Put yourself in pole position for a Season Ticket
WHUFC.com
By joining the Season Ticket Waiting List you will be putting yourself in the best position to secure a Season Ticket when they become available.
Given the extraordinary demand for Season Tickets and the large number of supporters on the Waiting List, whilst we acknowledge that joining now may not guarantee you an opportunity for a 2017/18 Season Ticket, it will give you a strong chance of success for the following year and also put you in pole position in the event that any other tickets are released before then.
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Dobson eager for PL2 inclusion
WHUFC.com
George Dobson has returned from his loan spell and is in contention to start West Ham United PL2 on Monday night
The Hammers take on Wolverhampton Wanderers in their Premier League 2 Division 2 play-off semi final
Speaking to whufc.com, Dobson also reflected on his loan spell at Walsall
George Dobson has declared himself available for West Ham United PL2 selection ahead of their play-off clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday. Dobson played 21 times and scored once for Walsall as they finished their Sky Bet League One campaign in 14th place.
After the climax to the League One season last weekend, Dobson has now returned to east London and reflected on his first loan spell with fondness. "It's been a long but good season," said Dobson. "I've learned a lot from the loan, got quite a lot of appearances in the end. I felt like I learned a lot and I've developed as a player. "The second half of the season I've been involved a lot more. I've been working hard just to try and impress the management there to stay involved and get more involved. That hard work definitely paid off towards the end of the season. "The manager said he would love to have me back and he said I had done really well. I also said a lot of good things which is obviously good. I definitely feel like I've improved over the course of the season which is the most important thing."
Dobson has been training with the Hammers as they prepare for their Premier League 2 Division 2 play-off clash with Wolves. The Hammers qualified for the play-offs after beating West Bromwich Albion 4-0 two weeks ago, and Dobson is keen to be involved as the U23s strive for promotion. The 19-year-old missed out on last season's Premier League Cup victory after injury ruled him out of the final's second leg and says it has made him even hungrier to achieve success this time around. "I saw that they got into the play-offs after the 4-0 win at West Brom. It's a massive game for the club because the possibility of moving into the top division is a great incentive for all the boys," added Dobson. "I'm available for selection so we'll see what happens. "I played most of last season and literally missed the second leg of the final because of injury. It would be nice to be involved in winning something this year where I actually get to play.
"That makes you want to be involved more. I'm really enjoying training and seeing what happens over the next couple of weeks. Seating for the 7pm kick-off is all unreserved and tickets will require collection on the day at Molineux from the Ticket Office located between the Stan Cullis and Billy Wright Stands. Supporters should take their booking reference and ID for collection.
For Season Ticket Holders booking in advance and up until Monday 8 May at 11am these will be free.
For all non-Season Ticket Holders, seats are priced at £4 for Adults and £1 for O65s U17s when booked in advance.
Season Ticket Holders will also be charged if purchasing at Molineux on the day.
Keep up to date with West Ham United PL2's play-off clash with Wolves at whufc.com and on our social channels from 7pm on Monday.
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Loanee round up
WHUFC.com
Josh Cullen and Bradford City will soon travel to Wembley for a place in the Championship for next season
The Bantams held Fleetwood Town to a goalless draw on Sunday having beaten them 1-0 in the opening leg at Valley Parade
Cullen played the full extent of both legs and will be key to Bradford's success in the capital on 20 May
Josh Cullen – a season-long star on loan at Bradford City this season – helped the Bantams reach the League One play-off final on Sunday night with a goalless draw at Fleetwood Town. Stuart McCall's men travelled to Lancashire knowing a draw would be enough for them to reach Wembley having beaten Uwe Rosler's team 1-0 at Valley Parade in the first leg. Cullen was awarded Man of the Match in that clash, and he again impressed on Sunday, having a couple of opportunities to himself extend the Yorkshiremen's lead. The stalemate at Highbury was enough, however, and Bradford will now prepare to face Millwall – who beat Scunthorpe United 3-2 away from home to go through – for a place in the Championship next season. That all-important clash will take place in just under two weeks' time, on Saturday 20 May at Wembley Stadium.
Also in play-off action on Sunday was goalkeeper Sam Howes, on loan at National League South side Hampton and Richmond Borough. The Beavers faced Ebbsfleet for a place in the final, but knew the task on their hands was a big one having lost the opening leg 2-1 at home to United. And It wasn't to be for Borough, who again went down 2-1 to eventually crash out of the semis 4-2 on aggregate. Ebbsfleet will face Chelmsford City for a place in the National League division for the 2017/18 campaign.
Finally, Enner Valencia was a second half substitute for Everton as they were beaten 1-0 by Swansea City at the weekend. The Ecuadorian played the final 25 minutes for the Toffees, who were by then already one down thanks to Fernando Llorente's first half strike which turned out to be the vital winner for Paul Clement's side. Swansea overtook Hull City, who were beaten by Sunderland, with the win to climb out of the relegation zone.
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Manager on Monday
WHUFC.com
Slaven Bilic says he felt the omens were good ahead of Friday's 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur – despite the visitors going into the game on the back of a nine-game winning streak.
Few pundits gave the Hammers a chance against Mauricio Pochettino's title-chasing Spurs, but they proved them wrong with a terrific performance which yielded maximum points thanks to Manuel Lanzini's second half goal.
Bilic recalled the victory against the north Londoners at home last year, as well as the performance in defeat earlier this season, and said those games helped formulate his gameplan to defeat Tottenham for the first time since early February.
He explained: "We played against a team who have been the best [in the Premier League] especially over the last couple of months – they had won nine out of nine.
"They were still up for it because they wanted to put the pressure on Chelsea, but we had a couple of good patterns. Not only the performances in the last four games where we had kept three clean sheets and created enough chances to score goals in every one of those, but also because of our last couple of games against Spurs.
"We beat them 1-0 at Upton Park, and although we lost 3-2 at White Hart Lane earlier this season we were really good. We had the pattern, we had the gameplan which was working against them and we did the same again on Friday.
"We planned it, but it was the guys who executed it brilliantly. We deserved it – we showed character, we showed determination, we showed team spirit, everything. Most of all, we showed the quality to beat a big team."
One player who displayed that quality was Lanzini, whose ninth goal of the campaign, secured the derby spoils.
Bilic was thrilled with his contribution, saying: "Lanzini is a young player, but a magnificent player. He works hard, he covers a lot of ground on the pitch and he is very good in the box.
"He's scored some amazing and important goals for us, he creates goals, the players love him because he is not one of those who wants to be spared the defensive part of the game.
"He works hard and he's brilliant to have."
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Fonte's top ten target
WHUFC.com
Jose Fonte says West Ham United want to end the season strongly after beating Tottenham Hotspur
Hammers welcome Liverpool to London Stadium on Sunday, seeking to go six games unbeaten
Portugal star says Claret and Blue Army played their part in Friday's London Stadium success
Jose Fonte says West Ham United want to take the confidence drawn from beating Tottenham Hotspur into Sunday's Premier League meeting with Liverpool. Fresh from beating second-place Spurs, the Hammers welcome the third-place Reds to London Stadium seeking to extend their unbeaten run to six matches and continue their strong finish to the season. With two games to play – West Ham go to Burnley on the final day – Fonte and his teammates are targeting a top-ten finish, but know they will need to take at least four points from those matches if they are to hit that target. "We are pleased, but we still have two games to go and two wins to get," said the Portugal defender, who has now kept eleven clean sheets in 31 Premier League appearances this season. "We have a massive game against Liverpool and we want to finish in the top ten, so we have got to win those two games. It's another big game on Sunday and we want to replicate what we did against Tottenham. "We have found a good system and we've been excellent in the last four games, so I'm pleased, because as a defender it's good to keep clean sheets. "The three points are always more important, but the clean sheet matters to me!"
Slaven Bilic's new preferred 3-4-2-1 system has produced four clean sheets in the last five matches, with the Premier League's top two centre forwards, Everton's Romelu Lukaku and Tottenham's Harry Kane, being held to a combined two shots on target. On Friday, Kane had just two first-half shots, both of which were saved by Adrian – an illustration of the resilience the Hammers showed in ending Tottenham's nine-match winning streak. "It was a great night," Fonte confirmed. "When we play like this as a team and work hard, it's very difficult to beat us. So, well done to us and well done to the fans, who created an unbelievable atmosphere. They helped us to win the game and this win is for them. "We knew we would be hard to beat. Our confidence is high and we knew if we performed how we had been performing, it would be very difficult to score against us. So, we went into the game knowing we would get chances if we stayed compact and kept the lines closed, then broke quickly, and that's what happened. "Credit to the manager who made the system work, and credit to us."
Having helped the Hammers to climb clear of the relegation dogfight, Fonte's next target is to help his new Club take the next step next season by challenging for European football. "I came here to be successful and help the Club to be successful," said the UEFA Euro 2016 winner. "I didn't have the perfect start, but one thing I don't do is give up. I trust the process and I trust my work during the week, and I give my heart and soul for this Club now and for my teammates. "I'm pleased for these last few results and I'm pleased the fans have supported us. If the fans want to, they can make it hell for the opponents and that's what they did on Friday. They were loud, they were intense and we felt it – goosebumps. "Well done to the fans, because they were massive and this win is for them."
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Manning praises skipper as U23s reach final
WHUFC.com
West Ham United Premier League 2 were 2-1 winners at Wolves on Monday in their play-off semi-final
The victory will see them face Newcastle for a spot in Division 1 next season
Assistant manager Liam Manning praised captain Declan Rice as he led the team to victory in the midlands
West Ham United Premier League 2 assistant boss Liam Manning praised skipper Declan Rice for an outstanding display as he led the U23s to a play-off semi-final victory at Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Hammers scored twice late on through Jahmal Hector-Ingram and Martin Samuelsen at Molineux to seal their place in the final. They will face Newcastle United – for a fourth time this season and a third at St. James' Park – for a spot in Premier League 2 Division 1 next campaign and Manning stated the performance was the result of a season's worth of hard work. He said: "It's the icing on the cake for a really tough season to get that result. It's good to get rewards like that at the end of the season. "It was an extremely difficult game. Wolves are well organised, they're effective in what they do, they're physical, so we're delighted with the way the boys applied themselves. We kept moving it really well, and the boys do that every single day. "I thought Declan Rice was outstanding at the back. The front two were a handful for them but he dealt with them comfortably and every week, we've said for the whole season, he's been outstanding. He's getting close to needing another challenge now. "We have another trip up to the north east, and we have unfinished business up there to be fair. We went up there in the league and ground out a point and lost in the cup."
Wolves scored in the first half through Sylvain Deslandes when the full-back rose the highest from a corner to head home, and it looked as though, for 55 minutes, it would be the hosts who would be progressing to the final. But with ten minutes left on the clock, substitutes Joe Powell and Hector-Ingram combined perfectly to level the scores, goalscorer Hector-Ingram finding the back of the net with his first touch. And soon after, the forward was bundled over in the penalty area, giving Samuelsen the opportunity to finish from the spot, something he did with aplomb. "It's important for the players to know they must be focused whether they're starting or whether they're on the bench," continued Manning. "As you saw with our first goal, two subs combined for that, and they showed what they could do. It was a quality goal; a great delivery and great header. "We were one down for a long time so we're really proud of them believing they could still get something from the game. The group are like that; they're a close-knit group. The team is very young and we had four U18s starting tonight. "[Raphael] Spiegel kept us in it at 1-0 down as well; he made two or three consecutive saves in a short space of time and kept us in the game. He did very well. "Hopefully now we can go to Newcastle and it would be great to get the result and ultimately get promotion."
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ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR! TIME TO SHOVE GOLD AND SULLIVAN OUT THE DOOR! THEN WHAT?
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 8 MAY 2017 AT 9:29PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by FarehamHammer
Well few will disagree, I have been amongst Messrs Gold and Sullivan's harshest critics, if not the harshest of them all, from the off. I had been well briefed about them, before they even set foot on The Boleyn Ground. A couple of friends of mine, Birmingham City fans, had warned me how they rolled. They would overplay The Club's debt, as an excuse for not investing in the transfer market. Always reminding Brum fans how they had 'saved' them. During season ticket renewal time, they used their many contacts in the media to spin fantasy land stories, linking Brum to this star or that. Phantom 'bids were the order of the day. 'Bids they knew perfectly well, would not be accepted. Either offering the club selling the player peanuts, or offering the player personal terms, that they knew would not be accepted .Then they would say "they tried". They also had a tenancy to undermine the manager at every turn .The transfer strategy was to sign a lot of distinctly average players, with Sullivan always signing cheap imports from South America, via their trusted agent at the time. Barry Silkman. Believing that one of them, would turn out to be the next Messi. Of course this never happened !So it's no surprise, that Birmingham City suffered three relegation's during Gold and Sullivan's tenure at St Andrew's.
The one relegation, came off the back of a season when Brum had finished ninth. The previous season Mikael Forssell had scored a lot of goals for Brum, he got injured during the relegation season. Gold and Sullivan never signed another striker, and down went Birmingham City. Another thing that used to anger Birmingham City Fans ,was they would have a tendency to flog star players, during the last days of a transfer window, not replace them, and say they "Ran out of time "to bring in someone else. People …this on the face of it is, exactly how they have operated at West Ham. As soon as they arrived they lived up to my expectations spectacularly. Over and over we got told they would not have bought the club if they were not fans, we got told how The Club had lent money against the following two years season tickets. We were a financial Armageddon was another line on an almost daily basis, we were left in no doubt they were West Ham's 'Messiah's'
I remember their first two transfer windows very well. We had David Gold telling us they were prepared to spend £100 000 per week on a top striker, with Ruud Van Nistlerooy being heavily linked with The Club .The reality was Mido signed on £1000 per week. The first summer transfer window was an eye opener. Seventy two hours before the expiry of season ticket renewals, came this gem on The Club's website: "The club is expected to sign six exciting players in 72hrs "The reality was Freddie Piquionne and Pablo Barrera. So a pretty damning start by any stretch of the imagination of their legacy at Brum. The truth will always set you free they say. Ignoring my mate's opinion of them, there are three ABSOLUTE FACTS about Gold and Sullivan's tenure at St Andrews. They most certainly left The Club better off, than when they arrived at Birmingham City. When they arrived at St Andrews, The Club was heavily in debt, and in the third tier of English football. With a Ground that was falling apart .Well they changed all that. They rebuilt St Andrews, had reached The Premier League, and were in the black by the time they left. Leaving aside the pure the theatrics of it all, one would have to say their time at St Andrews was a success.
This season in particular, many have told them to sell up .As frustrations have built regarding the transfer window failure. But sell up to who? Whatever one's opinion of Gold and Sullivan, they DO know how to run a Football Club. They know how and where to identify players, Sullivan in particular, is heavily involved in transfers at The Club, his experience shone through in the deals of both Tore and Zaza. He saved he club millions, by taking them out on loan first rather than buy them outright. What is the alternative to Gold and Sullivan? Owners like the owners of Blackpool Orient, Charlton and Leeds to name a few? People are not lining up to buy football clubs, post the financial credit crunch of 2008. And the Chinese buying our football Clubs? What would happen if the Chinese economy collapsed? Do you think they will stick around? Like hell they would! People think if a Billionaire buys a Football Club, they automatically splash the cash in the transfer market. Not now. You only had to look at the hysteria, created by the Everton takeover, to realise that. Ronald Koeman, would be able to spend a HUNDRED MILLION in the transfer window screamed the tabloids. Everton sold Stones for 50 million…and loaned Enner Valencia from us, says it all really!
Another mate of mine, who is a huge Aston Villa fan, hated Doug Ellis, The Villa owner before Randy Lerner. "DEADLY DOUG OUT! "Was his battle cry. When Lerner bought The Club I kept hearing " 'Uncle' Randy is going to spend MILLIONS in the transfer window!" To be fair to Lerner, he did spend millions in the transfer window. In the last couple of years before he sold Villa, Lerner hardly spent a penny. As Villa slid down to The Championship, my mate startled me one night when he said: "I wish Deadly Doug had The Villa! "WHAT??" I replied. He then said that the big problem with Randy Lerner was, that although he tried, he was out of his depth in the transfer market for starters. "What do you mean? "I asked. "Well he paid £31 million to your lot for Reo Coker, Collins and Harewood for starters" he replied. He had a point. Sunderland are in exactly the same boat now, Ellie Short, their owner wants out but can't get rid of The Club. Can any of you imagine that scenario at West Ham? No chance!
Many think I HATE The Board and WANT them to fail. Rubbish! If The Board fail, West Ham fail, so that is a no go. I have my fair share of clashes with them on twitter and the rest !I had one run in with @DaveSulleyjnr,on twitter after we failed to bring in a striker on transfer deadline day. Dave, who was 14 at the time replied: "Support your Club! You moron!" Of course it kicked off, with fans saying that he had no respect for the fans. Me? I had a huge grin, poured myself a Jack Daniels and thought:"Fair play he stuck up for his old man" I have had sporadic contact with Dave since, and I will vouch for him. Nice guy and bright, and an independent personality. My dialogue with Dave left me an impression of Sullivan in particular. Like most human beings they have their faults, deep down they are not bad people running The Club. What we don't need is the constant lies and spin. No need to leak stuff like we are 'closing in ' on Messi and Neymar! It just causes a negative vibes between them and the supporters! We understand that David Sullivan, the majority shareholder, although a billionaire, only has £500m in liquid assets. So cannot go paying 40m plus wages at a time, for three or four players at a time.
When you look back at the squad we had when they took over. You can see that they HAVE made progress! Back then we had the likes of Spector, Kovac and Boa Morte in midfield, we were paying Kieron Dyer NINETY three grand per week! Dyer made Sakho and Carroll look like ever presents, such was his sick note record. Back then we only dreamt of players like! Payet! Lanzini! Kouyate! Song! Carroll, Fonte! Ayew to name a few players, that they have brought to The Club .Even some of last summer's recruits are coming to life, and doing well. Fernandes and Arthur Mausaku, spring to mind. Mausaku is proving to be a revelation, just hope he does not suffer second season syndrome. Sam Byram is another signing who is coming along nicely. The future is most definitely Claret and Blue. Like it or leave it, Gold and Sullivan own The Club that will not change. No realistic takeover bid on the horizon, so it's got to be ….Gold and Sullivan in.
PLEASE Mr Chairman cut the spin and downright lies!
We are more than a football club, we are a way of life!
Farehamhammer!!!
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Fonte: that one's for the fans!
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 8th May 2017
By: Staff Writer
West Ham defender Jose Fonte has dedicated Friday's night's win over Tottenham to the Hammers supporters. And Fonte, who starred in the 1-0 win that effectively ended Tottenham's title hopes also revealed that he was finally feeling at home in Slaven Bilic's new system, which allows the Portuguese to play along two fellow central defenders. "It was a great night," the 33-year-old told whufc.com. "When we play like this as a team and work hard, it's very difficult to beat us. "Well done to us and well done to the fans, who created an unbelievable atmosphere. They helped us to win the game and this win is for them. "I'm pleased for these last few results and I'm pleased the fans have supported us. If the fans want to, they can make it hell for the opponents and that's what they did on Friday. They were loud, they were intense and we felt it – goosebumps. Well done to the fans, because they were massive and this win is for them.
"We have found a good system and we've been excellent in the last four games, so I'm pleased, because as a defender it's good to keep clean sheets. The three points are always more important, but the clean sheet matters to me! "When we play like this as a team and work hard, it's very difficult to beat us."
Meanwhile fellow defender Aaron Cresswell - who only played on Friday night as a result of Arthur Masuaku's injury - insisted it was good to give the fans some reward for their unwavering support in what has proved to be a difficult season. "The fans put bums on seats every week," he added. they're there in their numbers so it's nice to give something back and it's nights like this that I'm sure they enjoy. When the game finished I was with Nobes and Ginge and you're looking at the crowd, seeing how happy they are and singing and dancing after the game. "That's what you live for as footballers."
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West Ham 1-0 Spurs (And Other Ramblings)
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 8th May 2017
By: HeadHammerShark
1. Tonight The Streets Are Ours
What a night. Stick that up your fucking cheese lounge, Mr Levy. We might have had to wait an eternity for something worth watching this season, but when it finally came it was thrilling and uplifting. This was joy.
For what is being a football fan about if not joy? The relationship between ourselves and Spurs is at once both complex and simple, but tonight there was nuance everywhere. Their fans are determined that this a fixture about which they are ambivalent. They have always had bigger fish to fry and grander ambitions than merely beating us - "the Pikeys", I type incredulously - apparently. Of course, that particular sobriquet always tells you everything about the person saying it and nothing of the person it is being said about, but let's brush past that.
No, the problem is that this fixture has recently had the inconvenient feature for those indifferent Spurs fans of being a bit important. Last year, we were both flying and Spurs were cowed at Upton Park, just as we were insipid at the Lane. But tonight was Spurs biggest game of the season, if you use the not unreasonable logic that losing would end their electric title charge.
But still their fans insist it was our Cup Final. And maybe it was - our season ended months ago in a blaze of nothingness after all, and actual cup runs aren't really our thing. I guess the piece I can't quite understand is the way in which Spurs fans are so insistent (correctly, I might add) that defining yourselves by comparison to a superior local rival is the mark of a tinpot club, just one week after celebrating finishing above Arsenal like it was the fall of Baghdad. Had there been a giant statue of Arsene Wenger you can bet your life it would have been sawed down and decapitated on Seven Sisters Road last week.
In the end, I don't really care how Spurs fans feel about this game, but I will say that the general air of indifference is a bit unconvincing. Indeed, it just strikes me as the footballing equivalent of the teenage boy who has been dumped by his girlfriend and is now insisting he never liked her anyway whilst refusing to leave his room. It might be true, but it looks to the outside world like you are simply trying to inure yourself to the pain.
And that point brings me back once again to joy. The sad truth is that joy travels hand in hand with despair. For Spurs fans this defeat will be the canvas upon which they will one day paint their own joy. That's what football does to us. But this was our night. I have carried the pain of our November 3-2 loss for nearly half a year and tonight it was washed away. Joy.
2. Nothing Like A Friend
The brilliant Alan Fisher wrote this piece about that 3-2 game in his Tottenham On My Mind blog, and even he succumbs a little at the end to the weird notion of indifference. I love Alan's writing - he has soul, if you'll excuse me going all Roddy Doyle for a moment - but to me this smacks of the cockerel doth protesting too much.
We all went to schools with a mix of West Ham and Spurs fans, there are families everywhere around Essex and North East London split claret and blue and lilywhite, and there was a garrison of riot police officers at this game for a very good reason. Simply saying that they don't care about beating West Ham isn't really enough - they actually have to mean it, surely? All those last minute goals certainly seemed to spark celebrations that suggested they cared at least a little.
But in the curious London footballing ecosystem, it can't be ignored that we're not going to be as important to Spurs as Arsenal. This makes obvious sense, even if there were times over the last twenty years when you wondered why they didn't make a bit more out of their dust ups with us - they could actually beat us, after all.
As such, I'm fine with the notion that it means more to us than them. Our natural geographic rivals are Orient, whilst our historic and vicious feud with Millwall dates back to a dockers strike in 1926 that nobody knows anything about but feels obliged to still be upset about. Like Chelsea in the West, the fact our nearest neighbours have declined leaves us without a natural enemy and thus Spurs fit the bill.
So, was this our Cup Final? I don't know, and in all honesty I don't give a shit. We're not a homogeneous group of drones and each of you will make up your own mind. All that matters is that we won. Deservedly. And it was wonderful.
3. Tonight
Enough of the cod psychology. "What of the game", I hear you ask?
As usual, @11tegen11 reveals much. For all the increasingly demented commentary on this thread from Spurs fans, I don't see how anyone could have viewed this as anything other than a richly deserved home win. Except, perhaps for the visiting Spurs fans at the game who dragged in their chaise lounges and sun loungers so they could relax and keep half an eye on the game while they played canasta behind the goal, because they don't care about this fixture.
We started like the office of a Tottenham sheet metal working firm - on fire. Bilic has faced Pochettino four times now, and on three occasions seems to have bested him tactically. It's a small sample size, and the Spurs man is clearly destined for greatness, but it's an interesting point to note. It feels to me like Bilic has spotted a weakness in the North London ranks. When they play well they squeeze you into submission like a python, albeit one with cringeworthy preplanned goal celebrations, but seem surprisingly clueless when faced with the same tactic.
Much is made of the fitness of Spurs and their double training sessions - mainly by them, it has to be said - but here they looked leggy. Our extra day of recovery probably deserves a mention. There has also been a strain of commentary in the media suggesting that they bottled it here, but I think that's wide of the mark; I thought they were just outplayed.
Calleri and Ayew led from the front and harried the usually impeccable Vertonghen and Alderweireld into costly errors. By the end Toby even had a hair out of place. When the Argentine was eventually replaced it was to a standing ovation from a crowd who recognised that most universal of footballing truths - when it isn't going your way, work a bit harder. The poor fucker looked more tired than a fireman on the Seven Sisters Road dealing with all those spontaneous fires in the area.
Behind them Cheikhou Kouyate was a giant amongst men and the lung busting standard bearer for Bilic's high intensity death march. Before the game most Hammers were delighted to see Dembele on the bench, but concerned about the physicality of the Spurs central pairing of Dier and Wanyama. In the end, it wasn't even a fair fight as the Senegal captain hoisted both of them on to his shoulders and wore them like a gilet. By the end, both had been withdrawn - Wanyama to the bench and Dier to the back line. It might have been the single best individual performance I have seen at that stadium, and highlights the madness of playing him at right back ever more starkly.
Elsewhere, there were heroes aplenty. The back three give the distinct impression that they all enjoy having another person around to cover for mistakes and throw themselves desperately in front of shots. Jose Fonte against Dele Alli looked like something you'd only ever see in a Wes Craven film, but in the end the Portuguese stuck the quicksilver Spurs kid in his bum bag and didn't let him out all night. No doubt there will be better days ahead for him, but here he just spent the evening on Snapchat to Gareth Bale asking about decent club nights in Madrid.
Ahead of him Harry Kane looked hopeless, but then he always does when I see him in the flesh and he still has five goals in six games against us. Football makes fools of us all. Here he came up against Winston Reid in dominant form. Having the Kiwi skipper and Adrian back in the fold has rejuvenated us, and we kept a third successive clean sheet that the above xG shows was never really under threat. The most nervous moment came when Kane poked one goalwards from a penalty box scramble and Adrian diverted it over the bar with his foot. He might the most unorthodox keeper around but he stood up here when we needed him. Unlike Kyle Walker, who spent most of the night throwing himself to the ground in search of fouls.
4. Standing At The Sky's Edge
With half time approaching, the game shifted. Suddenly the visitors were moving forward. No real menace to their play, but an undeniable purpose. Christian Eriksen is a silken dream of a footballer and when he got on the ball my stomach began to clench as though I'd eaten a suspicious looking lasagne. But there was nothing much to get stirred up about and instead there was a sense of menace rather than evidence of danger. At one point, some of the visiting Spurs fans lowered their books and had a quick look before returning to their reading, because they don't care about this fixture.
By half time the concourse chat was mostly fearful, although tinged with a pleasant hint of surprise that we were making a game of it. It should be pointed out that most of my fellow Hammers seemed to have allayed their pre match concerns of a tonking by getting mind warpingly drunk. I could see the logic, unlike one bloke I encountered who apparently couldn't see anything at all.
The presupposed threat from the Spurs full backs hadn't really materialised. Ben Davies had his hands full trying to stop Byram, who had wisely decided that given his defensive deficiencies he was going to do as little of it as possible and spent the entire evening bombing forward instead. On the other side Walker seemed distracted. When he wasn't falling over he was on Right Move looking for properties in Manchester, and he was another to be later withdrawn from the fray. Cresswell, his opposite number, started tentatively but grew into the game and eventually helped set up the goal. He seems to typify our lost season, but here there was a little more swash to his buckle once again. If nothing else, the sparkling form of Arthur Masuaku seems to have jolted him into life. It's almost as if having competition for places is a good thing.
Going into this game you would have said that Nordtveit and Fernandes were unfortunate to lose their places, and there is truth in this, particularly for the former. However, on nights like this, when the stakes are high and the margin of error is low, Bilic needed men he could trust. Up stepped Mark Noble, once more unto the breach and all that, as Bilic might say.
The skipper clattered Eric Dier early and got a yellow, which didn't stop him covering more ground on the pitch than anyone else. He had been preceded by Walker leaving a foot in on Byram, and the tone was one of disjointed action amid lots of speed and physicality, with no sense that anyone had much idea what they were doing. A bit like a Fast and Furious film. Our main chance was a Kouyate strike where he got his feet mixed up and ended up smacking it so far wide it nearly hit Walker. Thankfully it didn't or he'd have just fallen over again.
But after the break, we were rejuvenated - score one more for Bilic - and swarmed them once more. The goal, when it came, was much like the game itself; bitty and disjointed, with Spurs tentative and West Ham purposeful. I'm glad it was Lanzini who scored as he is the player who seems most joyful at his lot in life. He is the only Hammer who could threaten a joint West Ham/Spurs XI and nobody gives a shit about that because those aren't actually a real thing. As his strike hit the net, a roar erupted to lift the roof off - and given the shitty design of this stadium we probably shouldn't dismiss that as a possibility - and a season of futility and frustration evaporated up into London's toxic airspace. Forget Bournemouth - this was the night that the London Stadium became our home, even if Barney Ronay conjectures that it might be the worst designed football stadium in the world. To my great-grandchildren who might be reading this fifty years from now, I say - "Sorry kids, the drawings looked a lot better than the real thing. Also, apologies about the inheritance tax thing. I forgot about that".
The last thirty minutes were torture in reality, but comfortable upon reflection. Spurs huffed a bit but all the best chances fell to us on the break. Calleri and Fletcher both ought to have scored but were denied by fine keeping from Lloris. Our goalkeeper, by contrast, was doing this:
And so we scratched through to full time, a thoroughly merited three points, and a brief sojourn into the top half. By the point we entered added on time, the Spurs section was almost empty. I couldn't actually believe that given their record of recent late goals against us, but in truth their team hadn't given them much by way of hope. Or maybe they really don't care about this fixture.
Whatever. We deserved this. Savour it.
5. The Light At The End Of The Tunnel (Was A Train Coming The Other Way)
Where exactly does this leave Slaven Bilic? Watch the game again and you'll see a well drilled back line, and a clever tactical system that allowed his wing backs to range far up the pitch. Spurs fans complained that we parked the bus, but that's the bitterness talking. The four full backs all had average touch positions in pretty much the same place, with the difference being that our three man backline allowed us to cover ours when they went forward.
By contrast, there were acres in behind Walker, in particular. Twice Lanzini drifted into the inside left position, once scuffing his shot across the goal and the other time being taken out by Lloris. From behind it looked a clear red, but in fairness I was sat in the stratosphere. There are people in Westfield who were closer to it than me. Either way, it was a sign of the rewards we would enjoy all evening on that side of the pitch.
But the nagging feeling that enveloped me as I watched this was one of slight incredulity. Where the hell was this all season? Watford scored four times past us. Watford! If they score four in training they release a fucking DVD.
So we can mutter all we want about Bilic seeming to have an edge on Pochettino but the twenty nine point difference between us puts the lie to that one. The gap between the two teams is as wide as a canyon, even if we bridged that gap tonight with a Herculean effort and an Argentinian jewel.
Context is important too, however, and Spurs were missing only Danny Rose, while our injured list included Pedro Obiang, Michail Antonio, Diafra Sakho, Andy Caroll, Arthur Masuaku and Angelo Ogbonna. But in some ways, I find that just annoys me even more - if Bilic could manage this with half his first team missing then what the hell has been going on all year?
I suspect that survival and the first truly great night at the new stadium will save him. I've said before that I can't see how we can progress with this level of chaos off the pitch, but Bilic deserves credit for keeping the team with him through a traumatic stadium move, the Payet bullshit, the annual injury crisis and the general maelstrom that surrounds West Ham.
As with everything that involves our board, the major benefit perhaps is simply that not firing him means they don't have to choose a replacement, and the less decisions they make about footballing matters, the better.
6. No Way Home
Still missing Upton Park? Me too, but it's undeniable that tomorrow the London Stadium will feel a different place than it did this morning. Now we have an "end" we can point to where someone scored a meaningful goal! Now we have a template for a victory over good teams! Now we have a spot in the crowd where the team celebrated and injured a fan!
The atmosphere tonight was fully present and correct. I thought the Spurs fans were mostly silent, but my cousin sat next to them said this wasn't the case, at least in the first half. Perhaps this was due to a particularly exciting turn of events in the group wide Scrabble competition they were all participating in as they ignored the game because they don't care about this fixture.
Either way, it speaks to the volume around me that I couldn't hear them. This was how it should be all the time, lively and fun and tense and loud. Thankfully, also, there was no anti-Semitic bullshit, no racism and no "mong" stuff at Kane. After all, "Tottenham Hotspur, it's happening again" is fine - to be encouraged, frankly - but "DVD, DVD" at a Korean winger is not. I'm glad we passed the test. It shouldn't need to be said, but it does.
There are still problems, of course, and I still wake up each day in the hope of reading a back page headline (or a tweet from the Club's official spokesman if he doesn't have a biology GCSE that morning) telling us that the track is coming up and the radioactive waste isn't actually radioactive because Brian was holding the machine the wrong way up again for fucks sake Brian, and we're getting a new, Spurs style stadium to call home.
But wishful thinking never got anyone anywhere - except for that time Simon Pegg said "Yeah, I'll write a Star Trek film" and Paramount said yes, and then Simon Pegg had to actually write a Star Trek film and apparently did it whilst on magic mushrooms - and so we have to accept we're stuck with the place.
I maintain that memories will be the difference. Make the team comfortable and in turn they'll reciprocate. Jacob Steinberg highlighted lots of the issues in this thoughtful piece for The Guardian, and the reality is that the view isn't getting any better and the gaps in the seating aren't disappearing, but after this I think it will feel an awful lot better for the Liverpool game.
7. Just Like The Rain
What a player is Manuel Lanzini. He and Eriksen were the two outstanding technical footballers on display tonight. His importance to us was highlighted on the many occasions he picked up the ball deep, slipped the Spurs press and cajoled his team mates forward. It was a bravura performance that also featured a proper defensive focus as he tracked back to contend with the rapier like Spurs counterattacks that failed to rouse any of their fans from their evening snoozes because they don't care about this fixture.
The way that Lanzini has stepped up to replace Payet has been fantastic, and all the more so for his young age. In quieter times I might ponder whether we really made enough of having them both in the same team together, but either way he is emerging as one of the best young midfielders around.
There was some paper talk recently suggesting that Antonio was looking to leave, being not unreasonably pissed off that he was on less money than Robert Snodgrass. As am I, to be honest.
His agent quickly denied this, leading me to conclude that his agent planted the story and that Antonio will therefore soon get a raise. In that spirit it would be hard to argue with the same outcome for Lanzini. Along with Reid, Antonio and Obiang he has been the core of this team and needs to built around. The summer challenge will be to find a player to complement him, without driving him into the shell that he perhaps inhabited when Payet was in town and still talking to everyone.
For what it's worth, he's the front runner for the never-coveted-by-anyone H List Player of the Year award.
8. I'm Looking For Someone To Find Me
Adrian could fit that description too if he could find this level of consistency all season. I mention his unorthodoxy above, but it's still notable that he has not yet conceded a goal since returning, despite facing the twin buzzsaws of Lukaku and Kane. It's impossible to prove a negative, unless you're a barrister for Sheffield United apparently, but it's hard to imagine Randolph would have made both those saves from Kane and Son tonight.
Adrian remains a walking cardiac arrest inducer, but on nights like tonight it was reassuring to look at our goal and see him wandering around yelling stuff manically whilst maintaining an unmoving side parting.
There is an undeniable solidity about our back three now, and Adrian deserves credit for that too. Whilst chatting with Allen McKnight in a box before the Everton game (*) he suggested that changing a goalkeeper is often done in conjunction with the defence. Sometimes they'll prefer to play in front of one keeper over another, and as such a manager will resist change. It's a theory I hadn't really considered, and does suggest that perhaps Bilic had some private reasons for sticking with Randolph that we're not privy to.
And if you're thinking of suggesting that this is an area that McKnight would know a thing or two about, it's worth me saying that he made the joke himself.
(*) Literally the worst bit of name dropping you will ever read.
9. For Your Lover, Give Some Time
Without getting too far ahead of ourselves, we can now start to plan for next season. Achieving safety might seem like a prosaic event after the highs of last year, but it should allow our off the field scouting and analytics teams to swing into action. Or at the very least, log into YouTube.
One would hope that the scouting department have multiple lists of potential players dependent upon our likely schedule next year, contractual situations, any European football, injuries, AFCON and, yes, which division we'll be in.
One does indeed hope for all of that, but one also is prepared to accept that we might simply be waiting for Jack Sullivan to break up for the holidays before we can really start scouting in earnest.
Matches like tonight might give us cause to consider the situation of players like Collins, for instance, but at some point we have to make an effort to get younger. If nothing else, buying some more players on the right side of 30 at least gives us an opportunity to get something back when we sell them. Consider that Feghouli and Nordtveit would probably bring back about £15m if sold over the summer (source: Transfermarkt), and then consider that the same website already suggests that Snodgrass and Fonte have lost value - or likely were overpriced to begin with.
Consider also the customary, but still awful, injury list. I said this only last week, but we need to consider player fitness as being equally as important to anything else. The amount of times we have lost Carroll and Sakho this year shows the sheer folly of not attempting to supplement our striking options last summer. I refuse to count Zaza here, because any man who can insert an interpretative dance routine into a penalty isn't a serious striking option.
With no news of a Director of Football on the horizon, we shall have to assume that David Sullivan hasn't become self aware yet and will continue to treat the Club as his plaything. This usually means six or seven new signings, one awful tabloid exclusive interview and someone from South America. It doesn't fill me with hope, and I am really terrified about where we might get that striker from. But what I took from tonight, heroic and life affirming as it was, is that we too often are forced to rely on our players raising their games to compete. It would be a hell of a lot easier if their levels were just up that high to begin with.
10. Lady Solitude
Karren Brady has a column writing for The Sun. This strikes me as pretty tone deaf given the papers history with football, but there you go. This morning she wrote something about how more women should be like Theresa May, which just conjured up visions of me asking my three daughters how their day at school was, and all of them replying "strong and stable".
She also wrote this about Spurs.
I usually find the stuff that Brady writes about Spurs to be unnecessary. As an example, she previously criticised Harry Kane for writing "we've had a baby" in an Instagram post like every other human on the planet would, as Brady thought this wasn't giving enough credit to his partner.
But in this case, I don't see the issue. She's saying what everyone is thinking - that Spurs are going to have to cough up soon, or lose some players. Walker already seems to be gone, and if Real decide they want Alli then that will happen too.
Brady is taking the opportunity to highlight that, to a rival who bid for a ground they didn't want and insisted the athletics track be retained. As part of that process, men ended up in court for hacking her phone. Let's face it, if Jose Mourinho says something similar before their game next week he'll be heralded as playing mind games, and being a master tactician.
So if Brady has a pop at them in print, and it's this sort of thing that's actually credible and makes sense then I don't really have an issue with that. And neither will Spurs fans. After all, they don't care about West Ham.
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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One magic moment in time changes everything
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 8th May 2017
By: Paul Walker
It wasn't just any old goal, was it? That gem from our very own little pearl, Manuel Lanzini. It has changed the course of our immediate history and maybe seasons to come.
I don't feel that is over-sensationalising the effect of Manu's winner against Spurs, such was the gathering cloud hanging over every aspect of our progress as a club and the great master plan of our owners.
Relegation was not part of that plan, the loss of so much money and status a nightmare of biblical proportions. Far too many folk were dismissing the prospect of the drop, more fool them.
The form hit by Swansea, Hull (before that home defeat by Sunderland) and Burnley, the big Sam factor…all set against a West Ham side defending like clowns ,losing players to injury by the shed-load and failing to show any sign of a collective spirit and purpose.
I don't doubt for a minute that David Sullivan, David Gold and Lady Karren were terrified of the prospect and its implications. Even the current position is bad enough to contend with. But it took the arrival of the despised , patronising, laughable entitlement of the second biggest club in north London to galvanise our great little club. The management, the team, the vast sways of fans were united as one.
Sadly I missed it. Entrenched in deepest Cheshire with a bottle of wine and family illness to occupy me. But I witnessed on TV something not seen this season at the OS. A collective, defiant spirit. Proper defending, team ethos, a refusal to give an inch to a deluded club who have never understood that talking big about winning titles, claiming top spot whatever, before they face us is just asking for trouble.
The noise was deafening, the unity so obvious. And the best bit? Seeing our fans as one. No longer old hands and tourists, newbies and first-time season ticket holders. It is what our owners have prayed for.
The whole place was rocking, and I have even seen pictures of thousands of fans celebrating outside on the soulless (not any more!) concourse, with its concrete and boulders, its queues and over-priced food.
There was 50,000 plus--there were some Spurs fans there, I believe--howling their defiance. Sullivan was spot on in his programme notes, stating: "Let's take the opportunity in front of the TV cameras and a captive audience of millions around the globe to show the passion that makes our fans famous worldwide, and to illustrate the effect your support can have on the team throughout the game".
Frankly Spurs' supposed wonderkids couldn't cope with it and Dele Alli was back to his petulant, stamping schoolboy best. And as for his England mate Eric Dier, he was out there I assume? Well, they both ran into an inspired Mark Noble, whose legs haven't gone. Jamie Redknapp on Sky reckoned he'd need a weekend in the ice bath to recover, having run 7.8 miles for the cause, further than any one else on the pitch, further than any of Poccho's supposed super-fit wonder kids.
I do hope that calms down the anti-Noble brigade a bit. Slav said he was brilliant, and as long as Bilic remains manager, Noble will continue to play a major part in this club, that's obvious.
That one match, Manu's one goal, changed the perception of the club overnight. And it has taken a battering so far have we regressed this season. Jacob Steinberg in a excellent, calm, thoughtful piece in the Guardian last week got it very right.
He explained the season of mishaps, fan unrest, transfer shambles, Payet's treason etc,etc without taking sides or blaming anyone. You sense he's a West Ham fan, he certainly writes with that level of concern.
Sullivan and co will know just how far we have fallen back from the supposed giant step to a higher level that just has not happened on the pitch. Off it, well that's different...
Alan Pardew, in one of his increasingly regular TV spots these days, talked of our owners doing an excellent job. And he's right. Forget all the personal stuff, all the emotion, just look at a management that has doubled the fan base, raked in vast amounts on the commercial and corporate side to put us--financially at least--amongst Europe's top 20. That has been a success.
Trouble is, everything from UEFA regulations to financial controls, works against a newcomer breaking into the elite.
Last summer was our best chance of selling the dream. Seventh place, within touching distance of CL qualification and with a bright, vibrant manager and a team capable of beating their supposed betters on a regular basis. But we all know it went wrong. Even with all that going for us, the big names wouldn't come. We were not in the CL, simple as that.
Without going through the transfer failings again, in hindsight a few have been better than we first thought. It takes time for some people to adjust to new surroundings, and how were we to know that Simone Zaza was going to have a mentality and personality as brittle as crystal, or that Gokhan Tore was going to be that poor.
That still bothers me. When Slav arrived I was telling anyone who would listen that the one player he should bring from Besiktas was Tore. I had seen him at international level as well as club level in Europe and knew he was a tough, hard working, clever wide player. But he too lacked mental toughness, got injured and we are still paying his loan wages…one decision Sullivan certainly got right.
So it was down to Lanzini, our shining light this season, to bury that winner. It's still going to be hard to sell our club (no pun intended) to top players, who have no doubt heard all Dimitri Payet's moaning about what he discovered in the east end. Just think how tough our progress would have been from the Championship.
And of course, Bilic has survived yet another crisis, yet another 'he's got two/three/four games to save his job.' Tedious those stories, and always discounted.
Now I have not bothered my old friends in the industry much about West Ham. The saying goes that those retired should stay retired. But I have rung a couple of good mates, not to ask for sources of course but to find out what sort of briefings take place. And I have been assured that our place leaks like a sieve. Enough said really.
And surely all bets are off now regarding Slav's future. I felt he returned to international mode a few weeks ago, the sort of approach you have with a small country.
Croatia had a handful of very good players and then the outstanding Luka Modric. The rest just have to work their socks off. Bit like Wales. Gareth Bale is world class, then there's Aaron Ramsey, while the rest are journeymen.
An international manager at that level knows he has about 15/16 players to work with, and he picks the best system. We have had that problem for weeks, due to injuries and form loss. Slav had to get his most trusted people in the side, take a bow James Collins, and then make the most of what is left.
And it has thrown up five unbeaten games, three successive clean sheets and it has acquired nine priceless points. It has also produced unlikely heroes. We'd all seen the YouTube clips of Jonathan Calleri, so there's talent there. But it is clear now he lacks pace. Slav suggested months ago that he lacked the ability to adapt his game.
But what we have seen recently is a young man who probably never played with his back to goal for Boca Juniors but has had to learn to do that job. Against excellent Spurs defenders he held up play with the ball to feet, not in the air, turned defenders and made a real nuisance of himself running and closing down. He deserved his standing ovation and I would like to see him kept on, one certainly for the future.
But now we discover that the rogue Kia Joorabchin is behind the shell-club in south America we signed him from and he wants the lad to move to Italy. Hell, I thought we had seen the last of him and his dubious ability to affect team selection (the core really to the Carlos Tevez scandal). Why are we still dealing with him?
But we still have Manu. Great performance against Spurs and for a few weeks now, and it would be nice to see him tear Liverpool apart on Sunday.
As it is, his goal has given Sullivan and co a lifeline. The opportunity to spend more wisely, pay the big wages needed and to give Slav a balanced squad. Surely he deserves that now after all the months of pressure, much of it unnecessary.
Garth Crooks reckons we are lucky to have avoided relegation. But he's become little more than a fat, smug, annoying Spud these days. We cannot be lucky after Friday's result, just fortunate that the anguish didn't drag on any further.
At last there seems to be unity, whatever Pedro Obiang thinks. Sometimes his interviews this season have been a little odd, did he mean lack of unity between players, between manager and board, fans and owners, between manager and players. Who knows?
But in one marvellous night under the lights, it seemed like the Boleyn again. The word raucous was heard on TV to describe the atmosphere. Not a word I have heard since that last home game against Manchester United., the first anniversary being today(May 10).
That team, including subs was Randolph, Antonio, Reid, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Kouyate, Noble, Lanzini, Obiang, Payet, Valencia, Carroll, Sakho, Tomkins. Eight of those players were unavailable to Slav against Spurs…that sort of disruption to plans and progress says it all really.
Slav, surely now, deserves to start next season. In fact the board have constantly said that's what they want too. Well now, after the end of season review, they have the grounds to let that happen.
But lets be clear. Any repeat of this campaign, certainly until Christmas , will see a new manager at West Ham. Slav must know that himself.
But that's all for the future. Lets continue to bask in the glory of Friday, the demise of a club who believe they are so much better than they are. Their only triumph this season is to finish above Arsenal for the first time in two decades, but they will always be bigger than your lot, won't they?
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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Hammers second favourites in 'keeper race
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 8th May 2017
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United have emerged as second favourites to sign Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. The 23-year-old stopper was relegated to the Championship along with his side the weekend before last and is set to move on this summer. And whilst Everton have been cited by several sources as favourites to land the youngster - with rumours of a £17million fee having been agreed circulating - West Ham have today emerged as a surprise alternative.
Gambling firm Betstars this afternoon installed Slaven Bilic's side as second favourites (at 11/2) to sign Pickford, who received his first international call-up last October. They currently lead Stoke (6/1) - who are expected to lose Jack Butland this summer - and Manchester United (7/1).
Speaking about the potential loss of Pickford at the weekend, Sunderland boss David Moyes admitted that he faced a struggle to hold on to one of his top players. "You can see what he does for us with the saves he makes," he said. "He's been outstanding from day one."
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Noble leading by example
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 8th May 2017
By: Staff Writer
Leading by example keeps Hammers captain Mark Noble working hard and he remains confident things will get better for him and the Irons. Nobes has struggled to find consistency since the Hammers move to the London Stadium, and the maiden season may not have panned out as fans had hoped, but quiet determination is the name of the game for the skipper. "I've always tried to lead by example, as in play at 100 per cent and give everything," he said in an interview for Blowing Bubbles Monthly. But ranting and raving isn't his way, even when the team is not performing as he would like and returning the results the fans crave. "When you play with the boys there are some characters that you couldn't have a go at during half time because they'd go into a shell. Everyone's got feelings and sometimes, especially me, you can't help showing them."
Just turning-up is never an option for the long-serving local boy from Canning Town. For many years West Ham fans scratched their heads as Noble was overlooked for full international honours, despite the likes of Danny Drinkwater and Tom Cleverley getting call-ups - yet Noble did have the chance to play international football with the Republic of Ireland as his grandparents are Irish and the team has come calling. "I love Irish people and half my family are Irish but for me personally I always dreamed of playing for England."
Also in the latest edition George Parris says players must forget about the newspaper headlines over the HMRC raids. "What I hope is that the players keep their focus on what they are doing on the pitch and haven't spent too much time worrying about what's happened off it," he wrote in his exclusive column for Blowing Bubbles Monthly.
The Hammers hero also speculates about the outcome of the Hammer of the Year - will it be Antonio or Lanzini, or is there someone else who should take the honour? The popular monthly magazine also looks back at the great escape of 10 years ago after relegation was a safe bet in March and the Hammers propped-up the table ten points away from safety. Fans will always adore Carlos Tevez for his goal that secured victory against the champions and ensured Premiership safety, but Mark Noble got better and better as the going got tougher for the Hammers and he was the unsung hero of the piece If you hear that distinctive piece of film theme tune blasting from the speakers and picture Tevez on the bike heading for the fence, remember it was Noble riding pillion.
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West Ham win leaves Fabregas smiling
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 8th May 2017
By: Staff Writer
Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas has revealed that West Ham weren't the only team in London celebrating the Hammers' win against Tottenham on Friday evening. West Ham's 1-0 win in their final London derby of the season secured West Ham's Premier League status whilst almost certainly ending Tottenham's title hopes. And that, naturally, was sweet music to the ears of Fabregas and his Chelsea team mates - who now need to win just two of their final four matches to guarantee the Premier League title. "We cannot deny that a smile came onto our face," he told Sky Sports, when asked how he reacted to the result. "The more points that they drop, the better for us and the closer to the title we are with less games. "Now today it's all about us, we have to do our job. Today is that game that winning would mean a lot to the team and the club, so hopefully we can do that."
The win took West Ham to 42 points for the season, guaranteeing them at least a 16th-place finish - although the defeat of Spurs leaves them 12th in the table, level on points with Southampton and Bournemouth and just one behind reigning champions Leicester City.
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Valencia's European adventure over?
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 8th May 2017
By: Staff Writer
Enner Valencia is being linked with a return to his former club, once his loan spell with Everton ends. The Ecuador international has spent the entire season on loan at Goodison Park, but could be set to return to North America this summer after Pachua - from whom he joined West Ham in a £12million deal three seasons ago - signalled their interest in re-signing the 27-year-old striker. Valencia has made 21 appearances for the Toffees since moving to Goodison Park ahead of last summer's transfer deadline, aiding his cause with three goals. And it is not beyond the realms of possibility that he could remain on Merseyside, with manager Ronald Koeman a particular admirer.
According to Mexican source @TransferLigaMX, Valencia has already held exploratory talks with Pachua having given tacit approval to a second spell in Mexico. He remains contracted to West Ham until the summer of 2019, having signed a five-year contract upon joining in 2014 - and it is the Hammers who will determine his future, either way.
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West Ham unlikely to offer Slaven Bilic new contract this summer despite interest from Fenerbahce
KEN DYER
Evening Standard
Slaven Bilic's future at West Ham looks assured despite news that Fenerbahce are keen to appoint the Croatian as their next manager.
There was no appetite among the West Ham hierarchy to make a change even before Friday's 1‑0 win over Tottenham — with the emphasis now shifting to whether Bilic should be offered a new deal. It is unlikely, though, the board will rush into any decision regarding their manager, beyond next season. Bilic has a year remaining on his contract and is well liked by those in authority at the club but co-owner David Sullivan will want to see how West Ham start next season, before deciding on a new contract. Last season, when Bilic guided West Ham to seventh in the Premier League, Sullivan said he wanted to see if the 48‑year-old Croatian was a "one-season wonder" so it seems distinctly unlikely now, given West Ham's troubled season, that he would hurry into drawing up a new, improved contract.
However, the board will have noted the news from Turkey where Fenerbahce are reported to be keen on Bilic succeeding Dick Advocaat as their manager, who is set to be appointed the head coach of the Dutch national side. Bilic became a popular figure in Turkish football after managing Besiktas for two seasons, before moving to West Ham. West Ham midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate will miss the final two games of the season — at home to Liverpool and away to Burnley. Kouyate has been nursing a wrist injury all season and will undergo surgery this week with West Ham's place in the Premier League next term now assured.
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Slaven Bilic names the West Ham star who all the players love
HITC
Antony Martin
West Ham United have managed to salvage their season over this past month or so. Hammers boss Slaven Bilic wrote his regular column for the club's official website, and lavished praise upon Friday's match-winner Manuel Lanzini, sharing how the Argentine is loved by his fellow players. The 24-year-old spent the 2015/16 campaign on loan with West Ham, before making his move to East London a permanent one in the summer of 2016, for a fee believed to be in the region of £9 million. He has showcased his incredible talent on a regular basis, and has elevated his performance levels even further still since Dimitri Payet's acrimonious exit from the club, assuming the mantle of the Hammers' talisman with the minimum of fuss. The mercurial midfielder has scored eight goals in 33 Premier League appearances for the club thus far, and he will be looking to continue his development next season. Bilic highlighted Lanzini's importance to the team, when writing his regular column for WHUFC.com, sharing how hard the little Argentine works for his teammates:
"Lanzini is a young player, but a magnificent player. He works hard, he covers a lot of ground on the pitch and he is very good in the box. He's scored some amazing and important goals for us, he creates goals, the players love him because he is not one of those who wants to be spared the defensive part of the game. He works hard and he's brilliant to have."
Everything seems to be looking up at West Ham all of a sudden, and with some smart player recruitment in the summer, their fans will be hoping that their side can produce the kind of form that saw them finish in seventh position in the table last term.
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Sunderland want £25m for goalkeeper Jordan Pickford
HITC
John Verrall
Sunderland stopper Jordan Pickford has been targeted by the likes of Everton, West Ham United and Liverpool. According to a report in the Telegraph, Sunderland are planning to take advantage of the volume of interest in Jordan Pickford by forcing a bidding war for the goalkeeper. David Moyes has recently suggested that Sunderland will do everything they possibly can to keep hold of Pickford. However, there is believed to be a realisation from within the Stadium of Light that the 23-year-old will move on in the summer. Everton, West Ham United, Liverpool and Manchester City are all credited with an interest in Pickford. And Sunderland are believed to be searching to receive around £25 million for the stopper. Pickford has arguably been Sunderland's best performer this season, as the Black Cats have slipped to relegation. And Everton and West Ham both see Pickford as their first choice stopper next term. At the moment it is believed that Everton are leading the race to sign the England youth international.
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WEST HAM DUO NAMED IN PREMIER LEAGUE TEAM OF THE WEEK
Football Insider
8th May, 2017, 10:49 AM
By Russell Edge
West Ham pair Winston Reid and Manuel Lanzini have been named in the Telegraph's Premier League team of the week. The news comes after the duo put in excellent performances to earn the Hammers a surprise 1-0 win over title-hopefuls Tottenham. The win also mathematically secured the club's top flight safety for another season and leaves them 12th after the weekend's fixtures.
Chief football correspondent for the Telegraph Jason Burt was the man who made the decision to place the two alongside the likes of David Silva and Aaron Ramsey who also enjoyed a profitable weekend with their clubs. Writing on the Telegraph website, Burt claimed that Lanzini: "Showed that he might – just might – be able to fill the void left by Dimitri Payet."
Lanzini has enjoyed a profitable season in front of goal for the Hammers, scoring eight league goals in 33 appearances, including another match winning strike in a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace back in October. As for Reid, Burt credited his ability to take on in-form striker Harry Kane, writing on the Telegraph website: "West Ham bravely went man-for-man on Harry Kane with Reid taking on the role and physically dominating the Spurs striker as few other defender have done."
The West Ham mainstay has established himself as a key member of Slaven Bilic's starting XI and plays a pivotal role in the heart of the defence. The 28-year-old has made 29 appearances in the Premier League this season, scoring two goals. West Ham host Liverpool in their penultimate match this season, before travelling to Burnley on the final day.
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West Ham News: Euro giants plot shock move for Slaven Bilic
By Eren Sarigul - May 8, 20170
TurkishFootball.com
Turkish Super League giants Fenerbahce are plotting a surprise move for West Ham boss Slaven Bilic. According to the Express, the Istanbul based club want to replace Dick Advocaat with the Croatian tactician. Per the source, Fenerbahce will step up efforts to lure Bilic back to Turkey. Bilic previously worked in Turkey as manager of Fenerbahce's rival club Besiktas. The Yellow Canaries hierarchy are planning major revisions this summer following a disappointing season. Fenerbahce sit in third place in the Turkish league, eight points behind leaders Besiktas. Meanwhile, Bilic's position at West Ham is under threat following a rocky 12 months. However, Bilic's side defeated their biter rivals Tottenham by a 1-0 score line on Friday night. The Hammers next home game is against Liverpool on Sunday. West Ham currently find themselves in 12th spot with 42 points after 36 games. The London-based club have won just two of their last ten games in the Premier League.
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From frustrated winger to creative genius - the evolution of Manuel Lanzini at West Ham
The midfielder has blossomed since the departure of a certain stroppy Frenchman
Football London
BYSAM INKERSOLE
07:00, 8 MAY 2017
Manuel Lanzini has come full circle in the five months. The Argentine midfielder has become a creative genius since the departure of Dimitri Payet back to Marseille in January. Slaven Bilic might disagree - and he has said as such - but Lanzini has stepped up enormously to fill the void after Payet left in such acrimonious circumstances. When the Frenchman was in town, Lanzini played second fiddle. He couldn't play in his favoured position because Payet was there and at the time rightly thanks to his stunning form. We saw Lanzini shafted out to the left or right wing, desperately craving the chance to get inside into that number ten role and play off the front man but he wasn't allowed to. But now? The 24-year-old is like a little puppy arriving at his new home for the first time. He's a bundle of energy, running about everywhere and bumping into things, getting into all sorts of mischief but then redeeming himself by scoring goals, like a naughty dog that ate that bit of meat off your kitchen floor that you dropped.
Seeing "The Jewel" left out on the wings was not pleasant. Lanzini couldn't have any influence at all on what was going on and when he did get the ball, he tried too hard and would inevitably lose it. The away game at West Bromwich Albion earlier this season was a real low point when the Hammers were whacked 4-2. It's now impossible to imagine just how worse off the Hammers would have been this season without Lanzini. Just his energy enough brings goals as he is involved in so many things that are good about the team. Since Payet's last game, Lanzini has scored five goals and got two assists, bagging two man of the match performances in the process but that doesn't tell the whole story. Lanzini wants the ball a lot more now and his teammates know it, so they give him the ball. He is always the option to get the Hammers moving forward and while defensively he is suspect, that doesn't really matter. We are expecting another summer of upheaval in E20 after this season is done in a fortnight's time but one of the main moves could well be tying the Argentinian magician down to a long-term contract.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Tuesday, May 9
Monday, May 8
Daily WHUFC News - 8th May 2017
Hammers greats pay tribute to Bobby
WHUFC.com
The late, great Bobby Moore will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement
award at the West Ham United Player Awards on Tuesday night.
Bobby's daughter Roberta will be in attendance at the InterContinental
London at The O2 to accept the award in memory of her father, whose status
as one of the finest players the game has ever seen remains as bright as
ever, 24 years after his tragic passing at the age of just 51.
To mark the prestigious accolade, we invited four of Bobby's former
team-mates to London Stadium recently, to share their memories and stories
of the World Cup-winning captain they were proud to call a friend.
With a grand total of 1,543 first team appearances, four FA Cup winners
medals and three European Cup Winners' Cup winners medals between them, Ken
Brown, Ronnie Boyce, Brian Dear and Sir Trevor Brooking are, of course,
Hammers legends in their own right.
The illustrious quartet, who - like Moore - were all born locally and
graduated through the famous claret and blue Academy, were joined at London
Stadium last week by the Evening Standard's Ken Dyer, who has followed the
Hammers as both a fan and a reporter since the 1960s.
Popular defender Brown, who played alongside Bobby on his debut as a
17-year-old against Manchester United in September 1958 and in both the 1964
FA Cup and 1965 European Cup Winners' Cup triumphs, summed up perfectly the
qualities that established Moore as one of the greatest defenders in the
history of the game.
"Mooro was just different class," said Ken. "He read the game like nobody
else. I lost count of the number of times I ran behind him to cover and just
watched him collect the ball. And he didn't just clear it, he always tried
to create something."
Boyce, who famously scored the last-minute winning goal in that 1964 FA Cup
final victory over Preston added: "I was just in awe of him. I loved every
minute of my time playing for West Ham, and I would put three quarters of
that down to Bobby Moore."
Sir Trevor, who played both with Bobby early in his career and then against
him in the 1975 FA Cup final, said: "As a young player, it was a privilege
to play with someone of that level. It is sometimes an over-used word, but
you can look back over the last 50 years and say that Bobby Moore is a
genuine world football legend."
Brian Dear, a close friend of Bobby off the pitch, added: "Just a perfect
person. He was great at everything."
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Winstone - We were like Trojans
WHUFC.com
IRON MEN star and lifelong Hammer Ray Winstone celebrated West Ham United's
1-0 Premier League win over Tottenham Hotspur in typically enthusiastic
style on Sky Sports' Soccer AM programme. The actor joined Max Rushmore and
Helen Chamberlain on the sofa just 12 hours after the Hammers had dented
Spurs' title hopes with a dramatic win at London Stadium, courtesy of Manuel
Lanzini's second-half goal. Ripping off his denim jacket to reveal at Claret
polo shirt, Winstone roared before making the crossed hammers sign, before
praising Slaven Bilic and his players. "[West Ham] were like Trojans last
night… like Spartans," said the 60-year-old. "We done 'em, that north London
mob. "I feel a bit sorry for Tottenham in a way, because they are a great
side, but we out-bottled them last night. "They came to our manor and they
got done."
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Cresswell - The atmosphere was incredible
WHUFC.com
Aaron Cresswell praised the West Ham supporters as they roared the Hammers
to a 1-0 London derby victory
The hosts beat Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 thanks to Manuel Lanzini's second half
strike
Cresswell returned to the starting XI for the fixture and was delighted to
do so for such a huge match
The atmosphere at London Stadium after West Ham United's huge 1-0 win over
Tottenham Hotspur on Friday was incredible, according to Aaron Cresswell.
The left-back returned to the starting lineup for the vital London derby and
played a massive part as the hosts grabbed all three points thanks to Manuel
Lanzini's winner. Slaven Bilic's side ended Spurs' nine-match winning run in
the Premier League while securing their place in the top flight for next
season at the same time.
And though the team's performance was one to remember against Mauricio
Pochettino's men, it was the supporters on the night who stood out in
Cresswell's eyes.
He said: "It's possibly one of the best games I've played in in a West Ham
shirt, and certainly the atmosphere was brilliant. "It's a massive win and
I'm sure he fans will have enjoyed it. It's happy days for everyone - three
points. "The game finished and I was over the far side with Nobes and Ginge
and you're looking at the crowd, seeing how happy they are and singing and
dancing after the game, and that's what you live for as footballers.
363"The fans put bums on seats every week, they're there in their numbers so
it's nice to give something back and it's nights like this that I'm sure
they enjoy."
Cresswell has been forced to be patient in recent weeks with Arthur Masuaku
impressing in the left-back berth, but the 2015 Hammer of the Year was
delighted to make his return in such a high-profile fixture. "It's nice to
be back in the team," the defender admitted. "You want to play in massive
games like this and they're pushing for the title. "We all know we haven't
had a great season, but that in a way makes it even better beating Spurs and
more or less stopping them win the title. "Spurs had a few chances first
half but we could have been two or three up at certain points in the game.
Manu got the goal late on, and you can't beat a 1-0 win with a clean sheet.
"Everyone out a real shift in, especially Jonny [Calleri] up top. Every time
he has got a chance in the team, he's worked so hard. He really has. "It's a
massive win and I'm sure he fans will have enjoyed it."
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SPENDING A HUNDRED MILLION IN THE TRANSFER WINDOW DOES NOT GUARANTEE SUCCESS
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 7 MAY 2017 AT 8:29PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by @Fareham_hammer
Make no mistake this is a huge transfer window for The Club and they simply
have got to get it right. I think us fans must also be realistic in our
expectations. We are in a similar position as a young couple, moving from a
two bedroom flat to a four bedroom house. In most cases it will take time to
get the house to the standard the couple want it to be. Same with West Ham,
just because we have moved into a new Stadium, it does not mean we are flush
with cash. It will take a bit of time before we can start benefiting from
the extra revenue. Another problem is most clubs generate money via player
sales on an annual base that the manager can add towards his existing
transfer kitty. During the last seven years we got five million for Scott
Parker, ten million for James Tomkins, and twenty five million for Dimitri
Payet. A pittance really. As a result very careful profiling of a potential
new signing has to be done, we have to minimise as much as we possibly can
that a player flops, even then we cannot guarantee that a new signing will
be a success. Signing a player for say £30 million and he flops means big
trouble, and has a knock on effect on the next two transfer windows.
A lot of fans say sell this player and that player they are crap! The
trouble is other clubs don't WANT OUR CRAP! When you go to Tesco do you buy
stuff that is past the sell buy date? Not a chance! Neither do football
clubs! We could most certainly do with some of our youth making the grade.
Time to stop sending Josh Cullen out on loan after loan and raving about his
great performances for Bradford. We need him put in the squad and used! Even
if he has a couple of bad games so what! That is how Southampton Football
Club do things and they have a very successful Youth Academy. Even if they
are 16, 17, or 18 and they are good enough they play! If they have one or
two bad games they don't shove them out the door!
So what do I hope we spend in the summer? Bearing in mind we got twenty five
million for Dimitri Payet. I would be happy if we spent between 50-60
million. That should enable us to bring a bit of quality in. The key to a
successful window is, getting in early and getting and getting deals done
!It gives the manager enough time then to fully integrate the new players
into the squad and a proper pre-season, which of course cuts the risks of
injuries. What we don't need is Barry Silkman 'specials'. Strikers playing
their football in The Zambian or St Helena Island second Division and being
told he has scored NINETY goals in 78 appearances and is the next Messi!
Then the player pitches up and makes Savio look like George Best! Please no
more time wasters! The Club are perfectly capable of delivering a good
window. Most of you know my opinion of The Board…but loathe them or like
them. David Sullivan for one knows his football, most of the footballing
world for example had NEVER heard of Neymar till we were linked with him.
The time to deliver is now.
I do not expect every signing to be mouth-watering either, value for money
is essential. I'm happy with Adrian as a goalkeeper, but Randolph is Bobo
the clown mark two in goal, poor at crosses and time and again beaten at his
near post. Not good enough. I'm not expecting us to sign the likes of Joe
Hart or Butland, just a good steady goalkeeper to via with Adrian for the
goalkeeping spot. I'm happy to keep Byram, but we need a top class and
experienced right back ahead of him. I'm happy with both left backs, yes
Creswell has not performed to his previous high standards, but you don't
become crap overnight. It's a case of regaining his confidence. At centre
back I'm happy with Reid and Ogbonna but worried about having to pair
Collins and Fonte at some stage of the season. Too old and too slow! Teams
will do us for pace every time! Sadly I can see Collins having to make way,
with either one of the two Reece's stepping up or another centre back
brought in. In midfield we need some creativity to help Lanzini, possibly
another defensive midfielder. One player I like who is not heralded, is
Brighton's Beram Kayal, I have followed him from his Celtic day's to present
day, a West Ham player through and through.
Lastly we come to the forwards. If you are insisting on playing Noble you
need pace ahead of him. So I would like to see a really pacey right sided
winger brought in.The strikers are where the money needs to be spent. We
need two quality strikers. We simply cannot rely on Carroll or Sakho that
has been proved over and over again. We have been linked with Daniel
Sturridge who barring he is fit I would love at the club. A good pacey
proven striker who knows where the goal is. I would also like Toni Martinez
to be promoted to the first team squad and kept there. It's undoubtedly
going to be a busy window with no room for error. The Board, Tony Henry and
Slaven Billic have got to get it right from the off! We are more than a
football club, we're a way of life!
COYI'S!
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ARE THE KIDS ALRIGHT?
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 7 MAY 2017 AT 8:11PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by Darren O'Toole @dynamicfitPT
A lot has been leveled at the club this year. Most of which I would agree
with: poor stadium transition (I think it was right to move, but can
understand people's anger), woeful signings, lack of fitness etc. but one
topic that keeps arising is that of giving 'youth' a chance – a topic that I
feel relatively well placed to give an opinion – and an opinion which may
prove different to most.
I worked for two seasons assisting our under 16s in a 'conditioning coach'
capacity. 'Glorified bottle washer', 'warm-up guy', 'sport scientist'. I
went with conditioning coach. It gave me an opportunity to watch every match
for two years and spend time with the under 16 and under 18 coaching staff.
So, at this point, let me say, no fan would love to see the youth players
succeed more than me – apart from maybe Mark Phillips our under-18 coach
who, if cut, I'm pretty sure would literally bleed claret and blue.
Firstly, let's get a little perspective. In the last 14 years, four players
from our youth team have truly 'made it' at West Ham – Anton Ferdinand, Mark
Noble, Jack Collison and James Tomkins. All played over 100 games for the
club and at one point held their position in the team on merit. Some others
have got fairly close – Freddie Sears, Junior Stanislas, Zavon Hines – but
the reality is that none were quite good enough. Sure, Stanislas would have
been a better option than Tore or even Feghouli this year, but that would
also have involved him not playing at all for the previous couple of years.
Therefore, he wouldn't have become the player he has. In fact, one of the
more successful players that we released is a current England Under 21
International who we binned at 16 – bet some of you don't even know of this.
So, Big Sam and Slav have both been criticised for not giving the youth
players a chance. Let me briefly run down the list of those who were hyped
but let go: Rob Hall, Matthais Fanimo, Blair Turgott, George Moncur, Dan
Potts, Elliot Lee, Leo Chambers. Two have landed in the Championship – one
of which sometimes plays, the other doesn't. Did we get it that wrong to let
these go? Were they good enough? The simple answer is that they weren't.
When I worked at the club, without a doubt the best prospect was Leo
Chambers. He was followed by Elliot Lee, Josh Cullen, Kieran Bywater and Sam
Howes. These five (technically four as Howes' prospects were more based on
the fact he was so young to be an under-16 gk), were so far ahead of their
teammates in terms of quality. Leo, I feel, would still have become a top
player – potentially above and beyond West Ham – if it weren't for two
things – a tragic injury record and an undisciplined attitude. I'd describe
him as such a lovely lad that you wanted to slap! A talent but was never
going to put in the hours to become a superstar!
Cullen – despite his recent musings about leaving – has a great chance
still. Why? Because he will work damned hard to make it happen. Watching
Lampard and Gerrard both discuss their obsession to be the best reminded me
of Josh. When he gets a chance, he'll take it. I, for one, believe he'll get
that chance.
The others, Lee is warming a bench in Barnsley, Bywater ended up playing US
collegiate football and Howes – well we'll see. Reading between the lines it
seems that the club fancy Nathan Trott more. However Howes will make it as a
pro.
Even our players heading out on loan (Knoyle, Dobson, Samuelson, Browne,
Martinez, Gordon and Oxford) aren't even fancied by the managers of these
clubs. How is Slav expected to play a player that a League one team turns
their nose up at?
I want to see a team including Howes, Burke, Oxford and Cullen. I've
purposefully left all other names off this list because I just don't see any
others as good enough. However, instead of looking at Slav and Big Sam, or
even the youth system, why don't we look at the kids themselves? How much do
they want it? The ones that want it most, will be given a chance or will
come back to haunt us. For now, nobody has done that. So until then, let's
expect more from these highly paid young men, not bemoaning that they
haven't been given a chance which they haven't earned.
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SUPER, SLAV.
By Blind Hammer 7 May 2017 at 11:19 291 comments
WTID
Blind Hammer reflects on how Slaven Bilic got all the important decisions
right on Friday.
Slaven Bilic deserves all the praise which is coming his way after the
Friday night performance against Spurs. Bilic has had to endure harrowing
press scrutiny all season and the number of time the "two games" to save his
job headline ran throughout the season was ridiculous. Bilic has received
criticism and questioning from even loyal supporters, including myself, so
it is only right to reflect on all the things he has got right recently.
Wind back in time to 7.30 on Friday night and I was a worried man. Bilic had
selected a team which surprised many, including myself. Bilic had, in his
team selection, judged on the qualities needed against Spurs in defiance of
form. Despite recent favourable reviews of Håvard Nordtveit's, Bilic took
the decision to re-introduce Mark Noble. Bilic judged that experience and
leadership was more important than form. Despite the recent success of the
re-jigged defence Bilic decided to disturb his previously effective
formation and re-introduced Sam Byram in place of Edimilson Fernandes. He
judged that the form of Fernandes was outweighed by Byram's defensive skils.
Bilic also refused to bow to the criticism that Jonathan Calleri had
attracted and persisted with him and Ayew as an attacking partnership,
resisting calls for Fletcher to get his chance.
Bilic was proved absolutely correct in all these decisions. Noble was a
rampaging and effective leader of the team. Byram had his best game for West
Ham and fostered the belief that we actually have a quality performer on our
hands after all. Calleri and Ayew worked tirelessly and was a constant
nuisance to Spurs all night. Calleri in particular is starting to give
glimpses of what could be possible if he could only score a couple of goals.
None of these decisions were straightforward or obvious. Bilic would have
been under enormous pressure if any of these selection decisions had not
paid off. The conservative easier approach would have been to rely on the
same team which had successfully ground out points in previous games.
In relation to goalkeeping, Slav was right to drop Adrian for Randolph at
the beginning of the season but he has also been correct in re-introducing
Adrian to the team recently. Personally I feel that he has managed the
goalkeeping situation impeccably. Goalkeepers need, more than any other
position, confidence. Constantly dropping and re-introducing Adrian or
Randolph after every mistake would have done neither favours.
Bilic had also underseen a quieter transformation in the squad. Wind back a
few weeks and we had a dysfunctional team under enormous pressure which was
consistently conceding 2 or more goals a game. As previous readers of my
posts will know this was my own biggest concern, stretching back to last
summer. Bilic had tried 3 at the back earlier in the season only to see it
collapse against the quality of teams such as Manchester City. Now Bilic,
despite this history saw the need to re-introduce this defensive
organisation. The initial result was drab goalless draws, including a
priceless goalless draw against Everton. People thought it was dull;
personally I was over the moon. I always felt that if we could sort our
defence out the quality in the rest of the squad would eventually start to
shine through. There is no shame in playing three at the back. Chelsea and
other successful teams do it all the time. Above all the new defensive
formation seems far more suited to confronting the expanded dimensions of
the pitch at the London Stadium.
Bilic has had to cope with staggering problems this season. He has had to
play all season without a fit forward. Ayew missed half the season due to
serious injury and is probably only now approaching expected performance.
Carroll and Sacko have had again disastrous injury records. Even Antonio has
joined the sick room curse. But consider also the wider picture with
injuries.
We learnt in January that Obonna performances throughout the first half of
the season were affected because he had to play through the pain barrier
before missing half a season through surgery. We learnt this weekend that
Winston Read is also similarly having to play through a pain barrier and is
due to have surgery after the Liverpool game. Byram has spent large parts of
the season injured with hamstring and other injuries. Cresswell has never
looked the same after his terrible pre-season injury, and clearly needs a
summer's recovery time. Arthur Masuaku has also had to miss large parts of
the season, as has Håvard Nordtveit's. Cheikhou Kouyaté has received some
criticism for some of his recent performances but we now know that he also
has been playing through the pain barrier for the club and will be required
to have surgery this week now that we are safe.
So even when players play we learn that that they are having to confront
injury. Bilic truly has had the season from hell on the injury front, and
that is not to even mention Payet.
So hail Slaven Bilic this week. I can't promise I will never question him
again but he has earnt a lot of credit in my loyalty bank.
COYI
David Griffith
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WEST HAM UNHAPPY WITH GOKHAN TORE'S LOAN DEAL
MICHAEL OLIVER @MichaelOIiver
ReadWestHam
Last summer, West Ham spent many weeks negotiating a deal with Besiktas for
the transfer of Gokhan Tore. Slaven Bilic worked closely with the winger
during their time together in Turkey and even tried to sign the former
Chelsea youth star during his first season in charge of the Hammers. After
failing with several permanent transfer bids, West Ham struck a deal to take
the Turk on a season-long loan with a £10m purchasing option should they
wish to keep him on a full-time basis. Tore got off to a rocky start in West
Ham colours, and was in and out of the first-team making just eight
appearances, recording just one assist in the process before suffering a
season-ending knee injury in the winter. It's evident that Tore won't be
staying at the club beyond this season and the club hierarchy, who will
review Bilic's position after the season, are concerned about how Tore's
transfer to the club has played out. Bilic had a major say in whether or not
they would sign Tore and really pushed for a permanent transfer before
settling on a loan deal, which has raised questions about whether he's the
right man to make the final decisions over who comes in or out of the club.
Tore is an isolated example of a transfer not working out, but we cannot
forget that Bilic was the man who insisted on bringing in Dimitri Payet and
Manuel Lanzini to the club who were both highly successful signings.
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WEST HAM PLOTTING PICKFORD-DEFOE DOUBLE SWOOP
MICHAEL OLIVER @MichaelOIiver
ReadWestHam
Last summer's recruitment was, for the most part, a big failure, so West Ham
have it all to do this summer to right those wrongs. Two problem areas for
the Hammers remain between the sticks and in front of goal, but they're
planning a double swoop on Sunderland to fill those voids. According to the
Express, West Ham have launched a late bid to sign Jordan Pickford, who is
being tipped to complete a move to Everton, while Jermain Defoe is a top
summer target. The £17m-rated goalkeeper has been sounded out by the Hammers
for a summer move as they look to add a top quality stopper with Adrian's
contract set to expire and Darren Randolph being unable to nail down the
spot himself. As for Defoe, Slaven Bilic tried and failed with several bids
for the striker in January as he turned down offers in order to aid
Sunderland's survival bid. With the Black Cats now relegated, Defoe is free
to leave the Stadium of Light for nothing courtesy of a clause in his
contract. After netting 15 goals already this season, matching last year's
tally, West Ham are ready to meet Defoe's £100,000-a-week wage demands in
order to secure his signature. Bournemouth and West Brom have also both been
linked with a move for the England international.
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YOUTH STARS WHO COULD MAKE AN IMPACT FOR WEST HAM NEXT YEAR
MICHAEL OLIVER @MichaelOIiver
readWestHam
This season really hasn't gone as planned for West Ham. Another early exit
from the Europa League compounded by some inconsistent Premier League form
finds the Hammers in an irrelevant mix for mid-table placings with just
three games to play. Two decades ago, West Ham were lauded for their
investment into young talent and giving them first-team opportunities, and
many believe that the club should get back to that philosophy that served
them so well. Currently, the club has used the loan market to send their
best young talents out into the Football League to play so much-needed
first-team football to aid their development, but perhaps the time has come
to give a number of them some chances in the Premier League. We take a look
at West Ham's young stars that deserve a chance in the first-team next
season.
REECE OXFORD
An obvious choice, but Oxford has done nothing but impress whenever he's
been handed some first-team minutes. A stop-start loan spell with Reading
hasn't been great for him this season and it's time he's given a real run of
games in the first-team.
REECE BURKE
The same can be said for Reece Burke who is in a similar situation to
Oxford. Injuries have limited his playing time at Wigan this season but
Burke will return to the club in the summer and able to play both right-back
or centre-back, he'd be an apt replacement for James Tomkins.
TONI MARTINEZ
West Ham strikers this season have all struggled for goals with Carroll
being the only one to score more than one goal this season. Martinez has had
a great loan spell with Oxford and he should be kept in and around the
first-team squad next season – he knows how to find the net.
JOSH CULLEN
Cullen has enjoyed another great loan spell with Bradford and has developed
into a fine central midfielder. While West Ham have a number of options in
central midfield, Cullen, who fits the Mark Noble role perfectly, could be
his long-term heir.
DECLAN RICE
Rice is one of the players West Ham are most excited about in the
Development Squad right now. Named to the bench on a number of occasions of
late, Rice is someone the club see as a future leading centre-back for the
team.
MARTIN SAMUELSEN
Samuelsen hasn't had the greatest of seasons on loan with Blackburn and then
Peterborough, but he needs a run of games. West Ham should keep him around
in the first-team squad next season to see what he can offer.
DOMINGOS QUINA
Quina was used in the Europa League and the club are excited about his
prospects. The young attacking midfielder should be afforded an opportunity
to impress.
ASHLEY FLETCHER
With Sakho and Carroll both injured, Fletcher could be given another chance
to start over the final few games of the season. He's flashed potential in
his debut campaign but needs to start more games for us to see the best of
him.
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West Ham midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate to undergo wrist surgery with Hammers
survival assured
JAMES BENGE
Evening Standard
West Ham midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate is to undergo surgery on a
long-standing wrist injury and will not feature again this season. Kouyate
has been carrying the problem for much of the campaign and has played with a
cast covering his right wrist. With West Ham's survival assured thanks to
Friday's 1-0 win over Tottenham at the London Stadium, a result that
effectively looks to have ended Spurs' title challenge, Kouyate will now
undergo treatment. As such he will miss West Ham's final two games, at home
to Liverpool and away to Burnley. Kouyate was in exceptional form in
Friday's win, dominating a midfield battle against the powerful pairing of
Victor Wanyama and Eric Dier, and has been a regular in Slaven Bilic's side
this season, making 36 appearances in a campaign interrupted by his
participation with Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations. The 27-year-old
joins Pedro Obiang and Angelo Ogbonna in being sidelined until next term but
Andy Carroll, who missed the win over Spurs, could yet feature again this
season.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
The late, great Bobby Moore will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement
award at the West Ham United Player Awards on Tuesday night.
Bobby's daughter Roberta will be in attendance at the InterContinental
London at The O2 to accept the award in memory of her father, whose status
as one of the finest players the game has ever seen remains as bright as
ever, 24 years after his tragic passing at the age of just 51.
To mark the prestigious accolade, we invited four of Bobby's former
team-mates to London Stadium recently, to share their memories and stories
of the World Cup-winning captain they were proud to call a friend.
With a grand total of 1,543 first team appearances, four FA Cup winners
medals and three European Cup Winners' Cup winners medals between them, Ken
Brown, Ronnie Boyce, Brian Dear and Sir Trevor Brooking are, of course,
Hammers legends in their own right.
The illustrious quartet, who - like Moore - were all born locally and
graduated through the famous claret and blue Academy, were joined at London
Stadium last week by the Evening Standard's Ken Dyer, who has followed the
Hammers as both a fan and a reporter since the 1960s.
Popular defender Brown, who played alongside Bobby on his debut as a
17-year-old against Manchester United in September 1958 and in both the 1964
FA Cup and 1965 European Cup Winners' Cup triumphs, summed up perfectly the
qualities that established Moore as one of the greatest defenders in the
history of the game.
"Mooro was just different class," said Ken. "He read the game like nobody
else. I lost count of the number of times I ran behind him to cover and just
watched him collect the ball. And he didn't just clear it, he always tried
to create something."
Boyce, who famously scored the last-minute winning goal in that 1964 FA Cup
final victory over Preston added: "I was just in awe of him. I loved every
minute of my time playing for West Ham, and I would put three quarters of
that down to Bobby Moore."
Sir Trevor, who played both with Bobby early in his career and then against
him in the 1975 FA Cup final, said: "As a young player, it was a privilege
to play with someone of that level. It is sometimes an over-used word, but
you can look back over the last 50 years and say that Bobby Moore is a
genuine world football legend."
Brian Dear, a close friend of Bobby off the pitch, added: "Just a perfect
person. He was great at everything."
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Winstone - We were like Trojans
WHUFC.com
IRON MEN star and lifelong Hammer Ray Winstone celebrated West Ham United's
1-0 Premier League win over Tottenham Hotspur in typically enthusiastic
style on Sky Sports' Soccer AM programme. The actor joined Max Rushmore and
Helen Chamberlain on the sofa just 12 hours after the Hammers had dented
Spurs' title hopes with a dramatic win at London Stadium, courtesy of Manuel
Lanzini's second-half goal. Ripping off his denim jacket to reveal at Claret
polo shirt, Winstone roared before making the crossed hammers sign, before
praising Slaven Bilic and his players. "[West Ham] were like Trojans last
night… like Spartans," said the 60-year-old. "We done 'em, that north London
mob. "I feel a bit sorry for Tottenham in a way, because they are a great
side, but we out-bottled them last night. "They came to our manor and they
got done."
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Cresswell - The atmosphere was incredible
WHUFC.com
Aaron Cresswell praised the West Ham supporters as they roared the Hammers
to a 1-0 London derby victory
The hosts beat Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 thanks to Manuel Lanzini's second half
strike
Cresswell returned to the starting XI for the fixture and was delighted to
do so for such a huge match
The atmosphere at London Stadium after West Ham United's huge 1-0 win over
Tottenham Hotspur on Friday was incredible, according to Aaron Cresswell.
The left-back returned to the starting lineup for the vital London derby and
played a massive part as the hosts grabbed all three points thanks to Manuel
Lanzini's winner. Slaven Bilic's side ended Spurs' nine-match winning run in
the Premier League while securing their place in the top flight for next
season at the same time.
And though the team's performance was one to remember against Mauricio
Pochettino's men, it was the supporters on the night who stood out in
Cresswell's eyes.
He said: "It's possibly one of the best games I've played in in a West Ham
shirt, and certainly the atmosphere was brilliant. "It's a massive win and
I'm sure he fans will have enjoyed it. It's happy days for everyone - three
points. "The game finished and I was over the far side with Nobes and Ginge
and you're looking at the crowd, seeing how happy they are and singing and
dancing after the game, and that's what you live for as footballers.
363"The fans put bums on seats every week, they're there in their numbers so
it's nice to give something back and it's nights like this that I'm sure
they enjoy."
Cresswell has been forced to be patient in recent weeks with Arthur Masuaku
impressing in the left-back berth, but the 2015 Hammer of the Year was
delighted to make his return in such a high-profile fixture. "It's nice to
be back in the team," the defender admitted. "You want to play in massive
games like this and they're pushing for the title. "We all know we haven't
had a great season, but that in a way makes it even better beating Spurs and
more or less stopping them win the title. "Spurs had a few chances first
half but we could have been two or three up at certain points in the game.
Manu got the goal late on, and you can't beat a 1-0 win with a clean sheet.
"Everyone out a real shift in, especially Jonny [Calleri] up top. Every time
he has got a chance in the team, he's worked so hard. He really has. "It's a
massive win and I'm sure he fans will have enjoyed it."
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SPENDING A HUNDRED MILLION IN THE TRANSFER WINDOW DOES NOT GUARANTEE SUCCESS
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 7 MAY 2017 AT 8:29PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by @Fareham_hammer
Make no mistake this is a huge transfer window for The Club and they simply
have got to get it right. I think us fans must also be realistic in our
expectations. We are in a similar position as a young couple, moving from a
two bedroom flat to a four bedroom house. In most cases it will take time to
get the house to the standard the couple want it to be. Same with West Ham,
just because we have moved into a new Stadium, it does not mean we are flush
with cash. It will take a bit of time before we can start benefiting from
the extra revenue. Another problem is most clubs generate money via player
sales on an annual base that the manager can add towards his existing
transfer kitty. During the last seven years we got five million for Scott
Parker, ten million for James Tomkins, and twenty five million for Dimitri
Payet. A pittance really. As a result very careful profiling of a potential
new signing has to be done, we have to minimise as much as we possibly can
that a player flops, even then we cannot guarantee that a new signing will
be a success. Signing a player for say £30 million and he flops means big
trouble, and has a knock on effect on the next two transfer windows.
A lot of fans say sell this player and that player they are crap! The
trouble is other clubs don't WANT OUR CRAP! When you go to Tesco do you buy
stuff that is past the sell buy date? Not a chance! Neither do football
clubs! We could most certainly do with some of our youth making the grade.
Time to stop sending Josh Cullen out on loan after loan and raving about his
great performances for Bradford. We need him put in the squad and used! Even
if he has a couple of bad games so what! That is how Southampton Football
Club do things and they have a very successful Youth Academy. Even if they
are 16, 17, or 18 and they are good enough they play! If they have one or
two bad games they don't shove them out the door!
So what do I hope we spend in the summer? Bearing in mind we got twenty five
million for Dimitri Payet. I would be happy if we spent between 50-60
million. That should enable us to bring a bit of quality in. The key to a
successful window is, getting in early and getting and getting deals done
!It gives the manager enough time then to fully integrate the new players
into the squad and a proper pre-season, which of course cuts the risks of
injuries. What we don't need is Barry Silkman 'specials'. Strikers playing
their football in The Zambian or St Helena Island second Division and being
told he has scored NINETY goals in 78 appearances and is the next Messi!
Then the player pitches up and makes Savio look like George Best! Please no
more time wasters! The Club are perfectly capable of delivering a good
window. Most of you know my opinion of The Board…but loathe them or like
them. David Sullivan for one knows his football, most of the footballing
world for example had NEVER heard of Neymar till we were linked with him.
The time to deliver is now.
I do not expect every signing to be mouth-watering either, value for money
is essential. I'm happy with Adrian as a goalkeeper, but Randolph is Bobo
the clown mark two in goal, poor at crosses and time and again beaten at his
near post. Not good enough. I'm not expecting us to sign the likes of Joe
Hart or Butland, just a good steady goalkeeper to via with Adrian for the
goalkeeping spot. I'm happy to keep Byram, but we need a top class and
experienced right back ahead of him. I'm happy with both left backs, yes
Creswell has not performed to his previous high standards, but you don't
become crap overnight. It's a case of regaining his confidence. At centre
back I'm happy with Reid and Ogbonna but worried about having to pair
Collins and Fonte at some stage of the season. Too old and too slow! Teams
will do us for pace every time! Sadly I can see Collins having to make way,
with either one of the two Reece's stepping up or another centre back
brought in. In midfield we need some creativity to help Lanzini, possibly
another defensive midfielder. One player I like who is not heralded, is
Brighton's Beram Kayal, I have followed him from his Celtic day's to present
day, a West Ham player through and through.
Lastly we come to the forwards. If you are insisting on playing Noble you
need pace ahead of him. So I would like to see a really pacey right sided
winger brought in.The strikers are where the money needs to be spent. We
need two quality strikers. We simply cannot rely on Carroll or Sakho that
has been proved over and over again. We have been linked with Daniel
Sturridge who barring he is fit I would love at the club. A good pacey
proven striker who knows where the goal is. I would also like Toni Martinez
to be promoted to the first team squad and kept there. It's undoubtedly
going to be a busy window with no room for error. The Board, Tony Henry and
Slaven Billic have got to get it right from the off! We are more than a
football club, we're a way of life!
COYI'S!
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ARE THE KIDS ALRIGHT?
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 7 MAY 2017 AT 8:11PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by Darren O'Toole @dynamicfitPT
A lot has been leveled at the club this year. Most of which I would agree
with: poor stadium transition (I think it was right to move, but can
understand people's anger), woeful signings, lack of fitness etc. but one
topic that keeps arising is that of giving 'youth' a chance – a topic that I
feel relatively well placed to give an opinion – and an opinion which may
prove different to most.
I worked for two seasons assisting our under 16s in a 'conditioning coach'
capacity. 'Glorified bottle washer', 'warm-up guy', 'sport scientist'. I
went with conditioning coach. It gave me an opportunity to watch every match
for two years and spend time with the under 16 and under 18 coaching staff.
So, at this point, let me say, no fan would love to see the youth players
succeed more than me – apart from maybe Mark Phillips our under-18 coach
who, if cut, I'm pretty sure would literally bleed claret and blue.
Firstly, let's get a little perspective. In the last 14 years, four players
from our youth team have truly 'made it' at West Ham – Anton Ferdinand, Mark
Noble, Jack Collison and James Tomkins. All played over 100 games for the
club and at one point held their position in the team on merit. Some others
have got fairly close – Freddie Sears, Junior Stanislas, Zavon Hines – but
the reality is that none were quite good enough. Sure, Stanislas would have
been a better option than Tore or even Feghouli this year, but that would
also have involved him not playing at all for the previous couple of years.
Therefore, he wouldn't have become the player he has. In fact, one of the
more successful players that we released is a current England Under 21
International who we binned at 16 – bet some of you don't even know of this.
So, Big Sam and Slav have both been criticised for not giving the youth
players a chance. Let me briefly run down the list of those who were hyped
but let go: Rob Hall, Matthais Fanimo, Blair Turgott, George Moncur, Dan
Potts, Elliot Lee, Leo Chambers. Two have landed in the Championship – one
of which sometimes plays, the other doesn't. Did we get it that wrong to let
these go? Were they good enough? The simple answer is that they weren't.
When I worked at the club, without a doubt the best prospect was Leo
Chambers. He was followed by Elliot Lee, Josh Cullen, Kieran Bywater and Sam
Howes. These five (technically four as Howes' prospects were more based on
the fact he was so young to be an under-16 gk), were so far ahead of their
teammates in terms of quality. Leo, I feel, would still have become a top
player – potentially above and beyond West Ham – if it weren't for two
things – a tragic injury record and an undisciplined attitude. I'd describe
him as such a lovely lad that you wanted to slap! A talent but was never
going to put in the hours to become a superstar!
Cullen – despite his recent musings about leaving – has a great chance
still. Why? Because he will work damned hard to make it happen. Watching
Lampard and Gerrard both discuss their obsession to be the best reminded me
of Josh. When he gets a chance, he'll take it. I, for one, believe he'll get
that chance.
The others, Lee is warming a bench in Barnsley, Bywater ended up playing US
collegiate football and Howes – well we'll see. Reading between the lines it
seems that the club fancy Nathan Trott more. However Howes will make it as a
pro.
Even our players heading out on loan (Knoyle, Dobson, Samuelson, Browne,
Martinez, Gordon and Oxford) aren't even fancied by the managers of these
clubs. How is Slav expected to play a player that a League one team turns
their nose up at?
I want to see a team including Howes, Burke, Oxford and Cullen. I've
purposefully left all other names off this list because I just don't see any
others as good enough. However, instead of looking at Slav and Big Sam, or
even the youth system, why don't we look at the kids themselves? How much do
they want it? The ones that want it most, will be given a chance or will
come back to haunt us. For now, nobody has done that. So until then, let's
expect more from these highly paid young men, not bemoaning that they
haven't been given a chance which they haven't earned.
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SUPER, SLAV.
By Blind Hammer 7 May 2017 at 11:19 291 comments
WTID
Blind Hammer reflects on how Slaven Bilic got all the important decisions
right on Friday.
Slaven Bilic deserves all the praise which is coming his way after the
Friday night performance against Spurs. Bilic has had to endure harrowing
press scrutiny all season and the number of time the "two games" to save his
job headline ran throughout the season was ridiculous. Bilic has received
criticism and questioning from even loyal supporters, including myself, so
it is only right to reflect on all the things he has got right recently.
Wind back in time to 7.30 on Friday night and I was a worried man. Bilic had
selected a team which surprised many, including myself. Bilic had, in his
team selection, judged on the qualities needed against Spurs in defiance of
form. Despite recent favourable reviews of Håvard Nordtveit's, Bilic took
the decision to re-introduce Mark Noble. Bilic judged that experience and
leadership was more important than form. Despite the recent success of the
re-jigged defence Bilic decided to disturb his previously effective
formation and re-introduced Sam Byram in place of Edimilson Fernandes. He
judged that the form of Fernandes was outweighed by Byram's defensive skils.
Bilic also refused to bow to the criticism that Jonathan Calleri had
attracted and persisted with him and Ayew as an attacking partnership,
resisting calls for Fletcher to get his chance.
Bilic was proved absolutely correct in all these decisions. Noble was a
rampaging and effective leader of the team. Byram had his best game for West
Ham and fostered the belief that we actually have a quality performer on our
hands after all. Calleri and Ayew worked tirelessly and was a constant
nuisance to Spurs all night. Calleri in particular is starting to give
glimpses of what could be possible if he could only score a couple of goals.
None of these decisions were straightforward or obvious. Bilic would have
been under enormous pressure if any of these selection decisions had not
paid off. The conservative easier approach would have been to rely on the
same team which had successfully ground out points in previous games.
In relation to goalkeeping, Slav was right to drop Adrian for Randolph at
the beginning of the season but he has also been correct in re-introducing
Adrian to the team recently. Personally I feel that he has managed the
goalkeeping situation impeccably. Goalkeepers need, more than any other
position, confidence. Constantly dropping and re-introducing Adrian or
Randolph after every mistake would have done neither favours.
Bilic had also underseen a quieter transformation in the squad. Wind back a
few weeks and we had a dysfunctional team under enormous pressure which was
consistently conceding 2 or more goals a game. As previous readers of my
posts will know this was my own biggest concern, stretching back to last
summer. Bilic had tried 3 at the back earlier in the season only to see it
collapse against the quality of teams such as Manchester City. Now Bilic,
despite this history saw the need to re-introduce this defensive
organisation. The initial result was drab goalless draws, including a
priceless goalless draw against Everton. People thought it was dull;
personally I was over the moon. I always felt that if we could sort our
defence out the quality in the rest of the squad would eventually start to
shine through. There is no shame in playing three at the back. Chelsea and
other successful teams do it all the time. Above all the new defensive
formation seems far more suited to confronting the expanded dimensions of
the pitch at the London Stadium.
Bilic has had to cope with staggering problems this season. He has had to
play all season without a fit forward. Ayew missed half the season due to
serious injury and is probably only now approaching expected performance.
Carroll and Sacko have had again disastrous injury records. Even Antonio has
joined the sick room curse. But consider also the wider picture with
injuries.
We learnt in January that Obonna performances throughout the first half of
the season were affected because he had to play through the pain barrier
before missing half a season through surgery. We learnt this weekend that
Winston Read is also similarly having to play through a pain barrier and is
due to have surgery after the Liverpool game. Byram has spent large parts of
the season injured with hamstring and other injuries. Cresswell has never
looked the same after his terrible pre-season injury, and clearly needs a
summer's recovery time. Arthur Masuaku has also had to miss large parts of
the season, as has Håvard Nordtveit's. Cheikhou Kouyaté has received some
criticism for some of his recent performances but we now know that he also
has been playing through the pain barrier for the club and will be required
to have surgery this week now that we are safe.
So even when players play we learn that that they are having to confront
injury. Bilic truly has had the season from hell on the injury front, and
that is not to even mention Payet.
So hail Slaven Bilic this week. I can't promise I will never question him
again but he has earnt a lot of credit in my loyalty bank.
COYI
David Griffith
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WEST HAM UNHAPPY WITH GOKHAN TORE'S LOAN DEAL
MICHAEL OLIVER @MichaelOIiver
ReadWestHam
Last summer, West Ham spent many weeks negotiating a deal with Besiktas for
the transfer of Gokhan Tore. Slaven Bilic worked closely with the winger
during their time together in Turkey and even tried to sign the former
Chelsea youth star during his first season in charge of the Hammers. After
failing with several permanent transfer bids, West Ham struck a deal to take
the Turk on a season-long loan with a £10m purchasing option should they
wish to keep him on a full-time basis. Tore got off to a rocky start in West
Ham colours, and was in and out of the first-team making just eight
appearances, recording just one assist in the process before suffering a
season-ending knee injury in the winter. It's evident that Tore won't be
staying at the club beyond this season and the club hierarchy, who will
review Bilic's position after the season, are concerned about how Tore's
transfer to the club has played out. Bilic had a major say in whether or not
they would sign Tore and really pushed for a permanent transfer before
settling on a loan deal, which has raised questions about whether he's the
right man to make the final decisions over who comes in or out of the club.
Tore is an isolated example of a transfer not working out, but we cannot
forget that Bilic was the man who insisted on bringing in Dimitri Payet and
Manuel Lanzini to the club who were both highly successful signings.
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WEST HAM PLOTTING PICKFORD-DEFOE DOUBLE SWOOP
MICHAEL OLIVER @MichaelOIiver
ReadWestHam
Last summer's recruitment was, for the most part, a big failure, so West Ham
have it all to do this summer to right those wrongs. Two problem areas for
the Hammers remain between the sticks and in front of goal, but they're
planning a double swoop on Sunderland to fill those voids. According to the
Express, West Ham have launched a late bid to sign Jordan Pickford, who is
being tipped to complete a move to Everton, while Jermain Defoe is a top
summer target. The £17m-rated goalkeeper has been sounded out by the Hammers
for a summer move as they look to add a top quality stopper with Adrian's
contract set to expire and Darren Randolph being unable to nail down the
spot himself. As for Defoe, Slaven Bilic tried and failed with several bids
for the striker in January as he turned down offers in order to aid
Sunderland's survival bid. With the Black Cats now relegated, Defoe is free
to leave the Stadium of Light for nothing courtesy of a clause in his
contract. After netting 15 goals already this season, matching last year's
tally, West Ham are ready to meet Defoe's £100,000-a-week wage demands in
order to secure his signature. Bournemouth and West Brom have also both been
linked with a move for the England international.
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YOUTH STARS WHO COULD MAKE AN IMPACT FOR WEST HAM NEXT YEAR
MICHAEL OLIVER @MichaelOIiver
readWestHam
This season really hasn't gone as planned for West Ham. Another early exit
from the Europa League compounded by some inconsistent Premier League form
finds the Hammers in an irrelevant mix for mid-table placings with just
three games to play. Two decades ago, West Ham were lauded for their
investment into young talent and giving them first-team opportunities, and
many believe that the club should get back to that philosophy that served
them so well. Currently, the club has used the loan market to send their
best young talents out into the Football League to play so much-needed
first-team football to aid their development, but perhaps the time has come
to give a number of them some chances in the Premier League. We take a look
at West Ham's young stars that deserve a chance in the first-team next
season.
REECE OXFORD
An obvious choice, but Oxford has done nothing but impress whenever he's
been handed some first-team minutes. A stop-start loan spell with Reading
hasn't been great for him this season and it's time he's given a real run of
games in the first-team.
REECE BURKE
The same can be said for Reece Burke who is in a similar situation to
Oxford. Injuries have limited his playing time at Wigan this season but
Burke will return to the club in the summer and able to play both right-back
or centre-back, he'd be an apt replacement for James Tomkins.
TONI MARTINEZ
West Ham strikers this season have all struggled for goals with Carroll
being the only one to score more than one goal this season. Martinez has had
a great loan spell with Oxford and he should be kept in and around the
first-team squad next season – he knows how to find the net.
JOSH CULLEN
Cullen has enjoyed another great loan spell with Bradford and has developed
into a fine central midfielder. While West Ham have a number of options in
central midfield, Cullen, who fits the Mark Noble role perfectly, could be
his long-term heir.
DECLAN RICE
Rice is one of the players West Ham are most excited about in the
Development Squad right now. Named to the bench on a number of occasions of
late, Rice is someone the club see as a future leading centre-back for the
team.
MARTIN SAMUELSEN
Samuelsen hasn't had the greatest of seasons on loan with Blackburn and then
Peterborough, but he needs a run of games. West Ham should keep him around
in the first-team squad next season to see what he can offer.
DOMINGOS QUINA
Quina was used in the Europa League and the club are excited about his
prospects. The young attacking midfielder should be afforded an opportunity
to impress.
ASHLEY FLETCHER
With Sakho and Carroll both injured, Fletcher could be given another chance
to start over the final few games of the season. He's flashed potential in
his debut campaign but needs to start more games for us to see the best of
him.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate to undergo wrist surgery with Hammers
survival assured
JAMES BENGE
Evening Standard
West Ham midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate is to undergo surgery on a
long-standing wrist injury and will not feature again this season. Kouyate
has been carrying the problem for much of the campaign and has played with a
cast covering his right wrist. With West Ham's survival assured thanks to
Friday's 1-0 win over Tottenham at the London Stadium, a result that
effectively looks to have ended Spurs' title challenge, Kouyate will now
undergo treatment. As such he will miss West Ham's final two games, at home
to Liverpool and away to Burnley. Kouyate was in exceptional form in
Friday's win, dominating a midfield battle against the powerful pairing of
Victor Wanyama and Eric Dier, and has been a regular in Slaven Bilic's side
this season, making 36 appearances in a campaign interrupted by his
participation with Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations. The 27-year-old
joins Pedro Obiang and Angelo Ogbonna in being sidelined until next term but
Andy Carroll, who missed the win over Spurs, could yet feature again this
season.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Sunday, May 7
Daily WHUFC News - 7th May 2017
Lanzini – I love playing Spurs!
WHUFC.com
Manuel Lanzini's third goal in four matches against Tottenham Hotspur helped
West Ham United to a vital 1-0 victory on Friday
The Argentine's only goal ended Spurs impressive winning run in the Premier
League
It also secured West Ham United's Premier League safety and the midfielder
was delighted to bag such an important strike
There was derby delight for Manuel Lanzini on Friday as his goal earned West
Ham United a 1-0 victory against London rivals Tottenham Hotspur at London
Stadium. It was the Argentine's third goal in four games against Spurs, and
the all-important strike not only ended Spurs' impressive Premier League
winning run and possibly their title challenge, but also ended any
relegation fears for the hosts. On the back of nine wins in the league,
there seemed to be no stopping Spurs, but with the confidence of last year's
home victory behind the hosts, along with the current form of four games
unbeaten in the top flight, Slaven Bilic's men had belief. And the deafening
scenes when Lanzini crashed home in the 65th minute were to be forever
remembered. The Jewell was delighted to score such an important goal - his
ninth in London derby clashes since arriving in the Premier League the
summer before last. He said: "It was amazing! It's very important for us, so
I'm so pleased to score such a goal like this. "I like playing against
Tottenham and scoring against them! I've scored three important goals
against them for me and for the team, so it was great to score tonight of
course. "More important for me is not the goal though, it's that the team
played very well. Tottenham are one of the best teams in the Premier League
and to win is very important for us and for us to keep going."
Thanks to the massive victory, the Hammers climbed into the top half of the
Premier League table on Friday night with their tally so far of 42 points.
And Lanzini spoke of the importance of his strike, also praising the fans
for driving the team forward against Mauricio Pochettino's men. "It was a
very good win. We played very good and these points are very important for
us, and it's important for us to keep going. "It's a great win for the
manager who is a great coach, and he talked with us a great deal before the
game. He is amazing. "The fans also were amazing and they are always like
this. They are singing all of the time and they were perfect tonight as they
always are."
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'You could really feel it on the pitch'
WHUFC.com
Sam Byram praises London Stadium atmosphere during Friday's 1-0 Premier
League win over Tottenam
Victory took West Ham United up to ninth in the table and made them
mathematically safe
Byram played his part in Manuel Lanzini's winner and put in a strong
defensive performance
Sam Byram is always smiling. Go on, take a look at every photograph of the
West Ham United full-back. Whether he is playing, training, walking or
having his lunch, he is ALWAYS smiling. And Byram's trademark grin was wider
than ever after the Hammers' 1-0 Premier League over Tottenham Hotspur on
Friday evening.
"I think this game means the most to the team and the fans as a whole, and
it was definitely the best atmosphere I've felt at the new ground," he told
whufc.com. "You could really feel it on the pitch, among the players and the
fans, especially when the final whistle went! "We've got a tight squad and a
squad full of quality, so when people are injured there are others to step
in. Everyone is working together – players, staff and fans – and you could
feel that in the stands and in the dressing room after the game. "We've got
Liverpool next, another one of the big clubs, and we showed against
Tottenham what we're all about. We've got two games left, we're in ninth,
which shows how tight it is and how quickly it can change. We're looking up
now, rather than down."
Byram was recalled to the starting XI in place of Edimilson Fernandes and
repaid Slaven Bilic's faith with arguably his best performance in a Claret
and Blue shirt.
Not only did the No22 keep Spurs winger Son Hueng-Min quiet, but he also
supported the attack regularly and played his part in Manuel Lanzini's
unforgettable second-half winner. "To be fair, the lads have done well to
keep two clean sheets and look solid, so I was happy to come back in and I
think I've shown I can play that position as well," said Byram, who made two
key passes and completed four clearances and 79.3% of his passes overall.
"We could have won by more. Jonny [Calleri] had a few chances and Ash
[Fletcher] had a good chance at the end, and I think we limited them to very
little, which showed how structured we were as a team. It wasn't just the
back five and the goalie, the whole team grafted and it was well-deserved.
"Against Everton and Stoke we created chances, maybe not as many as we did
against Spurs, but we created chances and got our reward."
One player who certainly grafted was lone striker Calleri, who gave Toby
Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen plenty to think about with his movement,
strength and hold-up play. On another night, the Argentinian would have
capped an influential display with a goal, but Byram was not complaining.
"Jonny put a good shift in," he confirmed. "He's strong, he gives his all
and I'm delighted he has done well. "In training, he's a very aggressive
player and you need that in your team. I am sure the goals will come and
hopefully he can get one next week."
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Stat's A Fact - Lanzini loves London derbies
WHUFC.com
Ain't nobody like Lanzini, as the song goes. And it couldn't be any closer
to the truth. Once again the Argentinian was on hand to score the decisive
goal in yet another London derby as West Ham United beat Tottenham Hotspur
1-0 at London Stadium on Friday evening.
After a goalless first half, where the visitors were limited to one shot on
target, the Hammers came out of the blocks quickly in the second half. The
deserved goal eventually came on the 65th minute as Manuel Lanzini latched
on to the end of Sam Byram's deflected cross to turn the ball past Hugo
Lloris.
Jonathan Calleri soon went close to doubling the Hammers lead and Ashley
Fletcher also had a chance late on – indeed Slaven Bilic's side could have
won by more. The Hammers had a total of 13 shots during the course of the
match, two more than Tottenham.
For Spurs, who before Friday night had scored 102 goals in all competitions,
they forced only a couple of saves out Adrian and struggled to break through
West Ham's impressive back three. The likes of Harry Kane, Dele Alli and
Christian Eriksen were fairly anonymous throughout.
Lanzini's eighth goal was his fourth against London opposition this season –
two of those coming against Spurs. His penalty in the return fixture at
White Hart Lane in November was followed up by Friday's close-range effort.
His record extends beyond 2016/17, however, and Friday's strike was his
ninth in all competitions against clubs from the Capital since joining West
Ham in 2015.
The Hammers' number ten now has three career goals from just four matches
against Spurs and has only a better scoring record against Crystal Palace in
the Premier League.
He was voted 'Man of the Match' by West Ham United supporters on Twitter and
was a central figure in the all of the home side's attacking opportunities.
Lanzini's four dribbles was the most by any West Ham player and bettered
only by England international, Dele Alli; he had the joint-most attempts on
goal with three, and made 33 passes at a success rate of 86 per cent.
Rather remarkably, Lanzini also made the most amount of tackles on the West
Ham side, highlighting Slaven Bilic's perfectly executed plan to limit the
available space for Spurs in the midfield.
Since January, he has scored five goals and made two assists and with two
games remaining in the season, there is no doubt he will want to add to it.
The Hammers' final match at London Stadium takes place on Sunday 14 May
against Liverpool, before they make the trip to Burnley's Turf Moor on the
final day. With the club's Premier League status now secured, Slaven Bilic
will demand that the season ends in a positive fashion and Lanzini will
undoubtedly play a central role in fulfilling that.
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Noble - I'm speechless
WHUFC.com
Mark Noble captains Hammers to first London Stadium victory over Tottenham
Hotspur
Skipper hails 'unreal' atmosphere generated by Hammers fans
No16 wants to end the season on a high by carrying this victory into meeting
with Liverpool next week
As early birthday presents go, this one will take some beating for Mark
Noble. The West Ham United skipper turns 30 on Monday, but had reason to get
the celebrations started a couple of days in advance after leading his team
to a magnificent derby victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Friday night. Noble
was thrilled to get one over the Hammers' rivals, thanks to Manuel Lanzini's
second half goal, and he thought it was a fully merited result. "I'm
spechless really," he beamed. "The boys were fantastic - it was a great
performance from every one of us. We needed to be at 100 per cent and we
were. "It's great for the manager and for the fans. It was fantastic and I
can see them walking into the offices or wherever they work on Monday
morning with broad shoulders, their chins up high and a massive smile on
their face. "We deserved it, we played so well. We had a couple of chances
early doors and it was just a really good team performance. We know we can
play like that, but it's been a tough season and the boys have dug in
fantastically."
The Hammers have been waiting for a Premier League victory against one of
the division's title chasers, and Noble said it couldn't have come at a
better time than Friday. He added: "Getting that kind of result against
Tottenham makes it even more special. We should have beaten them at their
place. Two goals in two minutes at the end really hurt. "The atmosphere on
Friday was unreal, and we've beaten Spurs at home which puts us safe. I
don't like saying the word safe because it actually puts us in the top half
of the table. If we win next week we could finish one or two places below
where we finished last year. "At the end of the day, let's hope we can
finish strongly."
Lanzini's winner took his tally against Spurs to three from four games - and
nine in London derbies since joining the Club two summers ago - and Noble
was full of praise for the Argentine. He continued: "I love Manu. He's great
at scoring in derbies, isn't he? He's our little gem as they call him and
that's why we're in the team, to do the hard work and grind it out and let
Manu be our special little player. "The last two games I've played here,
especially, against Swansea and Tottenham, have really started to feel like
home. "I couldn't have asked for a better outcome than Friday, coming back
into the starting line-up for a game like that."
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Slav - We fully deserved it
WHUFC.com
Slaven Bilic hails his West Ham United team after 1-0 win over Tottenham
Hotspur at London Stadium
Hammers up to ninth in Premier League table after extending unbeaten run to
five matches
Victory ensured West Ham's safety and also badly damaged Spurs' title hopes
It happened again for Slaven Bilic as his West Ham United side severely
dented Tottenham Hotspur's Premier League title challenge for the second
season in succession. The manager was brimming with pride after Manuel
Lanzini's second-half goal completed the greatest night in London Stadium's
short but eventful history. With a 54,000-strong Claret and Blue Army
roaring them on, the Hammers soaked up everything Spurs could throw at them,
and could arguably have won more comfortably had Hugo Lloris not saved
superbly from Jonathan Calleri and Ashley Fletcher. "We played against a
great team, a team in form, a team which had won nine out of nine and all
that, but we deserved it," said the manager, whose team are up to ninth in
the table. "We defended with numbers and we did exactly what we wanted them
to do, but it's the players who done it on the pitch. "Apart from that
situation in the first half, when they had three chances from one attack,
they didn't hurt us really and we defended great. "Also in the second half
we were taking the ball out to them and the goal helped us, of course. Then
after the goal they lost a bit of composure because one goal was not enough
for them, as they needed to score two. "They lost a bit of calmness that
they had and the goal helped us to gain confidence. After the goal, we had
many, many situations, not just Calleri's chance, but situations when we
were one-on-one against the defender, but unfortunately we didn't score.
"There was always a chance we were going to concede because they were
throwing bodies up front and putting strikers on, but we were magnificent
and we fully deserved it."
Bilic was asked if 'character' was the most important trait shown by his
players in beating a Tottenham team which arrived on a run of nine straight
wins. While the manager agreed the mental strength shown by the Hammers was
important, he also pointed to their ability to stick to a tactical plan and
create clear chances against a previously very solid Spurs defence. "First
of all, starting with the skipper Mark Noble, who was tremendous, then the
goalkeeper and back three and the line of four in front of them protecting
them and stopping the passes getting through to [Dele] Alli and [Christian]
Eriksen. Then we had Calleri up front who was, in the second half,
brilliant. "It was character, of course, determination and character, but
you can't win against a good team like them with only character. You need
quality as well and we had good patterns. "We beat them last year with the
same system, and in the game earlier this season at White Hart Lane,
although we lost it 3-2 when were leading 2-1 with two or three minutes to
go, it was also the system we used to stop them. "Tonight was not a night
for egos, and we showed collectively what West Ham United is all about."
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SUMMER TRANSFER GOALS
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 6 MAY 2017 AT 10:27PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by Steven McCarthy @StevenMcCarthy9
Transfers are a funny game, as I have seen over and over again the past year
or two Ex seems to get no end of crap for simply keeping us informed and up
to date! Now with this I am going to take my chance for complete hyperbole
and outline what I think we should do in the summer. First off is one that
saddens me to say but, I would look to sell Carroll for as much as possible.
With the caveat that it is only to an overseas team (and pray it is one with
deep pockets at that) because knowing the West Ham way if we didn't, he
would score against us every single time we play him. I appreciate that
Carroll is a real handful on his day and the athleticism he shows at times
is simply awesome, however I feel that on the big wages he is and with such
an awful injury record, he simply does not produce and appear enough to
warrant a place next season for me.
I also have a problem with the argument that there are no other players out
there like him, because a prime example of this would be Llorente at
Swansea. He has taken time to find his feet but he has scored goals this
season with the exact same attributes to his game. Should Swansea go down, I
think it would be great business for the club and hopefully turn out a bit
better than the current World Cup winner in the squad! If we got a decent
sum for Carroll I would say go for Bas Dost from Wolfsburg, another great
physical player in a Wolfsburg side . This would take care of having a big
physical presence up top, but why just settle for the one. If ex is correct
that Batshuayi is our top target then I think we should go all out to sign
him, although I think he would certainly require a 25 million + bid, I think
with a player of his age and promise, you only have to look at the figures
for a player like Lukaku being bandied about to say that it would be worth a
punt!
Would I take Defoe on a free?
On a free, yes. But I have reservations, I still remember crying when we got
relegated and then throwing a strop when he left (I was 11). Despite his
lack of goals recently, I think he has the technique and athleticism to be a
handful for at least a season or two and would get 10 goals a season easily.
With regards to a last striker, if we are looking for a loan as the owners
love! I would go for Iheanacho from City, I have heard that Guardiola rates
him highly however with Aguero and Jesus I see it being a struggle for him
to getin the side and a loan would suit both parties.
Forwards: Llorente, Batshuayi, Defoe, Bas Dost and Iheanacho
Midfield:
Midfield wise, I would sell Noble and bring in some of the youngsters with a
point to prove. I love Noble as he has been a great ambassador for the club
and presence in the side, however I am somewhat sure that he is simply not
good enough for a top half team. And although only showing recent glimpses,
I think Nordtveit has shown that he is worth giving another season. Against
Everton and Stoke, he was good in the air, physically strong, showed a good
range of passing and read the game particularly well! I like Ruben Loftus
Cheek and Chalobah of Chelsea as the players we could bring in somewhat
cheaply for that Central midfield position (and cover in defence if needed)
I think limited playing time this season is a worry for both these players
this season and if we think that Obiang and Kouyate are going to be the
central partnership next season, then having youngsters of pace, presence
and quality would be a real string to our bow.
Payet replacement:
This is a big one for us, as having that player who can just instantly turn
a game and create something from nothing is pretty much all at the feet of
Lanzini currently. I won't waste any more time talking about the snake, so
let's move onto who we could replace him with, and I think the main player
West Ham fans would like to see is probably Sigurdsson of Swansea. He is a
proven premier league player who regularly delivers on set pieces and
creates a chance with an inch perfect pass. Is he as explosive or dynamic as
Payet, I would say no, but would he work his socks off for the team and
consistently perform, for me it is a yes!
I think I am in the minority with my next point, but unless a good offer
came in, I would keep a hold of Snodgrass. If ever we were looking for a
player to show off a bit of strength in depth then I think having Snodgrass
in rotation would display exactly that. He was on fire at Hull and I think
that he deserves a bit more time, you don't suddenly lose the ability to
score goals in this league, particularly when you were playing in that
injury riddled Hull side and I think a performing Snodgrass would be an
asset to any side outside the top 5 or 6.
Tore is off at the end of the season – thank god!
Feghouli is an interesting one, he works hard, but would I keep him? I think
that he works hard, but if we got a decent offer, then I would happily let
him go.
If it were my choice, Sigurdsson would be top due to the Premier League
experience, however I think there is another French League player available
with Lyons, Rachid Ghezzal being available at the end of the season on a
free transfer. He is a left footed right winger who loves to cut inside,
quick and surprisingly physical player with an eye for goal, I think
although he could take time to settle, he could potentially be the player
closest in quality to Payet available and realistically available to us. His
set pieces are strong, he delivers good balls and I think that he would be a
really great buy for us.
Midfielders: Loftus-Cheek, Chalobah, Sigurdsson, Ghezzal
Defence:
Where do I start on this one, we have been abysmal this year at the back and
I think that although Arthur Masouaku has shown real quality in the last few
games there are very few who can hold there heads high this year. People are
forgetting that we have Ogbonna to return, and although he and Reid would be
our ideal centre partnership I would say that our strength in depth is still
up for question. I love Ginge as much as any Hammers fan, however is he
really a player I see challenging for a starting position or being a quality
cover should anybody pick up a knock. No, to be brutally honest he is
lacking in too many departments like pace, passing and touch to be solid in
this league if we want to progress. Fonte….let's just hope he improves,
because having only just signed I cannot see anything realistically
happening this window! I think the glaring position for every fan is Right
Back, as an out and out right back I like Byram and see him as a solid
option, so why not buy in somebody like Mensah to be young competition. He
is an absolute beast – and has the potential to be everything Billic had
hoped Antonio would be. 6ft 4, quick, good in the air and built like a brick
outhouse, I think he could be a fan favourite anywhere! I am a fan, he is a
tough tackling and often no nonsense player, going forward, I am not too
sure about him as he hasn't got the game time with the excellent Valencia
infront of him. However the pace, leap and height he possesses will always
always make him a threat going forward from set pieces at the bare minimum.
Mourinho seem's to love berating the defenders in his squad and I think that
barring wage demands, a move for any of the once 'Great Hopes' of Smalling
and Jones (dreading that after his awful acting against us!) would be a
smart move in my eyes, given the versatility they possess across the back
line! Kevin Malcuit is the player I see us linked with frequently at the
moment, and whilst I really like his pace and attacking attributes, I feel
that he could be a player who really struggles to find his feet in this
league. Although he is pretty much 6ft tall, he is slight of frame and often
wanders too far forward from defensive positions, which at 25 could be
something that is too etched into his game to change. That being said, I
would take him if we were playing our 5 at the back system with him as a
wingback if it were for a sensible price.
Defenders: Fosu-Mensah, Smalling or Jones and Malcuit for a potential
attacking wing back.
Goalkeeper:
As for Goalkeeper, I was really gutted to hear that it seems Pickford looks
to be on his way to Everton! A young English goalie with great promise is
something I think all Hammers fans would love to see and if possible, I
would do all I could to hijack the deal (as we so often seem to be the
victim of!). However if we want an English keeper the only realistic option
I see is Tom Heaton from Burnley, and he is 31. The other name I see us
linked with, Joe Hart is 30. Both are great keepers, but I think Heaton
would demand a large fee and Hart would require huge wages so I would look
elsewhere. Personally, I would go for Begovic at Stoke, who would only just
turn 30 this year. I think that with Stoke looking to make Butland no.1 a
player of his quality would not be happy playing second fiddle yet again. As
for the current keepers we have, I would keep Adrian and let Randolph leave
if he was unhappy being second choice. I love Adrian and although he has a
mistake in him every so often, I feel his love of the club, fan interaction
and shot stopping ability on the pitch more than make up for that!
And who can forget that penalty….
Goalkeeper: Begovic and Adrian to be given an extended contract
However, I will end the column with my main goal for the summer:
Keeping a hold of Lanzini and Antonio – we all know the quality that Lanzini
possesses, but Antonio is one who I feel we simply must keep at the club.
He gives everything out on the pitch every time he plays, he is a threat
from set pieces, strong, great leap and always finding a bit of space in the
area. I think he is a great player and looks like he improves in his weakest
area – his touch, every game I see him in!
At the moment I am hoping we finish as high as possible and look to take the
steps as fans to make the London Stadium our home! COYI's!!!!
Many thanks
Steven
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WE HAVE TO MAKE THE STADIUM MOVE WORK
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 6 MAY 2017 AT 10:12PM
TheWestHamWayc.o.uk
Written by @farehamhammer
"You're not West Ham anymore" "You have sold your soul for this shithole
"are just two of the taunts, sung to us Hammers fans following The Club's
move from The Boleyn Ground to The London Stadium. I had mixed feelings
about our move from The Boleyn Ground to The London Stadium from the off. I
was of the opinion that The East Stand could be developed bringing our
capacity to 46,000, which I felt would have been just perfect for a Club our
size. I did not for one minute believe in the pie in the sky nonsense, that
moving would enable us to reach 'the next level'. Or players would be lining
up to play at the 'Iconic 'London Stadium. That was sheer piffle in my eyes.
Bar one or two, if you are willing to pay the selling club what they want,
and meet a player's wage demands, they sign for you. Whether you play at The
Boleyn Ground, The London Stadium or on Mars is totally irrelevant
However as much as I loved The Boleyn Ground ,from getting off at Upton Park
Station ,stopping for a couple in The Queen's.Then on to Ken's Café for an
all-day breakfast, arriving at the ground as the players were warming up. I
never tired of making the journey from Fareham. But let's not kid ourselves,
not every game was like the final game against Manchester United. At times
you could hear a pin drop, on other occasions the mood would turn ugly, with
fans turning on our own players with taunts of: "You're not fit to wear the
shirt". Neither was the ground a fortress, we have suffered some horrific
results and real pastings to be truthful. The after match experience of
getting to The Queen's ,then having to march all the way down to the flats,
go around a pole then come all the way back up to Upton Park Station used to
get on my nerves. When it became obvious that there would be no turning back
I accepted reality, although I had reservations about how far away the pitch
was from the stands. I was also prepared for teething problems, as Saints
fans warned me how they struggled to adapt when they moved from The Dell to
St Marys.
The big problem was expectations were raised with The Club saying three or
four top signings arriving, added to the fact that we had just come off an
incredible season. As a result fans had really high expectations. When
expectations were not met transfer wise, a section of the fans were very
disillusioned before a ball was kicked. Added to the fact that results on
the pitch were poor, The Stadium migration problem became a major issue.
Which the media was very quick to expose, as in their eyes West Ham had been
'gifted' a Stadium at the tax payer's expense. Problems there certainly were
and some remain. On existing stewarding, or not enough stewards which led to
chaos in the stands. Fights with away supporters or West Ham fans on West
Ham, ugly scenes that terrified small kids. Not on. Some got upset because
they got called 'customers' and Popcorn gets sold at the ground. Whatever
for ?In my Grandfather's time they sold Bovril, and used to stand so tightly
next to each other they were like sardines .In order not to lose their
standing place ,fans would piss on each other's legs !Times change !They
sell popcorn so what ?A lot of the fans from visiting clubs, would come up
to the ground looking to start trouble. No doubt having watched Green Street
too many times .Although far from perfect the match day experience at The
London Stadium has got better. The Stewards have got a lot better for
starters
Some fans have posted photo after photo or videos of each stage of The
Boleyn Ground being demolished. Almost like a deceased favourite
relative…sadly like the relative…The Boleyn is not going to rise from the
dead. BUT…our memories of the great place will stay with us forever.
Irrespective if we are pro move or against the move, are anti Gold and
Sullivan or pro Gold & Sullivan, we are all passionate and extremely loyal
West Ham fans. At this moment of its great history, West Ham United play at
The London Stadium. We have got to make the move work, or we could well end
up like Coventry. Make no mistake this is a MASSIVE transfer window, and The
Board have got to deliver! NO excuses! Sob stories about Financial Fair Play
don't wash anymore. No other club makes a issue about them. Rules have
become relaxed about them, and some legal experts reckon they are
unenforceable anyway. Get the right signings in, get off to a good start
next season and we will be living in the land of hope and dreams. This time
dreams made at The London Stadium home of West Ham United. And The Boleyn?
Never to be forgotten! That is where we our love affair with our great club
started after all
We are more than a football club, we're a way of life!
COYI'S!!
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ANTHONY TAYLOR – WEST HAM VS SPURS
BY SAMTWHWREF ON 6 MAY 2017 AT 9:34AM
TheWestHaMWay.co.uk
Written by @SamRoyden
West Ham fans far and wide are waking up this morning knowing that because
of heroics last night, we've potentially damaged Spurs chances of winning
the Premier League. This season has been a disappointing one to say the
least but nights like last night remind us fans why we go through the pain
of supporting West Ham when we out smart and out play our London rivals, who
have been strong all season. Before the game, we weren't mathematically safe
from relegation and Bilic's job was broadcasted by the media saying he was
on thin ice. I think it's safe to say that the result last night could have
saved his position as manager for next season. With only two games remaining
of the season, we can breathe a sigh of relief after flirting with
relegation at times during the season and ending the season on a high at
home to Liverpool and away to Burnley on the last game of the season.
Anthony Taylor was the appointed referee for last night's London derby and
Taylor has officiated four West Ham games and six Tottenham games so far
this season. Surprisingly it was Taylor's first game officiating at the
London Stadium.
West Ham have been on the receiving end of some poor refereeing decisions
this season, especially against the big teams. In January, Sofiane Feghouli
was unfairly sent off by Mike Dean for a challenge on Manchester United's
Phil Jones, which was eventually overturned by the FA's Regulatory
Commission. Anthony Taylor needed to ensure he remained calm for a highly
anticipated and heated London derby.
Big derbies always come with big refereeing decisions and Taylor certainly
had a few to make in the first half. As expected, both teams were fully
committed with their tackles, some of the tackles were fair and some of them
not. The first big challenge of the first half came from the young Spurs
midfielder Eric Dier. Dier challenged and won the ball with a very strongly
sliding challenge against West Ham's Cheikhou Kouyaté. This set the
precedent for the remainder of the half.
Taylor is a very experienced referee and his positioning has always been a
strength of his and as crazy as it may sound, it's so important to take up
the right position to give yourself the best possible view of any incident.
Taylor was in a great position to see Victor Wanyama catching Manuel Lanzini
after the ball had gone. The first caution of the game went to Kyle Walker
after the Spurs right back caught Lanzini in a 50/50 challenge. In all
fairness to Walker, he managed to nick the ball first and caught Lanzini on
the follow through. Lanzini ended up coming off worse and I think it was
Walkers reaction when Lanzini went to ground that made the decision up for
Taylor to brand the yellow card.
Mark Noble is a player that lives and breathes for the big occasions and
this game was no different. Noble earned himself a yellow card after the
West Ham captain slid into a challenge incredibly late on Dier, wiped him
clean off his feet. This was no doubt a yellow card and Noble had to be
careful for the remainder of the game
The biggest talking point of the first half was Hugo Lloris challenge on
Manuel Lanzini. The ball was there to win, with Lloris rushing out off his
line to challenge for the ball whilst Lanzini just outside the penalty area.
In a split second, both Lloris and Lanzini were on the floor and Taylor had
a decision to make. When I first saw the challenge, I thought it was 100% a
foul by Lloris and the Spurs goalkeeper would have been walking down the
tunnel after being sent off for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity.
However, after seeing the replays, which we get the luxury of, it is very
clear that Lloris makes the slightest of touches on the ball with his knee
and then his follow through caught Lanzini. Even though Lloris does make
contact it the ball, the challenge was reckless. I think he was very lucky
to make any contact with the ball. I do feel that the laws of the game are
slightly skewed when it comes to goalkeepers and especially when they make
challenges like this. It's hard to imagine that if this challenge was made
anywhere else on the field, would referees actually blow for a foul as it's
reckless? Goalkeepers are sometimes over protected by referees especially
for corners but I think the game has moved on where goalkeepers are making
last ditch challenges to save the opposition from scoring. However, I cannot
express how difficult this decision was to make, especially under immense
pressure in a game like this. Taylor could have very easily sent Hugo Lloris
off if Taylor wasn't in the position he was and didn't see the marginal
contact by the Spurs keeper. Taylor remained calm and didn't guess the
outcome, instead he consulted his assistant referee and as a team they got
the decision correct and awarded a goal kick after Kouyate skied his shot
over the bar.
I noticed throughout the half that Kyle Walker was going down very easily
under minimal pressure. Kouyate and Cresswell were both guilty of making
unnecessary contact with Walker, with the Spurs man hitting the deck at
every opportunity. Winston Reid was the final player cautioned in the first
half after the West Ham centre back was stepping up with the ball into
midfield and after a heavy touch, Reid lunged to win the ball back and
caught Victor Wanyama on the top of the boot. A challenge like this is 9/10
always going to be a cation as the player is lunging into a challenge
desperate to win the ball back.
Anthony Taylor had a relatively quiet second half compared to the first
half. There were a handful of cautions including Manuel Lanzini for
excessive celebration. Lanzini, who's only goal was enough to win the game,
was booked by Anthony Taylor for over celebrating. In my opinion, I didn't
see anything wrong with Lanzini's celebration at first. Lanzini crossed his
arms to signify the famous 'irons' symbol and ran into a corner where West
Ham fans were celebrating. However, there appeared to be an issue with West
Ham fans and the advertising boards in that corner, as West Ham fans in the
rows above the advertising boards started celebrating. West Ham fans in the
front couple of rows found themselves on the pitch. It's important to ensure
that excessive celebration doesn't cause supporters risk of injury and
because of this, I believe this is why Taylor cautioned Lanzini.
The fourth and final West Ham caution went to Sam Byram after the young West
Ham right back pulled back the advancing Son Heung-min's shirt. This type of
foul is always going to result in a yellow card so it was a straight forward
decision from Anthony Taylor. The final booking of the game went to Kieron
Trippier for intentionally tripping substitute Ashley Fletcher in the final
stages of additional time. The game was very nervy in the final stages and
five added minutes of additional time didn't help. I thought to myself that
this seemed a lot for a second half which no injuries, however when you take
into consideration the five substitutes, West Ham's goal celebration and the
West Ham fans holding onto the ball in the stands for a Spurs corner, it
made sense to me and was the correct time allocation.
In my opinion, I felt that Anthony Taylor's performance was good. Taylor was
merely a spectator in the second half but his first half was tough with some
big decisions which he handed well. There were times were he missed a push
or a clumsy challenge which rightly infuriated the West Ham fans but when
you take into consideration the decisions he did get right, he performed
well in a difficult fixture.
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WEST HAM 1-0 TOTTENHAM – MATCH REPORT
BY BRIAN KNOX ON 6 MAY 2017 AT 8:24AM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Match Report by @WestHamAmerican
West Ham beat Tottenham 1-0 tonight in an early May Premier League match
which might represent the long-awaited "signature win" for the home club in
the new London Stadium. For West Ham, they defeated their top London rival
and possibly secured safety from relegation in one single night. For Spurs
it might be the end to their hopes of overtaking Chelsea for the Premier
League championship this year.
Mauricio Pochettino's side arrived in East London after winning nine
straight matches in the league. West Ham, devoid of attacking options with
Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho chronically injured and Michael Antonio out
for the season, we where merely hoping to keep the match respectable.
Early on, the Hammers played behind the ball but made the most of their
counter attacking opportunities. Six minutes into the match Manuel Lanzini
took an Andre Ayew cross and delivered it wide of goal.
The London Stadium crowd felt ill during a later exchange where Harry Kane
shot on goal which was deflected by Adrian. Dele Alli's rebound shot was
blocked by Jose Fonte, and a third immediate attempt was taken by Kane, only
to be saved by Adrian. Spurs were forced to settle for an unsuccessful
corner kick out of that exchange.
Despite the overwhelming possession advantage by the visiting club, West Ham
retired at the half with a 0-0 score and a raucous crowd of supporters
encouraging their club.
The fans were almost rewarded immediately after the break, as Ayew took
service from Sam Byram but sent the ball way high of the goal.
The West Ham supporters had to wait until the 65th minute of play before
they were rewarded for their enthusiasm, as Aaron Cresswell sent a cross
into traffic and it touched both Byram and Ayew before it fell to the feet
of Manual Lanzini at the six yard mark. He immediately sent the ball past
Hugo Lloris, and sent the stadium into a loud frenzy.
With chances on both sides, the Hammers were able to milk the final 35
minutes of play plus five additional minutes of time, and the celebration
was on in East London. (A few Chelsea supporters took notice as well.)
And just like that, West Ham temporarily slides into 9th place. After a
brutal season after the sky-high expectations of the pre-season, the loyal
fans at West Ham have hope and some enthusiasm going into a very important
summer transfer period.
Of note tonight, in addition to Lanzini's performance, his fellow Argentine,
Jonathan Calleri put in a hard-working shift. And what can be said about
Adrian? Three consecutive clean sheets. The beloved Spaniard certainly is
having his say about whether a new goalkeeper is needed in the summer. A
quick stop in the top half of the table is an unexpected turn of events.
With two matches remaining, hope for the future is the best thing West Ham
can sell at this point.
West Ham: Adrian, Fonte, Reid, Collins, Byram, Kouyate, Noble, Cresswell,
Lanzini (Fernandes 90), Ayew (Snodgrass 84), Calleri (Fletcher 89)
Subs not used: Randolph, Nordtveit, Rice, Feghouli
Bookings: Noble, Reid, Lanzini, Byram
Goal: Lanzini 65
Spurs: Lloris, Walker (Trippier 80) , Alderweireld, Vertonghen (Dembele 67),
Davies, Dier, Wanyama (Janssen 73), Son, Eriksen, Alli, Kane.
Subs not used: Vorm, Wimmer, Sissoko, Nkoudou
Bookings: Walker, Trippier
Referee: Anthony Taylor
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West Ham's Cheikhou Kouyate to have wrist surgery and miss final two games
of the season
By Sky Sports News HQ
Last Updated: 06/05/17 4:19pm
SSN
West Ham midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate will miss the rest of the season to
undergo surgery on an injured wrist. The 27-year-old has been playing with
the problem all season, across 36 appearances in all competitions and three
internationals with Senegal at the African Nations Cup. The decision to have
the operation has been taken after West Ham mathematically assured their
place in the Premier League next season with a 1-0 win over Tottenham on
Friday Night Football. Kouyate will miss the Hammers' penultimate match
against Liverpool at the London Stadium as well as their final day trip to
face Burnley at Turf Moor. Kouyate is contracted at West Ham until 2021
after signing a new long-term contract in March 2016. He joined the East
London side from Anderlecht for £7m in June 2014.
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Slaven Bilic reveals Chelsea's Nemanja Matic sent him a very cheeky text
before West Ham's 1-0 win over Spurs
The Blues midfielder has to get his wallet out now but he isn't going to
care one little bit
The Mirror
BYJAKE POLDEN
16:35, 6 MAY 2017UPDATED17:55, 6 MAY 2017
West Ham boss Slaven Bilic has revealed Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic
sent him a cheeky text message ahead of their game with Tottenham. The match
was watched anxiously by Blues players and fans alike, given that Spurs are
the only team capable of preventing them from winning the title this season.
And much to the delight of Chelsea supporters, the Hammers did them a
massive favour, beating Spurs 1-0 to pretty much hand them the Premier
League. Manuel Lanzini and his teammates have to take all the credit for the
win, given that the Argentine found the back of the net and the squad played
out of their skins. But it appears Matic may be able to take some of the
credit for the win - although he will have to get his wallet out now as a
result. According to the Hammers boss, who spoke to Sport Klub, Matic text
him ahead of the game saying: "If you stop Tottenham, I'll take you out to
dinner." He added: "Matic is a wonderful guy, a great player. I will accept
that offer with pleasure." And it seems that's exactly what he did do.
Speaking after the defeat, Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino admitted his side
blew their chances to win the league this season. "To win a league or a
trophy is a key moment. Today was a key moment," said the Argentine. "It's
not about playing good or bad or running more or less but when you have to
win, you win. "If you want to be a champions you must win. How, I don't
know."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Manuel Lanzini's third goal in four matches against Tottenham Hotspur helped
West Ham United to a vital 1-0 victory on Friday
The Argentine's only goal ended Spurs impressive winning run in the Premier
League
It also secured West Ham United's Premier League safety and the midfielder
was delighted to bag such an important strike
There was derby delight for Manuel Lanzini on Friday as his goal earned West
Ham United a 1-0 victory against London rivals Tottenham Hotspur at London
Stadium. It was the Argentine's third goal in four games against Spurs, and
the all-important strike not only ended Spurs' impressive Premier League
winning run and possibly their title challenge, but also ended any
relegation fears for the hosts. On the back of nine wins in the league,
there seemed to be no stopping Spurs, but with the confidence of last year's
home victory behind the hosts, along with the current form of four games
unbeaten in the top flight, Slaven Bilic's men had belief. And the deafening
scenes when Lanzini crashed home in the 65th minute were to be forever
remembered. The Jewell was delighted to score such an important goal - his
ninth in London derby clashes since arriving in the Premier League the
summer before last. He said: "It was amazing! It's very important for us, so
I'm so pleased to score such a goal like this. "I like playing against
Tottenham and scoring against them! I've scored three important goals
against them for me and for the team, so it was great to score tonight of
course. "More important for me is not the goal though, it's that the team
played very well. Tottenham are one of the best teams in the Premier League
and to win is very important for us and for us to keep going."
Thanks to the massive victory, the Hammers climbed into the top half of the
Premier League table on Friday night with their tally so far of 42 points.
And Lanzini spoke of the importance of his strike, also praising the fans
for driving the team forward against Mauricio Pochettino's men. "It was a
very good win. We played very good and these points are very important for
us, and it's important for us to keep going. "It's a great win for the
manager who is a great coach, and he talked with us a great deal before the
game. He is amazing. "The fans also were amazing and they are always like
this. They are singing all of the time and they were perfect tonight as they
always are."
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'You could really feel it on the pitch'
WHUFC.com
Sam Byram praises London Stadium atmosphere during Friday's 1-0 Premier
League win over Tottenam
Victory took West Ham United up to ninth in the table and made them
mathematically safe
Byram played his part in Manuel Lanzini's winner and put in a strong
defensive performance
Sam Byram is always smiling. Go on, take a look at every photograph of the
West Ham United full-back. Whether he is playing, training, walking or
having his lunch, he is ALWAYS smiling. And Byram's trademark grin was wider
than ever after the Hammers' 1-0 Premier League over Tottenham Hotspur on
Friday evening.
"I think this game means the most to the team and the fans as a whole, and
it was definitely the best atmosphere I've felt at the new ground," he told
whufc.com. "You could really feel it on the pitch, among the players and the
fans, especially when the final whistle went! "We've got a tight squad and a
squad full of quality, so when people are injured there are others to step
in. Everyone is working together – players, staff and fans – and you could
feel that in the stands and in the dressing room after the game. "We've got
Liverpool next, another one of the big clubs, and we showed against
Tottenham what we're all about. We've got two games left, we're in ninth,
which shows how tight it is and how quickly it can change. We're looking up
now, rather than down."
Byram was recalled to the starting XI in place of Edimilson Fernandes and
repaid Slaven Bilic's faith with arguably his best performance in a Claret
and Blue shirt.
Not only did the No22 keep Spurs winger Son Hueng-Min quiet, but he also
supported the attack regularly and played his part in Manuel Lanzini's
unforgettable second-half winner. "To be fair, the lads have done well to
keep two clean sheets and look solid, so I was happy to come back in and I
think I've shown I can play that position as well," said Byram, who made two
key passes and completed four clearances and 79.3% of his passes overall.
"We could have won by more. Jonny [Calleri] had a few chances and Ash
[Fletcher] had a good chance at the end, and I think we limited them to very
little, which showed how structured we were as a team. It wasn't just the
back five and the goalie, the whole team grafted and it was well-deserved.
"Against Everton and Stoke we created chances, maybe not as many as we did
against Spurs, but we created chances and got our reward."
One player who certainly grafted was lone striker Calleri, who gave Toby
Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen plenty to think about with his movement,
strength and hold-up play. On another night, the Argentinian would have
capped an influential display with a goal, but Byram was not complaining.
"Jonny put a good shift in," he confirmed. "He's strong, he gives his all
and I'm delighted he has done well. "In training, he's a very aggressive
player and you need that in your team. I am sure the goals will come and
hopefully he can get one next week."
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Stat's A Fact - Lanzini loves London derbies
WHUFC.com
Ain't nobody like Lanzini, as the song goes. And it couldn't be any closer
to the truth. Once again the Argentinian was on hand to score the decisive
goal in yet another London derby as West Ham United beat Tottenham Hotspur
1-0 at London Stadium on Friday evening.
After a goalless first half, where the visitors were limited to one shot on
target, the Hammers came out of the blocks quickly in the second half. The
deserved goal eventually came on the 65th minute as Manuel Lanzini latched
on to the end of Sam Byram's deflected cross to turn the ball past Hugo
Lloris.
Jonathan Calleri soon went close to doubling the Hammers lead and Ashley
Fletcher also had a chance late on – indeed Slaven Bilic's side could have
won by more. The Hammers had a total of 13 shots during the course of the
match, two more than Tottenham.
For Spurs, who before Friday night had scored 102 goals in all competitions,
they forced only a couple of saves out Adrian and struggled to break through
West Ham's impressive back three. The likes of Harry Kane, Dele Alli and
Christian Eriksen were fairly anonymous throughout.
Lanzini's eighth goal was his fourth against London opposition this season –
two of those coming against Spurs. His penalty in the return fixture at
White Hart Lane in November was followed up by Friday's close-range effort.
His record extends beyond 2016/17, however, and Friday's strike was his
ninth in all competitions against clubs from the Capital since joining West
Ham in 2015.
The Hammers' number ten now has three career goals from just four matches
against Spurs and has only a better scoring record against Crystal Palace in
the Premier League.
He was voted 'Man of the Match' by West Ham United supporters on Twitter and
was a central figure in the all of the home side's attacking opportunities.
Lanzini's four dribbles was the most by any West Ham player and bettered
only by England international, Dele Alli; he had the joint-most attempts on
goal with three, and made 33 passes at a success rate of 86 per cent.
Rather remarkably, Lanzini also made the most amount of tackles on the West
Ham side, highlighting Slaven Bilic's perfectly executed plan to limit the
available space for Spurs in the midfield.
Since January, he has scored five goals and made two assists and with two
games remaining in the season, there is no doubt he will want to add to it.
The Hammers' final match at London Stadium takes place on Sunday 14 May
against Liverpool, before they make the trip to Burnley's Turf Moor on the
final day. With the club's Premier League status now secured, Slaven Bilic
will demand that the season ends in a positive fashion and Lanzini will
undoubtedly play a central role in fulfilling that.
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Noble - I'm speechless
WHUFC.com
Mark Noble captains Hammers to first London Stadium victory over Tottenham
Hotspur
Skipper hails 'unreal' atmosphere generated by Hammers fans
No16 wants to end the season on a high by carrying this victory into meeting
with Liverpool next week
As early birthday presents go, this one will take some beating for Mark
Noble. The West Ham United skipper turns 30 on Monday, but had reason to get
the celebrations started a couple of days in advance after leading his team
to a magnificent derby victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Friday night. Noble
was thrilled to get one over the Hammers' rivals, thanks to Manuel Lanzini's
second half goal, and he thought it was a fully merited result. "I'm
spechless really," he beamed. "The boys were fantastic - it was a great
performance from every one of us. We needed to be at 100 per cent and we
were. "It's great for the manager and for the fans. It was fantastic and I
can see them walking into the offices or wherever they work on Monday
morning with broad shoulders, their chins up high and a massive smile on
their face. "We deserved it, we played so well. We had a couple of chances
early doors and it was just a really good team performance. We know we can
play like that, but it's been a tough season and the boys have dug in
fantastically."
The Hammers have been waiting for a Premier League victory against one of
the division's title chasers, and Noble said it couldn't have come at a
better time than Friday. He added: "Getting that kind of result against
Tottenham makes it even more special. We should have beaten them at their
place. Two goals in two minutes at the end really hurt. "The atmosphere on
Friday was unreal, and we've beaten Spurs at home which puts us safe. I
don't like saying the word safe because it actually puts us in the top half
of the table. If we win next week we could finish one or two places below
where we finished last year. "At the end of the day, let's hope we can
finish strongly."
Lanzini's winner took his tally against Spurs to three from four games - and
nine in London derbies since joining the Club two summers ago - and Noble
was full of praise for the Argentine. He continued: "I love Manu. He's great
at scoring in derbies, isn't he? He's our little gem as they call him and
that's why we're in the team, to do the hard work and grind it out and let
Manu be our special little player. "The last two games I've played here,
especially, against Swansea and Tottenham, have really started to feel like
home. "I couldn't have asked for a better outcome than Friday, coming back
into the starting line-up for a game like that."
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Slav - We fully deserved it
WHUFC.com
Slaven Bilic hails his West Ham United team after 1-0 win over Tottenham
Hotspur at London Stadium
Hammers up to ninth in Premier League table after extending unbeaten run to
five matches
Victory ensured West Ham's safety and also badly damaged Spurs' title hopes
It happened again for Slaven Bilic as his West Ham United side severely
dented Tottenham Hotspur's Premier League title challenge for the second
season in succession. The manager was brimming with pride after Manuel
Lanzini's second-half goal completed the greatest night in London Stadium's
short but eventful history. With a 54,000-strong Claret and Blue Army
roaring them on, the Hammers soaked up everything Spurs could throw at them,
and could arguably have won more comfortably had Hugo Lloris not saved
superbly from Jonathan Calleri and Ashley Fletcher. "We played against a
great team, a team in form, a team which had won nine out of nine and all
that, but we deserved it," said the manager, whose team are up to ninth in
the table. "We defended with numbers and we did exactly what we wanted them
to do, but it's the players who done it on the pitch. "Apart from that
situation in the first half, when they had three chances from one attack,
they didn't hurt us really and we defended great. "Also in the second half
we were taking the ball out to them and the goal helped us, of course. Then
after the goal they lost a bit of composure because one goal was not enough
for them, as they needed to score two. "They lost a bit of calmness that
they had and the goal helped us to gain confidence. After the goal, we had
many, many situations, not just Calleri's chance, but situations when we
were one-on-one against the defender, but unfortunately we didn't score.
"There was always a chance we were going to concede because they were
throwing bodies up front and putting strikers on, but we were magnificent
and we fully deserved it."
Bilic was asked if 'character' was the most important trait shown by his
players in beating a Tottenham team which arrived on a run of nine straight
wins. While the manager agreed the mental strength shown by the Hammers was
important, he also pointed to their ability to stick to a tactical plan and
create clear chances against a previously very solid Spurs defence. "First
of all, starting with the skipper Mark Noble, who was tremendous, then the
goalkeeper and back three and the line of four in front of them protecting
them and stopping the passes getting through to [Dele] Alli and [Christian]
Eriksen. Then we had Calleri up front who was, in the second half,
brilliant. "It was character, of course, determination and character, but
you can't win against a good team like them with only character. You need
quality as well and we had good patterns. "We beat them last year with the
same system, and in the game earlier this season at White Hart Lane,
although we lost it 3-2 when were leading 2-1 with two or three minutes to
go, it was also the system we used to stop them. "Tonight was not a night
for egos, and we showed collectively what West Ham United is all about."
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SUMMER TRANSFER GOALS
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 6 MAY 2017 AT 10:27PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by Steven McCarthy @StevenMcCarthy9
Transfers are a funny game, as I have seen over and over again the past year
or two Ex seems to get no end of crap for simply keeping us informed and up
to date! Now with this I am going to take my chance for complete hyperbole
and outline what I think we should do in the summer. First off is one that
saddens me to say but, I would look to sell Carroll for as much as possible.
With the caveat that it is only to an overseas team (and pray it is one with
deep pockets at that) because knowing the West Ham way if we didn't, he
would score against us every single time we play him. I appreciate that
Carroll is a real handful on his day and the athleticism he shows at times
is simply awesome, however I feel that on the big wages he is and with such
an awful injury record, he simply does not produce and appear enough to
warrant a place next season for me.
I also have a problem with the argument that there are no other players out
there like him, because a prime example of this would be Llorente at
Swansea. He has taken time to find his feet but he has scored goals this
season with the exact same attributes to his game. Should Swansea go down, I
think it would be great business for the club and hopefully turn out a bit
better than the current World Cup winner in the squad! If we got a decent
sum for Carroll I would say go for Bas Dost from Wolfsburg, another great
physical player in a Wolfsburg side . This would take care of having a big
physical presence up top, but why just settle for the one. If ex is correct
that Batshuayi is our top target then I think we should go all out to sign
him, although I think he would certainly require a 25 million + bid, I think
with a player of his age and promise, you only have to look at the figures
for a player like Lukaku being bandied about to say that it would be worth a
punt!
Would I take Defoe on a free?
On a free, yes. But I have reservations, I still remember crying when we got
relegated and then throwing a strop when he left (I was 11). Despite his
lack of goals recently, I think he has the technique and athleticism to be a
handful for at least a season or two and would get 10 goals a season easily.
With regards to a last striker, if we are looking for a loan as the owners
love! I would go for Iheanacho from City, I have heard that Guardiola rates
him highly however with Aguero and Jesus I see it being a struggle for him
to getin the side and a loan would suit both parties.
Forwards: Llorente, Batshuayi, Defoe, Bas Dost and Iheanacho
Midfield:
Midfield wise, I would sell Noble and bring in some of the youngsters with a
point to prove. I love Noble as he has been a great ambassador for the club
and presence in the side, however I am somewhat sure that he is simply not
good enough for a top half team. And although only showing recent glimpses,
I think Nordtveit has shown that he is worth giving another season. Against
Everton and Stoke, he was good in the air, physically strong, showed a good
range of passing and read the game particularly well! I like Ruben Loftus
Cheek and Chalobah of Chelsea as the players we could bring in somewhat
cheaply for that Central midfield position (and cover in defence if needed)
I think limited playing time this season is a worry for both these players
this season and if we think that Obiang and Kouyate are going to be the
central partnership next season, then having youngsters of pace, presence
and quality would be a real string to our bow.
Payet replacement:
This is a big one for us, as having that player who can just instantly turn
a game and create something from nothing is pretty much all at the feet of
Lanzini currently. I won't waste any more time talking about the snake, so
let's move onto who we could replace him with, and I think the main player
West Ham fans would like to see is probably Sigurdsson of Swansea. He is a
proven premier league player who regularly delivers on set pieces and
creates a chance with an inch perfect pass. Is he as explosive or dynamic as
Payet, I would say no, but would he work his socks off for the team and
consistently perform, for me it is a yes!
I think I am in the minority with my next point, but unless a good offer
came in, I would keep a hold of Snodgrass. If ever we were looking for a
player to show off a bit of strength in depth then I think having Snodgrass
in rotation would display exactly that. He was on fire at Hull and I think
that he deserves a bit more time, you don't suddenly lose the ability to
score goals in this league, particularly when you were playing in that
injury riddled Hull side and I think a performing Snodgrass would be an
asset to any side outside the top 5 or 6.
Tore is off at the end of the season – thank god!
Feghouli is an interesting one, he works hard, but would I keep him? I think
that he works hard, but if we got a decent offer, then I would happily let
him go.
If it were my choice, Sigurdsson would be top due to the Premier League
experience, however I think there is another French League player available
with Lyons, Rachid Ghezzal being available at the end of the season on a
free transfer. He is a left footed right winger who loves to cut inside,
quick and surprisingly physical player with an eye for goal, I think
although he could take time to settle, he could potentially be the player
closest in quality to Payet available and realistically available to us. His
set pieces are strong, he delivers good balls and I think that he would be a
really great buy for us.
Midfielders: Loftus-Cheek, Chalobah, Sigurdsson, Ghezzal
Defence:
Where do I start on this one, we have been abysmal this year at the back and
I think that although Arthur Masouaku has shown real quality in the last few
games there are very few who can hold there heads high this year. People are
forgetting that we have Ogbonna to return, and although he and Reid would be
our ideal centre partnership I would say that our strength in depth is still
up for question. I love Ginge as much as any Hammers fan, however is he
really a player I see challenging for a starting position or being a quality
cover should anybody pick up a knock. No, to be brutally honest he is
lacking in too many departments like pace, passing and touch to be solid in
this league if we want to progress. Fonte….let's just hope he improves,
because having only just signed I cannot see anything realistically
happening this window! I think the glaring position for every fan is Right
Back, as an out and out right back I like Byram and see him as a solid
option, so why not buy in somebody like Mensah to be young competition. He
is an absolute beast – and has the potential to be everything Billic had
hoped Antonio would be. 6ft 4, quick, good in the air and built like a brick
outhouse, I think he could be a fan favourite anywhere! I am a fan, he is a
tough tackling and often no nonsense player, going forward, I am not too
sure about him as he hasn't got the game time with the excellent Valencia
infront of him. However the pace, leap and height he possesses will always
always make him a threat going forward from set pieces at the bare minimum.
Mourinho seem's to love berating the defenders in his squad and I think that
barring wage demands, a move for any of the once 'Great Hopes' of Smalling
and Jones (dreading that after his awful acting against us!) would be a
smart move in my eyes, given the versatility they possess across the back
line! Kevin Malcuit is the player I see us linked with frequently at the
moment, and whilst I really like his pace and attacking attributes, I feel
that he could be a player who really struggles to find his feet in this
league. Although he is pretty much 6ft tall, he is slight of frame and often
wanders too far forward from defensive positions, which at 25 could be
something that is too etched into his game to change. That being said, I
would take him if we were playing our 5 at the back system with him as a
wingback if it were for a sensible price.
Defenders: Fosu-Mensah, Smalling or Jones and Malcuit for a potential
attacking wing back.
Goalkeeper:
As for Goalkeeper, I was really gutted to hear that it seems Pickford looks
to be on his way to Everton! A young English goalie with great promise is
something I think all Hammers fans would love to see and if possible, I
would do all I could to hijack the deal (as we so often seem to be the
victim of!). However if we want an English keeper the only realistic option
I see is Tom Heaton from Burnley, and he is 31. The other name I see us
linked with, Joe Hart is 30. Both are great keepers, but I think Heaton
would demand a large fee and Hart would require huge wages so I would look
elsewhere. Personally, I would go for Begovic at Stoke, who would only just
turn 30 this year. I think that with Stoke looking to make Butland no.1 a
player of his quality would not be happy playing second fiddle yet again. As
for the current keepers we have, I would keep Adrian and let Randolph leave
if he was unhappy being second choice. I love Adrian and although he has a
mistake in him every so often, I feel his love of the club, fan interaction
and shot stopping ability on the pitch more than make up for that!
And who can forget that penalty….
Goalkeeper: Begovic and Adrian to be given an extended contract
However, I will end the column with my main goal for the summer:
Keeping a hold of Lanzini and Antonio – we all know the quality that Lanzini
possesses, but Antonio is one who I feel we simply must keep at the club.
He gives everything out on the pitch every time he plays, he is a threat
from set pieces, strong, great leap and always finding a bit of space in the
area. I think he is a great player and looks like he improves in his weakest
area – his touch, every game I see him in!
At the moment I am hoping we finish as high as possible and look to take the
steps as fans to make the London Stadium our home! COYI's!!!!
Many thanks
Steven
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WE HAVE TO MAKE THE STADIUM MOVE WORK
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 6 MAY 2017 AT 10:12PM
TheWestHamWayc.o.uk
Written by @farehamhammer
"You're not West Ham anymore" "You have sold your soul for this shithole
"are just two of the taunts, sung to us Hammers fans following The Club's
move from The Boleyn Ground to The London Stadium. I had mixed feelings
about our move from The Boleyn Ground to The London Stadium from the off. I
was of the opinion that The East Stand could be developed bringing our
capacity to 46,000, which I felt would have been just perfect for a Club our
size. I did not for one minute believe in the pie in the sky nonsense, that
moving would enable us to reach 'the next level'. Or players would be lining
up to play at the 'Iconic 'London Stadium. That was sheer piffle in my eyes.
Bar one or two, if you are willing to pay the selling club what they want,
and meet a player's wage demands, they sign for you. Whether you play at The
Boleyn Ground, The London Stadium or on Mars is totally irrelevant
However as much as I loved The Boleyn Ground ,from getting off at Upton Park
Station ,stopping for a couple in The Queen's.Then on to Ken's Café for an
all-day breakfast, arriving at the ground as the players were warming up. I
never tired of making the journey from Fareham. But let's not kid ourselves,
not every game was like the final game against Manchester United. At times
you could hear a pin drop, on other occasions the mood would turn ugly, with
fans turning on our own players with taunts of: "You're not fit to wear the
shirt". Neither was the ground a fortress, we have suffered some horrific
results and real pastings to be truthful. The after match experience of
getting to The Queen's ,then having to march all the way down to the flats,
go around a pole then come all the way back up to Upton Park Station used to
get on my nerves. When it became obvious that there would be no turning back
I accepted reality, although I had reservations about how far away the pitch
was from the stands. I was also prepared for teething problems, as Saints
fans warned me how they struggled to adapt when they moved from The Dell to
St Marys.
The big problem was expectations were raised with The Club saying three or
four top signings arriving, added to the fact that we had just come off an
incredible season. As a result fans had really high expectations. When
expectations were not met transfer wise, a section of the fans were very
disillusioned before a ball was kicked. Added to the fact that results on
the pitch were poor, The Stadium migration problem became a major issue.
Which the media was very quick to expose, as in their eyes West Ham had been
'gifted' a Stadium at the tax payer's expense. Problems there certainly were
and some remain. On existing stewarding, or not enough stewards which led to
chaos in the stands. Fights with away supporters or West Ham fans on West
Ham, ugly scenes that terrified small kids. Not on. Some got upset because
they got called 'customers' and Popcorn gets sold at the ground. Whatever
for ?In my Grandfather's time they sold Bovril, and used to stand so tightly
next to each other they were like sardines .In order not to lose their
standing place ,fans would piss on each other's legs !Times change !They
sell popcorn so what ?A lot of the fans from visiting clubs, would come up
to the ground looking to start trouble. No doubt having watched Green Street
too many times .Although far from perfect the match day experience at The
London Stadium has got better. The Stewards have got a lot better for
starters
Some fans have posted photo after photo or videos of each stage of The
Boleyn Ground being demolished. Almost like a deceased favourite
relative…sadly like the relative…The Boleyn is not going to rise from the
dead. BUT…our memories of the great place will stay with us forever.
Irrespective if we are pro move or against the move, are anti Gold and
Sullivan or pro Gold & Sullivan, we are all passionate and extremely loyal
West Ham fans. At this moment of its great history, West Ham United play at
The London Stadium. We have got to make the move work, or we could well end
up like Coventry. Make no mistake this is a MASSIVE transfer window, and The
Board have got to deliver! NO excuses! Sob stories about Financial Fair Play
don't wash anymore. No other club makes a issue about them. Rules have
become relaxed about them, and some legal experts reckon they are
unenforceable anyway. Get the right signings in, get off to a good start
next season and we will be living in the land of hope and dreams. This time
dreams made at The London Stadium home of West Ham United. And The Boleyn?
Never to be forgotten! That is where we our love affair with our great club
started after all
We are more than a football club, we're a way of life!
COYI'S!!
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ANTHONY TAYLOR – WEST HAM VS SPURS
BY SAMTWHWREF ON 6 MAY 2017 AT 9:34AM
TheWestHaMWay.co.uk
Written by @SamRoyden
West Ham fans far and wide are waking up this morning knowing that because
of heroics last night, we've potentially damaged Spurs chances of winning
the Premier League. This season has been a disappointing one to say the
least but nights like last night remind us fans why we go through the pain
of supporting West Ham when we out smart and out play our London rivals, who
have been strong all season. Before the game, we weren't mathematically safe
from relegation and Bilic's job was broadcasted by the media saying he was
on thin ice. I think it's safe to say that the result last night could have
saved his position as manager for next season. With only two games remaining
of the season, we can breathe a sigh of relief after flirting with
relegation at times during the season and ending the season on a high at
home to Liverpool and away to Burnley on the last game of the season.
Anthony Taylor was the appointed referee for last night's London derby and
Taylor has officiated four West Ham games and six Tottenham games so far
this season. Surprisingly it was Taylor's first game officiating at the
London Stadium.
West Ham have been on the receiving end of some poor refereeing decisions
this season, especially against the big teams. In January, Sofiane Feghouli
was unfairly sent off by Mike Dean for a challenge on Manchester United's
Phil Jones, which was eventually overturned by the FA's Regulatory
Commission. Anthony Taylor needed to ensure he remained calm for a highly
anticipated and heated London derby.
Big derbies always come with big refereeing decisions and Taylor certainly
had a few to make in the first half. As expected, both teams were fully
committed with their tackles, some of the tackles were fair and some of them
not. The first big challenge of the first half came from the young Spurs
midfielder Eric Dier. Dier challenged and won the ball with a very strongly
sliding challenge against West Ham's Cheikhou Kouyaté. This set the
precedent for the remainder of the half.
Taylor is a very experienced referee and his positioning has always been a
strength of his and as crazy as it may sound, it's so important to take up
the right position to give yourself the best possible view of any incident.
Taylor was in a great position to see Victor Wanyama catching Manuel Lanzini
after the ball had gone. The first caution of the game went to Kyle Walker
after the Spurs right back caught Lanzini in a 50/50 challenge. In all
fairness to Walker, he managed to nick the ball first and caught Lanzini on
the follow through. Lanzini ended up coming off worse and I think it was
Walkers reaction when Lanzini went to ground that made the decision up for
Taylor to brand the yellow card.
Mark Noble is a player that lives and breathes for the big occasions and
this game was no different. Noble earned himself a yellow card after the
West Ham captain slid into a challenge incredibly late on Dier, wiped him
clean off his feet. This was no doubt a yellow card and Noble had to be
careful for the remainder of the game
The biggest talking point of the first half was Hugo Lloris challenge on
Manuel Lanzini. The ball was there to win, with Lloris rushing out off his
line to challenge for the ball whilst Lanzini just outside the penalty area.
In a split second, both Lloris and Lanzini were on the floor and Taylor had
a decision to make. When I first saw the challenge, I thought it was 100% a
foul by Lloris and the Spurs goalkeeper would have been walking down the
tunnel after being sent off for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity.
However, after seeing the replays, which we get the luxury of, it is very
clear that Lloris makes the slightest of touches on the ball with his knee
and then his follow through caught Lanzini. Even though Lloris does make
contact it the ball, the challenge was reckless. I think he was very lucky
to make any contact with the ball. I do feel that the laws of the game are
slightly skewed when it comes to goalkeepers and especially when they make
challenges like this. It's hard to imagine that if this challenge was made
anywhere else on the field, would referees actually blow for a foul as it's
reckless? Goalkeepers are sometimes over protected by referees especially
for corners but I think the game has moved on where goalkeepers are making
last ditch challenges to save the opposition from scoring. However, I cannot
express how difficult this decision was to make, especially under immense
pressure in a game like this. Taylor could have very easily sent Hugo Lloris
off if Taylor wasn't in the position he was and didn't see the marginal
contact by the Spurs keeper. Taylor remained calm and didn't guess the
outcome, instead he consulted his assistant referee and as a team they got
the decision correct and awarded a goal kick after Kouyate skied his shot
over the bar.
I noticed throughout the half that Kyle Walker was going down very easily
under minimal pressure. Kouyate and Cresswell were both guilty of making
unnecessary contact with Walker, with the Spurs man hitting the deck at
every opportunity. Winston Reid was the final player cautioned in the first
half after the West Ham centre back was stepping up with the ball into
midfield and after a heavy touch, Reid lunged to win the ball back and
caught Victor Wanyama on the top of the boot. A challenge like this is 9/10
always going to be a cation as the player is lunging into a challenge
desperate to win the ball back.
Anthony Taylor had a relatively quiet second half compared to the first
half. There were a handful of cautions including Manuel Lanzini for
excessive celebration. Lanzini, who's only goal was enough to win the game,
was booked by Anthony Taylor for over celebrating. In my opinion, I didn't
see anything wrong with Lanzini's celebration at first. Lanzini crossed his
arms to signify the famous 'irons' symbol and ran into a corner where West
Ham fans were celebrating. However, there appeared to be an issue with West
Ham fans and the advertising boards in that corner, as West Ham fans in the
rows above the advertising boards started celebrating. West Ham fans in the
front couple of rows found themselves on the pitch. It's important to ensure
that excessive celebration doesn't cause supporters risk of injury and
because of this, I believe this is why Taylor cautioned Lanzini.
The fourth and final West Ham caution went to Sam Byram after the young West
Ham right back pulled back the advancing Son Heung-min's shirt. This type of
foul is always going to result in a yellow card so it was a straight forward
decision from Anthony Taylor. The final booking of the game went to Kieron
Trippier for intentionally tripping substitute Ashley Fletcher in the final
stages of additional time. The game was very nervy in the final stages and
five added minutes of additional time didn't help. I thought to myself that
this seemed a lot for a second half which no injuries, however when you take
into consideration the five substitutes, West Ham's goal celebration and the
West Ham fans holding onto the ball in the stands for a Spurs corner, it
made sense to me and was the correct time allocation.
In my opinion, I felt that Anthony Taylor's performance was good. Taylor was
merely a spectator in the second half but his first half was tough with some
big decisions which he handed well. There were times were he missed a push
or a clumsy challenge which rightly infuriated the West Ham fans but when
you take into consideration the decisions he did get right, he performed
well in a difficult fixture.
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WEST HAM 1-0 TOTTENHAM – MATCH REPORT
BY BRIAN KNOX ON 6 MAY 2017 AT 8:24AM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Match Report by @WestHamAmerican
West Ham beat Tottenham 1-0 tonight in an early May Premier League match
which might represent the long-awaited "signature win" for the home club in
the new London Stadium. For West Ham, they defeated their top London rival
and possibly secured safety from relegation in one single night. For Spurs
it might be the end to their hopes of overtaking Chelsea for the Premier
League championship this year.
Mauricio Pochettino's side arrived in East London after winning nine
straight matches in the league. West Ham, devoid of attacking options with
Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho chronically injured and Michael Antonio out
for the season, we where merely hoping to keep the match respectable.
Early on, the Hammers played behind the ball but made the most of their
counter attacking opportunities. Six minutes into the match Manuel Lanzini
took an Andre Ayew cross and delivered it wide of goal.
The London Stadium crowd felt ill during a later exchange where Harry Kane
shot on goal which was deflected by Adrian. Dele Alli's rebound shot was
blocked by Jose Fonte, and a third immediate attempt was taken by Kane, only
to be saved by Adrian. Spurs were forced to settle for an unsuccessful
corner kick out of that exchange.
Despite the overwhelming possession advantage by the visiting club, West Ham
retired at the half with a 0-0 score and a raucous crowd of supporters
encouraging their club.
The fans were almost rewarded immediately after the break, as Ayew took
service from Sam Byram but sent the ball way high of the goal.
The West Ham supporters had to wait until the 65th minute of play before
they were rewarded for their enthusiasm, as Aaron Cresswell sent a cross
into traffic and it touched both Byram and Ayew before it fell to the feet
of Manual Lanzini at the six yard mark. He immediately sent the ball past
Hugo Lloris, and sent the stadium into a loud frenzy.
With chances on both sides, the Hammers were able to milk the final 35
minutes of play plus five additional minutes of time, and the celebration
was on in East London. (A few Chelsea supporters took notice as well.)
And just like that, West Ham temporarily slides into 9th place. After a
brutal season after the sky-high expectations of the pre-season, the loyal
fans at West Ham have hope and some enthusiasm going into a very important
summer transfer period.
Of note tonight, in addition to Lanzini's performance, his fellow Argentine,
Jonathan Calleri put in a hard-working shift. And what can be said about
Adrian? Three consecutive clean sheets. The beloved Spaniard certainly is
having his say about whether a new goalkeeper is needed in the summer. A
quick stop in the top half of the table is an unexpected turn of events.
With two matches remaining, hope for the future is the best thing West Ham
can sell at this point.
West Ham: Adrian, Fonte, Reid, Collins, Byram, Kouyate, Noble, Cresswell,
Lanzini (Fernandes 90), Ayew (Snodgrass 84), Calleri (Fletcher 89)
Subs not used: Randolph, Nordtveit, Rice, Feghouli
Bookings: Noble, Reid, Lanzini, Byram
Goal: Lanzini 65
Spurs: Lloris, Walker (Trippier 80) , Alderweireld, Vertonghen (Dembele 67),
Davies, Dier, Wanyama (Janssen 73), Son, Eriksen, Alli, Kane.
Subs not used: Vorm, Wimmer, Sissoko, Nkoudou
Bookings: Walker, Trippier
Referee: Anthony Taylor
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham's Cheikhou Kouyate to have wrist surgery and miss final two games
of the season
By Sky Sports News HQ
Last Updated: 06/05/17 4:19pm
SSN
West Ham midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate will miss the rest of the season to
undergo surgery on an injured wrist. The 27-year-old has been playing with
the problem all season, across 36 appearances in all competitions and three
internationals with Senegal at the African Nations Cup. The decision to have
the operation has been taken after West Ham mathematically assured their
place in the Premier League next season with a 1-0 win over Tottenham on
Friday Night Football. Kouyate will miss the Hammers' penultimate match
against Liverpool at the London Stadium as well as their final day trip to
face Burnley at Turf Moor. Kouyate is contracted at West Ham until 2021
after signing a new long-term contract in March 2016. He joined the East
London side from Anderlecht for £7m in June 2014.
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Slaven Bilic reveals Chelsea's Nemanja Matic sent him a very cheeky text
before West Ham's 1-0 win over Spurs
The Blues midfielder has to get his wallet out now but he isn't going to
care one little bit
The Mirror
BYJAKE POLDEN
16:35, 6 MAY 2017UPDATED17:55, 6 MAY 2017
West Ham boss Slaven Bilic has revealed Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic
sent him a cheeky text message ahead of their game with Tottenham. The match
was watched anxiously by Blues players and fans alike, given that Spurs are
the only team capable of preventing them from winning the title this season.
And much to the delight of Chelsea supporters, the Hammers did them a
massive favour, beating Spurs 1-0 to pretty much hand them the Premier
League. Manuel Lanzini and his teammates have to take all the credit for the
win, given that the Argentine found the back of the net and the squad played
out of their skins. But it appears Matic may be able to take some of the
credit for the win - although he will have to get his wallet out now as a
result. According to the Hammers boss, who spoke to Sport Klub, Matic text
him ahead of the game saying: "If you stop Tottenham, I'll take you out to
dinner." He added: "Matic is a wonderful guy, a great player. I will accept
that offer with pleasure." And it seems that's exactly what he did do.
Speaking after the defeat, Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino admitted his side
blew their chances to win the league this season. "To win a league or a
trophy is a key moment. Today was a key moment," said the Argentine. "It's
not about playing good or bad or running more or less but when you have to
win, you win. "If you want to be a champions you must win. How, I don't
know."
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