Daily WHUFC News - 9th September 2016

Nobes - We've done good business
WHUFC.com

West Ham captain Mark Noble is pleased with the Club's summer transfer
window deals
The Hammers signed Simone Zaza and Alvaro Arbeloa in the last days of August
Noble also revealed he thinks Saturday's match against Watford will be a
tougher test than last

Hammers skipper Mark Noble believes the Club's business in the transfer
window will stand them in good stead for the rest of the campaign. West Ham
completed the additions of Simone Zaza and Alvaro Arbeloa in the final few
days of the window, adding the pair to their impressive haul which includes
the likes of Sofiane Feghouli, Havard Nordtveit and Andre Ayew.
And ahead of his side's Premier League clash against Watford at London
Stadium on Saturday, Club Captain Noble is confident the new acquisitions
can help Slaven Bilic's team win three points. He said: "Adding Simone Zaza
to the squad as well as our other signings was great business by the Club
though sometimes you only know how good your signings are going to be by
playing games and putting points on the board. "Alvaro Arbeloa is a great
signing for us as well and he trains like he would have done when he was 21,
I've noticed that in the last couple of days. "You don't play for Real
Madrid for that long if you don't for one have quality or if you don't have
a good attitude. He's going to be a great acquisition to the team.
"We have Dimi [Payet] coming back from France, Manu [Lanzini] is back to
full fitness, and Feghouli is back in full training and this squad looks a
lot stronger so we're looking forward to the game on Saturday."

Last season against the Hornets, Noble bagged two penalties against Quique
Sanchez Flores' side in a 3-1 home victory at the Boleyn Ground. Since, the
Hertfordshire outfit have changed their manager with many new signings
following him through the Vicarge Road revolving door, and the Hammers'
longest serving player believes it will this season be a much tougher test.
"It was good to score two against them at home last year but it will be a
bit different this time around because back then they were resting some
players for their FA Cup semi-final.
"This year it will be tougher, but we need to win our home games. We have
more players coming back fit and we will be ready to go on Saturday to try
and get three points. "We're in the same points position as we were last
season having lost to Leicester and Bournemouth at home and beaten Arsenal
away, so we're at the same level. "We're still very positive and looking
forward to the rest of the season."

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Slaven Speaks - Watford
WHUFC.com

Slaven Bilic faced the media ahead of the Premier League game against
Watford on Saturday. The Hammers boss was asked about the fitness of Dimitri
Payet and Manuel Lanzini, Michail Antonio's call-up to the England squad and
the tough task that Watford will pose for his side at London Stadium....

Slaven, can you provide the latest team-news and give us updates on how
Dimitri Payet and Manuel Lanzini are doing ahead of the Watford game?

SB: "After the international break we will have training with the full squad
for the first time as they are all back now. The rest of the guys who have
not been involved in international duty have been training for the last
couple of weeks and we have to wait for today's training, but we should have
some of the injured players back. "Manuel Lanzini is back and came on
against Manchester City. He is fully fit and all the players who came back
from their countries have not reported any injuries. A few of them should be
involved in the game against Watford."

Dimitri Payet appeared as a second half substitute for France on Tuesday
night. Will he be in a position to start the game on Saturday?

SB: "I have just seen him before the press conference. He has not played for
us since the opening game against Chelsea but he played 45 minutes for
France in a friendly against Italy and then came on against Belarus. "We
will see how he is but he will definitely be in the squad. I am expecting
him to be fit and ready and he will start the game."

How much have you missed him?

SB: "Of course we have missed him. It is the same for any club who are
without their key players. France missed him and I watched the game. France
were a better team when he came on with his quality from open play and
delivery from set-pieces."

What have you made of Watford this season and how do you see this game
going?

SB: "They are a good team. Last year they did really well and were very
active in the transfer market last summer after their promotion. "They
bought a lot of experienced international players from Europe and now they
have changed the manager. "They were very active again and if you look at
their roster, they have 18 players who are very familiar to football fans
across the world. They have a good team with energy, pace and stamina. "They
are a very good team. I watched them even more over the international break
and saw their three games and one in the cup. They had a tough schedule
against Chelsea and Arsenal. "We are expecting a tough game."

How much will it help Michail Antonio's confidence that he has been called
up to the England squad?

SB: ""It will help Michail to be part of the England squad. He was confident
before that. He doesn't need to change the way he plays or the way he
trains. We have to help him with that.
"That will give him even more confidence. I spoke with him and said that he
should not forget the way of playing that gave him the opportunity to get
into the England squad."

There is another big event in London on Saturday night with a big boxing
match involving Kell Brook and Gennady Golovkin. Golovkin came to West Ham
in January and declared himself a Hammer. Will you be cheering him on at the
O2 Arena?

SB: "I remember he came to the Manchester City game and we chatted for a few
minutes. He declared himself as a big Hammer. "We wish him luck."

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Opposition View - Watford
WHUFC.com

Premier League Productions presenter Kelly Somers lifts the lid on today's
opponents Watford...

We're only three league games into the season, how have the Hornets started
life under Walter Mazzarri?

"As with every start to a new season for Watford, it's never easy to know
what to expect! Again this summer there has been lots of change with a new
manager and new faces. That said, keeping Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo was
huge and means that the side are still spearheaded by the duo who tore apart
so many defences. "So far there have been some really encouraging signs –
the first 60 minutes against Chelsea and the second half against Arsenal
were really promising. However these have yet to translate into a complete
90-minute performance worthy of three points."

How do you expect the Hornets to approach today's game – go for the win or
settle for a point?

"When you have Ighalo and Deeney up front, Watford can always be confident
they can win – whoever it's against. "Away from home, maybe a point would be
considered a good result but they defied the critics last year and have
aspirations to better last season. I expect them to be well organised as all
Mazarri teams are, but with their attacking options, they will definitely be
confident that they can return to Hertfordshire with a win."

Watford were one of the busiest clubs in the transfer window, who are the
standout signings?

"Roberto Pereyra, definitely. The Hornets fought off interest from a lot of
clubs and he's the exciting attacking midfielder they've been crying out
for. He made his debut against Arsenal, scored and definitely showed
supporters he's worth the wait. "Goals from midfield were something they
struggled for last year, with perhaps too much reliance on Deeney and
Ighalo. I have already mentioned that keeping the two strikers was key, so
I'd say their signatures were as key as any new signings, too."

Obviously Watford's first-ever visit to London Stadium, do you think that's
a daunting task or a motivating factor?

"It's a funny one. I've been to London Stadium twice this season and it's a
spectacular venue. It feels a little like Wembley, so visiting players could
rise to the occasion – though Watford's two visits to the new Wembley could
suggest otherwise! The West Ham fans have generated good atmospheres in the
games I have been to – but away from home the Watford fans are raucous, and
that will definitely spur the Hornets on."

What would represent a good season for Watford?

"The staff and players have come out and openly said they would like to
improve on last season's 13th-placed finish, but given the strength of the
league this season, I would think anything above 15th would be an incredible
achievement. According to a recent interview with Ighalo, the Pozzos are
targeting the Europa League in the next few years – so you never know!"

What is your prediction for today's score?

"It will be an interesting one as West Ham will have a number of players
back from injury – Dimitri Payet being one, and as we all know, he makes
them an entirely different prospect. That, coupled with their new signings
mean I think they will be stronger than they have been. But, if I've learned
one thing – it's never to write Watford off! I'll go for a draw!"

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From the Boardroom - David Gold
WHUFC.com

A hole-in-one, turning 80 on Friday and hopefully three points against
Watford – this could turn out to be the dream week! I have been playing golf
for nearly 25 years but like any golfer will tell you, there is no greater
feeling than hitting a hole-in-one and I managed to do that. It helped me
that I was striking the ball slightly downhill, but I managed to hit the
sweetest drive I could ever remember and it felt fantastic. I missed the
rough by two feet and because it was elevated I had a great view of seeing
the ball and I was urging it to get onto the green. It then hit the pin and
went in. Cue the big celebrations! I went down and kissed my ball and the
West Ham flag that it dropped into! It was the perfect present ahead of my
80th birthday on Friday and I would like to thank all the fans for their
continued support. I feel good at the moment and it is an amazing feeling to
be Joint-Chairman of my boyhood Club. When you turn 80 you can look back and
remember a lot of things and I have certainly experienced the highs and
lows. But I am now at the Club that I supported as a young boy and grew up
just over the road to the Boleyn Ground. It is wonderful that we have made
this amazing move into the new Stadium and we are one of the big forces in
the Premier League. It is a dream come true! I will celebrate my birthday
having dinner with my family and preparing for the big game on Saturday. The
ideal present would be if we could come away with all three points!

I know people look at the stats and say we have lost two out of the opening
three games, but you have to remember that both Chelsea and Manchester City
will have a major say in who is going to win the title this season. Add to
that the fact we were missing a host of key players through injury so we
should not be too despondent over the defeats. However, we have to show our
intent at home and get straight back on the winning trail against Watford
and show we are a serious side. A number of our injured players will be
available for selection on Saturday and we will have real quality on the
substitutes bench as well. It gives Slaven plenty of options. We are
delighted to have Dimitri Payet back in action and there is no question he
is the talisman. The fans adore him and the players want him in the side. I
saw an interview that Manuel Lanzini did on the West Ham website saying that
he improves when Dimi is playing alongside him and that shows you the
influence that he has. It promises to be an exciting afternoon as we should
also see Simone Zaza make his debut following his big move from Juventus. He
is fit and raring to go. He is a big player and has achieved a lot during
his career. I am sure it will be a big day for him making his Premier League
debut, but I am confident that he will show his quality. We also have
players like Adrian and Michail Antonio who have returned to the Club full
of confidence following their call-ups to the Spain and England squads. We
will of course be the favourites to win the game on Saturday and we need to
come away with all three points. If we can do that we will have six points
after four games, which is one and a half points a game and exactly what we
should be looking for if we are going to have another successful season.

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Notice to Season Ticket Holders
WHUFC.com


Following feedback from our Founders regarding Season Ticket access cards
and ease of gaining entry to London Stadium on matchdays, the Club have
taken immediate action to further improve and secure the efficiency and
safety of stadium entry for all supporters.

Supporters sitting in Blocks 110-114 and 210-217 should now access the
Stadium via Turnstile C, while supporters sitting in Blocks 102–106 and
201-206 should access the Stadium via Turnstile A. This is designed to ease
any overcrowding outside the west entrance to the Stadium.

Following previous changes implemented for the Astra Giurgiu game, all new
access cards for supporters sitting in Blocks 215-217 and 221-228 have now
been sent out. If you haven't received yours already, it should be with you
by Friday at the latest.

In the event you do not receive your new access card in time for this
weekend's Watford fixture, please be advised to visit the South Stand Ticket
Office on matchday to collect a duplicate paper ticket – as your new access
card is in the post and will be arriving shortly. With all paper ticket
collections, you will be required to bring a photo ID for proof of
identification. We recommend you visit the Ticket Office two hours before
kick-off. The South Stand Ticket Office will be open from 9am on the day.

As a reminder, supporters sitting in Blocks 216-217 should access the
Stadium via Turnstile C only, whilst supporters sitting in Blocks 221-228
and 124-127 can gain entry only via Turnstile E.

West Ham remain committed to delivering the best possible matchday
experience for every fan at the Club's new home, and we welcome all feedback
from our Founders via the dedicated email address set up at
foundersfeedback@westhamunited.co.uk.

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Oxford and Quina ready to impress
WHUFC.com

West Ham United PL2 are preparing to take on Wolves at home on Friday night
Reece Oxford and Domingos Quina could star for the youngsters, says boss
Terry Westley
Season ticket holders can gain free entry to the match at Dagenham &
Redbridge's Chigwell Construction Stadium

West Ham United PL2 take on Wolverhampton Wanderers in their fourth league
fixture of the campaign on Friday and prior to the clash, boss Terry Westley
picked out a couple of stars who could shine on the night.

In the Chigwell Construction Stadium fixture, the Hammers will be looking to
rediscover their fine form which yielded two consecutive victories as the
season began, after defeat to Coventry City in the Checkatrade Trophy last
time out.

One player who could impress on Friday is Domingos Quina, who signed for the
Club during the summer transfer window.

As an U17 UEFA European Championship winner with Portugal, Quina is a hot
prospect within the Hammers' ranks.

The former Benfica man is still only 16, but regularly trains with Slaven
Bilic's first team as well as the Academy of Football's promising PL2 squad.

In the Azerbaijan U17 Championship in May, Quina featured in all six of his
country's matches, scoring in the group stage victory over Scotland and
playing 79 minutes of the final win against Spain.

Of the young attacking midfielder, Westley said: "Domingos is a really
talented footballer and a vibrant character. He's only been with us a short
period of time but has stamped his class on the group and amongst the first
team group as well.

"He's already played with the first team against Juventus and in the Europa
League; it's now whether he can establish himself in maybe the League Cup or
maybe the Premier League.

"Hopefully, he'll be able to sustain that with the PL2 squad all year."

Another key player for the U23 side, already known to everyone connected
with the Club, is defender Reece Oxford.

The 17-year-old broke into the Hammers' first team last season, impressing
on his Premier League debut at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, and made twelve
appearances in total throughout the campaign.

Instrumental for last term's Development Squad, Oxford skippered Westley's
men to success in the U21 Premier League Cup and will hope to have the same
influence on this side this season.

Westley explained why he believes Oxford has all the attributes to become a
top player at the Club.

"Reece has not gone out on loan this season and is one of four centre-backs
at the Club available for the first team," he said.

"If there is a mishap in form or an injury problem in the centre of defence
in the first team, I'm convinced Reece can become a West Ham United player
for many years to come.

"He has all the credentials, the mentality and the inner-strength to be a
top player and then you add on his technical ability. Reece is a great
talent."

West Ham PL2 beat Wolves 4-0 at home in the league last season, and will be
keen to put on a similarly entertaining performance to secure the three
points this time around.

The game kicks-off at Dagenham & Redbridge's Chigwell Construction Stadium
at 7pm, and tickets are priced at £5 and £3 for adults and
children/concessions respectively, while Hammers season ticket holders can
gain free entry.

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Trio meet fans at Stadium Store
WHUFC.com

Hundreds of fans of all ages turned out to meet their heroes at London
Stadium on a sunny Thursday afternoon.

Italian striker Simone Zaza, Argentine playmaker Manuel Lanzini and Spanish
midfielder Pedro Obiang spent a couple of hours greeting fans, signing
autographs and posing for selfies.

The popular trio donned Umbro 2016/17 Home shirts for the occasion, which
put smiles on every member of the Claret and Blue Army who came through the
doors of the Club's smart new Stadium Store.

One fan in attendance was Liam Richards from west London, who is loving life
at West Ham United's new home.

"I've been to every game so far apart from the Bournemouth here and I love
it here at the new Stadium," he said. "You need to come here in person to
experience it, because you don't get the feeling for it in full unless you
come along and see it for yourself.

"I had a bit of free time so I was lucky enough to come along and see the
players today, which was great."

Season Ticket Holder Sunny brought his young son Pavan along to meet Zaza,
Lanzini and Obiang, from their home in east London.

"I think it's a beautiful Stadium and a beautiful place to come and watch
West Ham," said Sunny. "It's much more spacious and convenient than the
Boleyn Ground and the service on the concourses for food and drink has been
very good.

"The experience is great, the seats I've got are brilliant and I'm only
about ten metres different from where I sat at the Boleyn Ground. The view
is great, too!

"My young son Pavan is a big fan and it's a more relaxing experience coming
here. It's an iconic Stadium and my daughter actually got to run inside
recently in the Newham Run. Overall, it's great for families."

A smiling Dan Cairns (pictured, top) from Brentwood had brought along a
special West Ham United road-name sign for the three stars to sign.

"It's a lot nicer here than I thought it would be!" said Dan. "We were all
used to the old Stadium but now we're here, the seats are nice and the view
is good.

"I was really looking forward to meeting Zaza. We were all a little bit
confused by his penalty at Euro 2016, which has added a bit of mystery about
him, so we're all looking forward to seeing what he can do in a West Ham
shirt!

"I think he'll bring a lot of interest among Italian fans, and of course we
already have a lot of interest from France with Dimitri Payet and our other
French-speaking players."

Hundreds of new lines have been introduced to the new Stadium Store and
Online Store. Start shopping here now!

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Slaven Bilic hopeful over Dimitri Payet start for West Ham against Watford
Last Updated: 08/09/16 12:27pm
SSN

West Ham boss Slaven Bilic is optimistic midfielder Dimitri Payet will make
his first start of the season for the club when they face Watford on
Saturday. Payet has yet to play a full match this season, following France's
run to the Euro 2016 final this summer. The 29-year-old played 45 minutes
for France against Italy and then 35 minutes against Belarus, following on
from his substitute appearance for West Ham against Chelsea prior to the
international break. And Bilic is keen to get the midfielder, who scored 12
times for the Hammers last season, back in his starting line-up as soon as
possible. "He hasn't played for us, apart from as a substitute against
Chelsea, but he played 45 minutes for France against Italy, and then 35
minutes against Belarus," Bilic said. "He's going to definitely be in the
squad. I'm expecting him to be fit and ready and, if he is, he is going to
start the game. "We have missed him. You are going to miss that kind of
player, it's the same for every club. "France missed him, they were better
when he came on. With his quality in open play we have been missing him."

Bilic may also welcome back Manuel Lanzini, Sofiane Feghouli and Havard
Nordtveit from injuries ahead of the clash at the London Stadium. "We needed
the international break for a couple of reasons," Bilic added. "We needed a
couple of weeks to get players back fit and we had played five games in the
space of two weeks. "With the injuries it was tough. Now hopefully a few of
them are back. It's not a new start for us but with the players who are back
I am very optimistic."

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