Daily WHUFC News - 17th March 2017

Antonio receives third England call-up
WHUFC.com

Michail Antonio has been called up to the England national squad for the third time ahead of the side's fixtures against Germany and Lithuania. The midfielder has been in fantastic form for West Ham United all season, and is the Club's top scorer with nine goals. Antonio will be hoping to make his international debut for Gareth Southgate's men as they first travel to Dortmund to face the world champions in a friendly fixture before taking on Lithuania at Wembley in FIFA World Cup qualification.

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'Leicester is a different team'
WHUFC.com

Slaven Bilic says Leicester City have been 'brilliant' in the three matches they have played since Claudio Ranieri's departure
But West Ham United boss feels the title-winning Italian was 'unfortunate' to lose his position
Bilic expects Foxes to be in buoyant mood following midweek UEFA Champions League victory over Sevilla

Slaven Bilic says that while Claudio Ranieri's departure from Leicester City was 'unfortunate', the Foxes are a 'different team' since the Italian's exit.

The reigning Premier League champions sat 17th in the table after their fifth defeat in succession – 2-0 at Swansea City on 12 February – leading to Ranieri being removed from his position by the club's owners.

The decision was met with an outpouring of surprise and dismay by many in the game, including Bilic and his fellow Premier League managers, but Leicester have won three games out of three since to climb clear of immediate danger and reach the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.

Ranieri's former assistant Craig Shakespeare has been given the reins until the end of the season and the West Ham United boss is expecting Leicester to arrive at London Stadium in buoyant mood for Saturday afternoon's fixture.

"Leicester is a different team from four weeks ago," Bilic observed. "They really played extremely well, especially against Sevilla, when they got a great result [winning 2-0 to go through 3-2 on aggregate] for them and for English football in general.

"In all those three games, against Liverpool, against Hull [in the Premier League] and against Sevilla, they looked lively and of course those kind of results, three wins on the spin including qualifying for the quarter-final of the Champions League, has given them a massive boost.

"I don't know why they didn't play like that in the game against Swansea before that change of manager, but we are expecting a tough game because they are on a good run."

So, Bilic was asked in his pre-match press conference, did Leicester's owners make the right decision in replacing the experienced Italian?

"I said after they changed their manager what I thought about it, and still I don't understand it," the Hammers boss replied. "But if we are talking about the performances and results, they have got what they wanted.

"Still, for me, it was a bad decision because we are talking about Claudio Ranieri who did everything very, very recently with them.

"It's that kind of job and is in the nature of the job and you [the manager] are going to be the first one to pay the price. Unfortunately, nobody can say that it was the wrong decision because these last three results have been brilliant for them and the team has been brilliant."

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Mediawatch - 16 March
WHUFC.com

whufc.com takes our daily look at the Hammers stories making the news…

With the 2016/17 season entering its final stretch, transfer speculation is starting to take over the back pages once again and today's papers link the Hammers with a Serie A forward.

The Mirror reckon West Ham have added Sampdoria striker Luis Muriel to their summer transfer shopping list. The Colombia international has ten goals and nine assists to his name this season and is said to have a £24m release clause in his contract.

Jose Fonte has slotted straight into the Hammers side since joining from Southampton in January, and he reveals in this Evening Standard interview that Slaven Bilic's influence was the deciding factor behind his move to east London. The experienced Portuguese is in no doubt over Slav's abilities, saying: "You can see on the touchline that Slaven is very different than most managers. He is honest, direct and a football person. He was a centre-back himself, he has character and an aura and I'm just pleased to be working with him and learning from him."

Fonte also appears in the Daily Mail, where he speaks about the battles he faced in his early career – before reaching the pinnacle of the English game and the Premier League at the age of 28. He is now looking to pass his experience on to his younger teammates, saying: "Football is for super athletes these days. Back in the day, people didn't pay much attention to that side of the sport, but now every week you have to play against sprinters, ultra-fast, ultra-strong. You have to give yourself a chance. "I tell the kids: don't start when you're old, if you start when you're old it's already too late, you're not going to do it. You have to start when you're young."

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Bilic agrees with Joint-Chairman's assessment
WHUFC.com

Slaven Bilic agrees with Joint-Chairman's comments about West Ham United's defeat at AFC Bournemouth
David Sullivan had stated in his whufc.com that the team 'have to do better'
Manager says Saturday's visit of Leicester City to London Stadium is a 'very important' fixture

Slaven Bilic has agreed with Joint-Chairman David Sullivan's assessment that West Ham United's performance in losing 3-2 at AFC Bournemouth on Saturday was not good enough. The Hammers produced their worst defensive display in some time to go down to a disappointing Premier League defeat at the Vitality Stadium, where Cherries striker Joshua King bagged a hat-trick and the home team also missed two penalties. Despite their frailties, West Ham looked on course to earn a point when Andre Ayew equalised with seven minutes to go, only for Bournemouth to nick possession, swarm forward, outnumber the Hammers in their own penalty area and score the winner in the final minute of the 90. "It was a comment for that game and for that game I said also that we could not be happy with the way we performed or the way we conceded all three of their goals, especially the last one," said the manager, when asked about the Joint-Chairman's comments in his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday's visit of Leicester City to London Stadium. "Of course we have to improve and we have to bounce back. I am the first who wasn't happy with that performance and the players know that. They were not happy after the game in the dressing room, of course, they were gutted and disappointed and frustrated and they know that we didn't do well enough in that game. "We played against a good opponent, of course, but when they missed the penalty and we scored the goal, we were basically in the ideal position to build on that early result, and we let it slip away from us. Then we came back and we conceded at the end of the game a very naïve goal from our point of view. "We have a game against Leicester now and we have to bounce back and we are ready for that."

Having lost just one of their previous six Premier League games, the Hammers were beaten by leaders Chelsea in their last home game before Saturday's reverse at Bournemouth. With those two setbacks in mind, Bilic is eager for his team to ensure that losing run is not extended when they welcome the champions and UEFA Champions League quarter-finalists to London Stadium for the first time. "It is very important for us," he said, when asked about the visit of the in-form Foxes. "We had turned the corner but, as I was saying, it's not finished because there are so many points and things to fight for between now and the end of the season. "We only have one win in six and this is a good opportunity because we are under pressure and we have to win the game. We believe that we can win the game and we're going to do everything to win it."

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WHAT HAS GONE WRONG THIS SEASON?
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 16 MARCH 2017 AT 8:31PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk

Written by Vinny Ryan @vinnywhufc

If this season was an image it would very much like the face of Harry Redknapp – yes it is there but it has been melting for quite some time.

The warning signs have been there since our ill fated Europa League campaign with the lack of quality in depth and odd positioning of players such as Michail Antonio at right back.

Fast forward to today and things haven't really improved. Well they haven't improved to where the fans would like them to be given the season we had in 2015/16 where Slaven Bilic guided West Ham to 7th with the highest points total the club have achieved in the time the Premier League has been formed.



Not to mention it was a superbly exciting campaign where West Ham were even the 4th highest goal scorers in the league and that was without a regular striker.

But as the saying goes "Fail to prepare and prepare to fail" and all those hopes of moving the club to the "next level" were just words. I am not one of those people who believe David Sullivan and David Gold just want to make money off the club. I am sure they genuinely care but that doesn't make them (Sullivan in particular) very good at bringing in players.

Like a player on the pitch we judge them on whether they are good or bad, and Sullivan doesn't seem to have the ability to attract top players.

Of course West Ham can sign players like Robert Snodgrass but no matter how much we all try to kid ourselves that is a signing that we all hoped we wouldn't be making going forward. An extremely average player who a manager like Sam Allardyce would be more suited to signing.

When it comes to Slaven Bilic I've listened and read the opposing views to whether he should be removed as West Ham manager or not. I find the fact that we are even having this conversation quite stunning given the previous seasons before he joined the club.

I get told all the time that Sam Allardyce "did the job he had to at West Ham", so if that's the case what has Slaven Bilic done?! I am sitting here thinking that I haven't seen a relegation battle or anything like it over the two seasons Bilic has been in charge, in fact we are just all disappointed we are not competing with the top 7 teams!



So no, I do not want Slaven Bilic to be removed as manager. I have missed one game this season which was away in Slovenia against Domzale so don't think I am not as frustrated with some of the decisions Bilic has made regarding putting players in the incorrect positions and allowing the team to be so open that we look like a non league side when trying to defend.

Bilic could go some way to help himself if he actually played players in their rightful positions and he must know that Byram (whether he is any good or not) now has to start at right back as there simply isn't another viable option.

There is no doubt about the tactical nativity that Bilic displays but I will give him the benefit of the doubt because the recruitment last summer was dismal. Of course Bilic no doubt had something to do with that too but as a club who like to get behind their own and have a history of having few managers I find the notion of just wanting to get rid of him quite laughable.

Perhaps it is how the modern day football fan operates today because we always seem to want change. Trying to debate Bilic now with someone who wants him out is near impossible because they won't change their mind.

Whilst I am never opposed to differing opinion the problem is that naturally as human beings we always want to be right which means for the Bilic out people to be right West Ham will have to fail. There will ultimately be a satisfaction if West Ham were to say lose every game between now and the end of the season. And once there is a silver lining to the club you support losing then the debate ends there.

This doesn't mean you can't express your dissatisfaction. It's more waiting every week to say "see I told you so" that gets to me.

Bilic does have some issues with his tactics and far too many players have been played out of position this season. This though is partly down to the lack of quality in the squad which you can really see is poor. We have so many average players but quite frankly if you replace Dimtri Payet with Robert Snodgrass you will obviously see a decline in quality.

There needs to be an overhaul of our squad in the summer. I believe some tough decisions need to be made and not just with the crap that was brought in like Feghouli, Arbeloa, Tore, Calleri and Nordtviet but also with the likes of Andy Carroll and maybe even Aaron Cresswell.

As for Andy Carroll, since 2012 he has been a major problem for West Ham as it has prevented us from bringing in other strikers because we are always waiting for him to return to fitness and lead the charge with his goals. People say that if he was fit all season he would score 20+ goals which is great and that but if my auntie had a willy she'd be my uncle.

In short, Andy Carroll is never going to play a full season so therefore if we can get some money for him before his contract expires then we would be stupid not to. If we can get £32m for Andy Carroll from a club in China I will personally drive him there.

Despite the disappointing campaign I still have enjoyed going to away games as much as I ever have with the decision to get the away season ticket fully justified even though not all the results or performances have been great.

I feel I've been able to not get as down about the move to the London Stadium because away from home the whole day is still fantastic. Even though we were beaten 3-2 by Bournemouth our fans were superb. I suppose it's easy to look at the result on social media and start wanting the manager out but I am sure that the majority of fans who go away don't subscribe to that theory.

West Ham went from one of the worst footballing sides in the country to one of the most entertaining when Slaven Bilic took charge. This season everything that could go wrong seems to have done so with the mix of a new stadium, lack of big signings, lack of signing anyone better than what we had, players out of form, and the clubs best player wanting out.

I feel these set of events are not a normal occurrence and I maintain hope that the club will get it right this summer.

We are supposed to be a club that feel we are like a family, so when the going gets a little rough we decide to turn on those who we loved less than 12 months ago I think it is some of us that need to take a step back and calm down.

Vinny Ryan

@vinnywhufc

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Slav fires back in 'intensity' row
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 16th March 2017
By: Staff Writer

Slaven Bilic has responded to claims by Reading manager Jaap Stam that training at West Ham "lacks intensity".

Stam appeared to criticise Bilic's regime earlier in the week when he claimed that loanee Reece Oxford wasn't used to the high standard of training at the Championship club.

"Reece Oxford has been surprised at the level of intensity in training at Reading, compared to that at West Ham," he said. "Young players need to improve. You need to be on top of them and give them good advice, so that's why training is intense."

However Bilic fired back today when he insisted that West Ham train as hard as any other club. "We are training very intensely," he told the media at today's pre-match press conference.

"Maybe with Reece and his change of club they train differently, but the only thing I think is that Reece wasn't fit enough.

"He signed for Reading after a long injury to his ankle so maybe in the beginning he wasn't in the best shape. That was ages ago though, he will have had enough time to get ready."

Oxford finally made his debut for the Royals last weekend as a second half substitute, some six weeks after joining the club on loan for the remainder of the campaign.

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Antonio returns, but Carroll snubbed by Southgate
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 16th March 2017
By: Staff Writer

Andy Carroll has once again been overlooked by England manager Gareth Southgate. In-form Carroll had been expected to be named in the squad for the forthcoming fixtures against Germany (22 March) and Lithuania (26 March) following the withdrawal of Harry Kane and Daniel Sturridge, due to injury. However Southgate has instead chosen to recall 34-year-old Sunderland veteran Jermain Defoe - who West Ham both tried and failed to sign in January - claiming that Carroll hadn't played enough in recent weeks. And there was at least some good news for the Hammers with the welcome return of the uncapped Michail Antonio, who has enjoyed a thoroughly successful season so far.

Elsewhere there have been several international call-ups for some of the younger Hammers.

Academy stars Martin Samuelsen and Josh Cullen has been named in the latest Norwegian and Irish Under 21s squads respectively, whilst the latter's fellow Irish international Declan Rice will feature for the Under 19s - for whom Anthony Scully is also on standby.

Continuing the Irish theme, Conor Coventry is with the Irish Under 17s ahead of a trio of fixtures against Faroe Islands, Slovakia and Cyprus. Crossing the Irish Sea, Dan Kemp is currently on stand by for England's Under 18s whilst Reece Hannam is in a similar position but for the Under 17s.

Staying with England and both goalkeeper Nathan Trott and Reece Oxford - currently on loan at Reading - have been selected for England's Under 19s, whilst Trott's Academy team mate and fellow stopper Sam Howes has been namd in Keith Downing's Under 20s squad.

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West Ham boss Slaven Bilic plays down remarks from 'frustrated' David Sullivan
Last Updated: 16/03/17 11:27am
SSN

West Ham manager Slaven Bilic has played down the significance of David Sullivan's comments following the recent loss at Bournemouth.
Hammers co-chairman David Sullivan declared he was "very disappointed and frustrated" after they were beaten 3-2 by the Cherries and that their defensive lapses "cannot go on". That prompted speculation over the long-term future of Bilic, who had been tipped to sign a new contract at the London Stadium. However, the Croatian, whose side face Leicester this weekend, insists he does not feel under added pressure after Sullivan's remarks. "It was a comment for that game and for that game I also said we can't be happy with the way we performed, the way we conceded all three goals, especially the last one," said Bilic. "We have to improve and bounce back. The players know that and they were unhappy in the dressing room - they were gutted. "We have a game against Leicester that we have to bounce back in and we are ready for that."

Bilic also dismissed Dimitri Payet's recent claim that he was "bored" before leaving West Ham to rejoin Marseille during the January transfer window. Payet, who made an acrimonious departure from the club, has criticised the team's style of play under Bilic, suggesting they were overly defensive. "I don't want to go into arguing with players, but all you have to see if you look at tactics and way we play - just have a look at the statistics," said Bilic. "Even against Bournemouth it was not a lack of attacking that put us under pressure. Maybe we are playing too offensively."

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WESTLEY: ASHLEY FLETCHER SHOWING SIGNS OF IMPROVEMENT
MICHAEL OLIVER @MichaelOIiver
ReadWestHam

Ashley Fletcher was very much signed with the future in mind when he arrived on a free transfer from Manchester United last July. He snubbed a new deal at Old Trafford to seek pastures new that would offer him a more tangible route into the first-team and given the sudden emergence of Marcus Rashford, that route was very much blocked at Manchester United. The 21-year-old was expecting to either go out on loan or spend the majority of his time with the U23 squad but featured regularly for the Hammers in the early part of the season given the injuries to Andre Ayew, Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho.
To date, Fletcher has made 17 appearances for West Ham this season, scoring once against his former side United in the EFL Cup but has spent an increasing amount of time with the U23s of late with the return to form and fitness for both Ayew and Carroll.
Graham Westley, West Ham U23s manager, has praised Fletcher's performances of late and stating that his outing during the 0-0 draw with Newcastle U23s was his best to date in a Hammers shirt. It's probably the best I've seen [Ashley] Fletcher play in a game for us, against a physical side and they're a lot older than us. He took the ball in for us, had a great chance at the back post at the end of the first half, and he's a player who can go in your first team and do a job for you. He was robust, he threatened the space in behind, and he challenge for balls in the air. Fletcher does still feature regularly in matchday squads for the Hammers but seems like he's impressing enough behind the scenes to earn himself an increased role next season.

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Senegal Name Liverpool, West Ham, Stoke City Stars In 26-Man Roster For Nigeria Friendly
Published: March 16, 2017
allnigeriasoccer.com

Senegal Name Liverpool, West Ham, Stoke City Stars In 26-Man Roster For Nigeria FriendlySenegal coach Aliou Cissé unveiled on Thursday a list of 26 players selected for the friendly matches against Nigeria on March 23 in London and then Ivory Coast four days later in Paris.

Cisse has handed maiden call-ups to Moussa Wagué (Eupen), Adama Mbengue (Orlando City) and ex-France U20 international Opa Nguette (Metz).

Anderlecht defender Kara Mbodji has been named in the roster after he made himself available for selection despite struggling with a knee injury in recent weeks.

And he is joined in the squad list by undoubtedly the star player of The Lions of Teranga, Sadio Mané, Hull City midfielder Alfred Ndiaye, Stoke City's Mame Biram Diouf and West Ham star Cheikhou Kouyate.

The Senegalese squad have been booked in to stay at Holiday Inn Hotel, Wembley, and are expected to arrive in London on Monday, March 20.

Senegal Squad For Nigeria Friendly

Goalkeepers : Abdoulaye Diallo, Khadim Ndiaye, Pape Seydou Ndiaye

Defenders: Kalidou Koulibaly, Kara Mbodj, Saliou Ciss, Lamine Gassama, Moussa Wagué, Zargo Toure, Adama Mbengue, Cheikh Mbengue

Midfielders : Idrissa Gana Gueye, Cheikhou Kouyate, Pape Alioune Ndiaye, Salif Sané, Henry Saivet, Alfred Ndiaye, Cheikh Ndoye

Forwards: Sadio Mané, Diao Baldé Keïta, Mame Biram Diouf, Ismaîla Sarr, Opa Nguette, Moussa Sow, Famara Diediou, Babacar Khouma Gueye.

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West Ham boss Slaven Bilic hits back at Dimitri Payet over 'boring' tactics claims
JAMES BENGE
Evening Standard

Slaven Bilic has insisted Dimitri Payet was wrong to claim that West Ham's football was "boring" during his time at the club. Payet, who returned to Marseille in a £25million January deal, offered a damning indictment of the standard of football in "the lower reaches of the Premier League" in an interview with L'Equipe last week. The France international reserved particular scorn for West Ham's display in a 1-0 home win against Hull earlier this season where the post had been handed the club's man of the match award but Bilic insists that it is unfair to call his side defensive. "I don't want to go into arguing into players but all you have to see if you're talking about tactics and the way we played is the statistics from last year and this year," he said in his press conference ahead of the visit of Leicester City. "Even our most recent game against Bournemouth [a 3-2 away defeat], it was not a lack of attacking that caused us to be in a situation where we lost the game. "With the ball, last year and this year, we are creating chances. We are maybe playing too offensively, maybe that is the case."

Bilic's side enjoyed something of a renaissance when Payet was ostracised from the first-team and subsequently sold but results have been more disappointing over the past month. West Ham are winless in their last four Premier League games but Bilic is confident that his future need not be up for debate, with the club expected to offer him a new contract at the end of the season. "You know how it goes here," he said. "After a couple of good results, everyone is talking about that. A couple of less good results, it is a different story. "My situation hasn't changed and I can cope with that."

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Slaven Bilic rejects Stam's claim West Ham don't train hard enough
Bilic has hit back at Jaap Stam's training jibe
Football London
BYSAM INKERSOLE
11:30, 16 MAR 2017
WEST HAM

Slaven Bilic has hit back after West Ham's training methods were questioned by Reading boss Jaap Stam yesterday (Wednesday). The Royals manager said at a press conference that Hammers loanee Reece Oxford was surprised at the intensity of training at the Championship side in what appeared to be a thinly-veiled dig at Bilic. The Croat responded to the jibe at his own press conference at Rush Green today (Thursday), rejecting the notion the Hammers aren't training very hard. "I have not heard about it," he said. "We are training very intensely. Maybe with Recce and his change of club they train differently but the only thing I think is that Reece wasn't fit enough. He signed for Reading after a long injury to his ankle so maybe in the beginning he wasn't in the best shape. "That was ages ago though, he will have had enough time to get ready." Stam had said: "Reece Oxford has been surprised at the level of intensity in training at Reading, compared to at West Ham. "Young players need to improve. You need to be on top of them and give them good advice, so that's why training is intense."
Another Hammers loanee in Enner Valencia earlier criticised the training methods at Rush Green when he joined Everton on loan for the season back in August.

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Key points from Slaven Bilic press conference ahead of West Ham clash with Leicester City
The boss has been speaking to the media ahead of hosting Leicester City this weekend
Football London
BYSAM INKERSOLE
10:51, 16 MAR 2017

Slaven Bilic has been speaking to the media ahead of West Ham's Premier League clash with Leicester City at the London Stadium on Saturday. The Hammers have won just one in six and need a result this weekend to stop the rot but come up against a rejuvenated Foxes, who have yet to lose under new manager Craig Shakespeare. They also qualified for the quarter finals for the Champions League in midweek after beating Sevilla over two legs. Here's the main talking points from the press conference, with possible England call ups for Michail Antonio and Andy Carroll on the agenda as well. They simply have continued now like they finished last season. It is electric, getting second balls, quick attacks, good set pieces. They are in a good moment now, they have good momentum and want to continue but apart from the game against Bournemouth, we are playing good too. It's a different team to a few weeks ago. They were good against Sevilla, a great result for them and for English football. In their last three games they look very lively and of course those results and qualifying in the Champions League, it's given them a boost.

On Carroll and Antonio's England chances

"We will see if they get it. Both of them have had good seasons and are playing good, scoring goals and they are two of our most reponsible players for finishing and creating chances I don't mind Andy getting called up despite his injury problems. It's good for the players to get recognised."

Post-Bournemouth reaction
"The players know it wasn't good enough and they were unhappy after the game, very disappointed and frustrated and know we didn't do well enough. "When they missed the penalty and we scored we were in an ideal position to build on that and we let it slip away. To concede at the end of the game was very naive from our point of view. We have to bounce back and we are ready for that."

On Manuel Lanzini's form
"He likes to take responsibility He wants the ball all the time and when he is on the ball he is a top player with great ideas, skills and options. He sees stuff before anyone else "He is training really good, playing really good too. It's not because Payet left that he has improved. The players are giving him the ball more and he is getting available more."

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Slaven Bilic says West Ham must 'bounce back' after warning from co-chairman David Sullivan
KEN DYER
Evening Standard

Slaven Bilic has endorsed West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan's warning that the team must improve. Sullivan made the comments following the 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth last weekend and Bilic said today: "I said also that we can't be happy with our form. "We have to improve and bounce back. The players were unhappy in the dressing room after the Bournemouth match and they know they have to do better. We have to bounce back and we are ready for that." West Ham have won just one of their last six matches and are at home to rejuvenated Leicester on Saturday. "It is very important for us," said the West Ham manager. "There are so many things still to fight for. We are under pressure and we know we have to win the game. "Leicester are a different team to four weeks ago, especially after the great result against Sevilla. It was a great result for English football also. "Qualifying for the quarter-final of the Champions League definitely will give them a big boost. I don't know why they didn't play like that earlier in the season."
Bilic believes Leicester's recent results exonerate the club's decision to part company with Claudio Ranieri. "It's that kind of job," he said. "You are the first one to pay the price and now no one can say it was the wrong decision. "Leicester play very simple football – but it's productive. They continue now like they finished last season. It's electric, good at the second ball and finding spaces. "We are playing well though, apart from Bournemouth, and we are expecting something from this game."

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Revealed: Bilic believes Besiktas star could be better than Chelsea's Kante
By Emre Sarigul - March 16, 20170
Turkish Football

West Ham manager Slaven Bilic has revealed that he believes Besiktas star Atiba Hutchinson is as good as Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante.
Bilic underlined that Atiba is worthy of comparison with Kante and that he has played an instrumental role in the Black Eagles resurgence over the past four seasons. "Perhaps Atiba is even better than Kante," Bilic was quoted as saying by Turkish-Football.
"Atiba is the most consistent player, he has been the rock of Besiktas for four years, provides balance and keeps the balance. "He plays the same role as Kante but they have a few differences. "Kante rarely makes a passing mistake, I actually think he has the capability to create assists as well if he wants. "Kante loves to intercept balls, Atiba is the same. "If you ask be Atiba is a great player, he always gets out of trouble and does so much for the team."
Bilic said that he believes players who play Kante's role in football often go under the radar. "It all depends where you are from, who spots you and the position you play," he added. Bilic signed Atiba from Dutch giants PSV when he was manager of Besiktas. The Canada international has gone onto become a key player for the Black Eagles and was part of the title winning side last season. Bilic who now coaches West Ham has attempted to bring Atiba to East London but Besiktas rejected his €3.5 million offer. Besiktas president Fikret Orman was quoted by the Evening Standard as saying: "I am going to have talks with Atiba Hutchinson, he has said he wants to move to England. "West Ham made a €3.5 million offer but we want more for him. As I said we will decide his future after we hold talks." Besiktas are currently first in the Turkish league and take on Olympiakos in the Europa League Last 16 second-leg tie against Olympiakos tonight.

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West Ham should try again for Andrew Robertson this summer
HITC
Vincent Ralph

West Ham United would be wise to make a fresh move for the Hull City defender. As reported by Sky Sports back in the summer, West Ham United failed with a £7million bid for Hull City defender Andrew Robertson, but despite Aaron Cresswell's subsequent return to fitness the Hammers would be wise to try their hand again 12 months on. Cresswell may have rediscovered his fitness but his form has been woefully short of what he showed last season, and while that may return in time, West Ham need to strengthen all across the back line.
While a new right-back is vital this summer, Robertson would offer competition down the opposite flank and with his contract expiring in the summer of 2018 he could be available for a cut-price fee.
If he does not sign a new deal in the interim, Hull will certainly have a decision to make, knowing that they would risk losing him for nothing a year later. Much could also depend on what division the Tigers find themselves in next season and West Ham should at least chance their hand, with the 23-year-old possessing all the attributes to be a long-term success at the London Stadium. Robertson may not be the star name West Ham fans are craving but he could prove to be one of their best signings of recent years if they get him second time around.

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West Ham could be at risk of losing Slaven Bilic to a more ambitious project
HITC
Damien Lucas

West Ham United have been dragging their heels over awarding Slaven Bilic a new contract. Bilic led West Ham to their best ever Premier League points total and first positive goal difference since 1986 in his debut season last term. The Hammers took a number of notable scalps along the way and bid a memorable farewell to the Boleyn Ground with a thrilling 3-2 comeback win over Manchester United. This season has been a different story entirely, though, with West Ham bowing out of the Europa League in qualifying and the FA Cup and EFL Cup with heavy defeats. Bilic was at one stage the favourite for the sack but the East Londoners turned what was threatening to be a disastrous season around after Christmas to push themselves into the relative comfort of midtable. It was during the turnaround in results and performances that stories emerged indicating the former Croatia boss was to be rewarded with a new contract, as reported by the likes of the Daily Mail. But results have dipped again of late leading to unrest among supporters and talk of a new deal for Bilic has died down. The majority of fans are behind Bilic and believe he has not been backed enough in the transfer market by co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold who promised big, marquee signings last summer and failed to deliver. So could Sullivan and Gold risk losing their manager to a more ambitious project if they continue to drag their heels over a new contract. There will be some big clubs looking for new managers in the summer and Bilic could well be on their wish lists given the job he has done at West Ham. It was not that long ago he was being linked with replacing Roy Hodgson as England manager. Sullivan and Gold must accept they have not done nearly enough to properly support Bilic with the kind of money needed to achieve their stated aims of challenging the top six. Hesitate much longer and it could well be a case of not knowing what you have got until it's gone.

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West Ham to make sensational swoop for former player
By Ash Randall - March 16, 2017410 0

West Ham United want to re-sign Sunderland's Jermain Defoe in the summer as they look to strengthen their attacking options, according to Hammers fanzine Claret and Hugh. It is reported there is a clause in the 34-year-old's contract that means he will be available on a free transfer if the Black Cats get relegated this season. Defoe is a proven finisher in the Premier League and has netted 14 of Sunderland's 24 goals this campaign, which is no mean feat given their position at the bottom of the league. Even though the former West Ham player could arrive on a free, he will still cost around £70,000 a week for whatever team snap him up. The Hammers are desperate to bolster their forward line after a disastrous season in which Simone Zaza and Jonathon Calleri failed to live up to expectations and Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho have struggled with injuries. Sunderland look odds-on to get relegated, in which case Defoe would surely leave the Stadium of Light.

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DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO CRITICIZE?
By Blind Hammer 16 Mar 2017 at 08:00
WTID

"Blind Hammer Looks at some of the debates over criticism of Slaven Bilic.

After the disappointment of the Bournemouth defeat there were some heated debates on West Ham till I Die and other West Ham sites. We were all disappointed but there was some real discontent as to Bilic's team selection and tactics. There was also some discontent from those who were unhappy with those criticising Bilic. Subsequent to the main draft of this post being written after the Bournemouth defeat Mark Noble added weight to this view by claiming that football supporters do not really know about football.

The criticism of Bilic has mainly focussed on his unbalancing of the team by taking some of our most effective players and consistently playing them out of position. Bilic seems to have a stubborn streak and seemed, for example, for an extraordinary extended time determined to persevere with Antonio at right back. This stubborn belief persisted all summer to such a degree that we did not recruit a class right back. The appalling Antonio defensive performances at the start of the season forced a panic last minute recruitment of Álvaro Arbeloa, a player already ,reported on Real Madrid blog posts as having "lost his legs" before he came to us.

Despite this Bilic continued to play Antonio at the back until, if we ,are to believe reports, Sullivan met with and read the riot act. Unfortunately Byram faced early injury, as did Arbeloa, though the latter has never seemed capable of playing at Premiership level on the few occasions we have observed him anyway.

Regrettably despite another transfer window passing the experiment of playing players out of position to try and fudge the issues at the right side of our defence continued. Now Cheikhou Kouyaté is the latest important performer who has been transformed into an ordinary if not mediocre right back. Håvard Nordtveit is another stand in make shift right back who also does not meet Premiership standards. All this is understandable in an injury crisis but for this situation to be allowed to persist over two transfer windows is little short of baffling.

I wrote last year how we could not seriously compete in the long term with a defence that concedes on average 2 goals a game. This season we have continued the malaise, conceding 58 goals in 30 league, league cup and FA Cup games. Such consistent defensive

weakness gives the rest of the team a mountain to climb most games. The priority for recruitment this summer is defence rather than attack.

I was amongst those who wrote an article last week fearing for the defensive fragility of our team because of this and other issues. The reluctance to make selection decisions based on merit also seems very strange. Nearly everybody who has seen Antonio agrees his most powerful performances have occurred been on the right side of an attack. He has rarely played there, being deployed either as a right back/wing back, on the left or as a first or second forward as in the game against Bournemouth. Lanzini seems most effective and able to dominate a game when he is played through the middle but is only sporadically played there, being shifted out wide to accommodate other midfield presences.

I received criticism for suggesting in my post last week that Bilic needed to grasp some selection nettles and in particular that Noble needs now to be dropped to the bench. According to the radio commentary of the Bournemouth game Noble, a fantastic servant at the club, was nevertheless lucky to stay on the pitch.

After the Bournemouth defeat those who have criticised team strategy have been ridiculed by some. The argument is that Bilic has more football knowledge, insight and skill in his little finger than in the whole bodies of any of the blogging "experts" who dare to criticise him. On one level this is incontestably true but in another way is completely wrong. The point is that none of us are claiming to be experts, certainly not me. The idea that a blind man has greater insight than Bilic into tactics is clearly laughable.

However this is very different from saying Bilic is therefore infallible and should be immune from the questioning and if necessary criticism of his decisions. Is there anybody who could seriously maintain that Bilic was correct all along with his Antonio experiments? Was Bilic correct all along about his assessment of Zazar? Can setting up a team which concedes 2 gtoals a game acceptable?

There are thousands of eyes and ears watching and listening to West Ham every week. Collectively we have a validity to query recruitment, selection and tactical decisions. The late Graham Taylor, who received his share of criticism in managerial roles, nevertheless never necessarily dismissed the validity of supporter analysis just because they were supporters and not football professionals. He would actively congratulate some supporters for their insights, memorably applauding a Noel Gallagher analysis of a Manchester City performance. Taylor would disagree with the ignorant view but recognise genuine insight.

Managers have to struggle against some limitations on their analysis. They can be too close to the action, sometimes literally so on the side-lines and struggle to see a broader picture. Emotion plays a part in all sport and dropping players who have served you loyally may be a real tricky issue to manage in the dressing room.

Collectively as supporters it is actually, in my opinion, our duty to provide the more distant judgemental assessment, more free from the emotional consequences of personal player relationships and loyalties. This can actually help Bilic in some of his more difficult decisions.

So yes I will continue to criticise and question Bilic's decisions. Do I believe I know more than Bilic?-Absolutely not. Do I believe he should stay West Ham manager? Absolutely. Do I admire him for his conduct and apparent character? – Without doubt,

Yet it is a hard sport and I want him to account for his decisions. Why does he fail to play his 2 strongest midfield players in the centre? Why does he not play our best and strongest right sided forward on the right? Why is our most imaginative central midfield player able to create and influence games often stranded wide? Why does our left back not come under pressure for his place despite poor performances? Why do we not play our only fit right back at right back? Why do we have insufficient pace in the team, especially defensively? Why do we consistently get caught on the break? Why did a simple straight ball over the top of our central defenders by Bournemouth cause repeated and frantic defensive chaos?

Of course Bilic knows more than any one of us individually but it is essential for loyal supporters to highlight and pressurise on areas of weaknesses obvious even to a blind supporter rather than hide our heads under a pillow and pretend these issues do not exist.

COYI
David Griffith

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Newcastle United and West Ham United cited as potential destinations for Dries Mertens
HITC
John Verrall

Newcastle United and West Ham United are said to be interested in the Napoli man. According to Belgian newspaper Nieuwsblad, Dries Mertens is a pontential transfer target for both West Ham United and Newcastle United this summer. Mertens future at Napoli is currently in doubt, despite him enjoying one of the best seasons of his career this campaign. The 29-year-old has been played up-front by the Serie A side on a number of occasions, and he has scored frequently. Mertens has hit 24 goals in 35 matches in for Napoli, but his contract is set to expire in 2018. And both Newcastle and West Ham are touted as potential destinations for Mertens, by the Belgian press. Newcastle would, of course, have to be promoted to the Premier League to have any chance of landing Mertens. West Ham, on the the other hand, are likely to be looking to add high profile additions during the summer transfer window. If either of Newcastle or West Ham could attract Mertens, it would be a real statement of intent for the pair. Newcastle and West Ham are both expected to have sizeable funds to spend in the next transfer window.

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WEST HAM EYEING SWOOP FOR SERIE A GOAL MACHINE WITH £24M RELEASE CLAUSE – REPORT
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16th March, 2017, 7:57 AM
By Will Butcher

West Ham are monitoring the future of Sampdoria striker Luis Muriel as the Colombian continues to shine in Serie A, according to a report. The Mirror claim the Hammers have turned to the 25-year-old forward to finally end their hunt for a striker, but could be forced to meet his release clause which is a whopping £24million. Sampdoria's number nine has been in exceptional form this season, scoring 12 goals as well as turning provider on a further nine occasions during his 30 league and cup outings. Goals against the likes of Roma, Fiorentina and AC Milan have made the former Udinese and Granada forward one of Europe's most in-form strikers. That has alerted manager Slaven Bilic, but he faces a fight to sign Muriel as the versatile forward has claimed that he has offers from three different countries. "The future? I'm happy at Sampdoria," Muriel stated. "But I've had several offers from Juventus, Inter, Milan and Roma in Italy, but also from abroad — in Spain and England." The nine-time international can play both as a centre-forward and in the number 10 role, and has just over two years remaining on his current contract with Sampdoria.
Despite a number of risky foreign signings that have tried and failed at the London Stadium this season, it is fair to say that Muriel holds a good chance of becoming a success with the Hammers. His form against the biggest sides of Italian football proves that he has what it takes to score against the world's best defenders. Muriel's performance during a spectacular Sampdoria victory over Roma back in January saw him provide two assists and score another to earn a 3-2 win against Luciano Spalletti's side. It is that kind of inspiration that Bilic is looking for to fire the Hammers back into contention for the European qualification places ahead of the 2017-18 campaign.

In other West Ham transfer news, this 27-year-old striker has revealed that he wants to leave the Hammers in the summer and join Premier League rivals Everton.

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Everything you need to know about West Ham transfer target Diego Laxalt
Nope, we've never heard of him either
BYSAM INKERSOLE
07:30, 16 MAR 2017UPDATED08:06, 16 MAR 2017

Yet another name has been linked with a move to the West Ham in the summer but this is a bloke that you probably haven't heard of whatsoever. His name is Diego Laxalt. "Who?" we hear you cry and we thought exactly the same as well. The 24-year-old is an attacking midfielder from Montevideo, Uruguay. You can already start to see the comparisons with Manuel Lanzini here. Laxalt himself describes himself as a left-footed attacking midfielder, similar to another Uruguayan, Alvaro Recoba. He also, in his words, says his strengths are his speed and endurance. Laxalt started his career with Defensor Sporting in his homeland in 2012 before he was snapped up by Inter in January 2013, with the deal completed that July for a fee of £2m. He actually never featured for Inter's first team, being sent out on a couple of loan spells. One to Bologna, where he made 15 appearances and scored twice, a four-game stint with Empoli and then the spell that really got him noticed, at Genoa. He signed an 18-month loan deal with the option to buy and impressed sufficiently that the Italian outfit decided to keep him permanently and he has made 50 appearances so far this season, only scoring four times but he is the mainstay of the team. Laxalt has also represented Uruguay at youth level, having made 16 appearances for the U20 side, scoring once. He was then called up to the senior squad for the Copa Americano Centenario tournament as a replacement for the injured Cristian Rodriguez.

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West Ham signing reveals how quick process was
By Alexander Ford - March 16, 201718 0
ninetyminutesonline.com

West Ham United's summer signing Edimilson Fernandes has spoken about how quickly his move to the club happened. The midfielder joined the London Stadium from Swiss side FC Sion in August for an undisclosed fee, however he did not know anything about any interest being shown in him, to then being signed almost immediately. "Imagine this: I had not heard anything concrete. And they tell me to get on the plane immediately! I'm not ready yet, was my first thought. But then everything went ultra fast," the 20-year-old was quoted as saying to Swiss media outlet Blick. In the same article, Fernandes also described how the first meeting with Slaven Bilic went and then being told to start the very next day. "The first interview with coach Slaven Bilic was on the same evening, who asked me if I could start the next day," he said. "But I did not even have my football boots! Still I did the first training. Then the medical check. And the signature under the contract until 2020. That was almost a shock!"
Although he has admitted his start to being in the colours of West Ham were very quick, Fernandes has been particularly impressive on the field. The midfielder has currently made 22 appearances so far this season, with seven of them being included within the starting line-up. He also scored for the Hammers in the 2-1 victory against London rivals Chelsea in the EFL Cup, which led to receiving praise from Bilic. The impressive performances from the youngster have not only benefited West Ham, with a debut being handed to the Switzerland international, coming off the bench in a 2-0 victory over the Faroe Islands in a World Cup Qualifier, leaving the Swiss top of Group B.

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