Preview - Hull City
WHUFC.com
When and where?
West Ham United v Hull City
Premier League
Saturday 17 December 2016, 3pm GMT
London Stadium
What's the story?
West Ham United will look to record back-to-back wins for the first time this season when they host Hull City at London Stadium on Saturday.
Slaven Bilic's men beat Burnley on Wednesday thanks to Mark Noble's goal right at the end of the opening period, and the 1-0 victory – West Ham's first in seven games – took them up to 15th in the table.
Having drawn at Liverpool at the weekend, West Ham will want to extend their unbeaten run and move into the mid-table pack.
When the Hammers have kept a clean sheet this season, they have gone on to win on all four occasions by a single goal, so another solid defensive defensive display would be welcomed by Bilic.
Hull are back in London for the second time in three days after being defeated 3-0 by Tottenham Hotspur in midweek.
They come into the game 19th in the table, four points behind the Hammers with 12 from their opening 16 games.
A 2-1 win against Southampton in early November has been followed by two draws and three defeats, as Mike Phelan's team have found life tough on their return to the Premier League.
Team news
West Ham welcomed Andy Carroll back into their starting XI for the first time since the opening day of the season in midweek, and the No9 could start again against Hull.
Simone Zaza and Gokhan Tore are out with knee injuries, while James Collins is sidelined with a calf problem.
For Hull, the Tigers have no new injury concerns to report, although Will Keane, Abel Hernandez and Moses Odubajo remain out.
Dieumerci Mbokani is available again after serving a three-match suspension.
Any links between the two?
Hull assistant boss Neil McDonald served in the same role during Sam Allardyce's four-year reign in the Hammers' hot seat.
Another former West Ham coach is also on the Tigers' backroom staff, as goalkeeping coach Bobby Mimms linked up with the KCOM Stadium side this season.
Hammers skipper Mark Noble spent time on loan with Hull City as a youngster, playing five league games in the 2005/06 season.
How do I get to the game?
Click here for directions to London Stadium.
Please be aware that there are some alterations to walking routes from Stratford station for this game. Click here for full details.
The latest travel news on the Tubes, London Overground, TfL Rail and roads can be found here. If you're travelling by National Rail, click here for the latest news.
How can I watch the game?
Saturday's match is not being broadcast live in the UK. However, you can follow all the action as it happens on whufc.com, with live audio commentary, social media updates, in-running stats, photos and more. Don't forget you can get involved in the conversation on social using the hashtag #WHUHUL
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Oxford signs new contract
WHUFC.com
West Ham United are delighted to announce that highly-rated defender Reece Oxford has signed a new four-and-a-half-year contract with the east London Club. Despite strong interest from some of the biggest teams in the country including Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal, Oxford was thrilled to pledge his long-term future to the Hammers. Oxford is rated one of the best young talents in the English game and has already shown his potential when he became the second youngest-ever player in the Premier League last season.
The tall, ball-playing defender or midfielder made his competitive debut against Arsenal, aged just 16, and produced an outstanding display in a 2-0 victory at Emirates Stadium.
Manager Slaven Bilic has already shown that he is willing to give his youngsters a run in the team if they are good enough and Oxford says that played a major role in his decision to stay with the east London Club. West Ham have been renowned for bringing through some of the best young talent in the country and Oxford says he would love to follow in the footsteps of former players such as Rio Ferdinand and Joe Cole and become a major star over the next few years. Oxford said: "I am happy to have signed my new contract. There was a lot of speculation about my future but I am happy that it has been done and I can get back to football. I just want to kick on now. "I have made my family proud and hopefully I have made the fans proud that I have signed a new contract. Hopefully I can get into the team and help them throughout the whole season. "I have a good relationship with the gaffer and hopefully I can get a lot of game time here. I have seen some of the old players like Joe Cole and Rio Ferdinand and I want to follow in their footsteps.
"Hopefully, I can become just as big as them or even bigger. Hopefully, I can step out and follow what they have achieved."
Bilic was thrilled to see Oxford put pen to paper and feels he has the potential to become a world-class player. The manager, who had similar qualities to Oxford as a player, has no doubts that the teenager has everything in his game to go right to the very top and feels this is a major coup for the Club. Bilic said: "I am delighted and it is major news for both the Club and the player that he has committed his long-term future to West Ham United. "I really believe he has got everything. On paper he has all the abilities to become a world-class player and it is now up to him to train hard and for us to manage him well for him to fulfil it. "We wanted him to stay and the Board did everything to keep him. The interest from the other big clubs was real and that shows what a big talent he is. "It is the right decision for him because we are a great Club where he can become a top player. "He has been out injured but he is now coming back and I believe in him a lot. He is a great prospect and is the leader of the pack when it comes to the younger players."
Oxford said the prospect of playing at London Stadium in front of nearly 57,000 Hammers fans also played a big part in his decision to stay and feels the Club can achieve big things over the next few years. The 18-year-old has been forced to miss the last six weeks with an ankle injury, but is expected to resume training next week. He admitted his biggest dream is to follow in the footsteps of Mark Noble and becoming a future captain of West Ham United.
Oxford added: "This is a great Stadium. We want to pack it out every week and get the fans behind us, like they always are. "I was fortunate enough to play at London Stadium in the opening game [against NK Domzale in the UEFA Europa League] and it was sold out and that was one of the best days I have had at this Club. "The fans really get behind you and hopefully we can continue that, as I have always said the West Ham fans are the best in the country because home and away they are always there for you. "I want to be a part of the squad and help the Club challenge for silverware by winning the FA Cup or Europa League – winning a trophy would be great. My long-term ambitions are to be captain of West Ham United one day. "I look up to someone like Mark Noble and he has been fantastic towards me. Every day in training he will be getting into me and telling me the right information. "He wants to make sure that my head is in the game and I am training well. He also wants to ensure I am doing everything right off the pitch and he is a big influence."
Oxford joined West Ham when he was just 13 and quickly showed his talents as he became one of the best young players in the Hammers Academy. He was named among the substitutes for the League Cup second-round defeat by Sheffield United on 27 August 2014, aged just 15.
The all-round defender, who strong in the tackle and in the air, as well as being comfortable bringing the ball out from the back, made his U18 debut for the Hammers in a Premier Academy League game at Norwich – even though he was still an U15 schoolboy.
Oxford continued to impress as he made his way up to the Development Squad and was thenhanded a call-up to the first-team in July 2015, when he became West Ham's youngest-ever player when he featured at the Boleyn Ground against Andorrans FC Lusitans in the Europa League. Bilic was certainly impressed and shocked a number of people in the game when he named Oxford in the starting line-up for the opening game of the season at Arsenal, but the move paid off as the youngster kept Mesut Ozil at bay and showed he could be a major star in the top flight.
Oxford also started against Leicester and went on to make more appearances as a substitute, helping the Club record Premier League wins over Tottenham Hotspur and Everton. He also managed to end last season with silverware by leading the Development Squad to a memorable win over Hull City in the U21 Premier League Cup. To complete an amazing 2015/16, the teenager also won the Young Hammer of the Year award in recognition of a terrific breakthrough season. And after playing for England at every level from U16s to U19s, Oxford now has set his sights on making his breakthrough into the senior squad. "I have been representing England since the U16s and have been captain of the side. I have progressed through to the U19s and was then pushed up to the U20s last year when we got to the Euros last summer and reached the semi-finals. "I want to push on again, and with the U20s and U21s being involved in major tournaments next summer I would love to be a part of either team. I just want to get playing again. "Gareth Southgate has shown he is prepared to put the youngsters into the team and hopefully I can catch his attention."
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Bilic welcomes Oxford deal
WHUFC.com
Slaven Bilic welcomes Reece Oxford's decision to sign a new contract until summer 2021
Talented teenager tipped to go all the way by West Ham United manager
Bilic handed Oxford his debut in 2015, making him the Hammers' youngest-ever player
Slaven Bilic has welcomed Reece Oxford's decision to pledge his future to West Ham United. The manager, who made the teenager the youngest player in Hammers history when he handed him a debut against FC Lusitans in July 2015, is excited about Oxford's prospects after he penned a new four-and-a-half year contract. While he was careful not to put too much pressure on the England U19 captain, Bilic believes Oxford, who celebrates his 18th birthday on Friday, has the potential to go to the very top of the game. "I am delighted and it is major news for both the Club and the player that he has committed his long-term future to West Ham United," said Bilic. "I really believe he has got everything. On paper he has all the abilities to become a world-class player and it is now up to him to train hard and for us to manage him well for him to fulfill it."
Following his UEFA Europa League bow, Bilic also gave Oxford a Premier League debut at Arsenal on the opening day of the 2015/16 season, where the teenager starred in a 2-0 victory. Oxford's talents as a strong, composed, ball-playing centre-half or central midfielder saw him linked with moves to some of the biggest clubs in English football in recent months. For all those reasons, Bilic said the Club were pleased he has decided his future lies in east London. "We wanted him to stay and the Board did everything to keep him," said the manager. "The interest from the other big clubs was real and that shows what a big talent he is. "It is the right decision for him because we are a great Club where he can become a top player. "He has been out injured but he is now coming back and I believe in him a lot. He is a great prospect and is the leader of the pack when it comes to the younger players."
Oxford is approaching a return from an ankle injury that has ruled him out since October, and Bilic could hand the hugely-promising youngster further first-team opportunities in the New Year.
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Five Talking Points - Hull City
WHUFC.com
The big issues up for discussion ahead of Saturday's Premier League visit of Hull City to London Stadium...
Back-to-back wins
It seems hard to believe, but West Ham United have not won back-to-back Premier League matches for nearly eight months. The last time the Hammers celebrated successive top-flight victories was in April, when they followed a 3-1 home win over Watford by thrashing West Bromwich Albion 3-0 at The Hawthorns. Since then, Slaven Bilic's side have gone 19 matches – half a season – without stringing two wins in a row together. So, completing back-to-back wins by defeating Hull City at London Stadium on Saturday would not only end that run, but also potentially lift the Hammers to 13th in the table.
To start Andy, or not to start Andy?
In his Evening Standard column this week, Slaven Bilic admitted he thought about keeping Andy Carroll on the substitutes' bench for Wednesday's win over Burnley. However, Carroll's own attitude and determination to start convinced the manager to insert him in his team for the first time since August. The No9 responded with an all-action performance against the Clarets, winning eleven aerial battles, including the header which indirectly led to Mark Noble's match-winning goal. Bilic will again be tempted to protect his attacking talisman on Saturday, with few alternatives available, but with a nine-day gap until West Ham play again at Swansea City, Carroll may well convince his manager to keep him in the starting XI.
History is on our side
Hull have won just twice in 22 visits to West Ham, with the most-recent Tigers victory coming as long ago as January 1990. Since then, the Hammers have won six straight home matches against Hull, scoring 19 goals and conceding just three. In the Premier League, West Ham have a perfect 4-0 record, conceding just once. So, if history is anything to go by – and realistically, it isn't! – then West Ham will win on Saturday, and win comfortably.
Tame Tigers?
Since winning their opening two Premier League matches, the Tigers have not exactly roared on a regular basis. In fact, they have rarely raised even a growl, winning just once in the ensuing 14 games – a 2-1 home win over Southampton on 6 November – to drop from top to 19th in the table. A run of six straight defeats in September and October gave reason for alarm at the KCOM Stadium, while recent away losses at Middlesbrough and Tottenham Hotspur only raised it still further. If Hull are to remain a Premier League club, and extend their stay into a second season as they did in 2009 and 2014 they need to find the right code to silence it, and fast.
What a year!
West Ham United's home slate of fixtures for 2016 comes to an end at around 4.50pm on Saturday – and what a year it has been in east London. The Hammers kicked-off the calendar year with a 2-0 home win over Liverpool on 2 January, following it up with an unforgettable FA Cup fourth-round replay victory over the same opposition the following month. Throw in wins over Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, a memorable closing ceremony and the opening of London Stadium and it has been quite a 12 months on home turf.
In all, West Ham have played 25 competitive home matches in 2016, winning 14, drawing five and losing six, with the visit of Hull City to come. Just in case you were interested, Tottenham Hotspur have played 24 competitive home matches in 2016, winning 14, drawing four and losing six.
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Pair visit Queen's Hospital youngsters
WHUFC.com
West Ham defenders James Collins and Reece Oxford visited Queen's Hospital in Romford
The pair handed out gifts to a number of youngsters ahead of Christmas
Both Hammers explained how great it was to put a smile on the children's faces
James Collins and Reece Oxford helped spread a little Christmas cheer last week when they paid a visit to the children's ward at Queen's Hospital in Romford, Essex. The Hammers pair went straight from training at Rush Green to hand out presents and spend some time with the youngsters, who face spending the festive period undergoing treatment and recovery care. Many of the children on the ward were West Ham fans and their delight at getting the opportunity to meet a couple of their heroes was clear to see.
Collins, a father of three young children himself, said: "It's not a nice time for the kids or their families to be in hospital, so it's nice for us to spend a bit of time with them and hopefully put a few smiles on faces. "Just to be able to come and say hello, give them a little gift and show that we are supporting them and thinking of them means a lot, especially at this time of year.
"It's obviously tough to see, but nice at the same time to come down. They have supported us through some tough times recently so it's good to come and give the kids a little present and let them know we are supporting them. "With kids myself, I know it must be an awful situation to be in at this time of year so it's great to come down and say hello."
Oxford, who this week put pen to paper on a new four-and-a-half-year contract, was also pleased to show his support at Christmas.
"It's been good to see the kids smiling," said Reece. "I really hope we can do it again next year. "The fact that supporters like this are still supporting us even though they are ill really means a lot to us. "I'm still young myself and I know what a big thing and how much it can mean to youngsters when players take the time out to do this. "When a big player would have come to my school when I was a kid, I loved it and it made me smile and made me feel happy so it's great to come down and do the same for these kids here today."
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Young star eyes London Stadium return
WHUFC.com
Reece Oxford is looking forward to returning to action at London Stadium
Teenager featured in first-ever fixture at West Ham United's new home in July 2016
Promising youngster signed a new long-term contract with the Club on his 18th birthday
Reece Oxford cannot wait to walk out at London Stadium again after signing a new long-term contract with West Ham United. The teenager put pen to paper on a new four-and-a-half-year deal on his 18th birthday on Friday, pledging his future to the Club he joined five years ago. The highly-rated defender or midfielder featured in the opening game at the Hammers' new home in July, when 57,000 fans roared the team to victory over NK Domzale in the UEFA Europa League. Oxford also started the Betway Cup thriller with Italian champions Juventus at the start of August, before his season suffered a setback by way of an ankle injury. Now, though, the youngster is approaching fitness and is eyeing his next appearance at West Ham's home, stating that the Club's move to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park played a part in his decision to remain in Claret and Blue until 2021. "This is a great Stadium," said Oxford, who signed his new contract after showing his mother Youmna around the iconic arena. "We want to pack it out every week and get the fans behind us, like they always are. "I was fortunate enough to play at London Stadium in the opening game and it was sold out and that was one of the best days I have had at this Club. "The fans really get behind you and hopefully we can continue that, as I have always said the West Ham fans are the best in the country because home and away they are always there for you."
West Ham return to London Stadium duty on Saturday, when Hull City are the visitors in the Premier League. Victory in that fixture could see the Hammers rise as high as 13th in the table, ahead of Burnley and Leicester City. Mark Noble will captain the team in their clash with the Tigers – a role Oxford would like to take on himself in future. "I want to be a part of the squad and help the Club challenge for silverware by winning the FA Cup or Europa League – winning a trophy would be great. My long-term ambitions are to be captain of West Ham United one day," he confirmed. "I look up to someone like Mark Noble and he has been fantastic towards me. Every day in training he will be getting into me and telling me the right information. "He wants to make sure that my head is in the game and I am training well. He also wants to ensure I am doing everything right off the pitch and he is a big influence."
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Manager on Matchday
WHUFC.com
Good morning everyone,
We are preparing for another big home game against Hull and it would be brilliant if we can record back-to-back victories.
We said we had to go through an extremely difficult schedule but were then facing a period of games which we could get points on the board.
That period has now arrived and we started with three points against Burnley on Wednesday night.
We now have a really good chance to get another victory and we are at home. But Hull are playing really good football and I like the way they play.
We need to continue like this and lift a few more places in the table. If that happens, we can expect better performances because, as I said after the game against Burnley, nothing can give you
confidence better than victories.
I was thrilled to see Reece Oxford pledge his long-term future to the Club and was asked in the pre-match press conference if the biggest challenge will be keeping his feet on the ground.
There is always a danger but unfortunately you can't keep the players without giving them a good contract. As I said it's up to us, more than us it's up to his family and his representatives because they are around him more than we are.
We do our things on the pitch and off the pitch but I think he's got a very stable family, the people around him are really good and he is down to earth, and I don't expect him to go wild and all that and to lose concentration. But nowadays of course it's very difficult.
The players are getting great contracts, fame, interviews and everything without putting there foot on a pitch. It was the other way round before, now it's changed.
We are a very friendly club, not only my door is open but the skipper, the experienced players, they are always there to help him.
It is a good statement and it is showing everyone else that we want to keep our great prospects. We have a few more who are staying with us and a few of them are on loan.
Reece wanted to stay and that is why I call it the perfect match and it is a win win situation. No-body had to compromise and it is good for both parties.
He could possibly go on loan. We spoke about it at the start of the season – me and Reece.
We will see in January and if not the end of the season. There is no point him staying if it is obvious he will not get minutes on the pitch.
He is young and talented and the only way he will fulfil his potential is to play, whether it is at West Ham or a short loan.
We have good young players. There are players already on loan like Reece Burke and Josh Cullen, others like Marcus Brown. They are full of promise.
The crowd love to identify with home grown talent. When I came here I said that the priority was the boys from East London, if not London, then if not London England.
We want exceptional talent, exceptional players. It is hard today to get the players coming through from your academy and if you want to buy British they are extremely expensive.
I was asked once again about Andy Carroll and his return to first-team action.
There comes a time, when he is fit and looking good in training, when you just have to put him in.
In Andy's case, you know you will always get impact and determination. I like intensive training from every player and that's a must because without that you can't be switched on for games.
But I'm talking about the first week when he comes back from injury. He goes in straight away, like he was training yesterday. And that's like how he plays.
He goes straight in and he goes like crazy, 100 per cent, because this is a very important part of his game.
You don't want him to lose that because that's key for the way he plays but he has to manage the crucial time when he starts training to have something in between.
I was also asked about Simone Zaza but unfortunately he is injured. It's his knee and that is why he is not available for us for selection.
There is a situation with him but we will see in January what is going to happen.
Enjoy the game on Saturday.
Slaven
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Nordtveit wary of fellow Norwegians
WHUFC.com
Havard Nordtveit told the Official Programme he is looking forward to facing not one, but two familiar faces when West Ham United host Hull City on Saturday.
The Hammers welcome the Tigers to London Stadium in the Premier League, with Slaven Bilic's side looking to record back-to-back top-flight victories for the first time this since April.
To do so, they will need to quiet Hull's two Norway internationals, Markus Henriksen and Adama Diomande – two players their compatriot Nordtveit knows very well.
Striker Diomande joined Hull from Norwegian club Stabaek in 2015, while midfielder Henriksen is currently on a season-long loan from Dutch side AZ Alkmaar.
The trio all started Norway's recent FIFA World Cup qualifier with Germany, and the No4 says West Ham will need to keep a close eye on them this weekend.
"Henriksen had a very good time in AZ and came this season to Hull, while Dio is just pure power and you don't find many Norwegian players with such strength," Nordtveit observed.
"They both have the offensive power we need to be aware of, so I'm looking forward to the game.
"You need to be very good to get out of Norway and show what they can do, so they are both very good players."
For Nordtveit himself, the game represents another opportunity to build on his encouraging display at Liverpool last weekend.
The former Borussia Monchengladbach man has endured a challenging start to life in English football, but he told the Official Programme he feels better about his chances of establishing himself in Claret and Blue after that performance.
"I'm always positive. I was born positive, so I'm working hard every day," he said. "The games I've played, I know I can play much better, so I'll take it game-by-game and day-by-day and hopefully I can be a good player for this Club.
"Hopefully with the Christmas time coming and so many games, we can take as many points as possible and get out of the lower part of the table, because the quality in this team is much better than that it says in the table."
Saturday's 100-page Official Programme is crammed full of exclusive news, views and more, including columns penned by Joint-Chairman David Gold, manager Slaven Bilic and captain Mark Noble.
Also inside, fans can hear from Reece Oxford on the signing of his new long-term contract, Hammer of the Year Steve Potts on the day he scored a historic goal against Hull, Jack Collison and the great Sir Trevor Brooking.
Ian 'Moose' Abrahams talks to London 2012 long jump champion and football fan Greg Rutherford, while youngster Alex Pike is looking to build on his recent first-team experiences.
Saturday's issue is available to order online here now, and will be on sale in and around London Stadium on matchday, priced £3.50.
Alternatively, you can download a digital edition to your tablet, smartphone or laptop for just £1.99 from 9am on matchday.
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Bilic – We have a great chance
WHUFC.com
Slaven Bilic thinks his side have what it takes to pick up three points against Hull City on Saturday
The manager believes that now the Hammers are through their difficult period of tough fixtures, they can begin to build their confidence
Bilic also admitted it may be a tough time for the side when they lose some key players to the African Cup of Nations
West Ham United boss Slaven Bilic believes his side have a great chance to build their confidence further this weekend as they look to add to Wednesday night's 1-0 victory over Burnley against Hull City on Saturday.
The Hammers took only two points from four incredibly tough Premier League fixtures before the midweek win, but Bilic labelled the team's current run of games a fresh start and is now keen to see the Club climb the league table.
And with Saturday's London Stadium opponents Hull having only picked up four points from a possible 24 on their travels this season in the league, the Croatian is confident of another positive result at the weekend.
He said: "We spoke about this couple of games, three to four games in this busy period when we played against Spurs, Manchester United twice, Arsenal and Liverpool. It was an extremely difficult schedule.
"That period came and we started with three points and we have a really good chance again tomorrow.
"They are playing really good football and I like the way we play. They are in good form, they create, but we have a good chance.
This period has come and we have started with three points. They are in good form, they create, but we have a good chance.
Slaven Bilic
"Not because we want to but we need to continue like this and get a few more places on the table. If that happens, we can expect better performances. Nothing can give you confidence better than victories."
Though the manager remains focused his side's clash against the Tigers on Saturday, he admitted the beginning of the African Cup of Nations in January – when a small number of Hammers will travel to Gabon for the tournament – is in the back of his mind.
Bilic also hinted at possible moves in the upcoming transfer window to ensure his squad is fully prepared for the period when they will be without the likes of Cheikhou Kouyate and Andre Ayew.
"In September, October and November, we knew that this time was going to come," he continued. "We need to concentrate on these three games and then after Manchester United at home [on 2 January], they will go and represent their countries.
"It is not ideal, of course, but it is the case for us. Three or four of them will go.
"When that time comes though, it is the transfer window. We will lose players but so will other clubs in the Premier League."
Finally, Bilic looked ahead to playing in front of the thousands of Hammers supporters in the Club's London Stadium, where the side have now won three of their last five home matches.
"It is a great stadium. You can feel the crowd, feel 60,000 people," the former defender said. "It is different to Upton Park but as we said at the beginning there are ups and downs.
"We lost a couple of games it was stupid, then we beat Chelsea and Sunderland and it's the best ever stadium.
"It is a new stadium and like everything new, you have to have some good memories and to have memories you need time. The stadium isn't good, it is unbelievable."
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From the Boardroom - David Gold
WHUFC.com
I am thrilled that we have been able to secure the signature of highly-rated defender Reece Oxford for another four-and-a-half years.
It sends out a real message of intent that we mean business and have managed to secure the future of one of the best young talents in the English game.
We have shown with the players we have brought in and the ones we are securing for the future that the Club is heading in the right direction.
Ten-years ago these players might have left West Ham United but that is not the case anymore and they want to play at London Stadium. Reece compares with some of the best we have produced.
I hear from experts that he is the best young central defender since Rio Ferdinand so that speaks volumes for what he has achieved.
We know there have been a number of big clubs who have been interested in signing him, so getting him to stay is a big coup for the football club.
We now want to see him fulfil his potential. He has a good family and a good manager behind him.
We have players going off to the African Cup of Nations and it will leave some opportunities. We all saw what he did against Arsenal last season and it showed he has the quality to compete at the highest level.
We have enjoyed a memorable week so far with a crucial draw against Liverpool at Anfield and then an important victory over Burnley.
We now want to finish the job with another big three points against Hull on Saturday.
Slaven said he was looking for a reaction from the players following the last home defeat against Arsenal and he certainly got that last Sunday as the players responded with a superb display at Anfield.
The performance set us up nicely for another big game on Wednesday night and everyone was calling it a must-win fixture.
It certainly put a lot of pressure on the team but they responded in the best possible manner. It wasn't a classic, but the most important thing is that we came away with the three points at this stage of the season.
We are now preparing for another big game against a Hull team who are fighting for their lives at the bottom of the table and will not make it easy for us.
This is not going to be a walkover and I am sure that Slaven will be telling his players that we will have to show the same mentality that we produced against Burnley and remain patient if we are to get another important victory.
We have a very special guest coming back for the game on Saturday with former hero Clyde Best being introduced to the fans at half-time.
I have no doubts that our supporters will give him a special reception. He was always a big favourite and I will be pleased to meet up with him for the first time, having watched him showcase his talents on so many occasions at the Boleyn Ground.
Enjoy the game on Saturday.
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Slaven hails AC's A1 attitude
WHUFC.com
Slaven Bilic says Andy Carroll could start his second game of the week against Hull City
No9 returned to team for midweek win over Burnley and exceeded expectations by playing 80 minutes
West Ham United came through the game injury-free and are seeking back-to-back wins
Slaven Bilic says a 'very positive' Andy Carroll could start his second game in four days when Hull City visit London Stadium on Saturday.
The No9 returned to the starting XI for the first time in four months on Wednesday night, helping the Hammers to a morale-boosting 1-0 victory over Burnley.
Having had such a long lay-off with a knee injury, Bilic was initially only expecting Carroll to start one game this week, but the No9's attitude may have convinced the manager to let his centre forward loose on the Tigers from the kick-off.
"To be fair I said after the [Burnley] game he was supposed to play 30 minutes and not to start but to come from the bench, but I spoke to him and he had done enough training and came on a couple of times against Arsenal and Liverpool," the manager explained.
"Then the plan was for him to play for 60 minutes on Wednesday, but then I asked him at half-time and he was really good and went on until 80 minutes.
"He is very positive and that makes my very positive."
While Carroll could start up front again, Bilic has been handed a further boost by news that the other ten starters and substitutes came through unscathed and are available to face Hull.
Cheikhou Kouyate returned after a two-game absence, while Aaron Cresswell and Andre Ayew were both impressive as they continue their own comebacks after lengthy injury lay-offs.
"Thank God, from the game against Burnley, the players who played were in on Thursday, but didn't have a full training session," he revealed. "They are clear of injuries, all good and should be really good for tomorrow."
Bilic is hoping his players will continue their recent renaissance against their 19th-placed opponents, who have won just one league game since August.
The Hammers have picked up four points since the manager publicly questioned them following a 5-1 home defeat by Arsenal a fortnight ago.
Reflecting on those post-match comments, Bilic has been heartened by the performances he has seen against Liverpool and Burnley so far this week.
"Maybe I was too harsh but I was disappointed, especially as we looked good for 70 minutes and were there in the game, then we crumbled," he said, alluding to the Gunners game.
"Before that game, suddenly everything looked good and bright, with the performances against Spurs and Manchester United, then against Arsenal we were without four major players – Sakho, Kouyate, Antonio and Cresswell – and it didn't look good. To have three of them back is a big thing for us.
"Their reaction didn't surprise me, I expected it because I knew there wasn't a reason why we played like that. Also some players come back and if you have most of your best players available you can expect good performances and good results."
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Oxford signs new long-term deal
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 16th December 2016
By: Staff Writer
Reece Oxford has ended speculation regarding his immediate future by signing a new four-and-a-half-year contract. The 18-year-old defender had been at the centre of a tug of war for his services involving several clubs such as Manchester United and Arsenal.
However Oxford finally put to bed questions over his future by putting pen to paper on a new deal that ties him to the club until the age of 22. "I am happy to have signed my new contract," he told whufc.com. "There was a lot of speculation about my future but I am happy that it has been done and I can get back to football. I just want to kick on now. "I have made my family proud and hopefully I have made the fans proud that I have signed a new contract. Hopefully I can get into the team and help them throughout the whole season. "I have a good relationship with the gaffer and hopefully I can get a lot of game time here. I have seen some of the old players like Joe Cole and Rio Ferdinand and I want to follow in their footsteps. "Hopefully, I can become just as big as them or even bigger. Hopefully, I can step out and follow what they have achieved."
Manager Slaven Bilic was equally delighted with the news, stating that Oxford could become "a world class player". "I am delighted that he has committed his long-term future to West Ham United," he said. "I really believe he has got everything. On paper he has all the abilities and it is now up to him to train hard and for us to manage him well for him to fulfil it. "We wanted him to stay and the Board did everything to keep him. The interest from the other big clubs was real and that shows what a big talent he is."
Oxford has been at West Ham for five years now and made his first team debut against Lusitanos in the Eurpa Cup last season. He hit the headlines on the opening day of the 2015/16 Premier League when he featured in West Ham's 2-0 win at Arsenal, a game in which he was praised for keeping Mesuit Ozil under lock and key.
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Tata, Zaza
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 16th December 2016
By: Staff Writer
Simone Zaza's agent has indicated that his client will be returning to Italy when the January transfer window opens in less than three weeks' time. According to Italian website Juve News, Vincenzo Morabito has confirmed that Zaza's season-long loan deal will be cut short. That's largely due to the fact that should the Italian international feature in a set number of matches, the Hammers will be compelled to pay the £20million transfer fee agreed as a condition of the loan arrangement. "Zaza will return to Turin as West Ham will not be taking up the option to buy," Morabito told the website. However it may be that Zaza will not remain at Juventus for too long, as La Liga side Valencia have also expressed interest in signing the powerful striker. Jesús García Pitarch, Managing Director of Valencia has revealed that his club are very interested in taking Zaza. "He is a player we liked in the summer and we love him still," he told a press conference. "He can come to Valencia if the conditions of the transaction are right for both parties."
Zaza has made just 11 appearances for West Ham since moving from Juve on loan during the summer transfer window and has failed to score a single goal.
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The Peter Brabrook story
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 16th December 2016
By: Lenny Madhavan
He was without doubt one of the most exciting players ever to sign for West Ham United FC when he joined for a record £35,000 from Chelsea. His quick and mazy runs on the right flank thrilled the Upton Park crowds of the sixties.
He scored some thrilling goals but he was an unselfish architect of many others, his deadly and accurate crosses were appreciatively accepted by strikers who were grateful to get on the end of them and turn them into goals - the most famous and most crucial of his crosses being made in the dying minutes of the 1964 FA Cup final, which was met by the head of teammate Ronnie Boyce and proved to be the goal that won West Ham its first major trophy.
Though he was an unsung hero at times, he is still fondly remembered by many West Ham fans who were privileged to see him play, some of whom who have stated that he was their favourite player at the time - and with a side overloaded with legends like Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst, Martin Peters and Johnny Byrne, that is saying something!
In later years, long after he had retired from playing he still continued to be a great servant to the club in his role as a coach and as a scout and was loved and respected by all that had the privilege of meeting him. Today we pay tribute to the legend that is Peter Brabrook, who sadly passed away last Saturday…
From Genesis to Stamford Bridge
Peter Brabrook was born in Greenwich, South East London on 8 November 1937. He spent his early years in the East End of London playing for several local youth clubs before joining non-leaguers Ford United (now known as Redbridge FC).
Brabrook was an outstanding football prospect whose talent was noted by scouts from several league clubs. Despite learning his footballing trade in the East End of London, it was Chelsea that recruited him from under the noses of the Hammers, when their legendary scout Jimmy Thompson persuaded the then 15-year-old to join the Stamford Bridge club.
Brabrook signed on as an apprentice in 1953. Within a few years, he would be capped at England Youth level and would sign professional forms with the Blues.
It was an exciting time for the Stamford Bridge club. After years of mediocrity the club had appointed a new forward thinking manager - former Arsenal legend Ted Drake. With five England caps, two league titles and a FA Cup winner's medal to his name, Drake was keen to emulate his success from his playing days in his new role as manager.
Unlike previous managers who wore suits, gave instructions during half time talks and were generally mild mannered, Ted Drake had a more 'hands on' approach and was often in the thick of the action - a hard taskmaster and motivator on the training ground and a barker on the touchline during matches.
More importantly he begun to revamp the scouting system and the youth team set up - the former of which unearthed some bargain players from the lower leagues and the latter of which helped produced and develop a crop of talented youngsters.
In the space of three years Ted Drake had led Chelsea to their first ever league title in 1955, his shrewd signings from the lower leagues paying dividends. At the time many believe this was the start of an exciting era for the club. Indeed the future of Chelsea FC looked very rosy as the youth team that Drake had helped setup had churned out a clutch of promising young players who are knocking on the first team door.
These talented blue lions were dubbed 'Drake's Ducklings' (in response to Manchester United's successful youth players who were dubbed the 'Busby Babes'). The first of the 'ducklings' who had made the great leap into the first team was Peter Brabrook,
Drake blooding his young forward, still only 17 years of age, by selecting him on three occasions during that memorable title run to fill in for the injured No. 10 Seamus O'Connell. By the following year, Brabrook became a regular in the Chelsea senior side, when Drake converted him from a forward to a winger to replace the injured (former Hammer) Eric 'Rabbit' Parsons.
He scored his first ever league goal in his first appearance of his second season against Blackpool away - and never looked back.
Over the following seasons the pacey and dynamic Brabrook terrified opposing defenders with his deadly wing play, as other 'ducklings' also begun to creep into the first team - including Jimmy Greaves, Bobby Tambling, Terry Venables, and Barry Bridges who were all, like Brabrook, future England internationals discovered by Jimmy Thompson and were a few years younger than him.
Of the new ducklings that emerged to play for the first team, Jimmy Greaves was the most impressive of them all. The East End born goal machine was another one that escaped West Ham's radar, to sign for the Blues. In Greaves's first season for the club he finished as Chelsea's top scorer with 22 goals in 37 appearances.
Another Blues youngster feared by opposing defenders, the deadly Greaves was firing in goals from all angles but it was Brabrook who had been supplying his bullets as he formed a good understanding with his fellow young team mate – the winger's crosses and passes, being gratefully accepted as assists to goals scored by Greaves and his fellow strikers.
Chelsea Lions to the Three Lions
Not surprisingly, Brabrook's talent soon begun to attract the attention of the national team selectors who included him in England's 1958 World Cup squad in Sweden. He was one of five uncapped players and the youngest squad member.
England drew all three of their group matches with Brabrook not playing in any of those games. Eventual tournament winners Brazil won the group to progress into the quarter-finals. The second placed team would also be joining them.
However both England and the Soviet Union were level on points and on goal average and thus both sides finished joint second - triggering a play off game to decide who would book their place in the next round.
Having already fought an entertaining 2-2 draw with the USSR in the earlier round (a game in which the Three Lions were given a scare but fought back gallantly after being two-nil down), the England select committee decided to make some changes to inject creativity into the side to combat the talented Soviets.
Three new players were brought into the starting eleven including two debutants - one of whom was Peter Brabrook. It was a risky gameplan that almost paid off. Both England and the Soviet Union fought another thrilling match though this time there were a lack of goals for most of the game.
Brabrook impressed in his international debut in such a crucial game. His appearance for his country also marked the first time a Chelsea player from the youth team being capped at full international level for England. The match eventually ended in a narrow 1-0 defeat for the Three Lions and England were sent packing from Sweden. Brabrook went on to make two further England appearances.
The twilight years at Chelsea
Meanwhile, back on the home front at club level, in spite of the presence of a clutch of new talented youngsters in the side and the club's brand of attacking football led by Brabrook and Greaves which excited football fans up and down the country, the next seven years saw Chelsea FC surprisingly underachieving with a series of disappointing mid-table finishes and even the odd relegation battle as the title winning side of 1955 begun to break up.
The west London side might have been scoring a lot of goals, but they also appeared to be leaking in a lot too!
The final nail in the coffin of Chelsea FC in general and Ted Drake in particular occurred in June 1961, when the club made the controversial decision to sell Jimmy Greaves to AC Milan for £80,000 - a huge sum in those days.
Greaves had finished the previous season with an incredible 41 goals in 40 league games and was undoubtedly one of Chelsea's key players, but the board of directors needed money and found the money offered by the Italian giants very tempting.
After the sale of Greaves, Chelsea then went into freefall and spent most of the season being rooted at the foot of the table. Though Brabrook was playing well, there was no one of quality to tuck away the countless chances he had created. Greaves meanwhile, who had never been comfortable with the idea of leaving London, let alone the country, had become unsettled in Italy and put in a transfer request.
Realising their grave error in judgement, the Blues attempted to resign their former striker in a bid to stop themselves falling into the second division, but Greaves who had always been frustrated with his former club's lack of ambition in securing trophies opted to join London rivals Tottenham Hotspur who had also bid for his services.
With their attempt to re-sign their former striker now dashed, the rot continued for Chelsea FC as they tried frantically to escape the relegation zone. As the last throw of the dice, the Chelsea board of directors eventually sacked Ted Drake and replaced him with a younger man, their player coach Tommy Docherty but his appointment came a little too late as he was unable to keep the Stamford Bridge club in the top flight.
Peter Brabrook would now be starting his next season in the second division - or so he thought…
During the summer period, Tommy Docherty set plans into motion to get Chelsea promoted back into the First Division at the first attempt. He made radical changes to the squad by selling some of the senior players. Several of the younger players such as Terry Venables, Barry Bridges and Bobby Tambling (all 21 years of age or under) were retained to form the backbone of a new and exciting Chelsea side.
To the shock of the Blues faithful, Peter Brabrook, a fans'-favourite aged 25 and seemingly at the peak of his career, was deemed surplus to Docherty's plans and was put up for sale. This alerted the attention of top flight clubs and there was no shortage of suitors for Brabrook, who were all keen to add an England international to their ranks.
Merseyside giants Everton FC were the first to make a bid for the winger but Brabrook wasn't keen on leaving the capital. This gave West Ham the advantage and Brabrook signed for the Hammers for a princely sum of £35,000 - then a record for a winger.
Life at Upton Park
Arriving at Upton Park, Brabrook discovered, that like his previous club, his new employers were also going through a transitional period. They had replaced their manager Ted Fenton the previous season after a very poor campaign that almost saw the East End club relegated to the Second Division.
The new manager, Ron Greenwood, was previously assistant manager with Arsenal and a respected coach who was an admirer of the great Hungarian national side that dominated world football in the 1950s. Greenwood wanted to instil some continental flair into his West Ham side.
To usher the Hammers into a golden era that he had envisaged for the club, Greenwood made changes to the side and training methods. He had been very busy in the transfer market and Upton Park fan favourites such as Phil Woosnan and Andy Malcolm (the club's first ever Hammer of the Year) were sold to raise funds for new players.
Greenwood made several shrewd signings and the revamped and re-energised Hammers line up made an immediate impact and finished a respectable eighth place, before Brabrook joined their ranks.
The signing of Brabrook was thus far West Ham's most notable and expensive acquisition but Greenwood considered it money well spent as he seemed an ideal player to slot into the new working model that he had implemented to the club's starting XI.
And the new boy didn't disappoint either, making 27 league appearances in his debut season for the Hammers and notching up seven league goals while making countless others for his teammates.
In spite of the radical changes made by Greenwood, the Hammers' league form was indifferent. Unlike the Fenton era in the top flight, the Hammers didn't struggle against relegation but they didn't make an impact in the league either. Much to Brabrook's frustration life at Upton Park was a series of mid-table finishes.
However what they lacked in league success, the Hammers more than made up for it in cup matches. No club, no matter how big wanted to face West Ham in a cup competition as it is these 'singular games' they excelled at - as no one could beat them 'on the day'.
It was Brabrook's second season with the Hammers that was to be his personal best. He made 38 league appearances while scoring a career best total of eight leagues goals.
Despite another mid-table finish, the season was notable for a successful FA Cup run that saw the Hammers reach the final for the second time in their history. Brabrook had played in every match of their cup run and scored two goals in the process. The opponents in the Final were second division Preston North End.
Despite being rated as underdogs, the Lilywhites gave their First Division opponents a run for their money as they dominated large parts of the match. They took the lead on two occasions only for the Hammers to equalise with goals from John Sissons and Geoff Hurst.
As the game approached the 90th minute and with the match deadlocked at 2-2, it looked as though the game was heading for extra time until Brabrook pumped in a last minute cross that young Hammers midfielder Ronnie Boyce gratefully got on the end of, to head home the winner to secure the Hammers their first ever trophy.
Victory in the FA Cup final granted the Hammers entry into the following year's European Cup Winners competition - which also ended in success for the Hammers, when they defeated TSV 1860 Munich of West Germany in the final.
Sadly though Brabrook was one of four Hammers from the 1964 FA Cup final line-up who was omitted from the 1965 ECW Cup starting XI. In an injury -lagued season that saw him restricted to just 22 league appearances, Brabrook was only able to make one appearance in that glorious European cup run.
His place on the right wing was taken in the Final by young winger Alan Sealey, who enetered West Ham folklore by scoring both goals in a 2-0 victory over the strong German side.
The following season, 1965/66, saw a fit-again Brabrook make 32 league appearances scoring eight league goals, matching his previous best ever goal tally. As holders of the ECW Cup, the Hammers were allowed entry into that season's European competition to defend their trophy.
This resulted in another relativity successful European Cup run that ended at the semi-final stage, where the Hammers were beaten by the eventual winners Borussia Dortmund of West Germany. Unlike the previous season, Brabrook contributed greatly to this cup run, making six appearances and scoring one goal.
The same season also saw another great cup run in the Football League Cup, where the Hammers reached a two-legged final against West Bromwich Albion. After leading 2-1 in the first leg at Upton Park, the Hammers were crushed at The Hawthorns in the return leg when they were resoundingly beaten 4-1 by the Baggies (making the final score 5-3 on aggregate).
Once again Brabrook had contributed greatly to this cup run by making eight appearances (including appearances in both legs of the final) and scoring two goals.
Brabrook was again a first team regular in the 1966/67 season, making another 32 league appearances and scoring five league goals. This season saw yet another impressive cup run which ended in the semi-final stage of the Football League Cup.
Just like the previous season's final, the Hammers faced West Bromwich Albion over two legs. The first leg was at The Hawthorns and just like the previous season's final leg at the same venue, the Baggies delivered another thrashing that effectively decided the tie in a 4-0 victory.
The Hammers could only force a 2-2 draw at Upton Park which saw them exit the cup. Brabrook again played in both of these matches.
During these seasons, such was Brabrook's form, there had been frequent calls for him to be recalled to the national side, but this never happened and he remained uncapped during his tenure at Upton Park.
Season 1967/68 proved to be Brabrook's last season for West Ham. Unlike the previous two seasons his first team appearances had become sporadic. At 30, and with the club adding younger signings such as Billy Bonds to the first team and players such as Trevor Brooking emerging from the youth team, Brabrook's position in the side was under threat.
He made only 14 league appearances (scoring two goals) that season. Realising that his footballing career has reached its twilight years and that his own Hammers career was coming to an end, Brabrook decided to leave West Ham for their east London neighbours Leyton Orient, who were then playing in the Third Division.
Later Years
Peter Brabrook spent three seasons with Leyton Orient making 72 leagues appearance for the Os and scoring six goals. After helping the Brisbane Road club clinch the Third Division title and thus winning promotion to the Second Division in 1970, he left the club and wound down his career with non-leaguers Romford FC where he spent one season before hanging up his boots.
Brabrook then started a coaching career with non-league clubs Ford United (his former club) and then Billericay Town. It was at the latter that he discovered a young, prolific striker by the name of Steve Jones and contacted his old club West Ham to alert them of his availability.
West Ham manager Billy Bonds and his assistant Harry Redknapp snapped up the youngster and he went on to have a successful lengthy league career which included two spells with the Hammers.
Shortly after his stint with Billericay Town, Brabrook rejoined the Hammers in a coaching capacity, where he coached the club's schoolboys team on a part time basis. Years later West Ham's academy director Tony Carr recruited Brabrook on a full time basis and put him in charge of the club's Under 17 side.
In this new role Brabrook was responsible for developing the careers of Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand, Joe Cole, Michael Carrick and Jermain Defoe. Brabrook retired as Under 17 coach in 2002, but didn't completely sever his links with the club. In recent years he took on a scouting role for the Hammers.
Even after retirement, Peter Brabrook's love for Chelsea and West Ham, the clubs where he spent the majority of his career, never deserted him and he was a regular attendee at functions organised by both. One such function he attended was the final game at the Boleyn Ground last May, one of his last public appearances.
Peter Brabrook died in St Luke's Hospice in Basildon on 10 December after losing his fight against a liver tumour.
Epilogue
To many Hammers fans the Cup-winning teams of 1964 and 1965 is the era of where West Ham's story begins - the dawn of the glory years. What made the FA Cup and European Cup Winners Cup wins all the more sweeter is the fact that most of the players that played in those cup finals came directly from the youth team.
To the fans, it is a matter of pride that a large amount of their heroes were, like them, born in and around the East End of London and thus they were their 'very own boys'.
Peter Brabrook was born south of the river and was not recruited from the fabled Academy of Football but in spite of this, West Ham United and its supporters had not forgotten the key role he played in securing the club's first trophy, his immense contributions to the club as a scout and as a coach after his playing days had ended, or the fact that his youth years were spent on the playing fields of the East End and so he is a player they are proud to call: 'One of us!'
Thank you Uncle Peter for your immense contributions to our club. We are forever in your debt. Rest in Peace, sir…
Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, nor should be attributed to, KUMB.com.
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West Ham v Hull City
SAT, 17 DEC 2016PREMIER LEAGUE
15:00
Venue: London Stadium, England
Referee:
Lee Mason
TEAM NEWS
West Ham's Andy Carroll is expected to start only his third Premier League match since May after playing 82 minutes in the win over Burnley.
Reece Oxford, who signed a new four-and-a-half deal on his 18th birthday on Friday, should resume training next week following an ankle injury.
Hull City head coach Mike Phelan said his side have no new injury concerns.
Dieumerci Mbokani is available after a three-match ban but Will Keane, Abel Hernandez and Moses Odubajo remain out.
MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES
Simon Brotherton: "Wednesday night's 3-0 defeat at Tottenham was Hull's sixth in a row away from home and they're back in London just three days later.
"West Ham have fallen well below expectation so far but have had a decent week, leaving them four points clear of the bottom three and in 15th place.
"Last Sunday's draw at Liverpool was followed up on Wednesday with a 1-0 victory over Burnley, their first success in seven league games.
"Hull have failed to score in any of their last four matches on the road, but if they find the net first here it'll be interesting to see the reaction of a team who at times have been suffering from what their manager Slaven Bilic describes as 'mental cramp'."
Twitter: @SimonBrotherton
WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic on the future of Dimitri Payet: "Do I expect Payet to stay? Of course. Great players are always the centre of interest.
"Payet is one of the best in the world and they are always the ones who are linked with the big clubs.
"But I hope, and I expect, he will stay with us."
Hull City head coach Mike Phelan on what he wants for Christmas: "A few victories would be great. We find ourselves in a position that's tight.
"One win can give you that extra bit of confidence. We've languished in that area for a while but we've shown recently that we have been progressive and hopefully we can get one win that can get us out of that.
"Hopefully the players get the presents they want and I get what I want."
LAWRO'S PREDICTION
I keep tipping Hull to lose - the problem for them is that most of the time I am right.
Prediction: 2-0
Lawro's full predictions v tennis legend Boris Becker
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
West Ham have won six successive home league games against Hull City, not losing to the Tigers at home since 1990.
Their last six league goals against Hull have all come in the second half of games.
Hull have only scored one goal in their last four away trips to West Ham in the Premier League, conceding 10.
West Ham United
They are vying to earn consecutive home wins for the first time this season.
All three of West Ham's league wins at London Stadium have been by a 1-0 scoreline.
Slaven Bilic's side have scored 12 of their 18 goals from set-pieces this season, the highest proportion in the Premier League (67%).
The Hammers have conceded an unrivalled 25 goals from open play in the Premier League this season.
Hull City
Hull have equalled the club top-flight record of six consecutive away defeats, first set between January and April 2010.
Their tally of six points from their last 14 matches is the same as they earned in their opening two fixtures of the campaign.
The Tigers have conceded the opening goal in 13 matches this season, more than any other Premier League team.
Curtis Davies has made the most interceptions (61) and blocks (25) in the league this season.
SAM's verdict
Most probable score: 2-0 Probability of draw: 19%
Probability of home win: 69% Probability of away win: 12%
SAM (Sports Analytics Machine) is a super-computer created by @ProfIanMcHale at the University of Salford that is used to predict the outcome of football matches.
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West Ham vs Hull City: Michail Antonio is a star and Hammers can benefit from his hard work, says Danny Murphy
DANNY MURPHY
Evening Standard
Michail Antonio has been one of the stars of the season. He plays in a number of different roles and never shirks responsibility for West Ham. He reminds me of Clint Dempsey, my team-mate at Fulham from 2007-12. Technically, Clint was a bit better than Antonio but they shared a desire to get into the box, shake people up and work hard. Those are the qualities that got them into the Premier League. Antonio is always pushing himself to improve and deserves great credit for working his way up from non-league football.
When a team plays with a bit of flair, they deserve the odd break here and there. They still have problems. The squad hasn't really improved and they have started life poorly in their new stadium but after beating Burnley, they should really push on here. In the past, you knew what would happen when you went to Sunderland. They would come flying at you early in the game, crunching tackles, energy and commitment. If you got through that spell, you had a good chance of taking something. They don't seem to have those qualities any more. They are happy to let the opposition have the ball, keep their shape and counter-attack. They are also bottom of the table. Watford played well at Manchester City in midweek and can take advantage here.
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West Ham flop Simone Zaza to return to Juventus in January, says agent
Vincenzo Morabito says the striker will go back to his parent club when the transfer window reopens to prevent a £20million permanent move
BYJAMES WHALING
14:22, 16 DEC 2016UPDATED14:22, 16 DEC 2016
The Mirror
West Ham flop Simone Zaza will end his disastrous loan spell with the Irons next month, his agent has confirmed. The striker has failed to find the net in 11 league and cup games for Slaven Bilic's side since his switch to the East End during the summer.
A clause in the deal stated that, should Zaza accumulate 14 appearances for the Hammers, a £20million permanent move to the club would be triggered. However, it appears that will not be the case, with Vincenzo Morabito saying he will return to Juventus with other clubs interested in his services. "Zaza will definitely go back to Juve, because West Ham do not want to keep him," he told Juvenews. "He could well stay in Turin, given that Juventus might need another striker. If not, there are plenty of other options.
"I repeat, he will certainly return to Juve." West Ham would have been obliged to pay the Serie A giants £16.7million for a permanent transfer if Zaza had made 14 appearances, adding to the £4.25million loan fee they paid in the summer.
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Embarrassing West Ham fans wrong to boo much maligned summer signing Havard Nordtveit
Damien Lucas
West Ham United's first win in seven games was soured by some unsavoury treatment for one of their own players from a large section of the crowd. The Hammers ended a miserable run without a 1-0 victory against Burnley on Wednesday night thanks to Mark Noble's goal on the stroke of half-time. The East Londoners went into the game just one place and one point off the bottom three so a win was all that mattered. And West Ham managed to cling on against Sean Dyche's side to jump up two places to 15th in the Premier League table with another home game against Hull City on the horizon on Saturday. The win was tainted somewhat, though, by the treatment of summer signing Havard Nordtveit. There is no getting away from the fact that the Norwegian is regarded by Hammers fans as one of the worst players to play for the club in many years. Lacking in any discernable quality, Nordtveit has been woeful in the games he has played this season. While there is a case to say he may need a run of games to get used to the Premier League, the former Borussia Monchengladbach man has looked like a fish out of water in centre midfield, at right-back and centre back. Arsene Wenger is no fool and West Ham are seeing why he was happy to release the player without a single appearance for Arsenal before he went to Germany.
His late cameo against bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane cost West Ham the game as he was out of position for the equaliser two minutes from time with Bilic's side leading 2-1. He made things even worse still when he inexplicably went to ground to give away the match-winning penalty in stoppage time much to the disdain of Hammers fans. It will take some comeback to turn his Hammers career around but despite his ineptitude so far, supporters were patently wrong to welcome his late introduction against Burnley with a chorus of boos. It was harsh in the extreme and while Nordtveit's future will more than likely lie elsewhere, it is something that will not have gone down well with his teammates. To boo your own player is a big statement and there were thousands doing it at London Stadium as he replaced skipper Noble in the closing stages. It is moronic and unhelpful in the extreme at a time when everyone at West Ham needs to be pulling in the same direction. Booing your own player can only drive a wedge between the team and the supporters in what has already been a tempestuous season on and off the pitch with the big Olympic Stadium move beset by problems and dividing opinion. If West Ham fans don't believe Nordtveit is good enough, their issue lies with Bilic not the player himself.
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Reece Oxford signs new West Ham contract amid 'strong interest' from Arsenal, Manchester United and Man City
JAMES BENGE
Evening Standard
Reece Oxford has signed a new four-and-a-half year West Ham contract despite the club acknowledging a "strong interest" from Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal. Since making his debut in a 2-0 victory away to Arsenal at the start of last season Oxford's card has been marked as one of the brightest young prospects in English football, though his exposure to the West Ham first team has been limited since. That has not stopped a host of top clubs adding Oxford to their shortlists, and West Ham took the unusual step of stating that the defender had been a target for Arsene Wenger's Gunners as well as Manchester rivals City and United following the deal. It does however constitute a perfect birthday present for Oxford, who turned 18 today. "I am happy to have signed my new contract," Oxford said. "There was a lot of speculation about my future but I am happy that it has been done and I can get back to football. I just want to kick on now. "I have made my family proud and hopefully I have made the fans proud that I have signed a new contract. Hopefully I can get into the team and help them throughout the whole season. "I have a good relationship with the gaffer and hopefully I can get a lot of game time here. I have seen some of the old players like Joe Cole and Rio Ferdinand and I want to follow in their footsteps. "Hopefully, I can become just as big as them or even bigger. Hopefully, I can step out and follow what they have achieved."
It was West Ham boss Slaven Bilic who gave Oxford, often compared with fellow West Ham academy graduate, his bow, initially in the Europa League but the youngster also went on to feature in seven Premier League games last season. Oxford's manager has endeavoured to keep the youngster out of the firing line during a tough season for West Ham; his only minutes so far this season have come in the Europa League. However Bilic does not expect it to be before the youngster becomes a "top player".
Bilic said: "I am delighted and it is major news for both the club and the player that he has committed his long-term future to West Ham United. "I really believe he has got everything. On paper he has all the abilities to become a world-class player and it is now up to him to train hard and for us to manage him well for him to fulfil it. "We wanted him to stay and the Board did everything to keep him. The interest from the other big clubs was real and that shows what a big talent he is. "It is the right decision for him because we are a great club where he can become a top player. "He has been out injured but he is now coming back and I believe in him a lot. He is a great prospect and is the leader of the pack when it comes to the younger players."
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West Ham starlet Reece Oxford pens new four-and-a-half year contract to end speculation over his future
Reece Oxford has signed a new deal which keeps him at West Ham until 2021
Manchester United and Manchester City were reportedly both interested
He has been out with injury and is yet to make top-flight appearance this term
He said: 'I have made my family proud and hopefully I have made the fans proud'
By Matt Maltby For Mailonline
PUBLISHED: 09:39, 16 December 2016 | UPDATED: 09:39, 16 December 2016
West Ham wonderkid Reece Oxford has marked his 18th birthday by penning a new four-and-a-half-year contract with the club to end uncertainty over his future. Manchester United and Manchester City had both been keen on the starlet, who turned 18 on Friday, but he has now committed his future to the east London club. Oxford made his breakthrough last season and although he is yet to make a top-flight appearance this term — which has been hindered by injuries so far — he is held in high regard at the London Stadium. The defender said: 'I am happy to have signed my new contract. There was a lot of speculation about my future but I am happy that it has been done and I can get back to football. I just want to kick on now. 'I have made my family proud and hopefully I have made the fans proud that I have signed a new contract. Hopefully I can get into the team and help them throughout the whole season. 'I have a good relationship with the gaffer and hopefully I can get a lot of game time here. I have seen some of the old players like Joe Cole and Rio Ferdinand and I want to follow in their footsteps. 'Hopefully, I can become just as big as them or even bigger. Hopefully, I can step out and follow what they have achieved.' His manager, Slaven Bilic, added: 'I am delighted and it is major news for both the club and the player that he has committed his long-term future to West Ham United. 'I really believe he has got everything. On paper he has all the abilities to become a world-class player and it is now up to him to train hard and for us to manage him well for him to fulfil it.' His existing deal was due to expire in 2018 which left the Hammers open to Oxford leaving on a free transfer at the end of next season, though they would have been due compensation. Oxford broke onto the scene at the start of last season, starting in the historic win at Arsenal and nullifying Mesut Ozil's threat. Bilic has used Oxford sparingly ever since, preferring to ease him into senior football and he even came close to a loan move to local rivals Charlton. Nevertheless, West Ham have high hopes for Oxford - who has been likened to Rio Ferdinand - and news of his new contract will come as a huge boost for the club.
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"He's my boy" – West Ham midfielder wants Belgium starlet to sign for same club
By Tom Coast - 15th December 2016
Sporting Witness
Signing for West Ham back in 2014 from Anderlecht in Belgium, Cheikhou Kouyaté has become Slaven Bilic's utility man, at least since the start of the season. Evolving as a centre-back alongside Angelo Ogbonna and Winston Reid this season, the midfielder has gone along with it, but he's hoping he gets to play a bit more up the pitch from January onwards. With a centre-back needed at the London stadium if Slaven Bilic is to persist with three at the back, Cheikhou Kouyaté might have found just the man for his current club, one who currently plays for Anderlecht. The Senegal international, who gave a lengthy interview to DH in Belgium, spoke about Kara, centre-back for the Belgian side, and had nothing but good things to say about his compatriot. He said: "He's made for the Premier League. Plus, it's the league that makes him dream, like a lot of Senegalese players. I hope he can come here quickly. I'm certain he'll do well too because he's built like Vincent Kompany."
While a defender might be needed, a new midfielder probably isn't on Slaven Bilic's Christmas list, yet Kouyaté is secretly wishing he does, mostly for selfish purposes, by signing 18-year-old prodigy Youri Tielemans He explained: "He's my boy. Youri, I loved him from the moment he started training with the first-team. I was very proud when I saw him with the Belgium shirt on his back. He'll be in the Premier League soon, too. "I just hope for one thing: that it's in the same team as me because I don't want to tackle him. On a serious note, he's developed some more this season, and he's really, really good." Who needs scouts when you have Cheikhou Kouyaté?
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Valencia: 'Zaza is an objective'
By Football Italia staff
Valencia director Suso Garcia Pitarch confirmed Simone Zaza "is one of our objectives," as West Ham send him back to Juventus.
The striker was loaned to West Ham United for €5m with an option to buy for another €20m that would become obligatory after 14 appearances. However, the Hammers seem prepared to leave Zaza in the stands until January so they won't have to activate the clause and can send him back to Juve in January. He won't stay in Turin for long, as there are several clubs interested, including Cesare Prandelli's Valencia. "It's true that he was on the agenda in the summer already," Pitarch told Marca.com. "We like Simone, the Coach likes him and he is one of our objectives. As for the chances of signing him, it will depend on the conditions."
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West Ham duo insist the beautiful game can wait until they are sitting pretty in the table
The Hammers got their first win in eight matches on Wednesday with second-bottom Hull next up, and results are all that matter for Darren Randolph and Mark Noble
BYMIKE WALTERS
23:18, 15 DEC 2016UPDATED23:21, 15 DEC 2016
The Mirror
Darren Randolph has warned West Ham fans that points on the board must take priority over sexy football. The Hammers' scrambled their first win in eight games with a jittery 1-0 win against Burnley that moved them four points clear of the relegation zone, and on Saturday they can take another big stride towards safety when second-bottom Hull visit the Taxpayers Stadium. Two years ago, when the Tigers' 10 men lost 2-1 at Upton Park to a penalty and an own goal, then-Irons boss Sam Allardyce sarcastically cupped his hand to his ear as East Enders booed off their team. Now, after a torrid autumn, Randolph and his skipper Mark Noble both admitted they would settle for another banal scuffle if another three points lifted West Ham further towards mid-table obscurity. Goalkeeper Randolph atoned for his howler in the 2-2 draw at Liverpool with a brilliant save from Scott Arfield's late free-kick to deny the Clarets on Wednesday. He said: "We would all really love to play attractive football week in, week out, but for me personally – and I'm not sure if the manager and the fans want to see sexy football – I want to put points on the board. "When you start moving up the table, maybe your confidence starts to come back and you start playing again, but for now it's all about the points. "We cannot relax because we need to get as many points on the board as we can after the last few months, and I hope the fans understand that. "It's a cliche but we all have to stick together. They feed off us and we feed off them. It is different out there compared to the Boleyn, but the more results we get, the faster we will get to where we want to be."
Noble, whose first league goal of the season proved the difference against Burnley, laughed at Randolph's 'sexy' football target and joked: "Well, he has clearly got different things on his mind! "The performance against Burnley wasn't great - but I don't care, to be honest. It is always hard when you are in the position we are in, but four points from the last two games is massive for us. "If you offered me another 2-1 win against 10 men thanks to a penalty and an own goal, I would snap your hand off for another three points.
"It is hard to move stadiums – we have seen it with other teams in the past. We've had a tough time with injuries and we haven't got £40million players to put on the bench. "We had two kids on the bench against Burnley and we need our best players fit – when that has happened in the last two games, we have got four points. "I am doing my best to make sure people around the club know how hard it is: West Ham is a Premier League club and that's all that matters, especially this season. "This time last year, we were well on the way to being safe at Christmas and it seemed like the most important season in the history of the club to make sure we moved into a new stadium as a Premier League club. "Now it feels just as important that we stay there."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Saturday, December 17
Friday, December 16
Daily WHUFC News - 16th December 2016
Skipper's relief at Burnley victory
WHUFC.com
Mark Noble scores vital goal to lift West Ham United to 1-0 Premier League
win over Burnley
Skipper scores his first goal at London Stadium after Tom Heaton had saved
his initial penalty
Hammers rise to 16th ahead of Saturday's home match with Hull City
Mark Noble admitted to a mixture of joy and relief after shooting West Ham
United to a vital Premier League victory over Burnley.
The Hammers were made to work hard for the three points at London Stadium,
hitting the post twice before Noble converted the rebound after Tom Heaton
had saved his penalty - his first goal at West Ham's new home. West Ham were
not at their fluent best, and endured a few nervous moments during the
second half, with Darren Randolph making a couple of important saves. The
captain admitted the Club's precarious position had played a part in their
stuttering yet ultimately successful display. "It's not one of them you're
going to watch on Match Choice, let me tell you!" said the No16. "We felt we
were unlucky to go in 1-0 at the break, as we'd hit the post and had a
couple of other chances. "I wasn't nervous at all with the penalty. It's
funny because I was at the Managers and Captains event at the Premier League
earlier in the season and they were doing a big thing on me and Tom on
penalties and he chucked one out to me, which was nice! "We knew they would
chuck everything at us in the second half and the boys defended great.
Darren made a couple of good saves again and we made a clearance off the
line, but at this stage of the season and where we are, we needed that."
Noble and company were by far the better team in the first half, hitting the
woodwork through Pedro Obiang and the skipper himself, and fashioning a
succession of other half-chances. The breakthrough arrived when Ben Mee
hauled down Winston Reid inside the penalty area. Although England stopper
Heaton kept out his spot-kick – his first missed penalty since August 2014 –
the No16 reacted quickest to fire home the rebound. Having held on to
complete a victory that lifts them four points clear of the bottom three
into 16th place, Noble said the Hammers would head into Saturday's home game
with Hull City with renewed confidence and belief. "At this stage, I'd be
lying if I said there wasn't a point in the second half when we just wanted
the final whistle! We had to dig in and fight for each other," he confirmed.
"I think we sat back. Obviously nerves came into it because we wanted the
win so badly and we just tried to hit them on the counter attack. "When they
throw balls into the box and attack balls the way they do, it's hard to
defend against, so the boys did great. "These three points are massive.
We've got another home game on Saturday and, as I said, at this stage and
where we are, it doesn't matter how we play, but how many points we get.
We've played a lot better than that and lost games."
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Bilic - We showed our character
WUFC.com
Boss hails 'important win' for the Hammers
Mark Noble's goal in first half stoppage time proved enough to see off
Burnley
Hammers boss impressed with character shown by his team
Slaven Bilic hailed Wednesday night's 1-0 win against Burnley as an
important victory for his side, as they ended a run of six games without
maximum points thanks to Mark Noble's first half goal. The skipper scored
right at the end of the opening period, following up after his penalty was
saved by Clarets keeper Tom Heaton, and Bilic was relieved to claim victory
at London Stadium. The three points took West Ham above Middlesbrough and up
to 16th in the Premier League table, building on the draw gained at Anfield
at the weekend. Bilic felt the result was one his team merited for a first
half which should have yielded more than the one goal. He explained: "It was
an important win for us, considering the situation we were in and the fact
this game was being talked about for a long time, because we knew what
schedule we had before. "To be fair, it [felt like it] was a long game, one
of the longest that I've been involved in, but it wasn't for the players. We
got three points, we showed the character and all that, and I think we
deserved it for the way we played in the first half, when we were absolutely
dominant. "We hit the post a couple of times, had so many shots, had two
penalty appeals – got one, and scored from it – and it was really good. "We
should have been in front by more than one goal, based on the quantity of
the attacks we had. "Then, in the second half, you expect when you're in the
position we are that you could be a little bit afraid that you're going to
concede a goal. We warned the players there's no reason to feel like that,
let's play in the second half like we did the first. "Okay, we knew they
were going to throw bodies up front, and have free-kicks and set-pieces, but
I expected us to be better on the ball and kill them when they opened up.
"We didn't do that, they had a couple of chances through the physical
presence they had, but we defended well. They had one good chance that they
missed, but then we missed a few in the first half. "That cramp, I'd call
it, that we are feeling at the moment – that is quite normal considering the
situation we're in – should go. The only way it goes is if you are moving up
the table. We've moved a little bit, and hopefully we will move a couple
bits more to get rid of the cramp more."
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Stat's a Fact - AC's impressive return
WHUFC.com
Big Andy is back, and after two substitute appearances against Arsenal and
Liverpool, Wednesday night's start in the 1-0 win over Burnley was his first
since August.
His influence on the Hammers is often so telling and no more so was this
evident than in yesterday's London Stadium result.
Whilst Carroll failed to score himself, he was integral in the build-up
before Mark Noble's first half strike. His towering header caused chaos in
the Burnley area and eventually Winston Reid was brought down. The resulting
penalty was missed but Noble was on hand to nudge home the rebound to take
the Hammers in to the break one up.
In fact, Carroll's eleven successful aerial duels were more than any of his
teammates and topped only by Burnley counterpart, Sam Vokes. The big man was
a constant thorn in the Burnley defence: a physical and aerial annoyance
both in attacking positions and when faced with defensive responsibilities.
Three defensive clearances showed he wasn't afraid to get back and do the
dirty work in defence too, predominantly from Burnley corners. Andy was just
as effective with ball at feet too though - 28 successful passes reflects
that. His link up play with both Lanzini and Payet was ever-present in some
of the best attacking opportunities on the night; like he'd never been away!
Of course, in winning 1-0 West Ham's defensive heroics must be highlighted
too. Carroll played his part, but there were also excellent displays on the
night by Cheikhou Kouyate, Winston Reid and Pedro Obiang.
Led by Carroll though, who constantly provided West Ham with an option
further up-field; whether it be from defensive clearances, a ball in from
wide or a threaded Lanzini through-ball, Andy was up there, always.
Sometimes disciplined attacking positioning is just as important as it is
defensive. In front of goal, his six attempts were more than any other
player on the pitch and Tom Heaton always had something to think about in
between Burnley's sticks. Speaking of the opposition, they attempted 19
tackles and made 15 blocks on a night where, especially in the first half,
they were consistently tested defensively.
Ben Mee's eight clearances topped the charts and the stats show that Burnley
were once more right to be thankful for their goalkeeper. Heaton's six saves
were three times more than were required of West Ham's Darren Randolph.
Carroll's true influence on this side will be better measured in the weeks
to come, but the signs so far have been positive! All eyes to Hull on
Saturday…
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Burnley win the perfect present for Cress
WHUFC.com
Aaron Cresswell gets early birthday present with Wednesday's 1-0 win against
Burnley
Defender turns 27 on Thursday and played 90 minutes against the Clarets
England man is looking up the Premier League table with festive fixtures to
come
Wednesday's hard-fought victory over Burnley came as an early birthday
present for Aaron Cresswell, who celebrates turning 27 today.
The England left back was delighted with the result, which ended a wait of
six games for a victory and lifted the Hammers up to 15th in the Premier
League table Mark Noble's goal in a dominant first half saw off the Clarets,
who pushed the Hammers back after the break – only to find Cresswell and he
defensive teammates in fine form. The No3 explained: "First and foremost it
was about three points on Wednesday and that's what we got. "We have to take
the positives and look forward to Saturday now. "First half I thought we
were excellent and could have really killed the game off by being 3-0 or 4-0
up. Nobes hit the post, Pedro hit the post and then we got the penalty. "The
results went our way in midweek, but we just have to concentrate on
ourselves. We need another three points when we play Hull and I'd take
another 1-0 and another performance like that. "We'd like 12 points [from
the run of four games the Hammers are on], but we know how tough the Premier
League is and our main focus is on Saturday and Hull. "We won't look any
further for now – we'll play our game on Saturday and then look ahead to
Swansea."
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Randolph - We are ready to battle for every point
WHUFC.com
Darren Randolph insists his team-mates are ready to battle for every point
and hopes their season will turn around following a big win over Burnley on
Wednesday night.
The Hammers keeper knew the importance of helping his side get back on the
winning trail at London Stadium following six games without a victory.
The performance might not have been the most entertaining this season, but
Randolph says the players came together to produce a battling display and
show they have the character to move away from the foot of the table.
The Republic of Ireland international played his part in helping to keep a
vital clean sheet and now hopes they can record another big victory when
they face Hull on Saturday.
Randolph said: "The morale is good in the dressing room. There is happiness
and relief that we managed to get a victory and we are moving further up the
table.
"We have shown in patches this season how well we can play and we just need
to do it for the whole game.
"We showed against Liverpool the character we have in the team and it was
important to get a win against Burnley.
"We have been waiting for a while for a result at London Stadium. We have
not played amazing football but right now we just need points and the rest
will follow."
The Hammers are set to face another tough encounter when they face a Hull
team who are also fighting to move out of the bottom three.
But Randolph says it could be the perfect week if they manage to follow up
the last two performances against Liverpool and Burnley with another three
points.
Randolph added: "I was not concerned what the scoreline was going to be, we
just wanted to get the three points on the board.
"They made it difficult for us and came to frustrate us. We managed to get
the goal and thankfully we were able to hold onto it.
"I hope it will not be the same on Saturday and it will be more comfortable
for us.
"It is good that the other results have gone our way and it would be great
if that happens again at the weekend and we can get another victory to help
us move towards the top half of the table."
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Ladies secure morale-boosting victory
WHUFC.com
West Ham United Ladies beat Enfield Town in the Ryman Cup on Wednesday
The side were 2-0 winners at Thurrock FC
Chloe Burr grabbed both the Hammers' goals
*Report supplied by Robert Wheeler
West Ham United Ladies emulated their male counterparts by scoring a
morale-boosting midweek victory.
While Slaven Bilic's side were defeating Burnley in the Premier League at
London Stadium, Greg de Carnys's team were overcoming Enfield Town Ladies in
the Ryman Cup at Thurrock FC.
From the first whistle, West Ham were the dominant side, with Chloe Burr and
Dayna Chong both putting dangerous balls into the Enfield box, but the
visitors initially held firm.
Whitney Locke did some fine work down the left-hand side and her industry
won the corner which led to the Hammers' first shot on target – a long-range
Chong volley which was stopped by Enfield goalkeeper Victoria Caldwell.
Caldwell was called into action by Julie Melfald a short time later, before
Chong fired another decent chance over the crossbar.
The opening goal finally came as Burr was allowed space in the Enfield box
and smashed the ball into the bottom corner to give West Ham the lead in the
38th minute.
West Ham continued to dominate proceedings in the second half, with Megan
Waters coming close with a shot from outside the box. Goalscorer Burr then
cut in from the left and tested Caldwell, who was equal to her effort.
Enfield threatened sporadically, but two direct free-kicks did produce a
fine stop from West Ham's new goalkeeper Latoya Smith to keep her side in
the lead.
Burr, Melfald and Whitney all missed opportunities in an eventful second 45
minutes, before the former sealed the Hammers' progress with a shot that
went in via the underside of the crossbar.
Just as they did at London Stadium, the players celebrations were a mixture
of joy and relief as West Ham scored their first victory in six matches.
Manager De Carnys was proud of his team's display, saying: "I think the
performance was what we are looking for, it was progress, in terms of the
way we're trying to play.
"It is not just as simple as passing the ball – there is a lot of thinking
going on and a lot of work that they are doing in training in terms of
working out the problems and trying to get better at playing in that way, so
it's a credit to them.
"We are getting better at it week on week and there were times on Wednesday
when it looked really good.
"Obviously I'm pleased for the girls that they got through to the next round
of the cup. That's a nice feeling for them.
"We keep telling them to focus on the performance, because the better the
performance, the more likely we are to get a positive result.
"The girls have enjoyed themselves, they've all got smiles on their faces
and that is what football is all about."
West Ham face Tottenham Hotspur Ladies in the semi-finals, and De Carnys
knows his players will face a tough task in overcoming their local rivals to
reach the final.
"We'll take each game is it comes!" he said. "What's important to the staff
and the players and myself is that our performances get better week-in
week-out.
"We'll take every game as an opportunity to challenge ourselves an
opportunity to improve and hopefully that will mean that we can progress
further in the tournament."
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West Ham midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate losing sleep over Premier League
basement battle
The Hammers have endured a difficult first half of the season after just
four wins from their opening 16 games
BYNEIL MCLEMAN
15:39, 15 DEC 2016
UPDATED15:39, 15 DEC 2016
The Mirror
Cheikhou Kouyate has revealed he has been losing sleep in his first ever
battle against relegation. West Ham climbed up to 15th place with last
night's 1-0 win over Burnley – and could climb seven points clear of the
drop zone with an other home victory over Hull on Saturday. But the Senegal
star, who won the Belgian title four times with Anderlecht, said: "It is the
first time I have been in a relegation scrap and it is not nice. "You are
stressed a lot more, playing but also following the results of the other
teams at the bottom of the table. I hope we get out of it quickly because I
have to admit, I have not been sleeping well recently. "It is big surprise
because, for me, the team is better than last season but we are not very
lucky, we have a lot of injuries, it does not stop.
"There are times like that where nothing goes well and you have to stay
together. Fortunately, the table is very tight and we can quickly climb if
we get back to back wins."
Kouyate has been shifted back from midfield to play in a three-man defence
by Slaven Bilic this season. "Every knows I prefer to play in midfield but
the coach needs me at the back," he told Belgian paper La Derniere Heure.
"The team is of course more important than me so I get on with it and give
everything. We should, however, buy in the transfer window. That would allow
me to move up the pitch. Some reinforcements would do us good, that is for
sure."
Kouyate – along with Sofiane Feghouli and Andre Ayew – will be absent for
the African Nations Cup in January. "It is a shame for West Ham but I am
very, very motivated for this African Nations Cup. I am captain of my
national side and I really want to make the Senegalese proud by going very
far."
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Alexis Sanchez gave West Ham the slap they needed - Bilic's men know they
aren't "too good" to go down
The Hammers eased their relegation fears with a 1-0 win against Burnley at
the London Stadium on Wednesday night
The Mirror
BYBIANCA WESTWOOD
12:14, 15 DEC 2016UPDATED12:15, 15 DEC 2016
West Ham wins have been about as rare as unicorn tears this season. So
indulge me, if you will, as I acknowledge their latest victory.
Plus, I'm on my way up to 2017's City of Culture (yes, Hull), to interview
Tigers' goalkeeper David Marshall for Soccer Saturday, so it seemed
appropriate to reflect upon what is a massive game for both teams at the
London Stadium this Saturday. It's probably not as monumental for the
Hammers as it would have been had they not scraped a win against Burnley. It
was the narrowest of victories but it will feel like a massive blast of
oxygen for Slaven Bilic and his players. The foundations were laid at
Anfield last weekend when they managed to secure a point against a potent
Liverpool side with a result that few (me included) didn't expect. Bilic was
criticised by some for fielding a strong team on Merseyside when he could
have rested vital players for the 'more winnable' fixture against Sean
Dyche's men, but after the debacle against Arsenal the week before, I
imagine he was thinking he couldn't risk another rout - or riot for that
matter.
Although West Ham rode their luck at times against both Liverpool and
Burnley they showed a few attributes that have been sorely lacking over the
past few months. Spirit, commitment, determination, fortitude. It looks like
the players have finally woken up to the fact that they are not too good nor
too talented to get lost in the relegation wilderness. It can happen to any
team and historically it has done to better West Ham teams than this.
Arsenal and the mercurial Alexis Sanchez provided the slap round the face
they so desperately needed and in the last couple of matches they have fixed
up and, not so much looked sharp but they've turned up… at long last.
As frustrating as his injury record is, when Andy Carroll actually makes it
onto the pitch he makes all the difference. He is an absolute nuisance who
terrorises defences with his physicality and aerial ability. He worries
defenders and West Ham would have struggled to phase a little old lady in
recent weeks.
During the second half Burnley put West Ham through their paces and forced
them to work tirelessly. Goalkeeper Darren Randolph made some crucial saves
that may go some way to repairing his bruised confidence after his howler at
Anfield. Slaven Bilic admitted that players' morale was at such a low they
suffered with what he described as a mental 'cramp'. But on Wednesday night
they put that 'fear of winning' behind them. Bilic has now had the reaction
he wanted. Revealing recently that he had noticed a 'lack of intensity' in
training was a huge risk. Although many admired his honesty he was
criticised for an admission that perhaps showed a weakness in his own
management, given that the training ground is his domain, a place where the
manager should be in complete control of his players. He put himself in the
firing line and when I pressed him on it in an interview we did before the
Liverpool game he showed no regret. He said: "I took responsibility on
myself, I didn't blame anyone. Why I said that and why we're like that is
mainly because of injuries. "It stopped some of the players who are very
important for us. And that is from the beginning of the season because they
are long term or short term injuries they can't get a rhythm in training.
"They come back maybe two or three days before a game and even then you
can't push them because there's a game ahead. That's why I said it. That's
my opinion. It's nothing to do with commitment, not planning or attitude of
the players. That is, like it was, spot on."
In the last couple of games the players certainly looked like they are
playing for the gaffer. The chairmen have come out and publicly backed their
man, which sounded less like the usual dreaded 'vote of confidence' and more
like a genuine endorsement of a manager that hasn't done too much wrong. The
fans also know this and are vocal in their support. As he says he has been
hampered by a horrific run of injuries to integral players and those who
have come in (signings made by him or the board remains unknown) have failed
to make the grade. Bilic insists they are 'good players' who have needed a
longer adjustment period than they'd hoped for but 'now is the time for them
to hit form".
The Hammers had to cope without Dimitri Payet earlier in the campaign
(Photo: Reuters)
If they do that and if those players who have dealt with injuries (Dimitri
Payet, Manuel Lanzini at the start of the season, Andy Carroll, Diafra
Sakho, Cheikou Kouyate, Michail Antonio, James Collins, Aaron Cresswell -
it's a long list) can stay trouble free, then the real West Ham might have a
chance of standing up, and staying up!
On the face of it staying up is going to be a far bigger challenge for their
opponents at the London Stadium on Saturday. Hull City are walking a
tightrope and after last night's trouncing by Tottenham they will no doubt
come into this with their spirit dented. In terms of points they're only
three off 17th-placed Middlesbrough but as far as belief goes they're a
world away from where they want to be. The attitude and endeavour is there
but the quality and resilience you need at this level has been found
wanting. They have the worst defence in the Premier League having conceded
35 goals and at the other end they aren't much better, they've scored just
14 goals and only Middlesbrough have scored fewer, They return to London
with a dreadful away record. The toothless Tigers have lost their last six
on the road conceding 19 goals and they've not even registered on the
scoresheet in the last four of those. Statistics never tell the full story
but you don't get points through commitment and honesty alone. They need
much more and even against a stuttering West Ham they will have to perform
at their very best to get anything out of the match this weekend. Unless of
course West Ham decide to shoot themselves in the foot. Let's face it, it
can happen and as a long-suffering Hammers fan I tend to hope for the best,
fear the worst. I've taken a large batch of badly-made Lasagne up to Hull's
training ground anyway… just in case!
You can see Bianca Westwood's exclusive interview with Hull City's David
Marshall on Soccer Saturday, Sky Sports this weekend.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham United remember Kent schoolboy Jack Howard with tributes during
Premier League clash with Burnley
15 December 2016by Tom Acrestacres@thekmgroup.co.uk
More than 50,000 football fans stood up for a minute's applause in memory of
a young boy who died after a brave second battle with cancer. Hartley lad
Jack Howard, 13, passed away last Monday after weeks of pioneering treatment
in Los Angeles failed to cure his kidney cancer. He received support from
all over the world as he fought to beat the disease, including from his
beloved West Ham United, and the club paid tribute to the Gravesend Grammar
School student during their Premier League clash with Burnley last night.
Supporters on both sides applauded Jack throughout the 13th minute of the
match and his siblings, younger brother Callum and little sister Lucy, got
to be the mascots.
Parents Nick and Zoe were also at the London Stadium, where the home side
did Jack proud by pulling off a vital 1-0 win and pull away from the
relegation zone. West Ham had been vital to the family's efforts to raise
£250,000 to help pay for Jack's treatment and accommodation in the States,
with co-chairman David Sullivan donating £5,000 to the cause. Jack's face
was beamed onto the big screen at the London Stadium during a Premier League
match against Southampton in September, as fans of both clubs dropped
thousands of pounds into collection buckets outside the ground.
Two of Jack's Hammers heroes, Dimitri Payet and Sam Byram, called him on
Facetime while he was in hospital and paid tribute to him last week. Payet
said: "I really enjoyed our conversation with Jack a few weeks ago, so it's
very sad news. I'd like to say thank you to everyone who helped treat him
and wish his family well."
West Ham co-chairman David Gold took to Twitter to send his condolences to
Jack's family. He wrote: "I am truly saddened to hear the news that brave
young hammer Jack Howard has lost his fight with cancer. "The thoughts of
everyone associated with West Ham United are with Jack's loved ones at this
sad time."
Jack's classmates at Gravesend Grammar also had a record breaking West
Ham-themed non-uniform day, which raised £6,400.
His funeral takes place later today.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham Winner A Foul - Heaton
burnleyfootballclub.com
22:50 14th December 2016
Tom Heaton was adamant West Ham's winning goal should not have been given as
the Clarets' were controversially beaten at London Stadium. Mark Noble's
goal in first-half stoppage time, tapped in after Heaton had saved the West
Ham captain's penalty, was enough to extend Burnley's wait for an away win.
But referee Bobby Madley missed an apparent foul on Heaton before Ben Mee's
clip on Winston Reid led to the decisive spot-kick as the Clarets' keeper
was blocked off by two West Ham players, including the arm of Cheikhou
Kouyate. "I thought it was a foul on me," said Heaton. "Big Andy Carroll
got a head on it. I went up to punch it away and I think it was Michail
Antonio jumped into me and moved my arm and the other lad has also jumped
in. "I thought it was a foul at the time and I haven't changed my opinion
yet. "I try not to moan at referees at too much. It's a tough job. Rarely
do I give them any grief but the fact that is I thought it was a foul."
To rub salt in Claret wounds, Heaton saved Noble's penalty but couldn't keep
out the rebound. And despite dominating the second half and creating a
handful of chances, Sean Dyche's men couldn't find an elusive away goal.
"That was another frustration. I have gone the right way (for the penalty)
and commited to it," Heaton added. "It's a tough one where the ball comes
slightly inside your hands.
"You fully commit to the corner and when it's not quite in there, your hands
are always coming back and unfortunately the ball is always going to go back
in that direction. "Sometimes you get away with it and sometimes you don't.
"Unfortunately today it wasn't to be but I thought we gave it a good go in
the second half. "We had quite a few decent chances to get back into the
game and it was much more like us in the second half. I think we deserved
something."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Slaven Bilic must stop sacrificing Lanzini: Five things from West Ham's win
over Burnley
HITC
Damien Lucas
West Ham United ended a run of seven games without a victory against Burnley
but what did we really learn about Slaven Bilic's side from the match. Mark
Noble's goal on the stroke of half-time sealed a nervy win for the Hammers
over Sean Dyche's side at the London Stadium on Wednesday night. It lifted
Bilic's men up to 15th in the Premier League table with another home game
against Hull City on the horizon on Saturday. The Hammers went into the game
just one place and one point off the bottom three so a win was all that
mattered. But here are five things we learned about West Ham from the game.
1) Winston Reid and Pedro Obiang are fighting it out for top club honour
Ask any West Ham fan and they will tell you key centre back Winston Reid has
been back to his imperious best in recent months. The New Zealand skipper
was brilliant yet again against Burnley and he needed to be as the Clarets
bombared West Ham from all angles in the second half. Reid looks a sure bet
for the prestigious Hammer of the Year award this season but faces stiff
competition from classy midfielder Pedro Obiang who has been equally as good
in what has been a poor season for the team overall so far. Both players
were neck and neck shouts for man of the match against Burnley and if they
continue in this kind of form it will be a tough choice for the club's fans
come what May.
2) Bilic has got his buzz back
Slave Bilic has cut a somewhat forlorn figure this season, understandably
given West Ham's precarious position in the table. Pundits and supporters
have been commenting on how downcast the popular boss has looked. Skipper
Mark Noble even told talkSPORT this week that his manager cannot be expected
to be buzzing like he was last season. But Bilic was as animated as ever on
the sideline at the London Stadium, kicking and heading every ball as his
side dug in for a hard earned victory. It was a sight for sore eyes for
Hammers fans and that spark is definitely back for the former Croatia boss.
3) Carroll gives Payet room to breathe
Dimitri Payet has been a marked man this season and with good reason given
his heroics for the Hammers last season and for France in the summer. As a
result the talismanic midfielder has not been effective as last season even
if he has still been one of the club's best players this term. West Ham made
a mistake not bringing in another quality playmaker to take the pressure off
Payet in the summer.
But big Andy Carroll does just that. Opposition defences can't afford to
double and treble up on Payet with Carroll in the side as they usually have
to employ a similar tactic against the former Liverpool man. If Carroll can
stay fit Payet will only get better and better.
4) Andre Ayew is finding his feet
Andre Ayew has endured a bit of a torrid start to his West Ham career since
becoming the club's record £20.5 million signing in the summer. Widely
regarded as hugely overpriced the Ghana skipper spent the first four months
of the season injured after tearing his thigh 30 minutes into his debut. His
appearances since coming back have been poor showings with many fans
wondering just what Bilic and the Hammers board have seen in Payet's former
Marseille teammate. But his late cameo against Burnley should offer the
Hammers hope as he looked a lot sharper and almost scored a wonderful solo
goal which suggests there is plenty more to come.
5) Bilic must stop sacrificing Manuel Lanzini
Slaven Bilic complained that his side looked 'scared to win' in the second
half. But much of that is down to the manager who continues to withdraw
midfielder Manuel Lanzini with around 20 minutes to go in matches. Every
time he takes the little Argentine playmaker off West Ham struggle in the
transitions and have nobody in the centre of midfield who can run between
the lines and carry the ball. Therefore West Ham are always pressed back
into their own half and it almost cost them again against Dyche's side who
were on top after Lanzini went off. Bilic must stop sacrificing his most
gifted central midfield technician if he wants to close out games.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Slaven Bilic wants cure for 'cramp' as manager suggests West Ham were
'afraid to win'
ANDY SIMS
Evening STandard
Slaven Bilic is desperate to cure West Ham of the 'cramp' which has taken
hold this season. The Hammers grabbed a much-needed Premier League win after
six games without a victory, by sinking Burnley 1-0 at London Stadium. But
Mark Noble's winning goal, the rebound after his own penalty was saved, was
a fittingly unconvincing way to settle the match after another nervous
display from Bilic's side.
"It was a very important win and very hard fought," said the Hammers boss.
"It was a long game, to be fair, but I think we deserved it. It was two
different halves, in the first half we controlled the game and should have
been two up. "I have praised the players for the three points but in the
second half I saw what I call that cramp, when you are afraid of winning.
"It happens to clubs who are underachieving. I don't want it. The only way
it goes away is by winning games and climbing the table. "Hopefully on
Saturday against Hull we will see less of that cramp, and we will be more
confident."
Noble and Pedro Obiang had already been denied by the woodwork when, in
first-half stoppage time, Ben Mee fouled Winston Reid to concede the
penalty. Noble's weak effort was saved by Tom Heaton but the relieved
midfielder got a second bite of the cherry to tuck in the rebound. However,
Clarets boss Sean Dyche felt Heaton was fouled by Michail Antonio just prior
to the penalty being awarded, and that his goalkeeper was punished for being
too honest. "I'm frustrated we can't get the decision," he said. "It's a
clear foul. Every other keeper in the league would have gone down and
flailed around on the ground. "Ours does it the proper way and that used to
be applauded. Now we are called naive. But we'll stick to what we believe
in."
Burnley could still have taken something from the match but for a shocking
miss from Sam Vokes, who headed over an empty net from six yards, and a
superb save from Darren Randolph to deny Scott Arfield. "We were better in
the second half and that's why I'm so frustrated at the referee's decision,"
added Dyche. "Vokesy should score but their defender tried to overhead kick
it and he flinches at the last second. If that's in the middle of the pitch
that's a foul as well. "We are disappointed with the outcome but not the
performance."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Mark Noble scores vital goal to lift West Ham United to 1-0 Premier League
win over Burnley
Skipper scores his first goal at London Stadium after Tom Heaton had saved
his initial penalty
Hammers rise to 16th ahead of Saturday's home match with Hull City
Mark Noble admitted to a mixture of joy and relief after shooting West Ham
United to a vital Premier League victory over Burnley.
The Hammers were made to work hard for the three points at London Stadium,
hitting the post twice before Noble converted the rebound after Tom Heaton
had saved his penalty - his first goal at West Ham's new home. West Ham were
not at their fluent best, and endured a few nervous moments during the
second half, with Darren Randolph making a couple of important saves. The
captain admitted the Club's precarious position had played a part in their
stuttering yet ultimately successful display. "It's not one of them you're
going to watch on Match Choice, let me tell you!" said the No16. "We felt we
were unlucky to go in 1-0 at the break, as we'd hit the post and had a
couple of other chances. "I wasn't nervous at all with the penalty. It's
funny because I was at the Managers and Captains event at the Premier League
earlier in the season and they were doing a big thing on me and Tom on
penalties and he chucked one out to me, which was nice! "We knew they would
chuck everything at us in the second half and the boys defended great.
Darren made a couple of good saves again and we made a clearance off the
line, but at this stage of the season and where we are, we needed that."
Noble and company were by far the better team in the first half, hitting the
woodwork through Pedro Obiang and the skipper himself, and fashioning a
succession of other half-chances. The breakthrough arrived when Ben Mee
hauled down Winston Reid inside the penalty area. Although England stopper
Heaton kept out his spot-kick – his first missed penalty since August 2014 –
the No16 reacted quickest to fire home the rebound. Having held on to
complete a victory that lifts them four points clear of the bottom three
into 16th place, Noble said the Hammers would head into Saturday's home game
with Hull City with renewed confidence and belief. "At this stage, I'd be
lying if I said there wasn't a point in the second half when we just wanted
the final whistle! We had to dig in and fight for each other," he confirmed.
"I think we sat back. Obviously nerves came into it because we wanted the
win so badly and we just tried to hit them on the counter attack. "When they
throw balls into the box and attack balls the way they do, it's hard to
defend against, so the boys did great. "These three points are massive.
We've got another home game on Saturday and, as I said, at this stage and
where we are, it doesn't matter how we play, but how many points we get.
We've played a lot better than that and lost games."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bilic - We showed our character
WUFC.com
Boss hails 'important win' for the Hammers
Mark Noble's goal in first half stoppage time proved enough to see off
Burnley
Hammers boss impressed with character shown by his team
Slaven Bilic hailed Wednesday night's 1-0 win against Burnley as an
important victory for his side, as they ended a run of six games without
maximum points thanks to Mark Noble's first half goal. The skipper scored
right at the end of the opening period, following up after his penalty was
saved by Clarets keeper Tom Heaton, and Bilic was relieved to claim victory
at London Stadium. The three points took West Ham above Middlesbrough and up
to 16th in the Premier League table, building on the draw gained at Anfield
at the weekend. Bilic felt the result was one his team merited for a first
half which should have yielded more than the one goal. He explained: "It was
an important win for us, considering the situation we were in and the fact
this game was being talked about for a long time, because we knew what
schedule we had before. "To be fair, it [felt like it] was a long game, one
of the longest that I've been involved in, but it wasn't for the players. We
got three points, we showed the character and all that, and I think we
deserved it for the way we played in the first half, when we were absolutely
dominant. "We hit the post a couple of times, had so many shots, had two
penalty appeals – got one, and scored from it – and it was really good. "We
should have been in front by more than one goal, based on the quantity of
the attacks we had. "Then, in the second half, you expect when you're in the
position we are that you could be a little bit afraid that you're going to
concede a goal. We warned the players there's no reason to feel like that,
let's play in the second half like we did the first. "Okay, we knew they
were going to throw bodies up front, and have free-kicks and set-pieces, but
I expected us to be better on the ball and kill them when they opened up.
"We didn't do that, they had a couple of chances through the physical
presence they had, but we defended well. They had one good chance that they
missed, but then we missed a few in the first half. "That cramp, I'd call
it, that we are feeling at the moment – that is quite normal considering the
situation we're in – should go. The only way it goes is if you are moving up
the table. We've moved a little bit, and hopefully we will move a couple
bits more to get rid of the cramp more."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Stat's a Fact - AC's impressive return
WHUFC.com
Big Andy is back, and after two substitute appearances against Arsenal and
Liverpool, Wednesday night's start in the 1-0 win over Burnley was his first
since August.
His influence on the Hammers is often so telling and no more so was this
evident than in yesterday's London Stadium result.
Whilst Carroll failed to score himself, he was integral in the build-up
before Mark Noble's first half strike. His towering header caused chaos in
the Burnley area and eventually Winston Reid was brought down. The resulting
penalty was missed but Noble was on hand to nudge home the rebound to take
the Hammers in to the break one up.
In fact, Carroll's eleven successful aerial duels were more than any of his
teammates and topped only by Burnley counterpart, Sam Vokes. The big man was
a constant thorn in the Burnley defence: a physical and aerial annoyance
both in attacking positions and when faced with defensive responsibilities.
Three defensive clearances showed he wasn't afraid to get back and do the
dirty work in defence too, predominantly from Burnley corners. Andy was just
as effective with ball at feet too though - 28 successful passes reflects
that. His link up play with both Lanzini and Payet was ever-present in some
of the best attacking opportunities on the night; like he'd never been away!
Of course, in winning 1-0 West Ham's defensive heroics must be highlighted
too. Carroll played his part, but there were also excellent displays on the
night by Cheikhou Kouyate, Winston Reid and Pedro Obiang.
Led by Carroll though, who constantly provided West Ham with an option
further up-field; whether it be from defensive clearances, a ball in from
wide or a threaded Lanzini through-ball, Andy was up there, always.
Sometimes disciplined attacking positioning is just as important as it is
defensive. In front of goal, his six attempts were more than any other
player on the pitch and Tom Heaton always had something to think about in
between Burnley's sticks. Speaking of the opposition, they attempted 19
tackles and made 15 blocks on a night where, especially in the first half,
they were consistently tested defensively.
Ben Mee's eight clearances topped the charts and the stats show that Burnley
were once more right to be thankful for their goalkeeper. Heaton's six saves
were three times more than were required of West Ham's Darren Randolph.
Carroll's true influence on this side will be better measured in the weeks
to come, but the signs so far have been positive! All eyes to Hull on
Saturday…
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Burnley win the perfect present for Cress
WHUFC.com
Aaron Cresswell gets early birthday present with Wednesday's 1-0 win against
Burnley
Defender turns 27 on Thursday and played 90 minutes against the Clarets
England man is looking up the Premier League table with festive fixtures to
come
Wednesday's hard-fought victory over Burnley came as an early birthday
present for Aaron Cresswell, who celebrates turning 27 today.
The England left back was delighted with the result, which ended a wait of
six games for a victory and lifted the Hammers up to 15th in the Premier
League table Mark Noble's goal in a dominant first half saw off the Clarets,
who pushed the Hammers back after the break – only to find Cresswell and he
defensive teammates in fine form. The No3 explained: "First and foremost it
was about three points on Wednesday and that's what we got. "We have to take
the positives and look forward to Saturday now. "First half I thought we
were excellent and could have really killed the game off by being 3-0 or 4-0
up. Nobes hit the post, Pedro hit the post and then we got the penalty. "The
results went our way in midweek, but we just have to concentrate on
ourselves. We need another three points when we play Hull and I'd take
another 1-0 and another performance like that. "We'd like 12 points [from
the run of four games the Hammers are on], but we know how tough the Premier
League is and our main focus is on Saturday and Hull. "We won't look any
further for now – we'll play our game on Saturday and then look ahead to
Swansea."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Randolph - We are ready to battle for every point
WHUFC.com
Darren Randolph insists his team-mates are ready to battle for every point
and hopes their season will turn around following a big win over Burnley on
Wednesday night.
The Hammers keeper knew the importance of helping his side get back on the
winning trail at London Stadium following six games without a victory.
The performance might not have been the most entertaining this season, but
Randolph says the players came together to produce a battling display and
show they have the character to move away from the foot of the table.
The Republic of Ireland international played his part in helping to keep a
vital clean sheet and now hopes they can record another big victory when
they face Hull on Saturday.
Randolph said: "The morale is good in the dressing room. There is happiness
and relief that we managed to get a victory and we are moving further up the
table.
"We have shown in patches this season how well we can play and we just need
to do it for the whole game.
"We showed against Liverpool the character we have in the team and it was
important to get a win against Burnley.
"We have been waiting for a while for a result at London Stadium. We have
not played amazing football but right now we just need points and the rest
will follow."
The Hammers are set to face another tough encounter when they face a Hull
team who are also fighting to move out of the bottom three.
But Randolph says it could be the perfect week if they manage to follow up
the last two performances against Liverpool and Burnley with another three
points.
Randolph added: "I was not concerned what the scoreline was going to be, we
just wanted to get the three points on the board.
"They made it difficult for us and came to frustrate us. We managed to get
the goal and thankfully we were able to hold onto it.
"I hope it will not be the same on Saturday and it will be more comfortable
for us.
"It is good that the other results have gone our way and it would be great
if that happens again at the weekend and we can get another victory to help
us move towards the top half of the table."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ladies secure morale-boosting victory
WHUFC.com
West Ham United Ladies beat Enfield Town in the Ryman Cup on Wednesday
The side were 2-0 winners at Thurrock FC
Chloe Burr grabbed both the Hammers' goals
*Report supplied by Robert Wheeler
West Ham United Ladies emulated their male counterparts by scoring a
morale-boosting midweek victory.
While Slaven Bilic's side were defeating Burnley in the Premier League at
London Stadium, Greg de Carnys's team were overcoming Enfield Town Ladies in
the Ryman Cup at Thurrock FC.
From the first whistle, West Ham were the dominant side, with Chloe Burr and
Dayna Chong both putting dangerous balls into the Enfield box, but the
visitors initially held firm.
Whitney Locke did some fine work down the left-hand side and her industry
won the corner which led to the Hammers' first shot on target – a long-range
Chong volley which was stopped by Enfield goalkeeper Victoria Caldwell.
Caldwell was called into action by Julie Melfald a short time later, before
Chong fired another decent chance over the crossbar.
The opening goal finally came as Burr was allowed space in the Enfield box
and smashed the ball into the bottom corner to give West Ham the lead in the
38th minute.
West Ham continued to dominate proceedings in the second half, with Megan
Waters coming close with a shot from outside the box. Goalscorer Burr then
cut in from the left and tested Caldwell, who was equal to her effort.
Enfield threatened sporadically, but two direct free-kicks did produce a
fine stop from West Ham's new goalkeeper Latoya Smith to keep her side in
the lead.
Burr, Melfald and Whitney all missed opportunities in an eventful second 45
minutes, before the former sealed the Hammers' progress with a shot that
went in via the underside of the crossbar.
Just as they did at London Stadium, the players celebrations were a mixture
of joy and relief as West Ham scored their first victory in six matches.
Manager De Carnys was proud of his team's display, saying: "I think the
performance was what we are looking for, it was progress, in terms of the
way we're trying to play.
"It is not just as simple as passing the ball – there is a lot of thinking
going on and a lot of work that they are doing in training in terms of
working out the problems and trying to get better at playing in that way, so
it's a credit to them.
"We are getting better at it week on week and there were times on Wednesday
when it looked really good.
"Obviously I'm pleased for the girls that they got through to the next round
of the cup. That's a nice feeling for them.
"We keep telling them to focus on the performance, because the better the
performance, the more likely we are to get a positive result.
"The girls have enjoyed themselves, they've all got smiles on their faces
and that is what football is all about."
West Ham face Tottenham Hotspur Ladies in the semi-finals, and De Carnys
knows his players will face a tough task in overcoming their local rivals to
reach the final.
"We'll take each game is it comes!" he said. "What's important to the staff
and the players and myself is that our performances get better week-in
week-out.
"We'll take every game as an opportunity to challenge ourselves an
opportunity to improve and hopefully that will mean that we can progress
further in the tournament."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate losing sleep over Premier League
basement battle
The Hammers have endured a difficult first half of the season after just
four wins from their opening 16 games
BYNEIL MCLEMAN
15:39, 15 DEC 2016
UPDATED15:39, 15 DEC 2016
The Mirror
Cheikhou Kouyate has revealed he has been losing sleep in his first ever
battle against relegation. West Ham climbed up to 15th place with last
night's 1-0 win over Burnley – and could climb seven points clear of the
drop zone with an other home victory over Hull on Saturday. But the Senegal
star, who won the Belgian title four times with Anderlecht, said: "It is the
first time I have been in a relegation scrap and it is not nice. "You are
stressed a lot more, playing but also following the results of the other
teams at the bottom of the table. I hope we get out of it quickly because I
have to admit, I have not been sleeping well recently. "It is big surprise
because, for me, the team is better than last season but we are not very
lucky, we have a lot of injuries, it does not stop.
"There are times like that where nothing goes well and you have to stay
together. Fortunately, the table is very tight and we can quickly climb if
we get back to back wins."
Kouyate has been shifted back from midfield to play in a three-man defence
by Slaven Bilic this season. "Every knows I prefer to play in midfield but
the coach needs me at the back," he told Belgian paper La Derniere Heure.
"The team is of course more important than me so I get on with it and give
everything. We should, however, buy in the transfer window. That would allow
me to move up the pitch. Some reinforcements would do us good, that is for
sure."
Kouyate – along with Sofiane Feghouli and Andre Ayew – will be absent for
the African Nations Cup in January. "It is a shame for West Ham but I am
very, very motivated for this African Nations Cup. I am captain of my
national side and I really want to make the Senegalese proud by going very
far."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Alexis Sanchez gave West Ham the slap they needed - Bilic's men know they
aren't "too good" to go down
The Hammers eased their relegation fears with a 1-0 win against Burnley at
the London Stadium on Wednesday night
The Mirror
BYBIANCA WESTWOOD
12:14, 15 DEC 2016UPDATED12:15, 15 DEC 2016
West Ham wins have been about as rare as unicorn tears this season. So
indulge me, if you will, as I acknowledge their latest victory.
Plus, I'm on my way up to 2017's City of Culture (yes, Hull), to interview
Tigers' goalkeeper David Marshall for Soccer Saturday, so it seemed
appropriate to reflect upon what is a massive game for both teams at the
London Stadium this Saturday. It's probably not as monumental for the
Hammers as it would have been had they not scraped a win against Burnley. It
was the narrowest of victories but it will feel like a massive blast of
oxygen for Slaven Bilic and his players. The foundations were laid at
Anfield last weekend when they managed to secure a point against a potent
Liverpool side with a result that few (me included) didn't expect. Bilic was
criticised by some for fielding a strong team on Merseyside when he could
have rested vital players for the 'more winnable' fixture against Sean
Dyche's men, but after the debacle against Arsenal the week before, I
imagine he was thinking he couldn't risk another rout - or riot for that
matter.
Although West Ham rode their luck at times against both Liverpool and
Burnley they showed a few attributes that have been sorely lacking over the
past few months. Spirit, commitment, determination, fortitude. It looks like
the players have finally woken up to the fact that they are not too good nor
too talented to get lost in the relegation wilderness. It can happen to any
team and historically it has done to better West Ham teams than this.
Arsenal and the mercurial Alexis Sanchez provided the slap round the face
they so desperately needed and in the last couple of matches they have fixed
up and, not so much looked sharp but they've turned up… at long last.
As frustrating as his injury record is, when Andy Carroll actually makes it
onto the pitch he makes all the difference. He is an absolute nuisance who
terrorises defences with his physicality and aerial ability. He worries
defenders and West Ham would have struggled to phase a little old lady in
recent weeks.
During the second half Burnley put West Ham through their paces and forced
them to work tirelessly. Goalkeeper Darren Randolph made some crucial saves
that may go some way to repairing his bruised confidence after his howler at
Anfield. Slaven Bilic admitted that players' morale was at such a low they
suffered with what he described as a mental 'cramp'. But on Wednesday night
they put that 'fear of winning' behind them. Bilic has now had the reaction
he wanted. Revealing recently that he had noticed a 'lack of intensity' in
training was a huge risk. Although many admired his honesty he was
criticised for an admission that perhaps showed a weakness in his own
management, given that the training ground is his domain, a place where the
manager should be in complete control of his players. He put himself in the
firing line and when I pressed him on it in an interview we did before the
Liverpool game he showed no regret. He said: "I took responsibility on
myself, I didn't blame anyone. Why I said that and why we're like that is
mainly because of injuries. "It stopped some of the players who are very
important for us. And that is from the beginning of the season because they
are long term or short term injuries they can't get a rhythm in training.
"They come back maybe two or three days before a game and even then you
can't push them because there's a game ahead. That's why I said it. That's
my opinion. It's nothing to do with commitment, not planning or attitude of
the players. That is, like it was, spot on."
In the last couple of games the players certainly looked like they are
playing for the gaffer. The chairmen have come out and publicly backed their
man, which sounded less like the usual dreaded 'vote of confidence' and more
like a genuine endorsement of a manager that hasn't done too much wrong. The
fans also know this and are vocal in their support. As he says he has been
hampered by a horrific run of injuries to integral players and those who
have come in (signings made by him or the board remains unknown) have failed
to make the grade. Bilic insists they are 'good players' who have needed a
longer adjustment period than they'd hoped for but 'now is the time for them
to hit form".
The Hammers had to cope without Dimitri Payet earlier in the campaign
(Photo: Reuters)
If they do that and if those players who have dealt with injuries (Dimitri
Payet, Manuel Lanzini at the start of the season, Andy Carroll, Diafra
Sakho, Cheikou Kouyate, Michail Antonio, James Collins, Aaron Cresswell -
it's a long list) can stay trouble free, then the real West Ham might have a
chance of standing up, and staying up!
On the face of it staying up is going to be a far bigger challenge for their
opponents at the London Stadium on Saturday. Hull City are walking a
tightrope and after last night's trouncing by Tottenham they will no doubt
come into this with their spirit dented. In terms of points they're only
three off 17th-placed Middlesbrough but as far as belief goes they're a
world away from where they want to be. The attitude and endeavour is there
but the quality and resilience you need at this level has been found
wanting. They have the worst defence in the Premier League having conceded
35 goals and at the other end they aren't much better, they've scored just
14 goals and only Middlesbrough have scored fewer, They return to London
with a dreadful away record. The toothless Tigers have lost their last six
on the road conceding 19 goals and they've not even registered on the
scoresheet in the last four of those. Statistics never tell the full story
but you don't get points through commitment and honesty alone. They need
much more and even against a stuttering West Ham they will have to perform
at their very best to get anything out of the match this weekend. Unless of
course West Ham decide to shoot themselves in the foot. Let's face it, it
can happen and as a long-suffering Hammers fan I tend to hope for the best,
fear the worst. I've taken a large batch of badly-made Lasagne up to Hull's
training ground anyway… just in case!
You can see Bianca Westwood's exclusive interview with Hull City's David
Marshall on Soccer Saturday, Sky Sports this weekend.
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West Ham United remember Kent schoolboy Jack Howard with tributes during
Premier League clash with Burnley
15 December 2016by Tom Acrestacres@thekmgroup.co.uk
More than 50,000 football fans stood up for a minute's applause in memory of
a young boy who died after a brave second battle with cancer. Hartley lad
Jack Howard, 13, passed away last Monday after weeks of pioneering treatment
in Los Angeles failed to cure his kidney cancer. He received support from
all over the world as he fought to beat the disease, including from his
beloved West Ham United, and the club paid tribute to the Gravesend Grammar
School student during their Premier League clash with Burnley last night.
Supporters on both sides applauded Jack throughout the 13th minute of the
match and his siblings, younger brother Callum and little sister Lucy, got
to be the mascots.
Parents Nick and Zoe were also at the London Stadium, where the home side
did Jack proud by pulling off a vital 1-0 win and pull away from the
relegation zone. West Ham had been vital to the family's efforts to raise
£250,000 to help pay for Jack's treatment and accommodation in the States,
with co-chairman David Sullivan donating £5,000 to the cause. Jack's face
was beamed onto the big screen at the London Stadium during a Premier League
match against Southampton in September, as fans of both clubs dropped
thousands of pounds into collection buckets outside the ground.
Two of Jack's Hammers heroes, Dimitri Payet and Sam Byram, called him on
Facetime while he was in hospital and paid tribute to him last week. Payet
said: "I really enjoyed our conversation with Jack a few weeks ago, so it's
very sad news. I'd like to say thank you to everyone who helped treat him
and wish his family well."
West Ham co-chairman David Gold took to Twitter to send his condolences to
Jack's family. He wrote: "I am truly saddened to hear the news that brave
young hammer Jack Howard has lost his fight with cancer. "The thoughts of
everyone associated with West Ham United are with Jack's loved ones at this
sad time."
Jack's classmates at Gravesend Grammar also had a record breaking West
Ham-themed non-uniform day, which raised £6,400.
His funeral takes place later today.
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West Ham Winner A Foul - Heaton
burnleyfootballclub.com
22:50 14th December 2016
Tom Heaton was adamant West Ham's winning goal should not have been given as
the Clarets' were controversially beaten at London Stadium. Mark Noble's
goal in first-half stoppage time, tapped in after Heaton had saved the West
Ham captain's penalty, was enough to extend Burnley's wait for an away win.
But referee Bobby Madley missed an apparent foul on Heaton before Ben Mee's
clip on Winston Reid led to the decisive spot-kick as the Clarets' keeper
was blocked off by two West Ham players, including the arm of Cheikhou
Kouyate. "I thought it was a foul on me," said Heaton. "Big Andy Carroll
got a head on it. I went up to punch it away and I think it was Michail
Antonio jumped into me and moved my arm and the other lad has also jumped
in. "I thought it was a foul at the time and I haven't changed my opinion
yet. "I try not to moan at referees at too much. It's a tough job. Rarely
do I give them any grief but the fact that is I thought it was a foul."
To rub salt in Claret wounds, Heaton saved Noble's penalty but couldn't keep
out the rebound. And despite dominating the second half and creating a
handful of chances, Sean Dyche's men couldn't find an elusive away goal.
"That was another frustration. I have gone the right way (for the penalty)
and commited to it," Heaton added. "It's a tough one where the ball comes
slightly inside your hands.
"You fully commit to the corner and when it's not quite in there, your hands
are always coming back and unfortunately the ball is always going to go back
in that direction. "Sometimes you get away with it and sometimes you don't.
"Unfortunately today it wasn't to be but I thought we gave it a good go in
the second half. "We had quite a few decent chances to get back into the
game and it was much more like us in the second half. I think we deserved
something."
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Slaven Bilic must stop sacrificing Lanzini: Five things from West Ham's win
over Burnley
HITC
Damien Lucas
West Ham United ended a run of seven games without a victory against Burnley
but what did we really learn about Slaven Bilic's side from the match. Mark
Noble's goal on the stroke of half-time sealed a nervy win for the Hammers
over Sean Dyche's side at the London Stadium on Wednesday night. It lifted
Bilic's men up to 15th in the Premier League table with another home game
against Hull City on the horizon on Saturday. The Hammers went into the game
just one place and one point off the bottom three so a win was all that
mattered. But here are five things we learned about West Ham from the game.
1) Winston Reid and Pedro Obiang are fighting it out for top club honour
Ask any West Ham fan and they will tell you key centre back Winston Reid has
been back to his imperious best in recent months. The New Zealand skipper
was brilliant yet again against Burnley and he needed to be as the Clarets
bombared West Ham from all angles in the second half. Reid looks a sure bet
for the prestigious Hammer of the Year award this season but faces stiff
competition from classy midfielder Pedro Obiang who has been equally as good
in what has been a poor season for the team overall so far. Both players
were neck and neck shouts for man of the match against Burnley and if they
continue in this kind of form it will be a tough choice for the club's fans
come what May.
2) Bilic has got his buzz back
Slave Bilic has cut a somewhat forlorn figure this season, understandably
given West Ham's precarious position in the table. Pundits and supporters
have been commenting on how downcast the popular boss has looked. Skipper
Mark Noble even told talkSPORT this week that his manager cannot be expected
to be buzzing like he was last season. But Bilic was as animated as ever on
the sideline at the London Stadium, kicking and heading every ball as his
side dug in for a hard earned victory. It was a sight for sore eyes for
Hammers fans and that spark is definitely back for the former Croatia boss.
3) Carroll gives Payet room to breathe
Dimitri Payet has been a marked man this season and with good reason given
his heroics for the Hammers last season and for France in the summer. As a
result the talismanic midfielder has not been effective as last season even
if he has still been one of the club's best players this term. West Ham made
a mistake not bringing in another quality playmaker to take the pressure off
Payet in the summer.
But big Andy Carroll does just that. Opposition defences can't afford to
double and treble up on Payet with Carroll in the side as they usually have
to employ a similar tactic against the former Liverpool man. If Carroll can
stay fit Payet will only get better and better.
4) Andre Ayew is finding his feet
Andre Ayew has endured a bit of a torrid start to his West Ham career since
becoming the club's record £20.5 million signing in the summer. Widely
regarded as hugely overpriced the Ghana skipper spent the first four months
of the season injured after tearing his thigh 30 minutes into his debut. His
appearances since coming back have been poor showings with many fans
wondering just what Bilic and the Hammers board have seen in Payet's former
Marseille teammate. But his late cameo against Burnley should offer the
Hammers hope as he looked a lot sharper and almost scored a wonderful solo
goal which suggests there is plenty more to come.
5) Bilic must stop sacrificing Manuel Lanzini
Slaven Bilic complained that his side looked 'scared to win' in the second
half. But much of that is down to the manager who continues to withdraw
midfielder Manuel Lanzini with around 20 minutes to go in matches. Every
time he takes the little Argentine playmaker off West Ham struggle in the
transitions and have nobody in the centre of midfield who can run between
the lines and carry the ball. Therefore West Ham are always pressed back
into their own half and it almost cost them again against Dyche's side who
were on top after Lanzini went off. Bilic must stop sacrificing his most
gifted central midfield technician if he wants to close out games.
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Slaven Bilic wants cure for 'cramp' as manager suggests West Ham were
'afraid to win'
ANDY SIMS
Evening STandard
Slaven Bilic is desperate to cure West Ham of the 'cramp' which has taken
hold this season. The Hammers grabbed a much-needed Premier League win after
six games without a victory, by sinking Burnley 1-0 at London Stadium. But
Mark Noble's winning goal, the rebound after his own penalty was saved, was
a fittingly unconvincing way to settle the match after another nervous
display from Bilic's side.
"It was a very important win and very hard fought," said the Hammers boss.
"It was a long game, to be fair, but I think we deserved it. It was two
different halves, in the first half we controlled the game and should have
been two up. "I have praised the players for the three points but in the
second half I saw what I call that cramp, when you are afraid of winning.
"It happens to clubs who are underachieving. I don't want it. The only way
it goes away is by winning games and climbing the table. "Hopefully on
Saturday against Hull we will see less of that cramp, and we will be more
confident."
Noble and Pedro Obiang had already been denied by the woodwork when, in
first-half stoppage time, Ben Mee fouled Winston Reid to concede the
penalty. Noble's weak effort was saved by Tom Heaton but the relieved
midfielder got a second bite of the cherry to tuck in the rebound. However,
Clarets boss Sean Dyche felt Heaton was fouled by Michail Antonio just prior
to the penalty being awarded, and that his goalkeeper was punished for being
too honest. "I'm frustrated we can't get the decision," he said. "It's a
clear foul. Every other keeper in the league would have gone down and
flailed around on the ground. "Ours does it the proper way and that used to
be applauded. Now we are called naive. But we'll stick to what we believe
in."
Burnley could still have taken something from the match but for a shocking
miss from Sam Vokes, who headed over an empty net from six yards, and a
superb save from Darren Randolph to deny Scott Arfield. "We were better in
the second half and that's why I'm so frustrated at the referee's decision,"
added Dyche. "Vokesy should score but their defender tried to overhead kick
it and he flinches at the last second. If that's in the middle of the pitch
that's a foul as well. "We are disappointed with the outcome but not the
performance."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Wednesday, December 14
Daily WHUFC News - 15th December 2016
Noble helps Hammers record a crucial victory
WHUFC.com
Noble Mark Noble inspired West Ham to a crucial 1-0 win over Burnley at
London Stadium to help them move clear of the bottom three and get their
season back on track.
After going six matches without a win in the Premier League, Slaven Bilic
knew the importance of getting all three points and his players showed
character, determination and the quality to get back on the winning trail.
The Hammers got their just rewards after dominating the first half and
hitting the woodwork twice.
And it was their inspirational captain who helped them secure the victory
with the crucial goal just before half-time.
Winston Reid was brought down inside the area and although Noble missed his
penalty, he was on hand to fire the rebound into the back of the net.
Despite a nervy second half, the Hammers players produced a superb defensive
display to keep a vital clean sheet and give them the perfect confidence
boost ahead of another big home game against Hull on Saturday.
It was also the perfect way to mark tribute to former FA Cup hero Peter
Brabrook who passed away this week and would have been proud of the minute's
applause shown towards him by the Hammers fans just before the game.
Bilic had called for his players to show the right mentality and said this
was the time that his side had to deliver and they did not let him down.
The Hammers dominated the first half proceedings and could have opened the
scoring after just two minutes when Michail Antonio's cross picked out Andy
Carroll and his header flew just wide of the post.
Dimitri Payet also came close on six minutes when he found space just
outside the box and fired the home side's first shot on target which
produced a comfortable save from Tom Heaton.
The London Stadium also paid respect to young Hammer Jack Howard who
tragically passed away last week on 13 minutes with a standing ovation which
seemed to inspire the home fans.
West Ham continued to dominate and had strong claims for a penalty turned
down on 27 minutes after Winston Reid's header appeared to strike the hand
of Burnley defender Michael Keane.
But referee Bobby Madley ignored the strong pleas from the home supporters
and waved for play to continue.
It was all one-way traffic as the home side continued to mount pressure on
the Burnley goal.
Payet laid the ball into the path of Pedro Obiang on 35 minutes who saw his
left-foot shot strike the outside of the post.
The Hammers were denied by the woodwork once again on the stroke of
half-time after Payet's short corner picked out Noble and he saw his curling
right-foot shot cannon back off the post.
But the home side finally got their just rewards moments later when they
broke the deadlock after Reid was brought down inside the area by Ben Mee.
Noble, who is normally so reliable from the penalty spot saw his effort
saved by Heaton diving low to his left, but he made no mistake firing the
rebound into the back of the net.
You could sense the relief among the Hammers players and Noble in particular
who knew the importance of his match winning strike.
Bilic must have feared a response from Burnley in the second half and that
proved to be the case as they had several opportunities to grab an
equaliser, but they could not find a way past the Hammers defence and the
superb Darren Randolph in the West Ham goal.
Burnley's first attempt on goal came on 51 minutes when a deep free-kick
into the ball fell to Vokes who struck an over-head kick and his effort flew
just wide of the post.
Arfield then saw his cross palmed away by Randolph on the hour mark straight
into the path of Vokes who had the goal at his mercy but he headed the ball
over the bar.
Randolph showed his quality once again on 71 minutes when he made a superb
save diving away to his left to keep out a fierce free-kick from Arfield.
Ayew could have sealed the victory in injury time when he weaved his way
into the penalty area and fired his shot inches past the post, but the
Hammers held on for a crucial victory and will be hoping for more of the
same when they face Hull on Saturday.
West Ham: Randolph; Nordtveit, Reid, Ogbonna; Antonio, Noble (Nordtveit 88),
Obiang, Cresswell; Lanzini (Ayew 69), Carroll (Fletcher 82), Payet
Subs not used: Adrian, Fernandes, Quina, Browne
Bookings:
Burnley: Heaton; Lowton, Keane, Mee, Ward; Arfield, Marney, Defour, Boyd
(Barnes 76); Hendrick, Vokes
Subs not used: Robinson, Flanagan, Kightly, Bamford, Defour, Tarkowski
Bookings: Mee, Hendrick
Referee: Bobby Madley
Attendance: 56,990
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West Ham United 1-0 Burnley
By Saj Chowdhury
BBC Sport
Mark Noble's first-half strike earned West Ham their first Premier League
win in seven games as they beat Burnley at London Stadium. It looked like
the Hammers would go into the break without anything to show for their
dominance, but in stoppage time they won a spot-kick when Ben Mee brought
down Winston Reid.
Up stepped Noble. His initial kick was saved low by Tom Heaton but he kept
his composure to tuck in the rebound. Noble and Pedro Obiang both struck the
woodwork with brilliant shots and Burnley's Matt Lowton produced a
goal-saving block to deny Aaron Cresswell. The Clarets improved markedly
after the break. Keeper Darren Randolph made a great one-handed save to keep
out Scott Arfield's free-kick and Sam Vokes headed over with the goal
gaping.
Victory lifted the Hammers four points clear of the relegation zone and up
to 15th in the table.
Throw the ball into the box and Andy Carroll will get his head to it. It is
a simple tactic that has worked in the past and will continue to pay
dividends for West Ham if they can keep their 6ft 4in bulldozer fit. The
27-year-old Geordie striker made his first start since August after
recovering from a knee injury, and bullied the Clarets defence during the 83
minutes he played. He only managed one header on target, and should have
done better with another after just two minutes. However, his big strength
is the ability to pull two defenders away, allowing his team-mates more
space.
The Hammers have missed their target man immensely - can they keep him fit
for the rest of the season?
Had the Clarets played the first half with the same conviction they showed
in the second then there might have been a different outcome. Manager Sean
Dyche's side were a different proposition after the break. Cresswell cleared
from the goal-line with Vokes ready to stab in, before the striker
inexplicably headed over from six yards with an open goal in front of him.
And 17 minutes before full-time, Randolph pulled off a great save to prevent
Arfield's low free-kick from creeping in.
It was an improvement, but again not good enough Burnley are five points
clear of the relegation zone, but that is now only one point from a possible
20 away from home this season. They need to start picking up on their
travels or they will face another scrap for survival.
Man of the match - Andy Carroll
An immense presence in attack for the Hammers - he took part in 17 aerial
duels and won more than 60% of them, and he also had six efforts on goal
What's next?
Burnley have another away trip to London - this time at Tottenham on Sunday
(16:00 GMT) and West Ham are at home to Hull on Saturday (15:00)
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WEST HAM 1-0 BURNLEY - MATCH REPORT
BY BRIAN KNOX ON 14 DECEMBER 2016 AT 10:33PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
By @WestHamAmerican
West Ham defeated Burnley FC this evening 1-0 in a mid-week Premier League
fixture at the London Stadium. Safe to say that no true West Ham supporter
would have predicted that the first Christmas season at the new grounds
would feature a home club only a single point from the bottom three of the
table. The visiting Clarets came into the day in a slightly safer
position; a full three points ahead of West Ham.
As Slaven Bilic has been forced to manage a number of prominent injuries
during the early months of the season, he came to this day with a decent
selection of attacking options, as Andy Carroll returned to the starting
lineup. Both teams came with some momentum behind them, as West Ham took a
single point away from Anfield on Sunday and Burnley earned a 3-2 victory
over Bournemouth.
Sean Dyche's side opened the match showing stout defending. While the
Hammers controlled possession, Burnley managed to keep Tom Heaton protected.
West Ham had two strikes hit the post during the opening 45, but neither
team found a first half goal.
The most remarkable part of the opening half was the number of times (five)
Bobby Madley stopped play for head injuries, and the downed player
miraculously would return to action immediately.
During the two minutes of added time to the first half, a corner kick fell
to Winston Reid who was taken to the turf by Ben Mee. With the penalty kick
called, Mark Noble marched to the spot and his kick was first blocked by
Heaton but Noble was able to score off the rebound. West Ham walked off the
pitch with a 1-0 lead.
During the second half, Burnley showed some danger on a couple of free kicks
from just beyond the penalty area. In the 55th Sam Vokes barely hooked one
wide. In the 61st somehow Vokes managed to head over the crossbar on an
open opportunity. In the 72nd Darren Randolph had to dive into a crowd to
swat away Scott Arfield's free kick.
West Ham did have moments. In the 60th Andy Carroll took a Payet corner
kick straight into the arms of Heaton. Moments later Lanzini had his
long-range shot also find its way to Heaton's arms.
Late in the match Dyche brought on more attacking options and the home club
found themselves trying to hang on for a 1-0 victory. The London Stadium
patrons groaned when the five minutes of added time was announced but
through a combination of possession and a little luck (and some great
efforts by Darren Randolph) West Ham were able to walk away with all three
points.
A busy week concludes on Saturday when the Hammers host fellow struggling
side, Hull City. After a brutal run of top competition, a few matches
against the bottom of the table are welcome as Slaven Bilic looks to pull
his team away from the danger of relegation zone. 40 points is usually
thought of as the safety point at season's end. A victory against Hull will
go a long way to easing the concern of the supporters.
With a lot of football to be played between now and May, a healing West Ham
side can still be a dangerous team as we go into 2017. Club goals such as a
run in the Euro's, a top five finish, and even a League Cup are all gone,
but a confident club going into the new year will, no doubt, improve the
feeling in East London. Stay tuned to the West Ham Way as Ex and staff
have all the latest news and information on the January transfer window.
West Ham: Randolph, Reid, Cresswell, Kouyate, Carroll, Lanzini, Obiang,
Noble, Ogbonna, Payet, Antonio
Subs: Adrian, Nordtveit (89'), Ayew (69'), Fletcher (83'), Fernandes,
Quina, Browne
Burnley: Heaton, Ward, Mee, Keane, Lowton, Arfield, Marney, Hendrick, Boyd,
Vokes, Gray.
Subs: Robinson, Flanagan, Barnes (76'), Kightly, Bamford (94'), Defour,
Tarkowskij
Bookings: Mee (62'), Henrick (72')
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West Ham 1-0 Burnley: Mark Noble goal enough for Hammers
By Pete Hall at London Stadium
Last Updated: 14/12/16 10:32pm
SSN
Mark Noble's first-half strike was enough for West Ham to secure a vital 1-0
victory over Burnley at the London Stadium on Wednesday night. After
impressing in the weekend draw at Liverpool, the pressure was on the
Hammers' players to beat a Burnley side who don't travel well, making for a
tense night in the East End. Noble settled some of those nerves when he
scored from the rebound, after his own penalty had been saved, in first-half
stoppage time. The second half saw the visitors press for an equaliser,
adding to the anxious feeling around the stadium, with Sam Vokes guilty of
missing Burnley's best opening from point-blank range.
The Hammers held on for only their third home win of the season, one that
seems them climb to 16th in the league table. Burnley remain in 13th. Andy
Carroll was restored to the starting XI by Slaven Bilic, but cut an isolated
figure as he was starved of any decent service in the opening exchanges.
The hosts had strong shouts for a penalty waved away by referee Bobby Madley
in the 25th minute, as Michael Keane appeared to handle. Referee Madley
deemed it to be unintentional.
It wasn't until the 33rd minute that Tom Heaton was forced into making a
save in the Burnley goal, as he got down well to smother a rasping effort
from Michail Antonio. Three minutes later, Pedro Obiang went even closer, as
his fierce effort fizzed just past the post with Heaton beaten. the half
drew to a close, the hosts got that crucial breakthrough. Firstly, Noble saw
his superb curler from outside the box cannon back of the upright, before he
got another chance to break the deadlock from the spot, after Winston Reid
was bundled over in the box. The Hammers skipper stepped up and saw his
penalty saved by Heaton, but reacted fastest to smash home the rebound.
After the break, Burnley threw everything at the Hammers, but couldn't find
a way through. Vokes had three chances in quick succession, the final of
those the worst miss of the night.
It all started from a brilliant run from Scott Arfield which carried him
into the box, Darren Randolph blocked his goalbound effort, the loose ball
bounced up, Vokes charged in, but headed over with the goal gaping. Randolph
was again called into action in the Hammers goal, this time having to get a
strong hand to Arfield's free-kick in the 71st minute. Burnley continued to
throw everything at the hosts, but they couldn't find only a second away
goal of the season. Next up for the Hammers is Hull on Saturday - another
match the home faithful will expect three points from.
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West Ham 1-0 Burnley: Mark Noble's first-half strike keeps Hammers out of
the drop zone
Hammers fans were treated to only the side's third home win of the Premier
League season against a stubborn Burnley side
The Mirror
BYMIKE WALTERS
21:38, 14 DEC 2016UPDATED22:13, 14 DEC 2016
But West Ham were such a bag of nerves against a stubborn Burnley side that
you would not let them near the fairy lights on your tree for fear of being
electrocuted.
Hammers manager Bilic has never been further away from crisis than a length
of tinsel all season and edging past the Premier League's worst team on the
road is not the stuff of ringing endorsements.
And while Mark Noble's winner in first-half stoppage time earned Bilic
valuable breathing space, confidence at the Taxpayers' Stadium remains as
brittle as a festive bauble.
Make no mistake, the Hammers were worth their first win in eight games and,
if Dimitri Payet remains on the payroll beyond January, they will have
enough stardust to avoid the unthinkable.
But they were indebted to Wales striker Sam Vokes for a dreadful miss as
Burnley threatened to pick their pockets.
By the law of averages, Burnley - only one point, and as many goals, away
from their Turf Moor fortress all season - were due to pick up -something on
the road.
But they played with all the festive ambition of turkeys on a poultry farm.
Watching England manager Gareth Southgate would have been offered a mince
pie in the boardroom, but the Clarets offered only honest endeavour. At
least they knew what was coming when Andy Carroll was handed his first start
in four months by Bilic.
And Carroll took just 80 seconds to announce himself, climbing highest to
meet Michail Antonio's cross, but directing his header wide.
Aerial routes looked West Ham's -likeliest source of joy, and Michael Keane
appeared to field Payet's corner -inadvertently with his forearm.
But it took 32 minutes for either side to muster a shot on target, England
keeper Tom Heaton gathering Antonio's daisy-cutter with a routine stop.
Suitably encouraged by a rare sight of goal, the home side came close to
puncturing the tedium three minutes later as Pedro Obiang let fly from 25
yards and his effort brushed Heaton's right-hand upright.
As if to even things up, Heaton's other post was rattled by Noble's
spectacular curling shot, but the Hammers' skipper wasn't to be denied for
long.
In first-half stoppage time, referee Bobby Madley spotted Ben Mee's armlock
on Winston Reid and, although Heaton sprawled to his left to keep out
Noble's spot kick, he devoured the rebound, which ultimately settled the
match.
PLAYER RATINGS
West Ham
RANDOLPH 7 Costly fumble at Anfield forgiven, fine save from Arfield
free-kick
REID 7 Attentive at the back and hauled down for winning penalty
KOUYATE 6 Right-back not his best position but versatility has its virtues
OGBONNA 7 Gave Vokes and Gray less change than an arcade fruit machine
ANTONIO 7 Still in shock after scoring with his foot, not his head, at
Liverpool
NOBLE 8 Rattled post, saw penalty saved but pounced on the rebound
OBIANG 6 Fierce left-foot drive from distance clipped outside of a post
CRESSWELL 6 Took no prisoners and always keen to help the front line
PAYET 8 Enjoy him while you can, January is coming, vultures are circling
LANZINI 5 Fizzed around looking for openings but space was at a premium
CARROLL 6 Put himself about on first start at the Taxpayers Stadium
Burnley
HEATON 6 Not always comfortable in the air when put under pressure
LOWTON 6 One terrific block as Cresswell pulled the trigger
KEANE 7 Relished muscular contest with Carroll, looks the part
MEE 6 Gave away penalty when Clarets were within sight of the interval
WARD 6 Pegged back by Antonio's raids but useful set-piece delivery
ARFIELD 6 Steadier than a middle lane hog. Booked
MARNEY 6 Steadier than a motorway speed limit through roadworks
HENDRICK 5 Energy in abundance but quality was in short supply. Booked
BOYD 5 Covers an awful lot of ground, but so does my Vauxhall Astra
VOKES 5 Shocking miss, should have equalised but headed over
GRAY 5 Still to get going after pernicious ban for historic tweets
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Noble Mark Noble inspired West Ham to a crucial 1-0 win over Burnley at
London Stadium to help them move clear of the bottom three and get their
season back on track.
After going six matches without a win in the Premier League, Slaven Bilic
knew the importance of getting all three points and his players showed
character, determination and the quality to get back on the winning trail.
The Hammers got their just rewards after dominating the first half and
hitting the woodwork twice.
And it was their inspirational captain who helped them secure the victory
with the crucial goal just before half-time.
Winston Reid was brought down inside the area and although Noble missed his
penalty, he was on hand to fire the rebound into the back of the net.
Despite a nervy second half, the Hammers players produced a superb defensive
display to keep a vital clean sheet and give them the perfect confidence
boost ahead of another big home game against Hull on Saturday.
It was also the perfect way to mark tribute to former FA Cup hero Peter
Brabrook who passed away this week and would have been proud of the minute's
applause shown towards him by the Hammers fans just before the game.
Bilic had called for his players to show the right mentality and said this
was the time that his side had to deliver and they did not let him down.
The Hammers dominated the first half proceedings and could have opened the
scoring after just two minutes when Michail Antonio's cross picked out Andy
Carroll and his header flew just wide of the post.
Dimitri Payet also came close on six minutes when he found space just
outside the box and fired the home side's first shot on target which
produced a comfortable save from Tom Heaton.
The London Stadium also paid respect to young Hammer Jack Howard who
tragically passed away last week on 13 minutes with a standing ovation which
seemed to inspire the home fans.
West Ham continued to dominate and had strong claims for a penalty turned
down on 27 minutes after Winston Reid's header appeared to strike the hand
of Burnley defender Michael Keane.
But referee Bobby Madley ignored the strong pleas from the home supporters
and waved for play to continue.
It was all one-way traffic as the home side continued to mount pressure on
the Burnley goal.
Payet laid the ball into the path of Pedro Obiang on 35 minutes who saw his
left-foot shot strike the outside of the post.
The Hammers were denied by the woodwork once again on the stroke of
half-time after Payet's short corner picked out Noble and he saw his curling
right-foot shot cannon back off the post.
But the home side finally got their just rewards moments later when they
broke the deadlock after Reid was brought down inside the area by Ben Mee.
Noble, who is normally so reliable from the penalty spot saw his effort
saved by Heaton diving low to his left, but he made no mistake firing the
rebound into the back of the net.
You could sense the relief among the Hammers players and Noble in particular
who knew the importance of his match winning strike.
Bilic must have feared a response from Burnley in the second half and that
proved to be the case as they had several opportunities to grab an
equaliser, but they could not find a way past the Hammers defence and the
superb Darren Randolph in the West Ham goal.
Burnley's first attempt on goal came on 51 minutes when a deep free-kick
into the ball fell to Vokes who struck an over-head kick and his effort flew
just wide of the post.
Arfield then saw his cross palmed away by Randolph on the hour mark straight
into the path of Vokes who had the goal at his mercy but he headed the ball
over the bar.
Randolph showed his quality once again on 71 minutes when he made a superb
save diving away to his left to keep out a fierce free-kick from Arfield.
Ayew could have sealed the victory in injury time when he weaved his way
into the penalty area and fired his shot inches past the post, but the
Hammers held on for a crucial victory and will be hoping for more of the
same when they face Hull on Saturday.
West Ham: Randolph; Nordtveit, Reid, Ogbonna; Antonio, Noble (Nordtveit 88),
Obiang, Cresswell; Lanzini (Ayew 69), Carroll (Fletcher 82), Payet
Subs not used: Adrian, Fernandes, Quina, Browne
Bookings:
Burnley: Heaton; Lowton, Keane, Mee, Ward; Arfield, Marney, Defour, Boyd
(Barnes 76); Hendrick, Vokes
Subs not used: Robinson, Flanagan, Kightly, Bamford, Defour, Tarkowski
Bookings: Mee, Hendrick
Referee: Bobby Madley
Attendance: 56,990
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham United 1-0 Burnley
By Saj Chowdhury
BBC Sport
Mark Noble's first-half strike earned West Ham their first Premier League
win in seven games as they beat Burnley at London Stadium. It looked like
the Hammers would go into the break without anything to show for their
dominance, but in stoppage time they won a spot-kick when Ben Mee brought
down Winston Reid.
Up stepped Noble. His initial kick was saved low by Tom Heaton but he kept
his composure to tuck in the rebound. Noble and Pedro Obiang both struck the
woodwork with brilliant shots and Burnley's Matt Lowton produced a
goal-saving block to deny Aaron Cresswell. The Clarets improved markedly
after the break. Keeper Darren Randolph made a great one-handed save to keep
out Scott Arfield's free-kick and Sam Vokes headed over with the goal
gaping.
Victory lifted the Hammers four points clear of the relegation zone and up
to 15th in the table.
Throw the ball into the box and Andy Carroll will get his head to it. It is
a simple tactic that has worked in the past and will continue to pay
dividends for West Ham if they can keep their 6ft 4in bulldozer fit. The
27-year-old Geordie striker made his first start since August after
recovering from a knee injury, and bullied the Clarets defence during the 83
minutes he played. He only managed one header on target, and should have
done better with another after just two minutes. However, his big strength
is the ability to pull two defenders away, allowing his team-mates more
space.
The Hammers have missed their target man immensely - can they keep him fit
for the rest of the season?
Had the Clarets played the first half with the same conviction they showed
in the second then there might have been a different outcome. Manager Sean
Dyche's side were a different proposition after the break. Cresswell cleared
from the goal-line with Vokes ready to stab in, before the striker
inexplicably headed over from six yards with an open goal in front of him.
And 17 minutes before full-time, Randolph pulled off a great save to prevent
Arfield's low free-kick from creeping in.
It was an improvement, but again not good enough Burnley are five points
clear of the relegation zone, but that is now only one point from a possible
20 away from home this season. They need to start picking up on their
travels or they will face another scrap for survival.
Man of the match - Andy Carroll
An immense presence in attack for the Hammers - he took part in 17 aerial
duels and won more than 60% of them, and he also had six efforts on goal
What's next?
Burnley have another away trip to London - this time at Tottenham on Sunday
(16:00 GMT) and West Ham are at home to Hull on Saturday (15:00)
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
WEST HAM 1-0 BURNLEY - MATCH REPORT
BY BRIAN KNOX ON 14 DECEMBER 2016 AT 10:33PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
By @WestHamAmerican
West Ham defeated Burnley FC this evening 1-0 in a mid-week Premier League
fixture at the London Stadium. Safe to say that no true West Ham supporter
would have predicted that the first Christmas season at the new grounds
would feature a home club only a single point from the bottom three of the
table. The visiting Clarets came into the day in a slightly safer
position; a full three points ahead of West Ham.
As Slaven Bilic has been forced to manage a number of prominent injuries
during the early months of the season, he came to this day with a decent
selection of attacking options, as Andy Carroll returned to the starting
lineup. Both teams came with some momentum behind them, as West Ham took a
single point away from Anfield on Sunday and Burnley earned a 3-2 victory
over Bournemouth.
Sean Dyche's side opened the match showing stout defending. While the
Hammers controlled possession, Burnley managed to keep Tom Heaton protected.
West Ham had two strikes hit the post during the opening 45, but neither
team found a first half goal.
The most remarkable part of the opening half was the number of times (five)
Bobby Madley stopped play for head injuries, and the downed player
miraculously would return to action immediately.
During the two minutes of added time to the first half, a corner kick fell
to Winston Reid who was taken to the turf by Ben Mee. With the penalty kick
called, Mark Noble marched to the spot and his kick was first blocked by
Heaton but Noble was able to score off the rebound. West Ham walked off the
pitch with a 1-0 lead.
During the second half, Burnley showed some danger on a couple of free kicks
from just beyond the penalty area. In the 55th Sam Vokes barely hooked one
wide. In the 61st somehow Vokes managed to head over the crossbar on an
open opportunity. In the 72nd Darren Randolph had to dive into a crowd to
swat away Scott Arfield's free kick.
West Ham did have moments. In the 60th Andy Carroll took a Payet corner
kick straight into the arms of Heaton. Moments later Lanzini had his
long-range shot also find its way to Heaton's arms.
Late in the match Dyche brought on more attacking options and the home club
found themselves trying to hang on for a 1-0 victory. The London Stadium
patrons groaned when the five minutes of added time was announced but
through a combination of possession and a little luck (and some great
efforts by Darren Randolph) West Ham were able to walk away with all three
points.
A busy week concludes on Saturday when the Hammers host fellow struggling
side, Hull City. After a brutal run of top competition, a few matches
against the bottom of the table are welcome as Slaven Bilic looks to pull
his team away from the danger of relegation zone. 40 points is usually
thought of as the safety point at season's end. A victory against Hull will
go a long way to easing the concern of the supporters.
With a lot of football to be played between now and May, a healing West Ham
side can still be a dangerous team as we go into 2017. Club goals such as a
run in the Euro's, a top five finish, and even a League Cup are all gone,
but a confident club going into the new year will, no doubt, improve the
feeling in East London. Stay tuned to the West Ham Way as Ex and staff
have all the latest news and information on the January transfer window.
West Ham: Randolph, Reid, Cresswell, Kouyate, Carroll, Lanzini, Obiang,
Noble, Ogbonna, Payet, Antonio
Subs: Adrian, Nordtveit (89'), Ayew (69'), Fletcher (83'), Fernandes,
Quina, Browne
Burnley: Heaton, Ward, Mee, Keane, Lowton, Arfield, Marney, Hendrick, Boyd,
Vokes, Gray.
Subs: Robinson, Flanagan, Barnes (76'), Kightly, Bamford (94'), Defour,
Tarkowskij
Bookings: Mee (62'), Henrick (72')
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham 1-0 Burnley: Mark Noble goal enough for Hammers
By Pete Hall at London Stadium
Last Updated: 14/12/16 10:32pm
SSN
Mark Noble's first-half strike was enough for West Ham to secure a vital 1-0
victory over Burnley at the London Stadium on Wednesday night. After
impressing in the weekend draw at Liverpool, the pressure was on the
Hammers' players to beat a Burnley side who don't travel well, making for a
tense night in the East End. Noble settled some of those nerves when he
scored from the rebound, after his own penalty had been saved, in first-half
stoppage time. The second half saw the visitors press for an equaliser,
adding to the anxious feeling around the stadium, with Sam Vokes guilty of
missing Burnley's best opening from point-blank range.
The Hammers held on for only their third home win of the season, one that
seems them climb to 16th in the league table. Burnley remain in 13th. Andy
Carroll was restored to the starting XI by Slaven Bilic, but cut an isolated
figure as he was starved of any decent service in the opening exchanges.
The hosts had strong shouts for a penalty waved away by referee Bobby Madley
in the 25th minute, as Michael Keane appeared to handle. Referee Madley
deemed it to be unintentional.
It wasn't until the 33rd minute that Tom Heaton was forced into making a
save in the Burnley goal, as he got down well to smother a rasping effort
from Michail Antonio. Three minutes later, Pedro Obiang went even closer, as
his fierce effort fizzed just past the post with Heaton beaten. the half
drew to a close, the hosts got that crucial breakthrough. Firstly, Noble saw
his superb curler from outside the box cannon back of the upright, before he
got another chance to break the deadlock from the spot, after Winston Reid
was bundled over in the box. The Hammers skipper stepped up and saw his
penalty saved by Heaton, but reacted fastest to smash home the rebound.
After the break, Burnley threw everything at the Hammers, but couldn't find
a way through. Vokes had three chances in quick succession, the final of
those the worst miss of the night.
It all started from a brilliant run from Scott Arfield which carried him
into the box, Darren Randolph blocked his goalbound effort, the loose ball
bounced up, Vokes charged in, but headed over with the goal gaping. Randolph
was again called into action in the Hammers goal, this time having to get a
strong hand to Arfield's free-kick in the 71st minute. Burnley continued to
throw everything at the hosts, but they couldn't find only a second away
goal of the season. Next up for the Hammers is Hull on Saturday - another
match the home faithful will expect three points from.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham 1-0 Burnley: Mark Noble's first-half strike keeps Hammers out of
the drop zone
Hammers fans were treated to only the side's third home win of the Premier
League season against a stubborn Burnley side
The Mirror
BYMIKE WALTERS
21:38, 14 DEC 2016UPDATED22:13, 14 DEC 2016
But West Ham were such a bag of nerves against a stubborn Burnley side that
you would not let them near the fairy lights on your tree for fear of being
electrocuted.
Hammers manager Bilic has never been further away from crisis than a length
of tinsel all season and edging past the Premier League's worst team on the
road is not the stuff of ringing endorsements.
And while Mark Noble's winner in first-half stoppage time earned Bilic
valuable breathing space, confidence at the Taxpayers' Stadium remains as
brittle as a festive bauble.
Make no mistake, the Hammers were worth their first win in eight games and,
if Dimitri Payet remains on the payroll beyond January, they will have
enough stardust to avoid the unthinkable.
But they were indebted to Wales striker Sam Vokes for a dreadful miss as
Burnley threatened to pick their pockets.
By the law of averages, Burnley - only one point, and as many goals, away
from their Turf Moor fortress all season - were due to pick up -something on
the road.
But they played with all the festive ambition of turkeys on a poultry farm.
Watching England manager Gareth Southgate would have been offered a mince
pie in the boardroom, but the Clarets offered only honest endeavour. At
least they knew what was coming when Andy Carroll was handed his first start
in four months by Bilic.
And Carroll took just 80 seconds to announce himself, climbing highest to
meet Michail Antonio's cross, but directing his header wide.
Aerial routes looked West Ham's -likeliest source of joy, and Michael Keane
appeared to field Payet's corner -inadvertently with his forearm.
But it took 32 minutes for either side to muster a shot on target, England
keeper Tom Heaton gathering Antonio's daisy-cutter with a routine stop.
Suitably encouraged by a rare sight of goal, the home side came close to
puncturing the tedium three minutes later as Pedro Obiang let fly from 25
yards and his effort brushed Heaton's right-hand upright.
As if to even things up, Heaton's other post was rattled by Noble's
spectacular curling shot, but the Hammers' skipper wasn't to be denied for
long.
In first-half stoppage time, referee Bobby Madley spotted Ben Mee's armlock
on Winston Reid and, although Heaton sprawled to his left to keep out
Noble's spot kick, he devoured the rebound, which ultimately settled the
match.
PLAYER RATINGS
West Ham
RANDOLPH 7 Costly fumble at Anfield forgiven, fine save from Arfield
free-kick
REID 7 Attentive at the back and hauled down for winning penalty
KOUYATE 6 Right-back not his best position but versatility has its virtues
OGBONNA 7 Gave Vokes and Gray less change than an arcade fruit machine
ANTONIO 7 Still in shock after scoring with his foot, not his head, at
Liverpool
NOBLE 8 Rattled post, saw penalty saved but pounced on the rebound
OBIANG 6 Fierce left-foot drive from distance clipped outside of a post
CRESSWELL 6 Took no prisoners and always keen to help the front line
PAYET 8 Enjoy him while you can, January is coming, vultures are circling
LANZINI 5 Fizzed around looking for openings but space was at a premium
CARROLL 6 Put himself about on first start at the Taxpayers Stadium
Burnley
HEATON 6 Not always comfortable in the air when put under pressure
LOWTON 6 One terrific block as Cresswell pulled the trigger
KEANE 7 Relished muscular contest with Carroll, looks the part
MEE 6 Gave away penalty when Clarets were within sight of the interval
WARD 6 Pegged back by Antonio's raids but useful set-piece delivery
ARFIELD 6 Steadier than a middle lane hog. Booked
MARNEY 6 Steadier than a motorway speed limit through roadworks
HENDRICK 5 Energy in abundance but quality was in short supply. Booked
BOYD 5 Covers an awful lot of ground, but so does my Vauxhall Astra
VOKES 5 Shocking miss, should have equalised but headed over
GRAY 5 Still to get going after pernicious ban for historic tweets
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
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