Manager on Matchday
WHUFC.com
Good morning everybody.
We have been preparing for tonight's game against Manchester City for ten
days now, since our fantastic win over Middlesbrough, and we'd love to
continue our good form. Of course the last time we lost was against
tonight's opponents, so we under no illusions that it will be a difficult
game. They beat us heavily in that FA Cup game, although we were good for
half an hour. We crumbled after that and we can't let that happen again.
Manchester City are a team who have their ups and downs. But I consider them
a very unlucky team. In every game they play, they are the better side and
create more chances. I'm not talking about possession; they are there and
around your box creating chances. In some games they've been unlucky.
Hopefully they will be unlucky tonight, too! We will have to be on top of
our game. There is a great atmosphere around our squad at the moment and on
the training pitches, so we are looking forward to the game. I've talked
about City's manager Pep Guardiola before, but I will say again, sometimes
it's hard and it takes time to come to a new country and for your philosophy
and ideas to work straight away. You need more time than that. They play in
a way where they create lots of chances and dominate games. It's a difficult
league here and there are no easy games and there is not one pattern the
whole league plays – managers change things even during matches. I think he
knew that when he came over, too. Some of the games they've played have been
amazing. Long-term, it will be a success for Pep at Manchester City.
In the 5-0 game, we started to chase them all over the pitch and that's
exactly what they want you to do. They can use that space behind and
in-between your lines with pace and quality and they don't miss the
opportunities and chances they get from that. The game was over in ten
minutes – from 1-0 to 3-0 so quickly. We have spoken about tactics and we
can't give them that space in-between the lines again. If we give them
space, we give it to them in front of us and we have talked about that. If
we do that tonight, we have a chance.
In terms of team news, there are no fresh injuries to be concerned with
other than Havard Nordveit, who has picked up a knock on his ankle. He will
miss tonight's game, but it's nothing to worry about and he should be back
in contention for the Southampton game.
Arthur Masuaku is getting closer to being back, while Diafra Sakho, who had
that operation on his back, is looking at something like mid-March before he
returns.
As I've said, let's hope we can get a good result from tonight game, and I
hope everyone enjoys the occasion.
Slaven Bilic
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Snoddy - We can beat one of the big guns
WHUFC.com
Robert Snodgrass targeting debut victory over Manchester City
New No11 set for Hammers bow at London Stadium on Wednesday
Scotland winger joined West Ham United for £10.2m from Hull City last week
Having tasted Championship Play-Off final success with Hull and represented
Scotland against England in London last year, Robert Snodgrass is looking
forward to returning to the capital. However, West Ham United's £10.2m
signing is more likely to be visiting London Zoo than London's nightclubs!
"People speak about the bright lights of London, but I'm a family man with
three kids, so I'll be moving my family down here and getting settled," he
smiled, speaking to West Ham TV after joining from Premier League rivals
Hull City on Friday evening, becoming the Club's second January capture
after Southampton captain Jose Fonte. "I'll also be looking to build my
relationship with my teammates and the fans and this is what I'm looking
forward to over the next few weeks."
Robert SnodgrassThe 29-year-old is also hoping for more capital gains when
he makes his West Ham debut against Manchester City in midweek. The creating
midfielder faced Pep Guardiola's Sky Blues as recently as Boxing Day, when
his former club Hull City were beaten 3-0 at the KCOM Stadium. The No11's
new side were also defeated by City recently, going down to a heavy Emirates
FA Cup third round reverse in east London earlier this month. "One thing in
that game for Hull, we worked really hard and did well, but we still got
beat three-nil, so that just shows you the sort of level you're up against,"
he observed. "They've got really good players who can punish you if you take
your eye off the ball and lose concentration, and that was probably the same
when West Ham lost five-nil.
"So, I think that the lads will have that feeling in their stomachs that
they don't want it to happen again and will be right up for it, especially
off the back of a few good results. Hopefully we can beat one of the big
guns and keep looking forward.
"There's half of the season still to go, so I'm ready for the challenge."
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Everton wanted Adrian
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 31st January 2017
By: Staff Writer
Everton were keen on signing West Ham's current reserve goalkeeper Adrian
during the January transfer window, it has been revealed.
The Spanish stopper has been relegated to the subs bench at the Olympic
Stadium since losing his place to Darren Randolph earlier in the season and
is out of contract this summer - although the club retain the option to
extend his contract by another two years.
Adrian's situation had alerted Toffees boss Ronald Koeman, who is understood
to have been seeking an additional goalkeeper since last summer. However the
Dutchman is said to have had a late change of heart and decided instead to
reassess the situation at the end of the season. When asked about the Adrian
link and the possibility of signing another goalkeeper, Koeman replied:
"Maybe for next season; it's too early to take those kind of decisions."
Everton's current number one is Joel Robles, who had fallen out with Koeman
earlier in the season after losing his place at Goodison Park to Maarten
Stekelenburg. The former's recent good form is the main factor behind
Koeman's decision, reports the Liverpool Echo.
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Board win Jordan backing
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 1st February 2017
By: Staff Writer
Former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan says his former rivals at West
Ham handled the Dimitri Payer situation perfectly. Jordan, who left Palace
six years ago after the club were forced into administration referred to the
French international as a "weasal" via his twitter timeline - before backing
the stance taken by David Sullivan. Referring to a comment by Payet upon
returning to Marseille in which he claimed he felt "chills" having rejoined
the club, Jordan retorted: "Maybe those chills are an ill wind that will
blow over this irksome disingenuous weasel and others like him. "West Ham
United handled it well."
And when pushed to explain how he would have handled the situation, Jordan
added: "Exactly probably as Dave Sullivan. Prob made a few more soundbytes
about the French Revolution and the French always being revolting. "I think
holding his wages is about right, although I am sure Marseille will pay it
to him."
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West Ham v Man City preview: Robert Snodgrass and Jose Fonte set for debuts
Last Updated: 01/02/17 12:46pm
SSN
New signings West Ham signings Robert Snodgrass and Jose Fonte are in Slaven
Bilic's squad for the visit of Manchester City on Wednesday. Portugal
defender Fonte is in line for an immediate debut as a replacement for Angelo
Ogbonna, who is out for the season after a knee operation.
City midfielder Fernandinho returns from suspension and Pep Guardiola has
welcomed the return of the Brazilian midfielder ahead of the trip to the
London Stadium "He's so important," the City boss said at his pre-match
press conference. "We've played a lot of games without him, and I'm happy
he's back. "He's not an aggressive player. He's tough. He's one of the
nicest guys I've ever met. We accept the ban and don't complain."
Team news
Cheikhou Kouyate is back from the Africa Cup of Nations but will not be
considered for selection against City. Havard Nordtveit misses out with an
ankle knock and joins Diafra Sakho (back) and Arthur Masuaku (knee) on the
sidelines.
Man City's Top scorer Sergio Aguero is also back in contention after being
rested at Crystal Palace at the weekend because of a knock.
Aguero's return alongside Fernandinho means City are only missing long-term
injury victim Ilkay Gundogan, who is out for the season after a knee
operation.
Opta stats
Manchester City have enjoyed two wins over West Ham already this season,
with an aggregate score of 8-1 (3-1 in the Premier League, 5-0 in the FA
Cup).
The Hammers' 5-0 FA Cup defeat to Manchester City at the London Stadium on
January 6th was their biggest margin of defeat at home in a competitive
fixture since May 1967 (1-6 v Man Utd in Division 1).
Sergio Agüero has attempted four shots on target and scored one goal in the
two games versus West Ham this season; the exact same tally that West Ham
have v Man City overall in 2016-17.
In the Premier League, Aguero has six goals and two assists in nine
appearances against the Hammers.
Since the start of 2014-15, Manchester City have won just four of their 13
Premier League away games in London (W4 D4 L5).
Since December 31 2016, Claudio Bravo has faced nine shots on target and
saved only one of them (conceding eight goals). He hasn't made a save since
January 2nd in the Premier League, having conceded his last six shots faced
on target.
Merson's prediction
City embarrassed West Ham a couple a few weeks ago in the FA Cup but West
Ham look a different prospect now, with the Dimitri Payet saga behind them.
Andy Carroll is back in form and will be licking his lips ahead of taking on
the City defence. However, I see City winning at the London Stadium. They
were outstanding against Tottenham and followed that with a good result at
Palace in the cup. West Ham were a little fortunate at Middlesbrough and
were pretty even with Palace in the game before that. Palace aren't a patch
on this City team.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-3 (10/1 with Sky Bet)
Betting
West Ham are 9/2 with Sky Bet to pick up all three points from their home
clash with Manchester City on Wednesday. The visitors are odds-on at 4/7 and
the draw is on offer at 16/5.
City to win 3-0, 3-1 or 3-2 is a 7/2 chance in the correct score group
betting, while Sergio Aguero is 3/1 favourite to be the game's first
goalscorer.
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Reading chief Jaap Stam hoping to unleash Reece Oxford's potential after
taking 18-year-old starlet on loan
The Dutchman has been lent the West Ham youngster by Slaven Bilic, in order
to aid his development with games in the Championship
The Mirror
BYJAMES NURSEY
15:19, 1 FEB 2017
Jaap Stam aims to make West Ham starlet Reece Oxford "great" and fulfil his
potential as one of England's top talents. Ex-Manchester United ace Stam,
44, is pushing for promotion this season with his Royals after three
straight wins. He beat off competition from rival Championship clubs to snap
up Hammers' teenager Oxford,18, on loan for the rest of the season. West Ham
boss Slaven Bilic says former centre-back Stam can help Oxford's development
into a top defender. The Dutchman responded: "I am, I was and I will do.
Everybody knows he is a great prospect, a lot of teams wanted to sign him
within the league. "I am not saying it is because of me but with the
experience that I have, and the level I played myself, hopefully I can turn
things around and make young players better.
"You can see the progress players make in our team. "Instead of launching
balls forward, they can build up the play and be an extra man in midfield
sometimes. That makes it difficult for the opposition. "Hopefully the young
players you get in the team, you can help them out, guide them and give them
handouts as well which make it easier for themselves. "They have all got the
ability to become a great player but by coaching them in a certain way and
telling them things, you can make it a bit easier for them."
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Will Slaven Bilic regret not moving for Gylfi Sigurdsson on deadline day?
HITC
Antony Martin
The Swansea City man would have been the ideal signing for West Ham United.
On the whole, Hammers fans would have been fairly satisfied with their
club's transfer business throughout the January transfer window. They
brought proven quality into the club in the shape of Jose Fonte and Robert
Snodgrass, and finally got rid of Dimtir Payet for two-and-a-half times the
amount they paid for him 18 months ago. There is one player, however, who
could have genuinely taken West Ham to the next level - Swansea City's Gylfi
Sigurdsson. The 27-year-old would have been the ideal addition to Slaven
Bilic's squad, and the Croatian should have made a play for the Iceland
international on deadline day. Sigurdsson has been in sensational form this
season. In 23 Premier League games for the Swans he has scored seven goals
and registered seven assists. He has fantastic technical ability, wonderful
vision, and has a keen eye for goal. He is also a set-piece specialist. The
Icelandic midfielder could have been deployed in the number 10 role, just
behind Andy Carroll, or in a more deep-lying midfield position from where he
would have been able to dictate the tempo of the game. The Swansea man would
arguably have been an upgrade on Mark Noble, whose performance levels have
plummeted this season. Depending on where the Welsh side finish in the
Premier League, Sigurdsson could be available again in the summer, however.
And West Ham should seriously consider going back in for the influential
playmaker then.
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West Ham replace Dimitri Payet mural with Andy Carroll wondergoal tribute at
the London Stadium
West Ham have replaced a tribute to Dimitri Payet at the London Stadium
They had to have security next to it in order to stop it from being
vandalised
The Hammers have put an image of Andy Carroll scoring his sensational
bicycle kick against Crystal Palace in its place
By Pete South For Mailonline
PUBLISHED: 13:16, 1 February 2017 | UPDATED: 13:29, 1 February 2017
West Ham stationed a security guard outside the Dimitri Payet mural at the
London stadium to prevent vandalism when news broke of his attempts to leave
the club earlier this month. Now, they've come up with a more permanent
solution. Payet has of course left the Hammers to re-join Marseille in a
transfer worth £25million, leaving more than a few critics back in east
London despite his assertion that he didn't owe fans an apology for his
behaviour. The club have moved swiftly to replace the tribute to their
former French playmaker, using a graphic of striker Andy Carroll's
wondergoal against Crystal Palace in its place, while surrounding it with
accolades from fans. The striker's sensational strike, an acrobatic bicycle
kick from Michail Antonio's cross, helped the Hammers to a 2-0 lead against
Palace before Manuel Lanzini rounded off a 3-0 victory. And Carroll himself
put his ability to get into position to score such a good goal down to his
wife, former reality TV star Billi Mucklow, persuading him to take up yoga.
'It's helped me a lot, especially when I've been injured,' Carroll said.
'I've been doing a lot of work up here (Billi's yoga studio), it's been
great.'
While West Ham were erasing Payet from the London Stadium, the 29-year-old
was busy making his debut for his new club. Payet was cheered before making
his debut by the home fans at the Stade Veledrome and admitted afterwards he
felt chills as he prepared to come on in the cup win over Lyon. 'I found
the Velodrome as I had left it,' he said. 'What did I feel when I returned
to the field? Chills.'
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Robert Snodgrass unfazed about replacing Dimitri Payet at West Ham because
'the lads have done great without him'
EXCLUSIVE
DAN LUDLAM
Evening Standard
Replacing a talent like Dimitri Payet is a big ask but Robert Snodgrass is
not fazed. Then again, West Ham's newest signing — brought in 48 hours
before the Payet to Marseille saga finally ended — knows all about being the
team's heartbeat. The 29-year-old has emerged as a key figure for club and
country over the past 12 months, securing a return to the top flight with
Hull and netting his first Scotland hat-trick in September. Hull are
propping up the Premier League but would have had far fewer points without
Snodgrass. The winger, with a sweet left foot, has seven League goals this
season — more than double the next best Hull player — and also betters his
former team-mates in assists (three) and shots (39). It is why West Ham
pursued Snodgrass when it became clear Payet would be on his way this month.
Payet was a hero to the Hammers fans before he downed tools to force the
move but the new era begins tonight when Snodgrass makes his debut against
Manchester City. Asked if he feels any extra pressure, he says: "No, I
don't think so. The lads have been doing great without Payet. They've won a
lot of games over the past few weeks and have got some big results. "There
are players here that can win games. They have a good core of lads that have
a winning desire which breeds confidence. You end up just fitting into that.
That's the way I am. I want to win every game so I'm delighted to be a part
of it."
Payet was given a standing ovation by the Marseille fans on his second debut
for the club at the Stade Velodrome last night, coming off the bench in
extra-time in a 2-1 French Cup win over Lyon. "I found the Velodrome as I
had left it," said the £25million signing. "What did I feel when I returned
to the field? Chills."
Snodgrass's first taste of the London Stadium is unlikely to be as emotional
but he is relishing the prospect of walking out in front of a crowd of
nearly 60,000 tonight. Burnley and Middlesbrough were also in for Snodgrass
but the Hammers sealed a £10.2m move with the player impressed by the club's
ambition. "When I saw there was interest from West Ham I wanted to become a
part of what they are building here," he says. "I played against West Ham a
few weeks back and lost 1-0 but we played very well. When you turn up to the
stadium it's got a great feel about it — that big stadium feel. The
supporters want us to restore the atmosphere created at Upton Park.
"When you're scoring goals the way Andy Carroll is and you're getting good
results, you will get that atmosphere back because these fans are terrific.
"You just want to be a part of it and I'm delighted it got done and I look
forward to the next few weeks. "I wanted to move first and foremost to try
and get security for my family and to have the opportunity to play at a club
like West Ham is terrific."
A win for the Hammers would lift them into the top half of the table,
showing how things can change quickly in football. Within the space of a
week at the turn of the year, the Hammers were beaten by Leicester and
Manchester United before being hammered 5-0 by tonight's opponents in the FA
Cup. Then came Payet's public fall-out with West Ham. Without the France
international, the squad pulled together and rattled off back-to-back wins
with Carroll bagging three goals, including a stunning scissor-kick in the
3-0 victory over Crystal Palace. Snodgrass is eager to help the Hammers
build on those performances and also his own this season. "As soon as you
lose that desire to keep on improving, then there's no point of even playing
football to be honest because you need to keep driving to be better every
day," he said. "That extra one per cent on a day-to-day basis drives you
forward and this is why these lads are at the top level. They have got that
burning feeling in them. They want to win football matches and become better
players. "The manager has stressed that we are off the back of some good
results so why not? "Why not try and believe that we can go and win the
game. So I'm looking forward to it and will be ready for when I'm called
upon. "If everybody has got that same attitude then I think it will take us
a very long way."
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James Olley: Let's tear March out of the West Ham calendar and move on from
Dimitri Payet saga
JAMES OLLEY
Evening Standard
The player selected for March in West Ham's official calendar is Dimitri
Payet. That always felt a little optimistic. Rumours of his unhappiness
stretched back as far as last summer and the situation gradually unravelled
in acrimonious fashion prior to him finally completing a £25million move
back to Marseille earlier this week. The loss of a star player rarely has
any positives for the selling club but West Ham should take solace from how
they handled themselves during the saga. They rewarded Payet for a
remarkable start in English football with a new contract last February and
privately sought to assuage his concerns by paying him a £1m loyalty bonus
in September. The 29-year-old continues to stress his motives for returning
to France were based on family issues but sympathy is in short supply given
he took West Ham's money in recognition of his faithfulness only to force
his way out four months later.
He was made to repay his January salary before co-chairman David Sullivan
and David Gold would sanction his departure, effectively arguing that once
he went on strike, he was not entitled to his weekly wage. If he had any
affinity for the club, Payet should have returned his loyalty bonus, too.
Slaven Bilic emerges from the whole affair with tremendous credit. It is
perhaps easy to forget the pressure he was under during the first half of
the season, when bookmakers had him heading their sack race markets as West
Ham won just six of their first 22 matches in all competitions.
Payet's betrayal will have hurt him deeply. I was fortunate to spend time in
the Croatian's office on several occasions last season, talking on and off
the record about various aspects of the club's campaign. While some managers
usually eschew highlighting individuals in favour of promoting the
collective, Bilic never once played down Payet's importance. It would not
have been easy to ostracise him but Bilic knew the corrosive effect Payet
could have on team unity once he had shown his hand. Bilic went public with
the breakdown in relations, ensuring West Ham controlled the agenda on the
deal as best they could and Sullivan maintained that position in a difficult
negotiation with Marseille. He wanted to make an example of Payet but
accepted a modest £25m sum to achieve closure for the benefit of Bilic and
his team. Wishing him well yesterday was the final class act from Bilic in a
transfer that reflects badly on Payet and no one else. Come March,
poster-boy Payet will be a distant memory.
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West Ham are 'a proper team' without Dimitri Payet, claims boss Slaven Bilic
Dimitri Payet left West Ham at the end of the transfer window for Marseille
Slaven Bilic says West Ham lost a great player but gained a stronger team
West Ham entertain Manchester City at the London Stadium on Wednesday
By Oliver Todd for MailOnline
PUBLISHED: 10:02, 1 February 2017 | UPDATED: 10:02, 1 February 2017
Slaven Bilic says West Ham are better off and 'a proper team' now, having
dumped Dimitri Payet. The £25million Frenchman finally moved on to Marseille
this week after falling out with his manager and his team-mates earlier this
month. But having watched his men step through the Payet-shaped cloud over
West Ham, Bilic says the loss of his best player has been transformative —
in a positive way.
Manchester City visit the London Stadium tonight and will find a different
outfit to the one they demolished 5-0 at the same venue in the FA Cup just
26 days ago. Back then, the biggest transfer drama of the January window had
just started to engulf West Ham before Payet refused to play or train. The
29-year-old was a substitute that night and in his absence since West Ham
have won back-to-back games. Bilic expects a result against City this time
around after discovering his group 'worship the obligation' they have to
perform in Payet's absence. 'We are a stronger team,' the Hammers boss
declared. 'The way that the team reacted after that was amazing. Not only in
games but in training as well, in the camp. 'During breakfast, before
training, in the gym: we are a proper team. We are now in a much better
situation than we were before the (previous) Man City game. 'Make no
mistake, we lost a great player. But sometimes you gain. The way the team
reacted and the atmosphere it's buzzing, it's great. We have enough quality
on the pitch to replace him in a different way. 'After what happened in the
last three months this is really a new start and it feels like every
individual in the team and the team itself is taking responsibility. 'But
they like to take responsibility. They worship that obligation that they
have now without Payet.'
West Ham supporters will find all Payet branding covered up at London
Stadium tonight and the name of the man they once worshipped is likely to be
widely derided. But Bilic would rather they remember the good times. His
memories will be of one of the greatest players to wear claret and blue
rather than a Judas figure. 'I have no hard feelings over him,' he said.
'The fans are now angry at him — of course they are angry. But I think after
some time, when they think about Payet, they will not think about what
happened at the end.
'Time heals everything. They will forget. They will remember him as one of
the greatest.'
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WEST HAM V MAN CITY: PEP HAS IT ALL TO DO IF HE'S TO CLOSE GAP ON TOP 4
Ladbrokes.com
Both West Ham and Manchester City ended up having quiet Deadline Days, as
Slaven Bilic and Pep Guardiola instead opted to prepare for a vital clash at
the London Stadium. But having won five of their last eight matches, the
home side will prove a difficult nut to crack this evening.
In fact, that's the same number of recent victories as their opponents, who
head into this one as the 4/7 favourites, while the Hammers are 9/2 to take
all three points off City for the third time in six Premier League meetings.
This one did finish 5-0 to the Citizens last time the pair met – and 20/1
says we see a repeat of that scoreline, although it looks unlikely given
West Ham's recent resurgence.
Were City to get three points in east London, they'd leapfrog Liverpool into
fourth place – at least for a few days.
Meanwhile, a West Ham victory could see them climb up to ninth place.
And if you're looking for a form player heading into this one, you'd do well
to find anyone better than Andy Carroll.
The former Liverpool and Newcastle forward has bagged himself three goals in
two games for the Hammers, and 9/4 says he finds the net at any time in this
one.
Meanwhile, City's Germany international Leroy Sane is beginning to find his
feet in the Premier League, having scored two goals in as many games in all
competitions. He's 12/5 to get on the scoresheet.
For all of their attacking prowess, City have conceded in 10 of their last
12 top-flight matches, while the hosts have conceded in 10 of their last 13.
For that reason it's easy to see why it's as short as 8/13 for both teams to
find the net.
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West Ham win against Manchester City would bury toxic Dimitri Payet saga and
make London Stadium start to feel like home
JOHN DILLON
Evening Standard
West Ham now need one more thing to complete the healing process which has
followed the acrimonious departure of Dimitri Payet. Now they need a proper
performance and a result against Manchester City on Wednesday to bury the
acrid memory of the 5-0 thrashing inflicted on them by Pep Guardiola in the
FA Cup on January 6. It should be a new-look Hammers team which lines up at
the London Stadium. Robert Snodgrass and Jose Fonte are excellent transfer
window signings. So let's not have any of that modern day ritual whereby new
players sit in the stand for the first game after their arrival awaiting the
gaze of the TV cameras while their lack of match sharpness is earnestly
discussed.
Okay, Fonte last played for Southampton on January 2 before his £8 million
switch to east London. But he's a defender. He'll handle it. Turn the
equations of modern-day sports science on their head and you could argue
he'll have benefitted from the break. Snodgrass last played for Hull on
January 14. But his £7 million move to the Hammers is the biggest
opportunity of his career. He will be champing at the bit. The presence of
both men in this game might underline the sense that West Ham have dealt
with some major troubles and are ready to move on from the toxic events of
recent months. The humiliation by City in that FA Cup tie was the nadir of
those events on the pitch. Slaven Bilic's team were pitiful. They have since
beaten Crystal Palace at home and Middlesbrough away in the Premier League.
But City's win followed successive league defeats by Leicester and
Manchester United, which tore apart the feel-good factor which had been
building around the team when they beat Burnley, Hull and then Swansea, 4-1
away, in December. Five wins in seven league games is good form, of course.
But the memory of the abject performance against City still requires erasing
just to confirm that something has changed for the better around the place.
There is a sense that even the disgruntlement and unhappiness of many fans
with the nature of the new stadium might now be set aside for the rest of
the season.
A revenge win against Guardiola and his lavishly assembled team could
re-kindle the sense of optimism which filled the ground after the win
against Chelsea in the League Cup - but which then vanished again amid a
series of stultifying displays and bad home defeats during the remainder of
the Autumn.
The concerns of many supporters about the ground - its lack of atmosphere
and awkward unsuitability for football – are valid. But the club are going
nowhere else. At some point, the new surroundings have to be accepted.
Perhaps this will be the night. Certainly, the departure of the now-despised
Payet has provided a point around which the supporters feelings about the
season have crystallised.
Judging by the garish awfulness of the track suit he wore when he emerged on
the tarmac at Marseille after his private plane landed in France, the
Hammers are well rid of him for his dreadful fashion sense alone. The
co-chairman, David Sullivan, has revealed how troublesome Payet had become
behind the scenes, refusing to eat alongside his team-mates after training.
Sullivan is often commendably frank. But this revelation is a PR win-winner,
anyway. The club's official condemnation of the player's attitude chimes
perfectly with the supporters intensely hostile view of their former idol.
However, suggestions that the behaviour of the Frenchman soured the mood
around the club so much that they explain away the rancid form of the Autumn
should not be countenanced. The rest of the squad should have just got on
with things, anyway, in such circumstances. You can imagine how Billy Bonds
might have dealt with such a situation during his days as captain.
Certainly, though, the end of the saga will help. At the same time, the
resurgent form of Andy Carroll – and his own frankness in an interview this
week in which he confessed to boozing too much earlier in his career – have
added to the sense that there is a new mood at the club.
Yes, yes. It won't have stunned too many people to discover this about
Carroll. But it will have been refreshing for the supporters to learn of his
renewed focus. All he has to do now is stay fit. There is a vacancy now for
Number One hero at the London Stadium. The frustrating, stuttering nature of
Carroll's time at West Ham means he has never quite filled the role. Now is
his chance – starting against City.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Wednesday, February 1
Daily WHUFC News - 1st February 2017
Preview - Manchester City
WHUFC.com
Where and when?
West Ham United v Manchester City
Premier League
Wednesday 1 February 2017, 7.45pm GMT
London Stadium
What's the story?
West Ham United welcome Manchester City to London Stadium for the second time in a month on Wednesday night – and will be hoping for a far more palatable outcome than last time.
No Hammers fan will need reminding that Pep Guardiola's men ran out 5-0 winners in the Emirates FA Cup tie between the two at the start of January, but they will also know that their team has bounced back from that disappointment strongly.
Back-to-back Premier League wins against Crystal Palace and Middlesbrough have lifted them up to tenth in the table, renewing hopes that Slaven Bilic's men can take strides into the top half over the last four months of the campaign.
The 3-1 victory at Middlesbrough, featuring an Andy Carroll brace and Jonathan Calleri's first goal for the Club, was West Ham's fifth in the last seven league games – and with Carroll having netted four in that run, Slaven Bilic can call upon in-form members of his team.
Meanwhile, Manchester City followed their thumping London Stadium success with a couple of disappointing results.
A 4-0 beating at Everton was followed by a 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur – and that with the Citizens 2-0 up.
However, a 3-0 FA Cup win at Crystal Palace at the weekend points to better form and the Hammers know full well what their visitors can produce on their day.
Heading into this fixture, Manchester City currently sit fifth in the table, with 43 points from 22 games played.
Team news
West Ham could hand debuts to their two January arrivals Jose Fonte and Robert Snodgrass.
Fonte, who arrived from Southampton, could slot in for Angelo Ogbonna, whose surgery on a knee problem has ended his season early.
Meanwhile, Havard Nordtveit misses out with an ankle problem, and Cheikhou Kouyate is unavailable following Senegal's exit from the Africa Cup of Nations at the weekend.
Andre Ayew's Ghana are still going for AFCON glory, and Arthur Masuaku is out injured.
For Manchester City, Sergio Aguero is back in contention after missing the win at Crystal Palace with a knock.
Midfielder Fernandinho is also available again after serving a suspension.
Player Head-to-Head
Aaron Cresswell v Gael Clichy
How do I get to the game?
Your essential matchday guide, including everything from access to London Stadium to catering and more can be found right here.
Please arrive at London Stadium early to prevent queuing at turnstiles, while the latest travel news on the London Underground, London Overground, TfL Rail, Buses and roads can be found here. For information on National Rail routes, click here.
The gas works which affected walking routes to the Stadium have now been completed. Click here for a map showing the reopened route.
How can I watch the game?
The match is being broadcast live in the UK on BT Sport. You can also follow the action as it happens right here on whufc.com, with live audio commentary, social media updates, in-running stats, photos and more. Join in the conversation on social using #WHUMCI
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Bilic - I'm happy with my squad
WHUFC.com
Slaven Bilic says West Ham United are highly unlikely to do any deadline day transfer business
The Hammers boss did reveal that defender Reece Oxford could go out on loan to Reading
Bilic claimed, in his Tuesday morning press conference, he is happy with his current squad
Slaven Bilic says he is happy with his squad and West Ham United are unlikely to do any further transfer business as the January window deadline approaches. The Hammers have already added European Championship winner Jose Fonte and Scotland international Robert Snodgrass the their side this month and the boss claimed no new deals would be done before 11pm on Tuesday. Bilic did, however, reveal the Club are set to allow Reece Oxford to join Championship promotion-chasers Reading on loan to pick up some game time ahead of next season at London Stadium. The manager said: "That's it, we're done [in the window]. We are quite happy with what we've done so I'd like to thank the Board for the players we've got. "Going out, Reece Oxford is doing a medical with Reading and will hopefully go. That's a great loan move for him. "He's going to a club who are trying to get promotion and what's really important for me is that the manager [Jaap Stam] is one of the best centre-backs to have played in the last 20 years in the world. "It's a move that we should all benefit from; Reece, Reading and West Ham. I'm expecting him to come back here and play for us."
Speculation linking Brentford striker Scott Hogan to West Ham has been ongoing throughout the window, but Bilic moved to dismiss claims he was on his way to east London. "Of course he is a good player and we watched him many, many times," he continued. "I just feel that we have a really good set of strikers in our squad. That's the only reason why I didn't want that deal to happen. "He's definitely a good player, he's young and scoring goals in the Championship but it's not a question of 'Is he good enough?'; it's a question of what we have. "We have Andy Carroll, Michail Antonio, Ashley Fletcher and Jonathan Calleri and plus players who can play second striker like Andre Ayew and Robert Snodgrass. We have to stay fit but that's the reason behind my decision."
The winter transfer window has seen many big deals happen late on in the Premier League in previous years with the Hammers often being involved. Bilic, however, stated if the Club cannot find anybody who is the right fit or will improve the squad, it would not represent sensible business. The Croatian said: "We're not looking for [any late deals]. We got Fonte who we really wanted, we got Snodgrass who we really wanted from day one, and we were maybe looking for a right-back. We couldn't find someone who would improve our squad or first eleven and that's why we didn't get one. I'm very happy with the squad now. "For example Demba Ba; He's a player who has proved himself in the Premier League and he's a player who I managed at Besiktas. "I spoke to him on the phone a couple of weeks ago and the problem was that he got very badly injured and he told me he would be fit in March. That's too late for us. "[We'll keep the money until the summer], definitely. If we want to do something, it's too late. There's no reason to act like that because we have some extra money. That would be without really planning. I'm happy."
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Sullivan - Things are looking a lot better
WHUFC.com
Joint-Chairman David Sullivan discusses deadline day, the departure of Dimitri Payet and Wednesday's Premier League visit of Manchester City to London Stadium. The Joint-Chairman appeared as a guest on Alan Brazil's Sports Breakfast on radio station talkSPORT on Tuesday morning. Here is what he had to say…
You have been linked with players this window who have not joined the Club, so what's the story with that?
"I cannot speak about specific players but we have a policy at West Ham where myself, my head of recruitment Tony Henry and the manager sit down and discuss things and in a perfect world we would all agree before we sign everybody, and we don't break that rule often. You can't bring in players the manager doesn't fancy, particularly in January.
"We have a good manager who gives everyone a chance but if he doesn't want someone and feels he won't add to the team, you can't bring a player in and you have to support the manager."
What about Dimitri Payet? Surely player power has never been stronger than right now in football?
"I think it depends on the individual. Some are very strong and the last time I had this was with Robbie Savage at Birmingham. Very few footballers are as strong as Payet or Robbie. I bumped into Robbie last week and he said he was the last one to do this to me! And we had a good laugh about it. At the time it was quite stressful.
"Players are strong though, and the wages have gone potty with the new TV deal and you think how can very average players be worth £10m or £12m? And I can't get my head around it. But if we don't pay these wages then somebody else will."
David, is that £25m [from Payet's sale to Marseille] burning a hole in your pocket?!
"This is a bad, bad time to buy. The big teams don't buy now. It's panic buying, and it's teams in desperation. I look at over the business I've done in January, there have been a few exceptions but you generally don't do good business. Clubs will be more reasonable because if you sign a player in June, they have months to find a replacement.
"Nobody wants to sell you a player today because they don't have the time to get a replacement in. It's crazy. I've had bids for some of our players, and if it was the summer, you might consider them. But at this stage, it's crazy, and we don't have a huge squad, we can't let anybody go.
"At this moment in time, we're not bringing anybody in. Things could change but it's unlikely. I look at what we've done; Demba Ba was probably the exception and we looked to bring him back in this window. We were told, though, he was three weeks from playing a month ago, when in fact he's probably still four or five weeks from playing.
"He nearly came back just as a loan because the Chinese season starts soon. He's a fantastic player and probably one of the best January signings we've ever done [back in 2011]. But it didn't happen because you can't bring in a player who isn't ready to hit the ground running.
"In a month's or eight weeks' time, we'll have Diafra Sakho back. Then when Ghana are out of AFCON, Andre Ayew will be back.
"Then Andy Carroll, if it wasn't for his track record, you wouldn't look at anyone else. Five goals in the last ten, he's the best defensive centre-forward we've ever had. What he adds defensively as well as scoring goals is amazing."
With Dimitri, some in France were amazed how well he did last season. Why had he fallen out of love with West Ham?
"What he says to me is that his wife hasn't settled and has no friends, his children haven't settled at school and have no friends, and he wants to go back. Whether more has gone on, we'll never know. His comments yesterday were strange.
"We had one fantastic season. This season, he's not been the same. I don't at all regret bringing him here. We finished seventh last season largely down to him. Even this year, he's had a large amount of assists and a few goals. We've doubled our money. It's been fantastic business and he's been a fantastic player. He probably single-handedly earned us ten points.
"In the real world, it's not that important. He wanted to move on and we did a damage limitation deal to maximise West Ham. On his day, he was brilliant. Even last season, there were games he just didn't turn up. He's the best player I've seen in a West Ham shirt for decades when he turned up."
The Chinese clubs are offering huge fees and wages, David, so is that situation going to disappear?
"The few [players] that are prepared to go there, the money is crazy. Even modest players are getting £100k, £200k a week. The superstars, if you believe what they're going to earn, they're there for the money.
"If you get £60k after tax it's £30k, they can save you £120k a month there [if you're not paying tax]. It changes your life and you're set up for life. I can understand why people do it."
Have you got any message for the West Ham fans?
"Just don't expect much today. Something could happen, we could have some younger players going out on loan. Reece Oxford could go to Reading, which would be great for both because he's probably the best 18-year-old centre-back in the country but he needs games. We will have another go in the summer."
Are we getting there with London Stadium now, David?
"Any club that moves to a new stadium has a tough year. Statistically, that's a fact. It takes adjusting to. All the new fans love it, some of the older ones don't. There are many plusses and a few minuses. It's not a purpose-built football stadium, but every other club that comes says we can't believe how good it is and 'We wish we had a ground like this'."
Lastly, Slaven must be feeling much better now? He looked really down in the dumps previously…
"We've won five in seven and we lost 1-0 at Leicester, where I don't know how we lost. And against Manchester United, we had somebody sent-off after 15 minutes which was later rescinded.
"Slaven and the whole team are very happy now. Football is all about winning. It's for the supporters. Overnight, things can change. You're as good as your last three or four results. "We're not kidding ourselves. We've had a decent run in the last eight. But in five games' time, we could be looking up, or five bad results, we could be looking down again. Things are looking a lot better than seven games ago.
"For every team, it's a rollercoaster. The gap between the top six and the rest seems to have grown, as unbelievable managers and players have come in.
"We want revenge against Manchester City on Wednesday and we hope we can get it."
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Five Talking Points – Manchester City
WHUFC.com
The big discussion points ahead of Wednesday's eagerly-anticipated Premier League fixture at London Stadium...
1 AD
West Ham United will play their first fixture 'After Dimitri' on Wednesday evening, but the Hammers appear to have already got over the departure of the France attacking midfielder. Payet was not involved in the first-team squad for the victories over Crystal Palace and Middlesbrough – games in which Slaven Bilic's side have produced superb team performances and picked up two important victories. The reigning Hammer of the Year has now returned to Olympique de Marseille and is clearly already firmly part of the Club's history.
Manuel Lanzini No10
Dimitri Payet's exit has given Manuel Lanzini an opportunity to shine in the No10 role – as well as the No10 shirt. The diminutive Argentine has shown his creative talent on many occasions since arriving in east London in 2015, but has taken his game up a level in recent weeks. Lanzini scored an outstanding goal against Crystal Palace before providing assists for Andy Carroll and compatriot Jonathan Calleri at Middlesbrough, illustrating his undoubted threat in the attacking third. On Wednesday, the South American will have another opportunity to showcase his importance to West Ham United – against a Manchester City defence which has itself appeared porous in recent matches.
Vulnerable City?
Manchester City began their first season under Pep Guardiola in fine form, losing just one of their opening ten Premier League matches to storm to the top of the table. However, City have lost four of their last 12 to drop outside the top four, and their title hopes already appear to be remote. So, what has changed? Put simply, City have conceded more goals at the defensive end, and not scored as many at the attacking end. After scoring 2.4 per game and conceding 0.9 in those opening ten league matches, the Sky Blues have netted just 1.58 and let in 1.9, including four in a humiliating defeat at Everton on 15 January. The common consensus is that City are vulnerable at the back, the statistics appear to back that theory up, and West Ham United will be the latest opponent to try to exploit that vulnerability.
Teenage kicks
There is much excitement in the blue half of Manchester over the signing of exciting teenage Brazil striker Gabriel Jesus. The 19-year-old arrived from Palmeiras, having won the Copa do Brazil in 2015 and both Campeonato Brasileiro Série A and Rio Olympic Gold Medal last year. Individually, Jesus was also voted Serie A Best Newcomer in 2015 and into the Serie A Team of the Year in 2016. A versatile, quick, hard-working and skilful forward or winger, the Sao Paulo-born player netted 21 goals in 46 appearances last year, but the challenge for the South American youngster is now to bring that form to the English Premier League.
Top Ten
West Ham United's victory at Middlesbrough took them back into the top half of the table for the first time since August. Having spent the whole of last season in the top ten, the challenge for Slaven Bilic's side is now to stay there. With fixtures against eleventh-place Southampton, eighth-place West Bromwich Albion and 14th-place Watford to follow Wednesday's visit of Manchester City, that challenge is one which the Hammers can most definitely rise to.
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Fonte up for Aguero tussle
WHUFC.com
Jose Fonte is set to make his West Ham United debut against Manchester City
Portuguese defender could mark City's outstanding Argentina attacker Sergio Aguero
Hammers will host Pep Guardiola's men in the Premier League on Wednesday 1 February
Jose Fonte is relishing the opportunity to make his West Ham United debut against 'one of the best forwards in the world'. The Hammers new boy is set to pull on a Claret and Blue shirt for a first time in Wednesday's Premier League clash with Manchester City at London Stadium – and a likely tussle with outstanding Argentina forward Sergio Aguero. Fonte has not enjoyed the best of times against City in his career, winning just one of nine matches, but the centre-half did captain Southampton to a 4-2 victory at St Mary's last season, before leading the Saints in a 1-1 draw the Etihad Stadium in October. In all, the pair have met six times, with Aguero scoring twice and assisting two goals, and Fonte is a big admirer of the 28-year-old two-time Premier League champion. "Manchester City have great strikers and one of the best forwards in the world in Sergio Aguero but if we produce a good display it will be an easier day for me," the 33-year-old observed. Like Aguero, the UEFA Euro 2016 winner has been an outstanding Premier League performer for many seasons. This term, Fonte has continued his fine form, winning 68% of his tackles, making six clearances per game and keeping seven clean sheets in 17 top-flight matches. Aguero too, has been impressive, scoring eleven goals in 17 Premier League appearances, taking his overall tally for City to 113 in 166 games. Their on-pitch battle is one which Fonte is looking forward to. "I relish this kind of challenge," he confirmed. "I have played against City a few times but it is about the team and not the individual. I hope we can get a good result."
Having played on the continent's biggest stage in last year's UEFA Euro 2016 final, where Portugal defeated France to win their first major trophy, Fonte is also relishing the opportunity to play at London Stadium for the second time. The centre-half helped his Southampton side to a 3-0 Premier League victory in east London in October, all but silencing the Claret and Blue Army. On Wednesday, Fonte wants to make those same supporters sing by scoring a memorable success against Pep Guardiola's side. "It is every players ambition to play in front of a crowd like that every week," he continued. I just want the team to make it a fortress. "I want everyone to come together and make it a very hard place for the opposing teams."
Tickets for Wednesday's Premier League fixture with Manchester City are available here on the Ticket Exchange.
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Work begins on new Stadium mural
WHUFC.com
West Ham United are delighted to announce that work has begun on new branding on the outside of London Stadium which celebrates Andy Carroll's wonder strike against Crystal Palace.
Carroll netted one of the Premier League's all-time greatest goals as he acrobatically converted Michail Antonio's cross to help the Hammers to an emphatic 3-0 victory.
The brand new mural will include a photo of the talismanic striker in mid-air alongside 'Carroll 9' and is being installed ahead of the Hammers' crunch match with Manchester City on Wednesday evening.
Located between turnstiles G and H, near the Club's Stadium Store, the brand new poster replaces Dimitri Payet's mural, after the Frenchman recently re-joined Marseille.
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Fonte - I relish this kind of challenge
WHUFC.com
Jose Fonte is relishing the chance to make his West Ham debut against Manchester City and hopes to get off to the perfect start at London Stadium. Fonte has wasted no time settling into his new surroundings following his £8million move from Southampton and has already got to know his new team-mates following a full week of training. The 33-year-old is expected to go straight into the squad for the big game against Pep Guardiola's side and says he is looking forward to coming up against Sergio Aguero and the other City forwards. Fonte said: "They have great strikers and one of the best forwards in the world in Sergio Aguero but if we produce a good display it will be an easier day for me. "I relish this kind of challenge. I have played against City a few times but it is about the team and not the individual. I hope we can get a good result."
Fonte looks set to play his first game alongside Michail Antonio and already has a special relationship with the Hammers forward, having played alongside him at Southampton. The duo enjoyed a memorable spell together on the south coast after helping the Saints to win the Johnstone's Paint Trophy at Wembley back in 2010. Fonte is now hoping they can enjoy even more success together playing for the Hammers and has nothing but praise for the way Antonio has established himself as one of the top performers in the Premier League this season. Fonte added: "Michail was only young at the time. I was young at the time as well! He had raw pace, talent, explosiveness and we could see the potential in him. "He was fantastic in the Final and scored a goal. It was a great day at Wembley."
"He has been outstanding and has done really well for himself. I am happy for him and I just hope he can continue to help the team so we can have many more wins."
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Foundation youngsters enjoy Rush Green training session
WHUFC.com
A group of schoolchildren from Gateway Primary Free School in Tilbury enjoyed a once-in-a-lifetime training session when they visited West Ham United's first team base at Rush Green recently.
The extra-special session, part of the Moore Family Foundation's initiative to work with vulnerable youngsters by promoting respect, honour and hard work within the local community, as well as encouraging healthy lifestyles, saw the youngsters put through their paces before meeting several of the first team stars.
Hammers hero Michail Antonio was grilled by the young contingent in an exclusive Q&A covering a range of subjects, from his favourite goal and favourite dance to how much his life has changed since starting out in non-league football.
Captain Mark Noble and first team coach Julian Dicks, along with Aaron Cresswell, Darren Randolph and new signing Jose Fonte, then greeted the youngsters and posed for photos amid a flurry of autographs.
After meeting the students, the Hammers' No1 Randolph beamed: "It's always nice to be able to do something for kids, as you can see they're enjoying a run around and making lots of noise.
"The Moore Family Foundation is a very special organisation and does a lot of great work in the local community. The work of the Foundation does is very important, particularly for a club like West Ham, which has a presence in a lot of deprived areas.
"The kids clearly enjoyed their special day here, meeting the players, watching training and going behind the scenes here at the training ground, it's a really nice thing for us to be able to do."
Kyle Taylor, aged 10, was delighted to meet some of his heroes: "I loved it, it was just so fun to meet the players, I've never met anyone famous before so it was very special. They're great players, I'm a West Ham fan so I loved it."
As did Joanna Emechete, who echoed her classmate's sentiments, saying: "It's amazing, we did some drills and fun games. It was so cool to meet the footballers, I was speechless! It was an amazing experience, a dream come true."
Their teacher, Amanda Arnold, was just as enthralled as her students. "It's been absolutely amazing," said Amanda. "A fantastic opportunity to meet the players and experience training in a top class facility like this, something the kids certainly aren't used to, so it's a been a fantastic day.
"It was a very special moment, the excitement of the children was amazing, they had a real buzz. To meet them in person is something they usually wouldn't ever get the opportunity to do and you could really feel the children's excitement."
The visit represented one of the ways the West Ham United Foundation is helping to raise awareness for the Moore Family Foundation – with Wednesday's Premier League encounter with Manchester City dedicated to the charity's cause. Launched in 2014, the programme launched at Ripple Primary School, Barking - Bobby Moore's primary school - is now in its third year and is on target to engage with 16,000 pupils in the local area.
Roberta Moore, daughter of the late, great Bobby Moore and a patron of the Foundation, will be in attendance at Wednesday's game to address the 57,000 crowd at half-time about the positive effect the programme is having on young students.
Foundation Mentor Tajammil Hussain, who helps deliver the Moore Family Foundation and organised the training session, said: "We go into schools all across Thurrock, Barking and Dagenham, Newham and Tower Hamlets to mentor young people. In everything we do, we try to encourage values that Bobby Moore installed. It's all about continuing those values in our local community."
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Bilic thanks Payet
WHUFC.com
Slaven Bilic has thanked Dimitri Payet for his time at West Ham United
The midfielder was sold to Marseille after stating he no longer wished to play for the Club
The Hammers boss also believes new signings Jose Fonte and Robert Snodgrass are perfect fits for his squad of players
West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic thanked Dimitri Payet for his contributions while at the Club and wished the midfielder all the best for the rest of his career after the Frenchman joined Marseille on Sunday. Payet was sold to the Ligue 1 outfit for a fee of £25 million after stating he longer wished to play for the Hammers. And his former boss Bilic stated that although the Club were disappointed with the way in which the 29-year-old departed, his influence in east London will not be forgotten. "I want to thank Payet for everything he did [at West Ham]," Bilic said. "He was brilliant last year and we were brilliant for him also. "But that story has now finished. I want to wish him luck and all the best in Marseille. "I am not going to go deep into what happened. He went and that was his wish. I won't forget how good he was for us and what he achieved with us. "It was a great story, not only for West Ham but for the Premier League and for France also. I won't forget it just because he's moved. I really wish him well." "I have said what I said and there has been enough said about Payet. It was the only way for me to act and to defend the team and say everything completely openly as I did."
West Ham United moved fast in the January transfer window to secure the signings of European Championship winner Jose Fonte and Scottish international Robert Snodgrass. And Bilic believes the new members of his squad, both of whom have vast experience in English football, will be perfect fits at London Stadium. "We are a good Club and it was always like that for new players to come and settle quickly," he continued. "That goes with everyone coming here. It's important for foreign players who come and don't speak the language. But we have always had that and we're well known for it. "For Fonte and Snodgrass that wasn't necessary. Snodgrass is British and just moved clubs and changed jersey. Fonte, although not English, is as English as a foreign player can be! "It's ten years here for him. They were reasons why we wanted them. We wanted that core of home-grown players. They clicked immediately. They'll get to know the way we play but they don't need the time to settle and that's brilliant. "Snodgrass scores goals and that's what we need from players in his position. He is a hard worker and a team player and I expect him to be a great signing for us."
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Oxford heads to Reading
WHUFC.com
Reece Oxford joins Championship promotion-chasers Reading on loan until end of season
Teenager will link up with the Royals to gain valuable first-team experience under Jaap Stam
Defender could make his debut against Mick McCarthy's Ipswich Town on Saturday
Reece Oxford has joined Sky Bet Championship promotion-chasers Reading on loan until the end of the season.
The 18-year-old Academy product, who signed a new four-and-a-half-year contract at London Stadium in December, will link up with the Royals to gain more valuable first-team experience.
Oxford became the youngest player to represent West Ham United when he took to the field in the Club's 3-0 UEFA Europa League win over Lusitans in July 2016, aged just 16 years and 198 days.
The following month the defender started in the Hammers' 2-0 Premier League victory at Arsenal, cementing his place as one of the country's most promising young footballers. Oxford has already made a total of 14 first-team appearances for the Hammers.
He also featured for England at the UEFA European U19 Championship finals last summer. Oxford will now head to Reading, who are managed by legendary former Manchester United and Netherlands centre-back Jaap Stam.
West Ham boss Slaven Bilic is sure the loan move will prove highly beneficial for Oxford as he takes his next step forward in his career.
"This is a great loan move for Reece," the manager confirmed. "He's going to a club who are trying to get promotion and what's really important for me is that the manager is one of the best centre-backs to have played in the last 20 years in the world.
"It's a move that we should all benefit from; Reece, Reading and West Ham. I'm expecting him to come back here and play for us."
Oxford joins Reading with the Royals hot on the heels of the Championship front-runners.
With 18 games to go, Stam's side are in third, just six points behind Newcastle United in the second automatic promotion slot.
The Royals face former Hammers boss Gianfranco Zola and his Birmingham City side tonight, before travelling to Ipswich Town on Saturday, where he could face fellow Academy graduates Freddie Sears and Jordan Spence.
Oxford is the fourth young West Ham player to go out on loan in January, following Marcus Browne (Wigan Athletic), Toni Martinez (Oxford United) and Alex Pike (Cheltenham Town).
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The Big Interview - Manuel Lanzini
WHUFC.com
Manuel Lanzini has played a crucial role in helping the Hammers get their season back on track and now hopes to celebrate another big win against Manchester City and make it a night to remember at London Stadium. Following consecutive victories over Crystal Palace and Middlesbrough, the Argentine midfielder looks back to his best and showed his quality once again when he set up two goals during the 3-1 win over the north east Club in the last Premier League game.
Lanzini is now hoping to make it a hat-trick of victories and says he is looking forward to showcasing his talents against the former Premier League champions....
Manuel, you seem to be producing some of your best form of the season. How much of this do you put down to a regular run in the team and how settled do you feel playing at the heart of the West Ham midfield?
ML: "I did have a hard start to the season and of course the team's results were not as good as we expected. "When I came back from injury I wasn't straight back to the level I was at last year but I now feel fully fit and 100 per cent ready to keep developing and performing well. "The coach decides the formations and the systems that we play and as players, we adapt to that. "In general, I feel very confident and it's great to have the full support of the coaching team and I'm just giving 100 per cent to help the Club. "To be honest, I don't like changing about [position] that much. When you play regularly in the same position, it helps to build your confidence but of course when the team and the coach need us to adapt, I can adapt to that of course."
Andy Carroll mentioned that the support in the last home game against Crystal Palace was the only topic dominating the dressing room after the game. How much do you feel the support from the fans inside London Stadium and how can it help inspire the players?
ML: "Having the fans behind us is always very important and we know they support us, and that motivates us. "We know that if we play well, we will have their support and our confidence increases and we'll be able to play better as a team."
How much confidence do the players take from recent games and what does it do for the morale in the squad when we put a run of wins together?
ML: "Yes, the team has quality. If you look at the players we have here, we are capable of doing well. "We have got a few wins and we need to maintain that as it increases the confidence around the whole club."
How much do you owe to Slaven Bilic for helping you achieve your dream of playing in the Premier League and becoming one of the big players at West Ham United?
ML: "Of course Slaven has been very important because he's the person who has brought me here and he has shown confidence and faith in me from the beginning. "He's taken the time out to speak to me on many occasions so I'm very happy to be with him and I hope to be able to give everything back in the way he has shown faith in me."
We are facing another big game against Manchester City on Wednesday night. How much are you look forward to facing the former Premier League champions and coming up against a player like David Silva who plays in a similar position?
ML: "David Silva is a player who I always enjoy watching and he is very good on the pitch. "We play in the same position and he's someone that I have learnt from and at a young age, he was the type of player I enjoy watching. "I like to watch older players who have that experience and then applying that to my game."
A lot of the young West Ham fans look up to someone like Manuel Lanzini. How much do you enjoy being a role-model and teaching youngsters how to improve as a player?
ML: "You play football to improve, and also when I was young I came from the bottom and there were players that I looked up to. "Now I'm in a position where I can try to teach other players and show them what I do, and also they learn about the sacrifices involved in football and that you have to be very humble. "If you are, then everything is possible. That's in personal terms and also in the football world. "I'm used to London now and it's a beautiful city and it now really feels like home."
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Stam on Ox
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 31st January 2017
By: Staff Writer
Jaap Stam has been charged with mentoring West Ham youngster Reece Oxford through the second half of the current campaign. The 18-year-old completed a transfer deadline day move to Reading this morning, where he will spend the rest of the season. And former Netherlands star Stam, who won the Champions League with Manchester United and appeared in several Euros and World Cup Finals, has been given the envious task of continuing the 18-year-old defender's development - with the consent of Hammers boss Slaven Bilic. "Reece is a very talented defender with a lot of potential," said Stam following the capture of the England youth international. "He is a modern defender and our style of play should suit him. "Hopefully we can give him a stage to play, the time to grow in confidence and help him develop as a player during his time with us. So it's a good move for both clubs and we're very happy to have him in the squad for the rest of the season."
Royals Chief Executive Nigel Howe was also delighted at securing the srvices of Oxford. "Reece was a player who was wanted on loan by a number of clubs and we are absolutely delighted to have secured his services for the remainder of the season," he added. "He is young, but hungry for success and I am sure he will prove an excellent addition to our squad and learn a lot during his spell under Jaap Stam at Reading."
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Oxford set for loan move
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 31st January 2017
By: Staff Writer
Reece Oxford is set to join Championship side Reading on loan for the remainder of the season. The 18-year-old was expected by many to break into the first team picture at West Ham this season but his development has been hampered by a number of minor injuries.
And that has led to Slaven Bilic sanctioning a move to the Royals, having snubbed a similar offer from Nottingham Forest hours earlier.
At Reading, Oxford will work under former Dutch international Jaap Stam - a factor that is believed to have played a major part in Bilic's decision to send the teenager to Berkshire, as opposed to Nottingham.
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Defending Dimitri
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 31st January 2017
By: ClaretDave
I cannot recall a more rapid decent from hero to zero in football history.
Dimitri Payet was, at the beginning of January 2017, a West Ham legend in waiting. He had his own song, the lyrics for which were engraved on the outside of the stadium. He had a giant shirt hanging in the ground, alongside Brooking, Bonds, Moore et al. He even played for West Ham on nearly fifty occasions.
He leaves with the club placing on record its "sincere disappointment" that he did not show "the same commitment and respect to West Ham than the club and the fans showed him", with some alternative and predictable lyrics to the song, and with a "special offer" of returning your Payet shirt to the club shop, where for just £25 you can exchange it for a Ayew shirt.
All of the above, and a 400-page thread on the KUMB Forum, which goes from hopeful expectation to love and hate, with more than a touch of hyperbole and just plan nonsense, suggest that defending Dimi will be tricky. But let's have a go.
Firstly, there seems to be some sort of strange notion that an individual born on Reunion, a small and exceptionally beautiful island in the Indian Ocean, feels the same way about West Ham as someone born on the Barking Road.
Yes, Payet was idolised, well paid and looked after by West Ham, and certainly shouldn't have too many complaints, but being loved and well paid is never going to be enough in a world where someone more attractive is waiting to make you a better offer.
Payet's stated reasons are family based, which cannot be gainsaid. It is unlikely we will ever know the truth, but who can honestly say they would turn down what they perceive as a better opportunity just because their current employer has given them a pay rise?
Let's not forget, players who don't perform well rarely get a sympathetic ear from either management or supporter. And let's not pretend we have had dozens of players over the years who have turned down more cash and greater chances of silverware because of their love of West Ham.
And did Payet have reason to be disappointed? The reaction on KUMB to most of the summer 2016 signings has been mixed. I can recall at least four of our signings described as "the worst player ever to wear a West Ham shirt", presumably by those not old enough to have seen Gary Strodder play.
Surely if supporters are disappointed that Tore was mediocre, or Zaza would struggle to score at golf should expect Dimi to be similarly disappointed, especially if, like the supporters, they were expecting £30m strikers on the pitch?
Was Payet part of the reason for our poor start to the season? he was certainly not the player who lit up the final season of the Boleyn. But neither was he a lead weight - few will forget the goal against Middlesborough, or saving us from another 30 minutes of torturous football against Accrington Stanley.
Finally, as I mentioned at the time, neither the manager or the management come out of this matter with much glory. Lets say Payet did exactly what the club suggest he did, refused to play, went on strike and demanded a move. He is not the first and won't be the last. But such a dispute should never be placed into the public domain.
Not only does it weaken our position in regards to a future transfer, it creates the impression for future players of a club happy to wash their dirty linen in public, sadly keeping with the Chairman's sons Twitter feed and Lady Brady's Sun gossip column. In taking our great club forward, threats of "let him rot in the reserves" will not go unnoted.
You can choose to remember Payet however you wish. But nobody will ever forget a player who truly lit up the final season at the Boleyn, the player whose mid-season injury possibly cost us the chance of something great, the turns, the skill, the vision, the flair, the unbelievable free kicks, even one of the very best players in a major international tournament being a Hammer.
I wish we had him longer and that he would have left to a standing ovation and a rendition of "we've got Payet". I wish the last time I will ever see him wasn't a horrendous 5-1 drubbing by Arsenal. But let's not lose those memories just because Ludivine Payet got homesick for the south of France.
Thank you for everything Dimitri. It was great while it lasted.
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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Sullivan confirms Demba Ba approach
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 31st January 2017
By: Staff Writer
David Sullivan has confirmed that he tried to re-sign former Hammer Demba Ba earlier in the month. The co-chairman, speaking on Talksport this morning revealed that he was interested in signing the Senegal international on loan for a second time - but refrained from doing so due to fitness worries. "I look at what we've done over the years - and there's been a few exceptions - like Demba Ba, who we looked to bring back in this window," said Sullivan, when asked about previous successes in the January transfer window. "We were told he was three weeks from playing a month ago when in fact he's probably still four or five weeks away from playing. "So he nearly came back, but just as a loan as the Chinese want him to go back. He's a fantastic player who's recovered from a broken leg and probably one of the best January signings we've ever done. "Unfortunately it didn't happen because you can't bring in a loan player who's not ready to hit the ground running."
And Sullivan also admitted that the Hammers are unlikely to sign any additional players ahead of tonight's 11pm deadline - despite entering the window desperately seeking a new striker. "In a month, or eight weeks' time, we've got [Diafra] Sakho back and we've got Mr Ayew back the minute Ghana don't win the African Cup of Nations," he said. "Andy [Carroll] is on fire. When he's injury-free he's a fantastic player. He's the best defensive centre forward you'll ever have. "We can't let anybody and at this moment in time, we're not bringing anybody in. Things could change, but it's unlikely."
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Ogbonna out of surgery
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 31st January 2017
By: Staff Writer
Angelo Ogbonna has undertaken the knee operation that will almost certainly keep him out for the rest of the season. West Ham United's Italian central defender went under the doctors knife earlier today but was back on social media within a matter of hours to confirm that the operation has gone smoothly.
Follow
Angelo Ogbonna ✔ @OgbonnaOfficial
My surgery was successful✅
Now I'm ready for recovery, supported by those who are always by my side! 💪🏿 #COYI
5:10 PM - 31 Jan 2017
289 289 Retweets 1,883 1,883 likes
Ogbonna was ruled out for the rest of the current campaign earlier in the month. His place in the squad has effectively been taken by new signing Jose Fonte, who moved from Southampton shortly after Ogbonna's injury was revealed.
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Everton considered surprise deadline day swoop for West Ham United goalkeeper Adrian
The Hammers' goalkeeper has fallen out of favour at the Olympic Stadium
The Mirror
BYDARREN WELLS
19:43, 31 JAN 2017
Everton manager Ronald Koeman considered making a late deadline day swoop for West Ham United goalkeeper Adrian . The Liverpool Echo reported that the possibility of signing Adrian in January was discussed by the Toffees, with the Hammer's stopper having fallen out of favour at his current club. It was only the recent form of Everton number one Joel Robles that persuaded Ronald Koeman to stick with his current crop of 'keepers until the summer transfer window.
Everton had drawn up a three man shortlist of potential new signings ahead of the window opening and were also made aware of Adrian's availabilty. But Koeman has been impressed with Robles who has overcome his 'anger' at the beginning of the season, when he was demoted to No2 behind new signing Maarten Stekelenburg, to produce some excellent performances and so did not act on their initial talks over Adrian. Robles will keep his place for Wednesday night's trip to Stoke City after starting the last six matches, of which the Blues have won four, and has allowed Koeman and director of football Steve Walsh extra time to scour the market for a prospective new stopper. "Maybe for next season but we have three or four months ago, it's too early to take those kind of decisions," Koeman said, when asked about looking for a new goalkeeper. Quizzed on who he now considers Everton's No1, the manager added: "It's not fair to speak about who is the No1 and who is the No2. "But, of course, Joel is doing well, there is no reason at the moment to change that. "He gave that competition after a disappointing period in the summer because Maarten was the goalkeeper who played in the beginning. "He's improving, he gave Maarten that competition and sometimes you need to be lucky in sports, Maarten got an injury and he did really well. "The team has had some clean sheets and most of the games we won. It is difficult and hard to take for Maarten but that's football, that's business and sometimes you need to wait for your opportunity to come back but that means Joel is playing on Wednesday."
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West Ham United v Manchester City
WED, 01 FEB 2017PREMIER LEAGUE
19:45
Venue: London Stadium
BBC.co.uk
TEAM NEWS
West Ham's Havard Nordtveit is absent with an ankle injury, while Cheikhou Kouyate will not feature after recently returning from international duty. Jose Fonte may replace Angelo Ogbonna, who will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury, while Robert Snodgrass is also set for his debut.
Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho is available after completing a ban. City will assess striker Sergio Aguero, who missed the FA Cup win against Crystal Palace because of injury.
WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic on the departure of Dimitri Payet: "Does he owe an apology? No. I wouldn't say that. "He is gone, he went home, that was his wish and I will not forget how good he was for us. "He was brilliant. I was so happy and proud, with my team, my staff, to help him achieve what he did. What he achieved with us was a great story for West Ham, for the Premier League and for France. "I want to thank him for everything he did for us - he was brilliant last year. We were brilliant for him also. Now that story's finished, I wish him luck and all the best in Marseille."
LAWRO'S PREDICTION
West Ham are improving but I am still backing City to win. Pep Guardiola's side took a bit of a battering when they lost to Everton on 15 January but they have put in some impressive performances since then.
Prediction: 0-2
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
West Ham have won only two of their last 16 league and cup games against Manchester City (D3, L11).
City have beaten the Hammers twice already this season, scoring eight goals and conceding just one.
That includes a 5-0 victory at the London Stadium in the FA Cup on 6 January - that result was the Hammers' heaviest home defeat in any competition for 50 years.
West Ham United
The Hammers have won five of their last seven top-flight games.
However, their eight league wins this season have all come against sides currently in the bottom half of the table (prior to the latest round of matches).
Andy Carroll has four goals in his last five Premier League appearances.
Carroll has scored five top-flight goals against Manchester City - his joint-highest total against a particular opponent (along with Arsenal and Swansea).
Manchester City
City's form in their opening 22 games is almost identical to their record at this stage last season; they have the same number of wins (13), draws (four), defeats (five) and goals scored (43), but have conceded seven more goals (28, compared to 21 last term).
City's 23rd league match last season was also away to West Ham - that game ended in a 2-2 draw.
Pep Guardiola has won 43 points from his first 22 games as a Premier League manager. He claimed 62 points in his first 22 Bundesliga matches and 59 points from his opening 22 games in La Liga.
Guardiola could lose three successive top-flight away matches for the first time in his managerial career.
Sergio Aguero has six goals and two assists in nine Premier League appearances against West Ham.
Kevin de Bruyne is set to make his 50th Premier League appearance. He has 19 assists in his first 49 games - only two players have more than 19 assists from their first 50 matches (Eric Cantona and Juan Mata, with 23 and 20 respectively).
Goalkeeper Claudio Bravo has conceded from the last six shots on targets he has faced, with his last save coming against Burnley on 2 January.
SAM's verdict
Most probable score: 1-1 Probability of draw: 24%
Probability of home win: 30% Probability of away win: 46%
SAM (Sports Analytics Machine) is a super-computer created by @ProfIanMcHale at the University of Salford that is used to predict the outcome of football matches.
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West Ham pull out of race to sign Brentford striker Scott Hogan - Sky sources
By Sky Sports News HQ
Last Updated: 31/01/17 6:22am
SSN
West Ham have pulled out of the race to sign Brentford's Scott Hogan, Sky sources understand. It is understood Aston Villa are the new favourites to secure the striker. Barring any last minute change of heart, Hammers boss Slaven Bilic has decided he does not need Hogan at the moment. Andre Ayew will soon return from the Africa Cup of Nations, where he has helped Ghana progress to the semi-finals of the competition, while Diafra Sakho is on his way back from injury. The decision not to proceed has been taken by Bilic, despite the West Ham board being happy to sign Hogan - who is valued at £15m - if the manager wanted him. With Villa moving to the top of the list to land Hogan, Crystal Palace and West Brom have also held talks about signing the former Rochdale striker. The 24-year-old has said he only wants to move to a Premier League club and the London Stadium was believed to be his preferred destination.
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Injuries hit West Ham hardest in 2016/17 season
itv.com
West Ham have been revealed as the worst hit team for working days lost as a result of injuries. The season is only midway through and already the Hammers have lost over 1,000 working days due to player injuries. West Ham's manager Slaven Bilic has been made to rue these setbacks with fans becoming increasingly frustrated over the lack of options upfront and at right back. Bilic has looked to solve the injury crisis by signing Robert Snodgrass from Hull City last week for £10m.
Working days lost as a result of injuries:
West Ham - 1130
Crystal Palace - 869
Arsenal - 776
Watford - 630
Chelsea - 407
Tottenham - 390
The research conducted by JLT Speciality estimated the financial cost of injuries to Premier League teams at a whopping £79m, based on average wages for each team.
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West Ham vs Manchester City team news: Squads revealed, injuries and more ahead of Premier League clash
Portugal defender Fonte is in line for an immediate West Ham debut
The Mirror
BYPRESS ASSOCIATION
15:34, 31 JAN 2017UPDATED15:40, 31 JAN 2017
New signings Robert Snodgrass and Jose Fonte are in the West Ham squad for the visit of Manchester City. Portugal defender Fonte is in line for an immediate debut as a replacement for Angelo Ogbonna, who is out for the season after a knee operation. Cheikhou Kouyate is back from the African Cup of Nations but will not be considered. Havard Nordtveit misses out with an ankle knock and joins Diafra Sakho (back) and Arthur Masuaku (knee) on the sidelines.
Provisional squad: Randolph, Adrian, Fonte, Reid, Collins, Byram, Cresswell, Pike, Noble, Obiang, Quina, Fernandes, Snodgrass, Antonio, Feghouli, Lanzini, Carroll, Calleri, Fletcher.
Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho returns from suspension for Wednesday's Premier League trip to West Ham. Top scorer Sergio Aguero is also back in contention after being rested at Crystal Palace at the weekend because of a knock. The pair's return means City are only missing long-term injury victim Ilkay Gundogan, who is out for the season after a knee operation.
Provisional squad: Bravo, Caballero, Sagna, Zabaleta, Otamendi, Stones, Kompany, Clichy, Kolarov, Delph, Fernando, Fernandinho, Toure, Sane, Sterling, Navas, Silva, Nolito, De Bruyne, Aguero, Jesus, Iheanacho.
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Jose Fonte says he didn't hand in a transfer request at Southampton to force move to West Ham
Jose Fonte moved from Southampton to West Ham for £8million
Southampton claimed that Fonte put in a transfer request to force the move
Fonte says that is not the case but he's looking forward to playing for West Ham
By James Andrew for MailOnline
PUBLISHED: 13:42, 31 January 2017 | UPDATED: 13:42, 31 January 2017
Jose Fonte says he did not hand in a transfer request to force a move away from Southampton and says he was professional to the end.
Fonte completed a move to West Ham earlier this month for £8million and Les Reed, Southampton's director of football, claimed he had rejected a new contract and had formally asked to leave the club. But speaking to talkSPORT, Fonte claims that was not the case, he said: 'After the Euros, there was a lot of interest and offers on the table and we discussed the possibility of allowing me to leave but an official transfer request in January - that did not happen. I did not make an official transfer request. 'I enjoyed my time there but, for one reason or another, it happened and I am just happy that West Ham believed in me. 'Slaven Bilic and the chairmen and the supporters of the club, I want to do well for them because they believed in me, they put their trust in me and they paid money for me, so I am really looking forward to repaying that faith on the pitch. 'If you ask any of my teammates at Southampton, they will tell you who I am. They will tell you the professional I am and what I have done and they know the truth. My conscience is very clear. 'I have always been a professional. I never rejected to play for the club, or train, or anything. I was professional to the end of my career there.'
Fonte is now focused on his new challenge at West Ham and is in line to make his debut against Manchester City at the London Stadium
'I've been very well received by everyone,' he added. 'There is a great atmosphere at the place at the moment and we have been training hard preparing for the next few games. It has been a very, very good beginning. 'All the times I had to go to the old ground, it was unbelievable - the fans, the atmosphere. I could see how big a club West Ham is, so for me to have an opportunity to play for this great club is an honour. 'I look forward to this great challenge ahead. I just want to get started and get to work.'
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Reece Oxford set to join Reading after West Ham co-chairman gives loan move the green light
LIVE! Join us for all the latest transfer news and gossip from the final day of the window
RICHARD PARRY
Evening Standard
West Ham teenager Reece Oxford is expected to join Reading on loan until the end of the season in a move that has been backed to help his development by co-chairman David Sullivan. The 18-year-old signed a new four-and-a-half year contract with the Hammers in December despite interest from Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal for his signature. Speaking on Tuesday morning, West Ham co-chairman Sullivan admitted that a couple of the squad's youngers players could leave on loan, with Oxford a likely mover.
"Reece Oxford could be going to Reading," Sullivan told Talksport. "It would be great for Reading and great for Reece. He is probably the best 18-year-old centre-back in the country, but he needs games."
A move to the Championship side would see the teenage central defender work under former Manchester United and AC Milan star, Jaap Stam. Elsewhere, Hammers boss Slaven Bilic has insisted that the club will not be signing Brentford striker Scott Hogan before the transfer window shuts.
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CALLERI WILL BE STAYING AT WEST HAM
MICHAEL OLIVER @MichaelOIiver
ReadWestHam
It would appear West Ham's reluctance to complete a deal for Brentford's Scott Hogan is because Slaven Bilic is content with the striking options he has at the club.
One of those options is Jonathan Calleri. Halfway through a loan spell from Uruguayan side Deportivo Maldonado, Calleri hasn't bad the best of times in East London but the Argentine did score his first Premier League goal last time out against Middlesbrough which could be a sign that times have changed.
The Mirror are reporting that Calleri and Slaven Bilic held heart to heart talks recently regarding the striker's future, with those talks culminating in Calleri being kept at the club for the full season.
Las Palmas were interested in signing the 23-year-old on loan for the rest of the season which would require the Hammers to cancel their current arrangement with Maldonado.
Scott Hogan was a target for the club but the reluctance to meet Brentford's £15m asking price has meant the Hammers were not willing to allow Calleri to leave the club as there is a lack of cover.
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West Ham vs Manchester City: Team news, kick-off time, probable line-ups, odds and stats for the Premier League clash
By Pa Reporter
PUBLISHED: 12:29, 31 January 2017 | UPDATED: 12:29, 31 January 2017
Ahead of the midweek Premier League action, Sportsmail will be providing you with all you need to know about every fixture, with team news, provisional squads, betting odds and Opta stats. Here is all the information you need for West Ham's home game with Manchester City at the London Stadium.
West Ham vs Manchester City (London Stadium)
Team news
West Ham
New signings Robert Snodgrass and Jose Fonte are in the West Ham squad for the visit of Manchester City. Portugal defender Fonte is in line for an immediate debut as a replacement for Angelo Ogbonna, who is out for the season after a knee operation. Cheikhou Kouyate is back from the African Cup of Nations but will not be considered. Havard Nordtveit misses out with an ankle knock and joins Diafra Sakho (back) and Arthur Masuaku (knee) on the sidelines.
Provisional squad: Randolph, Adrian, Fonte, Reid, Collins, Byram, Cresswell, Pike, Noble, Obiang, Quina, Fernandes, Snodgrass, Antonio, Feghouli, Lanzini, Carroll, Calleri, Fletcher.
Manchester City
Key match stats (supplied by Opta)
Manchester City have enjoyed two wins over West Ham already this season, with an aggregate score of 8-1 (3-1 in the Premier League, 5-0 in the FA Cup) The Hammers' 0-5 FA Cup defeat to Manchester City at the London Stadium on January 6th was their biggest margin of defeat at home in a competitive fixture since May 1967 (1-6 v Man Utd in Division 1).
Sergio Agüero has attempted four shots on target and scored one goal in these two games versus West Ham this season; the exact same tally that West Ham have v Man City overall in 2016-17.
In the Premier League, Aguero has six goals and two assists in nine appearances against the Hammers.
Since the start of 2014-15, Manchester City have won just four of their 13 Premier League away games in London (W4 D4 L5).
Since December 31st 2016, Claudio Bravo has faced nine shots on target and saved only one of them (conceding eight goals). He hasn't made a save since January 2nd in the Premier League, having conceded his last six shots faced on target.
Andy Carroll has scored five goals in the Premier League against Manchester City, his joint-highest tally against an opponent in the competition (alongside Arsenal & Swansea).
Carroll has scored four goals in his last five Premier League appearances, including three in his last two in the competition.
Manchester City have seen a league-high eight goals scored by a substitute in the Premier League this season (incl. one own goal).
Pep Guardiola has won 43 points from his first 22 games as a Premier League manager. He won 62 points in his first 22 Bundesliga games and 59 points in his opening 22 games as a La Liga manager.
Kevin De Bruyne is set to make his 50th Premier League appearance in this match. He has 19 assists in his first 49 games - only two players have more than 19 assists from their first 50 PL apps (Eric Cantona 23 and Juan Mata 20).
WEST HAM VS MANCHESTER CITY
Kick-off: Wed, 19:45
Referee: Kevin Friend
Odds (subject to change);
West Ham 9/2
Draw 10/3
Manchester City 8/15
Managers:
Slaven Bilic (West Ham)
Pep Guardiola (Manchester City)
Recent league form:
West Ham - WWLLW
Manchester City - DLWLW
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Slaven Bilic refuses to blast "brilliant" Dimitri Payet as he reveals interest in signing Demba Ba
Payet left West Ham for Marseille under a cloud but Bilic has refused to condemn the France playmaker
The Mirror
BYDARREN LEWIS
11:36, 31 JAN 2017UPDATED11:45, 31 JAN 2017
Slaven Bilic has refused to condemn "brilliant" Dimitri Payet for not apologising over going on strike. The French playmaker insisted he had no need to justify himself at the press conference to herald his arrival at Marseille. It followed his decision to down tools at West Ham this month in order to force the £25million transfer. But Bilic remained dignified and thanked the France star for his contribution to the club. Asked whether Payet should have apologised, the Croatian said: "No. I wouldn't say that. "Players are moving and I'm not going that deep into what he should say or shouldn't. Bilic refused to condemn the former West Ham playmaker (Photo: West Ham United via Getty Images) "He is gone, he went 'home'. That was his wish. will not forget how good he was for us.
"He was brilliant. I was so happy and proud with my team and my staff to help him achieve. What he achieved with us was a great story for West Ham, the Premier League and France and I am not going to forget it just because he moved. I really wish him well."
Bilic also revealed West Ham's insistence that they would not sell this month was simply a negotiating tactic to drive the price up. The fee for Payet could reach as much as £30million with add-ons. Bilic added: "That was part of the tactics, but he's gone. it was obvious from the day i announced it openly that he would go. "We wanted the best price possible of course. I want to thank him for everything he did for us he was brilliant last year. "We were brilliant for him also. Now that story's finished i was him luck and all the best in Marseille."
Bilic also confirmed the Hammers would not be making a deadline day move for £15million Brentford striker Scott Hogan, despite pursuing the marksman for the last month. Instead Bilic was keen on Shanghai Shenua striker Demba Ba, a player he managed at Besiktas. The Hammers decided against a move, however, as Ba is recovering from a broken leg. Bilic said: "He is a player who proved himself in the Premier League. A player that I managed and we had a wonderful year in Besiktas. "I spoke with him on the phone a couple of weeks ago. the problem is he was very badly injured and he told me that he would be fit in march. That's too late for us. But he is a top player and I want him back on the pitch as soon as possible. "Hogan is a good player. We watched him in many games but we have good strikers now in our squad and thats the reason why I didn't pursue that deal. It's not a question of whether he is good enough. "It's a question of what we have in the squad: We have Carroll, Antonio, Fletcher, Calleri, we have some players who can play second striker too. They have to stay fit, that's the reason behind my decision."
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Bilic wishes Payet well after West Ham exit
itv.com
Slaven Bilic insists Dimitri Payet does not owe West Ham fans an apology. Payet is public enemy number one with the Hammers faithful after refusing to play for the club as he engineered his move back to Marseille. The France international finally completed the protracted and controversial £25million transfer on Sunday evening. "Does he owe an apology? No. I wouldn't say that," said the West Ham boss. "Players are always moving and I'm not going that deep into what he should say or shouldn't. He is gone, he went home, that was his wish and I will not forget how good he was for us. "He was brilliant. I was so happy and proud, with my team, my staff, to help him achieve what he did. What he achieved with us was a great story for West Ham, for the Premier League and for France. "I ain't going to forget it just because he moved. I really wish him well."
Last updated Tue 31 Jan 2017
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Leeds United's hopes of landing West Ham's Ashley Fletcher over
11:17Tuesday 31 January 2017
Yorkshirepost.co.uk
LEEDS UNITED'S pursuit of Ashley Fletcher is over after West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic ruled out a loan deal for the striker this morning. Bilic revealed that Fletcher would be staying at the London Stadium after the Croatian vetoed a move for Brentford forward Scott Hogan. West Ham targeted Hogan in a £12m deal earlier in the January window but withdrew from negotiations on Bilic's say-so. The arrival of a new striker at West Ham would potentially have opened the door for Fletcher to join Leeds until the end of the season but West Ham co-owner David Sullivan told TalkSport that signings were "unlikely" before tonight's 11pm deadline and Bilic has now ended talk of Fletcher's departure. Leeds currently have one deal in the pipeline, with Spanish winger Alfonso Pedraza expected to sign on loan from Villarreal in the coming hours, but a new striker was a priority for head coach Garry Monk. Leeds' move for 20-year-old Pedraza effectively ended their interest in Norwich City winger Sergi Canos. Canos is reported to be undergoing a medical at Brentford, who are ready to pay £2.5m for him.
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Charlie Nicholas comments on West Ham signings Robert Snodgrass and Jose Fonte
HITC
Jordan Harris
Jose Fonte and Robert Snodgrass have been West Ham's two main signings during the January transfer window. Charlie Nicholas has backed both Robert Snodgrass and Jose Fonte to be successful following their January moves to West Ham United, Sky Sports reports.
The Hammers have brought in three permanent signings so far this month, with Nathan Holland also arriving at the London Stadium, but it is the deals for Snodgrass and Fonte that have prompted the most attention. And while their arrivals have been somewhat overshadowed by the departure of Dimitri Payet, Nicholas has suggested that the Irons have done two very smart pieces of business in bringing the winger and defender in. "An absolute must buy for West Ham and I think he's got a good few seasons left in him as he's always been more about positioning and decisions than pace. I think he'll actually help the rest of the defence with his experience and leadership," he told Sky Sports when discussing Fonte. "I like Snodgrass and I thought it was fair money at his age, but please don't think he's a replacement for Dimitri Payet, who they simply had to get out the door. He's an important replacement for set-pieces, feeding Fonte and Andy Carroll with his delivery," he added. Though Payet's quality may not be replaceable without spending a significant amount of money, their last two results certainly prove that West Ham do not need the Frenchman to do well.
They have won their last two and have scored six in the process which suggested that with the right additions, they could put their hugely disappointing start to the campaign behind them. And in Fonte and Snodgrass, they have landed one of the most consistent centre-backs in the top flight over the last couple of seasons as well as one of the most impressive attacking players in the division during the first half of the campaign. And with the Hammers now showing signs of getting fully back on track, the arrival of in-form players who know the league well - something that several of their summer signings were not able to say - could be hugely beneficial.
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Micky Quinn claims West Ham United are aiming to sign Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge
HITC
John Verrall
West Ham United have been linked with Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge since last summer. TalkSPORT pundit Micky Quinn has claimed that he has just been informed that West Ham United are trying to complete a sensational swoop for Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge.
West Ham have been tentatively linked with the England international throughout the month to date, but they have not pushed too hard for a deal. However, Quinn claims that West Ham are now trying to rush through a transfer before the deadline closes.
Mick Quinn ? @mickquinn1089
Just heard @WestHamUtd want Sturridge today
10:58 AM - 31 Jan 2017
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Mick Quinn ? @mickquinn1089
The deal all down to @LFC whether they want to let him go now or end of season
11:02 AM - 31 Jan 2017
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Quinn has strong links in Merseyside, having been born and brought up in Liverpool. West Ham co-owner David Sullivan has suggested that he did not expect any deals to be done today, but that could change if a deal became available. And, with Slaven BIlic eager to add a striker, Sturridge could now be on the London side's wishlist. Sturridge's future at Liverpool looks uncertain, as he has been unable to hold down a place in Jurgen Klopp's starting line-up this season. West Ham have pulled out of a deal for Brentford striker Scott Hogan already this month, and Sturridge could be seen as a higher profile alternative.
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'My conscience is clear' - Jose Fonte denies claims he handed in Southampton transfer request to force West Ham move
By Alex Varney - @lexvarney
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
Jose Fonte has denied claims from Southampton he handed in a transfer request to force a move to West Ham, insisting he remained professional to the end of his St Mary's stay. In an exclusive interview with Jim White on talkSPORT, Fonte said his 'conscience is clear' over the manner of his departure from the Saints earlier this month. The 33-year-old joined the Hammers in an £8million deal after Southampton's director of football, Les Reed, claimed he had rejected a new contract and had formally asked to leave the club.
But the Portuguese Euro 2016 winner insisted: "After the Euros, there was a lot of interest and offers on the table and we discussed the possibility of allowing me to leave but an official transfer request in January - that did not happen. I did not make an official transfer request. "I enjoyed my time there but, for one reason or another, it happened and I am just happy that West Ham believed in me. "Slaven Bilic and the chairmen and the supporters of the club, I want to do well for them because they believed in me, they put their trust in me and they paid money for me, so I am really looking forward to repaying that faith on the pitch. "If you ask any of my teammates at Southampton, they will tell you who I am. They will tell you the professional I am and what I have done and they know the truth. My conscience is very clear. "I have always been a professional. I never rejected to play for the club, or train, or anything. I was professional to the end of my career there."
Fonte is now eager to get started at West Ham and could make his debut for the club on Wednesday, when Manchester City visit the London Stadium. "I've been very well received by everyone," he said. "There is a great atmosphere at the place at the moment and we have been training hard preparing for the next few games. It has been a very, very good beginning. "All the times I had to go to the old ground, it was unbelievable - the fans, the atmosphere. I could see how big a club West Ham is, so for me to have an opportunity to play for this great club is an honour. "I look forward to this great challenge ahead. I just want to get started and get to work."
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'I used to p*** people off when I wanted' - The story of flawed genius Dimitri Payet
The France international star is back in his homeland after a career in which he has been perhaps the greatest obstacle to its success by Robin Bairner @rbairner Editor's Pick31 Jan 2017, 14:22 IST
sportskeeda.com
Over the 18 months in which he was away from Marseille, Dimitri Payet's career exploded. At West Ham he established himself as one of the most talented players in the Premier League, while with France he attained hero status as he played a key role in firing the national team to the final of Euro 2016.The 29-year-old has dominated headlines throughout the January transfer window with his arm wrestle with the Hammers as he sought a move back to OM, which was a fight he ultimately won on Sunday when the Provence side announced his return."I missed France," he announced as he was unveiled as the ace of Frank McCourt's shiny new project at Stade Velodrome.
Having signed a five-and-a-half-year contract following a £25 million move, Payet has reached the apex of a career that has failed to attain the heights it might have.Even when he broke into the senior side at Nantes, where he made his professional debut in 2005, it quickly became evident that the player born on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean was a special talent. He was, however, a rough gem."Dimitri was a player of undeniable talent, despite his natural nonchalance," Stephane Moreau, reserve team boss of the Ligue 1 side at the time, said.Spells at Saint-Etienne and Lille never truly polished him and it was only under Marcelo Bielsa's guiding hand at Marseille that he finally started to flourish. "Bielsa made me become more mature and more consistent," he told L'Equipe. "He taught me to know when to play simple and when to try to create something... He put some order in my game. I still have his advice in my head and it'll serve me until the end of my career."
His problem was not quality, but an inability to produce it on a regular basis. Spells of blistering form would last a month, yet these would be swiftly followed by a couple of months of anonymity, in which he would appear no better than average. He was good enough to attract the interest of Juventus while with Saint-Etienne, but not consistent enough for it to manifest into anything more.Bielsa, though, successfully walked the tightrope between discipline and love for the player, and drilled into his head the value of a strong work ethic. Previously, Payet had been a player notoriously difficult to work with. He had tried to force a move from Saint-Etienne to Paris Saint-Germain earlier in his career by resorting to the strong-arm tactics that upset West Ham fans."I used to p*** people off when I wanted to," he has admitted.A natural grace had carried him so far in the game, but his unwillingness to really focus on his training was stalling his progress.One training session, in particular, proved a turning point. "We were doing an attack against defence drill at training," the player commented. "I was a bit in and out, then towards the end more out. Just as the hour was up, I made a good move, the only one of the session for me. Assistant coach Jan [van Winkel] congratulated me. This is when Marcelo blew his top: 'Why are you congratulating him? All he's done is mess about since the start!' I was left out of the squad for the next match."When it came to departing OM, it was a move he never wanted to make. At that time, Marseille were in the grip of a financial crisis, and with the player's contract winding down were forced to sell below his market value.Payet, by far and away his side's best player during the 2014-15 season, held out for an acceptable eleventh-hour offer from the club, but it would never come.Agent Jacques-Olivier Auguste said as a deal neared: "It's like an elephant clinging on to the edge of a cliff by its tail grasping a daisy."
Football in the Premier League proved remarkably easy to settle into. West Ham integrated him smoothly into the side, and yet for all of his talents he was not heralded as a particularly significant signing. As the player admitted to Canal+ in September: "My idea was not to cross The Channel but to stay at Marseille. I arrived on tiptoes. It wasn't so bad. It allowed me to work serenely and not have to worry from the moment I joined."With no pressure on him, he exploded. On his Premier League debut he set up Cheikhou Kouyate to score against Arsenal at the Emirates with the kind of free-kick that would become his trademark at Upton Park. After the game the defender revealed Payet had told him: "I will give you the ball and you will score." He was every bit as good as his word.Also Read: There's no loyalty in football and Dimitri Payet saga proves it once againThis set the tone for a dizzying campaign in which he made a shortlist of six for the PFA Player of the Year award and scooped five individual prizes at West Ham's club ceremony.Such was his level, he finessed his way into Didier Deschamps' plans for Euro 2016, despite the coach having been one of the men he had crossed earlier in his career.On the opening night, Payet justified his selection by digging France out of trouble by scoring a glorious late winner against Romania to get what proved to be a rather drab competition off to a spectacular start.Ultimately, he was eclipsed by Antoine Griezmann as Les Bleus' star, but his influence was undeniable as France fell to Portugal at the final hurdle.Trouble was brewing, though. He was growing homesick in London, and the prospect of McCourt's 'Champions Project' becoming a reality fired the player's desire for a quick return to Marseille. After an ugly, and very public tussle with West Ham, he got his wish on January 29, accepting a wage cut reportedly at 20%, but giving his career the chance of taking another step up. Now he is a key player at France's best-supported club and his responsibility is to lead Marseille's ambitious plans to form a team capable of challenging Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco at the summit of Ligue 1. Back in the melting pot of Marseille – France's most passionate footballing city – the expectation on him is greater than ever.
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Robert Snodgrass shares his conversation with Slaven Bilic
HITC
Subhankar Mondal
Robert Snodgrass joined West Ham United from Premier League rivals Hull City in the January transfer window. West Ham United winger Robert Snodgrass has revealed to the club's official website the conversation he had with manager Slaven Bilic before his move.
Snodgrass joined West Ham from Premier League rivals Hull City in the January transfer window. As announced on the Hammers' official website, the London club had to pay the Tigers a transfer fee of £10.2 million in order to secure the services of the 29-year-old winger. The former Leeds United and Norwich City winger has revealed the discussion he had with West Ham boss Bilic before his move to the London Stadium. "He is a really good man and a football man and he understands that up to a month or so ago, his squad was underachieving so he's set the record straight and he's got in Jose Fonte, who is a great player with great experience," Snodgrass told West Ham's official website about Bilic. "Jose has got Premier League experience and this is why he said to me when I spoke to him that he wants to bring people in who he knows have done it in this league. "He did play a big factor and that's one of the reasons I'm here as well, to play under a good manager."
Snodgrass is a very good attacking player, and he should prove to be a brilliant signing for West Ham. The Scotland international scored seven goals and created 45 chances in 20 Premier League appearances for Hull before his move to the Hammers. The winger scored three goals and created 62 chances in 27 Championship matches for the Tigers during the 2015-16 campaign. West Ham are 10th in the Premier League table at the moment with 28 points from 22 matches.
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West Ham joint-chairman reveals shock approach to bring back Demba Ba this window
The striker is currently recovering from a bad injury with Shanghai Shenhua
football.london
BYTOMMY WATHEN
10:37, 31 JAN 2017
West Ham United have launched a shock Transfer Deadline Day move for former striker Demba Ba from Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua.
The news was announced straight from the mouth of joint-chairman David Sullivan during a telephone interview on talkSPORT's Alan Brazil Sports Show on Tuesday [January 31] morning. Ba joined West Ham from German club 1899 Hoffenheim back in January 2011, scoring seven goals in just 12 appearances before leaving a few months later for Newcastle United when the Hammers were relegated from the Premier League. The Hammers have been chasing both Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe and Brentford hotshot Scott Hogan to improve their attacking options for the second half of the 2016/17 Premier League season, but Sullivan confirmed that their attempts to resign Ba have been halted by his current injury status. Sullivan said: "We looked to bring Demba Ba back in this window but were told he was three weeks from playing after recovering from his injury."
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Reading set to take Reece Oxford on loan from West Ham - Sky sources
By Lyall Thomas
Last Updated: 31/01/17 9:44am
SSN
Reading are in advanced talks to sign West Ham youngster Reece Oxford on loan, according to Sky sources. The Royals are in discussions to take the 18-year-old defensive midfielder until the summer. Sky sources understand that fellow Championship clubs Nottingham Forest and Brentford were also interested in Oxford, as well as Scottish Premiership club Rangers. Oxford has not played in the Premier League for West Ham this season but made seven appearances in the top flight last season, including an impressive debut at Arsenal. Oxford's only appearances for the Hammers this season came in the ill-fated Europa League qualifiers last summer.
Edmonton-born Oxford is and England U20 international and product of the West Ham youth academy.
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West Ham striker Andy Carroll admits he was a 'big drinker' earlier in his career
SAM LONG
Evening Standard
West Ham striker Andy Carroll has admitted he was a "big drinker" earlier in his career but is adamant he has changed his ways. Carroll has struggled with injury throughout his career and missed 12 Premier League games for Slaven Bilic's side this term due to a knee problem. But the 28-year-old appears to have finally put such problems behind him, having scored five top-flight goals in nine appearances since returning from injury. And Carroll has conceded his previous laissez-faire attitude is could have contributed to his poor injury record. "In the past I was a big drinker," he told the Daily Mail. "I have been tarnished with that and I don't enjoy that. That is the old me. I have regrets looking back, maybe it would have helped me avoid injuries. "But now? Alcohol is not the cause. Now I am doing whatever I can."
Carroll's all-action style often appears to put the forward in the firing line as he is not one to shy away from a challenge. But the England international says he has learned to pick his battles without comprising his desire for the psychical side of the game. "[I have to be] a little more clever. I don't have to try to win every ball. "There is always the next ball. You could say I'm not winning so many balls, but pick your battles," he added.
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West Ham and Tottenham in historical sex abuse allegations
27 mins ago / Joe Roberts, Reporter covering Waltham Forest and Chingford / @GuardianJoey
All FIVE London Premier League clubs including West Ham and Tottenham have been caught up in historical child sex abuse allegations, say police. Scotland Yard revealed 255 cases of abuse in London teams have been reported, relating to individuals at 77 clubs The sex abuse claims also include three Championship teams, three League One and Two teams and 66 other named clubs. Other London clubs previously named in connection with the abuse include Leyton Orient, Queens Park Rangers, Millwall and Charlton. Police launched the investigation on December 8, covering every level of football. Detective Chief Superintendent Ivan Balhatchet said: "The Met take all allegations seriously, and specialist officers will work through the information passed to them. "Anyone who has been the victim of sexual assault should contact their local force, or call the NSPCC help line on 0800 023 2642."
West Ham and Tottenham said they have not been contacted by Metropolitan Police regarding the allegations.
A West Ham spokesman issued a response later on Monday night. "West Ham United has not had any contact from the Metropolitan Police Service to date, so is not aware if the allegations relate to the club," it read. "If approached, we will of course co-operate fully with this wide-ranging investigation. "West Ham United follow the principles of the NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit's national safeguarding standards and would encourage anyone aware of historic abuse to report it to the police or the Football Association's NSPCC helpline immediately."
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Reading enquire about West Ham starlet Reece Oxford... who was set to join Nottingham Forest on loan
Reading are interested in taking Reece Oxford on loan from West Ham
Nottingham Forest were the frontrunners to sign the starlet on loan
Oxford wants to tie down first-team football for the rest of the season
By Simon Jones for MailOnline and Kieran Gill for MailOnline
PUBLISHED: 08:28, 31 January 2017 | UPDATED: 08:35, 31 January 2017
Reading have made a late move to sign Reece Oxford on loan from West Ham. Nottingham Forest had been considered favourites until Jaap Stam enquired. Oxford hasn't played for West Ham in the Premier League this season and spoke with Slaven Bilic about his quest for first-team football. So far this season he has made only two appearances, both of which were in the Europa League. The starlet is fit again after recovering from an ankle injury and the Hammers are ready to let their highly-rated youngster leave on loan this month.
He was prepared to sign for Forest but Reading throwing their hat into the ring gives him a choice to make, with Stam's side sitting higher in the Championship. Forest are without a manager but enquired about Oxford's availability.
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West Ham squad brought 'closer together' by Dimitri Payet transfer saga, reveals Andy Carroll
Payet was unveiled as Marseille's latest signing on Monday after leaving West Ham, but Carroll insists the squad have not taken his departure badly and instead can kick-on
Sports Staff
The Independent Football
Striker Andy Carroll says Dimitri Payet's drawn-out departure has brought the West Ham squad closer together. The French forward rejoined Marseille for £25m on Sunday, having refused to play against Crystal Palace earlier this month in an attempt to force through a move to the Stade Velodrome. The Hammers won that game 3-0 and then beat Middlesbrough 3-1 to climb into the top half of the Premier League table as Slaven Bilic's side put a slow start to the campaign behind them. And Carroll, who has three goals in the last two games, says Payet's behaviour had a positive effect on the rest of the team. Speaking in the Daily Mail, he said: "Do you know what it is? Five or six weeks ago, I sensed something wasn't right among the lads. The team were struggling, we were split in small groups, there were cliques, results were poor. "Then we started coming together, before the Dimi thing, but then when that happened it was: 'bang!' "We have to be together, we are together. Everyone started enjoying it again. Everyone started to look forward to coming to training. I can't wait to see the lads. "It has just sparked something in the dressing room. If he doesn't want to be part of our team, we are still a team. "We've livened up. Just like it should have been. It kick-started our season. It has been great around the dressing room."
Payet scored 12 goals in 38 games for West Ham after arriving in June 2015, but Carroll believes there is still plenty of quality at the London Stadium - highlighting winger Michail Antonio, who has eight strikes to his name this season. "We've got other top players," he added. "Antonio has been great. He's scored the goals, played all over the pitch. "He's been our main player. It's mad. Right-back to centre forward, quality, power, strength - ridiculous."
At his unveiling on Monday Payet insisted he had no reason to explain his behaviour at his former club. "I don't have to justify my behaviour," he said in quotes reported by L'Equipe. "(West Ham boss) Slaven Bilic has his own opinion about what I did. "We had plenty of face-to-face discussions, and I know what I said. I wanted to come back to Marseille. "The stuff that happened previously... I'll talk about it when I need to, but not now. "If I wanted to play for money, I would play in another country and would do so for a very long time. "I'm not saying this won't be the case one day, but it's not my primary motivation right now.
"The important thing is playing and trying to reach new heights, as I have always done. "I was no longer happy at West Ham, I had to come back home. I still have fond memories of the West Ham supporters. "Coming back to Marseille is a personal choice. I am very happy to come back here."
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West Ham line up deadline-day deal for Colombia international Santiago Arias
WEST HAM are looking to sign PSV Eindhoven defender Santiago Arias, according to reports.
By JAMES CAMBRIDGE
PUBLISHED: 06:55, Tue, Jan 31, 2017 | UPDATED: 07:11, Tue, Jan 31, 2017
Express.co.uk
Santiago Arias is a right-back who has reportedly caught the attention of West Ham boss Slaven Bilic. The 25-year-old's potential move to the London Stadium has gone under the radar, according to website Football London. The report says the Hammers are expected to pay around £7million for the Colombia international. The Hammers are in need of a right-back to provide cover for Sam Byram and offer competition in that position. Michail Antonio has been forced to play there this season but has been far more effective going forward for West Ham this season. Arias is predominantly a right-back but can also play on the right side of midfield. He has made 21 appearances for PSV this season in all competitions, scoring one goal and providing four assists. Arias is a Colombia international with 31 caps for his country and he played at the 2015 Copa America. He is under contract with PSV until June 2019.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Where and when?
West Ham United v Manchester City
Premier League
Wednesday 1 February 2017, 7.45pm GMT
London Stadium
What's the story?
West Ham United welcome Manchester City to London Stadium for the second time in a month on Wednesday night – and will be hoping for a far more palatable outcome than last time.
No Hammers fan will need reminding that Pep Guardiola's men ran out 5-0 winners in the Emirates FA Cup tie between the two at the start of January, but they will also know that their team has bounced back from that disappointment strongly.
Back-to-back Premier League wins against Crystal Palace and Middlesbrough have lifted them up to tenth in the table, renewing hopes that Slaven Bilic's men can take strides into the top half over the last four months of the campaign.
The 3-1 victory at Middlesbrough, featuring an Andy Carroll brace and Jonathan Calleri's first goal for the Club, was West Ham's fifth in the last seven league games – and with Carroll having netted four in that run, Slaven Bilic can call upon in-form members of his team.
Meanwhile, Manchester City followed their thumping London Stadium success with a couple of disappointing results.
A 4-0 beating at Everton was followed by a 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur – and that with the Citizens 2-0 up.
However, a 3-0 FA Cup win at Crystal Palace at the weekend points to better form and the Hammers know full well what their visitors can produce on their day.
Heading into this fixture, Manchester City currently sit fifth in the table, with 43 points from 22 games played.
Team news
West Ham could hand debuts to their two January arrivals Jose Fonte and Robert Snodgrass.
Fonte, who arrived from Southampton, could slot in for Angelo Ogbonna, whose surgery on a knee problem has ended his season early.
Meanwhile, Havard Nordtveit misses out with an ankle problem, and Cheikhou Kouyate is unavailable following Senegal's exit from the Africa Cup of Nations at the weekend.
Andre Ayew's Ghana are still going for AFCON glory, and Arthur Masuaku is out injured.
For Manchester City, Sergio Aguero is back in contention after missing the win at Crystal Palace with a knock.
Midfielder Fernandinho is also available again after serving a suspension.
Player Head-to-Head
Aaron Cresswell v Gael Clichy
How do I get to the game?
Your essential matchday guide, including everything from access to London Stadium to catering and more can be found right here.
Please arrive at London Stadium early to prevent queuing at turnstiles, while the latest travel news on the London Underground, London Overground, TfL Rail, Buses and roads can be found here. For information on National Rail routes, click here.
The gas works which affected walking routes to the Stadium have now been completed. Click here for a map showing the reopened route.
How can I watch the game?
The match is being broadcast live in the UK on BT Sport. You can also follow the action as it happens right here on whufc.com, with live audio commentary, social media updates, in-running stats, photos and more. Join in the conversation on social using #WHUMCI
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Bilic - I'm happy with my squad
WHUFC.com
Slaven Bilic says West Ham United are highly unlikely to do any deadline day transfer business
The Hammers boss did reveal that defender Reece Oxford could go out on loan to Reading
Bilic claimed, in his Tuesday morning press conference, he is happy with his current squad
Slaven Bilic says he is happy with his squad and West Ham United are unlikely to do any further transfer business as the January window deadline approaches. The Hammers have already added European Championship winner Jose Fonte and Scotland international Robert Snodgrass the their side this month and the boss claimed no new deals would be done before 11pm on Tuesday. Bilic did, however, reveal the Club are set to allow Reece Oxford to join Championship promotion-chasers Reading on loan to pick up some game time ahead of next season at London Stadium. The manager said: "That's it, we're done [in the window]. We are quite happy with what we've done so I'd like to thank the Board for the players we've got. "Going out, Reece Oxford is doing a medical with Reading and will hopefully go. That's a great loan move for him. "He's going to a club who are trying to get promotion and what's really important for me is that the manager [Jaap Stam] is one of the best centre-backs to have played in the last 20 years in the world. "It's a move that we should all benefit from; Reece, Reading and West Ham. I'm expecting him to come back here and play for us."
Speculation linking Brentford striker Scott Hogan to West Ham has been ongoing throughout the window, but Bilic moved to dismiss claims he was on his way to east London. "Of course he is a good player and we watched him many, many times," he continued. "I just feel that we have a really good set of strikers in our squad. That's the only reason why I didn't want that deal to happen. "He's definitely a good player, he's young and scoring goals in the Championship but it's not a question of 'Is he good enough?'; it's a question of what we have. "We have Andy Carroll, Michail Antonio, Ashley Fletcher and Jonathan Calleri and plus players who can play second striker like Andre Ayew and Robert Snodgrass. We have to stay fit but that's the reason behind my decision."
The winter transfer window has seen many big deals happen late on in the Premier League in previous years with the Hammers often being involved. Bilic, however, stated if the Club cannot find anybody who is the right fit or will improve the squad, it would not represent sensible business. The Croatian said: "We're not looking for [any late deals]. We got Fonte who we really wanted, we got Snodgrass who we really wanted from day one, and we were maybe looking for a right-back. We couldn't find someone who would improve our squad or first eleven and that's why we didn't get one. I'm very happy with the squad now. "For example Demba Ba; He's a player who has proved himself in the Premier League and he's a player who I managed at Besiktas. "I spoke to him on the phone a couple of weeks ago and the problem was that he got very badly injured and he told me he would be fit in March. That's too late for us. "[We'll keep the money until the summer], definitely. If we want to do something, it's too late. There's no reason to act like that because we have some extra money. That would be without really planning. I'm happy."
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Sullivan - Things are looking a lot better
WHUFC.com
Joint-Chairman David Sullivan discusses deadline day, the departure of Dimitri Payet and Wednesday's Premier League visit of Manchester City to London Stadium. The Joint-Chairman appeared as a guest on Alan Brazil's Sports Breakfast on radio station talkSPORT on Tuesday morning. Here is what he had to say…
You have been linked with players this window who have not joined the Club, so what's the story with that?
"I cannot speak about specific players but we have a policy at West Ham where myself, my head of recruitment Tony Henry and the manager sit down and discuss things and in a perfect world we would all agree before we sign everybody, and we don't break that rule often. You can't bring in players the manager doesn't fancy, particularly in January.
"We have a good manager who gives everyone a chance but if he doesn't want someone and feels he won't add to the team, you can't bring a player in and you have to support the manager."
What about Dimitri Payet? Surely player power has never been stronger than right now in football?
"I think it depends on the individual. Some are very strong and the last time I had this was with Robbie Savage at Birmingham. Very few footballers are as strong as Payet or Robbie. I bumped into Robbie last week and he said he was the last one to do this to me! And we had a good laugh about it. At the time it was quite stressful.
"Players are strong though, and the wages have gone potty with the new TV deal and you think how can very average players be worth £10m or £12m? And I can't get my head around it. But if we don't pay these wages then somebody else will."
David, is that £25m [from Payet's sale to Marseille] burning a hole in your pocket?!
"This is a bad, bad time to buy. The big teams don't buy now. It's panic buying, and it's teams in desperation. I look at over the business I've done in January, there have been a few exceptions but you generally don't do good business. Clubs will be more reasonable because if you sign a player in June, they have months to find a replacement.
"Nobody wants to sell you a player today because they don't have the time to get a replacement in. It's crazy. I've had bids for some of our players, and if it was the summer, you might consider them. But at this stage, it's crazy, and we don't have a huge squad, we can't let anybody go.
"At this moment in time, we're not bringing anybody in. Things could change but it's unlikely. I look at what we've done; Demba Ba was probably the exception and we looked to bring him back in this window. We were told, though, he was three weeks from playing a month ago, when in fact he's probably still four or five weeks from playing.
"He nearly came back just as a loan because the Chinese season starts soon. He's a fantastic player and probably one of the best January signings we've ever done [back in 2011]. But it didn't happen because you can't bring in a player who isn't ready to hit the ground running.
"In a month's or eight weeks' time, we'll have Diafra Sakho back. Then when Ghana are out of AFCON, Andre Ayew will be back.
"Then Andy Carroll, if it wasn't for his track record, you wouldn't look at anyone else. Five goals in the last ten, he's the best defensive centre-forward we've ever had. What he adds defensively as well as scoring goals is amazing."
With Dimitri, some in France were amazed how well he did last season. Why had he fallen out of love with West Ham?
"What he says to me is that his wife hasn't settled and has no friends, his children haven't settled at school and have no friends, and he wants to go back. Whether more has gone on, we'll never know. His comments yesterday were strange.
"We had one fantastic season. This season, he's not been the same. I don't at all regret bringing him here. We finished seventh last season largely down to him. Even this year, he's had a large amount of assists and a few goals. We've doubled our money. It's been fantastic business and he's been a fantastic player. He probably single-handedly earned us ten points.
"In the real world, it's not that important. He wanted to move on and we did a damage limitation deal to maximise West Ham. On his day, he was brilliant. Even last season, there were games he just didn't turn up. He's the best player I've seen in a West Ham shirt for decades when he turned up."
The Chinese clubs are offering huge fees and wages, David, so is that situation going to disappear?
"The few [players] that are prepared to go there, the money is crazy. Even modest players are getting £100k, £200k a week. The superstars, if you believe what they're going to earn, they're there for the money.
"If you get £60k after tax it's £30k, they can save you £120k a month there [if you're not paying tax]. It changes your life and you're set up for life. I can understand why people do it."
Have you got any message for the West Ham fans?
"Just don't expect much today. Something could happen, we could have some younger players going out on loan. Reece Oxford could go to Reading, which would be great for both because he's probably the best 18-year-old centre-back in the country but he needs games. We will have another go in the summer."
Are we getting there with London Stadium now, David?
"Any club that moves to a new stadium has a tough year. Statistically, that's a fact. It takes adjusting to. All the new fans love it, some of the older ones don't. There are many plusses and a few minuses. It's not a purpose-built football stadium, but every other club that comes says we can't believe how good it is and 'We wish we had a ground like this'."
Lastly, Slaven must be feeling much better now? He looked really down in the dumps previously…
"We've won five in seven and we lost 1-0 at Leicester, where I don't know how we lost. And against Manchester United, we had somebody sent-off after 15 minutes which was later rescinded.
"Slaven and the whole team are very happy now. Football is all about winning. It's for the supporters. Overnight, things can change. You're as good as your last three or four results. "We're not kidding ourselves. We've had a decent run in the last eight. But in five games' time, we could be looking up, or five bad results, we could be looking down again. Things are looking a lot better than seven games ago.
"For every team, it's a rollercoaster. The gap between the top six and the rest seems to have grown, as unbelievable managers and players have come in.
"We want revenge against Manchester City on Wednesday and we hope we can get it."
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Five Talking Points – Manchester City
WHUFC.com
The big discussion points ahead of Wednesday's eagerly-anticipated Premier League fixture at London Stadium...
1 AD
West Ham United will play their first fixture 'After Dimitri' on Wednesday evening, but the Hammers appear to have already got over the departure of the France attacking midfielder. Payet was not involved in the first-team squad for the victories over Crystal Palace and Middlesbrough – games in which Slaven Bilic's side have produced superb team performances and picked up two important victories. The reigning Hammer of the Year has now returned to Olympique de Marseille and is clearly already firmly part of the Club's history.
Manuel Lanzini No10
Dimitri Payet's exit has given Manuel Lanzini an opportunity to shine in the No10 role – as well as the No10 shirt. The diminutive Argentine has shown his creative talent on many occasions since arriving in east London in 2015, but has taken his game up a level in recent weeks. Lanzini scored an outstanding goal against Crystal Palace before providing assists for Andy Carroll and compatriot Jonathan Calleri at Middlesbrough, illustrating his undoubted threat in the attacking third. On Wednesday, the South American will have another opportunity to showcase his importance to West Ham United – against a Manchester City defence which has itself appeared porous in recent matches.
Vulnerable City?
Manchester City began their first season under Pep Guardiola in fine form, losing just one of their opening ten Premier League matches to storm to the top of the table. However, City have lost four of their last 12 to drop outside the top four, and their title hopes already appear to be remote. So, what has changed? Put simply, City have conceded more goals at the defensive end, and not scored as many at the attacking end. After scoring 2.4 per game and conceding 0.9 in those opening ten league matches, the Sky Blues have netted just 1.58 and let in 1.9, including four in a humiliating defeat at Everton on 15 January. The common consensus is that City are vulnerable at the back, the statistics appear to back that theory up, and West Ham United will be the latest opponent to try to exploit that vulnerability.
Teenage kicks
There is much excitement in the blue half of Manchester over the signing of exciting teenage Brazil striker Gabriel Jesus. The 19-year-old arrived from Palmeiras, having won the Copa do Brazil in 2015 and both Campeonato Brasileiro Série A and Rio Olympic Gold Medal last year. Individually, Jesus was also voted Serie A Best Newcomer in 2015 and into the Serie A Team of the Year in 2016. A versatile, quick, hard-working and skilful forward or winger, the Sao Paulo-born player netted 21 goals in 46 appearances last year, but the challenge for the South American youngster is now to bring that form to the English Premier League.
Top Ten
West Ham United's victory at Middlesbrough took them back into the top half of the table for the first time since August. Having spent the whole of last season in the top ten, the challenge for Slaven Bilic's side is now to stay there. With fixtures against eleventh-place Southampton, eighth-place West Bromwich Albion and 14th-place Watford to follow Wednesday's visit of Manchester City, that challenge is one which the Hammers can most definitely rise to.
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Fonte up for Aguero tussle
WHUFC.com
Jose Fonte is set to make his West Ham United debut against Manchester City
Portuguese defender could mark City's outstanding Argentina attacker Sergio Aguero
Hammers will host Pep Guardiola's men in the Premier League on Wednesday 1 February
Jose Fonte is relishing the opportunity to make his West Ham United debut against 'one of the best forwards in the world'. The Hammers new boy is set to pull on a Claret and Blue shirt for a first time in Wednesday's Premier League clash with Manchester City at London Stadium – and a likely tussle with outstanding Argentina forward Sergio Aguero. Fonte has not enjoyed the best of times against City in his career, winning just one of nine matches, but the centre-half did captain Southampton to a 4-2 victory at St Mary's last season, before leading the Saints in a 1-1 draw the Etihad Stadium in October. In all, the pair have met six times, with Aguero scoring twice and assisting two goals, and Fonte is a big admirer of the 28-year-old two-time Premier League champion. "Manchester City have great strikers and one of the best forwards in the world in Sergio Aguero but if we produce a good display it will be an easier day for me," the 33-year-old observed. Like Aguero, the UEFA Euro 2016 winner has been an outstanding Premier League performer for many seasons. This term, Fonte has continued his fine form, winning 68% of his tackles, making six clearances per game and keeping seven clean sheets in 17 top-flight matches. Aguero too, has been impressive, scoring eleven goals in 17 Premier League appearances, taking his overall tally for City to 113 in 166 games. Their on-pitch battle is one which Fonte is looking forward to. "I relish this kind of challenge," he confirmed. "I have played against City a few times but it is about the team and not the individual. I hope we can get a good result."
Having played on the continent's biggest stage in last year's UEFA Euro 2016 final, where Portugal defeated France to win their first major trophy, Fonte is also relishing the opportunity to play at London Stadium for the second time. The centre-half helped his Southampton side to a 3-0 Premier League victory in east London in October, all but silencing the Claret and Blue Army. On Wednesday, Fonte wants to make those same supporters sing by scoring a memorable success against Pep Guardiola's side. "It is every players ambition to play in front of a crowd like that every week," he continued. I just want the team to make it a fortress. "I want everyone to come together and make it a very hard place for the opposing teams."
Tickets for Wednesday's Premier League fixture with Manchester City are available here on the Ticket Exchange.
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Work begins on new Stadium mural
WHUFC.com
West Ham United are delighted to announce that work has begun on new branding on the outside of London Stadium which celebrates Andy Carroll's wonder strike against Crystal Palace.
Carroll netted one of the Premier League's all-time greatest goals as he acrobatically converted Michail Antonio's cross to help the Hammers to an emphatic 3-0 victory.
The brand new mural will include a photo of the talismanic striker in mid-air alongside 'Carroll 9' and is being installed ahead of the Hammers' crunch match with Manchester City on Wednesday evening.
Located between turnstiles G and H, near the Club's Stadium Store, the brand new poster replaces Dimitri Payet's mural, after the Frenchman recently re-joined Marseille.
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Fonte - I relish this kind of challenge
WHUFC.com
Jose Fonte is relishing the chance to make his West Ham debut against Manchester City and hopes to get off to the perfect start at London Stadium. Fonte has wasted no time settling into his new surroundings following his £8million move from Southampton and has already got to know his new team-mates following a full week of training. The 33-year-old is expected to go straight into the squad for the big game against Pep Guardiola's side and says he is looking forward to coming up against Sergio Aguero and the other City forwards. Fonte said: "They have great strikers and one of the best forwards in the world in Sergio Aguero but if we produce a good display it will be an easier day for me. "I relish this kind of challenge. I have played against City a few times but it is about the team and not the individual. I hope we can get a good result."
Fonte looks set to play his first game alongside Michail Antonio and already has a special relationship with the Hammers forward, having played alongside him at Southampton. The duo enjoyed a memorable spell together on the south coast after helping the Saints to win the Johnstone's Paint Trophy at Wembley back in 2010. Fonte is now hoping they can enjoy even more success together playing for the Hammers and has nothing but praise for the way Antonio has established himself as one of the top performers in the Premier League this season. Fonte added: "Michail was only young at the time. I was young at the time as well! He had raw pace, talent, explosiveness and we could see the potential in him. "He was fantastic in the Final and scored a goal. It was a great day at Wembley."
"He has been outstanding and has done really well for himself. I am happy for him and I just hope he can continue to help the team so we can have many more wins."
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Foundation youngsters enjoy Rush Green training session
WHUFC.com
A group of schoolchildren from Gateway Primary Free School in Tilbury enjoyed a once-in-a-lifetime training session when they visited West Ham United's first team base at Rush Green recently.
The extra-special session, part of the Moore Family Foundation's initiative to work with vulnerable youngsters by promoting respect, honour and hard work within the local community, as well as encouraging healthy lifestyles, saw the youngsters put through their paces before meeting several of the first team stars.
Hammers hero Michail Antonio was grilled by the young contingent in an exclusive Q&A covering a range of subjects, from his favourite goal and favourite dance to how much his life has changed since starting out in non-league football.
Captain Mark Noble and first team coach Julian Dicks, along with Aaron Cresswell, Darren Randolph and new signing Jose Fonte, then greeted the youngsters and posed for photos amid a flurry of autographs.
After meeting the students, the Hammers' No1 Randolph beamed: "It's always nice to be able to do something for kids, as you can see they're enjoying a run around and making lots of noise.
"The Moore Family Foundation is a very special organisation and does a lot of great work in the local community. The work of the Foundation does is very important, particularly for a club like West Ham, which has a presence in a lot of deprived areas.
"The kids clearly enjoyed their special day here, meeting the players, watching training and going behind the scenes here at the training ground, it's a really nice thing for us to be able to do."
Kyle Taylor, aged 10, was delighted to meet some of his heroes: "I loved it, it was just so fun to meet the players, I've never met anyone famous before so it was very special. They're great players, I'm a West Ham fan so I loved it."
As did Joanna Emechete, who echoed her classmate's sentiments, saying: "It's amazing, we did some drills and fun games. It was so cool to meet the footballers, I was speechless! It was an amazing experience, a dream come true."
Their teacher, Amanda Arnold, was just as enthralled as her students. "It's been absolutely amazing," said Amanda. "A fantastic opportunity to meet the players and experience training in a top class facility like this, something the kids certainly aren't used to, so it's a been a fantastic day.
"It was a very special moment, the excitement of the children was amazing, they had a real buzz. To meet them in person is something they usually wouldn't ever get the opportunity to do and you could really feel the children's excitement."
The visit represented one of the ways the West Ham United Foundation is helping to raise awareness for the Moore Family Foundation – with Wednesday's Premier League encounter with Manchester City dedicated to the charity's cause. Launched in 2014, the programme launched at Ripple Primary School, Barking - Bobby Moore's primary school - is now in its third year and is on target to engage with 16,000 pupils in the local area.
Roberta Moore, daughter of the late, great Bobby Moore and a patron of the Foundation, will be in attendance at Wednesday's game to address the 57,000 crowd at half-time about the positive effect the programme is having on young students.
Foundation Mentor Tajammil Hussain, who helps deliver the Moore Family Foundation and organised the training session, said: "We go into schools all across Thurrock, Barking and Dagenham, Newham and Tower Hamlets to mentor young people. In everything we do, we try to encourage values that Bobby Moore installed. It's all about continuing those values in our local community."
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Bilic thanks Payet
WHUFC.com
Slaven Bilic has thanked Dimitri Payet for his time at West Ham United
The midfielder was sold to Marseille after stating he no longer wished to play for the Club
The Hammers boss also believes new signings Jose Fonte and Robert Snodgrass are perfect fits for his squad of players
West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic thanked Dimitri Payet for his contributions while at the Club and wished the midfielder all the best for the rest of his career after the Frenchman joined Marseille on Sunday. Payet was sold to the Ligue 1 outfit for a fee of £25 million after stating he longer wished to play for the Hammers. And his former boss Bilic stated that although the Club were disappointed with the way in which the 29-year-old departed, his influence in east London will not be forgotten. "I want to thank Payet for everything he did [at West Ham]," Bilic said. "He was brilliant last year and we were brilliant for him also. "But that story has now finished. I want to wish him luck and all the best in Marseille. "I am not going to go deep into what happened. He went and that was his wish. I won't forget how good he was for us and what he achieved with us. "It was a great story, not only for West Ham but for the Premier League and for France also. I won't forget it just because he's moved. I really wish him well." "I have said what I said and there has been enough said about Payet. It was the only way for me to act and to defend the team and say everything completely openly as I did."
West Ham United moved fast in the January transfer window to secure the signings of European Championship winner Jose Fonte and Scottish international Robert Snodgrass. And Bilic believes the new members of his squad, both of whom have vast experience in English football, will be perfect fits at London Stadium. "We are a good Club and it was always like that for new players to come and settle quickly," he continued. "That goes with everyone coming here. It's important for foreign players who come and don't speak the language. But we have always had that and we're well known for it. "For Fonte and Snodgrass that wasn't necessary. Snodgrass is British and just moved clubs and changed jersey. Fonte, although not English, is as English as a foreign player can be! "It's ten years here for him. They were reasons why we wanted them. We wanted that core of home-grown players. They clicked immediately. They'll get to know the way we play but they don't need the time to settle and that's brilliant. "Snodgrass scores goals and that's what we need from players in his position. He is a hard worker and a team player and I expect him to be a great signing for us."
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Oxford heads to Reading
WHUFC.com
Reece Oxford joins Championship promotion-chasers Reading on loan until end of season
Teenager will link up with the Royals to gain valuable first-team experience under Jaap Stam
Defender could make his debut against Mick McCarthy's Ipswich Town on Saturday
Reece Oxford has joined Sky Bet Championship promotion-chasers Reading on loan until the end of the season.
The 18-year-old Academy product, who signed a new four-and-a-half-year contract at London Stadium in December, will link up with the Royals to gain more valuable first-team experience.
Oxford became the youngest player to represent West Ham United when he took to the field in the Club's 3-0 UEFA Europa League win over Lusitans in July 2016, aged just 16 years and 198 days.
The following month the defender started in the Hammers' 2-0 Premier League victory at Arsenal, cementing his place as one of the country's most promising young footballers. Oxford has already made a total of 14 first-team appearances for the Hammers.
He also featured for England at the UEFA European U19 Championship finals last summer. Oxford will now head to Reading, who are managed by legendary former Manchester United and Netherlands centre-back Jaap Stam.
West Ham boss Slaven Bilic is sure the loan move will prove highly beneficial for Oxford as he takes his next step forward in his career.
"This is a great loan move for Reece," the manager confirmed. "He's going to a club who are trying to get promotion and what's really important for me is that the manager is one of the best centre-backs to have played in the last 20 years in the world.
"It's a move that we should all benefit from; Reece, Reading and West Ham. I'm expecting him to come back here and play for us."
Oxford joins Reading with the Royals hot on the heels of the Championship front-runners.
With 18 games to go, Stam's side are in third, just six points behind Newcastle United in the second automatic promotion slot.
The Royals face former Hammers boss Gianfranco Zola and his Birmingham City side tonight, before travelling to Ipswich Town on Saturday, where he could face fellow Academy graduates Freddie Sears and Jordan Spence.
Oxford is the fourth young West Ham player to go out on loan in January, following Marcus Browne (Wigan Athletic), Toni Martinez (Oxford United) and Alex Pike (Cheltenham Town).
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The Big Interview - Manuel Lanzini
WHUFC.com
Manuel Lanzini has played a crucial role in helping the Hammers get their season back on track and now hopes to celebrate another big win against Manchester City and make it a night to remember at London Stadium. Following consecutive victories over Crystal Palace and Middlesbrough, the Argentine midfielder looks back to his best and showed his quality once again when he set up two goals during the 3-1 win over the north east Club in the last Premier League game.
Lanzini is now hoping to make it a hat-trick of victories and says he is looking forward to showcasing his talents against the former Premier League champions....
Manuel, you seem to be producing some of your best form of the season. How much of this do you put down to a regular run in the team and how settled do you feel playing at the heart of the West Ham midfield?
ML: "I did have a hard start to the season and of course the team's results were not as good as we expected. "When I came back from injury I wasn't straight back to the level I was at last year but I now feel fully fit and 100 per cent ready to keep developing and performing well. "The coach decides the formations and the systems that we play and as players, we adapt to that. "In general, I feel very confident and it's great to have the full support of the coaching team and I'm just giving 100 per cent to help the Club. "To be honest, I don't like changing about [position] that much. When you play regularly in the same position, it helps to build your confidence but of course when the team and the coach need us to adapt, I can adapt to that of course."
Andy Carroll mentioned that the support in the last home game against Crystal Palace was the only topic dominating the dressing room after the game. How much do you feel the support from the fans inside London Stadium and how can it help inspire the players?
ML: "Having the fans behind us is always very important and we know they support us, and that motivates us. "We know that if we play well, we will have their support and our confidence increases and we'll be able to play better as a team."
How much confidence do the players take from recent games and what does it do for the morale in the squad when we put a run of wins together?
ML: "Yes, the team has quality. If you look at the players we have here, we are capable of doing well. "We have got a few wins and we need to maintain that as it increases the confidence around the whole club."
How much do you owe to Slaven Bilic for helping you achieve your dream of playing in the Premier League and becoming one of the big players at West Ham United?
ML: "Of course Slaven has been very important because he's the person who has brought me here and he has shown confidence and faith in me from the beginning. "He's taken the time out to speak to me on many occasions so I'm very happy to be with him and I hope to be able to give everything back in the way he has shown faith in me."
We are facing another big game against Manchester City on Wednesday night. How much are you look forward to facing the former Premier League champions and coming up against a player like David Silva who plays in a similar position?
ML: "David Silva is a player who I always enjoy watching and he is very good on the pitch. "We play in the same position and he's someone that I have learnt from and at a young age, he was the type of player I enjoy watching. "I like to watch older players who have that experience and then applying that to my game."
A lot of the young West Ham fans look up to someone like Manuel Lanzini. How much do you enjoy being a role-model and teaching youngsters how to improve as a player?
ML: "You play football to improve, and also when I was young I came from the bottom and there were players that I looked up to. "Now I'm in a position where I can try to teach other players and show them what I do, and also they learn about the sacrifices involved in football and that you have to be very humble. "If you are, then everything is possible. That's in personal terms and also in the football world. "I'm used to London now and it's a beautiful city and it now really feels like home."
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Stam on Ox
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 31st January 2017
By: Staff Writer
Jaap Stam has been charged with mentoring West Ham youngster Reece Oxford through the second half of the current campaign. The 18-year-old completed a transfer deadline day move to Reading this morning, where he will spend the rest of the season. And former Netherlands star Stam, who won the Champions League with Manchester United and appeared in several Euros and World Cup Finals, has been given the envious task of continuing the 18-year-old defender's development - with the consent of Hammers boss Slaven Bilic. "Reece is a very talented defender with a lot of potential," said Stam following the capture of the England youth international. "He is a modern defender and our style of play should suit him. "Hopefully we can give him a stage to play, the time to grow in confidence and help him develop as a player during his time with us. So it's a good move for both clubs and we're very happy to have him in the squad for the rest of the season."
Royals Chief Executive Nigel Howe was also delighted at securing the srvices of Oxford. "Reece was a player who was wanted on loan by a number of clubs and we are absolutely delighted to have secured his services for the remainder of the season," he added. "He is young, but hungry for success and I am sure he will prove an excellent addition to our squad and learn a lot during his spell under Jaap Stam at Reading."
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Oxford set for loan move
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 31st January 2017
By: Staff Writer
Reece Oxford is set to join Championship side Reading on loan for the remainder of the season. The 18-year-old was expected by many to break into the first team picture at West Ham this season but his development has been hampered by a number of minor injuries.
And that has led to Slaven Bilic sanctioning a move to the Royals, having snubbed a similar offer from Nottingham Forest hours earlier.
At Reading, Oxford will work under former Dutch international Jaap Stam - a factor that is believed to have played a major part in Bilic's decision to send the teenager to Berkshire, as opposed to Nottingham.
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Defending Dimitri
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 31st January 2017
By: ClaretDave
I cannot recall a more rapid decent from hero to zero in football history.
Dimitri Payet was, at the beginning of January 2017, a West Ham legend in waiting. He had his own song, the lyrics for which were engraved on the outside of the stadium. He had a giant shirt hanging in the ground, alongside Brooking, Bonds, Moore et al. He even played for West Ham on nearly fifty occasions.
He leaves with the club placing on record its "sincere disappointment" that he did not show "the same commitment and respect to West Ham than the club and the fans showed him", with some alternative and predictable lyrics to the song, and with a "special offer" of returning your Payet shirt to the club shop, where for just £25 you can exchange it for a Ayew shirt.
All of the above, and a 400-page thread on the KUMB Forum, which goes from hopeful expectation to love and hate, with more than a touch of hyperbole and just plan nonsense, suggest that defending Dimi will be tricky. But let's have a go.
Firstly, there seems to be some sort of strange notion that an individual born on Reunion, a small and exceptionally beautiful island in the Indian Ocean, feels the same way about West Ham as someone born on the Barking Road.
Yes, Payet was idolised, well paid and looked after by West Ham, and certainly shouldn't have too many complaints, but being loved and well paid is never going to be enough in a world where someone more attractive is waiting to make you a better offer.
Payet's stated reasons are family based, which cannot be gainsaid. It is unlikely we will ever know the truth, but who can honestly say they would turn down what they perceive as a better opportunity just because their current employer has given them a pay rise?
Let's not forget, players who don't perform well rarely get a sympathetic ear from either management or supporter. And let's not pretend we have had dozens of players over the years who have turned down more cash and greater chances of silverware because of their love of West Ham.
And did Payet have reason to be disappointed? The reaction on KUMB to most of the summer 2016 signings has been mixed. I can recall at least four of our signings described as "the worst player ever to wear a West Ham shirt", presumably by those not old enough to have seen Gary Strodder play.
Surely if supporters are disappointed that Tore was mediocre, or Zaza would struggle to score at golf should expect Dimi to be similarly disappointed, especially if, like the supporters, they were expecting £30m strikers on the pitch?
Was Payet part of the reason for our poor start to the season? he was certainly not the player who lit up the final season of the Boleyn. But neither was he a lead weight - few will forget the goal against Middlesborough, or saving us from another 30 minutes of torturous football against Accrington Stanley.
Finally, as I mentioned at the time, neither the manager or the management come out of this matter with much glory. Lets say Payet did exactly what the club suggest he did, refused to play, went on strike and demanded a move. He is not the first and won't be the last. But such a dispute should never be placed into the public domain.
Not only does it weaken our position in regards to a future transfer, it creates the impression for future players of a club happy to wash their dirty linen in public, sadly keeping with the Chairman's sons Twitter feed and Lady Brady's Sun gossip column. In taking our great club forward, threats of "let him rot in the reserves" will not go unnoted.
You can choose to remember Payet however you wish. But nobody will ever forget a player who truly lit up the final season at the Boleyn, the player whose mid-season injury possibly cost us the chance of something great, the turns, the skill, the vision, the flair, the unbelievable free kicks, even one of the very best players in a major international tournament being a Hammer.
I wish we had him longer and that he would have left to a standing ovation and a rendition of "we've got Payet". I wish the last time I will ever see him wasn't a horrendous 5-1 drubbing by Arsenal. But let's not lose those memories just because Ludivine Payet got homesick for the south of France.
Thank you for everything Dimitri. It was great while it lasted.
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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Sullivan confirms Demba Ba approach
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 31st January 2017
By: Staff Writer
David Sullivan has confirmed that he tried to re-sign former Hammer Demba Ba earlier in the month. The co-chairman, speaking on Talksport this morning revealed that he was interested in signing the Senegal international on loan for a second time - but refrained from doing so due to fitness worries. "I look at what we've done over the years - and there's been a few exceptions - like Demba Ba, who we looked to bring back in this window," said Sullivan, when asked about previous successes in the January transfer window. "We were told he was three weeks from playing a month ago when in fact he's probably still four or five weeks away from playing. "So he nearly came back, but just as a loan as the Chinese want him to go back. He's a fantastic player who's recovered from a broken leg and probably one of the best January signings we've ever done. "Unfortunately it didn't happen because you can't bring in a loan player who's not ready to hit the ground running."
And Sullivan also admitted that the Hammers are unlikely to sign any additional players ahead of tonight's 11pm deadline - despite entering the window desperately seeking a new striker. "In a month, or eight weeks' time, we've got [Diafra] Sakho back and we've got Mr Ayew back the minute Ghana don't win the African Cup of Nations," he said. "Andy [Carroll] is on fire. When he's injury-free he's a fantastic player. He's the best defensive centre forward you'll ever have. "We can't let anybody and at this moment in time, we're not bringing anybody in. Things could change, but it's unlikely."
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Ogbonna out of surgery
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 31st January 2017
By: Staff Writer
Angelo Ogbonna has undertaken the knee operation that will almost certainly keep him out for the rest of the season. West Ham United's Italian central defender went under the doctors knife earlier today but was back on social media within a matter of hours to confirm that the operation has gone smoothly.
Follow
Angelo Ogbonna ✔ @OgbonnaOfficial
My surgery was successful✅
Now I'm ready for recovery, supported by those who are always by my side! 💪🏿 #COYI
5:10 PM - 31 Jan 2017
289 289 Retweets 1,883 1,883 likes
Ogbonna was ruled out for the rest of the current campaign earlier in the month. His place in the squad has effectively been taken by new signing Jose Fonte, who moved from Southampton shortly after Ogbonna's injury was revealed.
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Everton considered surprise deadline day swoop for West Ham United goalkeeper Adrian
The Hammers' goalkeeper has fallen out of favour at the Olympic Stadium
The Mirror
BYDARREN WELLS
19:43, 31 JAN 2017
Everton manager Ronald Koeman considered making a late deadline day swoop for West Ham United goalkeeper Adrian . The Liverpool Echo reported that the possibility of signing Adrian in January was discussed by the Toffees, with the Hammer's stopper having fallen out of favour at his current club. It was only the recent form of Everton number one Joel Robles that persuaded Ronald Koeman to stick with his current crop of 'keepers until the summer transfer window.
Everton had drawn up a three man shortlist of potential new signings ahead of the window opening and were also made aware of Adrian's availabilty. But Koeman has been impressed with Robles who has overcome his 'anger' at the beginning of the season, when he was demoted to No2 behind new signing Maarten Stekelenburg, to produce some excellent performances and so did not act on their initial talks over Adrian. Robles will keep his place for Wednesday night's trip to Stoke City after starting the last six matches, of which the Blues have won four, and has allowed Koeman and director of football Steve Walsh extra time to scour the market for a prospective new stopper. "Maybe for next season but we have three or four months ago, it's too early to take those kind of decisions," Koeman said, when asked about looking for a new goalkeeper. Quizzed on who he now considers Everton's No1, the manager added: "It's not fair to speak about who is the No1 and who is the No2. "But, of course, Joel is doing well, there is no reason at the moment to change that. "He gave that competition after a disappointing period in the summer because Maarten was the goalkeeper who played in the beginning. "He's improving, he gave Maarten that competition and sometimes you need to be lucky in sports, Maarten got an injury and he did really well. "The team has had some clean sheets and most of the games we won. It is difficult and hard to take for Maarten but that's football, that's business and sometimes you need to wait for your opportunity to come back but that means Joel is playing on Wednesday."
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West Ham United v Manchester City
WED, 01 FEB 2017PREMIER LEAGUE
19:45
Venue: London Stadium
BBC.co.uk
TEAM NEWS
West Ham's Havard Nordtveit is absent with an ankle injury, while Cheikhou Kouyate will not feature after recently returning from international duty. Jose Fonte may replace Angelo Ogbonna, who will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury, while Robert Snodgrass is also set for his debut.
Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho is available after completing a ban. City will assess striker Sergio Aguero, who missed the FA Cup win against Crystal Palace because of injury.
WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic on the departure of Dimitri Payet: "Does he owe an apology? No. I wouldn't say that. "He is gone, he went home, that was his wish and I will not forget how good he was for us. "He was brilliant. I was so happy and proud, with my team, my staff, to help him achieve what he did. What he achieved with us was a great story for West Ham, for the Premier League and for France. "I want to thank him for everything he did for us - he was brilliant last year. We were brilliant for him also. Now that story's finished, I wish him luck and all the best in Marseille."
LAWRO'S PREDICTION
West Ham are improving but I am still backing City to win. Pep Guardiola's side took a bit of a battering when they lost to Everton on 15 January but they have put in some impressive performances since then.
Prediction: 0-2
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
West Ham have won only two of their last 16 league and cup games against Manchester City (D3, L11).
City have beaten the Hammers twice already this season, scoring eight goals and conceding just one.
That includes a 5-0 victory at the London Stadium in the FA Cup on 6 January - that result was the Hammers' heaviest home defeat in any competition for 50 years.
West Ham United
The Hammers have won five of their last seven top-flight games.
However, their eight league wins this season have all come against sides currently in the bottom half of the table (prior to the latest round of matches).
Andy Carroll has four goals in his last five Premier League appearances.
Carroll has scored five top-flight goals against Manchester City - his joint-highest total against a particular opponent (along with Arsenal and Swansea).
Manchester City
City's form in their opening 22 games is almost identical to their record at this stage last season; they have the same number of wins (13), draws (four), defeats (five) and goals scored (43), but have conceded seven more goals (28, compared to 21 last term).
City's 23rd league match last season was also away to West Ham - that game ended in a 2-2 draw.
Pep Guardiola has won 43 points from his first 22 games as a Premier League manager. He claimed 62 points in his first 22 Bundesliga matches and 59 points from his opening 22 games in La Liga.
Guardiola could lose three successive top-flight away matches for the first time in his managerial career.
Sergio Aguero has six goals and two assists in nine Premier League appearances against West Ham.
Kevin de Bruyne is set to make his 50th Premier League appearance. He has 19 assists in his first 49 games - only two players have more than 19 assists from their first 50 matches (Eric Cantona and Juan Mata, with 23 and 20 respectively).
Goalkeeper Claudio Bravo has conceded from the last six shots on targets he has faced, with his last save coming against Burnley on 2 January.
SAM's verdict
Most probable score: 1-1 Probability of draw: 24%
Probability of home win: 30% Probability of away win: 46%
SAM (Sports Analytics Machine) is a super-computer created by @ProfIanMcHale at the University of Salford that is used to predict the outcome of football matches.
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West Ham pull out of race to sign Brentford striker Scott Hogan - Sky sources
By Sky Sports News HQ
Last Updated: 31/01/17 6:22am
SSN
West Ham have pulled out of the race to sign Brentford's Scott Hogan, Sky sources understand. It is understood Aston Villa are the new favourites to secure the striker. Barring any last minute change of heart, Hammers boss Slaven Bilic has decided he does not need Hogan at the moment. Andre Ayew will soon return from the Africa Cup of Nations, where he has helped Ghana progress to the semi-finals of the competition, while Diafra Sakho is on his way back from injury. The decision not to proceed has been taken by Bilic, despite the West Ham board being happy to sign Hogan - who is valued at £15m - if the manager wanted him. With Villa moving to the top of the list to land Hogan, Crystal Palace and West Brom have also held talks about signing the former Rochdale striker. The 24-year-old has said he only wants to move to a Premier League club and the London Stadium was believed to be his preferred destination.
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Injuries hit West Ham hardest in 2016/17 season
itv.com
West Ham have been revealed as the worst hit team for working days lost as a result of injuries. The season is only midway through and already the Hammers have lost over 1,000 working days due to player injuries. West Ham's manager Slaven Bilic has been made to rue these setbacks with fans becoming increasingly frustrated over the lack of options upfront and at right back. Bilic has looked to solve the injury crisis by signing Robert Snodgrass from Hull City last week for £10m.
Working days lost as a result of injuries:
West Ham - 1130
Crystal Palace - 869
Arsenal - 776
Watford - 630
Chelsea - 407
Tottenham - 390
The research conducted by JLT Speciality estimated the financial cost of injuries to Premier League teams at a whopping £79m, based on average wages for each team.
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West Ham vs Manchester City team news: Squads revealed, injuries and more ahead of Premier League clash
Portugal defender Fonte is in line for an immediate West Ham debut
The Mirror
BYPRESS ASSOCIATION
15:34, 31 JAN 2017UPDATED15:40, 31 JAN 2017
New signings Robert Snodgrass and Jose Fonte are in the West Ham squad for the visit of Manchester City. Portugal defender Fonte is in line for an immediate debut as a replacement for Angelo Ogbonna, who is out for the season after a knee operation. Cheikhou Kouyate is back from the African Cup of Nations but will not be considered. Havard Nordtveit misses out with an ankle knock and joins Diafra Sakho (back) and Arthur Masuaku (knee) on the sidelines.
Provisional squad: Randolph, Adrian, Fonte, Reid, Collins, Byram, Cresswell, Pike, Noble, Obiang, Quina, Fernandes, Snodgrass, Antonio, Feghouli, Lanzini, Carroll, Calleri, Fletcher.
Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho returns from suspension for Wednesday's Premier League trip to West Ham. Top scorer Sergio Aguero is also back in contention after being rested at Crystal Palace at the weekend because of a knock. The pair's return means City are only missing long-term injury victim Ilkay Gundogan, who is out for the season after a knee operation.
Provisional squad: Bravo, Caballero, Sagna, Zabaleta, Otamendi, Stones, Kompany, Clichy, Kolarov, Delph, Fernando, Fernandinho, Toure, Sane, Sterling, Navas, Silva, Nolito, De Bruyne, Aguero, Jesus, Iheanacho.
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Jose Fonte says he didn't hand in a transfer request at Southampton to force move to West Ham
Jose Fonte moved from Southampton to West Ham for £8million
Southampton claimed that Fonte put in a transfer request to force the move
Fonte says that is not the case but he's looking forward to playing for West Ham
By James Andrew for MailOnline
PUBLISHED: 13:42, 31 January 2017 | UPDATED: 13:42, 31 January 2017
Jose Fonte says he did not hand in a transfer request to force a move away from Southampton and says he was professional to the end.
Fonte completed a move to West Ham earlier this month for £8million and Les Reed, Southampton's director of football, claimed he had rejected a new contract and had formally asked to leave the club. But speaking to talkSPORT, Fonte claims that was not the case, he said: 'After the Euros, there was a lot of interest and offers on the table and we discussed the possibility of allowing me to leave but an official transfer request in January - that did not happen. I did not make an official transfer request. 'I enjoyed my time there but, for one reason or another, it happened and I am just happy that West Ham believed in me. 'Slaven Bilic and the chairmen and the supporters of the club, I want to do well for them because they believed in me, they put their trust in me and they paid money for me, so I am really looking forward to repaying that faith on the pitch. 'If you ask any of my teammates at Southampton, they will tell you who I am. They will tell you the professional I am and what I have done and they know the truth. My conscience is very clear. 'I have always been a professional. I never rejected to play for the club, or train, or anything. I was professional to the end of my career there.'
Fonte is now focused on his new challenge at West Ham and is in line to make his debut against Manchester City at the London Stadium
'I've been very well received by everyone,' he added. 'There is a great atmosphere at the place at the moment and we have been training hard preparing for the next few games. It has been a very, very good beginning. 'All the times I had to go to the old ground, it was unbelievable - the fans, the atmosphere. I could see how big a club West Ham is, so for me to have an opportunity to play for this great club is an honour. 'I look forward to this great challenge ahead. I just want to get started and get to work.'
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Reece Oxford set to join Reading after West Ham co-chairman gives loan move the green light
LIVE! Join us for all the latest transfer news and gossip from the final day of the window
RICHARD PARRY
Evening Standard
West Ham teenager Reece Oxford is expected to join Reading on loan until the end of the season in a move that has been backed to help his development by co-chairman David Sullivan. The 18-year-old signed a new four-and-a-half year contract with the Hammers in December despite interest from Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal for his signature. Speaking on Tuesday morning, West Ham co-chairman Sullivan admitted that a couple of the squad's youngers players could leave on loan, with Oxford a likely mover.
"Reece Oxford could be going to Reading," Sullivan told Talksport. "It would be great for Reading and great for Reece. He is probably the best 18-year-old centre-back in the country, but he needs games."
A move to the Championship side would see the teenage central defender work under former Manchester United and AC Milan star, Jaap Stam. Elsewhere, Hammers boss Slaven Bilic has insisted that the club will not be signing Brentford striker Scott Hogan before the transfer window shuts.
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CALLERI WILL BE STAYING AT WEST HAM
MICHAEL OLIVER @MichaelOIiver
ReadWestHam
It would appear West Ham's reluctance to complete a deal for Brentford's Scott Hogan is because Slaven Bilic is content with the striking options he has at the club.
One of those options is Jonathan Calleri. Halfway through a loan spell from Uruguayan side Deportivo Maldonado, Calleri hasn't bad the best of times in East London but the Argentine did score his first Premier League goal last time out against Middlesbrough which could be a sign that times have changed.
The Mirror are reporting that Calleri and Slaven Bilic held heart to heart talks recently regarding the striker's future, with those talks culminating in Calleri being kept at the club for the full season.
Las Palmas were interested in signing the 23-year-old on loan for the rest of the season which would require the Hammers to cancel their current arrangement with Maldonado.
Scott Hogan was a target for the club but the reluctance to meet Brentford's £15m asking price has meant the Hammers were not willing to allow Calleri to leave the club as there is a lack of cover.
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West Ham vs Manchester City: Team news, kick-off time, probable line-ups, odds and stats for the Premier League clash
By Pa Reporter
PUBLISHED: 12:29, 31 January 2017 | UPDATED: 12:29, 31 January 2017
Ahead of the midweek Premier League action, Sportsmail will be providing you with all you need to know about every fixture, with team news, provisional squads, betting odds and Opta stats. Here is all the information you need for West Ham's home game with Manchester City at the London Stadium.
West Ham vs Manchester City (London Stadium)
Team news
West Ham
New signings Robert Snodgrass and Jose Fonte are in the West Ham squad for the visit of Manchester City. Portugal defender Fonte is in line for an immediate debut as a replacement for Angelo Ogbonna, who is out for the season after a knee operation. Cheikhou Kouyate is back from the African Cup of Nations but will not be considered. Havard Nordtveit misses out with an ankle knock and joins Diafra Sakho (back) and Arthur Masuaku (knee) on the sidelines.
Provisional squad: Randolph, Adrian, Fonte, Reid, Collins, Byram, Cresswell, Pike, Noble, Obiang, Quina, Fernandes, Snodgrass, Antonio, Feghouli, Lanzini, Carroll, Calleri, Fletcher.
Manchester City
Key match stats (supplied by Opta)
Manchester City have enjoyed two wins over West Ham already this season, with an aggregate score of 8-1 (3-1 in the Premier League, 5-0 in the FA Cup) The Hammers' 0-5 FA Cup defeat to Manchester City at the London Stadium on January 6th was their biggest margin of defeat at home in a competitive fixture since May 1967 (1-6 v Man Utd in Division 1).
Sergio Agüero has attempted four shots on target and scored one goal in these two games versus West Ham this season; the exact same tally that West Ham have v Man City overall in 2016-17.
In the Premier League, Aguero has six goals and two assists in nine appearances against the Hammers.
Since the start of 2014-15, Manchester City have won just four of their 13 Premier League away games in London (W4 D4 L5).
Since December 31st 2016, Claudio Bravo has faced nine shots on target and saved only one of them (conceding eight goals). He hasn't made a save since January 2nd in the Premier League, having conceded his last six shots faced on target.
Andy Carroll has scored five goals in the Premier League against Manchester City, his joint-highest tally against an opponent in the competition (alongside Arsenal & Swansea).
Carroll has scored four goals in his last five Premier League appearances, including three in his last two in the competition.
Manchester City have seen a league-high eight goals scored by a substitute in the Premier League this season (incl. one own goal).
Pep Guardiola has won 43 points from his first 22 games as a Premier League manager. He won 62 points in his first 22 Bundesliga games and 59 points in his opening 22 games as a La Liga manager.
Kevin De Bruyne is set to make his 50th Premier League appearance in this match. He has 19 assists in his first 49 games - only two players have more than 19 assists from their first 50 PL apps (Eric Cantona 23 and Juan Mata 20).
WEST HAM VS MANCHESTER CITY
Kick-off: Wed, 19:45
Referee: Kevin Friend
Odds (subject to change);
West Ham 9/2
Draw 10/3
Manchester City 8/15
Managers:
Slaven Bilic (West Ham)
Pep Guardiola (Manchester City)
Recent league form:
West Ham - WWLLW
Manchester City - DLWLW
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Slaven Bilic refuses to blast "brilliant" Dimitri Payet as he reveals interest in signing Demba Ba
Payet left West Ham for Marseille under a cloud but Bilic has refused to condemn the France playmaker
The Mirror
BYDARREN LEWIS
11:36, 31 JAN 2017UPDATED11:45, 31 JAN 2017
Slaven Bilic has refused to condemn "brilliant" Dimitri Payet for not apologising over going on strike. The French playmaker insisted he had no need to justify himself at the press conference to herald his arrival at Marseille. It followed his decision to down tools at West Ham this month in order to force the £25million transfer. But Bilic remained dignified and thanked the France star for his contribution to the club. Asked whether Payet should have apologised, the Croatian said: "No. I wouldn't say that. "Players are moving and I'm not going that deep into what he should say or shouldn't. Bilic refused to condemn the former West Ham playmaker (Photo: West Ham United via Getty Images) "He is gone, he went 'home'. That was his wish. will not forget how good he was for us.
"He was brilliant. I was so happy and proud with my team and my staff to help him achieve. What he achieved with us was a great story for West Ham, the Premier League and France and I am not going to forget it just because he moved. I really wish him well."
Bilic also revealed West Ham's insistence that they would not sell this month was simply a negotiating tactic to drive the price up. The fee for Payet could reach as much as £30million with add-ons. Bilic added: "That was part of the tactics, but he's gone. it was obvious from the day i announced it openly that he would go. "We wanted the best price possible of course. I want to thank him for everything he did for us he was brilliant last year. "We were brilliant for him also. Now that story's finished i was him luck and all the best in Marseille."
Bilic also confirmed the Hammers would not be making a deadline day move for £15million Brentford striker Scott Hogan, despite pursuing the marksman for the last month. Instead Bilic was keen on Shanghai Shenua striker Demba Ba, a player he managed at Besiktas. The Hammers decided against a move, however, as Ba is recovering from a broken leg. Bilic said: "He is a player who proved himself in the Premier League. A player that I managed and we had a wonderful year in Besiktas. "I spoke with him on the phone a couple of weeks ago. the problem is he was very badly injured and he told me that he would be fit in march. That's too late for us. But he is a top player and I want him back on the pitch as soon as possible. "Hogan is a good player. We watched him in many games but we have good strikers now in our squad and thats the reason why I didn't pursue that deal. It's not a question of whether he is good enough. "It's a question of what we have in the squad: We have Carroll, Antonio, Fletcher, Calleri, we have some players who can play second striker too. They have to stay fit, that's the reason behind my decision."
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Bilic wishes Payet well after West Ham exit
itv.com
Slaven Bilic insists Dimitri Payet does not owe West Ham fans an apology. Payet is public enemy number one with the Hammers faithful after refusing to play for the club as he engineered his move back to Marseille. The France international finally completed the protracted and controversial £25million transfer on Sunday evening. "Does he owe an apology? No. I wouldn't say that," said the West Ham boss. "Players are always moving and I'm not going that deep into what he should say or shouldn't. He is gone, he went home, that was his wish and I will not forget how good he was for us. "He was brilliant. I was so happy and proud, with my team, my staff, to help him achieve what he did. What he achieved with us was a great story for West Ham, for the Premier League and for France. "I ain't going to forget it just because he moved. I really wish him well."
Last updated Tue 31 Jan 2017
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Leeds United's hopes of landing West Ham's Ashley Fletcher over
11:17Tuesday 31 January 2017
Yorkshirepost.co.uk
LEEDS UNITED'S pursuit of Ashley Fletcher is over after West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic ruled out a loan deal for the striker this morning. Bilic revealed that Fletcher would be staying at the London Stadium after the Croatian vetoed a move for Brentford forward Scott Hogan. West Ham targeted Hogan in a £12m deal earlier in the January window but withdrew from negotiations on Bilic's say-so. The arrival of a new striker at West Ham would potentially have opened the door for Fletcher to join Leeds until the end of the season but West Ham co-owner David Sullivan told TalkSport that signings were "unlikely" before tonight's 11pm deadline and Bilic has now ended talk of Fletcher's departure. Leeds currently have one deal in the pipeline, with Spanish winger Alfonso Pedraza expected to sign on loan from Villarreal in the coming hours, but a new striker was a priority for head coach Garry Monk. Leeds' move for 20-year-old Pedraza effectively ended their interest in Norwich City winger Sergi Canos. Canos is reported to be undergoing a medical at Brentford, who are ready to pay £2.5m for him.
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Charlie Nicholas comments on West Ham signings Robert Snodgrass and Jose Fonte
HITC
Jordan Harris
Jose Fonte and Robert Snodgrass have been West Ham's two main signings during the January transfer window. Charlie Nicholas has backed both Robert Snodgrass and Jose Fonte to be successful following their January moves to West Ham United, Sky Sports reports.
The Hammers have brought in three permanent signings so far this month, with Nathan Holland also arriving at the London Stadium, but it is the deals for Snodgrass and Fonte that have prompted the most attention. And while their arrivals have been somewhat overshadowed by the departure of Dimitri Payet, Nicholas has suggested that the Irons have done two very smart pieces of business in bringing the winger and defender in. "An absolute must buy for West Ham and I think he's got a good few seasons left in him as he's always been more about positioning and decisions than pace. I think he'll actually help the rest of the defence with his experience and leadership," he told Sky Sports when discussing Fonte. "I like Snodgrass and I thought it was fair money at his age, but please don't think he's a replacement for Dimitri Payet, who they simply had to get out the door. He's an important replacement for set-pieces, feeding Fonte and Andy Carroll with his delivery," he added. Though Payet's quality may not be replaceable without spending a significant amount of money, their last two results certainly prove that West Ham do not need the Frenchman to do well.
They have won their last two and have scored six in the process which suggested that with the right additions, they could put their hugely disappointing start to the campaign behind them. And in Fonte and Snodgrass, they have landed one of the most consistent centre-backs in the top flight over the last couple of seasons as well as one of the most impressive attacking players in the division during the first half of the campaign. And with the Hammers now showing signs of getting fully back on track, the arrival of in-form players who know the league well - something that several of their summer signings were not able to say - could be hugely beneficial.
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Micky Quinn claims West Ham United are aiming to sign Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge
HITC
John Verrall
West Ham United have been linked with Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge since last summer. TalkSPORT pundit Micky Quinn has claimed that he has just been informed that West Ham United are trying to complete a sensational swoop for Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge.
West Ham have been tentatively linked with the England international throughout the month to date, but they have not pushed too hard for a deal. However, Quinn claims that West Ham are now trying to rush through a transfer before the deadline closes.
Mick Quinn ? @mickquinn1089
Just heard @WestHamUtd want Sturridge today
10:58 AM - 31 Jan 2017
35 35 Retweets 22 22 likes
Follow
Mick Quinn ? @mickquinn1089
The deal all down to @LFC whether they want to let him go now or end of season
11:02 AM - 31 Jan 2017
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Quinn has strong links in Merseyside, having been born and brought up in Liverpool. West Ham co-owner David Sullivan has suggested that he did not expect any deals to be done today, but that could change if a deal became available. And, with Slaven BIlic eager to add a striker, Sturridge could now be on the London side's wishlist. Sturridge's future at Liverpool looks uncertain, as he has been unable to hold down a place in Jurgen Klopp's starting line-up this season. West Ham have pulled out of a deal for Brentford striker Scott Hogan already this month, and Sturridge could be seen as a higher profile alternative.
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'My conscience is clear' - Jose Fonte denies claims he handed in Southampton transfer request to force West Ham move
By Alex Varney - @lexvarney
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
Jose Fonte has denied claims from Southampton he handed in a transfer request to force a move to West Ham, insisting he remained professional to the end of his St Mary's stay. In an exclusive interview with Jim White on talkSPORT, Fonte said his 'conscience is clear' over the manner of his departure from the Saints earlier this month. The 33-year-old joined the Hammers in an £8million deal after Southampton's director of football, Les Reed, claimed he had rejected a new contract and had formally asked to leave the club.
But the Portuguese Euro 2016 winner insisted: "After the Euros, there was a lot of interest and offers on the table and we discussed the possibility of allowing me to leave but an official transfer request in January - that did not happen. I did not make an official transfer request. "I enjoyed my time there but, for one reason or another, it happened and I am just happy that West Ham believed in me. "Slaven Bilic and the chairmen and the supporters of the club, I want to do well for them because they believed in me, they put their trust in me and they paid money for me, so I am really looking forward to repaying that faith on the pitch. "If you ask any of my teammates at Southampton, they will tell you who I am. They will tell you the professional I am and what I have done and they know the truth. My conscience is very clear. "I have always been a professional. I never rejected to play for the club, or train, or anything. I was professional to the end of my career there."
Fonte is now eager to get started at West Ham and could make his debut for the club on Wednesday, when Manchester City visit the London Stadium. "I've been very well received by everyone," he said. "There is a great atmosphere at the place at the moment and we have been training hard preparing for the next few games. It has been a very, very good beginning. "All the times I had to go to the old ground, it was unbelievable - the fans, the atmosphere. I could see how big a club West Ham is, so for me to have an opportunity to play for this great club is an honour. "I look forward to this great challenge ahead. I just want to get started and get to work."
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'I used to p*** people off when I wanted' - The story of flawed genius Dimitri Payet
The France international star is back in his homeland after a career in which he has been perhaps the greatest obstacle to its success by Robin Bairner @rbairner Editor's Pick31 Jan 2017, 14:22 IST
sportskeeda.com
Over the 18 months in which he was away from Marseille, Dimitri Payet's career exploded. At West Ham he established himself as one of the most talented players in the Premier League, while with France he attained hero status as he played a key role in firing the national team to the final of Euro 2016.The 29-year-old has dominated headlines throughout the January transfer window with his arm wrestle with the Hammers as he sought a move back to OM, which was a fight he ultimately won on Sunday when the Provence side announced his return."I missed France," he announced as he was unveiled as the ace of Frank McCourt's shiny new project at Stade Velodrome.
Having signed a five-and-a-half-year contract following a £25 million move, Payet has reached the apex of a career that has failed to attain the heights it might have.Even when he broke into the senior side at Nantes, where he made his professional debut in 2005, it quickly became evident that the player born on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean was a special talent. He was, however, a rough gem."Dimitri was a player of undeniable talent, despite his natural nonchalance," Stephane Moreau, reserve team boss of the Ligue 1 side at the time, said.Spells at Saint-Etienne and Lille never truly polished him and it was only under Marcelo Bielsa's guiding hand at Marseille that he finally started to flourish. "Bielsa made me become more mature and more consistent," he told L'Equipe. "He taught me to know when to play simple and when to try to create something... He put some order in my game. I still have his advice in my head and it'll serve me until the end of my career."
His problem was not quality, but an inability to produce it on a regular basis. Spells of blistering form would last a month, yet these would be swiftly followed by a couple of months of anonymity, in which he would appear no better than average. He was good enough to attract the interest of Juventus while with Saint-Etienne, but not consistent enough for it to manifest into anything more.Bielsa, though, successfully walked the tightrope between discipline and love for the player, and drilled into his head the value of a strong work ethic. Previously, Payet had been a player notoriously difficult to work with. He had tried to force a move from Saint-Etienne to Paris Saint-Germain earlier in his career by resorting to the strong-arm tactics that upset West Ham fans."I used to p*** people off when I wanted to," he has admitted.A natural grace had carried him so far in the game, but his unwillingness to really focus on his training was stalling his progress.One training session, in particular, proved a turning point. "We were doing an attack against defence drill at training," the player commented. "I was a bit in and out, then towards the end more out. Just as the hour was up, I made a good move, the only one of the session for me. Assistant coach Jan [van Winkel] congratulated me. This is when Marcelo blew his top: 'Why are you congratulating him? All he's done is mess about since the start!' I was left out of the squad for the next match."When it came to departing OM, it was a move he never wanted to make. At that time, Marseille were in the grip of a financial crisis, and with the player's contract winding down were forced to sell below his market value.Payet, by far and away his side's best player during the 2014-15 season, held out for an acceptable eleventh-hour offer from the club, but it would never come.Agent Jacques-Olivier Auguste said as a deal neared: "It's like an elephant clinging on to the edge of a cliff by its tail grasping a daisy."
Football in the Premier League proved remarkably easy to settle into. West Ham integrated him smoothly into the side, and yet for all of his talents he was not heralded as a particularly significant signing. As the player admitted to Canal+ in September: "My idea was not to cross The Channel but to stay at Marseille. I arrived on tiptoes. It wasn't so bad. It allowed me to work serenely and not have to worry from the moment I joined."With no pressure on him, he exploded. On his Premier League debut he set up Cheikhou Kouyate to score against Arsenal at the Emirates with the kind of free-kick that would become his trademark at Upton Park. After the game the defender revealed Payet had told him: "I will give you the ball and you will score." He was every bit as good as his word.Also Read: There's no loyalty in football and Dimitri Payet saga proves it once againThis set the tone for a dizzying campaign in which he made a shortlist of six for the PFA Player of the Year award and scooped five individual prizes at West Ham's club ceremony.Such was his level, he finessed his way into Didier Deschamps' plans for Euro 2016, despite the coach having been one of the men he had crossed earlier in his career.On the opening night, Payet justified his selection by digging France out of trouble by scoring a glorious late winner against Romania to get what proved to be a rather drab competition off to a spectacular start.Ultimately, he was eclipsed by Antoine Griezmann as Les Bleus' star, but his influence was undeniable as France fell to Portugal at the final hurdle.Trouble was brewing, though. He was growing homesick in London, and the prospect of McCourt's 'Champions Project' becoming a reality fired the player's desire for a quick return to Marseille. After an ugly, and very public tussle with West Ham, he got his wish on January 29, accepting a wage cut reportedly at 20%, but giving his career the chance of taking another step up. Now he is a key player at France's best-supported club and his responsibility is to lead Marseille's ambitious plans to form a team capable of challenging Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco at the summit of Ligue 1. Back in the melting pot of Marseille – France's most passionate footballing city – the expectation on him is greater than ever.
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Robert Snodgrass shares his conversation with Slaven Bilic
HITC
Subhankar Mondal
Robert Snodgrass joined West Ham United from Premier League rivals Hull City in the January transfer window. West Ham United winger Robert Snodgrass has revealed to the club's official website the conversation he had with manager Slaven Bilic before his move.
Snodgrass joined West Ham from Premier League rivals Hull City in the January transfer window. As announced on the Hammers' official website, the London club had to pay the Tigers a transfer fee of £10.2 million in order to secure the services of the 29-year-old winger. The former Leeds United and Norwich City winger has revealed the discussion he had with West Ham boss Bilic before his move to the London Stadium. "He is a really good man and a football man and he understands that up to a month or so ago, his squad was underachieving so he's set the record straight and he's got in Jose Fonte, who is a great player with great experience," Snodgrass told West Ham's official website about Bilic. "Jose has got Premier League experience and this is why he said to me when I spoke to him that he wants to bring people in who he knows have done it in this league. "He did play a big factor and that's one of the reasons I'm here as well, to play under a good manager."
Snodgrass is a very good attacking player, and he should prove to be a brilliant signing for West Ham. The Scotland international scored seven goals and created 45 chances in 20 Premier League appearances for Hull before his move to the Hammers. The winger scored three goals and created 62 chances in 27 Championship matches for the Tigers during the 2015-16 campaign. West Ham are 10th in the Premier League table at the moment with 28 points from 22 matches.
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West Ham joint-chairman reveals shock approach to bring back Demba Ba this window
The striker is currently recovering from a bad injury with Shanghai Shenhua
football.london
BYTOMMY WATHEN
10:37, 31 JAN 2017
West Ham United have launched a shock Transfer Deadline Day move for former striker Demba Ba from Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua.
The news was announced straight from the mouth of joint-chairman David Sullivan during a telephone interview on talkSPORT's Alan Brazil Sports Show on Tuesday [January 31] morning. Ba joined West Ham from German club 1899 Hoffenheim back in January 2011, scoring seven goals in just 12 appearances before leaving a few months later for Newcastle United when the Hammers were relegated from the Premier League. The Hammers have been chasing both Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe and Brentford hotshot Scott Hogan to improve their attacking options for the second half of the 2016/17 Premier League season, but Sullivan confirmed that their attempts to resign Ba have been halted by his current injury status. Sullivan said: "We looked to bring Demba Ba back in this window but were told he was three weeks from playing after recovering from his injury."
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Reading set to take Reece Oxford on loan from West Ham - Sky sources
By Lyall Thomas
Last Updated: 31/01/17 9:44am
SSN
Reading are in advanced talks to sign West Ham youngster Reece Oxford on loan, according to Sky sources. The Royals are in discussions to take the 18-year-old defensive midfielder until the summer. Sky sources understand that fellow Championship clubs Nottingham Forest and Brentford were also interested in Oxford, as well as Scottish Premiership club Rangers. Oxford has not played in the Premier League for West Ham this season but made seven appearances in the top flight last season, including an impressive debut at Arsenal. Oxford's only appearances for the Hammers this season came in the ill-fated Europa League qualifiers last summer.
Edmonton-born Oxford is and England U20 international and product of the West Ham youth academy.
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West Ham striker Andy Carroll admits he was a 'big drinker' earlier in his career
SAM LONG
Evening Standard
West Ham striker Andy Carroll has admitted he was a "big drinker" earlier in his career but is adamant he has changed his ways. Carroll has struggled with injury throughout his career and missed 12 Premier League games for Slaven Bilic's side this term due to a knee problem. But the 28-year-old appears to have finally put such problems behind him, having scored five top-flight goals in nine appearances since returning from injury. And Carroll has conceded his previous laissez-faire attitude is could have contributed to his poor injury record. "In the past I was a big drinker," he told the Daily Mail. "I have been tarnished with that and I don't enjoy that. That is the old me. I have regrets looking back, maybe it would have helped me avoid injuries. "But now? Alcohol is not the cause. Now I am doing whatever I can."
Carroll's all-action style often appears to put the forward in the firing line as he is not one to shy away from a challenge. But the England international says he has learned to pick his battles without comprising his desire for the psychical side of the game. "[I have to be] a little more clever. I don't have to try to win every ball. "There is always the next ball. You could say I'm not winning so many balls, but pick your battles," he added.
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West Ham and Tottenham in historical sex abuse allegations
27 mins ago / Joe Roberts, Reporter covering Waltham Forest and Chingford / @GuardianJoey
All FIVE London Premier League clubs including West Ham and Tottenham have been caught up in historical child sex abuse allegations, say police. Scotland Yard revealed 255 cases of abuse in London teams have been reported, relating to individuals at 77 clubs The sex abuse claims also include three Championship teams, three League One and Two teams and 66 other named clubs. Other London clubs previously named in connection with the abuse include Leyton Orient, Queens Park Rangers, Millwall and Charlton. Police launched the investigation on December 8, covering every level of football. Detective Chief Superintendent Ivan Balhatchet said: "The Met take all allegations seriously, and specialist officers will work through the information passed to them. "Anyone who has been the victim of sexual assault should contact their local force, or call the NSPCC help line on 0800 023 2642."
West Ham and Tottenham said they have not been contacted by Metropolitan Police regarding the allegations.
A West Ham spokesman issued a response later on Monday night. "West Ham United has not had any contact from the Metropolitan Police Service to date, so is not aware if the allegations relate to the club," it read. "If approached, we will of course co-operate fully with this wide-ranging investigation. "West Ham United follow the principles of the NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit's national safeguarding standards and would encourage anyone aware of historic abuse to report it to the police or the Football Association's NSPCC helpline immediately."
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Reading enquire about West Ham starlet Reece Oxford... who was set to join Nottingham Forest on loan
Reading are interested in taking Reece Oxford on loan from West Ham
Nottingham Forest were the frontrunners to sign the starlet on loan
Oxford wants to tie down first-team football for the rest of the season
By Simon Jones for MailOnline and Kieran Gill for MailOnline
PUBLISHED: 08:28, 31 January 2017 | UPDATED: 08:35, 31 January 2017
Reading have made a late move to sign Reece Oxford on loan from West Ham. Nottingham Forest had been considered favourites until Jaap Stam enquired. Oxford hasn't played for West Ham in the Premier League this season and spoke with Slaven Bilic about his quest for first-team football. So far this season he has made only two appearances, both of which were in the Europa League. The starlet is fit again after recovering from an ankle injury and the Hammers are ready to let their highly-rated youngster leave on loan this month.
He was prepared to sign for Forest but Reading throwing their hat into the ring gives him a choice to make, with Stam's side sitting higher in the Championship. Forest are without a manager but enquired about Oxford's availability.
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West Ham squad brought 'closer together' by Dimitri Payet transfer saga, reveals Andy Carroll
Payet was unveiled as Marseille's latest signing on Monday after leaving West Ham, but Carroll insists the squad have not taken his departure badly and instead can kick-on
Sports Staff
The Independent Football
Striker Andy Carroll says Dimitri Payet's drawn-out departure has brought the West Ham squad closer together. The French forward rejoined Marseille for £25m on Sunday, having refused to play against Crystal Palace earlier this month in an attempt to force through a move to the Stade Velodrome. The Hammers won that game 3-0 and then beat Middlesbrough 3-1 to climb into the top half of the Premier League table as Slaven Bilic's side put a slow start to the campaign behind them. And Carroll, who has three goals in the last two games, says Payet's behaviour had a positive effect on the rest of the team. Speaking in the Daily Mail, he said: "Do you know what it is? Five or six weeks ago, I sensed something wasn't right among the lads. The team were struggling, we were split in small groups, there were cliques, results were poor. "Then we started coming together, before the Dimi thing, but then when that happened it was: 'bang!' "We have to be together, we are together. Everyone started enjoying it again. Everyone started to look forward to coming to training. I can't wait to see the lads. "It has just sparked something in the dressing room. If he doesn't want to be part of our team, we are still a team. "We've livened up. Just like it should have been. It kick-started our season. It has been great around the dressing room."
Payet scored 12 goals in 38 games for West Ham after arriving in June 2015, but Carroll believes there is still plenty of quality at the London Stadium - highlighting winger Michail Antonio, who has eight strikes to his name this season. "We've got other top players," he added. "Antonio has been great. He's scored the goals, played all over the pitch. "He's been our main player. It's mad. Right-back to centre forward, quality, power, strength - ridiculous."
At his unveiling on Monday Payet insisted he had no reason to explain his behaviour at his former club. "I don't have to justify my behaviour," he said in quotes reported by L'Equipe. "(West Ham boss) Slaven Bilic has his own opinion about what I did. "We had plenty of face-to-face discussions, and I know what I said. I wanted to come back to Marseille. "The stuff that happened previously... I'll talk about it when I need to, but not now. "If I wanted to play for money, I would play in another country and would do so for a very long time. "I'm not saying this won't be the case one day, but it's not my primary motivation right now.
"The important thing is playing and trying to reach new heights, as I have always done. "I was no longer happy at West Ham, I had to come back home. I still have fond memories of the West Ham supporters. "Coming back to Marseille is a personal choice. I am very happy to come back here."
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West Ham line up deadline-day deal for Colombia international Santiago Arias
WEST HAM are looking to sign PSV Eindhoven defender Santiago Arias, according to reports.
By JAMES CAMBRIDGE
PUBLISHED: 06:55, Tue, Jan 31, 2017 | UPDATED: 07:11, Tue, Jan 31, 2017
Express.co.uk
Santiago Arias is a right-back who has reportedly caught the attention of West Ham boss Slaven Bilic. The 25-year-old's potential move to the London Stadium has gone under the radar, according to website Football London. The report says the Hammers are expected to pay around £7million for the Colombia international. The Hammers are in need of a right-back to provide cover for Sam Byram and offer competition in that position. Michail Antonio has been forced to play there this season but has been far more effective going forward for West Ham this season. Arias is predominantly a right-back but can also play on the right side of midfield. He has made 21 appearances for PSV this season in all competitions, scoring one goal and providing four assists. Arias is a Colombia international with 31 caps for his country and he played at the 2015 Copa America. He is under contract with PSV until June 2019.
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