Daily WHUFC News - 20th January 2018

West Ham United v AFC Bournemouth: All you need to know
WHUFC.com

West Ham United welcome AFC Bournemouth to London Stadium in a Premier
League fixture this weekend.

Read on for all you need to know about this match!

Where and when?

West Ham United v AFC Bournemouth will be played at London Stadium on
Saturday 20 January.

The contest is scheduled for a 3pm kick-off.

How to follow:

Unfortunately, due to being a Saturday 3pm kick-off, this match is not
available for viewing in the UK. For worldwide broadcast schedules, click
here.
Live match updates will be provided through the official West Ham Twitter
account.
You can also follow the game live via our Matchday Blog on whufc.com.
You can also follow the match on our official Instagram, Facebook and
Snapchat channels.

Meet the opposition:

Team news:
West Ham United manager David Moyes will offer an update on his available
team during his press conference on Friday afternoon. Fans will be looking
for updates on Chicharito and Andy Carroll, who were both named as
unavailable for the midweek FA Cup replay with Shrewsbury Town by coaching
assistant Alan Irvine.

What they say:
"This weekend is a huge game. We've been playing well and we are at home.
For us, it's a good moment. We have to keep going and play our best
football."
Angelo Ogbonna

Match Officials:
Referee: Martin Atkinson
Assistant Referees: Lee Betts and Stephen Child
Fourth Official: Lee Mason

How to get there:

There are four Underground stations that supporters should utilise to reach
London Stadium: Stratford Station, Stratford International, Hackney Wick and
Pudding Mill Lane.

By Train

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Ogbonna: West Ham's defence is 'not just the five at the back'
WHUFC.com

Angelo Ogbonna has hailed the defensive work of West Ham United's
midfielders and attackers, saying the improvement in the team is not just
down to the players in the back-line. The Hammers take on Bournemouth this
weekend in the Premier League on the back of four games unbeaten in the top
flight, taking Irons up to 11th in the top flight. A victory over the
Cherries could take West Ham into the top half of the division, a clear sign
of the improvement in the side in recent weeks. Ogbonna has been a huge
aspect of the strong performances, receiving praise from supporters for his
efforts in the centre of West Ham's defensive line. But the Italian says the
Club's players in more forward roles should also receive credit. "I don't
like to talk about just a single player," Ogbonna said. "Marko [Arnautovic],
like Lanzini, like every striker, if they do the defensive part then it
helps us to do very well. "The defence is not just the five at the back.
It's the whole squad. That's why we've got the results."

The improvement in the team comes after a change in formation for the Irons,
with the side utilising three central defenders and wing-backs in recent
games.
Ogbonna previously played in this tactical set-up for Italy and at Juventus,
and is enjoying the new formation. He continued: "I used to play in that
role before when I played in Italy. In the game, we usually play five at the
back but sometime the situation changes and we play four at the back. It's
comfortable and it was a good decision to change. We got points on the board
from it."

The 29-year-old is delighted that West Ham are enjoying a positive run of
form and is eager for that run to continue on Saturday, against Bournemouth.
"I'm looking to Bournemouth – I'm not looking to the future, I'm looking to
the present. We have to keep concentration and get three good points. "It's
a good moment for us. This weekend is a huge game. We've been playing well
and we are at home. For us, it's a good moment. We have to keep going and
play our best football."

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U18s' Reece Hannam targeting first team opportunity
WHUFC.com

Reece Hannam is thrilled. And rightly so. The defender has just played a
crucial role in a huge win for West Ham United's U23s, helping his side to a
dominant 3-0 Premier League 2 Division 1 win away to Manchester United. "I
think I actually played well," Hannam said – a major understatement. "I
tried to do the simple things, and then when we 3-0 up I felt a bit more
comfortable trying different things. "It was definitely one of my better
games of the season. I don't feel like I've played that well but Terry
Westley told me it was one of my best matches of the campaign. That gives me
something to really build on."

Those who know Hannam will say it is rare for the 17-year-old to pat himself
on the back. An admission that he feels he performed against the Red Devils
is more than a fair reflection of the defender's showing. Hannam, who signed
a new deal in the summer, freely admits he is often never satisfied with his
efforts. It is not often he allows himself to savour a decent effort,
instead he is always looking for ways to improve. "I'm not often satisfied
often with my level or my performances. Even if I'm playing well, or someone
tells me I've had a good game, I feel like I need to improve on a number of
levels. "I haven't been happy with my performances so far this season, if
I'm honest. I do feel like I'm getting better and, certainly since Christmas
I reckon I've seen some improvements in the way I play. "I suppose that's
one way of improving, though, never being satisfied."

Hannam has been given chances to play for the U23s after impressing in the
U18s, but there is high competition for places at left-back in the Academy.
Vashon Neufville is slightly older and often plays at U23s level. While
Hannam is a regular for the U18s, he has his eyes firmly set on permanently
displacing his West Ham teammate. "I wouldn't say there's a rivalry between
Vashon and me, but we both know we're playing for the same position and I'm
actively trying to take his spot in the U23s," Hannam said. "I respect him
more than anything, though. We get on well and it's more a friendly
competition. We're pushing each other to be better and, even if you're in
the team, you can't rest on your laurels because there's another player
there who is ready to take your place."

As already established though, Hannam is not often satisfied, and the
left-back is harbouring ambitions of a place within the senior squad at the
Hammers. Manager David Moyes has shown the Academy is a part of his plan,
with the likes of Declan Rice, Domingos Quina, and Toni Martinez getting
chances in the first team since the Scot took charge in November. And Hannam
is eager to become one of the next names on that list. "I want to get into
the U23s regularly and perhaps even, if possible, get recognition in the
first team. There's a long way to go for that, though. "Even the chance to
train with the senior squad at Rush Green would be amazing. The boss has
shown he's willing to give youngsters a chance and it would be amazing to
earn that opportunity."

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Noble: We can't take our foot off the pedal
WHUFC.com

Mark Noble says West Ham United's home form will be vital to maintaining
their impressive Premier League form until the end of the season. The
Hammers play nine of their remaining 15 top-flight matches at London
Stadium, starting with Saturday's visit of AFC Bournemouth to east London.
And skipper Noble says the hosts need to ram home their advantage when they
tackle the Cherries. "We are in a good place at the moment, psychologically
and performance-wise, but we can't take our foot off the pedal because we
have four games coming up which are winnable," said the No16. "We know
Bournemouth are a fantastic team, but I hope we can continue the form that
we're in. If we can repeat the way we played at Huddersfield last weekend,
we'll have a good chance to do that. "We have got nine home games left out
of 15 and if we can win five or six of them, it will set us up really well.
If we can add a few away wins, that would be perfect."

Noble, who has been in fine form in recent weeks, scoring in victories at
Stoke City and Huddersfield Town to take his tally in Claret and Blue to 49,
says the circumstances of the Hammers' 3-3 Boxing Day draw at Bournemouth
would serve as extra motivation in the return fixture. West Ham came from
behind to lead 3-2 late on, only for Callum Wilson to snatch an equaliser,
despite being offside and converting with his arm. "Bournemouth denied us a
win late on down at their place on Boxing Day, but it's a tough place to go
and play, with a great atmosphere and the high tempo they play at, as
Arsenal found last weekend. "I'm hoping we can try and do the same to them
at our place."

If West Ham can replicate their second-half performance at Huddersfield last
weekend, Eddie Howe's team could be in for a torrid afternoon. Noble and
company scored three times and could have netted at least two or three more
in an irresistible period that had the skipper smiling in appreciation
nearly a week later. "I've said before that you don't really get the chance
to enjoy most matches as much as you should do, because you're too worried
about results, but that 20 minutes after half-time was so enjoyable to play
in. "I managed to get my name on the scoresheet early and then, after
half-time, the lads were absolutely brilliant."

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Hammers welcome brave Isla to Bournemouth game
WHUFC.com

West Ham United will welcome a very special guest to Saturday's Premier
League fixture with AFC Bournemouth. Three-year-old Isla Caton will lead the
Hammers out at London Stadium. Isla, from Hornchurch in Essex, was diagnosed
with a rare child cancer called Neuroblastoma – the same disease which
tragically took the life of heroic young Sunderland fan Bradley Lowery last
year – in March 2017. Brave Isla is currently undergoing an intense 15-month
course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment at Great Ormond Street
Hospital after the aggressive cancer spread to her bones and bone marrow.
Just 100 children in the UK are diagnosed with Neuroblastoma every year and
immunotherapy – which involves the injection of an antibody therapy – is not
currently available in this country.
Consequently, her parents Nicola Caton and Michael Hook want to raise more
than £190,000 for Isla to undergo specialist treatment in the United States.
The fundraising campaign has been backed by the Bradley Lowery Foundation,
the charity which was set up in memory of the gallant six-year-old who died
last year after forging a close bond with Bournemouth's former Sunderland
and West Ham striker Jermain Defoe, to fund treatment for youngsters
suffering from the same disease which took his life, as part of their
#CancerHasNoColours awareness-raising initiative. Nicola, who is joined at
London Stadium today by her husband, Bradley's mother Gemma and
representatives from the Bradley Lowery Foundation, welcomed West Ham's
involvement in the #TEAMISLA campaign.

"We are trying to raise £192,000 to get her to the USA as soon as she
finishes treatment to receive the Bivalent at the Memorial Sloan Kettering
Cancer Center in New York City, in the hope that it will prevent her
neuroblastoma returning," Nicola explained. "So many people have already
donated and helped with fundraising already and we will be holding more
events and trying to think of more ways to raise the money Isla needs but,
most importantly, we want to make as many people as possible aware of this
horrible cancer that affects children. "Isla is the bravest little girl we
have ever met and she has a long way to go through her treatment. We want to
give Isla the best-possible chance of fighting this terrible disease by
taking her to the US to undergo treatment not available in this country. "We
are grateful to West Ham United for the opportunity to raise both funds and
awareness for Isla and for the Bradley Lowery Foundation at Saturday's game
and are immensely proud that our little girl will lead out our football team
at London Stadium."

You can make a donation to #TEAMISLA via a bucket collection outside the
Stadium Store at London Stadium, texting the dedicated SMS donation service
ISLA14 £1 (or another amount) to 70070, or online at
www.justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/thebradleyloweryfoundation/islacaton

For more information about Isla's fight, and those of other courageous
youngsters battling Neuroblastoma, visit bradleyloweryfoundation.com

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Nick Davies returns to West Ham as Head of Fitness
WHUFC.com

Nick Davies has returned to east London to take up the role of head of
fitness under manager David Moyes, eight-and-a-half years after his first
spell with the Hammers ended. Welshman Davies brings with him a wealth of
experience at the highest level of football in this country, having
previously held the role of Head of Sports Science at Charlton Athletic,
West Ham, Birmingham City and Norwich City. The 39-year-old was recruited by
Moyes and joins a strong backroom staff that also includes coaches Alan
Irvine, Stuart Pearce, Billy McKinlay and Chris Woods and head of medical
services Gary Lewin. "It's strange to think it is a decade ago, but I joined
the Club under Alan Curbishley and had two really enjoyable years here, so
it's brilliant to be back and there is a little feeling of coming home, I
must admit," Davies explained. "Those couple of years were fabulous and
obviously I really enjoyed my time working with Alan. We had some big
characters at the Club in that time and it was a brilliant and inspiring
time to be around the place. I thoroughly enjoyed it."

Ten years on from his first spell, Davies is back in Claret and Blue and
thoroughly enjoying his new role under another of the Premier League's
all-time great British managers. "I've been ever so impressed since I came
back. This is the first time I've had an opportunity to work with David and
I was delighted when it arose to come and be a part of his backroom staff.
"He is such a meticulous guy and his eye for detail is one of his things
that everyone at the Club is benefitting from.
"My introduction over the last five weeks has been an enjoyable one and I
feel I'm thriving here."

Davies, who worked under Irvine at Norwich, is just one of a host of
highly-qualified staff working as part of Moyes' backroom team. Lewin spent
more than a decade as England's lead physiotherapist, while the likes of
head physio Dominic Rogan, first-team physio Fraser Young, rehab fitness
coach Eamon Swift and head of performance analysis Jamie Osman all have
extensive top-flight experience. "There is calibre in every department and
it's definitely true to say we have got some really skilled, dedicated
individuals here "It's brilliant to be part of something which you feel can
get better and continue to evolve and ultimately help the manager maximise
what the players can deliver for him on a matchday from a physical
perspective."

*Full interview to appear in Saturday's Official Programme for the visit of
AFC Bournemouth.

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Junior Season Ticket upgrade offer for Palace
WHUFC.com

The Hammers have a London derby to look forward to on 30 January when
Crystal Palace visit east London and, with this being an evening kick-off,
if your child Season Ticket Holder can't make it you can upgrade to an adult
ticket at a discounted rate.

David Moyes' men will be hoping for a repeat of last season's 3-0 win over
the Eagles and you could upgrade your child's Season Ticket to an adult
ticket from as little as £15, with full upgrade prices as follows:

Band 1 £30
Band 2 £25
Band 3 £22
Band 4 £20
Band 5 £15

To upgrade your Under-16 Season Ticket, please call 0333 030 1966 (option
3)* now! Please note that Season Ticket upgrades must be done over the
phone.

Season Ticket Holders who have already upgraded their junior tickets will be
refunded in line with the offer price.

Once a ticket is upgraded, it can no longer be relisted on the Ticket
Exchange.

We know evening kick-offs are more difficult for our junior supporters to
attend, and this offer means we give every supporter the best opportunity of
ensuring they can use their tickets.

Meanwhile, the Ticket Exchange is open for this fixture. Click here to
relist or purchase now.

*Phone lines are open 9am-5pm Monday to Saturday.

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Team News: Chicharito back, Carroll update
WHUFC.com

West Ham United manager David Moyes has confirmed the Club should be able to
call on Chicharito, Declan Rice and Cheikhou Kouyate for this weekend's
match with Bournemouth. Chicharito was absent from Tuesday's FA Cup replay
with Shrewsbury Town, which coaching assistant Alan Irvine revealed was down
to illness. However, the Mexican was back in full training on Friday and
Moyes is confident he will be able to name the striker in his matchday
squad. Moyes also admitted that Rice suffered with a minor hamstring issue
during the week but feels the 19-year-old should still be okay for the clash
with the Cherries on Saturday.
Kouyate is also available for selection, per the manager, but a check will
be needed on Andre Ayew and Winston Reid will definitely miss out.
"Chicharito looks as if he's recovered from the flu, and he's trained
today," Moyes announced. "Andre Ayew is just feeling his hamstring a little
bit, so we will need to assess it tomorrow.
"Declan Rice also had a problem with his hamstring in midweek but I think he
will be okay. He's done a bit of training today so we're hoping he will be
okay. "Kouyate also trained today so we're hoping he will be fit. Kouyate is
back but Winston Reid, at the moment, is not training yet."

Moyes also elaborated on Andy Carroll's condition, after the Scotsman
revealed in his Evening Standard column that the England forward is
suffering from an ankle complaint. The Hammers No9 may require surgery, but
the Club will consider all options before deciding on the correct path. On
Carroll, Moyes added: "Andy is injured. We only found out yesterday when he
went for a scan. It showed up that he's got a problem and we're not quite
sure yet if it's going to need an operation or not. "We're getting two or
three specialists to look at it and get their opinions. When we've got that
we will be able to make the correct decision. "He scored two great goals
against West Brom a couple of weeks ago, so for us to lose him, it takes
away a big part of our armoury."

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Betway Insider's View of the Opposition: Bournemouth
WHUFC.com

A thumping win in the Premier League and safe passage into the Emirates FA
Cup fourth round have given West Ham United reasons to be cheerful. The 4-1
victory over Huddersfield Town last weekend saw the Hammers' leapfrog their
opponents and climb to eleventh in the table. The midweek win over
Shrewsbury, meanwhile, extended the club's unbeaten run to six matches in
all competitions. David Moyes' side are a good bet to extend that sequence –
and possibly move into the top ten. It was against Saturday's opponents
Bournemouth on Boxing Day that the current run began.
West Ham claimed a point that day, although it would have been three were it
not for the Cherries' controversial 93rd minute equaliser. And while the
visitors beat Arsenal last weekend to extend their own unbeaten run to five
games, they are winless in six on the road. West Ham's display at
Huddersfield was their most exciting of the season, and today's match should
be another thriller. The sides shared six goals at the Vitality Stadium last
month, while Bournemouth have netted two or more in their last five outings.
Eddie Howe's side are not as impressive in defence, however, having not kept
a clean sheet in any of their previous ten league games. While that run has
included fixtures against five of the top six, they have also shipped two
against Crystal Palace, Burnley and Brighton. West Ham's reinvigorated
attack, who have scored 15 in six, should therefore be able to expose their
opponents' defensive frailties. Expect top scorer Marko Arnautovic to be
among the goals again. The in-form Austrian hit two against Bournemouth in
that Boxing Day encounter and has scored six in his last seven league games.

Recommended bets
West Ham double chance and BTTS
Over 2.5 goals
Marko Arnautovic to score

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Moyes: 200 wins, Bournemouth's style & the 'magic' 40 points
WHUFC.com

David Moyes met with the media on Friday afternoon to talk all things West
Ham United ahead of Saturday's clash with AFC Bournemouth. The boss talked
the coming matches, transfer speculation, 200 Premier League wins and
avoiding relegation…

A target of 205 wins

A 4-1 victory over Huddersfield Town last weekend gave Moyes his 200th win
in the Premier League as a manager, making the West Ham boss only the fourth
manager in history to reach this tally. The Scotsman has set himself the
target of reaching 205 – adding another five to his total – which he
believes will confirm West Ham's status in the Premier League for next
season. When asked about his wins, Moyes said: "205 is what I'm aiming for
at the moment because that would mean West Ham are definitely in the Premier
League. If we can get another five wins then I'm sure that will be enough to
keep us up."

Carroll injury creates opportunity

An injury lay-off for Andy Carroll was confirmed by Moyes during his
press-conference, which will spell more chances for the Club's other
strikers to play, according to the manager. Media speculation has seen a
couple of West Ham's attackers linked with a move, something Moyes has once
again denied, and he is looking forward to seeing which of the players takes
their chance when it is presented to themn. "I can see a situation where
more of them play, play more games, because we've got an injury to Andy,
we're not in any hurry to lose any players. "It just happens that we've got
four or strikers which can all do a really good job and we've also got one
or two who are in the team just now who are playing well. It's one of these
things where you've got to be ready, wait for your time and when your chance
comes make sure you take it.

Eddie Howe's 'good job'

Although Moyes is one of the Premier League's most experienced managers,
having been in charge for over 500 matches in the competition, this weekend
will mark Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe's 100th in the top flight. Moyes
has got nothing but respect for the job Howe has done on the south coast and
is impressed with the style of play expected of the Cherries. "I think he's
done a really good job at Bournemouth," he said on Howe. "I think he's given
them a real stability and a style. I used to play against Bournemouth as a
player when they were in the lower leagues, down the bottom end and I think
they look a good team. "They have got a defined style to the people they
bring into the club, how they look as if they want to work. You have to
admire them for a lot of the things they've done there."

Bournemouth will be a 'difficult game'

"I think Bournemouth have got a good attacking style, which always gives
them a chance of scoring," Moyes said on this weekend's opponents. "They had
a really big win against Arsenal and that can do good things for you. We
played them a few weeks ago and they had a little plug at us, and we had a
little plug at them, so overall, we know it will be a difficult game." The
game Moyes is referring to ended 3-3 on Boxing Day, and the boss admits both
sides could have won what was a 'strange' fixture. He added: "The last game
was strange. We were a bit unlucky in the end not to win it because of a
referee's decision. They would also say they had better chances and could
have won it before us. It was a strange game."

'Magic' number 40

A common belief in Premier League football is 40 points is enough for a team
to avoid relegation and, while Moyes says he's not set his team any targets,
he does consider 40 to be the 'magic figure'. He said: "I've set no targets
with the players but ultimately I think 40 was always a magic figure. I
might stand corrected there may have been an odd year when 40 was not enough
but over the years it was the magic figure. "It may not take that this year,
I don't know, but I think the sooner you get to it then the better chance
you have of staying in the league."

'There's no easy games'

"It sounds easy but all the managers in this half of the league will be
thinking there's no easy games," Moyes responded, when asked about West
Ham's coming run. After playing Bournemouth, the Irons will take on Crystal
Palace, Brighton and Hove Albion, and Watford in the Premier League. Moyes
has dismissed the idea that this is an easy run of fixtures, saying:
"Everyone is difficult and I've not seen anything to necessarily suggest
that anyone is better than anyone else. "At the moment, we're in a good run
and we're doing okay. It's really important to keep that going because we
don't want to drop back nearer the bottom." The manager pointed to last
week's win over Huddersfield Town as the level of effort he wants to see
this weekend, and in the games to come. "I think what we've got at the
moment is hopefully, a little bit of momentum and we have got to keep it
going. The game at Huddersfield showed our improvements from our
performances and we're telling the team to do this again and give us an even
better performance."

'I'm a football supporter as well as a manager'

Moyes was questioned about his attendance at Chelsea's match with Norwich
City on Wednesday, amid speculation the boss was scouting transfer targets.
In response, he laughed: "I'm smiling because I'm amazed folks would be
surprised a manager is watching another game. That's part of our jobs as
managers.
"We do the team but also you go and watch other games, to watch players, to
watch tactics, to watch anything even as a football fan. People shouldn't
make a lot of it. I go to a lot of games. "I'm a football supporter as well
as a manager and I like to go and watch other games."

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West Ham United v Bournemouth
SAT 20 JAN 2018PREMIER LEAGUE
15:00
Venue: London Stadium
BBC.co.uk

Marko Arnautovic has been involved in nine goals in his last seven Premier
League matches.

TEAM NEWS
West Ham forward Andy Carroll faces a spell on the sidelines after suffering
a hairline ankle fracture. However, Javier Hernandez has recovered from
illness and Cheikhou Kouyate returns after missing the FA Cup win over
Shrewsbury Town. Declan Rice and Andre Ayew will face late fitness tests,
while Winston Reid is definitely out with a groin injury.

Bournemouth pair Joshua King and Junior Stanislas have been nursing
hamstring injuries and will be assessed. Manager Eddie Howe will recall
several players who were rested for the midweek FA Cup replay defeat at
Wigan.

MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES
Steve Bower: "This fixture will always have a small place in West Ham's
history as the first Premier League match to be played at the London
Stadium. It has been something of a rollercoaster ride for Hammers fans
since Michail Antonio's goal won the match that day. "The recent stability
though has offered genuine encouragement. Fifteen points from the last 24
under David Moyes has given them breathing space and belief with their added
goal threat. "They will be confident of continuing that run and ruining
Eddie Howe's 100th Premier League match in charge. He will hope
Bournemouth's victory over Arsenal will have a galvanising effect, although
they haven't won in their last nine visits to the capital."

Twitter: @SteveBowercom

WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY
West Ham manager David Moyes: "I think what we've got at the moment is
momentum. The game against Huddersfield shows we've improved, and we're
looking for more again. "I've set no targets for the players but 40 points
was always the magic figure and the sooner you get to it, the better."

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe: "We've had to treat the past two results
exactly the same way as I don't think there's any point reacting with the
highs and lows of results when you're in my position. "We've been trying to
make sure we're as stable as we can be in preparation for this game. "The
mindset has had to change very quickly, as with three games in six days it's
a difficult period, there's a lot to think about."

LAWRO'S PREDICTION
There was a bit of controversy over the Cherries' late equaliser when these
sides drew 3-3 in December and David Moyes might feel he owes them one. I
think he will get a bit of revenge for that on Saturday.

Prediction: 2-0

MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head

There have been 23 goals in the last five meetings,. The average of 4.6
goals per match is the highest for any Premier League fixture to have been
played at least five times.
Sixteen of those 23 goals have been scored in the second half, and eight of
them have come in the last 10 minutes.
Bournemouth's only win in five visits to West Ham in all competitions was
4-3 at Upton Park in the Premier League in August 2015.
West Ham United

West Ham are unbeaten in their last six games in all competitions (W3, D3).
They could win consecutive Premier League fixtures for the first time since
January 2017, when they followed a 3-0 home victory against Crystal Palace
with a 3-1 triumph at Middlesbrough.
David Moyes has collected 15 points from his last eight Premier League
matches, one more than he managed in his previous 28 matches in the
division.
The Hammers have scored 15 goals in six league games - they only had 14
goals after their opening 17 matches of the season.
Marko Arnautovic has been involved in nine goals in his last seven Premier
League matches (six goals, three assists).
Bournemouth

Bournemouth are unbeaten in four league games since Christmas (W2, D2).
The Cherries haven't won in their last nine games in London (D2, L7).
This will be Eddie Howe's 100th Premier League game in charge. At the age of
40 years and 52 days on the day of the game, he will be the third youngest
English manager to reach this milestone after Glenn Hoddle and Gareth
Southgate, who were both 38.
Bournemouth could score at least twice in five consecutive league matches
for the first time since a run of seven in a row in the Championship from
November to December 2014.
Callum Wilson has scored four Premier League goals in three matches against
West Ham, including a hat-trick in August 2015.
Wilson has also scored three goals in his last four Premier League
appearances.

SAM's verdict
Most probable score: 1-0 Probability of draw: 27%
Probability of home win: 49% Probability of away win: 24%
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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THE HAMMERS FIGHTING FOR A WORLD CUP SPOT
AUTHOR: EXWHUEMPLOYEE. PUBLISHED: 19 JANUARY 2018 AT 6:37PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by Michael Fox

The season might only be just over half way through but focus is starting to
turn on the World Cup in the summer. The Hammers should be fairly well
represented, with around eight players all in with a shot of making the
plane for their respective countries.

With just a few months to go, we take a look at which players will be facing
a delayed summer holiday and checking in to a Russian hotel come mid-June…

JOE HART
It'll be interesting to see how Joe Hart's career goes over the next couple
of months. You get the sense it's make or break for the man on loan from
Manchester City. He's faced periods on the bench this season after failing
to be a commanding and strong number one for West Ham and it could affect
his chances of boarding the plane. There will be pressure on Gareth
Southgate to drop his first choice keeper, especially as David Moyes has of
late. That said he's still 8/13 to be in the final 23-man-squad, but it'll
be unlikely he'll return to the Olympic Stadium come August.

MANUEL LANZINI
Manuel Lanzini has had a fine season so far, so much so pundits are tipping
him for a move away from West Ham. Of course, he's one of us at the moment
and if he maintains his fantastic form will be joining up with the likes of
Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria over the summer. He made his debut back in
May and could help Messi gain the one medal he's currently lacking.
Argentina are at 8/1 to win the World Cup according to
sportsbets4free.co.uk, with both Lanzini and defender Pablo Zabaleta
expected to feature. The Argentines are also available at 15/8 to be the top
South American team in the tournament, with Brazil favourites at evens.

PABLO ZABALETA
Zabaleta will provide vital experience for Argentina and has been impressed
with David Moyes' reign since his arrival. The form of the former Manchester
City star has been mixed but in recent games has played like the Zabaleta we
know. It's almost certain he'll be on the plane to Russia and will likely be
a regular throughout the group stages.

DIAFRA SAKHO
By the time the World Cup comes round Diafra Sakho may no longer be a
hammer. The Senegalese attacker hasn't lit up the Olympic Stadium this
season and has been linked with Crystal Palace. He'll need first team
football if he's to get a place in Senegal's starting eleven, with the
African nation predicted to be one of Russia 2018's dark horses. They've a
talented side and if Sakho can get a good run of games and find some form
he'll be on the plane and could provide a pivotal role in a group which sees
them face Poland, Colombia and Japan.

JAVIER HERNANDEZ
Like Joe Hart, Javier Hernandez just hasn't done quite what was of expected
of him this season. The usually formidable striker has netted just four
times in 20 games, his worst record at a club and could be allowed to leave
in January. Clubs are sniffing around him but one thing is for sure, his
place in the Mexico team will not come into question. He's a hero for the
Central American nation with 49 goals in 99 games. He'll play a key role for
them, and it'll be interesting to see how his career pans out at West Ham
over the next couple of months, or maybe days.

JOSE FONTE
Jose Fonte played a key role in Portugal's Euro 2016 win and he'll likely
play in his final major tournament this summer. The 34-year-old has been out
since November but should still get the call come June having been an ever
present in 2017 for his nation. We'd like to see him back in a Hammers shirt
before that though and helping the resurgence of the club as Moyes continues
to get them climbing the table.

ANDY CARROLL
Andy Carroll is often rumoured to be making the squad ahead of a major
tournament, yet he's only ever been to one, way back in 2012. The truth is,
he does have something different which is the reason why Chelsea have been
sniffing round him this January. If he can stay fit (after his latest
setback), play well for the Hammers, as he has the last few weeks, he could
be a decent option for Gareth Southgate. His odds have shortened to make the
England squad recently and he's now 6/1 with some bookmakers, although as
high as 14/1 with other bookmakers. He could well worth a bet, especially if
he's banging them in for Moyes' men.

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GOLD AND SULLIVAN THE SELF STYLED 'MESSIAHS' EIGHT YEARS ON
AUTHOR: EXWHUEMPLOYEE. PUBLISHED: 19 JANUARY 2018 AT 6:57PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk

Written by @farehamhammer

The lies and Spin will never change. Some eight years ago myself and Enfield
Hammer warned what to expect from Gold and Sullivan, the self-styled
'Messiahs'. Or as they would like to have it, 'saviours' of our Club. They
rode into The Club as virtual knights in shining armour! Due to The Debt the
Club was in it made no business sense to buy The Club they said, they only
brought us because they were fans. They went into great detail of how bad
the debt was, over 100million and to make matters worse we were mortgaged to
the hilt. Loans had been taken out against the next two season's season
ticket money. If they had not come in and 'saved' us we faced financial
Armageddon, at the very least we faced administration at worst we could have
gone bust. R.I.P! West Ham United! They then turned their attention to the
players we had at The Club: "Weak and unbalanced". Was the most sombre
verdict from our 'knights' in shining armour. They would be taking NOTHING
out of The Club and paying Karren Brady's salary themselves. Investment? God
if it were not for Gold and Sullivan we would not have a bloody Club! Was,
the word on the street from West Ham fans everywhere! Mission accomplished:
Lower fan expectation.

Like a candidate running for President of The United States of America on
the campaign trail, repeatedly the level of debt got played out in the
media. We were even told that Mrs Brady went around and switched off the
lights at The Boleyn, as regards to manipulating the media, few can master
Gold and Sullivan. They are the kings of spin, they leak different stories
to different people. They have spun poor old Darren Lewis like a spinning
top this week regards Andy Carroll. I believe they wanted to sell him, as
they needed the money for down payments for transfers. Carroll was stitched
up making him look like a villain, all fell apart when Carroll was once
again injured.

They have run West Ham in exactly the same fashion as Birmingham City. Every
season ticket renewal time all sorts of top names are leaked, and as you
know now they don't happen. Still I think the all-time classic was the gem
while at St Andrews, they leaked the story that Diego Maradona (Yes
Maradona!) was closing in on a move to St Andrews. Of course, when the media
contacted Maradona, who was playing for Sevilla at the time, he said he had
never heard of them. Surprise surprise. One 'marquee' signing, a second one
costing some money, the rest freebies, cheapies and loan after loan that is
how this mob roll! On that basis there was no chance they were going to sign
William Carvalho, they got rudely exposed for the Carvalho 'phantom' bid,
but phantom 'bids' has been a way of life for the 'Messiahs' for some
twenty-five years. These boys are that tight they can peel an orange in
their pocket. Money, money and more money is what matters most to the
'Messiahs'. The move from The Boleyn was all about greed, I am convinced
they are involved in the property development The Upton Gardens, that will
be in place of The Boleyn Ground. Selling the Boleyn for virtual peanuts
does not sound right to me.



Many will never forgive them for selling The Boleyn Ground on premise of
taking The Club to the 'next' level, by bringing in "three or four" top
signings. Which has proven to be a load of crap! Yes, the 'Messiahs' are
certainly tricky customers indeed, but I don't buy into the theory that they
don't know how to run a football club or destroy are out to destroy The
Club. You certainly don't go out and spend £24 million on the likes of Marko
Arnautovic if you are planning to destroy The Club for starters. I would
argue that they know EXACTLY what they are doing. Many have said the
derogatory remarks regards, Jose Fonte and Robert Snodgrass, by Brady and
Sullivan were gaffes. Not at all! Both players are on a tidy whack and have
not lived up to expectations, they want them off the wage bill as quick as
possible, and have gone out of their way to make them uncomfortable. They
most certainly don't want them sitting around The Club being paid around
about £150,000 and not playing. Yes, it is crass, but football has
prostituted its soul for Sky Money a long time ago. I don't feel sorry for
Fonte and Snodgrass either. Why should any fan? If anyone had come in and
offered more dough to Fonte or Snodgrass, they would have demanded a move
and been off.

They also like the try before they buy method of signing a player. Almost
like taking a car on a test drive before you buy it. They pay an expensive
loan fee agree a fixed fee for a player if the player is successful. A
method which they used to get Lanzini. It was also a method that they used
to bring Tore and Zaza to The Club. Both players were flops and were sent
back. Saving the Club some 32million, which The Club would have had to pay,
if they had purchased the players outright. The down side of this is, that
some Clubs won't do business with you. There has been much criticism that
about Sullivan's role of 'Director' of Football. In the ideal world would
have been solely down to manager. But too many Clubs have been ripped off by
a combination of managers and agent. So, the ideal situation would have
been, the manager and Board working in tandem to bring players in.

Reality in most cases is totally different sadly eight years on and there
most certainly is no Champions League in sight, but on the pitch, itself we
are in far better shape than we were back then. We have a decent side but
not a strong squad. We are about four quality additions from being a very
good side. The window has been very quiet all round only Liverpool have
spent some serious dough. The money should have been spent in the summer,
signing Hernandez and Marko Arnautovic and getting rid of ten players to do
so, has left us paper thin and as David Moyes said we desperately need a
couple of midfielders. I think we will get a couple of loans in and no more.
Yes, it is tight arsed as usual…. but there may be more to it than that. I
would not at all be surprised if David Moyes is history in the summer, and
Rafa Benítez is installed as manager of West Ham United. Not that I think
that Moyes is a bad manager, it is just that deep down one senses Benítez is
the manager they really want. Who knows? They may have already sent Rafa a
copy of The Rise and fall of the Kray's. Let's face it with the 'Messiahs'
in charge anything could happen. As we speak. I have JUST HEARD… Sullivan is
closing in on Messi! He has offered Barcelona 900 MILLION… in staggered
payments of a fiver over 1000 billion years. Yes, it's been far from perfect
over these last eight years, but things could have been far worse. PLEASE Mr
Chairman cut the constant lies and spin!

We are more than a football Club, we're a way of life!

Farehamhammer!!

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Give Collins a new contract, say fans
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 18th January 2018
By: Staff Writer

West Ham United supporters have voted overwhelmingly in favour of extending
James Collins' contract beyond the end of the current season. The
34-year-old former Welsh international is out of contract this summer with
no sign of a new deal being offered. However a poll on the KUMB Forum has
resulted in 89 per cent of supporters voting in favour of extending Collins'
stay beyond the end of the season, whilst just six per cent voted against
(the remaining five per cent voting unsure). Collins, who first joined West
Ham from Cardiff in 2005 is currently enjoying his second spell at West Ham,
having spent three years at Aston Villa (from 2009 to 2012) before returning
to the Boleyn Ground. Earlier this week the Newport-born centre half was
linked with a £2million move to Brighton & Hove Albion, before privately
revealing that he has no interest in joining the Premier League newcomers.

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Only one ever present under Moyes
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 18th January 2018
By: Staff Writer

Central defender Angelo Ogbonna is the only West Ham United player to be
ever-present under David Moyes. The Italian central defender, who is
enjoying a productive season at the heart of the Hammers defence has played
every minute of all 15 games Moyes has been in charge of since succeeding
Slaven Bilic as Hammers boss back in November. Ogbonna's closest rival for
top spot is former Spanish under 21 Pedro Obiang, who whilst featuring in
every match has been substituted twice at half time. The duo are the only
two players to have been involved in all 15 fixtures. Completing the top
three is Arthur Masuaku, who has featured in each of the 15 matches managed
by the new boss bar the first, a 2-0 defeat at Watford on 19 November. In
all, Moyes has used a total of 26 players with the least used five - Diafra
Sakho, Edi Fernandes, Sam Byram, Dom Quina and Reece Oxford - having
featured in less than 10% of those 15 fixtures.

Squad usage at West Ham Utd under David Moyes
(From a maximum of 1,380 minutes)

1. Angelo Ogbonna 1,380 (100%)
2. Pedro Obiang 1,290 (93%)
3. Arthur Masuaku 1,272 (92%)
4. Pablo Zabalata 1,100 (79%)
5. Manuel Lanzini 1,079 (78%)
6. Aaron Cresswell 1,041 (77%)
7. Winston Reid 883 (65%)
8. Marko Arnautovic 875 (63%)
9. Cheik Kouyate 853 (63%)
10. Adrian 810 (60%)

11. Mark Noble 581 (41%)
12. Joe Hart 570 (40%)
13. Andre Ayew 518 (38%)
14. Declan Rice 440 (33%)
15. Michail Antonio 376 (28%)
16. James Collins 360 (27%)
17. Andy Carroll 336 (25%)
18. Javier Hernandez 276 (20%)
19. Reece Burke 210 (13%)
20. Josh Cullen 210 (13%)

21. Toni Martinez 139 (10%)
22. Diafra Sakho 115 (9%)
23. Edi Fernandes 90 (7%)
24. Sam Byram 89 (7%)
25. Dom Quina 87 (6%)
26. Reece Oxford 69 (5%)

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West Ham's Andy Carroll may need ankle operation, says David Moyes
By Sky Sports News
Last Updated: 19/01/18 12:04pm
SSN

West Ham boss David Moyes says Andy Carroll may need surgery on an ankle
injury which scuppered his chances of a move to Chelsea. Moyes confirmed in
his London Evening Standard column the England international "will not be
able to play again this month" after Carroll had a scan on Thursday. The
29-year-old, who has struggled with injury problems throughout his time in
east London, has been unable to train and missed West Ham's past three
games. Sky Sports News reported earlier this week that Chelsea had
approached the Hammers for Carroll, who is valued at £20m.
Moyes said: "What may defuse much of the speculation is that the ankle
injury Andy picked up against West Brom is sufficiently serious that he will
not be able to play again this month anyway and it could even need an
operation to put things right, although that has not yet been confirmed.
"The fact that some of our strikers have not been regulars in the team
recently has added grist to the rumour mill so I want to make it clear that
we have really good strikers."
It is understood West Ham were happy for Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi to
be included as part of any deal for Carroll. But Moyes has "categorically"
denied he was at Chelsea's FA Cup third-round replay win over Norwich on
Wednesday to scout the Belgian, who has struggled to cement a place in
Conte's plans. The 54-year-old said: "I went to watch Chelsea play Norwich
in the FA Cup on Wednesday night and I knew that would increase the
speculation about Carroll and Chelsea with Batshuayi coming to us.
"Categorically, I did not go to Stamford Bridge to watch Batshuayi or any
other player in particular. "I like to get out and watch plenty of matches,
I hadn't seen Norwich this season and there were some players there who had
been mentioned to me as having been doing well."

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David Moyes distances West Ham from deal for Chelsea's Michy Batshuayi
By Hayley Fox
Last Updated: 19/01/18 4:56pm
SSN

West Ham boss David Moyes has distanced his club from a deal to sign
Chelsea's Michy Batshuayi and insists he was not at Stamford Bridge on
Wednesday to watch one player. Sky Sports News understands the Hammers have
been keen on Batshuayi as part of any deal that would have seen Andy Carroll
join Chelsea this month. Antonio Conte's hopes of landing Carroll appear to
be over after Moyes, who was spotted in the stands as Chelsea beat Norwich
in an FA Cup third-round replay, confirmed the England forward may need
surgery on an ankle injury. "I don't think people should make an awful lot
of it, I go to a lot of games. I'm a football supporter as well as a
manager," Moyes said ahead of his side's clash with Bournemouth. "We never
said we were interested in him (Batshuayi). We try not to talk about players
at other clubs because I'm there to watch a game and wasn't necessarily
there to watch anyone individually. "Carroll deserves (the interest)
because, over the years, he's been a handful to play against and he's
probably a bit of a dying breed of big centre-forwards, who are hard to play
against and offer something different. "We've said all along we've received
no official offer from Chelsea for a loan deal, we wouldn't have accepted it
anyway as we've said."
Moyes also refused to be drawn on whether the club were in for Inter Milan's
Joao Mario, who is said to be "open-minded" about a move to London. "I think
he's a name which has been mentioned but whether he's from Inter Milan or
Chelsea or wherever I'm not talking about players from other clubs," Moyes
added. "He's an interesting player, he's a good footballer and certainly
very talented."

West Ham are unbeaten in their last four Premier League games ahead of
Bournemouth's visit to the London Stadium on Saturday.

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West Ham v Bournemouth preview: Hammers seek back-to-back wins
Last Updated: 19/01/18 3:09pm
SSN

West Ham will be looking to build on their impressive result at Huddersfield
when they welcome Bournemouth on Saturday. David Moyes' side steamrolled
Huddersfield last weekend with Marko Arnautovic and Manuel Lanzini linking
up to great effect in a 4-1 victory. That stretched their unbeaten run to
four games although the Hammers haven't won back-to-back Premier League
games for over a year. Bournemouth also registered a victory last weekend
when coming from behind to beat Arsenal 2-1, which lifted them four points
clear of the relegation zone. However, Eddie Howe will be worried about his
team's overall defensive strength as they have not kept a clean sheet in
last 10 games since a 0-0 draw against Swansea in November.

Team news
Moyes has confirmed the club should be able to call on Javier Hernandez,
Declan Rice and Cheikhou Kouyate for this weekend's match with Bournemouth.
Chicharito was absent from Tuesday's FA Cup replay with Shrewsbury Town, but
was back in full training on Friday and Moyes is confident he will be able
to name the striker in his matchday squad. Moyes also revealed that Rice
suffered from a minor hamstring issue during the week but should be
available, while a check will be needed on Andre Ayew and Winston Reid will
definitely miss out.

Josh King and Junior Stanislas are pushing hard to be fit for Bournemouth.
Both forwards are continuing to battle hamstring complaints, and will be
assessed late on ahead of the London Stadium encounter. Howe will restore
his front-line stars for the West Ham trip, following the midweek 3-0 FA Cup
third-round replay loss at Wigan.

Opta stats
The five previous Premier League meetings between these teams have seen 23
goals scored at an average of 4.6 per game, which remains the highest
average for any Premier League fixture to have been played at least five
times.

Bournemouth have only won one of their five previous visits to West Ham in
all competitions (L4), a 4-3 win at Upton Park in the Premier League in
August 2015.

Sixteen of the 23 goals scored in this fixture in the Premier League have
been scored in the second half, accounting for 70 per cent of the goals;
indeed, eight have come in the final 10 minutes of matches (35 per cent).

The Hammers have scored 15 goals in their last six Premier League games -
one more than they'd scored in their opening 17 matches of the 2017-18
campaign.

This will be Eddie Howe's 100th Premier League game in charge - aged 40
years and 52 days on the day of the game, he'll be the third youngest
English manager to reach this milestone after Glenn Hoddle (38y 36d) and
Gareth Southgate (38y 150d).

David Moyes has collected 15 points from his last eight Premier League
matches (P8 W4 D3 L1), one more than he won in his previous 28 matches in
the competition (14).

Merson's prediction
These two teams are like a bag of revels. You see West Ham go to
Huddersfield and rip them apart, then they take 120 minutes to beat
Shrewsbury at home.
Then you see Bournemouth beat Arsenal, then go to Wigan to form a cup run,
and get turned over. Who knows, they could have gone far in the FA Cup.
Don't make excuses about Bournemouth having to stay up, Wigan have got their
own priorities trying to get out of League One! I don't know how Bournemouth
could stop Arnautovic, so I'm going for a home win, as he makes the
difference.

PAUL PREDICTS: 2-1 (15/2 with Sky Bet)

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West Ham have not given up on signing Joao Mario from Inter Milan
Last Updated: 18/01/18 10:06pm
SSN

West Ham have not given up on signing Joao Mario from Inter Milan, according
to Sky sources. The Portugal midfielder had told his advisers he was
reluctant to make the move, but he is now "more open-minded" about the idea
of moving to London. Inter will let him leave on loan with an option to buy.
Mario is not playing regularly for Inter and they are keen to raise funds by
selling a player they signed for £40m in the summer of 2016. He was a key
member of the Portugal team which won the European Championships in France
in 2016. The 24-year-old has made 15 appearances for the Serie A side this
season. Inter are currently third in the Italian top-flight standings.

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MATCH PREVIEW: WEST HAM V BOURNEMOUTH
By Dan Coker 19 Jan 2018 at 08:00
WTID

Blast from the past

In today's preview, we travel back to 11th April 1990; Margaret Thatcher was
in her final months as Prime Minister, Madonna's 'Vogue' topped the charts,
John Travolta and Kirstie Alley were in UK cinemas in Look Who's Talking
and, at a time of Poll Tax Riots and the Strangeways Prison Riots, West Ham
United ran riot as Bournemouth, competing at the opposite end of the Second
Division, visited east London.

Billy Bonds' Hammers ran out 4-1 winners in this Wednesday night encounter
in front of 20,202 spectators at the Boleyn Ground. Jimmy Quinn's strike was
deflected in for an own goal by ex-Tottenham defender Paul Miller before Ian
Bishop struck a beauty into the top corner from distance against his old
club after 23 minutes. David Coleman, who had celebrated his 23rd birthday
just three days previously, pulled one back before half-time for Harry
Redknapp's Bournemouth, lifting the ball over Ludek Miklosko after Luther
Blissett had outmuscled Colin Foster. Coleman tragically died in 1997.

In the second half, Quinn won a penalty which was dispatched with the usual
aplomb by Julian Dicks, who would be voted Hammer of the Year a month later
(the first of four occasions that he would win the prestigious prize). Dicks
would also finish as top scorer with 14 goals from 52 matches. Northern
Ireland striker Quinn was again involved for the fourth goal, heading Stuart
Slater's cross back across goal for 'Mad Dog' Martin Allen (pictured above)
to nod home from close range. My video below shows the goals from this game.



The Hammers would end the 1989/90 campaign in seventh place in the Second
Division, two points adrift of the play-offs despite finishing as the
division's joint highest scorers with 80 goals, while Bournemouth would
finish 22nd out of 24 teams and were relegated. Leeds won the Second
Division, Liverpool won the First Division title and Manchester United won
the FA Cup.

West Ham United: Ludek Miklosko, George Parris (Steve Potts), Tony Gale,
Colin Foster, Julian Dicks, Kevin Keen, Ian Bishop, Martin Allen, Stuart
Slater, Jimmy Quinn, Trevor Morley (Frank McAvennie).

Club Connections

A decent number of players have turned out for both West Ham United and
Bournemouth. Jermain Defoe and Hammers Academy product Junior Stanislas are
currently on Bournemouth's books while Carl Fletcher played for both clubs
and is currently youth team manager with the Cherries. Ex-Bournemouth
midfielder Paul Mitchell, who made one league appearance for the Hammers in
1994, is back with the Cherries as a correspondent for Opta Sports. Other
players to have appeared for both clubs include:

Goalkeepers: David James, Stephen Henderson and Marek Stech.

Defenders: Everald La Ronde, Bill Kitchener, Rio Ferdinand, Phil Brignull,
Reg Parker, Keith Rowland, Elliott Ward, Bobby Howe and Horace Glover.

Midfielders: Ian Bishop, Trevor Hartley, Bobby Barnes, Tommy Southren, Jimmy
Neighbour, Emmanuel Omoyinmi, Tony Scott, Anthony Edgar, Scott Mean, Matty
Holmes, Dale Gordon, Jack Collison and Patsy Holland.

Strikers: Nicky Morgan, John Arnott, Mark Watson, Zavon Hines, Steve Jones
and Ted MacDougall.

Harry Redknapp played for and managed both clubs. Former Hammers player John
Bond went on to manage Bournemouth, while Jimmy Quinn played for both clubs
and also managed the Cherries.


Today's preview focuses on a wing-half who experienced limited playing time
at West Ham United before enjoying a lengthy career with Bournemouth. Keith
Miller (pictured) was born in Lewisham on 26th January 1948. He joined the
Hammers from Walthamstow Avenue and made his debut at the age of 20 as a
substitute in a 2-2 draw against Ipswich at Portman Road on 23rd November
1968. He did not appear for the senior side again in 1968/69 but did appear
once more from the bench early the following season, in a 1-0 defeat at
Nottingham Forest on 30th August 1969. Miller's only start for the Irons
came in a 2-2 draw with Leeds at the Boleyn Ground on 2nd April 1970.


After three appearances for West Ham United, the 22-year-old Miller moved to
John Bond's Fourth Division Bournemouth in the summer of 1970 for a fee of
£10,000. He played 103 consecutive games after arriving and won promotion to
the Third Division in his first season with the Cherries under the
management duo of former Hammers Bond and Ken Brown, playing alongside
fellow ex-Irons Trevor Hartley, Tony Scott and Pat Holland (on loan). He
almost won successive promotions the following season as Bournemouth
finished third in the Third Division. Miller went on to captain the club and
played 383 matches for Bournemouth, scoring 19 goals – he stands fifth in
the Cherries' all-time appearance charts, behind Steve Fletcher (628), Neil
Young (430), Sean O'Driscoll (423) and Ray Bumstead (415). He was rewarded
with a testimonial against Tottenham in 1980.

Miller, who turns 70 next Friday, settled in Dorset after retiring from
playing and was interviewed at half-time in last season's match between
Bournemouth and West Ham on the south coast.

Referee

The referee on Saturday will be Martin Atkinson, who most recently refereed
our 1-1 home draw with Leicester in November. He was also in charge of our
3-0 home defeat to Brighton in October and our 4-0 opening weekend defeat at
Manchester United on 13th August. 2017/18 is Atkinson's 13th as a Premier
League referee. Since West Ham United achieved promotion back to the top
flight in 2012 Atkinson has refereed 19 of our league matches, officiating
in nine wins for the Hammers, two draws and eight defeats.

Atkinson is pictured above refereeing our 3-1 win at Bournemouth in January
2016. He also refereed the Hammers' FA Cup quarter-final at Old Trafford in
March 2016, when he turned down appeals for a penalty after Marcos Rojo
appeared to have tripped Dimitri Payet and failed to spot Bastian
Schweinstieger's block on Darren Randolph as Man Utd equalised late on. He
refereed last September's 4-2 home defeat to Watford and October's 1-0 win
at Crystal Palace, when he controversially sent off Aaron Cresswell for two
very harsh yellow cards in quick succession. His other Hammers appointments
last season were our 3-1 win at Middlesbrough in January and our 3-0 defeat
to Arsenal in April.

Possible line-ups

The Hammers are without Jose Fonte, Edimilson Fernandes, Michail Antonio,
Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho, while Winston Reid is a major doubt. Cheikhou
Kouyate and Chicharito could return.

Bournemouth are set to be without the injured Tyrone Mings and Jermain
Defoe. Junior Stanislas and Josh King could return from thigh injuries.

Possible West Ham United XI: Adrian; Zabaleta, Collins, Ogbonna, Cresswell,
Masuaku; Kouyate, Noble, Obiang; Lanzini, Arnautovic.

Possible Bournemouth XI: Begovic; Smith, Francis, Ake, Steve Cook, Daniels;
Lewis Cook, Gosling; Fraser, Ibe; Wilson.

Enjoy the game – Come On You Irons!

P.S. WHUISA are running a survey to garner your views on away ticketing, the
results of which will be shared with the club. Please take the short survey
and ensure your voice is heard by clicking here

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