Daily WHUFC News - 16th December 2016

Skipper's relief at Burnley victory
WHUFC.com

Mark Noble scores vital goal to lift West Ham United to 1-0 Premier League
win over Burnley
Skipper scores his first goal at London Stadium after Tom Heaton had saved
his initial penalty
Hammers rise to 16th ahead of Saturday's home match with Hull City

Mark Noble admitted to a mixture of joy and relief after shooting West Ham
United to a vital Premier League victory over Burnley.
The Hammers were made to work hard for the three points at London Stadium,
hitting the post twice before Noble converted the rebound after Tom Heaton
had saved his penalty - his first goal at West Ham's new home. West Ham were
not at their fluent best, and endured a few nervous moments during the
second half, with Darren Randolph making a couple of important saves. The
captain admitted the Club's precarious position had played a part in their
stuttering yet ultimately successful display. "It's not one of them you're
going to watch on Match Choice, let me tell you!" said the No16. "We felt we
were unlucky to go in 1-0 at the break, as we'd hit the post and had a
couple of other chances. "I wasn't nervous at all with the penalty. It's
funny because I was at the Managers and Captains event at the Premier League
earlier in the season and they were doing a big thing on me and Tom on
penalties and he chucked one out to me, which was nice! "We knew they would
chuck everything at us in the second half and the boys defended great.
Darren made a couple of good saves again and we made a clearance off the
line, but at this stage of the season and where we are, we needed that."

Noble and company were by far the better team in the first half, hitting the
woodwork through Pedro Obiang and the skipper himself, and fashioning a
succession of other half-chances. The breakthrough arrived when Ben Mee
hauled down Winston Reid inside the penalty area. Although England stopper
Heaton kept out his spot-kick – his first missed penalty since August 2014 –
the No16 reacted quickest to fire home the rebound. Having held on to
complete a victory that lifts them four points clear of the bottom three
into 16th place, Noble said the Hammers would head into Saturday's home game
with Hull City with renewed confidence and belief. "At this stage, I'd be
lying if I said there wasn't a point in the second half when we just wanted
the final whistle! We had to dig in and fight for each other," he confirmed.
"I think we sat back. Obviously nerves came into it because we wanted the
win so badly and we just tried to hit them on the counter attack. "When they
throw balls into the box and attack balls the way they do, it's hard to
defend against, so the boys did great. "These three points are massive.
We've got another home game on Saturday and, as I said, at this stage and
where we are, it doesn't matter how we play, but how many points we get.
We've played a lot better than that and lost games."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bilic - We showed our character
WUFC.com

Boss hails 'important win' for the Hammers
Mark Noble's goal in first half stoppage time proved enough to see off
Burnley
Hammers boss impressed with character shown by his team

Slaven Bilic hailed Wednesday night's 1-0 win against Burnley as an
important victory for his side, as they ended a run of six games without
maximum points thanks to Mark Noble's first half goal. The skipper scored
right at the end of the opening period, following up after his penalty was
saved by Clarets keeper Tom Heaton, and Bilic was relieved to claim victory
at London Stadium. The three points took West Ham above Middlesbrough and up
to 16th in the Premier League table, building on the draw gained at Anfield
at the weekend. Bilic felt the result was one his team merited for a first
half which should have yielded more than the one goal. He explained: "It was
an important win for us, considering the situation we were in and the fact
this game was being talked about for a long time, because we knew what
schedule we had before. "To be fair, it [felt like it] was a long game, one
of the longest that I've been involved in, but it wasn't for the players. We
got three points, we showed the character and all that, and I think we
deserved it for the way we played in the first half, when we were absolutely
dominant. "We hit the post a couple of times, had so many shots, had two
penalty appeals – got one, and scored from it – and it was really good. "We
should have been in front by more than one goal, based on the quantity of
the attacks we had. "Then, in the second half, you expect when you're in the
position we are that you could be a little bit afraid that you're going to
concede a goal. We warned the players there's no reason to feel like that,
let's play in the second half like we did the first. "Okay, we knew they
were going to throw bodies up front, and have free-kicks and set-pieces, but
I expected us to be better on the ball and kill them when they opened up.
"We didn't do that, they had a couple of chances through the physical
presence they had, but we defended well. They had one good chance that they
missed, but then we missed a few in the first half. "That cramp, I'd call
it, that we are feeling at the moment – that is quite normal considering the
situation we're in – should go. The only way it goes is if you are moving up
the table. We've moved a little bit, and hopefully we will move a couple
bits more to get rid of the cramp more."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Stat's a Fact - AC's impressive return
WHUFC.com

Big Andy is back, and after two substitute appearances against Arsenal and
Liverpool, Wednesday night's start in the 1-0 win over Burnley was his first
since August.

His influence on the Hammers is often so telling and no more so was this
evident than in yesterday's London Stadium result.

Whilst Carroll failed to score himself, he was integral in the build-up
before Mark Noble's first half strike. His towering header caused chaos in
the Burnley area and eventually Winston Reid was brought down. The resulting
penalty was missed but Noble was on hand to nudge home the rebound to take
the Hammers in to the break one up.

In fact, Carroll's eleven successful aerial duels were more than any of his
teammates and topped only by Burnley counterpart, Sam Vokes. The big man was
a constant thorn in the Burnley defence: a physical and aerial annoyance
both in attacking positions and when faced with defensive responsibilities.

Three defensive clearances showed he wasn't afraid to get back and do the
dirty work in defence too, predominantly from Burnley corners. Andy was just
as effective with ball at feet too though - 28 successful passes reflects
that. His link up play with both Lanzini and Payet was ever-present in some
of the best attacking opportunities on the night; like he'd never been away!


Of course, in winning 1-0 West Ham's defensive heroics must be highlighted
too. Carroll played his part, but there were also excellent displays on the
night by Cheikhou Kouyate, Winston Reid and Pedro Obiang.

Led by Carroll though, who constantly provided West Ham with an option
further up-field; whether it be from defensive clearances, a ball in from
wide or a threaded Lanzini through-ball, Andy was up there, always.

Sometimes disciplined attacking positioning is just as important as it is
defensive. In front of goal, his six attempts were more than any other
player on the pitch and Tom Heaton always had something to think about in
between Burnley's sticks. Speaking of the opposition, they attempted 19
tackles and made 15 blocks on a night where, especially in the first half,
they were consistently tested defensively.

Ben Mee's eight clearances topped the charts and the stats show that Burnley
were once more right to be thankful for their goalkeeper. Heaton's six saves
were three times more than were required of West Ham's Darren Randolph.

Carroll's true influence on this side will be better measured in the weeks
to come, but the signs so far have been positive! All eyes to Hull on
Saturday…

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Burnley win the perfect present for Cress
WHUFC.com

Aaron Cresswell gets early birthday present with Wednesday's 1-0 win against
Burnley
Defender turns 27 on Thursday and played 90 minutes against the Clarets
England man is looking up the Premier League table with festive fixtures to
come

Wednesday's hard-fought victory over Burnley came as an early birthday
present for Aaron Cresswell, who celebrates turning 27 today.
The England left back was delighted with the result, which ended a wait of
six games for a victory and lifted the Hammers up to 15th in the Premier
League table Mark Noble's goal in a dominant first half saw off the Clarets,
who pushed the Hammers back after the break – only to find Cresswell and he
defensive teammates in fine form. The No3 explained: "First and foremost it
was about three points on Wednesday and that's what we got. "We have to take
the positives and look forward to Saturday now. "First half I thought we
were excellent and could have really killed the game off by being 3-0 or 4-0
up. Nobes hit the post, Pedro hit the post and then we got the penalty. "The
results went our way in midweek, but we just have to concentrate on
ourselves. We need another three points when we play Hull and I'd take
another 1-0 and another performance like that. "We'd like 12 points [from
the run of four games the Hammers are on], but we know how tough the Premier
League is and our main focus is on Saturday and Hull. "We won't look any
further for now – we'll play our game on Saturday and then look ahead to
Swansea."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Randolph - We are ready to battle for every point
WHUFC.com

Darren Randolph insists his team-mates are ready to battle for every point
and hopes their season will turn around following a big win over Burnley on
Wednesday night.

The Hammers keeper knew the importance of helping his side get back on the
winning trail at London Stadium following six games without a victory.

The performance might not have been the most entertaining this season, but
Randolph says the players came together to produce a battling display and
show they have the character to move away from the foot of the table.

The Republic of Ireland international played his part in helping to keep a
vital clean sheet and now hopes they can record another big victory when
they face Hull on Saturday.

Randolph said: "The morale is good in the dressing room. There is happiness
and relief that we managed to get a victory and we are moving further up the
table.

"We have shown in patches this season how well we can play and we just need
to do it for the whole game.

"We showed against Liverpool the character we have in the team and it was
important to get a win against Burnley.

"We have been waiting for a while for a result at London Stadium. We have
not played amazing football but right now we just need points and the rest
will follow."

The Hammers are set to face another tough encounter when they face a Hull
team who are also fighting to move out of the bottom three.

But Randolph says it could be the perfect week if they manage to follow up
the last two performances against Liverpool and Burnley with another three
points.

Randolph added: "I was not concerned what the scoreline was going to be, we
just wanted to get the three points on the board.

"They made it difficult for us and came to frustrate us. We managed to get
the goal and thankfully we were able to hold onto it.

"I hope it will not be the same on Saturday and it will be more comfortable
for us.

"It is good that the other results have gone our way and it would be great
if that happens again at the weekend and we can get another victory to help
us move towards the top half of the table."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ladies secure morale-boosting victory
WHUFC.com

West Ham United Ladies beat Enfield Town in the Ryman Cup on Wednesday
The side were 2-0 winners at Thurrock FC
Chloe Burr grabbed both the Hammers' goals

*Report supplied by Robert Wheeler

West Ham United Ladies emulated their male counterparts by scoring a
morale-boosting midweek victory.

While Slaven Bilic's side were defeating Burnley in the Premier League at
London Stadium, Greg de Carnys's team were overcoming Enfield Town Ladies in
the Ryman Cup at Thurrock FC.

From the first whistle, West Ham were the dominant side, with Chloe Burr and
Dayna Chong both putting dangerous balls into the Enfield box, but the
visitors initially held firm.

Whitney Locke did some fine work down the left-hand side and her industry
won the corner which led to the Hammers' first shot on target – a long-range
Chong volley which was stopped by Enfield goalkeeper Victoria Caldwell.

Caldwell was called into action by Julie Melfald a short time later, before
Chong fired another decent chance over the crossbar.

The opening goal finally came as Burr was allowed space in the Enfield box
and smashed the ball into the bottom corner to give West Ham the lead in the
38th minute.

West Ham continued to dominate proceedings in the second half, with Megan
Waters coming close with a shot from outside the box. Goalscorer Burr then
cut in from the left and tested Caldwell, who was equal to her effort.

Enfield threatened sporadically, but two direct free-kicks did produce a
fine stop from West Ham's new goalkeeper Latoya Smith to keep her side in
the lead.

Burr, Melfald and Whitney all missed opportunities in an eventful second 45
minutes, before the former sealed the Hammers' progress with a shot that
went in via the underside of the crossbar.

Just as they did at London Stadium, the players celebrations were a mixture
of joy and relief as West Ham scored their first victory in six matches.

Manager De Carnys was proud of his team's display, saying: "I think the
performance was what we are looking for, it was progress, in terms of the
way we're trying to play.

"It is not just as simple as passing the ball – there is a lot of thinking
going on and a lot of work that they are doing in training in terms of
working out the problems and trying to get better at playing in that way, so
it's a credit to them.

"We are getting better at it week on week and there were times on Wednesday
when it looked really good.

"Obviously I'm pleased for the girls that they got through to the next round
of the cup. That's a nice feeling for them.

"We keep telling them to focus on the performance, because the better the
performance, the more likely we are to get a positive result.

"The girls have enjoyed themselves, they've all got smiles on their faces
and that is what football is all about."

West Ham face Tottenham Hotspur Ladies in the semi-finals, and De Carnys
knows his players will face a tough task in overcoming their local rivals to
reach the final.

"We'll take each game is it comes!" he said. "What's important to the staff
and the players and myself is that our performances get better week-in
week-out.

"We'll take every game as an opportunity to challenge ourselves an
opportunity to improve and hopefully that will mean that we can progress
further in the tournament."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate losing sleep over Premier League
basement battle
The Hammers have endured a difficult first half of the season after just
four wins from their opening 16 games
BYNEIL MCLEMAN
15:39, 15 DEC 2016
UPDATED15:39, 15 DEC 2016
The Mirror

Cheikhou Kouyate has revealed he has been losing sleep in his first ever
battle against relegation. West Ham climbed up to 15th place with last
night's 1-0 win over Burnley – and could climb seven points clear of the
drop zone with an other home victory over Hull on Saturday. But the Senegal
star, who won the Belgian title four times with Anderlecht, said: "It is the
first time I have been in a relegation scrap and it is not nice. "You are
stressed a lot more, playing but also following the results of the other
teams at the bottom of the table. I hope we get out of it quickly because I
have to admit, I have not been sleeping well recently. "It is big surprise
because, for me, the team is better than last season but we are not very
lucky, we have a lot of injuries, it does not stop.
"There are times like that where nothing goes well and you have to stay
together. Fortunately, the table is very tight and we can quickly climb if
we get back to back wins."
Kouyate has been shifted back from midfield to play in a three-man defence
by Slaven Bilic this season. "Every knows I prefer to play in midfield but
the coach needs me at the back," he told Belgian paper La Derniere Heure.
"The team is of course more important than me so I get on with it and give
everything. We should, however, buy in the transfer window. That would allow
me to move up the pitch. Some reinforcements would do us good, that is for
sure."
Kouyate – along with Sofiane Feghouli and Andre Ayew – will be absent for
the African Nations Cup in January. "It is a shame for West Ham but I am
very, very motivated for this African Nations Cup. I am captain of my
national side and I really want to make the Senegalese proud by going very
far."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Alexis Sanchez gave West Ham the slap they needed - Bilic's men know they
aren't "too good" to go down
The Hammers eased their relegation fears with a 1-0 win against Burnley at
the London Stadium on Wednesday night
The Mirror
BYBIANCA WESTWOOD
12:14, 15 DEC 2016UPDATED12:15, 15 DEC 2016

West Ham wins have been about as rare as unicorn tears this season. So
indulge me, if you will, as I acknowledge their latest victory.
Plus, I'm on my way up to 2017's City of Culture (yes, Hull), to interview
Tigers' goalkeeper David Marshall for Soccer Saturday, so it seemed
appropriate to reflect upon what is a massive game for both teams at the
London Stadium this Saturday. It's probably not as monumental for the
Hammers as it would have been had they not scraped a win against Burnley. It
was the narrowest of victories but it will feel like a massive blast of
oxygen for Slaven Bilic and his players. The foundations were laid at
Anfield last weekend when they managed to secure a point against a potent
Liverpool side with a result that few (me included) didn't expect. Bilic was
criticised by some for fielding a strong team on Merseyside when he could
have rested vital players for the 'more winnable' fixture against Sean
Dyche's men, but after the debacle against Arsenal the week before, I
imagine he was thinking he couldn't risk another rout - or riot for that
matter.
Although West Ham rode their luck at times against both Liverpool and
Burnley they showed a few attributes that have been sorely lacking over the
past few months. Spirit, commitment, determination, fortitude. It looks like
the players have finally woken up to the fact that they are not too good nor
too talented to get lost in the relegation wilderness. It can happen to any
team and historically it has done to better West Ham teams than this.
Arsenal and the mercurial Alexis Sanchez provided the slap round the face
they so desperately needed and in the last couple of matches they have fixed
up and, not so much looked sharp but they've turned up… at long last.
As frustrating as his injury record is, when Andy Carroll actually makes it
onto the pitch he makes all the difference. He is an absolute nuisance who
terrorises defences with his physicality and aerial ability. He worries
defenders and West Ham would have struggled to phase a little old lady in
recent weeks.
During the second half Burnley put West Ham through their paces and forced
them to work tirelessly. Goalkeeper Darren Randolph made some crucial saves
that may go some way to repairing his bruised confidence after his howler at
Anfield. Slaven Bilic admitted that players' morale was at such a low they
suffered with what he described as a mental 'cramp'. But on Wednesday night
they put that 'fear of winning' behind them. Bilic has now had the reaction
he wanted. Revealing recently that he had noticed a 'lack of intensity' in
training was a huge risk. Although many admired his honesty he was
criticised for an admission that perhaps showed a weakness in his own
management, given that the training ground is his domain, a place where the
manager should be in complete control of his players. He put himself in the
firing line and when I pressed him on it in an interview we did before the
Liverpool game he showed no regret. He said: "I took responsibility on
myself, I didn't blame anyone. Why I said that and why we're like that is
mainly because of injuries. "It stopped some of the players who are very
important for us. And that is from the beginning of the season because they
are long term or short term injuries they can't get a rhythm in training.
"They come back maybe two or three days before a game and even then you
can't push them because there's a game ahead. That's why I said it. That's
my opinion. It's nothing to do with commitment, not planning or attitude of
the players. That is, like it was, spot on."
In the last couple of games the players certainly looked like they are
playing for the gaffer. The chairmen have come out and publicly backed their
man, which sounded less like the usual dreaded 'vote of confidence' and more
like a genuine endorsement of a manager that hasn't done too much wrong. The
fans also know this and are vocal in their support. As he says he has been
hampered by a horrific run of injuries to integral players and those who
have come in (signings made by him or the board remains unknown) have failed
to make the grade. Bilic insists they are 'good players' who have needed a
longer adjustment period than they'd hoped for but 'now is the time for them
to hit form".
The Hammers had to cope without Dimitri Payet earlier in the campaign
(Photo: Reuters)
If they do that and if those players who have dealt with injuries (Dimitri
Payet, Manuel Lanzini at the start of the season, Andy Carroll, Diafra
Sakho, Cheikou Kouyate, Michail Antonio, James Collins, Aaron Cresswell -
it's a long list) can stay trouble free, then the real West Ham might have a
chance of standing up, and staying up!
On the face of it staying up is going to be a far bigger challenge for their
opponents at the London Stadium on Saturday. Hull City are walking a
tightrope and after last night's trouncing by Tottenham they will no doubt
come into this with their spirit dented. In terms of points they're only
three off 17th-placed Middlesbrough but as far as belief goes they're a
world away from where they want to be. The attitude and endeavour is there
but the quality and resilience you need at this level has been found
wanting. They have the worst defence in the Premier League having conceded
35 goals and at the other end they aren't much better, they've scored just
14 goals and only Middlesbrough have scored fewer, They return to London
with a dreadful away record. The toothless Tigers have lost their last six
on the road conceding 19 goals and they've not even registered on the
scoresheet in the last four of those. Statistics never tell the full story
but you don't get points through commitment and honesty alone. They need
much more and even against a stuttering West Ham they will have to perform
at their very best to get anything out of the match this weekend. Unless of
course West Ham decide to shoot themselves in the foot. Let's face it, it
can happen and as a long-suffering Hammers fan I tend to hope for the best,
fear the worst. I've taken a large batch of badly-made Lasagne up to Hull's
training ground anyway… just in case!

You can see Bianca Westwood's exclusive interview with Hull City's David
Marshall on Soccer Saturday, Sky Sports this weekend.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham United remember Kent schoolboy Jack Howard with tributes during
Premier League clash with Burnley
15 December 2016by Tom Acrestacres@thekmgroup.co.uk

More than 50,000 football fans stood up for a minute's applause in memory of
a young boy who died after a brave second battle with cancer. Hartley lad
Jack Howard, 13, passed away last Monday after weeks of pioneering treatment
in Los Angeles failed to cure his kidney cancer. He received support from
all over the world as he fought to beat the disease, including from his
beloved West Ham United, and the club paid tribute to the Gravesend Grammar
School student during their Premier League clash with Burnley last night.
Supporters on both sides applauded Jack throughout the 13th minute of the
match and his siblings, younger brother Callum and little sister Lucy, got
to be the mascots.
Parents Nick and Zoe were also at the London Stadium, where the home side
did Jack proud by pulling off a vital 1-0 win and pull away from the
relegation zone. West Ham had been vital to the family's efforts to raise
£250,000 to help pay for Jack's treatment and accommodation in the States,
with co-chairman David Sullivan donating £5,000 to the cause. Jack's face
was beamed onto the big screen at the London Stadium during a Premier League
match against Southampton in September, as fans of both clubs dropped
thousands of pounds into collection buckets outside the ground.
Two of Jack's Hammers heroes, Dimitri Payet and Sam Byram, called him on
Facetime while he was in hospital and paid tribute to him last week. Payet
said: "I really enjoyed our conversation with Jack a few weeks ago, so it's
very sad news. I'd like to say thank you to everyone who helped treat him
and wish his family well."
West Ham co-chairman David Gold took to Twitter to send his condolences to
Jack's family. He wrote: "I am truly saddened to hear the news that brave
young hammer Jack Howard has lost his fight with cancer. "The thoughts of
everyone associated with West Ham United are with Jack's loved ones at this
sad time."
Jack's classmates at Gravesend Grammar also had a record breaking West
Ham-themed non-uniform day, which raised £6,400.
His funeral takes place later today.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham Winner A Foul - Heaton
burnleyfootballclub.com
22:50 14th December 2016

Tom Heaton was adamant West Ham's winning goal should not have been given as
the Clarets' were controversially beaten at London Stadium. Mark Noble's
goal in first-half stoppage time, tapped in after Heaton had saved the West
Ham captain's penalty, was enough to extend Burnley's wait for an away win.
But referee Bobby Madley missed an apparent foul on Heaton before Ben Mee's
clip on Winston Reid led to the decisive spot-kick as the Clarets' keeper
was blocked off by two West Ham players, including the arm of Cheikhou
Kouyate. "I thought it was a foul on me," said Heaton. "Big Andy Carroll
got a head on it. I went up to punch it away and I think it was Michail
Antonio jumped into me and moved my arm and the other lad has also jumped
in. "I thought it was a foul at the time and I haven't changed my opinion
yet. "I try not to moan at referees at too much. It's a tough job. Rarely
do I give them any grief but the fact that is I thought it was a foul."

To rub salt in Claret wounds, Heaton saved Noble's penalty but couldn't keep
out the rebound. And despite dominating the second half and creating a
handful of chances, Sean Dyche's men couldn't find an elusive away goal.
"That was another frustration. I have gone the right way (for the penalty)
and commited to it," Heaton added. "It's a tough one where the ball comes
slightly inside your hands.
"You fully commit to the corner and when it's not quite in there, your hands
are always coming back and unfortunately the ball is always going to go back
in that direction. "Sometimes you get away with it and sometimes you don't.
"Unfortunately today it wasn't to be but I thought we gave it a good go in
the second half. "We had quite a few decent chances to get back into the
game and it was much more like us in the second half. I think we deserved
something."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Slaven Bilic must stop sacrificing Lanzini: Five things from West Ham's win
over Burnley
HITC
Damien Lucas

West Ham United ended a run of seven games without a victory against Burnley
but what did we really learn about Slaven Bilic's side from the match. Mark
Noble's goal on the stroke of half-time sealed a nervy win for the Hammers
over Sean Dyche's side at the London Stadium on Wednesday night. It lifted
Bilic's men up to 15th in the Premier League table with another home game
against Hull City on the horizon on Saturday. The Hammers went into the game
just one place and one point off the bottom three so a win was all that
mattered. But here are five things we learned about West Ham from the game.

1) Winston Reid and Pedro Obiang are fighting it out for top club honour

Ask any West Ham fan and they will tell you key centre back Winston Reid has
been back to his imperious best in recent months. The New Zealand skipper
was brilliant yet again against Burnley and he needed to be as the Clarets
bombared West Ham from all angles in the second half. Reid looks a sure bet
for the prestigious Hammer of the Year award this season but faces stiff
competition from classy midfielder Pedro Obiang who has been equally as good
in what has been a poor season for the team overall so far. Both players
were neck and neck shouts for man of the match against Burnley and if they
continue in this kind of form it will be a tough choice for the club's fans
come what May.

2) Bilic has got his buzz back

Slave Bilic has cut a somewhat forlorn figure this season, understandably
given West Ham's precarious position in the table. Pundits and supporters
have been commenting on how downcast the popular boss has looked. Skipper
Mark Noble even told talkSPORT this week that his manager cannot be expected
to be buzzing like he was last season. But Bilic was as animated as ever on
the sideline at the London Stadium, kicking and heading every ball as his
side dug in for a hard earned victory. It was a sight for sore eyes for
Hammers fans and that spark is definitely back for the former Croatia boss.

3) Carroll gives Payet room to breathe

Dimitri Payet has been a marked man this season and with good reason given
his heroics for the Hammers last season and for France in the summer. As a
result the talismanic midfielder has not been effective as last season even
if he has still been one of the club's best players this term. West Ham made
a mistake not bringing in another quality playmaker to take the pressure off
Payet in the summer.
But big Andy Carroll does just that. Opposition defences can't afford to
double and treble up on Payet with Carroll in the side as they usually have
to employ a similar tactic against the former Liverpool man. If Carroll can
stay fit Payet will only get better and better.

4) Andre Ayew is finding his feet

Andre Ayew has endured a bit of a torrid start to his West Ham career since
becoming the club's record £20.5 million signing in the summer. Widely
regarded as hugely overpriced the Ghana skipper spent the first four months
of the season injured after tearing his thigh 30 minutes into his debut. His
appearances since coming back have been poor showings with many fans
wondering just what Bilic and the Hammers board have seen in Payet's former
Marseille teammate. But his late cameo against Burnley should offer the
Hammers hope as he looked a lot sharper and almost scored a wonderful solo
goal which suggests there is plenty more to come.

5) Bilic must stop sacrificing Manuel Lanzini

Slaven Bilic complained that his side looked 'scared to win' in the second
half. But much of that is down to the manager who continues to withdraw
midfielder Manuel Lanzini with around 20 minutes to go in matches. Every
time he takes the little Argentine playmaker off West Ham struggle in the
transitions and have nobody in the centre of midfield who can run between
the lines and carry the ball. Therefore West Ham are always pressed back
into their own half and it almost cost them again against Dyche's side who
were on top after Lanzini went off. Bilic must stop sacrificing his most
gifted central midfield technician if he wants to close out games.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Slaven Bilic wants cure for 'cramp' as manager suggests West Ham were
'afraid to win'
ANDY SIMS
Evening STandard

Slaven Bilic is desperate to cure West Ham of the 'cramp' which has taken
hold this season. The Hammers grabbed a much-needed Premier League win after
six games without a victory, by sinking Burnley 1-0 at London Stadium. But
Mark Noble's winning goal, the rebound after his own penalty was saved, was
a fittingly unconvincing way to settle the match after another nervous
display from Bilic's side.
"It was a very important win and very hard fought," said the Hammers boss.
"It was a long game, to be fair, but I think we deserved it. It was two
different halves, in the first half we controlled the game and should have
been two up. "I have praised the players for the three points but in the
second half I saw what I call that cramp, when you are afraid of winning.
"It happens to clubs who are underachieving. I don't want it. The only way
it goes away is by winning games and climbing the table. "Hopefully on
Saturday against Hull we will see less of that cramp, and we will be more
confident."
Noble and Pedro Obiang had already been denied by the woodwork when, in
first-half stoppage time, Ben Mee fouled Winston Reid to concede the
penalty. Noble's weak effort was saved by Tom Heaton but the relieved
midfielder got a second bite of the cherry to tuck in the rebound. However,
Clarets boss Sean Dyche felt Heaton was fouled by Michail Antonio just prior
to the penalty being awarded, and that his goalkeeper was punished for being
too honest. "I'm frustrated we can't get the decision," he said. "It's a
clear foul. Every other keeper in the league would have gone down and
flailed around on the ground. "Ours does it the proper way and that used to
be applauded. Now we are called naive. But we'll stick to what we believe
in."
Burnley could still have taken something from the match but for a shocking
miss from Sam Vokes, who headed over an empty net from six yards, and a
superb save from Darren Randolph to deny Scott Arfield. "We were better in
the second half and that's why I'm so frustrated at the referee's decision,"
added Dyche. "Vokesy should score but their defender tried to overhead kick
it and he flinches at the last second. If that's in the middle of the pitch
that's a foul as well. "We are disappointed with the outcome but not the
performance."

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

http://vyperz.blogspot.com