of the agreement. Much of yesterday's hearing was heard in private and the judge is not expected to reveal their judgement. BBC sports journalist Chris Slegg has said the result will not be known for 2-3 weeks. Slegg posted on twitter "Tribunal into LLDC's appeal against decision that Olympic Stadium deal with West Ham must be made public has ended. Judge to rule in 2-3 wks"
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Irons star reckons we can turn Chelsea over
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 18, 2016 in News
C and H
Michail Antonio's verbal approach is precisely the same as his playing style – fearless and to the point. So it's no real surprise to hear him declare: "We can turn them over!" Speaking to www.whufc.com he declared: People are starting to take notice. They probably thought we'd be a top 12 team, that kind of position, but right now we're pushing and even if we fell off right now, which I don't feel we will, I reckon we would probably finish seventh this season. " We're going to go to Stamford Bridge on Saturday and try to get the three points and we believe that we can. They're on a good run, but their run's not as good as ours, so I reckon we can turn them over. All we can do is look forward. Last season we finished 12th, but right now we're pushing for Champions League spots. You never know, anything can happen, quarter finals of the FA Cup, last year at the Boleyn Ground, things are looking up for us. "I hear it will be Manchester United for the final game. Amazing game, what a game to end our time at the Boleyn Ground. What a game to end the Boleyn Ground on, having Manchester United, under the lights, at home. "It's going to be amazing. The fans are going to be up for it, bring it on. You can't rule Manchester United out of anything, so it could be a shoot-out for Europe! "
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West Ham plot to lure Arsenal and Liverpool striker target after £21.5m Newcastle snub
WEST HAM have reportedly entered the race to sign highly-rated Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette.
By LIAM SPENCE
PUBLISHED: 11:15, Fri, Mar 18, 2016 | UPDATED: 11:29, Fri, Mar 18, 2016
Express
The 24-year-old has been attracting interest from a host of Premier League clubs including Arsenal and Liverpool. Arsene Wenger's side are looking for cover for Olivier Giroud, while the Reds have earmarked the French international as a replacement for £32.5million flop Christian Benteke. Lacazette was even the subject of a January move to struggling Newcastle, but he rejected their £21.5m approach. Slaven Bilic's side currently sit fifth in the Premier League and are hopeful of securing a top-four spot and Champions League football for when they move to the Olympic Stadium next season. And French newspaper L'Equipe report that European football, the London lifestyle and the relationship Lacazette has with Dimitri Payet will be key factors in trying to tempt him into a move to the Hammers in the summer. The report adds that West Ham send scouts on a weekly basis to monitor Lacazette and have up to £31m to spend on a striker of his quality. Lacazette has scored scored 15 goals so far this season and would provide the Hammers with the required firepower to compete against the European elite. But Lacazette's agent David Venditelli admits that Lacazette's future lies with Lyon for the time being. He said: "At the moment, the idea is that Alexandre Lacazette will be at Lyon next season. In any case, we will discuss things when the time comes with Jean Michel Aulas. We have enough experience us two to know what we need to do for Alex's interests and for the club."
It is understood if the east London club were to miss out on Lacazette then they will turn their attention back to Marseille star Michy Batshuayi, who they are willing to pay £25million for. The report also claims they will approach Swansea's Andre Ayew about a move if they fail in their pursuit of both Lacazette and Batshuayi.
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Eden Hazard ruled out of Chelsea's West Ham clash as manager confirms lengthy injury
CHELSEA forward Eden Hazard faces up to a month on the sidelines, according to Belgium head coach Marc Wilmots.
By DAVID WRIGHT
PUBLISHED: 11:53, Fri, Mar 18, 2016 | UPDATED: 12:04, Fri, Mar 18, 2016
Express
The 25-year-old declared himself fit to face Everton on Saturday after picking up a hip injury in the Champions League defeat against Paris Saint-Germain three days before. But Blues manager Guud Hiddink refused to risk Hazard in the 2-0 defeat in the FA Cup quarter-finals. And now Wilmots has revealed Hazard faces three to four weeks out of action, which will keep him out of Belgium's upcoming friendlies against Portugal and Switzerland. "I have told Eden Hazard to have some rest," Wilmots said. "We are not too worried about. He has a muscle injury. He'll be out for 3-4 weeks." It will been Hazard will miss Chelsea's visit of London rivals West Ham tomorrow, as well as next month's games against Aston Villa, Swansea and Manchester City.
Wilmots also effectively ruled out City and Belgium captain Vincent Kompany for the rest of the season with another calf injury.
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West Ham plotting club-record move for in-demand Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette
By talkSPORT - @talkSPORT
Friday, March 18, 2016
West Ham are lining up a sensational club-record move for in-demand French striker Alexandre Lacazette, who is a target for both Newcastle and Arsenal. According to L'Equipe, the high-flying Hammers are the latest Premier League side to express an interest in the Lyon hotshot, who has emerged as one of the best strikers in Ligue 1. The 24-year-old has netted 13 times in 26 outings this term, following on from his 27-goal haul last season, and Lyon are bracing themselves for summer interest. And that may come from east London, especially if West Ham manage to cap a fine season by qualifying for next season's Champions League. L'Equipe claim that Slaven Bilic could have as much as £32million to spend this summer and they reckon he could use it to prise Lacazette away from southern France. West Ham struck gold by landing the striker's compatriot Dimitri Payet from Marseille in 2015 and they could be about to combine the French duo in the Premier League.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
PREVIEW
Preview - Chelsea
The background
With the Blues falling out of both the FA Cup and the Champions League in their last two matches, there may not be a better time for West Ham United to face Guus Hiddink's side.
And it's a chance for the Hammers to do the double over their London rivals, having beaten Chelsea, then managed by Jose Mourinho, 2-1 back in October.
Goals from Mauro Zarate and Andy Carroll either side of Gary Cahill's equaliser from a corner secured Slaven Bilic's side's sixth league win of the campaign that day.
And there will be concerns for the hosts at Stamford Bridge too, with the Hammers in great form having jumped up the league table into fifth.
Previous to their defeats to Everton and Paris St. Germain which meant they exited two competitions, Chelsea have just one win from their last five home league matches.
Currently sitting down in tenth, Chelsea are set for their lowest league finish in 20 years unless they can catch those four places above them.
The history
The Hammers will take on Chelsea for the 105th time on Saturday, with the Blues having edged the previous meetings over the years.
This weekend's hosts have won 47 of those, with West Ham victorious on 38 occasions. The two sides have played out 19 draws.
In the last meeting at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea – who went on to win the league – were 2-0 winners with John Terry and Diego Costa grabbing the goals in December 2014.
Match info
Team news
Chelsea
Diego Costa is banned for the Blues after his red card at Everton last weekend, and Eden Hazard is a doubt.
Last season's champions will also be without Kurt Zouma and Radamel Falcao who are out with long-term problems.
West Ham United
The cup-tied Sam Byram missed out at Manchester United last weekend but could return on Saturday, however James Collins and James Tomkins will miss out through injury.
Another player unavailable for selection will be Victor Moses, who is ineligible to face his parent club.
Match facts
Robert Madley is referee at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. The official has taken charge of 25 games so far this season, issuing 70 bookings and four red cards
If West Ham record the victory on Saturday, it will be the first time they have completed the league double over Chelsea since the 2002/03 season
The Hammers, however, have only won two of the last seven meetings between the sides
The Hammers are unbeaten in their last seven matches (W5, D2)
Chelsea have only won three of their last nine outings in all competitions (W3, D3, L3)
With Manchester City not playing until Sunday, a win for the Hammers would put them into the top four
Ticketing, coverage, travel and other info
Away tickets for Saturday's match have SOLD OUT
A cloudy but dry day is expected at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, and the temperature will be 8C (46F) at kick-off
There will be no district line service between West Ham and Tower Hill due to planned engineering works this weekend, but replacement bus services will operate
Supporters should travel to Fulham Broadway if travelling by tube to visit Stamford Bridge on Saturday
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Payet wins another award!
WHUFC.com
Dimitri Payet has been voted PFA Fans' Player of the Month for February after his string of terrific performances propelled the Hammers to fifth in the Barclays Premier League table.
The Frenchman, who enjoyed a sensational month in the league and Emirates FA Cup, just pipped teammate and Hammers skipper Mark Noble, who came second, to the award voted by supporters.
The 28-year-old's impressive displays saw him register a goal and assist at Norwich City and contribute to wins over Aston Villa and Sunderland for Slaven Bilic's side. His brilliance was clear in the FA Cup too. There, he again showed his talent by setting up Angelo Ogbonna's dramatic fourth-round replay winner and in the 5-1 destruction of Blackburn Rovers by scoring a 25-yard free-kick and marvelous individual goal. Payet was voted winner just ahead of Noble, who plays in his Testimonial match at the Boleyn Ground on Monday 28. The captain smashed in a late leveller at Carrow Road and was influential throughout the month of February. The latest accolade comes just a fortnight after Payet picked up the London Player of the Year award in recognition of his super season as a whole. The Frenchman, who has ten assists and eleven goals to his name since moving to east London from Marseille last summer, was also recalled to his national side for upcoming friendly matches with the Netherlands and Russia. Everyone at West Ham United would like to congratulate Dimitri on his latest achievement.
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From the Terraces
WHUFC.com
Lifelong Hammers fan Jack Fawbert looks back at some special moments at the Boleyn Ground...
Until the age of 12 I wasn't very interested in football. Then, in 1962, a mate from school took me to see West Ham beat Everton 4-0 at the Boleyn Ground. I immediately fell in love with everything about the experience; the roar of the crowd, the chicken run swaying to 'Bubbles' and the commitment of all those men in flat caps. I saw every game of the 1964 cup run, including the final. I saw every home game of the European Cup Winners' Cup run as well as the Final at Wembley. Our coach from Barking broke down on the way and we just got inside the stadium as they kicked off. Much has changed since those halcyon days; the flat caps are gone, as have the old chicken run and the standing terraces in the, then uncovered, North Bank.
But, many things have stayed more or less the same; the closeness of the pitch to the terraces where, in Trevor Brooking's words 'you can smell the grass', the singing of 'Bubbles', the passion of the fans and, of course, those famous claret and blue shirts. Whilst the claim that 'football is always better in the past' is questionable, not least because of a seeming collective amnesia about the bad times, there is no doubt that such 'tradition' and 'heritage' are very important to West Ham fans like me as well as to the new generations of fans who have bought into the 'West Ham family'. Whilst nostalgic reminiscences of 'the good old days' of Greenwood, Lyall, Moore, Hurst and Peters also need to be tempered with the realities of a more globalised, commercialized and corporate enterprise today, the years of commitment to an ideal held by many thousands of people like me has to be memorialised into the very structures and ethos of the new Stadium as we venture into a brave new world post-Boleyn Ground.
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Cheik's in for five more years!
WHUFC.com
West Ham United are delighted to confirm that Cheikhou Kouyate has signed a new long-term contract with the Club.
The Senegal star has put pen to paper on a deal that will keep him at the Club until summer 2021.
For Kouyate, the new contract comes after 20 outstanding months in Claret and Blue, during which the No8 has caught the eye and won over fans and pundits alike with his power, pace, technical ability and knack of scoring important goals.
Get your Kouyate shirt now - personalise your 2015/16 shirt for £15
In all, the midfielder becomes the ninth player to commit his future to the Hammers since the start of 2015, following Payet, Mark Noble, Winston Reid, Adrian, James Collins, James Tomkins, Aaron Cresswell and Diafra Sakho.
Speaking to West Ham TV, Kouyate said the Club's vision for a successful future, on and off the pitch, played a big part in his decision to ink his new deal.
The 26-year-old said: "I am happy to have renewed my contract with West Ham. I am very happy and would like to thank everybody here at the club, the manager, the fans and also my parents. I think that it is the start of the next chapter for us to go on and discover the new Stadium."
"It means that the Club trusts me and that means a lot for me. There is a lot of work for me still to do and I need to continue working hard and prepare for the move to the Olympic Stadium and most of all to keep on entertaining the fans."
Born in Dakar, where he started with the ASC Yego club, Kouyate moved to European football with FC Brussels in 2006 at the age of 16.
From there, the 6'4 player was snapped up by RSC Anderlecht, where he enjoyed six outstanding seasons, winning four Belgian Pro League titles, three Belgian Super Cups and appearing more than 40 times in European competition.
Kouyate moved to east London in summer 2014 and has not looked back, immediately catching the eye with his athleticism and will to win.
Likened to former France star Patrick Vieira, the new Hammer scored fine goals against Arsenal, Manchester United – winning the Club's Performance of the Season award for his display against the Red Devils – Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City.
Kouyate began the current campaign with another Barclays Premier League goal against the Gunners, followed by a last-gasp equaliser at home to Norwich City and another in a victory over Aston Villa.
It has not just been the African player's goals that have set him apart, however, as Kouyate is also regularly among the Hammers' leaders in tackles, interceptions and blocks made.
Capped more than 20 times, Kouyate has captained his country and appeared for the Lions of Teranga at the 2012 London Olympic Games and 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.
With West Ham riding high in the Barclays Premier League, still in the Emirates FA Cup and preparing to move to the 54,000-seater Stadium in Stratford, and Senegal through to the third round of 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying, Kouyate's star is set to rise still further for Club and country.
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From the Boardroom - David Gold
WHUFC.com
I want to start with more fantastic news for the Club and I am thrilled that Cheikhou Kouyate has pledged his long-term future to West Ham United and signed a new five-year contract.
It once again proves that we are determined to bring in top quality players and keep them on a long-term basis as we move ever closer to our historic move into the new Stadium during the summer.
We have won the right to dream and for once our dreams are coming true. Our dream was not to face a relegation struggle and challenge at the very top and that is what we have done.
It will be a surprise to many but we always felt that the squad of players that we were putting together would help us knock on the door of the big teams.
As I said earlier in the season the big boys will start looking over their shoulders and that has proved to be the case.
In fact we are now looking over our shoulders at some of the big teams! We have come a long way.
I hope our good run against the London teams can continue on Saturday when we face Chelsea.
We have already done the double over some big clubs this season, notably Liverpool for the first time in over 50-years and this is another great opportunity for us by beating Chelsea at their place.
We know it will not be easy as they have gone 13 games unbeaten in the Premier League and have been on an incredible run since Guus Hiddink took charge. They will be looking to continue that run.
However we are not the team of yesteryear and have every chance of pulling off the double.
It is hard to believe the transformation that has taken place at the Club but it was always our plan to bring in quality players.
We had confidence in the manager and have continued our policy of bringing in quality signings.
We are over our injury scares of a few months ago when we were getting more than normal and all our players are coming back which is great news.
It is fantastic news that Dimitri Payet has won the PFA Fans' Player of the Month for February with Mark Noble coming second.
It once again shows the quality of our players and the impact that Slaven is having on players like Mark who is arguably having his best season.
Although Dimitri has missed two months of the season, he has been absolutely exceptional throughout the rest of the season and keeps getting better.
The fans are singing his name every game and only special players are treated in this way.
He has the natural ability where he relates to the fans and enjoys the fans love. It is a one-off and he would certainly be my Player of the Year with Mark Noble just behind him.
It is the perfect storm – we have players who have been at the club for a number of years and are having their best season.
We also have new players coming in who are performing beyond our expectations and have a manager who is exceeding our expectations.
All these things have come together at a time when we are celebrating our final ever season at the Boleyn Ground and we then prepare for our move to the new Stadium during the summer.
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FA Cup replay date confirmed
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's Emirates FA Cup quarter-final replay against Manchester United will be played on Wednesday 6 April, with a kick-off time of 7:00pm. The tie will be the last ever match in the competition to be played at the Boleyn Ground and will be live on the BBC. The Hammers were held to a draw at Old Trafford last Sunday when Anthony Martial cancelled out Dimitri Payet's superb opener. The Frenchman curled in a 30-yard free-kick to send the travelling supporters wild, but his fellow countryman Martial was able to equalise with seven minutes remaining. In the previous round, Slaven Bilic's side had progressed by beating Blackburn Rovers 5-1 at Ewood Park. The winners of the quarter-final replay will face Everton at Wembley on Saturday 23 April at 5:15pm.
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The Big Interview - Cheikhou Kouyate
WHUFC.com
Cheikhou Kouyate joined the list of West Ham United players to commit their long-term future to the Club on Friday when he put pen-to-paper on a new five-year deal.
The Senegal midfielder is excited at the prospect of playing an integral role as the Hammers look to establish themselves at the top end of the Barclays Premier League in the Stadium on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
More immediately, he also has ambitions of getting his hands on silverware this term…
Congratulations on signing the new deal, Cheikhou. What is your reaction?
CK: "I am happy to have renewed my contract with West Ham. I am very happy and would like to thank everybody here at the club, the manager, the fans and also my parents. I think that it is the start of the next chapter for us to go on and discover the new Stadium."
What was the main reason for agreeing to extend your contract?
CK: "It means that the Club trusts me and that means a lot for me. There is a lot of work for me still to do and I need to continue working hard and prepare for the move to the Olympic Stadium and most of all to keep on entertaining the fans.
"We know that this is the last season here at Upton Park and that this summer we leave behind this stadium, but I am really excited to begin the next year with my team. I am delighted to have signed the contract which allows to play a part in this project."
How excited are you to play in front of 54,000 West Ham fans next season?
CK: "Even when playing at Upton Park, I get excited by the support the fans give us. It is the same when we play away from home too, they are always there for us. At Manchester United this weekend, there were around 10,000 fans and their support sent shivers down my spine. So now, imagining the new stadium, when we will have over 50,000 fans behind us, it is just going to be magnificent."
Do you feel like you have a special relationship with the fans?
CK: "It is incredible with the fans. I have never seen that in my career, the fans here really are magnificent. I often speak with Dimitri and we are both really impressed by the fans here."
On the pitch, how have you grown as a player?
CK: "It is my second year in England. I used last year as a year to learn and I think that I learnt a lot from Sam. This year, we have had a new manager in Slaven and he has helped me a lot. He has helped me to open up my game and I think that working with him will allow me to improve a lot more as a player.
What has been the highlight of your West Ham career so far?
CK: "I want to keep that to myself because we really want to go right to the end of the FA Cup this year. I take pleasure from every game that I play in a West Ham shirt and we really want to win the Cup. We have two finals before the final. First of all, we will give our all to beat Manchester United at home. Then if we manage that, it will be at Wembley and I am really striving to win this cup with West Ham and to try to guarantee a place in Europe for us for next season."
How much has the manager helped you?
CK: "He has really helped me and he is a coach that is really close to his players. He speaks to us a lot and personally, he speaks to me a lot and he has freed my game up. He is a coach that can take us forward and I am really pleased to be working with him. "
What are your hopes now for yourself and for West Ham?
CK: "We have our project here and I will be trying to lead West Ham as far as I possibly can. Within a few years, I think you will see us playing our football at the highest level possible."
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Adrian has fond memories of Stamford Bridge
WHUFC.com
Adrian has enjoyed many career highlights at West Ham following his move to the Boleyn Ground back in June 2013. Few could forget his match winning penalty against Everton in the FA Cup last season, while he will never forget his first save for the club when he made a superb block to deny Manchester United's Tom Cleverley on his debut at Old Trafford. But one of the best games for Adrian came against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge back in January 2014. The Hammers were facing a relegation battle at the time, but their season turned around following a superb display in west London when they came away with a 0-0 draw against the former Premier League champions. One of the biggest factors behind that result was the superb form shown by Adrian that night as he made an incredible 39 saves to stop Chelsea getting on the scoresheet. One of the best saves was to deny Oscar's curling effort which looked destined for the top corner and it won him the save of the season at the Club's end of season awards. Adrian says he will never forget that match and hopes to come away with another clean sheet this weekend. West Ham return to the Bridge with different aspirations this season and can move into the top four on Saturday if they manage to secure another crucial three points.
Adrian said: "I have happy memories of going to Stamford Bridge. For a goalkeeper that had to be my best game there because I kept a clean sheet after many shots on targets and I made a number of saves. "We came away with a point and it was so important for us because we were fighting relegation at that moment and at the end of the season that point was crucial for us. "Now it is a different story and we are in a good position in the table and now we are playing for other things. "We are a different team and we have the chance to beat them and I think it will be a very good game on Saturday."
Adrian understands why the Hammers fans are starting to dream about Champions League football next season following the Club's superb run of form. But the Spanish keeper is refusing to get carried away and says the players must stay focused on the final nine league games to ensure they give themselves the best possible chance of finishing in the top four. Adrian added: "Everybody can dream about this (Champions League) but we have to take it step-by-step and we just have to focus on the next game. "The West Ham philosophy is like this that we have to keep working and prepare for the next game. We now have Chelsea and if we beat them it will put us in an even better position in the table. "The league is so tight and the top of the table is so close. If you lose two games in a row you can lose your position so we have to keep our concentration.
"We are in a good position in the table and are confident and we will keep looking to achieve that goal. "We have a big chance to beat them and they are not having the best Premier League season but they will want to beat us playing at home and move towards the top of the table. "But we have shown that we will fight towards the end and it will be a great game for both teams."
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Cheikhou Kouyate: West Ham midfielder signs new deal
BBC.co.uk
West Ham midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate has signed a new contract with the club until the end of the 2020-21 season. Kouyate, 26, joined the Hammers from Anderlecht in 2014 and has made 63 appearances, scoring eight goals. "There is a lot of work for me still to do and I need to continue working hard," Kouyate told the club's website. West Ham are currently fifth in the Premier League, two points off a Champions League place, and move to the Olympic Stadium next season.
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Chelsea v West Ham United
SAT, 19 MAR 2016PREMIER LEAGUE
15:00
Venue: Stamford Bridge
Dimitri Payet has had a hand in 21 goals for West Ham this season.
TEAM NEWS
Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard will be out for up to four weeks with a hip problem, according to his national coach Marc Wilmots. Diego Costa is suspended after his red card in the FA Cup defeat last weekend.
West Ham remain without James Tomkins and James Collins because of calf and hamstring injuries respectively. On-loan winger Victor Moses is ineligible to face his parent club, but Sam Byram is available after being cup-tied last week.
MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES
Simon Brotherton: "Claudio Ranieri is a shoo-in for manager of the year, but Slaven Bilic should be on the podium too, with West Ham now genuine contenders for Champions League football.
"They're only a couple of points behind Manchester City and have only lost two of the last 16 league games. "This looks a good time for the Hammers to go to Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea hardly on the crest of a wave after being knocked out of both the Champions League and FA Cup in their last two matches. "Guus Hiddink has steadied the ship well, and they remain undefeated in the Premier League since his return, but too many draws have limited their progress up the table."
Twitter: @SimonBrotherton
WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic: "Chelsea are thinking there's nine games to go and if they click they can finish very, very high also. "In that sense it's not a great time [to play them] because now they have only Premier League. Make no mistake - I'm expecting them to be really hungry and totally focused on the Premier League."
LAWRO'S PREDICTION
Chelsea's season was effectively ended by that FA Cup defeat by Everton, and they will be without suspended striker Diego Costa at the weekend. I am tempted to back the Hammers to win again, but Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink remains unbeaten in the Premier League since taking over before Christmas and I think he will rack up another draw here.
Prediction: 1-1
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
West Ham have won just one of their last six meetings with Chelsea (D1, L4) - but that came in the most recent clash, a 2-1 victory at Upton Park in October. Nemanja Matic and then-Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho were sent off in that game.
Chelsea are unbeaten the last nine times they have hosted West Ham in the Premier League (W7, D2).
Chelsea
Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 13 Premier League matches, the best current run in the top flight. They have not lost in the competition in Guus Hiddink's second spell at the club.
The Blues have drawn five of their last six home games in the league, keeping a clean sheet in only one of those matches.
Only Everton and Manchester City have scored more than Chelsea's 27 home goals in this season's Premier League.
Chelsea are the only team in the Premier League not to concede a goal inside the opening 15 minutes of a match this season.
West Ham
West Ham have won their last three Premier League matches. The last time they won four in a row in the league was in February 2014.
The Hammers have scored more goals away from home than at Upton Park this season.
They have scored three goals in a game on five occasions in this season's Premier League: four of those have come on the road, including last time at Everton.
Dimitri Payet has five goals and five assists in his last seven competitive appearances for West Ham United.
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FA Cup semi-final: Everton v West Ham or Man Utd live on BBC
Bbc.CO.UK
Everton's FA Cup semi-final tie against West Ham or Manchester United will be shown live on BBC One. The match will take place at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, 23 April, kicking off at 17:15 GMT. Crystal Palace will take on Watford at the same venue on Sunday, 24 April at 16:00 GMT, with the match to be shown on BT Sport. The winning semi-finalists, who receive £900,000 from the FA's prize fund, will meet in the final on Saturday, 21 May.
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Payet wins another award!
March 18, 2016
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
BKHammer
Dimitri Payet has been voted PFA Fans' Player of the Month for February after his string of terrific performances propelled the Hammers to fifth in the Barclays Premier League table reports whufc.com. The Frenchman, who enjoyed a sensational month in the league and Emirates FA Cup, just pipped teammate and Hammers skipper Mark Noble, who came second, to the award voted by supporters. The 28-year-old's impressive displays saw him register a goal and assist at Norwich City and contribute to wins over Aston Villa and Sunderland for Slaven Bilic's side.
His brilliance was clear in the FA Cup too. There, he again showed his talent by setting up Angelo Ogbonna's dramatic fourth-round replay winner and in the 5-1 destruction of Blackburn Rovers by scoring a 25-yard free-kick and marvelous individual goal. Payet was voted winner just ahead of Noble, who plays in his Testimonial match at the Boleyn Ground on Monday 28. The captain smashed in a late leveller at Carrow Road and was influential throughout the month of February. The latest accolade comes just a fortnight after Payet picked up the London Player of the Year award in recognition of his super season as a whole. The Frenchman, who has ten assists and eleven goals to his name since moving to east London from Marseille last summer, was also recalled to his national side for upcoming friendly matches with the Netherlands and Russia. Everyone at West Ham United would like to congratulate Dimitri on his latest achievement.
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West Ham United are attempting to seduce Alexandre Lacazette
March 18, 2016
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
BKHammer
According to L'Équipe, Premier League side West Ham United are attempting to convince Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette to join them in the summer. The Hammers continue to send scouts on a weekly basis to observe Lacazette, with the Frenchman having already been the subject of a concrete bid from Newcastle United in January. Slaven Bilic has also asked Dimitri Payet to attempt to convince Alexandre Lacazette about the advantages that would afforded to the player of Premier League exposure and a London lifestyle. Owing to the increased Premier League TV deal, West Ham United have between €35m and €40m to spend on a striker this summer. West Ham's ultimate success in terms of convincing Lacazette will be down to the fact of whether or not they can offer Champions League football, because if they cannot, then it will be difficult to convince Lacazette and/or Michy Batshuayi, who the Hammers are watching intently. Lacazette's agent David Venditelli had the following to say on the matter: "At the moment, the idea is that Alexandre Lacazette will be at Lyon next season. In any case, we will discuss things when the time comes with Jean Michel Aulas. We have enough experience us two to know what we need to do for Alex's interests and for the club."
If West Ham fail in their pursuit of Lacazette, then they will turn to Batshuayi, who is a player that Slaven Bilic adores. However, the Hammers will face the competition of Atletico Madrid, Juventus and other Premier League sides for the Marseille man's signature in the summer. André Ayew is another player on West Ham's shopping list for the summer, according to the report.
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Dimitri Payet wins PFA Fans' Player of the Month award for February
Last Updated: 18/03/16 10:56am
SSN
West Ham forward Dimitri Payet has been named the PFA Fans' Player of the Month for February in the Premier League. Payet's performances last month helped Slaven Bilic's side to two wins and a draw as they stayed in the hunt for Champions League qualification. The Frenchman, who has been called up to his national squad for the friendlies against the Netherlands and Russia, won 41.6 per cent of the vote to beat off competition from West Ham team-mate Mark Noble (39.6 per cent) and Tottenham forward Christian Eriksen (18.8 per cent).
That selection was reduced from an initial 12-man list featuring Cesc Fabregas, Diego Costa (both Chelsea), Danny Rose (Tottenham), Fraser Forster (Southampton), Heurelho Gomes (Watford), Jamie Vardy (Leicester), Robert Huth (Leicester), Ross Barkley (Everton) and Salomon Rondon (West Brom).
Every month, throughout the English football season, fans will have the opportunity to vote on skysports.com for who they think has been the best player in the Barclays Premier League, Sky Bet Championship, Sky Bet League One and Sky Bet League Two, after Sky Sports teamed up with the PFA to be the digital platform for the Awards. Before the vote opens each month, an expert panel will produce a shortlist of contenders. Fans will then be able to vote for the player they think deserves the award. The panel includes Sky Sports football pundits Paul Merson, Ian Holloway and Peter Beagrie. That trio will be joined by Mike Riley, general manager of Professional Game Match Officials, and Malcolm Clarke, chairman of the Football Supporters Federation, as well as the winning fan from each month.
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Chelsea v West Ham preview: Slaven Bilic meets Guus Hiddink in Premier League for first time
Last Updated: 18/03/16 1:05pm
SSN
West Ham travel to Stamford Bridge this weekend confident of heaping yet more misery on a Chelsea side which have exited the Champions League and FA Cup. Chelsea are 10th with nine games to play after climbing from perilously close to the relegation zone a week before Christmas. West Ham are fifth, two points behind fourth-placed Manchester City, and take their quest for the top four and Champions League qualification across London. The Blues were knocked out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain and FA Cup by Everton last week, but the ailing champions will be aiming to finish the season on a high.
Team news
Guus Hiddink will be without striker Diego Costa, who is suspended for the game following his red card against Everton last weekend, while the Dutchman may also have to do without Eden Hazard, who missed the loss at Goodison Park with a minor hip injury. Kurt Zouma and Radamel Falcao remain sidelined through injury.
West Ham defender James Tomkins was expected to resume full training this week but will miss Saturday's trip. Tomkins is recovering from a calf injury and, like James Collins (hamstring), is anticipated to be available following the international break. On-loan Chelsea winger Victor Moses is ineligible to face his parent club, but Sam Byram comes into contention after being cup-tied for last week's draw at Manchester United.
Opta stats
Chelsea have won seven and lost none of the last nine Premier League games against West Ham at Stamford Bridge. The Blues have kept six clean sheets and conceded just three goals in that nine game run. Overall, West Ham have won just two of the last 19 Premier League meetings with Chelsea (W2 D3 L14). The Blues are unbeaten in 13 Premier League games since Jose Mourinho left (W6 D7), but have only won two at home (W2 D5). The Hammers have lost just two of their last 16 Premier League matches (W7 D7 L2).
Merson's predictions
Chelsea will be desperately trying to stop Slaven Bilic's side reaching the Champions League when the two sides meet at Stamford Bridge. West Ham are right in the hunt for European qualification but to get a result at Chelsea they will have to play from the first whistle. In recent weeks they've only come alive when they've been behind. They came back from 2-0 down against Norwich and they did the same at Everton, before going on to seal all three points. They can't afford to give Chelsea a head start. Again, there's not a lot between these two sides and I'm going for another 1-1 draw.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-1 (Sky Bet's odds: 11/2)
Betting
Chelsea are odds-on at 7/10 with Sky Bet despite their contrasting campaign to their London rivals, with West Ham available at 19/5 to win and 11/4 to secure a point. The Hammers are currently marginally odds-on for a top-six finish at 10/11, compared to their hosts' price of 7/2, and 8/1 to finish in the Champions League qualification places. Find out what the Soccer Saturday pundits and Jamie Redknapp are backing in their Sky Bet tips here.
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Irons admit striker interest – plus 11 others!
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 18, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
West Ham have tonight admitted the club has been tracking Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette but have warned fans not to get fixated on the odd one or two strikers mentioned in the media.
We were told by our most senior source: "He is one of 12 we have been looking at. We scout a huge number of players every season and Lacazette is one of them.
"It would be wrong for anyone to run off with the idea – as always seems to be inferred – that the name which may escape into the public domain is the only one that interests us."
The Sun reported earlier today that Slaven Bilic is believed to have asked Dimitri Payet to help convince his fellow countryman to move to the Premier League.
French international Lacazette has scored 64 goals in 165 Ligue 1 appearances for Lyon, attracting the attentions of Newcastle in the January transfer window.
The player's agent declared that the Lyon star wouldn't decide his future until summer adding that at the moment his future was seen as being at the French club.
And our source said: "That is our understanding too. He's on the list – along with all the others!"
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Keep Saturday evening 23rd April free
Posted by Sean Whetstone on March 18, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
Our potential FA Cup semi-final at Wembley stadium against Everton will be played on Saturday 23rd April with a 5.15pm kick off so keep that date keep just in case.
Watford's semi-final with Crystal Palace at Wembley will be played on Sunday April 24th at 4pm
Each club will get an allocation of 31,500 for the semis.
The FA cup replay between West Ham and Manchester United will be played Wednesday 6th April under the Boleyn ground lights.
The FA have already announced ticket price reductions for both the FA Cup semis and the final at the Wembley. The lowest priced tickets for the semis will be £33 which will account for 14% of the the overall tickets while the highest priced tickets will cost £63 which will account for 19% of all the tickets.
Should we make the FA Cup final this year, lowest priced tickets start at £50 (14% of all tickets) with the highest at £120 (19% of all tickets)
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OS contract decision on the way
Posted by Sean Whetstone on March 18, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
A reconvened appeal hearing against the decision to release full details of West Ham's Olympic Stadium deal with the LLDC was heard in London yesterday. OSA coalition of 14 supporters' trusts and groups had a complaint to the Information Commissioner upheld last year, the judgement ordered publication last year by the LLDC decided to appeal the decision. The coalition which has been backed by a number of GLA members, former Government ministers, MPs and others, has been seeking the contract's full publication of the agreement. Much of yesterday's hearing was heard in private and the judge is not expected to reveal their judgement. BBC sports journalist Chris Slegg has said the result will not be known for 2-3 weeks. Slegg posted on twitter "Tribunal into LLDC's appeal against decision that Olympic Stadium deal with West Ham must be made public has ended. Judge to rule in 2-3 wks"
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Irons star reckons we can turn Chelsea over
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 18, 2016 in News
C and H
Michail Antonio's verbal approach is precisely the same as his playing style – fearless and to the point. So it's no real surprise to hear him declare: "We can turn them over!" Speaking to www.whufc.com he declared: People are starting to take notice. They probably thought we'd be a top 12 team, that kind of position, but right now we're pushing and even if we fell off right now, which I don't feel we will, I reckon we would probably finish seventh this season. " We're going to go to Stamford Bridge on Saturday and try to get the three points and we believe that we can. They're on a good run, but their run's not as good as ours, so I reckon we can turn them over. All we can do is look forward. Last season we finished 12th, but right now we're pushing for Champions League spots. You never know, anything can happen, quarter finals of the FA Cup, last year at the Boleyn Ground, things are looking up for us. "I hear it will be Manchester United for the final game. Amazing game, what a game to end our time at the Boleyn Ground. What a game to end the Boleyn Ground on, having Manchester United, under the lights, at home. "It's going to be amazing. The fans are going to be up for it, bring it on. You can't rule Manchester United out of anything, so it could be a shoot-out for Europe! "
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West Ham plot to lure Arsenal and Liverpool striker target after £21.5m Newcastle snub
WEST HAM have reportedly entered the race to sign highly-rated Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette.
By LIAM SPENCE
PUBLISHED: 11:15, Fri, Mar 18, 2016 | UPDATED: 11:29, Fri, Mar 18, 2016
Express
The 24-year-old has been attracting interest from a host of Premier League clubs including Arsenal and Liverpool. Arsene Wenger's side are looking for cover for Olivier Giroud, while the Reds have earmarked the French international as a replacement for £32.5million flop Christian Benteke. Lacazette was even the subject of a January move to struggling Newcastle, but he rejected their £21.5m approach. Slaven Bilic's side currently sit fifth in the Premier League and are hopeful of securing a top-four spot and Champions League football for when they move to the Olympic Stadium next season. And French newspaper L'Equipe report that European football, the London lifestyle and the relationship Lacazette has with Dimitri Payet will be key factors in trying to tempt him into a move to the Hammers in the summer. The report adds that West Ham send scouts on a weekly basis to monitor Lacazette and have up to £31m to spend on a striker of his quality. Lacazette has scored scored 15 goals so far this season and would provide the Hammers with the required firepower to compete against the European elite. But Lacazette's agent David Venditelli admits that Lacazette's future lies with Lyon for the time being. He said: "At the moment, the idea is that Alexandre Lacazette will be at Lyon next season. In any case, we will discuss things when the time comes with Jean Michel Aulas. We have enough experience us two to know what we need to do for Alex's interests and for the club."
It is understood if the east London club were to miss out on Lacazette then they will turn their attention back to Marseille star Michy Batshuayi, who they are willing to pay £25million for. The report also claims they will approach Swansea's Andre Ayew about a move if they fail in their pursuit of both Lacazette and Batshuayi.
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Eden Hazard ruled out of Chelsea's West Ham clash as manager confirms lengthy injury
CHELSEA forward Eden Hazard faces up to a month on the sidelines, according to Belgium head coach Marc Wilmots.
By DAVID WRIGHT
PUBLISHED: 11:53, Fri, Mar 18, 2016 | UPDATED: 12:04, Fri, Mar 18, 2016
Express
The 25-year-old declared himself fit to face Everton on Saturday after picking up a hip injury in the Champions League defeat against Paris Saint-Germain three days before. But Blues manager Guud Hiddink refused to risk Hazard in the 2-0 defeat in the FA Cup quarter-finals. And now Wilmots has revealed Hazard faces three to four weeks out of action, which will keep him out of Belgium's upcoming friendlies against Portugal and Switzerland. "I have told Eden Hazard to have some rest," Wilmots said. "We are not too worried about. He has a muscle injury. He'll be out for 3-4 weeks." It will been Hazard will miss Chelsea's visit of London rivals West Ham tomorrow, as well as next month's games against Aston Villa, Swansea and Manchester City.
Wilmots also effectively ruled out City and Belgium captain Vincent Kompany for the rest of the season with another calf injury.
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West Ham plotting club-record move for in-demand Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette
By talkSPORT - @talkSPORT
Friday, March 18, 2016
West Ham are lining up a sensational club-record move for in-demand French striker Alexandre Lacazette, who is a target for both Newcastle and Arsenal. According to L'Equipe, the high-flying Hammers are the latest Premier League side to express an interest in the Lyon hotshot, who has emerged as one of the best strikers in Ligue 1. The 24-year-old has netted 13 times in 26 outings this term, following on from his 27-goal haul last season, and Lyon are bracing themselves for summer interest. And that may come from east London, especially if West Ham manage to cap a fine season by qualifying for next season's Champions League. L'Equipe claim that Slaven Bilic could have as much as £32million to spend this summer and they reckon he could use it to prise Lacazette away from southern France. West Ham struck gold by landing the striker's compatriot Dimitri Payet from Marseille in 2015 and they could be about to combine the French duo in the Premier League.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Friday, March 18
Daily WHUFC News -
Westley hails deserved victory
WHUFC.com
Following an enthralling 3-2 semi-final win over Liverpool at Rush Green,
Academy director Terry Westley said his side fully deserved their place in
the final. Having come from a goal down after Pedro Chirivella scored early
on, Doneil Henry's close range finish levelled the proceedings. With the
scores level after 90 minutes, Marcus Browne scored his second goal in two
games with a cushioned finish yet livewire Sheyi Ojo utilised a loose ball
to equalise. However, seconds later the Hammers were ahead, and in some
style as Stephen Hendrie's thunderbolt of a strike gave Adam Bogdan no
chance of saving. Speaking after a gruelling yet ultimately successful
night, Westley said: "We deserve to be in the final, we spoke about that
earlier in the week, that was the prize we were vying for, and thankfully
we've got there. "Tonight was a terrific advert for youth football, and now
we have the opportunity to play a final at the Boleyn Ground, in the final
season. So it's a very special opportunity and one we are all really looking
forward to, it is a massive honour. "It was a tough game, a proper game if
you like. This was everything that young players need to develop. It had
commitment, it was a passing game, there was tackles flying in. "Both teams
took it seriously tonight, whatever the team they fielded tonight, we had to
face it and be prepared to compete and that is what we did. "Everyone who
played tonight did well. There were so many positives for us tonight; it
would take too long to mention them all."
The Development Squad will now face Hull City in a two-leg final which will
take place in both home stadiums. Westley continued: "Doneil really
committed himself, as did Oxford who's has had an small injury recently.
Added to that Hendrie and Spiegel, were excellent, they've all done
superbly. "Marcus absolutely terrorised them tonight, that's his second red
card so he has to curb that but overall he was magnificent. He was so good
that he got under Skrtel's skin, so that says a lot. He has that ability
that not many people have, of breaking down lines, and running past people,
it's a skill that is getting rarer and rarer."
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Lanzini - We can dream big
WHUFC.com
Manuel Lanzini is urging the Hammers to dream big ahead of the final stage
of the season. The Argentine feels that with the side's current form and the
way they are playing, a place in the top four is possible and believes that
a strong performance against a tricky Chelsea side on Saturday can put them
on track to do so. He told whufc.com: "I think that European qualification
is definitely possible. With the way we are playing at the moment, anything
is possible. In football anything can happen, there can always be surprises
in football. "We are well placed in the table and that hasn't happened by
chance. I think we are playing well and we are having a great season with
the brilliant squad that the manager has built. "Obviously, when you are in
a position like we are, you always want more. So why not dream of being in
the Champions League next season. "I think the game against Chelsea is going
to be a really tricky one because we know that they are one of the biggest
teams in the Premier League. "We need to concentrate on ourselves though, to
continue the way we are playing and to keep trying as we have been. If we
play well, then we can get the three points."
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Young defenders bag maiden strikes
Two young Hammers were on the scoresheet for the very first time for the
Under-21s as West Ham United beat Liverpool 3-2 in the semi-final of the
Premier League U21 Cup. Doneil Henry equalised with United's first to make
it 1-1 at Rush Green before Stephen Hendrie popped up with an extra-time
winner. The full-back's late strike – a rocket with the outside of his boot
from outside the box – sent the hosts through to the two-legged final where
they will face Hull City. After the goal, which will live long in the
memory, Hendrie said: "It felt amazing obviously when it hit the back of the
net. As it left my foot, I knew it was one of those ones you know are going
to hit the back of the net. "Obviously it's the goal to send us through to
the final so I'm buzzing with it. "I've been out on loan getting game time
but when it went to extra-time, I felt fine. The last game we went to extra
time in we were knackered, pulling up with cramp, but today I felt fine so
hopefully that's my fitness levels getting better and better each game."
Fellow defender Henry, who stabbed home a loose ball inside the penalty area
early in the second half, always felt the Hammers had the confidence to win
the game. "The first goal got the spirits high. We knew we could win the
game and it's about playing and believing in ourselves. "A lot of emotion
went into [my goal]. It's been a long time coming. I'm just trying to get
games and everybody was up for the challenge against Liverpool. "Big credit
goes to the manager Terry. We've been working hard all week and the lead up
to the game started two or three weeks ago when we really started working on
the game and believing and thinking. "We keep saying it's been two years
since we've had this group of players and the programme keeps changing but
the core of this group is really good at the moment. So we definitely knew
we could take it to Liverpool today at home and the fans were great today.
"[Even at 2-2] we knew that we could go on and get the winner. We made it
really difficult and complicated for ourselves but the way Stephen finished
it off; what a relief and a great way to finish the match."
The Under-21s will get the chance to grace the Boleyn Ground pitch one more
time too, as the home final leg must be played at the club's main stadium,
and Hendrie is confident of a result.
"Of course we can win it," he said. "We can beat anyone. But it's going to
be a hard game and it's a two-leg final so we just need to wait until that
comes and we'll take it when it does."
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Slaven Speaks - Chelsea
WHUFC.com
Ahead of the Hammers' trip to Stamford Bridge on Saturday, Slaven Bilic held
his pre-match press conference.
During the briefing, the manager fielded a range of questions from team
news, facing Chelsea and going for a Champions League place...
What is the latest team-news ahead of the Chelsea game?
SB: "It's good. We have James Tomkins and James Collins still out but
they're going to be back after the Chelsea game. Tomkins will start training
tomorrow or today with us but it's still too early for a game against
Chelsea but after that we have a an international break so both of them
should be available for the next game. All the rest are good. We have a good
squad, we have a big squad now. As we expected, most of the players are back
and that's really good for us and it makes us even more confident."
The Hammers are two points off top four, did you believe you would be
challenging for a Champions League place when you first arrived here?
SB: "We are always trying to be positive. But as I told you, our season plan
was to approach game by game and to try to win every game that we are
playing and not thinking about where it will bring us. Now we are in the
situation where we are standing good. There are still a lot of points to
play for but we have a chance to finish real high but also there are a lot
of teams below us queuing and our aim is to continue to play like this and
pick up points and then hopefully it's going to take us high.
How many points do you think it would take to achieve that goal?
SB: "I don't know, I'm not using that kind of maths. All I know about
England is that you have to reach 40 points to stay up! I don't know how
many you need to get in the Europa League or the Champions League or
whatever. It's just game by game and so far that kind of thinking has put us
in a very good situation and to be fair in my opinion it is the only way
that any club should think. Because you can't go and play Chelsea and then
expect three points against whoever…it doesn't work like that. Because in
any league, especially here, there are no guarantees. We are totally focused
on the possibility of three points the day after tomorrow and try to get
three or one and then it's going to be one less game to go with hopefully an
even better position.
Do you sometimes think what could have happened if you would have had a
fully-fit squad all season – could you have even challenged for the title?
SB: "I told you that injury-wise we were in a really bad position in
November and December when we were without six or seven players like Swansea
away and West Brom home and Stoke home and Villa away but it was a very
important period for us to gain confidence and character because we weren't
losing them. We were basically drawing them and we showed stubbornness and
all that and that was very important. If those players were playing in those
games we would probably or definitely have more chances to win but then on
the other hand maybe that is the reason that we're playing good now because
some players had that little break and came back in January or February very
fresh and practically like after pre-season. Definitely we were missing
those players in that period."
Is this a good time to play Chelsea?
SB: "Yes and no. They went out a couple of competitions last week. They were
very positive so maybe they were more focused on the Champions League and
the FA Cup but now they're out maybe it's harmed the confidence and
atmosphere at their training ground. But on the other hand they are also
thinking there's nine games to go and if they click they can finish very,
very high also. In that sense it's not a great time because now they have
only Premier League and make no mistake I'm expecting them to be really
hungry and totally focused on the Premier League."
Can you tell us about the latest situation regarding Manuel Lanzini?
SB: "Lanzini is a clear situation from the start. He came on loan from Al
Jazira and we had an option and the contract is there so he's our player and
he's happy here and we're of course happy with him and we want him in the
club for a long, long time. My staff decided long ago that we want to
activate that option."
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Payet returns to France squad
WHUFC.com
Dimitri Payet is back in the senior France squad after receiving a call-up
from Les Blues coach Didier Deschamps. The in-form West Ham United has been
rewarded for a series of sensational displays in Claret and Blue and is now
set to feature in France's upcoming pre-Euro 2016 international matches with
the Netherlands and Russia. Deschamps' side will take on the Dutch in
Amsterdam on Friday 25 March before welcoming the Russians to the Stade de
France in Paris on Tuesday 29 March. For Payet, the call-up will give him an
opportunity to add to the 15 senior caps he has already earned, the last of
which came in Albania in June 2015. The 28-year-old, who made his France
debut against Romania in October 2010, has scored twice for his country.
Payet has been sensational since joining the Hammers from Olympique de
Marseille last summer, scoring eleven goals and registering ten assists in
29 appearances in all competitions. The Reunion-born player will now hope to
impress and earn himself a place in Deschamps' squad for Euro 2016, which
will see host nation France take on Albania, Romania and Switzerland in
Group A.
Elsewhere, Darren Randolph has been named in the provisional Republic of
Ireland squad for their pre-Euro 2016 internationals with Switzerland and
Slovakia, which will both take place in Dublin on 25 and 29 March
respectively.
Cheikhou Kouyate is in the Senegal squad for two 2017 Africa Cup of Nations
qualifiers with Niger, while Enner Valencia is in the table-topping Ecuador
selection for two 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers at home to Paraguay and
home to Colombia.
Stephen Hendrie is in the Scotland U21 squad for UEFA European Championship
qualifiers with France in Anger and Northern Ireland in Paisley.
Young winger Martin Samuelsen, who has impressed on loan at Peterborough
United, has earned his first Norway U21 call-up and will hope to play some
part against the Netherlands and Spain, who they face in a mini-tournament
in southern Spain on 25 and 28 March respectively.
Bradford City loanee Reece Burke is in the England U20 squad for a friendly
double-header with Canada in Doncaster, while goalkeeper Sam Howes is in the
U19 squad for the UEFA European Championship Elite Round qualifiers with
mini-group hosts Spain, Greece and Georgia.
Reece Oxford, who has been asked to participate in a photoshoot for the new
England kit, is in the U18 squad for friendly matches in Austria and at home
to Austria at St George's Park.
Burke's fellow Bradford loanee Josh Cullen is in the Ireland U21 squad for
important UEFA European Championship qualifiers with Italy in Waterford on
24 March and away to Slovenia in Koper on 28 March.
Sticking with the Irish, Declan Rice and Anthony Scully are in the U17 squad
for UEFA European Championship Elite Round qualifiers with mini-group hosts
Poland, Serbia and Montenegro, while schoolboy Conor Coventry is in the
Ireland U16 squad.
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View on the Opposition - Chelsea
WHUFC.com
West London Sport's Yann Tear lifts the lid on Saturday's opponents
Having been knocked out of two competitions in a week, how do you expect
Chelsea to react this weekend?
"It's kind of unchartered territory as Chelsea have got used to competing
for titles and trophies at the stage of the season, but now, any chance of
silverware is over. It'll be interesting to see how the players react, you'd
expect some sort of response, especially at home, in a London derby against
West Ham.
"They are playing for pride, and for a lot of them, their futures with the
impending reshuffle over the summer."
Despite that, Chelsea's league has been pretty good of late, will that give
them confidence?
"It should do, and generally, Chelsea have fared pretty well over West Ham
at Stamford Bridge in recent years. A lot will depend on the crowd come
Saturday afternoon. There's been a lot of flat atmospheres recently; the
team certainly play better whenever the crowd get behind them.
"I have to say that Guus Hiddink has been brilliant since he's come in. He's
a great organiser and the players are certainly working for him."
Which Chelsea players have stood out this season?
"By their usual high expectations, it has been a disappointing season and
last season's stand outs haven't materialised. Willian has been the standout
and has scored some crucial goals.
"It's also a shame not to see some of the younger players being given more
of an opportunity. Reuben Loftus-Cheek has impressed whenever he has played
and Kennedy, although is he very raw, certainly has huge amounts of talent."
What is your prediction for Saturday's score?
"Under Hiddink, Chelsea have drawn a lot of games so I think that is the
most likely outcome. Having said that, West Ham have been an absolute
revelation under Bilic, so a draw might not be such a bad result. Whenever
I've seen them, they have played really good football."
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Former Player Blog - Scott Parker
WHUFC.com
Former Chelsea player and England international Scott Parker starred in the
West Ham United midfield for four Premier League seasons between 2007 and
2011, being voted Footballer of the Year in his final season with the Club,
and is a three-time Hammer of the Year…
Hello everyone,
It is amazing to think it is four-and-a-half years now since I left West Ham
United. I still look for the Hammers' result after every match and, while I
was initially a little bit surprised, I have been really pleased to see how
well things have gone this season. It has been fantastic.
It is clear that the team go out there with the mentality to win every game
they play, and now I watch them on TV expecting them to score goals and win
games, too. I watched the Manchester United FA Cup tie last Sunday and it
was a tough game and one which, even last season, you would perhaps have
expected to lose, but there was no thought of that in the way West Ham
played. Slaven Bilic has done an unbelievable job since taking charge last
summer and you have to give credit to the owners for the appointment. Slaven
has quickly blended together a very good squad. They always look a threat
going forward and, as a former West Ham player, I am so pleased that
everyone at the Club is having such a good time – my former teammates and
the staff, the new players and backroom staff and, of course, the supporters
who I had such a close bond with during my time there.
I honestly don't think there is a team in the Premier League who would
relish playing against Slaven's West Ham nowadays. Even teams like
Manchester United, Arsenal and my old club Chelsea, who West Ham travel to
face on Saturday, will not fancy it, and the key for the Hammers now is to
keep this momentum up and maintain their level of performance over a few
seasons.
Next year is a big one for the Club going into the new Stadium and I am sure
that can give them the platform to go to the next level. It is a new West
Ham, really. Like everyone else, I have watched Dimitri Payet and been
impressed with the way he has performed, as I'm sure every West Ham fan has
too. I saw his free-kick against Manchester United and just said 'Wow!' He
is a fantastic footballer and is one of a group of outstanding players who
are now at the Club. If you look back and see that he cost £10.8m or
something, you have to say that's a great deal!
Payet is what you'd call a 'West Ham player' in that he has the style and
attitude that I know the West Ham fans love and what they have come to
expect down the years. He reminds me of Paolo Di Canio with his skills, so
it's no surprise the supporters love him!
I am pleased to say that Mark Noble has invited me back to play in his
Testimonial on 28 March and, if it is possible, I would love to be there to
honour Mark, who is a fantastic player, a top man and someone who I did the
running for, for four seasons!
Nobes epitomises West Ham and it's only fitting that he receives a
Testimonial in the final season at Upton Park. I am also hoping to return to
the Boleyn Ground one last time for the Final Game with Manchester United in
May, which will be an amazing occasion. It looks like being a really
exciting end to the season for West Ham!
Scott
The views expressed in this article are not necessarily the views of West
Ham United.
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West Ham's Michail Antonio turned down Jamaica for England
BBC.co.uk
West Ham's Michail Antonio has revealed he turned down the opportunity to
play for Jamaica as he still has ambitions to represent England. The
forward, 25, has caught the eye since his £7m move to the Hammers last
September, scoring six league goals. He has been overlooked by England for
this month's friendlies against Germany and the Netherlands. But he told BBC
Sport: "Jamaica called but if I keep doing what I'm doing hopefully I can
get an England call." Antonio, a former non-league player with Tooting &
Mitcham United, has flourished on the right flank for the FA Cup
semi-finalists this season. He was a Championship player with Nottingham
Forest until his transfer to West Ham, and he said he is taking inspiration
from fellow former lower league players, such as Tottenham's Dele Alli and
Leicester's Jamie Vardy, both of whom have been named in Roy Hodgson's
recent squad. "You can see it with Dele Alli, he's come from League One and
he's already in the England squad," Antonio told Football Focus. "You see it
with Vardy. Hopefully I can get the call-up as well."
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ExWHUEmployee Exclusive: Players join the club, Internationals and Stadium
News
March 16, 2016
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
ExWHUEmployee
So the Manchester United game was an amazing day out and one that shall live
in my memory for a long time. I couldn't tell you how many times I have
watched the Payet free kick but I think I have a serious addiction. It is
such a good free kick and had one of the big name European players scored
it- we would be hearing about it over and over again. It was such a shame
that we couldn't hold onto the win especially given that their goal was a
foul on Randolph but the opportunity to play them at home and another final
special cup game at Upton Park is very good compensation.
People were disappointed to potentially get Everton in the Semi-Final but I
personally do not care that much. We would have to play them in the final
if they are the best team and on our day, as we have proven, we can beat
anyone. Yes I am sick to death of Lukaku but let us hope, if we get
through, he picks up a little knock somewhere along the lines.
I wasn't going to write a column this week because I became a bit
disillusioned with the whole thing. As you all know my columns often have
many articles taken straight from them by other media places, they always
have. With some bits of the news that I share I am asked not to give too
much away and in order to get this information I have to respect my sources.
If you read last weeks' column
http://www.thewesthamway.co.uk/#!exwhuemployee/r2sdn you will see I pretty
much spelt out who the feeder club was, which the mail reported the next day
having used the info and worked it out. I also said that a key player's
contract is close to being triggered due to appearances and that the site
would bring an exclusive in the week about another big contract being
signed! I don't read other sites, I barely have time to read my own, so I
said it would appear exclusively on the site in the week. Without reading
anything or knowing otherwise, true to my word, I put out what I felt was an
exclusive. This exclusive was that Alex Song needed to start 5 more games
to trigger a new contract (this has determined his lack of starts recently)
and that Harvard Nordtveit was close to signing a pre contract with us,
something that we also reported in January. I had no idea that this had
been reported elsewhere and the backlash I received as a result was
borderline ridiculous. I am not going to bleat anymore about it but if you
do a bit of research and read my columns throughout January and compare the
news/timings on Byram, Jelavic and the "mystery" forward (Emenike) you will
see that we both reported very different things.
I can confirm that Harvard Nordtveit's move has been completed and he will
be a West Ham player next season. There will be no official announcement on
this for a while because the club do not want to "make it official" and
unsettle the team and in particular Alex Song whose future looks in doubt.
It isn't the end of the road for him and he could still earn that contract
but it is looking more and more unlikely.
The signing of Manuel Lanzini probably will not be completed within the next
few days, which others are speculating/guessing. The club still want to
hold on until the deadline (Early April) before completing the deal. The
deal is in place and literally needs us to sign the documents but we just
want further clarification that he is over the injuries that he has
sustained this year.
Speaking of injuries, as we reported on our twitter and site, Reid didn't
pick up an injury at Manchester United and it was just cramp, lack of match
fitness and the fact that he was on a booking. He will be in line to play
against Chelsea. The squad is looking very strong with only Tomkins and
Collins out and both are targeting a return after the international break.
If we come through that with no extra injuries; we will have a fully fit
team for the first time in a long while!
The international squads are announced tomorrow and there is a strong
feeling at the club (as I said last week) that there could be some
surprises. People in the club finally believe that Noble has been called
up!!! Whilst I am refusing to believe it until I see it, if he isn't, there
will be some shocked people at the training ground. If he is, his
testimonial will not be rearranged, he will just be granted permision to
attend that one day. The game will also be shown on BT Europe now, a
fantastic achievment for a testimonial. There is also a suggestion that
there could be one other shock, with another inform player making their
national team! IF this is true I am going to be extremely worried that they
will get injured over the international break.
I have seen many stories linking us with other forwards and a few articles
saying we will not sign anyone big name. The club do intend to sign a big
money player and have explored many options. You have to consider that with
our increased ground capacity and ticket prices our turn over will be
massively increased and therefore improving our FFP standing. We will also
lose Jenkinson, Moses and probably Song from the wage bill, all of which
command very large wages, more than some probably realise. There is also
the possibility of a couple of other players leaving. We have sent scouts
to watch both Batshuayi and Lacazette within the last week and both are
highly on the radar. I was asked by someone within the club to run a poll
on the West Ham Way.co.uk twitter account asking which one the fans would
prefer and it was 50/50 split on last check. We do want another forward, a
big name one, whether we actually land that forward is a different question
but the intention is there. Why bother to scout them all if there isn't?!
The club are having to hold off naming the company that owns the rights to
the Olympic stadium because there are too many contractual obligations at
the moment but it is a big company. The club had the application to extend
to 60k capacity accepted and this was always an option depending on how well
season ticket sales went. They have gone phenomenally well and this will
unfortunately leave many fans disappointed on the waiting lists as they are
huge.
The match against Chelsea sees a number of their key players out and once
again I will be going to this game. Please follow our snapchat for
coverage, before, during and after the game. Unfortunately the app kills
your battery and there is never enough signal to upload during the game but
I hope you enjoyed some of the Everton and Manchester United footage that I
have been able to secure.
The last game of the season has now be confirmed against Manchester United
and it will be a special occasion. There are plans to try and get one more
"charity" friendly scheduled in after this match and that will gives fans a
chance to have one last goodbye during the day! I get more and more sad
about the move the closer it comes, but the way to get over it I have found
is to look at how impressive the Olympic Stadium is.
On the notion of an exciting future it was great to see the Under 21s get to
the two legged final against Hull in the cup having beaten Liverpool. Many
players played brilliant but once again Samuelsen was superb and will
probably be given a new contract soon, as could two other influential
players. The youth team are really firing on all cylinders and at all ages
at the moment!
Please make sure you check out the new look site and keep tuned for many
exciting developments coming over the weeks with that. I have had some
really promising discussions on a number of different aspects of the site
and I hope you will agree when we launch them that they have moved the site
on even further in our growth.
On a separate note we have managed (at time of writing) to raise £300 for
the Bobby Moore fund through Jonjo and DT38 through selling a signed shirt.
This takes the total raised over the season to £1500 for good causes. It
makes me proud that the West Ham family have been able to give so much to
these causes and ones that are so close to my heart!! As we all know, West
Ham fans are the best in the world!
COYI
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Antonio rejects Jamaica offer
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 17th March 2016
By: Staff Writer
Michail Antonio has revealed that he recently rejected an offer from Jamaica
to appear for the Caribbean island's national team. The 25-year-old winger
has been in exceptional form in recent months, leading to an approach from
Jamaica. However the former Nottingham Forest man rejected an offer to
appear for The Reggae Boyz, preferring instead to hold out for an England
call. "I'm hoping to get some international games," Antonio told BBC's
Football Focus programme. "Jamaica called me but I hope that if I keep doing
what I'm doing I can get a call-up for England. "You've seen it with Dele
Alli, who's come from League One and with Jamie Vardy. Hopefully I can get
the call as well. "Anything can be possible. I believe that you should never
give up on your dream because at any stage it could come true."
Antonio joined West Ham in a £7million switch from Nottingham Forest last
September. Since then he has made 22 appearances for the Hammers, scoring
seven goals - including three in his last four appearances.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
BANISHING THE DEMONS
By Bobby Shovels 17 Mar 2016 at 17:00
WTID
Apologies for the tardiness in my post – I have been watching and
re-watching Dimitri Payet's free-kick from Sunday, and amazingly, it still
manages to impress. My housemate, a deflated Arsenal fan at the weekend, had
a bit of a shock when I jumped off the sofa when that ball went in, having
looked at my friend before he took and said: "It's too far out. He'll have
to pass it." As I said, still shocked.
With Chelsea away this weekend, Manchester United at home (twice) and the
potential of a semi-final against Everton on the horizon, it seems like we
are approaching a period in our recent history when a lot of this season is
about banishing certain demons that have held us back for so long. To play
Liverpool four times and remain unbeaten is a notable example of that: to
not just rid ourselves of over 50 years of hurt at Anfield, but to claim
victory 3-0, 2-0 and 2-1 at both grounds not just clears a Liverpool hurdle
– but jumps miles over it.
Now comes another obstacle: Chelsea at the Bridge. The Blues have beaten us
seven of the last nine times at their ground, and only conceded three goals
in the process. In turn, we have only won two of our last 19 league meetings
with them. So, it seems fitting in this year of transition and turmoil, that
Saturday may be the day to buck that disappointing trend. For our dip in
form against the West Londoners directly corresponds with their takeover by
Abramovich – our last victory at the Bridge came just before then, on 28
September 2002 when Paolo Di Canio got the winner to make it 3-2.
As as has been pointed out, the Abramovich era or doctrine – spending big,
rotating managers constantly, not utilising your youth team – appears to be
at its end, with no trophy on the horizon nor even hope of a European
competition next year. Despite this, with all the signs pointing to it being
the best time to beat Chelsea at the Bridge, their league form under
Hiddinck has been exceptional and it will not be simple. Having said that,
with injuries a concern for them – while we have many players coming back –
the balance is in our favour.
With Manchester United, we are lacking a win, I feel. Even at their weakest
moments under Moyes, we never capitalised and got three points. I feel we
played them at a bad time last weekend. Following their abysmal performance
away at Liverpool in the Europa League, their fans were demanding an
improvement and van Gaal's anger at the media's portrayal of his team
clearly gave them an added incentive to make more effort than they have
shown previously throughout the season.
Regarding the foul on Darren Randolph, I totally agree that it was a foul
but also understand how the referee may have completely missed it when the
ball went it. Still, having spent several days arguing with a disgruntled
airhead Man U fan, I've moved on from Sunday's disappointment. Still, the
replay will not be easy: given that the Red Devils seem likely to fall short
in the Europa, the FA Cup is their last chance of silverware. I'm not sure
how important it would still be when it is weighed up against a chance of
finishing in the top four, but still, tricky times ahead.
Again, our results against Manchester United have been disappointing in
recent years – whereas we have had some spectacular results against their
neighbours, City. I am worryingly confident that the last FA Cup game at the
Boleyn will be one to be remembered – not just because it will send us to
Wembley, but it will finally give us a good win against Manchester.
Finally, if that hurdle is passed, Everton awaits. While SJ Chandos thinks
Everton will fear us, I'm not so sure. I mean, they could have been 3-0 up
against us with only 10 men. That's not to take the victory away from us,
but even Bilic believes that things could have been totally different had
that penalty gone in. With Everton languishing in mid-table and Roberto
Martinez keen to impress upon his critics that he is a good manager, a
semi-final against the Toffees is in some regards the worst match we could
have been drawn. Watford, while they beat us away, are inconsistent and
Crystal Palace are in free fall.
So Chelsea, Manchester United and potentially Everton – three games where we
can well and truly banish some recent demons and head to the E20 – or even
Wembley – with our heads held high.
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Hammers set for fair price Man U replay tickets
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 17, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
West Ham are likely to set the price of tickets for the Manchester United FA
Cup replay at around £30-£35.
It's important to stress that no final price has been arrived at yet but the
club have pledged to keep the cost of entry lower than that charged by the
Old Trafford club last weekend
With no date yet arranged for the game the Irons are having a series of
conversations to decide on a fair pricing policy for the crucial
Quarter-Final tie.
David Sullivan has already pledged on the club's official website that
prices will be lower than at OT and the latest word is that between £30-£35
seems reasonable.
That could change with an insider admitting: "There's no decision at this
stage but we certainly will be cheaper than up there.
We need to be balanced and fair in pricing this game up and they are the
sort of figures being discussed."
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Slaven Bilic says injuries behind West Ham's top-four tilt
By Stephen Turner
Last Updated: 17/03/16 10:48am
SSN
Slaven Bilic says the seeds of West Ham's top-four challenge were sown
during their difficult autumn period. The Hammers went eight Premier League
games without a win between Hallowe'en and Boxing Day as they fought to cope
with the loss of key players. The likes of Dimitri Payet and Diafra Sakho
were missing for significant periods, but Bilic took heart from the fact
only two of those eight games ended in defeat. West Ham are now just two
points off fourth-placed Manchester City ahead of Saturday's trip to
Chelsea, and Bilic said: "Injury wise we were in a bad position in November
and December, but it was an important period for us to gain confidence and
character. "We weren't losing those games and we showed a stubborn side.
Perhaps that is the reason we are playing good now."
James Collins and James Tomkins are now Bilic's only senior absentees as he
takes his side to Stamford Bridge looking for a fourth straight league win.
Slaven Bilic says he is not sure how many points West Ham need to finish in
the Premier League top four this season. "We have a big squad now," he
said. "That makes us even more confident. We are taking it game by game and
so far that thinking has put us in a very good situation. "We are totally
focused on the possibility of three points the day after tomorrow, then it's
one less game to go."
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Havard Nordtveit a West Ham target, Slaven Bilic says
By Stephen Turner
Last Updated: 17/03/16 10:46am
SSN
West Ham are interested in signing Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder
Havard Nordtveit, Slaven Bilic has confirmed. Widespread newspaper reports
this week claimed the Hammers have agreed a deal for the Norway
international, who is out of contract in the summer and heading to England.
But Bilic says West Ham are one of a number of clubs in for Nordveit, who
was on Arsenal's books as a teenage centre-half before moving to Germany.
"Many clubs are interested in Nordtveit and monitoring the situation," he
said. "We are also interested in him." Bilic was more forthcoming on the
future of Manuel Lanzini, the Argentine on loan from UAE club Al Jazira.
"With Manuel Lanzini the situation is clear," he said. "He came on loan and
the option [to buy] is there, so we want him in the club for a long, long
time."
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Gold hints at 66k OS capacity
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 17, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
David Gold has revealed following ClaretandHugh's exclusive story that the
club has received planning permission to increase the Olympic Stadium
capacity to 60,000, that a further 6,000 seats may become available. CandH
broke the news as early as 6pm last night (Wed) and later Gold suggested on
Twitter that the further 6k seats could become available. The great news
that the Hammers fans are pushing capacity requirements to the absolute
limits came as Gold replied to a follower on the social network.
@Dan Mills?@mrdantheman123 said: "Absolutely brill Olympic Stadium to
increase to 60,000. Can it increase further (66,000) in future?
DG reponded: "66,000 seats are possible but it will take time and money. dg
The cost involved would cover such items as toilet facilities but it now
seems certain that the club is on its way to filling every corner of the OS.
And this will give great hope to the thousands who remain on the priority
list hoping that they can be accommodated.
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Slav confrms the big deal
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 17, 2016 in News, Whispers
C nd H
West Ham boss Slaven Bilic has confirmed what ClaretandHugh has told you for
weeks – Man Lanzini will be a permanent signing before the end of the
season. Doubts that Liverpool and others may try to woo him away have been
regularly denied by us and this morning Slav has made it clear he wants to
the player on board for a very long time. Speaking at his morning press
conference he said: ""With Manuel Lanzini the situation is clear. He came on
loan and the option is there, so we want him in the Club for a long, long
time." ClaretandHugh can confirm the deal will be done "very soon" and has
no been confirmed to us by two key sources.However, suggestions that he will
arrive for £7.5 million as reported on some internet outlets are wrong.
The deal has been agreed with Al Jaziera for £8 million and we understand
vice chairman Karen Brady will be responsble for signing the deal. A source
said: "The media often confuse situations but your consistent reporting that
the deal will be done is 100 per cent correct."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
N'Golo Kante gets first ever France call, Dimitri Payet returns
ESPN
ESPN FC's Craig Burley lauds Leicester's attacking players as well as
midfield star N'Golo Kante. Leicester City midfielder N'Golo Kante has been
called into the France squad for the first time ahead of the friendlies
against Netherlands and Russia later this month. Kante, 24, has been
rewarded for his superb form for the Premier League leaders, while Dimitri
Payet is also recalled by France coach Didier Deschamps after a string of
outstanding performances for West Ham. Kante has featured in all but one of
Leicester's league matches this season, helping them to a five-point lead
over Tottenham Hotspur at the top of the Premier League. The energetic
central midfielder, who is also eligible to play for Mali, has earned his
first call-up at the expense of Manchester United's Morgan Schneiderlin.
Attacking midfielder Payet, 28, was chosen ahead of Nice's Hatem Ben Arfa,
while winger Mathieu Valbuena has been left out as he continues to struggle
for fitness and form at Lyon. There is also no place for Real Madrid
striker Karim Benzema, who remains suspended from the national team despite
a legal restriction being lifted last week. Benzema, 28, was charged with
conspiracy to blackmail last November over an alleged attempt to extort
money from Valbuena. He is now allowed to meet Valbuena as a result of last
week's ruling, but it had not been expected that he would be made eligible
for this month's matches because he is still recovering from an injury.
Deschamps also resisted the temptation to try to coax Franck Ribery out of
retirement after the Bayern Munich attacker hinted that he could be willing
to make himself available for France again. Euro 2016 hosts France play
Netherlands away on March 25 and Russia at the Stade de France on March 29
in their final games before Deschamps names his squad for the tournament on
May 12.
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Slaven Bilic confirms West Ham to sign Manuel Lanzini on a permanent basis
Manuel Lanzini in action for West Ham
By talkSPORT - @talkSPORT
Thursday, March 17, 2016
West Ham boss Slaven Bilic has confirmed the club will '100 per cent' sign
Manuel Lanzini on a permanent deal. The 23-year-old arrived on loan from Al
Jazira last summer and has shone during his first season in English
football. The attacking midfielder has scored five goals in 21 games and now
Bilic has confirmed West Ham are going to take up the option to buy the
Argentine outright for £7.4m. "With Manuel it is a clear situation from the
start. He came on loan and we had an option and the contract is there," said
Bilic. "He is our player and he is happy here. We want him for a long, long
time. It is a great signing for us. "The board and my staff decided long ago
that we want to activate that option. That is done. The decision was made a
long time ago."
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West Ham agree £18.2m deal for Argentine midfielder as they close in on
Liverpool target
WEST HAM have reached an agreement to sign Manuel Lanzini on a permanent
basis from UAE club Al Jazira.
By LIAM SPENCE
PUBLISHED: 08:12, Thu, Mar 17, 2016 | UPDATED: 08:27, Thu, Mar 17, 2016
West Ham are understood to have agreed a deal to sign Manuel Lanzini on a
permanent basis. That is according to website Football Insider, who claim
the Hammers and the 23-year-old have thrashed out a five-year deal worth
£18.2million that will see him earn £70,000-a-week. Lanzini has been in
impressive form for the Hammers since joining the club on loan in the summer
and Slaven Bilic looks to have tied the Argentine midfielder down until
2021. And further reports from the London Evening Standard suggest that
West Ham will imminently confirm the £7.4m signing of Lanzini. West Ham
chairman David Gold revealed earlier in the season that the club had a
'watertight' agreement in place to sign the winger on a permanent basis.
Speaking in December, Sullivan said: "We have until April to make it
permanent but we'll probably do it before the due date. "By February or
March, he will be a permanent West Ham player. He's already sensational and
he could be as good as any player in the world." A deal for Lanzini is
understood to have been in the pipeline for a number of weeks, but West Ham
wanted reassurances on his fitness after a thigh injury. Lanzini, who has
made 17 appearances and has scored four goals so far this season, has
recently been attracting interest from Premier League rivals Liverpool, but
it seems as if they will miss out on him. And it looks as if they will be
pipped to the post by the Hammers to the signing of Borussia
Moenchengladbach star Havard Nordtveit also, with Bilic's side ready to
swoop. The Irons have reportedly agreed to sign the Norway international on
a free transfer this summer. The Bundesliga side confirmed on Twitter that
the 25-year-old midfielder will move to the Premier League at the end of the
season. They posted: "Havard Nordtveit will not extend his contract
expiring in the summer and will move to England."
Nordtveit has also been attracting interest from Tottenham and Arsenal, but
it looks like the Hammers have won the race to sign him as they look to
kickstart a revolution at the club ahead of their move to the Olympic
Stadium.
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Martin Samuelsen back playing for West Ham
HITC
Dan Coombs
West Ham youngster was featuring for their development squad last night.
West Ham youngster Martin Samuelsen was back in the club's colours last
night, featuring for their development squad.
Samuelsen was a summer addition from Manchester City last summer, and made a
swift debut by appearing in the Europa League. The teenager was then sent
out on loan to League One side Peterborough United where he has been
impressing, catching the attention of the public in a televised FA Cup tie
against West Bromwich Albion in which he terrorised the Premier League
side's full-backs. Last night as under terms of his loan, he was brought
back to feature for the Hammers in their FA Premier League Cup semi-final
against Liverpool. The Hammers fielded a strong under-21 side, with the
selections of Reece Oxford, Stephen Hendrie, all featuring alongside
Samuelsen, with Josh Cullen returning from his loan at Bradford City for the
game.
Liverpool, who fielded first team defender Martin Skrtel, went 1-0 up
through Pedro Chirivella, before Doneil Henry pulled West Ham level. A
frenetic extra time period ended with Hendrie netting an impressive winner
for the Hammers, sending them into the final.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Following an enthralling 3-2 semi-final win over Liverpool at Rush Green,
Academy director Terry Westley said his side fully deserved their place in
the final. Having come from a goal down after Pedro Chirivella scored early
on, Doneil Henry's close range finish levelled the proceedings. With the
scores level after 90 minutes, Marcus Browne scored his second goal in two
games with a cushioned finish yet livewire Sheyi Ojo utilised a loose ball
to equalise. However, seconds later the Hammers were ahead, and in some
style as Stephen Hendrie's thunderbolt of a strike gave Adam Bogdan no
chance of saving. Speaking after a gruelling yet ultimately successful
night, Westley said: "We deserve to be in the final, we spoke about that
earlier in the week, that was the prize we were vying for, and thankfully
we've got there. "Tonight was a terrific advert for youth football, and now
we have the opportunity to play a final at the Boleyn Ground, in the final
season. So it's a very special opportunity and one we are all really looking
forward to, it is a massive honour. "It was a tough game, a proper game if
you like. This was everything that young players need to develop. It had
commitment, it was a passing game, there was tackles flying in. "Both teams
took it seriously tonight, whatever the team they fielded tonight, we had to
face it and be prepared to compete and that is what we did. "Everyone who
played tonight did well. There were so many positives for us tonight; it
would take too long to mention them all."
The Development Squad will now face Hull City in a two-leg final which will
take place in both home stadiums. Westley continued: "Doneil really
committed himself, as did Oxford who's has had an small injury recently.
Added to that Hendrie and Spiegel, were excellent, they've all done
superbly. "Marcus absolutely terrorised them tonight, that's his second red
card so he has to curb that but overall he was magnificent. He was so good
that he got under Skrtel's skin, so that says a lot. He has that ability
that not many people have, of breaking down lines, and running past people,
it's a skill that is getting rarer and rarer."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Lanzini - We can dream big
WHUFC.com
Manuel Lanzini is urging the Hammers to dream big ahead of the final stage
of the season. The Argentine feels that with the side's current form and the
way they are playing, a place in the top four is possible and believes that
a strong performance against a tricky Chelsea side on Saturday can put them
on track to do so. He told whufc.com: "I think that European qualification
is definitely possible. With the way we are playing at the moment, anything
is possible. In football anything can happen, there can always be surprises
in football. "We are well placed in the table and that hasn't happened by
chance. I think we are playing well and we are having a great season with
the brilliant squad that the manager has built. "Obviously, when you are in
a position like we are, you always want more. So why not dream of being in
the Champions League next season. "I think the game against Chelsea is going
to be a really tricky one because we know that they are one of the biggest
teams in the Premier League. "We need to concentrate on ourselves though, to
continue the way we are playing and to keep trying as we have been. If we
play well, then we can get the three points."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Young defenders bag maiden strikes
Two young Hammers were on the scoresheet for the very first time for the
Under-21s as West Ham United beat Liverpool 3-2 in the semi-final of the
Premier League U21 Cup. Doneil Henry equalised with United's first to make
it 1-1 at Rush Green before Stephen Hendrie popped up with an extra-time
winner. The full-back's late strike – a rocket with the outside of his boot
from outside the box – sent the hosts through to the two-legged final where
they will face Hull City. After the goal, which will live long in the
memory, Hendrie said: "It felt amazing obviously when it hit the back of the
net. As it left my foot, I knew it was one of those ones you know are going
to hit the back of the net. "Obviously it's the goal to send us through to
the final so I'm buzzing with it. "I've been out on loan getting game time
but when it went to extra-time, I felt fine. The last game we went to extra
time in we were knackered, pulling up with cramp, but today I felt fine so
hopefully that's my fitness levels getting better and better each game."
Fellow defender Henry, who stabbed home a loose ball inside the penalty area
early in the second half, always felt the Hammers had the confidence to win
the game. "The first goal got the spirits high. We knew we could win the
game and it's about playing and believing in ourselves. "A lot of emotion
went into [my goal]. It's been a long time coming. I'm just trying to get
games and everybody was up for the challenge against Liverpool. "Big credit
goes to the manager Terry. We've been working hard all week and the lead up
to the game started two or three weeks ago when we really started working on
the game and believing and thinking. "We keep saying it's been two years
since we've had this group of players and the programme keeps changing but
the core of this group is really good at the moment. So we definitely knew
we could take it to Liverpool today at home and the fans were great today.
"[Even at 2-2] we knew that we could go on and get the winner. We made it
really difficult and complicated for ourselves but the way Stephen finished
it off; what a relief and a great way to finish the match."
The Under-21s will get the chance to grace the Boleyn Ground pitch one more
time too, as the home final leg must be played at the club's main stadium,
and Hendrie is confident of a result.
"Of course we can win it," he said. "We can beat anyone. But it's going to
be a hard game and it's a two-leg final so we just need to wait until that
comes and we'll take it when it does."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Slaven Speaks - Chelsea
WHUFC.com
Ahead of the Hammers' trip to Stamford Bridge on Saturday, Slaven Bilic held
his pre-match press conference.
During the briefing, the manager fielded a range of questions from team
news, facing Chelsea and going for a Champions League place...
What is the latest team-news ahead of the Chelsea game?
SB: "It's good. We have James Tomkins and James Collins still out but
they're going to be back after the Chelsea game. Tomkins will start training
tomorrow or today with us but it's still too early for a game against
Chelsea but after that we have a an international break so both of them
should be available for the next game. All the rest are good. We have a good
squad, we have a big squad now. As we expected, most of the players are back
and that's really good for us and it makes us even more confident."
The Hammers are two points off top four, did you believe you would be
challenging for a Champions League place when you first arrived here?
SB: "We are always trying to be positive. But as I told you, our season plan
was to approach game by game and to try to win every game that we are
playing and not thinking about where it will bring us. Now we are in the
situation where we are standing good. There are still a lot of points to
play for but we have a chance to finish real high but also there are a lot
of teams below us queuing and our aim is to continue to play like this and
pick up points and then hopefully it's going to take us high.
How many points do you think it would take to achieve that goal?
SB: "I don't know, I'm not using that kind of maths. All I know about
England is that you have to reach 40 points to stay up! I don't know how
many you need to get in the Europa League or the Champions League or
whatever. It's just game by game and so far that kind of thinking has put us
in a very good situation and to be fair in my opinion it is the only way
that any club should think. Because you can't go and play Chelsea and then
expect three points against whoever…it doesn't work like that. Because in
any league, especially here, there are no guarantees. We are totally focused
on the possibility of three points the day after tomorrow and try to get
three or one and then it's going to be one less game to go with hopefully an
even better position.
Do you sometimes think what could have happened if you would have had a
fully-fit squad all season – could you have even challenged for the title?
SB: "I told you that injury-wise we were in a really bad position in
November and December when we were without six or seven players like Swansea
away and West Brom home and Stoke home and Villa away but it was a very
important period for us to gain confidence and character because we weren't
losing them. We were basically drawing them and we showed stubbornness and
all that and that was very important. If those players were playing in those
games we would probably or definitely have more chances to win but then on
the other hand maybe that is the reason that we're playing good now because
some players had that little break and came back in January or February very
fresh and practically like after pre-season. Definitely we were missing
those players in that period."
Is this a good time to play Chelsea?
SB: "Yes and no. They went out a couple of competitions last week. They were
very positive so maybe they were more focused on the Champions League and
the FA Cup but now they're out maybe it's harmed the confidence and
atmosphere at their training ground. But on the other hand they are also
thinking there's nine games to go and if they click they can finish very,
very high also. In that sense it's not a great time because now they have
only Premier League and make no mistake I'm expecting them to be really
hungry and totally focused on the Premier League."
Can you tell us about the latest situation regarding Manuel Lanzini?
SB: "Lanzini is a clear situation from the start. He came on loan from Al
Jazira and we had an option and the contract is there so he's our player and
he's happy here and we're of course happy with him and we want him in the
club for a long, long time. My staff decided long ago that we want to
activate that option."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Payet returns to France squad
WHUFC.com
Dimitri Payet is back in the senior France squad after receiving a call-up
from Les Blues coach Didier Deschamps. The in-form West Ham United has been
rewarded for a series of sensational displays in Claret and Blue and is now
set to feature in France's upcoming pre-Euro 2016 international matches with
the Netherlands and Russia. Deschamps' side will take on the Dutch in
Amsterdam on Friday 25 March before welcoming the Russians to the Stade de
France in Paris on Tuesday 29 March. For Payet, the call-up will give him an
opportunity to add to the 15 senior caps he has already earned, the last of
which came in Albania in June 2015. The 28-year-old, who made his France
debut against Romania in October 2010, has scored twice for his country.
Payet has been sensational since joining the Hammers from Olympique de
Marseille last summer, scoring eleven goals and registering ten assists in
29 appearances in all competitions. The Reunion-born player will now hope to
impress and earn himself a place in Deschamps' squad for Euro 2016, which
will see host nation France take on Albania, Romania and Switzerland in
Group A.
Elsewhere, Darren Randolph has been named in the provisional Republic of
Ireland squad for their pre-Euro 2016 internationals with Switzerland and
Slovakia, which will both take place in Dublin on 25 and 29 March
respectively.
Cheikhou Kouyate is in the Senegal squad for two 2017 Africa Cup of Nations
qualifiers with Niger, while Enner Valencia is in the table-topping Ecuador
selection for two 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers at home to Paraguay and
home to Colombia.
Stephen Hendrie is in the Scotland U21 squad for UEFA European Championship
qualifiers with France in Anger and Northern Ireland in Paisley.
Young winger Martin Samuelsen, who has impressed on loan at Peterborough
United, has earned his first Norway U21 call-up and will hope to play some
part against the Netherlands and Spain, who they face in a mini-tournament
in southern Spain on 25 and 28 March respectively.
Bradford City loanee Reece Burke is in the England U20 squad for a friendly
double-header with Canada in Doncaster, while goalkeeper Sam Howes is in the
U19 squad for the UEFA European Championship Elite Round qualifiers with
mini-group hosts Spain, Greece and Georgia.
Reece Oxford, who has been asked to participate in a photoshoot for the new
England kit, is in the U18 squad for friendly matches in Austria and at home
to Austria at St George's Park.
Burke's fellow Bradford loanee Josh Cullen is in the Ireland U21 squad for
important UEFA European Championship qualifiers with Italy in Waterford on
24 March and away to Slovenia in Koper on 28 March.
Sticking with the Irish, Declan Rice and Anthony Scully are in the U17 squad
for UEFA European Championship Elite Round qualifiers with mini-group hosts
Poland, Serbia and Montenegro, while schoolboy Conor Coventry is in the
Ireland U16 squad.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
View on the Opposition - Chelsea
WHUFC.com
West London Sport's Yann Tear lifts the lid on Saturday's opponents
Having been knocked out of two competitions in a week, how do you expect
Chelsea to react this weekend?
"It's kind of unchartered territory as Chelsea have got used to competing
for titles and trophies at the stage of the season, but now, any chance of
silverware is over. It'll be interesting to see how the players react, you'd
expect some sort of response, especially at home, in a London derby against
West Ham.
"They are playing for pride, and for a lot of them, their futures with the
impending reshuffle over the summer."
Despite that, Chelsea's league has been pretty good of late, will that give
them confidence?
"It should do, and generally, Chelsea have fared pretty well over West Ham
at Stamford Bridge in recent years. A lot will depend on the crowd come
Saturday afternoon. There's been a lot of flat atmospheres recently; the
team certainly play better whenever the crowd get behind them.
"I have to say that Guus Hiddink has been brilliant since he's come in. He's
a great organiser and the players are certainly working for him."
Which Chelsea players have stood out this season?
"By their usual high expectations, it has been a disappointing season and
last season's stand outs haven't materialised. Willian has been the standout
and has scored some crucial goals.
"It's also a shame not to see some of the younger players being given more
of an opportunity. Reuben Loftus-Cheek has impressed whenever he has played
and Kennedy, although is he very raw, certainly has huge amounts of talent."
What is your prediction for Saturday's score?
"Under Hiddink, Chelsea have drawn a lot of games so I think that is the
most likely outcome. Having said that, West Ham have been an absolute
revelation under Bilic, so a draw might not be such a bad result. Whenever
I've seen them, they have played really good football."
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Former Player Blog - Scott Parker
WHUFC.com
Former Chelsea player and England international Scott Parker starred in the
West Ham United midfield for four Premier League seasons between 2007 and
2011, being voted Footballer of the Year in his final season with the Club,
and is a three-time Hammer of the Year…
Hello everyone,
It is amazing to think it is four-and-a-half years now since I left West Ham
United. I still look for the Hammers' result after every match and, while I
was initially a little bit surprised, I have been really pleased to see how
well things have gone this season. It has been fantastic.
It is clear that the team go out there with the mentality to win every game
they play, and now I watch them on TV expecting them to score goals and win
games, too. I watched the Manchester United FA Cup tie last Sunday and it
was a tough game and one which, even last season, you would perhaps have
expected to lose, but there was no thought of that in the way West Ham
played. Slaven Bilic has done an unbelievable job since taking charge last
summer and you have to give credit to the owners for the appointment. Slaven
has quickly blended together a very good squad. They always look a threat
going forward and, as a former West Ham player, I am so pleased that
everyone at the Club is having such a good time – my former teammates and
the staff, the new players and backroom staff and, of course, the supporters
who I had such a close bond with during my time there.
I honestly don't think there is a team in the Premier League who would
relish playing against Slaven's West Ham nowadays. Even teams like
Manchester United, Arsenal and my old club Chelsea, who West Ham travel to
face on Saturday, will not fancy it, and the key for the Hammers now is to
keep this momentum up and maintain their level of performance over a few
seasons.
Next year is a big one for the Club going into the new Stadium and I am sure
that can give them the platform to go to the next level. It is a new West
Ham, really. Like everyone else, I have watched Dimitri Payet and been
impressed with the way he has performed, as I'm sure every West Ham fan has
too. I saw his free-kick against Manchester United and just said 'Wow!' He
is a fantastic footballer and is one of a group of outstanding players who
are now at the Club. If you look back and see that he cost £10.8m or
something, you have to say that's a great deal!
Payet is what you'd call a 'West Ham player' in that he has the style and
attitude that I know the West Ham fans love and what they have come to
expect down the years. He reminds me of Paolo Di Canio with his skills, so
it's no surprise the supporters love him!
I am pleased to say that Mark Noble has invited me back to play in his
Testimonial on 28 March and, if it is possible, I would love to be there to
honour Mark, who is a fantastic player, a top man and someone who I did the
running for, for four seasons!
Nobes epitomises West Ham and it's only fitting that he receives a
Testimonial in the final season at Upton Park. I am also hoping to return to
the Boleyn Ground one last time for the Final Game with Manchester United in
May, which will be an amazing occasion. It looks like being a really
exciting end to the season for West Ham!
Scott
The views expressed in this article are not necessarily the views of West
Ham United.
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West Ham's Michail Antonio turned down Jamaica for England
BBC.co.uk
West Ham's Michail Antonio has revealed he turned down the opportunity to
play for Jamaica as he still has ambitions to represent England. The
forward, 25, has caught the eye since his £7m move to the Hammers last
September, scoring six league goals. He has been overlooked by England for
this month's friendlies against Germany and the Netherlands. But he told BBC
Sport: "Jamaica called but if I keep doing what I'm doing hopefully I can
get an England call." Antonio, a former non-league player with Tooting &
Mitcham United, has flourished on the right flank for the FA Cup
semi-finalists this season. He was a Championship player with Nottingham
Forest until his transfer to West Ham, and he said he is taking inspiration
from fellow former lower league players, such as Tottenham's Dele Alli and
Leicester's Jamie Vardy, both of whom have been named in Roy Hodgson's
recent squad. "You can see it with Dele Alli, he's come from League One and
he's already in the England squad," Antonio told Football Focus. "You see it
with Vardy. Hopefully I can get the call-up as well."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
ExWHUEmployee Exclusive: Players join the club, Internationals and Stadium
News
March 16, 2016
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
ExWHUEmployee
So the Manchester United game was an amazing day out and one that shall live
in my memory for a long time. I couldn't tell you how many times I have
watched the Payet free kick but I think I have a serious addiction. It is
such a good free kick and had one of the big name European players scored
it- we would be hearing about it over and over again. It was such a shame
that we couldn't hold onto the win especially given that their goal was a
foul on Randolph but the opportunity to play them at home and another final
special cup game at Upton Park is very good compensation.
People were disappointed to potentially get Everton in the Semi-Final but I
personally do not care that much. We would have to play them in the final
if they are the best team and on our day, as we have proven, we can beat
anyone. Yes I am sick to death of Lukaku but let us hope, if we get
through, he picks up a little knock somewhere along the lines.
I wasn't going to write a column this week because I became a bit
disillusioned with the whole thing. As you all know my columns often have
many articles taken straight from them by other media places, they always
have. With some bits of the news that I share I am asked not to give too
much away and in order to get this information I have to respect my sources.
If you read last weeks' column
http://www.thewesthamway.co.uk/#!exwhuemployee/r2sdn you will see I pretty
much spelt out who the feeder club was, which the mail reported the next day
having used the info and worked it out. I also said that a key player's
contract is close to being triggered due to appearances and that the site
would bring an exclusive in the week about another big contract being
signed! I don't read other sites, I barely have time to read my own, so I
said it would appear exclusively on the site in the week. Without reading
anything or knowing otherwise, true to my word, I put out what I felt was an
exclusive. This exclusive was that Alex Song needed to start 5 more games
to trigger a new contract (this has determined his lack of starts recently)
and that Harvard Nordtveit was close to signing a pre contract with us,
something that we also reported in January. I had no idea that this had
been reported elsewhere and the backlash I received as a result was
borderline ridiculous. I am not going to bleat anymore about it but if you
do a bit of research and read my columns throughout January and compare the
news/timings on Byram, Jelavic and the "mystery" forward (Emenike) you will
see that we both reported very different things.
I can confirm that Harvard Nordtveit's move has been completed and he will
be a West Ham player next season. There will be no official announcement on
this for a while because the club do not want to "make it official" and
unsettle the team and in particular Alex Song whose future looks in doubt.
It isn't the end of the road for him and he could still earn that contract
but it is looking more and more unlikely.
The signing of Manuel Lanzini probably will not be completed within the next
few days, which others are speculating/guessing. The club still want to
hold on until the deadline (Early April) before completing the deal. The
deal is in place and literally needs us to sign the documents but we just
want further clarification that he is over the injuries that he has
sustained this year.
Speaking of injuries, as we reported on our twitter and site, Reid didn't
pick up an injury at Manchester United and it was just cramp, lack of match
fitness and the fact that he was on a booking. He will be in line to play
against Chelsea. The squad is looking very strong with only Tomkins and
Collins out and both are targeting a return after the international break.
If we come through that with no extra injuries; we will have a fully fit
team for the first time in a long while!
The international squads are announced tomorrow and there is a strong
feeling at the club (as I said last week) that there could be some
surprises. People in the club finally believe that Noble has been called
up!!! Whilst I am refusing to believe it until I see it, if he isn't, there
will be some shocked people at the training ground. If he is, his
testimonial will not be rearranged, he will just be granted permision to
attend that one day. The game will also be shown on BT Europe now, a
fantastic achievment for a testimonial. There is also a suggestion that
there could be one other shock, with another inform player making their
national team! IF this is true I am going to be extremely worried that they
will get injured over the international break.
I have seen many stories linking us with other forwards and a few articles
saying we will not sign anyone big name. The club do intend to sign a big
money player and have explored many options. You have to consider that with
our increased ground capacity and ticket prices our turn over will be
massively increased and therefore improving our FFP standing. We will also
lose Jenkinson, Moses and probably Song from the wage bill, all of which
command very large wages, more than some probably realise. There is also
the possibility of a couple of other players leaving. We have sent scouts
to watch both Batshuayi and Lacazette within the last week and both are
highly on the radar. I was asked by someone within the club to run a poll
on the West Ham Way.co.uk twitter account asking which one the fans would
prefer and it was 50/50 split on last check. We do want another forward, a
big name one, whether we actually land that forward is a different question
but the intention is there. Why bother to scout them all if there isn't?!
The club are having to hold off naming the company that owns the rights to
the Olympic stadium because there are too many contractual obligations at
the moment but it is a big company. The club had the application to extend
to 60k capacity accepted and this was always an option depending on how well
season ticket sales went. They have gone phenomenally well and this will
unfortunately leave many fans disappointed on the waiting lists as they are
huge.
The match against Chelsea sees a number of their key players out and once
again I will be going to this game. Please follow our snapchat for
coverage, before, during and after the game. Unfortunately the app kills
your battery and there is never enough signal to upload during the game but
I hope you enjoyed some of the Everton and Manchester United footage that I
have been able to secure.
The last game of the season has now be confirmed against Manchester United
and it will be a special occasion. There are plans to try and get one more
"charity" friendly scheduled in after this match and that will gives fans a
chance to have one last goodbye during the day! I get more and more sad
about the move the closer it comes, but the way to get over it I have found
is to look at how impressive the Olympic Stadium is.
On the notion of an exciting future it was great to see the Under 21s get to
the two legged final against Hull in the cup having beaten Liverpool. Many
players played brilliant but once again Samuelsen was superb and will
probably be given a new contract soon, as could two other influential
players. The youth team are really firing on all cylinders and at all ages
at the moment!
Please make sure you check out the new look site and keep tuned for many
exciting developments coming over the weeks with that. I have had some
really promising discussions on a number of different aspects of the site
and I hope you will agree when we launch them that they have moved the site
on even further in our growth.
On a separate note we have managed (at time of writing) to raise £300 for
the Bobby Moore fund through Jonjo and DT38 through selling a signed shirt.
This takes the total raised over the season to £1500 for good causes. It
makes me proud that the West Ham family have been able to give so much to
these causes and ones that are so close to my heart!! As we all know, West
Ham fans are the best in the world!
COYI
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Antonio rejects Jamaica offer
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 17th March 2016
By: Staff Writer
Michail Antonio has revealed that he recently rejected an offer from Jamaica
to appear for the Caribbean island's national team. The 25-year-old winger
has been in exceptional form in recent months, leading to an approach from
Jamaica. However the former Nottingham Forest man rejected an offer to
appear for The Reggae Boyz, preferring instead to hold out for an England
call. "I'm hoping to get some international games," Antonio told BBC's
Football Focus programme. "Jamaica called me but I hope that if I keep doing
what I'm doing I can get a call-up for England. "You've seen it with Dele
Alli, who's come from League One and with Jamie Vardy. Hopefully I can get
the call as well. "Anything can be possible. I believe that you should never
give up on your dream because at any stage it could come true."
Antonio joined West Ham in a £7million switch from Nottingham Forest last
September. Since then he has made 22 appearances for the Hammers, scoring
seven goals - including three in his last four appearances.
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BANISHING THE DEMONS
By Bobby Shovels 17 Mar 2016 at 17:00
WTID
Apologies for the tardiness in my post – I have been watching and
re-watching Dimitri Payet's free-kick from Sunday, and amazingly, it still
manages to impress. My housemate, a deflated Arsenal fan at the weekend, had
a bit of a shock when I jumped off the sofa when that ball went in, having
looked at my friend before he took and said: "It's too far out. He'll have
to pass it." As I said, still shocked.
With Chelsea away this weekend, Manchester United at home (twice) and the
potential of a semi-final against Everton on the horizon, it seems like we
are approaching a period in our recent history when a lot of this season is
about banishing certain demons that have held us back for so long. To play
Liverpool four times and remain unbeaten is a notable example of that: to
not just rid ourselves of over 50 years of hurt at Anfield, but to claim
victory 3-0, 2-0 and 2-1 at both grounds not just clears a Liverpool hurdle
– but jumps miles over it.
Now comes another obstacle: Chelsea at the Bridge. The Blues have beaten us
seven of the last nine times at their ground, and only conceded three goals
in the process. In turn, we have only won two of our last 19 league meetings
with them. So, it seems fitting in this year of transition and turmoil, that
Saturday may be the day to buck that disappointing trend. For our dip in
form against the West Londoners directly corresponds with their takeover by
Abramovich – our last victory at the Bridge came just before then, on 28
September 2002 when Paolo Di Canio got the winner to make it 3-2.
As as has been pointed out, the Abramovich era or doctrine – spending big,
rotating managers constantly, not utilising your youth team – appears to be
at its end, with no trophy on the horizon nor even hope of a European
competition next year. Despite this, with all the signs pointing to it being
the best time to beat Chelsea at the Bridge, their league form under
Hiddinck has been exceptional and it will not be simple. Having said that,
with injuries a concern for them – while we have many players coming back –
the balance is in our favour.
With Manchester United, we are lacking a win, I feel. Even at their weakest
moments under Moyes, we never capitalised and got three points. I feel we
played them at a bad time last weekend. Following their abysmal performance
away at Liverpool in the Europa League, their fans were demanding an
improvement and van Gaal's anger at the media's portrayal of his team
clearly gave them an added incentive to make more effort than they have
shown previously throughout the season.
Regarding the foul on Darren Randolph, I totally agree that it was a foul
but also understand how the referee may have completely missed it when the
ball went it. Still, having spent several days arguing with a disgruntled
airhead Man U fan, I've moved on from Sunday's disappointment. Still, the
replay will not be easy: given that the Red Devils seem likely to fall short
in the Europa, the FA Cup is their last chance of silverware. I'm not sure
how important it would still be when it is weighed up against a chance of
finishing in the top four, but still, tricky times ahead.
Again, our results against Manchester United have been disappointing in
recent years – whereas we have had some spectacular results against their
neighbours, City. I am worryingly confident that the last FA Cup game at the
Boleyn will be one to be remembered – not just because it will send us to
Wembley, but it will finally give us a good win against Manchester.
Finally, if that hurdle is passed, Everton awaits. While SJ Chandos thinks
Everton will fear us, I'm not so sure. I mean, they could have been 3-0 up
against us with only 10 men. That's not to take the victory away from us,
but even Bilic believes that things could have been totally different had
that penalty gone in. With Everton languishing in mid-table and Roberto
Martinez keen to impress upon his critics that he is a good manager, a
semi-final against the Toffees is in some regards the worst match we could
have been drawn. Watford, while they beat us away, are inconsistent and
Crystal Palace are in free fall.
So Chelsea, Manchester United and potentially Everton – three games where we
can well and truly banish some recent demons and head to the E20 – or even
Wembley – with our heads held high.
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Hammers set for fair price Man U replay tickets
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 17, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
West Ham are likely to set the price of tickets for the Manchester United FA
Cup replay at around £30-£35.
It's important to stress that no final price has been arrived at yet but the
club have pledged to keep the cost of entry lower than that charged by the
Old Trafford club last weekend
With no date yet arranged for the game the Irons are having a series of
conversations to decide on a fair pricing policy for the crucial
Quarter-Final tie.
David Sullivan has already pledged on the club's official website that
prices will be lower than at OT and the latest word is that between £30-£35
seems reasonable.
That could change with an insider admitting: "There's no decision at this
stage but we certainly will be cheaper than up there.
We need to be balanced and fair in pricing this game up and they are the
sort of figures being discussed."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Slaven Bilic says injuries behind West Ham's top-four tilt
By Stephen Turner
Last Updated: 17/03/16 10:48am
SSN
Slaven Bilic says the seeds of West Ham's top-four challenge were sown
during their difficult autumn period. The Hammers went eight Premier League
games without a win between Hallowe'en and Boxing Day as they fought to cope
with the loss of key players. The likes of Dimitri Payet and Diafra Sakho
were missing for significant periods, but Bilic took heart from the fact
only two of those eight games ended in defeat. West Ham are now just two
points off fourth-placed Manchester City ahead of Saturday's trip to
Chelsea, and Bilic said: "Injury wise we were in a bad position in November
and December, but it was an important period for us to gain confidence and
character. "We weren't losing those games and we showed a stubborn side.
Perhaps that is the reason we are playing good now."
James Collins and James Tomkins are now Bilic's only senior absentees as he
takes his side to Stamford Bridge looking for a fourth straight league win.
Slaven Bilic says he is not sure how many points West Ham need to finish in
the Premier League top four this season. "We have a big squad now," he
said. "That makes us even more confident. We are taking it game by game and
so far that thinking has put us in a very good situation. "We are totally
focused on the possibility of three points the day after tomorrow, then it's
one less game to go."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Havard Nordtveit a West Ham target, Slaven Bilic says
By Stephen Turner
Last Updated: 17/03/16 10:46am
SSN
West Ham are interested in signing Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder
Havard Nordtveit, Slaven Bilic has confirmed. Widespread newspaper reports
this week claimed the Hammers have agreed a deal for the Norway
international, who is out of contract in the summer and heading to England.
But Bilic says West Ham are one of a number of clubs in for Nordveit, who
was on Arsenal's books as a teenage centre-half before moving to Germany.
"Many clubs are interested in Nordtveit and monitoring the situation," he
said. "We are also interested in him." Bilic was more forthcoming on the
future of Manuel Lanzini, the Argentine on loan from UAE club Al Jazira.
"With Manuel Lanzini the situation is clear," he said. "He came on loan and
the option [to buy] is there, so we want him in the club for a long, long
time."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Gold hints at 66k OS capacity
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 17, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
David Gold has revealed following ClaretandHugh's exclusive story that the
club has received planning permission to increase the Olympic Stadium
capacity to 60,000, that a further 6,000 seats may become available. CandH
broke the news as early as 6pm last night (Wed) and later Gold suggested on
Twitter that the further 6k seats could become available. The great news
that the Hammers fans are pushing capacity requirements to the absolute
limits came as Gold replied to a follower on the social network.
@Dan Mills?@mrdantheman123 said: "Absolutely brill Olympic Stadium to
increase to 60,000. Can it increase further (66,000) in future?
DG reponded: "66,000 seats are possible but it will take time and money. dg
The cost involved would cover such items as toilet facilities but it now
seems certain that the club is on its way to filling every corner of the OS.
And this will give great hope to the thousands who remain on the priority
list hoping that they can be accommodated.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Slav confrms the big deal
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 17, 2016 in News, Whispers
C nd H
West Ham boss Slaven Bilic has confirmed what ClaretandHugh has told you for
weeks – Man Lanzini will be a permanent signing before the end of the
season. Doubts that Liverpool and others may try to woo him away have been
regularly denied by us and this morning Slav has made it clear he wants to
the player on board for a very long time. Speaking at his morning press
conference he said: ""With Manuel Lanzini the situation is clear. He came on
loan and the option is there, so we want him in the Club for a long, long
time." ClaretandHugh can confirm the deal will be done "very soon" and has
no been confirmed to us by two key sources.However, suggestions that he will
arrive for £7.5 million as reported on some internet outlets are wrong.
The deal has been agreed with Al Jaziera for £8 million and we understand
vice chairman Karen Brady will be responsble for signing the deal. A source
said: "The media often confuse situations but your consistent reporting that
the deal will be done is 100 per cent correct."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
N'Golo Kante gets first ever France call, Dimitri Payet returns
ESPN
ESPN FC's Craig Burley lauds Leicester's attacking players as well as
midfield star N'Golo Kante. Leicester City midfielder N'Golo Kante has been
called into the France squad for the first time ahead of the friendlies
against Netherlands and Russia later this month. Kante, 24, has been
rewarded for his superb form for the Premier League leaders, while Dimitri
Payet is also recalled by France coach Didier Deschamps after a string of
outstanding performances for West Ham. Kante has featured in all but one of
Leicester's league matches this season, helping them to a five-point lead
over Tottenham Hotspur at the top of the Premier League. The energetic
central midfielder, who is also eligible to play for Mali, has earned his
first call-up at the expense of Manchester United's Morgan Schneiderlin.
Attacking midfielder Payet, 28, was chosen ahead of Nice's Hatem Ben Arfa,
while winger Mathieu Valbuena has been left out as he continues to struggle
for fitness and form at Lyon. There is also no place for Real Madrid
striker Karim Benzema, who remains suspended from the national team despite
a legal restriction being lifted last week. Benzema, 28, was charged with
conspiracy to blackmail last November over an alleged attempt to extort
money from Valbuena. He is now allowed to meet Valbuena as a result of last
week's ruling, but it had not been expected that he would be made eligible
for this month's matches because he is still recovering from an injury.
Deschamps also resisted the temptation to try to coax Franck Ribery out of
retirement after the Bayern Munich attacker hinted that he could be willing
to make himself available for France again. Euro 2016 hosts France play
Netherlands away on March 25 and Russia at the Stade de France on March 29
in their final games before Deschamps names his squad for the tournament on
May 12.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Slaven Bilic confirms West Ham to sign Manuel Lanzini on a permanent basis
Manuel Lanzini in action for West Ham
By talkSPORT - @talkSPORT
Thursday, March 17, 2016
West Ham boss Slaven Bilic has confirmed the club will '100 per cent' sign
Manuel Lanzini on a permanent deal. The 23-year-old arrived on loan from Al
Jazira last summer and has shone during his first season in English
football. The attacking midfielder has scored five goals in 21 games and now
Bilic has confirmed West Ham are going to take up the option to buy the
Argentine outright for £7.4m. "With Manuel it is a clear situation from the
start. He came on loan and we had an option and the contract is there," said
Bilic. "He is our player and he is happy here. We want him for a long, long
time. It is a great signing for us. "The board and my staff decided long ago
that we want to activate that option. That is done. The decision was made a
long time ago."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham agree £18.2m deal for Argentine midfielder as they close in on
Liverpool target
WEST HAM have reached an agreement to sign Manuel Lanzini on a permanent
basis from UAE club Al Jazira.
By LIAM SPENCE
PUBLISHED: 08:12, Thu, Mar 17, 2016 | UPDATED: 08:27, Thu, Mar 17, 2016
West Ham are understood to have agreed a deal to sign Manuel Lanzini on a
permanent basis. That is according to website Football Insider, who claim
the Hammers and the 23-year-old have thrashed out a five-year deal worth
£18.2million that will see him earn £70,000-a-week. Lanzini has been in
impressive form for the Hammers since joining the club on loan in the summer
and Slaven Bilic looks to have tied the Argentine midfielder down until
2021. And further reports from the London Evening Standard suggest that
West Ham will imminently confirm the £7.4m signing of Lanzini. West Ham
chairman David Gold revealed earlier in the season that the club had a
'watertight' agreement in place to sign the winger on a permanent basis.
Speaking in December, Sullivan said: "We have until April to make it
permanent but we'll probably do it before the due date. "By February or
March, he will be a permanent West Ham player. He's already sensational and
he could be as good as any player in the world." A deal for Lanzini is
understood to have been in the pipeline for a number of weeks, but West Ham
wanted reassurances on his fitness after a thigh injury. Lanzini, who has
made 17 appearances and has scored four goals so far this season, has
recently been attracting interest from Premier League rivals Liverpool, but
it seems as if they will miss out on him. And it looks as if they will be
pipped to the post by the Hammers to the signing of Borussia
Moenchengladbach star Havard Nordtveit also, with Bilic's side ready to
swoop. The Irons have reportedly agreed to sign the Norway international on
a free transfer this summer. The Bundesliga side confirmed on Twitter that
the 25-year-old midfielder will move to the Premier League at the end of the
season. They posted: "Havard Nordtveit will not extend his contract
expiring in the summer and will move to England."
Nordtveit has also been attracting interest from Tottenham and Arsenal, but
it looks like the Hammers have won the race to sign him as they look to
kickstart a revolution at the club ahead of their move to the Olympic
Stadium.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Martin Samuelsen back playing for West Ham
HITC
Dan Coombs
West Ham youngster was featuring for their development squad last night.
West Ham youngster Martin Samuelsen was back in the club's colours last
night, featuring for their development squad.
Samuelsen was a summer addition from Manchester City last summer, and made a
swift debut by appearing in the Europa League. The teenager was then sent
out on loan to League One side Peterborough United where he has been
impressing, catching the attention of the public in a televised FA Cup tie
against West Bromwich Albion in which he terrorised the Premier League
side's full-backs. Last night as under terms of his loan, he was brought
back to feature for the Hammers in their FA Premier League Cup semi-final
against Liverpool. The Hammers fielded a strong under-21 side, with the
selections of Reece Oxford, Stephen Hendrie, all featuring alongside
Samuelsen, with Josh Cullen returning from his loan at Bradford City for the
game.
Liverpool, who fielded first team defender Martin Skrtel, went 1-0 up
through Pedro Chirivella, before Doneil Henry pulled West Ham level. A
frenetic extra time period ended with Hendrie netting an impressive winner
for the Hammers, sending them into the final.
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