Daily WHUFC News - 11th December 2016

Preview - Liverpool
WHUFC.com

Where and when?

Liverpool v West Ham United
Premier League
Sunday 11 December 2016, 4.30pm GMT
Anfield

What's the story?

West Ham United travel to Anfield on Sunday looking for a response after last weekend's Premier League defeat to Arsenal.

Following the 1-1 draw at Manchester United, the Hammers were unable to build upon that against the Gunners, as Alexis Sanchez's hat-trick powered them to a 5-1 win.

Now, Slaven Bilic's men will be looking to last season, when they ended a wait of 52 years for victory at Anfield in the best possible style. Goals from Manuel Lanzini, Mark Noble and Diafra Sakho gave the visitors a 3-0 victory – one of three West Ham gained over the Reds last term.

This season, Jurgen Klopp's men have made a terrific start, and they sit third in the table with 30 points from their opening 14 games.

Last weekend's 4-3 defeat to Bournemouth was their first in 12 league games as the Merseysiders attempt to make a swift improvement on last season's eighth place finish.

West Ham, with 12 points from 14 games, are in 18th place, but could move up to 15th with victory on Sunday,

Team news

The Hammers could have both Aaron Cresswell and Michail Antonio back after they missed the defeat to Arsenal with groin injuries.

Andy Carroll returned from his knee injury with a goal against the Gunners and could start up front.

However, Cheikhou Kouyate is out with a groin injury.

For Liverpool, Sadio Mane is expected to be available despite limping off during the loss to Bournemouth.

Joel Matip could return from an ankle injury, but Daniel Sturridge is out due to a calf problem.

Any links between the two?

West Ham defender Alvaro Arbeloa was at Liverpool between 2007-09, playing 66 Premier League games before moving back to Spain with Real Madrid.

Andy Carroll joined the Hammers from the Reds, initially on loan, in 2012, after signing for Liverpool from Newcastle a year earlier.

How do I get to the match?

Click here for directions to Anfield.

The latest travel information on the trains can be found here. Click here for the latest on the roads.

How can I watch the match?

The game is being broadcast live in the UK on Sky Sports. You can also follow the action as it happens on whufc.com, with live audio commentary, social media updates, in-running stats, photos and more. Get involved in the conversation on social media using the hashtag #LIVWHU

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Manager on Matchday
WHUFC.com

Good morning everybody.

I want to start by wishing all the West Ham United supporters travelling to Liverpool a safe journey.

We want to give you all another day to be proud of at Anfield, but we know it will be far from easy. What I know is that we have worked very hard and prepared well in training this week and will give everything we can to give a good performance.

Liverpool have been winning matches, especially at home, but they play risky football and they leave spaces. Manchester City are also playing like this, and Liverpool are not less-solid than Man City.

For me they are strong contenders to win the Premier League, Liverpool. If they had a defence like they have an offense they would be eight points clear or whatever. For me, they are very strong contenders.

I was asked this week about whether our season has affected my self-belief, and I can honestly say it has not.

My mood, on the other hand, has been affected. It's not the same if my team is winning or losing, but if you talk about confidence and self-belief, situations like this make me stronger.

I have had periods like this in my career before, when things have been tough. OK, I've not been so low in the table, but I had periods with Croatia and Lokomotiv Moscow that were challenging, and they are hard times, but they only make me stronger.

My belief in myself, my players and my staff and my ideas remains strong and grows bigger every day.

This is a job where you take your feelings and emotions home with you. Maybe you can hide them sometimes, but it's not a job where you can divide business from personal life.

You can't do this job in a proper way if you're not emotional, but the catch is to remain in control of your emotions. I didn't see a manager who is not emotional, though, definitely.

I believe in my team and their abilities, but we have to be balanced because Liverpool are playing good football and are on a roll at home. They are exciting to watch and put you under a lot of pressure, so you have to be versatile, complete and play a good game.

You cannot park the bus and stay 25 metres from your goal. You can win the game that way, because it's football, but you have to be very lucky to get anything if you play like this.

On the other hand, you cannot just attack them high up the pitch, because they have the quality to break through you and get into big spaces. Most of the time, they create goalscoring opportuntiies from those situations.

You have to be balanced, like we were last season. We played them four times last season and beat them three times, so we take confidence from last season, but we have to produce the same level of performance to get a similar result.

We shouldn't be afraid of them, but we cannot go there and think we will beat them just because we beat them last season. We need to use our positive memories to inspire us and they can do us no harm.

Come on you Irons!

Slaven

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Defiant Slaven Bilic convinced West Ham will emerge stronger from their current struggles
Last week's home hammering by Arsenal and Saturday results have put the Hammers in the bottom three — and now they face a daunting trip to Liverpool

4
SHARES
COMMENTS
BYSTEVE STAMMERS
22:30, 10 DEC 2016UPDATED17:06, 10 DEC 2016
The Mirror

Slaven Bilic made it clear that his self-belief remains intact despite a desperate run that has left West Ham in a relegation fight and the humiliation by Arsenal at the London Stadium last week. Arsenal won 5-1 to leave Hammers manager Bilic in a state of shock, and Saturday's results mean the East End club are now in the drop zone. On Sunday afternoon, West Ham go to Anfield to face a Liverpool team stung by their 4-3 defeat to Bournemouth a week ago and in need of a win to maintain their title challenge. But Bilic insisted: "These situations make you even stronger." The Croatian pointed out he had suffered major disappointments as a player and as coach of his country's national team, as well as in club management with Hajduk Split, Lokomotiv Moscow and Turkish club Besiktas. "I have had positions like this before," said Bilic. "Maybe not positions like 17th out of 20, but I have had periods of a season and it is hard to be in them. But they make you stronger. "I have belief in myself, my players and the team. And in my ideas."

He revealed that the low he felt after last Saturday's massive setback against Arsenal was part and parcel of management. "It is part of the job. It is not the sort of job where you can divide your emotions from private and personal," said Bilic. "If you are a manager, you cannot do the job if you are not emotional. What you have to do is to be in control of these emotions. "You cannot be a manager and not be emotional."

In August last year, West Ham secured the first of three wins over Liverpool last season when they won at Anfield for the first time since 1963. The Irons also won the reverse league fixture at Upton Park and also an FA Cup fourth-round replay there after drawing the original game on Merseyside. Bilic will remind his players of the triumphant dressing-room vibe that day before they do battle again. "The atmosphere was brilliant," he said. " We played them four times in the league and the FA Cup and won three. But we will have to produce a lot to repeat that."

He agreed that a video review of that win will help to boost morale ahead of this afternoon's clash. "Yes, it helps," said Bilic. "We shouldn't be afraid of them. "Of course I am going to tell the players what we did there last year. "We can't expect to go there and win just because of that. But a good memory can motivate the players. To give them some belief is only good. We watch those videos – and they are good for motivation."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham plotting transfer raid on relegation scrap rivals Sunderland for defender Lamine Kone
The 27-year-old has a clause in his contract which could see him leave in January for £18m PLUS: Calleri to go and Moyes eyes playmaker
BYNEIL MOXLEY
22:30, 10 DEC 2016UPDATED21:51, 10 DEC 2016
The Mirror

Struggling West Ham are ready to trigger an £18million get-out clause in Lamine Kone's contract with fellow strugglers Sunderland. Slaven Bilic wants the 27-year-old to hold together his leaking defence and his bosses will act next month. Centre-back Kone was brought in by then-boss Sam Allardyce for £6million from French club Lorient last January, helped the Wearsiders avoid relegation and signed a new five-year deal in September. But the Ivory Coast player had a clause inserted which could see him leave the Stadium of Light in January — and the Hammers are ready to pounce. West Ham's defence has proved porous this season and co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold are anxious to protect the club's Premier League status. Meanwhile, West Ham striker Jonathan Calleri will be offered an escape route by Sevilla after a miserable few months on loan in the East End. Argentinian Calleri joined Hammers in the summer from Uruguayan side Deportivo Maldonado and has yet to score in nine appearances. The £10million-rated Romania international has impressed since his a summer move from Steaua Bucharest – and now Moyes wants Stanciu with the Black Cats.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham want to sign Joe Hart - as long as they stay in Premier League
West Ham could look to sign Joe Hart in the summer as long as they safeguard their Premier League place
Matt Law, football news correspondent Ian Winrow
10 DECEMBER 2016 • 10:30PM
Telegraph.co.uk

West Ham United will try to bring goalkeeper Joe Hart back to England at the end of the season – as long as the club preserve their Premier League status.
Hart is on loan at Torino and has already accepted that his Manchester City career is over with manager Pep Guardiola willing to listen to offers of £10 million from foreign clubs. City could ask for double that fee from a Premier League rival, but West Ham will hope that the fact they are not a threat to the Manchester club in England or in Europe will help them land the England international for a knock-down price. West Ham are considering a loan move for Chelsea goalkeeper Asmir Begovic in January because of the poor form of Adrian, who has lost his place to Darren Randolph. But it is Hart who has emerged at West Ham's first choice permanent goalkeeper target for the end of the season, with either Adrian or Randolph expected to leave. Although Hart is enjoying his season-long loan in Torino, the 29-year-old would favour a permanent move back to England to help him keep his place in the national side. Asked about his future this week, Hart said: "I still don't know, I'm still a Manchester City player, but until the summer I will only think about enjoying my season with Torino." Hart will play in his first Turin derby against Juventus on Sunday and believes his experience of the Manchester rivalry between City and United stands him in good stead. "Torino and Manchester are not so different about how they feel about the derby," said Hart. "Torino is a city that breathes football." West Ham have conceded 29 Premier League goals this season and travel to Liverpool looking to avoid another defeat. Relegation would rule out a move for Hart and the threat of going down has contributed to the fact the Hammers are looking at a number of potential loan deals for January including Begovic and midfielder Marouane Fellaini. Adrian joined West Ham from Real Betis in 2013 and has performed well for the club up until this season. The Spaniard was dropped by under-pressure manager Slaven Bilic after a blunder against Stoke City at the start of November. Bilic has admitted he is facing a crucial run of fixtures that could determine his future. After facing Liverpool at Anfield, West Ham entertain Burnley and Hull City, before travelling to Swansea City on Boxing Day.
In his search for inspiration, Bilic this week turned to a recording of his players' last league visit to face Liverpool. A 3-0 victory at the start of last season built on the promise shown in an opening day win at Arsenal and helped set the tone for campaign that suggested club and manager were an ideal fit. Now, five months into the current season, the optimism generated by May's seventh-place finish – two points and one place ahead of today's opponents - has quickly disappeared.
Last weekend's 5-1 home humiliation at the hands of Arsenal marked a low point and confirmed the London club's focus is currently focused on the lower reaches of the table rather than the possibility of a return to European football. Little wonder then, Bilic has attempted to recall the mood generated by last season's successes against the Merseysiders. "The atmosphere in the dressing room was brilliant," said Bilic. "We played them four times and three times we beat them. But we will have to produce a lot to repeat that. We are watching those videos and they are good for motivation. It helps. We shouldn't be afraid of them. But we can't necessarily expect to go and win there just because we won there last year. We recalled that good memory to motivate the players. To give them some belief is only good."
Bilic and his players certainly need it. Last season's swagger has disappeared, replaced by tentative, unconvincing displays, particularly at home. The manager, though, insists he remains convinced his approach is the right one. "It's not a question of whether my team s winning or losing, we are talking about self belief and confidence," he said. "These situations make you even stronger. I have had difficult periods in a but I have belief in myself me my players and the team and in my ideas."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham's Álvaro Arbeloa: I don't regret coming at all. I want to be here to the end
The Spanish defender backs his manager Slaven Bilic but feels the players 'should be killing each other a bit more' over their side's recent disappointments
Sid Lowe
The Guardian
Saturday 10 December 2016 12.00 GMT

He could see them go – they were not exactly sneaking out. Even before Arsenal scored their final goal last Saturday, thousands of West Ham United fans had left the London Stadium, those long, painful closing minutes played before sweeps of empty white seats. Álvaro Arbeloa could not stop them; nor could he blame them. His manager couldn't, either: afterwards all Slaven Bilic could do was apologise to them. "A big humiliation," he called it. It finished 5-1, the home side conceding three in six minutes, four in 14. It could have been eight.

"You reach the point where you think: 'Let's stop the bleeding, at least,'" Arbeloa admits, but the cut was deep. "It felt like we might get into it, but they scored three in six minutes. Bam! We went for it desperately and every counter was a goal: goal, goal, goal. You felt the disappointment. You have to live with that: we can't ask anything from them." The word he uses next is desencantada and while it does not translate exactly, it fits – not just last Saturday but all season, on the pitch and off. The fans are disenchanted, disillusioned. Everyone at West Ham is.

It was not supposed to be this way. After seven years at Real Madrid, having won every trophy there is, there were good reasons for Arbeloa to join West Ham. England, London, the Premier League, European competition, a team playing "attractive" football, a new stadium, the excitement of a new era, supporters he likens to those who so embraced him when he played for Liverpool, the Hammers' opponents on Sunday. "They're alike; there's a great communion between fans and players."

It is tempting to respond: not any more, there's not. Last Saturday Arsène Wenger claimed: "West Ham aren't comfortable at home." Perhaps because it is not home yet. But that alone does not explain them lying 17th, one point from the relegation zone. Their away form has been worse, for a start. "I didn't expect this; nobody did," Arbeloa says. "Last season was spectacular, bringing hope, but then we were knocked out of Europe. That was the first hammer blow and everything followed. Not playing in Europe, which would've given everyone minutes, moving stadium, which has been hard, the team in this position … it's not surprising fans lose enthusiasm, that hope."

There is a case to suggest that last season was part of the problem, creating false expectations; such hope was misplaced. But things still should not be this bad. "They were seventh, above Liverpool. Is repeating that impossible? I don't think so, but we do have to recognise that the two Manchester [clubs], Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham have stronger squads," Arbeloa says. "Yet our squad should be as good as, say, Everton's. We shouldn't be so low."

"I played at Upton Park [for Liverpool] and it's completely different. A smaller pitch, the fans closer. Upton Park meant points. A new stadium allows you to grow, but it's good to maintain that proximity. For visiting teams, the new stadium's much easier. That's not the [sole] reason, but it's another ingredient. You can't say: 'This is why we're in this situation, or this is.' It's lots of things. Take injuries: is it that? No, but they play a part. You miss your best players, you can't create an identity, the base of a team. Then when things start going badly, you don't have the same confidence; it becomes a snowball, gathering a momentum, that you have to stop."

After the Arsenal game Bilic tried, accusing his players of lacking intensity, even in training. "It's good for the manager to tell it the way he sees it, to highlight what he thinks we need to do to change the situation," Arbeloa says. "And on the Monday, he told us we have to be united in these difficult moments. I also understand that coaches sometimes try to get a reaction from players via the media."

Bilic's words spoke too of a manager under pressure, reportedly handed an ultimatum, yet Arbeloa says: "He looks more volcanic than he is. Other coaches might have been more susceptible, they might have lost it, but he's been quite calm. We're not in this situation because of the manager and I don't think changing means you'll pick up more points. Inside the team, you won't hear anyone saying he's the problem."

Nor have there been recriminations in the dressing room. "The relationship's good," Arbeloa insists, pausing to add, "maybe even too good. At times, I think we should be killing each other a bit more – more angry. The atmosphere should be more tense."

It is, he says, a young team, a good group, although it sounds like one that lacks leadership, that person who steps forward. "I don't think it would fair to the captain to say that," Arbeloa insists. He says there are different ways to lead – he cites Dimitri Payet's willingness to take the ball and responsibility at difficult moments, for example – but admits there have been few raised voices. If that all sounds a little too comfortable, Arbeloa says they are aware of the reality. And although it is new to him he says he is ready for it, too. "We're conscious of the position we're in, which is important: look at Newcastle, who thought that there was no chance they'd go down.

"The teams around us are getting points, the teams above are opening a gap, Swansea and Sunderland looked dead but they've closed on us. I don't want to be in that position but at Madrid every defeat is a catastrophe and the demands are brutal. Pressure is pressure. That: 'Shit, we have to win.' The next four or five games are crucial."

That run starts at Liverpool on Sunday, although Arbeloa admits that the four matches that follow are likely more decisive: Burnley, Hull, Swansea and Leicester. He will miss out on Anfield, too; he would have loved to return to a stadium special to him, as he did with Madrid, but he is limping as he arrives in Marylebone, his leg purple, swollen and bruised just as he aspired to a rare opportunity. Last Saturday was only his third league appearance of the season. Injuries suggested he might have got a fourth; form suggested he might not have done, except that it is hard to know what his form is actually like with so few chances.

Another reason Arbeloa came was to play, after a final season of limited opportunity in Spain, but he has not. When he got his chance last weekend, for the first time since coming on against Middlesbrough on 1 October, it ended with a heavy defeat. Then came reports that he would be moved on in January, departing in virtual anonymity having arrived feted as a World Cup winner.

A late arrival did not help, Arbeloa insisting that working alone is never the same, "even if you trained 24 hours a day", and he suggests that he and the coach still need time to "connect", but he has not asked for an explanation as to why he has started just one league game all season."You don't ask why when you're playing and you don't ask when you're not," he says. "He's under a lot of pressure; he doesn't need me saying: 'Hey, why aren't I playing?' That would just create tension, another problem to deal with. But I want to play, of course."

Can he though? Is his level good enough any more? "I went almost two months without playing and [against Arsenal] I covered the most distance sprinting and in high intensity," Arbeloa says. "But to really judge it, you need to play more, so I don't know. I do know that I'm killing myself to change things; I haven't just accepted it.

"And I'm not leaving. Sometimes you read things [in the papers] and think: 'Do I say something? Do I ignore it?' I feel like people were misinformed and all I can say is that I'm staying until the summer, no matter what. And no one from West Ham has told me to look for a team or anything."

And then? In January, Arbeloa will be 34. For many players that is retirement age and inactivity tends to nudge players towards the end. It is not a decision he has taken – so long as he feels fit and motivated he intends to continue – and nor has he decided what he will do next. Coaching appeals, especially after Zinedine Zidane told him winning the Champions League as manager was miles better than doing so as a player. "But then," he says with a laugh, "I think about putting up with 25 bastards like me. I'd put a bullet in my head. You're always the bad guy."

He has watched others make the transition and he certainly has some of the attributes – he has had the coaches too, including Benítez, Mourinho, Ancelotti and Del Bosque – but he says that sometimes life, and opportunity, makes decisions for you. Take Jamie Carragher, for example.

"Everyone saw Carragher as a coach but he's as happy as can be on the telly, eh! Relaxed, comfortable. We all said: 'Carragher will be a coach, Stevie [Gerrard] on the telly,' but maybe it'll be the other way around."

Isn't Gerrard a bit quiet to be a coach, though? "And Zidane isn't?" Arbeloa shoots back. "None of us could see it and now look. I've been lucky. I've played with some of the best players in history, but Gerrard's the most complete." More than Zidane? "Could Zidane defend like Steven?" Arbeloa replies, swiftly.

"He defended, he attacked, he was good in the air, he could hit it with his right, with his left, he could head a corner or take it, play everywhere. He could do so much, so well. He has experience, he's worked with good coaches, and if he wants to be a coach, he can.

"You think he's calm but on the pitch he's all passion. You see him flying into a tackle or celebrating a goal and think: 'Calm? Yeah, when he's sleeping maybe …' And if he wants to be a coach there's no better place than Liverpool."

The place West Ham will go on Sunday, travelling to Arbeloa's former home without him. There is that spiral he talks about, so hard to break. When your luck's out, it's out. Summer excitement has given way to this; it could hardly have gone worse so far.

"One of the good things about getting older is you learn with experience and I've learnt that a season isn't September to January; what really matters is January to June, and I hope to be here. I just want to help," he says. "I don't regret coming at all – and the proof of that is that I don't want to go in January; I want to be here to the end."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

http://vyperz.blogspot.com