Sunday, December 3

Daily WHUFC News - 3rd December 2017

Zabaleta: One win will put Hammers 'back on track'
WHUFC.com

Pablo Zabaleta believes a one victory could be all West Ham United need to get the season 'back on track' and feels there's every chance that win could come against Manchester City.

The Hammers travel to the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon for their next match in the Premier League, with the Irons picking up one point so far under new manager David Moyes.

West Ham are now preparing to take on a City side that, under Pep Guardiola, has dropped points on just one occasion in the league this campaign.

But former City defender Zabaleta is positive that West Ham can take something from this weekend's game, with just one positive result a potential catalyst to kick-start the season.

"Even if people say we cannot beat the big teams, like Manchester City, this is football," Zabaleta said. "Football is unpredictable and you never know. They could have a bad day and we could take something from this.

"Of course, when you look at City they've been performing well all season but we have to be positive and there's still a long way to go. Winning one game, or two games, could get everything back on track again.

"We just have to be positive. Let's try to win – why not?"

Zabaleta, who spent nine years with City, was full of praise for his former team but reckons West Ham can take heart from Southampton's recent effort against the league leaders, in which City needed a late goal to win the game.

The right-back admits City have the attacking players that can hurt the Hammers – and indeed any team – but is positive he and his teammates can put on the 'perfect' performance at the Etihad.

"Manchester City have been the best team in the league," he stated. "They've been playing amazing football. If you look at Southampton in the last game, they were solid and positive, but we need to do everything perfect to beat City. Do the job defensively and then take the chances.

"Against Man City, if you concede after ten minutes it will be really hard. You can be exposed at the back and against those teams with players like David Silva, De Bruyne and Aguero – it's tough.

"Every time I prepare for a game I think we can get something, otherwise I would stay at home and not play. We have to believe we can play the perfect game and take our chances."

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Arnautovic: I understand fans' frustration but we will put things right
WHUFC.com

Marko Arnautovic has vowed that the Hammers will overcome their poor start to the season as they enter into the busiest part of the Premier League season.

In an honest and frank interview on the eve of Sunday's trip to league leaders Manchester City, Arnautovic admitted he and his teammates understand the frustration with performances falling below expectations both personally and collectively, but reiterated their commitment to putting things right.

West Ham take on City, Chelsea and Arsenal in their next three fixtures with the Austrian international saying they cannot approach those fixtures with any fear.

He said: "I can understand the fans and I can understand everybody who is surprised by our performances. I came here because, and I will say this always, West Ham is for me a big, big club with big history and good players and we shouldn't be where we are.

"The club and all the people who are involved with it deserve better, and we players need to show the people who come to the stadium late in the evening, or even cancel their work to come and support us, that we will fight for them, for the club and fight for ourselves.

"We have played 14 games and we have another 24, so it's a lot of games to go and we can change things around. We need to be proud to play for this club and we need to put our hands together and go into this together, not only the players but the fans, the club, everybody.

"You play eleven against eleven, human against human and they are also just human beings like us. Of course City are a top team with amazing, world class players but if we stick together and we try to do something in the game, we can get something.

"We have to think positively and you have to go into the game with the mindset that you're going to win this game, or take something out of it.

"I want to change this situation around, I want to do way better. I'm getting there now, I'm fit and I hope I can give this back with goals and assists because that's what everybody wants from me.

"I came here for a lot and the expectation is high for me. I want to show this, I don't want to put myself in the corner and say 'no, I can't do this' or go home and cry because I'm not putting in the performances.

"I'm strong, I train hard and I want to change things around. I want to do it with this club, with these people and everyone who is involved at West Ham United."

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Manchester City v West Ham United
SUN 03 DEC 2017PREMIER LEAGUE
16:00
Venue: Etihad Stadium

TEAM NEWS

Midfielder Leroy Sane is back in training and could return against West Ham after missing Manchester City's midweek victory because of illness.

David Silva should start after playing 16 minutes against Southampton but Vincent Kompany and Fernandinho will be assessed.

West Ham defender Winston Reid is a doubt after suffering a hamstring injury against Everton on Wednesday.

Andy Carroll and Javier Hernandez both remain out.

MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES

Guy Mowbray: "David Moyes was Pep Guardiola's first opposing manager in the Premier League, and it needed a late own goal for Manchester City to beat Sunderland.

"On current form, the West Ham boss will have his work cut out to run City so close this time - or to improve things quickly at all with his new club.

"For this one, in his own words, he's "got to hope that this is 'where you never know what happens in football' comes in".

"What happens with City recently is that Raheem Sterling wins games late on for them.

"Does being held close to the whistle mean their winning streak is near to ending? It might signal quite the opposite."

Twitter: @Guymowbray

WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola on an apparent confrontation with Nathan Redmond: "I cannot control myself. I have to do that, hopefully I can improve.

"I've played in my career against lots of managers and I will never judge the way opponents play against one of my teams.

"It's so complicated when teams defend with ten players. I said to Nathan you are a good player and you have to attack."

West Ham manager David Moyes: "I think there's been moments where we've looked okay.

"The players are trying to improve and get better. A lot of our goals are down to individual mistakes.

"This is a big job but it's a good job. We've got a good team.

"I've never gone into any game thinking we've not got a chance of winning."

LAWRO'S PREDICTION

Southampton and Huddersfield have shown in the past week how teams can make it difficult for Manchester City, even if Pep Guardiola's side still beat them both in the end.

I don't think the Hammers have got the personnel to do that, though.

Prediction: 3-0

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

These sides met three times last season in all competitions - City won all three by a 12-1 aggregate scoreline.
The Hammers have won just three of the last 25 meetings in all competitions, drawing five and losing 17.
West Ham have won just three of the last 20 Premier League meetings (D4, L13).
Manchester City

City's 12-match Premier League winning run this season has only been bettered by Chelsea (13 in 2016-17) and Arsenal (13 in 2001-02).
The all-time record for consecutive victories is Arsenal's 14, achieved between February and August 2002.
City are unbeaten in 27 matches in all competitions (W23, D4).
Raheem Sterling has scored the winning goal in the 84th minute or later four times this season, including in each of City's last three games.
Sterling's nine league goals this season has already equalled his record for an entire Premier League campaign.
West Ham United

West Ham are without a win in their last seven league games, drawing three, and have only scored five goals in that run.
The Hammers have conceded a Premier League-high 30 goals this season; opponents City are the league's top scorers with 44.
Defeat for West Ham would set a new club record for fewest points after 15 Premier League matches, with just 10.
They have not won any of their eight away league games this season and have only won one of their last 15 Premier League away matches (D6, L8).
Michail Antonio's last six Premier League goals have all been scored in away fixtures.

SAM's predictions
Most probable score: 4-0 Probability of draw: 4%
Probability of home win: 95% Probability of away win: 1%
SAM (Sports Analytics Machine) is a super-computer created by @ProfIanMcHale at the University of Liverpool that is used to predict the outcome of football matches.

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London Olympic Stadium taken over by mayor Sadiq Khan
1 December 2017
BBC.co.uk

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has agreed to take over the former Olympic Stadium amid "financial challenges". Mr Khan says a "catalogue of errors" by his predecessor Boris Johnson led to the costs of transforming it into West Ham United's new ground soaring. An independent review says the conversion cost £323m - the original estimate was £190m. Mayor of Newham Sir Robin Wales said Mr Johnson left the stadium's finances in a "dreadful mess". The review says that E20, the public sector company set up to run the London Stadium, is projected to make a loss of £20m next year and a total loss of £140m over its first 10 years. Mr Khan claims Mr Johnson's decision to make taxpayers foot the bill means Londoners will have to shoulder the predicted loss.

He will take control of the stadium in order to "renegotiate deals" and "minimise ongoing losses". Mr Khan said: "I ordered the review into the finances of the London Stadium to understand how key decisions were made about its transformation and why costs were allowed to spiral out of control. "What has been presented is simply staggering."

West Ham were awarded tenancy of the stadium in 2013, however under the agreement the club would not have to pay for certain running costs.
These instead would be paid for by the taxpayer and include policing, stewarding, goalposts, corner flags, cleaners and turnstile operators.
However, the review notes that since that deal was signed, policing and stewarding costs have "increased notably".

West Ham said: "The concession agreement is a watertight, legally binding contract signed in 2013 in good faith by West Ham United, who remain absolutely committed to its terms for the entire 99-year duration. "It is not in West Ham United's interests for the stadium to be not performing in line with aspiration and, as we have done ever since moving to Stratford in the summer of 2016, we continue to offer the benefit of our commercial expertise and substantial experience in managing successful stadia." The club added the stadium "craves renewed leadership" and it welcomed "the mayor's decision to step in and deliver this".

Newham Council said it received a business plan from E20 in October 2016 which indicated there was likely to be an "ongoing deficit" which could make it "financially unsustainable" in the long term. An internal review was carried out by the council at the same time the Mayor of London launched his own inquiry. Reacting to Mr Khan's takeover, Sir Robin said: "On behalf of Newham residents, I am angry that the deals and decisions made by the former Mayor of London and his administration have left the stadium finances in such a dreadful mess. "It is regrettable that the finances of the stadium have not followed the expected course." He added it was "vital" for Newham that the stadium remained a public asset.

A source close to Mr Johnson, who was the Mayor of London between May 2008 and May 2016, rejected the criticisms. He said: "No other city has an Olympic legacy like London's - all seven venues on the park are in private hands, with millions of visitors a year, and a positive economic legacy for east London. "The stadium has a secure future with athletics and football. "The mistakes belonged to Khan's Labour predecessor Ken Livingstone and the Blair government. Signing off on a stadium fit only for athletics was a massive error. The only option for Boris was conversion to a multi-use venue."

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Khan and the blame game
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 1st December 2017
By: Paul Walker

Here we go again, get prepared everyone for West Ham to be given another public kicking over the nightmare that is the London Stadium.

As if things are not bad enough on the pitch at the moment, with relegation looming ever-larger with every match. Unless we can beat Manchester City, that is.

We have become a political football. Tenants in the Time Share stadium, with--we are told--water-tight contracts that stretch for 99 years.

And it is these contracts that are going to be tested, legally and morally, to the limit now by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, who has virtually put his political credibility on the line. The man who has fronted up the President of the USA without flinching, will no doubt reckon we are easy prey now.

And on our side of the fence it will be the lady herself, Tory peer Karren Brady who will equally find herself in the firing line as the gloves come off (yes, I know, mixed metaphors there).

Clearly we have seen this coming, from the report commissioned by Khan into the sorry back-catalogue of how a publicly-owned stadium can get itself into such a financial mess. Our carefully-worded statement today wasn't just knocked out in a flash. We said all the right things, praised Khan's intervention while stating the legal situation as we see it.

But that still means we should stand by to be slaughtered, not only by Manchester City, but by both ends of the media political spectrum. The Daily Mail will be straight down our throats, they hate us because they reckon Karren and the Dildo Brothers have taken their Tory mate Boris Johnson for a ride.

The Guardian will be in there shouting from the moral high ground because they hate the fact that West Ham have benefited from the public purse, to an alarming degree it must be agreed. And they also have a deep dislike of unelected Tories like Karren and football chancers like David Sullivan and David Gold, only recently seen in public with Brady at a Tory fund-raising dinner. Oh, the shame.

And the BBC? Well, just for a change today (Dan Roan was at the World Cup draw and couldn't stab us from there) their news people put both sides of the argument. They had one of our mates from WHUISA in the studio and the reporter made it very clear that West Ham approved of Khan's involvement, and would not be too keen to have perfectly legal agreements torn up just to give Khan a political victory over Johnson.

And that's the point here. Khan and the mayor of Newham, Robin Wales were scathing of Johnson's administration for the horrific deals struck that from their point of view, been a financial disaster. The steal of the century from our point of view.

But Johnson, now Foreign Secretary and still with desires to be PM, has already come out fighting. His sources have claimed the fault is with the Tony Blair's previous Labour government, the former Labour London mayor Ken Livingstone and anyone else with a red rosette who gave the OK for the stadium design in the first place.

A stadium only set up for athletics, despite the blindingly obvious view that only regular Premier League football would provide the revenue to save the Stratford venue from being a hideous white elephant. Boris' people, of course, avoided making the obvious point that the real villain with his demands for athletics only was Tory peer Seb Coe.

So you can all see the way this is falling. A year ago I wrote here that Khan wants Boris on a wire, his big political rival to take the blame for the mess that is the former Olympic stadium. Ever since then, Khan has had this as his aim. He has had some sad distractions with the terror attacks in the capital, the shocking Grenfell fire and a certain Donald Trump slagging him off at every opportunity for basically being a Muslim.

But now Khan has his report. It talks of mind-blowing mismanagement, of "onerous" contracts costing the tax payer millions, of the need to "revisit" those deals.

We have Newham Council now no longer our part landlords, they have given up their interest in the stadium --where they are going to see none of the loan they put in at the start of the redevelopment--for the promise of 25 years of more cash to be ploughed into their coffers to be spent on the poor and deprived in Newham.

They must be breathing a sign of relief to be rid of the albatross that is the stadium and able to concentrate now on what they were elected to do.

Our landlords now will be just the LLDC, and we are assured that all the contracts involving the soon to be defunct E20 body will become the legal responsibility of the LLDC, and basically Khan's authority.

And that's the rub. He will try now to renegotiate those contracts with us, and our board will fight him all the way. Their attitude is that what was signed by Boris' lot is legally binding, watertight, for 99 years.

They will say we are only tenants for around 20-odd days a year. If we were not there, then the stadium would be been bulldozed by now as being a financial basket case.

Maybe Spurs were right. It should have been knocked down and rebuilt as a football stadium. But that would have been a political disaster for any government, the much-talked about legacy a thing of the past.

But we have seen this coming. Only this week David Gold was involved in a twitter exchange blaming David Levy and Barry Hearn--Spurs and the now quickly disappearing Orient-- for stopping West Ham and Newham Council from reconfiguration the Olympic Stadium into a football ground.

That's all history now, though. It is what it is and with the Greater London Authority and Government now in full control, the chances of the stadium falling to us for nothing, just to get it off their hands, seems a long way away.

But there will be negotiations. And you can see there is a way for a peace plan. If we are to be bullied into paying more rent, we will want something back. Maybe those 10,000 extra seats so far denied us, maybe a better interior design with real retractable seating.

Because it has been clear for some while that the relationship between West Ham and the ground owners has been poor. The recently-departed head of the LLDC made a reference to continued legal action by West Ham that is costing the owners £3.5m. So things cannot be hunky dory if the relationship between tenants and landlords is being dealt with through lawyers.

What is also clear is that Khan has put a stop to any further expense for the owners with regard to those extra seats and the stewarding. Somewhere along the line there does not seem to be provision in Karren's carefully negotiated contracts to cover those extra seating use and who pays for the extra stewarding. I do hope there are not other loop holes in those deals that we don't know about and that can be exploited by Khan.

And now we come to the crux of the matter, the non-retractable, removable seating that is costing millions to move in and out of athletics mode to suit the football. Or the other way round, if you get my meaning.

That alone is a farce. The sensible outcome would be to leave the seating in football mode, because that is what makes the real money for the Government, 60,000 people twice a month passing though the turnstiles and funding businesses throughout the Stratford part of East London.

To leave the stadium without the movable seating just to benefit a twice-a-year athletics event is nonsense. But you can bet Coe and his mates will be lobbying for just that.

And that, of course, it will mean moving athletics to the soon to be rebuilt stadium in Birmingham. That makes sense, because then football would be the only money making gig in town. But then when were the people running the stadium ever sensible about anything?

So, as I said, stand by for a kicking everybody, as our board fight their corner, for a stadium many of us wish would just disappear into the River Lea, never to be seen again. With a new home for our great, ailing club built in its place. Wishful thinking, I know.

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Supporters Group Meeting 30 November 2017
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 2nd December 2017
By: Gordon Thrower

We sent Gordon Thrower along to the latest meeting of bloggers, website staff and assorted n'er do wells With Karren Brady...."

On behalf of the site I attended a meeting on Thursday night. I had intended to publish detailed minutes of what was said but events have overtaken me and, as I sit here approximately 100 miles away from my detailed notes, of the evening, I find myself having to defend the site in general and myself in particular against some rather inaccurate accusations based on what I can only say is a misinterpretation of comments I made on the general forum.

As a result of my comments some people have gone out of their way to accuse me and the site of trying to hijack any "credit" for the criticism that was conveyed to Baroness Brady. I'm happy to confirm that I wasn't the only one there being critical of the ownership and management.

The problem stems from my forum comments in which I suggested I was "lone voice" at times. This was a function of the different reasons we had for being there. Others went there with specific queries on finance, branding, the matchday "experience" that sort of thing. As a result when others spoke it was a bit of a quickfire Q&A type thing.

My reason for being there was less specific. As mentioned elsewhere I saw my role as more of a conduit for the views of the membership on the generalities of how the club is being run. As such I was answering questions almost as much as asking them. I took this role quite seriously and spent the preceding few days spending precious time reading through the discussion forums so - irrespective of anything I personally thought - I could let the club what kumb members are thinking.

That meant when I had to chip in with an answer to, for example, the question of why the owners aren't particularly trusted by the board I went on and on and on. (Yeah I know I can rabbit a bit). Frankly I thought that that was the area in which I felt I could contribute most. I was a lone voice at that point because I probably had the most to say based on forum comment and nobody else could get a word in. "Lone voice" meant that at times it was just me speaking. Nothing more nothing less.

The other comment I made was that I gave the club the "hardest time" of those there. I stand by that - not in terms of nobody else giving them a hard time but more in terms of I had the least palatable messages to convey. The forums on here have been pretty negative toward the club's owners and management and that was what I had to deliver to them. I had the hardest message to give.

I'm not insinuating for a minute that kumb was the only critical voice in the room or that I was the only one conveying difficult messages or that everyone else was acting in a sycophantic manner and I'm sorry that some have for whatever reason chosen to interpret my comments in that manner.

I do object to being called a liar and of talking "bollocks" and being accused of only talking to ask for introductions. Apart from the early conversations consisting largely of questions to which I already knew the answers (I have spent so much time reading the club's accounts I can quote the figures back at you without looking) I thought asking for introductions was a sensible idea since a) I didn't know everybody there and b) I have the late Bobby Robson's legendary talent for forgetting names. The first question I was asked when I finally got home was "who else was there" so without my notes I'd have been stuffed.

I'm not going to comment on other individuals who were there, what was said by whom or what I thought of them or why innocent comments have been twisted to attack the site. You'll have to ask them that. My private thoughts are, as with all this, irrelevant. I'm used to being slagged off over my connections with this site - if I couldn't handle that I wouldn't still be here after all these years. I do reserve the right to defend myself against stuff that's based on inaccuracy though.

All the best

Gnome


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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West Ham players must take more responsibility, says Pablo Zabaleta
By Dan Long
Last Updated: 01/12/17 9:28pm
SSN

West Ham defender Pablo Zabaleta says the players must take responsibility for the miserable form that has earned them a spot in the Premier League relegation places. The Hammers have won just twice in 14 league games this season and find themselves two points adrift of safety ahead of this weekend's Super Sunday clash with leaders Manchester City, live on Sky Sports Premier League. David Moyes was brought in during early November to replace Slaven Bilic at the helm, but since his appointment, the Scot has overseen a draw and two defeats, the latter of which came against his former employers Everton earlier this week.
Zabaleta believes the onus must be on the players to perform, rather than all the pressure being hoisted onto the shoulders of the manager, as he prepares to take on his former club on Sunday. "When David Moyes came in, it seemed like, at that time, something needed to change," he told Sky Sports. "In football when a manager doesn't get results, he's probably the first person to pay the price. In some ways he has a positive impact on the team and the reality was we lost two games and we drew one against Leicester. "As players we must take some responsibility. New manager, but the same mistakes that we've been doing for the whole season. It's about confidence, winning one or maybe two games in a row and getting everything on track again - he makes the difference for sure. "At the moment, he's not worried about lack of quality because we have good players, but at the moment [the mental side] is the key factor. To let the players know we need to improve as a team by giving everything in the game, by being tougher, tracking back, being harder to beat - he is insisting on this."

The defeat at Goodison Park marked the third occasion in which Moyes' squad have shipped four goals this campaign and the Argentine conceded that the season hadn't unfolded in the manner the squad had anticipated. "The situation at the moment is not what we expected at the beginning of the season. There are so many things we have to change if we want to be a Premier League team next season. When you lose 4-0, it's a big defeat - it's massive. "Individual performances have not been great, this is difficult then to have a collective and, as a team, look solid, strong. We need to step up. This is something we were saying a few weeks ago, and then, after some games like Everton, you feel that all what we've been saying, all the work didn't work out in the game."

The goal-shy Hammers scored just two goals in the entirety of November, and Zabaleta feels that confidence is the primary factor affecting the way West Ham are performing this season. "I think it's about confidence. I can't find anything different other than being concentrated going into the game, focus on your job because if you look at the players we have in the squad, they all have huge experience in the Premier League and different competitions; you expect that team to do better."

"You cannot make those mistakes week in week out. It's hard to understand and to accept because, before the games, we talk about the first 15-20 minutes and trying not to concede goals and then, in the game, first ball into the box, we concede goals or we make some mistakes - a little mistake that is costing so many points."

Speaking of the occasion, in which Zabaleta will face City for the first time since his nine-year spell at the Etihad concluded in the summer said: "I think it's going to be a bit weird [going back], a bit strange. It will be the first time I'll go back to a former club, but especially at City as it's where I spent most of my career. As a player, I grew up with the club."

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Vincent Kompany expects West Ham to study Huddersfield and Southampton game plans
Last Updated: 02/12/17 12:24pm
SSN

Vincent Kompany expects David Moyes to be studying Huddersfield and Southampton's tactics in search of a way to stop Manchester City. But the City captain has warned the West Ham boss that the Premier League leaders also expect to have learnt from their last games as they bid to get back to their dynamic best on Sunday, live on Sky Sports.

Huddersfield and Southampton both went close to ending City's long winning run, but their efforts were ultimately undone by late Raheem Sterling goals.
Moyes' Hammers are the next visitors to the Etihad Stadium as City look to extend a winning run that now stretches to 19 games in all competitions and 12 in the Premier League.

Kompany said: "I put myself in the position if I was the manager of West Ham, I suppose I would've seen the images against Southampton and Huddersfield, I would've seen what causes trouble and I would've trained extremely hard on those points for that game.

"But if I was the City manager, I would've seen the same thing and I would've trained extremely hard on making sure these teams cannot exploit that."
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola admits regretting the way he spoke to Nathan Redmond but insists there was nothing disrespectful meant in the exchange.
Huddersfield and Southampton both adopted cautious approaches, absorbing considerable pressure by defending deep but then posing a threat with the occasional counter-attack or from set-pieces. They may have fallen short but City, who earlier in the season enjoyed thumping wins over Liverpool (5-0), Watford (6-0), Crystal Palace (5-0) and Stoke (7-2), have been stifled.

Kompany said: "I can see a period of time where teams will try to play this approach but as teams will need points eventually, as teams will need to further their own agenda, I think it will settle again and we will have a more open game with both teams trying to win it.

"In this case it's proven nearly successful for the teams who did it, but at the same time as they're adopting this approach, we're learning how to deal with it as well, so as soon as we find a way through it, I think it'll change again."
Sunday's clash with West Ham will see the return to the Etihad Stadium of a former City favourite.

Pablo Zabaleta joined the Londoners in the summer after a nine-year spell at City that saw him win two Premier League titles, two League Cups and the FA Cup.

Such was Zabaleta's contribution to City's modern history, he was presented with a lifetime season ticket when he left.

Kompany said: "It'll be strange for him but I'm sure he'll get a warm reception.

"I kind of feel he'll be dreading this game as well a bit, knowing Zaba and knowing that he's been at the Etihad and seen what the players can do if it goes wrong for you.

"But knowing Zaba he'll probably rise up to the challenge and probably have his best game of the season.

"It'll be great and this place is always going to be his home, no matter what."

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West Ham boss David Moyes says he has money to spend on transfers in January
Last Updated: 01/12/17 5:29pm
SSN

West Ham boss David Moyes says he has money to spend on transfers in January, but says his focus is on getting the current squad to produce results.
West Ham were thrashed 4-0 by Moyes' former club Everton on Wednesday, a result that left the struggling Hammers without a win in eight games, and sitting 18th in the Premier League table

Speaking ahead of Sunday's Sky Live game against high-flying, Premier League leaders Manchester City, Moyes said: "They told me when I came that if things were needed in January then it would be possible to do so.

"But I said last week, and I'm saying again that I am focusing on the players here. "I have to try and get a team from what we have in the squad. We want to get a winning team from what we've got and if we are struggling to find that then we might have to find other people who can do that.
"It will be difficult because I've only been here two or three weeks.

"I do expect the staff that work here and who work it that department [transfers] will have plenty of people to look at and recommend.

"If it gets nearer the time and I think it's needed I'll go myself and see them.

"I see the players here having a strong mentality and a fighting spirit amongst them to make things right. I can only harp back to small things. It's individual lapses that cost us in recent games.

"I'm focusing on the players here. We have to get a winning team from what we've got in the squad."

Moyes short-term aim is to get the best out of the players currently at his disposal, as they look to bounce back from the defeat at Goodison Park.

"I was unhappy with the performance the other night, but the spirit is fine. I need them to stand up and be better but overall I think they're big enough in here to know they need to do better.

"When I came in there was a worry about a lack of confidence. I think the players got over a big part of it against Leicester. I thought we started frightened against Everton and didn't try to take any initiative. The players need to find a way of getting on the front foot."

Moyes also revealed he will have to face Manchester City without strike duo Andy Carroll, and Javier Hernandez, who both remain on the injury list.

He added: "We've got a few injured players. We've got a few. We're going to go to Manchester and try to put on a good show and take something from the game.

"Andy Carroll and Chicharito aren't back. We've got a few missing just now. Winston Reid - we will check him out tomorrow. Jose Fonte is a long-term injury."

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England No1 Joe Hart faces getting stuck on West Ham's bench in World Cup year, warns David Moyes
On-loan keeper can't play parent club Man City on Sunday and new boss hints at sticking with sub Adrian if he impresses
The Mirror
BySteve Stammers
22:30, 2 DEC 2017


'Unappreciated' England keeper Joe Hart gets lavish praise from his West Ham manager Slaven Bilic
Joe Hart has been warned that he could face a battle to keep his place with West Ham and England .

Hart will miss Sunday's clash with Premier League leaders Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, because he is on loan at West Ham and City are his parent club.


His place will be taken by Spaniard Adrian and, if he performs well against free-scoring City, manager David Moyes has made it clear there will be no automatic return for Hart — with the World Cup finals looming at season's end.


Hart has to give up the gloves this weekend because West Ham are playing his parent club (Image: Getty)
Adrian wants regular first-team football – but Moyes insists he will not be sold in the winter transfer window.

"I need two experienced goalkeepers," said Moyes. "He won't be leaving here in January."

Hart is currently the No.1 choice for England boss Gareth Southgate but that role could be in jeopardy if he fails to re-establish himself at West Ham.


"If you get the jersey, you have a chance," said Moyes.
"If someone comes in, they have to show me they are good enough to play – and Adrian will get that chance as well."

Moyes admitted that Hart has had an exacting season, combining excellence with occasional eccentricity.

"It has been mixed with Joe," said the Scot.
"I have seen some good stuff and stuff which hasn't been so good."

Moyes was boss at Manchester United when they played Guardiola's Bayern Munich in Europe.

He said: "Bayern were very good, and City are close to that team.

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