Daily WHUFC News - 9th December 2015

Page pleased to see performances rewarded
WHUFC.com

Having secured their fifth consecutive win with a 2-1 victory over
previously undefeated West Bromwich Albion, left-back Lewis Page said he was
delighted that the Dev Squad are getting the rewards that their performances
deserve. In a dominant display, the Dev Squad took the lead through Jaanai
Gordon's powerful drive from the edge of the box, before Martin Samuelsen's
late strike sealed the three points after Saido Berahino had equalised.
Reflecting on the win, their sixth from seven games in all competitions,
Page said: "It's nice that our performances are turning into results, at the
start of the season our performances weren't getting anything, but now we're
all playing well and taking our chances. "It was definitely a deserved win,
even though they had a strong team out tonight, Serge Gnabry and Saido
Berahino as well as some other good players, so it was good to get a win
over such a strong side."

While the young Hammers had a tough start to the campaign, they have
improved as the season has progressed and now find themselves seventh in the
Barclays U21 Premier League Division Two.
Up next is a tough London derby with Arsenal at Upton Park next Monday, and
Page and his teammates know another win could see them climb as high as
third. He continued: "The confidence has always been there really, now after
a few wins it's obviously even better, we're all buzzing in the dressing
room now. "I just hope we can maintain this unbeaten run for as long as
possible, if we do that, who knows where it'll take us. We're slowly
climbing the league which is nice to see, and hopefully that continues. "We
didn't play to our best against Arsenal that day, we're playing a lot better
now than we were back then so hopefully we'll give them a good game and get
something out of it."

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Manuel Lanzini update
WHUFC.com

West Ham United can confirm that Manuel Lanzini could be ruled out for up to
six weeks with a quadriceps injury. The Argentinian attacking midfielder
suffered the thigh injury in training ahead of Saturday's Barclays Premier
League trip to Manchester United. Lanzini underwent a scan on Monday and
will now begin a period of rehabilitation which is expected to keep him out
of first-team action for a period of up to six weeks. The 22-year-old is
currently on a season-long loan from UAE-based Al-Jazira Club. He has four
goals and one assist in his 12 Barclays Premier League appearances this
term.

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From the Newsroom - Dave Evans
WHUFC.com

It was just a year ago when we all thought that Mauro Zarate had played his
last game for West Ham. He was in the team that returned from West Brom with
all three Premier League points, but differences with then manager Sam
Allardyce meant he was out of the team and shipped off to west London and
Queens Park Rangers. Things did not get much better there as first injury
and then non-selection restricted him to just four substitute appearances.

What a difference a year makes. With the arrival of Slaven Bilic, has come a
new start and a new belief in the skills and potential of the 28-year-old
Argentinian. He has scored five goals already this term and though Saturday
at Old Trafford turned out not to be his day, he was the man who took the
game to Manchester United with his flair and daring. Without Dimitri Payet,
Enner Valencia, Diafra Sakho and latest injury victim Manuel Lanzini many
thought that West Ham would be in for a long and tough afternoon in
Manchester on Saturday. But even without those key men, West Ham looked
confident, took the game to Louis van Gaal's men and on another day would
have had the game sewn up by half time.

That first half was as good as the Hammers have played on the road this
season and that includes the trips to Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester
City. The only thing that was missing was the finishing. Zarate was one of
the reasons for that first-half dominance. While Adrian did not have a shot
to save in the opening 45 minutes, Zarate hit the post, albeit without
realising it; Winston Reid headed against the base of the same post, while
perhaps the best chance fell to Victor Moses who failed to beat David de Gea
in a one-on-one situation. United have only let in one home league goal all
season and most visiting teams have not had much of a sniff of even an
opening there, so to have four golden chances in the opening 45 minutes was
a monumental achievement.

Earlier in the season it would have been game over and three more points for
West Ham, but it wasn't quite to be. The second half saw United storm back –
it is United at home after all – but the Hammers kept their belief, defended
superbly with Winston Reid at his very best, but they still would not have
held out if it wasn't for the fact that they relieved the pressure with some
attacking of their own. And then came the moment - the moment where West Ham
could and should have secured the match. It was a great move. Michail
Antonio put in a low cross with the outside of his boot, Andy Carroll played
a superb knock down which fell neatly into the path of the onside Zarate.
But inexplicably, the Argentinian somehow managed to poke his shot wide with
just the keeper to beat and he buried his head into the Old Trafford turf in
disbelief. Zarate apologised for the miss on twitter on Saturday night, but
there was no need.

At least he was in the right place at the right time and over the years
since that Carlos Tevez winner on 'Great Escape' day, the Hammers have
rarely got into the United box at all. This is a different sort of West Ham
though. Not a defence first, play for a point team, but a confident side who
know they can play with the best, even if they are missing their own key
men.
Zarate is a part of that and a year is clearly a long time in football.
Without a change in manager and the arrival of Bilic, he would have been
long gone. Now he is a vital attacking player for the team. Not bad for a
free transfer who couldn't get into QPR's relegation team!

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The Big Interview - Michail Antonio
WHUFC.com

Michail Antonio has been waiting patiently for his chance in the first-team
but could not have asked for a bigger platform to showcase his talents than
Old Trafford on Saturday. Antonio has been a regular member of the
first-team squad following his big money move from Nottingham Forest during
the summer, but has yet to start a Premier League game. The 25-year-old was
called into action after 37 minutes during the 0-0 draw against Manchester
United after Victor Moses was forced to leave the field through injury.
Antonio quickly showed why he is rated so highly with an impressive display
and will now be hoping to keep his place for the home game against Stoke on
Saturday.

Michail, this was not a bad time for you to come on and play such a big part
in the game at Old Trafford. Do you feel the team could have come away with
all three points?

MA: "We could have definitely come away with a victory. We had some big
chances with Victor Moses who was through on goal, we hit the woodwork twice
and Zarate had a big chance in the second half. "We could have taken all
three points but we will settle for taking a point as Old Trafford which is
a great stadium to play in and this will be a confidence boost for the rest
of the season."

We had so many influential players missing for the United game. Is there a
belief in the dressing room that we can go to these big clubs and come away
with a result?

MA: "Manchester United have got a great history and some great players. Some
people will say this was a bonus game for us but we have gone out with
nothing to lose. "We wanted to see what we could take from the game and we
are happy to come away with a point and move onto the next game."

Victor Moses was forced to come off with an injury, but you seemed to relish
coming on in front of a big crowd at Old Trafford and taking your chance in
the first-team?

MA: "Victor has picked up an injury and it has given me the opportunity. I
hope he has a fast recovery but I now have a great opportunity. "Hopefully I
can build on this and get better as the season goes on."

You have had to be patient for you chance but how much do you want to
establish yourself as a first-team regular?

MA: "We have got a few injuries in the position that I play. I have been
patient for my chance but now I need to take it and keep my shirt. "I need
to take my opportunity and push on for the next game."

Finally, we return to action at the Boleyn Ground this weekend. How much are
the players keen to get back on the winning trail when we face Stoke on
Saturday?

MA: "We have not won for a couple of games now and we need to get three
points back on the board again. "Even though we are picking up points in the
league, we need to be picking up victories to help us move higher in the
league."

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Manuel Lanzini: West Ham midfielder faces six weeks out
BBc.co.uk

West Ham midfielder Manuel Lanzini could be out for up to six weeks with a
thigh injury. The Argentine, 22, suffered the problem in training before
Saturday's 0-0 draw at Manchester United. Lanzini, on a season-long loan
from Abu Dhabi club Al Jazira, has four goals and one assist in his 12
league appearances this campaign.
He had a scan on Monday and has now begun the rehabilitation which should
see him return next month. Meanwhile, Hammers winger Victor Moses will have
a scan on Tuesday on his hamstring injury. The 24-year-old, on loan from
Chelsea, came off during the goalless draw at Old Trafford.

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Lanzini ruled out until January
KUMb.com
Filed: Tuesday, 8th December 2015
By: Staff Writer

Manuel Lanzini has added to West Ham's injury woes after being ruled out of
action for at least a month. The in-form Argentine midfielder has joined the
likes of Dimitri Payet, Diafra Sakho and Enner Velencia on the sidelines
after sustaining a quadriceps injury, according to West Ham's website. "The
Argentinian attacking midfielder suffered the thigh injury in training ahead
of Saturday's Barclays Premier League trip to Manchester United," said
whufc.com. "Lanzini underwent a scan on Monday and will now begin a period
of rehabilitation which is expected to keep him out of first-team action for
a period of up to six weeks."

Lanzini, who is currently on a season-long loan from Al-Jazira has made 14
appearances for West Ham since moving to England and scored four goals -
against Liverpool, Crystal Palace, Everton and, most recently, Tottenham.

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Stop making nonsense
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 8th December 2015
By: Matthew Webb

Following the match against Manchester United on Saturday, most people seem
to agree that both Marouane Fellaini and Bastian Schweinsteiger should have
been sent off. I am certainly one of them.

Marouane Fellaini is a player that I would award a yellow card to just for
walking on the pitch. Schweinsteiger is less disagreeable, but you can't
argue with an elbow to the throat (although I'm sure Manchester United will
try.)

I am not writing to bitterly lament our bad luck in not being given the
opportunity to play most of this game against nine men (well…maybe I am a
little…) but what this game has really highlighted for me is an odd trend
I've been noticing recently among pundits and journalists when talking about
potential sending off incidents.

More and more often I am hearing people say something along the lines of,
"What the fans want to see is eleven against eleven." Which on the surface
of things is a fair enough statement, even if simply because that is one of
the principle rules of the game that so many of us flock to watch each week.


What I'm finding increasingly frustrating is the way this phrase is being
used as an excuse for a referee not issuing a red card to a player. It seems
that in the game on Saturday, Mark Clattenburg genuinely didn't see either
incident. Frustrating but forgivable. But if he had seen these incidents and
decided against issuing a red card in order to avoid spoiling the match for
"everybody," what sort of a message does that send out?

That is essentially what pundits are arguing in favour of when they make
this "eleven against eleven" comment. Let's ignore the rules of the game so
that the fans can get full enjoyment out of it, somehow. Don't issue a
second yellow for a foul that deserves one. Don't issue a red for an elbow.
Bend the rules as much as possible. For the fans.

This is yet another comment that proves to me that most people who work in
football media actually have no idea what an average fan thinks. Imagine if
Fellaini or Schweinsteiger had popped up with a last minute winner on
Saturday. Apparently we'd have all been saying, "Oh well, at least we got to
see a fair game, eleven on eleven!"

Of course we wouldn't have been saying that because that would not have been
a fair game. We'd have been furious. Fellaini should have been sent off.
Schweinsteiger should have been sent off.

I suppose what I'm saying is that I'd prefer pundits to start using a phrase
more along the lines of, "What the fans want to see is a decent game of
football, competently refereed by somebody that knows and understands the
rules properly" but that would be a bit of a mouthful for a Robbie Savage or
a Graeme Souness.

Actually, what I'd really like is for pundits and commentators to stop
assuming any kind of knowledge of what the fans are thinking at all. We are
a fickle and unpredictable bunch. We quite like seeing our team win. Beyond
that it's very hard to say how we're feeling, almost as if we're a
collection of individuals rather than a single giant entity like The Blob
from the 1958 film of the same name.

Take the case of pundits trying to understand our feelings towards Sam
Allardyce last season. "I don't know what West Ham fans expect," was
commonly heard from Alan Shearer on Match of the Day. That's right, Alan.
You don't. Neither do we, for the most part, except maybe... just...
better..?

Yes, I think that's what I expected towards the end of last season. Better.
I really would have struggled to explain my feelings in clearer words than
that, so for a bunch of overpaid ex-professionals to try to make sense of
those emotions is just ridiculous.

So there's my message for pundits and journalists. Stop making assumptions
on behalf of football fans. Stop trying to understand how our crazy minds
works. Most of all, stop using our feelings as an excuse for referees not
doing their jobs properly.

Maybe if the FA could see their way clear to retrospectively awarding us
three points for Saturday; that would also be great.

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LANZINI JOINS THE INJURY LIST SO WHO CAN REPLACE HIM?
By Iain Dale 8 Dec 2015 at 19:31
WTID

I was having a row with my Gooner supporting LBC producer Matt this
afternoon. He reckoned Arsenal's injury problems were far worse than ours
and involved better players than ours. He cited Wilshire, Sanchez Carzola
and a couple of others I can't recall (and care even less about). I reckoned
that the fact that we now have Payet, Sakho, Lanzini, Moses and Valencia out
more than out-trumped him. He laughed at my assertion that Payet is better
than Sanchez.

The news that Lanzini is out for six weeks is a bitter pill to swallow on
top of everything else. To lose Payet would have been bad enough, but now
Lanzini, it means we're incredibly light on the creative front. It will give
Antonio and Obiang their chances to shine, and maybe Reece Oxford too, but
no one can pretend they will score or create the goals that Payet and
Lanzini would have. I'm also assuming Moses is out too. So it seems that
Michael Antonio is going to get his chance to show us what he can do. By all
accounts e did very well at Old Trafford.

We have Martin Samuelsen out on loan to Peterborough, who might have been a
direct replacement for Lanzini in the short term but apparently, according
to Hugh Southon we cannot recall him as he has to be there a full month.
Unbelievable. Diego Poyet is at Huddersfield for the season but hopefully he
could be recalled. He is more of a holding midfielder than a creative one,
though.

So how might we line up against Stoke in midfield and attack? I suspect it
will be something like this…

Adrian, Cresswell, Tomkins, Ogbonna, Reid, Noble, Kouyate, Song, Antonio,
Zarate, Carroll
Subs Randolph, Collins, Jenkinson, Oxford, Jelavic, Obiang, Cullen

Still a strong team. Just as well we have strength in depth for once.

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UPTON PARK MEMORIES - NEW BOOK
By Tony McDonald 8 Dec 2015 at 17:00
WTID

NOT long to go now until West Ham United and their passionate, loyal fans
bid an emotional farewell to the Boleyn Ground before moving to Stratford's
Olympic Stadium.

The bulldozers will be on their way soon . . . but they can't destroy our
memories.

Upton Park Memories is a brand new book launching this Saturday (Dec 12)
that captures the essence of the club's spiritual home for the past 112
years. Printed in hardback and lavishly illustrated throughout its 372 full
colour pages, UPM is a riveting compilation of personal stories, anecdotes
and shared experiences as recalled by 200-plus West Ham fans and a number of
players, including heroes such as Sir Trevor Brooking, Sir Geoff Hurst,
Billy Bonds, Julian Dicks and Paolo Di Canio.


Our contributors' devotion to the Hammers spans all 11 decades of The Boleyn
years – the oldest was 100-years-old and saw his first game aged six in 1910
– and each has a unique story to tell. Absorb and entertain yourself by
reading about:

WHY FANS SUPPORT WEST HAM UNITED AND THEIR FIRST GAME MEMORIES
MEMORABLE MATCHES & MOMENTS
GREAT GOALS
THREE FAVOURITE PLAYERS & CULT HEROES
MATCH DAY ROUTINES & RITUALS
BOLEYN HIGHS & LOWS
FAVOURITE KITS
CHARACTERS IN THE CROWD
Quotes from the back cover.
Plus . . . Songs & Chants, Bond Scheme Protests and Hooliganism, Fanzines,
Collectables, Autographs, Tickets, Boleyn by Air, Special Guests,
Programmes, Handbooks, Upton Park Firsts, Street Parades, Stadium Views
Through the Years, Timeline, etc.

In the final 'Moving On' chapter, fans express their forthright views on the
owners' decision to sell Hammers' famous old ground and move to the Olympic
Stadium.

The book includes 700-plus photos and illustrations, many of which have
never been seen before. It's an emotional rollercoaster read that will make
you laugh out loud and bring tears to your eyes. I feel sure all of you
reading this will readily relate to most of what is in the book and,
hopefully, be entertained by it.

With Stoke City visiting Upton Park on Saturday, I'm pleased to present the
following excerpts from our book, which I hope will resonate and give you a
flavour of what to expect . . .

From the chapter titled: Why West Ham United? – Your First-Ever Visit to the
Boleyn Ground

Joe Durrell: When I arrived at the ground to sign schoolboy forms in the
summer of 1968, there was nobody there. Eventually, Ernie Gregory turned up
and told me to go and buy 20 fags at the local shop, so the first task I had
as a West Ham boy was to go and buy Ernie Gregory a packet of Batchelors
cigarettes!

My family were regulars at Upton Park and when I think back I remember
going, with Mickey Durrell, to the FA Cup semi v Manchester United as well
as the finals. To then later play with those same guys is simply
unbelievable. As a kid you just can't absorb the full magnitude of that.


On the day of my first team debut v Stoke City (25/9/71), I remember getting
on the train at Mile End to go to the ground about an-hour and-half before
kick-off. I would be sitting there with the fans.

Gordon Banks was in goal for Stoke and I got injured early on. Before taking
the free-kick Bobby Moore came over to me and said: "Try and keep it away
from the big man in green," which was a brilliant thing for me to hear at
the time. It really settled me down and was just the instruction I needed.
I think I did all right. I wasn't fantastic but I was good enough and we won
the game 2-1 (with goals from Clyde Best, Bobby Moore). I didn't have any
chances but I did put in a few crosses.

John Lawrence: One of our neighbours, Ernie, popped round to our house one
Friday evening to ask if I wanted to go to West Ham the following day. I
went as company for his son Terry, who was three years older than me. It was
a goal-less draw v Stoke City (30/10/65) and at the impressionable age of
eight I was amazed by the colours and the noise of the crowd. I remember
very little apart from a truckload of back passes and the fact that I stood
in the cage in the North Bank – the one that overlooked the main grandstand.
The steps were huge and the bit next to the stand had wobbly railings. If
you looked down and through them there was a massive drop. Very scary!

Lee Burch: v Stoke City (21/10/78), 1-1 (Trevor Brooking). I was four and
the crowd was electric as I took my seat in the West Stand upper. I remember
asking my uncle for a song-sheet, because I didn't know all the words to the
songs!

From the chapter titled: Memorable Matches & Moments

Dave Spurgeon: If I am tied down to one choice only, then not for the
happiest of reasons it has to be me being among that throng of fans on the
North Bank when Stoke's Gordon Banks saved Geoff Hurst's penalty in the
dying minutes of extra-time (15/12/71) to deny us a place in the League Cup
final at Wembley. Inside 60 seconds every Hammers fan there that night rode
the emotional rollercoaster of euphoric anticipation through to dismayed
disappointment and disbelief, pretty typical over the decades, one could
say.

There was celebration and noise when the penalty was awarded (Banks dropped
a cross and then brought down Harry Redknapp while trying to retrieve the
ball) akin to an actual goal being scored. As Hurst placed the ball on the
spot the crowd and mood seemed to change in a matter of seconds. Even the
more exuberant and vocal elements on the North Bank steadied themselves in
anxious anticipation. Hurst had scored from the spot against Banks in the
first leg. Could he do it again with the Twin Towers in sight?

Hammers heartbreaker: Gordon Banks diverts Geoff Hurst's penalty over the
bar.
My vivid memory is of looking down the length of the pitch to see Tommy
Taylor and John McDowell crouched down, covering their eyes with their hands
facing the South Bank and not daring to watch. Some prophet of doom from
about three feet behind me on the terrace then shouted: "Give it to Robson,
for f*** sake, Hurstie, we all know where you gonna f****** put, it let
alone Banks!"

Well, Gordon Banks certainly knew and as the ball flew off Hurst's boot at
such power and speed, I could not actually say I could follow it with the
naked eye. My eyes, however, did not see the desired result of the ball
smashing the net, only it's return from orbit via Gordon Banks fists and the
look of disbelief on Geoff's face.

My ears were filled with groans and foul mouthed curses from 10,000 fans
around me. I was probably too numb to shout anything but if that prophet of
doom from behind me had been identified, I may well have had a word in his
ear.

Kevin Courtney: Seeing my boyhood hero Bobby Moore scoring past Gordon Banks
via a deflection in the 2-1 victory v Stoke City (25/9/71). His celebration
was typically muted but after that I proceed to copy him whenever I scored a
goal at school!

Terry Foster: Most unusual memory was v Stoke City (8/4/69). A terrible,
goal-less game enlivened only by a woman spectator running onto the pitch at
the end and decking the ref (T.H.C. Reynolds of Swansea).

Paul Morgan: v Stoke City, (7/10/67), THAT unbelievable 4-3 defeat! Geoff
Hurst (2) and Martin Peters put Hammers 3-0 up in 40 minutes but Stoke
scored four in the last 25 minutes.

This is just a very small sample from a substantial volume containing
150,000-plus words. To pre-order Upton Park Memories for £20 (saving a fiver
on the RRP and with FREE P&P in the UK) visit our EX-Hammers website or
phone Caroline or Susie on 01708 744 333. We expect delivery of the book
this Friday (Dec 11) and all orders will be despatched that day.

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A TIME OF OPPORTUNITY
By Bobby Shovels 8 Dec 2015 at 08:00
WTID

I said we needed a result at Old Trafford and we deservedly got one. Yes,
many of us will replay in our head that Mauro Zarate opportunity a million
times over: his finishes against Arsenal and Chelsea were far more difficult
to execute. But hey, that's football, and a point at Old Trafford –
regardless of all the negative chat around them at the moment – is something
to be fully pleased with.

The matter of my negativity is one that comes up a lot but I want to focus
on something my pessimism fails to fully appreciate in this season: the
unpredictable nature of 2015/2016. I'm sure you've heard a lot about this in
podcasts and papers, but it is truly something to behold. During a work
shift this weekend, I kept casting fleeting glances at the Newcastle v
Liverpool game, convinced of a late victory to the Reds or a stalemate. 2-0
to the Magpies was not something anyone saw coming.

There are numerous reasons given for such a bizarre season. The tiredness of
Chelsea. The dullness of United. The injuries of Arsenal. The inconsistency
of Man City. Yet it's also about the strengths of sides. The consistency of
Leicester City. The silent rise of Stoke. The Palace of Pardew. The rise
again of Everton. And what about the newcomers? Watford's start of a good
run as well as Norwich's growing comfortableness in the top league.

Ahead of the TV revenue windfall, clubs are desperate to stay in the league.
But clubs are also realising the allure of the league more widely and the
ability to get a lot of bang for your buck. The brilliance of Payet and
Shaqiri – and even Mahrez, who was bought for just 400,000 in early 2014 –
shows that you do not even need to spend huge sums to get real quality that
can take you above the mid-table inertia your team has become accustomed
too.

It is in such an environment, that West Ham faces Stoke after a run of five
games without a win – but yes, with two decent draws against Everton and
United. Stoke have just beaten City – West Ham were the first team this
season to triumph against the title favourites. So? My gut says a Hammers
win. Is that a surprise? Well, yes and no. No, because it should be a game
the Hammers can muster some strength and fight for. Yes, because West Ham
have only won two games at home this season.

The key thing though is that West Ham have a string of injuries that
threaten to derail our season. But, as my musings above detail, this is a
year when such a problem may not be too big if we can hold on until the new
year. Stoke, Swansea, Villa and Southampton are our remaining games in 2015.
Now, part of me worries that matches against Swansea and Villa – teams
really under the cosh – are just the kind of battles that the Hammers
usually come out defeated, much to our collective embarrassment. But surely
this is as good a time as any – in a season when others keep slipping – for
us to muster the strength in the depth of our squad, despite the injuries,
to really get a good number of points on the board so that 2016 – perhaps
the biggest year in the Hammers' history since 1986 (or even since 1965)
gets off to a calm and safe start – ready to take on Klopp's Liverpool.
Bring in the New Year, come on you Irons.

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West Ham WON'T spend big in January despite Manuel Lanzini blow adding to
injury crisis
18:39, 8 DEC 2015 UPDATED 19:02, 8 DEC 2015
BY DARREN LEWIS
The playmaker is out for up to six weeks - a month longer than anticipated -
and joins Dimitri Payet, Diafra Sakho and Victor Moses as long-term
absentees
The Mirror

West Ham will refuse to go on a January spending spree even after their
injury crisis hit a new low. The east Londoners have been rocked by
confirmation that playmaker Manuel Lanzini is out for up to six weeks - a
month longer than they had anticipated. Mirror Sport revealed on Monday that
22-year-old Lanzini - whose loan deal from Al-Jazira is set to be made
permanent - had picked up the thigh problem in training ahead of Saturday's
goalless draw at Manchester United.
West Ham had initially expected him to be out for seven to 14 days. Hammers
co-chairman David Gold even tweeted on Monday that he was confident that the
Argentine would be back for Saturday's home game against Stoke.
A scan on Monday, though, confirmed the extended layoff and Lanzini has now
started the rehab that the club hope will see him back for the home game
against Manchester City on January 23. It is understood, however, that the
seventh-placed club feel they still have enough within the squad not to have
to spend their way out of trouble. Andy Carroll will keep his place in the
side while Nikica Jelavic, Mauro Zarate and Michail Antonio, a £7million
summer signing from Nottingham Forest in the summer, will now be handed more
significant roles over the festive period. So far this season Lanzini has
scored four goals and provided one assist in 12 Premier League appearances.
His absence will be a huge blow for boss Slaven Bilic. West Ham are also
expecting to receive confirmation that Victor Moses is out for a similar
length of time with a hamstring injury. The 24-year-old Nigeria forward, on
loan from Chelsea, came off after 37 minutes of the United game at the
weekend.
The loss of both players comes with key men Dimitri Payet and Diafra Sakho
both out for three months. In better news for the Hammers, Enner Valencia
could return this weekend. He was previously expected to be out for another
three weeks.
Meanwhile, chairman David Sullivan has revealed he wants the club to exact
revenge on FA Cup third round opponents Wolves. Reacting to Monday night's
draw, Sullivan said: "One of my first games at the club was Wolves at home
and we were appalling. I'd like revenge for that. It was a Tuesday night, we
were terrible."
Goals from Kevin Doyle, Ronald Zubar and Matt Jarvis clinched victory for
Wanderers that night in March 2010, with Guillermo Franco grabbing the
Irons' consolation.
Sullivan told the Claret and Hugh website: "It's a decent draw, its been
four or five games since we have been drawn at home in the Cup. We are due
four or five home draws. "We will be treating the FA Cup very seriously. We
must give Wolves respect. It's not an easy draw, but it's one we expect to
win."

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Referees amazed by Manchester United star Bastian Schweinsteiger's FA charge
over West Ham incident
17:00, 8 DEC 2015 UPDATED 17:16, 8 DEC 2015
BY JOHN CROSS
The decision has sparked concern about 're-officiating' games despite
whistler Clattenburg missing the German's clash with Winston Reid
The Mirror

Bastian Schweinsteiger is set to appeal after the FA's decision to charge
him caused widespread amazement among the refereeing fraternity. Manchester
United midfielder Schweinsteiger is facing a three-game ban after trial by
television for flooring West Ham defender Winston Reid at Old Trafford on
Saturday. Former officials Steve Dunn, Alan Wiley and Eddie Wolstenholme all
agreed the case should be referred after Mark Clattenburg missed the
incident during the game.
But Mirror Sport understands the FA's decision has caused concern among
whistlers about re-refereeing the game, and whether it was deliberate. One
source said of the Schweinsteiger incident: "You cannot possibly say that he
meant that. It was purely the motion of his arm. It's a very strange case."
Man United are believed to be ready to take legal advice before deciding
whether to appeal and have until Thursday to contest the charge.
Historically, clubs very rarely have any success overturning charges after
'trial by television' and a ban would rule Schweinsteiger out of the
upcoming games with Bournemouth, Norwich and Stoke. West Ham are convinced
the shove merits a suspension. Reid insisted after the match: "It was a red
card. "He knows what he's done – he's elbowed me in the face."

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Striker's injuries need thorough investigation
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 8, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

Yes, the injury issues which surround West Ham United are extraordinary and
very, very worrying – there's too many of them too often. CandH forum
members are calling for investigations into the whys of this although no
probe is required into the Dimi Payet injury. We all know what happened
there. However, the communication breakdown on Manu Lanzini needs some
explaining

Both co-chairman were of the view publicly -David Gold even tweeted it -that
his was a relatively minor problem yet today we are stunned by the news that
its a major quadriceps injury – the same as suffered by Angelo Ogbonna.
Coincidence or what? Enner Valencia will soon be back and has been unlucky
whilst the Victor Moses hamstring was sustained during the game and owes
nothing to the Chadwell Heath training ground conspiracy theory which
regularly does the rounds.

I just believe we are unlucky but there has been one recurring thought which
is starting to concern me more than a bit – Diafra Sakho's injury problems.
Last season he made 26 appearances from a possible 43 with his back the
issue. This season we will be without him for another 13 on top of those
already missed. It could be more if he fails to make it back for March 1,
the generally projected date. This time his problem is a thigh muscle strain
– a similar injury to that affecting his back last season.The full
investigation called for on the FB forum into injures generally may not be
realistic or possible.

But the medics should surely make certain that they look very very closely
at the issues which may surround Sakho – arguably the most important member
of the squad if for a moment we can disregard Payet.

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Hammers repeat: "He's not for sale"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 8, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

West Ham have again made it clear that James Tomkins is going nowhere. With
the Hammers set to be very quiet in the January transfer window, keen
speculation has started surrounding Irons players who may be on their way
out. ClaretandHugh reported a couple of days back that the Hammers have no
intention of selling but such has been the speculation that a reliable club
source has repeated their position. And chief among them since a weekend
report appeared in one of the Sunday papers is that Sam Allardyce wants
Tomkins at around £10 million. That has been rejected again with a source
telling us this morning: "It's nonsense. It won't be happening. James is an
important member of the squad and won't be going anywhere. "Let's be honest
even if we were ready to sell him – which most certainly are not – he's an
Essex boy and the last place I can imagine him going would be Sunderland.
"We understand that reporters have to get stories published but this one
truly is a non starter. We would add that Sunderland have made absolutely no
approaches either."

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Hammers can't recall this loanee for Lanzini
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 8, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

West Ham cannot recall Martin Samuelsen from Peterborough United as an
emergency replacement for Manuel Lanzini. The Hammers were hit with the
shock news of the midfielder's injury which could keep him out of action for
up to six weeks. And the thoughts of some on the social networks immediately
turned to the young Norwegian as a replacement after his stunning start to
life on loan at London Road. But ClaretandHugh was immediately told: "No,
he's not ready and he has to stay at Peterborough for month a month before
he can be recalled anyway." "The Lanzini blow is cruel. No one expected such
news but we showed on Saturday we can cope but we really can't take any more
injuries."

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Sullivan seeking revenge
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 8, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

David Sullivan will be looking for revenge when the Hammers meet Wolves at
the Boleyn in the Third Round of the FA Cup. The chairman is pleased with a
draw which finally sees us getting a home draw in the premier domestic cup
competition. Hammers fans didn't have long to wait beyong the third and
fourth balls to arrive out of the canister to know their 2015-16 opponents.
There was relief that we were at home to a very beatable team and speaking
exclusively to ClaretandHugh this morning the chairman declared himself
content with the match-up But he recalled: "One of my first games at club
was Wolves at home at we were appalling, I'd like revenge for that It was a
Tuesday night, we were TERRIBLE !" The Hammers were beaten 3-1 via goals
from Kevin Doyle, Ronald Zubar and a certain Matt Jarvis with our lone
response coming from Guillermo Franco. Sullivan told us: "It's a decent
draw, its been four or five games since we have been drawn at home in the
Cup. We are due 4-5 HOME DRAWS ! If we can't beat a middle table
Championship side at home we do not deserve to get to round 4. We will be
treating the FA Cup very seriously. We must give Wolves respect. It's not an
easy draw, but its one we expect to win."

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Injured Irons expected return dates
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 8, 2015 in News
C and H

Keeping track of West Ham's walking wounded and their likely return dates is
becoming a time consuming job. And in the absence of an update from the club
we are grateful for the information supplied by www.physioroom.com who keep
a reasonably accurate check on injuries across the Premier League over the
course of the season. Here's how they are reporting the Hammers casualty
situation at the moment.

Victor Moses: Hamstring injury……..no return date
Manu Lanzini: Hip/thigh ………………January 23rd 2016
Diafra Sakho: Thigh muscle strain…March 2016
Enner Valencia: Ankle/foot injury…..December 20th 2015
Dmitri Payet: High Ankle sprain…….February 2016

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Manchester United's Bastian Schweinsteiger to appeal against charge
• Midfielder allegedly elbowed West Ham's Winston Reid
• Referee Mark Clattenburg and assistants missed incident
Daniel Taylor
@DTguardian
Tuesday 8 December 2015 12.08

Bastian Schweinsteiger has told Manchester United he wants to fight a charge
of violent conduct after his clash with Winston Reid during Saturday's
goalless draw against West Ham at Old Trafford. Schweinsteiger is facing a
three-match ban after knocking Reid to the ground with his forearm but the
Germany international does not believe it should warrant a suspension and
has the backing of his club. United have until Thursday to inform the FA
about whether they intend to appeal but their chances of overturning the
decision look slim given that the governing body has already shown the
incident to a panel of three former referees. Their decision unanimously was
that it should have warranted a red card and Schweinsteiger should miss
United's matches against Bournemouth, Norwich City and Stoke City. The
referee, Mark Clattenburg, has told the FA he did not fully see the incident
and West Ham are convinced it deserves a ban. Their manager, Slaven Bilic,
described it as "a moment of madness" and Reid insisted after the match it
was deliberate. "It was a red card," the West Ham defender said. "He knows
what he's done – he's elbowed me in the face. The referee couldn't see it,
so we move on."

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Lanzini adds to the list of Hammers attackers on the sidelines
Date: 8th December 2015 at 2:08 pm
Written by: Matt Bourne | Comments (0)
froeverwestham.com

Another massive injury blow today as West Ham have confirmed that Manuel
Lanzini will be out of action for the hammers for up to 6 weeks following a
scan on his thigh. Lanzini was left out of the draw with Manchester United
at the weekend as a precautionary measure, and was expected to return to the
side for the Stoke match this weekend. However, this new injury setback
means that another one of our most influential attacking players is set for
a spell on the sidelines. The Argentine has been added to a list including
Payet, Sakho and Valencia. We are also still waiting anxiously for the news
from Victor Moses' hamstring scan as the Nigerian could yet be added to the
growing list after his injury picked up on Saturday at Old Trafford.
These players are all potential starters in Bilic's strongest starting
eleven and Sakho, Lanzini and Payet all look destined to miss the busy
Christmas period coming up. So what does this mean for Slaven Bilic's side
in the immediate future? It means that the hammers are gonna need to follow
up the clean sheet at Old Trafford with more of the same. The defence is
gonna be essential over the Christmas period as Carroll and Jelavic don't
look like banging in the goals anytime soon. Zarate has had moments of magic
this season, but has also had his fair share of shockers. Some consistency
is needed from him to fill the creative void left by the likes of Payet and
Lanzini. We might even catch a rare Michail Antonio sighting from the start
of a Premier League game at some point.

Some good news is long overdue on the injury front, so let's hope that
Victor Moses will be ready to return to action sooner rather than later.
There is no need to panic for West Ham fans yet, but another attacker on the
sidelines is not ideal with a busy schedule coming up.

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Tony Cottee backs Slaven Bilic to guide West Ham to the Champions League in
the future
HITC
Jordan Harris

The Hammers have claimed some famous victories already this season. Former
West Ham striker Tony Cottee has backed Slaven Bilic to one day guide the
Hammers into the Champions League, the Daily Star report. "Let's be honest.
West Ham are behind the three main London clubs. Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs
have all had Champions League experience of various forms," he said. "West
Ham are the fourth London club at the moment. As a passionate West Ham fan I
want us to move on to the next level and be competing with them. "But Slaven
Bilic is doing a great job, and if we build slowly I think West Ham can get
to that stage. People will laugh and say West Ham fans are dreaming but you
have to dream in football," he added. The Boleyn Ground outfit currently sit
sixth in the Premier League table, having already beaten Arsenal, Liverpool,
Manchester City and Chelsea this season. And while their performances in
those games would suggest that Cottee's prediction is not as bold as it
initially sounds, defeat against the likes of Bournemouth and Watford have
prevented Bilic's men from staying in touch with the current top four.
However, with tenth-place Stoke City being the highest placed side that the
Hammers will come up against during the busy Christmas period, Bilic's men
will have the opportunity to prove whether they have banished the
complacency which prevented them hitting the heights they hit against some
of the division's biggest sides. Although Cottee's prediction will arguably
come too soon to be fulfilled this season, a string of ruthless performances
in December may well put them back into the mix to spring another surprise
during this bizarre campaign.

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Sam Allardyce eyes £10million January West Ham raid to solve Sunderland's
defensive issues
London 24
06:55 08 December 2015 Brad Pinard

Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce is hoping to snap up James Tomkins from West
Ham in January. The Evening Chronicle claims Big Sam is hoping to lure
Tomkins away from Upton Park but the £10million asking price could be
excessive with loan deals currently the plan for Sunderland. Fellow Hammer
James Collins is also a target of Allardyce who wants to plug his leaky
defence, with only rivals Newcastle and newly promoted Bournemouth conceding
more than them this season. Tomkins has been an unsung hero for Slaven Bilic
this season, playing centrally or at right back with great effect. Having
lead a young West Ham team through the early stages of the Europa League in
pre season, Tomkins has now become regular despite Bilic originally planning
his defence without him. Sunderland are also keen on Leeds United full back
Sam Byram who has turned down a new deal at Elland Road and could be
available for free in the summer or cheap in the January window.

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West Ham transfer news: Hammers plan swoop for Chelsea academy starlet
Brentwood Gazette
By SamBalls | Posted: December 08, 2015

West Ham are keeping tabs on Chelsea's academy starlet Charly Musonda and
could be tempted to make a move for the Belgian wonder kid. Musonda is a
Belgian under-21 international and is regarded as one of his nation's
brightest talents, yet finds his path to first team football blocked at
Stamford Bridge. The Hammers are keen on an 18 month loan deal to let the
youngster, 19, show what he can do, but face competition from Marseille.
Musonda has won both the FA Youth Cup and the UEFA Youth League with Chelsea
over the past two seasons, but needs to play first team football to continue
his progression. Chelsea have Musonda tied down to a contract until 2019,
and Mourinho has already resisted advances from Manchester City, Arsenal and
Manchester United for his player's signature.

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West Ham confirm the situation regarding Martin Samuelsen
HITC
Vincent Ralph

The young Norwegian is currently on loan at Peterborough United from West
Ham United. West Ham United's official Twitter account has clarified the
situation regarding midfielder Martin Samuelsen. The 18-year-old midfielder
is currently on loan at League One side Peterborough United but he made a
somewhat surprising appearance for the Hammers' under-21 side when they took
on their West Bromwich Albion counterparts on Monday evening. Recent
suggestions were that West Ham had given Samuelsen permission to play in
Peterborough's FA Cup second round match against Luton Town, but after the
Norwegian teenager was not included in the match-day squad on that occasion
some Posh fans wondered what was going on. Now West Ham have clarified the
situation on social media, explaining that they did not give permission for
Samuelsen to become cup-tied, and that Peterborough have allowed the
attacking midfielder to feature for the Hammers' under-21s this week.
Samuelsen enjoyed an outstanding debut for Posh against Scunthorpe United
and it will be interesting to see how he develops in the coming months.

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