Daily WHUFC News - 21st April 2016

West Ham United 3-1 Watford
WHUFC.com

Mark Noble netted a brace and Andy Carroll continued his impressive
goalscoring run as West Ham set a new top-flight club record of going 15
Premier League games unbeaten at the Boleyn Ground with a 3-1 win over
Watford. The Hammers have made Upton Park a fortress this season and have
not been beaten at home since the defeat against Bournemouth back in August.
The victory also ensured Slaven Bilic's side have now gone nine league
matches without defeat for the first time since an 18-match run back in
1985. It was another night for Noble to remember under the lights as he
scored two penalties and continued his formidable record of 25 goals from
his last 28 spot kicks. Carroll also continued his impressive recent run in
front of goal making it six goals from his last six games. Watford defender
Sebastian Prodl pulled back a consolation goal for the away side, while
Adrian saved a late penalty and Nordin Amrabat was sent off in stoppage
time. After four league draws, the Hammers enjoyed a memorable victory and
the three points keeps alive the Club's hopes of securing a European spot.

The home side got off to the perfect start when they opened the scoring on
ten minutes. Dimitri Payet played the perfect cross in for Carroll who
volleyed the ball past Watford keeper Heurelho Gomes to make it six in six.
Carroll has certainly returned to the first-team with a point to prove and
if he carries on this impressive goalscoring record, he will give himself
every chance of making the England squad for the Euro Finals during the
summer. The goal was the catalyst for the home side to dominate the first
half proceedings and they came close to adding a second on 15 minutes when
Payet turned provider once again, weaving his way into the box and the ball
fell to Diafra Sakho who saw his close-range shot well kept out by Gomes.

The home side were awarded a free-kick just outside the box on 22 minutes
which meant only thing as Payet prepared to take aim. The Frenchman tried
something different on this occasion with a low shot past the wall but Gomes
made a comfortable save. The Hammers continued to dominate and could have
doubled their lead on the half hour mark following a great move which saw
Lanzini burst clear towards the Watford box. The Argentine midfielder laid
the ball into Payet who fired a shot inches over the bar. Payet came close
again on 36 minutes after he produced a great piece of skill to take the
ball down first time following a great cross-field ball from Carroll and
curled a shot which flew just wide of the post.

The home fans paid tribute to Dylan Tombides with a minute's applause on 38
minutes after the youngster sadly passed away two years ago this week. And
the tribute seemed to inspire the home side as they managed to double their
lead on the stroke of half-time after Jose Holebas climbed over Cheikohou
Kouyate and brought him down inside the area. Referee Mike Dean had no
hesitation in pointing to the spot and Noble made no mistake striking the
spot kick into the bottom corner. The Hammers should have added a third just
seconds later after Sakho broke clear and played the ball into Manuel
Lanzini who had the goal at his mercy but he struck his shot wide of the
goal.

The home fans didn't have to wait too much longer before seeing a third
goal. Michail Antonio was brought down by Almen Abdi on 52 minutes and Dean
once again pointed to the spot. Noble added his second of the game when he
slammed the ball straight down the middle and raced towards to the corner
flag to celebrate with the home fans. Watford refused to lie down and pulled
a goal back on 63 minutes when substitute Steven Berghuis' free-kick picked
out Prodl who fired an unstoppable shot past Adrian into the roof of the
net. The Hammers had chances to make it four with the best opportunity
coming on 83 minutes when Victor Moses was through on goal but saw his low
show well saved by Gomes. Adrian showed his quality once again in injury
time when he made a superb save to deny Troy Deeney from the penalty spot
after Angelo Ogbonna brought down Prodl inside the box.

Watford's misery was compounded when Amrabat was shown his second yellow
card of the game for a foul on Winston Reid.

West Ham: Adrian, Antonio, Reid, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Noble (C), Kouyate,
Lanzini, Payet (Collins 90), Sakho (Moses 78), Carroll (Emenike 86)
Subs not used: Randolph, Byram, Tomkins, Obiang
Bookings:

Watford: Gomes (C), Paredes, Prödl, Cathcart, Holebas, Suarez, Behrami;
Guedioura (Anya 56), Jurado (Berghuis 56), Abdi (Deeney 75), Amrabat
Subs not used: Pantilimon, Nyom, Britos, Watson
Bookings: Prodl, Amrabat
Red Card: Amrabat

Referee: Mike Dean
Attendance: 34,857

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Farewell Boleyn - From the Newsroom
WHUFC.com

David Croft is the well known voice on Sky Sports covering Formula One and
is a lifelong West Ham supporter. Crofty has a number of magical memories
from his time at the Boleyn Ground and will be full of emotions as the club
prepares to play their final ever game against Manchester United.
I started coming to the Boleyn Ground on a regular basis during the
mid-eighties and the only reason that started was a man who lived down my
street was a season ticket holder and he offered to take me. I was 15 at the
time and I made a habit of coming with this neighbour called Gerry and we
stood together on the North Bank and then graduated to the South Bank where
all the singing took place and it was a lot of fun. You had a feeling that
you belonged with the claret and blue army and it was magnificent. I
remember Frank McAvennie as he trotted out with that grin on his face as he
always did and Tony Cottee alongside him. I was captivated by heroes who
were there in front of me. I can't remember all the games but the ones that
do stand out are the League Cup win over Liverpool with Galey's free-kick
and Paul Ince scoring twice. I also had the pleasure of seeing one of the
greatest own goals the Boleyn Ground has ever seen with Steve Staunton
completely unmarked and he planted this header into the bottom corner and it
rivalled Iain Dowie's header at Stockport. Everything came together for the
team that night and we beat the mighty Liverpool 4-1. It was a memorable
night.

As West Ham fans we don't always win the war but we win the battle. There is
no better ground under the lights than the Boleyn Ground. Another memorable
game was against Wimbledon when about nine minutes from time Martin Allen
scored and I can still hear the sound of the ball hitting his boot to this
day because you are right on top of everything. The Spurs game this season
was another great evening and the atmosphere was electric. We are never
going to re-create the days when we used to sign songs for an hour and half
before kick-off on the North and South Banks but we get pretty close at
times. I will always remember the game against Wolves, a few days after the
legendary Bobby Moore passed away and seeing grown men with tears in their
eyes. We went out and gave a performance worthy of Bobby that day. We have
had some great players over the years and I was lucky enough to see Liam
Brady play at the end of his career and then Paolo Di Canio with his wonder
goal against Wimbledon.

Not all of our great goals have been captured on television but they stay in
our minds. Every time I have been back with my boys this season I have told
them to make the most of it because we will not be coming back here much
longer. I have spent 30 years of my life coming to the Boleyn Ground and I
know for a number of fans it has been a lot longer and we are going to miss
this place. I am gutted that I will not be around for the final game against
Manchester United as I will be covering the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona
but I will be at the Swansea game and will probably stay in my seat after
the whistle has been blown and try and stay there for as long as possible!!
When everything is going well under the lights there is no better place to
be than the Boleyn Ground and I will always cherish the great memories.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham United 3-1 Watford: Two Mark Noble penalties help Hammers to win
By Patrick Surlis
Last Updated: 20/04/16 10:09pm
SSN

Mark Noble struck twice from the penalty spot as West Ham beat Watford 3-1
at Upton Park to keep alive their faint hopes of a top-four place.

Andy Carroll gave the hosts the lead after 11 minutes on Wednesday night,
and Noble added West Ham's second with the first of three penalties on the
night after Cheikhou Kouyate was fouled by Jose Holebas.

Almen Abdi's shirt-pull on Michail Antonio gave Noble another chance eight
minutes after the break, and the Hammers midfielder coolly slotted home from
12 yards.

Watford were handed a lifeline when Sebastian Prodl slammed in a half-volley
after 64 minutes, but substitute Troy Deeney saw his late penalty saved by
Adrian before Nordin Amrabat was sent off for his second yellow card in the
dying seconds.

Manchester United's win over Crystal Palace means West Ham remain sixth,
three points off fifth and a further point behind fourth-placed Arsenal, who
face West Brom live on Sky Sports on Thursday.


Watford, with an FA Cup semi-final on Sunday, made seven changes but it was
Carroll, one of three West Ham alterations from their 2-2 draw at Leicester,
who opened the scoring.

It took just 11 minutes as the Hammers striker guided home Dimitri Payet's
cross for his sixth goal in as many games in the month of April.

Falling behind brought Watford to life, but with Odion Ighalo left out of
the squad and Deeney on the bench, they lacked a focal point to finish their
promising attacks, and West Ham made them pay just before half-time.

Holebas was the villain for the visitors, climbing over the back of Kouyate,
and referee Mike Dean had no hesitation in pointing the spot.

Noble still had plenty to do up against Heurelho Gomes, saver of two Saido
Berahino penalties at the weekend, but the midfielder sent the goalkeeper
the wrong way.

It could have got even better for the home side in first-half stoppage time,
but Manuel Lanzini miscued wide when it looked easier to score.

Abdi spared his blushes shortly after the restart, turning Jose Manuel
Jurado's cross over the bar and leaving manager Flores with his head in his
hands on the sideline.

The Hornets midfielder capped a nightmare few minutes when he then conceded
the second penalty of the evening for a pull on Antonio, duly dispatched by
a grateful Noble.

But barely 10 minutes later Watford threatened to make a game of it as Prodl
expertly fired home Steven Berghuis' free-kick.

The goal prompted Flores to introduce Ikechi Anya and Deeney, and the pair
made a difference as Anya twice stretched the West Ham defence.

The hosts had chances to wrap up the points too, as Victor Moses and Lanzini
both squandered clear-cut opportunities, but an Angelo Ogbonna shirt-pull on
Prodl gave Deeney the chance from the spot to set up a frantic finish.

The Hornets striker could not take it, though, as his poorly-struck
spot-kick was kept out by Adrian.

Things got worse for the visitors in the closing stages when Amrabat, booked
for a late challenge on Kouyate midway through the second half, saw red for
a similarly mistimed lunge on Winston Reid deep into stoppage time.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham 3-1 Watford: Hammers sweep past Hornets through two Mark Noble
penalties - 5 things we learned
21:40, 20 APR 2016 UPDATED 21:45, 20 APR 2016
BY ADRIAN KAJUMBA
The Hammers are keeping pressure on the top four teams with another win, as
the long Upton Park farewell continues to deliver good memories
TheMirror

Mark Noble showed Saido Berahino how it is done to inspire West Ham to a
comfortable victory over Watford . Four days after West Brom striker
Berahino had two penalties saved by Heurelho Gomes, West Ham skipper Noble
beat the Brazilian twice from 12 yards to help the Hammers to a 3-1 win.
Andy Carroll got West Ham off to a flier when he volleyed in Dimitri Payet's
cross in the 11th minute. Noble scored his first spot-kick on the stroke of
half-time after Cheikhou Kouyate was bundled over by Jose Holebas. Michail
Antonio was then tripped in the box by Almen Abdi in the 53rd minute and
Noble dispatched his second penalty of the night. Sebastican Prodl pulled a
64th minute consolation back for Watford from Holebas' free-kick andn Troy
Deeney missed a chance to further cut the deficit when his injury time
penalty was saved by Adrian.

Here are five things we learned:

1) Whisper it quietly, but top-four still a possibility...
They are relying on others dropping points but West Ham's Champions League
dreams are still alive. Victory kept them sixth but lifted them to within
four points of fourth placed Arsenal.

2) Watford's eyes on the FA Cup
Watford's stars should be fit and firing for Sunday's FA Cup semi-final.
Quique Sanchez Flores promised to rest his main men with the Crystal Palace
clash and was true to his word, making seven changes.

3) Michail Antonio shows he can play further back
Antonio has been an impressive performer as a winger but Slaven Bilic
fancies him as a right-back, even ahead of the fit-again Sam Byram.
He showed impressive defensive instincts against Watford and used his pace
to raid forward regularly, winning the penalty that led to West Ham's third
goal.

4) Bilic and Sakho patch things up
All is forgiven between Slaven Bilic and Diafra Sakho. After he pulled out
of the recent draw with Arsenal claiming he was injured the Senegal striker
was back in the West Ham starting line up. And the West Ham fans have
forgiven him too and gave him a standing ovation when he went off in the
second half.

5) Andy Carroll back on song
You can never talk too soon when it comes to Andy Carroll but Slaven Bilic
seems to be managing his fitness and workload. Having looked knackered
towards the end of the 3-3 draw against Arsenal, Carroll looked much
stronger in the closing stages against Watford and that was after putting in
a shift in which he contributed all over the pitch. He looked to have
benefited from the first-half rest he got against Leicester on Sunday.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham's Slaven Bilic eager to get more penalties — because he's not
Mahatma Gandhi!
22:30, 19 APR 2016
BY NEIL MCLEMAN
The Hammers had their first spot-kick in an away game for FOUR years on
Sunday and their manager isn't too holy to wish they won a few others
The Mirror

Slaven Bilic wants his West Ham side to win more penalties – because he is
not like statesman Mahatma Gandhi. The Hammers were given their first
spot-kick away from Upton Park in more than FOUR years on Sunday. But
opponents Leicester denied them three points after their 11th such award of
this season alone. Manager Bilic insisted the West Ham way is not to dive
for penalties. "When your player comes into the box, you want him to assist
or to have a strike on goal," he said. "His first idea shouldn't be to watch
for a contact and all that." But Bilic added before Wednesday's trip to
Watford: "I'm not Mahatma Gandhi! I'm not going to lie. I would like us to
get a penalty. "We, as a club, don't want to get that label, but
occasionally I wouldn't mind it. But I'm proud that we're not that kind of
club. "Even if it was only one example that they were labelling us – the
dive with Dimitri Payet [in the FA Cup game at Manchester United] – that was
a touch. [And] Sometimes when you feel a touch you go down, which is
different for me than diving. So that wasn't a dive."

Bilic was involved in an infamous penalty-box tussle in the 1998 World Cup
semi-final when he collapsed and got France's Laurent Blanc sent off and
suspended for the final. "I'm not proud of that, but I tried to explain it
then and I have the same story now," said the former defender.
"I didn't want him to get him sent off – I wanted to protect myself there. I
didn't want my second yellow and I don't play in the final if we go to the
final. Maybe I should think more about Laurent Blanc, but I was thinking
more about myself."

The FA have written to Bilic and Hammers striker Andy Carroll for their
comments about post-match interviews they gave at the King Power Stadium.
England international Carroll claimed that referee Jon Moss had tried to
"even things up" by awarding the late penalty which allowed leaders
Leicester to snatch a 2-2 draw. But Bilic said: "It's what players and
managers say after a game."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Job done as AC and Nobes keep cool
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on April 20, 2016 in Fans Forum, News, Whispers
C and H
Irons 3 Watford 1

Andy Carroll made it six goals from six games…Mark Noble was super cool from
the spot twice…and Adrian saved a spot kick at the end.

On the face of it that would all seem pretty exciting yet the victory over
Watford was really no more than satisfactory in a match that was never
destined to hit the heights.

The Hammers grabbed the opener via a close range left foot volley from AC
after a delightful chip in – inevitably – from Dimi Payet.

Noble scored from the spot after Holivas had climbed all over Cheik Kouyate
at the end of the first half and added another when Antonio was brought down
in the second.

But Watford defender defender Prodl thumped home a decent drive to reduce
the arrears before Adrian pushed away a poorly taken spot kick in injury
time after Ogbonna had dragged down his man in the box.

By and large the Irons were always the better team and deserved their
victory but both Lanzini and Payet were guilty of several squandered
chances.

Diafra Sakho made his return and was always busy front and back, his
movement creating the sort of openings we haven't seen for several games.

Whilst the team were never at their best, the desire and urgency to get a
result couldn't be faulted as they continue to eye a return to Europe.

And with Manchester United beating Palace and Liverpool winning 4-0 against
Everton, all that mattered was the three points and at the end of it all we
could justifiably claim with some relief, if not excitement – job done.

Andy Carroll summed it up at the end when he said that the team knew there
would be changes from Sunday and declared: "The tactics were go out there
and get at them and that's exactly what we did. I felt we were in control
from the beginning. It was positive for us all around."

It was indeed but there's still so much to play for – we move on to West
Brom with the pressure remaining very much on for yet another win.


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

http://vyperz.blogspot.com