Daily WHUFC News - 4th January 2016

Payet's emotional return
WHUFC.com

An emotional Dimitri Payet paid a heartfelt thanks to the Claret and Blue
army for a stirring ovation as he made his eagerly-awaited return in
Saturday's 2-0 Barclays Premier League win over Liverpool at the Boleyn
Ground. The 28-year-old, who came a cropper against Everton back in
November, replaced Enner Valencia after 65 minutes, completing his comeback
from a significant ankle injury several weeks ahead of schedule.
For Payet, it was the perfect start to 2016, what with three precious points
in the bag and a deafening reception from the supporters, who have so
quickly taken him to their hearts. "Honestly, I had shivers during the
warm-up before I came on," he told West Ham TV. "Then that ovation, I thank
all the supporters who are behind me and believe in me. It's a powerful
feeling and I had tears in my eyes. "It's true that the year's started
well. I'm pleased that we've won and we had to do it against a team of
Liverpool's calibre. For me to come back under these circumstances is a
really good start to the year."

Even in his absence, the Dimitri Payet song has regularly rung around the
Boleyn Ground, not to mention on the road, some added motivation, if any
were needed, for the Reunion-born midfielder. He continued: "I've heard the
song several times at the ground. It's their way of saying that they've not
forgotten me and that truly encourages me to work hard to get back to my
best level."

Following an initial prognosis of some three months on the sidelines, Payet
and the Hammers' medical team have worked wonders to get him back up to
speed in just eight weeks. Though he advises caution, quite rightly, West
Ham's No27 is feeling good. He explained: "I didn't have to have an
operation, so I saved a bit of time in my recuperation. Then I spent ten
days back at home in Reunion, which really did me good and so when I
returned, I felt good psychologically. "When I got back it was back to work
with the physios, with whom I worked very hard. And I thank them because the
reason that I'm able to play today it's also thanks to them who helped me
get back on my feet."Of course we'll continue to be careful, we mustn't go
too quickly, but we're happy that I'm back after only two months."

Payet has not been alone in battling injury over the winter months but has
watched on with pride as the Hammers have battled so gamely to keep an
impressive unbeaten run intact. Now, as the cavalry return, Payet is
hopeful of a New Year charge, particularly after the convincing manner of
Saturday's victory, the Hammers' second in just six days. "The team's been
hampered by several players missing, but we've been able to come through
that period. Admittedly, we weren't winning games, but we didn't lose them
either, so we've stayed in a good position in the league and after two wins
we see that we can close in on the top five. "From start to finish we were
at it on Saturday. We had the match against Southampton where we had
struggled to get going in the game. But here, we were at it straight away.
We managed to score quickly and we got some breathing space straight after
half-time. So it was a match that went to plan and I congratulate the team."

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From the Boardroom - David Sullivan
WHUFC.com

It was an incredible result against Liverpool. It was a weird game as there
were sections of the second half that were like the Alamo, but we should
remember they only had two shots on target and we had ten shots on target.

Yet because their possession and passing in midfield was so good, you felt
under more pressure than you probably were. We hit the post once, they hit
the post once, we cleared one off the line and their keeper made two
fantastic saves.

But you have to say well done to the goalscorers. Andy Carroll is really
coming good and Michail Antonio is getting better with every game. The
fascinating thing for me is against Southampton, Antonio hit the post and
Andy put in the rebound and then against Liverpool Andy put a fantastic
header in and Antonio nearly scored from the rebound. So we've got two good
headers in the team.

It was great to see Dimitri Payet return from injury and I thought he was
sensational for the time he was on the pitch. He'll need a few games to get
back to his very best but you can see he is a top player.

Unfortunately it looks as though we've lost Manuel Lanzini again with a
thigh injury. We hope it's not as long as the last one but the suggestion is
it looks like it could be similar.

However, as we've got other players back it's not as devastating as last
time. We expect Winston Reid and Victor Moses to be ready for the Wolves FA
Cup game on Saturday.

We will put a strong team out for that game and it's fantastic that we've
sold out weeks in advance. We priced it to sell it out and a lot of people
that wouldn't normally come to games are coming.

We're really keen to do well in the FA Cup this year, especially given it is
our last at the Boleyn Ground and it would be a fantastic day out for
everyone to go back to Wembley. You need a bit of luck as if you draw, say,
Manchester City away in round four, you'll find it very tough. We would like
home draws every round and go all the way.

We've then got two difficult away games in quick succession at Bournemouth
and Newcastle United. Any away points are good so two would be an
achievement but I don't see any reason why we couldn't get four from those
two games. If we're going to keep looking up the table that's what we must
aim for. So it's very exciting times.

As we're into the second half of the season, people are asking if our
objectives have now changed. I think we would still like to get into the top
six, but I think the injuries have made the top four very unlikely, although
it's still mathematically possible.

I don't think we'll end this season as we did last season. Yes we're roughly
where we were at this stage last season but I think this is a better team
and we have enough quality to sustain it for the whole season. We will end
up with more points than last year.

Any lingering doubts about relegation are now all but gone and we're
probably now more likely to win the league than be relegated! If we can
maintain our performance levels and go on an FA Cup run than the first half
of 2016 will be very good indeed.

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From the Terraces
WHUFC.com

Lifelong Hammer Russ Bray takes to the stage for one of the biggest
televised sporting events of the year on Sunday night...
It is the first weekend of the New Year and that can mean only two things –
football and the PDC World Darts Championship final!

You are talking about the two biggest sports on Sky Sports now. A big
football match is obviously the top pull, but the next biggest in terms of
viewer numbers is the darts. When you consider we are competing against
golf, tennis and the motor racing, it's unbelievable.

The tournament itself is also growing and growing, with 3,000 people coming
to every session at the Alexandra Palace!

We have got 600 more people in per session this year by changing the
position of the stage, so on the days we have got two sessions we have got
1,200 more people in – that's the demand and how big this is getting
year-in, year-out.

We have got fantastic players from all over the world now too. Darts is
truly becoming a world game, like football, with players from Japan, China
and Australia taking part this year – and all of them can play a bit too.

The tour is growing every year with tournaments all over the world. We go to
Japan, China, the United States and this year I've got flights booked for a
tour of Australia – it's literally worldwide now.

Even for me, as a referee, I'm becoming known all over the world now and we
even have our own darts channel on Sky now. It's getting bigger and better.

I have to pinch myself every day. I just don't want to wake up from the
dream, because that's what it is. I get to see the world and get paid for
it. What was my hobby has now become my living and you just can't get any
better than that.

Of course all the travelling means I don't get to see as much live West Ham
as I would like, but I've got my laptop and my tablet and all the Apps I
need to see the games when I'm abroad.

We have had a few big injuries with Sakho and Payet out – players who've
made the difference – but to be fair we've gone to places like Man United
and drawn and we are holding our own. I think we're doing really well at the
moment.

We're all singing from the same hymn sheet at the moment, which is great. I
didn't know much about Slaven's managerial credentials when he was
appointed, but I think he's done absolutely terrific.

This year, 2016, is a big one for West Ham with us moving to a new stadium.

We did something similar when we took the World Championship from the Circus
Tavern in Purfleet – just down the road from where I grew up in Ockendon –
to Alexandra Palace in 2008.

We could only fit a thousand people in for every session at the Tavern, but
now we have three times that for every session.

It's about demand and you need a bigger premises and that can raise
standards across the board – let's hope we see the same with West Ham.

When we move, if we can fill it then it's a lot more space for the fans, and
hopefully it will attract better players and we can win more games and, dare
I say it, a trophy or two!

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those
of West Ham United.

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Payet thanks medical team - and the supporters
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 3rd January 2016
By: Staff Writer

Dimitri Payet has thanked West Ham United's medical team for their
assistance in enabling him to return to action sooner than expected.
The French international was sidelined by an appalling challenge from
Everton's James McCarthy in the 1-1 draw between the Merseysiders and West
Ham at the beginning of November and Hammers fans were warned that he was
likely to be out for up to three months. However the 28-year-old made his
comeback in the 2-0 win over Liverpool at the Boleyn yesterday afternoon -
and treated Hammers fans to some of his trademark skills in his brief cameo
as second half replacement for Enner Valencia, who like Payet spent a long
and frustrating spell out injured.
Posting via his Instagram account, Payet said: "The way has been long. With
hard work I returned yesterday. Thank you to the medical staff at West Ham
for having me back. Thank you to all the fans for the welcome and the love
you give me every day. God bless you."

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FEARLESS, CLEVER, QUICK AND GINGER
By Mike Ireson 3 Jan 2016 at 18:00
WTID

Last week I mentioned my West Ham itch and the inability to convert drawing
positions in to wins, and how frustrating that was in context of everything
being up for grabs in this topsy turvy Premier League season.

What a difference a week makes. As I write this we have jumped 4 places in
to 6th position, very firmly knocking on the door of European football.

We've ground out two victories against opposition who are no mugs and we
have shown we can win games again without having the majority of the ball.

Southampton slightly had the edge with 51% possession, but Liverpool
completely outstripped us in that department with 65%.

But watching yesterday's game, despite that statistic, which normally
indicates a team being totally dominant, we never looked like losing at any
stage.

There was a confidence throughout the West Ham team yesterday that was a joy
to watch. No one looked edgy, and to a man they looked as if they knew
exactly what the plan was and how it would work.

We are developing a real pack of players that as fans we love to watch. By
that I mean the ones regardless of skill level give everything. They will
run, chase, throw their bodies in the way of the ball and man.

Over the years we have revelled in the likes of Julian Dicks, Carlos Tevez,
Scott Parker, Martin Allen and Mark Noble to name but a few. Players whose
determination and run through a brick wall attitude draw warm, heartfelt
applause.

I've always been a fan of James Collins as he most definitely fits in to
that category. And his man of the match winning performance against
Liverpool really reinforced that.

Fearless, clever, much quicker than you would think looking at him and quite
importantly he looks proud to have claret and blue on his back.

Also starting to develop in to a real West Ham man is Michail Antonio. He
really invoked memories of Carlos Tevez. Popping up absolutely everywhere.

Not always conducive to stable tactical formation play but a joy to watch.

This was summed up with his goal yesterday. Making a tackle in the right
back position then 21 seconds later thundering home a header 90 yards away.
I have high hopes for this young man, he just could be special.

I watched the game on BT Sport and purely for the purpose of getting some
easy cannon fodder for a Micky taking column this week I tuned in early for
all the pre match guff.

I have to say BT Sport surprised the hell out of me. The presentation was
good, they cleverly brought in Redknapp senior to wax lyrical, and all the
taped segments were interesting.

And then they threw in the video on the farewell to Upton Park. Iain has
already posted the link here, and if you haven't watched it yet please do.
It is very good. Watching Frank O'Farrell, the oldest surviving West Ham
player, talking about how he could still imagine running out on to the pitch
will tug at even the hardest heart.

So,well done BT Sport, even though you torpedoed my column this week you
renewed my faith that television coverage of football can be interesting and
completely non shouty.

To end I would like to congratulate young Elliot Betts on his guest post.
What a very good article young man, written with the style of someone far in
excess of your 12 years. I hope seeing your name and words on the site makes
you feel very special. Let's see a lot more of your work please.

COYI

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BILIC OVER KLOPP THE FLOP AS MANAGER
By Zaman Siddiqui 3 Jan 2016 at 12:00
WTID

Indeed, Jurgen Klopp has got 18 points from 12 games. His predecessor got
the same ratio of points this season, so Klopp, mathematically speaking,
hasn't improved his Liverpool side. Super Slav has got more points for us
than the former Borussia Dortmund manager, which is why I feel we have got
our ideal rock and roll manager. Of course, statistics are not always
meaningful. At this stage last season, we also had 32 points under Big Sam.
The main difference this season is the breadth and depth we have in our
squad. When Payet was out, he had created 47 chances, which made him one of
the league's best, with only Özil creating more with 54. Furthermore, the
competition is hotting up with under-performing players benched, with
Tomkins recently making more performances at RB than Jenkinson, as well as
Antonio keeping Zárate out. This has also massively helped our fatigue and
injury problems, with good deputies for our elite. For instance, with our
best players available, we have scored 5 league goals against The Reds in a
single season for the first time since 1930-31.

With 4 clean sheets and no losses in the last 8 matches, credit has to go to
James Collins for his tireless endeavour. The Welshman has signed a two-year
contract with us, and could feature for a bit longer, as Reid could be
rested for longer with no immediate concerns in defence. He was rightfully
given MOTM for his delightful performance preventing Liverpool from getting
many of their shots on target. From the 23 shots they had, only 2 were on
target. We marked Liverpool very well yesterday, which is becoming a theme
with our style of play. Both teams had a combined total of 41 shots in this
match. Only Leicester vs. Arsenal this season had more shots with 43, which
made it harder for both teams, as the attackers had to track back a lot.
Antonio, and Payet did rather well in that respect. In particular, Antonio
deserved to score in consecutive league appearances.


I mentioned we have got the same number of points after 20 games as the
previous season (32). This gives our staff the chance to look at what went
wrong towards the end of the season, and how to prevent it from happening
again. In that poor run, we got 11 losses and only 3 wins, which was enough
to put us in the relegation zone, if we only looked at the final 19 fixtures
of the season. It is imperative we don't show any signs of fatigue, as we
will be going into the Olympic Stadium next season. Our last 10 games at the
Boleyn Ground should be amazing. We have already got wins against Chelsea,
and Liverpool in front of the home fans, so I hope we can continue our fine
form against the teams that were near the top. So far, we have only lost 2
home games this season – our last defeat against Bournemouth in August.
Given our run of 8 matches without a loss, we could extend it much further.
Keep in mind, most of our stars were injured during that time period, which
gives all the more reason to suggest our run could go on for a bit longer
than expected. Furthermore, it is wonderful to see Payet back in action,
even better with Carroll, as we have not see them play together. They have,
undoubtedly, the best attributes in our side. Payet's deliveries are very
good, but he is also very good on the ball, so he can dribble into the box,
if necessary. Over half of Carroll's PL goals (51.4%) have been headed. This
is why I feel we could build on our side with less long balls forward, but
more crosses. Getting the ball forward is what we have lacked in the past,
but now, we can get down effectively on the flanks, which means we don't
have to try long balls to try and find Carroll in no man's land.

Boys of '66' Special on MNF
On a unrelated note, tomorrow Sky Sports will be presenting a Monday Night
Football special into the famous West Ham World Cup victory. The release of
the documentary marks 50 years since Sir Alf Ramsey's side won back in 1966.
The programme will talk to key players, including hat-trick hero and Hammer
Sir Geoff Hurst, Gordon Banks and Roger Hunt. It will also feature
contributions from David Beckham and Roy Hodgson. The subsequent documentary
will later be analysed with statistical data from Opta with Jamie Carragher
and Ed Chamberlin. They will show the impact of the likes of Bobby Moore,
Sir Geoff Hurst and Alan Ball on the match.

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West Ham's Mauro Zarate and Diego Poyet set for departures in January
transfer window
20:40, 3 JAN 2016 UPDATED 20:47, 3 JAN 2016
BY DARREN LEWIS , DARREN WITCOOP
The Argentine striker is down the Hammers' pecking order and wanted by
Malaga of Spain while Charlton aim to re-sign their former midfielder on
loan
The Mirror

West Ham forward Mauro Zarate has been targeted by Spanish club Malaga. The
28-year-old Argentinian has scored five goals in 20 appearances during his
current spell at Upton Park. He is behind Diafra Sakho, currently injured,
Andy Carroll and Enner Valencia in the pecking order, however. Zarate's
current contract ends in 2017. His older brother Ariel spent four years at
Malaga between 1998 and 2002.
Meanwhile, midfielder Diego Poyet is heading back to Championship Charlton
on loan for the rest of the season.

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DG: Slaven has something special with the fans
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on January 3, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

Slaven Bilic's growing affinity to the Irons fans is going down very well
indeed in the West Ham boardroom. For amongst the various reasons why the
club finally decided to shake hands with the former manager and appoint
another was the disharmony which had split the club into two camps. Every
manager has to be judged first and foremost on what happens on the pitch of
course but the two Davids have always placed huge value on their manager's
attitude towards the media and fans. David Gold – talking exclusively to
ClaretandHugh – said: "There's barely a match goes by when Slaven doesn't
mention the fans – yesterday he spoke of how important it was that the fans
went home happy from their own stadium. "He has a rapport with them. They
know he has the same feeling for this club as they do and that makes a
fantastic difference. It was the one big box he ticked when we decided to
appoint him. ""You can look at a managerial CV and it can tell you
everything about the man's career but it can't tell you what's in his heart
-the level of passion. "When we interviewed Slaven it was obvious his heart
for the club was immense and now the fans are seeing it and it's a hugely
important factor in things both now and in the future. "Everything comes
from him through the media to the fans and the reason he hasn't put a foot
wrong in that area is because he can't. He's a Hammer – he walks it and
talks it and it's great."

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Poyet to return to Addicks?
Posted by Sean Whetstone on January 3, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

A report in the Sevenoaks Chronicle suggests Charlton Athletic are believed
to be close to re-signing former midfielder Diego Poyet on loan from West
Ham. Poyet, who came through the Addicks' academy system, left The Valley
after winning the Player of the Year award.The youngster has been on loan at
Milton Keynes Dons this season but has hardly featured and now Charlton are
set to offer him first team football, as they bid to move away from the
relegation zone.

Yesterday MK Dons manager, Karl Robinson revealed the midfielder is
returning to West Ham as he is too similar in style to vice-captain Darren
Potter. "As a combination they didn't do too well together and he knows what
Darren Potter means to my football club, It's not fair on a young player to
not give him many minutes and in time he will be a much better player than a
lot in this league. He's a tremendous young man."

Poyet featured in five times in the Europa League ties before joining MK
Dons for what was supposed to be a season long loan at Mk Stadium.Poyet
joined West Ham on 8th July 2014, signing a four-year contract with West Ham
after reaching a settlement for compensation with Charlton.

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New generation discovers the West Ham Way
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on January 3, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

One of the great things about this season is that a new generation of West
Ham fans are suddenly discovering the West Ham Way for themselves for the
first time.
During – shall we call them, previous times – there had been the distinct
feeling that those of us who had grown up with the West Ham Way should
somehow expect those who have followed to know precisely what we were
talking about.
Unfair, wrong and, despite the endless explanations, of little use to those
who had never seen it. Most of us never expected them to.
But everything has changed with the arrival of a Croatian with the Hammers
in his heart and great football in his soul – our football …West Ham Unted
football.
The new generation are fortunate at the moment because us older folk had
grown used to the fabulous entertaining football which unfortunately also
included regular defeats.
This season has seen some of our greatest wins, produced from gifted and
hugely entertaining feet and heads coupled with a tough underbelly which has
seen us lose only twice in the last ten games.
There had been an expectancy we would play better football under Slaven
Bilic than we have seen under previous managers but what we are seeing is a
shock to the system of even those who have been there and done it before.
I believe Slaven Bilic will be at this club for a long time – with the
Oympic Stadium around the corner he has brought the new era with him.
What a time to be an Iron!

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