Daily WHUFC News II - 6th March 2017

Loanee round up
WHUFC.com

Enner Valencia scored a consolation goal for Everton as they were beaten at
Tottenham Hotpsur
Josh Cullen and Sam Howes both put in Man of the Match performances for
their respsective Bradford City and Hampton and Richmond Borough sides
Sam Ford grabbed Bishop's Storford's winner away at St. Albans City

Hammers loanee Enner Valencia was on the scoresheet on Sunday for Everton in
the Premier League, though the goal could not spark a late comeback against
Tottenham Hotpsur. The Ecuador forward was introduced by boss Ronald Koeman
for the last nine minutes at White Hart Lane, and cut the deficit to just
one goal in the dying seconds to make it 3-2. Racing into the box to meet
Ross Barkley's deep set-piece delivery, Valencia met the ball on the volley
to finish well into the bottom corner. But having previously scored in
injury time themselves through Deli Alli, Spurs held on to take all three
points and stay hot on the heels of West Ham United's Monday night opponents
Chelsea. The goal was Valencia's second for the Merseysiders, and it came
after Romelu Lukaku had given the Toffees a way back into the game following
Harry Kane's double.

Another Saturday, another Man of the Match performance for midfielder Josh
Cullen, who has starred on loan at Bradford City this season. The
20-year-old helped the Bantams to an important 1-0 victory when they hosted
Peterborough United – the win keeps Stuart McCall's men inside the third
tier's top six. Martin Samuelsen was an unused substitute for Posh. The
victory was Cullen's 35th appearance of the season on loan at the Valley
Parade outfit, and the Ireland youth international will be hoping to help
Bradford play Championship football next season.

Elsewhere, it was a disappointing afternoon for Toni Martinez, whose Oxford
United were beaten at 2-0 home by Bristol Rovers. Overtaking their hosts,
the Pirates moved into eighth spot in League One with the win thanks to
goals from Ollie Clarke and Stuart Sinclair.

George Dobson was left on the bench as his Walsall side were 2-0 winners
over Oldham Athletic.

In the National League South, Hammers striker Sam Ford was on the scoresheet
for Bishop's Stortford as they picked up a crucial three points at St.
Albans City. Bishop's are hoping to avoid the drop this season and, thanks
to the win, are now six points from safety.

Finally, goalkeeper Sam Howes kept a clean sheet in a Man of the Match
performance for Hampton and Richmond Borough in the same division as they
were held 0-0 at Maidenhead United. The stopper made one particularly
brilliant save which has been doing the rounds on social media, springing
away to his right to deny a goal-bound free-kick.

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Manager on Matchday
WHUFC.com

Manager Slaven Bilic writes for whufc.com ahead of Monday's Premier League
visit of leaders Chelsea to London Stadium...

Hello everyone,

Tonight, we face the Premier League leaders and I, my players, my staff and
I am sure all of you are looking forward to West Ham United versus Chelsea.
We will have a fantastic atmosphere at London Stadium, where we will give
everything to repeat the victory over them we achieved in the EFL Cup back
in October. Of course, tonight is a completely different match and both
teams have improved since that night, with Chelsea going into the game seven
points clear at the top of the Premier League, and us looking to win, go
back above Southampton and Stoke City and close the gap on West Bromwich
Albion down to four points. We are playing good and while some people might
say this is a 'bonus' game, it's a home game and we're expecting something.
We know big time that we have to be on top of our game at both ends of the
pitch, concentrate 100 per cent and show non-stop determination. If we play
like that and get a bit of luck, which is always needed, when you play
against them we can get a result.

I was asked in my press conference if we 'fear' Chelsea but of course we
don't fear them, like we don't fear any opponent. None of our players would
be in this position playing in the Premier League if they felt fear before a
game. There is no fear at all.
There is respect, of course there is, and they deserve that for what they
have done this season, Chelsea deserve more respect than any other team.
They are a top team and sometimes, when you play against a top team, you
have a game plan on paper or on a board and you go 'Yeah, we will double
them here and double them there, and look at all the space that we can use'
and you go out on the pitch fearless. That said, you can prepare as best you
can, but then in the first five minutes they break you down, pass the ball
and you can't get the ball let alone use the space and you realise 'they are
brilliant'. We have respect but no fear at all.

We have Andy Carroll back in the squad tonight, which is a big boost for us,
particularly as we will be without Michail after his red card at Watford. It
means a lot to have him available. We have done well without him available
but with him we may well have done even better. He is one of our key
players. It will be great to have him on a pitch tonight and I am optimistic
that he will be fit to be involved. You know how much I rate him and how
much we rate him. We are not a one-man team though. We have a great squad
and we are playing good, so we go into the game with confidence that we can
do something good.

Enjoy the game.
Slaven

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U18s qualify for PL Phase Two Division One
WHUFC.com

West Ham's U18s ended their Premier League South campaign in fourth place
That ensures qualification for Division One of Premier League Phase Two
Assistant boss Mark Phillips says he and manager Steve Potts are delighted

U18s assistant manager Mark Phillips has expressed delight at his U18s
qualifying, yet again, for Division One of Premier League Phase Two. All
eyes were on Fulham who needed a victory at home to Norwich City on
Saturday, but despite taking a 2-0 lead, the Cottagers ended up drawing the
fixture, which ensured the Hammers' place in the top four. It is the third
time in four seasons that the U18s have finished among the elite academy
teams and they will face some very tough tests in the coming months.
However, Phillips is looking forward to the challenge facing his players.
"We are very delighted to finish in the top four," he declared. "It's going
to give the boys a real challenge in the coming months and it's one I know
they'll be looking forward to. "You want to be playing against the best
sides because it's about development at the end of the day, but it looked
like it wasn't going to happen at one point during Saturday. "I saw Fulham
were 2-0 up and then thought 'we won't make it' but Norwich fought back and
we've sneaked into the top four. We've certainly done it the hard way!"

The Hammers finished in the South Division top four alongside Chelsea,
Arsenal and Reading and they will meet the top four from the North Division
– Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool and Blackburn Rovers. Each
side will play each other once over the next couple of months, with fixtures
set to be announced in due course. Phillips looked back on the South
campaign with fondness and said it was a "great achievement" for his young
group of players. "We've played lots of U16s this season and, especially
against Chelsea in our last match, they did very well and were probably in
our top five players on the day," Phillips continued. "I think the eventual
winners of the FA Youth Cup are in the top group – Chelsea or Man City – so
it's going to be great to test ourselves against the best."

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Three Key Battles - Chelsea
WHUFC.com

As West Ham United prepare for their second meeting with Chelsea this season
at London Stadium, whufc.com takes a look at three key battles which could
swing the balance in Monday's night's Premier League fixture.

The Hammers were of course victorious last time out against the Blues –
goals from Cheikhou Kouyate and Edimilson Fernandes sealed the EFL Cup tie
win on a memorable night in east London.

And though Chelsea, so impressive under Antonio Conte this season, currently
sit top of the Premier League table, October's superb success has Slaven
Bilic's men believing they can shock the west Londoners once again.

Reid v Cahill

Starting at the back, two club stalwarts in Winston Reid and Gary Cahill
have been pivotal to their respective sides this season.

Reid, who held things together as the Hammers battled through some early
season struggles, looks to be forming a solid partnership with new signing
Jose Fonte, while Cahill has taken on the captaincy role with great success
as John Terry sits out.

It's clear to see, by the New Zealander's statistics, how important he is.
Making 8.9 clearances on average per match, the centre-back has got rid of
the ball on fewer occasions than only Bournemouth's Steve Cook and
Sunderland's Papy Djilobodji.

Chelsea's defence this season has also, at times, been impenetrable and with
Cahill at its heart, the side have conceded fewer goals than any other team
in the top flight.

Obiang v Kante

In midfield, another pair have been hugely influential this season. Pedro
Obiang, utilised only at times in his first campaign at the Club, has come
into his own this term.

Meanwhile, N'Golo Kante has been marvellous to watch for the last season and
a half now, playing a vital role as Leicester City were crowned champions
last year and now proving similarly as important for Conte's team.

The Frenchman, whose best attributes include winning the ball back and
getting around the pitch at pace, already looks set to claim back-to-back
Premier League titles.

Obiang, on the other hand, may play at a slightly slow and steadier pace,
but the Spaniard controls matches for Bilic's men and bagged his first goal
in Claret and Blue recently at Southampton.

Lanzini v Fabregas

Finally, the playmakers; Manuel Lanzini and Cesc Fabregas. Though the latter
has not started many of Chelsea's recent matches, the Spaniard did face
Swansea City from the off in the Blues' last clash, scoring in the 3-1 win.
He therefore looks set to keep his place tonight.

For Monday night's hosts, Lanzini will again be crucial, the responsibility
of driving his team forward and creating chances resting on his shoulders.

In 2017, the diminutive Argentine's form has been excellent with him scoring
twice and setting up a double at Middlesbrough.

With Andy Carroll and Diego Costa likely to be lurking in the penalty areas
at London Stadium, Lanzini and Fabregas will be looking to provide their
teammates with plenty of goalscoring opportunities.

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Winston Reid warns Chelsea that West Ham have 'turned the table' at the
London Stadium ahead of Premier League encounter
West Ham beat Premier League leaders Chelsea at London Stadium in EFL Cup
They have suffered home humblings against both Arsenal and Manchester City
Twelfth-placed are the highest-ranked team they have beaten at home in
league
The Hammers will be looking to claim three points on Monday against Chelsea
By Oliver Todd for MailOnline
PUBLISHED: 13:37, 6 March 2017 | UPDATED: 13:41, 6 March 2017

Winston Reid has warned Chelsea that West Ham have finally 'turned the
table' to become a real threat to the big teams at the London Stadium. The
Hammers beat the Premier League leaders at their new ground in the EFL Cup
back in October but have suffered home humblings at the hands of Arsenal and
Manchester City. Reid, though, reckons West Ham are now ready to upset the
odds at the former Olympic Stadium. Twelfth-placed are the highest-ranked
team they have beaten at home in the league so far. 'I think the way that
the season started obviously wasn't the best, especially at home but we've
turned the table now,' the centre back told Sportsmail.
'We're still going to have to improve on our home form, we're doing so, and
it will be a good game. Chelsea are going well but we're also going well so
we'll wait and see.' Meanwhile, West Ham captain Mark Noble can also see a
team growing into their new, upgraded 60,000 capacity home. 'That's what
happens when you win games — you build the fear factor,' Noble said. 'When
you win games the crowd get behind and obviously at the beginning of the
season it was tough for us, as it is for every club that moves stadium but
we're going to have to get used to that. 'It will take time to be a proper
home but I'm hoping we can do it sooner rather than later.' Reid is expected
to line-up alongside January signing Jose Fonte at the heart of Slaven
Bilic's defence on Monday night. The new pairing are yet to keep a clean
sheet together but Reid, 28, says their understanding is growing. 'It's been
going well. I think it always takes time, it takes time with any
partnership,' he said. 'It takes time to build relations and it's only going
to get better and better. So, yeah, it's been really good

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Jose Fonte left furious with reports that he handed in transfer request and
refused to train before leaving Southampton for West Ham
Jose Fonte joined West Ham from Southampton in an £8million deal in January
The Portuguese defender is frustrated with the 'lies' that were told over
his move
Reports stated that he handed in a transfer request and refused to train
West Ham face Premier League leaders Chelsea on Monday at London Stadium
By Jonathan Spencer For Mailonline
PUBLISHED: 12:54, 6 March 2017 | UPDATED: 13:06, 6 March 2017

Jose Fonte has been left frustrated with the 'lies' that he says have been
told over his move from Southampton to West Ham in January.
The Portuguese defender joined the Hammers in an £8million deal after
spending seven years with Southampton at St Mary's. During his long spell
with the Saints, Fonte became captain and helped the club move up the
English divisions, from League One up to the Premier League. But following
his transfer, the 33-year-old centre-back has been left furious with reports
that he handed in a transfer request and refused to train with Southampton
in order to force a move away from the club. 'My conscience is very clear,'
Fonte told Sky Sports ahead of West Ham's home match with Chelsea on Monday.
'When I see all over the news that I submitted a transfer request to leave
the club – that is disappointing. That never happened. 'There was an
interview from the club; from a press conference that I demanded to leave,
which then the press took it as a transfer request and I wonder - where is
it? 'I spoke to the club [after winning Euro 2016] and said there could be
possibilities [to move] and I would like the club to consider it. 'In the
summer there were possibilities of leaving – that is normal, everyone fights
for their own interests to get the best possible outcome for yourself.
'To say that I wrote an official transfer request to the club, that is a
lie. And also that I refused to train and I wasn't being a good captain?
That is a complete lie. I have always given my best to that club. That is
the main thing the fans should know.' Fonte and his West Ham team-mates take
on Premier League leaders Chelsea on Monday night at the London Stadium.
Slaven Bilic's side will be looking to upset the Blues as the visitors aim
to maintain their big lead at the top of the table.

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Slaven Bilic says Antonio Conte has transformed Chelsea players into
superheroes but West Ham boss rules out Asmir Begovic move
SLAVEN BILIC
Evening Standard

I am looking forward to tonight's game against the runaway title favourites
Chelsea. This is our third meeting of the season and it stands at 1-1 at the
moment. We won the EFL Cup tie back in October but Chelsea came out on top
in the opening game of this season at Stamford Bridge. I remember they were
better than us and we gave away a cheap penalty. We then equalised and I
still recall they looked shaky — it was as though they were in a bit of
shock. There was a chance to even win the game. Maybe Diego Costa was lucky
to stay on the pitch and we paid the price when, with a couple of minutes to
go, he scored the winning goal. They were then a good side but better now.
So what is their secret? Why are they so dominant? The answer first is —
there is no secret.

The main thing you notice about Chelsea this season is that they are very
fit, they work hard, they are very solid and on top of that, they have that
quality up front which is basically making the difference in every game. If
you compare them with the other title contenders, Chelsea are more solid
than Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool. Most of the games, they are
winning not totally the Italian way and at home they play some very
offensive football. Look at the way they push up their wing-backs, they are
more like wingers. It's a very demanding position and there is no point in
playing that system if the players are not capable of possessing that level
of fitness. Both of them — Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso — have great
stamina and they train hard. What makes Chelsea solid is that they never
defend with three — it's always five. The only one who is resting somewhat
is Costa and, sometimes, Eden Hazard. When Chelsea win possession, though,
Alonso and Moses are right up there and to do that regularly, not now and
again, you have to train hard and be almost superheroes.

In my opinion that makes them solid but then dangerous when they have the
ball. The other key points for me are that they have no other distractions
and they have no injuries. I have to say I am a great admirer of Antonio
Conte. He is one of a number of Italian coaches who have come to England and
had success. If I am asked to describe Conte's teams, I would answer —
energy. His teams work hard but also have quality. It shouldn't be difficult
to make even average players work hard because they should know that is the
minimum but it is more difficult to make big players work hard and make
sacrifices for the team — that is the key. That's what Conte is doing. Some
of the top teams rely on their class. You don't, for example, need that
maximum energy for many games if you are Real Madrid. You can still win
because you have the class.

At Chelsea, though, the whole team are playing with that peak energy. The
best example I can give is Hazard. He is working as hard as anyone in that
team now. That's the difference I can see between Conte and some of the
others and he does it long-term. It's not just an impact for a few months
and everyone is hyped up — he did it for three seasons at Juventus. There,
they played every game as though it was their last and I can see the same
characteristics in Chelsea. Having said all those nice things about Conte
and his Chelsea team, I would be so happy it we could ruin their night.

We have been linked with many players in the last three transfer windows,
including Chelsea goalkeeper Asmir Begovic. In those three windows, though,
I have said a few times that the only position in the team I have absolutely
no interest in discussing is the goalkeeping spot. I was happy — and I am
still happy — with Adrian and Darren Randolph. If you ask me whether they
will both still be here next season, I would say yes. You can never be 100
per cent certain in football, of course, and maybe one of them will knock on
the door and say he is unhappy but even if that happens, I will try to
persuade them to stay at the club.

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West Ham to open talks with Pedro Obiang over new deal
By Nick Lustig
Last Updated: 06/03/17 2:52pm
SSN

West Ham will open contract talks with Pedro Obiang at the end of the
season, according to Sky sources. The Spanish midfielder joined the Hammers
from Serie A side Sampdoria in June 2015 and has just over two years
remaining on his current four-year contract. Reports in the national press
have linked Liverpool with a £18m summer move for Obiang, with Jurgen Klopp
already expressing his desire to add up to six players to his squad ahead of
next season. Sky sources understand West Ham are keen to reward Obiang for
the fine form he has shown this season, with the 24-year-old having become a
regular starter under manager Slaven Bilic. Obiang, who struggled to hold
down a regular first-team place last season, has featured 27 times this
campaign and scored his first goal for the club in the 3-1 victory over
Southampton in February. He is likely to start for West Ham against Chelsea
at London Stadium on Monday Night Football, live on Sky Sports 1 HD from
7pm. Meanwhile, West Ham are also close to agreeing a deal to give Bilic a
new contract at the end of the campaign. Bilic, who was appointed as Sam
Allardyce's successor in June 2015, has 15 months remaining on his present
deal.

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West Ham boss Slaven Bilic wants to mirror Antonio Conte's ambition and
build long-term success
KEN DYER
Evening Standard

Slaven Bilic wants to mirror Antonio Conte's ambition at Chelsea and help
build long-term success at West Ham. The two managers go head-to-head
tonight at the London Stadium and after Conte told Standard Sport last week
he wants to stay at Stamford Bridge for years, Bilic too, believes he can
build something special at his club. The Croatian has another season to run
on his contract after this one but it is likely West Ham will offer him an
improved deal this summer. "The longer you stay somewhere, the more chance
you have to win things," said the West Ham manager. "Sometimes the best
season for a coach is their first season, as with Claudio Ranieri at
Leicester. He couldn't do any better than last season. "There are examples
like that which prove me wrong, but normally you have a much bigger chance
if you are given time to build your team and improve it. "With us, we knew
that this season would not be easy, but I believe everyone can see we are
now on an upward curve. "We have had some bumps along the way and there will
be more to come, but I think everyone can feel we are moving the right way."
Striker Andy Carroll looks likely to return tonight after missing two games
with a groin injury. Bilic said: "Andy is looking good. He has trained for
the last week and it is good to have him back."

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West Ham star Robert Snodgrass comes to realisation over internet sensation
Salt Bae: 'It's just a guy walking round with a big knife!'
West Ham recently paid a visit to the restuarant of internet sensation 'Salt
Bae'
The chef shot to global fame after being filmed sensually salting steak
Hammers ace Robert Snodgrass came to a realise upon seeing the man himself
'It's just a guy walking around with a big knife!' said the Scottish striker
Snodgrass is set to play against Chelsea despite a warrant being issued for
his arrest in Scotland last Friday for failing to attend court
By Sam Cunningham for MailOnline
PUBLISHED: 10:43, 6 March 2017 | UPDATED: 10:48, 6 March 2017

Robert Snodgrass was enjoying having his steak prepared by famously
flamboyant chef Salt Bae during West Ham's Dubai training trip when
something struck him. To those less seasoned with internet sensations, Salt
Bae is a Turkish chef — real name Nusret Gokce — who shot to fame in January
when a video of him sensually preparing a t-bone steak and finishing it off
with a fanciful flick of salt went viral. His following on social media
increased by several millions and prompted Hollywood star Leonardo Di Caprio
to visit.
West Ham were in need of a distraction from the coldest, wettest
warm-weather training in history so they planned a trip to Gokce's Nusr-Et
restaurant chain. The long-haired, sunglasses-wearing chef even rescheduled
his plans to make a special appearance for the players. But while Gokces
ferreted around with his machete and meats, Scot Snodgrass, who signed for
West Ham from Hull City for £7million during peak Salt Bae hysteria,
couldn't help but think that this would not be such a celebrated spectacle
back home. 'If that restaurant was in Glasgow it would be shut down, it's
just a guy walking round with a big knife!' Snodgrass says.

The winger is set to play against Chelsea on Monday evening, despite a
warrant being issued for his arrest back in Scotland last Friday for failing
to attend court. He is charged with driving while a baby was being held by a
passenger. 'It was just a misunderstanding and I didn't realise I had to be
present in court,' he explains. 'It's not a big issue and will be resolved
in due course.'

In many ways, Snodgrass is the Salt Bae of footballers. He caresses the ball
with his left-foot to deliver the finest set pieces akin to Gokce's delicate
way of delivering the finest steak. Gockce's flick of the wrist is similar
to the midfielder's swish of a left boot. Like Gokce, Snodgrass is a luxury,
brought in to replace Dimitri Payet who forced his way out of the club in
January.

'He's obviously got a special knack to putting the salt on, it runs down his
arm and he flicks his wrist and it goes on to your plate,' Snodgrass adds.
'And he has different ways of cutting the meat. We were asking him if he got
a million followers [on Instagram] in one day, he said, "No 1.5m actually."'

The Salt Bae experience was part of team bonding that has helped Snodgrass
settle with his new team-mates on what turned out to be an unseasonably poor
spell of weather in the Middle East. When West Ham touched down at Dubai
International Airport it was raining and the clouds did not part until they
took off five days later. Some of the players had even brought their
disappointed other halves along for the break.

'The weather was worse than Scotland!' Snodgrass says. 'It was raining a
lot, and cold – felt pretty much like I was back home in Glasgow. So the
lads were gutted. They had some swimming shorts for sitting around the pool
after training, but there was none of that. Absolutely none.

'Some of the lads had jackets and hats on, it was unbelievable – something I
had never seen in Dubai before. I still had to use factor 50 mind, because
it was abroad. But for me and Jose Fonte it was good to go on a trip with
the lads.

'We probably trained harder over there than we did here. Because that was
one thing that the manager stressed, that we have to work harder out there,
and I think the only disappointing thing was that we thought it was going to
be hot weather training, but it was totally different.

'We went for a meal and a cabaret one night. Watched some stuff and had a
meal. And that was good because anything like brings the team closer
together. So it was good. And then when you come back, I think you could see
how close we had become, because the second half against Watford, we knew
were not up to scratch first half, and we had a talk at half time, and I
thought we were great second half and probably should have won it.'

How much effect the hard work, team bonding and Salt Bae have had will be
tested when the Premier League leaders visit.

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Fonte furious over Southampton exit 'lies'Jose Fonte is angry over the way
his transfer from Southampton to West Ham has been portrayed. by Opta News
06 Mar 2017, 14:14 IST

West Ham defender Jose Fonte has hit out at "lies" he says have been told
over his Southampton exit in January.The 33-year-old joined West ham in an
£8million deal after spending seven years with the Saints, a spell that saw
him help the club from League One to the Premier League and become
captain.Fonte is angry at reports he handed in a transfer request and
refused to train in order to force through a move, but confirmed he had been
looking to leave since prior to this season.

"My conscience is very clear," the Portugal international said to Sky Sports
ahead of West Ham's home match with Chelsea on Monday."When I see all over
the news that I submitted a transfer request to leave the club – that is
disappointing. That never happened. "There was an interview from the club;
from a press conference that I demanded to leave, which then the press took
it as a transfer request and I wonder - where is it?"I spoke to the club
[after winning Euro 2016] and said there could be possibilities [to move]
and I would like the club to consider it."In the summer there were
possibilities of leaving – that is normal, everyone fights for their own
interests to get the best possible outcome for yourself. "To say that I
wrote an official transfer request to the club, that is a lie. And also that
I refused to train and I wasn't being a good captain? That is a complete
lie. I have always given my best to that club. That is the main thing the
fans should know."

Asked if he felt unfairly criticised, Fonte said: "No doubt. You need to
know all the facts. "I never wrote a letter to the manager or the club
saying I want to leave because even when that came out in the beginning of
January I didn't have a club to go to, so why would I put in a transfer
request?"The real fans know I have given everything for the club. They know
every time I step on the pitch and put on the shirt, I give blood, sweat and
tears. I have played with broken toes, broken ribs. I have done all I could
to help the team go from League One to the Premier League. "All I want them
to know is that what they see in the press about me putting in a transfer
request and I refused to train, that is all lies. I have never rejected to
train or play. It is hard to see when people are saying I'm a bad egg or an
apple."I appreciate what the club had done for me since day one but we all
have to take care of our families. There were offers that came in that would
take care of my family in ways that Southampton were not willing to. It is a
difficult situation."I arrived in the Premier League late at 29 years old -
you still have to live 50 years after football. You do your best for
yourself and your family. You have got to fight for what you believe. I
respected the club."

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West Ham's warm-weather trip to Dubai was 'worse than Scotland'
ESPN.co.uk

Robert Snodgrass felt right at home on West Ham's recent trip to Dubai --
because the weather was as bad as in his native Glasgow.
Hammers boss Slaven Bilic took advantage of a fixture-free weekend last
month to jet off with his squad to seek out some sunshine.
But winger Snodgrass, a £10.2 million January signing from Hull, revealed
the so-called warm-weather training was a washout due to the constant rain.
"To be honest with you, the weather was worse than Scotland," he said. "It
was raining a lot, and cold. It felt pretty much like I was back home in
Glasgow. "So the lads were gutted. They had some swimming shorts for sitting
around the pool after training, but there was none of that. Absolutely none.
"Some of the lads had jackets and hats on, it was unbelievable -- something
I had never seen in Dubai before. I still had to use factor 50, mind. "But
it was good. We probably trained harder over there than we did here. Because
that was one thing the manager stressed, that we have to work harder out
there. "The only disappointing thing was that we thought it was going to be
hot-weather training, but it was totally different."

The Hammers did manage a spot of team bonding between the downpours,
including a visit to Salt Bae chef and internet sensation Nusret Gokce's
restaurant. "The chef was there, he came and did his thing with the salt,"
added Snodgrass. "I think if that restaurant was in Glasgow it would be shut
down, it's just a guy walking round with a big knife! "But he was such a
nice guy. I think he was going somewhere else but he drove back for us to
cook the stuff and chop it up which was really nice of him."

Snodgrass is now hoping to cut Chelsea down to size when the runaway Premier
League leaders visit the London Stadium on Monday night.
"We have got players here that can cause any team problems," he said. "But
it is the teams in the top six that we have not picked up a lot of points
against this year, so we need to start on Monday against Chelsea."

Last week a warrant was issued for Snodgrass after he failed to attend a
court trial having been charged with driving a car while a baby was being
held by a passenger. But the issue is not expected to affect his or West
Ham's preparations for the match. Snodgrass said: "It was just a
misunderstanding and I didn't realise I had to be present in court. It's not
a big issue and will be resolved in due course."

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West Ham's Winston Reid on coping with Chelsea's Diego Costa: 'You have to
keep your eyes on him at all times'
EXCLUSIVE
VAISHALI BHARDWAJ
Evening Standard

Winston Reid says he will not let Diego Costa out of his sight when West Ham
host London rivals Chelsea on Monday night, admitting the striker has the
ability to expose any defender's weakness. Costa will arrive at West Ham's
London Stadium tonight having scored 16 goals for Antonio Conte's league
leaders - one of which was the winner in the 2-1 victory over the Hammers at
Stamford Bridge on the opening day of the season. Reid was tasked with
marking Costa in that game, as well as in West Ham's EFL Cup fourth-round
tie with the Blues in October when Conte brought the striker on in the 54th
minute with Chelsea losing 2-0. The West Ham defender admits the Spain
international is a "top player", but says he will try and contain Costa this
evening by staying as close as possible to Chelsea's highest scorer and not
letting him out of his sights. "When you play against top players you have
to do your best and try and be at the best of your game or you get found
out," Reid told Standard Sport. "You have to try and keep your eyes on him
at all times and make sure you're close to him and mark him in the box where
he's dangerous."

Chelsea left it late to beat West Ham in the reverse fixture back in August,
relying on an 89th-minute goal from Costa to hand Conte his first win in the
Premier League. The Blues started the season with a rough 4-3-3 formation
before Conte switched to a 3-4-3 set-up after the 3-0 loss in the league
against Arsenal in late September. The Italian kept that formation for
Chelsea's League Cup clash with West Ham a month later, but saw a
much-changed side lose 2-1 in east London. Chelsea have since stormed to the
top of the Premier League standings while West Ham have steadied their form
and have only lost three of their last 12 top-flight games. Now sitting in
ninth place, Reid believes a rejuvenated West Ham side can use their home
advantage to secure at least a point against Chelsea tonight. "The first
game was different because they played a different system. And the second
game when we played them at home in the Cup, they changed a couple of
positions [in the 3-4-3]," Reid said. "It's a different system, and they are
doing really well. They are hard to score against but we put a couple of
goals past them at home and we put one past them away. "We'll be at home
and hopefully we'll have a good crowd so we will have a go at them and see
if we can win the game. "They aren't leading the league for fun - they've
been scoring goals left, right and centre and conceding very few. It's going
to be tough."

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England manager Gareth Southgate considers handing West Ham striker Andy
Carroll a second chance
Andy Carroll will hope to convince Gareth Southgate of his worth for England
Southgate is expected to be at the London Stadium for West Ham vs Chelsea
28-year-old Hammers striker was in fine form before his latest injury
setback
England boss has focused on visiting Premier League clubs' training grounds
By Kieran Gill for MailOnline
PUBLISHED: 22:57, 5 March 2017 | UPDATED: 23:00, 5 March 2017

Gareth Southgate is expected at the London Stadium on Monday night,
potentially giving West Ham striker Andy Carroll a second chance to impress
the England manager. Southgate opted against attending a game on Saturday
and Sunday but has the opportunity to watch West Ham vs Chelsea. It comes
after Southgate travelled to London in February to run the rule over Carroll
– though that turned into a wasted trip. The 28-year-old was left out of the
squad against West Brom due to a groin injury and has not played since
February 4.
Yet he has trained with West Ham's first team this week, and is likely to
feature against Chelsea with Michail Antonio absent due to a ban. Southgate
is aiming to announce his squad for England's upcoming international
fixtures on March 16 – six days before a friendly against Germany. He will
decide during the day on Monday morning whether to attend West Ham vs
Chelsea, with the 46-year-old currently focusing on visiting Premier League
clubs' training grounds. It is in an effort to ensure the relationship
between club and country is amicable.

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