Hammers suffer late defeat at White Hart Lane
WHUFC.com
Harry Kane scored a dramatic late winner from the penalty spot to help
Tottenham record a 3-2 victory over West Ham at White Hart Lane.
Manuel Lanzini's penalty midway through the second half looked to have set
West Ham on the way to a memorable victory in north London.
But in a dramatic turn of events in the final stages of the game, Kane
managed to score two goals in the space of two minutes to help Tottenham
secure all three points.
Michail Antonio had fired West Ham into the lead in the first half, but
youngster Harry Winks marked his Premier League debut with an equaliser.
Lanzini then scored from the penalty spot after Winston Reid had been
brought down inside the box.
But the Hammers failed to hold on and Kane brought Tottenham level on 88
minutes before firing the winner from the penalty spot.
Bilic made three changes to the team which drew with Stoke in the last game
handing first Premier League starts of the season to Darren Randolph and
Diafra Sakho and Winston Reid returning to the starting line-up after a one
match ban.
West Ham fans were especially thrilled to see Sakho back in action after he
was forced to miss the start of the season with a back injury.
The home side thought they had opened the scoring after just six minutes.
Eric Dier played a ball over the top of the Hammers defence. Christian
Eriksen reacted the quickest and fired a close-range effort past Darren
Randolph, but his effort was ruled out for offside.
West Ham made them pay as they broke the deadlock on 24 minutes and it was
another moment for Antonio to remember against Spurs.
Dimitri Payet's corner picked out Cheikhou Kouyate who saw his looping
header strike the bar.
The rebound fell to Winston Reid who saw his shot flicked home by Antonio at
the far post.
It was yet another header from Antonio who took his tally to six goals this
season and now just three away from equalling the Premier League record of
headed goals in one season by former Everton forward Duncan Ferguson.
Tottenham drew level on 51 minutes after Randolph could only parry a
close-range shot from Vincent Janssen. The rebound fell to Winks who made no
mistake striking the ball into the back of the net.
Randolph kept the Hammers in the game on 58 minutes when he made a fine save
to deny Dier's close-range header.
West Ham made Tottenham pay as Lanzini added a second from the penalty spot
on 66 minutes.
Janssen was penalised for pulling back Reid. Referee Mike Dean had no
hesitation in pointing to the spot and Lanzini fired the spot kick into the
corner of the net.
It looked as if the Hammers were heading for all three points, but Tottenham
somehow managed to turn the game around right at the death.
Kane helped Tottenham draw level on 88 minutes when he turned in a cross
from substitute Heung-Min Son.
And the Tottenham forward scored the winner from the penalty spot in injury
time after Nordtveit had brought down Son inside the box.
The Hammers misery was compounded in injury time when Reid was sent off for
two bookable offences.
Tottenham: Lloris, Walker (Trippier 89), Rose, Vertonghen, Dier; Wanyama,
Dembele (Son 72), Winks, Eriksen; Kane, Janssen (Alli 67)
Subs not used: Vorm, Trippier, Onomah, Wimmer, Carter-Vickers
Bookings: Dembele, Rose
West Ham: Randolph; Reid, Cresswell, Kouyate, Obiang, Ogbonna; Lanzini,
Payet (Nordtveit 83), Sakho (Zaza 60); Ayew (Fernandes 60), Antonio
Subs not used: Adrian, Feghouli, Collins, Fletcher
Bookings: Lanzini, Antonio, Nordtveit, Reid
Sent Off: Reid
Referee: Mike Dean
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Antonio - I'm in pain
WHUFC.com
Michail Antonio was feeling low after Saturday's dramatic defeat at
Tottenham Hotspur
Spurs scored twice in the final minutes to snatch a 3-2 win at White Hart
Lane
The wing-back had earlier scored his sixth goal of the season
Michail Antonio could hardly contain his 'pain' after West Ham United
slipped to a 3-2 Premier League defeat at Tottenham Hotspur.
The No30 headed the Hammers ahead with his sixth of the season, and Slaven
Bilic's side looked on course to end Spurs' unbeaten start when Manuel
Lanzini fired home a second-half penalty to put his side 2-1 up.
However, two Harry Kane goals in the closing stages - the second a penalty
of his own - broke West Ham hearts and left Antonio in despair.
"I don't even know what to say," said the wing-back. "It was one of those
games where we were in the lead and stupid mistakes have ended up with us
losing.
"I feel embarrassed because we know the importance of this game to the fans.
We've done well, we've got the lead, they've come back, we've got the lead
again and we've held out until the last seven minutes of the game.
"If we'd held on, we'd have got a good win for the team, moved up the table
and moved on, but instead we made mistakes. We thought we'd won the game but
we switched off. That's all I can say.
"Our gameplan was working but the last six or seven minutes we just couldn't
keep the ball out of our net."
Antonio's raw emotion came at the end of a typically rollercoaster affair
between the two London rivals.
The No30 nodded West Ham in front at half-time, before debutant Harry Winks
levelled for the hosts.
Lanzini fired home after Winston Reid had been fouled, before Kane converted
Hueng-min Son's cross to equalise for a second time. The England striker
then beat Darren Randolph from 12 yards after substitute Havard Nordtveit
had fouled Son in the first minute of added time.
Reid was then sent-off for two bookable offences, meaning he will miss next
weekend's trip to Manchester United, where West Ham desperately need
something to regain lost confidence.
"The feeling when I scored was special, but that feeling has gone now,"
admitted Antonio. "All I am feeling is pain. It's just one of those things
and we need to start over again.
"Winston will be a massive miss because he's a big part of our team. He
played well and we need the players who are playing consistently well and
he's one of them. Now, someone else is going to have to step up and show
their best."
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Bilic - It's hard to take
WHUFC.com
Slaven Bilic admitted to a feeling of extreme disappointment after he saw
three points slip through his team's grasp at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.
West Ham looked on course for a memorable derby victory after goals from
Michail Antonio and Manuel Lanzini put them 2-1 up with the finishing line
in sight.
But a cruel, late double from Harry Kane not only wiped out their lead, but
kept the points in north London.
It was incredibly harsh on the Hammers after a bright performance took them
to the brink of victory and Bilic could not hide his frustration at full
time.
The boss said: "We are extremely disappointed. We were 2-1 up with three or
four minutes to go and [before that] we had three really good opportunities
to score the third one.
"When you are up with three minutes to go you want to win the game. Ok, they
can equalise, but to concede two goals - one of which a penalty - is hard to
take.
"You have to be smart. Son did a good move, our player went down a bit too
quickly - well, it turned out to be that that way, but he wanted the best of
course.
"We were the better side in the first half hour of the game. They started to
push after that and we began to lose the ball quite quickly, but then in the
second half after they equalised they had momentum.
"We scored and then it was a crucial time to hold on, or to score a third
one because we had a couple of really good counter-attacks - not with one or
two players, but with four.
"We should have killed the game."
The Hammers suffered a further late blow when Winston Reid saw red in
stoppage time and Bilic knows the Hammers need to bounce back quickly with a
tough run of fixtures coming up.
He added: "It would have been important for us to get something out of the
game, because we have a tough schedule, but then again we have shown that we
can put really good performances in and we have chances against whoever we
play.
"The red card is another blow for us because Winston was really good today -
excellent in anticipating the ball when they played through the middle. It
was a bit harsh and now we lose him for one game."
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U18s suffer late heartbreak at Spurs
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's U18s were subject to late heartbreak as a last minute
Kazaiah Sterling penalty saw them lose 2-1 at Tottenham Hotspur.
The Hammers went behind in the opening 20 minutes when Jack Roles pounced on
a clearance by Nathan Trott, only for Jahmal Hector-Ingram to draw the sides
level with a neat finish 20 minutes later.
However, Spurs stole the three points in injury time when Sterling slotted
home from the spot after Rosaire Longelo's foul.
"It wasn't a pleasant mood in the dressing room but we've had some last
minute wins this season ourselves," said assistant manager Mark Phillips.
"At the end of the day we're developing players so it's a good learning
curve for them. They'll hopefully learn to see games out and to play for the
allotted 94 minutes."
Manager Steve Potts made a few changes from the side that drew with Arsenal
before the international break. Trott, Hector-Ingram, Declan Rice and Dan
Kemp came in for Rihards Matrevics, the suspended Ben Johnson, Joe Powell
and Ben Wells.
In windy conditions at the Tottenham Hotspur Training Ground, the Hammers
created the first meaningful chance when Hector-Ingram forced a great save
from Spurs keeper Brandon Austin.
It was the home side who took the lead though on 21 minutes. A scuffed
clearance from Trott was chased down by Tashan Oakley-Boothe and Jack Roles
rolled in the ball into the net.
Hector-Ingram sliced a great chance to equalise ten minutes later but the
striker made amends five minutes before half-time, latching onto a brilliant
through ball by Ireland U18 midfielder Anthony Scully.
The Hammers No9 showed his typical composure to slide the ball past the
on-rushing Austin.
The second half was as even as the first with both sides having their fair
share of possession.
Reece Hannam and Conor Coventry both had great chances for the Hammers to
snatch a vital victory with long range efforts both missing the target.
Unfortunately for them, they would rue their missed opportunities. With
virtually the last action of the match, Longelo fouled Jonathan Dinzeyi and
the referee pointed to the penalty spot.
Substitute Sterling scored from the spot to succumb the Hammers to their
first defeat in five matches.
"We had a number of opportunities to create chances today but just lacked a
bit of that clinical edge in the final third.
"I can't fault the boys for their commitment, desire and hunger and we've
got the chance to bounce back quickly on Tuesday."
Hammers XI: Trott; Eggleton (Wells, 46), Akinola, Rice, Hannam; Coventry,
Henry; Kemp (Ngakia, 63), Scully, Longelo; Hector-Ingram (Rosa, 68).
Subs not used: Matrevics.
Goals: Hector-Ingram.
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Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 West Ham United
By Jamie Strickland
BBC Sport
Tottenham maintained their unbeaten start to the Premier League season amid
high drama as Harry Kane struck twice at the death in a breathless victory
over West Ham at White Hart Lane.
Michail Antonio's first-half header and a Manuel Lanzini penalty had put
West Ham 2-1 up and seemingly on course for only a fourth league win of the
season, but Kane's late show emphatically turned the contest on its head.
First the England striker turned home from close range after good work down
the left by substitute Son Heung-Min, while two minutes later the South
Korean was brought down in the area by Havard Nordtveit and Kane tucked away
the resulting spot-kick.
Earlier, 20-year-old midfielder Harry Winks had equalised for Tottenham on
his full Premier League debut, but Lanzini's penalty - awarded after Vincent
Janssen pulled back Winston Reid in the area - put West Ham back in the
driving seat before Kane intervened.
Spurs are now 12 games unbeaten at the start of the season - the last time
they managed that was in the 1960-61 season, which ended with the north
Londoners claiming a league and cup double.
For now Tottenham must content themselves with a fairly modest fifth place
in the standings after a run of six wins and six draws, while shell-shocked
West Ham - who lost Reid to a second bookable offence in added time - remain
17th and just a point outside the relegation zone.
A tale of two Harrys
Kane was largely anonymous for much of the match, with the focus and
plaudits for the most part falling on midfielder Winks, handed his first
start in the league in place of Dele Alli, who was named on the bench after
returning from injury.
Winks has been in and around the first team for the last couple of years and
finally earned a first league start in the intense spotlight of a London
derby. In such circumstances do young players show their worth, and on this
evidence Winks is set to be a fixture in the Spurs set-up for some
considerable time.
He looked confident in possession, wanting the ball and using it well. And
when the chance came to get on the scoresheet he did not hesitate, lashing
home the rebound after Janssen's long-range shot was parried by Darren
Randolph.
In contrast, Kane had a frustrating 89 minutes but burst to life when his
team needed him most.
Randolph - who earlier produced a truly stunning save to deny Eric Dier with
his side 2-1 up - will be disappointed with his part in the goal, diverting
the ball into Kane's path as he attempted to cut out Son's low centre.
But he had no chance with Kane's second from the spot - a powerful,
confident strike befitting a 20-goals-a-season striker.
Harry Winks made 67 passes, 39 of those coming in the opposition half. Only
Christian Eriksen had more, but Winks played more forward passes than his
fellow midfielder.
West Ham more than played their part in a highly entertaining contest, and
will return to east London wondering how they managed to not take at least a
point with them.
Antonio's well-taken header after Cheikhou Kouyate hit the bar gave them the
lead against the run of play, but their improved performance after the break
meant it was less of a surprise when Lanzini lashed home their second from
the penalty spot.
In that moment West Ham became the first team to score more than one goal
against Spurs in the league this season, and Slaven Bilic's men looked good
value for it.
But the 72nd-minute entrance of Son for Mousa Dembele proved a turning
point.
The former Bayer Leverkusen forward first raced past Antonio to deliver a
cross via the palm of Randolph that Kane turned home, and was then smart
enough to invite a wild challenge from fellow substitute Nordtveit, cutting
inside and leaving his standing leg invitingly in the path of the defender's
needless lunge.
Having already awarded a league-high eight penalties this season, referee
Mike Dean made it a ninth. Kane was the gleeful recipient from 12 yards.
Man of the match - Harry Winks
Harry Winks
Winks just gets the nod ahead of namesake Kane and game-changer Son on the
strength of his performance over the full 90 minutes. Thrust into a big
local derby in place of one of Spurs' biggest stars, he looked assured,
lively, direct and took his goal very well - triggering joyous celebrations
and even a hug with his manager on the touchline.
Manager reaction
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino: "It was really important to get the
three points, it was a very tough game, I'm very pleased with the
performance.
"West Ham were very good and we showed big character and personality, the
team always try to find the goal and for that I am very pleased. The players
fought until the last minute and the reward was unbelievable. "Harry Kane is
always very important, he is our main striker and one of the best strikers
in the world. You miss that type of player when he does not play for 10 or
11 games. The table looks much better, we are three points off the top and
12 unbeaten from the beginning."
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic says: "We are extremely disappointed and when
you are 2-1 up with three minutes to go, to concede two goals is very hard
to take. We had three really good opportunities to score the third. "I think
we were the better side in the first half hour then we started to lose the
ball quite quickly. After we scored (to make it 2-1) that was the crucial
time to hold on or score a third. "We had some good counter-attacks and we
should have killed the game. We have a tough schedule but we showed we can
put in a really good performance."
Kane has netted in each of his last four Premier League games; equalling his
joint-best scoring streak in the competition.
There were 160 seconds between Kane's two goals for Spurs against West Ham.
Antonio has scored 11 headed goals in the Premier League in 2016, more than
twice as many as any other player in the competition (Aguero and Benteke
next, on five).
Antonio has also equalled the Premier League record for headed goals in a
calendar year (11, joint with Tim Cahill in 2010).
West Ham have received more red cards than any other Premier League team
since the start of last season (7).
What's next?
A big week lies in store for Spurs. On Tuesday they travel to Monaco for a
vital Champions League group match (19:45 GMT), while on Saturday they have
the small matter of a Premier League match at London rivals Chelsea (17:30).
West Ham are back in action next Sunday, visiting Manchester United in the
Premier League (16:30).
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Tottenham 3-2 West Ham: Harry Kane double nicks dramatic late win
By Charlotte Marsh
Last Updated: 19/11/16 10:55pm
SSN
To watch Premier League action on your mobile now download the Football
Score Centre on iPhone or Android
A Harry Kane double snatched a dramatic late win for Tottenham as they beat
West Ham 3-2 on Saturday evening to maintain their unbeaten run in the
Premier League.
The Hammers had looked to be heading for victory after another Michail
Antonio header saw them go ahead in the first half, but Spurs got themselves
level six minutes after the break as Harry Winks netted on his first league
start.
The visitors retook the lead in the 67th minute when Manuel Lanzini
converted from the spot, but Kane again got Spurs on equal terms, tapping
home with one minute of normal time to play, before converting a penalty in
the first minute of time added on to seal a remarkable win for the hosts.
West Ham's dismal evening was rounded off after Winston Reid was sent off in
the final action of the game to see the Hammers sit one point above the
relegation places, while Spurs move up to fifth - one point behind Arsenal.
Tottenham just edged the opening exchanges with Winks particularly
impressive and he nearly scored inside the opening three minutes, but could
only fire wide from the edge of the box.
Christian Eriksen then had the ball in the net not long after following a
delightful through ball from Eric Dier but he was flagged marginally
offside, before Kane also flashed a shot past the post from 10 yards.
But West Ham started to see their own sights of goal as the clock ticked to
the quarter hour mark, and Antonio was at the heat of the action. After
playing a one-two with Andre Ayew from a throw-in, the winger went on a mazy
run to the top of the box - easily getting past Victor Wanyama on his way -
but his curled effort just skimmed the top left corner of the upright.
He made the breakthrough nine minutes later though, netting his 11th headed
Premier League goal of 2016. Dimitri Payet's corner initially found Cheikhou
Kouyate - who rifled his effort against the crossbar - but the rebound fell
to the feet of Reid, who floated a cross towards the back post which was
powerfully headed home by Antonio.
Tottenham could have levelled with three minutes of the half to play as Kane
and Rose played a delightful give-and-go, before the defender flashed a
cross in front of goal but the incoming Eriksen could not get there to tap
home.
But the hosts did find their equaliser six minutes into the second half
after some brilliant Spurs build-up. Rose slipped in Vincent Janssen on the
left, before hammering a shot at Darren Randolph but the parry fell into the
path of Winks, who slotted home from close range.
Referee Mike Dean pointed to the spot in West Ham's favour in the 67th
minute after Janssen pulled down Reid in the box froma a Payet corner.
Lanzini made no mistake in expertly dispatching the spot-kick to see the
visitors back ahead.
They looked to be on their way to a vital three points, but the game was
turned on its head in the 89th minute as Kane scored the first of his two
goals to spark the Spurs comeback.
Substitute Heung-Min Son fired in a cross from the left - evading a number
of West Ham players - before a glancing fingertip save from Randoplh saw the
ball into the England striker's path who slotted home for the equaliser.
Less than two minutes later, Mike Dean awarded another penalty - this time
in favour of Tottenham - after Harvard Nordtveit tripped Son in the area.
Kane made no mistake from the spot to spark rapturous scenes inside White
Hart Lane.
It did not get any better for West Ham as captain Reid was booked twice
within three minutes of added time to be given his marching orders and will
now miss next weekend's league trip to Manchester United.
As for Tottenham, they are yet to lose in the Premier League this season - a
run of 12 games - and are in Champions League action on Tuesday evening
against Monaco before a third successive London derby in the league, this
time away at Chelsea on Saturday.
Player ratings
Tottenham: Lloris (6), Walker (7), Dier (7), Vertonghen (7), Rose (7),
Wanyama (6), Dembele (7), Winks (9), Eriksen (6), Kane (8), Janssen (5)
Subs used: Son (7), Alli (6), Trippier (n/a)
West Ham: Randolph (7), Kouyate (6), Reid (6), Ogbonna (6), Antonio (7),
Obiang (6), Lanzini (7), Cresswell (6), Payet (6), Ayew (5), Sakho (5)
Subs: Zaza (5), Fernandes (5), Nordtveit (3)
Man of the match: Harry Winks
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West Ham manager Slaven Bilic says Tottenham defeat difficult to take
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 19/11/16 9:51pm
SSN
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic says Saturday evening's defeat to Tottenham is
'difficult to take' after two late goals saw his side lose 3-2.
The Hammers had taken a first-half lead at White Hart Lane thanks to another
header from Michail Antonio but Harry Winks drew Tottenham level six minutes
after the break on his first Premier League start.
The east London side went ahead again in the 67th minute after Manuel
Lanzini netted from the spot and looked to be heading for a vital three
points.
But Tottenham and Harry Kane had other ideas, with the striker netting his
first in the 89th minute before putting the hosts ahead with a penalty in
the first minute of added time to inflict defeat on West Ham.
"You can imagine it's very difficult to take this kind of defeat in a derby
when there are four minutes to go and you're a goal up and you're thinking
about killing the game," he said.
"We had really good opportunities to kill the game off but unfortunately it
wasn't to be. For the penalty, Son did a really good move and our player
went down a little bit too quickly.
"Our penalty, to be fair, I didn't see. All I have seen is their penalty
after the game and it was a penalty, it was a very clever move from Son. The
foul from Reid is a big blow, because he was excellent."
Next up for West Ham is an away double header with Manchester United in the
Premier League followed by the EFL Cup before league meetings with Arsenal
and Liverpool.
"We have a tough schedule but we showed we can put in a really good
performance," he added. "We played well today. It would have been important
to win this game, but there were a lot of positives. We don't have to be
afraid of any of the teams coming up in our fixture list."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Saturday, November 19
Daily WHUFC News - 19th November 2016
Preview - Tottenham Hotspur
WHUFC.com
When and where?
Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United
Premier League
Saturday 19 November 2016, 5.30pm GMT
White Hart Lane
What's the story?
It's derby day on Saturday as West Ham United make the short trip to north
London to take on Tottenham Hotspur. A more mouthwatering return to action
following the international break is hard to imagine, with West Ham looking
to get one over their high-flying hosts. Tottenham have made a solid start
to their Premier League campaign – and are the final team to boast an
unbeaten record – but four draws in a row have seen them slip five points
behind leaders Liverpool.
They were without their main man up front Harry Kane for much of that run,
although West Ham will have to be wary of his presence after he returned
with a goal in their 1-1 draw with Arsenal two weeks ago.
Matches against West Bromwich Albion, AFC Bournemouth and Leicester City
have also ended all-square in that time, with Tottenham's last win coming
against Manchester City on 2 October. The Hammers, meanwhile, started to
recover from a slow start to the season in the last period between
international fixtures, taking seven points from those four matches. Wins
against Crystal Palace and Sunderland were followed by a loss at Everton and
draw with Stoke – and with a tough run of games coming up, the Hammers will
be hoping to build on that sequence.
Team news
West Ham will have Diafra Sakho available for selection for the first time
this season after the striker overcame a back problem to return to fitness.
Winston Reid is also back after serving a one-match ban against Stoke, but
Mark Noble sits out after picking up a suspension for accumulating five
yellow cards. Andy Carroll continues to build his fitness after injury,
while Arthur Masuaku (knee), Sam Byram (hamstring), Reece Oxford (knee) and
Gokhan Tore (thigh) are all out.
For Tottenham, Dele Alli is close to fitness after his knee problem, but
might not be risked with a UEFA Champions League tie against Monaco to
follow on Tuesday. Toby Alderweireld, Erik Lamela and Ben Davies remain
sidelined.
Any links between the two?
Neither team's squad features a player who has turned out for the other
side, but the meetings between the two have thrown up plenty of drama in
recent years.
No West Ham fan will need reminding that their team saw off Spurs on three
occasions during the 2013/14 season, while last year, Michail Antonio
notched the only goal of the game to win the last Boleyn Ground match
between the two.
The Hammers will be hoping for better than their last trip to White Hart
Lane, however, when two Kane goals, added to strikes from Alderweireld and
Kyle Walker sealed a 4-1 win for the hosts. Manuel Lanzini replied for West
Ham.
How do I get to the game?
Click here for details of how to get to White Hart Lane.
Full details of Abellio Greater Anglia services to White Hart Lane station
can be found here, while the latest news on the roads, Tubes, London
Overground and TfL rail services can be found here.
How can I watch the game?
This match will be broadcast live in the UK on BT Sport. Remember you can
follow all the action live as it happens on whufc.com, with social media
updates, in-running stats and photos, alongside live audio commentary.
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A message from the Joint-Chairmen
WHUFC.com
Joint-Chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold have penned a message to fans
travelling to White Hart Lane...
Firstly, we would like to thank you for purchasing a ticket for Saturday's
match against Tottenham Hotspur. We sold out our ticket allocation in a
matter of days, for a fixture which required 12 Priority Points for
purchase, so it just illustrates the anticipation and level of commitment
from our loyal supporters.
With 2,300 travelling Hammers packing the away end and roaring Slaven's side
on from the first minute to the last, it should be a special occasion for
all and hopefully we can come away with a positive result.
Everyone of us at the Club, on the Board and in the stands on Saturday will
be looking forward to another London derby and, following recent victories
over Crystal Palace and Chelsea, we are hopeful that we can put in another
good performance.
You, the West Ham fans, have of course played a key role in these wins, and
in helping turn our form around this season, by backing the team and helping
us over the line with your incredible support.
Saturday's game at White Hart Lane is another opportunity to show the
passion that makes our fans famous around the world, and to illustrate the
effect your support can have on the team throughout the game.
We also must remember that every supporter attending the game is acting as
an ambassador for West Ham United and their behaviour should reflect the
values and standards of our great Club.
At West Ham United we are truly proud of our support for causes that promote
tolerance, inclusion and tackle discrimination in whatever form it takes.
Let us prove on Saturday that there is simply no place in football for
abuse, discrimination or bigotry of any form, and ensure that football, and
a hopefully a great result for the Hammers, are what people are talking
about on Sunday morning.
In the event that you happen to see or hear anything you think is
unacceptable on the day, it is important that you report anything of this
nature to the relevant authorities to ensure it is investigated fully.
In the first instance, you may choose to speak to the nearest steward or
police officer. Alternatively, you can report any inappropriate behaviour
anonymously by texting or calling 07537 404821, where all information
provided will be treated in the strictest of confidence.
As at home matches, the Club operate a zero tolerance policy and will seek
banning orders for anybody who is proven to be in contravention of this
policy.
We, and everyone else at West Ham United, are very much looking forward to
Saturday's game and the Claret and Blue Army showing the world what being a
football fan is all about - supporting with pride, passion and respect.
Come on you Irons!
David Sullivan & David Gold
Joint-Chairmen
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Dyer - It is a big boost to have Sakho back
WHUFC.com
Sakho back in trainingEvening Standard football reporter Ken Dyer looks
ahead to the big London derby against Tottenham at White Hart Lane on
Saturday and is excited to see Diafra Sakho back in the squad.....
I thought Slaven was quite upbeat in the pre-match press conference and with
players coming back from injury, things are looking a lot better.
He was asked about the transfer window and said he is not thinking about it
as he has players like Ayew and Sakho coming back who will feel like new
signings for the Club.
He was positive and said the team have trained hard in the build-up to the
game and the preparations have gone well. If they play well they can do well
against anyone.
They will want to make amends for the 4-1 defeat at White Hart Lane last
season and the team were
on a good run of form at the time and it was a setback for us.
But at Upton Park it was a proper game and we did well to win the game. For
West Ham fans this is the big one and it is a proper London derby.
It is very important having Sakho back in the squad because he does
something that not many other players at the Club can do. He runs the
channels and goes beyond defenders.
As Slaven said to me he opens up pockets of space for midfield players to
run into. He is strong and holds the ball up well and it is a big boost to
have him back.
I can remember when he first arrived and talking to the doctors when he
first arrived. They felt he was the one of the fittest players they had seen
and he can run all day. I don't think stamina is a problem with him.
I would start him against Tottenham because goals have been a problem for us
and I think he will cause Spurs lots of problems.
If I was a Tottenham defender and I see that Sakho is in the team, I know it
is not going to be an easy afternoon.
I might have to sit on the fence if you are asking about the result because
they have only let in six goals in 11 games and have not been beaten.
We have found goalscoring difficult so I am going to go for a draw.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Lanzini - I want to earn bragging rights over Lamela
WHUFC.com
Lanzini hopes for a similar celebration on SaturdayManuel Lanzini is hoping
to earn the bragging rights over close friend Erik Lamela on Saturday and
secure a big victory for West Ham in the London derby against Tottenham.
Lanzini forged a close bond with Lamela when the two Argentine stars played
together at River Plate back in Buenos Aires.
The Hammers midfielder will never forget the successful spell he had at the
Argentine Club and the successful relationship he had with Lamela both on
and off the pitch.
But Lanzini says that will all be put to one side when the two teams meet in
north London this weekend and knows the importance of helping West Ham get
back on the winning trail.
Lanzini said: "It is always great to see familiar faces. I played with Erik
at River Plate and we developed a very good friendship. I think he is a very
good player.
"But I have to focus on West Ham and make sure we do everything to win the
game.
"I hope to earn the bragging rights on Saturday!"
It is always great to see familiar faces. I played with Erik at River Plate
and we developed a very good friendship.
Manuel Lanzini
After suffering a 4-1 defeat at White Hart Lane last season, Lanzini says
the players are determined to make amends on Saturday and help get their
season back on track.
The Hammers looked to be back to their best when they recently went on a
four match unbeaten run, but have only managed to take one point from the
last two games and sit just above the bottom three.
But Lanzini has no doubts there is enough quality in the squad to challenge
in the top half of the table and feels they can be a match for any team.
Lanzini added: "We always want to play well in the derbies we play in and if
we are focused and work hard, I believe we can get a good result.
"Every game is very important for us and very difficult, especially the ones
we have coming up.
"But I really believe in the group of players we have."
Lanzini is well aware of the tough schedule his side face in the next few
weeks, but insists they are not looking past the Tottenham game and are
focusing all their efforts on making sure they come away with a positive
result.
"We have to take it game-by-game. The next one is Tottenham on Saturday and
only after that we start to focus on the next one.
"The most important thing for us is to do well in the next game."
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Five Talking Points - Tottenham Hotspur
WHUFC.com
The major subjects for discussion ahead of Saturday's teatime London derby
at White Hart Lane...
Can it happen again?
In late 2013, West Ham United travelled to White Hart Lane twice in the
space of eight weeks and won on both occasions. A 3-0 Premier League victory
was followed by a come-from-behind 2-1 League Cup quarter-final win. When
the Hammers went 2-0 up on the Premier League visit to Tottenham Hotspur in
February 2015, the Claret and Blue Army chanted 'It's happening again!' On
that occasion, Spurs came back to draw 2-2, before scoring a 4-1 success in
last season's Premier League meeting. So, the question is, can West Ham make
it happen again? Or will Tottenham continue their recent renaissance by
making it back-to-back home victories over their London rivals?
Noble's absence
For the first time in the Premier League this season, Slaven Bilic will be
without captain Mark Noble, who is suspended after being booked for a fifth
time against Stoke City last time out. The skipper may not have been at his
influential best so far in 2016/17, but he will be sorely missed in
Saturday's teatime feast at White Hart Lane. A boyhood Hammers fan, Noble
undoubtedly raises his game against his team's local rivals, and his energy,
leadership and quality will all be marked by their enforced absence. It will
be up to whoever replaces him – Swiss youngster Edimilson Fernandes or
Norwegian Havard Nordtveit are among those in contention – to fill the void
left by the missing Mr West Ham.
Unbeaten hosts
They may not have hit the heights of last season on a consistent basis, but
the fact remains that Tottenham are the only unbeaten team in the Premier
League. Mauricio Pochettino has instilled a resilience and energy in his
Spurs side that has made them, so far, impossible to beat. Tottenham have
produced some scintialling displays, most notably in beating Manchester City
at White Hart Lane and thrashing Stoke City 4-0 at the bet365 Stadium, and
go into Saturday's game having drawn 1-1 at Arsenal last time out. However,
Spurs have also failed to beat AFC Bournemouth and West Bromwich Albion, so
West Ham can travel to N17 with hopes of adding to that list.
Who will take the gloves?
Slaven Bilic has said publicly that Adrian is his No1 goalkeeper, and one
can expect the Spaniard to line up between the sticks at White Hart Lane.
The No13 has pulled out some important saves this season, most notably in
the home win over Sunderland and in the first half at Everton. However, a
costly mistake against Stoke City last time out raised speculation that
Darren Randolph could be given his first Premier League opportunity since
Adrian's injury at the end of last season. Randolph has himself been hugely
dependable when called upon by Club and country, helping West Ham to an EFL
Cup win over Chelsea and Republic of Ireland to a valuable FIFA World Cup
qualifying victory over Austria in recent weeks. So, will Bilic be tempted
to change his goalkeeper? Or will he stick to his guns between the sticks?
Fours or threes?
Slaven Bilic's switch from a back four to a back three – or five, depending
on how you see things – resulted in an upturn in results and a greater
defensive solidity. For that reason, the Croatian may opt to continue with
the new formation, with Winston Reid expected to replace James Collins at
centre-half. The absence of Mark Noble and Tottenham's own preference for a
back three could see Bilic 'match-up' Spurs with a five-man midfield. Or,
will the manager be tempted to change to his tried-and-tested 4-3-3 in a bid
to take advantage of space behind the home full-backs?
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
U12s qualify for Truce Tournament finals
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's U12s have qualified for the finals of the Premier League's
Truce Tournament, with the next stage taking place in December in Belgium.
The tournament forms part of the Premier League's 'Football Remembers'
initiative and the regional qualifiers fittingly took place on Remembrance
Sunday. All teams that attended the qualifiers at Aldershot Army Garrison
took part in a 2 minutes' silence and each team captain read out the names
of soldiers who represented their clubs but sadly died in combat. "The day
for us was an educational experience. Before the tournament, the players
were educated on why the tournament was taking place and who were we
remembering," said U12 coach Dave Johnson. "Some of our players were born in
2004 and were remembering players from a long time ago. It was really
important that they had an understanding of what Remembrance Sunday was and
how it affected our club. The remembrance of the players was very important
to us."
After the tributes were paid, the football started with the young Hammers
drawn in a difficult group against Chelsea, Everton, Reading and Derby
County. However, they swept the floor with their group opponents, topping
the table and winning all four matches which set up a qualification final
against Swansea City. The Hammers won that match meaning they were one of
just four English clubs to qualify for the European finals of the
tournament. The youngsters will travel to Ypres, Belgium along with Crystal
Palace, Manchester City and Blackburn Rovers to face Anderlecht, Club Brugge
KV, Schalke 04 and Paris Saint-Germain between 8-11 December.
Their time at Ypres will be also be spent visiting the memorial to the
unknown soldier and laying a wreath at the war graves nearby.
"It was a really good achievement and we only conceded two goals across the
whole tournament," continued Johnson. "It's a massive achievement for the
boys. All the Premier League clubs take part in qualifying for this
tournament so to be one of four clubs to qualifying for the finals is huge."
"We run over 40 tournaments for our Academy players so they can get
different European experience so the event will supplement our tour
programme."
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School children meet Academy stars at Hammers day
WHUFC.com
Academy stars Marcus Browne and Grady Diangana visited a local school last
week, who went West Ham United crazy for the day. Oakfield Primary School in
Wickford, Essex were celebrating all things claret and blue as the West Ham
United Foundation held a number of activities throughout the day. The
Foundation spent the whole day laying on various activities in and out of
the classroom as the corridors of the school were decked with West Ham
United shirts and lots of claret and blue decorations. The children were set
a number of footballing challenges outside and were later joined by Browne
and Diangana who both stressed how important it is for the Club to give back
to the community. "I think it's good coming back to a primary school because
it's where we learned to play football. We probably had the most fun playing
football at primary school because we could do whatever we wanted," said
Browne. "It's great for the kids when players come into schools in different
areas and have a chat and have fun with them."
"It's been really fun, all the kids are really enthusiastic. They're asking
a lot of questions about what we do, how old we are so it's brilliant," said
Diangana. Inside, some of the children set about creating their own unique
commentaries on Dimitri Payet's wondergoal against Middlesbrough in October.
Some of the students even went back out to try and re-enact the goal and the
school's teacher who helped organise the event, Ashleigh Patterson, said the
children thoroughly enjoyed the day. "West Ham United's Foundation have
created a new project where they go around to schools and try and promote a
takeover day where every child has an active part of the day," she said. "We
decided to go for it, because as a school we are very active and sport plays
a big influence on the school. As a West Ham fan myself, I was never going
to pass on the opportunity!" "Today, every child has been thoroughly
engaged. They (the players) have created an atmosphere for the children and
a lot of excitement has built up. "You can see by the children's faces that
they've had smiles on their faces all day. It's been brilliant."
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United
SAT, 19 NOV 2016PREMIER LEAGUE
17:30
Venue: White Hart Lane
BBC.co.uk
TEAM NEWS
Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli is close to fitness after a knee injury but
may not be risked ahead of Tuesday's European game against Monaco.
Toby Alderweireld, Erik Lamela and Ben Davies remain out.
West Ham captain Mark Noble is suspended but defender Winston Reid is fit
after a hamstring strain. There could be a place among the substitutes for
forward Diafra Sakho, who has not played all season because of a back
problem.
MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES
Simon Brotherton: "Tottenham are the only unbeaten side left in the Premier
League this season, but they haven't won since beating Manchester City 2-0
at White Hart Lane at the start of October. "It has seen them lose ground
among those jostling near the top and they now sit five points behind the
current leaders Liverpool. "The visit of West Ham also comes at a time when
Spurs are still dealing with a number of injury issues which won't help
their cause this weekend.
"The Hammers seem to be picking up after a poor start to the season. They
have lost only one of the last five games but still sit just a point above
the bottom three."
Twitter: @SimonBrotherton
WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino: "Every time we play and compete in
the Premier League, the opponent takes the game like a derby or a final.
That is good. This is another derby, another final for us. "We're creating
many chances every game, the problem is that we need more chances to score.
Maybe we're not as clinical as we were last season. It's about working hard
and trying to improve."
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic: "We are missing points. If we had beat Stoke
last time out we would be mid-table, because it's so tight. "But we are
17th, and if you are 17th you are very close to relegation and we have to
improve even more. "On one hand the worst thing to do is lose confidence and
doubt yourselves individually and as a group. On the other hand you can't
keep talking and saying the table doesn't matter, that we are a good team
and we will click."
LAWRO'S PREDICTION
Spurs have drawn their past four league games but I fancy them to win here.
West Ham will have to wait to pull clear of the relegation zone.
Prediction: 2-0
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
West Ham's only win in their last 14 Premier League visits to White Hart
Lane came in October 2013 (D5, L8).
Tottenham Hotspur
Spurs are unbeaten after their opening 11 league games for the first time
since a 16-match streak in the double-winning season of 1960-61.
However, Tottenham have gone seven matches without a win in all competitions
(D5, L2). They have not fared worse since May 2004.
They could draw five consecutive league matches for the first time since a
club record run of six in a row in 1999.
Mauricio Pochettino's side have the best defensive record in the Premier
League, conceding just six goals.
West Ham United
The Hammers are nine points and 11 places worse off than at the same stage
of last season.
They have lost five of their last six away league games.
However, Slaven Bilic's side have only lost once in five league matches.
Dimitri Payet has created 40 goalscoring chances this season, more than any
other player in the five major European leagues.
After playing Spurs, West Ham travel to Manchester United and Liverpool
either side of a home game against Arsenal.
SAM's verdict
Most probable score: 1-0 Probability of draw: 21%
Probability of home win: 66% Probability of away win: 13%
SAM (Sports Analytics Machine) is a super-computer created by @ProfIanMcHale
at the University of Salford that is used to predict the outcome of football
matches.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Tottenham v West Ham preview: Mauricio Pochettino to make late call on Dele
Alli
Last Updated: 18/11/16 8:51pm
SSN
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino will make a late decision on Dele Alli
ahead of Saturday's Premier League game at home to West Ham.
Alli is close to recovering from a knee injury but may not be risked as
Tottenham aim to remain unbeaten.
Spurs remain the only unbeaten team in the top flight, but Mauricio
Pochettino's team are without a win since their 2-0 victory over Manchester
City at the beginning of October.
West Ham have endured a tough start to the season and find themselves down
in 17th place after 11 games.
However, Slaven Bilic's side had started to show signs of recovery in the
last period between international fixtures, taking seven points from four
matches.
But they face a tough test at White Hart Lane - a ground they where they
have won just once in their last 14 Premier League visits.
Team news
Toby Alderweireld (leg), Erik Lamela (hip) and Ben Davies (ankle) are all
out but Harry Kane is fit to start after returning early from England duty
to work on his fitness.
Christian Eriksen and Danny Rose are also available after shaking off hip
and foot problems respectively.
Meanwhile, striker Diafra Sakho is in the West Ham squad for the first time
this season after finally overcoming a back injury.
Defender Winston Reid returns after suspension and a slight hamstring injury
and looks set to take the captain's armband from midfielder Mark Noble, who
sits out due to a one-match ban.
James Collins has overcome the knock which forced him to withdraw from the
Wales squad, but Andy Carroll is still a couple of weeks away following an
ankle injury.
Opta stats
Tottenham are the only remaining unbeaten side in English football this
season, winning five and drawing six of their 11 PL games.
This is their best ever unbeaten start to a Premier League season, however
Spurs haven't won any of their last seven games in all competitions.
Pochettino's team are unbeaten in five league games at White Hart Lane this
season and have the best home defence in the country, conceding just twice.
The Hammers have won just two of their last nine league matches, with six
defeats suffered so far this term.
Bilic's men have averaged a goal a game this season, finding the net 11
times. They scored double that amount at this stage last season.
Dimitri Payet is set to make his 50th appearance for the club. He has scored
seven direct free-kicks for club & country since the start of last season.
Simone Zaza has yet to score in nine appearances since joining on a
season-long loan from Juventus.
Merson's prediction
I'm going to go for a comfortable Spurs win. They've had a couple of bad
results in the Champions League, but they're still undefeated in the league.
It was a very even game against Arsenal a fortnight ago, and with West Ham
still struggling, I can't see anything but a Spurs win.
These two really don't like each other, full stop. It's a big grudge game.
To be unbeaten so far this season is some going in a difficult league.
PAUL PREDICTS: 2-0
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Payet trumps Alli in head-to-head
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 18th November 2016
By: Staff Writer
Dele Alli and Dimitri Payet could come head-to-head this weekend as West Ham
travel to White Hart Lane to face Tottenham on Saturday.
Daily fantasy football game oulala.com have taken a look at the midfielder's
stats to see how the pair have compared in the Premier League this season...
and as you can see, it's good news for West Ham's talisman!
Although the reigning Hammer of the Year has played a game less than
Tottenham's England international, he has created a whopping 39 goalscoring
opportunities in comparison to Alli's 19 - and enjoyed 29 shots to his
opponent's tally of 24.
Additionally Payet has been responsible for 28 successful dribbles - more
than twice as many as the Tottenham midfielder. All of which bodes well for
the Hammers as they prepare for tomorrow evening's big London derby...
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 17th November 2016
By: Preview Percy
Can't say we have ever lost any sleep over the identity of the 30th best
team in Europe here at kumb towers. However, if you're interested Preview
Percy thinks he may have found out. Here's his look at this weekend's visit
to Tottenham Hotspur. Real information and graphics courtesy of the good
people at www.kickoff.co.uk....
Next up we go to the land of body odour and dandruff where we will be hosted
by Tottenham Hotspur. Kick-off for the benefit of space tv is 5.30 pm.
Travel? Well the good news is that they seem to have finished whatever they
were doing on the Great Eastern mainline between Liverpool Street, Shenfield
and points east. The bad news is that they have shifted all their diggers
over to the line through Tottenham Hale, meaning that should your journey to
that benighted part of the world usually involve your alighting at
Northumberland Park station rather than White Hart Lane you will have to
think again. Also bear in mind that the services are run by the nincompoops
at Abelio Greater Anglia which means anything could happen anyway.
The Gospel Oak to Barking line, on the one day of the year it would actually
be of any use to anyone, is closed – until next February. And, if your
journey involves use of the District Line west of Dagenham forget it –
replacement buses are the order of the day. C2C services that go into and
out of Liverpool Street will be running – but only to 8:30pm, which makes
relying on those to get home a bit iffy. Of course you could get the Circle
Line round to Tower Hill for Fenchurch Street but, guess what……Check before
you leave – and then at frequent intervals during the journey.
Spurs currently sit in 5th spot in the league with 21 points from the 11
played thus far. This places them 3 points behind Arsenal which must be a
bit irritating. They are unbeaten this season, though for anyone who does
the pools, assuming that they still exist, their recent form has made them
something of a banker on the treble chance, assuming that, if the pools
still exist, so does the treble chance.
Their last four matches have ended in draws, 1-1 away at West Brom and
Arsenal and at home to Leicester and 0-0 down at Bournemouth. Overall they
have drawn 6 and won 5 this season and the failure to convert some of those
draws into wins is something they may look back on at the end of the season
as they finish a few behind Arsenal as usual.
Their quest for Europa League qualification is going well though, a win, two
defeats and a draw seeing them sitting in the coveted third place in their
so-called Champions League group behind Monaco and Bayer Leverkusen, both of
whom remain unbeaten. They exited the League Cup to their northern
counterparts (I'm never sure if Liverpool are the "Spurs of the North" or if
Spurs are the "Scousers of the South"), going down 2-1 at Anfield a few
weeks back.
Before we look at the squad in any detail (THAT'd be a first – ed) a quick
word about their supporters. Yes they are renowned within the world of
football for being, well, a bit dim shall we say. Bless 'em. However, that
doesn't explain one of life's greatest mysteries, namely: why do so many
Spurs supporters wear shell suits? Let's face it; even in that thankfully
brief period in the '90s when they were in vogue, it was only really bottom
echelons of the lower orders that adopted them as acceptable wear. Even the
scousers, for whom the clothing/fire hazard combo became a uniform, seem to
have twigged how wrong that theory is. However, thanks to some in depth
research by your correspondent it's a mystery no longer.
I was monitoring an online conversation on that there facebook thing the
other day when the very subject of shell suit wearing Spurs supporters came
up. I am therefore indebted to one of their own supporters for the following
revelation:
"There was a brief period when Adidas provided some Spurs kit, and we had
some great kit. However, Adidas bailed leaving THFC with a ridiculous amount
of kit to offload. I still have my Adidas Shell Suit which I think I paid a
tenner for reduced from £60 and it still looks great. That is what you see
at White Hart Lane. The infamous bargain Adidas shell suit."
So there you have it from the horse's mouth as it were. They all wear shell
suits "because they were cheap". Which opens up all sorts of obvious
stereotype jokes that, not being in possession of a bargepole, I shall leave
well alone. Other than to say that, whatever they eventually spend some of
the £50 savings on I'd like to put in a plea for at least some of it to go
on deodorant and dandruff shampoo – they have instructions on the side of
the can or bottle these days guys so get someone to read them to you.
Possibly inspired by his players' poor summer showing in Euro 2016, manager
Pochettino felt compelled to spend a few bob during the window. The work
experience girl wearing the Beach Boys T-Shirt without knowing who they are
tells me that the top fee paid during the summer window was the £30m that
went to Newcastle in return for Moussa Sissoko. Now say what you like about
Mike Ashley (and Preview Alastair usually does) but one can't deny that he
knows how to wring a few bob out of a transfer. It is said that Ashley was
prepared to accept something like the £17m originally offered by Liverpool
for Andy Carroll and just kept turning down offers out of curiosity as to
how far they would go. For Sissoko, £30m is not a bad return on a player for
whom they paid £1.5m to Toulouse a few years back.
The next highest fee paid was the £17m that went to AZ "Where's the 67 Gone"
Alkmaar for the services of Dutch striker Vincent Jannssen, who, regular
readers will be pleased to know, has double figures in terms of Dutch Caps.
(No, you're too kind). Janssen has yet to set the world on fire since
arriving in the Premier League having scored just the once in the league
thus far this season, despite having been de facto first choice up front.
This state of affairs arose in the absence of Harry Kane, who has missed
much of the season with an ankle injury – minor for anyone else but
worryingly close to brain surgery for Kane. Janssen is a "slight doubt" at
the time of writing having picked up concussion whilst on international duty
at the weekend, an injury that typically leaves people disorientated and
unable to think or speak straight. (Insert your own Harry Kane joke here).
A further £11m went on what is now becoming an annual plundering of
Southampton's resources, with Spurs usually picking up the remnants of
whatever Liverpool can't be bothered with. This season saw the arrival of
Victor Wanayama to bolster the defensive options in midfield. Wanayama
arrived after3 years with Southampton which followed a spell with Celtic.
Wanayama comes from what might be regarded as the Kenyan branch of the
Neville family. Not only is brother MacDonald a fellow Kenyan international,
currently plying his trade in Italy's Serie B, two younger brothers are
playing in the Kenyan PL whilst sister Mercy is a pro basketball player in
the US. So if the parallels are maintained you can expect Victor to become a
rubbish manager but a reasonably competent pundit whilst McDonald will end
up performing the Phil Neville role. Whatever that is.
Whilst £11m seems like the going rate for a midfielder with Premier League
and full international experience, it does seem a lot to spend on a 21
year-old winger all of whose international experience at the time of writing
has been at U21 level for France. However, that's how much they paid for
Georges-Kevin N'Koudou. Or maybe that's two players? G-K N'K's signing seems
to have been more an exercise in squad-building and development at the
moment. His one start came in the League Cup defeat to Liverpool. Otherwise
it's largely been late sub appearances for the player, only three of which
have come in the League. Intriguingly the player was listed as the 30th best
player in Europe during the 2015/16 season according to UEFA's official
stats. (Payet was 13th in case you were wondering). This bizarre ranking
means that, officially at least, G-K N'K is just as good as Kevin De Bruyne
but not quite as good as, er, wait for it, Will Grigg who is, officially,
the 25th best player in Europe. At which point you might think that the
rankings are a complete load of twaddle. And you'd be right.
N'Koudou shares his coveted 30th best player in Europe spot with Toby
Alderweireld. Alderweireld arrived at the start of last season under
slightly suspicious circumstances having been on loan at Southampton from
Atletico Madrid. Southampton believed that they had an option to buy the
player for £6.8m. Atletico believed that they had an option to buy out that
option (please keep up) for £1.5m. Southampton claimed that the Spaniards
didn't exercise that option in time, none of which stopped Atletico
trousering £11.8m from Spurs for the player, which was still more than
they'd have gotten from Southampton, even when you factor in the £1.5m buy
out. Whatever happened, Southampton's threatened legal action never
materialised – lawyers being what they are it would probably have cost them
£50m to argue the toss – and the player ended up at Spurs. Their failure to
convert draws to wins has coincided with Alderweireld's absence from duty
with a knee problem and, given that he was on target in the corresponding
fixture last season, it's bloody typical that he should be likely to make a
return this week.
Incidentally Spurs 'keeper Hugo Lloris is ALSO listed as 30th best player in
Europe for 2015-16, so look out for moves for the likes of Oblak,
Kruchowiak, Aubameyang, Matuidi and Gameiro as they move to corner the
market in 30th best players. Or possibly not.
Other possible returnees from the sick list are Christian Eriksen (knee),
Moussa Dembele – whose absence with "muscle fatigue" sounds like the sort of
thing that a packet of Radox would sort out , Harry "Arsenal's Own" Kane who
was excused from playing crap for England to allow his ankle to recover and
Eric Lamela whose injury has been unspecified but is trendy enough to be
described as "hip" is also slated for a return. This leaves Dele Ali as the
main probable absentee due to a knee injury that will keep him out for some
time. So that's one less nasty niggling diver to contend with then, though
Kane can more than cover for the diving part of Ali's game.
That's enough about them. So what's been happening happened over the last
ten years (or so it feels). Well, apparently they held an election over the
water. Yeah I know, you'd have thought that they would have mentioned it on
the telly or in the papers or something. Anyway the result was a surprise
win for the male candidate. This prompted Nicola Sturgeon to make a
statement outlining her concerns over the election of someone whose polices
contained much that was based on a hatred for the inhabitants of the country
immediately to the south. I didn't read her statement in full but I expect
she has copyright issues.
Talking of the ungrateful lot north of the border it was nice of them to
send some dustbins down to Wembley the other night for a match in which as
awful as England were, Scotland were infinitely worse. And we tried to even
things up by picking Henderson. Again. Poor old Malta – must be galling to
see the sweaties a place above you in the table.
Talking of someone whose dubious talents have seen him rise to a job that he
should never have been in the running for. It's long been a mystery as to
how Jordan Henderson actually gets into England squads in the first place
let alone captain the thing.
Us? Well the only bit of our last game that sticks in the memory was
Adrian's nightmare walkabout that led to their equaliser. I've tried
hypnotherapy to erase the incident from my mind but I think picking a cheap
stage hypnotist more noted for making people think that they are chickens
may not have been the wisest move. Not that it worked anyway. Cluck.
There has been much call for Adrian to step down in favour of Randolph and,
whilst I would have no problem with that (nice to have two decent 'keepers
to call on isn't it) my guess is that Adrian will get the nod.
Injury news is that there are three players for whom November 19 is listed
as a red letter day for returns. Ginge, who missed out on the latest
instalment of the "Wales slowly realising that they aren't quite as good as
they thought they were" saga through a calf strain should be available for
this one. Which is good as Winston Reid is still a doubt at the time of
writing. Arthur Masuaku – remember him? – is also down as being available.
Then there's Diafra Sakho. He's had issues in the past beyond the back
problems that have kept him out the side (and West Brom's) this season.
However, if he is available for selection I for one will be happy – Sakho's
mobility is something that we've sorely missed this season. Carroll? Well
for all the talk a few weeks back about "after the international break" the
latest tale is one of "being able to train with the first team in a couple
of weeks" – something that has been presented as "good news" by the club.
Technically speaking, I'd say that falls into the category of "bad news"
rather than good, given that all the talk of the original injury was of "6
weeks to two months". December 11 is the date listed on the usual sites for
him.
Finally the skipper will be a bit gutted at missing out on this one. He will
be absent through suspension having forgotten to change his name to Diego
Costa by deed poll at the start of the season, that being the approved
method of avoiding the yellow and red cards that anyone else would normally
get these days.
Prediction? Well much depends on the injury front. Much has been made
elsewhere of the "8" players on the treatment table that they have. That's a
bit of a red herring though. Of that 8, as we have seen 6 are merely "slight
doubts" with Saturday being slated for their return for action. Only the
aforementioned Ali of the genuine first XI is definitely out so I'm
expecting them to put out a pretty strong starting XI. Factor in the fact
that they like to raise their game against their betters in their cup finals
and I think we may be in for a tough time given the fact that we are out of
sorts enough to give them a sniff at the moment. Loath though I am to do so,
I must therefore let my wallet rule my brain by placing the £2.50 that I had
absolutely no intention whatsoever of sending to Children In Bloody Need on
a wager at Winstones The Turf Accountants on a 2-1 home win, partly in the
hope that I'm as wrong as I usually am with these things.
Enjoy the game!
When last we met at White Hart Lane: Lost 4-1 (Premier League October 2016)
Off-days all round on a miserable visit to hand them the three points in
their Cup Final. Lanzini's late effort was a superb but superfluous finish.
Referee: Mike Dean And the world's most predictable refereeing appointment
of the year is Mike Dean for Spurs v West Ham on Saturday. Again. You
disbelieve me? Well let me put it this way, I had the bulk of this paragraph
written 48 hours before the official announcement. And it's on the box. My
money is on him remembering to punish a minor spot of holding in the box
with a penalty early on. Then forgetting about that sort of thing completely
for the rest of the match when infinitely worse infringements occur. I also
predict that neither of those decisions will go in our favour.
Danger Man: Harry Kane One of their own insofar as he is definitely on the
"two short planks" level of intelligence. Not averse to attacks of "scouse
gravity syndrome" when in the box and, dreadful as he was in the Euros, he
was given a few days off by the England squad only so he could prepare for
this one.
Percy's Poser: For the Stoke match we asked you "Whatever Happened To Nick
Hancock". The first correct answer out of the digital hat came from Mrs
Hortensia Wildebeest of Kelvedon Hatch whose response was both simple and
explicit: "I neither know nor care". Mrs Wildebeest wins a six-month old
oatcake. Well done Hortensia!
For this week's poser we go back to one of those forgotten moments in
football history. The phrase "as sick as a parrot" is a standard stock
phrase in football folklore (especially if you follow the Scottish national
team). However how does Tottenham Hotspur FC claim that the phrase came into
being? The first correct answer out of the digital hat will win a packet of
Trill which, as those of a certain age will remember "makes budgies bounce
with health". Good luck!
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No West Ham striker has scored in 17 matches... that's our problem, says
Slaven Bilic
SLAVEN BILIC
Evening Standard
When I was a West Ham player, I considered the derby against Tottenham to be
the biggest game of the season. For me, nothing has changed. I made my West
Ham debut at White Hart Lane in February 1996. We won 1-0, with a goal from
Dani. The same scoreline would be very acceptable tomorrow. We have improved
in recent weeks and will continue to get better but we are still too close
to the wrong end of the Premier League table. Our problem is there for
everyone to see: the strikers are not finding the net. We have played 17
competitive matches this season and none of our strikers have scored. We
hope that will change because, statistically, we are up there in terms of
shots. It is just that we cannot hit the target. But I still believe in the
strikers and some of them are coming back now. Andre Ayew is fit again and
Diafra Sakho has also been back in full training for a couple of weeks.
Diafra lacks match practice but he looks sharp, he looks hungry and it is a
big boost for us because he gives us something different. He goes behind the
defence, he is good at holding the ball, he runs in the channels — opening
up those vital pockets of space which midfielders can exploit. I didn't want
to talk a lot about him when he was injured because I wanted to concentrate
on those who were available but now I can say it was a big blow that we
could not call upon him from the start of this season. It is well documented
he could have joined West Brom during the summer but he did not pass the
medical. All I can say is that I have spoken with him. He is our player, he
is under contract, he knows I rate him highly and we both know that things
change very quickly in football.
Okay, he wanted to leave then and there could have been money for us but we
are not thinking now to put him in the shop window. No matter what he wanted
to do then, we expect him to play well — to help us and to help him be in a
better position next season, to perhaps stay here and sign another contract.
Tomorrow is the first match of a tough schedule. We play twice at Manchester
United, once in the Premier League and again in the EFL Cup, follow that
with a home match against Arsenal and then go to Liverpool. Of course, we
would have liked more points going into these games but we demonstrated last
season — and against Chelsea in the Cup last month we can play well against
the top teams.
We will approach this schedule game by game. In every one of them we will be
underdogs but in every one we have a real chance if we play as well as I
know we can. At the moment Spurs are missing goals — they have been without
Harry Kane and Erik Lamela — but as a defensive unit they have the best
record in the Premier League, with only six goals conceded in 11 matches.
Not only are they not conceding many, they are not allowing their opponents
to have many chances. Yes, that is impressive but they have not won in seven
games and this is a derby, it's big for them, for us — and the fans. Last
season, we did really well against them at home but away, although we were
in good form at the time, they were much better than us. We're looking
forward to the game. We've improved over the last month but we're still not
in the position we want to be.
Spurs have what you could call a 'cup final' three days after our match when
they go to Monaco with their Champions League hopes in the balance. Will
that be a factor in Mauricio Pochettino's preparation for our match? I don't
believe so. Our match is too big for him to be thinking that way. I don't
think he will have one eye on the Monaco match. It is in his character that
Spurs will want to win both.
Dele Alli could be back and he is important for them. He is a talented young
player who is making a big impact in English football for club and country.
Last season, he provided a tremendous boost for Spurs, in terms of energy,
quality and playing between the lines.
The transfer window opens in six weeks but already we are being linked with
many players. It has been the same with West Ham since I arrived and even
before that. Every day a different player is supposedly at the top of our
list. The truth is we will assess things closer to the time. We have a big
few weeks before that and will see where we are. What is important is
players who have been out — such as Diafra Sakho, Andy Carroll, Arthur
Masuaku and Gokhan Tore — are either ready to come back or much closer.
As for Spurs this season, I think they will maintain their impressive
defensive record. The only question is whether they will score enough.
They haven't won in seven matches in all competitions, which is a bit too
many if you are aiming to win the title because it's a cruel League.
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Diafra Sakho, he scores when he wants
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 18th November 2016
By: Paul Walker
So, it looks like we are going to see the lesser-spotted Diafra Sakho back
in action any time soon, but don't hold your breath, the club have been
saying Andy Carroll is on his way back for weeks!
But seriously, folks, I feel more than a bit sorry for the big striker after
the last few months, and nobody can say we haven't missed him. Somehow he's
taken the brunt of all sorts of misfortune, and I can't help but think that
the way he has been treated and bad-mouthed has had a lot to do with the
farcical situation we find ourselves in. With ridiculously expensive flops,
and loan disasters, following the incompetence of last summer's transfer
dealings. Some folk saw us coming, didn't they? Now I know Sakho has thrown
the longest moody in modern football history, and has had more off field
problems than the entire cast of Eastenders. If you believe the rumours,
there's a partner and child in France, a girlfriend and child, allegedly, in
the UK, while he has driven a Lamborghini into a wall and has been lonely in
his mansion. All in all, he has troubled the Essex constabulary far too
often when the local Bill were hoping for a quiet Sunday afternoon. But I
have never seen him given anything less than 100 per cent for the team, he
runs defences ragged as well as scoring a decent return in goals (anybody
else doing that at the moment?) and also creates the space for Dimi Payet to
weave his magic. And it was pretty obvious too, that he has been carrying
all sorts of injuries, back and thigh, and managed only 18 starts in the
league last term.
Then he fell out with Slav after being left out against Arsenal last term,
and it's been a struggle ever since. You don't cross our manager, as more
than a few can testify. But above all that, I really felt he got the hump
big time when our owners started to rattle on about signing a big name,
money striker to take Sakho's place, and that when he was a crucial part of
the West Ham team on the verge of their best season for a couple of decades.
Yes, there was a transfer demand, and a lot of bad feeling. But I still have
a real soft spot for the lad. And reading his profile maybe you can see why.
This lad was brought up in the Dakar slums and lost his father just before
the move to Metz materialised. He was the only breadwinner and his mum had
four kids to bring up. So off to France he went and sent money home to allow
his family to acquire a new house and food on the table. Sometimes I don't
think folk here really understand the deprivation so many likely kids out of
Africa are trying to escape from. So he's made a few mistakes along the way,
but he has never let us down on the pitch, and let's not forget that goal he
struck in the final game at the Boleyn to pave the way to a memorable win
over Manchester United.
But all that loose talk from our owners about 'big this' and 'big that'
clearly upset Sakho when he felt he was doing a pretty good job, albeit on
the footballing version of a zero hours contract! Sorry, bit harsh that, but
you get my drift. Sakho was on about £15,000 a week when David Sullivan
signed him on a four-year contract, against the wishes of Sam Allardyce.
That wage was increased a couple of times, but the last figure I saw was
about £33,000 a week. Yes, to you and me that's a fortune. But he was seeing
the likes of loan wasters like Emmanuel Emenike (£38,000), Nikica Jelavic
(£55,000) and even Victor Moses (£70,000) arrive, while he was doing a
better job--when fit--than any of them. No wonder he got the hump.
The last time I saw him was when he missed two glorious sitters at Stoke on
that last day, when a win would have put us into the Europa League group
stages and avoided all that embarrassing qualification nonsense (that we
didn't negotiate). And even on that day, I noticed one of our owners
twittering on about the chances Sakho had missed. It didn't take long for
the transfer demand and our attempts to knock him out to West Brom for £16m,
before the little matter of a failed medical put the lid on that. Then we
discover that he has serious back problems that have taken until now to
solve.
You might not believe all that, you may think we have been fattening him up
and keeping him out of trouble so he can be sold in January. Whatever. The
bottom line is that our summer signings, in particular the loan ones, have
been a disaster. The summer transfers have crumbled around the Sullivan/Tony
Henry axis and now we have to go cap in hand to Sakho, who has not played
since May, to give us a helping hand.
Sakho wants a new contract, his current one ends in June 2018, and he no
doubt believes he deserves one considering the vast amount of money that
Simone Zaza is costing; in excess of £80,000 a week has been suggested. We
have also wasted nearly £10m on the loan fees for Zaza, Jonathan Calleri and
Gokhan Tore. And their wages. Now I don't know what goes on behind closed
doors at our club these days, I may be a bit off the beam on some of this.
But Sakho deserves better, he maybe deserved more help and guidance when his
private life was falling apart last season. Give him a chance, everyone, he
may have made some daft decisions and the transfer demand didn't help. But I
say again, he has never given anything but his best efforts for us. He
hounds defenders, wins more than his share in the air and puts himself
about.
Anyone seen Zaza win a tackle yet, thought not!
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West Ham transfer news: Slaven Bilic reveals star striker will not be sold
in January
SLAVEN BILIC has issued a hands off warning to clubs wanting to sign Diafra
Sakho in the January transfer window.
By STUART BALLARD
PUBLISHED: 13:09, Fri, Nov 18, 2016 | UPDATED: 14:33, Fri, Nov 18, 2016
Express.co.uk
Sakho failed a medical at West Brom having agreed a move in the summer. And
the Senegal international is still yet to feature for West Ham this season
but is expected to be involved in some capacity against Tottenham tomorrow
(3pm). In his absence West Ham have struggled to find the net this season
with none of the club's strikers scoring in their last 17 games. But the
international break has given Bilic's forwards the chance to recover with
Andre Ayew and Andy Carroll both expected back in the next few weeks. "I
didn't want to talk a lot about him when he was injured because I wanted to
concentrate on those who were available but now I can say it was a big blow
that we could not call upon him from the start of this season," Bilic told
the London Evening Standard. "It is well documented he could have joined
West Brom during the summer but he did not pass the medical. "All I can say
is that I have spoken with him. He is our player, he is under contract, he
knows I rate him highly and we both know that things change very quickly in
football. "Okay, he wanted to leave then and there could have been money for
us but we are not thinking now to put him in the shop window. "No matter
what he wanted to do then, we expect him to play well — to help us and to
help him be in a better position next season, to perhaps stay here and sign
another contract."
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Transfer news: Alvaro Arbeloa set for early West Ham exit with January move
on cards
By talkSPORT - @talkSPORT
Friday, November 18, 2016
West Ham flop Alvaro Arbeloa is hoping to secure a return to Spain in
January. The 33-year-old arrived in east London during the summer but has
endured a forgettable start to life at the club. Arbeloa has played just 173
minutes in the Premier League this season and it has been suggested that he
could leave as early as January. Now, according to El Mundo Deportivo, he
would favour a move back to his native country despite reported interest
from the MLS and the Middle East. And it has been suggested that the
decorated full-back, who won the Champions League twice during his six
seasons at Real Madrid, should have little trouble finding new employment
back home.
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Chelsea and West Ham fans handed banning orders after London Stadium clashes
JAMIE BULLEN
Evening Standard
A Chelsea fan and a West Ham supporter have been banned from attending
football matches following violent clashes at the London Stadium during a
League Cup tie. Hammers fan Nicholas Greenway, 51, of Battersea and Chelsea
supporting Michael Parker, 27, of Mitcham were arrested at the stadium and
appeared at Thames Magistrates' Court last Friday. Greenway was banned for
three years after he was charged with threatening behaviour while Parker was
issued a five-year disqualification after he hurled a missile inside the
ground. Seven people were arrested as violence erupted between rival
supporters at the final whistle of the EFL Cup derby last month in which
West Ham won 2-1. Commander BJ Harrington, of the Met's Public Order
Command, said: "Although the vast majority of people who attended the match
were well behaved, there were a minority who were clearly intent on being
involved in confrontation and violence. "Despite extensive work with both
clubs and the London Stadium partners as well as a large and robust policing
operation, there were unacceptable incidents inside and outside the stadium,
before, during and after the game. "We will continue to work with our
partners to tackle crime and disorder at the London Stadium and the banning
orders are a part of this work. "The banning orders for these two men will
prevent them from causing more trouble at football events in future. "We are
working tirelessly to identify people involved and bring them to justice.
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Payet wins Carling Goal of the Month
18/11/2016
premierleague.com
Dimitri Payet's wonderful individual effort against Middlesbrough has been
awarded the Carling Goal of the Month for October. The West Ham United
playmaker's mazy run and finish in the 1-1 draw at the London Stadium topped
a shortlist of eight goals from the combined votes of a panel of experts and
the public, who picked their favourite via the Carling Tap and website.
Payet is the third winner of the Carling Goal of the Month.
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West Ham transfer news: Dimitri Payet January exit talk is 'not a big
issue', insists Slaven Bilic
ANDY SIMS Friday 18 November 2016 06:59
Evening Standard
Slaven Bilic is confident Dimitri Payet will not leave West Ham in January.
France international Payet caused a stir earlier this month when he said he
"closed the door to nothing" amid rumours of interest from Paris St Germain.
But Hammers boss Bilic has no plans to hold talks with his star man, who has
scored two goals and made five assists this season, and is convinced the
29-year-old is going nowhere. "I read it but he said nothing major," said
Bilic. "He said he didn't want to close the door to something, he didn't say
'I want to leave' in January or June or whatever so let's not make a big
issue. "I'm quite relaxed. We are not going to talk about it particularly
but with every big player there are a lot of rumours and interest. So I
don't have to talk to him about it."
Of more pressing concern to Bilic is Payet stepping up to the plate against
derby rivals Tottenham on Saturday evening. West Ham are languishing in 17th
place after just three wins this term and could do with their talisman
recapturing last season's form against the meanest defence in the top
flight. "In every game you need your characters to show their qualities, no
matter if it is to defend, to fight, to tackle and win second balls or
create something special and win games for you," he added. "We need him a
lot in every game, especially when you are playing against a defence that
has conceded so far the fewest goals in the Premier League. "Of course you
need something special to score against them and you are expecting your best
players to do it."
Bilic has added striker Diafra Sakho to his squad for the first time this
season following a back injury, but skipper Mark Noble is suspended.
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Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: Team news, kick-off time, probable
line-ups, odds and stats for the Premier League clash
Diafra Sakho makes West Ham United squad for first time this season
Winston Reid returns after ban but captain Mark Noble is suspended
By PA REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 09:37, 18 November 2016 | UPDATED: 09:37, 18 November 2016
Ahead of this weekend's Premier League action, Sportsmail will be providing
you with all you need to know about every fixture, with team news,
provisional squads, betting odds and Opta stats. Here is all the information
you need for Tottenham's home clash with West Ham.
Team news
Tottenham
Coming soon...
West Ham
Striker Diafra Sakho is in the West Ham squad for the first time this season
for the trip to Tottenham after finally overcoming a back injury. Defender
Winston Reid returns after suspension and a slight hamstring injury and
looks set to take the captain's armband from midfielder Mark Noble, who sits
out due to a one-match ban. James Collins has overcome the knock which
forced him to withdraw from the Wales squad but Andy Carroll is still a
couple of weeks away following an ankle injury.
Provisional squad: Adrian, Randolph, Reid, Collins, Ogbonna, Cresswell,
Oxford, Kouyate, Obiang, Fernandes, Nordtveit, Payet, Lanzini, Antonio,
Feghouli, Ayew, Sakho, Zaza, Fletcher, Calleri.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR VS WEST HAM UNITED
Kick-off: Saturday, 5.30pm - BT Sport 1
Referee:
Mike Dean
Odds (subject to change):
Tottenham 11/20
Draw 7/2
West Ham 13/2
Managers:
Mauricio Pochettino (Tottenham)
Slaven Bilic (West Ham)
Head-to-head league record:
Tottenham wins 52
Draws 31
West Ham wins 43
Recent league form (latest result first):
Tottenham: DDDDW
West Ham: DLWWD
Key match stats (supplied by Opta)
Although they defeated West Ham 4-1 at home last November, Spurs have won
just one of their last four games against the Hammers at White Hart Lane (D1
L2) in all competitions.
However, West Ham have won just once in their last 14 Premier League visits
to Spurs (L8 D5).
This is Spurs' longest winless run in all competitions (D5 L2) since May
2004, in which they went eight without a victory.
Despite this, Tottenham are the only unbeaten Premier League side remaining
this season (W5 D6 L0). Only twice before in the top-flight have Spurs
managed to avoid defeat in their opening 12 games (1959-60 and 1960-61).
Dimitri Payet has created 40 goalscoring chances this season in league
competition, more than any other player in the big five European leagues in
2016-17.
Christian Eriksen hasn't scored with any of his last 61 shots in the Premier
League since scoring against Bournemouth in March 2016.
Harry Kane has scored three times in two previous home league games against
the Hammers for Spurs.
Kane has 15 goals in his last 15 London league derbies for Tottenham
Hotspur.
The Hammers have collected nine fewer points from their opening 11 games
(11) than they did last season (20), though this was their best PL start.
Michael Antonio scored a headed winner for West Ham the last time these two
sides met. He has 10 headed PL goals in 2016, twice more than any other
player and six more than Spurs have.
Slaven Bilic has lost five of his last six away league games at West Ham
manager, though their one win in that time was in London against Crystal
Palace.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
When and where?
Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United
Premier League
Saturday 19 November 2016, 5.30pm GMT
White Hart Lane
What's the story?
It's derby day on Saturday as West Ham United make the short trip to north
London to take on Tottenham Hotspur. A more mouthwatering return to action
following the international break is hard to imagine, with West Ham looking
to get one over their high-flying hosts. Tottenham have made a solid start
to their Premier League campaign – and are the final team to boast an
unbeaten record – but four draws in a row have seen them slip five points
behind leaders Liverpool.
They were without their main man up front Harry Kane for much of that run,
although West Ham will have to be wary of his presence after he returned
with a goal in their 1-1 draw with Arsenal two weeks ago.
Matches against West Bromwich Albion, AFC Bournemouth and Leicester City
have also ended all-square in that time, with Tottenham's last win coming
against Manchester City on 2 October. The Hammers, meanwhile, started to
recover from a slow start to the season in the last period between
international fixtures, taking seven points from those four matches. Wins
against Crystal Palace and Sunderland were followed by a loss at Everton and
draw with Stoke – and with a tough run of games coming up, the Hammers will
be hoping to build on that sequence.
Team news
West Ham will have Diafra Sakho available for selection for the first time
this season after the striker overcame a back problem to return to fitness.
Winston Reid is also back after serving a one-match ban against Stoke, but
Mark Noble sits out after picking up a suspension for accumulating five
yellow cards. Andy Carroll continues to build his fitness after injury,
while Arthur Masuaku (knee), Sam Byram (hamstring), Reece Oxford (knee) and
Gokhan Tore (thigh) are all out.
For Tottenham, Dele Alli is close to fitness after his knee problem, but
might not be risked with a UEFA Champions League tie against Monaco to
follow on Tuesday. Toby Alderweireld, Erik Lamela and Ben Davies remain
sidelined.
Any links between the two?
Neither team's squad features a player who has turned out for the other
side, but the meetings between the two have thrown up plenty of drama in
recent years.
No West Ham fan will need reminding that their team saw off Spurs on three
occasions during the 2013/14 season, while last year, Michail Antonio
notched the only goal of the game to win the last Boleyn Ground match
between the two.
The Hammers will be hoping for better than their last trip to White Hart
Lane, however, when two Kane goals, added to strikes from Alderweireld and
Kyle Walker sealed a 4-1 win for the hosts. Manuel Lanzini replied for West
Ham.
How do I get to the game?
Click here for details of how to get to White Hart Lane.
Full details of Abellio Greater Anglia services to White Hart Lane station
can be found here, while the latest news on the roads, Tubes, London
Overground and TfL rail services can be found here.
How can I watch the game?
This match will be broadcast live in the UK on BT Sport. Remember you can
follow all the action live as it happens on whufc.com, with social media
updates, in-running stats and photos, alongside live audio commentary.
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A message from the Joint-Chairmen
WHUFC.com
Joint-Chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold have penned a message to fans
travelling to White Hart Lane...
Firstly, we would like to thank you for purchasing a ticket for Saturday's
match against Tottenham Hotspur. We sold out our ticket allocation in a
matter of days, for a fixture which required 12 Priority Points for
purchase, so it just illustrates the anticipation and level of commitment
from our loyal supporters.
With 2,300 travelling Hammers packing the away end and roaring Slaven's side
on from the first minute to the last, it should be a special occasion for
all and hopefully we can come away with a positive result.
Everyone of us at the Club, on the Board and in the stands on Saturday will
be looking forward to another London derby and, following recent victories
over Crystal Palace and Chelsea, we are hopeful that we can put in another
good performance.
You, the West Ham fans, have of course played a key role in these wins, and
in helping turn our form around this season, by backing the team and helping
us over the line with your incredible support.
Saturday's game at White Hart Lane is another opportunity to show the
passion that makes our fans famous around the world, and to illustrate the
effect your support can have on the team throughout the game.
We also must remember that every supporter attending the game is acting as
an ambassador for West Ham United and their behaviour should reflect the
values and standards of our great Club.
At West Ham United we are truly proud of our support for causes that promote
tolerance, inclusion and tackle discrimination in whatever form it takes.
Let us prove on Saturday that there is simply no place in football for
abuse, discrimination or bigotry of any form, and ensure that football, and
a hopefully a great result for the Hammers, are what people are talking
about on Sunday morning.
In the event that you happen to see or hear anything you think is
unacceptable on the day, it is important that you report anything of this
nature to the relevant authorities to ensure it is investigated fully.
In the first instance, you may choose to speak to the nearest steward or
police officer. Alternatively, you can report any inappropriate behaviour
anonymously by texting or calling 07537 404821, where all information
provided will be treated in the strictest of confidence.
As at home matches, the Club operate a zero tolerance policy and will seek
banning orders for anybody who is proven to be in contravention of this
policy.
We, and everyone else at West Ham United, are very much looking forward to
Saturday's game and the Claret and Blue Army showing the world what being a
football fan is all about - supporting with pride, passion and respect.
Come on you Irons!
David Sullivan & David Gold
Joint-Chairmen
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Dyer - It is a big boost to have Sakho back
WHUFC.com
Sakho back in trainingEvening Standard football reporter Ken Dyer looks
ahead to the big London derby against Tottenham at White Hart Lane on
Saturday and is excited to see Diafra Sakho back in the squad.....
I thought Slaven was quite upbeat in the pre-match press conference and with
players coming back from injury, things are looking a lot better.
He was asked about the transfer window and said he is not thinking about it
as he has players like Ayew and Sakho coming back who will feel like new
signings for the Club.
He was positive and said the team have trained hard in the build-up to the
game and the preparations have gone well. If they play well they can do well
against anyone.
They will want to make amends for the 4-1 defeat at White Hart Lane last
season and the team were
on a good run of form at the time and it was a setback for us.
But at Upton Park it was a proper game and we did well to win the game. For
West Ham fans this is the big one and it is a proper London derby.
It is very important having Sakho back in the squad because he does
something that not many other players at the Club can do. He runs the
channels and goes beyond defenders.
As Slaven said to me he opens up pockets of space for midfield players to
run into. He is strong and holds the ball up well and it is a big boost to
have him back.
I can remember when he first arrived and talking to the doctors when he
first arrived. They felt he was the one of the fittest players they had seen
and he can run all day. I don't think stamina is a problem with him.
I would start him against Tottenham because goals have been a problem for us
and I think he will cause Spurs lots of problems.
If I was a Tottenham defender and I see that Sakho is in the team, I know it
is not going to be an easy afternoon.
I might have to sit on the fence if you are asking about the result because
they have only let in six goals in 11 games and have not been beaten.
We have found goalscoring difficult so I am going to go for a draw.
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Lanzini - I want to earn bragging rights over Lamela
WHUFC.com
Lanzini hopes for a similar celebration on SaturdayManuel Lanzini is hoping
to earn the bragging rights over close friend Erik Lamela on Saturday and
secure a big victory for West Ham in the London derby against Tottenham.
Lanzini forged a close bond with Lamela when the two Argentine stars played
together at River Plate back in Buenos Aires.
The Hammers midfielder will never forget the successful spell he had at the
Argentine Club and the successful relationship he had with Lamela both on
and off the pitch.
But Lanzini says that will all be put to one side when the two teams meet in
north London this weekend and knows the importance of helping West Ham get
back on the winning trail.
Lanzini said: "It is always great to see familiar faces. I played with Erik
at River Plate and we developed a very good friendship. I think he is a very
good player.
"But I have to focus on West Ham and make sure we do everything to win the
game.
"I hope to earn the bragging rights on Saturday!"
It is always great to see familiar faces. I played with Erik at River Plate
and we developed a very good friendship.
Manuel Lanzini
After suffering a 4-1 defeat at White Hart Lane last season, Lanzini says
the players are determined to make amends on Saturday and help get their
season back on track.
The Hammers looked to be back to their best when they recently went on a
four match unbeaten run, but have only managed to take one point from the
last two games and sit just above the bottom three.
But Lanzini has no doubts there is enough quality in the squad to challenge
in the top half of the table and feels they can be a match for any team.
Lanzini added: "We always want to play well in the derbies we play in and if
we are focused and work hard, I believe we can get a good result.
"Every game is very important for us and very difficult, especially the ones
we have coming up.
"But I really believe in the group of players we have."
Lanzini is well aware of the tough schedule his side face in the next few
weeks, but insists they are not looking past the Tottenham game and are
focusing all their efforts on making sure they come away with a positive
result.
"We have to take it game-by-game. The next one is Tottenham on Saturday and
only after that we start to focus on the next one.
"The most important thing for us is to do well in the next game."
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Five Talking Points - Tottenham Hotspur
WHUFC.com
The major subjects for discussion ahead of Saturday's teatime London derby
at White Hart Lane...
Can it happen again?
In late 2013, West Ham United travelled to White Hart Lane twice in the
space of eight weeks and won on both occasions. A 3-0 Premier League victory
was followed by a come-from-behind 2-1 League Cup quarter-final win. When
the Hammers went 2-0 up on the Premier League visit to Tottenham Hotspur in
February 2015, the Claret and Blue Army chanted 'It's happening again!' On
that occasion, Spurs came back to draw 2-2, before scoring a 4-1 success in
last season's Premier League meeting. So, the question is, can West Ham make
it happen again? Or will Tottenham continue their recent renaissance by
making it back-to-back home victories over their London rivals?
Noble's absence
For the first time in the Premier League this season, Slaven Bilic will be
without captain Mark Noble, who is suspended after being booked for a fifth
time against Stoke City last time out. The skipper may not have been at his
influential best so far in 2016/17, but he will be sorely missed in
Saturday's teatime feast at White Hart Lane. A boyhood Hammers fan, Noble
undoubtedly raises his game against his team's local rivals, and his energy,
leadership and quality will all be marked by their enforced absence. It will
be up to whoever replaces him – Swiss youngster Edimilson Fernandes or
Norwegian Havard Nordtveit are among those in contention – to fill the void
left by the missing Mr West Ham.
Unbeaten hosts
They may not have hit the heights of last season on a consistent basis, but
the fact remains that Tottenham are the only unbeaten team in the Premier
League. Mauricio Pochettino has instilled a resilience and energy in his
Spurs side that has made them, so far, impossible to beat. Tottenham have
produced some scintialling displays, most notably in beating Manchester City
at White Hart Lane and thrashing Stoke City 4-0 at the bet365 Stadium, and
go into Saturday's game having drawn 1-1 at Arsenal last time out. However,
Spurs have also failed to beat AFC Bournemouth and West Bromwich Albion, so
West Ham can travel to N17 with hopes of adding to that list.
Who will take the gloves?
Slaven Bilic has said publicly that Adrian is his No1 goalkeeper, and one
can expect the Spaniard to line up between the sticks at White Hart Lane.
The No13 has pulled out some important saves this season, most notably in
the home win over Sunderland and in the first half at Everton. However, a
costly mistake against Stoke City last time out raised speculation that
Darren Randolph could be given his first Premier League opportunity since
Adrian's injury at the end of last season. Randolph has himself been hugely
dependable when called upon by Club and country, helping West Ham to an EFL
Cup win over Chelsea and Republic of Ireland to a valuable FIFA World Cup
qualifying victory over Austria in recent weeks. So, will Bilic be tempted
to change his goalkeeper? Or will he stick to his guns between the sticks?
Fours or threes?
Slaven Bilic's switch from a back four to a back three – or five, depending
on how you see things – resulted in an upturn in results and a greater
defensive solidity. For that reason, the Croatian may opt to continue with
the new formation, with Winston Reid expected to replace James Collins at
centre-half. The absence of Mark Noble and Tottenham's own preference for a
back three could see Bilic 'match-up' Spurs with a five-man midfield. Or,
will the manager be tempted to change to his tried-and-tested 4-3-3 in a bid
to take advantage of space behind the home full-backs?
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U12s qualify for Truce Tournament finals
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's U12s have qualified for the finals of the Premier League's
Truce Tournament, with the next stage taking place in December in Belgium.
The tournament forms part of the Premier League's 'Football Remembers'
initiative and the regional qualifiers fittingly took place on Remembrance
Sunday. All teams that attended the qualifiers at Aldershot Army Garrison
took part in a 2 minutes' silence and each team captain read out the names
of soldiers who represented their clubs but sadly died in combat. "The day
for us was an educational experience. Before the tournament, the players
were educated on why the tournament was taking place and who were we
remembering," said U12 coach Dave Johnson. "Some of our players were born in
2004 and were remembering players from a long time ago. It was really
important that they had an understanding of what Remembrance Sunday was and
how it affected our club. The remembrance of the players was very important
to us."
After the tributes were paid, the football started with the young Hammers
drawn in a difficult group against Chelsea, Everton, Reading and Derby
County. However, they swept the floor with their group opponents, topping
the table and winning all four matches which set up a qualification final
against Swansea City. The Hammers won that match meaning they were one of
just four English clubs to qualify for the European finals of the
tournament. The youngsters will travel to Ypres, Belgium along with Crystal
Palace, Manchester City and Blackburn Rovers to face Anderlecht, Club Brugge
KV, Schalke 04 and Paris Saint-Germain between 8-11 December.
Their time at Ypres will be also be spent visiting the memorial to the
unknown soldier and laying a wreath at the war graves nearby.
"It was a really good achievement and we only conceded two goals across the
whole tournament," continued Johnson. "It's a massive achievement for the
boys. All the Premier League clubs take part in qualifying for this
tournament so to be one of four clubs to qualifying for the finals is huge."
"We run over 40 tournaments for our Academy players so they can get
different European experience so the event will supplement our tour
programme."
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School children meet Academy stars at Hammers day
WHUFC.com
Academy stars Marcus Browne and Grady Diangana visited a local school last
week, who went West Ham United crazy for the day. Oakfield Primary School in
Wickford, Essex were celebrating all things claret and blue as the West Ham
United Foundation held a number of activities throughout the day. The
Foundation spent the whole day laying on various activities in and out of
the classroom as the corridors of the school were decked with West Ham
United shirts and lots of claret and blue decorations. The children were set
a number of footballing challenges outside and were later joined by Browne
and Diangana who both stressed how important it is for the Club to give back
to the community. "I think it's good coming back to a primary school because
it's where we learned to play football. We probably had the most fun playing
football at primary school because we could do whatever we wanted," said
Browne. "It's great for the kids when players come into schools in different
areas and have a chat and have fun with them."
"It's been really fun, all the kids are really enthusiastic. They're asking
a lot of questions about what we do, how old we are so it's brilliant," said
Diangana. Inside, some of the children set about creating their own unique
commentaries on Dimitri Payet's wondergoal against Middlesbrough in October.
Some of the students even went back out to try and re-enact the goal and the
school's teacher who helped organise the event, Ashleigh Patterson, said the
children thoroughly enjoyed the day. "West Ham United's Foundation have
created a new project where they go around to schools and try and promote a
takeover day where every child has an active part of the day," she said. "We
decided to go for it, because as a school we are very active and sport plays
a big influence on the school. As a West Ham fan myself, I was never going
to pass on the opportunity!" "Today, every child has been thoroughly
engaged. They (the players) have created an atmosphere for the children and
a lot of excitement has built up. "You can see by the children's faces that
they've had smiles on their faces all day. It's been brilliant."
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United
SAT, 19 NOV 2016PREMIER LEAGUE
17:30
Venue: White Hart Lane
BBC.co.uk
TEAM NEWS
Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli is close to fitness after a knee injury but
may not be risked ahead of Tuesday's European game against Monaco.
Toby Alderweireld, Erik Lamela and Ben Davies remain out.
West Ham captain Mark Noble is suspended but defender Winston Reid is fit
after a hamstring strain. There could be a place among the substitutes for
forward Diafra Sakho, who has not played all season because of a back
problem.
MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES
Simon Brotherton: "Tottenham are the only unbeaten side left in the Premier
League this season, but they haven't won since beating Manchester City 2-0
at White Hart Lane at the start of October. "It has seen them lose ground
among those jostling near the top and they now sit five points behind the
current leaders Liverpool. "The visit of West Ham also comes at a time when
Spurs are still dealing with a number of injury issues which won't help
their cause this weekend.
"The Hammers seem to be picking up after a poor start to the season. They
have lost only one of the last five games but still sit just a point above
the bottom three."
Twitter: @SimonBrotherton
WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino: "Every time we play and compete in
the Premier League, the opponent takes the game like a derby or a final.
That is good. This is another derby, another final for us. "We're creating
many chances every game, the problem is that we need more chances to score.
Maybe we're not as clinical as we were last season. It's about working hard
and trying to improve."
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic: "We are missing points. If we had beat Stoke
last time out we would be mid-table, because it's so tight. "But we are
17th, and if you are 17th you are very close to relegation and we have to
improve even more. "On one hand the worst thing to do is lose confidence and
doubt yourselves individually and as a group. On the other hand you can't
keep talking and saying the table doesn't matter, that we are a good team
and we will click."
LAWRO'S PREDICTION
Spurs have drawn their past four league games but I fancy them to win here.
West Ham will have to wait to pull clear of the relegation zone.
Prediction: 2-0
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
West Ham's only win in their last 14 Premier League visits to White Hart
Lane came in October 2013 (D5, L8).
Tottenham Hotspur
Spurs are unbeaten after their opening 11 league games for the first time
since a 16-match streak in the double-winning season of 1960-61.
However, Tottenham have gone seven matches without a win in all competitions
(D5, L2). They have not fared worse since May 2004.
They could draw five consecutive league matches for the first time since a
club record run of six in a row in 1999.
Mauricio Pochettino's side have the best defensive record in the Premier
League, conceding just six goals.
West Ham United
The Hammers are nine points and 11 places worse off than at the same stage
of last season.
They have lost five of their last six away league games.
However, Slaven Bilic's side have only lost once in five league matches.
Dimitri Payet has created 40 goalscoring chances this season, more than any
other player in the five major European leagues.
After playing Spurs, West Ham travel to Manchester United and Liverpool
either side of a home game against Arsenal.
SAM's verdict
Most probable score: 1-0 Probability of draw: 21%
Probability of home win: 66% Probability of away win: 13%
SAM (Sports Analytics Machine) is a super-computer created by @ProfIanMcHale
at the University of Salford that is used to predict the outcome of football
matches.
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Tottenham v West Ham preview: Mauricio Pochettino to make late call on Dele
Alli
Last Updated: 18/11/16 8:51pm
SSN
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino will make a late decision on Dele Alli
ahead of Saturday's Premier League game at home to West Ham.
Alli is close to recovering from a knee injury but may not be risked as
Tottenham aim to remain unbeaten.
Spurs remain the only unbeaten team in the top flight, but Mauricio
Pochettino's team are without a win since their 2-0 victory over Manchester
City at the beginning of October.
West Ham have endured a tough start to the season and find themselves down
in 17th place after 11 games.
However, Slaven Bilic's side had started to show signs of recovery in the
last period between international fixtures, taking seven points from four
matches.
But they face a tough test at White Hart Lane - a ground they where they
have won just once in their last 14 Premier League visits.
Team news
Toby Alderweireld (leg), Erik Lamela (hip) and Ben Davies (ankle) are all
out but Harry Kane is fit to start after returning early from England duty
to work on his fitness.
Christian Eriksen and Danny Rose are also available after shaking off hip
and foot problems respectively.
Meanwhile, striker Diafra Sakho is in the West Ham squad for the first time
this season after finally overcoming a back injury.
Defender Winston Reid returns after suspension and a slight hamstring injury
and looks set to take the captain's armband from midfielder Mark Noble, who
sits out due to a one-match ban.
James Collins has overcome the knock which forced him to withdraw from the
Wales squad, but Andy Carroll is still a couple of weeks away following an
ankle injury.
Opta stats
Tottenham are the only remaining unbeaten side in English football this
season, winning five and drawing six of their 11 PL games.
This is their best ever unbeaten start to a Premier League season, however
Spurs haven't won any of their last seven games in all competitions.
Pochettino's team are unbeaten in five league games at White Hart Lane this
season and have the best home defence in the country, conceding just twice.
The Hammers have won just two of their last nine league matches, with six
defeats suffered so far this term.
Bilic's men have averaged a goal a game this season, finding the net 11
times. They scored double that amount at this stage last season.
Dimitri Payet is set to make his 50th appearance for the club. He has scored
seven direct free-kicks for club & country since the start of last season.
Simone Zaza has yet to score in nine appearances since joining on a
season-long loan from Juventus.
Merson's prediction
I'm going to go for a comfortable Spurs win. They've had a couple of bad
results in the Champions League, but they're still undefeated in the league.
It was a very even game against Arsenal a fortnight ago, and with West Ham
still struggling, I can't see anything but a Spurs win.
These two really don't like each other, full stop. It's a big grudge game.
To be unbeaten so far this season is some going in a difficult league.
PAUL PREDICTS: 2-0
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Payet trumps Alli in head-to-head
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 18th November 2016
By: Staff Writer
Dele Alli and Dimitri Payet could come head-to-head this weekend as West Ham
travel to White Hart Lane to face Tottenham on Saturday.
Daily fantasy football game oulala.com have taken a look at the midfielder's
stats to see how the pair have compared in the Premier League this season...
and as you can see, it's good news for West Ham's talisman!
Although the reigning Hammer of the Year has played a game less than
Tottenham's England international, he has created a whopping 39 goalscoring
opportunities in comparison to Alli's 19 - and enjoyed 29 shots to his
opponent's tally of 24.
Additionally Payet has been responsible for 28 successful dribbles - more
than twice as many as the Tottenham midfielder. All of which bodes well for
the Hammers as they prepare for tomorrow evening's big London derby...
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 17th November 2016
By: Preview Percy
Can't say we have ever lost any sleep over the identity of the 30th best
team in Europe here at kumb towers. However, if you're interested Preview
Percy thinks he may have found out. Here's his look at this weekend's visit
to Tottenham Hotspur. Real information and graphics courtesy of the good
people at www.kickoff.co.uk....
Next up we go to the land of body odour and dandruff where we will be hosted
by Tottenham Hotspur. Kick-off for the benefit of space tv is 5.30 pm.
Travel? Well the good news is that they seem to have finished whatever they
were doing on the Great Eastern mainline between Liverpool Street, Shenfield
and points east. The bad news is that they have shifted all their diggers
over to the line through Tottenham Hale, meaning that should your journey to
that benighted part of the world usually involve your alighting at
Northumberland Park station rather than White Hart Lane you will have to
think again. Also bear in mind that the services are run by the nincompoops
at Abelio Greater Anglia which means anything could happen anyway.
The Gospel Oak to Barking line, on the one day of the year it would actually
be of any use to anyone, is closed – until next February. And, if your
journey involves use of the District Line west of Dagenham forget it –
replacement buses are the order of the day. C2C services that go into and
out of Liverpool Street will be running – but only to 8:30pm, which makes
relying on those to get home a bit iffy. Of course you could get the Circle
Line round to Tower Hill for Fenchurch Street but, guess what……Check before
you leave – and then at frequent intervals during the journey.
Spurs currently sit in 5th spot in the league with 21 points from the 11
played thus far. This places them 3 points behind Arsenal which must be a
bit irritating. They are unbeaten this season, though for anyone who does
the pools, assuming that they still exist, their recent form has made them
something of a banker on the treble chance, assuming that, if the pools
still exist, so does the treble chance.
Their last four matches have ended in draws, 1-1 away at West Brom and
Arsenal and at home to Leicester and 0-0 down at Bournemouth. Overall they
have drawn 6 and won 5 this season and the failure to convert some of those
draws into wins is something they may look back on at the end of the season
as they finish a few behind Arsenal as usual.
Their quest for Europa League qualification is going well though, a win, two
defeats and a draw seeing them sitting in the coveted third place in their
so-called Champions League group behind Monaco and Bayer Leverkusen, both of
whom remain unbeaten. They exited the League Cup to their northern
counterparts (I'm never sure if Liverpool are the "Spurs of the North" or if
Spurs are the "Scousers of the South"), going down 2-1 at Anfield a few
weeks back.
Before we look at the squad in any detail (THAT'd be a first – ed) a quick
word about their supporters. Yes they are renowned within the world of
football for being, well, a bit dim shall we say. Bless 'em. However, that
doesn't explain one of life's greatest mysteries, namely: why do so many
Spurs supporters wear shell suits? Let's face it; even in that thankfully
brief period in the '90s when they were in vogue, it was only really bottom
echelons of the lower orders that adopted them as acceptable wear. Even the
scousers, for whom the clothing/fire hazard combo became a uniform, seem to
have twigged how wrong that theory is. However, thanks to some in depth
research by your correspondent it's a mystery no longer.
I was monitoring an online conversation on that there facebook thing the
other day when the very subject of shell suit wearing Spurs supporters came
up. I am therefore indebted to one of their own supporters for the following
revelation:
"There was a brief period when Adidas provided some Spurs kit, and we had
some great kit. However, Adidas bailed leaving THFC with a ridiculous amount
of kit to offload. I still have my Adidas Shell Suit which I think I paid a
tenner for reduced from £60 and it still looks great. That is what you see
at White Hart Lane. The infamous bargain Adidas shell suit."
So there you have it from the horse's mouth as it were. They all wear shell
suits "because they were cheap". Which opens up all sorts of obvious
stereotype jokes that, not being in possession of a bargepole, I shall leave
well alone. Other than to say that, whatever they eventually spend some of
the £50 savings on I'd like to put in a plea for at least some of it to go
on deodorant and dandruff shampoo – they have instructions on the side of
the can or bottle these days guys so get someone to read them to you.
Possibly inspired by his players' poor summer showing in Euro 2016, manager
Pochettino felt compelled to spend a few bob during the window. The work
experience girl wearing the Beach Boys T-Shirt without knowing who they are
tells me that the top fee paid during the summer window was the £30m that
went to Newcastle in return for Moussa Sissoko. Now say what you like about
Mike Ashley (and Preview Alastair usually does) but one can't deny that he
knows how to wring a few bob out of a transfer. It is said that Ashley was
prepared to accept something like the £17m originally offered by Liverpool
for Andy Carroll and just kept turning down offers out of curiosity as to
how far they would go. For Sissoko, £30m is not a bad return on a player for
whom they paid £1.5m to Toulouse a few years back.
The next highest fee paid was the £17m that went to AZ "Where's the 67 Gone"
Alkmaar for the services of Dutch striker Vincent Jannssen, who, regular
readers will be pleased to know, has double figures in terms of Dutch Caps.
(No, you're too kind). Janssen has yet to set the world on fire since
arriving in the Premier League having scored just the once in the league
thus far this season, despite having been de facto first choice up front.
This state of affairs arose in the absence of Harry Kane, who has missed
much of the season with an ankle injury – minor for anyone else but
worryingly close to brain surgery for Kane. Janssen is a "slight doubt" at
the time of writing having picked up concussion whilst on international duty
at the weekend, an injury that typically leaves people disorientated and
unable to think or speak straight. (Insert your own Harry Kane joke here).
A further £11m went on what is now becoming an annual plundering of
Southampton's resources, with Spurs usually picking up the remnants of
whatever Liverpool can't be bothered with. This season saw the arrival of
Victor Wanayama to bolster the defensive options in midfield. Wanayama
arrived after3 years with Southampton which followed a spell with Celtic.
Wanayama comes from what might be regarded as the Kenyan branch of the
Neville family. Not only is brother MacDonald a fellow Kenyan international,
currently plying his trade in Italy's Serie B, two younger brothers are
playing in the Kenyan PL whilst sister Mercy is a pro basketball player in
the US. So if the parallels are maintained you can expect Victor to become a
rubbish manager but a reasonably competent pundit whilst McDonald will end
up performing the Phil Neville role. Whatever that is.
Whilst £11m seems like the going rate for a midfielder with Premier League
and full international experience, it does seem a lot to spend on a 21
year-old winger all of whose international experience at the time of writing
has been at U21 level for France. However, that's how much they paid for
Georges-Kevin N'Koudou. Or maybe that's two players? G-K N'K's signing seems
to have been more an exercise in squad-building and development at the
moment. His one start came in the League Cup defeat to Liverpool. Otherwise
it's largely been late sub appearances for the player, only three of which
have come in the League. Intriguingly the player was listed as the 30th best
player in Europe during the 2015/16 season according to UEFA's official
stats. (Payet was 13th in case you were wondering). This bizarre ranking
means that, officially at least, G-K N'K is just as good as Kevin De Bruyne
but not quite as good as, er, wait for it, Will Grigg who is, officially,
the 25th best player in Europe. At which point you might think that the
rankings are a complete load of twaddle. And you'd be right.
N'Koudou shares his coveted 30th best player in Europe spot with Toby
Alderweireld. Alderweireld arrived at the start of last season under
slightly suspicious circumstances having been on loan at Southampton from
Atletico Madrid. Southampton believed that they had an option to buy the
player for £6.8m. Atletico believed that they had an option to buy out that
option (please keep up) for £1.5m. Southampton claimed that the Spaniards
didn't exercise that option in time, none of which stopped Atletico
trousering £11.8m from Spurs for the player, which was still more than
they'd have gotten from Southampton, even when you factor in the £1.5m buy
out. Whatever happened, Southampton's threatened legal action never
materialised – lawyers being what they are it would probably have cost them
£50m to argue the toss – and the player ended up at Spurs. Their failure to
convert draws to wins has coincided with Alderweireld's absence from duty
with a knee problem and, given that he was on target in the corresponding
fixture last season, it's bloody typical that he should be likely to make a
return this week.
Incidentally Spurs 'keeper Hugo Lloris is ALSO listed as 30th best player in
Europe for 2015-16, so look out for moves for the likes of Oblak,
Kruchowiak, Aubameyang, Matuidi and Gameiro as they move to corner the
market in 30th best players. Or possibly not.
Other possible returnees from the sick list are Christian Eriksen (knee),
Moussa Dembele – whose absence with "muscle fatigue" sounds like the sort of
thing that a packet of Radox would sort out , Harry "Arsenal's Own" Kane who
was excused from playing crap for England to allow his ankle to recover and
Eric Lamela whose injury has been unspecified but is trendy enough to be
described as "hip" is also slated for a return. This leaves Dele Ali as the
main probable absentee due to a knee injury that will keep him out for some
time. So that's one less nasty niggling diver to contend with then, though
Kane can more than cover for the diving part of Ali's game.
That's enough about them. So what's been happening happened over the last
ten years (or so it feels). Well, apparently they held an election over the
water. Yeah I know, you'd have thought that they would have mentioned it on
the telly or in the papers or something. Anyway the result was a surprise
win for the male candidate. This prompted Nicola Sturgeon to make a
statement outlining her concerns over the election of someone whose polices
contained much that was based on a hatred for the inhabitants of the country
immediately to the south. I didn't read her statement in full but I expect
she has copyright issues.
Talking of the ungrateful lot north of the border it was nice of them to
send some dustbins down to Wembley the other night for a match in which as
awful as England were, Scotland were infinitely worse. And we tried to even
things up by picking Henderson. Again. Poor old Malta – must be galling to
see the sweaties a place above you in the table.
Talking of someone whose dubious talents have seen him rise to a job that he
should never have been in the running for. It's long been a mystery as to
how Jordan Henderson actually gets into England squads in the first place
let alone captain the thing.
Us? Well the only bit of our last game that sticks in the memory was
Adrian's nightmare walkabout that led to their equaliser. I've tried
hypnotherapy to erase the incident from my mind but I think picking a cheap
stage hypnotist more noted for making people think that they are chickens
may not have been the wisest move. Not that it worked anyway. Cluck.
There has been much call for Adrian to step down in favour of Randolph and,
whilst I would have no problem with that (nice to have two decent 'keepers
to call on isn't it) my guess is that Adrian will get the nod.
Injury news is that there are three players for whom November 19 is listed
as a red letter day for returns. Ginge, who missed out on the latest
instalment of the "Wales slowly realising that they aren't quite as good as
they thought they were" saga through a calf strain should be available for
this one. Which is good as Winston Reid is still a doubt at the time of
writing. Arthur Masuaku – remember him? – is also down as being available.
Then there's Diafra Sakho. He's had issues in the past beyond the back
problems that have kept him out the side (and West Brom's) this season.
However, if he is available for selection I for one will be happy – Sakho's
mobility is something that we've sorely missed this season. Carroll? Well
for all the talk a few weeks back about "after the international break" the
latest tale is one of "being able to train with the first team in a couple
of weeks" – something that has been presented as "good news" by the club.
Technically speaking, I'd say that falls into the category of "bad news"
rather than good, given that all the talk of the original injury was of "6
weeks to two months". December 11 is the date listed on the usual sites for
him.
Finally the skipper will be a bit gutted at missing out on this one. He will
be absent through suspension having forgotten to change his name to Diego
Costa by deed poll at the start of the season, that being the approved
method of avoiding the yellow and red cards that anyone else would normally
get these days.
Prediction? Well much depends on the injury front. Much has been made
elsewhere of the "8" players on the treatment table that they have. That's a
bit of a red herring though. Of that 8, as we have seen 6 are merely "slight
doubts" with Saturday being slated for their return for action. Only the
aforementioned Ali of the genuine first XI is definitely out so I'm
expecting them to put out a pretty strong starting XI. Factor in the fact
that they like to raise their game against their betters in their cup finals
and I think we may be in for a tough time given the fact that we are out of
sorts enough to give them a sniff at the moment. Loath though I am to do so,
I must therefore let my wallet rule my brain by placing the £2.50 that I had
absolutely no intention whatsoever of sending to Children In Bloody Need on
a wager at Winstones The Turf Accountants on a 2-1 home win, partly in the
hope that I'm as wrong as I usually am with these things.
Enjoy the game!
When last we met at White Hart Lane: Lost 4-1 (Premier League October 2016)
Off-days all round on a miserable visit to hand them the three points in
their Cup Final. Lanzini's late effort was a superb but superfluous finish.
Referee: Mike Dean And the world's most predictable refereeing appointment
of the year is Mike Dean for Spurs v West Ham on Saturday. Again. You
disbelieve me? Well let me put it this way, I had the bulk of this paragraph
written 48 hours before the official announcement. And it's on the box. My
money is on him remembering to punish a minor spot of holding in the box
with a penalty early on. Then forgetting about that sort of thing completely
for the rest of the match when infinitely worse infringements occur. I also
predict that neither of those decisions will go in our favour.
Danger Man: Harry Kane One of their own insofar as he is definitely on the
"two short planks" level of intelligence. Not averse to attacks of "scouse
gravity syndrome" when in the box and, dreadful as he was in the Euros, he
was given a few days off by the England squad only so he could prepare for
this one.
Percy's Poser: For the Stoke match we asked you "Whatever Happened To Nick
Hancock". The first correct answer out of the digital hat came from Mrs
Hortensia Wildebeest of Kelvedon Hatch whose response was both simple and
explicit: "I neither know nor care". Mrs Wildebeest wins a six-month old
oatcake. Well done Hortensia!
For this week's poser we go back to one of those forgotten moments in
football history. The phrase "as sick as a parrot" is a standard stock
phrase in football folklore (especially if you follow the Scottish national
team). However how does Tottenham Hotspur FC claim that the phrase came into
being? The first correct answer out of the digital hat will win a packet of
Trill which, as those of a certain age will remember "makes budgies bounce
with health". Good luck!
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No West Ham striker has scored in 17 matches... that's our problem, says
Slaven Bilic
SLAVEN BILIC
Evening Standard
When I was a West Ham player, I considered the derby against Tottenham to be
the biggest game of the season. For me, nothing has changed. I made my West
Ham debut at White Hart Lane in February 1996. We won 1-0, with a goal from
Dani. The same scoreline would be very acceptable tomorrow. We have improved
in recent weeks and will continue to get better but we are still too close
to the wrong end of the Premier League table. Our problem is there for
everyone to see: the strikers are not finding the net. We have played 17
competitive matches this season and none of our strikers have scored. We
hope that will change because, statistically, we are up there in terms of
shots. It is just that we cannot hit the target. But I still believe in the
strikers and some of them are coming back now. Andre Ayew is fit again and
Diafra Sakho has also been back in full training for a couple of weeks.
Diafra lacks match practice but he looks sharp, he looks hungry and it is a
big boost for us because he gives us something different. He goes behind the
defence, he is good at holding the ball, he runs in the channels — opening
up those vital pockets of space which midfielders can exploit. I didn't want
to talk a lot about him when he was injured because I wanted to concentrate
on those who were available but now I can say it was a big blow that we
could not call upon him from the start of this season. It is well documented
he could have joined West Brom during the summer but he did not pass the
medical. All I can say is that I have spoken with him. He is our player, he
is under contract, he knows I rate him highly and we both know that things
change very quickly in football.
Okay, he wanted to leave then and there could have been money for us but we
are not thinking now to put him in the shop window. No matter what he wanted
to do then, we expect him to play well — to help us and to help him be in a
better position next season, to perhaps stay here and sign another contract.
Tomorrow is the first match of a tough schedule. We play twice at Manchester
United, once in the Premier League and again in the EFL Cup, follow that
with a home match against Arsenal and then go to Liverpool. Of course, we
would have liked more points going into these games but we demonstrated last
season — and against Chelsea in the Cup last month we can play well against
the top teams.
We will approach this schedule game by game. In every one of them we will be
underdogs but in every one we have a real chance if we play as well as I
know we can. At the moment Spurs are missing goals — they have been without
Harry Kane and Erik Lamela — but as a defensive unit they have the best
record in the Premier League, with only six goals conceded in 11 matches.
Not only are they not conceding many, they are not allowing their opponents
to have many chances. Yes, that is impressive but they have not won in seven
games and this is a derby, it's big for them, for us — and the fans. Last
season, we did really well against them at home but away, although we were
in good form at the time, they were much better than us. We're looking
forward to the game. We've improved over the last month but we're still not
in the position we want to be.
Spurs have what you could call a 'cup final' three days after our match when
they go to Monaco with their Champions League hopes in the balance. Will
that be a factor in Mauricio Pochettino's preparation for our match? I don't
believe so. Our match is too big for him to be thinking that way. I don't
think he will have one eye on the Monaco match. It is in his character that
Spurs will want to win both.
Dele Alli could be back and he is important for them. He is a talented young
player who is making a big impact in English football for club and country.
Last season, he provided a tremendous boost for Spurs, in terms of energy,
quality and playing between the lines.
The transfer window opens in six weeks but already we are being linked with
many players. It has been the same with West Ham since I arrived and even
before that. Every day a different player is supposedly at the top of our
list. The truth is we will assess things closer to the time. We have a big
few weeks before that and will see where we are. What is important is
players who have been out — such as Diafra Sakho, Andy Carroll, Arthur
Masuaku and Gokhan Tore — are either ready to come back or much closer.
As for Spurs this season, I think they will maintain their impressive
defensive record. The only question is whether they will score enough.
They haven't won in seven matches in all competitions, which is a bit too
many if you are aiming to win the title because it's a cruel League.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Diafra Sakho, he scores when he wants
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 18th November 2016
By: Paul Walker
So, it looks like we are going to see the lesser-spotted Diafra Sakho back
in action any time soon, but don't hold your breath, the club have been
saying Andy Carroll is on his way back for weeks!
But seriously, folks, I feel more than a bit sorry for the big striker after
the last few months, and nobody can say we haven't missed him. Somehow he's
taken the brunt of all sorts of misfortune, and I can't help but think that
the way he has been treated and bad-mouthed has had a lot to do with the
farcical situation we find ourselves in. With ridiculously expensive flops,
and loan disasters, following the incompetence of last summer's transfer
dealings. Some folk saw us coming, didn't they? Now I know Sakho has thrown
the longest moody in modern football history, and has had more off field
problems than the entire cast of Eastenders. If you believe the rumours,
there's a partner and child in France, a girlfriend and child, allegedly, in
the UK, while he has driven a Lamborghini into a wall and has been lonely in
his mansion. All in all, he has troubled the Essex constabulary far too
often when the local Bill were hoping for a quiet Sunday afternoon. But I
have never seen him given anything less than 100 per cent for the team, he
runs defences ragged as well as scoring a decent return in goals (anybody
else doing that at the moment?) and also creates the space for Dimi Payet to
weave his magic. And it was pretty obvious too, that he has been carrying
all sorts of injuries, back and thigh, and managed only 18 starts in the
league last term.
Then he fell out with Slav after being left out against Arsenal last term,
and it's been a struggle ever since. You don't cross our manager, as more
than a few can testify. But above all that, I really felt he got the hump
big time when our owners started to rattle on about signing a big name,
money striker to take Sakho's place, and that when he was a crucial part of
the West Ham team on the verge of their best season for a couple of decades.
Yes, there was a transfer demand, and a lot of bad feeling. But I still have
a real soft spot for the lad. And reading his profile maybe you can see why.
This lad was brought up in the Dakar slums and lost his father just before
the move to Metz materialised. He was the only breadwinner and his mum had
four kids to bring up. So off to France he went and sent money home to allow
his family to acquire a new house and food on the table. Sometimes I don't
think folk here really understand the deprivation so many likely kids out of
Africa are trying to escape from. So he's made a few mistakes along the way,
but he has never let us down on the pitch, and let's not forget that goal he
struck in the final game at the Boleyn to pave the way to a memorable win
over Manchester United.
But all that loose talk from our owners about 'big this' and 'big that'
clearly upset Sakho when he felt he was doing a pretty good job, albeit on
the footballing version of a zero hours contract! Sorry, bit harsh that, but
you get my drift. Sakho was on about £15,000 a week when David Sullivan
signed him on a four-year contract, against the wishes of Sam Allardyce.
That wage was increased a couple of times, but the last figure I saw was
about £33,000 a week. Yes, to you and me that's a fortune. But he was seeing
the likes of loan wasters like Emmanuel Emenike (£38,000), Nikica Jelavic
(£55,000) and even Victor Moses (£70,000) arrive, while he was doing a
better job--when fit--than any of them. No wonder he got the hump.
The last time I saw him was when he missed two glorious sitters at Stoke on
that last day, when a win would have put us into the Europa League group
stages and avoided all that embarrassing qualification nonsense (that we
didn't negotiate). And even on that day, I noticed one of our owners
twittering on about the chances Sakho had missed. It didn't take long for
the transfer demand and our attempts to knock him out to West Brom for £16m,
before the little matter of a failed medical put the lid on that. Then we
discover that he has serious back problems that have taken until now to
solve.
You might not believe all that, you may think we have been fattening him up
and keeping him out of trouble so he can be sold in January. Whatever. The
bottom line is that our summer signings, in particular the loan ones, have
been a disaster. The summer transfers have crumbled around the Sullivan/Tony
Henry axis and now we have to go cap in hand to Sakho, who has not played
since May, to give us a helping hand.
Sakho wants a new contract, his current one ends in June 2018, and he no
doubt believes he deserves one considering the vast amount of money that
Simone Zaza is costing; in excess of £80,000 a week has been suggested. We
have also wasted nearly £10m on the loan fees for Zaza, Jonathan Calleri and
Gokhan Tore. And their wages. Now I don't know what goes on behind closed
doors at our club these days, I may be a bit off the beam on some of this.
But Sakho deserves better, he maybe deserved more help and guidance when his
private life was falling apart last season. Give him a chance, everyone, he
may have made some daft decisions and the transfer demand didn't help. But I
say again, he has never given anything but his best efforts for us. He
hounds defenders, wins more than his share in the air and puts himself
about.
Anyone seen Zaza win a tackle yet, thought not!
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham transfer news: Slaven Bilic reveals star striker will not be sold
in January
SLAVEN BILIC has issued a hands off warning to clubs wanting to sign Diafra
Sakho in the January transfer window.
By STUART BALLARD
PUBLISHED: 13:09, Fri, Nov 18, 2016 | UPDATED: 14:33, Fri, Nov 18, 2016
Express.co.uk
Sakho failed a medical at West Brom having agreed a move in the summer. And
the Senegal international is still yet to feature for West Ham this season
but is expected to be involved in some capacity against Tottenham tomorrow
(3pm). In his absence West Ham have struggled to find the net this season
with none of the club's strikers scoring in their last 17 games. But the
international break has given Bilic's forwards the chance to recover with
Andre Ayew and Andy Carroll both expected back in the next few weeks. "I
didn't want to talk a lot about him when he was injured because I wanted to
concentrate on those who were available but now I can say it was a big blow
that we could not call upon him from the start of this season," Bilic told
the London Evening Standard. "It is well documented he could have joined
West Brom during the summer but he did not pass the medical. "All I can say
is that I have spoken with him. He is our player, he is under contract, he
knows I rate him highly and we both know that things change very quickly in
football. "Okay, he wanted to leave then and there could have been money for
us but we are not thinking now to put him in the shop window. "No matter
what he wanted to do then, we expect him to play well — to help us and to
help him be in a better position next season, to perhaps stay here and sign
another contract."
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Transfer news: Alvaro Arbeloa set for early West Ham exit with January move
on cards
By talkSPORT - @talkSPORT
Friday, November 18, 2016
West Ham flop Alvaro Arbeloa is hoping to secure a return to Spain in
January. The 33-year-old arrived in east London during the summer but has
endured a forgettable start to life at the club. Arbeloa has played just 173
minutes in the Premier League this season and it has been suggested that he
could leave as early as January. Now, according to El Mundo Deportivo, he
would favour a move back to his native country despite reported interest
from the MLS and the Middle East. And it has been suggested that the
decorated full-back, who won the Champions League twice during his six
seasons at Real Madrid, should have little trouble finding new employment
back home.
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Chelsea and West Ham fans handed banning orders after London Stadium clashes
JAMIE BULLEN
Evening Standard
A Chelsea fan and a West Ham supporter have been banned from attending
football matches following violent clashes at the London Stadium during a
League Cup tie. Hammers fan Nicholas Greenway, 51, of Battersea and Chelsea
supporting Michael Parker, 27, of Mitcham were arrested at the stadium and
appeared at Thames Magistrates' Court last Friday. Greenway was banned for
three years after he was charged with threatening behaviour while Parker was
issued a five-year disqualification after he hurled a missile inside the
ground. Seven people were arrested as violence erupted between rival
supporters at the final whistle of the EFL Cup derby last month in which
West Ham won 2-1. Commander BJ Harrington, of the Met's Public Order
Command, said: "Although the vast majority of people who attended the match
were well behaved, there were a minority who were clearly intent on being
involved in confrontation and violence. "Despite extensive work with both
clubs and the London Stadium partners as well as a large and robust policing
operation, there were unacceptable incidents inside and outside the stadium,
before, during and after the game. "We will continue to work with our
partners to tackle crime and disorder at the London Stadium and the banning
orders are a part of this work. "The banning orders for these two men will
prevent them from causing more trouble at football events in future. "We are
working tirelessly to identify people involved and bring them to justice.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Payet wins Carling Goal of the Month
18/11/2016
premierleague.com
Dimitri Payet's wonderful individual effort against Middlesbrough has been
awarded the Carling Goal of the Month for October. The West Ham United
playmaker's mazy run and finish in the 1-1 draw at the London Stadium topped
a shortlist of eight goals from the combined votes of a panel of experts and
the public, who picked their favourite via the Carling Tap and website.
Payet is the third winner of the Carling Goal of the Month.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham transfer news: Dimitri Payet January exit talk is 'not a big
issue', insists Slaven Bilic
ANDY SIMS Friday 18 November 2016 06:59
Evening Standard
Slaven Bilic is confident Dimitri Payet will not leave West Ham in January.
France international Payet caused a stir earlier this month when he said he
"closed the door to nothing" amid rumours of interest from Paris St Germain.
But Hammers boss Bilic has no plans to hold talks with his star man, who has
scored two goals and made five assists this season, and is convinced the
29-year-old is going nowhere. "I read it but he said nothing major," said
Bilic. "He said he didn't want to close the door to something, he didn't say
'I want to leave' in January or June or whatever so let's not make a big
issue. "I'm quite relaxed. We are not going to talk about it particularly
but with every big player there are a lot of rumours and interest. So I
don't have to talk to him about it."
Of more pressing concern to Bilic is Payet stepping up to the plate against
derby rivals Tottenham on Saturday evening. West Ham are languishing in 17th
place after just three wins this term and could do with their talisman
recapturing last season's form against the meanest defence in the top
flight. "In every game you need your characters to show their qualities, no
matter if it is to defend, to fight, to tackle and win second balls or
create something special and win games for you," he added. "We need him a
lot in every game, especially when you are playing against a defence that
has conceded so far the fewest goals in the Premier League. "Of course you
need something special to score against them and you are expecting your best
players to do it."
Bilic has added striker Diafra Sakho to his squad for the first time this
season following a back injury, but skipper Mark Noble is suspended.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: Team news, kick-off time, probable
line-ups, odds and stats for the Premier League clash
Diafra Sakho makes West Ham United squad for first time this season
Winston Reid returns after ban but captain Mark Noble is suspended
By PA REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 09:37, 18 November 2016 | UPDATED: 09:37, 18 November 2016
Ahead of this weekend's Premier League action, Sportsmail will be providing
you with all you need to know about every fixture, with team news,
provisional squads, betting odds and Opta stats. Here is all the information
you need for Tottenham's home clash with West Ham.
Team news
Tottenham
Coming soon...
West Ham
Striker Diafra Sakho is in the West Ham squad for the first time this season
for the trip to Tottenham after finally overcoming a back injury. Defender
Winston Reid returns after suspension and a slight hamstring injury and
looks set to take the captain's armband from midfielder Mark Noble, who sits
out due to a one-match ban. James Collins has overcome the knock which
forced him to withdraw from the Wales squad but Andy Carroll is still a
couple of weeks away following an ankle injury.
Provisional squad: Adrian, Randolph, Reid, Collins, Ogbonna, Cresswell,
Oxford, Kouyate, Obiang, Fernandes, Nordtveit, Payet, Lanzini, Antonio,
Feghouli, Ayew, Sakho, Zaza, Fletcher, Calleri.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR VS WEST HAM UNITED
Kick-off: Saturday, 5.30pm - BT Sport 1
Referee:
Mike Dean
Odds (subject to change):
Tottenham 11/20
Draw 7/2
West Ham 13/2
Managers:
Mauricio Pochettino (Tottenham)
Slaven Bilic (West Ham)
Head-to-head league record:
Tottenham wins 52
Draws 31
West Ham wins 43
Recent league form (latest result first):
Tottenham: DDDDW
West Ham: DLWWD
Key match stats (supplied by Opta)
Although they defeated West Ham 4-1 at home last November, Spurs have won
just one of their last four games against the Hammers at White Hart Lane (D1
L2) in all competitions.
However, West Ham have won just once in their last 14 Premier League visits
to Spurs (L8 D5).
This is Spurs' longest winless run in all competitions (D5 L2) since May
2004, in which they went eight without a victory.
Despite this, Tottenham are the only unbeaten Premier League side remaining
this season (W5 D6 L0). Only twice before in the top-flight have Spurs
managed to avoid defeat in their opening 12 games (1959-60 and 1960-61).
Dimitri Payet has created 40 goalscoring chances this season in league
competition, more than any other player in the big five European leagues in
2016-17.
Christian Eriksen hasn't scored with any of his last 61 shots in the Premier
League since scoring against Bournemouth in March 2016.
Harry Kane has scored three times in two previous home league games against
the Hammers for Spurs.
Kane has 15 goals in his last 15 London league derbies for Tottenham
Hotspur.
The Hammers have collected nine fewer points from their opening 11 games
(11) than they did last season (20), though this was their best PL start.
Michael Antonio scored a headed winner for West Ham the last time these two
sides met. He has 10 headed PL goals in 2016, twice more than any other
player and six more than Spurs have.
Slaven Bilic has lost five of his last six away league games at West Ham
manager, though their one win in that time was in London against Crystal
Palace.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Thursday, November 17
Daily WHUFC News - 18th November 2016
Slaven Speaks - Tottenham Hotspur
WHUFC.com
Slaven Bilic speaks to the pressFollowing the international break which saw
Premier League fixtures halted for a fortnight, Slaven Bilic sat down with
the press to discuss Saturday's London derby against Tottenham Hotpsur. The
boss gave injury updates on Andy Carroll, Gokhan Tore, James Collins and
Winston Reid and also expressed his thoughts on his side's improvements over
the last month…
Slaven, it has been said you could have a few players out this weekend. Is
that the case?
Injury-wise we are feeling much better. We have players back, like Diafra
Sakho, and a few players are getting there and hopefully will progress.
Hopefully they'll be back next week and players like Andy Carroll and Gokhan
Tore will be back quite soon. They are training individually and with the
U23s and hopefully soon they'll start to train with us. Sakho has been
training with us for a couple of weeks time.
What about Winston Reid and James Collins?
Reid didn't go to play for New Zealand because in the Everton game he got a
small injury. He was suspended for the game against Stoke so he missed that
anyway, but he's back in training and he looks good. It wasn't a long break
for him. Ginge – he didn't play for Wales but it was minor as well, and he's
back in training.
What did you do during the international break?
We trained hard in the first week and then had a few days off before coming
back this week. It's an opportunity to work on your fitness when you don't
have games, like we did last time. We did it before the Palace game and we
are doing it every time. But many players are missing with international
duty.
Has it been a chance to reflect over the international break?
You don't need the break to do that! We have improved since the last one. It
was much better in every aspect of the game. We are more solid, have more
clean sheets and have a few good performances. We can see it's all about a
couple of points, but we need those points. Even if we had beat Stoke, we
would be mid-table because it's still so tight. We are 17th. You are very
close to the relegation and you have to improve.
Is there a danger that the players think: 'We are good players, we'll be
fine'?
You can't keep talking like it doesn't matter, we are a good team. You have
to start winning games, which we did in October, but it's not enough because
the other teams are also getting some unexpected results that are getting
them points.
Do you have solutions in the squad that you currently have?
I definitely think and I know we have the solutions within the squad, mainly
with the squad that's played so far and as I said, we have some players who
were absent for a long period. Now they are coming back and they'll be like
new signings for us this season. Some didn't play a game yet this season. We
are not thinking about the transfer window yet, like that will solve our
problems. We have quality within the squad. The window is still far from
here, a lot of things can change in a few weeks' time. I'm fully
concentrated on the players we have, the players that improved and the
players coming back for us now.
Spurs don't lose, but they don't always win. Can you end this run they're
on?
You can say in October, they didn't win a game. But on the other hand, they
are the only unbeaten team and probably they are not overwhelmed by October
because they are aiming to win the league this year. They are doing a good
job and they had a couple of injuries also. They are solid and electric. But
it's a good opportunity because we have improved, and if we play good, we
have a chance no matter who we are playing.
In your distant memory, do you remember coming over to play here at White
Hart Lane?
You've done your homework! I made my debut of course there, and I remember
that game. It was always and will always be a special game, maybe the
biggest game of the season for us. We won that game 1-0 and of course I have
good memories of that.
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From the Boardroom - David Gold
WHUFC.com
West Ham United Joint-ChairmanThis is a huge London derby on Saturday and
they don't come much bigger than when West Ham face Tottenham. There is so
much passion, determination from both sets of players and there is nothing
quite like it. They have always produced fantastic games over the years and
I know a lot of fans will still have fond memories of our last performance
when we came away with a 1-0 victory at the Boleyn Ground back in March. Few
could forget Michail Antonio's crucial match-winner that night and his
famous goal celebrations. We know it is going to be another tough encounter
as Spurs are the only unbeaten team in the Premier League this season and
are challenging at the top of the table. But we have a habit of going there
and upsetting the odds and hopefully it will be the same once again on
Saturday. A lot of our players are now back from injury and we will be able
to name a very strong team for the game at White Hart Lane. Having Diafra
Sakho back in the squad is a big boost for everyone. Diafra is a fans
favourite and has scored some crucial goals for the Club.
He has energy and pace and I know Slaven has said it will feel like having a
new signing back in the team so we are all excited to see him back in action
Diafra has come back from a long-term injury and I want to pay tribute to
the Club's medical team who have worked so hard to get him back to full
fitness. It will be a great lift for all the other players to see him back
in the dressing room before the game.
Andre Ayew has also got another two weeks of training under his belt and
will hopefully look a lot stronger on Saturday. He is our Club record
signing and hopefully he can show his best form in the coming games. We are
obviously disappointed that our influential captain Mark Noble will be
missing through suspension and Slaven will have a big decision to make on
who comes in to replace him. Will he keep faith with the same system or
revert to a normal back four?Whatever decision Slaven makes, I know we will
be in decent shape and will put out a strong team who will be ready for
action. I know a lot of people have been talking about the tough run of
games that we have coming up and on paper it looks difficult. But there is
no reason why we cannot beat Tottenham, Manchester United, Arsenal or
Liverpool. We have showed that we can beat the big teams and there is no
reason why we cannot do it again. Tottenham and the other teams will not
look forward to West Ham United coming to their grounds and hopefully we can
show the form which saw us compete with the big teams in the Premier League
last season.
Finally, I was thrilled to see Aaron Cresswell called up for the Scotland
and Spain games last week and it has been a long time since a West Ham
player has played for England. I want to congratulate Aaron on his call-up.
He has now had the experience of being part of the England squad and he will
want to stay there. We have all seen the quality that he brings to the West
Ham team and hopefully he can continue to show his best form in the coming
weeks and months. Enjoy the game on Saturday and hopefully we can come away
with another memorable victory in north London.
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From the Treatment Room
WHUFC.com
Head of Medical and Sports Science Stijn Vandenbroucke issues an update - in
association with Spire Roding Hospital...
Hello everybody.
This week I will start by congratulating both Aaron Cresswell and Edimilson
Fernandes on becoming full internationals with England and Switzerland
respectively.
We are pleased for them both, and also happy to report that they, as well as
everybody else who is back from international duty has come back in a good
condition ready for the game at Tottenham Hotspur.
We have more good news that James Collins, Winston Reid and Diafra Sakho are
all in full training and should be available for selection by the manager.
Ginge has come through his rehab after being withdrawn from the Wales squad
with a calf injury, while Winston missed the Stoke City game and was not
able to go away to play for New Zealand due to injury.
Diaf is now in his third week of full training and is getting fitter and
stronger with every session.
Further encouraging news is that Arthur Masuaku is in his first week of full
training with the PL2 squad after rehabbing from his knee injury and he will
join the first-team squad next week.
Andy Carroll is also progressing with his rehab and trained with the PL2
squad this week.
Sam Byram is running on the pitch now following his hamstring injury. Sam is
progressing well and working hard on his rehab with head physiotherpist Dom
Rogan.
Reece Oxford has entered a new phase of rehab from his knee injury. Reece
has now had the brace removed from his leg and is full weight-bearing. He
will take the next step in his rehab soon.
Gokhan Tore is at the end of his rehab and will join training next week.
Stijn Vandenbroucke
Head of Medical and Sports Science
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Arbeloa - I want to help my team-mates
WHUFC.cm
West Ham defender Alvaro Arbeloa is determined to keep battling hard as he
looks to win back his place in the team ahead of a busy schedule for the
east London Club. Arbeloa has only made three appearances following his move
during the summer, but the former Real Madrid defender is keen to get more
game time under his belt. The Hammers are now preparing for five big games
against Tottenham, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool and the
33-year-old would love to be involved at some stage. With Slaven Bilic
changing to a new wing-back system in recent weeks, Arbeloa has struggled to
break into the side, but he is ready to take his chance when it becomes
available. Arbeloa said: "I want to help my team-mates, the coach and I am
giving my best in every training session. "Hopefully I will get the chance
to play soon. "The most important thing is we need the points and we need to
win games. We now have five very tough games but all of us believe we can
win games and that is the most important thing."
Arbeloa had nothing but praise for the way England played against Spain at
Wembley on Tuesday night. The former World Cup winner was keen to watch his
former team-mates in action and says they were fortunate to come away with a
2-2 draw. Arbeloa added: "I watched the game and thought it was a really
good match, especially for England. They played very well. "England have a
very good squad and I think they could do very well in the next World Cup.
"England made a lot of changes in the second half and Spain obviously scored
two goals right at the end but I still thought England played really well.
"Of course I miss being there because I have great memories with the
national team, but I am now supporting them."
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U18s contest with Spurs postponed
WHUFC.com
West Ham United U18s' league clash with Tottenham Hotspur has been postponed
until further notice. The U18 Premier League South encounter was due to take
place at Tottenham Hotspur's Training Ground in Enfield on Saturday 19
November at 11am. However, after the announcement of the Hammers' FA Youth
Cup tie date with Stoke City, the league match with Spurs has been
postponed, with a new date set to be arranged. The 3rd round Youth Cup tie
with the Potters will take place on Tuesday 22 November at 7pm from the
bet365 Stadium.
The Hammers go into the match lying second in the U18 Premier League South
table.
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EXWHUEMPLOYEE EXCLUSIVE: TRANSFER DEPARTURES AND TARGETS BECOMING CLEARER!
CHELSEA PLAYERS LINKED!
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 16 NOVEMBER 2016 AT 10:33PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
So the M25 oil spill put pay to our radio show where we had quite a lot to
discuss. The producers have had to play our interview with Trevor Brooking
way back when we first started! Although it is worth a listen I think you
will be able to hear that we have grown a lot since then!
I intended to talk about transfers in my section. The club are already
working out a number of departures from the club to bring in additional
players. The loans of Tore, Zaza and Calleri could all be brought to a very
premature end. None of those players have impressed since they have been
here and it appears that we may be prepared to cut our losses on all three
and send them back to their parent clubs. Zaza and Calleri have other clubs
who are prepared to take over our loan agreements from Italy and Spain
respectively. It is fair to say that all of them have been a big
disappointment however with their departures it enables us to strength in
January.
Another player likely to leave is Arbeloa. I have been asked countless
amount of times what has happened to him. There is more to the story but the
player and club want to keep the business behind closed doors which is the
right way to approach these things. In a nutshell the move hasn't worked out
for him or us and the club will let him move on. With Byram being
regularly injured and still raw and Bilic finally seeing the light with
Antonio, we are short in that position. We were keen on Ivanoic but it looks
like a number of bigger clubs are too. There is a chance that Jenkinson
could come back for a third spell at the club. We are also looking at a
couple of championship right backs notably Iorfa of Wolves being one. As
well as a couple of out of favour right backs with Premier League experience
on the radar.
We will look to strengthen the forward department again. The net is very
wide at the moment and any player with proven Premier League pedigree will
be considered. Daniel Strurridge is someone that many people in the club
would love to sign. If he is available we would want to move for him. Yes he
has a bad injury record but we would still be keen to bring him in.
We have also looked at a number of players playing in the Italian league.
Mandzukic and Zaza were two players that we were looking at from Juventus
and having experienced Zaza we could turn our attention to his former
teammate. Ex-Manchester City forward Jovetic has been someone that we have
also considered making a more for too for a while and could be again.
Liverpool and Chelsea seem to be a couple of teams that we have approached
in terms of players that are available for loans or permanent moves. Chelsea
have a number of players that we could be tempted by including some very
young and talented players in: Dominic Solanke and Rueben Loftus-Cheek who
could be available certainly for loan terms. Solanke's contract is also
expected to expire in the summer so West Ham could look to exploit that.
The managers Bilic and Conte currently enjoy a good relationship with each
other and so business between the two clubs is more likely than it has been
in the past. Thankfully it looks like our own talented youngster Reece
Oxford should sign a new 5 year deal worth just over £20k in the next few
days.
Diafra Sakho should return to the squad for the Spurs can game and I didn't
think I would be saying this but it is much needed positive news.
There has been some talk that the club could be interested in bringing in
Stevie Gerrard in some capacity but he has all the interest in the world and
so will weigh up his options in due time which are unlikely to include us.
Gerrard has talked about his admiration of West Ham fans following our cup
final defeat, stranger things have happened, but I do believe this is a long
way from happening and wont.
We are delighted to announce the launch of the West Ham Way Pre Match
events. On the 3rd of December before the Arsenal game we aim to bring as
many of you back to the East London Working men's club to sample the
atmosphere of Upton Park again in a familiar setting. Our aim is to bring
those days back.
We are delighted to announce Frank McAvennie as our first guess. The name
list we have of players who wish to be interviewed themselves as part of our
Q and A is huge. Mark Ward will host each of our events and is determined to
bring back the sense of the good old days. We have free drink and coach
travel to the London stadium provided. Not to mention the return of the
hammerettes selling raffle tickets to our wonderful prize draw which
includes a signed (by the whole team) first team shirt and many others. We
can't wait to see you there. Please buy your tickets here:
https://www.tickettailor.com/checkout/view-event/id/73284/chk/1001
Some of the West Ham Way team will be up at the national football blogging
awards at Old Trafford tomorrow where we have been shortlisted for two
awards! We will be filming and tweeting from the event so stay tuned! Lets
hope a win is then followed by a crucial win against Spurs! COYI
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East Stand gone as developers press on
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 17th November 2016
By: Staff Writer
Once upon a time, some of the world's finest footballers graced the Boleyn
Ground turf. But as you can see from the images below, not a single blade of
grass remains on the Boleyn Ground's famous pitch as developers continue
their task of pulling down West Ham United's home of 112 years, which was
sold by the club's current Board ahead of the move to the (rented) Olympic
Stadium last summer.
The East Stand - home of the Chicken Run which was rebuilt in 1969 to
replace the corrugated version that preceded it - has already lost its Upper
Tier, where thousands of long-standing season ticket holders, some of whom
had been going to the Boleyn for more than 60 years once sat in relative
tranquility compared to the raucousness of the old North and South banks.
Despite having been built little more than 20 years ago, they too will soon
experience the same fate as the Boleyn's famous old East Stand from which
opposition players used to shy away if possible due to the close proximity
of the fans, prior to the pitch being moved towards the 'new' West Stand in
2003. Of course, back then the intention was to rebuild the East Stand to
give the Boleyn Ground a fully-enclosed, 43,000 future-proof capacity. And
despite planning permission having been approved at the time, that solution
was rejected by the club's current Board who couldn't resist the lure of
Stratford.
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Gold optimistic over safe standing return
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 17th November 2016
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United co-owner David Gold believes the Premier League have taken
their first step towards re-introducing safe standing at top tier football
matches. Standing at Premier League matches has been outlawed for the past
20 years or so following the (flawed) Taylor Report that insisted English
top flight matches should be all-seater affairs following the Hillsborough
disaster. However it was back on the agenda this afternoon at a meeting of
Premier League chiefs, at which Gold was representing West Ham.
Speaking after the meeting, he told the BBC: "The Premier League took the
first steps today towards safe standing." However Gold also emphasised that
there was some considerable way to go before safe standing could be
considered a possibility. Meanwhile Dan Johnson, the Premier League's
director of communications added: "It is very early stages. It's a very
emotive subject still. We're acutely aware of that. A number of our clubs do
want to discuss it so it's on the agenda. "We will discuss that but beyond
that the only thing I can see happening at these early stages is a scoping
exercise, talking to interested stakeholders - including fans' groups and
Hillsborough families, but also talking with the government because the
legislation is still in place for all-seater stadiums.
"I know it will create discussion but it's a long road and it might not
necessarily lead to the introduction of safe standing," he told the BBC.
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West Ham boss Slaven Bilic warns his side they must improve as Hammers flirt
with relegation zone
The Hammers currently lie in 17th place in the Premier League ahead of
Saturday's trip to face Spurs at White Hart Lane
SHARE
COMMENTS
BYADRIAN KAJUMBA
20:52, 17 NOV 2016UPDATED20:55, 17 NOV 2016
The Mirror
Slaven Bilic has issued a stark warning to his West Ham side, telling them:
We must improve and start picking up points. The Hammers are languishing in
17th, just a point outside the drop zone ahead of Saturday's trip to big
rivals Tottenham. Bilic said: "We can see it's all about a couple of points,
but we need those points.
"Even if we had beat Stoke, we would be mid-table because it's still so
tight. "We are 17th. You are very close to the relegation and you have to
improve.
"You have to start winning games, which we did in October, but it's not
enough because the other teams are also getting some unexpected results that
are getting them points."
The Hammers boss has also hailed the return of Diafra Sakho as being like
having a new signing in his squad. The forward is set to make his first West
Ham appearance of the season after he returned from injury to first-team
training before the international break.
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Slaven Bilic admits West Ham United striker Andy Carroll is worried
HITC
John Verrall
West Ham United striker Andy Carroll has made just four appearances so far
this season. Slaven Bilic has admitted to the Daily Mirror that West Ham
United striker Andy Carroll is worried about his current injury problems.
Carroll has only featured once for West Ham in the league this season, after
another campaign where he has struggled to avoid the treatment table.
Carroll has not been able to play more than 30 league games in a season ever
since he joined West Ham, way back in 2012. The England international has
made less than 100 appearances in the past five years for the Hammers. And
Bilic admits that Carroll is starting to get concerned by his persistent
failure to stay fit. "Since I have been here, the only problem has been he
has not been fit. I've no complaints. He is very professional," Bilic said.
"I know he is very frustrated to be injured, especially after his
pre-season. It was the best pre-season he'd had by a mile. He did almost
every training session, no injuries. Then, after the first game, he got
injured in Romania out of nothing. "He is still out. It is a tough time. He
is very sensible and he said to me his biggest concern was, 'Now it is going
to be in the papers again: "Out again". They are going to say I got
injured.' "He is worried." West Ham have missed Carroll in his absence, as
they are short of striking options. The Hammers' summer recruits have not
made much of an impact at the London Stadium, and Bilic has had to
experiment to try and find a player to lead the line. West Ham have resorted
to playing Michail Antonio out of position up-front in recent weeks, such is
their shortage of front men. It is still unclear when Carroll will return to
fitness, but it seems that 27-year-old still has some way to go until he is
ready to come back into West Ham's first team squad.
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West Ham old boys Kevin Nolan and Carlton Cole train with Slaven Bilic's men
ahead of trip to Tottenham
Kevin Nolan and Carlton Cole trained with the first-team on Thursday
West Ham boss Slaven Bilic is allowing the pair to stay fit at Rush Green
Nolan had four years at West Ham, while Cole spent nine at the club
Hammers have struggled with injuries but the pair are unlikely to sign
By JOE STRANGE FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 13:10, 17 November 2016 | UPDATED: 13:13, 17 November 2016
A couple of old faces joined West Ham's current crop for training on
Thursday as Kevin Nolan and Carlton Cole returned to Rush Green.
The former Hammers duo, who spent a total of 13 years with the east London
club, have been given access to the club's facilities by manager Slaven
Bilic. And they took full advantage of the offer, linking up with the
first-team as they were put through their paces ahead of Saturday's trip to
rivals Tottenham. Cole, who spent almost nine years at Upton Park before
being released in the summer of 2015, was pictured stretching alongside
Alvaro Arbeloa and Co before running with the ball during a drill. The
ex-Aston Villa and Charlton loanee has been keeping fit at his former club
since the start of the month, having been released by US third tier side
Sacramento Republic in October. Nolan, however, only began training with his
old side earlier this week, just 15 months after leaving the club by mutual
consent at the start of the 2015-16 season. The former Bolton midfielder was
named player-manager at Leyton Orient in January of this year, but he lasted
just four months at the troubled League Two club and has not played since
being removed as boss in April. Speaking about training with West Ham
earlier this month, Cole told the club's official website: 'It is nice to be
back at West Ham and I am just trying to keep myself fit. It is the end of
the season in America and I want to keep ticking over and plan to be here
for a couple of months.' 'The gaffer has allowed me to stay over and use
the facilities and train with the team until January.' Although Bilic has a
number of injury problems to contend with at present, it is understood that
neither Cole or Nolan are being considered for a contract.
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Tottenham injury news: Mauricio Pochettino confirms Toby Alderweireld and
Erik Lamela will miss West Ham clash, Dele Alli doubtful
STANDARD SPORT
Evening Standard
Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed that Toby Alderweireld and Erik Lamela
will both miss Saturday's London derby with West Ham, while Dele Alli
remains a doubt. Spurs had hoped the Belgian international Aldwereield would
return to partner compatriot Jan Vertonghen in defence for the first time
since damaging a nerve in his knee against West Brom last month, while
Lamela is recovering from a hip injury. Both players missed the north London
derby with Arsenal before the international break, along with Dele Alli who
was struggling with illness and a knee injury. "From the beginning we
believed it would be a very short process and period before Toby was
available, but the recovery was very slow," conceded Pochettino. "The knock
he got affected the nerve, but today he has started to join the group and
that is very good news. It is maybe a few weeks or 10 days for him to be
available if all is going well."
"Erik [Lamela] is still out for the weekend and we have a doubt about Dele,"
Full back Ben Davies is also sidelined, while Spurs are currently managing
the conditions of four other first team players. Harry Kane has only just
returned to action following a seven-week spell on the sidelines with an
akle injury, while Mousa Dembele (muscle fatigue), Christian Eriksen (hip)
and Danny Rose (foot injury) are also being monitored. Dutch striker
Vincent Janssen also returned early from the international break following a
suspected concussion after a collision with Belgiam and Liverpool goalkeeper
Simon Mignolet. Moussa Sissoko will be available for selection having served
his three-man ban following a violent conduct charge.
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West Ham transfer news: January window won't solve Hammers' problems,
insists Slaven Bilic
KEN DYER
Evening Standard
Slaven Bilic said today that he is not relying on the January transfer
window to solve West Ham's problems. The club are just one place above the
relegation places as they go into Saturday's London derby against Tottenham
and have already been linked with a number of strikers when the window
opens, including Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge and Watford front man Troy
Deeney. Bilic remains without Andy Carroll for Saturday's match but Andre
Ayew is fit again and Diafra Sakho could be in the squad for the first time
this season. "We are not thinking that the transfer window will solve our
problems," he said. "I'm much more concentrated on the players who are here,
especially those who are coming back. "We definitely think we have solutions
in the squad. We have had players who have been absent for a long period but
now they are coming back and they are like our new signings. "We have
improved a lot since the last international break and from four games we
have seven points plus we beat Chelsea in the EFL Cup. "If you look at the
table though, we are still in the position we don't want to be in although
it is very tight. If we had beaten Stoke we would have been in mid-table. We
have improved but now we have to improve even more. We can't keep talking
about 'it doesn't matter, we are a good team, we are going to click.' Bilic
admitted that the absence of suspended captain Mark Noble is a blow for the
team. "We are going to miss him," said the West Ham manager. "It is not only
about quality on the pitch, it is also about character. In these kind of
games you need your strongest characters. "It's a good opportunity for us on
Saturday, not because Spurs haven't won in seven matches but because, when
we play well, we can do well against anyone."
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham injury crisis abates with Winston Reid and Diafra Sakho ready for
Spurs clash
Tony Mogan By Tony Mogan
November 17, 2016 13:48 GMT
West Ham United will have both Diafra Sakho and Winston Reid available for
their London derby against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday (19 November), with
the club's lengthy list of injury woes finally showing signs of relenting.
The Hammers have been without Sakho for the entire 2016-17 season so far due
to a persistent back problem. As a result, Slaven Bilic's side have
struggled to find goals, with Michail Antonio the club's only option
resembling something close to a consistent threat. Having returned to
training before the international break, Sakho is now ready to make his
return to the first team, while defender Reid is also back in contention,
having suffered a grade one hamstring strain during the 2-0 defeat to
Everton at Goodison Park. Bilic told a press conference ahead of Saturday
evening's clash at White Hart Lane: "Injury-wise we are getting better. From
the team against Stoke, we are all fit, plus Winston Reid and Diafra Sakho."
Having seen record signing Andre Ayew return from a thigh injury in October,
West Ham's injury list continues to shorten. Another long-term absentee,
Andy Carroll, is also edging his way back to full-fitness, having not played
in the Premier League this season due to a knee injury. Bilic is hopeful the
striker will be back next week with the Hammers facing back-to-back games
against Manchester United in the league and EFL Cup before the month is out.
Centre-half James Collins is also back in first-team training having pulled
out of the Wales squad ahead of their World Cup qualifier with Serbia with a
calf injury. "A few others are going to be back next week, like Andy Carroll
and Arthur Masuaku," Bilic continued. "Winston [Reid] didn't go to play for
New Zealand because he got a small injury against Everton. James Collins
didn't play for Wales but it was a minor as well and he is back in
training."
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bilic keen to avoid another Zaza situation in January
Date published: Thursday 17th November 2016 12:09
TeamTalk
Slaven Bilic insists West Ham will not panic buy in January despite their
difficult start to the season. The Hammers are languishing in 17th place in
the Premier League after winning just three of their opening 11 matches. The
picture could look even more bleak after their next four fixtures, which
start at unbeaten Tottenham on Saturday before clashes with Manchester
United, Arsenal and Liverpool. West Ham boss Bilic knows they need to climb
away from trouble quickly, but he is confident he already has the answers to
their problems at his disposal and he will not make a rushed decision in
January. Bilic brought in Simone Zaza on loan from Juventus at the end of
August for a fee of £4.25million after several other targets proved to be
out of reach. The 25-year-old has struggled to impress and has failed to
score in nine appearances for the Hammers with his performances coming under
the microscope. Reports suggest as part of the loan deal, five more
appearances from Zaza would trigger a permanent £20million transfer and
Bilic is keen to avoid another transfer disaster. "I definitely think, and I
know, we have solutions in the squad," he said. "We have some players who
were absent for a long time. Now they are coming back and they are going be
our new signings so we are not thinking about the transfer window solving
all our problems. "Of course every club will look at one or two players, but
not on that scale. The transfer window is far away, we are talking about
football, I am completely concentrated on the players we have, and the
players who will come back."
One of those returning players is forgotten striker Diafra Sakho, who will
be in the squad at White Hart Lane for the first time this season. Sakho was
on the verge of joining West Brom over the summer but failed a medical and
has only just managed to regain fitness some three-and-a-half months later.
With none of West Ham's forwards having found the net so far this season,
the Senegal international could provide a major boost as Bilic bids to haul
them up the table. "It doesn't matter if it's the whole season, or now. We
are there," he said. "We are missing points. If we had beat Stoke last time
out we would be mid-table, because it's so tight. But we are 17th, and if
you are 17th you are very close to relegation and we have to improve even
more. "On one hand the worst thing to do is lose confidence and doubt
yourselves individually and as a group. On other hand you can't keep talking
and saying the table doesn't matter, that we are a good team and we will
click. "We need to win games because the other teams are also getting
unexpected results which are getting them points."
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Slaven Bilic wants Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho to be 'new signings' for
West Ham as he rules out spending big to survive in January transfer window
By ADAM CRAFTON FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 12:14, 17 November 2016 | UPDATED: 13:06, 17 November 2016
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic has warned that he does not intend to spend
his way out of trouble and is challenging his returning forwards Diafra
Sakho and Andy Carroll to be the 'new signings' that kickstart their season.
Bilic was speaking ahead of the visit to Tottenham on Saturday as the
Premier League resumes this weekend. He is boosted by the return to fitness
of defender Winston Reid and striker Sakho, while Carroll, Arthur Masuaku
and Gokhan Tore are due to resume first-team training next week. Sakho has
been missing since the start of pre-season but he will be in the squad to
face Spurs. West Ham are 17th in the Premier League but Bilic is not yet
looking ahead to the January transfer window for solutions to his team's
difficulties. He believes the returning players can help boost their
campaign. 'I definitely think and I know we have solutions in the squad,'
Bilic said. 'We have some players who were absent for a long time. Now they
are coming back and they are going to be our new signings. 'So we are not
thinking about the transfer window solving all our problems. Of course every
club will look at one or two players but not on that scale. The transfer
window is far away, we are talking about football, I am completely
concentrated on the players we have, and the players who will come back.'
Bilic concedes that his side's dreadful start to the season has put them in
a position where they might be embroiled in a scrap for survival. 'It
doesn't matter if it's the whole season or now, we are there. We are missing
points, but if we had beat Stoke we would be mid-table because it's so
tight. We are 17th, and if you are 17th you are very close to relegation and
we have to improve even more. 'On the one hand the worst thing to do is lose
confidence and doubt yourselves individually and as a group. On other hand
you can't keep talking and saying the table doesn't matter, we are a good
team and we will click. We need to win games because the other teams are
also getting unexpected results which are getting them points.' Bilic also
reiterated his critique that English football is not 'polo or golf' and
remarked that the sport is in danger of becoming too expensive for 'ordinary
working people.'
Bilic was speaking after the BBC Price of Football study once again
demonstrated the cost being imposed upon football supporters to follow their
team. West Ham were shown to have the second-cheapest season tickets in the
Premier League, with their £289 offering. The average cost of a Premier
League matchday home ticket has dropped by six per cent year-on-year from
£30.95 to £29.05. Bilic, however, suggests that football followers are still
being milked by those involved in the game. 'It is expensive,' Bilic said.
'I said last year that football is not polo or golf. Football is a sport for
average working people. 'We can go far and deep and talk about the salaries
of players, the cost of tickets and all that. Everyone is making money from
football - apart from fans of course. The stadiums are packed, I don't know
how long season ticket waiting lists are. 'That encourages those people to
put higher prices and all that. Football is all about fans and it shouldn't
be a luxury to go and see a football game or take your kinds and bring your
family to a match. It should be like going to the movies.'
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Diafra Sakho hailed as a "new signing" by Slaven Bilic ahead of first West
Ham appearance of season
The striker has been out of action all season but is poised to return to the
squad for the London derby trip to Tottenham this weekend
BYAARON FLANAGAN
12:26, 17 NOV 2016UPDATED12:26, 17 NOV 2016
The Mirror
Slaven Bilic has hailed the return of Diafra Sakho as being like having a
new signing in his squad. Sakho is set for his first West Ham appearance of
the season when they travel to Tottenham in a London derby this weekend. The
Senegal international has been out of action through injury but returned to
first-team training before the start of the international break. Sakho was
set to leave the club this summer but his move to West Brom was scuppered by
the injury. Bilic is also poised to welcome Andy Carroll back in the coming
weeks. Like Sakho, Carroll is yet to play a single Premier League minute
this season after injuring his knee in the Europa League tie with Astra
Giurgiu in June. "We have improved a lot since the last international
break," said Bilic. "We are more solid, have more clean sheets and a few
good performances. "We're still not in the position we want to be in though,
and you might say it's just a couple of points, but we must get those
points. "I know we have solutions within our squad. We have players who were
absent who are now coming back. They're like new signings for us."
West Ham can move towards the top half of the Premier League table with
victory over Spurs. The Hammers have only lost one of their past five league
matches since the start of October.
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Sadiq Khan 'embarrassed' that likes of West Ham United 'not paying Living
Wage'
11:46 17 November 2016 Iain Burns
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has said it "embarrasses" him as a football fan
that most Premier League clubs, including West Ham United, are not
accredited London Living Wage employers. The City Hall chief made the
comments yesterday during Mayor's Question Time, highlighting the huge
disparity in pay between footballers earning hundreds of thousands of pounds
a week and other staff not being paid the Living Wage of £9.75 an hour. But
in a statement to the Recorder, West Ham United said the club is "immensely
proud" to have been paying permanent staff the "equivalent" to the London
Living Wage since July 2015. A club spokesman said: "West Ham United rent
London Stadium for 25 days a year and have no jurisdiction over the staff
employed in the operation of the club on a matchday, which means that
unfortunately we cannot be accredited by the Living Wage Foundation."
However, the woman who raised the topic – Labour AM Jennette Arnold – said
"essential workers" who are sub–contracted and not paid the Living Wage must
also be compensated fairly. "If you didn't have a clean stadium, you
couldn't have a football club," she said, adding that cleaning staff are
typically not employed on permanent contracts. "You couldn't bring on these
super-duper footballers without these workers."
Mayor Khan agreed, explaining that though he knew City Hall staff were being
paid the Living Wage, he recently discovered sub-contractors were not – and
"put that right". He added: "People selling programmes on matchday – or
pies, or burgers – who are independent contractors are not getting paid the
London Living Wage. "I'm happy to write to [London football clubs] to make
this point."
Jennette Arnold AM said earlier in the discussion that if Derby, Everton and
Hammers rivals Chelsea can become accredited members, then West Ham and
other Premier League clubs can follow suit. "We need to get these Premier
League football clubs to do the right thing," she said. Mayor Khan said
paying the Living Wage is not just the "right and moral" thing to do, but
also good for businesses.
"Paying the Living Wage can help reduce absenteeism and sick leave," he
said. "It can make it easier to recruit and maintain the best staff."
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Football's next superpower? Report suggests West Ham and Tottenham are
targets for Qatar takeover
HITC
Aiden Cusick
Qatar is said to have West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur in its sights
for a possible takeover. Having already established Paris Saint-Germain as
one of the continent's strongest forces, Qatar now has London sides West Ham
United and Tottenham Hotspur in its sights, according to the Daily Mail, as
the Gulf nation explores the possibility of buying a Premier League club.
The leader of the 2022 World Cup's organising committee, Hassan Al-Thawadi,
told the newspaper: "I can see it (a Qatari takeover) happening down the
road. "It's likely. There's such a passion for football and the Premier
League in particular. Everyone on the street has an opinion."
The report states that West Ham remain the most likely sellers - despite the
denials of current owners David Sullivan and David Gold - adding that the
Qatar Investment Authority would not be deterred by the New York investment
bank's £1 billion valuation of the Hammers. The QIA already own the London
2012 Olympic Village, which sits on the same Stratford site as West Ham's
London Stadium.
It is claimed that Tottenham are also being considered for ownership or
naming rights sponsorship, having visited the Middle East for talks last
year, according to Al-Thawadi. Spurs are set to leave White Hart Lane for a
new ground of their own in 2018, with Qatar Airlines and Aspetar - the
world's leading specialised orthopaedic and sports medicine hospital, based
in Doha - linked with buying the naming rights.
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Arbeloa to leave Hammers?
By Football Espana staff
Alvaro Arbeloa is on the verge of leaving West Ham United in the January
transfer window, having only joined the club in August. Reports in the
English press suggest the former Real Madrid defender is close to exiting
the London club having only played a total of 263 minutes for Slaven Bilic's
side this season. The 33-year-old was released by Los Blancos this summer
having made over 250 appearances for the club since his 2009 move from
Liverpool, but he has failed to make an impression upon his return to the
Premier League. El Mundo and Mundo Deportivo both report that his agent is
already angling for a possible return to Spain in January.
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LOOKING FORWARD TO TOTTENHAM & WHY DID BILIC PICK TORE INSTEAD OF ANDROS
TOWNSEND
By Iain Dale 17 Nov 2016 at 11:14
WTID
The Stoke match seems a long time ago, doesn't it? And there has been
remarkably little written in the national media about the Tottenham match on
Saturday. This fixture last season saw us lose heavily to a vibrant Spurs
team. Indeed, I reckon it was the best performance against us all season. We
were mullered. Spurs will be looking to repeat that. They've had a decent
start to the season and have only conceded 6 goals in 11 games. Their
problem has been scoring goals. Join the club!
I expect a relatively defensive lineup on Saturday and if we are to get even
a point from this game we will need every player to perform at their best.
Winston Reid is back, so I imagine he will again line up alongside Ogbonna
and Kouyate in a back three.
The big question is who will play up front. Diafra Sakho is available for
selection and I reckon his return could give the whole side a big boost.My
suspicion is that Ayew will be picked in preference to Sakho. Were I in
Slaven Bilic's shoes I'd actually pick Ashley Fletcher over both of them. In
addition, Andy Carroll is only a week away, so least we finally have some
competition for places up front.
It looks very much as though Jonathan Calleri and Simone Zaza will be
leaving in the January window, alongside the hapless Gokhan Tore. To have
misjudged three such key signings means that the board are likely to
question Slaven Bilic's judgement on future transfer targets. We can expect
David Sullivan to assert himself rather more than he did in the summer. It
is my understanding that Sullivan wanted to sign Andros Townsend and was
willing to put up the money to fund it, but Bilic insisted on Tore. Oh dear.
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Bilic asks Payet to treat criticism as backhanded compliment
Evening Standard
West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic has asked Dimitri Payet to treat
criticism as compliment as he tries to get the best out of the French
midfielder whose future at the Premier League club appears uncertain. Payet,
who signed a five-year contract in February, made a fine start to his West
Ham career last season as he scored nine Premier League goals and claimed 13
assists to propel the club to finish seventh, their best league finish since
2002. The 29-year-old's struggle to rediscover the same form this season has
drawn criticism from the fans but Bilic called it back-handed compliment. "I
see Messi or Ronaldo. If they don't score for two games they are
criticised..." the Croatian told The Times. "It's a compliment of course. He
(Payet) should be like: 'They are not criticising me, they are expecting
much more from me'. Why are they expecting of me much more? Because I am
Payet. And because of what I have done last year in the same league.'"
Payet has scored only once in the opening 11 league games as West Ham sit
17th in the table, a point above the relegation zone, but media reports
suggested several clubs across Europe are interested in the midfielder. "We
have enough quality. If one or two more come back from injury like we are
expecting they will, then we can improve from the last game... It's a tough
time for us," Bilic added.
The Hammers play fifth-place Spurs on Saturday at White Hart Lane and then
travel to Old Trafford to face sixth-placed Manchester United before hosting
fourth-placed Arsenal at the brand-new London Stadium.
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Antonio and Payet heading West Ham advance
Adrian Clarke 16/11/2016
premierleague.com
In the final part of Adrian Clarke's look at the Premier League's brightest
combinations, he analyses a prolific partnership at West Ham United. At home
to Watford, Dimitri Payet produced a sublime rabona assist for Michail
Antonio's second goal of the day. It was a magical moment of skill and since
that Matchweek 4 encounter, the first match that Payet and Antonio started
together this season, their connection has only grown stronger. Dimitri
Payet's rabona cross against Watford was the first of three assists to
Michail Antonio
En route to seventh place last season, Payet assisted only two of Antonio's
eight PL goals, while creating a total of 12 chances for him. In eight
starts this season Payet has already surpassed his assists total of 2015/16
for Antonio, with three, and has laid on 10 opportunities.
Only one other partnership, from Jason Puncheon to Christian Benteke, at
Crystal Palace, exceeds that supply line. Aside from the rabona, Payet found
Antonio's head from a corner in the same match and his inswinging cross was
nodded home against West Bromwich Albion. Indeed, it could easily have been
four assists but Antonio's header from Payet's cross was deflected in by
Glenn Whelan for an own goal by the Stoke City midfielder. Although West
Ham have struggled to kick on from last term they should feel optimistic
that further goals will stem from this partnership. The combination of
Payet's right boot and head of Antonio will strike fear into their Premier
League rivals.
Most chances created in 2016/17
Creator Finisher Chances created
Puncheon Benteke 11
Payet Antonio 10
Mane Coutinho 9
Silva Aguero 9
Payet is also yet recapture his 2015/16 form but his influence remains
critical. He has made 40 key passes in 2016/17, more than anyone else, and
an incredible 26 ahead of his nearest team-mate, Manuel Lanzini. Should the
current supply line continue in a similar vein, Antonio can expect to profit
many more times from Payet's terrific deliveries.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Slaven Bilic speaks to the pressFollowing the international break which saw
Premier League fixtures halted for a fortnight, Slaven Bilic sat down with
the press to discuss Saturday's London derby against Tottenham Hotpsur. The
boss gave injury updates on Andy Carroll, Gokhan Tore, James Collins and
Winston Reid and also expressed his thoughts on his side's improvements over
the last month…
Slaven, it has been said you could have a few players out this weekend. Is
that the case?
Injury-wise we are feeling much better. We have players back, like Diafra
Sakho, and a few players are getting there and hopefully will progress.
Hopefully they'll be back next week and players like Andy Carroll and Gokhan
Tore will be back quite soon. They are training individually and with the
U23s and hopefully soon they'll start to train with us. Sakho has been
training with us for a couple of weeks time.
What about Winston Reid and James Collins?
Reid didn't go to play for New Zealand because in the Everton game he got a
small injury. He was suspended for the game against Stoke so he missed that
anyway, but he's back in training and he looks good. It wasn't a long break
for him. Ginge – he didn't play for Wales but it was minor as well, and he's
back in training.
What did you do during the international break?
We trained hard in the first week and then had a few days off before coming
back this week. It's an opportunity to work on your fitness when you don't
have games, like we did last time. We did it before the Palace game and we
are doing it every time. But many players are missing with international
duty.
Has it been a chance to reflect over the international break?
You don't need the break to do that! We have improved since the last one. It
was much better in every aspect of the game. We are more solid, have more
clean sheets and have a few good performances. We can see it's all about a
couple of points, but we need those points. Even if we had beat Stoke, we
would be mid-table because it's still so tight. We are 17th. You are very
close to the relegation and you have to improve.
Is there a danger that the players think: 'We are good players, we'll be
fine'?
You can't keep talking like it doesn't matter, we are a good team. You have
to start winning games, which we did in October, but it's not enough because
the other teams are also getting some unexpected results that are getting
them points.
Do you have solutions in the squad that you currently have?
I definitely think and I know we have the solutions within the squad, mainly
with the squad that's played so far and as I said, we have some players who
were absent for a long period. Now they are coming back and they'll be like
new signings for us this season. Some didn't play a game yet this season. We
are not thinking about the transfer window yet, like that will solve our
problems. We have quality within the squad. The window is still far from
here, a lot of things can change in a few weeks' time. I'm fully
concentrated on the players we have, the players that improved and the
players coming back for us now.
Spurs don't lose, but they don't always win. Can you end this run they're
on?
You can say in October, they didn't win a game. But on the other hand, they
are the only unbeaten team and probably they are not overwhelmed by October
because they are aiming to win the league this year. They are doing a good
job and they had a couple of injuries also. They are solid and electric. But
it's a good opportunity because we have improved, and if we play good, we
have a chance no matter who we are playing.
In your distant memory, do you remember coming over to play here at White
Hart Lane?
You've done your homework! I made my debut of course there, and I remember
that game. It was always and will always be a special game, maybe the
biggest game of the season for us. We won that game 1-0 and of course I have
good memories of that.
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From the Boardroom - David Gold
WHUFC.com
West Ham United Joint-ChairmanThis is a huge London derby on Saturday and
they don't come much bigger than when West Ham face Tottenham. There is so
much passion, determination from both sets of players and there is nothing
quite like it. They have always produced fantastic games over the years and
I know a lot of fans will still have fond memories of our last performance
when we came away with a 1-0 victory at the Boleyn Ground back in March. Few
could forget Michail Antonio's crucial match-winner that night and his
famous goal celebrations. We know it is going to be another tough encounter
as Spurs are the only unbeaten team in the Premier League this season and
are challenging at the top of the table. But we have a habit of going there
and upsetting the odds and hopefully it will be the same once again on
Saturday. A lot of our players are now back from injury and we will be able
to name a very strong team for the game at White Hart Lane. Having Diafra
Sakho back in the squad is a big boost for everyone. Diafra is a fans
favourite and has scored some crucial goals for the Club.
He has energy and pace and I know Slaven has said it will feel like having a
new signing back in the team so we are all excited to see him back in action
Diafra has come back from a long-term injury and I want to pay tribute to
the Club's medical team who have worked so hard to get him back to full
fitness. It will be a great lift for all the other players to see him back
in the dressing room before the game.
Andre Ayew has also got another two weeks of training under his belt and
will hopefully look a lot stronger on Saturday. He is our Club record
signing and hopefully he can show his best form in the coming games. We are
obviously disappointed that our influential captain Mark Noble will be
missing through suspension and Slaven will have a big decision to make on
who comes in to replace him. Will he keep faith with the same system or
revert to a normal back four?Whatever decision Slaven makes, I know we will
be in decent shape and will put out a strong team who will be ready for
action. I know a lot of people have been talking about the tough run of
games that we have coming up and on paper it looks difficult. But there is
no reason why we cannot beat Tottenham, Manchester United, Arsenal or
Liverpool. We have showed that we can beat the big teams and there is no
reason why we cannot do it again. Tottenham and the other teams will not
look forward to West Ham United coming to their grounds and hopefully we can
show the form which saw us compete with the big teams in the Premier League
last season.
Finally, I was thrilled to see Aaron Cresswell called up for the Scotland
and Spain games last week and it has been a long time since a West Ham
player has played for England. I want to congratulate Aaron on his call-up.
He has now had the experience of being part of the England squad and he will
want to stay there. We have all seen the quality that he brings to the West
Ham team and hopefully he can continue to show his best form in the coming
weeks and months. Enjoy the game on Saturday and hopefully we can come away
with another memorable victory in north London.
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From the Treatment Room
WHUFC.com
Head of Medical and Sports Science Stijn Vandenbroucke issues an update - in
association with Spire Roding Hospital...
Hello everybody.
This week I will start by congratulating both Aaron Cresswell and Edimilson
Fernandes on becoming full internationals with England and Switzerland
respectively.
We are pleased for them both, and also happy to report that they, as well as
everybody else who is back from international duty has come back in a good
condition ready for the game at Tottenham Hotspur.
We have more good news that James Collins, Winston Reid and Diafra Sakho are
all in full training and should be available for selection by the manager.
Ginge has come through his rehab after being withdrawn from the Wales squad
with a calf injury, while Winston missed the Stoke City game and was not
able to go away to play for New Zealand due to injury.
Diaf is now in his third week of full training and is getting fitter and
stronger with every session.
Further encouraging news is that Arthur Masuaku is in his first week of full
training with the PL2 squad after rehabbing from his knee injury and he will
join the first-team squad next week.
Andy Carroll is also progressing with his rehab and trained with the PL2
squad this week.
Sam Byram is running on the pitch now following his hamstring injury. Sam is
progressing well and working hard on his rehab with head physiotherpist Dom
Rogan.
Reece Oxford has entered a new phase of rehab from his knee injury. Reece
has now had the brace removed from his leg and is full weight-bearing. He
will take the next step in his rehab soon.
Gokhan Tore is at the end of his rehab and will join training next week.
Stijn Vandenbroucke
Head of Medical and Sports Science
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Arbeloa - I want to help my team-mates
WHUFC.cm
West Ham defender Alvaro Arbeloa is determined to keep battling hard as he
looks to win back his place in the team ahead of a busy schedule for the
east London Club. Arbeloa has only made three appearances following his move
during the summer, but the former Real Madrid defender is keen to get more
game time under his belt. The Hammers are now preparing for five big games
against Tottenham, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool and the
33-year-old would love to be involved at some stage. With Slaven Bilic
changing to a new wing-back system in recent weeks, Arbeloa has struggled to
break into the side, but he is ready to take his chance when it becomes
available. Arbeloa said: "I want to help my team-mates, the coach and I am
giving my best in every training session. "Hopefully I will get the chance
to play soon. "The most important thing is we need the points and we need to
win games. We now have five very tough games but all of us believe we can
win games and that is the most important thing."
Arbeloa had nothing but praise for the way England played against Spain at
Wembley on Tuesday night. The former World Cup winner was keen to watch his
former team-mates in action and says they were fortunate to come away with a
2-2 draw. Arbeloa added: "I watched the game and thought it was a really
good match, especially for England. They played very well. "England have a
very good squad and I think they could do very well in the next World Cup.
"England made a lot of changes in the second half and Spain obviously scored
two goals right at the end but I still thought England played really well.
"Of course I miss being there because I have great memories with the
national team, but I am now supporting them."
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U18s contest with Spurs postponed
WHUFC.com
West Ham United U18s' league clash with Tottenham Hotspur has been postponed
until further notice. The U18 Premier League South encounter was due to take
place at Tottenham Hotspur's Training Ground in Enfield on Saturday 19
November at 11am. However, after the announcement of the Hammers' FA Youth
Cup tie date with Stoke City, the league match with Spurs has been
postponed, with a new date set to be arranged. The 3rd round Youth Cup tie
with the Potters will take place on Tuesday 22 November at 7pm from the
bet365 Stadium.
The Hammers go into the match lying second in the U18 Premier League South
table.
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EXWHUEMPLOYEE EXCLUSIVE: TRANSFER DEPARTURES AND TARGETS BECOMING CLEARER!
CHELSEA PLAYERS LINKED!
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 16 NOVEMBER 2016 AT 10:33PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
So the M25 oil spill put pay to our radio show where we had quite a lot to
discuss. The producers have had to play our interview with Trevor Brooking
way back when we first started! Although it is worth a listen I think you
will be able to hear that we have grown a lot since then!
I intended to talk about transfers in my section. The club are already
working out a number of departures from the club to bring in additional
players. The loans of Tore, Zaza and Calleri could all be brought to a very
premature end. None of those players have impressed since they have been
here and it appears that we may be prepared to cut our losses on all three
and send them back to their parent clubs. Zaza and Calleri have other clubs
who are prepared to take over our loan agreements from Italy and Spain
respectively. It is fair to say that all of them have been a big
disappointment however with their departures it enables us to strength in
January.
Another player likely to leave is Arbeloa. I have been asked countless
amount of times what has happened to him. There is more to the story but the
player and club want to keep the business behind closed doors which is the
right way to approach these things. In a nutshell the move hasn't worked out
for him or us and the club will let him move on. With Byram being
regularly injured and still raw and Bilic finally seeing the light with
Antonio, we are short in that position. We were keen on Ivanoic but it looks
like a number of bigger clubs are too. There is a chance that Jenkinson
could come back for a third spell at the club. We are also looking at a
couple of championship right backs notably Iorfa of Wolves being one. As
well as a couple of out of favour right backs with Premier League experience
on the radar.
We will look to strengthen the forward department again. The net is very
wide at the moment and any player with proven Premier League pedigree will
be considered. Daniel Strurridge is someone that many people in the club
would love to sign. If he is available we would want to move for him. Yes he
has a bad injury record but we would still be keen to bring him in.
We have also looked at a number of players playing in the Italian league.
Mandzukic and Zaza were two players that we were looking at from Juventus
and having experienced Zaza we could turn our attention to his former
teammate. Ex-Manchester City forward Jovetic has been someone that we have
also considered making a more for too for a while and could be again.
Liverpool and Chelsea seem to be a couple of teams that we have approached
in terms of players that are available for loans or permanent moves. Chelsea
have a number of players that we could be tempted by including some very
young and talented players in: Dominic Solanke and Rueben Loftus-Cheek who
could be available certainly for loan terms. Solanke's contract is also
expected to expire in the summer so West Ham could look to exploit that.
The managers Bilic and Conte currently enjoy a good relationship with each
other and so business between the two clubs is more likely than it has been
in the past. Thankfully it looks like our own talented youngster Reece
Oxford should sign a new 5 year deal worth just over £20k in the next few
days.
Diafra Sakho should return to the squad for the Spurs can game and I didn't
think I would be saying this but it is much needed positive news.
There has been some talk that the club could be interested in bringing in
Stevie Gerrard in some capacity but he has all the interest in the world and
so will weigh up his options in due time which are unlikely to include us.
Gerrard has talked about his admiration of West Ham fans following our cup
final defeat, stranger things have happened, but I do believe this is a long
way from happening and wont.
We are delighted to announce the launch of the West Ham Way Pre Match
events. On the 3rd of December before the Arsenal game we aim to bring as
many of you back to the East London Working men's club to sample the
atmosphere of Upton Park again in a familiar setting. Our aim is to bring
those days back.
We are delighted to announce Frank McAvennie as our first guess. The name
list we have of players who wish to be interviewed themselves as part of our
Q and A is huge. Mark Ward will host each of our events and is determined to
bring back the sense of the good old days. We have free drink and coach
travel to the London stadium provided. Not to mention the return of the
hammerettes selling raffle tickets to our wonderful prize draw which
includes a signed (by the whole team) first team shirt and many others. We
can't wait to see you there. Please buy your tickets here:
https://www.tickettailor.com/checkout/view-event/id/73284/chk/1001
Some of the West Ham Way team will be up at the national football blogging
awards at Old Trafford tomorrow where we have been shortlisted for two
awards! We will be filming and tweeting from the event so stay tuned! Lets
hope a win is then followed by a crucial win against Spurs! COYI
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
East Stand gone as developers press on
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 17th November 2016
By: Staff Writer
Once upon a time, some of the world's finest footballers graced the Boleyn
Ground turf. But as you can see from the images below, not a single blade of
grass remains on the Boleyn Ground's famous pitch as developers continue
their task of pulling down West Ham United's home of 112 years, which was
sold by the club's current Board ahead of the move to the (rented) Olympic
Stadium last summer.
The East Stand - home of the Chicken Run which was rebuilt in 1969 to
replace the corrugated version that preceded it - has already lost its Upper
Tier, where thousands of long-standing season ticket holders, some of whom
had been going to the Boleyn for more than 60 years once sat in relative
tranquility compared to the raucousness of the old North and South banks.
Despite having been built little more than 20 years ago, they too will soon
experience the same fate as the Boleyn's famous old East Stand from which
opposition players used to shy away if possible due to the close proximity
of the fans, prior to the pitch being moved towards the 'new' West Stand in
2003. Of course, back then the intention was to rebuild the East Stand to
give the Boleyn Ground a fully-enclosed, 43,000 future-proof capacity. And
despite planning permission having been approved at the time, that solution
was rejected by the club's current Board who couldn't resist the lure of
Stratford.
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Gold optimistic over safe standing return
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 17th November 2016
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United co-owner David Gold believes the Premier League have taken
their first step towards re-introducing safe standing at top tier football
matches. Standing at Premier League matches has been outlawed for the past
20 years or so following the (flawed) Taylor Report that insisted English
top flight matches should be all-seater affairs following the Hillsborough
disaster. However it was back on the agenda this afternoon at a meeting of
Premier League chiefs, at which Gold was representing West Ham.
Speaking after the meeting, he told the BBC: "The Premier League took the
first steps today towards safe standing." However Gold also emphasised that
there was some considerable way to go before safe standing could be
considered a possibility. Meanwhile Dan Johnson, the Premier League's
director of communications added: "It is very early stages. It's a very
emotive subject still. We're acutely aware of that. A number of our clubs do
want to discuss it so it's on the agenda. "We will discuss that but beyond
that the only thing I can see happening at these early stages is a scoping
exercise, talking to interested stakeholders - including fans' groups and
Hillsborough families, but also talking with the government because the
legislation is still in place for all-seater stadiums.
"I know it will create discussion but it's a long road and it might not
necessarily lead to the introduction of safe standing," he told the BBC.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham boss Slaven Bilic warns his side they must improve as Hammers flirt
with relegation zone
The Hammers currently lie in 17th place in the Premier League ahead of
Saturday's trip to face Spurs at White Hart Lane
SHARE
COMMENTS
BYADRIAN KAJUMBA
20:52, 17 NOV 2016UPDATED20:55, 17 NOV 2016
The Mirror
Slaven Bilic has issued a stark warning to his West Ham side, telling them:
We must improve and start picking up points. The Hammers are languishing in
17th, just a point outside the drop zone ahead of Saturday's trip to big
rivals Tottenham. Bilic said: "We can see it's all about a couple of points,
but we need those points.
"Even if we had beat Stoke, we would be mid-table because it's still so
tight. "We are 17th. You are very close to the relegation and you have to
improve.
"You have to start winning games, which we did in October, but it's not
enough because the other teams are also getting some unexpected results that
are getting them points."
The Hammers boss has also hailed the return of Diafra Sakho as being like
having a new signing in his squad. The forward is set to make his first West
Ham appearance of the season after he returned from injury to first-team
training before the international break.
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Slaven Bilic admits West Ham United striker Andy Carroll is worried
HITC
John Verrall
West Ham United striker Andy Carroll has made just four appearances so far
this season. Slaven Bilic has admitted to the Daily Mirror that West Ham
United striker Andy Carroll is worried about his current injury problems.
Carroll has only featured once for West Ham in the league this season, after
another campaign where he has struggled to avoid the treatment table.
Carroll has not been able to play more than 30 league games in a season ever
since he joined West Ham, way back in 2012. The England international has
made less than 100 appearances in the past five years for the Hammers. And
Bilic admits that Carroll is starting to get concerned by his persistent
failure to stay fit. "Since I have been here, the only problem has been he
has not been fit. I've no complaints. He is very professional," Bilic said.
"I know he is very frustrated to be injured, especially after his
pre-season. It was the best pre-season he'd had by a mile. He did almost
every training session, no injuries. Then, after the first game, he got
injured in Romania out of nothing. "He is still out. It is a tough time. He
is very sensible and he said to me his biggest concern was, 'Now it is going
to be in the papers again: "Out again". They are going to say I got
injured.' "He is worried." West Ham have missed Carroll in his absence, as
they are short of striking options. The Hammers' summer recruits have not
made much of an impact at the London Stadium, and Bilic has had to
experiment to try and find a player to lead the line. West Ham have resorted
to playing Michail Antonio out of position up-front in recent weeks, such is
their shortage of front men. It is still unclear when Carroll will return to
fitness, but it seems that 27-year-old still has some way to go until he is
ready to come back into West Ham's first team squad.
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West Ham old boys Kevin Nolan and Carlton Cole train with Slaven Bilic's men
ahead of trip to Tottenham
Kevin Nolan and Carlton Cole trained with the first-team on Thursday
West Ham boss Slaven Bilic is allowing the pair to stay fit at Rush Green
Nolan had four years at West Ham, while Cole spent nine at the club
Hammers have struggled with injuries but the pair are unlikely to sign
By JOE STRANGE FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 13:10, 17 November 2016 | UPDATED: 13:13, 17 November 2016
A couple of old faces joined West Ham's current crop for training on
Thursday as Kevin Nolan and Carlton Cole returned to Rush Green.
The former Hammers duo, who spent a total of 13 years with the east London
club, have been given access to the club's facilities by manager Slaven
Bilic. And they took full advantage of the offer, linking up with the
first-team as they were put through their paces ahead of Saturday's trip to
rivals Tottenham. Cole, who spent almost nine years at Upton Park before
being released in the summer of 2015, was pictured stretching alongside
Alvaro Arbeloa and Co before running with the ball during a drill. The
ex-Aston Villa and Charlton loanee has been keeping fit at his former club
since the start of the month, having been released by US third tier side
Sacramento Republic in October. Nolan, however, only began training with his
old side earlier this week, just 15 months after leaving the club by mutual
consent at the start of the 2015-16 season. The former Bolton midfielder was
named player-manager at Leyton Orient in January of this year, but he lasted
just four months at the troubled League Two club and has not played since
being removed as boss in April. Speaking about training with West Ham
earlier this month, Cole told the club's official website: 'It is nice to be
back at West Ham and I am just trying to keep myself fit. It is the end of
the season in America and I want to keep ticking over and plan to be here
for a couple of months.' 'The gaffer has allowed me to stay over and use
the facilities and train with the team until January.' Although Bilic has a
number of injury problems to contend with at present, it is understood that
neither Cole or Nolan are being considered for a contract.
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Tottenham injury news: Mauricio Pochettino confirms Toby Alderweireld and
Erik Lamela will miss West Ham clash, Dele Alli doubtful
STANDARD SPORT
Evening Standard
Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed that Toby Alderweireld and Erik Lamela
will both miss Saturday's London derby with West Ham, while Dele Alli
remains a doubt. Spurs had hoped the Belgian international Aldwereield would
return to partner compatriot Jan Vertonghen in defence for the first time
since damaging a nerve in his knee against West Brom last month, while
Lamela is recovering from a hip injury. Both players missed the north London
derby with Arsenal before the international break, along with Dele Alli who
was struggling with illness and a knee injury. "From the beginning we
believed it would be a very short process and period before Toby was
available, but the recovery was very slow," conceded Pochettino. "The knock
he got affected the nerve, but today he has started to join the group and
that is very good news. It is maybe a few weeks or 10 days for him to be
available if all is going well."
"Erik [Lamela] is still out for the weekend and we have a doubt about Dele,"
Full back Ben Davies is also sidelined, while Spurs are currently managing
the conditions of four other first team players. Harry Kane has only just
returned to action following a seven-week spell on the sidelines with an
akle injury, while Mousa Dembele (muscle fatigue), Christian Eriksen (hip)
and Danny Rose (foot injury) are also being monitored. Dutch striker
Vincent Janssen also returned early from the international break following a
suspected concussion after a collision with Belgiam and Liverpool goalkeeper
Simon Mignolet. Moussa Sissoko will be available for selection having served
his three-man ban following a violent conduct charge.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham transfer news: January window won't solve Hammers' problems,
insists Slaven Bilic
KEN DYER
Evening Standard
Slaven Bilic said today that he is not relying on the January transfer
window to solve West Ham's problems. The club are just one place above the
relegation places as they go into Saturday's London derby against Tottenham
and have already been linked with a number of strikers when the window
opens, including Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge and Watford front man Troy
Deeney. Bilic remains without Andy Carroll for Saturday's match but Andre
Ayew is fit again and Diafra Sakho could be in the squad for the first time
this season. "We are not thinking that the transfer window will solve our
problems," he said. "I'm much more concentrated on the players who are here,
especially those who are coming back. "We definitely think we have solutions
in the squad. We have had players who have been absent for a long period but
now they are coming back and they are like our new signings. "We have
improved a lot since the last international break and from four games we
have seven points plus we beat Chelsea in the EFL Cup. "If you look at the
table though, we are still in the position we don't want to be in although
it is very tight. If we had beaten Stoke we would have been in mid-table. We
have improved but now we have to improve even more. We can't keep talking
about 'it doesn't matter, we are a good team, we are going to click.' Bilic
admitted that the absence of suspended captain Mark Noble is a blow for the
team. "We are going to miss him," said the West Ham manager. "It is not only
about quality on the pitch, it is also about character. In these kind of
games you need your strongest characters. "It's a good opportunity for us on
Saturday, not because Spurs haven't won in seven matches but because, when
we play well, we can do well against anyone."
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham injury crisis abates with Winston Reid and Diafra Sakho ready for
Spurs clash
Tony Mogan By Tony Mogan
November 17, 2016 13:48 GMT
West Ham United will have both Diafra Sakho and Winston Reid available for
their London derby against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday (19 November), with
the club's lengthy list of injury woes finally showing signs of relenting.
The Hammers have been without Sakho for the entire 2016-17 season so far due
to a persistent back problem. As a result, Slaven Bilic's side have
struggled to find goals, with Michail Antonio the club's only option
resembling something close to a consistent threat. Having returned to
training before the international break, Sakho is now ready to make his
return to the first team, while defender Reid is also back in contention,
having suffered a grade one hamstring strain during the 2-0 defeat to
Everton at Goodison Park. Bilic told a press conference ahead of Saturday
evening's clash at White Hart Lane: "Injury-wise we are getting better. From
the team against Stoke, we are all fit, plus Winston Reid and Diafra Sakho."
Having seen record signing Andre Ayew return from a thigh injury in October,
West Ham's injury list continues to shorten. Another long-term absentee,
Andy Carroll, is also edging his way back to full-fitness, having not played
in the Premier League this season due to a knee injury. Bilic is hopeful the
striker will be back next week with the Hammers facing back-to-back games
against Manchester United in the league and EFL Cup before the month is out.
Centre-half James Collins is also back in first-team training having pulled
out of the Wales squad ahead of their World Cup qualifier with Serbia with a
calf injury. "A few others are going to be back next week, like Andy Carroll
and Arthur Masuaku," Bilic continued. "Winston [Reid] didn't go to play for
New Zealand because he got a small injury against Everton. James Collins
didn't play for Wales but it was a minor as well and he is back in
training."
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bilic keen to avoid another Zaza situation in January
Date published: Thursday 17th November 2016 12:09
TeamTalk
Slaven Bilic insists West Ham will not panic buy in January despite their
difficult start to the season. The Hammers are languishing in 17th place in
the Premier League after winning just three of their opening 11 matches. The
picture could look even more bleak after their next four fixtures, which
start at unbeaten Tottenham on Saturday before clashes with Manchester
United, Arsenal and Liverpool. West Ham boss Bilic knows they need to climb
away from trouble quickly, but he is confident he already has the answers to
their problems at his disposal and he will not make a rushed decision in
January. Bilic brought in Simone Zaza on loan from Juventus at the end of
August for a fee of £4.25million after several other targets proved to be
out of reach. The 25-year-old has struggled to impress and has failed to
score in nine appearances for the Hammers with his performances coming under
the microscope. Reports suggest as part of the loan deal, five more
appearances from Zaza would trigger a permanent £20million transfer and
Bilic is keen to avoid another transfer disaster. "I definitely think, and I
know, we have solutions in the squad," he said. "We have some players who
were absent for a long time. Now they are coming back and they are going be
our new signings so we are not thinking about the transfer window solving
all our problems. "Of course every club will look at one or two players, but
not on that scale. The transfer window is far away, we are talking about
football, I am completely concentrated on the players we have, and the
players who will come back."
One of those returning players is forgotten striker Diafra Sakho, who will
be in the squad at White Hart Lane for the first time this season. Sakho was
on the verge of joining West Brom over the summer but failed a medical and
has only just managed to regain fitness some three-and-a-half months later.
With none of West Ham's forwards having found the net so far this season,
the Senegal international could provide a major boost as Bilic bids to haul
them up the table. "It doesn't matter if it's the whole season, or now. We
are there," he said. "We are missing points. If we had beat Stoke last time
out we would be mid-table, because it's so tight. But we are 17th, and if
you are 17th you are very close to relegation and we have to improve even
more. "On one hand the worst thing to do is lose confidence and doubt
yourselves individually and as a group. On other hand you can't keep talking
and saying the table doesn't matter, that we are a good team and we will
click. "We need to win games because the other teams are also getting
unexpected results which are getting them points."
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Slaven Bilic wants Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho to be 'new signings' for
West Ham as he rules out spending big to survive in January transfer window
By ADAM CRAFTON FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 12:14, 17 November 2016 | UPDATED: 13:06, 17 November 2016
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic has warned that he does not intend to spend
his way out of trouble and is challenging his returning forwards Diafra
Sakho and Andy Carroll to be the 'new signings' that kickstart their season.
Bilic was speaking ahead of the visit to Tottenham on Saturday as the
Premier League resumes this weekend. He is boosted by the return to fitness
of defender Winston Reid and striker Sakho, while Carroll, Arthur Masuaku
and Gokhan Tore are due to resume first-team training next week. Sakho has
been missing since the start of pre-season but he will be in the squad to
face Spurs. West Ham are 17th in the Premier League but Bilic is not yet
looking ahead to the January transfer window for solutions to his team's
difficulties. He believes the returning players can help boost their
campaign. 'I definitely think and I know we have solutions in the squad,'
Bilic said. 'We have some players who were absent for a long time. Now they
are coming back and they are going to be our new signings. 'So we are not
thinking about the transfer window solving all our problems. Of course every
club will look at one or two players but not on that scale. The transfer
window is far away, we are talking about football, I am completely
concentrated on the players we have, and the players who will come back.'
Bilic concedes that his side's dreadful start to the season has put them in
a position where they might be embroiled in a scrap for survival. 'It
doesn't matter if it's the whole season or now, we are there. We are missing
points, but if we had beat Stoke we would be mid-table because it's so
tight. We are 17th, and if you are 17th you are very close to relegation and
we have to improve even more. 'On the one hand the worst thing to do is lose
confidence and doubt yourselves individually and as a group. On other hand
you can't keep talking and saying the table doesn't matter, we are a good
team and we will click. We need to win games because the other teams are
also getting unexpected results which are getting them points.' Bilic also
reiterated his critique that English football is not 'polo or golf' and
remarked that the sport is in danger of becoming too expensive for 'ordinary
working people.'
Bilic was speaking after the BBC Price of Football study once again
demonstrated the cost being imposed upon football supporters to follow their
team. West Ham were shown to have the second-cheapest season tickets in the
Premier League, with their £289 offering. The average cost of a Premier
League matchday home ticket has dropped by six per cent year-on-year from
£30.95 to £29.05. Bilic, however, suggests that football followers are still
being milked by those involved in the game. 'It is expensive,' Bilic said.
'I said last year that football is not polo or golf. Football is a sport for
average working people. 'We can go far and deep and talk about the salaries
of players, the cost of tickets and all that. Everyone is making money from
football - apart from fans of course. The stadiums are packed, I don't know
how long season ticket waiting lists are. 'That encourages those people to
put higher prices and all that. Football is all about fans and it shouldn't
be a luxury to go and see a football game or take your kinds and bring your
family to a match. It should be like going to the movies.'
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Diafra Sakho hailed as a "new signing" by Slaven Bilic ahead of first West
Ham appearance of season
The striker has been out of action all season but is poised to return to the
squad for the London derby trip to Tottenham this weekend
BYAARON FLANAGAN
12:26, 17 NOV 2016UPDATED12:26, 17 NOV 2016
The Mirror
Slaven Bilic has hailed the return of Diafra Sakho as being like having a
new signing in his squad. Sakho is set for his first West Ham appearance of
the season when they travel to Tottenham in a London derby this weekend. The
Senegal international has been out of action through injury but returned to
first-team training before the start of the international break. Sakho was
set to leave the club this summer but his move to West Brom was scuppered by
the injury. Bilic is also poised to welcome Andy Carroll back in the coming
weeks. Like Sakho, Carroll is yet to play a single Premier League minute
this season after injuring his knee in the Europa League tie with Astra
Giurgiu in June. "We have improved a lot since the last international
break," said Bilic. "We are more solid, have more clean sheets and a few
good performances. "We're still not in the position we want to be in though,
and you might say it's just a couple of points, but we must get those
points. "I know we have solutions within our squad. We have players who were
absent who are now coming back. They're like new signings for us."
West Ham can move towards the top half of the Premier League table with
victory over Spurs. The Hammers have only lost one of their past five league
matches since the start of October.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sadiq Khan 'embarrassed' that likes of West Ham United 'not paying Living
Wage'
11:46 17 November 2016 Iain Burns
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has said it "embarrasses" him as a football fan
that most Premier League clubs, including West Ham United, are not
accredited London Living Wage employers. The City Hall chief made the
comments yesterday during Mayor's Question Time, highlighting the huge
disparity in pay between footballers earning hundreds of thousands of pounds
a week and other staff not being paid the Living Wage of £9.75 an hour. But
in a statement to the Recorder, West Ham United said the club is "immensely
proud" to have been paying permanent staff the "equivalent" to the London
Living Wage since July 2015. A club spokesman said: "West Ham United rent
London Stadium for 25 days a year and have no jurisdiction over the staff
employed in the operation of the club on a matchday, which means that
unfortunately we cannot be accredited by the Living Wage Foundation."
However, the woman who raised the topic – Labour AM Jennette Arnold – said
"essential workers" who are sub–contracted and not paid the Living Wage must
also be compensated fairly. "If you didn't have a clean stadium, you
couldn't have a football club," she said, adding that cleaning staff are
typically not employed on permanent contracts. "You couldn't bring on these
super-duper footballers without these workers."
Mayor Khan agreed, explaining that though he knew City Hall staff were being
paid the Living Wage, he recently discovered sub-contractors were not – and
"put that right". He added: "People selling programmes on matchday – or
pies, or burgers – who are independent contractors are not getting paid the
London Living Wage. "I'm happy to write to [London football clubs] to make
this point."
Jennette Arnold AM said earlier in the discussion that if Derby, Everton and
Hammers rivals Chelsea can become accredited members, then West Ham and
other Premier League clubs can follow suit. "We need to get these Premier
League football clubs to do the right thing," she said. Mayor Khan said
paying the Living Wage is not just the "right and moral" thing to do, but
also good for businesses.
"Paying the Living Wage can help reduce absenteeism and sick leave," he
said. "It can make it easier to recruit and maintain the best staff."
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Football's next superpower? Report suggests West Ham and Tottenham are
targets for Qatar takeover
HITC
Aiden Cusick
Qatar is said to have West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur in its sights
for a possible takeover. Having already established Paris Saint-Germain as
one of the continent's strongest forces, Qatar now has London sides West Ham
United and Tottenham Hotspur in its sights, according to the Daily Mail, as
the Gulf nation explores the possibility of buying a Premier League club.
The leader of the 2022 World Cup's organising committee, Hassan Al-Thawadi,
told the newspaper: "I can see it (a Qatari takeover) happening down the
road. "It's likely. There's such a passion for football and the Premier
League in particular. Everyone on the street has an opinion."
The report states that West Ham remain the most likely sellers - despite the
denials of current owners David Sullivan and David Gold - adding that the
Qatar Investment Authority would not be deterred by the New York investment
bank's £1 billion valuation of the Hammers. The QIA already own the London
2012 Olympic Village, which sits on the same Stratford site as West Ham's
London Stadium.
It is claimed that Tottenham are also being considered for ownership or
naming rights sponsorship, having visited the Middle East for talks last
year, according to Al-Thawadi. Spurs are set to leave White Hart Lane for a
new ground of their own in 2018, with Qatar Airlines and Aspetar - the
world's leading specialised orthopaedic and sports medicine hospital, based
in Doha - linked with buying the naming rights.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Arbeloa to leave Hammers?
By Football Espana staff
Alvaro Arbeloa is on the verge of leaving West Ham United in the January
transfer window, having only joined the club in August. Reports in the
English press suggest the former Real Madrid defender is close to exiting
the London club having only played a total of 263 minutes for Slaven Bilic's
side this season. The 33-year-old was released by Los Blancos this summer
having made over 250 appearances for the club since his 2009 move from
Liverpool, but he has failed to make an impression upon his return to the
Premier League. El Mundo and Mundo Deportivo both report that his agent is
already angling for a possible return to Spain in January.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
LOOKING FORWARD TO TOTTENHAM & WHY DID BILIC PICK TORE INSTEAD OF ANDROS
TOWNSEND
By Iain Dale 17 Nov 2016 at 11:14
WTID
The Stoke match seems a long time ago, doesn't it? And there has been
remarkably little written in the national media about the Tottenham match on
Saturday. This fixture last season saw us lose heavily to a vibrant Spurs
team. Indeed, I reckon it was the best performance against us all season. We
were mullered. Spurs will be looking to repeat that. They've had a decent
start to the season and have only conceded 6 goals in 11 games. Their
problem has been scoring goals. Join the club!
I expect a relatively defensive lineup on Saturday and if we are to get even
a point from this game we will need every player to perform at their best.
Winston Reid is back, so I imagine he will again line up alongside Ogbonna
and Kouyate in a back three.
The big question is who will play up front. Diafra Sakho is available for
selection and I reckon his return could give the whole side a big boost.My
suspicion is that Ayew will be picked in preference to Sakho. Were I in
Slaven Bilic's shoes I'd actually pick Ashley Fletcher over both of them. In
addition, Andy Carroll is only a week away, so least we finally have some
competition for places up front.
It looks very much as though Jonathan Calleri and Simone Zaza will be
leaving in the January window, alongside the hapless Gokhan Tore. To have
misjudged three such key signings means that the board are likely to
question Slaven Bilic's judgement on future transfer targets. We can expect
David Sullivan to assert himself rather more than he did in the summer. It
is my understanding that Sullivan wanted to sign Andros Townsend and was
willing to put up the money to fund it, but Bilic insisted on Tore. Oh dear.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bilic asks Payet to treat criticism as backhanded compliment
Evening Standard
West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic has asked Dimitri Payet to treat
criticism as compliment as he tries to get the best out of the French
midfielder whose future at the Premier League club appears uncertain. Payet,
who signed a five-year contract in February, made a fine start to his West
Ham career last season as he scored nine Premier League goals and claimed 13
assists to propel the club to finish seventh, their best league finish since
2002. The 29-year-old's struggle to rediscover the same form this season has
drawn criticism from the fans but Bilic called it back-handed compliment. "I
see Messi or Ronaldo. If they don't score for two games they are
criticised..." the Croatian told The Times. "It's a compliment of course. He
(Payet) should be like: 'They are not criticising me, they are expecting
much more from me'. Why are they expecting of me much more? Because I am
Payet. And because of what I have done last year in the same league.'"
Payet has scored only once in the opening 11 league games as West Ham sit
17th in the table, a point above the relegation zone, but media reports
suggested several clubs across Europe are interested in the midfielder. "We
have enough quality. If one or two more come back from injury like we are
expecting they will, then we can improve from the last game... It's a tough
time for us," Bilic added.
The Hammers play fifth-place Spurs on Saturday at White Hart Lane and then
travel to Old Trafford to face sixth-placed Manchester United before hosting
fourth-placed Arsenal at the brand-new London Stadium.
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Antonio and Payet heading West Ham advance
Adrian Clarke 16/11/2016
premierleague.com
In the final part of Adrian Clarke's look at the Premier League's brightest
combinations, he analyses a prolific partnership at West Ham United. At home
to Watford, Dimitri Payet produced a sublime rabona assist for Michail
Antonio's second goal of the day. It was a magical moment of skill and since
that Matchweek 4 encounter, the first match that Payet and Antonio started
together this season, their connection has only grown stronger. Dimitri
Payet's rabona cross against Watford was the first of three assists to
Michail Antonio
En route to seventh place last season, Payet assisted only two of Antonio's
eight PL goals, while creating a total of 12 chances for him. In eight
starts this season Payet has already surpassed his assists total of 2015/16
for Antonio, with three, and has laid on 10 opportunities.
Only one other partnership, from Jason Puncheon to Christian Benteke, at
Crystal Palace, exceeds that supply line. Aside from the rabona, Payet found
Antonio's head from a corner in the same match and his inswinging cross was
nodded home against West Bromwich Albion. Indeed, it could easily have been
four assists but Antonio's header from Payet's cross was deflected in by
Glenn Whelan for an own goal by the Stoke City midfielder. Although West
Ham have struggled to kick on from last term they should feel optimistic
that further goals will stem from this partnership. The combination of
Payet's right boot and head of Antonio will strike fear into their Premier
League rivals.
Most chances created in 2016/17
Creator Finisher Chances created
Puncheon Benteke 11
Payet Antonio 10
Mane Coutinho 9
Silva Aguero 9
Payet is also yet recapture his 2015/16 form but his influence remains
critical. He has made 40 key passes in 2016/17, more than anyone else, and
an incredible 26 ahead of his nearest team-mate, Manuel Lanzini. Should the
current supply line continue in a similar vein, Antonio can expect to profit
many more times from Payet's terrific deliveries.
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