Daily WHUFC News - 26th December 2015

Preview - Aston Villa
WHUFC.com

The background

West Ham United make a festive trip to Aston Villa on Boxing Day looking to
end an eight-game wait for victory.

The Hammers have drawn their last three games without a goal being scored -
a record Premier League streak for the Club - so will be hoping to break
their duck against bottom-of-the-table Villa.

Having been hurt by an extensive injury list to their attacking players,
West Ham's goal threat has been blunted in recent weeks, but fine defensive
work has meant they have continued to pick up points.

Villa haven't won since the opening day of the season and have only picked
up seven points to date.

One of those came last time out as Jordan Ayew's goal earned them a 1-1 draw
at fellow strugglers Newcastle United.

The game kicks off a busy Christmas for the Hammers, with games against
Southampton and Liverpool to follow.

The history

West Ham United and Aston Villa have met 108 times in all competitions going
into Saturday's fixture.

West Ham hold the edge with 39 wins to the Villans' 38. Last season the pair
drew 0-0 at the Boleyn Ground, but at Villa Park Tom Cleverley's goal gave
the hosts a 1-0 victory.

The Hammers' record win over Villa is the 7-2 success they enjoyed in 1958.

The match

Team news

West Ham United

Slaven Bilic will once again be without defender Winston Reid on Saturday as
he continues his recovery from a thigh injury.

Diafra Sakho is also out due to a thigh problem, while the Villa game comes
too soon for Dimitri Payet (ankle).

Manuel Lanzini has a slight chance of returning after his hamstring trouble
while Andy Carroll may also feature after missing the trip to Swansea with a
groin injury. Victor Moses (hamstring) is out.

Aston Villa

Aston Villa captain Micah Richards is expected to miss a fourth consecutive
game because of a knee injury.

Full-backs Joe Bennett and Aly Cissokho have both been recalled from loan
spells but will not be eligible to play until January.

Match info

- Saturday's referee is Mike Dean. He will be assisted by Mark Scholes and
Ian Hussin. Peter Bankes is the fourth official.

- West Ham have won just one of their last eight games at Villa Park (D2,
L5).

- Villa are bottom of the top division at Christmas for only the third time
in their history, after 1935/36 and 1958/59. They ended up being relegated
on both of those previous occasions.

- The Villans are enduring two unwanted club league records: 16 matches
without a win, and nine home matches without a victory since beating West
Ham in May.

- They have kept just two Premier League clean sheets this season - only
Norwich, with one, have a worse record.

- West Ham have drawn three successive league games 0-0 for the first time
in their history.

- The Hammers have shared the points in their last four matches


Ticketing, travel, coverage and other details


- There will be a limited number of tickets available to Hammers fans at
Villa Park. Click here for details.

- No trains will be running from London to Birmingham in Boxing Day. Click
here for traffic news.

- Saturday is set to be a cloudy day with temperatures reaching 13C (55F) at
kick-off.

- If you're not heading to the game make sure you keep up to date on our
digital channels. The whufc.com Match Centre has live audio commentary and
text updates, in-running stats and pictures and more. You can get involved
with the conversation on social using the hashtag #AVLWHU

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Cresswell eyeing Villa Park victory
WHUFC.com

Ever-present left-back Aaron Cresswell insisted his side will not
underestimate the challenge Aston Villa pose when the two sides face each
other at 3pm today.

Despite the hosts having accumulated just seven points so far this season,
Cresswell maintained that the Hammers will have to be at their best if they
are to come away from Villa Park with maximum points.

Speaking ahead of the Boxing Day clash, Cresswell said: "It's going to be
another tough game as every Premier League game is. We're fully aware of the
quality they have, there's no easy game as some recent results have shown.
It's a crazy league this season, just look at Bournemouth's results against
Chelsea and Manchester United.

"I genuinely don't think you ever say we're guaranteed three points. Yes,
Villa haven't won in ten games but it's a bonkers this season, anyone can
beat anyone, particularly around Christmas."

Meanwhile, the Hammers are looking for their first win in nine games as
injuries have depleted the Hammers' frontline.

In the absence of the likes of Dimitri Payet, Manuel Lanzini, Diafra Sakho
and Victor Moses, the defensive rear-guard have more than proved their worth
by securing three consecutive clean sheets.

Cresswell continued: "I think those clean sheets does give us confidence; we
haven't won in a while but we've kept clean sheets which is the next best
thing, we have to take the positives out of every game, and that has been
the main thing.

"Clean sheets, particularly away from home are massive. Any point away from
home is not a bad result, both Manchester United and Swansea City were tough
games, so to come away with two points and two clean sheets is certainly not
the end of the world."

Currently eighth with 25 points from 17 games, the Hammers face a tricky
festive period of games, hosting Southampton on the Monday 28th before the
early kick off with Liverpool on Saturday 2 January.

Reflecting on a positive first half of the campaign, Cresswell is hoping to
maintain their form in the second half: "We got a few big wins at the start
of the season which was great. The first half of the season as a whole is a
positive one, the injuries haven't helped, touch wood we don't pick up any
more and we'll get a few players back soon. We're all looking forward to the
second half of the season.

"I'm not sure exactly when the injured lads are going to be back but it
sounds like they'll be back a bit earlier than expected, we're all looking
forward to having them back as soon as possible.

"There's plenty of positives for us to take into 2016, we want to finish in
that top half, then we have the move to the new stadium to look forward to."

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The (ex) Rev's Christmas Message: expect a miracle!
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 24th December 2015
By: Elwin Cockett

As traditional now as the Queen's annual address, Archdeacon of West Ham and
Chair of Chelmsford Diocesan Board of Education Elwin Cockett shares his
annual Christmas message with the readers of Knees up Mother Brown ...

If Christmas is a time for poignant memories of people and times past,
that's doubly true for West Ham fans this year.

Leaving the Boleyn Ground is something that we've known was going to happen
for some years, but suddenly, as 2016 looms, it is all too real. Only a few
months' games are left now and, whatever routine we follow on a match day,
whether it involves Ken's Café or Nathan's, a pint in the Queens or the
Boleyn, or simply that familiar stroll down Green Street from the station to
the ground, all that's going to change before we know it.

All of us have our best memories of Upton Park. For me, standing on the
North Bank as a teenager is among them, and then, years later, getting to
know many of the remarkable people who have made West Ham United what it is.
When the wonderful Sir Geoff Hurst introduced himself to my daughter - at
that time a little girl - by saying "Hello, I'm George Best!", she knew
straight away that he wasn't because she knew his face very well from all my
memorabilia.

One privilege I will never forget was leading a memorial service for
'Budgie' Byrne, one of that cohort of players who lit up English football in
the mid-sixties.

Budgie's wife, Margaret, asked whether I could arrange the service, which
took place St Margaret's Church in Barking, followed by lunch together and
then a match at Upton Park. After the game, once the crowd had gone, his
family, friends and team-mates gathered around the centre circle to end the
day as we'd started it, remembering Budgie as a husband, a father, a mate
and as a player in the most successful West Ham team of all time. Steve
Bacon's photo of that moment is very special to me.

Speaking of Steve Bacon, the iconic club photographer, it was good to see
the West Ham family rallying round when he was hospitalised earlier this
year. Steve, if you're reading this, thousands of West Ham fans are wishing
you all the best, mate.

Perhaps the most poignant loss for me this year was that of Gina Allen, who
died after a courageous battle with cancer. For many years, Gina was the
staff member responsible for enabling disabled fans to watch West Ham, and
numerous supporters loved her for that. But she was also one of those people
that any organisation needs – a positive, caring person who always looks out
for the needs of others. She is much missed.

One happier memory is of how KUMB.com readers have responded to my appeal
for funds to build Grace's Place, a children's literacy centre in rural
Ghana. There are real challenges to pulling together such a project, but
with your help – and the help of the wonderful Kosmo Vinyl and the lovely
people at KUMB, I'm sure that we can make Grace's Place everything that we
want it to be for the children of that part of Africa. Thank you to everyone
who has contributed so far.

Finally, if Christmas gives an opportunity to look back, it's also a time to
look ahead, and we West Ham fans have SO much to look forward to. I haven't
always been a fan of developments in recent years, but I have to admit that
Karren Brady, David Gold and David Sullivan have done an amazing job in
getting us to where we are.

2016 sees the start of a whole new era for our club, and one that we can be
very excited about. When we remember how things were for West Ham following
the banking crisis, when wise men everywhere were writing us off, the club's
re-birth seems nothing short of a miracle. So, well done to our owners, and
perhaps it's a reminder that we should all remember to look for the best –
to look for a miracle, even - rather than going on about 'same old West
Ham'.

So, in the same spirit, let me close with a bit of poetry from my favourite
writer, U.A.Fanthorpe. She wrote some great Christmas poems, and this is one
of the greatest. It's a reminder to go on looking for a miracle, every day.

Merry Christmas, everyone – and a very happy New Year.

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Slaven Bilic urges Villa boss Remi Garde "don't be a realist if you want to
stay up"
22:30, 25 DEC 2015
BY NEIL MCLEMAN
"He doesn't have a car that can drive 100mph and he says he wants to drive
150mph" says West Ham boss ahead of their Boxing Day clash
The Mirror

Slaven Bilic has claimed Aston Villa cannot afford to be realistic if they
want to stay up this season. New boss Remi Garde has set the Premier
League's bottom club a target of winning 10 of their last 21 games to stay
up – after failing to win in their last 16. Mission Impossible will have to
start with the Frenchman's first win against West Ham at Villa Park on
Boxing Day. But the Hammers proved ­miracles can happen when Alan
Curbishley's team beat the drop by winning seven of their final nine games
in 2007. And current Hammers boss Bilic said: "What is the point of being
realistic and what does it mean? "He doesn't have a car that can drive
100mph and he says he wants to drive 150mph. He has a football team – it's
live, it changes, he's optimistic. "Would he say he doesn't have a chance?
On the contrary, he is acting exactly like anybody would do. He is working
with them, he has seen a lot of positive things. They are fighting for their
lives. They have some quality players who can harm you. "What he wants is a
little bit of luck, to win two or three games and then it changes like that.
There are so many games left. They have a chance."

Bilic played against the former Arsenal midfielder – and got to know him
when Garde coached Dejan Lovren at Lyon. READ MORE: Aston Villa will
struggle to attract players in January if they remain adrift at the bottom,
admits Remi Garde "It's a brave decision to take on Villa but it's the
Premier League, it's a massive club, it's Villa," said the former Croatia
coach. "To manage every club nowadays is a very brave ­decision. You would
say the same if Guardiola signs for whoever he signs for. You have to be
brave to be involved in football. Who wouldn't take it, let's be honest?"
"We are coping well without the injured players," Bilic insisted. "We have
shown ­character and team spirit. And, when they come back, they will be
like new signings."

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Half term report card: How the Hammers rated
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 25, 2015 in Sean's Blogs, Whispers
C and H

The Board: David Sullivan, David Gold and Karren Brady A+

The board have once again put their money where their mouths are, they
invested heavily in the summer and continue to address the legacy debt
problems. They took a huge risk in appointing Slaven Bilic which has paid
off handsomely. They are building towards our move to the Olympic Stadium
while respecting the past of the Boleyn Ground.

The Manager: Slaven Bilic and his back room staff B+

Great start by the former Hammers player, he has achieved beyond most media
and fan expectations so far. The fans and players are fully behind him and
there is a different atmosphere at West Ham following the departure of Sam
Allardyce last season. A dream start for the Croatian with wins against
Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea. Only marked him slightly down on
his choice of Jelavic for a permanent transfer, some of his substitutions
and no win in seven games but can improve second half of the season.

The Players: B+

Payet, Sakho and Lanzini have been the stand out players this season before
injuries and deserve an A+. Add to them solid B+ performances from Adrian,
Cresswell, Reid, Ogbonna, Collins, Noble, Kouyate and Zarate. Carroll,
Jenkinson, Moses and Song could do better and rate C for me. Too early to
say on Antonnio but I will gibe him a B- with room to improve.

Entertainment Value: B+

We certainly got our hallowed 'West Ham way' back this season. West Ham have
been a joy to watch when we were at full strength without injuries. Watching
games is no longer a chore (mostly). Three nil-nil results in recent times
and no win in seven games has taken the edge off the first half of the
season and the previous entertainment value. The Swansea game was a perfect
example of poor entertainment value but the whole very good and promising
for the future.

The Results: A

To be in eighth position in the Premier League on Christmas day is a great
achievement having been as high as third in the League at one point.
Finishing in eighth position at the end of the season would be a great
effort for Bilic's first season in charge but we could push on for a top six
finish with a bit of luck and no more injuries.

The Fans: A+

As always we have some of the best fans in the world, our away support and
experience is amazing and every one of our home League games at the Boleyn
Ground has been a complete sell out this season. Even our European games to
virtually unknown teams were well attended and our FA Cup match against
Wolves is due to sell out too.

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Jarvis deal won't tempt Irons
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 25, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

West Ham are unlikely to to be tempted into the January market despite
making room in the budget via the sale of Matt Jarvis to Norwich.
With £2.5 million in the bank and £40k a week freed up from his wages, the
club might have considered a move but sources inside the club have made it
clear that's highly improbable. Despite concluding a clever deal, the board
are set to keep the cash in their pockets having learned some lessons from
the January 'madness.' ClaretandHugh was told last night: "It's not a place
where we want to go given past experience. Where you get loan players better
than the ones we have. Have any of our January past loans really contributed
very much? £2.5 million is hardly a fortune and could probably be put to be
better use in the summer."

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Moncur jnr would love Irons return
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 25, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

George Moncur has spoken for the first time about his departure from the
club he loves – West Ham United. But don't expect a bitter outburst from the
Colchester midfielder who, with nine goals out of midfield so far this
season, has beaten his goal tally for last term.
The 22 year old was ditched by Sam Allardyce in 2014 and said: "I would love
nothing more than to go back to my club one day but I have to show that I am
worth that and believe that despite our league position I am playing well.
"I'm more than happy with my own game but we need to get off the bottom of
the table and out of the relegation spots."

George remembers being told his West Ham days were a thing of the past but
refuses to issue an angry outburst against then manager Sam Allardyce. He
said: "The manager has to make decisions. It was very, very hard to swallow
but you have to get on with it and one day I want to believe I'll make my
way back there. "It's the club where my Dad played for so long. I love the
place. Praps one day but I need to show I am good enough to play at the
highest level."

He believes the Hammers – despite their injury list – are a club on the up
under Slaven Bilic declaring: "He has had some great results and Dimi Payet
and Lanzini have really lit the club up. They are going to be fine and are
looking good. "They play some great football and I catch them whenever it's
possible. I still love the club with a passion" and again he muses "Perhaps
one day!"

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Jarvis finances revealed in full
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 25, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

After lengthy negotiations for the switch from Wolves Matt Jarvis finally
joined the Iron on August 23, 2012. Now ClaretandHugh can reveal exclusively
for the first time the precise details of the deal which comprised an
initial £7.5 million, rising to £10.75 million. His five year contract was
worth around £40,000 per week netting him a cool £10.4m over the five year
period.

The Hammers have paid £10.2m of that (excluding agent fees) of the
potential £10.75m transfer fee. Our most senior source told us: "He cost us
£10.2m in total. Not a great purchase by Sam from his agent Mark Curtis. The
fee was £7.5m, plus a £1m bonus on the first two occasions we stayed up, £1m
on appearances-with about £700k paid out plus 5 per cent to the league when
you buy a player, plus an agents fee of £750k."

He scored just 6 goals in all competitions at a cost of £2.8m per goal and
made 90 appearances at a cost of £188,888 per match. That said, his
departure will save a further £2m in wages in his final year of his contract
releasing pressure on the financial fair play wage cap and we have already
saved a further £2m by sending him out to loan to Norwich this season. A
£2.5m price tag is probably the best deal we could do in the current market
but it still leaves a net loss of £8.5m on his transfer fee.

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DG voices his Villa doubts
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 25, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

David Gold has tweeted the Christmas news nobody wanted to hear. The Hammers
are set to be without both Andy Carroll and Manuel Lanzini at Villa Park
tomorrow as the team going looking for a much needed three points. The
injury update from the medics was not good this morning but Gold appears to
have confirmed things given his usually upbeat forecasting. He said: It
doesn't look like Andy Carroll or Manuel Lanzini will make it for the Villa
game however Enner Valencia is fully fit and could start. Dg We will all be
hoping the Valencia option is available given the off key performance of
Nikicia Jelavic against Swansea at the weekend. The team is likely to look
much the same as it was for the game in Wales although some reports from
inside the club are saying that Carl Jenkinson could get a longer spell of
match action although is unlikely to be on from the start.

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Irons hope defender's 'wake up call' works out
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 24, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

Carl Jenkinson was told tonight: "We want the player back we saw last
season." The Arsenal right back has been well out of favour of course after
a poor start to his second Boleyn lon spell and club insiders have claimed
that having been sent a "serious wake up call" he is ready to come back and
stake his claim big time. Jenkinson is costing the club around £4 million
in loan fee and wages but has been a shadow of the player we saw last
season. And although the calm Slaven Bilic never makes a song and dance of
his dilemmas he has been very disappointed the player has failed to fire so
far. He has responded with a steel fist inside the velvet glove by not
hesitating to drop him in order to give him a dose of shock treatment. And a
top insider told us this evening: "For all the pleasant and amiable approach
from the manager, he knows exactly how to operate in circumstances. "Jenks
has had a wake up call. We all expected him to be left out for one game but
it's extending now although we get the impression he will soon get his
chance again. "We all want to see the player who performed so well last
season and hope the spell on the sidelines will have had the desired
effect."

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