Daily WHUFC News - 15th December 2016

Noble helps Hammers record a crucial victory
WHUFC.com

Noble Mark Noble inspired West Ham to a crucial 1-0 win over Burnley at
London Stadium to help them move clear of the bottom three and get their
season back on track.

After going six matches without a win in the Premier League, Slaven Bilic
knew the importance of getting all three points and his players showed
character, determination and the quality to get back on the winning trail.

The Hammers got their just rewards after dominating the first half and
hitting the woodwork twice.

And it was their inspirational captain who helped them secure the victory
with the crucial goal just before half-time.

Winston Reid was brought down inside the area and although Noble missed his
penalty, he was on hand to fire the rebound into the back of the net.

Despite a nervy second half, the Hammers players produced a superb defensive
display to keep a vital clean sheet and give them the perfect confidence
boost ahead of another big home game against Hull on Saturday.

It was also the perfect way to mark tribute to former FA Cup hero Peter
Brabrook who passed away this week and would have been proud of the minute's
applause shown towards him by the Hammers fans just before the game.

Bilic had called for his players to show the right mentality and said this
was the time that his side had to deliver and they did not let him down.

The Hammers dominated the first half proceedings and could have opened the
scoring after just two minutes when Michail Antonio's cross picked out Andy
Carroll and his header flew just wide of the post.

Dimitri Payet also came close on six minutes when he found space just
outside the box and fired the home side's first shot on target which
produced a comfortable save from Tom Heaton.

The London Stadium also paid respect to young Hammer Jack Howard who
tragically passed away last week on 13 minutes with a standing ovation which
seemed to inspire the home fans.

West Ham continued to dominate and had strong claims for a penalty turned
down on 27 minutes after Winston Reid's header appeared to strike the hand
of Burnley defender Michael Keane.

But referee Bobby Madley ignored the strong pleas from the home supporters
and waved for play to continue.

It was all one-way traffic as the home side continued to mount pressure on
the Burnley goal.

Payet laid the ball into the path of Pedro Obiang on 35 minutes who saw his
left-foot shot strike the outside of the post.

The Hammers were denied by the woodwork once again on the stroke of
half-time after Payet's short corner picked out Noble and he saw his curling
right-foot shot cannon back off the post.

But the home side finally got their just rewards moments later when they
broke the deadlock after Reid was brought down inside the area by Ben Mee.

Noble, who is normally so reliable from the penalty spot saw his effort
saved by Heaton diving low to his left, but he made no mistake firing the
rebound into the back of the net.

You could sense the relief among the Hammers players and Noble in particular
who knew the importance of his match winning strike.

Bilic must have feared a response from Burnley in the second half and that
proved to be the case as they had several opportunities to grab an
equaliser, but they could not find a way past the Hammers defence and the
superb Darren Randolph in the West Ham goal.

Burnley's first attempt on goal came on 51 minutes when a deep free-kick
into the ball fell to Vokes who struck an over-head kick and his effort flew
just wide of the post.

Arfield then saw his cross palmed away by Randolph on the hour mark straight
into the path of Vokes who had the goal at his mercy but he headed the ball
over the bar.

Randolph showed his quality once again on 71 minutes when he made a superb
save diving away to his left to keep out a fierce free-kick from Arfield.

Ayew could have sealed the victory in injury time when he weaved his way
into the penalty area and fired his shot inches past the post, but the
Hammers held on for a crucial victory and will be hoping for more of the
same when they face Hull on Saturday.


West Ham: Randolph; Nordtveit, Reid, Ogbonna; Antonio, Noble (Nordtveit 88),
Obiang, Cresswell; Lanzini (Ayew 69), Carroll (Fletcher 82), Payet

Subs not used: Adrian, Fernandes, Quina, Browne

Bookings:

Burnley: Heaton; Lowton, Keane, Mee, Ward; Arfield, Marney, Defour, Boyd
(Barnes 76); Hendrick, Vokes

Subs not used: Robinson, Flanagan, Kightly, Bamford, Defour, Tarkowski

Bookings: Mee, Hendrick

Referee: Bobby Madley

Attendance: 56,990

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West Ham United 1-0 Burnley
By Saj Chowdhury
BBC Sport

Mark Noble's first-half strike earned West Ham their first Premier League
win in seven games as they beat Burnley at London Stadium. It looked like
the Hammers would go into the break without anything to show for their
dominance, but in stoppage time they won a spot-kick when Ben Mee brought
down Winston Reid.
Up stepped Noble. His initial kick was saved low by Tom Heaton but he kept
his composure to tuck in the rebound. Noble and Pedro Obiang both struck the
woodwork with brilliant shots and Burnley's Matt Lowton produced a
goal-saving block to deny Aaron Cresswell. The Clarets improved markedly
after the break. Keeper Darren Randolph made a great one-handed save to keep
out Scott Arfield's free-kick and Sam Vokes headed over with the goal
gaping.
Victory lifted the Hammers four points clear of the relegation zone and up
to 15th in the table.
Throw the ball into the box and Andy Carroll will get his head to it. It is
a simple tactic that has worked in the past and will continue to pay
dividends for West Ham if they can keep their 6ft 4in bulldozer fit. The
27-year-old Geordie striker made his first start since August after
recovering from a knee injury, and bullied the Clarets defence during the 83
minutes he played. He only managed one header on target, and should have
done better with another after just two minutes. However, his big strength
is the ability to pull two defenders away, allowing his team-mates more
space.

The Hammers have missed their target man immensely - can they keep him fit
for the rest of the season?

Had the Clarets played the first half with the same conviction they showed
in the second then there might have been a different outcome. Manager Sean
Dyche's side were a different proposition after the break. Cresswell cleared
from the goal-line with Vokes ready to stab in, before the striker
inexplicably headed over from six yards with an open goal in front of him.
And 17 minutes before full-time, Randolph pulled off a great save to prevent
Arfield's low free-kick from creeping in.
It was an improvement, but again not good enough Burnley are five points
clear of the relegation zone, but that is now only one point from a possible
20 away from home this season. They need to start picking up on their
travels or they will face another scrap for survival.

Man of the match - Andy Carroll

An immense presence in attack for the Hammers - he took part in 17 aerial
duels and won more than 60% of them, and he also had six efforts on goal

What's next?

Burnley have another away trip to London - this time at Tottenham on Sunday
(16:00 GMT) and West Ham are at home to Hull on Saturday (15:00)

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WEST HAM 1-0 BURNLEY - MATCH REPORT
BY BRIAN KNOX ON 14 DECEMBER 2016 AT 10:33PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk

By @WestHamAmerican

West Ham defeated Burnley FC this evening 1-0 in a mid-week Premier League
fixture at the London Stadium. Safe to say that no true West Ham supporter
would have predicted that the first Christmas season at the new grounds
would feature a home club only a single point from the bottom three of the
table. The visiting Clarets came into the day in a slightly safer
position; a full three points ahead of West Ham.

As Slaven Bilic has been forced to manage a number of prominent injuries
during the early months of the season, he came to this day with a decent
selection of attacking options, as Andy Carroll returned to the starting
lineup. Both teams came with some momentum behind them, as West Ham took a
single point away from Anfield on Sunday and Burnley earned a 3-2 victory
over Bournemouth.

Sean Dyche's side opened the match showing stout defending. While the
Hammers controlled possession, Burnley managed to keep Tom Heaton protected.
West Ham had two strikes hit the post during the opening 45, but neither
team found a first half goal.

The most remarkable part of the opening half was the number of times (five)
Bobby Madley stopped play for head injuries, and the downed player
miraculously would return to action immediately.

During the two minutes of added time to the first half, a corner kick fell
to Winston Reid who was taken to the turf by Ben Mee. With the penalty kick
called, Mark Noble marched to the spot and his kick was first blocked by
Heaton but Noble was able to score off the rebound. West Ham walked off the
pitch with a 1-0 lead.

During the second half, Burnley showed some danger on a couple of free kicks
from just beyond the penalty area. In the 55th Sam Vokes barely hooked one
wide. In the 61st somehow Vokes managed to head over the crossbar on an
open opportunity. In the 72nd Darren Randolph had to dive into a crowd to
swat away Scott Arfield's free kick.

West Ham did have moments. In the 60th Andy Carroll took a Payet corner
kick straight into the arms of Heaton. Moments later Lanzini had his
long-range shot also find its way to Heaton's arms.

Late in the match Dyche brought on more attacking options and the home club
found themselves trying to hang on for a 1-0 victory. The London Stadium
patrons groaned when the five minutes of added time was announced but
through a combination of possession and a little luck (and some great
efforts by Darren Randolph) West Ham were able to walk away with all three
points.

A busy week concludes on Saturday when the Hammers host fellow struggling
side, Hull City. After a brutal run of top competition, a few matches
against the bottom of the table are welcome as Slaven Bilic looks to pull
his team away from the danger of relegation zone. 40 points is usually
thought of as the safety point at season's end. A victory against Hull will
go a long way to easing the concern of the supporters.

With a lot of football to be played between now and May, a healing West Ham
side can still be a dangerous team as we go into 2017. Club goals such as a
run in the Euro's, a top five finish, and even a League Cup are all gone,
but a confident club going into the new year will, no doubt, improve the
feeling in East London. Stay tuned to the West Ham Way as Ex and staff
have all the latest news and information on the January transfer window.

West Ham: Randolph, Reid, Cresswell, Kouyate, Carroll, Lanzini, Obiang,
Noble, Ogbonna, Payet, Antonio
Subs: Adrian, Nordtveit (89'), Ayew (69'), Fletcher (83'), Fernandes,
Quina, Browne

Burnley: Heaton, Ward, Mee, Keane, Lowton, Arfield, Marney, Hendrick, Boyd,
Vokes, Gray.
Subs: Robinson, Flanagan, Barnes (76'), Kightly, Bamford (94'), Defour,
Tarkowskij

Bookings: Mee (62'), Henrick (72')

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West Ham 1-0 Burnley: Mark Noble goal enough for Hammers
By Pete Hall at London Stadium
Last Updated: 14/12/16 10:32pm
SSN

Mark Noble's first-half strike was enough for West Ham to secure a vital 1-0
victory over Burnley at the London Stadium on Wednesday night. After
impressing in the weekend draw at Liverpool, the pressure was on the
Hammers' players to beat a Burnley side who don't travel well, making for a
tense night in the East End. Noble settled some of those nerves when he
scored from the rebound, after his own penalty had been saved, in first-half
stoppage time. The second half saw the visitors press for an equaliser,
adding to the anxious feeling around the stadium, with Sam Vokes guilty of
missing Burnley's best opening from point-blank range.
The Hammers held on for only their third home win of the season, one that
seems them climb to 16th in the league table. Burnley remain in 13th. Andy
Carroll was restored to the starting XI by Slaven Bilic, but cut an isolated
figure as he was starved of any decent service in the opening exchanges.
The hosts had strong shouts for a penalty waved away by referee Bobby Madley
in the 25th minute, as Michael Keane appeared to handle. Referee Madley
deemed it to be unintentional.
It wasn't until the 33rd minute that Tom Heaton was forced into making a
save in the Burnley goal, as he got down well to smother a rasping effort
from Michail Antonio. Three minutes later, Pedro Obiang went even closer, as
his fierce effort fizzed just past the post with Heaton beaten. the half
drew to a close, the hosts got that crucial breakthrough. Firstly, Noble saw
his superb curler from outside the box cannon back of the upright, before he
got another chance to break the deadlock from the spot, after Winston Reid
was bundled over in the box. The Hammers skipper stepped up and saw his
penalty saved by Heaton, but reacted fastest to smash home the rebound.
After the break, Burnley threw everything at the Hammers, but couldn't find
a way through. Vokes had three chances in quick succession, the final of
those the worst miss of the night.
It all started from a brilliant run from Scott Arfield which carried him
into the box, Darren Randolph blocked his goalbound effort, the loose ball
bounced up, Vokes charged in, but headed over with the goal gaping. Randolph
was again called into action in the Hammers goal, this time having to get a
strong hand to Arfield's free-kick in the 71st minute. Burnley continued to
throw everything at the hosts, but they couldn't find only a second away
goal of the season. Next up for the Hammers is Hull on Saturday - another
match the home faithful will expect three points from.

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West Ham 1-0 Burnley: Mark Noble's first-half strike keeps Hammers out of
the drop zone
Hammers fans were treated to only the side's third home win of the Premier
League season against a stubborn Burnley side
The Mirror
BYMIKE WALTERS
21:38, 14 DEC 2016UPDATED22:13, 14 DEC 2016

But West Ham were such a bag of nerves against a stubborn Burnley side that
you would not let them near the fairy lights on your tree for fear of being
electrocuted.

Hammers manager Bilic has never been further away from crisis than a length
of tinsel all season and edging past the Premier League's worst team on the
road is not the stuff of ringing endorsements.

And while Mark Noble's winner in first-half stoppage time earned Bilic
valuable breathing space, confidence at the Taxpayers' Stadium remains as
brittle as a festive bauble.

Make no mistake, the Hammers were worth their first win in eight games and,
if Dimitri Payet remains on the payroll beyond January, they will have
enough stardust to avoid the unthinkable.

But they were indebted to Wales striker Sam Vokes for a dreadful miss as
Burnley threatened to pick their pockets.

By the law of averages, Burnley - only one point, and as many goals, away
from their Turf Moor fortress all season - were due to pick up -something on
the road.

But they played with all the festive ambition of turkeys on a poultry farm.

Watching England manager Gareth Southgate would have been offered a mince
pie in the boardroom, but the Clarets offered only honest endeavour. At
least they knew what was coming when Andy Carroll was handed his first start
in four months by Bilic.

And Carroll took just 80 seconds to announce himself, climbing highest to
meet Michail Antonio's cross, but directing his header wide.

Aerial routes looked West Ham's -likeliest source of joy, and Michael Keane
appeared to field Payet's corner -inadvertently with his forearm.

But it took 32 minutes for either side to muster a shot on target, England
keeper Tom Heaton gathering Antonio's daisy-cutter with a routine stop.

Suitably encouraged by a rare sight of goal, the home side came close to
puncturing the tedium three minutes later as Pedro Obiang let fly from 25
yards and his effort brushed Heaton's right-hand upright.

As if to even things up, Heaton's other post was rattled by Noble's
spectacular curling shot, but the Hammers' skipper wasn't to be denied for
long.

In first-half stoppage time, referee Bobby Madley spotted Ben Mee's armlock
on Winston Reid and, although Heaton sprawled to his left to keep out
Noble's spot kick, he devoured the rebound, which ultimately settled the
match.

PLAYER RATINGS

West Ham

RANDOLPH 7 Costly fumble at Anfield forgiven, fine save from Arfield
free-kick

REID 7 Attentive at the back and hauled down for winning penalty

KOUYATE 6 Right-back not his best position but versatility has its virtues

OGBONNA 7 Gave Vokes and Gray less change than an arcade fruit machine

ANTONIO 7 Still in shock after scoring with his foot, not his head, at
Liverpool

NOBLE 8 Rattled post, saw penalty saved but pounced on the rebound

OBIANG 6 Fierce left-foot drive from distance clipped outside of a post

CRESSWELL 6 Took no prisoners and always keen to help the front line

PAYET 8 Enjoy him while you can, January is coming, vultures are circling

LANZINI 5 Fizzed around looking for openings but space was at a premium

CARROLL 6 Put himself about on first start at the Taxpayers Stadium

Burnley

HEATON 6 Not always comfortable in the air when put under pressure

LOWTON 6 One terrific block as Cresswell pulled the trigger

KEANE 7 Relished muscular contest with Carroll, looks the part

MEE 6 Gave away penalty when Clarets were within sight of the interval

WARD 6 Pegged back by Antonio's raids but useful set-piece delivery

ARFIELD 6 Steadier than a middle lane hog. Booked

MARNEY 6 Steadier than a motorway speed limit through roadworks

HENDRICK 5 Energy in abundance but quality was in short supply. Booked

BOYD 5 Covers an awful lot of ground, but so does my Vauxhall Astra

VOKES 5 Shocking miss, should have equalised but headed over

GRAY 5 Still to get going after pernicious ban for historic tweets

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http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Daily WHUFC News II - 14th December 2016

Preview - Burnley
WHUFC.com

Where and when?

West Ham United v Burnley
Premier League
Wednesday 14 December 2016, 7.45pm GMT
London Stadium

What's the story?

West Ham United's run of four consecutive games against teams from the
Premier League's top six comes to an end on Wednesday when Burnley visit
London Stadium. A home double header sees Slaven Bilic's men take on the
Clarets and fellow-newly promoted team Hull City, as the east Londoners look
to move up the Premier League table. Sunday's draw at Liverpool took them
back above Swansea City and out of the division's bottom three and they will
hope to build on that back on home turf. However, Burnley also have a result
to build upon after defeating AFC Bournemouth – and their former boss Eddie
Howe – in a five-goal thriller last time out. Jeff Hendrick, Stephen Ward
and George Boyd were on target, meaning the Cherries' replies from Benik
Afobe and Charlie Daniels counted for little.
The 3-2 victory took Sean Dyche's team to 17 points from 15 games, a tally
which leaves them 13th in the league table. West Ham are six games without a
win, but with draws picked up at Manchester United and Liverpool in recent
weeks, they will have their eyes on ending that run this week.

Team news

West Ham expect to have Cheikhou Kouyate back from injury for the visit of
the Clarets, after he missed the games against Arsenal and Burnley due to a
hamstring injury. Simone Zaza is out with a knee problem and manager Slaven
Bilic could hand Andy Carroll a start after he came off the bench against
both Arsenal and Liverpool.

For Burnley, Andre Gray and Ashley Barnes are pushing to be involved from
the start after performing strongly as substitutes against Bournemouth.
Johann Berg Gudmundsson misses out with a hamstring complaint.

Any links between the two?

Not on the current playing staffs, but two players have turned out for both
sides in the Premier League – Tyrone Mears and Matthew Taylor.

When Burnley were last in the Premier League – in 2014/15 – the Hammers won
3-1 at Turf Moor before triumphing 1-0 in the return fixture at the Boleyn
Ground.

How do I get to the game?

Click here for directions to London Stadium.

The latest news on the Tubes, London Overground network, TfL rail and roads
can be found here. Click here for the latest from National Rail.

How can I watch the game?

The match is not being broadcast live in the UK. However, you can follow
live on whufc.com with live audio commentary, social media updates,
in-running stats, photos and more. Join the conversation on social using
#WHUBUR

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Manager on Matchday
WHUFC.com

Good morning everyone,

We are preparing for another big game under the lights at London Stadium
this evening and we all know the importance of getting a victory over
Burnley. We need the points. I was asked about the pressure of management
going into these big games but the pressure is there anyway. To be fair
every game is pressure. Even last year when we were doing great, every game
there was pressure. Now it's a little bit different kind of pressure. The
pressure is big, the pressure is the same. It is the nature of the job. The
media changes and you have more and more press. You can be criticised
worldwide. Before you didn't know if a guy from New Zealand was criticising
you, but now you are aware. You know what people are saying in Kuala Lumpur
straight after you have made a decision about your change of formation or
during a game. We are playing in the Premier League. It's not a friendly
pre-season game. It is going to be a very different game mentally. We cannot
change it. It is going to be like that.

Hopefully we can make it a little easier for us if we start like I am
expecting us to start. I want us to be brave and confident but also patient
and ready for everything. If we show the intensity, the mentality, the
determination, team work and everything, like we showed at Old Trafford or a
couple of days ago against Liverpool, there is no reason why we should not
do that. I am positive

I spoke to Dimitri Payet in my office after the Liverpool game. He's very
motivated, is up for the schedule in the rest of the year and is acting and
talking about only about West Ham. We speak often. It wasn't like, "Come to
my office, we have to sit down, we have to talk about something in
particular". I wanted to share some ideas with him and that was it. He had a
very demanding season like everybody else last year and then went straight
to the Euros. After the Euros he had a break and it wasn't ideal and it
wasn't like six weeks but he had three weeks off and then he got injured a
bit. He didn't have a proper rest or pre-season but every player who played
at the Euros and went towards the semi-finals or Final was in a similar
position.

The schedule of the Premier League is one that you don't have a winter break
and you cannot give him two or three weeks off. He is experienced enough and
last week against Liverpool he had one extra day off when he was in the gym
and he was on the massage table doing a different kind of training and that
is the kind of thing you can give him to avoid the possibility of fatigue
and overloading.
We have got to do that (to protect him) but it is not just Dimitri, we do
that with other players as well when you feel they are tired and have to
change their routine a bit. It is a team sport but sometimes you have to
treat individuals differently. It depends on how much they play or if they
have any private issues. It is all part of the job of course.
I was also asked about Andy Carroll in the pre-match press conference. I
think I've spoken about Andy more than any other player including Payet. The
only negative thing about Andy is he is not available all the time. For the
team, manager, that is the only one. That box, we are always hoping, we hope
he will be long term available for us. All the other boxes he ticks, his
work rate in training, off the pitch, training ground is very positive. He's
a good lad. We hope he can play a big part against Burnley tonight.

Enjoy the game.
Slaven

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Bilic - We have been waiting for this period
WHUFC.com

Slaven Bilic has stressed the importance of the next two home games at
London Stadium and says he has been waiting for the Burnley and Hull
fixtures to come around. The West Ham United manager was impressed with the
character and determination his players showed during the 2-2 draw with
Liverpool on Sunday and hopes it will give them even more confidence as they
look to get back on the winning trail at a crucial stage in the season. The
start of December was always going to be a tricky period for the Hammers
after they were forced to play Tottenham, Manchester United, Arsenal and
Liverpool. But Bilic always knew they would have the chance to get more
points on the board playing teams in a similar position in the next few
weeks and hopes it will be a different outcome as they head into the new
year. Bilic said: "We need to beat Burnley. We need points. I have a huge
respect for Burnley and they are doing well. They are a tough team to beat,
but we've been waiting for these couple of games. "We've been talking about
a tough schedule on paper with the four recent games. Spurs, Manchester
United, Arsenal, Liverpool is very difficult on paper and we were hoping to
get something out of them. "We were waiting to get through that period and
then wait for these couple of home games and it has come now.
"We are thinking about Burnley now and have a good chance. We have to show
our determination, our quality and determination together. We have to beat
them.
The Hammers manager also knows the importance of getting back-to-back wins
and points to the example of Stoke who have now moved towards the top half
of the table following recent victories over Watford and Burnley. Bilic
added: "Of course it would be great to have back-to-back wins. We already
have examples of a few clubs who were in a similar situation. "A few games
ago I know Stoke had two or three games and suddenly they won and are out of
the trouble zone and gain confidence. "Now we are in that situation. I am
expecting difficult games but we have to show mentality and character and
what we showed against Liverpool a few days ago."

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The Big Interview - Winston Reid
WHUFC.com

Winston Reid has been one of West Ham United's outstanding performers during
the Club's challenging start to 2016/17. The New Zealand defender, now in
his seventh season in east London, has made more clearances, blocks and
interceptions than any other Hammer this season. Reid was at his resilient
best again during Sunday's 2-2 draw at Liverpool, and believes Slaven
Bilic's side are getting closer to discovering their best form ahead of
vital home Premier League fixtures with Burnley and Hull City.

Winston, do you agree that we deserved a point at Liverpool on Sunday?

"Yeah, we did our best. It's difficult times. I think the most important
thing was to keep hold of a point at the end, because it would have
demoralising for us if we'd lost at the end. "Sunday's result has lifted the
spirit of the team and I think it was important for us as a group of
players, even if the last half-an-hour was a bit of a slog for us. We had to
compact, we had to be solid and defend. I know it sounds a bit boring, but
that's what we had to do. "We had a couple of moments of brilliance from
Dimi, who showed his class again, and Michail got his goal again."

Where are we as a team at the moment? Are we getting back to our best?

"It was a good team performance, but I think we can still improve massively,
especially in the beginning of each half. We have to do much better, because
we haven't been starting games well enough. The guys give everything, so
it's not anything like that, but we need to do better. "Don't get me wrong,
we're conceding goals, but I just think we need to continue doing what we're
doing, because I believe we will improve. "We've got injuries at the moment
and, while it's not an excuse, when you're missing senior players it
restricts the options available to the manager. That's football and injuries
are part of it."

The lads who came into the side at Anfield did well, didn't they?

"I thought Nord came in and did well in an unfamiliar position at
right-back, Cress came back in and he's important. Ayew gave us a bit of
composure when it was needed, and it was good for him to get out and play
the minutes he needed. "It was good to get Andy back out there, too, so
hopefully we can start getting our players back in the squad. Everyone needs
to keep fit and healthy and we can move forward."

We've played four of the top sides in recent weeks – Tottenham Hotspur,
Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool – and now we host Burnley and Hull
City this week…

"If you look at it, we had four tough games, especially as three were away
and only one was at home, and we only played poor in one half – the second
half against Arsenal. "That wasn't very good from us, but really we've done
well in those four games as a whole and could have drawn all three away
games. That was the message from the manager, that we've just got to believe
in ourselves as a team.
"I know it's difficult when you're conceding four and five goals, as we did
recently, and you can see that around the dressing room, but Slaven has
always been good at coming in and keeping the players' spirits high. "We've
been training well and everything and hopefully we're starting to turn the
corner now, because we really need to."

Most importantly, we need everyone on the same page when we face Burnley at
London Stadium on Wednesday night?

"One-hundred per cent. It's important, because we need to get a win. We'll
recover and rest and be back at it on Wednesday."

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Kouyate back for Burnley game
WHUFC.com

Slaven Bilic welcomes Cheikhou Kouyate back into his squad for the visit of
Burnley
Senegal star missed the last two Premier League fixtures with a hamstring
injury
Manager yet to decide if striker Andy Carroll will start against the Clarets
on Wednesday

Slaven Bilic has been given a major lift ahead of the Burnley game on
Wednesday night after revealing that Cheikhou Kouyate will return to the
squad after he was forced to miss the last two matches with a hamstring
injury. Kouyate picked up the injury on the eve of the London derby against
Arsenal and the injury forced him to miss the 2-2 draw with Liverpool on
Sunday. But the Senegal international resumed training on Monday and the
Hammers manager confirmed he would be available for selection if he doesn't
suffer any reaction in the final training session at London Stadium on
Tuesday afternoon. Bilic said: "He trained normally on Monday with all the
guys. He looked alright and looks fit for tomorrow. We have training and if
nothing unusual happens he is alright. "He's a very important player for us
and has showed that since he joined the club. When he doesn't play it is a
big blow. He's that kind of player."
Bilic says he will make a late decision on whether to start Andy Carroll or
keep him on the bench for the game at London Stadium on Wednesday night.
Carroll has appeared in the last two games as a substitute and is hoping to
get back among the goals as the Hammers prepare for two big home games
against Burnley and Hull. Bilic added "We will decide tomorrow. He came on
twice from the bench. We need to decide whether to use him from the bench or
from the start. "We have two very important games and we have to manage our
players to be available in both. "I've been talking about Carroll for most
of the last season, he's that kind of player. It is a big blow when we are
missing him. We are not afraid (to start him) but have to think twice on how
to manage him. "We can't look only at tomorrow's game, but we have to look
at the bigger picture."

Italian striker Simone Zaza will be sidelined once again after missing the
draw against Liverpool with a knee injury.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Important travel information for tonight's game
WHUFC.com

Due to gas main repairs on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the walking route
between London Stadium and Stratford station via the bridge between the
South Lawn and Pool Street will not be available for tonight's match against
Burnley.

Spectators are advised to follow the alternative routes highlighted in green
on the map below, which will also be in place on exit from London Stadium
after the game. There will be diversion signage on route and extra stewards
in the area to direct the flow of supporters.

Please note that this will add approximately ten minutes to your journey, so
please plan your route accordingly to ensure you avoid further delays.

The West Ham United Shuttle Bus Service will be in operation for
accessibility supporters as normal, but will take an alternative route
between Stratford Bus Station and the London Stadium drop-off point.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Five Talking Points - Burnley
WHUFC.com

The Claret and Blue Army will pay tribute to Jack Howard
Heroes to be honoured

West Ham United will honour two Hammers heroes before kick-off this evening.
A minute's applause will be held in memory of 1964 FA Cup winner Peter
Brabrook and young supporter Jack Howard, both of whom passed away earlier
this month. Peter, who died at the age of 79 after a short illness, was an
all-time West Ham great who made 215 appearances between 1962-68 and was
part of arguably the Club's greatest squad. Brave schoolboy Jack was just 12
when he passed following a courageous battle with cancer. Two heroes who
will never been forgotten.

To start or not to start

The big question for Slaven Bilic to answer come 6.45pm is whether or not
Andy Carroll will start tonight's game. The England centre forward has not
started a match since the opening weekend of the season at Chelsea. A knee
injury ruled him out for more than three months, but the No9 has looked fit
and effective on his return appearances as a substitute. With a home win
much-needed, Bilic may well feel it is time to unleash his attacking
talisman from the kick-off.

Home and Away

Burnley have been a force to be reckoned with on home ground at Turf Moor,
where they have picked up 16 of their 17 Premier League points so far. On
the road, it has been a different story for Sean Dyche's side, who sit
bottom of the Away form table with one point and one goal from six matches
played. For whatever reason, Burnley have been suffering from acute travel
sickness, and West Ham don't want to be providing any sort of antidote.

It's been a regular mention in this column, so here it is again - West Ham
could really do with a clean sheet tonight. Winston Reid made mention at
Anfield of the issues the Hammers have had with conceding goals early in
halves, putting them on the back foot almost immediately. Tonight, West Ham
need to be focused from the kick-off and gain control of possession and
territory, not allowing their opponents to settle. Should they come through
the opening ten minutes unscathed, they will feel far more confident about
their chances of keeping that elusive clean sheet.

The big four

Having played four of the Premier League's top guns in the last four
fixtures, West Ham now enter a run of four matches against teams in the
bottom half. Burnley and Hull City at home are followed by Swansea City and
Leicester City away. If the Hammers can pick up eight or nine points from
those games, they should pull themselves away from the bottom three. Even a
win over Burnley on Wednesday could see Bilic's side rise as high as 14th.
However, nothing can be taken for granted in the Premier League. West Ham
will need to be 100% committed and 100% focused if they are to take
advantage of this more friendly run of fixtures.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Meet Clyde Best at the Stadium Store tonight!
WHUFC.com

West Ham United legend Clyde Best will be at London Stadium this evening,
signing copies of his new autobiography, 'The Acid Test', at the Stadium
Store from 5pm to 6.30pm ahead of the Premier League clash against Burnley.

The Hammers cult hero has travelled over from his home in Bermuda for the
launch of the book, which explores the trials and tribulations he faced as
one of the first black players to make an impact on English football.

In August 1968, a 17-year-old Best arrived in London for a week long trial
with West Ham United. It was his first time away from home, and he reveals
that he felt so alone he would have flown straight back to the Caribbean had
he possessed the return fare.

Thankfully, though, Clyde remained in England and at Upton Park, where he
would become a terrace hero and one of the most influential figures in
British football. Best was the first black goalscoring hero on these shores,
despite being targeted with vile abuse in an era where racism was rife on
the terraces.

In the book he details how he overcame such discrimination, while he also
chronicles his relationship with legendary manager Ron Greenwood, and his
rapport with Hammers greats of that time, such as World Cup-winners Bobby
Moore and Geoff Hurst.

Best also developed a special bond with the Club's fans during his
eight-year spell at the club, in which he found the net 47 times in 186
appearances, before he left to go and play in the USA.

He would later manage the Bermudan National team, before being inducted into
the country's National Sports Hall of Fame in 2004. Two years after that
Best received an MBE for his services to football and the community in
Bermuda.

Clyde Best will be signing copies of 'The Acid Test' this evening from 5pm
to 6.30pm at the West Ham United Stadium Store.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
'It's a Hillsborough waiting to happen'
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 14th December 2016
By: Staff Writer

A number of season ticket holders have expressed their grave concerns
regarding the safety of the Olympic Stadium after they were locked in the
arena during the recent clash with Arsenal.

One ST holder, writing on the SkyscraperCity forum under the pseudonym
'kllblq' revealed how he had tried to leave the stadium at the 80 minute
mark - only to find all the doors were locked and stewards unable to open
them.

"At 3- 0 down I decided that I wanted to leave", wrote the supporter. "To my
horror, all the exits were locked. This was on 80 minutes.

"There was one girl on the door and she was powerless to do anything.
Worryingly I could see more and more supporters coming down the stairs and
joining the hoards of patrons wanting to leave and not being able to.

"At one point I thought I may need to go into the toilets to avoid what I
thought was going to be an inevitable crush. The steward at this point look
scared out of her wits. I tried to use another turnstile and it was also
shut with ever more people swelling the crowd.

"The steward on that turnstile eventually opened what I assume was a
disabled supporters' entrance; that is one manual door to let people out.
Then instead of the doors being opened, stewards turned up ready for a
fight. Astonishing!"

A potentially serious crush was narrowly avoided when other gates were
eventually opened - but only after further confusion, as detailed by the
supporter.

"Someone, somewhere was watching all this and thinking that the
gesticulating to the steward to open the doors was a threat to her safety,"
he added. "There must have been a command to go sort it out as the heavies
arrived in an attempt to misguidedly protect the steward.

"By this point the heavies were already pushing people around and the gate
remained still locked for around another minute or so. Only then did the
woman say people wanted to leave - and the doors miraculously opened, all at
once, and everyone dispersed."

Following the above revelations, Peter Caton - a season ticket holder who
was previously involved in the WHU's View? campaign - has written to West
Ham's Operations Director, Ben Illingworth, to express his concerns.

"It is hard to believe that after Bradford and Hillsborough a Premier League
football club can allow a situation where exit gates cannot be immediately
opened," he wrote.

"A situation where a steward manning the gate apparently has no means of
opening it herself, has no radio contact to get the door opened and the
system seemingly relies on a computer to open the exits. I hope that you are
aware of these problems and that action has been taken to resolve them."

However Peter Smith, the stadium's safety officer refuted claims that exit
were left locked.

"In respect of the Arsenal egress, this particular departure was complicated
by the scoring of a late goal which saw many of those who had decided to
leave the stadium then attempt to return to the seating bowl whilst others
were still attempting to leave, resulting in unusual crowd flows on the
podium level," he replied.

"We are able to monitor all exits via the stadium CCTV and are acutely aware
of the dynamics of departing crowds. There is a process in place to unlock
to multiple exit doors at 80 minutes when egress gathers pace.

"After 75 minutes of Saturday's match, our safety and security teams opened
additional doors when it became clear that large sections of the home
support were keen to leave."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Three Key Battles - Burnley
WHUFC.com

Wednesday's Premier League fixture between West Ham United and Burnley sees
the Hammers welcome the team with the worst away record in the top-flight to
London Stadium. The Hammers will be eager to exacerbate Burnley's travel
sickness - just one point and one goal from six away matches - and, in turn,
improve their own indifferent home form. On the pitch, the Clarets are one
of the few Premier League sides to favour an old-fashioned 4-4-2 formation,
although Sean Dyche may opt for a more defensive shape in east London. For
the hosts, Slaven Bilic could return talisman Andy Carroll to the starting
XI up front. However, of more pressing concern will be the need to keep a
first clean sheet in nine matches against the shot-shy visitors. Here we
look at Three Key Battles that could decide the destiny of Wednesday's game.

Reid v Keane
Both West Ham and Burnley have kept just three clean sheets in their opening
15 Premier League matches, but that does not mean they do not possess good
defenders. For the Hammers, Winston Reid has shone during a difficult
opening four months, leading the team in clearances, interceptions and
blocks/game, while also weighing in with a vital winning goal against
Sunderland and assists at home to Middlesbrough and away to Tottenham
Hotspur. For the Clarets, England call-up Michael Keane has also been
influential, and is second in the team in interceptions, clearance and
blocks. A strong player who reads the game well and does not dive into
tackles, the 23-year-old will be vital to Burnley's chances of keeping a
fourth clean sheet.

Lanzini Marney
The midfield battle between West Ham's diminutive creator Manuel Lanzini and
Burnley's midfield general Dean Marney will be an interesting one. Lanzini
is vital to West Ham's attacking play. Not only can he dribble past
opponents as if they are not there, lifting the pressure on his defence in
the process, but he is also an accurate finisher and passer of the ball. If
West Ham want to open Burnley up, the Argentine could be the man to do it.
Now 32, the experienced Marney is a disciplined all-round central midfield
player who has become central to Burnley's preferred 4-4-2 formation. Strong
in the tackle and in the air, Marney also passes the ball accurately and
takes many of the Clarets' set pieces.

Obiang Defour
The second midfield battle which will likely take centre-stage this evening
is that between Pedro Obiang and Steven Defour.
Obiang has been a revelation since being handed an opportunity to impress by
Slaven Bilic at home to Middlesbrough on 1 October. The Spaniard is a
super-fit, relentless central midfield player who never gives his opposite
number a moment's peace. Experienced Belgian Defour also sits deep in the
midfield, from where he breaks up attacks with his fine positioning and
interception skills. Like Obiang, the 28-year-old can also open up defences
with his accurate and extensive range of passing. The winner of this battle
will control the midfield area for his respective team

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bilic - Mentality is key
WHUFC.com

Slaven Bilic has nothing but praise for the job Sean Dyche has done at
Burnley and feels they have comfortably adapted to life back in the top
flight this season. Despite only taking one point on their travels this
season, Burnley have made up for it with an impressive home form winning
five of their nine games at Turf Moor. The Hammers manager knows the
importance of the next two home games against Burnley and Hull and says he
has been waiting for this period of games to come around. But he is taking
nothing for granted and says the players will be fully prepared for another
tough encounter as they look to turn their season around in the next few
weeks. Bilic said: "Burnley are doing great. I am not just comparing it to a
few years ago when they were in the Premier League. They are doing really
well. "At home they are winning on that small pitch with simple, effective,
very intense and direct football.
"Away they have just one point at the most difficult of away games against
Manchester United. "But in some of those games they played good football
like in the last one against Stoke. The first 20 minutes they were the
better side so we know it is going to be a difficult game."

Bilic says the mentality of the players will be key if they are to record a
crucial three points on Wednesday night, but feels the time has come for his
players to deliver. Bilic added: "We have to do it. We can't count on paper.
Of course we are watching the schedule, but we have a chance. "We have to go
game by game. The key is mentality and I have no doubt we will have that
mentality against Burnley. "We have been waiting for this game with the
greatest of respects to our opponent. We know it is going to be extremely
hard but now the time has come, we have to deliver."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sir Trevor recalls Burnley bow
KUMb.com

As he takes his seat at London Stadium for tonight's Premier League clash
between West Ham and Burnley, Sir Trevor Brooking will no doubt have a brief
flashback to 27 August 1967, and a 3-3 draw between the two sides at Turf
Moor.

That afternoon, a fresh-faced 18-year-old Brooking made his first-team debut
for the Hammers, the first step on what was to become an illustrious 17-year
playing career in the Claret and Blue, taking in 643 appearances, 102 goals,
two FA Cup winner's medals, a Second Division title medal, five Hammer of
the Year awards and 47 England caps.

"The manager, Ron Greenwood felt it was good to give young players their
debuts away from home because there was less pressure," recalls Sir Trevor.

"I remember the goal scorers in a 3-3 draw that day were Bobby Moore, Martin
Peters and Geoff Hurst which wasn't bad – just a year after the trio had
played in the World Cup final.

"Later that season, I recall, I scored my one and only hat-trick in a 5-0
win over Newcastle. I got everyone to sign the ball afterwards and gave it
to my mum and dad, who stuck it on top of their TV."

The Hammers legend enjoyed another visit to London Stadium earlier this
week, when he was joined by Evening Standard reporter Ken Dyer for a walk
around the Club's new home, where the pair viewed some of the references and
tributes to Sir Trevor's glittering career that adorn the walls of our new
home.

Ken, who has been covering West Ham United matches as a reporter since the
early 1970s, shared a special moment with Sir Trevor and his team-mates when
John Lyall invited him into the victorious Wembley dressing-room following
our FA Cup final win over Arsenal in May 1980.

More than 36 years on, the two old friends are still gathering memories at
London Stadium, and Sir Trevor insists that, while it will understandably
take time to feel truly like home, he has no doubt that West Ham supporters
will build their own memories to treasure.

"I was at the League Cup tie against Chelsea, it was probably the best
performance and result so far and that is what you want to lift everyone,"
he said. "The atmosphere was terrific and when everyone is behind the team,
it will be fine.

"That is what we have to aim at now, to turn on some good home performances
at the London Stadium and create our own history, as we did in the past.

"More than anything, the crowd can help the team in these next two home
matches, against Burnley and Hull. Four or six points from these two games
would put us in the pack is the middle of the table.

"There's no reason why, against Burnley, we can't raise the roof and set the
benchmark for the future.

"If you had said to me 18 months ago that the Club would go from playing in
front of 35,000 to almost 60,000, I would have said it would have taken two
or three seasons to make that progression.

"It's fantastic though, that because of the loyal support, they've managed
to sell out.

"The first season, no matter how many people came, was always going to be a
hard challenge but now it's for the players and supporters to work together
and get the results that will turn it around."

*Read more from Ken Dyer's exclusive interview with Sir Trevor Brooking,
including his view on West Ham's in-form Michail Antonio, in Wednesday's
Evening Standard.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Reece Oxford to sign new West Ham deal - Sky sources
By Sky Sports News HQ
Last Updated: 14/12/16 3:49pm
SSN

Reece Oxford will sign a new long-term contract at West Ham this week,
according to Sky sources. The highly-rated central defender is expected to
sign his new deal on his 18th birthday on Friday following lengthy
negotiations. Oxford, whose current contract expires in 2018, has previously
been linked with a move away from the Hammers, with Manchester United mooted
as potential suitors. He has featured just twice for Slaven Bilic's side
this season, both appearances coming in the Europa League, and is currently
recovering from an ankle ligament injury sustained in training. Oxford
became the youngest Premier League player in the club's history when he
started their opening game of the 2015/16 season - a 2-0 win away at
Arsenal. He appeared a further six times in the Premier League as West Ham
ended the season in seventh place - their highest finish in the top flight
since 2002. Oxford has also been capped by England in all age groups up to
the U20 level.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham must do everything to keep Dimitri Payet, says Mark Noble
By Nick Lustig
Last Updated: 14/12/16 8:22am
SSN

Mark Noble insists West Ham must do everything they can to keep star man
Dimitri Payet at the club beyond the January transfer window.
West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan said in November he had no intention of
selling Payet in the New Year, despite the influential midfielder hinting he
could be open to leaving the Hammers. Despite conceding anything could
happen during the transfer window, Noble said he would not be surprised if
the 29-year-old was still at West Ham come February 1 and stressed he was
too important for the club to lose. "In football, you never know what's
going to happen. I don't care what anyone says, in football money does talk,
whether that's for the club, in transfer fees, or incredible wages in this
day and age," the West Ham captain told Sky Sports News HQ.
"But I wouldn't be surprised if Dimi is here by the end of January. You need
special players to do special things at moments and he's done that on untold
times last season.
"Even against Middlesbrough this year with the solo goal he scored and the
free-kick the other night (v Liverpool), he's a massive player for us and we
must do everything to keep him at the football club." Payet has been a
stand-out performer for West Ham since arriving from Marseille for £10.75m
in June 2015, scoring 15 goals in 54 appearances, and was rewarded with a
new five-and-a-half year deal in February. The Frenchman is likely to start
West Ham's crucial clash against Burnley at London Stadium on Wednesday,
with Slaven Bilic's side in desperate need of points. West Ham sit in 17th
place, just a point above the relegation zone, and are without a win in
their last six Premier League matches, leading to speculation over Bilic's
future at the club.
But, after Sunday's morale-boosting 2-2 draw at Liverpool, Noble gave his
backing to his manager and insisted he remains the right man for the job.
"He knows what the fans are like, he knows the football club inside out, so
he probably takes it (poor form) a bit personal as well," Noble said. "We
don't just go out and forget about the result, I can't really enjoy the week
unless we've won.
"For the last 12 years, if we haven't won on the Saturday, I've got the hump
all week. He probably feels the same way I do. If there's anyone to lead
this football club, it's Slaven."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sexual abuse in football: The responses from each London club when asked
about the Met police investigation
MATT MAJENDIE
Evening Standard

Four Premier League clubs and five in the Football League from London are
being investigated by Scotland Yard over claims of historical sexual abuse
in football. A total of 30 London clubs, many of them amateur, are being
investigated by the Met, with 106 separate allegations of abuse. The capital
has 13 professional clubs, with nine of them now dragged into the scandal
that has hit British football since Andy Woodward became the first former
player to go public last month when he alleged he was abused by coach Barry
Bennell when he was a youth player at Crewe in the Eighties. The Met says
it is looking at allegations involving two Championship clubs and three in
Leagues One and Two. Chelsea are the only London Premier League team named
in the scandal after it was revealed they paid compensation to former player
Gary Johnson after he was abused by former chief scout Eddie Heath. More
complaints have been made about Heath, who also worked at Charlton, Leyton
Orient and Millwall.

Standard Sport revealed claims this month that Heath had abused players
under his charge at Orient but the allegations against him were made after
his death. Last week Charlton said they had opened their own investigation
into claims former youth player Russell Davy was sexually abused by Heath
while at the club in the Eighties.

In addition, QPR said they would fully cooperate with the Met after claims
Chris Gieler, head of youth recruitment at the club for 30 years, had
allegations of abuse dating back to the Seventies against him. As of last
week, police bosses said they had 83 potential suspects linked to 98 clubs
nationwide, although it is not known how many of the alleged abusers are
linked to London clubs.

Detective chief superintendent Ivan Balhatchet said: "The Met takes all
allegations seriously, and specialist officers will work through the
information passed to them. The number of referrals, pieces of information
and allegations will change. Officers will continue to work through the
information that has been reported."

LONDON CLUBS STATE THEIR POSITIONS

AFC WIMBLEDON
Q: Is your club among those the Metropolitan Police is investigating?
A: No comment.

Q: Have you received any allegations of sexual abuse at your club?
A: No comment.


ARSENAL
Q: Is your club among those the Metropolitan Police is investigating?
A: No comment.

Q: Have you received any allegations of sexual abuse at your club?
A: No comment.



BRENTFORD
Q: Is your club among those the Metropolitan Police is investigating?
A: Club say they have not been contacted by the police.

Q: Have you received any allegations of sexual abuse at your club?
A: Club say they have received no allegations.



CHARLTON
Club are investigating claims a youth player was abused by Heath while at
the club in the Eighties.



CHELSEA
The club paid Gary Johnson £50,000 after he was abused by former chief scout
Eddie Heath.



CRYSTAL PALACE
Q: Is your club among those the Metropolitan Police is investigating?
A: Club say they have not been contacted by the police.

Q: Have you received any allegations of sexual abuse at your club?
A: Club say they have received no allegations.



FULHAM
Q: Is your club among those the Metropolitan Police is investigating?
A: "Due to ongoing investigations by a number of police forces into
allegations of non-recent child abuse at professional clubs, it would not be
appropriate to provide information on the matter at this time."

Q: Have you received any allegations of sexual abuse at your club?
A: "Due to ongoing investigations by a number of police forces into
allegations of non-recent child abuse at professional clubs, it would not be
appropriate to provide information on the matter at this time."



QPR
Several complaints have been made about ex-chief scout Chris Gieler, who
worked at QPR for 30 years.



TOTTENHAM
Q: Is your club among those the Metropolitan Police is investigating?
A: Club say they have not been contacted by the police.

Q: Have you received any allegations of sexual abuse at your club?
A: Club say they have received no allegations.



WEST HAM
Q: Is your club among those the Metropolitan Police is investigating?
A: Club say they have not been contacted by the police.

Q: Have you received any allegations of sexual abuse at your club?
A: Club say they have received no allegations.

The Evening Standard are awaiting responses from Barnet, Leyton Orient and
Millwall

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sir Trevor Brooking: West Ham's attack looks more potent with 'outstanding'
Michail Antonio
EXCLUSIVE
KEN DYER
Evening Standard

Having played in the same team as that other West Ham knight of the realm,
Sir Geoff Hurst, and Kevin Keegan with England, Sir Trevor Brooking ought to
know a good striker when he sees one. Which is why, when the West Ham great
who played 635 times for his beloved club, is effusive in his praise of
Michail Antonio, who scored his seventh Premier League goal of the season in
the 2-2 draw at Liverpool on Sunday, it is as well to take notice. Brooking
made his first-team debut aged 18 in 1967 at Turf Moor, the home of Burnley,
who come to the London Stadium tonight and he believes Slaven Bilic could do
a lot worse than stick with Antonio up front. The utility man was pushed
forward at Anfield as Diafra Sakho and Simone Zaza were injured while Andy
Carroll was on the bench after a lengthy lay-off. "Certainly for me, Michail
is the outstanding West Ham player of the season so far," said Brooking.
"His versatility was there for all to see at Liverpool when he began up
front, then went to right-back for a while and finally, when Slaven switched
to a back three, he played as wing-back. "The massive bonus for West Ham,
though, has been that when he has played up front, West Ham's attack has
looked more potent than at any other time, except when Diafra came in for
two games and then you saw the beauty of having a striker who can turn the
opposition around. "Against Chelsea in the League Cup, Michail played up
front and gave them all sorts of problems and on Sunday no one other than
him would have scored that goal because, when the deflection took the ball
over the head of the defender, no one else would have been quick enough to
get behind them."
Brooking, now 68, attends every home match as a guest of honour and has been
impressed by West Ham's new home. He was back at the London Stadium on
Monday to take a closer look at the many references and tributes to his
illustrious 17-year playing career at the club and believes, despite early
problems, it is the team's performances and results which will ultimately
create new history for the Hammers. He said: "Injuries certainly haven't
helped and the move to the stadium was always, initially at least, going to
be tricky. That will be resolved, though, by good home performances similar
to that against Chelsea. The other factor is that, last season, our player
intake was terrific and it was always going to be difficult to match that
again. "In the current climate it's very difficult to replicate because
every club in the Premier League has had money to spend. I believe Slaven
will get it right, though. I like him and he did a terrific job last season
when the squad exceeded expectations. There is no way the club should make a
change now."
'I believe Slaven will get it right. There is no way the club should make a
change now'
Tonight's visitors in the first of two crucial home matches for West Ham,
evoke powerful memories for Brooking of his first taste of action. "The
manager, Ron Greenwood felt it was good to give young players their debuts
away from home because there was less pressure. The goal scorers in a 3-3
draw that day were Bobby Moore, Martin Peters and Hurst which wasn't bad —
just a year after the trio had played in the World Cup Final. "Later that
season, I scored my one and only hat-trick in a 5-0 win over Newcastle. I
got everyone to sign the ball and gave it to my mum and dad, who stuck it on
top of their TV."
Brooking is standing in front of the vast stand which bears his name and
which was officially opened in July, when Juventus were the visitors. "The
atmosphere was good," he said. "That's been a subject of debate since but I
think what happens on the pitch dictates everything. I was at the Cup tie
against Chelsea and it was probably the best performance so far. The
atmosphere was terrific and when everyone is behind the team, it will be
fine. "More than anything, the crowd can help the team in these next two
home matches, against Burnley and Hull. Four or six points from these two
games would put us in the pack in the middle of the table. "There's no
reason why, against Burnley, we can't raise the roof and set the benchmark
for the future."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Charlie Adam praises West Ham skipper Mark Noble for his honesty
HITC
Damien Lucas

West Ham United skipper Mark Noble has been praised by Stoke City's Charlie
Adam for his refreshing honesty. The Hammers are one place and one point off
the bottom three after a torrid season so far. Slaven Bilic's second season
at the helm as been the polar opposite of his first where the Hammers came
close to qualifying for the Champions League. An unlikely point at Anfield
against title hopefuls Liverpool restored some pride after consecutive 4-1
and 5-1 thrashings against Manchester United and Arsenal respectively.
Going into crucial back-to-back home games against Burnley and Hull City
Hammers skipper Noble was interviewed on talkSPORT about the club's troubles
this season. The homegrown Hammer gave a refreshingly honest account of the
goings on at London Stadium and insisted the players were all behind the
manager. The interview went down well with Hammers fans and Noble's fellow
professionals too.
Stoke City's Charlie Adam took to Twitter to praise his rival midfielder.
"Great to hear someone so passionate about his club on @talkSPORT," Adam
said. "Well said Mark Noble."

Follow
Charlie Adam ? @Charlie26Adam
Great too hear someone so passionate about his club On @talkSPORT. Well said
Mark noble
10:47 AM - 12 Dec 2016

Adam knows exactly what Noble has been going through given Stoke's early
season troubles. It was actually the Scottish star's return to the first
team which coincided with a change in fortunes for the Potters. And after
his well received interview, Noble will be hoping it sparks a similar
turnaround for West Ham's season.

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REST HAM UNITED Dimitri Payet: West Ham star getting special treatment as
Slaven Bilic hands him days off to skip training
Hammers boss Bilic fears his star man is burning out after gruelling
workload over the last 18 months
BY IAN BAKER 13th December 2016, 10:30 pm
The Sun

SLAVEN BILIC has told Dimitri Payet to skip training to prevent him breaking
down. The West Ham boss is treating his talisman carefully following a
gruelling workload over the past 18 months. Payet came 17th in the Fifa
Ballon d'Or award after his exploits with the Hammers last term and with
France getting to the Euro 2016 final. Now Bilic is having to provide
special treatment for his star man in the build-up to Wednesday's clash with
Burnley. He said: "Dimitri had a very demanding season and then went
straight to the Euros. "After that, he had a break and it wasn't ideal. He
had three weeks off and then got injured a bit. "He didn't have a proper
rest or pre-season. The schedule of the Premier League is one that means you
cannot give him two or three weeks off. "We have to give him days off to
protect him. It is a team sport but sometimes you treat individuals
differently."
Bilic pulled Payet out of full training before Sunday's Liverpool game. And
he said: "Dimi is experienced enough and last week against Liverpool he had
one extra day off when he was in the gym and on the massage table. "That is
the kind of thing you can give him to avoid fatigue."
Payet, 29, has struggled to match last year's exploits but looked more like
his old self by scoring his first goal from a free-kick in the Prem this
season at Anfield. The French ace has been linked with a move but Bilic
said: "West Ham is very much his side."

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