Daily WHUFC News - 1st March 2016

Manager on Monday
WHUFC.com

Following the 1-0 victory over Sunderland on Saturday 27 February, Slaven
Bilic vowed that any side of his will always play to win while trying to
play entertaining football. The Hammers are 13 games unbeaten at home in all
competitions going into Wednesday's crunch game with Tottenham Hotspur, yet
the manager believes the best is yet to come. Looking ahead to the London
derby, Bilic said: "We want to play entertaining football for the people to
enjoy, and that should improve because we are improving. It should also get
us high up the table, where? I don't know. "We try and win every game, no
matter who we play. There's a long way to go this season. OK, for now, 43
points we are in a good position. "The only focus is to finish as high as
possible. We don't have any other goal than that, no specific target. "Of
course if you said at the start of the season we would be fifth, of course I
would take it. But now we are here, we can relax we need to continue to
fight every game because every game is tough, and there are a lot of teams
near us."

After Wednesday night's game, under the lights at the Boleyn Ground, the
Hammers travel to Merseyside to face Everton in what will be Bilic's first
return to Goodison Park as West Ham manager. However, despite the personal
links, he insisted he is fully concentrated on the task in hand. He
continued: "In every away game throughout my career, my assistant has always
said, a point tomorrow would be a good result, and of course it would be.
But if you offered me a point before a match, I wouldn't take it, I would
never take it. Sometimes after a game you are over the moon with a point,
but before, no thank you, because we have a good team and I believe in them.
"In some ways we are already a victim of our own success. The only way we
can stop the expectations rising is to lose games, which of course we don't
want. The pressure is always on."

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Ladies slip to Coventry defeat
WHUFC.com

West Ham United Ladies suffered a 4-0 defeat to Coventry United at AFC
Hornchurch on Sunday 28 February. The visitors fired all four goals past
Hammers keeper Jodie Sanderson within the opening half an hour of action,
with Helen Dermody's brace from distance being joined by a long-range
free-kick from Maz Gauntlett and Nat Lynch's header. Manager Marc Nurse made
four changes to the side that were beaten at home to Charlton Athletic Women
just a fortnight before. Italian winger Romina Pinna announced earlier on
Sunday that she has left the club and hence was unavailable for selection,
whilst Natalie Strange, Danni Ritson and Olivia Sammons were replaced by U18
striker Aysha Bentick, midfielder Karen Ray, French winger Cindy Ferreira
and debutant Laura Curtis. In the opening five minutes of the game, the
hosts knew they were going to be in for a tough game when Coventry came out
strong and forced a strong save from goalkeeper Sanderson. It took just
seven minutes before the home defence succumbed to Coventry's pressure as a
20 yard free-kick was dispatched into the top left corner of the net by
Dermody. West Ham tried reacted by getting more possession after the initial
opening onslaught however it was Dermody that doubled the scoreline when she
picked up the ball from a similar position and fired an unstoppable shot
into the corner of the net. Still the Hammers players tried to push their
visitors back and ignite some attacking moves of their own, although
Gauntlett added a third in a similar style to Dermody's opener, firing home
a free-kick from over 20 yards into the top corner. The third goal was a
killer as Dermody swung in a corner which was headed home by Lynch for
Coventry's fourth, despite the best efforts of Sanderson. The Hammers first
meaningful effort on goal came in the 41st minute through French winger
Ferreira who could only find the gloves of visiting goalkeeper Sue Wood.

After the break, Nurse's side looked revitalized and headed out in search of
a consolation goal. It was Whitney Locke who had the first chance of goal,
but her effort was caught easily by Wood. Then, shortly after, Locke again
found herself in behind the Coventry defence, but a tough angle was always
against her and Wood made another save. Still the Ladies searched for a
consolation goal and their best effort of the game came when Locke slipped a
ball through to Ferreira but her shot was also stopped by Wood. Down the
other end, Coventry went close to adding a fourth when Jade Brooke's rifled
shot smashed the underside of the crossbar and clear, with both the referee
and assistant in agreement that the ball had not crossed the line.
West Ham's much-improved second half ended with debutant Curtis having a
couple of efforts of her own. The Ladies host rivals Tottenham Hotspur in
their FA Women's Premier League South match at Upton Park on Tuesday 8 March
at 7:45pm - the first competitive Women's Premier League match to be played
at the Boleyn Ground.
Before then, the Hammers host Portsmouth at AFC Hornchurch on Sunday 6
March, kick-off 2pm.

LADIES: Sanderson, Missen, Wheeler, Bentick, Bottom (c), Abela (Campesi),
Ray, Berkeley (Ritson), Ferreira (Sammons), Locke, Curtis
Subs not used: Hinz.

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Loan round up
WHUFC.com

Leo Chambers made his Football League debut in Colchester United's 0-0 draw
with Shrewsbury Town. The defender put in a calm and assured performance as
he helped League One's bottom club to a valuable point and rare clean sheet.

Elliot Lee came on as a second half substitute and went close to breaking
the deadlock however Jayson Leutwiler pulled off a good save.

Josh Cullen played the full game as Bradford City beat Blackpool 1-0 away.
Kyel Reid's 54th minute goal was enough to seal the victory; Reece Burke
played 84 minutes for the Bantams before being replaced by Nathan Clarke.

Martin Samuelsen played the full game as Peterborough United lost 2-1 at
home to Swindon Town. Posh took the lead through Marcus Maddison's 12th
minute penalty however Swindon responded through goals from Nicky Ajose and
Michael Doughty.

The win takes Bradford to seventh, just one spot off the play offs with 51
points from 32 games.

Kyle Knoyle came on in the 82nd minute of Dundee United's 3-0 win at Ross
County.

Diego Poyet was an unused substitute in Charlton Athletic's 4-3 defeat at
home to Reading.

Clarke Bogard played the full game for Tilbury FC as they drew 1-1 with
Barkingside.

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1960's heroes enjoy Boleyn return
WHUFC.com

The 1960's heroes including World Cup stars Sir Geoff Hurst and Martin
Peters relished making a return to the Boleyn Ground on Saturday.

Hurst kept the crowd entertained with his half-time interview when he was
asked to look back at one of the most memorable periods in the Club's
history.

West Ham United won the FA Cup back in 1964 and then achieved even more
success 12 months later when they lifted the European Cup Winners Cup.

Managed by the legendary Ron Greenwood and led by Bobby Moore, the Hammers
were a match for any team on their day and the Club were thrilled to see a
number of players make a return to the Boleyn Ground as they witnessed a 1-0
victory over Sunderland.

Hurst and Peters were joined by Roberta Moore and family, Mo and Neil
Greenwood, Ken Brown, Eddie Bovington, Brian Dear, Alan Dickie, Alan
Stephenson, Martin Britt, Colin Mackleworth, Peter Brabrook, Mike Beesley
and Peter Bennett.

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From the Terraces - Joe Difford
WHUFC.com

Fan blogger Joe Difford looks back at Saturday's game against Sunderland…

On Saturday afternoon, West Ham fans were shown a side of Slaven Bilic's men
we haven't seen before. In past games this season when we've struggled,
we've left empty handed, but despite the underwhelming performance all three
points were picked up.

It was a slow start, as has been the case on a number of occasions this
season, but it was largely due to the fact that Sam Allardyce's men were set
up to go for a point, hardly surprising considering their league position
and the fact that they were away from home.

Shots on goal were few and far between for the opening half an hour, aside
from Jermain Defoe seeing an effort saved, but he was offside anyway. Mark
Noble did come agonisingly close however, seeing his long-range effort
tipped onto the crossbar expertly, lifting the fans off their seats for the
first time in the game.

Sunderland's most recent signing Wahbi Khazri came close, looping a free
kick onto the top of the crossbar, but his excellence was cancelled out in
the final few minutes, as he opted to try a rabona cross, missed the ball
entirely and saw it go for a goal kick.

It was a combination of luck and brilliance for the first and only goal of
the game, as Patrick van Aanholt gave away possession before Michail Antonio
picked up the loose ball, cut inside and fired into the far corner with his
weak foot.

The Homer Simpson-inspired celebration that followed was the icing on the
cake, and it is surely only a matter of time now before Antonio gets the
England call-up he deserves. It's three goals in three games at Upton Park
for the powerful winger, and he is fast becoming one of the best players in
our side.

Sunderland came close on a number of occasions, with Jack Rodwell coming off
the bench and almost making an instant impact, seeing his shot from eight
yards out saved by the leg of Adrian, with the rebound hitting his arm.

Dimitri Payet had a good case for a penalty turned down, as he was pushed
off the ball by the defender's arms, pushing the boundaries of what can be
classed as strength.

The performance wasn't particularly convincing, but at the end of the day
all three points were picked up and we are back to sixth in the league,
still in with a shot of European qualification.

It is fantastic that in our final season at the Boleyn Ground our fans are
being treated to the longest home unbeaten run in our Premier League
history, and the ground is now the fortress we have wanted for years.

We now have 43 points, our highest total after 27 games in the top flight,
making a statement of intent. Other sides and neutral fans are taking notice
of Bilic's claret and blue army, and rightly so.

West Ham have played some beautiful football at times this season, but being
able to win an ugly game shows character and adaptability from Mark Noble
and Co.

Next up is a mouth-watering tie with Spurs on Wednesday, and we will
certainly have to improve from Saturday's outing. But if we perform as well
as we know we can, then it could be a memorable final game against our
London rivals under the lights at the Boleyn Ground.

For more West Ham fan views or to join the conversation visit www.90min.com

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

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Carroll thrilled to be back in action
WHUFC.com

Andy Carroll is thrilled to be back in first-team action and hopes to get
back on the scoresheet when the Hammers face a big London derby against
Tottenham on Wednesday night. Carroll returned from a thigh injury and
almost made an immediate impact as a second half substitute against
Sunderland when he saw his volley cannon back off the bar following a great
move involving Mark Noble and Sam Byram. The West Ham United forward is now
looking forward to another big game under the lights against a Tottenham
side who are competing to win the title this season. Carroll knows the
rivalry that exists between the two clubs and what it would mean for the
Hammers to come away with another famous victory against their north London
rivals.

Carroll said: "It is great to be back in action and out on the pitch again.
"When Sam headed the ball back across goal I thought it was there for me to
score but it hit the bar and I wanted it to hit someone and then go in, but
unfortunately it didn't. "It will be nice to keep the unbeaten run going and
keep the momentum. That is what everyone is looking forward to now. "It is a
great game for us to play Tottenham and they will be up for it as well. "We
want to be as high as we can in the league and they want to win it, so we
know it is going to be a tough game."

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Defoe's praise for 'fantastic' West Ham
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 29th February 2016
By: Staff Writer

Jermain Defoe has described West Ham as a "fantastic" club - despite
receiving yet another a negative reception from Hammers fans at the weekend.

The source of the West Ham fans' beef with the former England international
can be traced to the moment a 21-year-old Defoe handed in a transfer request
to former Hammers boss Glenn Roeder, back in 2003.

That it came less than 24 hours after a 2-2 draw at Birmingham which had
condemned West Ham to relegation has never quite been forgiven by some
sections of the Boleyn faithful, who voiced their displeasure once again
during Saturday's 1-0 win over Defoe's current side.

Yet despite having habitually received abuse from the Hammers fans since
leaving the club more than 12 years ago, Defoe could only speak in glowing
terms about his former employers when speaking to the media following
Saturday's defeat for Sunderland - a result that leaves them in a precarious
position at the foot of the Premier League.

"It was an emotional day and it would have been nice to have scored so I was
a little disappointed," he told safc.com.

"I can remember walking into the club as a youngster and you could instantly
tell it was a family club, so I'll never forget my time here. The culture
and mentality of the club from the academy to the youth team is fantastic.

"For the fans and everybody else associated with the club, leaving the
Boleyn Ground will be strange because of the history here. For me, like many
others, it is a special place that I will never forget."

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Monday Musings: A taste of your own medicine
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 29th February 2016
By: Graeme Howlett

The press room at the Boleyn Ground was unusually busy on Saturday afternoon
as the media assembled to witness former manager Sam Allardyce's return to
the East End. However those journalists who were present expecting to report
on 'Big Sam's savaging by ungrateful West Ham supporters' were to be left
disappointed. Not a single boo or jeer - nor any kind of negative chant, for
that matter - was aimed at Slaven Bilic's predecessor as the Hammers secured
three more vital Premier League points against Allardyce's new club,
Sunderland.

Instead, supporters used the occasion to mark their appreciation of Bilic's
regime by chanting HIS name on numerous occasions times during the match - a
gesture that was rarely if ever offered to the abrasive Allardyce.
(Excepting perhaps the 2012 play-off final when fans adapted ad hoc the
chorus of Coldplay's 'Paradise' to 'Alla, Alla, Alladyce'!)

West Ham - who with Bilic's guidance have been transformed into genuine
contenders for a European spot - struggled to get out of second gear against
their relegation-threatened opponents but still managed to grab a win thanks
to Michail Antonio's excellent first half strike, his fifth since joining
West Ham back in September.

And although they were on the backfoot for much of the second period,
Bilic's side did just about enough to keep the Black Cats at bay - although
it should be noted that West Ham also hit the woodwork twice (via Mark Noble
and Andy Carroll efforts) and had a very decent penalty appeal ignored by
referee Mike Dean.

Still, there was something quite ironic about winning this particular
fixture by one goal to nil, with a backs-to-the-wall ending; it could be
said that Bilic simply out-Allardyce'd Sam Allardyce!

The win takes West Ham back above Southampton and Manchester United into
fifth spot in the Premier League. And it's to the latter that the Hammers
will return for a second time this season for the quarter finals of the FA
Cup, the draw for which was made last Sunday following West Ham's 5-1 fifth
round demolition of Blackburn.

Allocated just shy of 10,000 tickets, West Ham sold their entire quota for
next month's tie at Old Trafford within 24 hours. Fans, thousands of whom
were left ticketless and disappointed genuinely believe that Bilic's team
have a genuine chance of reaching the semi finals this year - despite being
granted what would traditionally be perceived as one of the toughest away
draws.

Additionally, West Ham's FA Cup pedigree against the Red Devils is
impressive having beaten them at the fifth round (1986) and semi final
(1964) stages previously. And who can forget Paolo Di Canio scoring a
76th-minute, fourth round winner at Old Trafford in January 2001 as
goalkeeper Fabien Barthez hailed an imaginary taxi?

* An abridged version of this article first appeared in the Echo newspaper.

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Exclusive ExWHUEmployee Column: Ibrahimovic the real deal? Marseille links?
What is wrong with the pitch?
February 28, 2016
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
ExWHUEmployee

So we got the win but it wasn't that pretty. At the end of the day though
for me this was a great sign. We have associated Super Slav with an
attacking style of football that has dominated games and more often than not
gone on to win. I can't remember many matches where we have not really been
the strongest team and yet still won. We were the better team in the first
half but really could have lost it in the second. Other matches where we
haven't been at the races such as Spurs away, Watford away and Newcastle
away we have lost whereas yesterday we showed that we could still win
despite not being on top form.

I said it yesterday that I really believe on current form Antonio should be
in the England squad. I appreciate at times his control lets him down and
he is a little raw but every game he improves and how many goals and assists
does he have now? It seems almost every match, he is involved in something.
What makes his case for selection even stronger is that the likes of
Walcott, Chamberlain, Townsend, Mason, Gibbs and probably Rashford now will
get selected having barely played for their clubs Antonio, as well as
Cresswell and Noble have been contributing consistently to a top six side.
We asked this question to some of the fans at the game in our new fans video
section here: and see what they thought. This is a new feature of ours. We
will run a little competition to promote this. Please subscribe to our
YouTube channel, RT the fan's video and comment underneath with your twitter
name and who Riley's favourite player is to stand a chance to win a West Ham
Way T-shirt modelled in the video by Evan.

I broke the news in my last column that we were looking for a top name
forward that people would say was bul4sh5t if I said who it was. Well in
the week another media outlet broke the story and I can confirm that it was
Ibrahimovic. Of course this was greeted by the usual "rubbish" (polite
version) comments and other sites doing their usual "we can confirm it isn't
true articles" but I heard this news from two good sources. Both of which
confirmed to me the Byram, Obiang, Emineke and Payet deals (to name but a
few) before anyone else. When I heard it from the first source I doubted
him and told him it couldn't be true, which is why I never mentioned it on
my twitter, but then when the second source mentioned the same player I knew
there had to be substance to it. We decided to ask Dave Sullivan the
questioned when we interviewed him on Saturday and his response here:
confirms that it isn't complete rubbish. I don't think he would have
reacted like that had we thrown a ridiculous name at him.

As I tweeted there has only been initial enquiries in to the deal and of
course it still remains unlikely. Some things to be considered here though
are he is a free agent at the end of the season. He has stated he would
like to try the Premier League. We will be able to afford a lot higher
wages next year because of our huge increase in stadium capacity and ticket
sales, our turnover will be greater meaning our FFP budget is therefore
higher. The last thing is that the club plan to land a "marque" signing to
really kick off our new stadium in style and he would fit that bill. Of
course there are concerns with the potential signing, his age being the
obvious one but in his career he has missed far less games than Carroll and
Sakho and is still performing at the top of his game now. My biggest
concern comes over the fact that a Chinese club could now come in and offer
phenomenal wages to tempt him there. Of course I don't think the deal is
very likely but it shows a statement of intend that we enquired.

As I keep saying in my columns our main focus is on Marseille and a number
of their players. We really are prepared to do all we can to land certain
individuals from there and all options are being explored.

As far as Lanzini goes, we have always had the £8m deal agreed with them.
We are currently waiting to see if he proves his fitness and shows that he
isn't injury prone. The club expect to confirm the deal within the next few
weeks as it needs to be done by April for the deal to still be in place.
Many other contracts are at special milestones for a number of players which
could shape their future. I cannot say much more than that but they are
significant.

I have had a number of tweets asking me about the state of the pitch at
Upton Park. The grass, in previous seasons has won many awards for being in
such good condition but it doesn't seem to be quite the same this year and
was picked up on by Sam Allardyce when making his usual excuses about his
team losing. What we have to consider about the pitch is that we started
our season in early July. More than a month earlier than it usually does.
This has two affects: it obviously has less time to be relayed and recovered
from the previous season and has already had more wear and tear at this
stage than last. Already we have played 13 league matches, plus 3 Europa
league matches and two cup ties. As well as first team matches it has been
used for under 21 games, training sessions and friendlies. The pitch has
had far more games on it at this stage of the season than ever before. So
it was in some ways inevitable that this could happen. I say this tongue in
cheek too but the ball has probably been on the ground a lot more this
season than previous seasons aswell.

The youth team have made real progress and reached the final stages of the
youth Premier League. This is down to the great work of Steve Potts and
Mark Philips. The ladies team are due to play a match against Spurs at
Upton Park in the next week so it is an exciting time for many of our teams.


I cannot wait for the Spurs match on Wednesday and it would be so sweet to
beat them now, as it will be our last ever match against them at Upton Park
and a chance to put a dent in their title campaign, which I believe is very
real. Sakho should be on the bench but unfortunately Reid has suffered a
slight set back as he was also due to be on the bench against Sunderland. I
believe we are capable of the win.

Please make sure you check the site as we will be having a number of changes
to it this week and also enter our YouTube competition because the videos
really deserve more views in my biased opinion.
Thanks a lot

COYI

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ALL OUR ATTENTION IS ON THIS SEASON, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE NEXT?
By Benjamin Cronin 29 Feb 2016 at 18:30
WTID

Last week I wrote an article that paid particular attention to how our club
has been run since being overtaken by the two Davids, Sullivan and Gold,
with the help of Karren Brady. The article appeared to get a mixed response
but if I'm being honest, the reaction was a lot more positive than I was
anticipating. It wasn't my intention to say they've done a perfect job and
haven't put a foot wrong because we all know that isn't the case, it was
merely to say that the hard work (and money) they've put in rarely gets
recognised. A brief scan of the thread of comments from that particular
article indicates it is a much debated topic of conversion. As the category
in which it falls is a 'talking point', my aim was not to try and convince
people to feel a different way or to change the opinion they have, it was
simply to put my view across and open up the floor to others to express
theirs.

In case you're wondering if this is the second instalment of a praise laden
piece for our two owners, it isn't. It's a look into how their current
approach (be it right or wrong, depending on which side of the fence you sit
on) to running the football club could impact on what happens in the near
future. Things certainly look promising, I think we can all agree on that.
With an important, albeit not that convincing, win against a returning Sam
Allardyce and his Sunderland side, we've once again given ourselves a bit of
breathing space in 6th position in the Premier League, with our sights
firmly set on Manchester United who are just one point ahead in 5th. As if
the next domestic fixtures weren't of enough importance to concern ourselves
with, we've got a huge FA Cup quarter-final fixture away at Manchester
United sandwiched in between the lot. If we get to the first few weeks of
April without losing, things will certainly be looking a lot better than
anyone could have expected.

Whilst there is a long way to go in this season, the board and the coaching
staff will have already developed their plan of action for our first season
in the Olympic Stadium. What that plan is and how it will turn out, only
time will tell. It will certainly be one that has been meticulously
constructed to the minutest detail, one that will hopefully see the
realisation of the ambitious claim our owners made all those years ago, to
see West Ham United play in the Champions League. It's an outcome that
nowadays doesn't seem all that outlandish, I don't by any means expect it to
happen but it's most definitely a possibility.

Now I may be a bit of an optimist but I'm not naive. A nice, shiny new
stadium with lots of seats doesn't mean you've reached the elite level of
European football, that comes through hard work and more often than not
(Leicester could prove the theory wrong), a decent amount of investment. I'm
sure that our owners, our coaching staff and every single member of our
squad is prepared to put that hard work in, I have faith in Sullivan and
Gold that they'll put more money where their mouth is, but there is still
numerous factors to consider when analysing our chances of making it happen.
Factors that I won't be delving into today but will no doubt look into in
the near future.

There's various reasons as to why we've had such a successful season so far.
The new manager and his style of play is an obvious one. The manner in which
the majority of our new signings (Emenike and Jelavic being the only
exclusions) have excelled in their first season at the club is another. Yes,
some (Payet, Lanzini and Antonio) have had a greater impact than others but
the other new recruits (Moses, Byram, Obiang and Ogbonna) have all made a
positive contribution to the club. Although these new players appear to have
grabbed the headlines, the likes of Cresswell, Noble, Kouyate and Collins
have reached a higher level than previous seasons (something that has most
likely come about thanks to the performances of the aforementioned
acquisitions). The importance of it being our last season at the Boleyn
Ground and the confidence we've exuded from the opening day shouldn't be
overlooked. In essence, everything seems to be going right and we've managed
to take advantage of it.

The rumour mill is starting to churn already and we find ourselves in a
different situation than the one we may be used to. If we'd have been
languishing towards the bottom of the table, those standout players would
already have been linked with a move away from the club. Instead, we're
being linked with bigger names than ever before due to the allure of such a
big stadium and the potential of European football. West Ham is now a club
that is looking ahead and while some of the names and other clubs we're
being mentioned with is something we haven't experienced before, it's
something we've earned.

It's a great situation to be in where it takes a good bit of consideration
to think how or where we should strengthen our squad. Song and Moses are two
loan players that may not become permanent (with the assumption that Lanzini
is a certainty to be tied down to a long-term deal) so our midfield could do
with a few additions. Although Song hasn't had as big an impact as he did
last year, he's still a player with invaluable experience and proven talent,
it might just take some bartering on his wage demands to get him in on a
deal that makes sense for the club. I've also been impressed with the
performances Moses has put in but think we should be setting our sights
slightly higher in terms of quality and potential. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
is a player that falls into that bracket. Granted, his ongoing injury
troubles would be a worry (although this does appear to be a widespread
problem with Arsenal) but for one reason or another he can't cement down a
place in the Arsenal starting XI and may become available in the summer. His
pace and power would be well-suited to our style of play and being only 22
years of age, there may well be a lot more to come from the young
Englishman, providing he's given some decent game time.

Although we haven't struggled for goals during this campaign, one area in
which we've struggled once again is upfront. Injury troubles have once more
limited the impact Sakho and Carroll could have had, with both looking good
when they're actually fully fit. I'd expect one big money move and perhaps
another 'back-up'. The outrageous rumour of Zlatan Ibrahimovic making a
shock move to London has now had some time to settle over the past few days.
As ludicrous as some might believe it to be, I really wouldn't be that
surprised if that type of deal came into fruition. We've been promised a
'marquee' signing and at the age of 34, Ibrahimovic, although a proven goal
scorer, won't be at the top of many elite club's wish lists. An enigma, a
maverick, an entertainer, calm him what you want, he is a talented and
experienced striker that is guaranteed to score goals. With all that said,
he's a player I'd prefer to enjoy watching cause controversy at another
Premier League club. You can't help but laugh at some of the quotes the
Swede has come out with in recent years and as much as I'd love to see some
of his acrobatics, his silky skills and thunderous strikes at the Olympic
Stadium, I feel like he comes with too much baggage and hassle for West Ham.
Perhaps Bilic is the main to tame the beast but I wouldn't be putting money
on it. He might not cost us a penny in terms of a transfer fee as he's
available on a free but what would undoubtedly be £150,000+ per week in
wages just isn't worth it.

In my mind, there are three more solid and more realistic targets that we
could be going for this summer. Saido Berahino has long been after a move
away from West Bromwich Albion but I wouldn't be so quick to slap the
'spoilt brat' label that many have already have on him. At 22, he's still
very young and desperate to progress his career at a team that will play
more attractive football and provide him with more chances than somewhere
like West Brom. He can certainly finish when presented with an opportunity
as well as make his own chances and to me, would be great addition to our
growing English contingent (even though he hails from Burundi). Work would
have to be done on the transfer fee as the £25m+ that has been reported in
the past is a bit too steep, but in today's market, the £15m mark would be a
good piece of business for someone that I'd regard as an upgrade from Diafra
Sakho.

Another option, one that could be considered a bit of a gamble is the option
I'd most like to be made as our 'marquee' signing. Michy Batshuayi, the same
age as Berahino at 22, is a Belgium international striker, currently plying
his trade at Marseille in Ligue 1. Similar in build to his compatriot Romelu
Lakuku, Batshuayi is a powerhouse with plenty of pace and is blessed with
great composure in front of goal. Capable of playing as an 'old school
centre forward', he's also shown ample link-up play ability in the French
top-flight and the prospect of a partnership with Payet and Lanzini is one
I'm quite excited about. With a strike-rate of a goal almost every two games
at Marseille and two goals in as many games for Belgium, Batshuayi certainly
hasn't gone unnoticed. He's been linked with Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea
and at £30 million, would make a considerable dent in our budget for next
season. I'd like to think £20-25 million is more realistic but it would
still be a big gamble to take on such a young player.

The third and perhaps quite controversial option is someone who has had a
torrid time during his first season with Liverpool. Christian Benteke might
be a West Ham favourite already due to his inability to finish numerous
chances against us in both the Premier League and the FA Cup. Those missed
chances could work in our favour once again as Liverpool will now struggle
to recoup anywhere near the £32.5m they paid for him in the summer, should
they chose to let him go. Klopp's style doesn't exactly play to Benteke's
strengths and although he would be expected to bury several of chances he's
missed of late, being low on confidence is an undeniable factor in his
lacklustre performances. He's someone that savvy businessmen (we've got two
of them running the club) might pounce on and get a good deal out of.

So while there's still plenty of football to look forward to, some FA Cup
drama to get excited about and an emotional farewell to say to the Boleyn
Ground before the summer comes around, it's still important to have one eye
on the future. As I've stated previously, I believe the club is in the right
hands from the board down to the manager to help make the next six months,
possibly the most important time in this club's history, to be a success.

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Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino: West Ham game will be 'easier' to
prepare for after Swansea victory
SAM LONG
Evening Standard

Mauricio Pochettino believes Tottenham will find it "easier" to prepare for
Wednesday's game against West Ham after their victory over Swansea City.
Spurs secured their sixth consecutive Premier League victory at the expense
of Francesco Guidolin's side on Sunday but had to come from behind to do so.
Alberto Paloschi fired the visitors into the lead with the game 20 minutes
old and Spurs initially struggled to find a route past Lukasz Fabianski. But
the hosts, buoyed by the White Hart Lane crowd, finally made the
breakthrough when Nacer Chadli poked in from close range. Danny Rose's low
drive completed a dramatic turnaround and Pochettino is adamant his players
will have a positive attitude to their recovery ahead of a midweek trip to
Upton Park as a result of such an euphoric win. "I think it's easier to
prepare for the West Ham game after this victory, said the Argentine coach.
"They [the players] are happy. They smile and there is a better mood to
recovery. "All the players are happy, very pleased with the performance and
satisfied with the effort. But not too much because they know Wednesday is
another big game. "We need to recover as soon as possible to try to arrive
with good energy [on Wednesday]."

Spurs are just two points adrift of leaders Leicester with 11 games left to
play but Pochettino chose to remain tight-lipped on his side's title
challenge. The 43-year-old stressed that his team are focused on the next
game, rather than getting ahead of themselves. "We know we are in a god
position in the table but there is still a long, long way to arrive at the
end of the season. "We showed unbelievable energy [against Swansea] when we
needed to have the capacity to turn the game. The team showed the right
energy. "They know the important things is to keep working. Our objective
is the next game." Spurs dispatched West Ham courtesy of a 4-1 scoreline
when the two sides met at White Hart Lane earlier in the season but Slaven
Bilic's side are unbeaten in 11 league games on home soil.

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Keys points out irony of West Ham win
Posted by Sean Whetstone on February 29, 2016 in News, Whispers
C AND h

Pundit Richard Keys has pointed out the irony of West Ham's win over
Sunderland, suggesting it is was a win Sam Allardyce himself would have been
proud of if he was still in charge of the Hammers.

Keys wrote on his personal blog today "The irony of West Ham's 1-0 win over
Sunderland is that it was a result that Big Sam would've loved had he still
been in charge at Upton Park! It was a performance that had 'Allardyce'
written all over it as well. But credit is due to Slaven Bilic and his team
for what they've achieved so far this season."

Well, we still remember what Mr Keys wrote on his personal blog last June
after Slaven's appointment and I would like to point out the irony of his
comments:

'And West Ham finally have their man. Well, a man. Their 5th choice man,
Slaven Bilic." said Keys last year.

"Why is it they always make such a hash of managerial appointments at Upton
Park? Ms Brady once claimed my criticisms of the mess she made of sacking
Avram Grant and finding a replacement were 'sexist'. No they weren't. They
were honest and correct and I'd have said the same about any man who made
such a hash of that incident."

"Remember? Grant waving 'good-bye' after what he thought was his final game?
West Ham believed they'd got Martin O'Neill lined up to replace him. They'd
also spoken to Graeme Souness and Big Sam to see if either would be
interested in the job. How do I know? They both asked for my thoughts. Both
knew O'Neill was the preferred choice. The problem was that, having said
'yes', after getting advice from a top football official not to take the
job, O'Neill changed his mind at the last minute. It left Ms Brady and West
Ham looking very silly – and Grant returned to the dug out the following
weekend! A mess I would say."

"They're still at it. And what does it say about their belief in Bilic's
ability to do the job that they've insisted he take a deal that pays him
'nothing' IF they go down this year. If they believe in him why are they
even considering that as an option? Why?"

"He says he's aiming for the top four. I wish him well. He's a cunning
operator, as Laurent Blanc will testify. Remember Bilic going down like a
sack of spuds in that WC semi-final and costing Blanc a place in the final?"


"I do actually fear for West Ham. Big Sam did a fantastic job for them. He
delivered on every front they asked and walked with pride. But if next
season starts as this season finished they'll be in big trouble. And maybe
they'll be right about insisting Bilic walk with nothing if they go down.'

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Hammers continue to scout FC Porto star
Posted by Sean Whetstone on February 29, 2016 in News, Whispers
C AAND h

West Ham scouts were back in Portugal at the weekend keeping a keen eye on
FC Porto's star midfielder Ruben Neves. The teenager has been heavily linked
with a Premier League move in the summer, with Liverpool, Arsenal and
Chelsea all wanting to land the Portugal Under-21 star. Neves, who is
represented by super-agent Jorge Mendes, is a deep-lying midfielder who has
attracted praise for his maturity and technique. He became the youngest-ever
player to feature for Portugal's under-21 side and is now playing regular
first-team football at Porto. Neves became the youngest Porto player to
score in the Champions League back in August 2014 and Liverpool and Arsenal
have been scouting the teenage playmaker for over a year now. According to
the media in Portugal, West Ham scouts were present again to watch Neves
during FC Porto's 1-0 Europa League defeat against Borussia Dortmund last
Thursday.

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Noble is top of the pops in passes
Posted by Sean Whetstone on February 29, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

West Ham skipper Mark Noble has recorded the third most successful passes in
the Premier League in 2016 according to Squawka Football.

Cesc Fabregas tops the Premier League this year with 607 passes, followed by
Aaron Ramsey with 471 closely tailed by Mark Noble with 453 completed
passes.

When looking only at English players in the Premier League Noble is way
ahead on his own.

1st M.Noble (453) 2nd E.Dier (371) 3rd A. Surman (357) 4th D. Drinkwater
(347) 5th G. Barry (340)

In total, Noble has made 1,356 passes this season with a pass rate of 86%.
In his 26 appearances this term in a Hammer shirt he has made 49 tackles and
scored three important goals.

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Spurs star likely to miss Hammers game
Posted by Sean Whetstone on February 29, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

Delle Alli is a major doubt to start for Spurs on Wednesday night against
West Ham after suffering a freak incident in the warm-up before Sunday's win
over Swansea. The midfielder played the full 90 minutes after appearing to
suffer an injury while he practised shooting in the warm up to game.

Alli said he kicked the ground when attempting to drill the ball goalwards
and immediately went down, seeming to point to his ankle as he explained the
matter to Spurs medical staff.

Alli appeared uninhibited as he played the whole 90 minutes against Swansea
but the midfielder was seen hobbling heavily as he left White Hart Lane
after the match.

Sources close to Spurs suggest he will not be risked and could well be
rested on Wednesday to be fit for the weekend game against Arsenal.

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This Hammer may get reduced offer
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on February 29, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

Alex Song may need to moderate his wage demands if he is to have a chance
of landing a permanent West Ham United deal at the end of the season. The
midfielder's future has been in the balance since he returned to the club
on loan and there are differing opinions inside the club as to whether he
should be handed a two year contract in the summer. It seemed at one stage
that his chances were ebbing away given his struggle to return to top form
but there is now a view that with an obvious improvement in his game he
could very easily become a valued squad member. However, this is a different
level to that first expected and it is likely the club could offer him
around £45k a week if they choose to put a contract in front of him. A
Hammers source told us exclusively: "Alex may not be back to his best but
he's still a very good player and we want a quality squad as we move
forward. "He still has the chance of earning himself a new deal but it's
likely that the talking will start at lower wage figures than might have
originally been expected."

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The return of the Sakho for Spurs
Posted by Sean Whetstone on February 29, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

West Ham Chairman, David Gold has confirmed Diafra Sakho is expected to make
his long anticipated return on Wednesday evening against Spurs at the Boleyn
Ground. Sakho is expected to be on the bench but could play some part in the
crucial London Derby. Gold tweeted this morning: "I'm very hopeful that
Diafra Sakho will play some part in Wednesday's game. dg" Sakho returned to
training in the last week of December last year but has not been rushed back
into action by the medical staff. The striker has been sidelined since 29th
November last week after injuring himself against West Bromwich Albion.
Sakho has made 13 appearances this season scoring five goals, in total he
has made 35 appearances and scored 13 goals since joining the Hammers in
August 2014 on a 4 year contract.

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Huge Irons double dream looking good
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on February 29, 2016 in News, Whispers
By Scott Alsweiller
C and H

A bumpy win over Sunderland, but we'll take it and move on. Our focus now
must remain on two separate goals. Winning the F.A. Cup (which should
forever remain a relevant and exciting competition), and securing European
football for next season – a huge double dream indeed.

We were helped in the second by Manchester City, and now only need a top six
result to ensure we're in the Europa League. Champion's League may prove a
little too much for us at this point, but it is, at least on paper, an
achievable result. And if we stand even a remote chance of making it – we
should give it everything we have. Imagine next season, as we play in our
new stadium, playing European football as F.A. Cup winners!

The stumbling block to the first goal will be Manchester United (are you
familiar with them? – they're a lesser team who also call themselves
'United'). I watched their game against Arsenal and they actually looked
good. Having said that, I expect them to throw all their eggs into the
League basket and field a lesser team against us when we meet them in the
quarter final.

We need to win this one, at their place. What we don't need is a replay,
even at our own home. Players need resting, and we don't have massive depth
right now as we deal with injuries. We need to win it – and convincingly at
that.

If we win this one the right way we also have a psychological effect on
them, which enhances our odds of a better league finish as well. And of
course, our own lads will grow in confidence even further with a convincing
win at Old Trafford.

Next up is Spurs. And we always want to win that one, especially after the
first League game we played against them this season.

We'll miss Byram but Antonio (both pictured above) has shown himself to be
a jack of all trades, and possibly master of most of them, and can ably fill
in at fullback. With Payet linking up with Lanzini again, I expect we'll see
some real fireworks on Wednesday.

There is nothing preventing is from moving back up a spot in the League (and
at the same time helping Leicester's chances of actually winning it, which
shouldn't displease any of us).

So here's to looking at a solid start to our new home, complete with
European football, and looking towards an F.A. Cup victory to top our last
season in our traditional home. COYI

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The West Ham beauty and the beast!
Posted by Sean Whetstone on February 29, 2016 in News
C and H

Pundit Jamie Redknapp has described Payet giving West Ham's it's beauty and
Michail Antonio as playing the part of the beast. Speaking to the Daily Mail
Redknapp said: "IF PAYET IS WEST HAM'S BEAUTY, THEN ANTONIO IS THE BEAST"
"We've all been so taken by Dimitri Payet's fine performances for West Ham
this season that Michail Antonio has almost gone unnoticed. They couldn't be
more different — they are like beauty and the beast — but Antonio is having
some impact." "He is not easy on the eye but he doesn't half put a shift in.
You only need to look at his goal against Liverpool at the start of
February. He won the ball at one end before running the length of the pitch
to score at the other." "There's no doubt Payet has been the catalyst for
West Ham this season but sometimes you need some power to balance all those
tricks and flicks."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
WEST HAM TARGET SUMMER MOVE FOR SWANSEA STAR
RIFAAT FAKIH rifaatfakih
readwestham.com

West Ham have added Swansea striker Andre Ayew to their summer shortlist.
The 26-year-old is set to leave, as reported by the Daily Star, after almost
departing to Sunderland in the January transfer window. Ayew is not West
Ham's only summer target as the club is also interested in acquiring the
services of Marseille's Michy Batshuayi who's the Hammers' number one
target, as the team look to add signings before moving to the Olympic
Stadium. The Ghana captain seems like the most reasonable signing for West
Ham as he would cost the club about £14m, which seems like a realistic
amount of money. It looks unlikely that the Hammers will go for Batshuayi
who is rated at £30m by Marseille and they're facing tough competition as
the striker also received interest from both Tottenham and Borussia
Dortmund. Ayew has made 26 appearances for Swansea this year, scoring eight
times and assisting once.

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SWEDE SENSATION ? COULD IBRAHIMOVIC BE OUR MARQUEE SIGNING FOR THE OS ?
By HamburgHammer 29 Feb 2016 at 08:00
WTID

The rumour that Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic might be East London
bound might sound like just another product of the Brentwood Gazette Academy
of Fantasy Journalism. All major news outlets though have covered this story
in recent days, from the Sun and Daily Mail over The Express and Metro, but
also the quite renowned German sports weekly Sport Bild.

At this point a rumour is all that it is though and by all accounts West Ham
have merely enquired with the player and his agent at this stage. There are
several significant points to consider when mulling over the plausibility of
the rumour:

1) Ibrahimovic is available on a free transfer from PSG. Which means that
West Ham could be among the suitors for the Swede if they can match his wage
demands. West Ham are rumoured to be willing to offer wages of between 120K
and 200K a week for Ibra, depending on which source you're inclined to
believe. There may be other clubs, bigger clubs, richer clubs out there who
might offer even more than that obviously. But we have something going for
us which not a lot of clubs can offer.

2) We are moving into a new stadium and we are based in London. Make no
mistake, there are not a lot of places out there as attractive for foreign
players to live and settle down in with their family as London. Coupled with
the Olympic Stadium I cannot imagine a single player furrowing his brow at
the thought of playing home matches in that kind of environment, even
knowing it used to be an athletics stadium. Ibrahimovic has also mentioned
he would love to play in England before his career is done.
I'm sure Paris must be a lovely place to live. But I can see London too
being quite appealing for a guy like Ibra.

3) West Ham have promised us a marquee signing when we move into the OS.
Well, they don't come much more marquee than Zlatan Ibrahimovic. His
goalscoring sprees, his tricks, flicks and outright insane skills make him
the kind of player every single manager in the world would drool over having
in his lineup. Factor in the number of potential shirt sales and the sheer
buzz his arrival at West Ham would create (on top of having Bilic, Payet and
Lanzini) and you have a winner.

There is one thing that'd make me feel a bit apprehensive about this. What
we now have at West Ham is this beautiful balance of all players pulling in
the same direction, we currently have a great spirit and chemistry going
between all our players and the manager. Ibrahimovic on the other hand is a
massive superstar with an ego to match and I just have to wonder if he could
slide into our dressing room as seamlessly and effortlessly as Payet has
done. There can be no doubt about his ability as a player, but I'd struggle
to see the benefit of bringing in a player who might act bigger as our club,
our manager and our fanbase at every opportunity. I don't know Ibrahimovic
personally, so I may be a bit harsh here.

But if rumours are to be believed Zlatan can be quite arrogant (a trait
which sometimes seems to come naturally with vastly gifted athletes) and the
anecdotes about him getting into all kinds of kerfuffles and battles with
other players, pundits or journos are legendary. Being asked by a Swedish
reporter after a game about the reason for some scratches on his face he
retorted "Why don't you ask your wife ?".

He's also known to speak of himself in the third person, seeing himself very
much like the king of the castle. In various cases Ibrahimovic has shown a
distinct lack of class and respect towards former or current managers as
well. All of which makes me think twice when it comes to seeing Ibrahimovic
ever pulling on a West Ham shirt.

On the other hand though he still has two or three good seasons in him for
sure. With Ibrahimovic having a Bosnian family background and Bilic being
Croatian maybe there is a similar passion, a bigger understanding of his
personality and history, so one wonders if Bilic and Ibrahimovic actually
might find a similar common ground and potentially form a bond like Bilic
already did with Payet. There are worse things to imagine on a football
pitch next season than Payet and Lanzini pulling the strings just behind
Ibrahimovic scoring goals like clockwork.

West Ham as a club in their history surely had their fair share of
characters on the pitch, the skilled, but complicated ones like DiCanio.
Those courting controversy like Dicks, Hartson or Ince. Divas like Raducioiu
or Futre. Nutters like Repka. So in that respect Ibrahimovic would not be
the first in line and surely not the last. But if the deal were to happen
it'd be without doubt West Ham's most spectacular signing in the modern era
(I know signing Parkes as goalkeeper back then was considered pretty huge
business).
At 34 years old Ibrahimovic is no spring chicken anymore, but as one of the
best strikers of our time (maybe THE best striker right now) he could be the
massive marquee signing we have been promised in our first season in the OS.

To add fuel to the fire, Ibrahimovic in a somewhat secretive quote said at
the beginning of the current season that his next club would be "a big big
surprise". Which would indicate that he already knew fairly early where he
would be going. And also that the club in question might not be one of the
obvious and usual suspects. This would rule out the Manchester Uniteds, the
Chelseas, the Barcelonas and the Real Madrids of this world. I also wouldn't
expect Ibrahimovic to be China bound, even if they may easily offer the best
pay package. I'm not sure money is the main or only potential deal clincher
for someone like Ibrahimovic. I've heard that one or two West Ham club
sources have already dismissed the rumours as nonsense, but they would do
that at this stage, wouldn't they ?

First, we don't want to upset or distract our team at this point in time
while things in the league and the FA Cup are still ticking along nicely.
Plus, if Ibrahimovic indeed is supposed to become our marquee signing for
the OS you would expect the club to make an announcement if and when they
are ready, not a day earlier.
Again, at this moment in time this is nothing more than a rumour.

But I wonder if our fans would be happy with this kind of signing if it were
to happen. I reckon the thought of Ibrahimovic in a West Ham shirt at the
very least is slavitating.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham's Slaven Bilic dreams of Europe after sinking Sam Allardyce's
Sunderland
'All we are trying to do is win as many games as possible,' says the
Croatian
Telegraph.co.uk
By Gerry Cox, Upton Park10:33PM GMT 28 Feb 2016

"See you next season?" said Sam Allardyce to his successor Slaven Bilic as
he dashed away from West Ham. "I hope so," replied Bilic to some laughter
and some concerned looks. The greeting was fleeting, the sentiment genuine.
For all the difference in the playing styles the two have imposed at Upton
Park, and the subsequent responses from supporters, there is a mutual
respect between the managers but also a real question over which leagues
they will be playing in next season. Allardyce was brought in to replace
Dick Advocaat at Sunderland with a remit to maintain their place in the
Premier League, but it will be touch and go, after another missed
opportunity to climb out of the relegation zone. For West Ham, the questions
are more intriguing. Michail Antonio's goal, his fifth of the season, took
them above the 40-point mark that is usually seen as the safety barrier, and
they are now within four points of fourth-placed Manchester City. Europa
League football should be guaranteed, but now the Hammers can dream of
moving into the Olympic Stadium in the summer with the prospect of Champions
League football. Not that Bilic wants to commit himself on whether it is a
realistic prospect or not. "If I say no, we don't have a chance people will
say I don't believe in my team. If I say yes, people will say I have become
big-headed. So I'll leave it to you to make a calculation.

"All we are trying to do is win as many games as possible, and secondly win
them by playing a nice kind of football, the sort that is entertaining for
the fans. If we improve the way we are doing it, that should get us high,
but where I don't know. There is a long way to go, but at least we are safe,
and for every club apart from the big ones, that is always the priority."
But Bilic is keen to stress how ambitious he is, citing the away victory at
Liverpool early this season, which came after a rare win at Arsenal and two
home defeats by Leicester and Bournemouth. "Before the game, at the airport,
my assistant said to me a point would be good, but I said 'No, thank you.
Why not go for all three? We have a good team." West Ham's success has been
built on those striking away victories at Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester
City, but also a solid home record, having been unbeaten since those defeats
in August. Tottenham are the visitors on Wednesday, but if the Hammers play
as they did against Sunderland, and get the same breaks, they can extend
their unbeaten run. Even with playmaker Dmitri Payet having an
uncharacteristically quiet day in midfield, Bilic's men came through,
although Sunderland's demise had as much to do with their own profligacy in
front of goal.

Jermain Defoe missed a couple of good chances to silence those former fans
who have never forgiven him for leaving Upton Park a decade ago, Jack
Rodwell was denied by the referee's whistle and then a superb interception
by Sam Byram, and in the closing minutes Wahbi Khazri made a fool of himself
by failing with an attempted 'Rabona' when he could have set up a
goalscoring chance. "I can't comment on that because I might say something I
will regret," growled Allardyce. "You always want to get a result when you
go back to your old club. The players know that. They also know they are the
reason we are in this position, and we have to get out of it."

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Emenike rejects Eagles return
Posted By: Samson Otion: February 29, 2016In: SportsNo Comments Print Email
thenationalonlineeng.net

West Ham FC of England's darting striker, Emmanuel Emenike has ruled out the
possibility of returning to the Super Eagles, following the exit of the
team's former chief coach, Sunday Oliseh.
Emenike revealed to Sportinglife on Sunday night that he did not quit the
Eagles because of any form of rift with the team's former coach stressing:
"I'm done with the Super Eagles, and I am making it clear again that I am
not going back." According to Emenike: "It's my decision and I am not going
to reverse it, I am sorry if I have offended anybody regarding this but no
Eagles return for me. Like I said, I didn't quit because of anybody, it was
a personal decision. Oliseh didn't force me out of the Super Eagles as it
was reported, I dont need anybody to speak with me before I take a decision.
It was my decision and I won't reverse it. "I don't have grudges with
anybody but I want to focus on my career and play better for my team. Right
now, I'm happy because I am playing my game and everything is working
perfect. I can always wish Super Eagles well because I have been a fan for a
long time.

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