Daily WHUFC News - 8th November 2016

Manager on Monday
WHUFC.com

West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic is backing his side to overcome a
tricky looking fixture list when the Premier League campaign resumes in
mid-November. The Hammers return to action from the latest international
break with a run of games that sees them take on Tottenham Hotspur,
Manchester United twice, Arsenal and Liverpool, but Bilic is confident his
team can use that as inspiration to start climbing the table. It was from
that kind of game last season that the Hammers made their mark, and Bilic
has reason for optimism from a run that has seen the east Londoners take
eight points from their last five matches. Following Saturday's 1-1 draw
with Stoke City, the manager said: "It is a very tough schedule, but we have
seen what we can do against top teams last year and even this year when we
played one of the top teams in the cup – Chelsea – and we beat them. "On
paper it looks like a tough four games, plus another one in the cup, but we
have to get ourselves ready for them. "There are no easy games in the
Premier League though, every team is good enough to harm you if you are not
on your top level. We are going to make sure we are at the top of our game
and then I'm sure we can get something out of these games. "In our last four
home games we have two wins and two draws, although we are not happy with
Saturday's result because we were aiming for the win."

It might have been the three points the home side were aiming for had they
not let their lead slip when Adrian failed to reach a pass forward, allowing
Jonathan Walters to set up Bojan Krcic's leveller. However, Bilic chose to
reflect on the many times the No13 has got his team out of trouble over his
101 Premier League games for the Club. He explained: "It was a mistake from
him. He misjudged the ball and it's a mistake but we shouldn't forget how
many times he's been a key man for us. "You don't judge your players,
especially your goalkeepers, because of one mistake. I'm always saying that
we have a couple of really good goalkeepers, it's a fact, but you want all
your players confident. Adrian made one bad mistake in the game and that
happens. "He knows that it was his mistake but mistakes happen. He is my
number one."

At the other end of the pitch, Andre Ayew made his first start at home after
shaking off his thigh injury and Bilic is looking forward to having him back
fit and firing, with Diafra Sakho and Andy Carroll not far behind either.
The manager explained: "It was hard for Ayew, because we were not coming
into the situations [high up the pitch] in the first half, so he was
dropping into midfield. "He's only just come back from a long injury. He's a
great player and like any player he needs time to hit his form again. "He
was one of our top signings, if not our top signing, and it's his position,
whether he plays there by himself, in a pair or around the striker. He can
cover all those positions." "Sakho is back in training and if Saturday's
game was one week later he would have been in the squad, so he should be ok
for after the international break. "Andy started running a few days ago so
we are going to see how he progresses now."

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Arsenal, Burnley and Hull ballots open
WHUFC.com

The Claret Members' ticket ballots for our Premier League fixtures against
Arsenal, Burnley and Hull City in December are now open. Claret Members can
enter the ballots to secure tickets for the three festive fixtures, with
tickets for Burnley and Hull starting at just £25 adults and £12.50
concessions! To enter, Claret Members are required to login to their
Ticketmaster account here, select the fixture and add to basket. Fans
wishing to apply with other Claret Members should include all client
reference numbers in the one transaction, and, if successful, will be seated
together.

By becoming a Claret Member, supporters can ensure access to the ballot,
with no Premier League game at London Stadium reaching general sale this
season.
With 52,000 plus Season Ticket Holders, an even greater number on the
waiting list and thousands of Claret Members already registered, Claret
Membership is your access to home match tickets in this unique season.

Membership is priced at just £40 for Adults and £25 for Under-16s, with
supporters already on the Season Ticket Waiting List eligible for a £5
discount.
Similarly, Claret Members can also join the Season Ticket Waiting List for
the reduced price of just £5. Supporters entering the ballot have the option
of selecting up to a maximum of two price points. If you are happy to accept
any price band, and thereby increasing the likelihood of being successful,
kindly select your preferred area of the Stadium and leave the second option
blank.

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Loan round up
WHUFC.com

Reece Burke was in action for Wigan against Reading in the Championship on
Saturday
Under new boss Warren Joyce, the Latics fell to a defeat, however
A number of other Hammers loanees watched from the bench as their sides
contested FA Cup ties

Reece Burke was the only Hammer in loan action over the weekend as he
completed 90 minutes for Wigan Athletic in the Championship. The struggling
Latics, who recently appointed Warren Joyce as their new boss following the
dismissal of Gary Caldwell, had another tough afternoon as Reading visited
the DW Stadium to record a 3-0 win. The match started in disastrous fashion
for the hosts as Gareth McClearly found the net less than a minute in, and
he doubled his tally on just five minutes, striking this time from distance.
Yann Kermorgant completed the scoring with a second half penalty to round
off a miserable afternoon for Burke's side.

Elsewhere in the Championship, Martin Samuelsen was an unused substitute for
Blackburn Rovers in their 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa. Sam Gallagher gave
Rovers an early second half lead, but Jonathan Kodjia levelled from the
penalty spot four minutes later before adding the winner with 20 minutes
remaining.

In FA Cup action, Josh Pask was left on the bench as Gillingham were held
2-2 at home by National League North side Brackley Town on Saturday. The
visitors raced into a two-goal lead before former Hammer Frank Nouble scored
twice to earn a replay.

Meanwhile, Walsall also suffered a disappointing result, beaten by
Macclesfield Town 1-0 at home as George Dobson watched the action from the
bench. Josh Cullen and Lewis Page – regulars for Bradford City and Coventry
City respectively this season – were both rested over the weekend; the
Bantams were beaten 2-1 in the FA Cup by Accrington Stanley, while Coventry
recorded a 1-1 draw at Morecambe.

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Payet on song
WHUFC.com

If you want Dimitri Payet to keep producing the goods, then the best
approach would be to sing 'We've got Payet!' from kick-off to final whistle!

West Ham United's French star revealed that, when he first arrived in east
London in summer 2015, his lack of English meant he could not understand
exactly what the Claret and Blue Army were singing about. However, once he
got a handle on the language, Payet said hearing his name being sung from
the stands inspired him to try even harder to make things happen for the
Hammers on the pitch. "At the beginning I didn't even know it was a song
about me because it was in English, but the song resonates well in our
Stadium," he told French TV show Telefoot. "It doesn't affect my
concentration – on the contrary it pushes me to do better!"

While Payet has continued to take and create chances for his teammates this
season, scoring once goal, chalking up four assists and making 40 key passes
in just nine Premier League appearances. The Hammer of the Year's form,
however, has not coincided with a strong start for his team, who go into the
November international break sitting 17th in the table. Payet, for one, is
determined to help Slaven Bilic's side to turn things around when he returns
from FIFA World Cup qualifying duty.
"We've had a very poor start," he accepted. "We find ourselves in a
difficult position. We are going to try to rapidly climb back into the top
half of the table."

To fulfil that aim, the No27 said the Hammers have to turn the Club's new
London Stadium home into a fortress. With two wins, two draws and two
defeats from six Premier League matches in Stratford, Payet is targeting an
improvement in that record, starting with the visit of title-chasing Arsenal
on 3 December. "After playing for all those seasons at a mythical stadium
like Upton Park, it is clear that we have made a new start at a Stadium that
is much more modern," he observed. "It is the start of a revolution at the
Club and we have to get used to it and make this Stadium a strong point for
us."

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Antonio wants to get back among the goals
WHUFC.com

Michail Antonio was frustrated that his side failed to take all three points
from the game against Stoke on Saturday, but says they will be working even
harder over the international break to put things right as they prepare to
face Tottenham in the big London derby. The Hammers were on course to make
it three home wins in a row after Glenn Whelan headed the ball past his own
keeper midway through the second half. But a mistake from Adrian saw Stoke
draw level when Bojan Krkic got in front of three defenders to volley the
ball into the back of the net. Antonio says the team have got to learn from
their mistakes and work harder on maintaining their lead in the future as
they now prepare for a tough run of fixtures which include Tottenham,
Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool. Antonio said: "These are two
points dropped. We made a mistake for their goal and when we get on top we
need to keep it going and hold onto the lead. "There are no easy games in
the Premier League and we just need to keep working hard over the
international break and prepare for the Tottenham game."

Antonio is still disappointed that he was not able to claim his sixth goal
of the season after it appeared that he rose the highest to direct a header
past Stoke keeper Lee Grant. But after reviewing the incident, the Premier
League quickly awarded it as a Whelan own goal. After starting the season
with five goals from five games, Antonio is desperate to get his name back
on the scoresheet and hopes for better luck in the big London derby at White
Hart Lane on 19 November. Antonio added: "I saw it again on the big screen
and headed the ball into the far corner and it should be my goal. "It is
very frustrating because you go out there and try your hardest. I had been
on a bit of scoring drought so I thought I had ended it on Saturday. "I was
looking forward to celebrating that goal but there is nothing I can do about
it now and I will keep going in the next game."

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#WHUAREYA - Alex Pike
WHUFC.com

Whether deployed at full-back or in the centre of defence, Alex Pike has
been a key player for the Hammers' PL2 squad this season who are currently
third in their division. The 19-year-old - an experienced and composed head
amongst many youngsters still eligible to play for the U18s - is a player
Terry Westley and his staff know they can depend upon at the back. In the
next episode of West Ham TV's #WHUAREYA feature, Pike reveals his hopes for
the rest of the campaign, who he looks up to in the first team squad and
what TV and music he is into.

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Ogbonna – We are positive
WHUFC.com

West Ham United may have to wait the best part of two weeks to get back to
action, but the trip to Tottenham Hotspur on 19 November cannot come around
soon enough for defender Angelo Ogbonna. The Italy centre back was
desperately disappointed not to convert a lead into three points against
Stoke City at the weekend and wants to take the first available opportunity
to land a victory after defeat at Everton and the Stoke stalemate stalled
the Hammers' recent revival. The last five league games have nevertheless
yielded eight points and Ogbonna is keen for more when the action resumes at
White Hart Lane. He said: "We are preparing for after the international
break, and it is important that we didn't lose in our stadium on Saturday.
"We are positive, we are optimistic, and we are waiting [for the next game]
to improve our form. "It was definitely two points lost on Saturday. We were
so disappointed about the result, because we need to win. "We need to stay
compact and stay together. We can talk about everything, but the most
important thing is to get back winning."

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Cresswell receives first England call
WHUFC.com

West Ham United are delighted to confirm that Aaron Cresswell has been
called into the senior England squad for the first time.

The Hammers left-back has been rewarded for two outstanding seasons in
Claret and Blue with a call-up to Gareth Southgate's squad for a 2018 FIFA
World Cup qualifier with Scotland and friendly international with Spain at
Wembley.

Cresswell has been regularly tipped for international honours during his
time in east London, during which he has made 93 appearances, scored four
goals and won the Hammer of the Year award. He replaces the injured
Leicester City midfielder Danny Drinkwater in the squad and linked up with
the squad at St George's Park on Monday evening.

Speaking exclusively whufc.com, the 26-year-old said his family would be
immensely proud of his inclusion in the Three Lions' squad for two big
matches.

"Of course, I am obviously delighted to receive a call-up and it's a very
proud moment for me and my family," he said. "It is every boy's dream to
play for their country and I am looking forward to the next two weeks.

"I just want to enjoy the experience and do my best in training and, if I
can do that, then I hope I can achieve my dream of pulling on an England
shirt, which is what I've wanted to do ever since I started playing football
as a little kid in Liverpool.

"My main focus has always been on playing for West Ham and doing the best I
can for my Club. As long as I was giving 100 per cent, that's all I could
do."

Cresswell is naturally relishing the opportunity of training - and playing -
alongside the best players in the country.

"I haven't played alongside any of the other lads in the squad, but of
course I have played against them all in the Premier League and they are top
players," he revealed. "I am sure the training is going to be at a real high
tempo and I can't wait to be part of it."

Cresswell paid tribute to the Hammers for giving him the opportunity to play
in the Premier League when they signed him from Ipswich Town in summer 2014.
Two-and-a-half years later, he has realised his dream of an England call-up.

"I can't thank the Club enough, particularly the fans who have been
different class to me since I arrived. Now, I want to go away and make them,
my family, friends and everyone at West Ham proud."

Unbeaten England host Scotland in their fourth World Cup qualifying Group F
fixture at Wembley on Friday at 7.45pm, then welcome Spain to the Home of
Football at 8pm on Tuesday 15 November.

Should he feature in either match, Cresswell would become the 40th West Ham
player to pull on and England shirt and the first since Stewart Downing
appeared against Scotland in Glasgow in November 2014.

He would also join the roll-call of Hammers left-backs to have represented
the Three Lions, which also includes Frank Lampard Sr, Stuart Pearce and
Paul Konchesky.

West Ham's most-capped player is the late, great Bobby Moore, who played 108
times between 1962 and 1973, followed by fellow 1966 FIFA World Cup winner
Geoff Hurst with 49 and Trevor Brooking with 47.

Of the current squad, Andy Carroll earned a solitary cap while with West Ham
back in 2012, while Michail Antonio was including in the last two squads,
but did not feature.

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Exclusive: Cresswell set for England
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 7th November 2016
By: Staff Writer

Aaron Cresswell is about to be named as West Ham United's latest home
international, KUMB has learned.

The 26-year-old full back is set to be confirmed as a late replacement for
an injured member of the original 25-man squad named by Gareth Southgate
ahead of the forthcoming World Cup qualifier against Scotland.

Tottenham defender Kyle Walker, who collected a knock in the 1-1 draw with
Arsenal on Sunday is reported to be close to pulling out of the squad for
the 11 November game.

Cresswell, who was named KUMB's Player of the Year 2014/15 has never
previously been selected at full international level. More to follow on this
exclusive story soon.

EDIT: It was later confirmed (by West Ham United's website, 9pm Monday) that
Cresswell had indeed been called up.

He told whufc.com: "It's a very proud moment for me and my family. It's
every boy's dream to play for their country and I am looking forward to the
next two weeks."

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EXWHUEMPLOYEE EXCLUSIVE COLUMN: PLAYERS BEING SCOUTED AND SOME INJURIES WILL
REOCCUR.
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 6 NOVEMBER 2016 AT 10:25PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk

So I am writing one of these again off the back of a disappointing
performance. We have a real issue with our forwards having not scored or
assisted in any game this season. It is easy to pinpoint the blame at their
feet but I do not believe they are getting the service that they need to be
influential. The rest of the attacking players are a good 10 yards away from
the forward when they initially received the ball. Payet puts great balls
into the box but again we do not have that physical target man forward to
get on to the end of them.

The majority of people seem to have agreed with me regarding dropping Adrian
for Randolph although there are some who think I am being too harsh. I love
Adrian do not get me wrong and I hope he signs a new deal however the fault
against Stoke cost us the game and a similar error against Watford let them
back into the game and there have been others. Not many people noticed but
Crouch had gone in studs first into Adrian's knee just before he ran out and
did a similar move on their player (which lead to their goal). Whether this
was intentional or not I am not sure but if it was, it makes the decision to
run that far out when there was clearly a number of defenders around, even
more inexcusable.

Randolph has not let the side down in any game that he has been called upon.
He also has a harder job because he has to come in and play one game every
now and again without building up a run of games which is so important to
goalkeepers. So the fact that he plays that well with the odd game here and
there I would love to see what he could do with a run in the side. The whole
point of having two good keepers is that if one is off form the other can
come in, if Randolph does not come in, it shows to me that Adrian is pretty
immune as the number one here and that is not a good message to send out.

We will be looking to bring in a right back in January because of ongoing
fitness concerns of Byram and Arbeloa. It is true that Ivanovic is someone
that we have considered and there is a couple of potential deals with
Chelsea that we would like to conclude as well as this. We will also look
to sign another forward. This of course depends on the Zaza deal. It is
fair to say that the club will not be signing Zaza and so I do not expect
him to complete the 15 starts he needs to which will trigger the deal to
West Ham. So there will be money to spend.


I think the club has finally lost patience with Andy Carroll and would look
to sell him in January if an offer did come in for him from China. Whether
this has any truth I am not sure at this stage but certainly the ongoing
injuries mainly have frustrated the management because you cannot plan
anything around him playing. Unfortunately there are a number of players at
the club that have ongoing injury problems that will always flair up and I
am not just talking about Carroll and Sakho here.

Payet has on French television suggesting he would be open for a move in
January. Whilst the club have no ambition to sell the player, if we end up
in a relegation battle come January you could understand him considering his
options. I hope that he doesn't leave but no one is bigger than the club
and if he wants to go we would have to let him in my eyes, as much as I
would hate that.

We have been looking at some targets now and beginning to build up some
potential players that we could move for in January although there is
nothing solid in place at this point. As always our scouts are working all
over the place and checking out players from a number of leagues
particularly the French ones.

There are a number of things for us to talk about on the radio show the
week, which you can download as podcasts now. I will speak more about some
of the players that we are looking at on the show then.

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Southgate: why I dropped Antonio
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 7th November 2016
By: Staff Writer

Temporary England manager Gareth Southgate says that Michail Antonio remains
in his plans - despite being dropped from the latest England squad. The West
Ham winger was given his first call-up for the national squad by Sam
Allardyce, shortly before he was dismissed. He was then kept in by Southgate
for his first selection, but will not be involved in next weekd's battle of
Britain against Scotland after being left out of the latest 25-man squad,
announced last night. "It was very difficult to make the call to Alex
Oxlade-Chamberlain and Michail Antonio because I've seen them all playing in
recent weeks and they've had good performances," explained Southgate. "But
we have strength in depth and competition for places and any of these guys
could force their way into the squad. I've no doubt they will in the coming
months but we have to take a decision for the game on Friday and the game
next Tuesday and this is the balance of the squad we went with."

Antonio, who joined West Ham a year ago in September is West Ham's leading
goalscorer this season with five goals from his opening 17 games of the
campaign.

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A spectacular arena, but not made for football
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 7th November 2016
By: Gary Steer

For me, Upton Park was incredible, full of character and a 'family' club.
You could see that it didn't matter what you did or where you come from. How
much money you had in your bank account or pockets was irrelevant because
today you are one of us - a brother amongst fellow Hammers.

And the funniest thing of all? I didn't actually ever care if we won or
lost. Sounds really silly doesn't it? But for me it was about being in a
cauldron of passion. From stepping off the tube and entering the Boleyn Pub,
to grabbing a match day programme or waiting in a queue for a wee.

It was all part of the hustle and bustle of match day. My stomach would
churn with worry, excitement, adrenaline and just pure happiness. I would be
covered from head-to-toe in goosebumps as I stood there in my bobble hat and
scarf awaiting the drunken explosion of 'I'm forever blowing bubbles'.

The pub would simply move from chatting to a chorus of the famous song and
it would grab hold of you in a contagious fashion, ripping you off your seat
and before you could catch your breath, you were stood up bellowing with
everyone else. I was swallowed up by this incredible animal and was addicted
from day one.

Then came the journey into the stadium. You walk up the steps and then it
hits you like nothing you have ever experienced! The crowd of Upton Park
singing bubbles! Wow! Sensational! My heart fills with pride and beats so
fast it nearly explodes!

As I said, the result did not matter. If we won then it was just a bonus.
Travelling four hours from Gloucester meant that visits were nowhere near as
frequent as I'd like. So, the novelty never ever wore off. Supporting a
football club is like a relationship and no matter how annoyed or let down
you feel you will still be there again tomorrow because all of the bad days
can be eclipsed by the odd great moment.

But something changed when I went to a game in 2014. The 'bubbles' had
burst! The singing in the Boleyn was replaced with extremely loud music. Was
this to prepare the fans for the future stadium move? Were we to acclimatise
to the inevitable binocular viewing atmosphere that the Olympic Stadium
would bring?

I felt completely empty as if somebody had ripped away all of my childhood
memories. An attempt to sing was made but it was continuously drowned out by
contemporary dance music. I was gutted and to be honest the excitement was
gone. Even inside the stadium it was different.

It has been a bad start and it's easy to blame the stadium but I have been
to it and it's a spectacular arena. However, it is not made for football. I
had to visit once to see what all the fuss was about but I can happily say I
have no desire to return.

£7 for burger and chips and almost an hour waiting in a queue for the tube.
The obvious frustration and pushing in of drunken fans was causing a bad
atmosphere from day one. Gone are the traditional sites of Queens Market and
Ken's cafe, only to be replaced by a giant commercial shopping Centre with
an air of pompousness about it. It's not West Ham!

In the past we could get away with picking up hardly any points away from
home because the home form at Upton Park would save us. The crowd being the
extra man would get us victories and with each success came a bit of
momentum and a building of confidence. This then allowed us to travel and
then collect the odd win or draw on the road. No team enjoyed playing in the
intensity of the Boleyn Ground and the fans have to take credit for this.

Unfortunately the financial ambition of the owners has taken priority and
destroyed what was once a family football club. When season tickets went on
sale the big campaign was "we are going to buy a £30m striker (Sullivan said
it himself) I don't know but maybe fans feel betrayed by this unfulfilled
promise and had they been told that the summer acquisitions would be a
series of loans and freebies, they may not have invested in a season ticket.
And this is where the frustration comes from in my opinion.

The constant unprofessionalism of Sullivan Jnr constantly posting updates on
Twitter, whilst his Father being disrespectful and outspoken, makes the club
look pathetic! It is so bad and if you really want to join the big clubs
then this sort of thing has to stop! When you see kids walking around with
Chelsea and Arsenal shirts in the venue it makes you wonder whether you are
a football club or a venue for tourists. No wonder no player wants to join
this ridiculous circus!

We miss the twelfth man and desperately need that ferocious crowd getting
stuck into the opposition if we are to compete because as it stands we are
in danger of playing 38 away games this season. If they don't address it you
can expect some thrashings from the expansive free flowing teams. We need
opponents to be fearful again and the fans verbally getting into them not
allowing them a second to breathe.

As it stands, the Man Citys and Arsenals will thrive in a muted training
ground atmosphere. It's like playing behind closed doors. RUBBISH!

I have watched the majority of home games online this season and it's
absolutely terrible. No atmosphere at all. During the pathetic draw with
Stoke I could hear the away fans and hardly anything from home fans. There
is no intensity, no pressing, no nothing. I literally play on my phone
whilst watching now as it's like watching paint dry.

You can say I'm not a real fan, quite frankly I really don't care. I have a
tattoo on my back that reads 'West Ham til I die' but it isn't West Ham
United anymore.

The owners are ruthless idiots in my opinion. A pair of backstreet market
traders trying to compete with the global conglomerates of this world but
they've got it all wrong. No real fan wanted the move but they were never
listened to.

To be honest, I don't care anymore. If relegation means the owners sell up
then so be it. Upton Park has gone but the only way to get West Ham back is
to get back into a traditional stadium. I'm not sure how that happens
though.

I hate the new stadium and the re-branding idea by Brady and the Davids. I
will not be returning to this 'arena' as it represents everything bad about
the club. The owners have ruined the club and ripped out the heart and soul.
Money matters to them and they have forgotten what and who really matters.

Those who pay the players wages and the same people who pay for the fuel to
run all the expensive cars the players and owners drive. The people who
built this club and who without, West Ham United would be nothing. - The
fans!

Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are those of the
author and do not necessarily represent the views of, nor should be
attributed to, KUMB.com.

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Aaron Cresswell and Jordan Pickford called into England squad
By Chris MacRae
Last Updated: 07/11/16 9:37pm
SSN

West Ham's Aaron Cresswell has received his first England call-up and
Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has also been drafted into Gareth
Southgate's squad for the forthcoming matches against Scotland and Spain.

The pair will join up with the senior team at St George's Park on Tuesday
following the withdrawals of Leicester City midfielder Danny Drinkwater and
Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster through injury.

England face Scotland in a World Cup Qualifier at Wembley on Friday,
November 11 before hosting Spain at the same venue on November 15.

Left-back Cresswell, who began his career at Tranmere Rovers, joined West
Ham from Ipswich two years ago and has gone on to make 77 appearances for
Slaven Bilic's side.

Cresswell has played just three league matches this season, having struggled
with a knee injury, and was then sent off on his return at Crystal Palace
before completing 90 minutes against Everton and Stoke.

He told his club's website: "I am delighted to receive a call-up and it's a
very proud moment for me and my family.

"I just want to enjoy the experience and do my best in training and if I can
do that, then I hope I can achieve my dream. I can't thank the club enough,
particularly the fans who have been different class to me since I arrived."

Sunderland keeper Pickford made his debut for the England U21s in September
2015 and received his first senior call from Southgate to replace the
injured Tom Heaton for the qualifier against Slovenia last month.:

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Slaven Bilic gives backing to Adrian after West Ham 'keeper's howler
By Andy Charles
Last Updated: 06/11/16 11:38pm
SSN

Slaven Bilic has backed West Ham goalkeeper Adrian in the wake of his costly
mistake in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Stoke. The Spaniard inexplicably vacated
his goal to try and stop a Stoke move which ended with Bojan Krkic volleying
the equaliser into an empty goal. Bilic called it a "very cheap goal" but
the Hammers manager says he has no intention of replacing Adrian with
second-choice Darren Randolph. "He is my number one for sure," said Bilic,
whose side is not in Premier League action again until they face Tottenham
on November 19. "I've got no concerns about his form. Okay, the goal was a
big mistake from him. He misjudged the ball. Maybe it was obvious from the
touchline he was not going to get the ball. "There was not any reason for
him to go there; it was far away from goal and we had it covered. "It's a
mistake but we should not forget how many times he has been a key man for
us. "I've always said we have a couple of really good goalkeepers and it is
a fact that you want your players, including Adrian, confident. He made one
mistake, that happens. "He knows he made a mistake. But mistakes happen."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham and Dimitri Payet set for crisis talks after frustrated star drops
transfer hint
22:30, 6 NOV 2016
BY DARREN LEWIS , NEIL MCLEMAN
Concerned boss Slaven Bilic to stress to his French star how much he is
loved and valued at the Hammers following comments over potential January
exit
The Mirror

Slaven Bilic will hold crunch talks with Dimitri Payet after the Frenchman
opened the door to a move away from West Ham. Payet dropped a bombshell on
the Hammers by refusing to rule out leaving in January's transfer window. He
told French television: "Leave in January? I'm asking other questions right
now, but I haven't closed the door to anything. "Until now, I always chose
my clubs depending on the sports project. I work like that. Until I can play
at a level like this, it will be the case. "Go to Paris Saint-Germain or
[return to] Marseille? For now, they have not come to me, so I do not ask
myself."
Some fans have turned on the 29-year-old with the Hammers fourth-bottom and
one point above the relegation places following a weekend that saw them draw
at home with Stoke. The Irons are now worried about losing their prize asset
and boss Bilic will sit down with him to underline how much he is loved and
valued at the club.
Payet, who impressed at Euro 2016 and has been included on the longlist for
the Ballon d'Or, has been one of the few consolations from the Londoners'
disastrous start to the Premier League campaign. So far this season, he has
scored twice and created five assists. He signed a new five-and-a-half year
deal worth £125,000-a-week in January to remain at the club. West Ham remain
adamant they do not want to sell their prize asset but he made no attempt to
disguise the fact that all is not well at the club, and that their move to
the former Olympic Stadium has not helped. He said: "We've had a very poor
start. We find ourselves in a difficult position. We are going to try to
climb back into the top half of the table. "It is clear that after all the
years in the mythical stadium of Upton Park, it is a new start. "We have a
stadium that is a lot more modern, and a lot colder, it is true. But it is
the start of a revolution at the club and we have to get used to it and make
this stadium a strong point for us."

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Interview with West Ham midfielder Pedro Obiang
http://www.whufcbulletin.com/

This week, we spoke to in-form West Ham midfielder Pedro Obiang in what will
be the first of a two part interview. We spoke to him about a number of
different topics including his rise to first-team regularity, the start to
the season, and the club's move to the London Stadium.

Q: You've recently come into the starting lineup at West Ham, what has been
the key change in your game that has caught the eye of Slaven Bilic?

Obiang: Well, the truth is, there came a certain point when I didn't think
it was going to work out, but thanks to my teammates, family, God, and
friends, I carried on working hard and I think that was key.

Q: It's been a relatively poor start for West Ham this season; how do you
feel about this season going forward from now?

Obiang: For sure, our start wasn't good; we had to deal with a lot of
internal and external changes at the club, but now finally we are starting
to get hold of the reigns again. However, we know we are still a long way
off what we were and can be, but it won't be for a lack of hard work.

Q: What differences are there between playing at eh Boleyn Ground, and
playing at the London Stadium?

Obiang: The differences are obvious because playing at Upton park was a
familiar stadium, full of history and we have had lots of good memories
there which were transmitted through the stadium. It was also known to be an
intimidating ground and had a good atmosphere. It will take us some time to
create the same atmosphere here but it will come. Why? Because we are the
Irons!

Q: What do you like to do in your free time, outside of football?

Obiang: Well since I became a father, I enjoy spending most of my time with
the little one watching cartoons! But when I'm away with the team, I like to
read a lot, oh and most importantly, I like to eat well.

Q: How have you found life different between living in Genoa, and living in
London?

Obiang: Well, here there is a big river, and there a big sea! No, I do like
it here, however it was difficult for me leaving Genoa. I spent a lot of
time there and grew up there, I left behind a lot of my friends.

Q: Growing up, which team did you support and who was your footballing idol?

Obiang: Atlético de Madrid. My idol was Zinedine Zidane. He was crazily
good, you might say he was 'different gravy'!

Q: Which players do you get on best with at the club?

Obiang: That's easy really, but difficult to define as I get on very well
with all of them. Obviously, I get on with the Latinos the best and above
all with Adrián as he helped me a lot when I arrived, he really helped me to
settle into the club which was nice. Now, Zaza because we used to play
together at Sampdoria when we were younger. Angelo [Ogbonna] as well as we
arrived at the same time; but ultimately I get on with everyone really well.


Q: If you weren't a footballer, what would your job be?

Obiang: I'll be honest with you; I told my mother that I wanted to be a
fisherman and a butcher. However, I studied to go into politics, and also
architecture due to the fact that the family business was in construction.
But thanks to God, I'm doing the best job in the world.

Q: If you could choose one player in footballing history to play with, who
would it be and why?

Obiang: Again, for me, it would have to be Zinedine Zidane. I don't know if
he is a legend to others but during my childhood he gifted me with so many
emotions and following his story, his past and his biographies, I have seen
that he had a similar childhood to me. I was always touched and impressed by
his quality and capacity to improve.

Part two of our interview with Pedro will be coming soon. On behalf of
everyone at WHUFC Bulletin, we would like to thank Pedro for his
co-operation with us and his interesting responses to our questions.

For more regular news and media regarding everything at West Ham United
Football Club, follow our twitter page: @WHUFCBulletin.

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West Ham FC transfer news: Hammers to sign loan flop Simone Zaza on
permanent deal and then sell him on?
By talkSPORT - @talkSPORT
Monday, November 7, 2016

West Ham could be set to sign loan flop Simone Zaza permanently – before
immediately flogging him to Napoli. The Italian has made a miserable start
to life at West Ham, failing to score in his first nine appearances for the
club. Reports in Italy have suggested that Napoli are ready to rescue him
from his Hammers nightmare by attempting to land him in January. However,
Gazzetta dello Sport has suggested that the frosty relationship between
Napoli and his parent club Juventus could prevent that deal ever
materialising. So it has now been reported that West Ham will take up the
option of buying Zaza from Juve, despite his poor form, and then move him
straight on to Napoli.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham braced for Dimitri Payet offers with Chelsea's Cesc Fabregas a
possible replacement for fans' favourite
KEN DYER
Evening Standard

West Ham are braced for a substantial bid in January for Dimitri Payet from
a top European club. Paris Saint-Germain were linked with a summer move for
the France midfielder and are poised to renew their interest when the
transfer window opens. Payet agreed a new five-and-a-half year deal worth
£120,000 a week last January and West Ham would be reluctant to let their
star go for anything less than three times the £11million they paid
Marseille for him in June 2015. Payet fuelled fresh speculation about his
future when, speaking to a French TV station at the weekend, he refused to
"close the door" on a move. "We've had a poor start," he said. "Leave in
January? I'm asking other questions but I'm not closing the door to
anything. It's always the sports project that interests me. I work like that
and until I play at a level like this, it will be the case."
Payet made an enormous impact at West Ham last season and played a major
part in the club finishing seventh and qualifying for the Europa League. An
early exit from that competition this season, a troublesome move to the
London Stadium and a disappointing start domestically, will certainly not
have enhanced the club's "sports project" in Payet's eyes, however. West Ham
will fight to keep their top performer but may have to cut their losses if
the right deal is on offer. They would, though, have to sign an immediate
replacement, with one option being Cesc Fabregas. Chelsea are willing to
listen to offers for the 29-year-old, who has started just one League match
since Antonio Conte took over and is not part of the Italian's plans. AC
Milan have shown an interest but have baulked at Fabregas's £160,000-a-week
salary. Chelsea could be prepared to pay part of the player's wages, if he
is loaned out. West Ham are also interested in signing another Chelsea
player in January, defender Branislav Ivanovic. The 32-year-old's contract
expires next summer and he is unlikely to be offered a new deal. The Chinese
Super League or Turkish club Galatasaray are two options but Ivanovic is
keen to stay in London. The Chinese Super League is also a reported
destination for Andy Carroll. The striker, who joined West Ham in a club
record £15m deal in 2013, has suffered eight injuries in his time at the
club, the latest knee problem coming in August. Manager Slaven Bilic was
hoping that the 27-year-old had finally come through his problems this
season but could now be willing to let Carroll go, with Beijing Guoan and
Guangzhou RF interested in signing the player on a deal worth £300,000 a
week.
Goalkeeper Adrian's place, meanwhile, could be in jeopardy following his
mistake which led to Stoke's equaliser in the 1-1 draw. "It was a big
mistake but we shouldn't forget how many times he was key for us," said
Bilic.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham transfer news: Dimitri Payet suggests he could leave in January
after 'very poor' start
JAMES BENGE
Evening Standard

Dimitri Payet has refused to rule out a West Ham exit as soon as January
after the Hammers disappointing start to the season. Saturday's 1-1 draw
with Middlesbrough left Payet's side in 16th place in the Premier League
after just three wins and two draws from their opening 11 games. Payet has
long been coveted by the likes of Paris St Germain and Real Madrid, with the
club claiming to have rejected a £100m bid for the 29-year-old during the
summer. Since then the club's player of the year has continued his fine
form, scoring two goals and laying on another five, but he may still be
tempted away. "We've had a very poor start," he told Telefoot. "Leave in
January? I'm asking other questions right now but I've closed the door to
nothing."
Payet added: "Until now, I always chose my clubs depending on the sports
project. I work like that. Until I can play at a level like this, it will be
the case.
"Go to PSG or Marseille? For now, they have not come to me, so I do not ask
myself." The France international signed a five-and-a-half year contract in
February, just a few months after joining the club, that made him the
highest paid player at West Ham on around £125,000-a-week.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Slaven Bilic sticking by goalkeeper Adrian despite mistake which cost West
Ham victory at home to Stoke
A mistake from Adrian cost West Ham victory at home to Stoke City
The Spaniard raced out and presented Bojan with a near-open goal
But West Ham manager Slaven Bilic is sticking by his goalkeeper
Bilic says Adrian will keep his place ahead of number two Darren Randolph
By DECLAN WARRINGTON, PRESS ASSOCIATION
PUBLISHED: 23:51, 6 November 2016 | UPDATED: 23:51, 6 November 2016

Slaven Bilic has insisted he retains faith in Adrian despite the
goalkeeper's mistake costing West Ham victory in Saturday's 1-1 draw at home
to Stoke. The Spaniard needlessly rushed out to present substitute Bojan
Krkic with the near-open goal into which the Stoke man scored to secure the
visitors' point. The draw appeared a damaging result ahead of a run of
league fixtures against Tottenham, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool.
Adrian's form had already come under scrutiny prior to the Stoke match, but
Bilic has no desire to turn to Darren Randolph and will stick with his first
choice. 'He is my number one for sure,' said the West Ham manager, who also
hopes to have Diafra Sakho and Andy Carroll available again after the
international football break. 'I've got no concerns about his form. Okay,
the goal was a big mistake from him. He misjudged the ball. Maybe it was
obvious from the touchline he was not going to get the ball. 'There was not
any reason for him to go there; it was far away from goal and we had it
covered. 'It's a mistake but we should not forget how many times he has been
a key man for us. 'I've always said we have a couple of really good
goalkeepers and it is a fact that you want your players, including Adrian,
confident. He made one mistake, that happens. 'He knows he made a mistake.
But mistakes happen.' West Ham travel to Tottenham after the international
break and then face United in back-to-back matches in league and cup before
taking on Arsenal and Liverpool. 'It's a very tough schedule but we have
seen how we played against top teams last year,' Bilic said. 'We beat
Chelsea, one of the top teams, here in the (EFL) Cup. On paper it is very
tough. 'Four games plus one cup game against Manchester United, but we have
to get ourselves ready.' The result means the improving Stoke are unbeaten
in six, and it was a further demonstration of their recovery after an
unexpectedly poor start to the season. Mark Hughes insisted the club's
hierarchy never put pressure on him during that run despite their increased
expectations. 'We get great support from the Coates family,' he said. 'I
like to think I deserved a bit of support because I haven't done bad for the
club so there was never internal pressure. It was coming from the outside,
if anything. We've turned things around now and we're enjoying it.' Hughes
added that Bojan remains a key player for him despite Joe Allen impressing
in his favoured position. 'Clearly we've got a real talented player (Bojan)
within our ranks who in any other circumstance - other than the fact that
the guy in possession of his position (Allen) is playing out of his skin -
would be in the team. He's just had to be a bit patient,' he said. 'There
will be occasions (he'll start) when I feel the right game, when we are
playing the right opposition, and we're in the right situation in terms of
our confidence, which probably won't be too far away given we're on a
six-game run. He's a quality player.'

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
How West Ham boss Slaven Bilic will convince Dimitri Payet to stay in
January
SLAVEN BILIC will reportedly have showdown talks with Dimitri Payet after
West Ham's star man hinted he is open to leaving.
By JACK STAPLEHURST
PUBLISHED: 05:11, Mon, Nov 7, 2016 | UPDATED: 05:54, Mon, Nov 7, 2016
express.co.uk

The Frenchman has highlighted his frustration at West Ham's poor start to
the campaign. Another below par display from the Hammers against Stoke at
the London Stadium in their 1-1 draw on Saturday has left the club 17th in
the Premier League table heading into November's international break. And
with life not getting easier for West Ham with Tottenham and two trips to
Manchester United up next, Payet revealed he's not ruling out anything for
his future. "We've had a very poor start. Leave in January? I'm asking other
questions right now but I've closed the door to nothing," Payet said
speaking in an interview with Telefoot. "Until now, I always chose my clubs
depending on the sports project. I work like that. Until I can play at a
level like this, it will be the case. Go to PSG or Marseille? For now, they
have not come to me, so I do not ask myself."
West Ham worked hard to keep the Ballon d'Or nominee in east London this
summer after a stunning first season at the club and impressive tournament
at Euro 2016. And according to the Mirror, concerned boss Bilic will now sit
down with 29-year-old Payet to underline how much he is loved and valued at
West Ham. The ex-Marseille playmaker, signed for just £10.7m in the summer
of 2015, penned a five-and-a-half year contract extension in February,
committing his long-term future to the Hammers.
But West Ham will need to turn around fortunes soon with European
aspirations almost over already and a fight for survival getting more and
more likely. Payet has endured a mixed season personally on the pitch,
scoring twice and providing five assists in all competitions for the
Hammers. Having missed the start of the campaign through injury, the
attacking midfielder has shown just glimpses of his top talent. On Payet,
Bilic admitted in his Evening Standard column on Friday: "Every big player
has that burden of expectation because they set a high standard. "It's the
same with all the great players. If Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't produce for a
couple of games, then questions are asked around the football world, not
only in Madrid. "That is also why they are the best players — because the
manager, their team-mates, the fans, are expecting top performances from the
top players."
Bilic will hope talks with Payet go well to keep his mind focused on the job
in hand at West Ham. With a derby at White Hart Lane their next test, their
superstar attacker will have to be on top form to help down Mauricio
Pochettino's men and recover the Hammers' season.

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