Daily WHUFC News - 6th December 2016

Loan round up
WHUFC.com

Enner Valencia was a second half substitute for Everton as they picked up a
point against Manchester United
Lewis Page was in FA Cup action for Coventry City on Sunday
During the week, Reece Burke scored his first Wigan Athletic goal as they
beat Huddersfield Town

Enner Valencia featured as a second half substitute for Everton on Sunday as
they salvaged a late point against Manchester United at Goodison Park.
Hammers loanee Valencia replaced Yannick Bolasie in the 68th minute and
helped the hosts increase the pressure on Jose Mourinho's men as the game
drew to a close. But it was not until the final five minutes that the
Toffees found the leveller, when Leighton Baines converted a penalty
following substitute Marouane Fellaini's clumsy foul on Idrissa Gueye on his
old stomping ground.
Straight after the 90th-minute restart, Ecuador international Valencia had a
shot blocked and it looked as if Everton were about to grab the winner, but
the clash eventually finished all square on Merseyside.

Elsewhere, the only other Hammer in loan action was Coventry City's Lewis
Page, who played all 90 minutes in his side's disappointing FA Cup defeat to
League Two outfit Cambridge United. The Sky Blues were thrashed at the Abbey
Stadium, going down 4-0 thanks to the brilliance of Luke Berry and his
four-goal haul. City had beaten Morecambe in the previous round but Berry
made sure they would not be in the hat with the big boys on Monday, bagging
his hat-trick before the halfway point. The midfielder put the cherry on the
cake with four minutes remaining, sealing Cambridge's spot in the third
round and condemning Coventry – still under the guidance of caretaker boss
Mark Venus – to their fourth consecutive defeat in all competitions.

During the middle of last week however, there were a number of excellent
results for West Ham United players out on loan. 20-year-old defender Reece
Burke – at Championship side Wigan Athletic – grabbed his first Latics goal
on Monday as Warren Joyce's men picked up a crucial 2-1 victory at
high-flying Huddersfield Town. Burke grabbed the opener five minutes before
the break, bursting forward as his team broke and eventually superbly
finishing off Yanic Wildschut's cross from the right.

And on Tuesday, George Dobson started and played 69 minutes for Walsall as
they were 1-0 winners at Sheffield United's Bramall Lane.
Neil Etheridge's late penalty save to deny Billy Sharp was just as crucial
as Amadou Bakayoko's winner in the 42nd minute and the victory means the
Saddlers, though they incredibly sit in 16th in League One, are just three
points outside the play-off spots.

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#WHUAREYA - Noha Sylvestre
WHUFC.com

Swiss midfielder Noha Sylvestre has been an important player for the
Hammers' PL2 side this season, making 14 appearances and often being
utilised in a number of positions, testament to his versatility.

The 18-year-old is son of former Switzerland international Patrick
Sylvestre, who played for his national team at the 1994 FIFA World Cup and
travelled to UEFA Euro '96 in England.

Noha reveals how much of an influence his father has been in his career so
far, and also lets West Ham TV in on what he likes to do in his spare time,
including playing ice hockey and listening to French rap music.

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EXWHUEMPLOYEE EXCLUSIVE COLUMN: WHAT HAS GONE WRONG THIS SEASON?
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 4 DECEMBER 2016 AT 6:15PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk

So Saturday was a really mixed day for me. I was really nervous about our
first event and making sure it was a success and likewise about how the team
were to play that evening too.

Let's talk about the negative one first. I thought the performance was
terrible and that is being polite. I felt too many players were not
interested and seemed very off the pace. I was watching certain players who
were amazing last year such as Lanzini and Payet and they just seemed really
slow, unfit and half hearted. Lanzini tried hard but just didn't seem as
sharp as he had done and this could be said for a lot of other players too.
I find it even more concerning now following Bilic's post-match press
conference where he has said the players are not applying themselves in
training either. This is the manager and coaching staff's jobs to insure
that they are and to publically admit that seems a very risky move.

I think the board back Bilic; he will be given a few games yet but this
cannot go on much longer. The reasonable time to judge will be after the
Boxing Day result against Swansea but a decision should be made in my eyes
by then. If a new manager is to come in, you need to give him the January
window to bring in his own men, something the likes of Mancini (one of the
top names in the mix) would wish to do. Bilic is theirs and my man for now
however.

The season has been a major disappointment as everyone involved with the
club would admit. There has been mistakes made at all levels from the very
top to the players. The board know that mistakes have been made around the
stadium and some of the signings in the summer. For me the two main ones are
coming out early and saying we will sign a £30m forward raised expectations
really high at the start and unless this was delivered there was always
going to be a negative view of the window. I also think mistakes at the
stadium were made with seating/standing and the PR around that, the
segregation of away fans and a failure to make the ground feel like West
Ham.

Mistakes have been made by the manager. Many like to blame the board for
some of the transfers and yes they have made mistakes but the manager has
far more say then some would like to believe. The likes of Tore, Zaza and
Ayew were all deals that Slaven Bilic was very keen on. Some of arguably
the more successful signings: Masuaku (debateable in success), Fletcher and
Fernandes were Tony Henry's finds. So I think an equal share of the blame
can be made.

The decision to play Antonio at right back at the start of the season has
been more devastating than many would think too. He clearly wasn't a right
back, everyone around the club clearly felt that except the manager and we
lost too many goals because of this decision at the start of the year which
in turn had a knock on effect on the confidence and the player's trust in
the managers decisions as well as missing out on a number of signings who
could play there. It feels like Slaven has a lot more doubters within the
ranks this year than before. I like Slaven and I want him to succeed, I
really do, I hope he turns this around.

Another big factor is the players. I think some got carried away with their
successes last year and summer tournaments and have not applied themselves
as much as they did last year where the spirt of the Boleyn seemed to
motivate many of them. Also whilst it isn't their fault directly the
injuries have been crippling. Look at the players not available against
Arsenal: Kouyate, Byram, Antonio, Cresswell, Oxford, Calleri, Tore, Carroll
and Ayew (to start) and this has been the number for most games (I also
forgot Sakho when I first wrote this). The fact that Arbeloa, a player who
looks certain to be on his way out, got on the bench and then played shows
the injury situation. The loss of Cresswell, Kouyate and Antonio would
affect most teams in the league too.

I think negative press has also been a factor. Yes, we have created some of
the negative news ourselves but the media has seemed hell bent on focusing
on the stadium flaws and the fans' fighting even though similar incidents at
other clubs does not get reported. Even in the week when Ayew was
deliberately "rested" and put on an intensive fitness campaign to get back
to the standards we expected from him there were stories of a "bust up" with
Bilic and Payet not celebrating his goal because of it, which wasn't true.

The club plan to sign players in January and have an extensive list at the
moment but I guess the list could change if the manager does likewise the
list of possible departures too. Some of the names on there are really
exciting and people are confident many will be keen to join, although the
league position could be a huge factor. Forward and right back being the key
position. Everyone feels disappointed at the club and everyone needs to do
all they can to turn it around. What Bilic said yesterday about the training
could be inspired or could really come back to haunt him.

On to more positive things. Our West Ham Way Pre Match event was a real
success and we were delighted to see so many of you back at our home of
Upton Park at the East London Working Man's club and enjoying a traditional
West Ham event. Mark Ward, who will be the host at every event, was
brilliant and we have received nothing but positive comments about him and
Frank McAvennie and the event as a whole. The aim of the events it to keep
the traditions of the club alive and this is something myself, SDCC and Mark
Ward are especially passionate about.

There are learning curves for us as this was the first event and we intend
to make each event better and better. We will be making small tweaks to
insure that this does happen. Thank you to all those that have taken the
time to give us the feedback and we look forward to seeing you again at the
next event. These events will take place before every home game that is on a
weekend or bank holiday but not midweek. Our next event is on the 17th of
December before the Hull City game at 11-2pm and my first ever favourite
players and hero of our FA ,up Quarter Final win against Everton, Stuart
Slater, will be the guest with Mark Ward. We will have many great prizes for
our raffle and a chance to mingle with celebrity West Ham fans, Hammerettes
and true loyal and passionate fans! Tickets are now on sale here:
https://www.tickettailor.com/all-tickets/22834/293a/

Let's hope we can have some positive news this week at the club and the
players come into training with greater determination to turn this around.

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From the Boardroom - David Sullivan
WHUFC.com

There is no disguising the fact that everyone was bitterly disappointed with
the home defeat against Arsenal on Saturday. We were determined to build on
the impressive point we had gained at Old Trafford the week before and this
was the first big game being played under the lights at London Stadium since
our memorable win over Chelsea in the EFL Cup. Unfortunately we were unable
to reach the same standards that saw us produce such an impressive victory
back in October. We are refusing to make excuses though and the players will
know that the performance was not good enough and we need to show a lot more
if we are to get back on the winning trail. I saw Slaven's comments after
the game and as always he was completely honest with his assessment. Slaven
cares passionately about the Football Club and this defeat will be hurting
him as much as anyone. I have no doubts that he is doing everything he can
to address the situation and everyone is working together to ensure we turn
our season around. We cannot forget the amazing job that Slaven did in his
first season at the Club. With a bit more luck he could have taken us into
the top four. His passion, commitment and outstanding track record at the
highest level were among the many reasons we appointed Slaven in the summer
of 2015.
Despite what some people have said, there is still a great spirit among the
players and everyone is working towards the same objective. We all need to
stick together and get behind the team. We are all part of the West Ham
United family and in hard times families pull together. I and my family feel
the same frustration and disappointment as you when we lose, and the same
joy and elation when we win. It is the same for my fellow Board members.
West Ham is in our blood, just as it is in yours. We all want the same for
our fantastic Club, and together we are stronger. Only by remaining united
can we turn things around. You cannot hide away from the fact that we were
missing a number of influential players through injury for the Arsenal game,
including both our first choice wing-backs. Michail Antonio and Aaron
Cresswell are key members of our team and are players who make a big
difference to the way we play. Just when we thought the injury situation is
clearing up, we then lost Diafra Sakho for another six weeks and Cheikhou
Kouyate damaged his hamstring the night before the Arsenal game.
To make matters worse, James Collins then had to leave the field after just
seven minutes and all the planning that Slaven and his backroom staff had
prepared for the game had gone out the window. Hopefully we will see a few
of these players back in action next week and the team will show a vast
improvement as we prepare for a massive week with big games against
Liverpool, Burnley and Hull. We have shown this season that the players have
the quality to compete against the big teams and we need to show the same
mentality when we travel to play Liverpool on Sunday. I am sure the players
will not need any reminding about our famous 3-0 win at Anfield last season
which was our first victory since 1963, and it was a memorable day for
everyone at the Club. We would now love to see a repeat performance and
repay the fans for the magnificent support they show towards the team.

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Rio to return to West Ham - as coach?
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 5th December 2016
By: Staff Writer

Former Hammer Rio Ferdinand has offered his services to West Ham after the
club's latest Premier League humbling. Having conceded three against
Tottenham and then four against Manchester United, the Hammers went one
better on Saturday by conceding FIVE at home to Arsenal. And that shambolic
recent run of form has prompted former Hammer Ferdinand to offer to assist
the club's coaching team.
"There is no life, no passion," said the Peckham-born defender, who recently
retired as a professional. "It was one of the weakest West Ham teams in
recent years. "It could have been a lot worse, they need to have a look at
themselves for some of that defending at the end."
Ferdinand is a former team mate of current Hammers boss Slaven Bilic, who
nurtured the then precocious teenager through his opening Premier League
matches when they featured in Harry Redknapp's side together during the
mid-to-late nineties.

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No Payet bid, say PSG
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 5th December 2016
By: Staff Writer

French giants PSG has ruled out a January move for West Ham midfielder
Dimitri Payet. Paris are one of a string of clubs linked in recent days with
a move for the French international, who has thus far endured a difficult
second season at West Ham. However a source at the Ligue 1 club has refuted
suggestions that they are set to make a move for the Euro 16 star, telling
Le Parisien that rumours of a £30million are wide of the mark. Arsenal are
also said to be interested in signing the midfielder, who is 30 next March.
On Friday, Arsene Wenger described him as "one of the star players now in
France".

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Slaven Bilic: West Ham boss backed by co-owner David Sullivan
BBC.co.uk

West Ham co-owner David Sullivan has backed manager Slaven Bilic and called
for the club to "stick together" after the 5-1 defeat by Arsenal on
Saturday. West Ham are one point above the relegation zone after failing to
win in their last five Premier League games. Sullivan said the 48-year-old
did an "amazing" job in his first season in charge, as the club finished
seventh. "Slaven cares passionately and this defeat will be hurting him as
much as anyone," he told the club website. "I have no doubts that he is
doing everything he can to address the situation and everyone is working
together to ensure we turn our season around."
Bilic said he was "humiliated" by Saturday's defeat at London Stadium, where
West Ham have only won twice in the league since their move from Upton Park
in the summer. "Despite what some people have said, there is still a great
spirit among the players and everyone is working towards the same
objective," added Sullivan.
"We all need to stick together and get behind the team. We are all part of
the West Ham United family and in hard times families pull together."

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Believe in Bilic
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 5th December 2016
By: Jamie Norwood

We're in a bit of a mess right now, aren't we?

A disappointing (and that's being kind) defeat on Saturday to a very good
Arsenal side leaves us looking over our shoulder with Sunderland winning
again. More than the result, the most frustrating thing for me was the
players attitude.

Where was the fight? I looked round the team when we conceded and it was
just hands on hips, not a care in the world. We have no leaders. I love Mark
Noble but where is his passion?

In recent seasons if we were struggling in the game he would run round the
pitch and make a big challenge to get the crowd going. None of that now.
Meanwhile Dimitri Payet doesn't look like he wants to be here, he should be
nowhere near the pitch with the attitude he has shown in recent games.

You want a move? Play for one! I think he'll be off in January. And the way
things are going will he even be missed? The only positive I can really
think of is Ashley Fletcher, who I thought played really well and didn't
stop running all game.

We need fighters, players who want to play for the shirt. We're in a
relegation fight. The only one who showed emotion and that the defeat hurt,
was Bilic. It was hard to see him look so defeated. The players have let him
down massively.

The Arsenal fans were singing 'You're not West Ham anymore' – and it is hard
to disagree. Last season we were 2-0 down at home to Arsenal but you could
almost feel that we could get back into it. This year we go a goal down -
and heads drop.

It doesn't get any easier with Liverpool away next, but we have nothing to
lose really, no-one expects anything so let's change things about. Give some
youngsters a chance, at least they know what playing for West Ham means.

Recall Reece Burke from Wigan. Give Reece Oxford a go. Marcus Browne
consistently plays well for the Development Squad, whilst Toni Martinez
scores nearly every game. Josh Cullen was our best player vs Juventus (one
game, I know..) but he's playing every week for Bradford; bring him back for
the fight?

They couldn't do any worse than the current 'first team'. Following the trip
to Anfield we face Burnley and Hull in the space of three days at 'home'
(sigh). Two massive games.

The club is a mess at the moment, let's be honest. It started in the summer
when our transfer business was awful. The board completely let Bilic down,
trying to get deals on the cheap and hoping someone comes good. Zaza,
Calleri, Nordveit, Tore, Arbeloa… the list goes on.

We've just moved into a new 60,000 seater stadium, with 52,000 season
tickets sold – yet we're still scrapping around looking for loan deals and
free transfers. Promised a 20-goal-a-season a striker, surprise surprise we
are still relying on Andy Carroll being fit.

The stadium move has been a disaster, fans are now being filmed by 'security
teams' (ie treated like criminals), otherss getting thrown out for standing
up trying to create an atmosphere etc.

Bilic is so far away from the pitch it takes him an age to give out his
instructions. The problem is there is no going back and we have to try and
make it work. Although it seems an impossible task right now…

We have to get behind Bilic, in my opinion. I feel so sorry for him. He
clearly cares about the club. Don't get me wrong, he has made some bad
decisions as well, but after last season he deserves a chance to turn it
around.

The Burnley and Hull games are huge and we have to win them both. In January
we need to invest in the team, improve the first XI and not bring in squad
players who are not good enough for the league.

We need fighters and players who are prepared for a battle, we are just so
easy to play against at the moment. Do we trust the board to spend some
money and get the right players in? I'm not convinced!

The board should come out and back Bilic rather than hiding away in their
mansions. They are quick to talk to when we are doing well. How about
positively backing the manager?

* You may follow Jamie via Twitter at @JimboNorwood.

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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Man City at home in FA Cup
WHUFC.com

Hammers to host Manchester City in Emirates FA Cup third round
Pep Guardiola's squad to make first visit to London Stadium in
weekend-commencing 7 January 2017
West Ham have won two of the three previous FA Cup meetings between the two
clubs

West Ham United will host Manchester City at London Stadium in the Emirates
FA Cup third round. The Hammers were drawn at home to Pep Guardiola's
Citizens by the man whose late goal denied them a fourth FA Cup trophy in
2006 - then-Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard. The tie will be played over
the weekend 6-9 January 2017, and will mean West Ham will kick-off 2017 with
home matches against both Manchester clubs, as Jose Mourinho's Manchester
United visit on Monday 2 January. West Ham have won the FA Cup on three
occasions, in 1964, 1975 and most recently in 1980, and finished as
runners-up in 1923 and 2006.

The Hammers famously beat City 2-0 on their way to the 2006 final, with Dean
Ashton scoring both in a sixth-round win at the Etihad Stadium. Prior to
that, Eyal Berkovic and Steve Lomas - both of whom would also play for City
- scored in a 2-1 fourth-round win at Maine Road. Since Ashton's big night,
the pair have been drawn together just once, with a 1-1 draw at the Boleyn
Ground being followed by a 1-0 third-round replay win for City in January
2008. Manchester City have lifted the famous trophy on five occasions -
1904, 1934, 1956, 1969 and 2011.

A date, kick-off time and ticket arrangements for the tie will be confirmed
in due course.

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West Ham backing manager Slaven Bilic - Sky sources
By Peter Gilbert
Last Updated: 05/12/16 2:39pm
SSN

West Ham are standing by their manager Slaven Bilic and have no intention of
sacking him, according to Sky sources. Bilic admitted he was "under
pressure" after his team lost 5-1 at home to Arsenal on Saturday. Sky Sports
News HQ understands West Ham owners have confidence in Bilic and expect him
to turn things around. A source at the club said: "We back our managers and
we give them time."
West Ham have lost three of their past five games and dropped to 17th in the
Premier League table - one point above the relegation places. Bilic, who was
appointed in the summer of 2015, said he was "humiliated" by Saturday's
performance. West Ham have had four managers since David Sullivan and David
Gold bought the club in 2010 - Gianfranco Zola, Avram Grant, Sam Allardyce
and Bilic.

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Rio Ferdinand offers to join West Ham United to help out struggling Slaven
Bilic
Former Hammers centre-back, who began his career at Upton Park, has offered
to help out his old team as a defensive coach as they struggle in the
Premier League
George Cooper
The Independent

Rio Ferdinand is reported to have offered his services to West Ham United as
a defensive coach. West Ham's season went from bad to worse on Saturday as
they were hammered 5-1 by Arsenal at the London Stadium, leaving them just a
point above the relegation zone.
Slaven Bilic's side have conceded 29 goals in their first 14 games, with
only bottom side Swansea City having a worse defensive record this season.
The Daily Mail today report that Ferdinand, who began his career with the
Hammers and stayed at Upton Park from 1995 to 2000, has offered his services
to the board as a defensive coach. Ferdinand spent much of his time at West
Ham playing alongside Bilic and would be well-placed to help the manager,
who now finds himself under pressure after a dreadful start to the season.
The West Ham board are understood to have demanded clarity from Bilic after
he questioned his players' 'intensity' during the defeat to Arsenal. The
Croat is not under immediate threat of the sack, but does face crucial games
in the coming weeks against relegation battlers Hull City and Swansea City.

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Slaven Bilic meets with West Ham co-owner David Sullivan with club concerned
by manager's comments
KEN DYER
Evening Standard

West Ham co-owner David Sullivan will hold talks with Slaven Bilic today,
with concerns over the manager's admission that his side had lost their
"intensity in training". The East London club are just one point and one
place above the bottom three in the Premier League club following their 5-1
humiliation by Arsenal on Saturday, after which Bilic made the admission. It
was a comment which particularly concerned the club's owners, Sullivan and
David Gold, and one upon which they were seeking further clarification
today.
A club spokesman said that there were no crisis talks planned but that it
was normal practice for Bilic and Sullivan to communicate following a game.
It is understood, though, that the Croatian, who guided West Ham to seventh
place in his first season as West Ham manager, will make changes to his
training schedule this week in an effort to rediscover that lost intensity
and avoid further injury problems. Bilic's squad have suffered a litany of
muscle injuries throughout this season so far, with nine senior players out
of action at the moment, including striker Diafra Sakho, who returned from a
lengthy back injury recently but pulled a hamstring after just two games and
is out for another five weeks. Bilic then lost both his England players,
wing-backs Michail Antonio and Aaron Cresswell, with groin injuries during
last week's EFL Cup defeat by Manchester United, while defender Cheikhou
Kouyate reported a tight hamstring before the Arsenal match. The final
straw came seven minutes into the London derby, when James Collins also
suffered a hamstring problem and had to be replaced. The West Ham board
remain supportive to Bilic but the former Croatian national coach is
realistic enough to know that the situation must improve. "I am 48 years old
and have been in football for 30 years," he said. "I know how it works."
Bilic is, however, confident he can pull things around. "I don't think about
how many games there is before a new contract, or the chop," he said. "I
feel positive, I want to change it and I think I can." After Liverpool, West
Ham's next four matches are at home to Burnley and Hull, followed by away
fixtures at Swansea and Leicester. West Ham's results in those games will go
a long way to deciding Bilic's future at the club.

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Winston Reid: West Ham poor form not due to stadium… this is the real
problem
WINSTON REID has claimed West Ham's poor form cannot be blamed on the club's
move to the London Stadium.
By JAMES CAMBRIDGE
PUBLISHED: 10:35, Mon, Dec 5, 2016 | UPDATED: 10:53, Mon, Dec 5, 2016
Express.co.uk

West Ham are having a dismal season since moving to the former Olympic
venue, having won just two of their last 10 league games.
The Hammers sit just one point above the relegation zone and suffered a
humiliating 5-1 defeat to London rivals Arsenal on Saturday.
Many have blamed the upheaval of the stadium move for the club's downturn in
form, however, Reid thinks it is more to do with the application of the
players. "I think it feels like home now," Reid said. "It is different to
where I was used to playing at for the last six years, where everything was
tight at Upton Park. "Even when things weren't going for you in games, if
you made a tackle you could feel the crowd get behind you. "The atmosphere
is a bit different at this stadium. Because it is so big it has just taken
time to get used to. "But I certainly do not think it is an excuse as we
played against Chelsea [in the EFL Cup] and everything was fine.
"It was just the way we started the season at home. "We weren't the team we
were last year and the fans didn't have as much to get excited about. "At
the end of the day it's really only us on the pitch who can do something
about it, and get the fans behind you and supporting you." West Ham's next
fixtures will be pivotal for their season with winnable games against
Burnley, Hull and Swansea coming after Sunday's trip to Liverpool (4.30pm).

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Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand offers services to former club West
Ham as defensive coach
The Hammers have conceded nine goals in their last two games and have
shipped 29 in their first 14 Premier League fixtures
BYJAMES WHALING
The Mirror

Rio Ferdinand has offered his services as a defensive coach to West Ham
after Saturday's beating at the hands of Arsenal. The Hammers were thumped
5-1 at the London Stadium, following on from their 4-1 defeat at Old
Trafford in the EFL Cup in midweek. Slaven Bilic's side have now shipped 29
goals in their first 14 Premier League fixtures, giving them the second
worst defensive record in the league.
Ferdinand started his career at West Ham and is keen to help his former club
out, report the Daily Mail. Bilic admitted he was 'humiliated' after the
Arsenal humbling, but is hopeful the Irons can recover, despite sitting just
one place and one point above the bottom three. He said: "I feel very brave
as a person and as a manager. I want to change it and I think that we, I,
can change it.
"I am very disappointed, frustrated and humiliated," he added. "I want to
say sorry to the fans and the club and everyone connected with West Ham,
because it was very bad."

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Slaven Bilic is facing the perfect storm as Arsenal hammering leaves West
Ham in ruins and fighting for survival
KEN DYER at the London Stadium
Evening Standard

When West Ham played Arsenal at their now substantially dismantled former
beloved Boleyn last April, Arsene Wenger's side cruised into a two-goal lead
and more seemed likely. Then, in the space of two furious minutes at the end
of the first half, the human wrecking ball that is Andy Carroll turned the
London derby on its head as he scored a brace. Carroll completed his
hat-trick in the second half, while Arsenal salvaged a point with a Laurent
Koscielny goal. On Saturday night, Carroll came on late in the game, for his
first action since August, and scored again — but by then Slaven Bilic's
side were 3-0 down and capitulating quietly. When you boil everything down,
when you ignore all the side issues, the game is about players — and West
Ham's this season have largely been not good enough, not determined enough
or injured. If you throw in the continuing dissatisfaction with many of West
Ham's fans with their new home at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, there
is the sense of a perfect storm blowing full in the face of manager Slaven
Bilic. Nine goals conceded in their last two matches — four at Old Trafford
in the quarter final of the EFL Cup on Wednesday followed by the 5-1 Premier
League humiliation by Arsenal on Saturday — has left the personable Croat
exposed and vulnerable. There are reasons — not excuses — for his team's
fallibility. Firstly he was without nine senior players through injury,
defender James Collins being the latest when he limped off after just seven
minutes of the Arsenal match. And secondly, the club's summer signings, with
the exceptions of young players Edimilson Fernandes and Ashley Fletcher,
have just not been good enough. Even the team's star performer, Dimitri
Payet, has been far from his best. He still creates the vast majority of
West Ham's most creative moments but there have been times, increasingly
recently, when he has looked distracted, as if he would rather be somewhere
else but East London. Bilic was admirably frank and honest after the Arsenal
match but pointed the finger subtly at some of his players when, without
naming names, he admitted they have not always showed the same intensity —
in training and in matches — they demonstrated when they finished seventh
last season. "I've said it to the players, I feel responsible for this
because somewhere along the line — and I'm talking from pre-season — we lost
the intensity in training," he said. "I'm not trying to find excuses. It's
my responsibility as a manager and I have to get that back as soon as
possible. We can't lie, we can't say, 'if that volley had gone in' or
whatever. "Yes, we had a lot of injuries but that intensity and dedication
to the cause is missing."
His most pertinent comment, though, came when asked if he thought his
players believed they were good enough to keep West Ham in the Premier
League without working any harder. "We didn't play against Arsenal as though
we knew we had to work harder," he said. "It's about time for us to realise
what position we're in."
Bilic knows only too well exactly the predicament in which he finds himself.
"I'm very honest, optimistic and positive I can turn it around," he said.
"Do I enjoy to be in this position? No. Do I feel the pressure? Yes but it's
not about that. "Did I do enough last season to get some credit? Yes, I
think I did but I am 48, I am 30 years in football and I know how it works."
The club's co-owners, David Sullivan and David Gold, have, up to now,
acknowledged that credit but — as he says — he knows how it works. Bilic has
confirmed West Ham are in a relegation fight and the manner of the Arsenal
defeat will have appreciably cut his credit rating. And it does not get any
easier, with Liverpool, stung by yesterday's 4-3 defeat at Bournemouth, next
in line for Bilic's team. After that, West Ham play Burnley and then Hull at
home, followed by Swansea and Leicester away. Bilic must find a way to
rediscover his team's lost mojo by then, or else West Ham's season, like
their former home, will lie in ruins.

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West Ham want answers from Slaven Bilic after he questioned his own players'
dedication
Jason Burt, chief football correspondent
The Telegraph
5 DECEMBER 2016 • 8:40AM

West Ham United will demand answers from Slaven Bilic on Monday after the
manager questioned "the intensity and dedication to the cause" of the
players following the "humiliating" 5-1 defeat at home to Arsenal. There
will not be a crisis meeting with Bilic – who admitted he is under
"pressure" and with growing speculation over his future - but the club want
him to explain what he meant about the players and the lack of "intensity"
given he and his staff organize training and the way the squad works. It is
understood that the club's owners, led by co-chairman David Sullivan, also
want to know why there are so many injuries – muscle injuries in particular
– which has ruled out eight players.
James Collins, Aaron Cresswell, Michail Antonio, Diafra Sakho, Gokhan Tore
and Sam Bryam are all suffering from 'soft tissue' injuries with Cheikhou
Kouyate and Reece Oxford also out which has limited Bilic's options. The
manager has a normal Monday morning phone call with the club which is set to
be more probing and demanding following the loss to Arsenal and also the EFL
Cup defeat to Manchester United last week and with West Ham sitting just one
point above the relegation zone.
After the Arsenal loss, Bilic said: "The dedication to the cause is missing.
The majority of the team, individually, have lost that intensity. It is not
'one of the reasons'. It is not 'maybe' that. It is a fact, 100 per cent,
500 per cent." He will be questioned over what he meant by this.
West Ham face Liverpool away next Sunday and then have a run of winnable
games against Burnley, Hull City, both at home, and then away to Swansea
City and Leicester City before the end of December. Sullivan and co-owner
David Gold do not like sacking managers, and have been keen to give Bilic
time to turn around the team's bad start to the season, but they cannot risk
relegation just a year after their controversial move into the London
Stadium.

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