Daily WHUFC News - 13th January 2016

Bournemouth 1 West Ham 3
12 January 2016
Last updated at 22:29 GMT
By Aimee Lewis
BBC Sport

Dimitri Payet inspired a West Ham comeback to secure victory over
Bournemouth which moves them to fifth in the Premier League. Harry Arter had
given the hosts the lead with a 25-yard strike. But West Ham were much
improved after the break thanks to the inventive Payet who deservedly scored
a wonderful free-kick into the top left corner. Payet then fed Enner
Valencia for a simple tap-in before the winger produced a stunning free-kick
late on. With Manchester United drawing 3-3 at Newcastle, the victory for
Slaven Bilic's men - which seemed unlikely at the break - moves the
Londoners to within a point of Tottenham in fourth. The win, West Ham's
first away from home in six games, also equals a club record eight-match
unbeaten run in the Premier League.

Payet shines for gutsy Hammers

Bournemouth deserved their lead at the break, but West Ham immediately
played with more intensity in the second half and, such is their character,
have now secured eight points in the league this season from losing
positions, a haul only Leicester, with 10 points, can better. The Hammers
have had to cope with injures to key players in recent months - Andy Carroll
being the latest injury worry after lasting just 15 minutes of this match -
but Payet's recovery from an ankle problem is a much welcome boost for the
Londoners. Making his first Premier League start since 7 November, the
Frenchman orchestrated West Ham's comeback. His free-kick was sublime, while
it was his skill inside the box which created the second goal. "He's a
player who makes all the others better," said manager Slaven Bilic after the
match. "It's all about the team, but he's the player who is the most
decisive for us."

Missed chances from record signing

Bournemouth's club-record signing Benik Afobe started for the Cherries
following the striker's £9m move from Championship side Wolves.
Boss Eddie Howe had warned before the match not to expect too much from the
new signing, to allow him to adjust to the pace of the Premier League. Afobe
joined Bournemouth on a four-and-a-half-year deal after passing a medical on
Sunday. But the former Arsenal striker should have done better with the
chances created for him in the first half. With the hosts in command, the
22-year-old - who scored 23 goals in 48 games for Wolves - failed to hit the
target with a header from six yards out and then messed up another scoring
opportunity, hesitating to allow Adrian to gather on the floor after being
put through by a wonderful Junior Stanislas pass. Howe reflected on the
positives, saying: "The pleasing thing was that he was at the end of those
chances and we know with his quality he'll put them away." Scoring has been
a problem for the Cherries, which is why they have spent about £16m on
strikers in the past week, with Lewis Grabban re-signing for about £7m on
Monday. And although Afobe should have been more clinical inside the box,
Arter's strike did at least ensure Howe's side scored for the first time in
four league matches.

Man of the match - Dimitri Payet

The Frenchman received a deserved standing ovation from West Ham fans as he
was substituted in the 78th minute. Payet threaded numerous sharp passes for
team-mates and drew a fine save from Artur Boruc with a long distance strike
in the first half

The stats you need to know

Harry Arter scored his first-ever Premier League goal in his 11th appearance
in the top-flight.
A league-high 26% of the Cherries' Premier League goals have come from
outside the box (6 of 23).
Eddie Howe's side scored for the first time in their last four top-flight
games, thus ending their longest PL drought of the campaign (3 games).
Dimitri Payet has scored or assisted more goals for West Ham this season
(all competitions) than any other player (six goals, five assists).
Bournemouth have thrown away a joint-league-high 12 points from leading
positions this season in the Premier League (along with Newcastle United).

What next?

West Ham next face relegation-threatened Newcastle at St James' Park on 16
January, while Bournemouth - just three places from relegation - face fellow
strugglers Norwich at home (16 January) and Sunderland (23 January) in
successive league matches.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bournemouth 1-3 West Ham United: Enner Valencia brace maintains Hammers'
unbeaten run
By Richard Morgan
Last Updated: 12/01/16 10:32pm
SSN

West Ham closed in on the Champions League places as Enner Valencia's
second-half brace helped beat Bournemouth 3-1 at the Vitality Stadium. The
home side had lead at half-time through Harry Arter's first-ever Premier
League goal, before the returning Dimitri Payet equalised midway through the
second half. And another player making his comeback from injury, Valencia,
moved the visitors above Manchester United and to within just a point of
Tottenham in the fourth and final Champions League berth with his first
goals for the club since February, while the Cherries remain 16th.
Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe made 11 changes from the side that won 2-1 at
Birmingham City in the FA Cup third round on Saturday, with new £9m signing
Benik Afobe making his debut for the club. However, other recent arrivals,
Juan Iturbe and Lewis Grabban, had to settle for a place on the substitutes'
bench. West Ham, meanwhile, were able to welcome back both Payet and
Valencia after recent injury layoffs, the latter after a nine-week absence
with an ankle problem. Slaven Bilic was without the likes of Cheikhou
Kouyate - who missed Saturday's win over Wolves in the FA Cup - and Manuel
Lanzini, but it was the visitors who could have been ahead straight from the
kick-off. A simple ball over the top picked out Michail Antonio's run and
after Artur Boruc came out to block the forward, the ball fell nicely to
Mark Noble just outside the penalty area. However, with the goal at his
mercy, West Ham's captain lifted the ball over the crossbar, before the
Hammers suffered a further setback when in-form striker Andy Carroll, who
had scored in his previous two league outings, was forced off with a leg
injury after just 15 minutes. That loss appeared to unbalance the visitors,
with their opponents taking an almost immediate advantage by going ahead
after 17 minutes through Arter's long-range strike.
Picking up possession some 25 yards out in a central position, the
midfielder worked himself some space to shoot, before beating Adrian with a
well-struck shot which the Spaniard got a good hand to and on reflection
should have kept out.

The home side could, and should, have soon doubled their lead through both
Afobe and Charlie Daniels, only for the former to head over from virtually
on the goalline, before the latter saw his curling effort beaten away by
Adrian. The second half, though, was a much more even contest, with the
visitors gradually start to take control of proceedings as Bournemouth
appeared to run out of steam. However, Bilic's side still needed a moment of
brilliance to draw level after 67 minutes as Payet beat Boruc with a lovely
curling free-kick from 25 yards out, albeit with the aid of a slight
deflection off the Bournemouth wall. Seven minutes later West Ham had turned
the game on its head as Payet wriggled free to the right-hand byline, before
picking out Valencia some eight yards out and the Ecuador forward had no
problems tapping home. And the visitors' comeback was complete with just six
minutes remaining when Valencia beat Boruc at his near post with a clever
curling free-kick from the left-hand edge of the penalty area as West Ham
stretched their unbeaten run in the Premier League to eight games, their
best run in 15 years.

Player ratings

Bournemouth: Boruc (7), Francis (6), Cook (6), Daniels (7), Smith (6),
Gosling (6), Surman (6), Arter (8), Stanislas (7), Ritchie (6), Afobe (7)
Used subs: Iturbe (7), Murray (6), Grabban (6)

West Ham United: Adrian (6); Ogbonna (6), Tomkins (6), Collins (6),
Cresswell (6); Obiang (6), Noble (6), Antonio (6); Payet (9), Valencia (8),
Carroll (6)
Used subs: Song (6), Jenkinson (6), Jelavic (6)

Man of the match: Dimitri Payet

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham striker Andy Carroll limps off against Bournemouth
By Peter Gilbert
Last Updated: 12/01/16 10:37pm
SSN

Andy Carroll could be set for yet another spell on the sidelines after the
injury-plagued striker limped off after just 12 minutes of West Ham's win
over Bournemouth. Carroll scored back-to-back Premier League goals when he
returned from his latest injury lay-off over the Christmas period. However,
the England international suffered what appeared to be a muscular leg injury
after less than a quarter-of-an hour of his side's 3-1 win at the Vitality
Stadium on Tuesday night. The former Liverpool and Newcastle striker
received treatment on the pitch but then hobbled off down the tunnel holding
his left leg and shaking his head with his match over. Carroll, who
underwent major knee ligament surgery last February and only returned for
the Hammers in September, was making only his seventh league start of the
season. A series of injuries has restricted the 27-year-old to 41
appearances for the club in the Premier League since his arrival on an
initial season-long loan in 2012.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Electrifying Dimitri Payet back with a bang to get West Ham dreaming big
22:29, 12 JAN 2016
OPINION BY DARRENLEWIS
The Frenchman inspired the Hammers to come back from a 1-0 half-time deficit
against Bournemouth with a superlative display
The Mirror

Can Jonjo Shelvey really be worth £12million when Dimitri Payet cost less
and does far more? West Ham's £10.75m man was simply sensational last night,
teaching Bournemouth a lesson in taking chances. Eddie Howe's men were ahead
and holding their visitors at arm's length when Payet moved up a gear and
changed the course of the game. The Irons were robbed of much of their
attacking threat when injury sidelined Payet in November and December. With
his return they are back to being serious contenders for a top-four place.
Payet scored one and created one of Enner ­Valencia's two goals. The former
Marseille player electrifies his team. Co-chairman David Sullivan described
him as the best player he has bought in the last 25 years, while boss Slaven
Bilic rates him on a par with Arsenal's Mesut Ozil. The way in which Payet
prised the game from ­Bournemouth's grasp shows he has a point. He not only
rises to the ­occasion, but inspires those around him. With Payet fit and
firing, West Ham are justified in dreaming big over the final months of the
campaign. Valencia should have scored within 10 seconds but was denied by
the legs of Artur Boruc. Mark Noble put the rebound over the bar. Then Andy
Carroll, soon after setting up a chance for Michail Antonio, had to come off
injured with just 15 minutes played. His replacement, Nikica Jelavic, did
not provide the same threat and, emboldened, Bournemouth bombarded the
visitors' goal. And on 17 minutes Harry Arter scored with shot from outside
the box, although West Ham keeper Adrian should have done better.

Benik Afobe, on his Cherries debut following his £10m move from Wolves,
headed over the bar from six yards. Charlie Daniels tested Adrian from
distance and Afobe trod on the ball when he should have rounded the keeper
when played in by a superb pass from Junior ­Stanislas.
West Ham were still in it and eight minutes before the break Boruc made a
magnificent save to keep out a deflected effort from Jelavic.
James Tomkins hooked the ball over from a corner before Payet forced another
fantastic stop from Boruc on the stroke of half time. Payet took over after
the break. First he fired home a superb 67th-minute free-kick from 25 yards.
Then he beat two players on the right touchline to tee up Valencia to
score. Valencia wrapped things up with a free-kick with six minutes to go.
There was no shame in the Cherries losing to a good West Ham team. They will
be fine.

As well as recruiting Afobe and spending £7million to sign Lewis Grabban
from Norwich, they have landed Italian forward Juan Iturbe on loan from Roma
in a deal that could cost them £14m in the summer. A team that six years ago
were fourth from the bottom of League Two and struggling to stay afloat are
on course for the riches of the new TV deal. And while Payet may have denied
them any points last night, they have every reason to be cheerful going into
the second half of the season. As for West Ham, they can keep daring to
dream.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bournemouth 1-3 West Ham: 5 things we learned as Payet inspires Hammer
comeback
21:38, 12 JAN 2016 UPDATED 21:56, 12 JAN 2016
BY DARREN LEWIS
The Frenchman inspired the Hammers to overturn a 1-0 half-time defect on his
first start back from injury
The Mirror

Dimitri Payet inspired West Ham to come from behind and see off Eddie Howe's
Bournemouth side in a exciting contest on the south coast .
The Cherries took a first-half lead thanks to Harry Arter's long-range
stunner on 17 minutes, hanging onto their lead at half-time thanks to a
brace of Artur Boruc saves just before the break. But the second half was
the Payet show. The Frenchman levelled proceedings with a sublime free-kick
that went in off the crossbar on 67 minutes, before providing a cross for
Enner Valencia to sweep home. The Ecuadorian then added a third, as he moved
onto the free-kick duty after Payet was substituted.

Here's what Darren Lewis learned.

Sadly, West Ham cannot rely on Andy Carroll to last a full season

His injury record is an open secret. This was only his 15th appearance of
the season. And he lasted just 15 minutes. Before his departure he showed
great strength and aggression to hold off Charlie Daniels and set up a great
chance for Michail Antonio. What happened next sums up his career since
leaving Newcastle.

Benik Afobe looks to be the striker that Bournemouth have been crying out
for

He may not have scored but his movement was fantastic. He found space
superbly on the back post in the 19th minute and should have stuck Adam
Smith's cross away. Afobe also should have rounded the keeper to score from
Junior Stanislas's peach of a through ball. Instead the £10million man trod
on the ball and allowed Adrian to grab it. There was enough there, however,
to give everyone connected with Bournemouth great cause for optimism.

Dimitri Payet needs more games before we see him back to his best

He was back sooner than expected after his two month lay-off but he showed
here that he has lost none of his top-class ability to change games. Viewed
against the £12million paid by Newcastle for Jonjo Shelvey, the
£10.75million paid for Payet was simply a steal. He'd already hit one into
the top corner from a free kick. He then beat two men on the touchline to
set up the second for Valencia. Brilliant. And he isn't even yet at full
tilt after his lay-off.

Bournemouth will stay up

They will play good football doing it as well. They may have lost here but
they came up against a side that will do good things during the next five
months. Eddie Howe's men continue to be one of the most entertaining sides
in the top flight to watch - particularly at home. And now that they have
spume cutting edge they will be able to turn their domination into
victories.

Cheikou Kouyate is West Ham's strongest midfielder

Pedro Obiang just doesn't have that same menace in the middle of the park.
Mark Noble has the leadership and the tenacity but the Hammers' engine room
was overrun here by the industry of Harry After, Dan Gosling and Andrew
Surman. Kouyate, not named in the match day squad, can't come back soon
enough on this evidence.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

http://vyperz.blogspot.com