Daily WHUFC News - 12th January 2016

Preview - AFC Bournemouth
WHUFC.com

The background

There's no time for rest for West Ham United as they make a swift return to
action on Tuesday evening with a trip to the South Coast to face AFC
Bournemouth.

The Barclays Premier League debutants secured their first-ever top flight
win when they triumphed 4-3 at the Boleyn Ground in August and have
continued to make a good fist at life at the highest level.

The Cherries have lost only once in their last seven Premier League outings
– and that was to league leaders Arsenal – to sit four points above the
relegation zone.

With five wins and six draws from their 20 games, they currently have 21
points and are within sight of mid-table.

Eddie Howe's side have also made progress in the Emirates FA Cup, coming
from behind to win 2-1 at Championship side Birmingham City on Saturday.

West Ham are also in fine form, protecting a run of eight games without
defeat. They have won their last three – against Southampton and Liverpool
in the league and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup.
The history

Historic meetings between the Hammers and Bournemouth are few and far
between. In fact, this is just the second season that the two clubs have
been together in the same league.

Prior to this season, the only other league meetings came in the 1989/90
season, when a 1-1 draw at Dean Court was followed by a 4-1 win for the
Hammers in east London.

August's game was Bournemouth's only-ever win against the Hammers, with
three West Ham triumphs in six meetings over all competitions.
The match

Team news

West Ham United

Having made seven changes to his team for Saturday's FA Cup tie, the likes
of Adrian, James Tomkins and Andy Carroll should all return to the starting
XI on Tuesday.

Dimitri Payet continued his comeback from injury with an appearance from the
bench against Wolves, but Manuel Lanzini faces a spell out after suffering a
repeat of the injury to his thigh.

Cheikhou Kouyate and Enner Valencia both missed Saturday's game, but the
manager expects at least one of them to be ready for Tuesday.

Victor Moses and Diafra Sakho remain sidelined, although a return to
training for the former is imminent.
Bournemouth

The Cherries could hand a debut to club record signing Benik Afobe, who
signed for a reported £10m from Wolverhampton Wanderers over the weekend.

Fellow new arrival Juan Iturbe could also be involved, if his paperwork is
completed in time.
Match info

Tuesday's match referee is Martin Atkinson. The Yorkshire official has taken
charge of 26 matches this season, dishing out 99 yellow cards but no reds.
He has refereed two Hammers games in 2015/16, the season opening 2-0 win
over Arsenal and the 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion. The assistant
referees are Peter Kirkup and Stephen Child, while the fourth official is
Kevin Friend.
West Ham are unbeaten in their last seven league matches (W2, D5), one shy
of equalling their Premier League club record.
The Hammers have conceded just two goals in their last six Premier League
matches, keeping four clean sheets.
Andy Carroll has scored in his last two league games - he's never scored in
three successive Premier League matches.
Bournemouth have only lost one of their last eight league games (W3, D4).
They have not scored in their last three league games.
Midfielder Andrew Surman has completed a Premier League-high 1107 passes
this season.
Ticketing, travel, coverage and other info

Tickets for Tuesday's game have SOLD OUT.
The final train back to London following the final whistle departs
Bournemouth at 2212, but does not get back to London Waterloo until 0112.
Click here for the latest news on National Rail services.
Supporters travelling by road should note that their journey is likely to be
delayed by roadworks on the A338 on the approach to Bournemouth. A 40mph
contraflow will be in operation and more details can be found here.
A chilly, clear evening is expected on the South Coast on Tuesday, with a
temperature of 5C (41F) at kick-off.
If you're not heading to the Vitality Stadium, make sure you are following
the game on our digital channels. We have live audio commentary, text
updates, in-running stats and pictures on the whufc.com Match Centre, and
you can also get involved in the conversation on social using the hashtag
#BOUWHU

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From the Boardroom - David Sullivan
WHUFC.com

I am relieved that we are in the hat for the FA Cup Fourth Round and it was
a tough game against Wolves on Saturday. We were very much on top, but we
could not create enough goalscoring opportunities. A replay was something we
did not want and it looked like one of those 0-0 games. Wolves had not
conceded for three games and they got ten men behind the ball and worked
very hard. It wasn't a great game to watch. However, the plan was always to
send on Payet and Carroll if we needed a goal. Thankfully the plan worked
and Nikica Jelavic scored the all important winner with just six minutes
left on the clock. I'm please for Jelavic as he deserved a goal and both the
pass from Andy Carroll and his finish were top draw. I would like to thank
the fans for filling the stadium and selling it out a few weeks early. Other
than a few hospitality places we were at capacity and that shows the great
support we have at this football club. We are now eagerly anticipating the
draw for the next round and I would love to get Peterborough, Oxford,
Colchester, Yeovil/Carlisle or something similar at the Boleyn Ground in the
next round as we really want to go as far as we can in the FA Cup this year.
The games are coming thick and fast and we now quickly turn our attentions
back to the Premier League when we face Bournemouth on Tuesday night.
Bournemouth rested their entire team in preparation for the game, so its
going to be a tough game, but hopefully we can keep out undefeated eight
game run going. It was very pleasing to see the team keep another clean
sheet on Saturday – that is now five in our last seven games and the whole
defence should be given credit for the impressive job they have done in
recent weeks. With Winston Reid making a return to first-team action on
Saturday, we now have even more competition for places which can only be a
good thing for Slaven as we prepare for a busy week heading to both
Bournemouth and Newcastle. Any away points are good so two would be an
achievement but I don't see any reason why we couldn't get four from those
two games. If we're going to keep looking up the table that's what we must
aim for. These are very exciting times.

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Liverpool or Exeter away in Round Four
WHUFC.com

West Ham United have been drawn to face Exeter City or Liverpool in the
Emirates FA Cup fourth round.

Slaven Bilic's men will travel to Merseyside or Devon over the weekend of
29-31 January as they aim to take a step closer to Wembley.

The Hammers booked their place in round four by defeating Wolverhampton
Wanderers 1-0 on Saturday thanks to a late goal from Nikica Jelavic, his
first for the Club.

Exeter and Liverpool, meanwhile, drew 2-2 in the first running of their tie
on Friday night. They will replay on Wednesday 20 January for the right to
face the Hammers.

The Hammers have faced Liverpool in five FA Cup ties in the past, but have
never taken on Exeter in this competition before.

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Ginge praises Bilic impact
WHUFc.com

Ginge is clearly enjoying his football

Ahead of the Hammers trip to the south coast to face Bournemouth on Tuesday
12 January, in-form centre-back James Collins praised manager Slaven Bilic
for getting the best out of him. The Welsh international admitted it was
Bilic, a former centre-back himself during his playing career, who used a
combination of tough love and honesty to extract the best from the
experienced defender. Praising the manager, Collins said: "I feel great,
during pre-season, turning 32 was playing on mind a little bit. But now, I
think I'm fitter now then I've ever been. "The gaffer has been brilliant
with me. If ever I need a day off from training he's very understanding, so
overall, I'm feeling brilliant. "Credit to the gaffer, because at the start
of the season he was deadly honest with me. It looked like I may have had to
leave to find regular football. He pulled me in and said, 'Yes you are
fourth choice, this is the situation, but it can change, it's up to you'.
"Since then I've worked hard in training every day, I come in with a smile
on my face and when the chances have come, thankfully, I've taken them."

Proof of Collins' fitness and form, if it were needed, is the fact that
'Ginge' has started all of the last six games over a gruelling Christmas
schedule. Not only that, but he has excelled in each and every game; in
that time the Hammers are unbeaten as well as keeping four clean sheets.
Looking ahead to Tuesday's encounter with the Cherries, Collins continued:
"It's another tough game. They came here early in the season and beat us
4-3, they struggled a little bit after that but they're back on track now.
They're quite a force at home so it's going to be difficult. "But saying
that, the quality of this squad is the best I've been involved with. We've
got games coming up that, no disrespect to anyone, but with the squad we've
got we know we can win. The injured players are coming back so it's an
exciting time. "We're approaching a very important part of the season, we've
come through the Christmas period well but it's important we maintain our
focus, it's a chance to pick up a lot of points in a short space of time."

Further good news for Collins, who has the European Championships to look
forward to in France this summer, was the two-year contract extension he
signed recently, extending his time in east London. The 32-year-old
beamed: "It's unbelievable to be able to sign another contract. This club
has been very good to me and very good for me. I met my wife, I've now got
three young kids, we're very happy here. Both our families are very settled.
I've trained hard, and will continue to do that. "I want to thank the
chairman and the manager, they've both been great with me and, of course the
fans, who have always been behind me and make this club what it is really."


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Bournemouth v West Ham
KO 19:45
11 January 2016
Last updated at 12:29

Barclays Premier League
Venue: Vitality Stadium Date: Tuesday, 12 January

TEAM NEWS

Bournemouth are attempting to rush through new signing Juan Iturbe's
paperwork in time to face West Ham. Fellow new signing Benik Afobe could be
involved against the Hammers.
West Ham midfielder Manuel Lanzini faces up to six weeks on the sidelines
after suffering a recurrence of a thigh injury. Nikica Jelavic scored the
winner in West Ham's win over Wolves on Saturday and could lead the Hammers
line again.

MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES

Alistair Bruce-Ball: "Bournemouth have boldly spent big on Benik Afobe,
hoping his goals will keep them in the league, in turn earning them far more
than they've splashed out. Speculate to accumulate... "Afobe couldn't be
arriving at a better time with the team having failed to score in their last
three league games.
"West Ham have coped brilliantly with a long injury list recently, keeping
it rock solid at the back while Andy Carroll and Michail Antonio have taken
their chance to show what they can do. Five of their next six games are
against teams in the bottom half so there is a good chance to push on from
here."
Twitter: @alibruceball

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head
Bournemouth have only won one of their six all-time meetings (D2, L3).
That victory came in the corresponding fixture - a 4-3 Premier League win at
West Ham in August.
Both of the previous meetings at Bournemouth have ended 1-1.

Bournemouth
Bournemouth have only lost one of their last eight league games (W3, D4).
They have not scored in their last three league games.
Midfielder Andrew Surman has completed a Premier League-high 1107 passes
this season.

West Ham
West Ham are unbeaten in their last seven league matches (W2, D5), one shy
of equalling their Premier League club record.
They are without a win in their last five league away games (D3, L2),
scoring just two goals in that run.
Their last away victory came at Crystal Palace on 17 October.
The Hammers have conceded just two goals in their last six Premier League
matches, keeping four clean sheets.
Andy Carroll has scored in his last two league games - he's never scored in
three successive Premier League matches.

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Monday musings: Up for the Cup
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 11th January 2016
By: Graeme Howlett

It may not have been the most memorable game ever to feature at the Boleyn
Ground, but West Ham are in the hat for the fourth round of the FA Cup after
successfully navigating a potential banana skin against Championship side
Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Nikica Jelavic's first goal since moving to east London back in September
was good enough to send Slaven Bilic's team through to the next stage of the
competition, although a packed Boleyn Ground had to wait until five minutes
from the end of normal time to celebrate the game's only goal.

Until that point the 30-year-old striker, signed by West Ham on transfer
deadline day last September had been largely anonymous - although that could
equally apply to most, if not all of his teammates too. However he was in
the right place at the right time to convert Andy Carroll's delivery and
send Wolves tumbling out of the Cup.

Although he made a number of changes to his starting XI, Slaven Bilic
insisted prior to the game that the competition remains a priority. "Win a
Cup and I could hold it up!", he told the media when asked if he'd prefer to
win a trophy or qualify for the Champions League. And that was music to the
ears of Hammers fans who have been starved of success having witnessed West
Ham fail to lift a proper trophy for 35 years (1999's Intertoto Cup success
notwithstanding).

For a team with a notable FA Cup pedigree, West Ham's form in recent seasons
has been atrocious. The Hammers have progressed beyond the fifth round of
the competition just once since appearing in the 2005/06 Final a decade ago
- whilst having failed to get past the initial (third round) stage three
times in the last four years under Sam Allardyce, whose utter contempt for
the Cups was no secret.

Of course Lady Luck has a major role to play in any successful Cup run. Draw
the likes of Colchester or Peterborough at home in the next round and you
stand a good chance of progressing further; get a trip to The Emirates or
the City of Manchester Stadium and your chances are greatly reduced, even if
West Ham have won at both already this season!

Following Monday's evening's Cup draw (which takes place live on BBC1), it's
off to Bournemouth where West Ham will be attempting to make a better fist
of things than the last occasion upon which the two teams met. Back in
August, the Cherries secured a surprise 4-3 win at the Boleyn Ground in what
was only Bilic's third Premier League game.

Since that disappointment, West Ham have only been beaten twice in the
league (by Watford and Tottenham) - a run of 17 games and a very impressive
statistic to take into the second half of the campaign.

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Ch-ch-changes
KUMb.com
Filed: Monday, 11th January 2016
By: Staff Writer

Bournemouth go into tomorrow night's Premier League clash with West Ham
fully refreshed and raring to go - having played a 'B'-team against
Birmingham City in the FA Cup on Saturday.

Making no secret of where his immediate priorities lie, manager Eddie Howe
featured no less than TEN players who featured for Bournemouth's Under 21s
five days previously in the Cherries' 2-1 third round win at St Andrews.

Yet he insisted that his selection process did not "devalue" the
competition. "We're desperate to progress and we're desperate to win," he
said. "We have rotated squads in previous years and our record has been
good.

"The philosophy won't change and we'll look at giving some game time to
others, as we have to manage the squad well at this period of the year."

In addition to having rested his entire first XI at Birmingham, Howe also
welcomes new £10million signing Benik Afobe to his squad. The former Arsenal
youngster, signed from Wolves at the weekend would have featured against
West Ham on Saturday had his impending move to Dean Court not been on the
cards.

West Ham's 1-0 win over the Championship club was a game in which Slaven
Bilic was forced to utilise the likes of Andy Carroll and Dimitri Payet who,
like tomorrow night's opponents, would have been rested had the Hammers not
required a late goal to see off the challenge of the Wanderers.

However the manager praised those who came into the team and grabbed their
opportunity - such as match-winner Jelavic. "All the coaches and players are
extremely happy for Jela," he said.

"He is really respected and adored at the club because his work rate during
every training session and his professionalism on and off the pitch is
outstanding. His relationship with all the players is great."


Looking Ahead: Match Facts

* West Ham have lost just twice in the Premier League since losing 4-3 at
home to Bournemouth last August.

* Bournemouth's hat-trick hero from the previous meeting, Callum Wilson, is
unavailable due to injury.

* The last win on the road for West Ham came in the 3-1 win at Crystal
Palace in mid-October - since when Bilic's side have drawn three (at Man
Utd, Swansea and Aston Villa) and lost two (Watford, Tottenham).

* The hosts go into the game unbeaten at home since the beginning of
November, having beaten Man Utd and drawn with Everton and Crystal Palace
since.

* West Ham currently boast one of the meanest defensive records in the
league, having conceded just three goals in their last eight Premeir League
matches.

* Former Hammer Junior Stanislas is enjoying his most productive season yet,
having scored five times in 12 starts for the Cherries so far this season.

* West Ham have produced more defensive blocks than any other Premier League
side so far this season - 102 altogether.

* New signing Benik Afobe - who was born in Leyton, just a few miles from
Upton Park - has averaged a goal every two games this year, having scored 22
goals for Wolves since moving to Molineux in January 2015.

* Dimitri Payet is rated as the Premier League's seventh best player this
season so far by whoscored.com (average match rating of 7.59).

* Bournemouth go into the game fourth in the current form table (based on
the last six Premier League fixtures); West Ham are close behind in seventh.

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Vic hoping to kick
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 11th January 2016
By: Staff Writer

Victor Moses could be involved in Tuesday night's trip to Bournemouth after
returning to full training with the first team squad. The on-loan winger
enjoyed a reasonably productive opening half of the campaign but has been
out of action since the goalless draw at Old Trafford against Manchester
United on 8th December, during which he picked up a hamstring injury.
However Slaven Bilic confirmed this afternoon that Moses was back in
contention for a spot in the 18-man match day squad. "Victor is training
today with us," he said. "He has been out since Man Utd, and we'll see how
he's progressing."
And with regard to the squad's general injury status, Bilic confirmed that
there were no fresh concerns following Saturday's win over Wolves. "All the
guys who played on Saturday are fit," he confirmed. "We have a couple of
doubts for tomorrow's game but we will know more after training today.
[Enner] Valencia could be back. [Dimitri] Payet has come back and is fit. He
is looking good and sharp when he's come on. I think 99 per cent he will
start tomorrow." We'll have more for you from Bilic's pre-match press
conference shortly.

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ExWHUEmployee Column: Jelavic set to leave! Zarate could follow. Zaza in?
January 10, 2016
westhamway.co.uk
ExWHUEmployee

So the Wolves game wasn't the greatest spectacle but we got the job done.
It was a solid performance and they didn't really bother us at all but again
this could be the strength of our defence. I thought Collins and this time
Reid were extremely good and dealt with any threat that they offered.
Another player who stood out for me was Obiang especially in the second
half. He really controlled the play and does his job quietly but
effectively.

Ok on to transfers as I know this is what you are most interested in. You
will read these stories in the papers and other sites within the next day so
please remember where they originated from as this is often forgotten. We
have to sell to buy. This is the theme that I have maintained throughout my
columns particularly because our wages are so high and at the limit. This
however is much more likely to happen now.

The person most likely to leave in January, and this will shock a few, is
Jelavic. He has received a big money offer from abroad and they have
offered him huge wages compared to what he is on now. This is obviously a
massive temptation for him and we do not want to stand in his way we just
want a bit more cash for his signature as we paid money to Hull. Jelavic
has played for two clubs this season (us and Hull) so it cannot be a team
whose season is running in line with ours. I cannot say the club and
league but it is one that offers big contracts. If this is the case it frees
up a lot of cash and a forward position. This is where we go for another
forward on loan with Zaza likely to be the number one option. There are
other targets on the list as well including a couple of forwards who we went
for last summer (these are not hard to work out).

The £20m forward that the insider also spoke of in his column plays abroad
too so he is unproven in England however he is a top talent and has scored
regularly in his current league which is of a good standard, he is highly
rated and has a great goalscoring record. We also have strong links to his
agent and the deal could happen despite the competition. I cannot reveal
who it is because it is far from being concluded yet despite him being
watched many times. We have some brilliant players on the target list and
it is so exciting. I have covered Byram and Tore in previous columns and
they are just two of many potential signings.

Another player who could leave is Zarate. We have had some distant interest
in him and the club would entertain a decent offer. His most likely
destination is Spain and if a club was to pay around £3-£5m we would accept
but we are not desperately looking to sell.

Yet another player who we had considered moving on and again this may shock
you is Alex Song. He hasn't been himself since he has returned and for me
this was shown in the Wolves game. He is now behind Lanzini, Kouyaye, Noble
and Obiang in the order and with Oxford coming through too his importance is
not seen as great as it once was. It is now unlikely he will be signed in
the summer but this could all change, the interest in him seems to have died
down though so he probably will not move in the January window.

We have also been watching a Derby County youngster who is extremely highly
rated and would be part of the academy for a few years first! It is great to
see Slaven valuing youth so much and seeing Samuelsen doing so well at
Peterborough. We are open to any youth player moving on loan and we expect
that there will be a few that go in January for vital experience.

The forum is the next project and we have two brilliant admins on board to
get that up and running. If you think you can bring something to the site
then please get in touch. If I don't reply it really isn't personal it is
just there is quite a large volume at the moment. Thanks for the support so
far and all feedback is appreciated.

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Bournemouth v West Ham preview: Benik Afobe set for Cherries debut
By Oliver Yew
Last Updated: 11/01/16 5:23pm
SSN

Bournemouth's record signing Benik Afobe could make his debut against West
Ham in the Premier League on Tuesday night. Afobe signed from Wolves for an
undisclosed fee and is the second signing of the January transfer window for
the Cherries after Juan Iturbe joined on loan from Roma. With or without
Afobe, Eddie Howe's side will be confident entering the match after just one
defeat in their last eight league games. But West Ham are unbeaten in their
last eight in all competitions and are currently just four points off a
Champions League spot.
Andy Carroll has scored in each of West Ham's last two Premier League
matches and will be looking to add to his tally despite rumours surrounding
his long-term future at the club.

Team news

Howe will be hoping Iturbe will be able to feature as he awaits confirmation
from the Premier League before he is eligible, but Tokelo Rantie (knock),
Josh King (muscle injury), Callum Wilson, Tommy Elphick and Max Gradel (all
knee injuries) all remain out of contention.

West Ham boss Slaven Bilic will check on Enner Valencia and Cheikhou Kouyate
ahead of the trip to Bournemouth. Winger Valencia and midfielder Kouyate
missed Saturday's FA Cup win over Wolves to rest minor knocks and will be
assessed ahead of kick-off. Victor Moses is back in training after a
hamstring injury but will not be involved while Manuel Lanzini and Diafra
Sakho (both thigh) are still out.

Opta stats

Bournemouth's 4-3 win over West Ham in August is their only competitive
victory in six attempts versus the Hammers (D2 L3).

Injured Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson scored three goals in their win
over West Ham in August - no other player has surpassed three goals for the
club in the season overall to date.

Dimitri Payet has created 49 goalscoring chances in the Premier League this
season and despite missing seven games through injury that is still 23 more
than any other West Ham player in 2015-16.

Andy Carroll has scored in his last two Premier League appearances for West
Ham - he's never scored in three successive appearances in the competition.

51 per cent of Andy Carroll's Premier League goals have been headers - only
two strikers to have scored 20+ goals in the competition have scored a
higher proportion with their heads (Kenwyne Jones, 55 per cent and Duncan
Ferguson, 53 per cent).

Cherries' midfielder Andrew Surman has completed the most passes in the
Premier League this season (1107).

Betting

Sky Bet make Bournemouth the 21/20 favourites with West Ham 13/5 and the
draw 12/5. The Cherries won a seven-goal thriller when the sides met at
Upton Park and can be backed at 100/30 to win with both teams scoring.

Bournemouth's new signing Benik Afobe could make his debut and the former
Wolves striker is the pick of Charlie Nicholas and Matt Le Tissier to net
the opening goal at 5/1.

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West Ham boss Slaven Bilic aware of threat posed by Benik Afobe
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 11/01/16 4:51pm
SSN

West Ham manager Slaven Bilic feels he does not need to do any research on
Bournemouth new boy Benik Afobe as he was expecting to face him in the FA
Cup on Saturday. Striker Afobe was due to be in the Wolves squad which
travelled to Upton Park at the weekend, only to be withdrawn ahead of his
move to Bournemouth for a fee in the region of £10m. Afobe began his career
at Arsenal before enjoying a prolific spell at Molineux and he could now
make his debut for the Cherries against Bilic's side in the Premier League
clash on Tuesday night.
"We were expecting him to play on Saturday so I have already watched him in
a few games, He's a very good player," Bilic said ahead of the game at the
Vitality Stadium. "They have also signed Juan Iturbe from Roma who is a
great winger. Bournemouth are thinking big, so well done to them. "They had
a lot of injuries and have done well to maintain good results without those
players, but they have probably been waiting for this transfer window."

Bournemouth ran out 4-3 winners at Upton Park in August, so Bilic knows what
to expect from Eddie Howe's men in the reverse fixture on the south coast.
They are a good side, they have been together a long time with the same
manager, and now they have added a couple of players who they needed," added
Bilic. "They are playing good football and the biggest thing is they don't
have negative pressure. They got promoted, and although it's important to
stay up, they are enjoying it. "You can see in the games every player is
positive, they are not afraid of the ball. They enjoy playing football.
"They are well organised, they are hard to beat, they run a lot and they did
it here when they beat us 4-3, so we are very aware of what to expect when
we play them."

As for players who might come to West Ham during the January transfer
window, Bilic was quick to refute the suggestion they are in the running to
sign QPR striker Charlie Austin. "Charlie Austin? That hasn't come from the
club," he said. "He's a good player, of course, but he was linked with most
of the clubs when they [QPR] got relegated. "We were among those clubs in
the summer but we chose other options, and now we are not looking for that
sort of player."

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West Ham boss Slaven Bilic confirms Hammers are NOT interested in signing
QPR striker Charlie Austin
20:40, 11 JAN 2016 UPDATED 21:01, 11 JAN 2016
BY ADRIAN KAJUMBA
The Hammers were among the clubs keeping tabs on the QPR striker, who scored
18 Premier League goals last season, in the summer
The Mirror

Slaven Bilic has confirmed West Ham are no longer interested in Charlie
Austin. The Hammers were among the clubs keeping tabs on the QPR striker,
who scored 18 Premier League goals last season, in the summer. QPR slapped a
£15m price tag on Austin, 26, which scared off a number of clubs. He is
available for half of that fee now with just six months to go on his Rangers
contract, which is set to run out at the end of the current campaign. But
with the likes of Dimitri Payet, Manuel Lanzini, Michail Antonio, Nikica
Jelavic and Victor Moses arriving to bolster the Hammers' attack in the
summer Bilic is satisfied with his options. He said: "He (Austin) is linked
with most of the clubs when QPR got relegated. "We were among those clubs in
the summer but we have chosen other options. We're not looking at that
option."

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Ferdinand brothers to be reunited at Boleyn
Posted by Sean Whetstone on January 11, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

The Ferdinand brothers will be reunited on the Boleyn Ground football pitch
one last time on 28th March. Anton Ferdinand has been the latest former
Hammer to confirm he has accepted an invitation from Mark Noble to be part
of his testimonial. He will join his brother Rio who was one of the first to
accept a place in the West Ham All Stars XI.

Anton tweeted out "Honoured that I've been asked to play in @Noble16Mark
testimonial what a player and a guy #MN16 can't wait to step out at Upton
Park again!!"

Danny Gabbidon has also confirmed his attendance on the 28th March posting
out "Honoured to have been asked to play in @Noble16Mark testimonial on
March 28th Worthy recognition for one of the best I've played with #MN16?

Anton and Danny join Joe Cole joins Jack Collison, Dean Ashton, Gary O'Neil,
Jimmy Walker, Ravel Morrison, Carlton Cole, Rio Ferdinand and Trevor
Sinclair who have all announced they will be taking part in Nobes' special
Easter day match. Paolo Di Canio is also thought to have been approached by
Noble and has accepted while Carlos Tevez and Gianfranco Zola have been
approached but have yet to confirm their availability.

On Friday a new twitter account called MN16 Testimonial ?@16MNOBLE on
twitter "We are hoping to get tickets on sale next week, we will keep you up
to date"

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Leroy answers the big question
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on January 11, 2016 in News, Whispers
Leroy Rosenior
C and H

It may not have been a great spectacle against Wolves but the Hammers showed
they are finding news ways to win and that's great. I knew the midlanders
would come and park the bus – that's what Kenny Jackett is about but in the
end we showed our quality and it was great just to get the job done. I've
said consistently that Jelavic isn't my kind of player and apart from the
goal he had little to offer but let's just be grateful for that winner. We
are now on a great undefeated run with another big game tomorrow evening.
I'll be bringing my preview of the match on the site tomorrow but in the
meantime let me answer the ongoing question. Wherever I go people are asking
me where I genuinely believe we will finish and for me it's simple. With
teams like Liverpool and Chelsea still struggling I reckon there is a
fantastic top six opportunity. I don't think we can look for more than that
but if it happens it would be entirely incredible although top six under a
new manager would be quite magnificent. I actually did something today which
I have never done in y life before – compared West Ham's squad with
Liverpool's – and there is no question that ours is better. To be perfectly
frank I can't believe how far we have come in the last year. We have a great
board, a very very good manager who is perfect for us, a great squad and
amazing fans. The feelgood factor is something else. We look good in all
areas.

COYI

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Irons talk on striker rumours
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on January 11, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

Mauro Zarate still reportedly interests Spanish outfit Malaga although as
yet West Ham have had no contact from the club. The striker has apparently
been on the La Liga club's radar for some weeks but sources inside Upton
Park have told ClaretandHugh that whilst they are aware of the rumours there
has been no developments at all at this stage. Our top source told us:
"There is nothing from anywhere at the moment although we are of course
aware of the rumours." There has also been a suggestion from ClaretandHugh
columnist @ExWHUemployee at his site www.westhamway.co.uk that Nikica
Jelavic may be on his way to an unnamed foreign club. Our source told us
this morning that the possibility existed but that the chance of it
happening stood at about 25 per cent. The Hammers would be ready to allow
the player to move on should he receive a realistic offer but at this stage
there is no outcome.

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Sullivan enjoys "exciting times"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on January 11, 2016 in News
C and H

Chairman David Sullivan knows tomorrow night against Bounemouth will be very
tough pointing out the Cherries rested their entire team on Saturday in
preparation for the game. DS declared to www.whufc.com: The games are coming
thick and fast and we now quickly turn our attentions back to the Premier
League . Bournemouth rested their entire team in preparation for the game,
so its going to be a tough game, but hopefully we can keep out undefeated
eight game run going." And he added: "It was very pleasing to see the team
keep another clean sheet on Saturday – that is now five in our last seven
games and the whole defence should be given credit for the impressive job
they have done in recent weeks. With Winston Reid making a return to
first-team action on Saturday, we now have even more competition for places
which can only be a good thing for Slaven as we prepare for a busy week
heading to both Bournemouth and Newcastle. Any away points are good so two
would be an achievement but I don't see any reason why we couldn't get four
from those two games. If we're going to keep looking up the table that's
what we must aim for. These are very exciting times."

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Doubts growing over Irons midfielder
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on January 11, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

Alex Song's chances of joining the Irons on a permanent deal are receding.
With the Hammers so strong in the midfield area, Song's lack of form and
apparent fitness is counting strongly against him with each successive
match. The Hammers were very keen to give the player every chance of
claiming a long term deal at the end of the season by signing him to a loan
deal whilst still injured but he has so far been unable to find any real
form. It's come as a massive disappointment to club insiders one of who told
ClaretandHugh exclusively: "It's not happening at the moment for him but
he's a class player at his best "There is time for him to show us that he
can get back to the form of which we know he is capable. There are 18 games
left plus FA Cup ties. There's time but it needs to start happening soon."

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THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING PATIENT AND TRUSTING - JELAVIC THE NEW MAIGA ?
By HamburgHammer 11 Jan 2016 at 08:00
WTID

Just to get this out early: I was one of the many overseas armchair fans who
was denied any glimpses of our cup game against Wolves. I couldn't have
watched the game anyway as I was out bowling (don't ask how I got on!) by
way of a birthday do organised by and staged on behalf om my sister in law.

I was hoping to catch some highlights later on, but for one reason or
another it wasn't to be. So I mainly have to rely on comments from fans who
were at the game, posted on WHTID or other blogs. By all accounts the game
was pretty dire and headed for a replay, but our Croatian backup striker
Jelavic apparently had other ideas, finishing off the tie with a clinical
strike after good service from striker mate Carroll.

Blind Hammer has already jumped to the defence of Jelavic in his marvellous
article yesterday. I'd like to revisit the issue with a specific conclusion
in mind. Jelavic is a prime example where people seem to make up their minds
incredibly swiftly. Maybe they've seen him play badly in a game or two.
Maybe they have an inherent dislike from incidents with the player, probably
when he was scoring against the Hammers for a previous club.

Whatever the reason, once a player ends up in the drawer marked "minging",
"pony" or "useless" it's awfully hard for that player to defy the label of
his drawer and win the critical fans over.

Something similar happened with Antonio with people expressing their doubts
over the money spent on the player and if he would ever be able to
contribute and make the step up to Premier League level eventually. A few
MOTM performances later Antonio is very much an accepted option for the
starting eleven and someone fans can get genuinely excited about. Anyone
remember Modibo Maiga (not to be confused with Mr.Miyagi from the Karate
Kid) ?

I had made it a habit to defend the player whenever possible when other fans
started mocking him. I was always of the opinion (and still am to this day)
that Maiga rarely was being played in his prefered position, that it was
difficult for him to develop any sort of team chemistry with his teammates
or build up a minimum degree of confidence.
Him leaving in the end was probably the best for both player and club, but
the point is: Sometimes circumstances make it hard for players to flourish.

Some need more time to adjust than others. Some hit the ground running,
others require a bit of patience, a vital goal, a decent assist, one stellar
performance to kickstart his career at a club. I'm not saying it'll always
happen for every single player in every situation. But I'd like to plead for
a bit of patience before discarding a player as a useless waste of a
player's registration. Let's make no mistake: Jelavic was brought to West
Ham after paying a very modest transfer fee and as nothing more than a
stop-gap and an insurance policy for the expected injury breakdown of Andy
Carroll (funnily enough Carroll looks pretty fit these days, with Sakho
taking over as our current striker who is the injury-troubled player for us
this season.

Jelavic is a back up, but what he offers is something different than what
our other strikers can provide. Jelavic will never be a thread with his
heading ability or be a physical presence like Carroll. He will not chase
and hunt down defenders like Valencia or Sakho. He will not direct a
freekick in the top corner with pinpoint precision like Zarate.

But when you watch the kind of goals Jelavic scored for Everton the none of
them was goal of the month material. He never ran past four or five players,
throwing dummies left, right and center, before nutmegging the goalie. But
he was a presence in the box, in the right space at the right time,
converting the chances provided by his teammates.

Most of Jelavic's goals looked inevitable, finishing off attacking moves by
his team. His goals were not spectacular, but he was there to put the ball
over the line, they all count as they say in football. I'd like to think
that Jelavic could do the same with our midfielders putting the ball near
Jelavic into the opposition's box.

All this may of course be academic as soon as Sakho returns into the mix. At
that point Jelavic may again be nothing more than a back up, maybe get some
minutes in cup games.

Is Jelavic the kind of striker good enough for the beginning of our era in
the Olympic Stadium ? Probably not. But I've seen a multitude of pretty
average or downright awful strikers at West Ham. Some were very underskilled
(Iain Dowie), others were highly skilled, but had a questionable attitude
(Florin Raducioiu anyone ?). In that respect I am glad that our fourth or
fifth striker is a player of Jelavic's quality. As it means that our other
strikers are much better.

As a final reminder of how premature and impatient we all can be let's think
of Darren Randolph for a bit. After one (!!!) below par performance in the
Europa League qualification stages people were hitting the panic button,
there was even a rumour of bringing back Robert Green to the club as
Randolph apparently would never cut it as a back up in the Premier League.

Fast forward a few months and Randolph has impressed whenever he has been
called into our team for league games and he's also firmly established
himself as Irelands Number Two. Let's not give up on players too early. What
may look like a minging excuse of a professional athlete may just be a
player needing slightly longer to find his feet or his perfect position on
the pitch. COYI!

PS. Latest rumours from the usually reliable ExWHUemployee seem to suggest
that Jelavic may leave in January due to having received a lucrative offer
from a wealthy club in a league the playing schedule of which doesn't
correspond with the Premier League. Could be a club in China, Qatar or maybe
Major League Soccer in USA ?
I'd still have no problem whatsoever having Jelavic at West Ham beyond the
January window.

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Where do these stories originate!! :) PeterR

Hammers keen to sign out-of-favour Gunner
Date: 11th January 2016 at 12:24 pm
Written by: Tony Merakli | Comments (1)
gunnersphere.com

West Ham are currently talking to Arsenal over the possibility of signing
Mikel Arteta, according to reports in Spain. The Arsenal captain has barely
featured for the Gunners this season due to his personal injuries and the
emergence of Francis Coquelin. And with his contract set to expire at the
end of the season, it's been suggested that Arsene Wenger will not offer him
a new deal to remain at the Emirates past the summer. Spanish publication
Fichajes now claims the Hammers are interested in the 33-year-old midfielder
and are willing to snap him up this month rather than on a free over the
summer, with Slaven Bilic keen to bolster his squad. I highly doubt Wenger
will allow Arteta to leave this month as the Frenchman is short of options
in midfield as it is. Although the Spaniard is not being used on a regular
basis in the Premier League, his services could prove handy for the
remainder of the season with the club still challenging in the FA Cup and
Champions League.

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West Ham United boss praises Wolves matchwinner Jelavic
GUardian Series

West Ham United boss Slaven Bilic has praised Croatian striker Nikica
Jelavic after he fired the side to victory over Wolves. Jelavic netted the
winner in their 1-0 victory at home to the Championship side to send them
into tonight's FA Cup fourth round draw. Bilic told the club website: "I am
extremely glad, all the coaches and players are extremely happy for Jela.
"He is the one who is really respected and adored at the club because his
work rate during every training session, his professionalism on and off the
pitch is outstanding. His relationship with all the players is great." Bilic
continued: "His game is not only about scoring goals, he is very mobile, he
gives his best. "Some strikers might worry about scoring his first goal, and
it is important, but he never let it affect his confidence. It opened the
lock for us, at home, in the FA Cup; it will raise his confidence of
course."

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West Ham boss Slaven Bilic delighted as old friend Nikica Jelavic steps up
to seal narrow FA Cup victory over Wolves
By JAMES RESTALL FOR THE DAILY MAIL
PUBLISHED: 22:40, 10 January 2016 | UPDATED: 23:24, 10 January 2016

This famous old tournament has a habit of conjuring up unlikely heroes, and
Nikica Jelavic joined that list at Upton Park. Making only his second start
for West Ham since joining from Hull in September, the striker cut a
peripheral figure leading the line against a dogged Wolves defence. At times
he was so isolated that at one point a rare touch in the opposition box
seemed to be greeted with ironic cheers. Yet Slaven Bilic, who brought
through Jelavic at Hajduk Split in their native Croatia before handing him
an international debut, persisted with the 30-year-old and the West Ham
manager's faith was rewarded when Jelavic struck a fierce half-volley five
minutes from time to clinch this tie. 'All the players and staff are
extremely glad,' said Bilic. 'I'm a little bit biased with Jela because I
know him from since he was in Hajduk Split academy. 'But he is the one that
is really well respected and almost adored at the club because of the
work-rate he has put in every second of every training session, his
professionalism on and off the pitch, his relationship with the players is
great and they are all delighted he scored.' Jelavic's goal against Kenny
Jackett's Championship side was his first in claret and blue, having last
scored in mid-August against Wolves for Hull. 'I don't know how many times
me and my staff have told him it is not only about goals because he is very
mobile and he gives his best,' added Bilic. 'But you know strikers, they are
always thinking, "When am I going to score the first goal?" 'So it is
extremely important for him to score this goal and open the locker —
especially in the FA Cup. It's going to boost his confidence.'

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West Ham United-Bournemouth match set to be a feast of attacking football
ESPN

Cheikhou Kouyate's goal wasn't enough to lift the Hammers to victory when
they faced Bournemouth in August. After successfully negotiating a 1-0
third-round FA Cup win over Wolverhampton Wanderers at the weekend, West Ham
United return to league action with a mid-week visit to Bournemouth. The
Hammers are currently enjoying an unbeaten seven match league run and have
only lost away twice this season, but Slaven Bilic and his men will still be
wary of a visit to Dean Court. Eddie Howe's team have already beaten West
Ham once this season, notching up an impressive 4-3 result at Upton Park in
August. On that day, Bilic saw his team overrun by Bournemouth's quick
counter-attacks and the Cherries have surprised a few teams since then.
However, although Howe has managed to coach his team to a respectable 16th
place in the table, Bournemouth have still suffered from a problem that
often bothers newly-promoted sides, with goals difficult to come by. Howe
knows his team will need to find the net more often in order for them not to
be drawn into the relegation scrap, but he has been hampered by long-term
injuries to a small squad. With striker Callum Wilson and winger Max Gradel
both out for a long period, Howe had to dip into the transfer market quickly
when the window opened. The highly-rated Bournemouth boss has done well to
secure the loan services of forward Juan Iturbe from Roma before completing
a move for promising striker Benik Afobe from Wolves for a reported £10
million fee. The latter move has been particularly interesting for the
Hammers. But for Bournemouth's interest in the player, Afobe probably would
have played for Wolves at Upton Park on Saturday. With Bilic's men labouring
to find any cohesion in the cup tie, Afobe may have proved a problem had he
played.

It looks as if the 22-year-old striker's chances of trying to pierce what
has recently been an obdurate Hammers defence has merely been delayed
however. Howe is likely to thrust Afobe straight into his line-up. Bilic
himself has received some good news himself on the injury front with Diafra
Sakho likely to return from a thigh injury sooner than expected. With Victor
Moses ready to join the squad as soon as this weekend, the Hammers' only
long-term problem seems to be Manuel Lanzini. With Andy Carroll coming off
the bench to good effect against Wolves, it's likely Bilic will start with
the big striker against Bournemouth with Dimitri Payet also starting a game
for the first time since he was injured against Everton in early November.
Bournemouth will surely find West Ham tougher opponents than when they met
back in August -- Bilic's defence have found a cohesion they lacked that day
-- and the Croatian will not want to see Bournemouth do a double over his
team. Everything points to this fixture being a feast of attacking football.

Peter Thorne, aka Billy Blagg (@BillyBlaggEsq), is the author of a regular
column at WestHamOnline.net and the East London Guardian.

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http://vyperz.blogspot.com