Daily WHUFC News - 19th September 2016

Nordtveit - We conceded too easily
WHUFC.com

West Ham United were beaten 4-2 for the second successive game when they
took on West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns
The Baggies went 4-0 up before Slaven Bilic's side hit back to make the
hosts nervous
Havard Nordtveit said West Ham were made to pay for letting West Brom score
too easily

West Ham United midfielder Havard Nordtveit admitted goals were conceded too
easily at the Hawthorns on Saturday in the 4-2 defeat to West Bromwich
Albion.
The Hammers found themselves 3-0 down at the break despite bossing the game
and having 72 per cent possession after Nacer Chadli, Salomon Rondon and
James McClean had all bagged for the hosts. After Rondon added a fourth
early in the second period, Michail Antonio and Manuel Lanzini hit back for
the east Londoners, though they could not complete the comeback. Nordtveit,
on the right side of defence for Slaven Bilic's outfit, was disappointed
with the chances the Baggies were allowed to create. He said: "Today when we
conceded three goals in the first half, of course it was difficult. We had
all the possession and we had chances, but in the end, they scored the three
goals. "That was a little bit too easy for them. We reacted really well
after half time and scored two goals, but again, first we let them score
four so it's a hard day for us. "When we are 3-0 under at half time, it's
hard to come back and win the game. We reacted really good, but we had a lot
to do."

The visitors remained on the front foot in the second period in a strange
game of football and West Brom began to show some nerves following Lanzini's
successfully converted penalty kick But Norwegian summer signing Nordtveit
explained the side left themselves with too much to do after the break. "At
half time, we needed to react," he continued. "We couldn't start crying, we
had to continue working and hopefully in the end it would come. "Our two
goals came out of it and we were really sharp. When we lost the ball, we won
it straight away again and we had good pressure on them all the time.
"Second half was much, much better than the first half, but in the end, we
have no points. If we hadn't got that fourth goal against us it would have
been 3-2 and they would have been nervous, so I think we had a good
opportunity. "We had many other good chances, one with James [Collins] on
the throw-in, and the goalkeeper made a good save, but it's all about now
how we work hard all week and in the end the ball will go in for us."

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Rice - We won't be taking Norwich lightly
WHUFC.com

West Ham United take on Norwich City in Premier League 2 at Carrow Road on
Monday evening
Declan Rice believes the Hammers should focus on their own game despite
Norwich's poor start to the season
Centre-half has been receiving advice from former Irons and England defender
Matthew Upson

Declan Rice insists he and his West Ham United teammates will not be getting
ahead of themselves when they come up against the Premier League 2's bottom
club.

The 17-year-old has been at the heart of the young Hammers defence so far
this season and has been impressed by the start his team has made.

Terry Westley's men face Norwich City on Monday and will go into the Carrow
Road fixture as favourites because of the Canaries' poor form of late.

"We won't get ahead of ourselves. We know that they've lost the last four
games but we won't let that affect us at all," said Rice.

"If we start thinking about it (their form), we'll start doing things that
we don't usually do. We've just got to go out there and play our normal
game."

The centre-back has been an ever-present in defence for the PL2 side this
season and his form was rewarded with a call-up to the Republic of Ireland
U19 squad during the international break.

Rice was making the step up from the Irish U17 side and appeared in both
fixtures against Austria.
Since returning from international duty, he appeared at the centre of
defence alongside Academy graduate Reece Oxford in the 2-2 draw with Wolves.

"Last time against Wolves was the first time I'd played with Reece. I
thought we clicked really well together, talking loads, covering each
other," he said.

"He's a lot of help on the field, he's vocal and gives me lots of advice and
I give him advice. Having us at the back, two strong talkers, benefits the
team a lot. We can see the game really well."

Rice revealed that he is also receiving advice from former Hammers and
England centre-back Matthew Upson.

The pair meet on a regular basis to go through areas where the 17-year-old
can improve his game.

Rice said: "I've been happy with myself over the last few games but there's
areas I need to look at though with my performance.

"Matt Upson has been helping me, looking through videos and we've set myself
some objectives for the next few games."

All tickets for Monday's match at Carrow Road are free. For further
information, call Norwich City on 0844 826 1902.

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REF WATCH - WEST BROM V WEST HAM - MARK CLATTENBURG
BY BRIAN KNOX ON 17 SEPTEMBER 2016 AT 7:59PM
The WesTHamWay.co.uk
Written by Sam Royden-Ryell

After a disappointing game at home to Watford, the team really needed to
start firing on all cylinders with a lot of first team players coming back
into the fold. The referee appointed for this difficult away game at West
Brom is Mark Clattenburg. Last season, Clattenburg was my choice for referee
of the season, as mentioned in The West Ham Way fanzine. Clattenburg has had
a decent start to the new season, and officiated the Manchester derby well
last weekend.

In a first half, where West Ham's defence were in no mans land and West Brom
took advantage of the horror show in front of them, Mark Clattenburg had a
good half and got the big calls right. Arthur Masuaku had a shocking couple
of minutes after handling the ball twice: conceding a free kick and a
penalty. The first hand ball was just outside the area when Masuaku looked
like he was pushed in the back by West Brom striker Rondon. The West Ham
left back fell and the ball hit his hand; Clattenburg didn't feel there was
enough pressure on Masuaku to be a foul. The second hand ball was inside the
area, which lead to West Brom's first goal. From a fans prospective I cannot
understand Masuaku's decision making. However, Clattenburg was in a great
position to see this and correctly awarded a penalty to West Brom.

The only caution of the first half went to West Brom defender Craig Dawson.
Dawson was late with his challenge on Masuaku inside the West Ham half and
left the West Ham man in a heap. West Ham were on the attack so Clattenburg
played advantage for West Ham. In the next stoppage of play, Clattenburg
issued Dawson a caution for his challenge, which is brilliant refereeing
considering the time between the foul and the stoppage in play.

Mark Clattenburg was more involved in the second half awarding the second
penalty of the game, but could there have been a third or forth? In my
opinion, I feel that goalkeepers get special treatment and too much
protection from referees, especially in a 50/50 scenario. This happened with
Ben Foster in the second half when Jonathan Calleri challenged for a ball
bouncing inside the penalty area. The assistant referee gave a foul, as
Foster jumped and fell over Calleri, which was a strange one. Calleri,
involved again in the penalty area, felt he was pushed by Claudio Yacob.
Yacob's starting position was on the wrong side of Calleri and both players
challenged an in-swinging ball and both fell to the ground. Clattenburg
wasn't interested and waved away the appeals.

Clattenburg awarded a penalty to West Ham in the second half which in my
opinion was correct. Dimitri Payet was clipped by Brendan Galloway 6 yards
from goal and Clattenburg was in a good position to point to the spot.
Clattenburg could have given another penalty after Payet's cross hit a West
Brom players arm but he again waved this away. From a first view, it was
difficult to see but Clattenburg clearly felt this wasn't a penalty.

With West Ham having a lot of the possession for majority of the game,
Clattenburg allowed the game flow throughout and played advantage well. West
Brom's Allan Nyom unfairly challenged Sofiane Feghouli inside West Ham's
half and Clattenburg played the advantage well and in the next stop in the
play cautioned Nyom. Sofiane Feghouli was also cautioned for dissent after
Clattenburg correctly waved away Dimitri Payet's numerous penalty appeals.

Overall, Clattenburg did have a good game and two of the penalties that he
awarded were correct. Clattenburg showed why he is regarded as one of the
best in the country. His awareness and anticipation was apparent as he
played advantage very well. The first 60 minutes of the match were
embarrassing by West Ham. We had 70% of the possession and yet every time
West Brom attacked, they looked like they were going to score. Bilić and the
team need to sit down and sort this mess out. Next week, we're at home to
Southampton.

Thanks
Sam

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West Ham defended like an UNDER-10 team during West Brom humiliation,
insists Alan Shearer
10:21, 18 SEP 2016 UPDATED 11:39, 18 SEP 2016
BY MATT LAWLESS
The Hammers were defeated 4-2 by the rampant Baggies at The Hawthorns and
Match of the Day pundit Shearer laid into the defensive display
The Mirror

West Ham's horror show of defending at West Brom was compared to an
"Under-10s side" by Alan Shearer. The Match of the Day pundit tore into
Slaven Bilic's side after their 4-2 capitulation at The Hawthorns. The
Hammers have conceded 13 goals in five games this season - eight of which
have come in the past two defeats. And former England captain Shearer
labelled their defending as "embarrassing" after a Nacer Chadli double,
Solomon Rondon and James McClean goals compounded another humiliating
afternoon for the east London side. "It was so bad, it's embarrassing, it
was like watching an under-10 team. Hopeless," said Shearer. "This is not a
problem that happened this season, it started at the end of last season. In
12 of the last 15 games, they have conceded two or more goals.
"It's incredible, it's so embarrassing, it's untrue. Every player except the
goalkeeper is in the penalty area almost [when Chadli scored his second on
56 minutes], it's extraordinary. "I have never seen defending like that. It
was unbelievable." The Hammers will look to get back on track when they face
Accrington Stanley in the EFL Cup third round on Wednesday night.

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