Daily WHUFC News - 19th February 2017

From the Boardroom - David Gold
WHUFC.com

I was thrilled to attend the record-breaking Family Fun Day at London
Stadium on Wednesday and to see so many fans turn out to watch the
first-team train.
I know that Slaven and the players enjoyed the opportunity to meet some of
the Club's younger fans and the whole day was a big success for everyone
involved.
Personally, I always enjoy the chance to meet the Junior Hammers and we
mustn't forget the importance of the next generation of West Ham United
supporters - they are the future of our great football club. We have put on
events like this in the past in a much smaller way at the training round or
the Boleyn Ground, but we can accommodate a lot more fans at London Stadium.
There were nearly 10,000 fans here this week - more than half of them
youngsters and it was so good to see.
We were all disappointed to only come away with a point during the game
against West Brom last weekend. We all thought Manuel Lanzini's impressive
late strike had secured the victory, but unfortunately we failed to hold on
and had to settle for a draw. The team are now back to their best and you
can see the emotion that Slaven had for the team on Saturday. He is a winner
and that is why we love him. That is why the fans love him and long may it
continue. I am confident about the final few months of the season. We had
unbelievable injuries at the start of the season but we are through that now
as we climb the table.
We made two fantastic signings in the January transfer window who both have
tremendous pedigree and we are thrilled with the outcome. Jose Fonte is a
seasoned professional and Robert Snodgrass is also a fantastic player. The
fans have warmed to him straight away and we could not ask for anymore. The
spirit in the camp is fantastic at the moment. I go to the training ground
and have not seen camaraderie like it in the 20-years I have been in
football.

On Thursday, I had the privilege of attending a very special event to honour
West Ham's legendary manager Charlie Paynter, who served the Club for over
50 years and was in charge from 1932-1950. Newham Council unveiled an
English Heritage Blue Plaque at Charlie's former home in Ladysmith Avenue,
East Ham, and I had the pleasure of meeting many members of the Paynter
family. Charlie Paynter is a true West Ham United legend and we must not
underestimate the part he played in building and strengthening West Ham
United at that time, through two world wars and as manager of the Club for
18 years. More than being a manager, though, he really did build things. He
built the strategy and the ethos of the football club that continues to this
day. And as 14-year-old, I had the good fortune to meet him when I played
for West Ham Boys against Portsmouth Boys at Upton Park. He came into the
dressing-room and shook everyone's hand, which was fantastic at the time and
a wonderful memory to have now. I know we now have Mark Noble as our Mr West
Ham, but Charlie Paynter was the original Mr West Ham. It is fitting
recognition for a man who did more than anyone to establish West Ham United
as one of the greatest football clubs in England. I'm sure he would also be
very proud, and very excited, about the direction that our Club is heading
in now.

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Hammers hold open training in Dubai
WHUFC.com

As part of West Ham United's mid-season training camp in Dubai, the Club
hosted an open training session at The Sevens Stadium on Saturday, and
plenty of passionate Hammers supporters came down to watch.

Over 200 fans, including many from the local Supporters' Club, the Dubai
Hammers, enjoyed the morning as their heroes got down to work at the
40,000-seater ground, which is home to the Dubai Sevens rugby outfit.

After an intense session in the United Arab Emirates heat - though not
sunshine - the players met their adoring fans to pose for pictures and sign
merchandise.

The Club also provided a number of the youngsters in attendance with West
Ham gifts, brought along from the Official Store in east London.

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Arsenal 3-0 West Ham United U18s
WHUFC.com

West Ham United's U18s lost 3-0 away at Arsenal on Saturday
The Hammers conceded two late goals after missing two terrific chances to
equalise
Assistant manager Mark Phillips said he was happy with his side's attitude
and commitment

Assistant manager Mark Phillips praised his side's attitude and commitment
and said they more than matched Arsenal, despite losing 3-0 to their London
rivals.

The Hammers played their part in a tight, evenly-matched contest but
conceded two late goals, which meant the scoreline flattered the Gunners.

With one game left of the U18 Premier League South campaign, the Hammers
need a positive result at home to Chelsea next weekend to finish in the top
four and qualify for the Elite Merit Group.

"If you look at our second half performance, even the first half, it was an
even encounter. I think Arsenal had a little bit more quality in the final
third," said Phillips.

"We had a good discussion at half-time and came out with great attitude and
commitment. We had will, endeavour and had the better play in the second
half.

"At 1-0 we had that chance with Jahmal. Another fell to Odi [Spyrides]. We
had couple of situations where we could have made better decisions.

"Over the course of the 90 minutes, we definitely matched them. If we get in
the top four, we play the best teams and it would be a good learning curve."

The start to the game was very even with both sides having their share of
possession. Chances were at a premium, despite Anthony Scully just missing
the target from a 25 yard free kick.

However, Arsenal had the best chance of the opening exchanges when Joe
Willock struck the crossbar from a tight angle.

And it was the home side who took one of their rare chances in a tight first
half. Emile Smith-Rowe found space behind the Hammers back four to slot past
Rihards Matrevics.

The visitors came out firing in the second half and almost found their
equaliser within minutes of the restart. Conor Coventry slid in Jahmal
Hector-Ingram whose shot from a tight angle was well saved by Joao Virginia.


The Hammers certainly had the better of the second half and managed to get
in behind the Gunners defence on a number of occasions.

Their best chance to equalise, once again, came from Hector-Ingram. Jeremy
Ngakia battled brilliantly to retain possession on the right and the loose
ball fell to the U18s' leading marksman, who twisted and turned but was
again prevented by Virginia.

Against the run of play, Arsenal scored a late second after substitute
Robbie Burton volleyed home following a Hammers clearance. But the visitors
could have swiftly responded when sub Odi Spyrides shot over from six yards.

The result was secured when Smith-Rowe broke clear again to score his second
and Arsenal's third, but the Hammers headed east with their heads held high
after a battling display.

West Ham: Matrevics; Johnson, Eggleton, Akinola, Hannam; Mingi (Spyrides,
74), Coventry; Ngakia, Henry, Scully (Hamilton, 59); Hector-Ingram.

Subs not used: Rosa, Forde.

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Stat's A Fact - Antonio for England
WHUFC.com

Gareth Southgate will name his first squad as full-time England manager in a
few short weeks, with a host of talented wide midfielders hoping to be
included.
One player hoping to wing his way into Southgate's selection will be West
Ham United's Michail Antonio, who was included in the former Middlesbrough
manager's first caretaker selection in October 2016. Undeterred, the No30
has missed just one Premier League fixture since then, scored three times
and registered five assists in 13 top-flight appearances. Those statistics
are even more impressive when you realise Antonio has featured in four
different starting positions in those matches – seven as a right wing-back
or midfielder, four as centre forward, one as a second striker and the one
as a left wing-back! A determined and committed player, the 26-year-old
never complains with his lot and always gives his all for the team. As a
result, he has become almost indispensable to manager Slaven Bilic, who has
named him in his starting XI in 48 of West Ham's last 49 Premier League
matches – a groin injury ruled him out of the London Stadium loss to the
Gunners in December 2016. Antonio's versatility, consistency and
availability led to him passing the milestone of 50 Premier League
appearances in Saturday's 2-2 Premier League draw with West Bromwich Albion
– eight of which he started as a right-back. In those half-century of
appearances, the south Londoner has scored 16 goals and registered nine
assists – including three for winning penalties which were then converted –
meaning he has been directly involved in 25 of the 69 Premier League goals
the Hammers have scored while he has been on the pitch.

So, with Southgate preparing to pick his first England squad of 2017, how do
Antonio's goal and assist stats stack up against his compatriots? Pretty
well, actually.
Only Dele Alli has totalled more goals plus assists (32) than Antonio's 25,
but then the Tottenham Hotspur youngster has started just seven of his last
50 Premier League appearances in a wide position – all on the left side of
midfield. Barring injury, Alli, who has netted 20 goals and chalked up 12
assists in those games, will be in Southgate's squad – but what about the
competition among England's other wingers? Well, Liverpool's Adam Lallana
became a regular under Roy Hodgson and started both matches under Southgate
in November. He has eleven goals and 13 assists in his last 50 Premier
League appearances, so 24 direct goal involvements in total. Often used as a
striker by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, Theo Walcott has 16 goals and six
assists (22), while Manchester City's Raheem Sterling has registered 12
goals and eleven assists (23) in their last 50 top-flight matches. Ross
Barkley of Everton is the only other serious challenge numbers-wise, with
nine goals and eleven assists (20) over the same span.

Among the other Englishmen regularly getting their boots covered in chalk
are Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain of Arsenal (three goals and six assists) and
Nathan Redmond of Southampton (five goals and two assists), but neither have
statistics which stack up to Antonio's. In case you were wondering,
Manchester United youngster Jesse Lingard has played in the Premier League
39 times, scoring four goals and assisting three others. Clearly even
attacking wide players need to contribute more than just score and assist
goals, but Antonio's work-rate, strength and aerial ability add plenty more
strings to his footballing bow.

International players need to not only be outstanding ability-wise but, with
the 'squad' nature of tournament football, also offer versatility and
adaptability.
With those factors, and his outstanding statistics, in mind, there is a very
good case for Gareth Southgate to name Michail Antonio as the first player
(alphabetically) in his pride of Three Lions.

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Westley - It is a great opportunity
WHUFC.com

Terry Westley says the U23s' first game at London Stadium is a great
opportunity for his young players
West Ham United PL2 are in action against Fulham at London Stadium on Monday
(7pm)
Tickets are on general sale now!

Terry Westley believes the U23s' first match at London Stadium is a great
opportunity for his young players to showcase their talents in a "wonderful
stadium".

The PL2 Hammers make their first appearance at the Club's new home on Monday
against Fulham (7pm) and Westley says everyone is looking forward to the
clash.

The young Irons have played every home game at Dagenham and Redbridge's
Chigwell Construction Stadium so far this season, and make the switch to
London Stadium for their final three home league matches.

"Everyone is looking forward to the game and the occasion," declared
Westley. "It's going to be difficult to pick an eleven, because there is an
awful lot of players that want to play in it, so we'll have to get our heads
together now to see what the team is going to look like.

"But what an opportunity for the players to play in that wonderful stadium.
It's a big pitch and it's got lovely grass, so it's a little different to
what we're used to at Dagenham and Redbridge! But, of course, we look
forward to the match."

Book your free tickets now - on General Sale

The Hammers cruised to a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the Premier
League Cup last week and go into their match with Fulham on a high.

Westley hopes that the victory can kickstart a positive run, as their
attention now turns to Premier League 2 and the aim of finishing in the
play-offs.

"Aston Villa and West Brom are on our tails now so we really want to try and
get something from the game," added Westley. "Fulham themselves have ideas
of trying to win the league, and they're now close to Swansea and the only
real threat Swansea have got at the top.

"So, it's sure to be a tough match for us. The first team are away on their
warm weather camp, so we're not going to get any players from them, and
therefore we'll have to be on our very best with the very good set of
youngsters we have got.

"It's a London derby as well, the first one there against Fulham, and we
want to try and finish in the top five of Premier League 2 and get in the
play-offs."

Season Ticket Holders can gain free admittance when booked within the Season
Ticket window - but please be aware that all tickets need to be booked in
advance due to a capacity limit for this game.

All supporters can claim their ticket now by visiting
eticketing.co.uk/whufc, calling 0333 030 1966, or visiting the London
Stadium Ticket Office in person.

Non-Season Ticket Holders can purchase tickets for just £5 adults and £3
under-16s and over-65s.

Tickets are on General Sale now!

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Ayew ready to play his part
WHUFC.com

Andre Ayew believes he is now ready to play his part in a positive end to
the season for the Hammers
The forward has recently been away at the African Cup of Nations with Ghana,
where his side reached the semi-final stage
He now hopes, with injury problems behind him, he can make a real impact in
Claret and Blue

West Ham United forward Andre Ayew, fresh off the back of an encouraging
African Cup of Nations campaign with Ghana, believes he is now ready to play
his part in a positive end to the season for the Hammers.

The Club's record signing, speaking to West Ham TV during the side's warm
weather training camp in Dubai, played every game for Ghana in Gabon,
building his fitness having missed the majority of the first half of the
season.

And the former Swansea City man now thinks he is ready to return to Slaven
Bilic's team and make an impact for the Hammers.

He said: "I'm happy to be back after a long African Cup of Nations. I'm
happy to be back, getting fitter and training and hopefully be ready to go
again.

"I'm fitter and though I need a few games to get to my top still, I know
football is all about confidence and we are playing well now and scoring
goals. So we need to get back into that and I can join the squad and add my
bit.

"It's so important for any player, that the squad is in good form and it
shows we have a good squad and the talent is there. Obviously we can't rest
on what we've done and we need to work hard for the next change, because
things can change in two games."

The 27-year-old not only featured in every one of his country's matches at
this year's AFCON, but also scored twice for the Black Stars.

Ayew netted half an hour into the team's opening group fixture against
Uganda, scoring from the penalty spot, before converting the winner, again
from 12 yards, at the quarter-final stage when they met DR Congo.

Though happy to bag twice for Ghana, Ayew was ultimately disappointed to
lose out in the semi-finals when they were beaten by eventual winners
Cameroon.

He continued: "We weren't really pleased with the progress, because when
you're Ghana, you are there to win the tournament and we have a good squad
with good players. We could have done better, but we gave our best and that
wasn't enough.

"It was a good tournament and especially for me, coming back from a long
injury, I wasn't sure that I would be able to go to the tournament which is
very important for me and my country.

"So it was pleasing because I was able to do that and get some minutes and
play all the games and get fitter and finish the tournament with no injury.
Hopefully I can use this to start a better year with West Ham.

"I scored in the first game, scored in the quarters, so two goals, two
penalties, it's not bad. I know I could have done better but due to my
injuries, I felt better as the games went on. I can use that to do a better
performance here."

Ayew's appearances in Claret and Blue have been limited due to the serious
injury he picked up on the opening Premier League day against Chelsea in
August, but he now feels his problems are behind him.

"It was very frustrating the start I had here. I think when you come, you
have good intentions and want to help the squad. Then you get a really bad
injury, and even when I got back I still had some pains and I was playing
through the pains.

"I was out for two months or maybe three. I knew if I didn't get injured
again, the pain would go and now I'm much, much better and I can help West
Ham."

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Andre Ayew reveals he played through the pain barrier for West Ham this
season
SAM LONG
Evening Standard

Andre Ayew says he is ready to help West Ham during the Premier League
run-in after finally putting his thigh injury behind him.

Ayew joined the Hammers from Swansea last summer but endured a disastrous
start to his career in east London.

The 27-year-old suffered a serious thigh injury during his West Ham debut on
the opening weekend of the season, ruling him out for several weeks.

Ayew has made just 12 top-flight appearances this season but is adamant he
is now ready to make an impact, having previously played through the pain
barrier in an effort to fully recover from his injury.

"It was very frustrating the start I had here," he told West Ham's official
website.

"I think when you come, you have good intentions and want to help the squad.

"Then you get a really bad injury, and even when I got back I still had some
pains and I was playing through the pains.

"I was out for two months or maybe three. I knew if I didn't get injured
again, the pain would go and now I'm much, much better and I can help West
Ham," he added.

Ayew has also missed West Ham's last five games after spending the majority
of January at the Africa Cup of Nations on international duty.

The Ghana international helped his side reach the semi-finals and was
pleased to build his fitness throughout the tournament even if it ultimately
ended on a sour note.

"We weren't really pleased with the progress, because when you're Ghana, you
are there to win the tournament.

"[But] it was a good tournament and especially for me, coming back from a
long injury.

"It was pleasing because I was able to do that and get some minutes and play
all the games and get fitter and finish the tournament with no injury," he
added.

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Five Premier League clubs eyeing contract rebel striker who could cost just
£8m
CHELSEA striker Dominic Solanke is reportedly attracting interest from a
host of Premier League clubs.
Daily Star
By Jamie Styles / Published 19th February 2017

Solanke, 19, looks set to leave Chelsea when his contract expires in the
summer. According to the Daily Mail, the Blues are unwilling to meet his
wage demands of £50,000-a-week. Arsenal, Everton, Sunderland and West Ham
are said to have all discussed offers for the youngster. Scottish duo Celtic
and Rangers are also credited with interest along with German giants Bayern
Munich. Liverpool have been linked but the report suggests they are likely
to look elsewhere with Bayer Leverkusen's Julian Brandt and Demarai Gray of
Leicester named as potential alternative targets for Jurgen Klopp. Solanke
would command a fee of £8m through a tribunal but teams from abroad would
only need to pay £300,000 in compensation. He joined Chelsea in 2004 but
has gone on to make just one first-team appearance during his time at
Stamford Bridge. The England Under-21 international scored seven goals in 25
league appearances while on loan at Vitesse last season.

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