Daily WHUFC News - 18th January 2017

Westley pleased despite defeat
WHUFC.com

West Ham United PL2 were beaten 3-0 away at Brighton and Hove Albion on Monday
The Hammers had the lion's share of possession and created more chances
Boss Terry Westley said his side "did lots of good things" despite being beaten

Terry Westley was pleased by his side's performance in terms of possession and chances created, despite being beaten 3-0 away to Brighton and Hove Albion in Premier League 2. The Hammers were aiming for three successive victories in the league, but came unstuck on the south coast, despite dominating possession and shots on goal. A double from Aaron Connolly and an unfortunate Declan Rice own goal made it a frustrating evening for Westley's men. "It was a tough night and we haven't had many this season," Westley declared. "In many ways, we did good things. We dominated large parts of the game, first half was 60-40% possession to us and in the second half we had 70-30%. We had more shots, more corners, more crosses. But in both boxes we weren't quite good enough. "We got caught with a long ball down the pitch for the first goal and then it became a real challenge at half time. I said to the boys, if you're as good as what we believe, as a team and individually, you'll rev it up now and pull it back. "Then there was an own goal and their player put a great cross in for the third goal, but we still had lots of chances to get back into the game. It was one of those frustrating, horrible nights where in both boxes we haven't quite done well enough. We dominated large parts of the game, first half was 60-40% possession to us and in the second half we had 70-30%. We had more shots, more corners, more crosses

The Hammers went behind inside ten minutes when Connolly latched onto a long ball and found the bottom corner of Nathan Trott's goal.
The away side didn't shy away from their slick passing style and created a number of chances to equalise – Moses Makasi couldn't quite divert Dan Kemp's cross into the net and Marcus Browne shot wide as the Hammers tried their utmost to get back into the contest before half-time. However, Brighton doubled their lead shortly after the break when Rice headed into his own net and sealed the victory when Connolly finished well 15 minutes from time. Despite the defeat, Westley maintained pleasure at his side's possession stats after the match and urged his players to stick to their philosophy, which has seen them dismantle a number of teams this year.
"We can't be too angry – when you're the developer, you can't go into the dressing room and steam into people because they've lost possession of the ball when you're asking them to take the ball, make passes and be creative and expansive. "We've played Brighton three times now and they've caused us problems. They've sat deep, put banks of four against us and on the counter attack caused us problems when we are stretched."

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Legend Martin hails 'immense' atmosphere
WHUFC.com

Hammers legend Alvin Martin praised the 'immense' London Stadium atmosphere
Three-time Hammer of the Year was present for Saturday's victory over Crystal Palace
talkSPORT pundit said supporters were there for the team when they needed a boost

West Ham United legend Alvin Martin has described the atmosphere at London Stadium on Saturday as 'immense' and praised the Club's supporters for their tremendous backing of Slaven Bilic and his team. The former Hammers captain, who made 596 appearances for the club between 1978 and 1996, was present for the magnificent 3-0 Premier League win over Crystal Palace in his role as a summariser for radio station talkSPORT. The three-time Hammer of the Year, now an athletic 58, believes that West Ham's stunning second-half performance came at a perfect time. "People talk about atmosphere but the supporters can only take it so far," he says. "To really lift it to another level, it has to be generated by what happens on the pitch, and we saw that on Saturday. "It was quiet and a bit edgy in the first half, but you could tell that the fans wanted to get their teeth into it and have something to really shout about.
"Then it exploded, particularly with the fantastic second and third goals, and suddenly the atmosphere was immense. "It is still going to take time for the memories to stack up, but when that second goal flew in, well, that's about as good as it gets. "What was wonderful about Andy's goal was that it came at the perfect time when Slaven really needed it, and the fans really needed it. "Slaven won some big matches last season in his first year with the Club, but I would say that Saturday's was up there with the biggest in terms of the week he'd had, and what he needed from the players and the fans. "The players certainly delivered, and the fans proved yet again that the team, and Slaven, can really count on them when it is needed. That is testament to the loyalty and passion they show for this Club."

Work commitments with talkSPORT have meant that Saturday marked only his third visit to London Stadium, but the former England international did not hesitate when asked to give his overall description of the Club's new home. "It's iconic," he said. "As a player, when you've finished your career, you hope that you can talk about things you've won, great memories and great seasons.
"And people always want to know, have you played at that stadium, or this stadium? I'm very proud to have played at places like Wembley, and the Azteca in Mexico – the kind of great stadiums you dream about playing in when you're kicking a ball around in the street as a boy. "And this is another one. I'm sure a lot of players will want to say that they played here."

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The Big Interview - Darren Randolph
WHUFC.com

Darren Randolph was wearing a broad smile after keeping his first clean sheet of 2017 in Saturday's Premier League win over Crystal Palace.

West Ham United's Republic of Ireland international goalkeeper produced another calm and assured performance, while the defenders in front of him restricted the Eagles to just one shot on target – a Yohan Cabaye volley which Randolph dealt with comfortably.

Having helped the Hammers end a run of three straight defeats, the No1 says Slaven Bilic's side can build on their confidence-boosting 3-0 victory at Middlesbrough on Saturday.

Darren, after a challenging week, that victory seems to have given everybody associated with the Club a real lift?

"Yeah, I was saying in an interview for talkSPORT before the game how important it was to get the win, especially after the week the Club had.

"We went out there and knew it would be a tough game. The first half was pretty boring! It is always hard to break a team down when they put men behind the ball, Sam Allardyce knew how he wanted to set his team up and it worked for them in the first half.

"We changed a few things and managed to get three very good goals."

We had a couple of hairy moments before half-time, with James Tomkins poking wide from close-range and the Yohan Cabaye volley you saved?

"Tonks had a chance and a few other crosses flashed across the box, but Palace are dangerous and they've got dangerous wide men with good delivery, height, speed, power, pace, everything, so we knew we'd need to battle away.

"We knew they'd have chances or half-chances, which they had, but they didn't amount to anything. We stayed in the game and managed to get three goals ourselves."

Sam Byram and James Collins were introduced at half-time after a long time out injured and neither looked like they had been away…

"Ginge and Sam came in and even Michail Antonio had a fever in the days before the game and he put in a good shift. He had three assists in about 15 minutes, so he should be sick more often!

"This game showed how much you need a squad because we needed bodies and players who could come in and do a job, which they did. They came into the team and didn't look like they needed time to settle.

"Again, we produced good performances all around and got what we deserved."

As a goalkeeper, you must have been pleased with a clean sheet?

"I've said before that I always prefer a win over a clean sheet, and we needed the win badly. I wouldn't have cared if we'd scored in the last minute or won 5-4 as long as we won the game.

"To have won 3-0 looks good."

You could feel the unity between the fans and the team throughout the game at the end of a difficult week, couldn't you?

"It was the loudest it has been inside London Stadium for a few games. You could feel the backing that not only the team but the manager had.

"The whole stadium got behind us and got behind the manager and the fans showed their faith and belief they have in him."

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AFCON pair make winning starts
WHUFC.com

West Ham United pair make winning start at 2017 CAF Africa Cup of Nations
Cheikhou Kouyate captains Senegal to 2-0 win over Algeria
Andre Ayew scores the only goal as Ghana overcome Uganda

West Ham United duo Cheikhou Kouyate and Andre Ayew both got off to a winning start at the 2017 CAF Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon.

Kouyate captained Senegal to a 2-0 Group B victory over Tunisia in Franceville, where Algeria's 2-2 draw with Zimbabwe means the Lions of Teranga top the group after the first round of fixtures.

Next up for the midfielder is a meeting with Zimbabwe at the same venue on Thursday.

On Tuesday, Ayew was the match-winner as Avram Grant's Ghana got off to a winning start by beating Uganda 1-0 in Port-Gentil.

The forward confidently stroked home from the penalty spot after Asamoah Gyan had been fouled inside the box, setting the Black Stars on course for three points with his 13th international goal.

Ghana will contest their second Group D fixture against Mali on Saturday.

Both matches will be broadcast live in the UK by Eurosport.

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Phillips - First goal is crucial
WHUFC.com

Mark Phillips thinks scoring first is the priority for our U18s against Brighton on Wednesday
The young Hammers are aiming for three successive victories
Their match at the Amex Elite Performance Centre kicks off at 12pm

Assistant manager Mark Phillips has urged his U18s to be proactive and start fast in their league match with Brighton and Hove Albion on Wednesday.

The young Hammers will hope to better their U23 counterparts who were beaten 3-0 on the south coast on Monday, despite having more possession and creating more chances.

Phillips thinks the first goal will be crucial in their midweek clash with the Seagulls as they aim for three successive victories.

"Brighton like to play on the counter and sit deep with a packed defence. Obviously we've done a bit of work on trying to beat blocks and get shots away," he said.

"We'll have to try and get down the sides or be very patient and intricate in our play. If we can score the first goal, it'll be a different game because they'll have to come out and play."

The Hammers did not play at the weekend, meaning they have had a few days to take in the results from Saturday.

Leaders Chelsea dropped points at home to Aston Villa, meaning the third-placed Irons can close the gap on the top to four points in the U18 Premier League South.

"We don't really look at other team's results and if we keep winning our games, we're going to end up in the top four," Phillips added.

"It's a really important game (against Brighton). We aren't worried about playing the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea but it would be nice to pick up some positive results which will mean we are bedded in the top four nicely when we come to play them."

The Hammers will be without second-highest scorer Korrey Henry on Wednesday who is missing through illness, but manager Steve Potts welcomes back Dan Kemp who has not featured for the U18s since their FA Youth Cup defeat to Stoke City.

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LUNCHTIME ROUND UP: LANZINI THE NEW MAIN MAN? ZAZA SPEAKS OUT ON HAMMERS SPELL, PAYET RETURNS
BY DAN CHAPMAN ON 17 JANUARY 2017 AT 12:28PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk

Afternoon Hammers, here is the news going around this lunchtime.

Tony Gale says West Ham would be silly not to sell Dimitri Payet this month. (Sky Sports)

I agree, but it has to be for the £40m asking price. Any less and that will be very disappointing. We could strengthen our squad with that money. There is still time in this window to get more players!

Simone Zaza has spoken out on his time at West Ham after signing for Juventus on loan. (Daily Star)

Fair play to Zaza for being honest, it just wasn't meant to be for him in the Premier League. Wish him well for his future.

QPR manager Ian Holloway says Scott Hogan would be a fantastic signing for West Ham. (Talksport)

Holloway is right, he would be. Hogan is a brilliant striker and it will be exciting to see him play for us should we sign him.

West Ham are again chasing striker Martin Braithewaite, as well as a number of European clubs. (Sky Sports)

I would rather keep our signings domestic to be honest. I think it is just the safest option to go with for now.

Paul Merson says Manuel Lanzini can easily fill Dimitri Payet's shoes. (HITC)

Manuel proved on Saturday that he can step up to the plate. Hopefully he can keep up that type of performance and start to show us all that he is our new main man.

Dimitri Payet returned to West Ham training today, and trained with the U23 squad. (Mirror)

As long as he isn't disrupting the first team, then fine. The sooner he disappears all together, the better in my opinion.

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The drummer in the hotel band
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 17th January 2017
By: Staff Writer

A new documentary about West Ham United and life at the Boleyn Ground is set to be released later this year.

Aspiring young film director Tom Godfrey is a long-suffering West Ham supporter. He plans to release a full-length documentary in 2017 featuring content from Boleyn Ground heroes such as Trevor Brooking, Tony Gale and Frank McAvennie.

Godfrey - who previously worked in the oil industry for 16 years - is currently combining his film work with a Master's degree. And to give Hammers fans a taste of what is to come, he has released the following short clip, featuring former club physio Rob Jenkins.

'The drummer in the band' is a reference to West Ham legend Bobby Moore who, as Jenkins explains, was once mistaken by a fellow hotel guest at the Princess Hotel in Bermuda for a musician!

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Redknapp: he'll stink the place out!
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 17th January 2017
By: Staff Writer

Former Hammers boss Harry Redknapp believes that West Ham must sell Dimitri Payet furing the current transfer window.

Redknapp, who managed West Ham between 1995 and 2001 urged the club to sell the mercurial Frenchman before the deadline - in order to avoid further disruption to West Ham's season.

"They have just got to get the right price," Redknapp told TalkSport. "The deal has got to happen and it will happen, he won't be there at the end of the window - no chance.

"He has got to go, it will stink the place out if he plays and doesn't want to play for you.

"He isn't the best player to play there, they have had hundreds of better players. People like Bobby Moore that played for the club all their lives and [Mark] Noble, they are proper West Ham.

"These guys come for a few years and are on their bikes again."

Meanwhile, Newcastle fan and YouTube star The True Geordie has also been having his say regarding the Dimitri Payet saga; if you are of a sensitive disposition or take issue with foul language, this one's definitely not for you...

In other transfer news today. reports in Italy are linking both West Ham and Watford with a move for Inter defender Andrea Ranocchia. The 28-year-old Italian international is currently out of favour at the San Siro and said to be open to a move to England and the Premier League.

Elsewhere, Leeds United are reported to have told West Ham to pay £15million if they want to sign 25-year-old New Zealand international Chris Wood. The 6'3" striker, who is his country's vice-captain behind West Ham's Winston Reid has scored 17 times in 29 appearances for the Championship side so far this season.

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West Ham 3-0 Crystal Palace (And Other Ramblings)
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 17th January 2017
By: HeadHammerShark


1. Time For Heroes

Prior to this game, if someone had asked me to describe the atmosphere at the London Stadium this season, I would have said it was as though a great blanket of negativity had gradually, slowly enveloped the ground over a period of months.

Going to games has been difficult with the transport not up to scratch, the stewarding largely a nightmare, dealing with the ticket office a brief venture in haphazard psychosis and the games themselves being largely dismal affairs played out on a pitch that is miles away from most fans.

And as time has passed, it has gradually dawned on us, that blanket has slowly settled on our heads, that none of that is going to change.

We're always going to have to queue for the trains for ages, we're never going to be able to generate that same Upton Park roar, and as much as we might will it to happen, that pitch isn't getting any closer. This is it.

And amidst that backdrop there has been so much else to be negative about. The transfer disasters, the insipid football, the Board generally dismaying fans with an alacrity that Martin Cearns could only dream of, and now Dimitri Payet turning his back on us.

I hope you don't judge me too harshly then, when I tell you that I skipped this game. I just couldn't take it. I've read this book before folks and I knew how it ended. Big Sam in town, Allardycing us to death in a lousy 2-0 defeat while Palace fans sang Payet songs into the cold January evening.

For 70 minutes I felt pretty justified in my decision, as the game was a stifling mess, bereft of the sort of touches that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named would usually bring to the stage.

But football is a wonderful, unpredictable, changeable mistress and she was no different here. Mark Noble was recalled for this game, as a kind of Cockney counterpoint to Payet and he released Michail Antonio into Payet's now vacated inside left channel. Wayne Hennessey was so distressed by this that he came charging off his line with the kind of speed you only usually see from Payet when he spies his wife is flicking through his phone, and with that rush of blood came the opening we craved. Antonio skipped past the crazy fucker and crossed to a possibly offside Sofiane Feghouli, who clearly can't be trusted with anything further out than two yards, and we were in.

The drama is draining and the negativity a constant weight on all our shoulders, but nothing beats a goal. The release was palpable from 10 miles away.

Forget the circus - a weight had been lifted.


2. The Good Old Days

Being one nil up against Sam Allardyce teams is a nice place to be. For 70 minutes his tactics worked superbly as his 5 man midfield forced us into long periods of nothingness, and everything seemed set for the inevitable late Palace winner.

But once behind, Allardyce teams look lost. Told to sit in and frustrate the opposition, it is hard for them to expand on that and throw off those shackles in pursuit of a goal. He's only had Palace for four games and it shows, as they pushed forward and we picked them off with pleasing ease. For a brief moment it was easy to forget about Payet and Zaza and the fact we have no right back, and instead imagine that it was 2015-2016 all over again. Crowd noise, an atmosphere, a genuine striker and West Ham counterattacking like Napoleon at Austerlitz.

If the Feghouli goal was a slight loosening of the pressure valve, then Andy Carroll's goal smashed it open and nailed it to the sky. Noble, Lanzini and Antonio combined once more down the Payet channel, but the latter's cross looked largely optimistic.

Not so said our pissed Geordie octopus, who backed away and fashioned a frankly incredible bicycle kick that was fit to grace any game of football. The ball flew into the roof of the Palace net with the velocity and accuracy of a Patriot missile, and six months of frustration was vented into the skies above East London. Sam Allardyce would later describe this with his customary good grace as a "goal we gifted to them". Hokey dokey Sam, have another pint of wine.

I'm gutted I missed it. Even on a shaky looking stream the place looked to be rocking, and everything I've read since only confirms it.

Good. We deserve it. In a season of unremitting gloom this was as welcome as seeing Diego Costa fall out with Antonio Conte after two days of hearing about Payet from lifelong Chelsea fans, who think football was invented in 2003 and that Mickey Hazard is something to do with Rohypnol.


3. The Man Who Would Be King

Perhaps the biggest beneficiary of Payet's Paul Ince homage has been Manuel Lanzini, who has suddenly become a playmaker destined to benefit from the opportunity to play without Payet. This is a bit barmy, as at least one benefit of a player like Payet is that he draws defenders to him and leaves space for players to Lanzini to exploit.

The Argentine's best performance in a West Ham shirt came at Chelsea last year when his ability to break from midfield was crucial, and should have seen us win comfortably. However, that day he had Kouyate all over the place alongside him, and Payet and Cresswell destroying Chelsea down the left.

This season he has been in and out of the side, with injuries and form being a problem, as well as trying to find a place to fit him into a misfiring midfield. His best turns have been playing deeper, alongside Obiang and using his dribbling to carry us forward. In other words, the glowing accolades suddenly bestowed upon him haven't exactly matched the reality of the matches.

Here he was given licence to roam, with Payet absent and Noble and Obiang behind him to provide ballast, and he was outstanding. His quickness of foot is wonderful, and when the time came to do something, anything, in the final third it mostly fell to him to do it.

His goal was a thing of simple, devastating beauty. The corpse of Loic Remy was raised from the dead by Allardyce for this game, and in the space of a few seconds he lost the ball in our box, and between Reid and Antonio, suddenly Lanzini was breaking free. He carried it to the edge of the box before dinking it over Hennessey - who by this stage had had quite enough of this shit - with impish brilliance. It was a perfect goal to seal a game and the perfect fuck you to Payet, Marseille, agents, Chelsea and all the other evils of the world.

After his 80 yard sprint he then carried on and jumped into the crowd to celebrate, meaning that the overall distance run on the goal was something like two miles.

I can see why fans want to latch on to Lanzini as the perfect replacement for Voldemort, but I'd urge some caution. He seems to function best when paired with others - previously Payet, and here Feghouli - and we'll need to put some equivalent talent around him to get the best out of him. I'm sure that sounds familiar, but I can't figure out why.


4. Don't Look Back Into The Sun

The off the field battle was almost as interesting here as the stuff on the pitch. Bilic has actually beaten Allardyce in both their meetings, and here he did well to adjust on the fly to the Palace tactics.

The first half was largely tedious, with a half chance for Carroll and a golden opportunity for James Tomkins that he Feghoulied wide from about 8 inches.

At half time Bilic introduced a lesser spotted right back and suddenly off we went. Michail Antonio, who had a temperature of 101 on Friday and was rewarded for his determination to play by being stuck out at wing back again, was released to play alongside Carroll and suddenly we were in business. Sam Byram might not be the answer at right back, but he's a better answer than any of other options, and the simple presence of an outlet ball was disproportionately pleasing after a season of watching a succession of square pegs jamming up that particular hole.

The truth is that if we played this game again tomorrow we might just as easily lose. I don't think we were noticeably that much better than Palace but we took our chances, and our manager showed an ability to get his team to play in more than one fashion. You might also reasonably argue that those two fashions were "bad" and "good" but that in itself might sum up the Bilic/Allardyce comparison perfectly.

Palace played okay but never looked like they could transcend that. We were crap and good in the same game. That wild fluctuation seems to be a Bilic trademark as opposed to the steadiness (or tedium, depending on your viewpoint) of Allardyce.

This is really how I view these two. Allardyce can get a team into a certain range in the league and probably not much higher unless he has a lot of time or money. Bilic seems capable of getting higher, but also carries the risk of finishing up lower too, as we are seeing this season.

In the long term it doesn't matter much as Allardyce doesn't manage us anymore, but it felt like an interesting counterpoint, and Bilic deserves credit for the way he changed things up and altered the seemingly inevitable flow of the game.


5. Heart Of The Matter

Mark Noble had an interesting day. He is a lightning rod for those who would affect wild and sweeping changes on the team, with most seeming to think that his lack of pace is career limiting, but on days like these his qualities are evident.

I'm not sure he should be playing ahead of the Kouyate-Obiang-Lanzini axis, but here he did what he does very well. He tackled, worked hard, chivvied and played one or two sublime passes to create the first half chance for Carroll and the through ball that released Antonio for the opener.

His pace is waning, and at this point he has all the speed of Jeremy Hunt answering his phone on a Sunday, but he still has plenty to offer the side. The willingness to get on the ball and make passes, and take responsibility in a struggling side is a significant plus. It strikes me that in a team so low on confidence that it is odd to criticise a player who is willing to do that with regularity. Noble never hides and on days like Saturday that is important, when it feels like an opening will never come, and the tension is palpable.

His role might need to change over the next couple of seasons, but in this week of all weeks it's hard to dispute that the man is committed to the cause.

Also, anyone prepared to lift up a ball boy by the bib deserves some patience.




6. What A Waster

Goodbye then Simone Zaza. We hardly knew ye, except for the fact that you once took a penalty for Italy whilst riding a unicycle, and you have tattooed knees. The issue of Zaza is curious as it seems to be simultaneously the fault of David Sullivan that he failed, due to the ludicrous pressure of being asked to prove himself in 14 games, whilst the chairman also gets credit for not wasting £20m on a player who couldn't find the net with shoal of fish.

In retrospect, the whole Zaza saga reflects poorly on the Club. We signed him late in the summer when it became clear that our ploy of telling everyone that "we've got a load of money and baby we intend to spend it" somehow didn't end up with us being offered top players at knockdown bargain prices.

Thus Zaza arrived, and I have no idea if he was ever a real target, but he played because everyone else was already injured. It was September after all.

I really have no idea how he was ever supposed to fit into our system. He never showed the mobility to play as a lone striker and his link up work was decidedly patchy. I refuse to believe that he was as crap as he looked, but I think he was also symptomatic of the panicky nature of our summer business. Along with Ayew he seemed to have been brought in for entirely the wrong reason.

Ayew to keep Payet company in the canteen and help him argue for TV Monde5 to be on the dressing room telly, whilst Zaza was simply there because he was available. That's a bad sign and a poor reflection on Bilic for agreeing to it. Sadly, I suppose the natural in house replacement - Antonio - was already been deployed at right because of his own managerial fuckwittery, meaning he probably felt he had little choice.

As it is, he is off to Valencia and will probably bang one in against Barcelona soon. C'est la vie.


7. What Became Of The Likely Lads

Two weeks into the transfer window and I'm still trying to balance my opinion on us not having made any panic signings yet. Clearly I am against us doing stupid things in the transfer window - paying £15m for 35 year old Jermain Defoe would be a textbook example of that - but I also do acknowledge that we need some help. Moreso now that Payet has turned footballing quisling.

The thing about Antonio being brilliant on Saturday, and Byram being healthy is that it could easily convince Bilic et al that there is no need to bring in reinforcements. The reality is that most projections for the rest of the season give us about a 2% chance of going down, which doesn't seem that ridiculous as Hull are Hull, Sunderland are also Hull and Swansea have the defensive solidity of Donald Trump's iCloud password.

So I can see the temptation to stay put, tempered with the knowledge that if we do, Byram and Carroll will be involved in a tragic hoovering accident on February 1st and our cover for both of them is the same player.

It's a bit like seeing Katie Hopkins on television. On one hand that's a reason to perforate your own ear drums, but on the other you're also thinking that there's a chance someone might see her and take the opportunity to rob her house. That's a tough choice, and one you shouldn't even have to be thinking about in the first place. Much like buying Jermain Defoe.

I can't really decide what I want from this transfer window. I see little value and the reality is that we're not in much danger any more. All things considered I'd rather that they didn't make any moves and kept the money for someone sensible to make some decisions in the summer. Given that will never happen, I expect to shortly see Defoe and Glen Johnson holding scarves above their head on the West Stand concourse, with the touchline twinkling in the distance behind them.


8. Campaign Of Hate

All of which reminds me that this weeks events have rather neatly detracted away from that nascent anti board movement that was springing up. Despite me thinking they don't seem to know what they're doing, I generally can't fault the board too much. I grew up with the Cearns family, Terry Brown and the broke Icelandic billionaires. I have seen things. I remember.

The problem has never struck me as one of penny pinching or general cheapness - although I'm more sympathetic to that view the more time I spend in the stadium - but more a lack of thought over how their money is spent. But those failures of judgement around how to run a Club pale into insignificance next to the prospects we faced before they took over.

Intellectual heavyweight Scott Duxbury was hosting barbecues and planning for the Champions League whilst failing to notice that new Director of Football, Gianluca Nani, only had one phone number in his book - that of his old club, Brescia. In short, we were fucked.

We've had rank incompetence and borderline criminal negligence in the past and what we have now is different. Most paint the new West Ham as a slick, new brand focused corporate monolith with no soul and a desire to treat us as customers. You can take whatever side you want on that, but that deviousness has come in handy this week.

The more I hear about the Payet business, the more I think the Club have done pretty well. My initial response to be flabbergasted that we would banish him to the reserves whilst telling the world that he wanted to go. This seemed destined to crash his transfer fee, and put us on to the back foot.

However, at that point I didn't know he was on strike, and by doing this they've pretty much cornered him and his agent. He can't now pretend to be injured as nobody will believe him, and the Club can leave him unselected and save themselves plenty of cash by fining him for being on strike.

Tonight we learn that Payet's wife and children are already back in France, leaving him with the prospect of living apart from his family whilst not being paid and being called a mercenary arsehole by model footballers Robbie Savage and Chris Sutton. What's odd about that is that he doesn't seem to want to go for money, he just seems to want to go back to Marseille, which I think most West Ham fans would find eminently understandable.

If I was Payet I would fire my agent and replace him with someone more capable - like Natasha from The Apprentice who said "Do you know what guys, I can't find my underwear. Just trying to work out if it will be any benefit to us whatsoever." - and begin mending some fences.

I cannot for the life of me work out why he didn't just announce he was homesick and wanted to go home, but promise to stay until the summer so as not to leave us in the lurch. His manager was the inventor of that bullshit! The Club could have worked in the background with Marseille to structure a deal and he could have left a hero, not that he gives a shit but it has to be at least slightly better than what he has now.

The word is that Marseille have today upped their initial £19m bid to £20m which I find hilarious, and just about the most David Sullivan thing ever. I'm not sure they actually have enough money to afford Payet, and if they don't then he really doesn't have much choice but to try and come back into the fold.

I still think this saga might have some legs left. Unlike Dimitri if he tries to buy a pint in The Carpenters anytime soon, mind you.


9. Can't Stand Me Now

One thing to consider about Payet, however. Don't be swayed by this belief that we don't need him solely on the basis of one good game. He leads the team in key passes per game this season with 4.1 per game. Next is Lanzini is 1.3 (all stats per WhoScored.com) and thereafter it's a fucking wasteland.

That is a huge creative component suddenly removed from the side, and it's not an easy thing to replace. Feghouli might well be a capable replacement in the longer term but he's a very different type of player and he also can't score unless he's behind the goalkeeper so that hampers his effectiveness somewhat.

We are off to Middlesbrough on Saturday and you might remember that we required the goal of the season to score against them in the first game. I don't care if you think Carroll's goal was better than Payet's - you are wrong. Payet had to do several things brilliantly, whilst Carroll did one thing. If we're one down after an hour again, you might find yourself casting wishful glances at the left wing and wishing that a certain Frenchman wasn't being a dickhead.


10. The Saga

I'm exhausted after all that, so here you go. Here's a Libertines song in honour of those who stayed and fought on Saturday and gave us something back. Not to be melodramatic but we needed that. And don't look now but we've only lost two of our last seven Premier League games.

Thanks West Ham, I cherish you, my love.



* Read more from HeadHammerShark at thehlist.blogspot.co.uk and/or follow him via twitter.

Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, nor should be attributed to, KUMB.com.

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West Ham players hoping for quick Dimitri Payet exit after French star burns bridges with teammates
It is thought that Slaven Bilic's squad would prefer the club to move the France international on now, rather than risk further disruption to the rest of their season
The Mirror
COMMENTS
BYADRIAN KAJUMBA
19:07, 17 JAN 2017

West Ham 's players want the club to sell Dimitri Payet this month. Payet has angered his teammates after telling boss Slaven Bilic he no longer wants to play for the club. The Hammers haven't given up hope of resolving the situation and keeping the want-away playmaker, 29, until the summer. But members of Bilic's squad feel Payet has burned bridges with his tantrum and refusal to play for the club and now hope he is offloaded rather than retained to avoid further disrupting their season. With Hammers supporters having already turned on Payet the dressing room view adds to the dilemma for the Hammers hierarchy and adds to the sense there is no way back for the Frenchman. Payet, who returned to the club's academy training ground on Tuesday, will work with the club's under-23s while the dispute is ongoing. And he has been ordered to apologise to the club's fuming fans. Payet is desperate to return to former club Marseille, but claims that he wants the move not because he is being greedy but for the sake of his family. Unhappy Payet has even told pals that he will earn LESS at Marseille than the £120,000 a week deal he signed at West Ham last season. Payet insists he wants to go to France for the sake of his marriage and also because he wants his three kids to grow up in France. The French side are lining up a third bid for their former playmaker after having two offers – the latest around £20m - already knocked back by West Ham.

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Dimitri Payet "will take a pay cut to go back to Marseille" according to French football expert Julien Laurens
The West Ham midfielder's imminent exit apparently has nothing to do with wanting more money
The Mirror
BYTHOMAS BRISTOW
21:48, 17 JAN 2017

News of Dimitri Payet handing in a transfer request and going on strike rocked the London Stadium last week. West Ham 's star player, who made himself a club legend in the space of a season, told Slaven Bilic he no longer wanted to be a part of the east Londoners' plans. But if you thought the Frenchman was eyeing up a move to a club in the Champions League or had been swayed by the financial muscle of China, you'd be wrong. Turns out the 29-year-old just wants to go back home. And this was something backed up by French football expert Julien Laurens in the video above. Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live , he said: "Payet will take a pay cut to go back to Marseille. It's not about the money, the money has nothing to do with it. "I know he took that £1million bonus but he's not going to China where you double or triple your salary. He's ready to take the pay cut. "Marseille and Payet have already reached an agreement so it's all sorted to go back there."

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Swansea's Gylfi Sigurdsson to snub Everton and West Ham transfer interest and stay with his relegation fighters
The £25m-rated midfielder scores and makes goals and is vital to new boss Paul Clement
The Mirror
BYJAKE BACON
22:30, 17 JAN 2017

Gylfi Sigurdsson will hand Swansea 's survival hopes a major boost by staying at the club. Everton and West Ham have been tracking the £25m-rated Iceland star who is the Swans' top scorer with six goals. But midfield ace Sigurdsson , who signed a new four-year contract at the Liberty Stadium last summer, wants to help new head coach Paul Clement beat the drop. The 27-year-old has underlined his importance to a struggling Swans squad, who find themselves one point from safety, by scoring or assisting in three of their four league wins this term. He is hugely popular among supporters and won the Player of the Year award last season after netting 11 times. Sigurdsson's decision to stay in south Wales will delight Clement, who stated his desire to keep hold of the player last week. He said: "I want to keep Gylfi here, we're in a situation where we want to win games and to have a chance to do that at this level you've got to keep your best players."
Swansea continued their spending spree on Tuesday by signing full-back Martin Olsson and midfield playmaker Tom Carroll from Norwich and Tottenham respectively for a total fee in the region of £9m. Olsson put pen to paper on a two-and-a-half-year deal, while Carroll has rejoined the Welsh side after a successful loan spell during the 2014-15 campaign in which he featured 18 times and scored once. The pair will join Clement's £4m recruit from PSV Eindhoven, Luciano Narsingh , in trying to steer the Swans away from the drop zone. Meanwhile, Birmingham are in talks to sign winger Wayne Routledge for £3m. The 32-year-old has been at the Welsh club since 2011 but could swap a top-flight relegation dogfight for a Championship play-off push under Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola.
Routledge has been a regular this season under Swansea's three bosses Francesco Guidolin, Bob Bradley and now Clement.

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West Ham would be 'silly not to sell' Dimitri Payet, says Tony Gale
By Stephen Turner
Last Updated: 17/01/17 11:09am
SSN

West Ham should sell Dimitri Payet this month and get on with playing football, according to former defender Tony Gale. The France international told Hammers boss Slaven Bilic last week that he no longer wanted to play for the club despite signing an improved long-term contract last February. Two offers from Marseille have fallen well below West Ham's £30m valuation and, according to Sky sources, joint-chairman David Sullivan will not be bullied into a quick sale. Gale believes a compromise could - and should - be reached this month and says delaying the deal risks costing the club a large profit on a 29-year-old who cost them £10.7m in the summer of 2015. "They want £30m, £20m has been offered, and it wouldn't surprise me if it ends up at £25m," Gale, who spent a decade in east London as a player, told Premier League Daily. "Get shot of him and get on with football because no one is bigger than the club. "They'd be silly not to sell, really. If they let it run until the end of the season he's not going to play any football, then all of a sudden you've got a player whose value is probably down by another £10m or so because of his age. "They have to get rid of him now, but doing the deal is the important thing and getting the best money for the football club. "And whilst you're doing it line up some other moves. It's no good selling him for £25m and not getting anyone else. You can get some quality players for that money - even two, or you could even go for one big player which West Ham fans would love."
Payet's performances last season saw him named Hammer of the Year - an award he called a "huge honour and defining moment" - and earned him a nomination for the PFA Player of the Year trophy. But his form and attitude have tailed off badly, according to Gale, who believes West Ham can move on quickly once he is sold. "Everybody thinks life's not going to go on when a star player leaves," he said. "But it does go on and they're soon forgotten. "Let's face it - he's had one season at West Ham, and the last six games of last season he wasn't performing anyway. "He came back and had 'a rest' because of the European Championships. then he came back and scored a couple of really good goals, but other than that he hasn't really performed. "We're not just talking about someone who can be like an American Footballer and just come on and take free-kicks. We're talking about someone who has to work for the team as well.
"Some of the games I've seen the attitude wasn't there, and I hear around the football club that he's not even been speaking to players over the last four or five weeks."

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West Ham favourites to sign Joe Hart… who is set to return to Premier League - bookies
BOOKIES think Joe Hart is set to return to the Premier League.
The Daily Star
By Jack Wilson / Published 17th January 2017

And they believe West Ham are the club who are best-placed to snap him up. BetStars make it 10/11 for Hart, who is on loan from Manchester City at Torino, to join the Hammers. Liverpool (9/4) and Everton (9/2) are also in the running. BetStars spokesman Ian Marmion said: "Joe Hart is set to complete a return to the Premier League. "West Ham have emerged as the shock frontrunners to sign the England keeper and are now odds on at 10/11 to secure the England Number One's signature. "The Hammers are head and shoulders above the rest in the race for the shot stopper. Both Merseyside clubs are also keen on Joe Hart with a move to Everton priced at 9/2, or Liverpool available at 9/4. "Whilst Claudio Bravo continues to falter between the sticks for Manchester City, it looks like there's no way back at the Etihad for forgotten man Joe Hart. "The chances of a return to City under Pep Guardiola look almost non-existent with the Citizens currently priced at 8/1 to reinstate Hart as their number one."
Pep Guardiola replaced Hart with Claudio Bravo after taking the City job in the summer. But the former Barca man has struggled to hit it out in England. Ian Wright hit out at the decision and told The Sun: "Heaven only knows what Joe Hart thinks when he's watching their games from Italy – especially after this against AC Milan. "Pep insisted he was bringing Bravo over because of his ability with the ball at his feet. "Bringing in Bravo and letting Hart go to Torino will, for me, always be one of the most baffling decisions I've seen. "Bravo, 33, isn't even a second-string keeper. That's not being vindictive or harsh. If City fans are being honest, they know it too. "It's got to the stage where if an opposition shot is on target, there's every chance it will go in. That's anything but the stuff of champions. "I can guarantee, 100 per cent, that if Hart was still No?1 at City, there's no way they'd have let in half the number of goals they have."

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West Ham striker Jonathan Calleri 'interested' in Sao Paulo return, claims club's director of football
SAM LONG
Evening Standard

West Ham striker Jonathan Calleri is 'interested' in returning to Sao Paulo, according to the Brazilian club's director of football.
Calleri joined the Hammers from Deportivo Maldonado on a season-long loan deal last summer, having previously spent the first six months of 2016 on loan at Sao Paulo. The 23-year-old was top scorer in the Copa Libertadores at the time of his departure but is yet to replicate such form for Slaven Bilic's side.
Calleri has made just six Premier League substitute appearances this season and is yet to score for the east Londoners, who recently ended Simone Zaza's loan spell early. Jose Jacobson, Sao Paulo's director of football, is convinced Calleri is keen to return to Brazil but believes a transfer is unlikely with his club not willing to sanction another short-term deal. "I think we lack a number nine," he told Globo Esporte. "Otherwise, I think we're well prepared for this first semester. "Calleri is interested, but there is the problem with the investor group, who paid a lot for him and want him to stay in European football, even if he doesn't stay in West Ham. "Sao Paulo can't invest anything, it's out of our reality. A six-month loan does not interest us. I can't bring Calleri for a short time again." Meanwhile, Standard Sport understands West Ham could forced Dimitri Payet to stay put until the summer. The Frenchman is determined to leave but the Hammers are holding out for a fee in excess of £30million for their talisman.

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Dimitri Payet set for Marseille return, but not everyone will roll out the red carpet for West Ham's wantaway star
JONATHAN JOHNSON
Evening STandard

While West Ham and Marseille continue to haggle over a price, it appears increasingly likely Dimitri Payet will ultimately return to Stade Velodrome. The France international has admitted in the past he never actually wanted to leave the nine-time Ligue 1 winners in the summer of 2015, and now he is proving it to the ailing southern giants' adoring supporters by digging his heels in as he tries to force a way back to the club. If and when it happens, Marseille fans will celebrate Payet's return. Not only do they have fond memories of his first spell there, notably his form under charismatic coach Marcelo Bielsa, it will also signify the end of the financial problems that forced him out to start with. Payet, who is nearly 30, was one of Les Phoceens' best players during almost two years there and for the beleaguered Marseille fans, there has not been much to cheer since he left. His performances on home soil at Euro 2016 will have only heightened their appetites. Like their bitter capital city rivals Paris Saint-Germain with Javier Pastore in the summer of 2011, Marseille want to make a statement with their first big-money signing under new foreign ownership and Payet is as close to a guaranteed success as they will get right now. Of course, there are totally understandable concerns in France that Rudi Garcia's men are going to commit too much money to sign just one player, albeit a very talented one when he is focused, but the boost that actually getting Payet back through the door at their training ground, La Commanderie, will be huge. Whether or not Marseille's new owners intend to spend more this month in other areas, despite the fact midfielder and former Watford target Morgan Sanson is expected to join from Montpellier regardless of the Payet move, remains to be seen. However, once the Payet deal is completed, there will be an expectation among the club's supporters that more big name players follow in the next few months. On top of this, Marseille will not fear losing him in another 18-24 months' time. With the player being adamant that his family's happiness is his sole motivation for seeking the move and returning home, there is a good chance that he will end his career there if Frank McCourt and Jacques-Henri Eyraud's ambitious project bears fruit. Payet has previous in attempting to force his way out of clubs. He performed a U-turn in 2011 when, as a St Etienne player, he tried to push through a move to PSG. His flimsy excuse was that he had gone to the capital for a spot of tourism at the Eiffel Tower. This time, he says he is putting his family first and Marseille fans will revel in that. However, if the France international tries to use his family as justification for another move in future, those same supporters will lose a huge amount of respect for him in the same way West Ham's have done now.

Understandably, there are some detractors. Former Arsenal, Chelsea and France midfielder Emmanuel Petit was incredulous at both Marseille and Payet's stances when speaking with SFR Sport. "I do not understand the timing, I do not understand Marseille," said Petit. "It might disappoint Marseille fans but to spend €35 million (£31m) on a player you sold for €15m 18 months ago, it is a very bad deal financially on a 30-year-old player." "It is also rare to see the fans' attitude change so quickly," the Frenchman continued.
"They are not fickle fans. If they are ready to hate you just as much as they loved you a few months ago, it is for a good reason. There is a hatred that could go beyond sport. "There are people who are ready to punch him in the face."

PSG fans who remember his trip to the Eiffel Tower will also have allowed themselves a wry smile upon learning that Payet is forcing another move. The best moments of Dimitri Payet's debut West Ham season There are also some Marseille supporters who would prefer to see that money spread more evenly over the pitch, notably at left-back, in defensive midfield and in attack. However, on the whole, Payet's return is seen as a good thing for French football and a Marseille squad in need of pulling power. Once he is in place, McCourt, Garcia and Eyraud will be able to add the pieces around him to move the project forward and move Marseille back closer to the top of the domestic tree.

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'I'd make Dimitri Payet train with the kids, take his career and FLUSH it' – Simon Jordan on West Ham's wantaway star
By talkSPORT - @talkSPORT
Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan has told talkSPORT how he'd handle Dimitri Payet's strike at West Ham – make him rot in the reserves and ruin his career. Hammers boss Slaven Bilic revealed last week that Payet is refusing to play for the club again, with the playmaker thought to be keen on a return to Marseille. However, club bosses have insisted they will NOT sell the wantaway star in the January transfer window, with the club reportedly rejecting a £20million bid from the Ligue 1 club on Monday. Speaking on the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast, Jordan said, if he was in charge at the London Stadium, he'd use the situation to send a message to the rest of the squad. Although he later admitted selling the Frenchman for the best price this month would be the safest move to avoid a backlash in the dressing room. The ex-Eagles chief said: "If you'd have asked me six years ago my reaction would have been, 'you're going over to the reserves or with the academy kids, you're going to sit there for the next three years and I'll take your career and flush it' "And I did that with certain players [during his time at Selhurst Park], and the reason for that would be to send a message to the other players that you don't follow this route and we mean business. "But the flip side of that is it doesn't take much for the whispers to start, for the cancer to spread in the dressing room with destructive and divisive players – there's a balance to be struck. "I think there's something more going on behind the scenes with Payet, and I would like to see the owners come out and be stronger on this. "I think West Ham are a far bigger club than Payet, they survived a long time before he came and they'll survive along time after he's gone, and if it really is as toxic as it seems [they should] get as much money as they can for this fella and move on. "Fans expect certain things from players and loyalty is unrealistic. What you should expect from a player is his very best whilst he's at the club, not his unadulterated loyalty."

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Marseille set deadline for Dimitri Payet business to come to an end
http://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/

Ligue 1 side Olympique de Marseille have set an internal deadline of this Thursday to resolve the Dimitri Payet situation, according to RMC. French sources assert that Jacques-Henri Eyraud met with West Ham officials yesterday and did not make a new offer for the player, but are expected to do in the coming hours. In the meantime, some thinking time is being taken by the French club. They have no intention of paying €40m for the player, even if L'Équipe assert this morning that West Ham United did not name a specific price demand in the meeting that English reports claim lasted for between 10 to 15 minutes, whereas French sources claim it went on for around an hour.
However, it is difficult to see West Ham United accepting anything less than €34m (£30m) in order to part with the player, they do not feel obliged to sell him, they do not need to do so for financial reasons and the Frenchman signed a new contract recently.
There are even suggestions that West Ham United are prepared to let the player rot in the reserves for the rest of the season, if he does not apologise to supporters, which would be a bitter blow to Payet's chance of maintaining a place in the current French national squad.

Marseille have set an internal deadline of Thursday to finalise a deal for Dimitri Payet and will be wasting no time as you are reading this article in presenting something new to the Hammers. It is difficult to see OM bidding more than €30m plus bonuses for the player, but Payet is resolute in his desire to only leave West Ham for Marseille, with the player's agent understood to have rejected advances from China.

An important day in the Dimitri Payet saga.

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West Ham could force Dimitri Payet to stay until summer as Marseille bid well short of £30m asking price
JAMES OLLEY
Evening STandard

West Ham are determined not to sell Dimitri Payet on the cheap and remain open to the possibility of forcing him to see out the remainder of this season with the club. The Hammers rejected a second bid from Marseille of just over £20million yesterday as talks continued over a reluctant sale of their best player. Payet is desperate to leave having told West Ham he will not play for them again and yesterday it emerged that he had moved his wife and two children back to France in anticipation of a return to his former club. The strength of Payet's feeling gives Marseille the upper hand in contract talks but Standard Sport understands West Ham have taken a dim view of their approach to negotiations so far, particularly in upping their initial £19m offer by a relatively small figure and some way short of the club's valuation. The Hammers are holding out for a fee in excess of £30m but are likely to settle for that figure. Reports in France suggest Marseille could eventually be willing to go that high but there is as yet no firm indication they will do so. Payet has been ordered to training with West Ham's under-23 squad and asked to apologise to fans over his behaviour. Reintegrating the 29-year-old into the squad would be a difficult task for manager Slaven Bilic given the ill-feeling towards him among supporters while team-mate Mark Noble admitted they hadn't spoken for a couple of weeks in the wake of his refusal to play for the club again. But it is believed that West Ham would rather retain Payet until the summer than risk losing him on the cheap this month, especially given the difficulty of finding a replacement during January.

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West Ham rebel Dimitri Payet pictured leaving club's academy training base as wantaway playmaker continues to push for return to Marseille
By Matt Maltby For Mailonline
PUBLISHED: 10:35, 17 January 2017 | UPDATED: 10:43, 17 January 2017

Dimitri Payet has been pictured on Tuesday morning leaving West Ham's Chadwell Heath training ground as he continues to push for an exit this month. In these Sportsmail exclusive snaps, the Hammers rebel can be seen departing the club's academy base in his white Mercedes. Payet cut a glum figure as he left the premises behind the wheel of his left-hand drive AMG CLS63 S sports car, which costs around £90,000, while his future at the London Stadium remains in the balance. The Frenchman has been told to report to work with the Under 23s while West Ham work to resolve the issue, which emerged last week when boss Slaven Bilic revealed Payet had asked to leave the club this month. Payet was spotted at West Ham's Chadwell Heath base which is used by the academy while the first-team are now based at Rush Green. The Premier League club have rejected an improved £22million offer from Marseille for Payet.
Marseille president Jacques-Henri Eyraud arrived in London for talks with West Ham co-owner David Sullivan, but discussions ended in stalemate after West Ham rejected a second offer, leaving Payet in limbo after he told the club last Monday that he never wants to play for them again. Payet only wants to go to Marseille, ending any hopes West Ham have of sparking a bidding war for the player, whose desire to return to the club he left in 2015 are driven by personal reasons. He has been ordered to train with the Under 23s. West Ham have told Marseille they want £40m but a fee closer to £30m could be enough. Sullivan has been adamant Payet is not for sale but the prospect of a huge profit on a player signed for £10.7m last season could be too good an opportunity to turn down. West Ham could move for Leeds' Chris Wood and expect to complete a move for Brentford's Scott Hogan. The club have asked Payet to apologise to fans in the hope it could pave the way for his return to first team training as he is currently working with their Under 23 side. Marseille sense that West Ham would sell Payet this month but want closer to their £35m valuation. The 29-year-old has already told his representatives to reject proposed moves to China as he seeks a return to France. Despite his stance, both co-chairmen Sullivan and David Gold have expressed that they have no financial need to sell the former Lille man and are refusing to be bullied into a quick sale. Bilic announced the news at his press conference ahead of Saturday's 3-0 win over Crystal Palace, saying he was 'let down and angry' at Payet's decision.

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West Ham's striking failure: 32 signed in seven years and still no solution
Jacob Steinberg
In the seven years since David Sullivan and David Gold took charge, West Ham United have signed 32 strikers who have managed 125 goals in 641 games
@JacobSteinberg
Tuesday 17 January 2017 09.54 GMT Last modified on Tuesday 17 January 2017 09.55 GMT

Haggling with Brentford over the asking price for Scott Hogan, testing Sunderland's sense of humour with a £4m offer for Jermain Defoe, steeling themselves for bids for the mutinous Dimitri Payet, waving goodbye to Simone Zaza and preparing to point Jonathan Calleri to the exit, how West Ham United savoured the majesty of Andy Carroll's overhead kick in Saturday's 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace. For a team who had to wait until 27 November for a striker to score this season, Carroll's wonderfully acrobatic goal lifted the mood at the London Stadium and provided a timely tonic after Payet's revolt.

Yet before celebrating too much about showing Payet that they can win without him, West Ham would be wise to pause and consider a statistic that should make David Sullivan and David Gold wince. In the seven years since the pair bought the club, West Ham have completed 32 deals for new strikers for four different managers and the numbers make for grim reading. Between them those players have managed 125 goals in 641 games.

Those figures are a damning indictment of the piecemeal way West Ham have gone about trying to fill such an important position. From mysterious South American imports such as Brian Montenegro and Wellington Paulista, both of whom disappeared without a trace, to forgettable loan signings such as Marco Borriello and Marouane Chamakh, and from flops like Modibo Maïga to stopgaps like Nikica Jelavic, their underwhelming attacking purchases have too often undermined their attempts to grow.

Of those 32 strikers, only four have managed double figures in terms of goals: Diafra Sakho (20 in 52 games), Carroll (26 in 101 games), Frédéric Piquionne (11 in 62 games) and Enner Valencia (10 in 68 games). Ignore strikers who were signed for the youth team and include Calleri and Zaza, and almost a third left east London without scoring. Once Carroll's injury record is taken into account, only Sakho, signed for £3.5m from Metz in 2014, and Demba Ba, whose seven goals following his arrival from Hoffenheim in January 2011 were not enough for Avram Grant's side to avoid relegation to the Championship, can be viewed as successes.

Since their return to the top flight in 2012, only one of the seven strikers who have joined on loan, Carroll, has earned a permanent transfer. In their drive to seek out bargains, West Ham have frittered away too much time and money on strikers who never looked likely to make the grade, leaving them stuck on a loop of short-termism as they find themselves dipping back into the market for the next unsatisfactory quick fix. One mistake simply leads to another.

Nikica Jelavic is one of a number of stopgap strikers bought in the Sullivan and Gold era. Photograph: Carl Recine/Reuters
Payet's desire to leave is a consequence of unfulfilled promises. After West Ham came close to qualifying for the Champions League last season before squeezing into the Europa League with a seventh-place finish, Sullivan and Slaven Bilic agreed that the priority for the summer had to be the acquisition of a striker with the potency to lift them into the top four. Having finished as the fourth-highest scorers in the league, it was a solid assessment of the side's potential and Sullivan spoke bullishly last May about the need for a striker who could score 20 goals a season, while also raising expectations by talking about imminent £20m and £25m bids for players.

Goal-shy forwards have been a perennial weakness. Only the midfielder Kevin Nolan (10 in 2012-13) and Diafra Sakho (10 in 2014-15) have hit double figures in a single Premier League season in the Sullivan and Gold era. Getting that striker was easier said than done, of course, bearing in mind that the best are usually found at the leading clubs. It is rare to find one away from the elite in England. No player has ever scored 20 league goals in a Premier League season for West Ham.

Leaving Upton Park for the London Stadium is meant to catapult West Ham into the next level, however, and they were keen to make a marquee signing last summer. "Whatever happens, we'll bring a top striker in," Sullivan said. "It's a statement of intent."

What did happen, however, is that West Ham found that Lyon's Alexandre Lacazette and Marseille's Michy Batshuayi had set their sights higher, while talks with Milan's Carlos Bacca went nowhere, and the arrivals of Calleri, Zaza and Ashley Fletcher were the universe's way of telling Sullivan that actions speak louder than words. When West Ham did break their transfer record by spending £20m on Swansea's André Ayew, the money went on an overpriced winger.

Payet cannot be blamed for deciding that he has had enough, even though there is little to admire about the midfielder downing tools in his attempt to force a move to Marseille. While Fletcher has shown promise since his free transfer from Manchester United, Calleri's and Zaza's loan spells have been disastrous and long-term injuries to Carroll and Sakho meant that West Ham were often forced to play without a striker before Christmas.

Calleri has failed to score in nine appearances and the 23-year-old Argentinian is set to return to Deportivo Maldonado, while the Zaza deal was structured in a way that unfairly raised the pressure on the Italy international. Having paid a £5m loan fee to Juventus, West Ham would have had to buy Zaza for a further £20m if he had reached 14 Premier League appearances. The 25-year-old barely threatened a goal in 11 appearances in all competitions before departing for Valencia.

The addition of a lethal striker alone would not eradicate all of West Ham's flaws. Bad defending, muddled tactics, the absence of a right-back and a shortage of resilience have been just as harmful as the lack of a finisher. Sunderland are in relegation trouble despite Defoe's 11 goals and the same applies to Crystal Palace, who spent £32m on Christian Benteke. West Ham, because they played with superior coherence last season, were able to spread the goals around effectively.

Yet achieving that balance was possible only because of forwards creating space for their team-mates. They are a different side when Sakho, strong, fast and instinctive in the area, is fit, but the Senegalese soon succumbed to injury after his early header in the 1-1 draw at Manchester United in November.

That hole in Bilic's attack has placed a heavy strain on the side. They have won one game in which their opponents have scored – five of their seven victories have been by 1-0 scorelines – and they have recovered two points from losing positions.

Diafra Sakho, centre, is the only West Ham forward to score 10 goals in one Premier League season since the ownership of the club last changed. Losing to Palace might have dragged them back into the relegation picture. Instead they are 10 points clear of the bottom three, having displayed character and quality in the face of adversity, and fine performances from Michail Antonio, Manuel Lanzini and Sofiane Feghouli against Sam Allardyce's struggling side offered hope for the future. Yet while Carroll had a fine game, he is their only fit striker and once again they find themselves trying to bolster their attacking options in the January window.

We have been here before. Shortly after Sullivan and Gold's arrival in January 2010, there was talk of Ruud van Nistelrooy being offered a £100,000 a week contract. West Ham ended up with Benni McCarthy, Ilan and Mido. Only Ilan contributed anything, two of the unheralded Brazilian's four goals earning four points that were enough to stave off relegation, but staying up with 35 points was no cause for celebration. Robbie Keane and Ba arrived a year later, but West Ham went down.

The club's parlous financial situation meant that Sullivan and Gold were afforded some slack during that period and West Ham immediately bounced back under Sam Allardyce. Yet history has a way of repeating itself. Having lost Carroll to a nasty foot injury after buying him for £15m from Liverpool, West Ham began the 2013-14 season with Maïga as their only striker. They were reduced to signing two free agents: Carlton Cole, having released him a few months earlier, and Mladen Petric, who made four substitute appearances without scoring a goal. Borriello, a 31-year-old Italian forward, arrived on loan from Roma in January and left after appearing twice.

Something to consider as West Ham mull over whether to meet Brentford's £15m asking price for Hogan, a 24-year-old forward who has scored 14 goals in the Championship this season, and whether £4m might be a touch too low to convince Sunderland to part with their best chance of staying up, is that Sullivan and Gold have rarely used the winter window productively. None of the 10 strikers signed in January has managed a full campaign.

None of this would matter as much if they were still at Upton Park, but West Ham convinced their supporters that staying in E13 would have condemned them to irrelevance. Although it is far too early to offer any definitive judgments about the wisdom of moving to Stratford, there must be evidence of a shift in the board's mentality soon. After six months in their new home, West Ham's most prized asset wants to leave and they will find it hard to attract new punters to the London Stadium without players of Payet's calibre on show. Talk is cheap.

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Ghana FA dismisses report of Asamoah Gyan bust up with Andre Ayew « PrevNext »Comments (3)
Ghanaweb.com

Ghana is playing Uganda in its first game of the tournament at 16:00 GMT The Ghana FA (GFA) has slammed a 'false report' claiming that Asamoah Gyan has stormed out of Black Stars' 2017 Africa Cup of Nations camp on the night before their crunch clash with Uganda in a dispute with Andre Ayew over captaincy. The GFA was forced to issue the midnight statement on Twitter after a website published the sensational news claiming Gyan has left the tournament in Gabon after the bust-up with the West Ham ace. The report claimed that there was a heated exchange between the two before during the team's dinner on Monday night in Port Gentil. However the GFA was quick with its response with a series of Tweets to assure Ghanaians that the news is untrue as the players are focused on defeating the Cranes in Tuesday's Group D match. "Promptly ignore false report that Asamoah Gyan has left Ghana camp at Africa Cup of Nations in a dispute with Andre Ayew," the GFA statement on Twitter read. "All players resting for match against Uganda after this evening's prayers. The Black Stars are united and focused."

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Ghana FA ? @ghanafaofficial
Promptly ignore false report that @ASAMOAH_GYAN3 has left #Ghana camp at #CAN2017 in a dispute with @AyewAndre . #fakenewsalert
11:21 PM - 16 Jan 2017
85 85 Retweets 51 51 likes

This is the latest of the several recent false reports targeted at the Black Stars in the run up to the start of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations. Even before the team arrived in Port Gentil on Saturday for the start of the tournament, a sports news website and a radio station had reported that the players had rejected the team's hotel and training pitch. This turned out to be false as the players did not reject the hotel and are still staying at the hotel allocated to them by CAF. The Black Stars trained on the pitch allocated to them by CAF since they arrived ahead of their Group D matches. Prior to that some radio station journalists targeted the team with news claiming the players were fighting over the bonuses for the Africa Cup of Nations. This turned out to be another hoax as the players have told their leaders that they will accept anything package government will offer them for the competition.

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Dimitri Payet will never play for West Ham again and he WILL be sold this month, Harry Redknapp tells talkSPORT
By Alex Varney - @lexvarney
Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Harry Redknapp has told talkSPORT there is 'no chance' Dimitri Payet will remain at West Ham beyond this transfer window. The Hammers' star man has gone on strike in a bid to force a move back to Marseille. West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan has vowed to keep the 29-year-old against his wishes and rejected a bid of around £20m from the Ligue 1 side on Monday. But with Payet now public enemy number one with the club's fans, Redknapp insists there is no way back for the France star at the London Stadium and he WILL get the move he desires this month. Speaking on the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast, the former West Ham boss said: "He has got to go. He can't play again. "It will stink the place out if he plays. He wants to go, he don't want to play for you. "They have just got to get the right price. The deal has got to happen and it will happen. "He won't be there at the end of the window - no chance. "He is finished."
Payet was outstanding for West Ham last season and was idolised by supporters before his recent antics. But Redknapp insists he is no club legend and won't be missed. "He ain't the best player to play there," he said. "They have had hundreds of better players. People like Bobby Moore that played for the club all their lives and [Mark] Noble, they are proper West Ham. "These guys [like Payet] come for a few years and are on their bikes again."

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Secret behind Andy Carroll's wondergoal has been revealed - by his fiancee
Billi Mucklow has been getting her other half in sweaty Bikram yoga classes and says the sessions have paid off
The Mirror
BYTOM BRYANT
21:00, 16 JAN 2017

Andy Carroll 's fiance Billi Mucklow has revealed the secret to his wonder goal at the weekend – sweaty yoga sessions with her. The West Ham star's scissor kick on Saturday during the team's 3-0 win over Crystal Palace is a contender for goal of the season. Billi said of the goal: "Looks like the Yoga's Working. Very Proud." Andy has been enjoying 90 minute classes in a room heated to 40 degrees celcius and humidity of 40 per cent. "He's actually quite good," Billi said recently. "He's just so strong. The flexibility is surprising given how strong he is. He's able to get into some positions. I'm a good teacher." Andy recently said how he had been doing yoga especially when on the sidelines. "It's helped me a lot, especially when I've been injured," he said . Carroll said after the match that years of practicing the scissor kick had paid off, He said: "I had done one of those in training last week and it hit the post so I have been practising. "The cross came in and I wanted to try it again and thankfully it has gone into the back of the net so I am over the moon. I think it has to be one of the best of my career."

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West Ham United transfer news: Ian Holloway tells talkSPORT Scott Hogan would be a 'fantastic signing' for the Hammers
By Billy Hawkins - @bhawkinsss
Monday, January 16, 2017

Ian Holloway insists Scott Hogan will be a 'fantastic signing' for West Ham, should the Premier League side wrap up the signing of Brentford's star forward. A deal to bring the 24-year-old striker to the London Stadium has been rumoured since the start of the January transfer window, and it seems Slaven Bilic's men are close to finalising his capture. The Hammers have reportedly agreed to pay £9 million up front, and a further £3 million in the future, although Brentford want £15 million for Hogan - with both clubs continuing to disagree on his valuation. However the Bees appear resigned to losing the player who has scored 14 goals in just 25 matches this season, and it seems a deal for the forward will be complete, providing the Hammers with the goal threat that has so sorely been lacking from Bilic's squad this season. And Holloway believes Hogan will be a 'fantastic signing' for the East London club.
Speaking to Kick Off on talkSPORT, the QPR manager said: "I think he's exceptional when he gets through on goal. "He's a threat over the top, he makes runs and runs and runs - not selfish ones for himself - he makes runs to disrupt the back four. "He works for his team, and I think it's fantastic signing."

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