Daily WHUFC News - 19th November 2016

Preview - Tottenham Hotspur
WHUFC.com

When and where?

Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United
Premier League
Saturday 19 November 2016, 5.30pm GMT
White Hart Lane

What's the story?

It's derby day on Saturday as West Ham United make the short trip to north
London to take on Tottenham Hotspur. A more mouthwatering return to action
following the international break is hard to imagine, with West Ham looking
to get one over their high-flying hosts. Tottenham have made a solid start
to their Premier League campaign – and are the final team to boast an
unbeaten record – but four draws in a row have seen them slip five points
behind leaders Liverpool.
They were without their main man up front Harry Kane for much of that run,
although West Ham will have to be wary of his presence after he returned
with a goal in their 1-1 draw with Arsenal two weeks ago.
Matches against West Bromwich Albion, AFC Bournemouth and Leicester City
have also ended all-square in that time, with Tottenham's last win coming
against Manchester City on 2 October. The Hammers, meanwhile, started to
recover from a slow start to the season in the last period between
international fixtures, taking seven points from those four matches. Wins
against Crystal Palace and Sunderland were followed by a loss at Everton and
draw with Stoke – and with a tough run of games coming up, the Hammers will
be hoping to build on that sequence.

Team news

West Ham will have Diafra Sakho available for selection for the first time
this season after the striker overcame a back problem to return to fitness.
Winston Reid is also back after serving a one-match ban against Stoke, but
Mark Noble sits out after picking up a suspension for accumulating five
yellow cards. Andy Carroll continues to build his fitness after injury,
while Arthur Masuaku (knee), Sam Byram (hamstring), Reece Oxford (knee) and
Gokhan Tore (thigh) are all out.

For Tottenham, Dele Alli is close to fitness after his knee problem, but
might not be risked with a UEFA Champions League tie against Monaco to
follow on Tuesday. Toby Alderweireld, Erik Lamela and Ben Davies remain
sidelined.

Any links between the two?

Neither team's squad features a player who has turned out for the other
side, but the meetings between the two have thrown up plenty of drama in
recent years.

No West Ham fan will need reminding that their team saw off Spurs on three
occasions during the 2013/14 season, while last year, Michail Antonio
notched the only goal of the game to win the last Boleyn Ground match
between the two.

The Hammers will be hoping for better than their last trip to White Hart
Lane, however, when two Kane goals, added to strikes from Alderweireld and
Kyle Walker sealed a 4-1 win for the hosts. Manuel Lanzini replied for West
Ham.

How do I get to the game?

Click here for details of how to get to White Hart Lane.

Full details of Abellio Greater Anglia services to White Hart Lane station
can be found here, while the latest news on the roads, Tubes, London
Overground and TfL rail services can be found here.

How can I watch the game?

This match will be broadcast live in the UK on BT Sport. Remember you can
follow all the action live as it happens on whufc.com, with social media
updates, in-running stats and photos, alongside live audio commentary.

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A message from the Joint-Chairmen
WHUFC.com

Joint-Chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold have penned a message to fans
travelling to White Hart Lane...

Firstly, we would like to thank you for purchasing a ticket for Saturday's
match against Tottenham Hotspur. We sold out our ticket allocation in a
matter of days, for a fixture which required 12 Priority Points for
purchase, so it just illustrates the anticipation and level of commitment
from our loyal supporters.

With 2,300 travelling Hammers packing the away end and roaring Slaven's side
on from the first minute to the last, it should be a special occasion for
all and hopefully we can come away with a positive result.

Everyone of us at the Club, on the Board and in the stands on Saturday will
be looking forward to another London derby and, following recent victories
over Crystal Palace and Chelsea, we are hopeful that we can put in another
good performance.

You, the West Ham fans, have of course played a key role in these wins, and
in helping turn our form around this season, by backing the team and helping
us over the line with your incredible support.

Saturday's game at White Hart Lane is another opportunity to show the
passion that makes our fans famous around the world, and to illustrate the
effect your support can have on the team throughout the game.

We also must remember that every supporter attending the game is acting as
an ambassador for West Ham United and their behaviour should reflect the
values and standards of our great Club.

At West Ham United we are truly proud of our support for causes that promote
tolerance, inclusion and tackle discrimination in whatever form it takes.

Let us prove on Saturday that there is simply no place in football for
abuse, discrimination or bigotry of any form, and ensure that football, and
a hopefully a great result for the Hammers, are what people are talking
about on Sunday morning.

In the event that you happen to see or hear anything you think is
unacceptable on the day, it is important that you report anything of this
nature to the relevant authorities to ensure it is investigated fully.

In the first instance, you may choose to speak to the nearest steward or
police officer. Alternatively, you can report any inappropriate behaviour
anonymously by texting or calling 07537 404821, where all information
provided will be treated in the strictest of confidence.

As at home matches, the Club operate a zero tolerance policy and will seek
banning orders for anybody who is proven to be in contravention of this
policy.

We, and everyone else at West Ham United, are very much looking forward to
Saturday's game and the Claret and Blue Army showing the world what being a
football fan is all about - supporting with pride, passion and respect.

Come on you Irons!

David Sullivan & David Gold
Joint-Chairmen

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Dyer - It is a big boost to have Sakho back
WHUFC.com

Sakho back in trainingEvening Standard football reporter Ken Dyer looks
ahead to the big London derby against Tottenham at White Hart Lane on
Saturday and is excited to see Diafra Sakho back in the squad.....

I thought Slaven was quite upbeat in the pre-match press conference and with
players coming back from injury, things are looking a lot better.

He was asked about the transfer window and said he is not thinking about it
as he has players like Ayew and Sakho coming back who will feel like new
signings for the Club.

He was positive and said the team have trained hard in the build-up to the
game and the preparations have gone well. If they play well they can do well
against anyone.

They will want to make amends for the 4-1 defeat at White Hart Lane last
season and the team were

on a good run of form at the time and it was a setback for us.

But at Upton Park it was a proper game and we did well to win the game. For
West Ham fans this is the big one and it is a proper London derby.

It is very important having Sakho back in the squad because he does
something that not many other players at the Club can do. He runs the
channels and goes beyond defenders.

As Slaven said to me he opens up pockets of space for midfield players to
run into. He is strong and holds the ball up well and it is a big boost to
have him back.

I can remember when he first arrived and talking to the doctors when he
first arrived. They felt he was the one of the fittest players they had seen
and he can run all day. I don't think stamina is a problem with him.

I would start him against Tottenham because goals have been a problem for us
and I think he will cause Spurs lots of problems.

If I was a Tottenham defender and I see that Sakho is in the team, I know it
is not going to be an easy afternoon.

I might have to sit on the fence if you are asking about the result because
they have only let in six goals in 11 games and have not been beaten.

We have found goalscoring difficult so I am going to go for a draw.

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Lanzini - I want to earn bragging rights over Lamela
WHUFC.com

Lanzini hopes for a similar celebration on SaturdayManuel Lanzini is hoping
to earn the bragging rights over close friend Erik Lamela on Saturday and
secure a big victory for West Ham in the London derby against Tottenham.

Lanzini forged a close bond with Lamela when the two Argentine stars played
together at River Plate back in Buenos Aires.

The Hammers midfielder will never forget the successful spell he had at the
Argentine Club and the successful relationship he had with Lamela both on
and off the pitch.

But Lanzini says that will all be put to one side when the two teams meet in
north London this weekend and knows the importance of helping West Ham get
back on the winning trail.

Lanzini said: "It is always great to see familiar faces. I played with Erik
at River Plate and we developed a very good friendship. I think he is a very
good player.

"But I have to focus on West Ham and make sure we do everything to win the
game.

"I hope to earn the bragging rights on Saturday!"



It is always great to see familiar faces. I played with Erik at River Plate
and we developed a very good friendship.
Manuel Lanzini


After suffering a 4-1 defeat at White Hart Lane last season, Lanzini says
the players are determined to make amends on Saturday and help get their
season back on track.

The Hammers looked to be back to their best when they recently went on a
four match unbeaten run, but have only managed to take one point from the
last two games and sit just above the bottom three.

But Lanzini has no doubts there is enough quality in the squad to challenge
in the top half of the table and feels they can be a match for any team.

Lanzini added: "We always want to play well in the derbies we play in and if
we are focused and work hard, I believe we can get a good result.

"Every game is very important for us and very difficult, especially the ones
we have coming up.

"But I really believe in the group of players we have."

Lanzini is well aware of the tough schedule his side face in the next few
weeks, but insists they are not looking past the Tottenham game and are
focusing all their efforts on making sure they come away with a positive
result.

"We have to take it game-by-game. The next one is Tottenham on Saturday and
only after that we start to focus on the next one.

"The most important thing for us is to do well in the next game."

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Five Talking Points - Tottenham Hotspur
WHUFC.com

The major subjects for discussion ahead of Saturday's teatime London derby
at White Hart Lane...

Can it happen again?

In late 2013, West Ham United travelled to White Hart Lane twice in the
space of eight weeks and won on both occasions. A 3-0 Premier League victory
was followed by a come-from-behind 2-1 League Cup quarter-final win. When
the Hammers went 2-0 up on the Premier League visit to Tottenham Hotspur in
February 2015, the Claret and Blue Army chanted 'It's happening again!' On
that occasion, Spurs came back to draw 2-2, before scoring a 4-1 success in
last season's Premier League meeting. So, the question is, can West Ham make
it happen again? Or will Tottenham continue their recent renaissance by
making it back-to-back home victories over their London rivals?

Noble's absence

For the first time in the Premier League this season, Slaven Bilic will be
without captain Mark Noble, who is suspended after being booked for a fifth
time against Stoke City last time out. The skipper may not have been at his
influential best so far in 2016/17, but he will be sorely missed in
Saturday's teatime feast at White Hart Lane. A boyhood Hammers fan, Noble
undoubtedly raises his game against his team's local rivals, and his energy,
leadership and quality will all be marked by their enforced absence. It will
be up to whoever replaces him – Swiss youngster Edimilson Fernandes or
Norwegian Havard Nordtveit are among those in contention – to fill the void
left by the missing Mr West Ham.

Unbeaten hosts

They may not have hit the heights of last season on a consistent basis, but
the fact remains that Tottenham are the only unbeaten team in the Premier
League. Mauricio Pochettino has instilled a resilience and energy in his
Spurs side that has made them, so far, impossible to beat. Tottenham have
produced some scintialling displays, most notably in beating Manchester City
at White Hart Lane and thrashing Stoke City 4-0 at the bet365 Stadium, and
go into Saturday's game having drawn 1-1 at Arsenal last time out. However,
Spurs have also failed to beat AFC Bournemouth and West Bromwich Albion, so
West Ham can travel to N17 with hopes of adding to that list.

Who will take the gloves?

Slaven Bilic has said publicly that Adrian is his No1 goalkeeper, and one
can expect the Spaniard to line up between the sticks at White Hart Lane.
The No13 has pulled out some important saves this season, most notably in
the home win over Sunderland and in the first half at Everton. However, a
costly mistake against Stoke City last time out raised speculation that
Darren Randolph could be given his first Premier League opportunity since
Adrian's injury at the end of last season. Randolph has himself been hugely
dependable when called upon by Club and country, helping West Ham to an EFL
Cup win over Chelsea and Republic of Ireland to a valuable FIFA World Cup
qualifying victory over Austria in recent weeks. So, will Bilic be tempted
to change his goalkeeper? Or will he stick to his guns between the sticks?

Fours or threes?

Slaven Bilic's switch from a back four to a back three – or five, depending
on how you see things – resulted in an upturn in results and a greater
defensive solidity. For that reason, the Croatian may opt to continue with
the new formation, with Winston Reid expected to replace James Collins at
centre-half. The absence of Mark Noble and Tottenham's own preference for a
back three could see Bilic 'match-up' Spurs with a five-man midfield. Or,
will the manager be tempted to change to his tried-and-tested 4-3-3 in a bid
to take advantage of space behind the home full-backs?

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U12s qualify for Truce Tournament finals
WHUFC.com

West Ham United's U12s have qualified for the finals of the Premier League's
Truce Tournament, with the next stage taking place in December in Belgium.
The tournament forms part of the Premier League's 'Football Remembers'
initiative and the regional qualifiers fittingly took place on Remembrance
Sunday. All teams that attended the qualifiers at Aldershot Army Garrison
took part in a 2 minutes' silence and each team captain read out the names
of soldiers who represented their clubs but sadly died in combat. "The day
for us was an educational experience. Before the tournament, the players
were educated on why the tournament was taking place and who were we
remembering," said U12 coach Dave Johnson. "Some of our players were born in
2004 and were remembering players from a long time ago. It was really
important that they had an understanding of what Remembrance Sunday was and
how it affected our club. The remembrance of the players was very important
to us."

After the tributes were paid, the football started with the young Hammers
drawn in a difficult group against Chelsea, Everton, Reading and Derby
County. However, they swept the floor with their group opponents, topping
the table and winning all four matches which set up a qualification final
against Swansea City. The Hammers won that match meaning they were one of
just four English clubs to qualify for the European finals of the
tournament. The youngsters will travel to Ypres, Belgium along with Crystal
Palace, Manchester City and Blackburn Rovers to face Anderlecht, Club Brugge
KV, Schalke 04 and Paris Saint-Germain between 8-11 December.
Their time at Ypres will be also be spent visiting the memorial to the
unknown soldier and laying a wreath at the war graves nearby.
"It was a really good achievement and we only conceded two goals across the
whole tournament," continued Johnson. "It's a massive achievement for the
boys. All the Premier League clubs take part in qualifying for this
tournament so to be one of four clubs to qualifying for the finals is huge."
"We run over 40 tournaments for our Academy players so they can get
different European experience so the event will supplement our tour
programme."

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School children meet Academy stars at Hammers day
WHUFC.com

Academy stars Marcus Browne and Grady Diangana visited a local school last
week, who went West Ham United crazy for the day. Oakfield Primary School in
Wickford, Essex were celebrating all things claret and blue as the West Ham
United Foundation held a number of activities throughout the day. The
Foundation spent the whole day laying on various activities in and out of
the classroom as the corridors of the school were decked with West Ham
United shirts and lots of claret and blue decorations. The children were set
a number of footballing challenges outside and were later joined by Browne
and Diangana who both stressed how important it is for the Club to give back
to the community. "I think it's good coming back to a primary school because
it's where we learned to play football. We probably had the most fun playing
football at primary school because we could do whatever we wanted," said
Browne. "It's great for the kids when players come into schools in different
areas and have a chat and have fun with them."

"It's been really fun, all the kids are really enthusiastic. They're asking
a lot of questions about what we do, how old we are so it's brilliant," said
Diangana. Inside, some of the children set about creating their own unique
commentaries on Dimitri Payet's wondergoal against Middlesbrough in October.
Some of the students even went back out to try and re-enact the goal and the
school's teacher who helped organise the event, Ashleigh Patterson, said the
children thoroughly enjoyed the day. "West Ham United's Foundation have
created a new project where they go around to schools and try and promote a
takeover day where every child has an active part of the day," she said. "We
decided to go for it, because as a school we are very active and sport plays
a big influence on the school. As a West Ham fan myself, I was never going
to pass on the opportunity!" "Today, every child has been thoroughly
engaged. They (the players) have created an atmosphere for the children and
a lot of excitement has built up. "You can see by the children's faces that
they've had smiles on their faces all day. It's been brilliant."

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Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United
SAT, 19 NOV 2016PREMIER LEAGUE
17:30
Venue: White Hart Lane
BBC.co.uk

TEAM NEWS

Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli is close to fitness after a knee injury but
may not be risked ahead of Tuesday's European game against Monaco.
Toby Alderweireld, Erik Lamela and Ben Davies remain out.

West Ham captain Mark Noble is suspended but defender Winston Reid is fit
after a hamstring strain. There could be a place among the substitutes for
forward Diafra Sakho, who has not played all season because of a back
problem.

MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES

Simon Brotherton: "Tottenham are the only unbeaten side left in the Premier
League this season, but they haven't won since beating Manchester City 2-0
at White Hart Lane at the start of October. "It has seen them lose ground
among those jostling near the top and they now sit five points behind the
current leaders Liverpool. "The visit of West Ham also comes at a time when
Spurs are still dealing with a number of injury issues which won't help
their cause this weekend.
"The Hammers seem to be picking up after a poor start to the season. They
have lost only one of the last five games but still sit just a point above
the bottom three."

Twitter: @SimonBrotherton

WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino: "Every time we play and compete in
the Premier League, the opponent takes the game like a derby or a final.
That is good. This is another derby, another final for us. "We're creating
many chances every game, the problem is that we need more chances to score.
Maybe we're not as clinical as we were last season. It's about working hard
and trying to improve."

West Ham manager Slaven Bilic: "We are missing points. If we had beat Stoke
last time out we would be mid-table, because it's so tight. "But we are
17th, and if you are 17th you are very close to relegation and we have to
improve even more. "On one hand the worst thing to do is lose confidence and
doubt yourselves individually and as a group. On the other hand you can't
keep talking and saying the table doesn't matter, that we are a good team
and we will click."

LAWRO'S PREDICTION

Spurs have drawn their past four league games but I fancy them to win here.
West Ham will have to wait to pull clear of the relegation zone.

Prediction: 2-0

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

West Ham's only win in their last 14 Premier League visits to White Hart
Lane came in October 2013 (D5, L8).
Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs are unbeaten after their opening 11 league games for the first time
since a 16-match streak in the double-winning season of 1960-61.
However, Tottenham have gone seven matches without a win in all competitions
(D5, L2). They have not fared worse since May 2004.
They could draw five consecutive league matches for the first time since a
club record run of six in a row in 1999.
Mauricio Pochettino's side have the best defensive record in the Premier
League, conceding just six goals.
West Ham United

The Hammers are nine points and 11 places worse off than at the same stage
of last season.
They have lost five of their last six away league games.
However, Slaven Bilic's side have only lost once in five league matches.
Dimitri Payet has created 40 goalscoring chances this season, more than any
other player in the five major European leagues.
After playing Spurs, West Ham travel to Manchester United and Liverpool
either side of a home game against Arsenal.
SAM's verdict
Most probable score: 1-0 Probability of draw: 21%
Probability of home win: 66% Probability of away win: 13%
SAM (Sports Analytics Machine) is a super-computer created by @ProfIanMcHale
at the University of Salford that is used to predict the outcome of football
matches.

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Tottenham v West Ham preview: Mauricio Pochettino to make late call on Dele
Alli
Last Updated: 18/11/16 8:51pm
SSN

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino will make a late decision on Dele Alli
ahead of Saturday's Premier League game at home to West Ham.

Alli is close to recovering from a knee injury but may not be risked as
Tottenham aim to remain unbeaten.

Spurs remain the only unbeaten team in the top flight, but Mauricio
Pochettino's team are without a win since their 2-0 victory over Manchester
City at the beginning of October.

West Ham have endured a tough start to the season and find themselves down
in 17th place after 11 games.

However, Slaven Bilic's side had started to show signs of recovery in the
last period between international fixtures, taking seven points from four
matches.

But they face a tough test at White Hart Lane - a ground they where they
have won just once in their last 14 Premier League visits.

Team news

Toby Alderweireld (leg), Erik Lamela (hip) and Ben Davies (ankle) are all
out but Harry Kane is fit to start after returning early from England duty
to work on his fitness.

Christian Eriksen and Danny Rose are also available after shaking off hip
and foot problems respectively.

Meanwhile, striker Diafra Sakho is in the West Ham squad for the first time
this season after finally overcoming a back injury.

Defender Winston Reid returns after suspension and a slight hamstring injury
and looks set to take the captain's armband from midfielder Mark Noble, who
sits out due to a one-match ban.

James Collins has overcome the knock which forced him to withdraw from the
Wales squad, but Andy Carroll is still a couple of weeks away following an
ankle injury.

Opta stats

Tottenham are the only remaining unbeaten side in English football this
season, winning five and drawing six of their 11 PL games.

This is their best ever unbeaten start to a Premier League season, however
Spurs haven't won any of their last seven games in all competitions.


Pochettino's team are unbeaten in five league games at White Hart Lane this
season and have the best home defence in the country, conceding just twice.

The Hammers have won just two of their last nine league matches, with six
defeats suffered so far this term.

Bilic's men have averaged a goal a game this season, finding the net 11
times. They scored double that amount at this stage last season.

Dimitri Payet is set to make his 50th appearance for the club. He has scored
seven direct free-kicks for club & country since the start of last season.

Simone Zaza has yet to score in nine appearances since joining on a
season-long loan from Juventus.

Merson's prediction

I'm going to go for a comfortable Spurs win. They've had a couple of bad
results in the Champions League, but they're still undefeated in the league.

It was a very even game against Arsenal a fortnight ago, and with West Ham
still struggling, I can't see anything but a Spurs win.

These two really don't like each other, full stop. It's a big grudge game.
To be unbeaten so far this season is some going in a difficult league.

PAUL PREDICTS: 2-0

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Payet trumps Alli in head-to-head
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 18th November 2016
By: Staff Writer

Dele Alli and Dimitri Payet could come head-to-head this weekend as West Ham
travel to White Hart Lane to face Tottenham on Saturday.
Daily fantasy football game oulala.com have taken a look at the midfielder's
stats to see how the pair have compared in the Premier League this season...
and as you can see, it's good news for West Ham's talisman!

Although the reigning Hammer of the Year has played a game less than
Tottenham's England international, he has created a whopping 39 goalscoring
opportunities in comparison to Alli's 19 - and enjoyed 29 shots to his
opponent's tally of 24.

Additionally Payet has been responsible for 28 successful dribbles - more
than twice as many as the Tottenham midfielder. All of which bodes well for
the Hammers as they prepare for tomorrow evening's big London derby...

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Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 17th November 2016
By: Preview Percy

Can't say we have ever lost any sleep over the identity of the 30th best
team in Europe here at kumb towers. However, if you're interested Preview
Percy thinks he may have found out. Here's his look at this weekend's visit
to Tottenham Hotspur. Real information and graphics courtesy of the good
people at www.kickoff.co.uk....

Next up we go to the land of body odour and dandruff where we will be hosted
by Tottenham Hotspur. Kick-off for the benefit of space tv is 5.30 pm.

Travel? Well the good news is that they seem to have finished whatever they
were doing on the Great Eastern mainline between Liverpool Street, Shenfield
and points east. The bad news is that they have shifted all their diggers
over to the line through Tottenham Hale, meaning that should your journey to
that benighted part of the world usually involve your alighting at
Northumberland Park station rather than White Hart Lane you will have to
think again. Also bear in mind that the services are run by the nincompoops
at Abelio Greater Anglia which means anything could happen anyway.

The Gospel Oak to Barking line, on the one day of the year it would actually
be of any use to anyone, is closed – until next February. And, if your
journey involves use of the District Line west of Dagenham forget it –
replacement buses are the order of the day. C2C services that go into and
out of Liverpool Street will be running – but only to 8:30pm, which makes
relying on those to get home a bit iffy. Of course you could get the Circle
Line round to Tower Hill for Fenchurch Street but, guess what……Check before
you leave – and then at frequent intervals during the journey.

Spurs currently sit in 5th spot in the league with 21 points from the 11
played thus far. This places them 3 points behind Arsenal which must be a
bit irritating. They are unbeaten this season, though for anyone who does
the pools, assuming that they still exist, their recent form has made them
something of a banker on the treble chance, assuming that, if the pools
still exist, so does the treble chance.

Their last four matches have ended in draws, 1-1 away at West Brom and
Arsenal and at home to Leicester and 0-0 down at Bournemouth. Overall they
have drawn 6 and won 5 this season and the failure to convert some of those
draws into wins is something they may look back on at the end of the season
as they finish a few behind Arsenal as usual.

Their quest for Europa League qualification is going well though, a win, two
defeats and a draw seeing them sitting in the coveted third place in their
so-called Champions League group behind Monaco and Bayer Leverkusen, both of
whom remain unbeaten. They exited the League Cup to their northern
counterparts (I'm never sure if Liverpool are the "Spurs of the North" or if
Spurs are the "Scousers of the South"), going down 2-1 at Anfield a few
weeks back.

Before we look at the squad in any detail (THAT'd be a first – ed) a quick
word about their supporters. Yes they are renowned within the world of
football for being, well, a bit dim shall we say. Bless 'em. However, that
doesn't explain one of life's greatest mysteries, namely: why do so many
Spurs supporters wear shell suits? Let's face it; even in that thankfully
brief period in the '90s when they were in vogue, it was only really bottom
echelons of the lower orders that adopted them as acceptable wear. Even the
scousers, for whom the clothing/fire hazard combo became a uniform, seem to
have twigged how wrong that theory is. However, thanks to some in depth
research by your correspondent it's a mystery no longer.

I was monitoring an online conversation on that there facebook thing the
other day when the very subject of shell suit wearing Spurs supporters came
up. I am therefore indebted to one of their own supporters for the following
revelation:

"There was a brief period when Adidas provided some Spurs kit, and we had
some great kit. However, Adidas bailed leaving THFC with a ridiculous amount
of kit to offload. I still have my Adidas Shell Suit which I think I paid a
tenner for reduced from £60 and it still looks great. That is what you see
at White Hart Lane. The infamous bargain Adidas shell suit."

So there you have it from the horse's mouth as it were. They all wear shell
suits "because they were cheap". Which opens up all sorts of obvious
stereotype jokes that, not being in possession of a bargepole, I shall leave
well alone. Other than to say that, whatever they eventually spend some of
the £50 savings on I'd like to put in a plea for at least some of it to go
on deodorant and dandruff shampoo – they have instructions on the side of
the can or bottle these days guys so get someone to read them to you.

Possibly inspired by his players' poor summer showing in Euro 2016, manager
Pochettino felt compelled to spend a few bob during the window. The work
experience girl wearing the Beach Boys T-Shirt without knowing who they are
tells me that the top fee paid during the summer window was the £30m that
went to Newcastle in return for Moussa Sissoko. Now say what you like about
Mike Ashley (and Preview Alastair usually does) but one can't deny that he
knows how to wring a few bob out of a transfer. It is said that Ashley was
prepared to accept something like the £17m originally offered by Liverpool
for Andy Carroll and just kept turning down offers out of curiosity as to
how far they would go. For Sissoko, £30m is not a bad return on a player for
whom they paid £1.5m to Toulouse a few years back.

The next highest fee paid was the £17m that went to AZ "Where's the 67 Gone"
Alkmaar for the services of Dutch striker Vincent Jannssen, who, regular
readers will be pleased to know, has double figures in terms of Dutch Caps.
(No, you're too kind). Janssen has yet to set the world on fire since
arriving in the Premier League having scored just the once in the league
thus far this season, despite having been de facto first choice up front.
This state of affairs arose in the absence of Harry Kane, who has missed
much of the season with an ankle injury – minor for anyone else but
worryingly close to brain surgery for Kane. Janssen is a "slight doubt" at
the time of writing having picked up concussion whilst on international duty
at the weekend, an injury that typically leaves people disorientated and
unable to think or speak straight. (Insert your own Harry Kane joke here).

A further £11m went on what is now becoming an annual plundering of
Southampton's resources, with Spurs usually picking up the remnants of
whatever Liverpool can't be bothered with. This season saw the arrival of
Victor Wanayama to bolster the defensive options in midfield. Wanayama
arrived after3 years with Southampton which followed a spell with Celtic.
Wanayama comes from what might be regarded as the Kenyan branch of the
Neville family. Not only is brother MacDonald a fellow Kenyan international,
currently plying his trade in Italy's Serie B, two younger brothers are
playing in the Kenyan PL whilst sister Mercy is a pro basketball player in
the US. So if the parallels are maintained you can expect Victor to become a
rubbish manager but a reasonably competent pundit whilst McDonald will end
up performing the Phil Neville role. Whatever that is.

Whilst £11m seems like the going rate for a midfielder with Premier League
and full international experience, it does seem a lot to spend on a 21
year-old winger all of whose international experience at the time of writing
has been at U21 level for France. However, that's how much they paid for
Georges-Kevin N'Koudou. Or maybe that's two players? G-K N'K's signing seems
to have been more an exercise in squad-building and development at the
moment. His one start came in the League Cup defeat to Liverpool. Otherwise
it's largely been late sub appearances for the player, only three of which
have come in the League. Intriguingly the player was listed as the 30th best
player in Europe during the 2015/16 season according to UEFA's official
stats. (Payet was 13th in case you were wondering). This bizarre ranking
means that, officially at least, G-K N'K is just as good as Kevin De Bruyne
but not quite as good as, er, wait for it, Will Grigg who is, officially,
the 25th best player in Europe. At which point you might think that the
rankings are a complete load of twaddle. And you'd be right.

N'Koudou shares his coveted 30th best player in Europe spot with Toby
Alderweireld. Alderweireld arrived at the start of last season under
slightly suspicious circumstances having been on loan at Southampton from
Atletico Madrid. Southampton believed that they had an option to buy the
player for £6.8m. Atletico believed that they had an option to buy out that
option (please keep up) for £1.5m. Southampton claimed that the Spaniards
didn't exercise that option in time, none of which stopped Atletico
trousering £11.8m from Spurs for the player, which was still more than
they'd have gotten from Southampton, even when you factor in the £1.5m buy
out. Whatever happened, Southampton's threatened legal action never
materialised – lawyers being what they are it would probably have cost them
£50m to argue the toss – and the player ended up at Spurs. Their failure to
convert draws to wins has coincided with Alderweireld's absence from duty
with a knee problem and, given that he was on target in the corresponding
fixture last season, it's bloody typical that he should be likely to make a
return this week.

Incidentally Spurs 'keeper Hugo Lloris is ALSO listed as 30th best player in
Europe for 2015-16, so look out for moves for the likes of Oblak,
Kruchowiak, Aubameyang, Matuidi and Gameiro as they move to corner the
market in 30th best players. Or possibly not.

Other possible returnees from the sick list are Christian Eriksen (knee),
Moussa Dembele – whose absence with "muscle fatigue" sounds like the sort of
thing that a packet of Radox would sort out , Harry "Arsenal's Own" Kane who
was excused from playing crap for England to allow his ankle to recover and
Eric Lamela whose injury has been unspecified but is trendy enough to be
described as "hip" is also slated for a return. This leaves Dele Ali as the
main probable absentee due to a knee injury that will keep him out for some
time. So that's one less nasty niggling diver to contend with then, though
Kane can more than cover for the diving part of Ali's game.

That's enough about them. So what's been happening happened over the last
ten years (or so it feels). Well, apparently they held an election over the
water. Yeah I know, you'd have thought that they would have mentioned it on
the telly or in the papers or something. Anyway the result was a surprise
win for the male candidate. This prompted Nicola Sturgeon to make a
statement outlining her concerns over the election of someone whose polices
contained much that was based on a hatred for the inhabitants of the country
immediately to the south. I didn't read her statement in full but I expect
she has copyright issues.

Talking of the ungrateful lot north of the border it was nice of them to
send some dustbins down to Wembley the other night for a match in which as
awful as England were, Scotland were infinitely worse. And we tried to even
things up by picking Henderson. Again. Poor old Malta – must be galling to
see the sweaties a place above you in the table.

Talking of someone whose dubious talents have seen him rise to a job that he
should never have been in the running for. It's long been a mystery as to
how Jordan Henderson actually gets into England squads in the first place
let alone captain the thing.

Us? Well the only bit of our last game that sticks in the memory was
Adrian's nightmare walkabout that led to their equaliser. I've tried
hypnotherapy to erase the incident from my mind but I think picking a cheap
stage hypnotist more noted for making people think that they are chickens
may not have been the wisest move. Not that it worked anyway. Cluck.

There has been much call for Adrian to step down in favour of Randolph and,
whilst I would have no problem with that (nice to have two decent 'keepers
to call on isn't it) my guess is that Adrian will get the nod.

Injury news is that there are three players for whom November 19 is listed
as a red letter day for returns. Ginge, who missed out on the latest
instalment of the "Wales slowly realising that they aren't quite as good as
they thought they were" saga through a calf strain should be available for
this one. Which is good as Winston Reid is still a doubt at the time of
writing. Arthur Masuaku – remember him? – is also down as being available.

Then there's Diafra Sakho. He's had issues in the past beyond the back
problems that have kept him out the side (and West Brom's) this season.
However, if he is available for selection I for one will be happy – Sakho's
mobility is something that we've sorely missed this season. Carroll? Well
for all the talk a few weeks back about "after the international break" the
latest tale is one of "being able to train with the first team in a couple
of weeks" – something that has been presented as "good news" by the club.
Technically speaking, I'd say that falls into the category of "bad news"
rather than good, given that all the talk of the original injury was of "6
weeks to two months". December 11 is the date listed on the usual sites for
him.

Finally the skipper will be a bit gutted at missing out on this one. He will
be absent through suspension having forgotten to change his name to Diego
Costa by deed poll at the start of the season, that being the approved
method of avoiding the yellow and red cards that anyone else would normally
get these days.

Prediction? Well much depends on the injury front. Much has been made
elsewhere of the "8" players on the treatment table that they have. That's a
bit of a red herring though. Of that 8, as we have seen 6 are merely "slight
doubts" with Saturday being slated for their return for action. Only the
aforementioned Ali of the genuine first XI is definitely out so I'm
expecting them to put out a pretty strong starting XI. Factor in the fact
that they like to raise their game against their betters in their cup finals
and I think we may be in for a tough time given the fact that we are out of
sorts enough to give them a sniff at the moment. Loath though I am to do so,
I must therefore let my wallet rule my brain by placing the £2.50 that I had
absolutely no intention whatsoever of sending to Children In Bloody Need on
a wager at Winstones The Turf Accountants on a 2-1 home win, partly in the
hope that I'm as wrong as I usually am with these things.

Enjoy the game!

When last we met at White Hart Lane: Lost 4-1 (Premier League October 2016)
Off-days all round on a miserable visit to hand them the three points in
their Cup Final. Lanzini's late effort was a superb but superfluous finish.

Referee: Mike Dean And the world's most predictable refereeing appointment
of the year is Mike Dean for Spurs v West Ham on Saturday. Again. You
disbelieve me? Well let me put it this way, I had the bulk of this paragraph
written 48 hours before the official announcement. And it's on the box. My
money is on him remembering to punish a minor spot of holding in the box
with a penalty early on. Then forgetting about that sort of thing completely
for the rest of the match when infinitely worse infringements occur. I also
predict that neither of those decisions will go in our favour.

Danger Man: Harry Kane One of their own insofar as he is definitely on the
"two short planks" level of intelligence. Not averse to attacks of "scouse
gravity syndrome" when in the box and, dreadful as he was in the Euros, he
was given a few days off by the England squad only so he could prepare for
this one.

Percy's Poser: For the Stoke match we asked you "Whatever Happened To Nick
Hancock". The first correct answer out of the digital hat came from Mrs
Hortensia Wildebeest of Kelvedon Hatch whose response was both simple and
explicit: "I neither know nor care". Mrs Wildebeest wins a six-month old
oatcake. Well done Hortensia!

For this week's poser we go back to one of those forgotten moments in
football history. The phrase "as sick as a parrot" is a standard stock
phrase in football folklore (especially if you follow the Scottish national
team). However how does Tottenham Hotspur FC claim that the phrase came into
being? The first correct answer out of the digital hat will win a packet of
Trill which, as those of a certain age will remember "makes budgies bounce
with health". Good luck!

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
No West Ham striker has scored in 17 matches... that's our problem, says
Slaven Bilic
SLAVEN BILIC
Evening Standard

When I was a West Ham player, I considered the derby against Tottenham to be
the biggest game of the season. For me, nothing has changed. I made my West
Ham debut at White Hart Lane in February 1996. We won 1-0, with a goal from
Dani. The same scoreline would be very acceptable tomorrow. We have improved
in recent weeks and will continue to get better but we are still too close
to the wrong end of the Premier League table. Our problem is there for
everyone to see: the strikers are not finding the net. We have played 17
competitive matches this season and none of our strikers have scored. We
hope that will change because, statistically, we are up there in terms of
shots. It is just that we cannot hit the target. But I still believe in the
strikers and some of them are coming back now. Andre Ayew is fit again and
Diafra Sakho has also been back in full training for a couple of weeks.
Diafra lacks match practice but he looks sharp, he looks hungry and it is a
big boost for us because he gives us something different. He goes behind the
defence, he is good at holding the ball, he runs in the channels — opening
up those vital pockets of space which midfielders can exploit. I didn't want
to talk a lot about him when he was injured because I wanted to concentrate
on those who were available but now I can say it was a big blow that we
could not call upon him from the start of this season. It is well documented
he could have joined West Brom during the summer but he did not pass the
medical. All I can say is that I have spoken with him. He is our player, he
is under contract, he knows I rate him highly and we both know that things
change very quickly in football.

Okay, he wanted to leave then and there could have been money for us but we
are not thinking now to put him in the shop window. No matter what he wanted
to do then, we expect him to play well — to help us and to help him be in a
better position next season, to perhaps stay here and sign another contract.

Tomorrow is the first match of a tough schedule. We play twice at Manchester
United, once in the Premier League and again in the EFL Cup, follow that
with a home match against Arsenal and then go to Liverpool. Of course, we
would have liked more points going into these games but we demonstrated last
season — and against Chelsea in the Cup last month we can play well against
the top teams.

We will approach this schedule game by game. In every one of them we will be
underdogs but in every one we have a real chance if we play as well as I
know we can. At the moment Spurs are missing goals — they have been without
Harry Kane and Erik Lamela — but as a defensive unit they have the best
record in the Premier League, with only six goals conceded in 11 matches.
Not only are they not conceding many, they are not allowing their opponents
to have many chances. Yes, that is impressive but they have not won in seven
games and this is a derby, it's big for them, for us — and the fans. Last
season, we did really well against them at home but away, although we were
in good form at the time, they were much better than us. We're looking
forward to the game. We've improved over the last month but we're still not
in the position we want to be.
Spurs have what you could call a 'cup final' three days after our match when
they go to Monaco with their Champions League hopes in the balance. Will
that be a factor in Mauricio Pochettino's preparation for our match? I don't
believe so. Our match is too big for him to be thinking that way. I don't
think he will have one eye on the Monaco match. It is in his character that
Spurs will want to win both.

Dele Alli could be back and he is important for them. He is a talented young
player who is making a big impact in English football for club and country.
Last season, he provided a tremendous boost for Spurs, in terms of energy,
quality and playing between the lines.

The transfer window opens in six weeks but already we are being linked with
many players. It has been the same with West Ham since I arrived and even
before that. Every day a different player is supposedly at the top of our
list. The truth is we will assess things closer to the time. We have a big
few weeks before that and will see where we are. What is important is
players who have been out — such as Diafra Sakho, Andy Carroll, Arthur
Masuaku and Gokhan Tore — are either ready to come back or much closer.

As for Spurs this season, I think they will maintain their impressive
defensive record. The only question is whether they will score enough.

They haven't won in seven matches in all competitions, which is a bit too
many if you are aiming to win the title because it's a cruel League.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Diafra Sakho, he scores when he wants
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 18th November 2016
By: Paul Walker

So, it looks like we are going to see the lesser-spotted Diafra Sakho back
in action any time soon, but don't hold your breath, the club have been
saying Andy Carroll is on his way back for weeks!

But seriously, folks, I feel more than a bit sorry for the big striker after
the last few months, and nobody can say we haven't missed him. Somehow he's
taken the brunt of all sorts of misfortune, and I can't help but think that
the way he has been treated and bad-mouthed has had a lot to do with the
farcical situation we find ourselves in. With ridiculously expensive flops,
and loan disasters, following the incompetence of last summer's transfer
dealings. Some folk saw us coming, didn't they? Now I know Sakho has thrown
the longest moody in modern football history, and has had more off field
problems than the entire cast of Eastenders. If you believe the rumours,
there's a partner and child in France, a girlfriend and child, allegedly, in
the UK, while he has driven a Lamborghini into a wall and has been lonely in
his mansion. All in all, he has troubled the Essex constabulary far too
often when the local Bill were hoping for a quiet Sunday afternoon. But I
have never seen him given anything less than 100 per cent for the team, he
runs defences ragged as well as scoring a decent return in goals (anybody
else doing that at the moment?) and also creates the space for Dimi Payet to
weave his magic. And it was pretty obvious too, that he has been carrying
all sorts of injuries, back and thigh, and managed only 18 starts in the
league last term.
Then he fell out with Slav after being left out against Arsenal last term,
and it's been a struggle ever since. You don't cross our manager, as more
than a few can testify. But above all that, I really felt he got the hump
big time when our owners started to rattle on about signing a big name,
money striker to take Sakho's place, and that when he was a crucial part of
the West Ham team on the verge of their best season for a couple of decades.

Yes, there was a transfer demand, and a lot of bad feeling. But I still have
a real soft spot for the lad. And reading his profile maybe you can see why.
This lad was brought up in the Dakar slums and lost his father just before
the move to Metz materialised. He was the only breadwinner and his mum had
four kids to bring up. So off to France he went and sent money home to allow
his family to acquire a new house and food on the table. Sometimes I don't
think folk here really understand the deprivation so many likely kids out of
Africa are trying to escape from. So he's made a few mistakes along the way,
but he has never let us down on the pitch, and let's not forget that goal he
struck in the final game at the Boleyn to pave the way to a memorable win
over Manchester United.

But all that loose talk from our owners about 'big this' and 'big that'
clearly upset Sakho when he felt he was doing a pretty good job, albeit on
the footballing version of a zero hours contract! Sorry, bit harsh that, but
you get my drift. Sakho was on about £15,000 a week when David Sullivan
signed him on a four-year contract, against the wishes of Sam Allardyce.
That wage was increased a couple of times, but the last figure I saw was
about £33,000 a week. Yes, to you and me that's a fortune. But he was seeing
the likes of loan wasters like Emmanuel Emenike (£38,000), Nikica Jelavic
(£55,000) and even Victor Moses (£70,000) arrive, while he was doing a
better job--when fit--than any of them. No wonder he got the hump.

The last time I saw him was when he missed two glorious sitters at Stoke on
that last day, when a win would have put us into the Europa League group
stages and avoided all that embarrassing qualification nonsense (that we
didn't negotiate). And even on that day, I noticed one of our owners
twittering on about the chances Sakho had missed. It didn't take long for
the transfer demand and our attempts to knock him out to West Brom for £16m,
before the little matter of a failed medical put the lid on that. Then we
discover that he has serious back problems that have taken until now to
solve.

You might not believe all that, you may think we have been fattening him up
and keeping him out of trouble so he can be sold in January. Whatever. The
bottom line is that our summer signings, in particular the loan ones, have
been a disaster. The summer transfers have crumbled around the Sullivan/Tony
Henry axis and now we have to go cap in hand to Sakho, who has not played
since May, to give us a helping hand.

Sakho wants a new contract, his current one ends in June 2018, and he no
doubt believes he deserves one considering the vast amount of money that
Simone Zaza is costing; in excess of £80,000 a week has been suggested. We
have also wasted nearly £10m on the loan fees for Zaza, Jonathan Calleri and
Gokhan Tore. And their wages. Now I don't know what goes on behind closed
doors at our club these days, I may be a bit off the beam on some of this.
But Sakho deserves better, he maybe deserved more help and guidance when his
private life was falling apart last season. Give him a chance, everyone, he
may have made some daft decisions and the transfer demand didn't help. But I
say again, he has never given anything but his best efforts for us. He
hounds defenders, wins more than his share in the air and puts himself
about.

Anyone seen Zaza win a tackle yet, thought not!

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham transfer news: Slaven Bilic reveals star striker will not be sold
in January
SLAVEN BILIC has issued a hands off warning to clubs wanting to sign Diafra
Sakho in the January transfer window.
By STUART BALLARD
PUBLISHED: 13:09, Fri, Nov 18, 2016 | UPDATED: 14:33, Fri, Nov 18, 2016
Express.co.uk

Sakho failed a medical at West Brom having agreed a move in the summer. And
the Senegal international is still yet to feature for West Ham this season
but is expected to be involved in some capacity against Tottenham tomorrow
(3pm). In his absence West Ham have struggled to find the net this season
with none of the club's strikers scoring in their last 17 games. But the
international break has given Bilic's forwards the chance to recover with
Andre Ayew and Andy Carroll both expected back in the next few weeks. "I
didn't want to talk a lot about him when he was injured because I wanted to
concentrate on those who were available but now I can say it was a big blow
that we could not call upon him from the start of this season," Bilic told
the London Evening Standard. "It is well documented he could have joined
West Brom during the summer but he did not pass the medical. "All I can say
is that I have spoken with him. He is our player, he is under contract, he
knows I rate him highly and we both know that things change very quickly in
football. "Okay, he wanted to leave then and there could have been money for
us but we are not thinking now to put him in the shop window. "No matter
what he wanted to do then, we expect him to play well — to help us and to
help him be in a better position next season, to perhaps stay here and sign
another contract."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Transfer news: Alvaro Arbeloa set for early West Ham exit with January move
on cards
By talkSPORT - @talkSPORT
Friday, November 18, 2016

West Ham flop Alvaro Arbeloa is hoping to secure a return to Spain in
January. The 33-year-old arrived in east London during the summer but has
endured a forgettable start to life at the club. Arbeloa has played just 173
minutes in the Premier League this season and it has been suggested that he
could leave as early as January. Now, according to El Mundo Deportivo, he
would favour a move back to his native country despite reported interest
from the MLS and the Middle East. And it has been suggested that the
decorated full-back, who won the Champions League twice during his six
seasons at Real Madrid, should have little trouble finding new employment
back home.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Chelsea and West Ham fans handed banning orders after London Stadium clashes
JAMIE BULLEN
Evening Standard

A Chelsea fan and a West Ham supporter have been banned from attending
football matches following violent clashes at the London Stadium during a
League Cup tie. Hammers fan Nicholas Greenway, 51, of Battersea and Chelsea
supporting Michael Parker, 27, of Mitcham were arrested at the stadium and
appeared at Thames Magistrates' Court last Friday. Greenway was banned for
three years after he was charged with threatening behaviour while Parker was
issued a five-year disqualification after he hurled a missile inside the
ground. Seven people were arrested as violence erupted between rival
supporters at the final whistle of the EFL Cup derby last month in which
West Ham won 2-1. Commander BJ Harrington, of the Met's Public Order
Command, said: "Although the vast majority of people who attended the match
were well behaved, there were a minority who were clearly intent on being
involved in confrontation and violence. "Despite extensive work with both
clubs and the London Stadium partners as well as a large and robust policing
operation, there were unacceptable incidents inside and outside the stadium,
before, during and after the game. "We will continue to work with our
partners to tackle crime and disorder at the London Stadium and the banning
orders are a part of this work. "The banning orders for these two men will
prevent them from causing more trouble at football events in future. "We are
working tirelessly to identify people involved and bring them to justice.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Payet wins Carling Goal of the Month
18/11/2016
premierleague.com

Dimitri Payet's wonderful individual effort against Middlesbrough has been
awarded the Carling Goal of the Month for October. The West Ham United
playmaker's mazy run and finish in the 1-1 draw at the London Stadium topped
a shortlist of eight goals from the combined votes of a panel of experts and
the public, who picked their favourite via the Carling Tap and website.
Payet is the third winner of the Carling Goal of the Month.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham transfer news: Dimitri Payet January exit talk is 'not a big
issue', insists Slaven Bilic
ANDY SIMS Friday 18 November 2016 06:59
Evening Standard
Slaven Bilic is confident Dimitri Payet will not leave West Ham in January.
France international Payet caused a stir earlier this month when he said he
"closed the door to nothing" amid rumours of interest from Paris St Germain.
But Hammers boss Bilic has no plans to hold talks with his star man, who has
scored two goals and made five assists this season, and is convinced the
29-year-old is going nowhere. "I read it but he said nothing major," said
Bilic. "He said he didn't want to close the door to something, he didn't say
'I want to leave' in January or June or whatever so let's not make a big
issue. "I'm quite relaxed. We are not going to talk about it particularly
but with every big player there are a lot of rumours and interest. So I
don't have to talk to him about it."

Of more pressing concern to Bilic is Payet stepping up to the plate against
derby rivals Tottenham on Saturday evening. West Ham are languishing in 17th
place after just three wins this term and could do with their talisman
recapturing last season's form against the meanest defence in the top
flight. "In every game you need your characters to show their qualities, no
matter if it is to defend, to fight, to tackle and win second balls or
create something special and win games for you," he added. "We need him a
lot in every game, especially when you are playing against a defence that
has conceded so far the fewest goals in the Premier League. "Of course you
need something special to score against them and you are expecting your best
players to do it."

Bilic has added striker Diafra Sakho to his squad for the first time this
season following a back injury, but skipper Mark Noble is suspended.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: Team news, kick-off time, probable
line-ups, odds and stats for the Premier League clash
Diafra Sakho makes West Ham United squad for first time this season
Winston Reid returns after ban but captain Mark Noble is suspended
By PA REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 09:37, 18 November 2016 | UPDATED: 09:37, 18 November 2016

Ahead of this weekend's Premier League action, Sportsmail will be providing
you with all you need to know about every fixture, with team news,
provisional squads, betting odds and Opta stats. Here is all the information
you need for Tottenham's home clash with West Ham.

Team news
Tottenham
Coming soon...

West Ham
Striker Diafra Sakho is in the West Ham squad for the first time this season
for the trip to Tottenham after finally overcoming a back injury. Defender
Winston Reid returns after suspension and a slight hamstring injury and
looks set to take the captain's armband from midfielder Mark Noble, who sits
out due to a one-match ban. James Collins has overcome the knock which
forced him to withdraw from the Wales squad but Andy Carroll is still a
couple of weeks away following an ankle injury.

Provisional squad: Adrian, Randolph, Reid, Collins, Ogbonna, Cresswell,
Oxford, Kouyate, Obiang, Fernandes, Nordtveit, Payet, Lanzini, Antonio,
Feghouli, Ayew, Sakho, Zaza, Fletcher, Calleri.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR VS WEST HAM UNITED
Kick-off: Saturday, 5.30pm - BT Sport 1
Referee:
Mike Dean
Odds (subject to change):
Tottenham 11/20
Draw 7/2
West Ham 13/2

Managers:
Mauricio Pochettino (Tottenham)
Slaven Bilic (West Ham)

Head-to-head league record:
Tottenham wins 52
Draws 31
West Ham wins 43

Recent league form (latest result first):
Tottenham: DDDDW
West Ham: DLWWD

Key match stats (supplied by Opta)
Although they defeated West Ham 4-1 at home last November, Spurs have won
just one of their last four games against the Hammers at White Hart Lane (D1
L2) in all competitions.
However, West Ham have won just once in their last 14 Premier League visits
to Spurs (L8 D5).
This is Spurs' longest winless run in all competitions (D5 L2) since May
2004, in which they went eight without a victory.
Despite this, Tottenham are the only unbeaten Premier League side remaining
this season (W5 D6 L0). Only twice before in the top-flight have Spurs
managed to avoid defeat in their opening 12 games (1959-60 and 1960-61).
Dimitri Payet has created 40 goalscoring chances this season in league
competition, more than any other player in the big five European leagues in
2016-17.

Christian Eriksen hasn't scored with any of his last 61 shots in the Premier
League since scoring against Bournemouth in March 2016.
Harry Kane has scored three times in two previous home league games against
the Hammers for Spurs.
Kane has 15 goals in his last 15 London league derbies for Tottenham
Hotspur.
The Hammers have collected nine fewer points from their opening 11 games
(11) than they did last season (20), though this was their best PL start.
Michael Antonio scored a headed winner for West Ham the last time these two
sides met. He has 10 headed PL goals in 2016, twice more than any other
player and six more than Spurs have.
Slaven Bilic has lost five of his last six away league games at West Ham
manager, though their one win in that time was in London against Crystal
Palace.

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