Daily WHUFC News - II 2nd February 2016

Preview - Aston Villa
WHUFC.com

The background

It's back to the Barclays Premier League on Tuesday when West Ham United
host bottom club Aston Villa in a 7.45pm kick-off. The teams last met only
on Boxing Day, when Aaron Cresswell's goal on the stroke of half time was
cancelled out by Jordan Ayew's penalty for a 1-1 draw. The Hammers are
protecting a ten-game unbeaten home record, which has seen them win five and
draw five since last tasting defeat in E13, way back in August to AFC
Bournemouth. Villa's difficult season continued at the weekend with a 4-0
Emirates FA Cup defeat to Manchester City, although they have enjoyed
slightly better fortune in the league in recent weeks, not losing in their
last three. Victory over Crystal Palace ended a five-month wait for maximum
points, and they have followed that with draws against Midlands rivals
Leicester City and West Bromwich Albion. They are still six point adrift at
the foot of the table and ten shy of safety, while West Ham go into the
Boleyn Ground contest hoping to move back into the division's top five.

The history

The historical record between the Hammers and Villa is very evenly matched,
with West Ham having won 39 of the 110 contests, Villa 38 and the remaining
33 ending all square. The Hammers have not conceded in their three home
games against the Villans since winning promotion back to the top flight in
2012, triumphing 1-0 in 2012/13 and drawing 0-0 in the last two seasons.
Hammers defender James Collins spent three years at Villa Park between
2009-12, playing 108 games for the Club before returning to West Ham for his
second spell in E13.

The match

Team news
West Ham United
West Ham will need to check on James Tomkins' fitness after the defender
suffered a facial injury in Saturday's 0-0 draw at Liverpool. Andy Carroll,
Manuel Lanzini and Diafra Sakho are all getting closer to returns, but
Tuesday's game will come around too early for the trio. Adrian missed
Saturday's game at Liverpool to attend the birth of his first child, but
will return to the fold in time for the visit of Aston Villa. New arrival
Emmanuel Emenike, meanwhile, is awaiting international clearance following
his loan move from Al Ain.

Aston Villa
For Villa, manager Remi Garde, he is likely to be without Carlos Sanchez and
forwards Libor Kozak and Rudy Gestede. Defender Alan Hutton and midfielder
Ashley Westwood are also fitness doubts.

Match info

Tuesday's match referee is Jonathan Moss. The Tyne and Wear-based official
has refereed 21 games this term, dishing out 63 yellow cards. Two of the
three reds he has issued this year have been in Hammers games – one to Carl
Jenkinson against Bournemouth and another to Nemanja Matic as West Ham
defeated Chelsea 2-1. Simon Bennett and Jake Collin are the assistant
referees while Mike Dean is the fourth official.
There have been just five goals scored in the last five Premier League
meetings, with the fixture at Upton Park ending goalless in each of the
previous two seasons.
Aston Villa managed a season's best eight shots on target against West Ham
in the reverse fixture on Boxing Day.
The Hammers have only lost one of their last 10 league matches (W3, D6).
They are enjoying a nine-match unbeaten run at home in the Premier League
game (W4, D5).
Fourteen players have scored a Premier League goal for West Ham United this
season, a joint-high with Chelsea.
Their only away win in the last 14 attempts came at Bournemouth on the
opening day of the season (W1, D3, L10).
The Villans have scored just eight goals in 12 Premier League games under
Remi Garde.
Tickets, travel, coverage and other info

Tickets for Tuesday's game have SOLD OUT, although they may become available
online as Season Ticket Holders relist.
The District and Hammersmith & City lines are set to serve Upton Park
station as normal on Tuesday.
A clear night is expected on Tuesday, with temperature at a chilly 6C (43F)
at kick-off.
If you are not heading to the game, make sure you follow the action on our
digital channels. The whufc.com Live Match Centre has audio commentary and
text updates, in-running stats, photos and more, and you can get involved
with the conversation on social using #WHUAVL

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Tactically speaking - Aston Villa
WHUFC.com

An in-depth analysis of how Aston Villa could approach Tuesday's Barclays
Premier League fixture...

Aston Villa have tried all manner of formations, systems and playing styles
in an increasingly desperate attempt to arrest their slide towards the
Championship. The Villans have used no fewer than five different formations
in their 23 Barclays Premier League matches, with 4-3-3 being the system
utilised more than 50 per cent of the time. However, that shape has been
ditched by manager Remi Garde in recent weeks, with the Frenchman adopting a
4-4-2 diamond formation, with encouraging results. The new approach has seen
Villa restore forgotten Czech Republic centre forward Libor Kozak to the
starting XI, with the target man giving his side the opportunity to play
with a more direct style. The towering Kozak allows Villa to loft balls
forward from deep, with the big striker either flicking the ball on or
holding it up and bringing his teammates into play. Goalkeeper Mark Bunn has
developed a habit of lofting goal kicks or free-kicks from inside his own
half long to Kozak, who will attempt to find Ayew or Gil running in behind.
Gil will usually run through the middle, with Ayew pulling wide onto either
flank to find space. Once in the final third, Villa's more skilful
attacking players have had more joy than in previous months, combining to
good effect to open up the opposition defence.

Second-striker Jordan Ayew will start from a deeper position near to Spanish
attacking midfielder Carles Gil, giving Villa an arrowhead-shaped front
three. The talented Ayew – widely considered to be Villa's best attacking
player – has been given what many would call a 'free role' as the second
centre forward, roaming into space across the front line. While the movement
and interplay from Villa's attackers has become more effective in the
diamond formation, Villa's chosen tactic to get the ball into the penalty
area as quickly as possible.
Ayew and full-backs Leandro Bacuna and Aly Cissokho get forward into wide
areas and beyond the line of the opposition penalty area before either
crossing for Kozak or cutting the ball back for supporting midfield players
Jordan Veretout and Ashley Westwood. Senegal international Idrissa Gueye
will sit deep as Villa's defensive shield. The 24-year-old is a natural
athlete and uses his physical capabilities to good effect, while his
anticipation of where the threat may arise is outstanding.

At the back, right-sided centre-half Jores Okore is another strong, quick
defensive-minded player who tracks runners well and has the speed to recover
if caught out positionally. Alongside him, experienced former England man
Joleon Lescott is left-sided.

In midfield, Westwood is a neat and tidy player who always presents himself
to receive the ball and has a decent range of passing. Alongside him, French
youngster Veretout is also decent in possession. Both 'wide' midfielders in
the diamond will tuck in narrow and allow the full-backs to overlap into the
space and support the attack.

All of this sounds great, so why have Villa struggled for so long this
season? Statistical analysis website WhoScored.com lists Villa's weaknesses
as follows: Avoiding individual errors, finishing scoring chances, avoiding
fouling in dangerous areas and defending against through balls. In recent
matches, Villa have kept the ball better, made less mistakes and cut out the
defensive errors which had led to defeat after defeat in the preceding
months. If they can maintain those habits on Tuesday and going forward,
Garde's side may give themselves a chance of pulling off what would be the
greatest of Premier League escapes.

Possible starting XI: (4-4-2 diamond) Bunn, Bacuna, Okore, Lescott,
Cissokho, Gueye, Veretout, Westwood, Gil, Ayew, Kozak

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From the Terraces - Joe Difford
WHUFC.com

Fan blogger Joe Difford takes a look back at Saturday's 0-0 draw with
Liverpool

Having already comfortably defeated Liverpool twice this season, fans were
hoping for a hat-trick to be completed at Anfield on Saturday. However, a
combination of early injuries and a group of fired-up youngsters determined
to prove themselves meant that a replay is needed to decide whose name stays
in the hat. Jurgen Klopp continued to use a young squad, again not because
he isn't taking the FA Cup seriously, but simply because injuries mean that
he doesn't have enough fit players. Perhaps it was the magic of the FA Cup
or that they were turning out in front of 45,000 fans at Anfield, but the
young lads stepped up and were confident and composed. Slaven Bilic went
with the strongest squad available to him once again, with the cup more
important than a Champions League place to him, and understandably so.
Adrian and Mark Noble were the only two without injuries who didn't feature,
the Spanish shot-stopper at his wife's side as she gave birth to his first
child, and the skipper who had the flu midweek. Early injuries forced the
Hammers into two substitutions, with key men James Tomkins and Cheikhou
Kouyate leaving the field. In their place came Joey O'Brien and Nikica
Jelavic, and this is where the home side gained an advantage. O'Brien, who
hadn't kicked a ball in months, was tasked with covering an area controlled
by the impressive Joao Teixeira, and his lack of action this season meant
that our attacking threat wasn't as fluid as usual. Bilic bringing on
Jelavic was a positive change, showing that he was going for the win and not
the replay, but having to make a change like this so early is sometimes a
problem. Dimitri Pay et was forced out wide to accommodate, where he was
quickly closed down and stopped from being the influence he usually is.
Liverpool came closest in the first half, forcing a spectacular fingertip
save out of Darren Randolph, who was excellent all game. Enner Valencia
should have scored when he misjudged a cross and headed back out wide
towards the touchline, but Pedro Obiang's volley from distance was the
closest the visitors came to taking the lead in the opening 45, his effort
bouncing past the post. We had a good case for a penalty when Jelavic headed
the ball onto the arm of Steven Caulker, with the Liverpool man pushing it
away from goal, but the referee ignored the subdued protests. The kids of
Liverpool dominated possession in the second half, but Michail Antonio
almost won the tie in the dying seconds, seeing his header come back off the
post, but the linesman had already flagged for a push on Jose Enrique. The
replay at the Boleyn Ground will be the fourth meeting of the two sides this
season, with the Hammers unbeaten. Liverpool have an excellent FA Cup record
against us, not losing in seven games, but this has been a season for ending
droughts. The winner of the replay will go on to face Blackburn Rovers, and
although anyone can win in the cup, Bilic and Co. will fancy their chances
in that tie. Our round against Liverpool is not over though, but expect
another strong West Ham line-up, another inexperienced Liverpool one, and
hopefully our name in the hat for the next round. For more West Ham fan
views or to join the conversation visit www.90min.com

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Youthful Dev Squad extend run
WHUFC.com

A youthful Development Squad extended their unbeaten run to 11 games
following a 1-1 draw away at league leaders Derby County. Despite blustery
conditions at St. George's Park, the young Hammers put in a near faultless
display, one that was made even harder when Marcus Browne was somewhat
harshly sent off after just 30 minutes. Despite going a goal down, the
Hammers refused to be cowed and regrouped manfully, keeping the scores level
at half-time. The claret and blues efforts were rewarded on the hour mark
after Grady Diangana won back possession and drove forward, before playing
an incisive through ball into Luka Belic who finished his chance with
aplomb. However, as the game wore on, the extra man slowly began to aide
Derby's cause and they equalised after a period of pressure on 77th minutes
when Ivan Kalero headed home from close range following a corner. There was
still time for plenty of drama as Rams' defender Tom Koblenz was given a
second yellow card after tripping Jahmal Hector-Ingram. From the resulting
free-kick, Leo Chambers, talismanic all evening as captain, saw his header
crash off the crossbar and away. Another stand out Hammer was Djair
Parfitt-Williams who was a constant outlet all evening. His pace, trickery
and desire to run at people, almost bore fruit but the Derby goal was not to
be breached again as he fired viciously into the side-netting.. With just
minutes to go Derby went close to stealing an unlikely victory, yet Sam
Howes, largely untested pulled off a magnificent fingertip save to earn his
side a deserved point.

The victory takes the Hammers to five in the Barclays U21 Premier League
division two table with 24 points from 16 games.

Derby County: Mitchell, Ssewankambo, Stabana, Hanson, Buxton, Koblenz,
Elsnik, Calero, Vernam, Bennett, Guy
Subs: Santos, Ravas, McDonald, MacDonald, Cover

U21: Howes, Pike, Neufville, Dobson, Chambers ©, Rice, Diangana (Nasha),
Makasi, Belic (Hector-Ingram), Browne, Parfitt-Williams
Subs: Brown, Akinola, Kemp

Referee: Sarah Garratt

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Westley delighted with Dev Squad dedication
WHUFC.com

Academy director Terry Westley said his Development Squad deserved to beat
league leaders Derby County at St George's Park. With Dev Squad regulars
either out on loan or being saved for the first team's game with Aston Villa
tomorrow evening, Westley named a young West Ham side which included ten
U18s in the squad, seven of which featured on the pitch. Reflecting on a
hard-fought point, Westley said: "We did very well considering, they are
league leaders, playing in very difficult conditions. "Then, playing for an
hour with ten men makes it even more difficult. But the way we kept the ball
and moved it around, you'd think we were the team with the extra player. "We
deservedly went a goal up, we didn't quite hold out for the win but we can
be very proud. Tonight, every player looked like they could have a career in
the game based on that performance."

Despite being a man down after Marcus Browne was somewhat harshly dismissed,
the Hammers took the lead through Luka Belic who netted his first goal for
the club after being played in by Grady Diangana. However, Derby's man
advantage slowly took it's toll and their superior numbers paid off as Ivan
Kalero equalised from close range from a corner. Westley continued: "We've
got a very tired dressing room. But that is the limit you need to push
yourselves to. We'll get back late tonight and then we're in for a recovery
session tomorrow morning, but that's how it is. They are the demands you
need to put on young players. "Nowadays they get things given to them so we
need to be tough with them and really work them hard."

The draw sees the young Hammers extend their phenomenal unbeaten run to 11
games, and Westley is pleased to see his squad benefit from the confidence
generated from the titillating form.
"At any level, in any sport, it is hard to go 11 games unbeaten. Everyone is
trying to beat us, so to have gone this far is not easy. Tonight was a real
challenge and we've come out the right side of it. "We finished up with
seven U18s on the pitch, and they did very well but also our more
experienced players – Chambers, Dobson, Declan Rice and Moses Makasi were
all fantastic. I also have to give a word to Luka Belic up top, he did
really well for us, that's the best he's done and he needs to maintain that
belief. "We've got to keep going, we're developing a winning mentality.
Tonight we very nearly won the game, yes Sam (Howes) made a good save right
at the end but we had chances to win it, one I think would have been a
deserved victory."

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We are The Academy of Football!
WHUFC.com

Over the past 65 years, West Ham United has become synonymous with producing
some of the finest footballers in English football history. The Academy of
Football has earned a reputation for excellence and professionalism, on and
off the pitch, producing no fewer than 145 first-team players since it was
founded by manager Ted Fenton with the publication of the seminal book
'Youth Soccer with the Hammers' back in 1950. On Tuesday, 20 Academy
graduates and former staff members, including long-time Academy Director
Tony Carr, U18s coach and Hammer of the Year Steve Potts and both FA Youth
Cup and FA Cup winners, will be at the Boleyn Ground as guests of the Club.
While it always has been and always will be the players themselves who take
the headlines, there are dozens of full and part-time staff behind the
scenes who make the Academy of Football what it has been, is today and will
be in the future. West Ham TV met six of those special people who make The
Academy of Football what it is – one of the finest producers of young
footballers and young people anywhere in the world.

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Belic delighted to score first Hammers goal
WHUFC.com

After netting his first goal in claret and blue, striker Luka Belic is
hoping it is the first of many. After being played in by a defence-splitting
pass by Grady Diangana, the Serbian fired the Hammers into the lead away at
Derby County however the Rams salvaged a point when Shaquille McDonald
equalised late on. Speaking after the final whistle, Belic said: "That's my
first goal for West Ham United and I hope there are going to be more goals,
I've had a couple of assists but my job is to score. The most important
thing is that we should've won tonight.
"A draw, with ten men, we're happy. We showed great character to respond to
going a man down. "I want to thank Grady, I am very grateful because he gave
me a great ball. The keeper gave me an opportunity to hit it in the near
corner so I took it and it went in. It was a great team goal."

The point sees the Development Squad extend their unbeaten run to a
staggering 11 games. With the Dev Squad in the hunt for a play off spot as
well as being in the semi-final of the U21 Premier League Cup, Belic has
high hopes for the business end of the season. He continued: "We were very
tired towards the end, we had the wind against us in the second half too,
everything was against us. We showed great character, it was a great team
effort and even a draw is not a bad result. "Eleven games unbeaten, that's a
great, great run. I hope it continues for the rest of the season, that's our
goal. We want to get promoted and win the cup, I hope we achieve it, I
really believe we can. "I've never been 11 games unbeaten in my career, we
are all really happy. The club is doing great, the first team is doing
great. I am really happy with everything and I hope we make it 20 games
unbeaten!"

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Moses delighted by Emenike reunion
WHUFC.com

Victor Moses expects fellow Nigerian Super Eagle Emmanuel Emenike to soar
after joining the winger at West Ham United. The pair, who won the 2013
Africa Cup of Nations and appeared together at the 2014 FIFA World Cup
finals, have been reunited after striker Emenike linked up with the Hammers
on loan from Turkish side Fenerbahce. Moses, who is himself enjoying a
season-long stint in E13 on loan from Chelsea, revealed that he played a
part in convincing his fellow countryman to move to London. "I've probably
played about 20 games with him in the same Nigeria team," Moses began.
"Since I've been playing for Nigeria he's been there and we were together in
the team who won the African Nations Cup, where he was top scorer in the
tournament. "I'm really looking forward to him coming to the Club and I am
going to make sure he feels at home. "He called me up and told me the club
were interested in him. I told him 'You should come and play in the Premier
League, West Ham are a family club, everyone here is friendly, we have a
good manager here and the people are lovely. I said to him 'Come and express
yourself and you will do well'."

Emenike has the attributes to do well in a Claret and Blue shirt, having
already shown his strength, pace and finishing ability in international
football, the UEFA Champions League and the top divisions in both Turkey and
Russia. Moses expects his compatriot to hit the ground running after
swapping Istanbul and the Super Lig for London and the Barclays Premier
League. "His strengths? He's quick and strong at the same time," said the
No20. "With the Super Eagles we call him 'The Big Man'. Once he has the ball
he has the strength to go through players and he makes sure he wins his
battles. "I firmly believe he will be good in the Premier League and for
West Ham as well. Having a player such as him up front gives you that
strength. "He's always played up front for the Super Eagles and hopefully he
will come here and show everyone what he can do."

Emenike will not be available for Tuesday's visit of Aston Villa to the
Boleyn Ground, as he awaits international clearance, but Moses is hopeful
the Hammers can pick up another important home victory for their new
teammate. "This won't be an easy game because they are fighting against
relegation," said Moses. "At the same time we need to go out, keep our
concentration and make sure we get those three points."

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Slaven Bilic: West Ham don't have Champions League ambitions
SAM LONG
Evening STandard

Slaven Bilic has claimed West Ham do not have ambitions to finish in the top
four this season, despite lying just six points outside of the Champions
League places. The Hammers have enjoyed an impressive run of results during
the early stages of the Croatian manager's tenure and have lost just one of
their last 10 top-flight fixtures. Such a rich vein of form has reignited
hopes the east Londoners can claim a place in Europe ahead of their summer
move to the Olympic Stadium but Bilic has played down the likelihood his
side will claim a place at the continent's top table next season. The
47-year-old is adamant West Ham need to stay focused on maintaining their
form rather than looking up the Premier League table: "We don't have
Champions League ambitions, we are very far away from that," Bilic told the
Daily Star. "We want to keep winning and see where it takes us, we just want
to be constant. Playing like we are, you are becoming a victim of your own
success. "That's a better position to be in, of course, it's what everyone
wants, because it means you are winning and inspiring your fans."

West Ham host strugglers Aston Villa at Upton Park tonight and will be
installed as clear favourites against Remi Garde's side as they look to
leapfrog Manchester United and climb to fifth place in the table. Villa,
meanwhile, are rock bottom of England's top tier but Bilic remains wary of
the visitors, who have avoided defeat in their last three games. "Villa have
struggled. On the other hand, they have improved a lot and they are picking
up points now but are paying the price for their bad start and a long, long
time without points," he added.

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West Ham vs Aston Villa preview: Victor Moses backs Emenike to be a big hit
at the Boleyn
KEN DYER
Evening Standard

Victor Moses has seen enough of West Ham's new signing, Emmanuel Emenike, to
be sure the 'Big Man' will be a success in the Premier League. Moses, on
loan at West Ham from Chelsea, was a Nigeria international team-mate of
Emenike, who has signed a loan deal from Fenerbahce until the end of the
season. The pair were team-mates when the Super Eagles won the Africa Cup of
Nations in 2013 and Emenike was the tournament's top scorer with four goals,
despite missing the final with a thigh injury. "I probably played about 20
games with him in the same Nigeria team, where we call him 'the Big Man',"
said Moses, who is in West Ham's squad for tonight's home Premier League
match against bottom club Aston Villa. "Since I've been playing for Nigeria,
he's been there and we were together in the team who won the Cup of Nations,
where he was top scorer. I'm really looking forward to him coming to the
club and I am going to make sure he feels at home. "He called me up and told
me the club were interested in him. I told him, 'You should come and play in
the Premier League, West Ham are a family club, everyone here is friendly
and we have a good manager here'. "I said to him, 'Come and express yourself
and you will do well'."

So what does Moses think are 28-year-old Emenike's major strengths?

"He's quick and strong at the same time," he said. "Once he has the ball, he
has the strength to go through players and he makes sure he wins his
battles. "I firmly believe he will be good in the Premier League and for
West Ham as well. Having a player such as him up front gives you that
strength. "He's always played up front for the Super Eagles and hopefully he
will come here and show everyone what he can do." There were hopes that
Emenike would be available to manager Slaven Bilic for tonight's match but
he is yet to receive his international clearance.
"This won't be an easy game tonight," added Moses. "Aston Villa are fighting
against relegation. At the same time we need to go out, keep our
concentration and make sure we get those three points."

West Ham are hoping that midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate will be fit after
coming off in the first half of Saturday's FA Cup tie at Liverpool with a
slight leg strain. Goalkeeper Adrian could also be back in the team after
returning from Spain to be at the birth of his son, Enzo, while captain Mark
Noble has recovered from 'flu.

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Hammers clear up O'Brien speculation
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on February 2, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

West Ham received no offers from Joey O'Brien from Sunderland or anywhere
else during the transfer window. Stories were circulating on Deadline Day
that Sunderland had wanted to take the right back to the Stadium of
Light…but it never happened. And a club insider told us this morning: "
There was no inquiry or offer from Sunderland or elsewhere. "We wouldn't
have allowedhim to leave anyway – he did very well indeed when he appeared
at Anfield on Saturday and showed that he has a role to play until the end
of the season. "He is in the squad for the game against Aston Villa this
evening and although he may be allowed to leave on a free transfer at the
end of the season, we wouldn't have been happy about letting him leave at
this stage."
There was a lot of media speculation over JOB yesterday (Mon) but our source
added: "He's been a great servant to this club and we wouldn't want to stand
in his way of landing a final decent contract."

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Emenike 'complications' revealed
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on February 2, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

David Sullivan faced two major complications in his negotiations for new
loan striker Emanuelle Emenike. The first was the well known problem in
dealing with parent club Fenerbahce AND his loaned outfit Al Ain where
financial considerations were a serious issue. However, beyond that was the
fact that the Turkish outfit were desperately determined to push through a
straight purchase rather than agree a loan deal and wanted around £8
million. West Ham had to make it clear that the three month arrangement was
the only show in town as they needed to take a close look at the 28 year old
Nigerian but the issue took up a lot of negotiating time. Finally, as talks
dragged on towards deadline day the Turks agreed but wanted an appearance
clause that would trigger a purchase agreement. We understand that this was
set at 12 although the word 'start' is imperative as substitute run-outs
will not apply. However, the option to buy has been agreed but the Hammers
would certainly not agree to £8 million. The chance of the player making a
dozen starts is remote with just 16 League games and possible FA cup
appearances left in our season. A source said: "We got what we wanted in the
end and the deal was very much Slaven-driven. We backed him as we back all
our managers. It was really his drill – he knows the player and likes him.
"If he does well then the permanent switch could be on but not at the same
sort of price as we intend to play for Lanzini – that doesn't work."

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Contract cancelled …but we still pick up bill!
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on February 2, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
EXCLUSIVE

West Ham will continue to pay Carl Jenkinson wages of around £30k a week
plus the remained of a £1.5 million loan fee …despite the two clubs agreeing
to tar up his contract. Some had assumed that news of the development would
give the Irons a big finanical saving but ClaretandHugh was told exclusively
this morning that is definitely not the case. The defender has now returned
to Arsenal with a cruciate knee injury and last night the clubs agreed to
cancel the contract between them. But in simple terms there was nothing
within that contract which allowed the Hammers to escape payments to the
north Londoners or Jenkinson should such an injury occurrence take place.
Our usual Hammers source explained: "We of course save tiny bits and pieces
on appearance bonuses but the loan fee and wages are paid by us until June.
The only reason for doing it was to free the way for a loan signing but that
didn't happen of course so we gained nothing from the move."

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Irons reveal Jelavic fee
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on February 2, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
Exclusive

Nikica Jelavic's move to China is awaiting a rubber stamp and the Croatian
striker expect to be on his way to join his new squad members over the next
few days. And contrary to some reports that the player will be allowed to
leave on a free transfer there will be a fee of around £1.5 million from
Guangzhou Evergrande. He will follow the likes of Chelsea's Ramires who
moved east earlier this month to join Jiangsu Suning in a stunning
£25million deal. Newcastle United's Cheikh Tiote is also wanted to play in
Beijing. Jelavic joined West Ham from Hull City in the last transfer window
and has scored three goals in 13 appearances, 11 of them as sub. With the
Chinese season opens at the end of February but the club are hoping to get
the deal done over the next few days although the player could be involved
against Aston Villa this evening. ClaretandHugh was told this morning: "It
is not true there is no fee involved. We will pick up around £1.5 million
which represents a small loss on what we paid for him.

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Lanzini deal to be done on injury recovery
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on February 2, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
Exclusive

West Ham will complete the Manu Lanzini deal once the player has shown
himself to be completely recovered from the thigh injury he has suffered
with over recent weeks. The brilliant ball carrying midfielder sustained the
injury against Southampton after returning following the same injury against
Liverpool but is now within days of a comeback. Before the Saints game
chairman David Sullivan had fired the player up by saying he would be
completing his signing from Al Jaziera in February rather than at the end of
the season. However, the injury issue has put that on hold until the club
has seen 'The Jewel' has made a complete recovery from the problem.
ClaretandHugh was told exclusively this afternoon: "As explained many times
our contract with the Saudis is watertight and we intend to do the deal as
soon as Manu has returned and proved himself fully recovered from injury.
"That could be later this month but we full intend getting it done as soon
as the injury problem is shown to be history."

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Sam Byram reveals 'sleepless nights' at West Ham and Everton decision
London 24
12:28 02 February 2016 Brad Pinard

West Ham full back Sam Byram admits leaving Leeds United for the Hammers was
the biggest decision of his life. 1 The impressive defender arrived at Upton
Park for around £3.5million earlier in January and made his debut against
Manchester City under the lights in east London just a few days later.
Everton made first move for Byram but West Ham heard of the talks and
convinced the 22-year-old that a move south was the way to go and a deal was
done within 48 hours. Byram admits he had a few sleepless nights but is
excited to continue his improvement with Slaven Bilic's side. "It was the
biggest decision I have had to make in my life up until now," Byram told the
Telegraph. "There were a few sleepless nights thinking about the different
things but when it came down to it and I had spoken to the manager and with
what he said and with the new stadium, then I had to choose here." "You see
young players getting their chance in the Premier League and that is my
dream also and I was given the chance to come and fight for a place at West
Ham and it was something that I could not turn down. It was definitely the
right time for me to move. "I just liked the way he (Slaven Bilic) spoke,
the way he spoke about the club and how he did things. That was the feeling
I got. "He had really done his homework on me with a real attention to
detail – the number of games he had watched that I had played in, the areas
where I could improve. It made me feel that under him I was going to get
better."

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I need to play every game, says West Ham's Alex Song
By Ted Thompson
Posted on February 2, 2016
www.squawka.com

Alex Song says he needs game time to get back to his best after an
injury-hit season for West Ham United so far. The 28-year old was impressive
in his loan spell at Upton Park last season under Sam Allardyce prompting
the club to bring him back for another season in the 2015 summer transfer
window. He has, however, had a frustrating start to his second year in east
London, missing the first 12 games of the campaign with an ankle problem. He
has then subsequently struggled to get back to full fitness having been in
and out of the team over the Christmas period.
However, there are now signs that the Cameroon international looks to be
getting back to somewhere near his best. He played 90 minutes for the first
time this season against Manchester City in the club's last Premier League
outing and put in a composed performance, boasting a pass completion rate of
84% as the game finished 2-2. Speaking on his return to the starting XI to
the club's official website, Song said: "I am very happy to be back in the
team. For seven months it was not easy and the team was doing very well. It
was hard for the manager to give me time on the pitch. "For me to get back
to my level I need to play every game but it was hard for the manager
because the other midfielders have been playing so well. "If I want to get
back to my level I need to play. I have been given my opportunity in the
last two games and I feel I am getting back my levels again. I am very happy
with how the manager has managed me and how the team are doing. "We want to
achieve something this year. I want to contribute to the team and when the
manager needs me I want to give something back. "We can do more this season.
At the moment, we are doing very well and we just need to take it step by
step. We are stronger than what we were last season."

Alex Song has 71% of his headed duels in the Premier League this season. He
completed 90 minutes against Liverpool FA Cup on Saturday and continues to
indicate that he is well on his way to being the dominant midfield force he
was for the first half of last season. The game finished 0-0 and Slaven
Bilic's side will host the Reds next Tuesday at Upton Park for the replay.

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How Darren Randolph has silenced his West Ham critics
Julian Shea for Metro.co.ukTuesday 2 Feb 2016 2:07 pm

One of the dangerous things about Twitter is the way it preserves forever
things people probably wish, in hindsight, that they had not said. Rarely is
this more true than in the somewhat opinionated, often rather hasty tweets
of football fans. For proof, look no further than comments about Darren
Randolph on David Gold's timeline earlier in the season.

Fair enough, the arrival of a 28-year-old former Charlton, Motherwell and
Birmingham player on a free transfer is not exactly a marquee signing, but
the stick given to the Republic of Ireland keeper – and the club's co-owner
for having signed him – was ridiculous.

Six months down the line, and with first-choice keeper Adrian sidelined at
what could be a pivotal moment such a hugely important season in West Ham
history, Randolph has been asked to take a big step up – and answered the
challenge superbly.

So maybe those whose tweeted comments like 'we all know he is not good
enough… not Premier class… put Jenkinson in goal…. Whose idea was he…. I'd
rather have Shaka back' to Gold back in August when Randolph was first
thrust into the team by Adrian's suspension might want to reconsider those
thoughts.

And particularly the person who tweeted 'Mr Gold & Mr Sullivan, I am willing
to bet £100 with each of you do we NOT win a game while Randolph is in
goal.'

Admittedly, that money looked pretty safe in Randolph's first Premier League
start, a 4-3 loss to Bournemouth – a performance and a result which seem a
lifetime ago for West Ham now (they have not lost at home in the league
since then).

A second home defeat in the week at the hands of a team West Ham would have
comfortably expected to beat was marked by poor defending across the board,
so blaming the newly thrust-in keeper was unfair – and the fact that the
other two starts he made during Adrian's ban were both clean sheet wins,
against Liverpool and Newcastle, only served to underline the point.

Give him a bit of time to get settled, and we could have someone useful
here.

Adrian is undisputedly West Ham's first-choice keeper, and will remain so,
but it is reassuring to see that, once again in January, when he has been
unavailable, Randolph stepped into his shoes with ease.

An FA Cup win over Wolves and another draw at Anfield have helped enhance
Randolph's reputation (to say nothing of his exploits in helping the
Republic of Ireland beat world champions Germany on their way to securing a
place at the European Championships), and with next opponents Aston Villa so
ineffective at the moment, he will fancy his chances of adding another clean
sheet to his collection whilst Adrian is engaged in family business back in
Spain.

So take your time enjoying the joys of new fatherhood, Adrian. Whilst you
have your hands full learning your new job, the good news is that your other
one is in very safe hands too.

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West Ham must not get complacent against struggling Villa
By Frankie Levin - Feb 2, 2016 0
westhamworld.co.uk

It may not have been the most exciting affair, but we fought out a hard
earned 0-0 draw at Anfield to earn a replay last weekend, which could be the
last ever FA cup game at the Boleyn, but we are all hoping that is not the
case. We went into the game with a lot of optimism having beaten them twice
before, and once again we proved we are good enough to come away from
Anfield having not conceded again. Tomkins and Kouyate both picked up
injuries, with Kouyate looking the more serious of the two. We are yet to
hear the extent of his injury, but Tomkins should be back to face Aston
Villa, as to will Mark Noble, and we will also have Sam Byram available
after he was cup tied.

On Sunday it was announced that Emenike has signed on a loan deal, lasting
until the end of the season, but he won't be able to feature against Villa
because he's still awaiting international clearance. Aston Villa are a team
lacking fighting spirit and a lot of people are writing them off as the
first certified relegated side of the season. I do feel sorry for their fans
as they have had to put up with a lot this year, but we must not take this
as an easy three points..

Yes it is a game we should be looking to win comfortably if we are going to
push for fifth or even fourth, but that is no reason to lack discipline and
not give 100% against them because we will come unstuck. Lanzini, Sakho and
Carroll are all close to returns according to David Gold, so how much truth
there actually is in this I do not know, but once they return we will be a
much stronger side. Dimitri Payet did not have the best of games against
Liverpool and I have seen people say that his good spell is over. These
people need to have a hard look at themselves as he proves people wrong time
and time again, and one bad game does not define a player.

I do not think that Kouyate will be fit to play and Noble should be the one
to come in for him, and it showed against Liverpool that without Noble,
there is a lack of organisation across the pitch. Byram should come in for
Tomkins and Moses should replace Obiang, purely because we can be more
expressive against Villa. We are going to have to keep an eye on Jordan
Ayew, as he is a very good player and was arguably their best player against
us earlier in the season. I never end without a prediction, and I must say I
am confident about this one, so I am going to go with a 3-1 win to us.

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Kenny Sansom backs West Ham's Aaron Cresswell for England call-up
HITC
Sean Lunt

The West Ham star has been in fine form for Slaven Bilic's side again.
Speaking to Sky Sports, former England full-back Kenny Sansom has backed
West Ham United left-back Aaron Cresswell for an England call-up. The
defender enjoyed a fine first year at the club last season following his
move from Ipswich Town, being named Hammer of the Year and Players' Player
of the Season come the end of the campaign. He has continued that splendid
form this season, playing regularly as the Hammers have impressed under
Slaven Bilic. And Sansom has now backed him for an England call-up, saying
that he believes the West Ham man has the ability to feature for Roy
Hodgson's side. "I like Aaron Cresswell," he told Sky Sports. "He's a young
lad and I think it's up to him as a player. Obviously he has got to play for
West Ham but he's got to go out and perform and show people how good he is."
"I think Cresswell has got the ability. If he really pushes himself and the
manager at West Ham gives him the confidence, he has a really good chance."
There is certainly a chance for Cresswell to head to France in the summer as
well, with that currently a spot up for grabs in England's team. Leighton
Baines is likely to be first choice in the side should he remain fit until
the end of the season, but behind him there is still a space in the squad.
Luke Shaw is unlikely to feature after his injury ruled him out for the
season, while Kieran Gibbs does not feature regularly for Arsenal, meaning
Cresswell could find himself in the squad if he continues his current form

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