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Preview - Stoke City
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When and where?
West Ham United v Stoke City

Premier League
Saturday 5 November 2016, 3pm GMT
London Stadium

What's the story?
West Ham United head into the November international break by welcoming Stoke City to London Stadium for their latest Premier League fixture.

Both sides are in the division's bottom nine, but both have shown signs of improvement in recent weeks.
For the Hammers that has meant seven points from their last four matches, while Mark Hughes' Stoke side have won their last three, including Monday's 3-1 victory over Swansea City.

That fine run of form has lifted them from the foot of the table after a poor start to the campaign, and they are now showing the form that has led them to three consecutive ninth place finishes in the top flight.

Summer arrival Wilfried Bony notched twice against his former club Swansea last time out, while another close season signing, Wales midfielder Joe Allen, has also impressed.

The Hammers' four-game unbeaten run came to an end last Sunday at Everton, but with wins over Sunderland and Chelsea in their last two home games, Slaven Bilic will be confident of making it a hat-trick against the Potters.
Team news
Winston Reid is suspended for the Hammers after picking up his fifth booking of the season at Goodison Park last Sunday, so James Collins could come in to take his place in defence.

Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho are closer to a return but miss this game, while Arthur Masuaku (knee) and Sam Byram (hamstring) are also out.

For Stoke, Austria forward Marko Arnautovic is banned after also being booked for the fifth time this term.

Xherdan Shaqiri is a doubt after being withdrawn injured during last week's win against Swansea, while Geoff Cameron is out.

Any links between the teams?
Stoke right back Glen Johnson came through the Hammers Academy and made 16 first team appearances prior to moving on to Chelsea.

He has been with the Potters for the last two seasons after leaving Liverpool.

Last season the teams played out a 0-0 draw at the Boleyn Ground, with Stoke winning the return fixture 2-1.

How do I get to the game?
Click here for details of how to get to London Stadium.

Supporters who use Greater Anglia services should be aware that Crossrail works mean trains will not be running between London Liverpool Street and Witham / Billericay. Click here for more information.

Click here for information on London Underground, Overground and TfL Rail services, and for the roads.

How can I watch the game?
The match is not being broadcast live in the UK. However, you can stay up to date with live audio commentary, in-running stats, photos, social media updates and more on whufc.com

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Coventry - We want to stay top
WHUFC.com

West Ham United U18s face Arsenal this Saturday at Little Heath (11am)
The Hammers are currently top of the league with their opponents just behind them in second
Midfielder Conor Coventry thinks the team cannot wait for the first whistle

Conor Coventry believes every player in the U18 dressing room is relishing this weekend's top of the table clash with Arsenal. The Hammers lead the way in the U18 Premier League South and face their London rivals on Saturday (11am) who are currently second in the table. After three wins on the bounce, Coventry thinks the Hammers should stick to their philosophy in this weekend's intriguing match-up. "We need to keep doing what we've been doing. We aren't going to change for them, we'll let them worry about us because we've been playing some good football," he said. "Confidence is quite high in the dressing room. All the boys are looking forward to the game and we want to stay at the top of the league."

Coventry has had a busy few weeks – he made three appearances for the Republic of Ireland U17s during the recent international break. In the process, he helped them reach the Elite Phase of UEFA U17 European Championship qualifying and says the whole experience is beneficial. "It's been an honour to play for them, there's always a lot of pride within the squad. It helps because it's another tactical approach and a different type of game," added Coventry. "I'm really looking forward to the next round of qualifiers. The styles in play (between Ireland U17s and West Ham) aren't too dissimilar. Both teams like to get the ball down and play, both like to press. I think it's just subtle differences."

The U18 Hammers were boosted this week by the news that Ben Johnson will be available for selection this weekend despite his red card last Saturday in the victory over Aston Villa. Anthony Scully is also available after recovering from a recent illness and Coventry believes they will continue their fine start to the season this weekend. "It was a big win (v Aston Villa) but a very tough game, especially having ten men in the second half. We didn't have a lot of the ball like we normally do. But we defended really well and got a good result. "It's been a very good season so far – not just the wins but we've been playing some good stuff as well and we just want to keep that going and the results going as well."

The Hammers' match with Arsenal in the U18 Premier League South kicks off at 11am on Saturday at Little Heath Training Ground. Admission and parking are both free.

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Dimi shortlisted for PL award
WHUFC.com

Dimitri Payet's sensational London Stadium strike against Middlesbrough has been shortlisted for the Carling Goal of the Month for October. The West Ham United star kicked-off the month with a stupendous individual goal that saw him collect Winston Reid's pass on the left touchline, beat five defenders and finish past Victor Valdes. You can vote for Payet, who has added five assists in eight Premier League appearances this season, via the Carling Tap App here, or the Carling website here.
https://carlingtap.carling.com/?_branch_match_id=323031244545295869

The full list of shortlisted goals is as follows:

Dimitri Payet, West Ham United v Middlesbrough, 1 October
Mesut Ozil, Arsenal v Swansea City, 15 October
Jose Holebas, Middlesbrough v Watford, 16 October
Christian Fuchs, Leicester City v Crystal Palace, 22 October
Xherdan Shaqiri, Hull City v Stoke City, 22 October
Gaston Ramirez, Middlesbrough v AFC Bournemouth, 29 October
Sergio Aguero, West Bromwich Albion v Manchester City, 29 October
Diego Costa, Southampton v Chelsea, 30 October

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Sir Trevor - We need that cutting edge
WHUFC.com

Sir Trevor Brooking says West Ham United can beat Stoke City if they can match the intensity they showed in their memorable EFL Cup win over Chelsea. The Hammers welcome the in-form Potters to east London looking to bounce back from Sunday's 2-0 defeat at Everton, and to emulate their outstanding performance in their last appearance at London Stadium. They loss ended a run of two Premier League wins in a row for Slaven Bilic's side, while the Potters arrive having collected ten points from their previous four top-flight matches. Sir Trevor, who will be in his usual seat in the Betway Stand Directors Box among a sell-out 57,000 crowd for Saturday's game, has kept a close eye on both teams' progress. Concentrating first on the Club for whom he made 646 appearances for, scoring 102 goals, and later managed in two caretaker spells, Sir Trevor is looking forward to Slaven Bilic's team selection. "It will be interesting to see what team Slaven picks. I thought Michail Antonio did particularly well up front against Chelsea," he told Evening Standard correspondent and long-time friend Ken Dyer. "It's also good to see that Diafra Sakho is coming back because I still think he was the best striker at the club when he was playing well. "Andre Ayew is also back which is good and it's just a case with him to see where he fits best in the team. "We're certainly playing better defensively but we just need that cutting edge up front."

However, Sir Trevor knows Mark Hughes' side can be a tough nut to crack, with captain Ryan Shawcross leading a determined defence. At the same time, the former England midfielder has been impressed with the Potters' improved creativity in the attacking third this season. "Stoke over the last few seasons have become a decent Premier League team and Wilfried Bony scored two against Swansea on Monday night and is experienced at leading the line while Joe Allen has also done well for them," he observed. "They had a slow start but they were a side you didn't think would stay down there. "It's fair to say both they and us are both playing better than early in the season and with that win over Swansea on Monday night, they've gone above us. "Perhaps for them, a draw would be decent but we could probably do with a win, principally because of the tough run of games we have coming up after this match. "When Stoke are playing well it's not easy to score against them but if we play anything like we did against Chelsea then they will find it tough to contain us."

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Special 'Farewell Boleyn' programmes go on sale
WHUFC.com

Special limited edition leather-bound Farewell Boleyn programmes to go on sale
Print run of just 216 Final Game issues have been published
Auction sale will run on ProgrammeMaster website from Saturday 5 November

On Tuesday 10 May 2016, West Ham United said their final farewell to the iconic Boleyn Ground, a place we called home for 112 years of football. To mark the occasion, the Club teamed up with ProgrammeMaster to produce a unique 'Farewell Boleyn' edition of the matchday publication for the emotional 3-2 Premier League victory over Manchester United. Off the back of the momentous occasion, West Ham's official matchday publishers have produced a limited edition leather-bound series, with only 216 unique copies printed. Each edition is labelled distinctly with its own identifiable number, authenticating it as a truly one-of-a-kind item.
Copies 1 to 215 will be sold via auction at programmemaster.com, where you can vie for your personal piece of West Ham history.
Starting the auction will be five editions including #002, which comes with a special presentation box.
Also included are #066 and #112, numbers which relate to West Ham's unique history – the year three Hammers won the World Cup, and the number of years the Club spent in Upton Park.
Bidding will open from Saturday 5 November until 5pm on Friday 11 November.
The remaining editions will be auctioned in groups over the coming weeks and by signing up to ProgrammeMaster's auction alerts, you can be informed when each of the editions will be up for grabs.

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African partners go for cup glory
WHUFC.com

FC Ifeanyi Ubah go for first Nigerian Federation Cup final triumph on Sunday
Club owned by Dr Ifeanyi Ubah - founder of West Ham United's first African partner
Philanthropist Dr Ubah owns Capital Oil and Gas Limited

The club owned and named in honour of the owner of West Ham United's first African partner Capital Oil and Gas Limited will take part in the Nigerian Federation Cup final on Sunday. Nnewi-based FC Ifeanyi Ubah – named after Capital Oil and Gas founder Dr Ifeanyi Ubah – will take on Nasarawa United at Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos. After just missing out on a place in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup by finishing fourth in the just-concluded Nigeria Football Premier League (NPFL), the Anambra Warriors will qualify for the Confederation Cup if they win this weekend. Following a convincing victory against hard-fighting Nigeria National League (NNL) side, Crown FC of Ogbomosho in a tension-soaked semi-final in Kaduna, the Anambra Warriors did not leave any follower of Nigerian football in doubt that they are set for the final. On their own side, Nasarawa United who were eliminated at the second round of the 2016 CAF Champions League by Algerian side, CS Constantinois, are also hoping to return to continental competition after posting an impressive 2-1 victory over Enyimba International FC in the semi-finals.

FC Ifeanyi Ubah Chairman Chukwuma Ubah said the team is ready to win the Federation Cup. "Considering the investment our President has made, we are in pole position to win the Cup," he said. "The Club's President, Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah is passionate about giving back to the society and this he is doing by funding this club to better a lot of Nigerian footballers. "We have a lot to offer if we win the cup. Nasarawa United has had its chance in the continental campaign but they did not go far. I think it's time for FC Ifeanyi Ubah to take up the challenge and I am confident that we will make an excellent representation in the continental campaign next season."

For the second year running, a new winner is bound to emerge from the oldest competition in the land, as neither the Miners nor the Anambra Warriors have lifted the trophy previously. The match will be graced by the presence of the Anambra State governor, Chief Willy Obiano, who is expected to lead a delegation of high-profile fans to cheer FC Ifeanyi Ubah on in their first Federation Cup final. Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode will be the chief host for the final. The Governor of Nasarawa State, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura and the governors of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike and Bayelsa State, Henry Seriake Dickson will also be at the Teslim Balogun Stadium.

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Cresswell wants to build strong home record
WHUFC.com

Aaron Cresswell has stressed the importance of getting another victory before the international break and building a strong home record this season. Following back-to-back wins at London Stadium against Sunderland and Chelsea, the Hammers fans will be hoping to make it third time lucky when they host Stoke on Saturday. Cresswell played a major role in helping West Ham have one of the best home records in the Premier League last season as his side only suffered three defeats at the Boleyn Ground. With the historic move into London Stadium during the summer, the players are now starting to show how much it feels like their new home and Cresswell says another three points this weekend will give them the perfect boost before a number of players meet up with their respective countries.

Cresswell said: "We only got beat at home three times in the Premier League last season and went seven months unbeaten. "We want to do the same thing at London Stadium and make it a fortress. We want to take three points every time we play there. "Every team who moves to a new Stadium takes a little while to bed in. It is new surroundings but we want to make it into our new home. "Stoke have been very similar to ourselves in the last few seasons and we know it will be a tough game. We would love to get the three points heading into the international break."

Cresswell is thrilled to be back in action following a frustrating start to the campaign when he was forced to miss the first opening part of the season with a knee injury. The talented full-back has wasted no time settling into a new wing-back formation and hopes he can show his attacking qualities once again and help the Hammers move away from the bottom three.

Cresswell added: "It was frustrating to miss the start of the season and the results were not going well. You want to go out and help the players. "Thankfully I have turned the corner and the results are now getting better. Apart from the Everton result it has been important to get a few wins, but it is still early on and on the back of last season when we finished seventh, we wanted to equal that and push even higher. "We have had a change of personnel and a few formations which the gaffer has chosen. The new system suits me and helps me to get forward and link up with Dimi and Manu. "Hopefully we can start to link up well and get more goals in the future."

With England facing two big games against Scotland and Spain next week, Cresswell says he would love to force his way into the senior squad this season.
"The main focus for me is West Ham and if I can show my performances there, it would be a proud moment for myself and my family if I could break into the England squad. "But the main focus is giving everything for West Ham and hopefully one day it will happen."

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Collins - West Ham have turned a corner
WHUFC.com

Sky Sports News chief football reporter Nick Collins has nothing but praise for the way Slaven Bilic handled the Andy Carroll situation and feels it could motivate the players even more to get a result against Stoke on Saturday.

The Hammers are hoping to build on their recent four game unbeaten run and Collins feels this is another great chance to make London Stadium feel like home if they can secure another big three points....

It was no surprise that the Andy Carroll incident dominated the pre-match press conference at the Club's training ground on Thursday.

It would have been very easy for Slaven and the Club to avoid taking any questions on what happened, but I thought they handled it very well.

Slaven spoke very well about what happened and even when another reporter tried to get him talking about it at the end of the conference, he was still able to give an honest assessment of what happened.

It was interesting for me to see how he handled the question of what the players are supposed to do and Slaven said it would be a big shame if they were not able to mix with the fans.

I am sure this will not affect the players heading into the Stoke game on Saturday and they will be keen to build on recent home victories against Sunderland and Chelsea.

Despite the defeat against Everton last weekend you like to think that West Ham have turned a corner.

The recent two home wins have come at just the right time and you could see during the week with Tottenham that playing at a new Stadium can have a big influence on the team.

It takes time to adjust but West Ham look to have done that now and to get that big win over Chelsea will be a major advantage going forward and will go a long way to helping them settle down.

We have seen before what moving to a bigger ground can do for a Club and I am sure that West Ham will be thinking about challenging for a place in the Champions League and winning trophies in the next few years.

You only have to look at teams like Tottenham who are also developing their Stadium, but the Hammers have already done it and this is the moment where they need to move onto the next level.

A lot has been expected of Dimitri Payet and rightly so after what he achieved last season. I thought he was the best overseas player in the Premier League.

He has made a slow start this season but he now looks back to his best and that is so important for West Ham.

He can influence games against the big teams and was voted for the Ballon d'Or which shows the impact he has made.

Some players struggle to settle in when they first arrive in the Premier League, but he hit the ground running straight away.

This is another big game and with Arnautovic suspended and Shaqiri rated a big doubt, this is another opportunity for West Ham to show they have fully settled into London Stadium.

It will not be easy and Stoke will provide another genuine test as they are on a good run of form at the moment.

Joe Allen could be the key for them as he is producing some of his best form at the moment and was one of the star player for Wales during their amazing success at the Euros during the summer. West Ham will have to find a way of stopping him.

I think West Ham will win the game 2-1 and another victory will go a long way to seeing all the talk about the new Stadium start to evaporate.

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Westley - We had the edge over Forest
WHUFC.com

West Ham United PL2 made it two wins from two in the Premier League Cup after defeating Nottingham Forest 2-1 on Friday evening
Jahmal Hector-Ingram deflected in the first before Marcus Browne finished a rebound from a Domingos Quina strike
Manager Terry Westley hopes his players will use the match as a learning curve

Terry Westley admitted West Ham United PL2's victory over Nottingham Forest was difficult at times but said his team had the edge in the crucial stages.

Marcus Browne's late winner came after a frantic match with goalkeeper Raphael Spiegel producing a string of sublime saves to keep the Hammers in the contest.

Forest's Ben Brereton headed in from close range to give the home side the lead, but the Hammers hit back soon after with Jahmal Hector-Ingram subconsciously diverting Browne's effort into the net.

Browne scored the decisive goal just four minutes from time after Domingos Quina had a shot parried away and Westley said afterwards his team just had the edge on their opponents.

"Nottingham Forest made it very difficult for us in long periods of that game. I just felt we had the edge," he said.

"Even when we went a goal down, I felt we would just have enough to come through in the end, and that's how it panned out."

"It's a learning curve and we've got a young side – six of our starting eleven were under 18. We will learn that you can't just play where we want to play. Wherever you go, the opposition will make it difficult for you.

"I'd probably praise our goalkeeper. He kept us in it a few times and our two centre halves were solid again. They're the stand out players tonight."

It's now two wins from two in the Premier League Cup for the Hammers as they have taken firm control of Group E.

The games are coming thick and fast for Westley's side as they immediately begin preparations for their third game in a week against Northampton Town on Tuesday night in the Checkatrade Trophy.

"It's a good games programme this year. The Premier League should be congratulated for that. There's regular football and we're not going months without a game," added Westley.

"We are preparing these players to either go on loan or play for our First Team. If you're on loan in the Championship, you play Tuesday and Saturday so you have to ready to play at that level.

"We've played two Cup games in our League and we've won both. We should be top of our group, with Brighton to look forward to. We want to progress in this because we are the holders.

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Slaven Bilic: Dimitri Payet is targeted like Cristiano Ronaldo, but West Ham are not the same team without him
SLAVEN BILIC
Evening Standard

West Ham face a massive game against Stoke tomorrow. We need the points and we have a tough schedule after the international break. We are positive, though. Yes, we lost at Everton last Sunday but we did well for large parts of that game and we had won the previous three. Inevitably there is dissatisfaction after a defeat and it seemed like Dimitri Payet was singled out for criticism from some supporters. Every big player has that burden of expectation because they set a high standard. They are the ones who have to produce and it is hard for them to do that week in and week out. 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. It's impossible to be on that top level every time but, basically, you have to have more good days than bad ones.
As far as Dimi is concerned, we know and the fans can see, that we are not the same team without him. We can't rely only on him and we haven't done that in recent games against Crystal Palace, Sunderland and Chelsea but, of course, he is the main player, especially when we have the ball. It is nothing new, it is always like this. At Manchester United, for example, the spotlight is firmly on Wayne Rooney or Zlatan Ibrahimovic, rather than, with the greatest of respect, Ander Herrera or Antonio Valencia. That focus on you — that pressure if you like — comes with the territory of being a special player.
Against Everton it was Romelu Lukaku's goal which decided it really. We had the ball in our possession twice before they scored and should have cleared it. The game against Chelsea four days earlier was a demanding one and may have cost us a bit of freshness, especially in the second half. But we have had a good week of preparation for this match and it is a massive game. We need the points, firstly because you need them always, second because to win just before an international break is always great and third to give us a boost before the tough schedule we face after the break. Of course, the Premier League is never, ever a walk in the park but our next five matches after Stoke are particularly tough — Spurs, Manchester United twice and Liverpool all away, plus Arsenal at home. We have to make one change because Winston Reid is suspended and is injured anyway but I would like to keep the same system if possible because it has worked really well.
Diafra Sakho is back in full training this week — and we are going to see for the weekend with him. I am not saying he won't be involved but we know after this match we have two weeks of training before the next one. Although we conceded two goals at Goodison Park last weekend, we have improved a good deal at the back but, yes, up front has been a problem for us. We haven't scored enough goals, especially the strikers. We are trying to give them the right service and we are trying to give them confidence.

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Slaven Bilic: I want London Stadium to be trembling for West Ham vs Stoke
EXCLUSIVE COLUMN
SLAVEN BILIC
Evening Standard

We are looking forward to returning to the London Stadium tomorrow. Our most recent experience there was the Chelsea cup tie and, apart from the few who caused the problems at the end, it was brilliant. Yes, we can talk about the fact that is was Chelsea, it was a night match under the lights and that it was a cup tie — and all that helped. When we were at Upton Park though, the atmosphere was different when we played in a lunchtime kick-off against West Brom, again with respect, to a night game against your London rivals. Apart from the last few minutes when the trouble happened, the stadium was almost trembling. I am hoping that the atmosphere will be similar tomorrow.

Poppies should have their day
I have read about the controversy surrounding the national teams here wearing poppies on their shirts and the Fifa rule. I understand what Fifa are saying about political slogans and I appreciate their reluctance to set precedents, but wearing poppies? Surely there is nothing negative about poppies, nothing but good. They are probably afraid that, if we open the box now, then we are going to have all sorts of problems but this is a worthy cause. I know it is easier to draw that line and say 'no' but in this case, it's surely the best of causes.

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West Ham must keep working hard to help star Dimitri Payet shine vs Stoke
DANNY MURPHY Friday 4 November 2016 15:00 BST0 comments
Evening Standard

In modern football, you can rarely afford luxury players. Dimitri Payet is fantastic with the ball at his feet but has defensive duties, too. Of course, there are ways of ensuring attacking players use most of their energy where they do the most damage. Team-mates can cover certain areas of the pitch. When I was at Fulham, Clint Dempsey played left-midfield but liked to get into the box and on the end of crosses. When he did that, I would drift to the left, to be in a good position to pick up the ball if it ran loose. West Ham will know to do similar with Payet. They just need to start getting results at home because their performances have improved. They did well to win 1-0 at Palace and played well in parts in the 2-0 defeat at Everton. A home win would give them confidence to push on and provide the fans with something to sing about.

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Best Fifa Men's Player 2016: Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez & N'Golo Kante shortlisted
BBC.co.uk

Ten Premier League players have been nominated for the Best Fifa Men's Player 2016 award.

The 23-man shortlist includes Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and N'Golo Kante, who won the title with Leicester City.

Also named are Sergio Aguero, Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City), Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil (Arsenal), Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Manchester United) and Dimitri Payet (West Ham).

The winner will be announced on 9 January.

Fans will be given the chance to vote on the award after the world governing body's association with the Ballon d'Or ended earlier this year.

The Best Fifa Men's Player is one of eight prizes that will be handed out at the Best Fifa Football Awards.

The votes of the captains and head coaches of all of the world's national teams will make up 50% of the result, with the other half split between an online public ballot and votes from more than 200 media representatives around the world.

A three-man shortlist will be confirmed on 2 December.

Kante, who left Premier League winners Leicester for Chelsea in the summer, and Arsenal's Sanchez and Ozil did not feature on the separate Ballon d'Or shortlist announced in October.

Meanwhile, Tottenham and France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris did not make the Fifa shortlist having been nominated for the Ballon d'Or.

Best Fifa Men's Player 2016 shortlist

Sergio Aguero (Manchester City), Gareth Bale (Real Madrid), Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Manchester United), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), N'Golo Kante (Chelsea), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich), Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Neymar (Barcelona), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal), Dimitri Payet (West Ham), Paul Pogba (Manchester United), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal), Luis Suarez (Barcelona), Jamie Vardy (Leicester City).
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West Ham v Stoke preview: Winston Reid missing for Hammers
Last Updated: 04/11/16 10:37am
SSN

West Ham will be aiming to make it back-to-back Premier League wins at the London Stadium when Stoke City visit on Saturday. The Hammers are 10 points worse off than at this stage last season but their form has picked up in recent weeks, winning three of their last four games in all competitions, although they were beaten 2-0 by Everton last weekend. Stoke are also in good form after a wobbly start to the season. Mark Hughes' men have won their last three Premier League games after failing to win any of their opening seven fixtures.

Team news

West Ham will be without Winston Reid. The New Zealand defender is suspended after collecting five yellow cards this season, although a hamstring injury would have kept him out anyway. Strike duo Diafra Sakho (back) and Andy Carroll (knee) should be fit after the international break.

Meanwhile, Hughes has confirmed that Xherdan Shaqiri and Geoff Cameron are both unlikely to feature for Stoke. Shaqiri was forced off during the Potters' 3-1 win over Swansea City on Monday night with a hamstring strain, while Cameron missed the clash against the Welsh side entirely with a knee injury. It means Ramadan Sobhi and Charlie Adam could be in contention for a starting berth.

Opta Stats

After winning both games against them in Stoke's debut Premier League season, West Ham have beaten the Potters just twice more in their last 12 Premier League meetings (D5 L5).

Indeed, Stoke are unbeaten in their last six league meetings with West Ham (W3 D3) - only against Blackburn have they had a longer unbeaten run in the Premier League (7 games).

Stoke have won just six of their 44 Premier League games in London (D9 L29), with two of those coming against West Ham (both 1-0 in March 2010 and August 2013).

Joe Allen has been involved in half of Stoke City's 12 Premier League goals this season (four goals, two assists).

Dimitri Payet has created more goalscoring chances than any other player in the Premier League this season (33).

West Ham have converted just 6.6 per cent of their total shots into goals this season in the Premier League; a lower ratio than any other team.

Slaven Bilic will be looking to win for the 20th time as West Ham manager in the Premier League, in what will be his 49th match. Bilic has the best win ratio of any permanent West Ham manager in the competition (39.6 per cent).

Merson's prediction

Stoke have turned the corner big time and West Ham are looking up as well, despite their poor result at Everton last week. Stoke played well against Swansea and Wilfried Bony getting off the mark for them was important. Neither clubs had a great start to the season but they're getting better and better, I don't see a lot between these two teams so I'm going to go for a draw.

Paul predicts: 1-1 (11/2 with Sky Bet)

Betting

West Ham are Sky Bet's even-money favourites for the victory with Stoke 13/5, the same price as the draw. Neither side are perceived to hold much in terms of lofty aspirations this season following troubled starts, with West Ham 2/1 just to secure a top-half finish while the Potters are even longer odds at 7/2.

The first goalscorer market is a wide open one, with no less than five West Ham players, including Dimitri Payet and Michail Antonio, sharing favouritism at 11/2, while Wilfried Bony heads the betting for the visitors at 7/1.

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West Ham expect trouble-free match at London Stadium against Stoke
By Nick Lustig
Last Updated: 04/11/16 11:37am
SSN

West Ham co-chairmen David Gold and David Sullivan say "lessons have been learnt" following the recent crowd trouble at London Stadium, and confirmed a number of stringent security measures will be introduced against Stoke on Saturday. Clashes between rival supporters marred the Hammers' 2-1 EFL Cup victory over Chelsea on October 26, with stewards struggling to keep fans apart along the walkway of the Sir Trevor Brooking Stand before police in riot gear managed to quell the disorder.
In the wake of the trouble, West Ham announced a new robust plan to prevent any further violence inside their new home and said that they were close to finalising the identification of 200 individuals involved in the crowd disturbances against Chelsea. The Metropolitan Police confirmed on Friday that officers will be deployed within London Stadium to assist stewards during the match against Stoke, while West Ham say high barriers and a 10 metre sterile area will also be utilised for the first time. In their programme notes, Gold and Sullivan said: "As a club and board we fully acknowledge the issues and have been working tirelessly to ensure they are eradicated swiftly, effectively and permanently. "Today (Saturday) we have implemented even more robust measures which we believe will help ensure the safe and friendly family environment we are all working so hard to achieve at London Stadium. "We have reached an agreement with the Metropolitan Police that they will have a presence in the stadium from the start of the match and will help form the segregation line with our stewards. "From the outset, police authorities have stated they have been satisfied with all the safety arrangements but we believe a visible police presence inside the stadium from the off will help underline our determination to provide the safest of environments. "You'll have seen in the media our determination in line with our clear zero tolerance policy to come down hard on those fans who are acting improperly. Thanks to the state-of-the-art CCTV system there will be more than 200 banning orders in place following the scenes against Chelsea.
"It's important to note that at no time were the lines of segregation breached and the actions of the stewards was exemplary but we recognise we have to do even more.
"We have also created more distance between home and away fans and have widened the line of segregation on both sides of the lower tier where away fans are housed. We believe this was a necessary measure to further enhance the safety of fans. "Lessons have certainly been learned from the Chelsea game, especially where there were 'pinch points' between fans. Now the segregation line on the lower concourse walkway will be strengthened and widened by implementing high barriers and a 10 metre sterile area. "Supporters will also be physically segregated as they exit the stadium to prevent clashes outside the turnstiles. This was in place after the Chelsea match and worked well. "A number of our stewards will also be issued with hand-held video cameras as well as having cameras attached to their armour. Not only will this help with identification but will also act as a clear and visible deterrent. "All these measures build on those already in place. As a club, we are still working tirelessly because we cannot allow incidents we witnessed against Chelsea in the stands to overshadow the progress we are making on the pitch."

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WEST HAM V STOKE CITY PREVIEW
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 4 NOVEMBER 2016 AT 10:07PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by Deportivo Potter @deportivopotter

Disappointing, but not totally unexpected is how I would judge our recent away game on Merseyside. One small set back on the West Ham journey of which I'm sure there will be many more. But not this weekend where we host Stoke City. Who are no longer the punt it and run merchants of a few years ago, now a football playing team with the likes of Arnautovic, Shaqiri, and Bojan in their squad.

Fortunately for the Hammers this weekend Arnautovic has picked up a one game suspension for 5 yellow cards and Shaqiri is injured. Geoff Cameron will also miss the game due to injury.

West Ham will be without Winston Reid, who as well as being suspended has also picked up a small injury, which could see him miss 2-3 weeks. Unfortunately Reece Oxford has also picked up an injury which could see us a little short of cover at the back. Diafra Sakho continues his come back as does Andy Carroll and Masuaku.

Stoke's season so far has matched our own in the sense that they started badly, not winning in their first 7 matches but since then have managed to go on a good run of form winning their last 3 games with former West Ham target Wilfred Bony getting a brace last game out.

The defeat at Everton put our recent good form to bed, but 3 wins in 4 is still a decent return of which I'm confident will continue. We did manage to stop Crystal Palace when they were on a good run. I think we will do the same against Stoke.

The last time we played Stoke was the final game of last season where Stoke managed to come from behind to claim the 3 points and stop West Ham qualifying for the Europa League group stages automatically. This I hope further increases our motivation against a team I have little time for.

Predicted Line Up
West Ham United -: Adrian, Kouyate, Collins, Ogbonna, Antonio, Cresswell, Obiang, Noble, Lanzini, Payet, Ayew.
Stoke City -: Grant, Pieters, Martins Indi, Shawcross, Bardsley, Whelen, Adam, Sobhi, Johnson, Allen, Bony.

I think my patience has finally gone with Zaza and I hope we don't go onto sign him in January. I hope Ayew is up to starting the game and putting in a performance where he can get a goal or an assist in this game. It might be hard to leave Fernandes out of the team but his time will come this season that's for sure. I predict we will go on to win this game 2-0 with both goals coming from the same player, not sure who but hopefully Ayew.

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West Ham United v Stoke City
SAT, 05 NOV 2016PREMIER LEAGUE
15:00
Venue: London Stadium

TEAM NEWS

West Ham defender Winston Reid serves a one-match ban for accumulating five yellow cards, although a hamstring injury would have kept him out anyway. Diafra Sakho and Andy Carroll should be fit after the international break.

Stoke are without forward Marko Arnautovic, who serves a one-match ban for accumulating five bookings. Xherdan Shaqiri is a doubt after being withdrawn during Monday's win over Swansea because of tight hamstrings, while Geoff Cameron is set to miss out.

MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES

Steve Wilson: "If you think West Ham had enough problems trying to make their new home an environment which combines safety and atmosphere, you should take a look at their fixture list. "Following this game against resurgent Stoke, the Hammers have Spurs at home, Manchester United away, Arsenal at home and Liverpool away as their next four league games - with another trip to Old Trafford in the EFL Cup for good measure. "Currently 17th, West Ham will do well not to be in the bottom three at the end of that sequence. "Not that playing Stoke could be described as a bit of light relief. After their own iffy spell, Mark Hughes and his men are now on their best run in four years."

Twitter: @SteveWilson1967

WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY

West Ham manager Slaven Bilic: "We are not scoring many goals and we are creating chances. But I would rather have us creating chances and waiting for a moment that we're going to convert them, than not to create them all. "We were disappointed with the defeat at Everton last week but we are playing good recently really and we on a good path. We're going to score goals."

Stoke manager Mark Hughes on Stoke's slow start to the season: "There were a lot of factors to it - we had a few injuries, a fixture list that was quite demanding as well, and we hadn't got up to the levels we wanted at the beginning. "I think people are a little bit quick to start passing judgements on people, on teams, on clubs in terms of how successful or not they are going to be in the season. After 10 games I think it is more valid."

LAWRO'S PREDICTION

It is no surprise Stoke's results have picked up of late. They look much better going forward at the moment, especially now Wilfried Bony is back among the goals, and the Potters seem to have the bit between their teeth.

Prediction: 1-1


West Ham have scored with only 6.6% of their attempts on goal this season
MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

Stoke have gone six league meetings without defeat in this fixture (W3, D3) and could equal their longest unbeaten Premier League run against a single opponent - a seven-match streak versus Blackburn.
West Ham's only Premier League home win in the last six attempts against Stoke came in March 2011 (D3, L2).

West Ham United

Defeat at Everton last Sunday ended a three-match unbeaten run for West Ham.
The Hammers are 10 points and 13 places worse off than at the same stage of last season.
However, their home record of two wins and seven points from five games is an identical start to 2015-16.
Dimitri Payet has created 33 goalscoring chances, more than any other player in the Premier League this season.

Stoke City

Stoke have won three successive Premier League games - as many as they had won in their previous 18 attempts.
They could win four league games in a row for the first time since December 2011, while manager Mark Hughes last achieved the feat in September 2009 while in charge of Manchester City.
Stoke have the chance to go six league games without defeat for the first time in four years, when they enjoyed a 10-match unbeaten run.
The Potters have scored two goals or more in three straight league games for the first time since November 2010. They have never scored multiple times in four consecutive Premier League fixtures.
Joe Allen has been involved in half of Stoke City's 12 Premier League goals this season. The midfielder's tally of four goals and two assists is his joint-best haul in a top-flight campaign, along with 2011-12.
Wilfried Bony ended a 20-match goalscoring drought in all competitions for Manchester City and Stoke with his brace against Swansea on Monday night. He has not scored in consecutive Premier League appearances since December 2014.

SAM's verdict
Most probable score: 1-1 Probability of draw: 24%
Probability of home win: 54% Probability of away win: 22%
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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OS officers quit over safety fears
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 4th November 2016
By: Staff Writer

The Olympic Stadium's former safety officer quit the post in the summer after expressing concerns regarding the 'temporary' lower-tier seating, it has been revealed.

A story by David Conn in today's Guardian reveals how Chris Baker quit the role before West Ham United completed their move from Upton Park to Stratford in the wake of serious concerns regarding safety at the arena - an issue that has dogged the club ever since.

Baker, who had been in the role for less than two years was joined by fellow officer Ravi Sharma, who also quit following the sell-out concert staged by AC/DC at the OS back in June.

According to Conn, Baker cited concerns regarding the temporary seating that has been installed - on the cheap - by stadium joint-owners Newham Council and the LLDC as reason for his resignation.

Baker is understood to have told colleagues that the stadium's running track and lower tier had been damaged by the installation of the temporary stands, which will take around 15 days to move to and from 'athletics mode' when required.

That means West Ham will have to play the first two games of next season away from home, a request to which the Premier League are understood to have already acceded to.

However when Baker's concerns - which also included worries regarding insufficient policing, stewarding and poor overall event management - were ignored by his employees, the stadium's owners, he tendered his resignation.

Newham Council, as well as being part owners of the venue are also responsible for issue the Olympic Stadium's safety certificate - a not entirely unique, yet questionable situation that allows the body to certify its own work.

A spokesperson told the Guardian that this "in no way impacts on [our] role in monitoring safety which we take very seriously".

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The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 3rd November 2016
By: Paul Walker

We are getting there, aren't we…towards the truth.

The questions are starting to be asked, and finally the answers are filtering through what has become the shocking secrecy and deception surrounding the management and running of the London Stadium, our new home.

There has barely been a day go by these past few weeks without some morsel of information that you can be sure the owners and managers of the stadium would rather keep silent about.

Now, in the week that new London mayor Sadiq Khan has got involved at the highest level to probe what has been going on in Stratford, we are seeing almost a torrent of worrying information.

We now know that the retractable seating is no such thing. It is removable, a cheap option and is nothing like what the club and the fans were promised. We have seen David Edwards, chairman of the London Legacy Development Company, who own the stadium, resigning.

Strange that should come just a couple of days after Khan showed concern about the £51million overspend on the stadium, primarily the retractable seating.

And now we learn, from a fine piece in the Guardian by the excellent David Conn, that various safety officers have resigned during the summer when their concerns about much of what has come to pass at the stadium, were, they claim, being ignored.

Something is very wrong with the management, the ownership and the funding of the stadium. And as I said in a blog earlier this week, none of this on face of it, has much to do with the owners of West Ham United.

But if all the various components of the stadium's management are now being scrutinised, I would ask our board exactly how much they knew, and when, about the installation of the cheap-option 'retractable' seating - and how concerned were they to learn that two senior safety officers at the stadium both quit in the summer over their concerns about safety and the role of Newham Council--part owners as well as the designated safety licensing authority--in what was going on at the stadium.

Its all very well claiming we are just tenants and have no say in the policy, planning and running of the stadium, but did our owners know about the likely problems we are now facing, when they were desperately flogging 20,000 new season tickets and mounting the much-maligned migration of fans from the Boleyn.

When did they know, for example, that the company installing the retractable seating had gone bust? When did they know that the stadium owners, no doubt mindful of the rising costs, decide to go for the cheapest option, which was in fact, little better than the sort of temporary seating you see at the Open, rather than the state of the art system used at the Parc de Prince in Paris, which rolls effortlessly in and out on wheels?

Charlie Sale in the Daily Mail has been digging away at all this for some while, and came up with the story that the retractable seating is in fact, just removable and does not roll in and out on wheels but has to be manually constructed by an army of contractors who take 15 days, working 24 hours a day, to put the seating back into place.

Sale also queried why there was no storage on site for the seating, and why couldn't it be stored underground. The answer was amazing. He was told that when the Olympic site was first cleared, cleaned of toxic waste and re-laid, the builders did not did down deep enough to allow for anything to be sited underground because they would instantly be confronted with further layers of toxic waste.

Anyone who knows anything about the River Lea and the various canals that surround it, would be aware that the land from Bow to Stratford has been derelict for decades because of the poisonous chemicals etc that are there.

Clearing, cleansing and using the site for the Olympics was one of the best side-effects of the whole rejuvenation plan. The Olympic Park and stadium were built, flats and apartments arrived and land that had been poisonous waste was being used again. But clearly, now, nothing can be put even a few yards underground.

Now we hear that two senior safety officers have quit in the recent months. One was concerned that the 'retractable' seating was damaging the stadium's athletics track. Another raised the issues of poor stewarding, the low levels of police in the Olympic Park, the approach to the stadium and around it and the management of crowds leaving the stadium.

All this came to a head at the AC/DC concert, just weeks before we played our first match. It is no surprise, seemingly, that all these issues have been of great concern at our games ever since.

On Saturday, for the first time, it looks like the police will be handling the segregation between our fans and Stoke City's. The new segregation plans have involved fans from Stoke and ourselves having their tickets changed, to allow for greater gaps between fans following the coin throwing nonsense at the Chelsea game.

You can sense a far greater level of security and crowd management coming our way, things that should have been sorted out properly before we even moved in.

I still don't understand how a safety certificate was issued by Newham Council with the police unhappy with the radio system--or lack of it--despite it becoming apparent that the police had warned the ground owners about this issue two years previously, and it still won't be installed until February.

Now the new regime at City Hall has got its teeth into the problems, you can see far greater accountability being expected from owners and contractors running the stadium.

As for us, I fear we will just be pawns in this process, as Khan and his authority dig deeper and deeper to find out who is responsible for the current situation. I sense they may find more toxic problems the deeper they go.

Who made the decisions, who agreed the plans for the whole place, who decided on the levels of stewarding and policing. Who took liberties with our safety?

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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Metropolitan police to be deployed inside London Stadium for Stoke visit
The Guardian
Friday 4 November 2016 13.07 GMT Last modified on Friday 4 November 2016 13.25 GMT

The Metropolitan police will deploy officers inside the London Stadium for West Ham United's Premier League fixture with Stoke City on Saturday. Security has been a major problem since the Hammers' move to the ground on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park at the start of this season. There were ugly scenes at last week's EFL Cup match between West Ham and Chelsea despite police officers being inside the stadium for the first time. The Football Association opened an investigation after six people were arrested and more than 200 fans face banning orders. Stoke will be the next visitors to the ground, and a statement from the police read: "The Metropolitan Police Service has a comprehensive, and robust, policing plan for the match on Saturday, November 5 between West Ham and Stoke at London Stadium. "We are working with partners to prevent crime and disorder and can confirm that officers will be deployed within the stadium to support stadium stewards throughout the match. "Although Airwave radio is not yet installed at the venue, a tactical measure will be in place to ensure adequate airwave coverage for safe deployment of officers within the stadium."

Stoke have sold out their 2,800 allocation for Saturday's game and a section of visiting supporters have been relocated as part of a change in protocol in a bid to help prevent trouble. Mark Hughes is happy with the new arrangements, with the Stoke manager saying: "I think there is a different policy and they are addressing concerns we have had. I think they are doing things a little bit differently – there will be more of a police presence actually in the ground to begin with, and more segregation. "So I think we're quite comfortable. We have a really fantastic following away from home, we're very proud of it and proud of how they behave and conduct themselves."

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Shaqiri major doubt for West Ham trip – Hughes
fourfourtwo.com

Stoke City may not be able to rely on the talents of Xherdan Shaqiri when they travel to West Ham on Saturday as he has a hamstring injury. Xherdan Shaqiri is a major doubt for Stoke City's visit to West Ham United after failing to train all week, Mark Hughes has revealed. The Switzerland international was forced off after just 26 minutes in Monday's comprehensive 3-1 win over Swansea City due to a hamstring problem. It turned out to be a recurrence of an injury he has had to contend with before, one which he has previously been able to continue playing with. However, the fact that the injury flared up on Monday as opposed to Saturday means he has had significantly less recovery time and unless he can train on Friday, he will not be involved at the London Stadium. "He hasn't trained all week because of a bit of damage to the hamstring," Hughes told reporters at a media conference. "At this moment in time it appears that he will struggle to be available. There may be a slight opportunity, but he needs to train today and we need to see if he comes through that. "If he does then he has a chance. It is a slight strain, which he has had before, and has been able to play with before. "The difference this time is that he did it on the Saturday, whereas this time he did it on the Monday, so he has had a day or two less to recover."
West Ham have attracted criticism this season for the behaviour of their fans at the London Stadium, with their supporters in the news for disturbances against Middlesbrough and Chelsea. Saturday will see the ground host its first match since the trouble in the EFL Cup tie against Antonio Conte's side and Hughes said Stoke have been assured of tightened security. "It is disappointing because when you see some of the scenes recently it is like from days gone by," he added. "You don't want to see those situations developing. We have been reassured there is a different policy this weekend, there will be a greater police presence in the ground.
"We are comfortable with that. We have a fantastic following on the road and we are also proud of how they behave and how they conduct themselves when they travel.
"We hope that what is in place will be adequate to keep our supporters safe."

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West Ham facing defensive crisis as Reece Oxford is ruled out for four weeks with freak ankle injury
Reece Oxford ruled out for four weeks after sustaining ankle injury
17-year-old starlet has not featured at all in Premier League this season
West Ham defender Winston Reid is already out with a hamstring injury
By SAMI MOKBEL FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 09:44, 4 November 2016 | UPDATED: 09:50, 4 November 2016

West Ham are facing a defensive crisis after Reece Oxford was ruled out for four weeks after a freak training ground injury. The 17-year-old, who has not featured in the Premier League this season, has suffered an ankle ligament injury in his left leg after falling awkwardly during a training session earlier this week. The injury will sideline Oxford, who is in an ankle brace and using crutches, for around a month. With Winston Reid already out with hamstring injury, Oxford has added to Slaven Bilic's woes leaving him short of central defensive options. Reid would have missed this weekend's clash against Stoke through suspension, but there are fears he could be unavailable after the international break because of the hamstring injury. Cheikhou Kouyate has had to deputise at the heart of the Hammers' defence in recent weeks and was even selected over Wales international James Collins for his side's defeat by Everton. Bilic also has problems in the full back areas with summer signing Arthur Masuaku currently out with a knee injury, while Sam Byram is struggling with a hamstring problem. The Croat will hope his troubled, injury-hit Irons can alleviate some of the ill feeling surrounding the London Stadium against Stoke on Saturday. The Hammers are unbeaten in their last three home games but face a Stoke side fresh off the back of five straight games without defeat.

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Slaven Bilic says West Ham 'couldn't ask for a better atmosphere' despite London Stadium violence
Slaven Bilic believes West Ham have finally adapted to new ground
London Stadium has been beset by problems in early fixtures
Win over Chelsea in the EFL Cup was overshadowed by crowd trouble
But Bilic praised the atmosphere at the ground before the violence
West Ham host Stoke on Saturday in the Premier League
By ANDY SIMS, PRESS ASSOCIATION
PUBLISHED: 09:40, 4 November 2016 | UPDATED: 09:51, 4 November 2016

Slaven Bilic says West Ham are finally starting to feel at home at the London Stadium. The Hammers' last match at the former Olympic Stadium, the 2-1 EFL Cup win over Chelsea was overshadowed by crowd trouble. But prior to those ugly scenes at the end, a thrilling London derby had been played out amid an atmosphere to rival that of their old Upton Park ground. West Ham are back at home against Stoke on Saturday and Bilic hopes the stadium will be rocking once again. 'It was a great atmosphere,' said the Hammers boss. 'Don't get me wrong, what happened at the end was unacceptable and awful, but during the game it was a derby, a cup game, under the lights. 'We felt really great and also because of that atmosphere we played well, and it felt good because we had the fans behind us so we couldn't ask for a better atmosphere.' The club have been working hard to increase segregation between fans ahead of the match to ensure there is no repeat of the violence in the stands.
'It may help but that's the only thing that we can do,' added Bilic. 'The club have done everything, you can't say there wasn't segregation for the game against Chelsea, there was enough segregation, the gap between our fans and Chelsea fans was obvious. 'Now the club's going to make an even bigger gap, and to be fair that's all that we can do.' Bilic's main concern on the pitch is a lack of goals from his strikers - not a single one has scored yet this season. Yet the Croatian remains convinced Simone Zaza, Ashley Fletcher, Jonathan Calleri and the fit-again Andre Ayew will break their ducks soon. 'We are not scoring many goals and we are creating chances,' he said. 'But I would rather have us creating chances and waiting for a moment that we're going to convert them, than not to create them all. 'We were disappointed with the defeat at Everton last week but we are playing good recently really and we on a good path. We're going to score goals.' Bilic hopes to have forward Diafra Sakho and Andy Carroll - unscathed after he was the victim of an attempted armed robbery on Wednesday - back to fitness after the international break.
Defender Winston Reid will miss the Stoke game through suspension.

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Zaza agent: 'Napoli a welcome destination'
By Football Italia staff

The father and agent of Simone Zaza has hinted that his son could join Napoli after his time with West Ham has not turned out as expected. Napoli Today reports that Antonio Zaza will be in London over the next days to try to resolve the situation after the Italy striker has made just five starts in the Premier League for the Hammers and has so far failed to score. The Juventus player moved to West Ham in the summer on a €5m loan, a fee that will rise to €20m and will trigger a permanent move one Zaza has made 14 total appearances. Rumours are circulating that the 25-year-old could return to Italy with Napoli, who need a striker to replace injured Arkadiusz Milik, and the player's father hinted that such a move could be a possibility. "I can not promise that Simone will remain in London until the end of the season, Antonio Zaza told the Press. "or that he will move away. "Between tomorrow and the day after tomorrow I will be in London to take stock of the situation with him and with West Ham. "No-one from Napoli has called me recently. There were concrete negotiations last summer, but to date none of them have called me. Naples is a very welcome destination. If they call, I would speak willingly with them."

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Sakho could get improved contract, Sun say
By London Football News 04/11/2016
Embed from Getty Images

West Ham could give Diafra Sakho a new contract, according to The Sun. The Senegal striker, 26, has been widely tipped to leave after a number of injuries and a fall-out with boss Slaven Bilic. But Sakho has returned to training following a back problem and The Sun suggest he could land an improved deal A "West Ham insider" is quoted as saying: "There's a view that he will be playing to get away, that he's looking for a big offer from another club. "But in fact we have had talks with Diafra and made it clear that if he starts scoring goals and is back to his best a new deal will be on the table for him. "It's all in his hands but the club can't be expected to be offering a player who hasn't been on the pitch for a long time new deals. He understands he has to earn it."
Meanwhile, Simone Zaza has again been linked with a potential move to Napoli, this time by Italian publication Il Mattimo. The 25-year-old striker has failed to impress since joining the Hammers on loan from Juventus with a view to a permanent move. Recently there has been speculation that the club might offer Zaza to Napoli as part of an exchange involving the Serie A club's forward Manolo Gabbiadini. Il Mattimo say Napoli are considering making an offer for Zaza, who is set to join West Ham on a permanent deal if he makes one more appearance.

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Slaven Bilic says players finally feeling at home at London Stadium
By talkSPORT - @talkSPORT
Friday, November 4, 2016

Slaven Bilic says West Ham are finally starting to feel at home at the London Stadium. The Hammers' last match at the former Olympic Stadium, the 2-1 EFL Cup win over Chelsea, was overshadowed by crowd trouble. But prior to those ugly scenes at the end, a thrilling London derby had been played out amid an atmosphere to rival that of their old Upton Park ground. West Ham are back at home against Stoke on Saturday and Bilic hopes the stadium will be rocking once again. "It was a great atmosphere," said the Hammers boss. "Don't get me wrong, what happened at the end was unacceptable and awful, but during the game it was a derby, a cup game, under the lights. "We felt really great and also because of that atmosphere we played well, and it felt good because we had the fans behind us so we couldn't ask for a better atmosphere."
The club have been working hard to increase segregation between fans ahead of the match to ensure there is no repeat of the violence in the stands. "It may help but that's the only thing that we can do," added Bilic. "The club have done everything, you can't say there wasn't segregation for the game against Chelsea, there was enough segregation, the gap between our fans and Chelsea fans was obvious. "Now the club's going to make an even bigger gap, and to be fair that's all that we can do."
Bilic's main concern on the pitch is a lack of goals from his strikers - not a single one has scored yet this season. Yet the Croatian remains convinced Simone Zaza, Ashley Fletcher, Jonathan Calleri and the fit-again Andre Ayew will break their ducks soon. "We are not scoring many goals and we are creating chances," he said.
"But I would rather have us creating chances and waiting for a moment that we're going to convert them, than not to create them all. "We were disappointed with the defeat at Everton last week but we are playing good recently really and we on a good path. We're going to score goals."
Bilic hopes to have forward Diafra Sakho and Andy Carroll - unscathed after he was the victim of an attempted armed robbery on Wednesday - back to fitness after the international break. Defender Winston Reid will miss the Stoke game through suspension.

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West Ham teen Reece Oxford ruled out for four weeks with ankle ligament injury
08:28, 4 NOV 2016 UPDATED 08:32, 4 NOV 2016
BY JOHN CROSS
Defender Oxford injured his ankle ligaments in training last Saturday
The Mirror

West Ham teenager Reece Oxford has been ruled out for four weeks. Defender Oxford injured his ankle ligaments in training last Saturday and has now been told he faces a spell on the sidelines. Oxford has been left on crutches as he recovers from the devastating injury. Oxford, 17, is one of West Ham's most promising youngsters and this setback is a blow to his first team hopes. England prospect Oxford has already captained England's under-18s and is tipped to play for the seniors in the future.

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Winston Reid and the All Whites: A sad story of injuries and other absences
stuff.co.nz

Winston Reid will miss the All Whites' World Cup qualifiers later this month. When Anthony Hudson announced his latest All Whites squad on Thursday, the headline news was that Winston Reid wouldn't be making the trip home, after injuring a hamstring while playing for West Ham United last weekend. Since Reid made his debut in May 2010, the All Whites have had 46 matches, and he has played in 21 and missed 25, a tally that will grow by two later this month. Stuff has dug into the archives to look back at each of the 14 times he's been missing in action and the reasons why.

1. SUSPENDED v China, March 2011
After making his debut off the bench against the Socceroos in May 2010, Reid started the All Whites' next seven games, a streak of eight in a row, by far the longest of his career. In the dying minutes of the eighth game, a loss to Paraguay in Wellington in October 2010, he went in for a studs-up challenge, and was shown a red card, which ruled him out of this friendly against China the following March. Reid made eight appearances in a row to start his international career.

2. INJURED v Australia, June 2011
Reid returned to the side for their next match, a friendly against Mexico in Denver, but picked up a groin strain in that loss that meant he missed the second match of the June window against Australia in Adelaide. Games were hard to come by for the All Whites at this time, with their next not until March 2012, a loss to Jamaica in which Reid featured - though only for a half, after being knocked out in a challenge.

3. UNAVAILABLE v El Salvador and Honduras, May 2012
Due to the scheduling of the 2012 Oceania Nations Cup for a late-May start, the All Whites were forced to look outside the Fifa window in order to fit in a pair of warm-up games, which meant clubs didn't have to release their players. While many were free to play anyway, West Ham were coming to the end of a season in the English Championship where they won promotion, and so Reid was forced to sit them out.

4. INJURED for the Oceania Nations Cup, May 2012
Then, despite having played every minute of West Ham's final nine games of the season, Reid withdrew from the Oceania Nations Cup itself, citing a groin injury that he had been carrying for a while and didn't want to risk aggravating, especially given the ONC's schedule, which featured five games in the space of 10 days. That withdrawal came two days out from the start of the tournament, and followed the earlier withdrawal of fellow defender Ryan Nelsen. While the absence of their two defensive leaders played a part in the All Whites' calamitous exit, it was by no means the only factor.

5. INJURED v Tahiti, October 2012
Reid returned for the All Whites' next assignment - a pair of World Cup qualifiers against New Caledonia and the Solomon Islands in September 2012 - but missed the one after that. After playing 90 minutes for West Ham against Arsenal on the eve of the window, he was reported as having back spasms. He made the trip anyway, but he didn't play any part in either game against Tahiti. Then Hammers coach Sam Allardyce was furious, saying the decision to fly Reid back "didn't make any sense," and that it was a result of a lack of trust on NZF's part - something they denied, saying he was close to playing in the second game, before the decision was made on the morning of that he'd sit out. On returning to England, Reid played a full 90 minutes as West Ham beat Southampton 4-1.

6. RELEASED v Solomon Islands, March 2013
Reid was back for the All Whites' next game, a friendly against China in November 2012, and played in their next World Cup qualifier, a win over New Caledonia the following March that meant they advanced to the intercontinental playoff. With that secured, he was one of several players allowed to skip the final qualifier, which involved a trip to the Solomon Islands for this meaningless tie. The All Whites struggled to put together a solid run of games in preparation for the playoff, but Reid featured in all three internationals they did manage - a win over Saudi Arabia, a loss to the United Arab Emirates, and a draw with Trinidad and Tobago.

7. INJURED v Mexico, November 2013
Then came the cruelest of all Reid's absences, when an ankle injury suffered in the Premier League ruled him out of the All Whites' two-legged World Cup qualifying playoff against Mexico, and kept him out of all football until the following February. The All Whites' chances of causing an upset over El Tri were incredibly slim anyway, but losing their best player and defender didn't help, and they crashed to a 9-3 loss across both legs.

8. RESTED v Japan, March 2014
Interim head coach Neil Emblen didn't call on Reid for the All Whites' next encounter, a friendly against Japan, preferring that he focus on returning to full fitness with West Ham. "We just felt it was the right thing for him, to just concentrate on keeping West Ham in the Premier League, " Emblen said. "I've spoken to him and he would love to come, but with the injury, I think it's best that he keeps getting himself right for West Ham."

9. UNAVAILABLE v South Africa, May 2014
Emblen remained in charge for the All Whites' next game, an outside-the-window friendly against South Africa, and Reid was one of three players, alongside Chris Wood and Tommy Smith, who decided against making the trip back. Anthony Hudson took over in time for their next game, against Uzbekistan that September, and Reid made his return.

10. INJURED v China and Thailand, November 2014
Reid was named in the squad for these games, but had to withdraw before making the trip, after suffering a leg injury and then aggravating it while playing for West Ham on the eve of the international window. Despite not making the trip, Reid didn't miss any league games for West Ham.

11. INJURED v South Korea, March 2015
Reid was again named in the squad for the All Whites' next game, but eventually had to pull out again, after picking up a hamstring injury while playing for West Ham at the start of the month. He missed two league games for West Ham, as well as the All Whites' fixture, but returned for his club as soon as they resumed after the international break.

12. RESTED v Oman, November 2015
Reid made his first international appearance in a year when the All Whites drew with Myanmar in September 2015, but was struggling with a hip complaint in the leadup to their next match, a month later against Oman. He made his return for West Ham on the eve of the international window, but Hudson was content to leave him be, making an impassioned defence: "Let's throw in there he's had numerous amounts of injections in his hip... with a player that historically has many, many injuries every season that don't just affect us they affect his club," he said. "To put him on an aeroplane straight after playing his first 90 minutes for four weeks is a huge risk, a huge gamble and potentially he doesn't even play in our game." This then became Reid's most controversial absence, when he was found to have made a trip (by aeroplane) to nearby Dubai with some of his West Ham teammates during the window.

13. RESTED for Oceania Nations Cup, June 2016
There had been whispers that Reid wouldn't be among those making the trip to Papua New Guinea for this year's Oceania Nations Cup, and they were confirmed on May 12, when Hudson named his squad, and revealed that Reid was being given the chance to rest up and recover after an injury-riddled Premier League season. Hudson maintained Reid was "100 per cent" committed to the All Whites, and he did return at the next opportunity, for last month's friendlies against Mexico and the United States.

14. INJURED v New Caledonia, November 2016
That brings us to this week, and the hamstring injury that has ruled Reid out of the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers, home and away against New Caledonia in just over a week's time. There was no hint in the aftermath of last weekend's West Ham game that Reid had picked up an injury, with most reports focusing on the fact that he'd be suspended for their next match, after picking up his fifth yellow card of the campaign - it first came to light when the All Whites squad was named. Hudson said that having spoken to the coaches at West Ham, and to Reid, it was the right decision, and that the defender was "gutted" he couldn't make it. After this weekend, West Ham don't play until November 20, and with the injury said to keep him out for three to five weeks, there's every chance he could be back for that fixture, against Tottenham Hotspur, if his recovery comes in at the shorter end of that range. The All Whites have four big windows in the next 12 months - next March, when they play World Cup qualifiers against Fiji; next June, when they compete at the Confederations Cup; next September, when they should feature in the Oceania World Cup qualifying final; and next November, when they are likely to be the Oceania representative in the intercontinental playoff, playing against the fifth-best team from South America.

As each of those windows approaches, the fitness of Reid is sure to be a hot topic - and he'll need to be available more often than he has at any stage since 2010 if they are to make a good fist of them.

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Mark Hughes insists Stoke won't be at the London Stadium to take photos of West Ham's new home
SAM LONG
Evening Standard

Mark Hughes is keen for Stoke City's players not to sit back and admire the London Stadium when they face West Ham this weekend. Stoke will visit the Hammers' new base on Saturday afternoon aiming to record a fourth successive Premier League victory, having put their poor start to the campaign firmly behind them in recent weeks.
The Potters' resurgence has helped them climb above West Ham in the table, who are languishing in 17th place - just three points above the drop zone. And Hughes is adamant his players will not be distracted by the unfamiliar surroundings as they attempt to get the better of Slaven Bilic's side. "The surroundings will be new for us but it's how we deal with that," he told Stoke's official website. It's not a case of going there and taking pictures of new stands. We're going there to do a job and that's our focus. "We're looking forward to every game we play now because we're playing some good stuff now and we're playing with confidence," insisted the Welshman. Stoke have conceded just one goal en route to nine points from encounters with Sunderland, Hull and Swansea in recent weeks but have just one away victory to their name. However, Hughes is determined to continue his solid managerial record against West Ham and will not be daunted by taking on the east Londoners' lofty ambitions. "We've always done reasonably well there - Upton Park was always a challenging place to go. "It's a club that obviously have ambitions of going further and becoming one of the bigger clubs. "They've got the stadium now and that ambition might be realised - you never now. "But we've always gone there with a game plan and a desire to get a positive result. That will be no different this weekend," Hughes added.

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