Daily WHUFC News - 12th November 2017

Sakho scores as Senegal seal World Cup place
WHUFC.com

Diafra Sakho scored as Senegal secured a 2-0 victory in South Africa to book
their place at next summer's FIFA World Cup in Russia. West Ham United
striker Sakho opened the scoring in Polokwane with just 12 minutes on the
clock to set the Lions of Teranga on the way to victory. An own goal from
Thamsanqa Mkhize made it 2-0 before the break and Senegal claimed the three
points they needed to ensure they can't be caught at the top of their
qualifying group. Cheikhou Kouyate also played 86 minutes of the qualifier,
and Senegal will now have the luxury of going into Tuesday's return fixture
against the Bafana Bafana knowing their ticket to Russia has been booked.

Elsewhere, Chicharito won his 99th Mexico cap in El Tri's friendly 3-3 draw
with Belgium. The Hammers man played 51 minutes in Brussels, as goals from
Andres Guardado and two from Hirving Lozano gave the visitors a share of the
spoils.

Meanwhile, Joe Hart was an unused substitute as England drew 0-0 with
Germany in their Wembley friendly.

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Reid satisfied with draw in World Cup play-off first leg
WHUFC.com

New Zealand captain Winston Reid put in an outstanding performance to earn
his side a 0-0 draw against Peru in the first leg of their intercontinental
2018 World Cup play-off. The centre-back marshalled the New Zealand defence
in a resounding effort to keep out Peru - who sit tenth in the FIFA World
Rankings - earning the Kiwis a draw in the first leg of the tie. Reid's was
satisfied with his, and his team's, performance at the Wellington's Westpac
Stadium. "We've been close to getting a result before against the so-called
bigger teams," Reid said, according to Fox Sports. "Today, for me, was about
keeping a clean sheet at the back and giving ourselves an opportunity in the
second leg. We've certainly done that." "The first ten minutes were a bit
cagey and it was just about settling the nerves down. The second half was a
lot better, we produced some good chances."They're a quality side but we'll
go to the second leg full of confidence. It's all about resting up now."

New Zealand will travel to Lima next week to play the second leg of the
competition with Reid and his compatriots looking to secure the nation's
spot at a World Cup finals for just the third time in their history. The
two previous times were in 1982 and 2010, the latter of which was where a
young Reid made his mark on global football. Then just 21-years-old, Reid
helped New Zealand to an unbeaten campaign as they drew all three of their
group stage fixtures in Group F. The defender scored a late equaliser in
the draw with Slovakia in the tournament in South Africa, and will be hoping
for a positive result next week against Peru to cement his, and New
Zealand's, return to the World Cup next summer. Reid is one of seven New
Zealand internationals that are based in Britain who will have travelled
24,000 miles to compete for a place at the World Cup finals by the time he
returns to West Ham after the second leg next Thursday morning.

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"NO CLUB OUTSIDE THE TOP SIX HAS SPENT MORE"-YES THEY HAVE KARREN!
AUTHOR: EXWHUEMPLOYEE. PUBLISHED: 11 NOVEMBER 2017 AT 5:35PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by Geo Mackie of HammersChat

I read Karren Brady claim today that 'We spent £100million on players since
he joined — and no club outside the top six has spent more' in her column
for the Sun, so I decided to check out this claim as it seems a bit too
accurate, £100m….a bit precise, and a couple of other reasons but I will
keep this article as factual rather than opinions.

So, here is the other Premier League clubs (I have not included the top 6 as
Karren did not claim we have spent more than them) that have been in the
Premier League club since Bilic was manager, their spend and their net
spend, oh, and we haven't even spent £100m ourselves, so that figure was
plucked out of the air, put it alongside the '95% of fans are happy at the
London Stadium' claim from David Sullivan

Bournemouth – spend since 15/16 – £117.09m net spend – £93.57m
Crystal Palace – spend since 15/16 – £150.75m net spend – £97.83m
Everton – spend since 15/16 – £263.95m net spend – £106.69m
Leicester City – spend since 15/16 – £204.61m net spend – £94.45m
Southampton – spend since 15/16 – £151.55m net spend – £15.24m
Stoke City – spend since 15/16 – £114.39m net spend – £58.46m
Swansea City – spend since 15/16 – £117.72m net spend +£14.13m


Watford – spend since 15/16 – £193.49m net spend – £118.47m
West Brom – spend since 15/16 – £113.85m – net spend – £76.09m

West Ham United – spend since 15/16 – £163.44m – net spend – £82.29m

Clubs that are comparable that have spent more than West Ham Utd since
Slaven Bilic was manager – Everton, Leicester City and Watford
Clubs that have a higher net spend for the same period since the summer of
2015 – Watford, Leicester City, Everton, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth.

There you have it, so the vice-chairman's claim of 'We spent £100million on
players since he joined — and no club outside the top six has spent more' is
wrong on both fronts – our spend and that no other club has spent more.

And that is where I will end this article, thanks for reading and feel free
to follow myself on twitter @redhammer8 if you like this kind of
'information'.
*All figures are figures are from the well respected transfermarket website

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West Ham striker Javier Hernandez injures hamstring while playing for Mexico
against Belgium
Last Updated: 11/11/17 5:30pm
SSN

West Ham United striker Javier Hernandez suffered a suspected hamstring
injury during Mexico's 3-3 draw with Belgium on Friday. Hernandez was forced
to leave the field after 51 minutes having won a penalty on his 100th
international appearance. Mexico face another friendly against Poland on
Monday. The injury will be a worry for West Ham's new manager David Moyes as
he prepares for next Sunday's Premier League game at Watford, live on Sky
Sports Main Event. Hernandez is West Ham's top scorer in the Premier League
this season with four goals in 11 appearances, more than a third of their
overall total. The Hammers currently sit in 18th place in the table
following six losses, three draws and just two wins.

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Slaven Bilic never recovered from Dimitri Payet exit, says West Ham
vice-chairman Karren Brady
By Nick Lustig
Last Updated: 11/11/17 2:44pm
SSN

West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady claims Slaven Bilic never recovered from
Dimitri Payet's acrimonious departure from the club and eventually "ran out
of ideas". Bilic was sacked by West Ham on Monday following their poor start
to the new Premier League season, with the Hammers in 18th place having won
only two of their opening 11 matches. The Croatian joined West Ham in 2015
and led the club to their best Premier League points tally - 62 - during his
first campaign in charge, with Payet an instrumental figure after his
arrival from Marseille. But Payet, who scored 15 goals in 60 appearances,
returned to Marseille in January 2017 having told Bilic that he would no
longer play for the club. "In his first six months, when Dimitri Payet was
inspiring the team with his Gallic brilliance, Bilic sometimes looked
pensive, as though he thought this was a lucky break and might not go on,"
Brady told The Sun. "He never quite recovered after the player staged a
strike and went back to Marseille. "He began to run out of ideas as the
team's initial defiance to Payet's behaviour faded and less than a year
later the manager had also departed."
Former Manchester United, Everton and Sunderland manager David Moyes was
appointed as Bilic's successor on a deal until the end of the season on
Tuesday. Brady previously criticised Moyes for a comment he made towards a
female reporter during his time at Sunderland, but she is confident there
will be no repeat during his spell at West Ham. "A few months ago I
highlighted that the then-Sunderland manager David Moyes gave an unworthy
reaction to a question from a woman reporter," Brady said. "He apologised to
her and I welcome his move to us and know he won't make such a remark again.
"I don't know whether or not he is the dour Scot he is sometimes reputed to
be but we know he has many of the characteristics of Sir Alex Ferguson, who
mentored his accession at Old Trafford."

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WET PATCHES ON THE CARPET
By Mike Ireson 11 Nov 2017 at 08:00
WTID

As I write this, it is a few days since we became the centre of attention as
we took one manager to the vets to be put down, and resurrected another from
football's graveyard.

Dust has started to settle and some things have started to become a little
clearer, whilst other things have become a little murkier with questions to
be asked (and answered).

I, like many of you, have gone through a gambit of emotions since it became
clear at the weekend that change was afoot.

On Saturday I was angry at yet another abject performance where, quite
frankly, we were embarrassed. On and off the pitch.

But I still really wasn't angry with Slaven Bilic. That is because I didn't
want to be. Like when an elderly dog leaves yet another wet patch on the
carpet, you don't want to be angry with them because you know it isn't their
fault and you ultimately still love them.

Slaven ticked so many boxes for us that we ignored the wet patches for a
long time. Unfortunately those wet patches were results and it could only go
on so long before, despite your love, putting him out of his (and our)
misery was the only option.

When the deed was done I was genuinely sad. A sadness I had not felt since
John Lyall and Billy Bonds were shown the door. This felt like we were doing
wrong by a family member.

Then came the anxiety. Not about who the next manager might be, as it was
plain to see immediately it was going to be David Moyes.

He's not a West Ham man, he won't understand us like Slaven, it won't feel
the same, he's lost it, does he know the West Ham way? Etc etc.

It didn't feel right.

But who would?

Now, having watched his interviews and had a more rational think about it,
I'm a lot more positive. Yes his reputation is tarnished, but that should
work in our favour. We have a manager who must do well. Not for us but
himself.

Once the most desirable manager in the Premier League he finds himself in a
situation where only some kind of success at West Ham will save what was
once the brightest of career prospects.

With only a contract till the end of the season he has to come in firing on
all cylinders. He is not here for the money or to keep the seat warm, he is
here to succeed.

I imagine, if pushed, he would have taken the job for nothing. As he has
made clear in all interviews he is here for redemption. Fail here and not
only will he not get another contract with us but no top team will go near
him.

This kind of drive and reward can only be good for us? Right?

It is this motivation that will enable him to tackle head on the biggest
problem. The players.

Apparently, once relived of his duties Slaven Bilic telephoned a few of the
senior players to ask where it had gone wrong (although I wonder why he
hadn't asked this question of them when he had a chance to rectify it).

The overwhelming consensus was that he was too nice and had been overly soft
with certain members of the playing squad. Not imposing fines for lateness,
certain individuals turning up for training when they fancied, and the rest
of the squad being irked by this.

If you watched Sky Sports News on Monday you will have seen them trot out
all the stats about why we were so bad. Least distance covered, least amount
of sprints made etc, led them to conclude we were the unfittest squad in the
league.

Well add those statistics to the stories of certain players poor attitude to
training and discipline leads me to a different conclusion. We have the
laziest squad who put the least amount of effort in.

Not everyone of course but we clearly have bad apples who think they are all
that and a bag of chips.

Look upon any team of 11 that have been on the pitch this season and you
cannot say they are unfit. They're not coughing and wheezing after 70
minutes or look like they've done an army assault course at the end of the
game.

If we had 11 Neil Ruddock's out there I'd agree, but we have a team of
professional athletes. Poor attitude has led us to have covered the least
amount of ground, not poor physicality.

Now we can all quite easily speculate as to which individuals this may apply
to but what we need is someone to come in and have the nuts to drop anyone
with a rubbish attitude.

Embed from Getty Images

David Moyes has already said this. If your attitude is poor or you appear to
be unfit you're dropped. And I back him to do this. The clock ticking over
his head will not allow him to namby pamby around.

This will go one of two ways. At the moment I have belief that it will go
the right way.

It will be very interesting to see which 11 players cross the white line at
Watford. It may just tell you a lot about those that don't ………

COYI

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NEW MAN MOYES SPEAKS AFTER JOINING WEST HAM
The Mirror

David Moyes will offer Kevin Mirallas a route out of Everton in the New
Year. West Ham's new boss is keeping tabs on the Belgian's situation at
Goodison Park in the wake of his controversial walk-out last week. Moyes
signed the speedy winger from Olympiakos five years ago and will move for
him if he cannot patch up his differences with his bosses on Merseyside. The
30-year-old was involved in a bizarre incident last weekend, prior to the
Toffees' fixture against Watford. He was accused of showing a lack of
commitment and was sent home from training by caretaker boss David Unsworth.
However, Mirallas explained his position on social media, apologising for
'not being able to cope with my frustration.' The player only agreed a new
contract with Everton six months ago. That lasts for another two-and-a-half
seasons but if he fails to resolve his issues, Moyes will make an offer when
the window opens.

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West Ham manager David Moyes promises players 'clean slate' to impress as he
looks to strengthen Hammers squad in January window
West Ham manager David Moyes will look to transfer market after Christmas
He will evaluate his full squad when they return after the international
break
For those left behind it has been an intense week of training at Rush Green
By Kieran Gill for MailOnline
PUBLISHED: 23:34, 10 November 2017 | UPDATED: 00:32, 11 November 2017

David Moyes has told his players that they have a 'clean slate' to show him
why they deserve to be at the club beyond January. West Ham's new manager
will look to make his mark in the transfer market after Christmas, but the
Scot has not had a chance to look at all of his squad yet, with the majority
away on international break. For those left behind it has been an intense
week of training at Rush Green and Moyes said: 'It's a clean slate for the
entire squad. They've all worked very hard this week and responded in a
positive manner to everything we've asked of them. 'It will obviously take
time for the players to fully understand our style and methods but the
initial signs are very encouraging – they've bought into what we are trying
to do and that's a good base for us to build on. 'I'm looking forward to
welcoming back the players who are on international duty and working with
the full squad ahead of the game at Watford next Sunday. 'Everybody will get
their opportunity to impress us and there have certainly been no decisions
made about individuals. 'There's a lot of quality here and I'm confident the
players will all bring something different to the table. They will need to
work hard but they aren't afraid of doing that, which has been good to see.
'Working together as a unit will be key, with the aim to try and collect
positive results which will see us climb the table.'
Moyes' first match as West Ham manager will be away at Vicarage Road against
Watford on November 19.

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Liverpool star Sadio Mane, West Ham ace Sakho steer Senegal to book place at
World Cup finals
Published on: 11 November 2017
GhanaSoccerNet.com

Liverpool star Sadio Mane and Diafra Sakho of West Ham United played key
roles as Senegal reached the World Cup for the first time in 16 years after
defeating South Africa 2-0 in Polokwane on Friday to qualify for the
tournament in Russia next year. English Premier League combined as pair
Sakho opened the scoring off a pass from Liverpool attacker Mane and both
were involved in the move that led to a Thamsanqa Mkhize own-goal before
half-time. The Teranga Lions became the third African country to qualify for
the 2018 World Cup thanks to the victory in the replayed match. The victory
gives Senegal an insurmountable five-point lead atop CAF qualifying Group D,
ensuring their place in Russia alongside already-qualified Egypt and
Nigeria. The result eliminates South Africa as well as Burkina Faso and Cape
Verde, while Senegal qualify for their first finals since 2002 and will
appear at the global showpiece tournament for just the second time in their
history after an early strike from Diafra Sakho and an unfortunate own goal
from Thamsanqa Mkhize. The match was a replay of the original November 2016
fixture that was won 2-1 by South Africa, a result that was later annulled
by FIFA after Ghana referee Joseph Lamptey was found guilty of manipulating
the result of the match.
After a bright opening from the hosts, it was an incisive piece of passing
that put Senegal in the lead on 12 minutes. Sadio Mane found some space on
the right and his defence-splitting ball was perfect for Sakho to slide the
ball past the masked Itumeleng Khune in the Bafana goal. The home side might
have equalised midway through the first half when Themba Zwane's shot was
only parried by Senegal keeper Khadim N'Diaye, and Percy Tau turned home the
rebound. Bafana came even closer a few minutes later when Mkhize's low cross
into the box was met by Lebogang Manyama, whose shot cannoned off the
crossbar with N'Diaye well beaten. They were applying constant pressure to
the Senegal goal through this period, but the visitors doubled their
advantage with a sucker-punch. Mane failed to get a solid connection on his
shot from eight yards that was saved by Khune, but the ball deflected off
the back of Mkhize and dribbled into the Bafana net. Manyama had a free-kick
that provided a nervous moment for N'Diaye late in the first half, but the
keeper made the save in the top corner of his net. Sibusiso Vilakazi had the
first opening of the second period, but his snap-shot was straight at
N'Diaye when a yard either side of the keeper would likely have resulted in
a goal. Bafana's second-most capped player Siphiwe Tshabalala was handed an
89th cap for the final 20 minutes almost four years, but Bafana's World Cup
dream had long faded by the time Dean Furman flashed a late 35-yard drive
wide. The teams will meet in the final match in the pool in Dakar on Tuesday
in what is now a dead rubber.

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