Daily WHUFC News - 28th March 2018

A message from our captain Mark Noble
WHUFC.com

Dear fellow Hammer,

I am writing to you as a proud captain and lifelong supporter of our great
football club, West Ham United. We have eight Premier League matches left to
play and, if we win three or four of them, we should achieve what every one
of us wants to achieve and that is stay in this division. Five of those
eight games are at London Stadium and, with your energy and support from the
stands, we will have a much better chance of getting the wins we need. As
I've said many times, results are all that matter, and that is true now,
more than ever. Our last home game against Burnley was one of my toughest
days in nearly 20 years at West Ham, and I never want to see scenes like
that again. None of us do. I desperately want us to do well and for everyone
to be happy, players and fans, but that day was one which none of us can
look back on with any pride.
We need everyone to be together and to be behind the team, because positive
vibes really do inspire the players on the pitch. On the flip side,
negativity can undoubtedly affect players' concentration and confidence, as
I believe it did in the second half against Burnley. We need you all,
full-stop, and we cannot perform to our best and win the matches we need to
win without you. When you are on song, there really are no supporters better
at inspiring their team than West Ham supporters. I can understand the
frustrations some of you are feeling. This season has not gone how we'd all
hoped it would, but I would ask you to channel your passion to get behind
the team, help us get through the season with our Premier League status
intact, and we can sit down and reassess things in the summer.
We need the London Stadium to be buzzing for our five remaining home games,
so please unite behind the lads and give us the best possible chance to
deliver the results we need to stay up.

Come on you Irons!
Mark Noble

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Birthday boy Mullins recalls West Ham's 'fantastic' Great Escape
WHUFC.com

Amazingly, it is nearly eleven years since West Ham United pulled off what
has become known as the 'Great Escape' from relegation from the Premier
League.
After suffering a heart-breaking 4-3 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur at the
Boleyn Ground on 4 March 2007, the Hammers were ten points from safety with
just nine matches left to play. Then, something special happened, as Alan
Curbishley's squad turned things around in sensational style, winning seven
of those remaining nine games to stay up after winning 1-0 at champions
Manchester United on an unforgettable final day. Among the 14 heroes who
helped the Hammers pull off the greatest escape in the Club's long and
illustrious history that famous afternoon was midfielder Hayden Mullins, who
replaced match-winner Carlos Tevez for the eight final nerve-wracking
minutes at Old Trafford. "Despite the fact that they had already won the
Premier League, going to Manchester United on the final day of the season
knowing that we probably needed to get something from the game to stay up
was quite a daunting prospect," recalled Mullins, who celebrates his 39th
birthday on Tuesday. "We'd had a rollercoaster of a season and it was sad
that Alan Pardew lost his job halfway through, because I think if he had
been able to bring in the players that came in the January – the likes of
Lucas Neill, Matty Upson and Luis Boa Morte – then I'm sure we would have
also stayed up under him.
"We went on a magnificent run at the end of the season, though, inspired by
Carlos Tevez, and he was our hero again at Old Trafford. "I remember after
about 60 minutes, they brought on Ryan Giggs, Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul
Scholes – and we all just looked at each other and thought: 'Here we go!'
"Somehow, though, we held on to win and the feeling at the final whistle was
absolutely fantastic. It's up there with the biggest achievements in my time
at West Ham."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Every West Ham United player in international action on Tuesday
WHUFC.com

Tuesday promises to be a busy day for West Ham United's internationals, with
a potential 19 players in action for their countries all the way from senior
level to under-16s.

Topping the bill is a possible head-to-head between two Hammers with Angelo
Ogbonna's Italy taking on England's Joe Hart at Wembley Stadium (kick-off
8pm)

Ogbonna will be hoping to win his 14th cap for the Azzurri, who are looking
to bounce back from a 2-0 friendly defeat to Argentina on Friday, and the
29-year-old has fond memories of Wembley, having headed home the winner in
the Hammers' Carabao Cup tie against Tottenham Hotspur earlier this season.

England boss Gareth Southgate has indicated that Stoke City goalkeeper Jack
Butland will start the friendly match, but Hart will be waiting in the wings
for a chance from the bench.

Marko Arnautovic scored his 17th and 18th international goals in Austria's
3-0 win over Slovenia on Friday and will have the chance to add to that
tally on Tuesday when Franco Foda's team travel to Luxembourg for their
latest friendly. This match kicks-off at 7.30pm.

Senegal, skippered by Cheikhou Kouyate, will continue their preparations for
the summer's FIFA World Cup finals by taking on Bosnia and Herzegovina in
the northern French city Le Havre at 7pm.

Youngster Sead Haksabanovic could bolster his international experience when
Montenegro take on Turkey in Podgorica at 6.10pm. Haksabanovic, who has
played 14 games for the Hammers' U23 side this season, will be hoping to
earn a second full cap for his country.

Meanwhile, Manuel Lanzini scored his first Argentina goal in their win
against Italy on Friday and La Albiceleste face another prestige friendly
against Spain at Atletico Madrid's Wanda Metropolitano this evening at
8.30pm.

Overnight, Chicharito could earn a landmark 100th Mexico cap when his nation
take on Croatia in the United States (kick-off 2.30am BST). The striker
would become the 14th Mexican to reach three figures when it comes to senior
international appearances. He is also just one goal short of reaching 50 in
the green and white of the Central American country.

Declan Rice made his senior debut for the Republic of Ireland on Friday and
he links up with U21 skipper Josh Cullen for the Boys in Green's vital UEFA
U21 Euro qualifier against Azerbaijan at 7.30pm.

Another U21 who could feature this evening is Edimilson Fernandes, whose
Switzerland side take on Portugal in another UEFA U21 Euro qualifier at 5pm.

In the same competition, Martin Samuelsen is in line to play for Norway, who
face Israel away from home.

Academy goalkeeper Nathan Trott kept a clean sheet as England U20 defeated
Poland last week and the Young Lions play another friendly against Portugal
at 7pm this evening.

At U19 level, Domingos Quina's Portugal play a UEFA U19 Elite Round
Qualifier against Ireland needing just a point to secure their place as
Group 5 winners. Conor Coventry may feature on the other side for the young
Irish, who could still steal top spot with victory.

Lativa U19 could call upon goalkeeper RIhards Matrevics in their final Elite
Round match against Hungary. Latvia are currently level with their opponents
on three points, but face a tall order to catch group leaders England, who
boast a perfect record and take on bottom-of-the-group FYR Macedonia.

Serbia U17 are involved in Elite Round qualifiying too, and play Spain at
1.30pm needing a victory for a chance of progressing to the summer's Euro
Championship finals.

Ben Wells could feature for Republic of Ireland's U18, who play Romania in a
friendly match at 11.30am.

Last but not least, Academy duo Serine Sanneh and Daniel Jinadu are in the
England U16 squad for their Montaigu Tournament opener against Russia at
6.15pm

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ray thrilled with team effort in Swindon Town win
WHUFC.com

West Ham United Ladies' 6-0 win over Swindon Town shows that the group want
to 'push the bar higher', something that delights interim head coach Karen
Ray.
Two goals apiece for Kelly Wealthall and Ellie Zoepfl, plus fine finishes
from Leanne Mabey and Molly Clark, secured a huge win for the Hammers
against Swindon, stretching the side's unbeaten run in 2018 to nine matches.
With a particularly impressive second half performance from the Ladies, Ray
feels her team showed that they want to continue improving and pushing
themselves to be even better. "We know if we come out to games with a
dominant and aggressive start, we will create opportunities and score
goals," Ray told whufc.com: "Our defenders are protecting us and yet again
have a clean sheet, an admirable stat for any team.

"When we are on the front foot we are at our best, if we continue to push
the bar higher we have a good chance of continuing this success. Today I
learned that the girls want this, the girls trust me and they are ready to
leave a legacy. "Rosie Kmita and Molly Clark particularly impressed me
today. Their link up play and desire to create opportunities for their
teammates was a key factor in the second half success. We scored a few team
goals today and for a coach that is the most rewarding thing to see."

With her side going nine games unbeaten, the general manager continued: "It
is a great achievement for the players, staff and supporters. Everyone works
tirelessly to create an environment that not only stimulates players to want
to win, but also to influence their preparation. "Practicing under pressure
enables players to trust themselves, each other and maintain clarity in the
expectations needed to be part of this Club. They should be very proud of
their achievements."

With five goals coming in the second half, the Hammers had taken the lead at
half-time thanks to Mabey's finish, but Ray was unhappy with her team's
showing in the first period. However, the interim head coach was thrilled
with how the team responded to the half-time team talk. Ray added: "The
first half was sloppy, I reminded the girls at half time that our standards
cannot slip and that the first 45 minutes was unacceptable. They have set a
new precedent with performances and I now have to push them beyond that. "I
made a couple of tactical points about how to break down their defensive
block and the girls came out and executed, all the credit is on them. It's
hard to score five goals against a team who are throwing themselves at every
ball, and Swindon deserve full credit for their tenacious work off the
ball."

West Ham United Ladies' next match is a huge contest, in the final of the
Women's Cup against Charlton Athletic. Ray knows the test the Addicks will
pose in next Wednesday's match but insists her side will be ready for the
final. "Charlton are a very strong team and deservedly at the top of our
league, we will respect that but certainly not fear it. Every training
session is an opportunity for players to develop and for us to evolve as a
team. "I am fortunate enough to have a strong group of staff who support
the players' preparation and we will go into this game with a winning
mentality and ensure we give ourselves the best opportunity to win our first
piece of silverware.
"One thing for sure is the more support we have the better, please join us
on Wednesday 4th April and cheer the girls to victory."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers forward Arnautovic scores again in Austria victory
WHUFC.com

Marko Arnautovic continued his fine goal-scoring form with his third of the
international break in Austria's 4-0 friendly international win over
Luxembourg. The West Ham United forward, who had netted twice in his
country's victory over Slovenia on Friday, hit the target within four
minutes at the Stade Josy Barthel in Luxembourg City on Tuesday evening. The
28-year-old played for 68 minutes before being replaced. Arnautovic's strike
took him to 19 goals in 69 appearances in national team colours, and he has
now scored ten in his last 15 games for club and country.

Young midfielders Josh Cullen and Declan Rice were both in the starting XI
and completed the full 90 minutes as their Republic of Ireland U21 scored a
late, late winner to see off Azerbaijan in a UEFA European Championship
qualifier at Tallaght Stadium in Dublin. Ireland dominated for long periods
and were finally rewarded when Stoke City's Ryan Sweeney scored nine minutes
into added time. Victory means they sit three points behind leaders Germany,
but with a game in-hand, and could still secure automatic qualification for
next summer's final tournament in Italy.

Nathan Trott was also in action, keeping a clean sheet as England U20s
defeated Portugal 3-0 at Manchester City's Academy Stadium. The West Ham
goalkeeper was making his fourth appearance at that level, and followed up
an unbeaten performance in the 1-0 friendly win over Poland on Thursday with
another shutout.

Sticking with the stoppers, 15-year-old Daniel Jinadu also blanked the
opposition as England U16s kicked-off their quest to win the Montaigu
Tournament in France with a 2-0 win over Russia. England face Cameroon on
Thursday and Brazil on Saturday in their other group-stage fixtures. Either
Jinadu or West Ham squad-mate Serine Sanneh will keep goal for the U16s in
those fixtures.

Elsewhere, Joe Hart and Angelo Ogbonna were both handed watching briefs as
England drew 1-1 with Italy in a friendly at Wembley, while Sead
Haksabanovic was an unused substitute in Montenegro's 2-2 draw with Turkey.

Manuel Lanzini (Argentina), Cheikhou Kouyate (Senegal), Arthur Masuaku (DR
Congo) and Martin Samuelsen (Norway U21) were not involved for their
respective nations on Tuesday evening.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Fernandes returns, Quina qualifies and Belic scores!
WHUFC.com

West Ham United youngsters Edimilson Fernandes, Domingos Quina, Kristijan
Belic, Harrison Ashby and Rihards Matrevics all enjoyed positive experiences
UEFA European Championship qualifying on Tuesday afternoon Fernandes made
his return from four months out with an ankle injury in Switzerland's 4-2
defeat by Portugal in the U21 qualifying tournament. The 21-year-old wore
the No10 shirt as he earned his sixth U21 cap in Neuchatel, and completed 76
minutes before being substituted. Defeat leaves Portugal fourth in their
group and with an increasingly remote chance of reaching next summer's
finals in Italy, but Fernandes' return will be welcome news for West Ham
manager David Moyes.
Quina's Portugal secured their place at the U19 finals with a win, Belic
netted Serbia's goal in their U17 Elite Round qualifying draw with Spain,
Ashby helped Scotland to a memorable 1-0 win over Germany in the same
competition, while Matrevics kept goal for Latvia in their U19 Elite Round
qualifying win over Hungary.
Quina completed another 90 minutes as Portugal made it a perfect nine points
out of nine with a 4-0 win over Republic of Ireland on home turf in
Barcelos. The Portuguese, who finished as runners-up to England last summer,
with Quina in the starting XI, scored ten goals without reply in their three
group-stage matches, also defeating Kosovo and Slovakia. Quina's West Ham
teammate Conor Coventry played the full game for the Irish, who finished
second in the group but missed out on qualification.

Matrevics and Latvia looked on course for defeat before Marko Regza
completed a memorable hat-trick with two goals in the final two minutes to
snatch a 3-2 victory in Skopje, Macedonia. Unfortunately for the West Ham
goalkeeper, Latvia missed out on qualifying for this summer's final
tounament in Finland on goal difference, with England's 3-0 win over the
Eastern European nation on Saturday meaning the Young Lions finished top of
their group, despite losing 2-0 to Macedonia on Tuesday. Midfielder Belic
scored his first competitive goal on his third appearance at U17 level,
levelling after Real Madrid's Gutiérrez Ortega had put the Spanish ahead
from the penalty spot. Despite being held to a draw, Spain topped Group 1 to
go through to this summer's finals in England.

Elsewhere, schoolboy Ashby played in a three-man midfield as Scotland scored
a famous victory over Germany in Nafpaktos, Greece, where Glasgow Rangers
striker Adedapo Awokoya-Mebude scored the only goal of the game 12 minutes
into the second half. Ashby, 16, was making his debut after missing
Scotland's defeats by Greece and group winners Norway.

Meanwhile, Ben Wells was involved as a substitute as Republic of Ireland
U18s were edged out 1-0 by their Romanian counterparts in a friendly in
Whitehall, Dublin.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Birthday boy Obiang willing to wait for perfect present
WHUFC.com

Birthday boy Pedro Obiang says he is willing to wait for the perfect present
– West Ham United securing their Premier League safety. The Spanish
midfielder, who is currently working his way back from a knee injury
suffered at Wigan Athletic in January, was inundated with messages from the
Claret and Blue Army as he celebrated turning 26 on Tuesday. Obiang thanked
the fans for their support before issuing an update on his rehabilitation.
"I'm happy to say that many supporters messaged me and wished me a happy
birthday and remembered me, so that's good!" he said. "I have had so many
messages that I didn't open Instagram yet, but I will do at the end of the
day to thank the fans for those messages. "Obviously while I am happy for
these messages, I would be happier if I was training and playing with the
team. It's difficult to be out and watching the games, with the situation we
are in. "I am not far away and I am working hard, but I am waiting for the
right time to come back. I want to help the team, but the best way to help
the team is to wait until I am in the right condition to do so, because if I
am not in the best situation, I probably cannot help the team. "I would
prefer to be fit and to come back and bring my energy. I am totally focused
on coming back and I feel good, but I still need two or three steps before I
am ready to come back."

Obiang admits he is a frustrated spectator, but the No14 has made sure to
retain a positive outlook at the Hammers' Rush Green training ground. That
uplifting approach was never more apparent than on his birthday, when the
Madrilenian brought two birthday cakes to the canteen for his teammates and
the backroom staff to enjoy. And while he is convinced his colleagues have
the character to stay up, he has urged the same fans who sent him their best
wishes to get behind the team in their remaining eight Premier League
matches. "We have the experience and the spirit to be OK, but I know that
everything around has become difficult. I know the supporters are a little
but angry, but I can understand this because I lived in a similar situation
at my former club Sampdoria (who were relegated in 2011). "I would ask the
supporters to be focused on the most important thing and that is to try to
be safe as quickly as possible and help the team as much as they can. "At
the same time, I'd ask the guys to give everything they have. At the moment,
they are trying to do everything. I can see how hard they are working at
Rush Green every day."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Lanzini rested from Spanish debacle
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 27th March 2018
By: Staff Writer

Manuel Lanzini was forced to watch from the sidelines tonight as his
Argentina side were thrashed by Spain in Madrid. The 25-year-old Hammer was
greatly missed by the South Americans, who were smashed 6-1 by Julen
Lopetegui's team in a bad-tempered affair at the Wanda Metropolitano. The
hosts scored in the 11th, 27th, 52nd, 55th, 73rd and 74th minutes, with
Argentina's sole response coming from Manchester City's Nicolas Otamendi six
minutes ahead of the half time interval. Lanzini, whose fitness has been
the cause of much speculation in the last few days was not included in the
match day squad and instead sat grim-faced, alongside Barcelona's Lionel
Messi, from a private box in the stands. According to sources from
Argentina, West Ham's number 10 was rested from tonight's fixture having
"felt a muscular discomfort" following Friday night's 2-0 win against Italy
(who held England to a 1-1 draw at Wembley tonight).
Lanzini, who flies back to England tomorrow will be assessed by club medics
upon his return, just 72 hours ahead of this weekend's vital Premier League
fixture with Southampton. Until then Hammers fans will be left waiting
anxiously to learn the full extent of the injury to a player who has been
interested clubs such as Liverpool in recent months, due to his good form

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers legends call for 'complete overhaul'
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 27th March 2018
By: Staff Writer

West Ham legend Tony Cottee has called for "a complete overhaul" at "every
level of the club" this summer. The former striker, who featured for the
club in two spells during the 19080s and 1990s told Sky Sports on Tuesday
that the club should review its organisational structure - but only when the
season is finished and the club has hopefully retained its top flight
status. "There needs to be a complete and utter overhaul at the club, at
probably every level," said Cottee. "[Although] I'm not so sure you can do
that now as there are [only] eight games left. "It is important that
everybody sticks together, the fans, the players, the management. "Everybody
has to stick together to try and get the results to stay in the Premier
League. "Then, at the end of the season, everything needs to be sorted out -
and I mean everything. There is a lot wrong at the club but they cannot
afford to get relegated."

Cottee's thoughts were echoed by former team mate Tony Gale, who also works
for Sky. The defender also called for an end-of-season review - whilst
urging fans to defer any protests until the summer. "There's so many
consequences of going down, it'll be catastrophic really for the new stadium
and everything," he said.
"They've got to get behind the team - and I think they will as well. They're
really good fans and they'll realise they're not supporting the stuff that's
going on off the pitch, but are going to support our team and hopefully stay
in this Premier Leaue. "Then we can see about things at the end of the
season, that's the way to go about it. I was at the game against Burnley and
it was a sad state of affairs. I understand the crowd's frustrations, that
they wanted to protest, but that is not the way to do it. "That club has
been mismanaged. I'm not talking about managers, I'm talking from the top.
They've admitted it, they've been in the newspapers saying sorry, sorry,
sorry - but that's not good enough. Basically, it has been a shambles."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Disabled fans moved - to protect directors
KUMb.com
Filed: Tuesday, 27th March 2018
By: Staff Writer

A West Ham season ticket holder who sits in a disabled area at the Olympic
Stadium has been told to move - so that barriers may be erected in order to
protect the Directors' Box. Eastbourne Hammer, who has been a member of KUMB
for 14 years received a call from the club on Tuesday morning to inform him
that he would be moved to another area of the ground for the rest of the
season - and possibly beyond.
And that's because his existing seat - which happens to be directly
underneath the Directors' Box - is no longer available as a result of
barriers being erected to prevent supporters from congregating on the
platform below, as was the case for the recent match against Burnley. "I'll
no longer be able to sit there," the season ticket holder told KUMB. "I
believe I sat right where all the trouble kicked off, but I couldn't make
the last game as I wasn't well enough. I was offered a move to a downgraded
seat which I refused - I paid for the best view and that's what I'd like.
"I was told that was no longer an option [and asked again] where would I
like to move to? My response was 'nowhere', you can refund me the rest of my
season ticket. They told me that they'll call me tomorrow [Wednesday] to let
me know what they'll be doing."

* Meanwhile a KUMB Forum poll asking whether David Sullivan, David Gold and
Karren Brady should stay away from the Olympic Stadium for the rest of the
season saw 85 per cent of supporters who voted agree. And just 12 per cent
of supporters who expressed a view voted against the motion, with the
remainder undecided.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Club statement calls for unity
KUMb.com
Filed: Tuesday, 27th March 2018
By: Staff Writer

A statement published on behalf of West Ham captain Mark Noble has called
for fans to remain "united" for the rest of the season. Published on the
club's website under the title "a message from our captain", the statement
asks fans to remain patient and "together" for the remainder of the campaign
in order to ensure the club retains its Premier League status. And it pulled
no punches with regards to the disturbances during the 3-0 defeat against
Burnley, intimating that the disruptive actions of those supporters who
entered the field of play or protested underneath the Directors' Box was
responsible for the final result. "We have eight Premier League matches left
to play and, if we win three or four of them, we should achieve what every
one of us wants to achieve and that is stay in this division," read the
statement. "Five of those eight games are at London Stadium and, with your
energy and support from the stands, we will have a much better chance of
getting the wins we need. As I've said many times, results are all that
matter, and that is true now, more than ever. "Our last home game against
Burnley was one of my toughest days in nearly 20 years at West Ham, and I
never want to see scenes like that again. None of us do. I desperately want
us to do well and for everyone to be happy, players and fans, but that day
was one which none of us can look back on with any pride. "We need everyone
to be together and to be behind the team, because positive vibes really do
inspire the players on the pitch. On the flip side, negativity can
undoubtedly affect players' concentration and confidence, as I believe it
did in the second half against Burnley."

The statement has been released just as two separate groups of supporters
are preparing to stage anti-Board demonstrations, prior to this weekend's
Premier League meeting with Southampton at Stratford. One group are planning
to meet at Stratford Park before marching towards the stadium, whilst
another group are planning to meet outside Stratford station before
continuing their own protest. Both are expected to be finished well before
kick off, allowing those involved to enter the stadium and offer their full
backing to the team in what is a must-win game for the club.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham need complete overhaul at every level, says Tony Cottee
Last Updated: 27/03/18 12:30pm
SSN

West Ham need a "complete and utter overhaul" at the end of the season even
if they avoid relegation from the Premier League, according to Tony Cottee.
The Hammers are two points above the drop zone with eight games remaining in
the season, and the club is currently beset by off-field problems in the
wake of the recent fan protests against the board. West Ham issued lifetime
bans to five supporters earlier this month after pitch invasions and crowd
violence marred the 3-0 defeat the Burnley at the London Stadium.
Cottee believes changes need to be made "at every level" at West Ham but has
urged the club's supporters to get behind the team between now and the end
of the season. "There needs to be a complete and utter overhaul at the club,
at probably every level," he said. "Can you do that now? I'm not so sure.
There are eight games left. It is important that everybody sticks together,
the fans, the players, the management. "Everybody has to stick together at
the club to try and get the results to stay in the Premier League and then
at the end of the season everything needs to be sorted out, and I mean
everything. "There is a lot wrong at the club and they cannot afford to be
relegated."
Former Hammers defender Tony Gale says he sympathises with the club's fans
but insists the disturbances against Burnley were unacceptable. "I was at
the game against Burnley and it was a sad state of affairs. I understand the
crowd's frustrations, that they wanted to protest, but that is not the way
to do it," he said. "How do you protest? That club has been mismanaged. I'm
not talking about managers, I'm talking from the top. "They've admitted it,
they've been in the newspapers saying sorry, sorry, sorry - but that's not
good enough. Mismanaged going to the stadium, mismanaged with their buying,
basically it has been a shambles."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
I GOT YOU BABE
By Tony Hanna 27 Mar 2018 at 08:00
WTID

Fifty weeks ago I wrote an article with the header "Our biggest game since
Blackpool?" The game I was alluding to was the home fixture with Swansea in
early April 2017. At that time we were heading towards the relegation places
at an alarming rate on the back of five successive losses and just two
points from the past seven matches. When I say "biggest game" my intention
was to portray the importance of points to the team, not to compare it to
any of the memorable wins against Manchester United, Chelsea or Spurs where
the atmosphere has been rocking. We went on to win that game against Swansea
and only suffered one more defeat in a season where we eventually finished
11th. This weekend we take on Southampton and in many ways we are in a very
similar position to where we were before last seasons victory over Swansea.
Here are some of the key points I made in that article nearly a year ago.

"We have a left back (Cresswell) who has lost all form"……… "Kouyate is a
shadow of his former self"……… "Noble has got slower"………." (Obiang) who
looked most likely to win HOTY has been lost for the season"……… "The fact is
that even with all these excuses, we have been poor for just about the whole
season"…….." A few tantalising sprinklings of what may or could have been
with wins over Palace, Boro and Saints have been overshadowed by a team that
cannot defend, crumbles once it concedes and lacks any real consistency on
any level"………." Last season should have been a platform for the club but the
transfer policy actually just threw us back into Premiership mediocrity".

It sounds like Groundhog Day doesn't it? Albert Einstein said that you can't
keep doing the same thing over and over again and expect a different result.
Now I'm not Einstein and fifty weeks ago I was only stating the bleedin'
obvious – yet I still keep waking up to Sonny and Chers "I got you Babe". At
least weatherman Phil Connors made the necessary changes to his life and
eventually escaped the time loop. West Ham fans are not so fortunate. There
may be bigger and more important games to come this season but for now this
game against Southampton is huge. It really could be a catalyst for what
transpires for the rest of the season. Indeed, our future as a club. Whilst
we hope for a game where our supporters create an uplifting atmosphere for
the team, the reality is it is going to be very tense. I haven't seen a lot
of Southampton's games in recent months but I did watch their cup tie at
Wigan. They were fortunate not to be two or three down by half time. They
barely created anything and they had players bottling challenges and visibly
not wanting the ball. But a few touches of top flight class and a few slices
of luck saw them through. It was new manager Mark Hughes first game in
charge and with a two week break in front of him the Saints fans will be
hoping for a "bounce". They will also have their much missed Charlie Austin
back for the visit to the OS.

As I wrote last week, Southampton have only won five Premier League games
this season. That includes two against bottom side West Brom and one against
a ten man West Ham – the other two were both last year against Everton and
Crystal Palace. They are the draw specialists of the division though with
thirteen in thirty games. The stats suggest this one has a draw written all
over it too. West Ham have scored just five first half goals at home all
season whilst Southampton have scored six away from home in the same period.
Both teams have conceded ten. The Hammers fare marginally better with second
half home goals; scoring eleven and conceding ten – the Saints are seven for
and thirteen against in their second half away fixtures. Whilst the draw
seems the bet, historically one of the sides normally finds a way to win
with just eleven draws in the past 59 encounters – although five of those
draws have come in the past fourteen matches played. In the past eleven
meetings between the two clubs both sides have tasted victory on four
occasions. Southampton are the bookies favourites to win this game. It is a
rarity that an away team placed below the home team on the table, at this
stage of the season, should be shorter odds or more fancied than the home
team. I would suggest this is based purely on the toxic atmosphere at our
last home game. I just hope if we do go a goal down again this weekend it is
not yet another Groundhog Day.

Personally, I would like to see Masuaku come straight back into the side
following his six match suspension. He does have the odd mistake in him
(don't they all) but we have really missed his drive forward down the left.
I would also like to see Adrian re-instated. Other than that, I would love
to see "post" and "rub of the green" make long awaited appearances. They
have been sorely missed.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

http://vyperz.blogspot.com