Daily WHUFC News - 8th February 2016

Byram frustrated by Saints defeat
WHUFC.com

Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Southampton was a frustrating affair for Sam Byram
and his West Ham United teammates. Byram replaced the injured James Tomkins
for the final half hour at St Mary's as the Hammers chased an equaliser, but
their efforts were to come up short as the ten-man Saints held on. Maya
Yoshida's early goal settled the contest, but Byram felt West Ham should
have emerged with something to show – if only they had able to find their
usual quality in the final third. "We were massively on top in the last
half-hour and they were defending with their lives," he said. "It was one of
those where they had everyone behind the ball and we just couldn't put it in
the net. "We had a lot of space out wide and the plan was to get it in the
box to big Andy. Maybe the quality could have been better and it's just
frustrating that we couldn't get the goal we needed."
Byram might not have expected to be involved in first team affairs so soon
after his move from Leeds United, but he was thrilled to play his part and
cannot wait to continue to show what he can do. He added: "On a personal
note it was good to get on the pitch. I'm always looking to do my best for
the team, but the bigger picture is that we missed out on the three points,
so we went home frustrated. "I'm settling in really well. Everyone's been
dead welcoming. It's frustrating that I can't be involved on Tuesday [as I
am cup-tied], but it'll give me a good week to get some more fitness in and
I've really enjoyed it since I've joined."

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Ladies set for FA Cup tie
WHUFC.com

West Ham United Ladies take on Blackburn Rovers in the third round of the FA
Women's Cup on Sunday and Katie Bottom is looking forward to the challenge.

The Ladies have also recently announced that they will take on Tottenham
Hotspur in a league fixture at the Boleyn Ground next month, so for Bottom
and her teammates, the next few weeks hold plenty of excitement.

Bottom, who works for the West Ham United Foundation as a community coach,
told whufc.com how excited she was to hear that she has the honour of
leading out the club that she's supported her whole onto the famous turf at
the ground she calls home.

"I simply cannot wait to lead the girls out onto the pitch at Upton Park,"
admitted Bottom. "I've been lucky enough to play at the ground before, but
it wasn't an official FA Women's Premier League match like this one is so it
will be exciting for everyone involved.

"Everyone at West Ham Ladies would like to thank the club for allowing us to
be a part of the Farewell Boleyn plans and have our own chance to say
goodbye to the stadium. Hopefully we will be able to replicate some of the
men's performances there during the season when we host Tottenham in March.

"It will be a sad time when we finally have to leave Upton Park, but the
Olympic Stadium move is coming at a great time for the club when the team
are performing well in the Premier League and it's all heading in a positive
direction towards a positive future under the current owners at West Ham
United."

The match kicks-off on Tuesday 8 March at 7.45pm, with tickets priced at £5
for adults and £1 for children. Tickets for the match can be purchased
online in advance or on the gates on the night.

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Song – sleepy start to blame
WHUFC.com

Alex Song was at a loss to explain West Ham United's sleepy start against
Southampton on Saturday, as the Hammers paid a heavy price for a lacklustre
opening 15 minutes.

The Hammers found themselves a goal down within nine minutes on the south
coast and, for all their possession and numerical advantage, were unable to
respond in kind.

The Cameroon midfielder insists his side simply cannot afford to begin so
poorly in the Barclays Premier League and felt those opening exchanges
tarnished an otherwise dominant display.

"I think we've a big regret," he confirmed. "In the first 15 minutes of the
game, we didn't start the match as you have to. That's already happened a
lot.

"Afterwards, we came back into the match. As a whole, we dominated the
match. It was just those first 15 minutes. We were sluggish and we conceded
a goal.

"Then, it was tough. We played eleven against ten and they sat back. We did
absolutely everything to score and take a point, but unfortunately it wasn't
to be. We have to look to the future and do things differently."

Song's frustration was compounded by the encouraging response that followed,
in the knowledge that but for those opening minutes, the Hammers would
likely have left St Mary's with at least a point to show for their efforts.

He continued: "After those first 15 minutes, we grew into the game, little
by little. But I think that was the key to the match. We have to concentrate
better as we have done at home. That's the Premier League for you, if you
start poorly, you pay for it.

"They won a couple of corners in quick succession, we gave them the ball and
they profited with the goal. We just needed that first goal. We threw
everything at them and took risks. It's obviously a shame for us because I
think we could have done something better on Saturday."

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Talks start on Slav deal
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on February 7, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

West Ham have already started a preliminary round of talks with Slaven Bilic
over a deal aimed at keeping him at the club for the next five years.
However, as reported by ClaretandHugh towards the end of last week there
will be improvements and escape clauses inserted against the possibility of
things going pear-shaped! Although there is a natural caution that wishes to
guard against this having been a one off freak season, the two Davids are
agreed that they must go ahead with the new deal asap. The Mirror reports
that Bilic met with co-owner Sullivan last Tuesday and a new deal was on the
agenda. ClaretandHugh can confirm that to be the case. A well placed source
told us: "It's very much on for Slaven. The club will make significant
improvements in various areas but guard themselves by including certain
conditions against failure.
"Not many managers work without such conditions and Slaven will understand
and accept that. The club are aware that other clubs have looked in the
manager's direction during a revolutionary Upton Park season. However, he
has no interest in any other club than West Ham and will hope to have the
new deal nailed down before he disappears for his 2016 summer holidays.

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Chin up – let's keep following this "useless" team!!
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on February 7, 2016 in News, Whispers
C an H
By Pete Ellis

Rome wasn't built in 90 minutes.

Although from the reaction to last night's game, some would have you believe
it was certainly destroyed in that period.
The Hammers were underwhelming and lost to a Saints side that grabbed a
goal, got a man sent off, and said "if you think it was tough versus villa,
you ain't seen nothing yet"
Another slow start has bitten us on the backside. We have got away with a
few, but thinking you can do that to a Koeman side is pretty naive. He was
always gonna target the return game with us as one to put a Herculean effort
in.
The game has been covered in detail, but some of the reaction has been the
usual knee jerk, toys out of the pram rubbish we as West Ham fans have
laughed at over the years from other clubs. Man Utd fans having a hissy fit
that they won five in a row but no six was only a draw etc.
Are we suddenly the elite of English football? Do we have a divine right to
slay all that dare stand before us?
No, not yet, although the tweets and posts you see would have you believe we
have just witnessed our relegation from the PL.
I take it with a pinch of salt but there are some that see it as a far more
serious issue and are far more worried and annoyed than they need to be.
Yeah, it hurts when we lose. It's hurts more when we play badly, and it's
not something that makes our weekends more enjoyable, BUT, this "useless
lot" we have playing on Saturday, and the "naive idiots" in the dugout, were
the heroes versus city, the masterminds against Bournemouth and Villa only
days before.
My point is, we are not suddenly world beaters after a few wins.
Winning doesn't make us title contenders in much the same way as losing does
not make us relegation fodder.
We are annoyed, we are frustrated, but we have a gaffer that will demand a
reaction.
Have a whinge, have a moan, but we have never been further away from having
to push the panic button in my view.
Payet has been dug out by some. How dare the guy not get a 10 rating every
game and turn out to be human!
This is FIFA 16 after all (isn't it)
It's been really amusing for those of us with a level head, to see all this
over the top panic/reaction.
I always take these Ott moments, as a great opportunity to have a
Twitter/Facebook cull. It's quite useful to see the ones that throw the toys
out of the pram and block/unfreind, not because they have a different view
to me, but because clearly logic has packed its backs and left with the
kids, common sense and reason.
I have no desire in engaging with a brick wall.
Anyway, I will be following this awful team, and clueless manager again this
week when we play Liverpool.
Should we not make it through, I will be disappointed, but again, I won't
have a meltdown, and I'll quickly move on.
We have endured much worse than a 1-0 defeat away at 10 man Southampton so
my powder will be kept dry for the time being.
Now, chin up, cheer up, and back the lads to turn over the scousers this
week.
COYI !!!!

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When patient football becomes pointless football
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on February 7, 2016 in Hugh's Blogs, News,
Whispers
C and H

I have no problem with patient football….to a point.

Certainly it's an awful lot better than hoofball which in the context of
yesterday's match against Southampton would have served us no better than
the pass and "probe" (I use the word carefully) approach we adopted against
a well drilled defence.

Yes I understand the team is learning a new way which involves finding a
man rather than blasting the ball forward in hope rather than with any real
confidence.

But both styles can be taken to the point of overkill and that was our
problem yesterday in a match which demanded a combination of styles. At
times it wasn't so much patient as pointless.

With Dimitri Payet off his game again the skill and invention was missing
and instead we at times watched the Irons passing the ball relentlessly
sideways and backwards against ten men. They went nowhere in a hurry!

On one occasion we went from just over the halfway line back to Adrian who
immediately rushed from goal determined to find a player who could get on
the move against a team which, as the game progressed, was clearly on the
ropes.

We showed last Tuesday that we are not a one man team who needs to have
Payet on his game to find a a way through. However, it's as well to remember
that we were playing the worst team in the League.

Every team has key players and I have written consistently that I believe
Diafra Sakho is ours alongside Payet simply because – as repeated many times
– he creates the gaps into which the midfielder operates.

We were also a different team when Lanzni came back for half a game before
getting injured again. With those two back the patient passing game will
have an end product – of that I'm certain.

In the meantime we have to beat Liverpool and that won't happen with a
sideways and backwards passing game which really did bore the life out of
most for a long time yesterday.

Not unhappy, not moaning – just saying. And there has to be a change for
Tuesday night or I fear it could be a long night

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