Daily WHUFC News - 11th March 2018

West Ham United Statement
WHUFC.com

West Ham United have immediately launched a full and thorough investigation into the incidents which marred the second half of today's match and are committed to taking decisive and appropriate action.

An emergency meeting has been called with all London Stadium stakeholders. There will be no further comment at this time.

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Hammers defeated by second half Burnley blast
WHUFC.com

West Ham United 0 - 3 Burnley
Premier League

West Ham United fell to a 3-0 defeat to Burnley at London Stadium on Saturday, conceding three times in the final 24 minutes as they were made to regret missed chances in the opening period. Manuel Lanzini and Marko Arnautovic were both denied by the away goalkeeper Nick Pope before Sean Dyche's men showed a more ruthless nature by taking the game away from their hosts after half time. Chris Wood stepped off the bench to score twice and set up Ashley Barnes' opener on a day to forget for the Hammers. David Moyes made five changes from the side which lost at Swansea last weekend, restoring Joe Hart in goal and welcoming James Collins and Angelo Ogbonna back into the heart of his defence. After a slow start to the game, the Hammers began to exert control and Marko Arnautovic almost threaded a shot through goalkeeper Nick Pope's legs from an angle, but the Burnley man got a block in after Mario had played through to the Austrian. Two minutes later, Manuel Lanzini exchanged passes with Arnautovic on the edge of the box but lifted his shot over the bar. The Hammers were having a good spell and Mario was next to go close, knocking over the top after Aaron Cresswell delivered a corner deep and Pope was blocked off by his own defender. The best chance for the Hammers fell six minutes before the break when Ogbonna's header caught the Burnley defence out and left Lanzini one-on-one, but Pope stood up tall to make the save.

West Ham would be made to rue those missed opportunities in the final quarter of the contest as Burnley scored three goals to take all three points. First, Barnes fired into the top right corner after Wood chased a ball into the corner and cut back, then, with their next attack, the Clarets made it two. Wood turned goalscorer this time, tucking home from Aaron Lennon's cross before the Kiwi completed the goalscoring, mopping up after Joe Hart could not hold onto Johann Berg Gudmundsson's shot.

West Ham United: Hart, Collins, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Antonio, Kouyate, Noble (c), Zabaleta, Mario (Chicharito 71), Lanzini, Arnautovic
Subs: Adrian, Evra, Rice, Cullen, Browne, Hugill
Booked: Cresswell, Lanzini

Burnley: Pope, Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee (c), Ward, Lennon, Cork, Westwood, Gudmundsson, Hendrick (Wood 61), Barnes (Vokes 89)
Subs: Lindegaard, Nkoudou, Bardsley, Marney, Long
Goals: Barnes 66, Wood 70, 81
Booked: Westwood, Lennon

Referee: Lee Mason

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Moyes: I'll do everything I can to get us back to winning ways
WHUFC.com

David Moyes has vowed to do everything in his power to lead West Ham United to Premier League safety after seeing his side lose 3-0 to Burnley at London Stadium. The Hammers were the better side in the first half, but failed to take their chances and were punished when one goal from Ashley Barnes and two from substitute Chris Wood condemned them to a first home defeat of 2018. A third consecutive loss dropped West Ham nearer to the bottom three, but the experienced Moyes is adamant that he and his staff will leave no stone unturned in their quest to keep the Club in the top flight. "What we need the Club to do now, the supporters and the players, is pull together," said Moyes. "When I took over we were in the bottom three and we're not in the bottom three. "Can we make improvements? Can we play better? Can we do things much better? Of course we can, because none of us are daft. To do it would really help everybody to pull in the right direction. We've got eight games to do so and I think we're more than capable of doing it, but now we're going to have to prove it. "I've told the players we are all going to stick together, we're going to stick our chests out and go again and we're going to get back to winning ways, and we need to do it quickly. We need to play better for longer periods in the game and we're certainly going to have to defend better. I think we've got attacking players who can score, but they didn't score today. "So, we'll get back at it and do the job. When I came in, I didn't think it was going to be easy, and in the main the players have been really good, but we weren't good enough to day. But I do believe we are good enough to stay up. "We massively have to stick together. If anything now, I'd say to the supporters, I'll do everything I can for the players, I'll get them the best I can get them, the best mental condition, the best nick, and if we're not good enough that's something else. I want the supporters to feel that as well."

Focusing on the game itself, Marko Arnautovic and Manuel Lanzini both saw goal-bound shots saved by the feet of Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope, while Lanzini and Joao Mario each fired over the crossbar when well-placed. When similar opportunities fell to Barnes and Wood in the final 25 minutes, the Clarets forwards ruthlessly took them. "I thought we played well in the first half, had two great chances and probably should have been in front at half-time. The first goal was always going to crucial today, whoever got it. "Burnley started the second half a bit better and, when we were put under pressure, that was when we had to cope with the one or two chances they came up with. "Overall, we should have been in front with the chances we had in the first half, and we had played well. We didn't take our chances when we got them, particularly in the first half."

Moyes will use a change of environment in an attempt to freshen up his squad physically and mentally. Without a Premier League fixture until Saturday 31 March, when Southampton are the visitors, the Hammers will head to a warm-weather training camp this week. "We've got a three-week break and it's what we've got. We can't do anything about it, so we'll get the players prepared and ready to go. "The players have had a really long time without going away, so I'm taking them away. On the back of this, would I like to? No, but am I going to? Yes, because I believe it's the right thing for the players. "We now have eight games to go and it doesn't change. We're not in the bottom three, we're out of it, and we're going to try and win as many games as we can."

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Applause for the last man standing
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 10th March 2018
By: Staff Writer

Sir Trevor Brooking was applauded by protesters at the Olympic Stadium this afternoon - after nearly everyone else in the Directors' Box had fled. Following Burnley's second goal in their 3-0 win at Stratford this afternoon, angry supporters turned their attention to the area in which David Sullivan, David Gold and Karren Brady had been sitting with their respective partners. However after the three directors were forced to face loud chants of "sack the Board", they left the Directors' Box after being advised to depart by security - leading to further abuse from the fans. However one man who refused to leave the area was club legend Brooking - and his determination to remain in his seat lead to applause from protesters and chants of "Trevor Brooking, he's one of our own."
It was of course not the first time Brooking has had to face protests from supporters - he was temporarily in charge of the team during 2003 when the Brown Out! protests aimed at dislodging then chairman Terry Brown were taking place.

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West Ham launch investigation into crowd disturbances
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 10th March 2018
By: Staff Writer

West Ham United have confirmed they are launching an investigation into the ugly scenes that marred this afternoon's 3-0 home defeat against Burnley. The second half of this afternoon's Premier League meeting was interrupted on several occasions by fans running on to the field of play after each Burnley goal - since when the club have announced their intentions to investigate the ugly scenes. "West Ham United have immediately launched a full and thorough investigation into the incidents which marred the second half of today's match and are committed to taking decisive and appropriate action. "An emergency meeting has been called with all London Stadium stakeholders. There will be no further comment at this time."

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Omnishambles
KUMb.com
Filed: Sunday, 11th March 2018
By: East Stand Martin

It was like Lord of the Rings down at the running track today. Unbelievable that no-one had the foresight to turn up with a ladder or at least a grappling hook on a rope to invade the Director's seating from the concourse.

What's the word that springs to mind about it all? Shambles. A fucking shambles.

Let's just go through it all.

First of all, the march that never was. This was verging on the surreal. The Grand Old Duke of Stratford put out the crowdfunding call. Chip in your cash we are gonna march to the top of the hill and down again. Start a revolution.

Everybody joins in and responds to the to the call to arms. Money changes hands. I saw the stickers on the away trips. We all did.

Suddenly, it's off. Actually, it was never really on. Apparently. It was a bargaining chip. G&T's down at Sullivan Towers and it's off. A letter from Karren and it's off.

Mistake No. 1: You raise expectations and you dash them with little or no explanation. Everybody from the outside sees it as a sordid deal with the people that rallied the would be marchers in the first place. Conspiracy theories do the rounds. This is never going to end well.

Mistake No.2 : Divide and rule by the club. A deal with the march organisers is all that's needed. Forget all the other fans groups and stakeholders. Instead of manoeuvring it would be better to take it on the chin and allow the pressure cooker to let off some steam. That intervention made things worse by a massive degree.

Then those that are not part of the deal are more than a tad fucked off that it's off. Whose march is it? Is it the property of those that dreamt it up or those that want to protest regardless?

Mistake No. 3: Trying to resuscitate something that was not your idea. Better to let it go, particularly when the date chosen happens to be maybe the biggest game at home in 2018 given recent results.

Recriminations. Threats. Virtual violence. All over the press. Politics being ascribed to a dispute that has got fuck all to do with politics. Nothing short of a disaster.

Then in the middle of it all, the accounts come out.

Club record turnover of £142.1million and a £48.5million profit before interest and tax. One expert saying it's the 10th largest yearly profit in Premier League history. £16.4million paid to David Sullivan and David Gold in repayments on loans and interest. Like pouring petrol on a fire when everybody is raging about lack of investment in playing personnel.

No-one has covered themselves in glory. An omnishambles. The realty is however that the buck must stop with the owners, not the fans. They make the decisions. They have the control. They have caused the current situation and recently made it even worse.

Match day. The atmosphere is toxic. No point in going through the detail of the match because football had actually become irrelevant. Suffice to say that West Ham played pretty well in the first half and should have been in front. Didn't happen though.

Goal goes in from the opposition and pure fucking pandemonium breaks out. The frustrations of the halted marchers get unleashed.

Pitch invasions four times. Mark Noble wrestling with a gremlin because there are no stewards in sight. Some dude running around with a corner flag like he's on church parade with the fucking boy scouts.

Embarrassing. A pure distraction and probably leads to the second Burnley goal.

As for the jokers that supposedly are in charge of that stadium. They haven't got a fucking clue. Never have done.

Day 1, I turned up and saw fighting in the stands. Pitch invasions never happened at the Boleyn (except when Millwall turned up, but that's a different story). What kind of humiliation is it when kids are apparently given seats in the opposition dug out because safety is so compromised?

That stadium is not our home, it is an alien spaceship. It's got that bad, I'm not even certain that a groundshare with Tottenham in their new place would be a worse option. You must know how hard it is for me to say that. At least we'd be in a fucking football stadium.

I've said it, because I am that angry about that stadium, which incidentally is costing the London Legacy Development Corporation £9million in losses just to open the doors to us each year.

This was a deeply wounding week for our club. We are neck deep in a shit pit. It is shameful that on a day when we were supposed to be celebrating the life of a legend of our club, that it ended like this. Will we be able to get over this car crash? Hard to say, but a couple of weeks off could not have come at a better time.

Everybody has got to get a grip. Some have to get a grip more than others.

The funny thing is that I still think we are going to stay up. Despite the fact that I've seen 11 goals go in over the last three weeks. We'll see. This crazy season aint over yet.


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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David Moyes to take West Ham players on Florida training camp
By Lyall Thomas
Last Updated: 10/03/18 10:47pm
SSN

David Moyes is taking his West Ham players on a warm-weather training camp in Florida following Saturday's ugly scenes at the London Stadium. The relegation-threatened Hammers, without a game for three weeks, had planned to spend five days in the USA and Moyes says that will not change despite fan protests erupting during a dismal 3-0 home defeat to Burnley. Captain Mark Noble told Sky Sports the players were feeling the weight of the difficult atmosphere and Moyes is hoping the trip can rejuvenate a team that has lost three consecutive Premier League games. "The players have had a really long time. I'm taking them away," he said. "We're going away to Florida for five days. This was three-week break, if there was ever a time, this was going to be it. "On the back of this (the Burnley loss), are we allowed to? No. Am I doing it? Yeah, because I believe it's the right thing for the players. "I believe we've now got eight games to go, and it doesn't change, we're not in the bottom three, we're out of it, and we're going to try and win as many games as we can."

West Ham have been knocked out of the FA Cup so have seen their Premier League game against Manchester United postponed before the following week's international break. Their next match takes place on March 31 at home to fellow strugglers Southampton.

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Mark Noble clashes with West Ham fan as anti-board protests erupt mid-match at London Stadium
By Sky Sports News
Last Updated: 10/03/18 9:17pm
SSN

Mark Noble clashed with one of his own supporters as pitch invasions and crowd protests marred West Ham's 3-0 defeat to Burnley. An FA investigation is underway while an emergency meeting of all London Stadium stakeholders has also been called after the West Ham owners David Sullivan and David Gold were forced to leave the game early for their own safety. A throng of West Ham fans had turned their attention away from the game and onto the directors box as their side conceded second-half goals to Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood (2). One supporter that encroached the pitch was thrown to the ground by club captain Noble, who was then restrained by goalkeeper Joe Hart. Two more fans encroached onto the pitch and were led away by defender James Collins. The match was interrupted for a second time following Burnley's second goal when another pitch invader grabbed a corner flag and attempted to plant it in the centre of the pitch.
Meanwhile, home fans gathered below the directors' box chanted 'sack the board' and 'you destroyed our club', and police had to be positioned along the touchline and around the West Ham bench, where further disturbances took place.
After a mistake from 'keeper Hart led to the third goal, he was approached by more angry supporters in a third pitch invasion with nine minutes of normal play remaining. A West Ham statement said: "We have immediately launched a full and thorough investigation into the incidents which marred the second half of today's match and are committed to taking decisive and appropriate action." The FA said: "We strongly condemn the crowd disturbances seen today and will be seeking observations from West Ham as well as awaiting the match referee's report."
The Premier League said: "It is essential that everybody who plays or attends a Premier League football match can do so safely. There is no place at any level of the game for what happened at the London Stadium today. "While the official investigation of the incidents will be carried out by the Football Association, we will be asking our own questions of West Ham United about what happened this afternoon, especially to ensure similar events never reoccur. "We would like to commend referee Lee Mason and his team of officials for their actions which, combined with the cooperation of players and coaching staff from both clubs, enabled the match to be completed."

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Mark Noble says West Ham players are 'targets' and must protect themselves against invading fans
By Lyall Thomas
Last Updated: 11/03/18 7:22am
SSN

Mark Noble admits the West Ham players are finding the London Stadium atmosphere difficult to bear, but they must protect themselves against invasive supporters. Captain Noble clashed with a fan that encroached the pitch as disorder occurred during Saturday's 3-0 defeat at home to Burnley, in which owners David Sullivan and David Gold were forced to leave the stadium early for their own protection. Investigations are underway by the club and Premier League, and an emergency meeting of all London Stadium stakeholders has been called after Hammers supporters protested for the board to be sacked at full-time. Noble told Sky Sports: "People have got to realise we are footballers and we are targets, but we have got to protect ourselves. "Obviously there were a number of fans that got on the pitch and a lot of them were running over to where the chairmen were sat. But if someone approaches me personally, I'm going to protect myself, for sure. It's such a big stadium and big area, it's hard for security to stop everyone. "We had fans run on the pitch and it does make the atmosphere really tough to play in. To be honest, it's been like it for a while. The only way to stop it is win games. Obviously we're not going to win every game. "It's the way it's been going since the beginning of the season, that a result - a win - is the only thing that's going to stop them voicing their opinion. I am not saying it's all the West Ham fans. But a lot are not happy. I think that is obvious now. "If the players don't win games we are going to take the brunt of things, which is fine, we understand they are frustrated. But obviously we are going to lose games, and we are going to need them behind us."
Ashley Barnes put Burnley ahead in the 66th minute, which triggered the first fan pitch invasion, before two Chris Wood goals put the game to bed on 70 and then 81 minutes. Noble said: "For Burnley it was fantastic. It was great for them because the West Ham players were under a lot of pressure. We probably could not cope with it after they scored. "It is hard for us at the minute because the fans are unhappy with the board obviously, and as soon as we go a goal down we get targeted. "A lot of players have not played in that sort of atmosphere before. If we score a couple of goals things might change but we went 3-0 down and we got the things we did."


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