Daily WHUFC News - 28th January 2018

West Ham's FA Cup dream ends in Wigan nightmare
WHUFC.com

West Ham United's Emirates FA Cup dream turned into a nightmare at Wigan
Athletic. Two goals from Will Grigg, a sending-off for Arthur Masuaku and a
serious-looking knee injury suffered by Pedro Obiang completed a forgettable
hat-trick as the Latics scored a 2-0 fourth-round win at the DW Stadium.
With eleven players already unavailable, the Hammers were second best
against the EFL League One leaders for long periods and saw their hopes of a
third trip of the season to Wembley Stadium evaporate over the course of a
disappointing 90 minutes. Wigan went ahead in the seventh minute when
Northern Ireland international Grigg got into space behind former teammate
Reece Burke to powerfully head Nathan Byrne's right-wing cross into the top
left-hand corner past Joe Hart. Having gone ahead, Paul Cook's already
impressive side continued to press and had a second 'goal' disallowed before
Nick Powell twice went close, firing a powerful effort narrowly over Hart's
crossbar before doing likewise with a looping header. Obiang's afternoon
then came to a premature and painful end eleven minutes before half-time
when he went in for a midfield challenge with Max Power and suffered what
looked to be a right knee injury that saw him stretchered off. West Ham's
only chance of the opening 45 came a minute before the break when Toni
Martinez got to the byline and crossed, only for Chicharito's shot to be
blocked and substitute Reece Oxford to slice the follow-up high and wide.
Portugal international Joao Mario was sent on for his debut at the break
but, after a bright start to the second half, West Ham were reduced to ten
men when Masuaku was shown the red card by referee Chris Kavanagh after an
off-the-ball incident. And Kavanagh had his whistle to his mouth again
shortly after the hour-mark, pointing for a penalty after Burke had
allegedly handled as Grigg attempted to flick the ball past him. The same
player stepped up to score his second of the game from the spot. Two goals
and a man down, West Ham's FA Cup ambitions were all but over with
half-an-hour to go. The ten men continued to work hard, but could not
fashion any real chances to test home goalkeeper Christian Walton, while
Wigan saw Powell's low shot blocked by Burke and a Byrne centre flash across
the face of goal. Mr Kavanagh brought the game to an end and West Ham's long
wait for a fourth FA Cup success goes on.

Wigan Athletic: Walton, Byrne, Elder (James 86), Burn, Dunkley, Morsy C,
Power, Massey (Colclough 75), Powell, Jacobs, Grigg (Roberts 88)
Subs not used: Jones (GK), Perkins, Bruce, Fulton
Goals: Grigg 7, 62
Booked: Colclough

West Ham United: Hart C, Zabaleta (Joao Mario 46), Burke, Ogbonna,
Cresswell, Byram, Obiang (Oxford 34), Cullen, Masuaku, Martinez
(Haksabanovic 79), Chicharito
Subs not used: Adrian (GK), Collins, Quina, Diangana
Booked: Ogbonna
Sent-off: Masuaku

Referee: Chris Kavanagh
Attendance: 14,194 (4,759 West Ham United supporters)

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Moyes: We obviously made some big errors
WHUFC.com

David Moyes was disappointed, both collectively and individually, with West
Ham United's performance in their 2-0 Emirates FA Cup fourth-round defeat at
Wigan Athletic. The injury-depleted Hammers were not only beaten
comprehensively by the EFL League One leaders, but also lost Arthur Masuaku
to an 'unacceptable' red card and Pedro Obiang to an unfortunate knee
ligament injury. A goal in each half from Will Grigg, the second a
controversial penalty given for handball against Reece Burke, compounded
Moyes' misery at the DW Stadium. "We are disappointed to be out of the Cup,
but we didn't play well enough and Wigan thoroughly deserved their victory,"
he began. "It was definitely down to our performance and we obviously made
some big errors. Certainly, the error for the decision to send one of my
players off was despicable. "He (Masuaku) will deserve everything he gets
and he will get something off us as well. It's unacceptable, totally
unacceptable. Just as we were looking to get back in the game, we were only
one-nil down, we weren't playing that well but we were giving ourselves a
chance to get back in it, but that changed it. "I've got no complaints about
that at all. All I would say is that there is no way the referee saw it, but
ultimately they got to the right decision. I can have no qualms about it."
"I've not seen him from him. We've played him since I've got here and tried
to give him a chance. He wasn't really in the team. We like him. He's a good
boy around the Club and I like him, so I have to say it's out of character,
but it doesn't matter what character he is. I asked him 'Did you spit?' and
he said 'Yes'."

While Moyes accepted Chris Kavanagh's decision to send off Masuaku, he was
less impressed with the referee's award of a penalty just past the
hour-mark. "That's a poor decision. It's really changed the game.
Undoubtedly Grigg's tried to come across and chip the ball back inside, but
I don't know where Reece can put his arms or his elbows, or how that can be
seen as a penalty kick. "We're in a position where I don't think referees
and the linesmen know what a penalty kick is any more."

To add injury to insult, Moyes also lost Obiang to a serious-looking knee
injury that saw him carried from the pitch on a stretcher ten minutes before
half-time. With eleven other senior players not making the trip to Wigan,
the manager and his staff now face a race to get a number of them in
position to face Crystal Palace in the Premier League at London Stadium on
Tuesday evening. "Pedro looks as if he's got a medial knee ligament and this
is the thing, as you get criticism for not using your best players and we've
picked every senior player available apart from James Collins and we've
ended up picking up injuries. "So, I think sometimes the criticism of the
manager for doing it right [is unjust] as you've got to see the other side
of it as well. "We'll need to get over this quick and get on with it, but
that's the job. Premier League games come around quickly and we'll get some
players back fit, but obviously we've lost a couple more today."

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Hart: We've only got ourselves to blame for FA Cup exit
WHUFC.com

Captain Joe Hart said West Ham United have to 'man up' after losing 2-0 at
Wigan Athletic in the Emirates FA Cup fourth round. The England goalkeeper
was left clearly frustrated as the Hammers were well beaten by the EFL
League One leaders, who secured their passage thanks to a goal in each half
from Will Grigg. West Ham also lost Pedro Obiang to a knee injury and Arthur
Masuaku to a red card shown for spitting five minutes after half-time, but
Hart said the Premier League side could make no excuses for their defeat at
the DW Stadium "Everything that could have gone wrong went wrong, but I
think we've only got ourselves to blame with a number of the incidents that
have gone on, so it's very disappointing," he said. "We conceded early but I
don't think that's a good enough excuse. You go one-nil down, you pick
yourself up and get back in the game. It's a cup game and you keep fighting.
"It goes without saying that we didn't take our chances to impress. It's
very disappointing on my behalf, because I want to perform and losing
two-nil at Wigan is difficult, so I'm struggling for positives."

West Ham's surprise defeat, and the incidents that occurred during it, will
undoubtedly receive attention in the media, but Hart says the Hammers have
to stand up and be counted with important Premier League fixtures with
Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion to come this week. "Everyone has
got to stand up and take responsibility. There's no hiding with the way the
FA Cup and Premier League are covered now, so I'm sure we'll be pulled to
pieces for it, but it is what it is. "We're going to have to get the lads
focused and wheel them out. It's very difficult, with what happened with
Pedro, and I don't really want to comment on what happened with Arthur, but
they are going to be out for lengthy times, so we'll have to man up and get
with it."

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David Moyes to punish 'despicable' Arthur Masuaku after spitting red card
Last Updated: 27/01/18 9:59pm
SSN

West Ham manager David Moyes has called Arthur Masuaku's sending off for
spitting "despicable" and vowed to punish his player. The midfielder saw red
in the 49th minute when he spat at Latics forward Nick Powell near the side
of the pitch, as the Hammers were dumped out of the FA Cup 2-0 at Wigan.
Masuaku's red card left Moyes seething after the midfielder reacted to
Powell challenging him, spitting in his direction while the Wigan player
started to walk away. "Ultimately, Arthur, what he's done, was despicable,"
Moyes said. "He will deserve everything he gets and he will get something
off us as well. It's unacceptable, totally unacceptable. "The referee (Chris
Kavanagh) doesn't see it and can't see it. So it was the players' reaction
that got him sent off. Ultimately they got the right decision so I can have
no qualms about it."
Spitting carries a mandatory six-game suspension so Masuaku is now likely to
be out until the middle of March. That will further deplete a Hammers squad
that may also be without Pedro Obiang for the foreseeable future after he
came off with suspected medial ligament damage. Moyes was already without
eight senior players for this tie and admitted he was stunned by Masuaku's
act. "I've not seen it from him," he added. "We've given him a game, played
him all the time, tried to give him a chance, he wasn't really in the team.
"We like him, he's a really good boy around the club. I've enjoyed him so
I'd have to say it is out of character. If you do that then you're going to
get the punishment in any walk of life. "I just asked him, did he spit and
he said, 'Yes'. You can't do that anywhere. We'll deal with it
appropriately."

Victorious boss Paul Cook, a boyhood Liverpool fan, said of the fifth-round
draw: "We need one hot ball and one cold. Liverpool at Anfield and we can
settle for that." He added: "It's been a great day for us as a club when you
take on such top-class opposition. "We played well, great credit to our
players. The game had a massive, defining moment. The sending off in the
game was huge, in my opinion it altered the course of the game in relation
to us, having a more positive effect on us. "I don't think West Ham could
sustain putting us under pressure and the game panned out a certain way."

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Pedro Obiang suffers suspected medial ligament damage in West Ham FA Cup
loss
Last Updated: 27/01/18 6:51pm
SSN

West Ham midfielder Pedro Obiang has suffered suspected medial ligament
damage during the 2-0 defeat to Wigan in the FA Cup fourth round. Obiang,
25, collided with Wigan's Max Power in the 36th minute of the match at DW
Stadium and had to be stretchered off the field of play after receiving
medical attention.
Speaking in his post-match press conference, Moyes confirmed the midfielder
has been sent to undergo a scan with the club initially fearing medial
ligament damage. He said: "Pedro looks as if he's got a medial knee
ligament, we will have him sent for a scan to tell us exactly what's wrong.
"This is the thing, as you get criticism for not using your best players and
we've picked every senior player available apart from James Collins and
we've ended up picking up injuries. "So, I think sometimes the criticism of
the manager for doing it right [is unjust] as you've got to see the other
side of it as well. "We'll need to get over this quick and get on with it,
but that's the job. Premier League games come around quickly and we'll get
some players back fit, but obviously we've lost a couple more today."

West Ham went into the fourth-round cup tie already without 10 senior
players with all of Manuel Lanzini, Marko Arnautovic, Jose Fonte, Michail
Antonio, Declan Rice, Winston Reid, Edimilson Fernandes, Andy Carroll, Andre
Ayew and Diafra Sakho missing from his squad. West Ham completed the loan
signing of Portugal midfielder Joao Mario on Friday, with Moyes admitting
the club are prioritising midfield additions in the January transfer window.

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