Masuaku thrilled with Bolton wonder-strike
WHUFC.com
Arthur Masuaku has revealed his delight at scoring his first goal for West
Ham United in the 3-0 Carabao Cup win over Bolton Wanderers. Masuaku
netted a screamer from 25 yards in the dying embers of Tuesday's victory
over the Championship side to put the finishing touches on the Hammers'
progression into the fourth round of the competition. Angelo Ogbonna and
Diafra Sakho also netted in the first half to put Slaven Bilic's side in
control before Masuaku beat Mark Howard in the away side's net. The
beautiful finish was the first goal the 23-year-old has scored since
moving to West Ham last summer from Olympiacos and Masuaku is thrilled at
getting off the mark with such a terrific effort. "It's a great goal,"
Masuaku told whufc.com: "It's a long time since I last scored. The last
time was two years ago at Olympiacos. That day I recovered the ball and
dribbled and completed a one-two. "This one was different but I'm very
happy with it. I was in the middle and in a good position to shoot. I
didn't think about it. As soon as I saw I had the space I had the shot and
I'm thrilled it went in."
The defender believes scoring such a brilliant finish must have been
destined after also finding the net with a similar goal during training
earlier this week. He added: "I'm not going to lie. This week in training
I did the same! I delighted with the finish and getting my first goal for
the Hammers. "It's always good to score. Usually I don't score but it was
a good goal and a great win. It was a great team performance so I'm really
happy."
The win over Bolton has put West Ham into the fourth round of the Carabao
Cup and Masuaku is confident that the Irons can continue their journey
through the tournament. "If we have a good draw we can go very far. We
have the quality to go as far as we can. We are ambitious and we want to
win every game." With the victory over Bolton the first of three
consecutive home matches for the Hammers – with league games against
Tottenham Hotspur and Swansea City to come – Masuaku is prepared to make
the step into the starting XI again on Saturday should manager Bilic
select him. Masuaku said: "I'm looking forward to hopefully playing.
Obviously, it is the coach's decision and I just have to be ready and if I
play I'm going to try to help the team and try to play like I did today.
"I am confident and I'm ready to play more minutes."
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Bilic: Arthur's stunning goal was the cherry on the cake
WHUFC.com
Arthur Masuaku's wonder-strike which completed a 3-0 Carabao Cup third
round victory over Bolton Wanderers on Tuesday rounded off a perfect
evening, according to Slaven Bilic. The Hammers' secured a comfortable win
at London Stadium thanks to the Frenchman's superb swerving strike, hit
from 25 yards out with a minute of injury time left to play. The hosts
took an early lead through Angelo Ogbonna's header, nodded in after four
just minutes, before Diafra Sakho grabbed his first of the season, tapping
in Arnautovic's centre. And though West Ham's pace slowed in the second
half with a spot in the fourth round more-or-less in the bag, they added a
third to the delight of Bilic. He said: "The strike was unbelievable. It
was a brilliant goal and it was a nice way to finish the game, for not
only him but for the whole game and for the team. "To be fair, it is a
privilege to see those kind of goals from down by the pitch. It was a
wonder goal.
"We did the job tonight. It was a good game, especially first half. We
started really well, we scored and we didn't stop. We should have scored
more goals and we didn't stop. "It was a really good performance from us.
Second half, we slowed it down which I didn't like but I can understand it
with a game in mind on Saturday."
There were a number of individual performances that pleased Bilic,
including debutants Sead Haksabanovic and Nathan Holland who both
impressed in the cup tie.
But the boss singled out Austrian Arnautovic, who set-up two of the hosts'
three goals on his return to the starting XI after serving a three-match
ban. "Marko is a special player," Bilic continued. "He has that special
skill with the ball and he gets the ball in good positions and has the
quality. He has got it. "Now he's back, we expect him to do it, and he was
good today, but we expect him to do this regularly anyway."
The east Londoners reached the quarter-final stage of the competition last
term, before crashing out against Manchester United at Old Trafford in the
last-eight.
Prior to that, Chelsea were beaten at London Stadium and Bilic is hoping
this campaign the draw will be kinder to his side. "We need performances
and a bit of luck in the draw," he said. "Last year we got Chelsea and
then we got Man United and in the FA Cup we got Man City. "But we need to
be a bit luckier in the draw and then the dreams can become realistic.
Hopefully we can have a good draw, because some of the teams – with the
greatest respect – are beatable. "We are dreaming of Wembley. There's
nothing wrong in saying that because every team is dreaming about that."
The Hammers now go into Saturday's huge London derby against Tottenham
Hotspur on the back of three clean sheets in as many matches, and the
manager claimed the spirit is high in the camp. "The confidence is back,
slowly. But it's all about winning games, keeping clean sheets and as I
said, you can't say that we've turned the corner because we have to keep
working, not only in games but also in trainings. "Unfortunately we still
have two or three injuries but we will approach the Tottenham game in a
positive way, knowing it will be probably our biggest test this season.
"We have to continue like this and we have to build on this. We have the
confidence back, we have a pattern, and let's build on that. This was a
performance which will help in that building. "As I said before the game
to the players, some players who had a game and think they should be
playing, there's only one place that you can impress me; on the pitch in a
game. A number of players did that today."
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League Cup Legend: Sir Geoff Hurst recalls Bolton hat-trick
WHUFC.com
Here is a rarity for you: a feature on Sir Geoff Hurst scoring a hat-trick
that doesn't involve the World Cup final and a Russian linesman!
While the West Ham United and England legend will forever be honoured around
the globe for his most famous treble at Wembley on 30 July 1966, it's fair
to say he didn't find the unique goalscoring achievement an unfamiliar one.
During his prolific 14-year playing career with the Hammers, Hurst scored
three goals or more in a single match on no fewer than nine occasions – a
record only bettered by the great Vic Watson.
And one in particular holds resonance with Tuesday night's fixture. For it
is almost 50 years to the day since West Ham faced Bolton Wanderers in the
third round of the League Cup, on a chilly night in Upton Park in front of
20,510 supporters.
Ron Greenwood's men ran out 4-1 winners, with all four goals claimed by our
unstoppable No10, who took his tally for the season to 15 goals in just 13
games.
Half a century on, and with a career total of 249 goals in the Claret and
Blue to reflect upon, the memories and details are understandably a little
hazy, but one element of Bolton's visit back in October 1967 does stand out.
"Bolton were a tough side back then," recalls Sir Geoff. "They were renowned
for being very physical, particularly at the back, and you were always
guaranteed a few bruises.
"The centre-half who was marking me that night – not very well as it turned
out! – whacked me early on a couple of times from behind. Of course, in
those brutal, medieval days, defenders could tackle from behind, just take
people's legs away without even trying to get near the ball.
"After he'd whacked me again, I turned to the ref and said something like:
'Come on, this is getting ridiculous'. And the defender replied: 'Don't be
silly, I've only hit him three times!' That was back when they could foul
you six times without even getting a warning!"
The record books show that West Ham's line-up that evening included both
right-wingers Harry Redknapp and Peter Brabrook – who wore the number nine
shirt – with John Sissons wide on the left, ensuring plenty of service for
goal-hungry Hurst.
"It's an interesting factor," he says, "because both Harry and Peter were
out-and-out wingers who liked to hug the touchline.
"What it probably tells you is that we got plenty of crosses in that night
and I'm pretty sure that my four goals will have included a couple of
headers!"
In the career of a striker, you can generally see where his peak years are
by looking at the goal totals for each season. And in that period just after
winning the World Cup, the goals were just flying in left, right and centre
for me
Sir Geoff Hurst
His quadruple strike that evening wasn't the first time Hurst had hit four
in one game – he had achieved the feat almost exactly a year earlier against
Fulham in a 6-1 Division One victory, which he then followed up two days
later with a treble in the famous 7-0 thrashing of Leeds United.
Such exploits summed up the impact and reputation that Hurst carried during
that period, as one of the finest goalscorers of his generation, and not
surprisingly he looks back on his record of 137 goals in the space of just
four seasons between 1965 and 1969 with great pride.
The programme cover from West Ham United's League Cup tie with Bolton in
1967"In the career of a striker, you can generally see where his peak years
are by looking at the goal totals for each season. And in that period just
after winning the World Cup, the goals were just flying in left, right and
centre for me.
"I remember some time after the World Cup, I did an interview in which I
said that I felt ten feet tall, and the newspaper came to Chadwell Heath set
up a photograph with me standing on a bench and the camera pointing up from
my toes so that I looked like a giant!
"You remember those funny little things, but that was how I genuinely felt
at the time, so confident in front of goal, and the four goals against
Bolton in 1967 were right in the very middle of that spell. It was a great
time for the club and for me personally."
Coincidentally, the Hammers were drawn against Bolton at home in the League
Cup again the following season, this time running out 7-2 winners at the
second-round stage.
No prizes for guessing who notched a hat-trick that night…
HURST HAT-TRICKS FOR WEST HAM
3 goals v Newcastle United, 11 December 1965 (First Division)
4 goals v Fulham, 5 November 1966 (First Division)
3 goals v Leeds United, 7 November 1966 (League Cup)
3 goals v Swindon Town, 28 January 1967 (FA Cup)
4 goals v Bolton Wanderers, 11 October 1967 (League Cup)
3 goals v Bolton Wanderers, 4 September 1968 (League Cup)
6 goals v Sunderland, 19 October 1968 (First Division)
3 goals v Burnley, 3 October 1970 (First Division)
3 goals v Hereford United, 14 February 1972 (FA Cup)
This article first appeared in the West Ham United Official Matchday
Programme. Click here for details of how to subscribe.
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Bilic: Getting more from Arnautovic, selection headaches and impressive
youngsters
WHUFC.com
Manager Slaven Bilic was naturally in positive mood when he spoke to the
press following Tuesday's 3-0 Carabao Cup third-round win over Bolton
Wanderers at London Stadium. The Croatian reflected on a third clean sheet
in the space of eight days, the performances of Marko Arnautovic and
teenagers Declan Rice, Sead Haksabanovic, Domingos Quina and Nathan Holland.
Bilic also revealed Tuesday's performance has given him a selection headache
ahead of Saturday's Premier League derby with Tottenham Hotspur.
Here is what he had to say…
'We did the job'
West Ham United have made a pig's ear of handling lower-league opposition in
cup competitions on numerous occasions down the years, but Tuesday was not
one of them. The Hammers were quick out of the blocks and ahead within four
minutes, created at least a dozen chances in the first half and doubled
their lead before the break. The second half may not have been quite so
impressive, but Bilic was happy overall with the way his players built on
the recent performances against Huddersfield Town and West Bromwich Albion.
"It's good to be through, of course. We did the job. It was a really good
performance in the first half. OK, we can talk about the opposition, but
that was a really good 45 minutes and the opposition was from the
Championship, so it wasn't like bad quality. "We moved the ball well, we
were playing between the lines, we were playing behind them and we played
with two touches in our half of the pitch. The only thing we weren't happy
about was that we didn't score as many goals as we should have in the first
half. "The second half was not that good. We slowed it down, which I don't
like, to be fair. I wouldn't have minded if we had scored a third one, but
at 2-0, it's always a dodgy one, a very dangerous one. "We slowed the game,
but they didn't threaten us apart from a couple of set pieces. The good
point is that we ended the game with a wonder goal from Arthur, so it was a
good night for us. "We are through in the cup with another clean sheet,
which is very important. I told the guys we should build on this and it's
been a good eight days for us – three clean sheets, four points in the
Premier League and going to the next round of the cup. "Every little
positive thing helps you get back to where you want to be, so this was
definitely a positive."
'I want more from Arnie'
Marko Arnautovic marked his London Stadium debut with two assists and a
virtuoso performance that showcased many of the Austria international's
undoubted qualities. But, while Arnautovic clearly caught the eye, Bilic is
demanding more from the 28-year-old, who did waste one glorious chance when
he attempted an audacious lob that floated over Mark Howard's crossbar. "I
want him to do more," his manager confirmed. "He has got that quality, he
has got that extra, he is that kind of a player and he knows that I like
him, but sometimes he gets happy with the few things that he does and I want
him to continue like this and push the borders, because he is unstoppable
when he receives those kind of balls. "He received it maybe 15 times and
five or six times he did a great job, with two assists, but sometimes he is
happy just to pass it back or do a little trick. I know what he is capable
of. He should never be happy, in a positive way, if you know what I mean.
Did he do the job on Tuesday? Of course, and that's why we got him." "I
think he was determined to do well after he was sent-off last month and this
was a good beginning of the comeback for him, but there is no point or
reason to stop, to go 'OK, I've done the job'."
Selection headache?
Bilic made ten changes for Tuesday's Carabao Cup tie, with only Cheikhou
Kouyate keeping his place from Saturday's goalless draw at The Hawthorns.
The manager revealed he had challenged those coming into the side to make
their case to start in the Premier League, and was happy with the way his
players responded. "That's what I said to the players before the game;
'Look, you deserve a chance, we want to go through, and everyone of you who
thinks he deserves to be playing ahead of the guy who is playing, impress me
and my staff! The only way you are going to impress us is in the game or in
the training, so give us a headache with your performance'. "It was really
good, so the key thing is that we are through in the cup, hopefully we're
going to get a good draw and this is going to take us into the Spurs game
with more confidence and for me and my staff, we are also more positive
after this performance from some of the players, we have more to choose
from. It's very good and we're going to need it on Saturday, definitely."
One player who is pushing for more Premier League game-time is Diafra Sakho,
who made it two goals in two Carabao Cup appearances with an accurate
first-time finish. Bilic believes the Senegalese's off-field issues are now
behind him. "Sakho, as I said last week, his attitude and mood is spot-on,
really spot-on. He looks really motivated in training and that's why he was
playing for us from the start or coming on. "I have no complaints whatsoever
and I am not trying to hide things. His determination is really good and he
looks really good, injury-free and willing to train and play good for West
Ham United."
The boys done good
West Ham fans love seeing young players given their chance in the first team
and, on Tuesday night, they were able to enjoy watching four teenagers do
their thing in Claret and Blue. Declan Rice and Sead Haksabanovic started
and both impressed their manager, with the Montengro international making
his senior debut, while Domingos Quina and Nathan Holland also caught the
eye as second-half substitutes. "Declan Rice is only young on paper, but he
has a brain and concentration as if he was 30 years old," said the manager.
"He's thinking about the game, he's thinking about his positioning and
everything. He is totally in the game, which is putting him in a position
that he has everything to become a really, really good player. "Declan can
play in both positions. He is naturally a centre-back, but he has enough
skill and stamina in his legs to play as a holding midfielder, and the
brains to play both. Where he is going to play in his career, I really don't
know. If I had to choose I would say centre-back, but I don't see anything
he doesn't have not to be a top holding midfielder, as he can pass the ball
and has good stamina, so both! "Haksabanovic was good. He didn't surprise
me, but it is really difficult for a young player to play his first game,
but he looked very mature. The lads around him helped him to get into the
game and he did very good, so I'm very pleased with him, as I am with Dom
Quina and Nathan Holland.
"Those four players have a bright future if they play like that."
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Junior Season Ticket upgrade offer for Brighton
WHUFC.com
Friday Night Football returns to London Stadium on 20 October when Brighton
& Hove Albion visit east London and, with this match moving to an evening
kick-off, if your child Season Ticket Holder can't make it you can upgrade
to an adult ticket at a discounted rate.
The meeting with the Seagulls is West Ham's first since a 6-0 win at the
Boleyn Ground in the 2011/12 Championship promotion season and you could
upgrade your child's Season Ticket to an adult ticket from as little as £15,
with full upgrade prices as follows:
Band 1 £30
Band 2 £25
Band 3 £22
Band 4 £20
Band 5 £15
To upgrade your Under-16 Season Ticket, please call 0333 030 1966 (option
3)* now! Please note that Season Ticket upgrades must be done over the
phone.
Season Ticket Holders who have already upgraded their junior tickets will be
refunded in line with the offer price.
Once a ticket is upgraded, it can no longer be relisted on the Ticket
Exchange.
We know evening kick-offs are more difficult for our junior supporters to
attend, and this offer means we give every supporter the best opportunity of
ensuring they can use their tickets.
Meanwhile, our last remaining tickets for this fixture are on sale to Claret
Members. Click here to purchase now.
*Phone lines are open 9am-5pm Monday to Saturday.
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Arnautovic: We handled Bolton, now let's focus on Spurs
WHUFC.com
Marko Arnautovic may have set up two goals on his London Stadium debut, but
the Austrian is thinking only about the future rather than the past. The
West Ham United winger created first-half strikes for Angelo Ogbonna and
Diafra Sakho in Tuesday's 3-0 Carabao Cup third-round win over Bolton
Wanderers. But after the game, Arnautovic's attentions had already turned to
Saturday's London derby with Tottenham Hotspur. "I think it was a good one
[on Tuesday]," he said. "I'm really pleased with this, how we played, how we
acted. Of course, we can always improve, we had many chances to score more
goals, but I think we played very solid and we can progress like that. "The
first three games of the season was not West Ham, but now we're progressing
and getting better. "Bolton had nothing to lose. They came here and wanted
to impress, but I think we handled this perfect. We didn't let them have any
chances, we played solid and we showed good personality and this is the most
important thing. "We have done our job and played well, but the game is gone
and we have to focus on Saturday."
West Ham have defeated Spurs at home in each of the last two seasons, but
those games were played before Arnautovic's arrival from Stoke City. While
he did not dismiss those achievements, the club-record signing knows the
Hammers will be judged on what they do this weekend, and not the victories
they have achieved against Mauricio Pochettino's side in previous meetings.
"I don't know about how the previous matches have gone against Spurs, as
this is my first year here, but this is a London derby and we are playing at
home, so of course we want to win this game, but it's going to be a tough
challenge," he said. "Tottenham is a very good team, but we're going to see
on Saturday. We will recover on Wednesday and then on Thursday and Friday
we're going to work hard to see that we can win this game on Saturday."
In his last three meetings with Spurs in a Stoke shirt, Arnautovic was on
the receiving end of three 4-0 defeats, with Harry Kane scoring six of those
12 Tottenham goals. However, when asked if Kane was the man West Ham need to
concentrate their defensive minds on this Saturday, the No7 said the England
international was just one of a host of attackers that the Hammers will need
to keep tabs on. "It's about the whole team, it's not only about Harry
Kane," he said. "It's never about one player. We need to stop everyone, but
we need to focus on us and not on them. "We need to play our game and we are
playing at home, we have the crowd with us, so let's play on the front foot
and we're going to see how it is."
*Standard Tickets for Saturday's 12.30pm Premier League meeting with
Tottenham Hotspur are available now via the Ticket Exchange.
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Ladies bested by Charlton Athletic at Rush Green
WHUFC.com
A spirited showing by West Ham United Ladies was not enough to stop the
Charlton Athletic juggernaut with the home side falling to a 6-0 defeat. The
home team showed heart and passion in a difficult night at Rush Green as the
Southern Division league leaders continued their 100% winning run at the
expense of our Ladies side. Three goals in the first period were followed by
another three in the second and, if not for some brave defending and
organisation, there may have been more. The home team were able to create
chances but were unable to find the net in a difficult fixture. Despite
starting the game strongly and looking lively the Ladies found themselves a
goal behind early on. A Charlton set-piece was passed sideways, from which a
swerving long-ranged effort found the net. The away team had two not long
later after a through-pass set up a one-on-one situation, from which they
scored again. The West Ham Ladies created chances of their own however and
impressed with some fluid passing and their technical organisation. Julie
Melfald was particularly lively in attack, attempting a shot on the turn
which went just over the bar, and also linking play excellently with the
wingers. Unfortunately, Charlton found a third before half-time after a
burst of pace on the wing, from which the ball was played into the area for
a straightforward tap-in. Despite their deficit the West Ham Ladies can take
consolation in a spirited and resolved second half showing, with Greg De
Carnys's side looking a more compact unit after the break. Chlloe Burr had
an opportunity to get the Hammers on the scoresheet but her free-kick was
just over the bar, while Mollie Kmita continued to be a pest for the
Charlton defence on the right-flank. The damage had been done however by
Charlton and the away side added a fourth after catching the West Ham Ladies
on the counter. The build-up had a whiff of offside but the linesman ruled
that the Addicks had beaten West Ham's trap, allowing them to slot home.
Charlton would make it five on the counter once again as another low ball
into the area once again evaded the West Ham defenders, with a chipped
finish beating Cherie Rowlands, before adding their sixth in the final
minutes of the game.
West Ham United Ladies: Rowlands; Kmita, Wheeler, Auguste, Austin; Mabey,
Cooper, Burr; Wealthall, Melfald (Bent), Ezekiel-Meade (Peters)
Subs not used: Mackie, Chong, Brown
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West Ham striker Diafra Sakho back in Slaven Bilic's good books weeks after
bizarre Rennes transfer saga
The 27-year-old had passed a medical and agreed personal terms with the
French side — but there was no fee deal
The Mirror
BYMARC ISAACS
19:42, 20 SEP 2017
Diafra Sakho has had a major change of heart and is willing to give
everything for West Ham as he looks to force his way back into first-team
contention. Striker Sakho looked to be heading out of the exit door in the
summer after telling the club he wanted to leave, and he both passed a
medical and agreed personal terms with French side Rennes in late August.
However, no transfer fee had been settled so the Hammers blocked the move
from taking place, and insisted that Sakho returned to England. Boss Slaven
Bilic has been impressed with his attitude since the incident and is now
expecting big things from the 27-year-old, who scored his second goal of the
season on Tuesday in the 3-0 Carabao Cup win over Championship visitors
Bolton. Bilic said: "Sakho's attitude and mood is spot on. Really spot on.
He's very motivated in training. He looks really good. That's why he's
playing for us. He is coming on. "I do not have any complaints whatsoever.
A few times I said that his attitude was not good or whatever, so I'm not
lying, I'm not trying to hide things. "But his determination and everything
now is really good. He looks really good, he's injury free, and he's willing
to train and play good for West Ham United."
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Analysing Diafra Sakho's goalscoring return for West Ham against Bolton
Written by Scott Challinor
Slaven Bilic's West Ham United barely broke a sweat in their Carabao Cup
Third Round tie, easing into the hat for the Fourth Round with a 3-0 over
early Championship strugglers Bolton Wanderers at London Stadium. Angelo
Ogbonna, Diafra Sakho, and Arthur Masuaku were all on the scoresheet for the
Hammers, Senegalese international Sakho repaying manager and fans with an
impressive performance on his recall to the side despite declaring his
intentions to leave the club over the summer, featuring as a lone striker
flanked by wingers Andre Ayew and the impressive Marko Arnautovic. Sakho and
Arnautovic linked well for the majority of the night, and their chemistry
showed its first glimpse as early as the fourth minute, Sakho winning a
free-kick which Arnautovic duly stood over out on the right wing. The
Austrian played a perfect ball into the box, and with Sakho amongst others
making nuisance of himself in the box, it allowed Angelo Ogbonna the time
and space to surge into the area unopposed for a free header which he
powered into the goal to give the hosts an early lead.
Sakho then almost turned provider for Arnautovic later in the first-half,
latching onto Mark Noble's clipped ball forward and holding up the ball
expertly against Bolton defender Mark Beevers, before laying the ball on for
Arnautovic to strike, who saw his initial effort blocked before his follow
up effort was parried away by goalkeeper Mark Howard. Sakho's movement and
hold-up play was beginning to cause Bolton all sorts of problems, and he
showed off a glimpse of his ability to run the channels also. Played in down
the left, he raced clear of defender Andrew Taylor and cut inside onto the
edge of the penalty box before checking back onto his right foot and playing
in the onrushing Andre Ayew, who could only drag his first-time effort wide
of the right post.
With unwanted profligacy in front of goal seeming to set in, and unwilling
to allow that to hand the visitors a route back into the contest, Sakho
himself showed his teammates the route to goal with just over half an hour
on the clock. Noble, another impressive performer on the night, played a
well weighted clipped ball through to Arnautovic who'd found a pocket of
space down the left with acres of space to gallop forward. Venturing inside,
he laid the ball left-footed off for Sakho inside the penalty area, who had
the simple task of finishing beyond Howard to put the hosts two goals ahead
before the break. His celebration was muted, as he wandered over the byline
to thank his teammate. Sakho was notably quieter after the break, which
mirrored West Ham's team performance in the second-half, with chances fewer
and further between until the forward made way for Javier Hernandez on 71
minutes.
The Hammers went on to finish the job in stoppage time, Arthur Masuaku being
allowed the time and space on the left of the penalty area to pick his spot
and send a left-footed pile-driver into the top right corner and complete
Bolton's misery in East London. Although Sakho is almost certain to depart
the club at the end of the season, if not in January, his hardworking team
performance on Tuesday will remind Slaven Bilic that the want-away forward
still has something to offer his side, for unlike popular belief, it appears
the forward is not willing to allow his desire to leave the club impede his
performances. His performance also says a great deal about the strength in
depth of this West Ham side when the players are performing, and the Hammers
could prove to be a dark horse in this competition in the hat for the next
round.
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Joseph Anang training with West Ham, club working around the clock to seal
work permit
HITC
Olly Dawes
West Ham United are reportedly pressing ahead with a move for goalkeeper
Joseph Anang. According to Ghana Soccernet, West Ham United are working
tirelessly to seal a work permit for teenage goalkeeper Joseph Anang after
handing him a contract. Anang, 19, started his career with Danbort FC in
Ghana before moving on to Wa All Stars, where he appears to have caught the
eye. The young shot-stopper joined up with West Ham for pre-season training,
in a bid to impress Slaven Bilic's men enough to win a contract at the
London Stadium. West Ham were suitably impressed, handing Anang a three-year
contract last month – but the deal hasn't yet been completely
rubber-stamped, according to Ghana Soccernet. Anang needs a work permit to
play for West Ham, and it's stated that the Hammers are 'working around the
clock' to get permission for Anang to play in England. It's stated that
Anang is still in East London, and is currently training with Joe Hart and
Adrian in anticipation of being given the green light to start his West Ham
career. Joe Hart of West Ham United is dejected after the Premier League
match between Manchester United and West Ham United at Old Trafford on
August 13, 2017 in Manchester, England. Anang and West Ham will both be
hoping for the work permit to be approved sooner rather than later, handing
the Hammers another young talent to develop over the comign years. The likes
of Domingos Quina, Nathan Holland and Sead Haksabanovic have all arrived at
West Ham over the last 18 months, and Anang could be the latest talent to
join Slaven Bilic's men.
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West Ham star Declan Rice 'fired up' for Tottenham clash after giving Slaven
Bilic selection headache
KEN DYER
The Evening Standard
Slaven Bilic challenged his players to hand him a selection "headache"
before their EFL Cup third-round tie last night. Following an emphatic 3-0
victory over Bolton, the West Ham manager may well have been reaching for
the paracetamol after Marko Arnautovic and Declan Rice, in particular, duly
obliged. Arnautovic, starting his first match following his three-game ban,
played a major part in West Ham's first two goals while Rice, 18, once again
demonstrated that West Ham have a special young player in their ranks.
Playing in his favoured central defensive position in a much-changed
line-up, Rice showed a maturity beyond his tender years. Arnautovic,
meanwhile, was dynamic, powerful and occasionally frustrating, such as when
he audaciously and unsuccessfully attempted to lob Bolton goalkeeper Mark
Howard from 15 yards out. Both players — and others in this easy victory —
have put the pressure on Bilic's probable starting XI for Saturday's derby
against Tottenham, with teenager Rice underlining what it would mean to him
to be picked for that game. Bilic, who made 10 changes from the team which
drew against West Brom on Saturday, told his players that there were places
up for grabs and Rice said: "Things like that really fire me up. We have a
few more training sessions before the Spurs game. There's a space up for
grabs and I want to take it."
Rice, far from being intimidated by the prospect of playing up against Harry
Kane and Dele Alli, would relish the prospect. "I couldn't begin to
describe how I would feel if I was picked," he said. "It could only stand me
in good stead for the future, playing against those kind of players." Rice
began his career at Chelsea but was released at the age of 14. During that
time, though, he met John Terry and still maintains contact with the former
England defender. "He is my idol," said the Republic of Ireland Under-19
international. "I got to know him at Chelsea and still catch up now and
then."
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West Ham boss Slaven Bilic wants more from Marko Arnautovic
Last Updated: 19/09/17 11:23pm
SSN
Slaven Bilic watched Marko Arnautovic inspire West Ham to a 3-0 Carabao
Cup victory over Bolton and then demanded more from the Austrian
playmaker. Arnautovic marked his home debut after joining for £25million
from Stoke during the summer by setting up goals for Angelo Ogbonna and
Diafra Sakho before Arthur Masuaku struck an outstanding third deep into
injury time. The Hammers' record signing was sent off for use of the elbow
against Southampton last month in only his second appearance, delaying his
first outing at London Stadium, and Bilic insisted his performance against
Bolton began his path to redemption. I could have asked for more. I want
him to do more. He's got that quality and that something extra," Bilic
said. "I like him as a player, but sometimes he gets happy with the few
things that he does when I want him to push the borders. "After what
happened last month, this is the beginning of the comeback for him."
West Ham led after only half an hour, but they failed to dominate in the
same way in the second half when Bolton pieced together promising spells.
"We've done the job. It was a really good performance in the first half
and the opposition was from the Championship, so it's not like they're bad
quality," Bilic said. "The only thing we weren't happy with was that we
didn't score as many goals as we should have done. "We ended the game with
a wonder goal. It was a good night for us in the cup, we're into the next
round and kept a clean sheet which is important."
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West Ham v Tottenham: Will Javier Hernandez or Jan Vertonghen win key
battle?
By Ollie Francis
Last Updated: 20/09/17 1:00pm
SSN
Will Javier Hernandez or Jan Vertonghen win the key battle when West Ham
host Tottenham on Saturday? We take a look at the stats...
West Ham and Tottenham renew their hotly-contested rivalry at the London
Stadium live on Sky Sports Premier League this Saturday lunchtime, with the
hosts hoping to repeat the performance that led to a 1-0 home win against
Spurs in May. That result ended any lingering title hopes Mauricio
Pochettino's men had - but if the Hammers are to maintain their 100 per cent
record against Spurs at their new home, Javier Hernandez will likely have to
win his individual battle with Jan Vertonghen.
West Ham's new £16m striker has scored two of their four Premier League
goals this season, both coming at Southampton, but the Mexican will be
hoping to improve on a poor personal record against Saturday's visitors.
Hernandez has failed to score in eight career appearances against Tottenham,
including both Champions League games for Bayer Leverkusen last season. He
hasn't found the net in six league appearances against Spurs, which is the
most he has played against any team without scoring.
Javier Hernandez - least favourite PL opponents
Opposition Apps Goals
Tottenham 6 0
Norwich 5 0
Fulham 4 0
Man City 4 0
Sunderland 4 0
One of Hernandez's main roles on Saturday - as well as being a threat in the
opposition's box - will be to press high on Tottenham's defenders and
attempt to stop Pochettino's team building from the back. Slaven Bilic's
team did that successfully in May and were able to capitalise on the
rewards. Tottenham's backline have a lot of the ball under Pochettino and
Vertonghen and his team-mate Toby Alderweireld have had more touches in the
Premier League than any other defenders this season.
Most touches in PL this season - defenders
Player Team Touches
Jan Vertonghen Tottenham 525
Toby Alderweireld Tottenham 452
Nicolas Otamendi Man City 448
Antonio Valencia Man Utd 419
Nacho Monreal Arsenal 400
Non-stop work-rate is very much part of Hernandez's game, with only Pablo
Zabaleta covering more distance for West Ham this season, so the energetic
former Manchester United man has the capacity to limit the time and touches
Spurs defenders have on Saturday.
West Ham distance covered in PL this season
Player Distance covered
Pablo Zabaleta 47.9km
Javier Hernandez 44km
Aaron Cresswell 43.2km
Michail Antonio 36.2km
Pedro Obiang 34km
Keeping the ball out of the net is Vertonghen's primary job and the Belgian
was a mainstay of the best defence in the Premier League last season as
Tottenham conceded just 26 goals. Since the start of last season, the
30-year-old has made far more clearances, headed clearances and
interceptions than any other team-mate.
Tottenham defending since August 2016
Most clearances Most headed clearances Most interceptions
Vertonghen - 251 Vertonghen - 135 Vertonghen - 45
Alderwiereld - 180 Alderwiereld - 95 Dier - 43
Dier - 156 Dier - 156 Wanyama - 41
Walker - 94 Davies - 49 Walker - 38
Davies - 92 Walker - 46 Dembele - 29
On Saturday lunchtime, West Ham will be hoping to build on consecutive clean
sheets against Huddersfield and West Brom, while Tottenham will attempt to
avoid failing to score in consecutive Premier League games for the first
time since May 2015. The Hammers will be hoping to replicate the performance
and result against Spurs in May and key to that could be if Chicharito can
end his scoring drought against Tottenham and can win his duel with Spurs'
defensive stalwart.
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BILIC–ROUND PEGS IN SQUARE HOLES?
By Blind Hammer 20 Sep 2017 at 17:00
WTID
Blind Hammer asks if Bilic really has a flaw in playing Players out of
Position?
The encouraging performance against Bolton gives further evidence that our
season is recovering after a horrible start. Nevertheless criticisms persist
that we are wasting Hernandez's talents, marooning him out wide on the left.
Bilic has been slated for allegedly misusing Hernandez in much the same way
as he previously experimented with Antonio at Right Back.
There is little evidence that Chico is enjoying his current role yet playing
players out of position is not necessarily a managerial flaw. In some cases
it may actually represent managerial genius. Moses at Chelsea and Valencia
at Manchester United have both thrived when converted to Wing Backs. We can
forgive Bilic for attempting the same with Antonio but perhaps not for how
long he continued with the experiment.
We also have an honourable and illustrious tradition, as a club, at
effectively switching players from one position to another. Ron greenwood
was particularly adept at recognising where players could thrive in
alternative roles. Geoff Hurst did not start out as a Centre forward; it
took the vision of Greenwood to transform him from what would now be
described as a defensive midfield player into a World Cup hat trick hero.
Similarly Trevor Brooking started his West Ham career as a striker alongside
Geoff Hurst. I remember Shoot Magazine celebrating how brooking had "taken
the pressure off" Hurst. It was the astuteness of Greenwood and lyall which
transformed an ordinary striker into a world class midfield player. The
history of West Ham is sparkled with examples of player's successfully
switching position. Billy Bonds was a legend whether he played at right
back, central defence or midfield.
So playing players out of position is not necessarily wrong. Football is not
like a game of Tetris where pieces simply have to be in the right places for
success. It comes down to judgement. Playing Moses at Right Wing Back was
good judgement, playing Antonio there was not.
So the real question is one of assessing Bilic's judgement. Most importantly
this judgement has to extend beyond any particular game to strategic
recruitment and squad design. It is here that we can find the reason for
Hernandez's seemingly strange role.
Some transfers have been peculiar. Players have been, on the face of it,
recruited to play to their weaknesses rather than their strengths. Snodgrass
was bemused that Bilic did not understand where he preferred playing after
signing. His record of success came largely from a role on the right. Yet
playing on the right was a berth from which he was unlikely to depose
Antonio. The transfer was muddled, Snodgrass should not have been signed as
a Payet replacement given he had no record of success in the Payet role.
Similarly Zaza had no successful track record as a solitary striker,
preferring the second striker role. Yet it was this lone striker role, to
his advisors apparent perplexity, that West Ham expected Zaza to thrive in.
Now Hernandez, famed for his operations in the penalty area, is tactically
playing wide.
So what should perhaps be criticised is not the playing of people out of
position but the apparently confused recruitment policy. Developing talents
in your clubs by testing them in different roles is one thing, to
significantly invest in players and then play them in roles in which they
have no record of success seems strange.
To be fair Bilic has denied deploying Hernandez as a winger and has instead
described him as developing a partnership with Carroll. He has also admitted
it is not an ideal situation. This is probably true but at the start of the
season it was Hernandez who had the central striker berth around which the
team was to be built. The horrible start to the season caused a late SOS
call to Carroll to instead fulfil this role.
What is really driving the playing of Hernandez wide left is the early
crisis in defending which beset our team. Bilic admitted he was thinking
about the sack before the Huddersfield game and probably realised that even
the West Ham Board would part company with him unless he managed to repair
what was then the worst defensive record in the league.
The sticking plaster, given our defensive fragilities, is to play 3 at the
back. Whilst this has addressed the crisis in defensive performance, it has
left us depleted of creative midfield resources. Bilic has little choice but
to adjust for this by relying on the direct approach deploying the skills of
both Antonio and Carroll. Hernandez is the sacrificial lamb who has to try
and fit into this system. This is probably not what he anticipated. Other
teams will be designed around his skills, here he is trying to adapt to the
skills of Andy Carroll.
Despite the encouragement of the Bolton game I believe Bilic has little
choice but to pursue this course for the time being at least. It would be
the height of folly to abandon 3 at the back against Spurs based on the
challenge Bolton presented. He is paying the price for not addressing the
weakness in central defensive cover over the summer. Collins injury has
exposed this particular foolishness even more now.
The real weakness at West Ham is not so much the playing of players out of
position but confused transfer recruitment over the last 18 months. We need
to more accurately identify the players to play in the system we need. Three
at the back as an option was completely disregarded over the summer despite
the fact it was a critical element in our eventual survival.
What is clear that the number one priority for the team was to stop the
disastrous shipping of goals and build a team strategy that all could draw
confidence from. In the short term it is unavoidable that Hernandez has to
either fit in with this defensive solidity or feature from the bench. We do
not currently have the squad talents to fight fire with fire and play "gung
ho" attacking formations. A heavy defeat to Spurs could jeopardise the green
shoots of recovery we are now witnessing.
COYI
David Griffith
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ogbonna's dancing feet & Rice's maturity - moments missed from West Ham's
cruise over Bolton
Did you spot these moments on Monday night?
Football London
BYSAM INKERSOLE
11:00, 20 SEP 2017
Rice's maturity
Beyond the final whistle, Rice was one of the first players to go towards
the Sir Bobby Moore stand and thank the fans who had stayed the course. The
teenager was an unknown this time last year but has enjoyed a meteoric rise
in standing among the Hammers supporters. The fact he is insanely talented
as well helps as he bossed the Bolton frontline on Tuesday night. Rice has
to be careful he doesn't fall the way of Reece Oxford, who is warming the
bench for Borussia Moenchengladbach at the moment after being the next big
thing, You suspect though, it won't be the case with Rice.
Ogbonna's trickery
Talk about getting yourself out of a tight spot with ease. In the second
half on Tuesday night, Ogbonna had the ball in his own penalty box and was
surrounded by three Bolton attackers. A swift shimmy away from one, a
pirouette around another and then a shoulder drop around the final one saw
all three Bolton attackers look a bit foolish as the Italian strode away
with the ball at his feet.
Chicharito realising he might lose a fight
The diminutive Mexican hadn't been on the pitch for long before he got
caught up in a bit of handbags with Darren Pratley, the Bolton skipper.
Pratley has about a foot in height in Hernandez and when Chichar squared up
to Pratley's well, chest, he decided to back away from the situation. Good
move, Chicha.
Jeff King's miserable ten seconds
Bolton had very few forays into the West Ham defensive third but one such
moment arrived with ten minutes to go. Jeff King, making his Trotters debut
at left back, found himself in a bit of space and with a chance to deliver
into the box. He proceeded to fire the ball about three miles overhit and
out of play Obviously his manager thought that was enough for one night, as
Phil Parkinson immediately took King off the pitch substituted before the
ball was back live in play.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Charlie Nicholas comments prove Slaven Bilic was right over Kelechi
Iheanacho decision
HITC
Damien Lucas
West Ham United boss Slaven Bilic elected against signing Leicester City new
boy Kelechi Iheanacho in the summer. The Hammers signed Joe Hart, Pablo
Zabaleta, Marko Arnautovic and Javier Hernandez over the summer to improve
their first team. But much of the talk since the window closed has focused
on the players Bilic didn't sign. The manager has admitted William Carvalho
and Andre Gomes were all but done before falling through just before the
deadline. But supporters and pundits were questioning Bilic's judgement
after he pulled the plug on a deal to sign Kelechi Iheanacho from Manchester
City and the player went on to join Leicester City instead. For much of the
transfer window the Nigerian looked on the verge of a move to East London.
That was until Bilic made the bold call to pull the plug on the deal at the
11th hour, as reported by the Evening Standard. Supporters were left
disappointed and felt he would have brought much needed pace to their
frontline. Iheanacho has so far played barely featured for Leicester and has
been playing for their Under 23s side or being given minutes in the cup. It
may be early days but his inauspicious start to life with the Foxes suggests
Bilic may have been right to pull out of the deal. And that view is
reinforced by comments from Sky Sports pundit Charlie Nicholas before
Leicester's Carabao Cup game against Liverpool as the former Arsenal star
warned Iheanacho he could become a nearly man like another Premier League
striker. "This is a good time for Kelechi Iheanacho to come good," Nicholas
told Sky Sports. "He's in danger of being the next Saido Berahino in terms
of just going through the motions and needs to seize his chance."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham EXCLUSIVE: Bolton booted Chicharito lots but we're both ok for
Spurs - Mark Noble
MARK NOBLE felt Bolton targeted West Ham star Javier Hernandez and risked
injuring him last night.
Daily Star
By Jack Staplehurst / Published 20th September 2017
The Hammers comfortably beat their Championship opponents 3-0 at the
London Stadium in their Carabao Cup third round tie. Angelo Ogbonna,
Diafra Sakho and Arthur Masuaku got on the scoresheet as Slaven Bilic
rotated his side. With 20 minutes to play, ex-Manchester United and Real
Madrid striker Chicharito was introduced. While he searched for his first
goal at home for West Ham, Hernandez found himself kicked to pieces as the
game drew to a close. Hammers fans were left with hearts in mouths too
when their star goalscorer went down clutching his ankle. But fortunately
for West Ham ahead of their crunch London derby this weekend at home to
Tottenham, Hernandez shook off the many blows. And Noble claims he and
Hernandez are both ready for Saturday's showdown (12.30pm) on the back of
cup progress. On Hernandez, Noble told Starsport: "Yeah, he came on and
got kicked about eight times. "I'm pretty sure their lads wanted to say
'I've booted Chicharito'. "These nights are always tough obviously playing
a Championship side, obviously they're struggling a little bit in the
league but you know what you're going to get. "But to be honest it was
nice for him (Hernandez) to get out there again at home and as we're fine
with no injuries we're looking forward to Saturday."
Noble returned to action himself last night after a short absence due to a
knee injury. The West Ham skipper missed last week's 2-0 win over
Huddersfield and Saturday's goalless draw at West Brom. However, following
a 77-minute run out against Bolton, he insists he is 100 per cent ready
and will be in contention to face arch-rivals Tottenham. Bilic, though,
must decide whether to recall Noble or stick with Cheikhou Kouyate and
Pedro Obiang in the middle. Asked about his fitness, Noble added: "Yeah
yeah, I feel much better. Obviously it was just nice to get back out on
the pitch get some minutes under my belt. "I ain't been out for long, it's
only been 10 days, you don't lose your fitness that quick. "But it's the
first time, apart from the (groin) operation I had that I've had some time
off. It's strange for me not being involved, that ain't right for me, but
it was lovely to be back out there tonight and back amongst the players."
While Noble is back, Edimilson Fernandes is also returning to training,
leaving just James Collins (ankle) and Manuel Lanzini (knee) on the
sidelines. Collins is out for 2-3 weeks, while Starsport understands
Lanzini could be back for the game after Spurs at home to Swansea next
Saturday. Noble added: "Yeah of course, just Manu who's out of the
picture, hopefully we'll be getting him back soon as well. But at the end
of the day, in the Premier League now, winning's all that matters.
"At the moment, we've kept three clean sheets in a row, won two out of the
last three. Things are looking better but we've got a massive game here
Saturday."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Marko Arnautovic shines on home debut but Slaven Bilic wants more from
West Ham's record signing
DUNCAN BECH
ES Sport
Slaven Bilic watched Marko Arnautovic inspire West Ham to a 3-0 Carabao
Cup victory over Bolton and then demanded more from the Austrian
playmaker. Arnautovic marked his home debut after joining for £25million
from Stoke during the summer by setting up goals for Angelo Ogbonna and
Diafra Sakho before Arthur Masuaku struck an outstanding third deep into
injury time. The Hammers' record signing was sent off for use of the elbow
against Southampton last month in only his second appearance, delaying his
first outing at London Stadium, and Bilic insisted his performance against
Bolton began his path to redemption. "I could have asked for more. I want
him to do more. He's got that quality and that something extra," Bilic
said. "I like him as a player, but sometimes he gets happy with the few
things that he does when I want him to push the borders. "I know what he's
capable of and I want him to keep molesting the opposition and never be
happy in a positive way. But of course he did the job here. "After what
happened last month, this is the beginning of the comeback for him."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Arnautovic stepped up for West Ham in a big way but now he needs to do it
on the big stage
The enigmatic Austrian was superb against a poor Bolton side, ripping them
to shreds
Football London
BYSAM INKERSOLE
23:15, 19 SEP 2017
Slaven Bilic said at his press conference on Monday ahead of this game
that he wanted an easy win and no injuries to his players - that's what he
got. West Ham cruised through in the Carabao Cup against Bolton Wanderers
3-0 and one player in particular stood up and was counted. Marko
Arnautovic was in need of impressing not just Bilic, but the West Ham
faithful following his shocking red card down at St Mary's which led to a
three-match ban and from the first minute on his home debut, the record
signing looked in the mood. He could have scored a couple himself but
managed to bag two assists on the night and was generally unplayable
throughout the 90 minutes as he demonstrated his entire repertoire in
Stratford. Bolton right back Filipe Morais will be having nightmares long
into the season after being utterly dismantled by the Hammers £25m man for
the entire game, with Arnautovic displaying skill, trickery, pace, power,
the whole shebang.
He was a bit quieter in the second half - as were the whole team to be
fair - but if anyone was going to create something exciting in the second
45, it was Arnautovic. The first half though, Arnautovic was absolutely
unplayable. He was too quick, too strong and simply too good for Bolton,
getting two assists. A lovely scoop and run around Morais was the
highlight, it would have been a superb goal had he not been flagged
offside after getting a return pass from Diafra Sakho.
But the Austrian didn't sulk or let it get to him - he got his head down
and buckled up again - terrorising Morais at every opportunity and
seemingly striking up a good understanding - like we saw in pre-season, by
the way - with Arthur Masuaku. The DR Congo defender had a decent game to
and managed to round things off with an absolute peach of a strike himself
in injury time to add to Sakho and Angelo Ogbonna's goals.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Wednesday, September 20
Daily WHUFC News - 20th September 2017
Hammers ease to Carabao Cup win over Bolton Wanderers
WHUFC.com
Goals from Angelo Ogbonna, Diafra Sakho and Arthur Masuaku were enough for
West Ham United to beat Bolton Wanders 3-0 and secure passage into the
Carabao Cup Fourth Round. The opening finish came just four minutes into the
match as Ogbonna headed in a great effort from a set-piece. Sakho also found
the net after some excellent work from Marko Arnautovic, with the winger
providing two assists on his London Stadium debut for the Hammers. Masuaku
secured the victory for the Hammers with a beautiful effort from distance in
second-half stoppage time. A professional win for the Premier League team
was capped with first team debuts for Sead Haksabanovic and Nathan Holland,
who started the match and came off the bench respectively. It was the
perfect start for the home side with Ogbonna's opening goal coming in just
the fourth minute. From an Arnautovic free-kick the Italian defender powered
home a header after being left unmarked in the Bolton box. That lead could
have been extended before the ten-minute mark as Arnautovic had a shot saved
and another free-kick go just wide, before the winger also attempted a
chipped effort which went over the cross-bar. Sakho claimed the Hammers'
second just after half an hour when Arnautovic again brilliantly created
space and put the ball on a plate for the striker to slot his second goal in
as many Carabao Cup contests. Ayew also saw a shot narrowly skip wide and
find the side netting after good work in what was a dominate 45 minutes for
the home side against Bolton, whose only chance came in the form of headed
effort straight at Adrian.
The second half saw the introduction of Holland for his first team debut,
with the young winger coming on just after the hour mark in place of the
side's other debutant, Haksabanovic. Chicharito was also introduced for the
Irons, replacing goal-scorer Sakho, with the Mexican's movement continuing
to cause the away side issues throughout the remainder of the fixture.
Having outplayed the Championship team in the first period, chances were
fewer for West Ham in the second half but the victory was secured
brilliantly by left-back Masuaku, who struck a perfect effort from distance
in the final minute of the match.
West Ham will find out their Fourth-Round opponents on Wednesday evening.
West Ham: Adrian; Byram, Rice, Ogbonna, Masuaku; Noble (Quina 78'), Kouyate,
Haksabanovic (Holland 62'), Ayew, Arnautovic; Sakho (Chicharito 71')
Subs not used: Hart, Cresswell, Fonte, Antonio
Goals: Ogbonna 4', Sakho 31', Masuaku 90+4'
Bolton Wanderers: Howard; Taylor, Dervite (Wheater 46'), Beevers, Le Fondre,
Noone (Earing 71'), Robinson, Wilbraham, Pratley, Morais, King (Armstrong
81')
Subs not used: Turner, Madine, Brockbank, White
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Reece Oxford nominated for 2017 Golden Boy award
WHUFC.com
West Ham United youngster Reece Oxford has been nominated for the 2017
Golden Boy award. The 18-year-old, currently on loan at Borussia
Monchengladbach, has been included in the list of 25 players under the age
of 21 in the running for the illustrious honour. The winner will be decided
by a panel of 30 journalists from across Europe and the result will be
announced in October. Previous winners include the likes of Wayne Rooney,
Sergio Aguero and Paul Pogba. Everyone at West Ham would like to
congratulate Reece for his nomination for the Golden Boy award.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham United 3-0 Bolton Wanderers
BBC.co.uk
Marko Arnautovic impressed as Premier League side West Ham reached the
Carabao Cup fourth round by easing past the Championship's bottom side
Bolton.
Arnautovic provided a free-kick for Angelo Ogbonna's thumping header and
passed for Diafra Sakho to stroke home. Full-back Arthur Masuaku scored a
thunderous goal late on, striking high into the top corner from 25 yards.
Bolton's only effort on target fell to Mark Beevers, but the defender headed
straight at goalkeeper Adrian. Phil Parkinson's side have failed to win any
of their opening eight league games and off-field issues regarding ownership
have contributed to the club's instability. The Lancashire side proved no
match for the Hammers, who lost their opening three top-flight games, but
the pressure has since eased on boss Slaven Bilic after a victory and draw
in recent fixtures. Signed in the summer from Stoke for £25m, Arnautovic put
in his best performance in a West Ham shirt, causing all sorts of problems
for the visitors. He laid on two goals and should have found the net
himself, but Mark Howard pushed away a fierce drive and the Austrian was off
target with a chipped effort. Striker Andre Ayew should scored in the
opening period too, but struck wide from close range and also hit the
side-netting.
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West Ham 3-0 Bolton: Angelo Ogbonna, Diafra Sakho and Arthur Masuaku strike
in win
Last Updated: 19/09/17 10:04pm
SSN
Marko Arnautovic marked his home debut for West Ham by orchestrating a 3-0
Carabao Cup victory over Bolton at London Stadium. The Austria playmaker was
sent off against Southampton last month in only his second appearance for
the club he joined for £25m during the summer, incurring a three-match ban
and the wrath of Slaven Bilic despite making a series of apologies to
team-mates, fans and his manager. For fans in east London it was worth the
wait as he directed play against a Bolton team rooted to the foot of the Sky
Bet Championship table, expertly setting up goals for Angelo Ogbonna and
Diafra Sakho before Arthur Masuaku struck an outstanding third deep into
injury time. Wanderers rarely threatened the home goal but at least put up
more fight in the second half when their best chances were created. The
third-round victory continues the Hammers' improvement since their dismal
start to the season, making it two wins and a draw in their last three games
and setting them up for Saturday's Premier League clash with Tottenham, live
on Sky Sports Premier League. How many of the Carabao Cup team will be
present remains to be seen, however, after Bilic made 10 changes including
the return of captain Mark Noble from a knee injury. The mass of new faces
did not prevent them from seizing an early lead, Mark Howard's jitters when
dealing with a speculative long-range shot an opening-minute signpost of the
one-sided first half to come. A heartbeat later Arnautovic delivered a
terrific free-kick and centre-back Ogbonna arrived at pace to head the ball
home past Howard. West Ham were ahead after only three minutes and it could
have been 2-0 shortly after, only for Howard to parry away a shot by
Arnautovic. It had been a lively start for Arnautovic, though he then blazed
over when put through clear on goal. The 28-year-old was more precise on the
half-hour mark, however, when he collected a high pass and set off down the
left before a perfectly-weighted cut-back found Sakho who prodded home.
Bolton mustered their first meaningful attack shortly after half-time but
Craig Noone made a mess of a fine cross and his tame shot trickled
harmlessly wide. Evidence of a Wanderers revival was growing, but there was
a comical moment when two white shirts collided as they sought to capitalise
on a promising spell, enabling West Ham to counter-attack.
Stout defending from Ogbonna halted another foray and for the remainder of
the game West Ham were on the back foot until Masuaku let fly from 25 yards
out to find the top corner.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham 3-0 Bolton: Hammers ease through in Carabao Cup as Diafra Sakho
finds the net
Angelo Ogbonna and Arthur Masuaku also found the net as Marko Arnautovic
impressed
The Mirror
BYMARC ISAACS
21:51, 19 SEP 2017
Marko Arnautovic stole the show for West Ham on his home debut at London
Stadium as he helped the Hammers comfortably book their place in the fourth
round of the Carabao Cup. The £24million club record signing had a major
point to prove following his mindless sending-off against Southampton almost
a month ago and did his best to make up for it with a superb display against
Bolton. Arnautovic helped set up both goals for Angelo Ogbonna and Diafra
Sakho in the first half and should have got on the scoresheet when he was
clean through but lofted the ball over the bar. The impressive display has
certainly given Slaven Bilic something to think about and a big selection
dilemma ahead of the big London derby against Tottenham on Saturday. Arthur
Masuaku completed an impressive victory with a superb finish into the roof
of the net in injury time.
Bolton, who are rooted to the foot of the Championship saw their nightmare
start continue as they suffered their seventh defeat of the season and never
looked like causing an upset in east London. The Hammers got off to the
perfect start when they opened the scoring after just four minutes.
Arnautovic clearly had a point to prove on his home debut and showed his
quality straight away when he curled a free-kick straight into the path of
Ogbonna who directed a close-range header past Bolton keeper Mark Howard.
West Ham doubled their lead on 31 minutes and it was that man Arnautovic who
was once again involved in the heart of the action. The Austrian
international raced away down the left hand side and cut the ball back for
Sakho who made no mistake striking the ball into the corner of the net.
Masuaku made it three in injury time when he fired an unstoppable left foot
shot from the edge of the area which sailed past Howard into the roof of the
net.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Shanghai Shenhua chief blasts £650,000-a-week Carlos Tevez: 'He hasn't met
our expectations'
The former West Ham, Manchester United and Manchester City man has struggled
in the Chinese Super League
The Mirror
BYJOE MEWIS
15:52, 19 SEP 2017UPDATED15:53, 19 SEP 2017
The chairman of Shangai Shenhua has admitted that his £650,000-a-week stat
Carlos Tevez has not met expectations in the Chinese Super League . The
former West Ham and Manchester City striker is one of the highest-paid
players in the world, but has struggled with form and fitness as Shenhua
have struggled in the league this season. Although he came off the bench to
score against rivals Shanghai SPIG on Saturday, it was a mere consolation in
a 6-1 defeat. That has led chairman Wu Xiaohui to admit the Argentine has
not been the success that the club were banking on when they handed him a
monster contract in January. "Our intention was to bring in an influential
star player with high quality, and we all think Tevez could fit the bill,"
Wu told Shanghai TV. "However, due to a lack of winter training and match
fitness, he didn't meet our expectations."
A calf injury saw him miss the start of the Chinese Super League season,
with his side losing all four of their games so far. Wu Jingui replaced
former Chelsea star Gus Poyet as manager last week and has also criticised
the Argentine for his physical condition. "He is overweight, along with
[Fredy] Guarin. I have to take responsibility for the team and the players
as well," Wu said. "If you are unable do your utmost to play, there's no
point in picking you. I have coached lots of big stars, and my players are
never picked on reputation."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Goals from Angelo Ogbonna, Diafra Sakho and Arthur Masuaku were enough for
West Ham United to beat Bolton Wanders 3-0 and secure passage into the
Carabao Cup Fourth Round. The opening finish came just four minutes into the
match as Ogbonna headed in a great effort from a set-piece. Sakho also found
the net after some excellent work from Marko Arnautovic, with the winger
providing two assists on his London Stadium debut for the Hammers. Masuaku
secured the victory for the Hammers with a beautiful effort from distance in
second-half stoppage time. A professional win for the Premier League team
was capped with first team debuts for Sead Haksabanovic and Nathan Holland,
who started the match and came off the bench respectively. It was the
perfect start for the home side with Ogbonna's opening goal coming in just
the fourth minute. From an Arnautovic free-kick the Italian defender powered
home a header after being left unmarked in the Bolton box. That lead could
have been extended before the ten-minute mark as Arnautovic had a shot saved
and another free-kick go just wide, before the winger also attempted a
chipped effort which went over the cross-bar. Sakho claimed the Hammers'
second just after half an hour when Arnautovic again brilliantly created
space and put the ball on a plate for the striker to slot his second goal in
as many Carabao Cup contests. Ayew also saw a shot narrowly skip wide and
find the side netting after good work in what was a dominate 45 minutes for
the home side against Bolton, whose only chance came in the form of headed
effort straight at Adrian.
The second half saw the introduction of Holland for his first team debut,
with the young winger coming on just after the hour mark in place of the
side's other debutant, Haksabanovic. Chicharito was also introduced for the
Irons, replacing goal-scorer Sakho, with the Mexican's movement continuing
to cause the away side issues throughout the remainder of the fixture.
Having outplayed the Championship team in the first period, chances were
fewer for West Ham in the second half but the victory was secured
brilliantly by left-back Masuaku, who struck a perfect effort from distance
in the final minute of the match.
West Ham will find out their Fourth-Round opponents on Wednesday evening.
West Ham: Adrian; Byram, Rice, Ogbonna, Masuaku; Noble (Quina 78'), Kouyate,
Haksabanovic (Holland 62'), Ayew, Arnautovic; Sakho (Chicharito 71')
Subs not used: Hart, Cresswell, Fonte, Antonio
Goals: Ogbonna 4', Sakho 31', Masuaku 90+4'
Bolton Wanderers: Howard; Taylor, Dervite (Wheater 46'), Beevers, Le Fondre,
Noone (Earing 71'), Robinson, Wilbraham, Pratley, Morais, King (Armstrong
81')
Subs not used: Turner, Madine, Brockbank, White
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Reece Oxford nominated for 2017 Golden Boy award
WHUFC.com
West Ham United youngster Reece Oxford has been nominated for the 2017
Golden Boy award. The 18-year-old, currently on loan at Borussia
Monchengladbach, has been included in the list of 25 players under the age
of 21 in the running for the illustrious honour. The winner will be decided
by a panel of 30 journalists from across Europe and the result will be
announced in October. Previous winners include the likes of Wayne Rooney,
Sergio Aguero and Paul Pogba. Everyone at West Ham would like to
congratulate Reece for his nomination for the Golden Boy award.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham United 3-0 Bolton Wanderers
BBC.co.uk
Marko Arnautovic impressed as Premier League side West Ham reached the
Carabao Cup fourth round by easing past the Championship's bottom side
Bolton.
Arnautovic provided a free-kick for Angelo Ogbonna's thumping header and
passed for Diafra Sakho to stroke home. Full-back Arthur Masuaku scored a
thunderous goal late on, striking high into the top corner from 25 yards.
Bolton's only effort on target fell to Mark Beevers, but the defender headed
straight at goalkeeper Adrian. Phil Parkinson's side have failed to win any
of their opening eight league games and off-field issues regarding ownership
have contributed to the club's instability. The Lancashire side proved no
match for the Hammers, who lost their opening three top-flight games, but
the pressure has since eased on boss Slaven Bilic after a victory and draw
in recent fixtures. Signed in the summer from Stoke for £25m, Arnautovic put
in his best performance in a West Ham shirt, causing all sorts of problems
for the visitors. He laid on two goals and should have found the net
himself, but Mark Howard pushed away a fierce drive and the Austrian was off
target with a chipped effort. Striker Andre Ayew should scored in the
opening period too, but struck wide from close range and also hit the
side-netting.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham 3-0 Bolton: Angelo Ogbonna, Diafra Sakho and Arthur Masuaku strike
in win
Last Updated: 19/09/17 10:04pm
SSN
Marko Arnautovic marked his home debut for West Ham by orchestrating a 3-0
Carabao Cup victory over Bolton at London Stadium. The Austria playmaker was
sent off against Southampton last month in only his second appearance for
the club he joined for £25m during the summer, incurring a three-match ban
and the wrath of Slaven Bilic despite making a series of apologies to
team-mates, fans and his manager. For fans in east London it was worth the
wait as he directed play against a Bolton team rooted to the foot of the Sky
Bet Championship table, expertly setting up goals for Angelo Ogbonna and
Diafra Sakho before Arthur Masuaku struck an outstanding third deep into
injury time. Wanderers rarely threatened the home goal but at least put up
more fight in the second half when their best chances were created. The
third-round victory continues the Hammers' improvement since their dismal
start to the season, making it two wins and a draw in their last three games
and setting them up for Saturday's Premier League clash with Tottenham, live
on Sky Sports Premier League. How many of the Carabao Cup team will be
present remains to be seen, however, after Bilic made 10 changes including
the return of captain Mark Noble from a knee injury. The mass of new faces
did not prevent them from seizing an early lead, Mark Howard's jitters when
dealing with a speculative long-range shot an opening-minute signpost of the
one-sided first half to come. A heartbeat later Arnautovic delivered a
terrific free-kick and centre-back Ogbonna arrived at pace to head the ball
home past Howard. West Ham were ahead after only three minutes and it could
have been 2-0 shortly after, only for Howard to parry away a shot by
Arnautovic. It had been a lively start for Arnautovic, though he then blazed
over when put through clear on goal. The 28-year-old was more precise on the
half-hour mark, however, when he collected a high pass and set off down the
left before a perfectly-weighted cut-back found Sakho who prodded home.
Bolton mustered their first meaningful attack shortly after half-time but
Craig Noone made a mess of a fine cross and his tame shot trickled
harmlessly wide. Evidence of a Wanderers revival was growing, but there was
a comical moment when two white shirts collided as they sought to capitalise
on a promising spell, enabling West Ham to counter-attack.
Stout defending from Ogbonna halted another foray and for the remainder of
the game West Ham were on the back foot until Masuaku let fly from 25 yards
out to find the top corner.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham 3-0 Bolton: Hammers ease through in Carabao Cup as Diafra Sakho
finds the net
Angelo Ogbonna and Arthur Masuaku also found the net as Marko Arnautovic
impressed
The Mirror
BYMARC ISAACS
21:51, 19 SEP 2017
Marko Arnautovic stole the show for West Ham on his home debut at London
Stadium as he helped the Hammers comfortably book their place in the fourth
round of the Carabao Cup. The £24million club record signing had a major
point to prove following his mindless sending-off against Southampton almost
a month ago and did his best to make up for it with a superb display against
Bolton. Arnautovic helped set up both goals for Angelo Ogbonna and Diafra
Sakho in the first half and should have got on the scoresheet when he was
clean through but lofted the ball over the bar. The impressive display has
certainly given Slaven Bilic something to think about and a big selection
dilemma ahead of the big London derby against Tottenham on Saturday. Arthur
Masuaku completed an impressive victory with a superb finish into the roof
of the net in injury time.
Bolton, who are rooted to the foot of the Championship saw their nightmare
start continue as they suffered their seventh defeat of the season and never
looked like causing an upset in east London. The Hammers got off to the
perfect start when they opened the scoring after just four minutes.
Arnautovic clearly had a point to prove on his home debut and showed his
quality straight away when he curled a free-kick straight into the path of
Ogbonna who directed a close-range header past Bolton keeper Mark Howard.
West Ham doubled their lead on 31 minutes and it was that man Arnautovic who
was once again involved in the heart of the action. The Austrian
international raced away down the left hand side and cut the ball back for
Sakho who made no mistake striking the ball into the corner of the net.
Masuaku made it three in injury time when he fired an unstoppable left foot
shot from the edge of the area which sailed past Howard into the roof of the
net.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Shanghai Shenhua chief blasts £650,000-a-week Carlos Tevez: 'He hasn't met
our expectations'
The former West Ham, Manchester United and Manchester City man has struggled
in the Chinese Super League
The Mirror
BYJOE MEWIS
15:52, 19 SEP 2017UPDATED15:53, 19 SEP 2017
The chairman of Shangai Shenhua has admitted that his £650,000-a-week stat
Carlos Tevez has not met expectations in the Chinese Super League . The
former West Ham and Manchester City striker is one of the highest-paid
players in the world, but has struggled with form and fitness as Shenhua
have struggled in the league this season. Although he came off the bench to
score against rivals Shanghai SPIG on Saturday, it was a mere consolation in
a 6-1 defeat. That has led chairman Wu Xiaohui to admit the Argentine has
not been the success that the club were banking on when they handed him a
monster contract in January. "Our intention was to bring in an influential
star player with high quality, and we all think Tevez could fit the bill,"
Wu told Shanghai TV. "However, due to a lack of winter training and match
fitness, he didn't meet our expectations."
A calf injury saw him miss the start of the Chinese Super League season,
with his side losing all four of their games so far. Wu Jingui replaced
former Chelsea star Gus Poyet as manager last week and has also criticised
the Argentine for his physical condition. "He is overweight, along with
[Fredy] Guarin. I have to take responsibility for the team and the players
as well," Wu said. "If you are unable do your utmost to play, there's no
point in picking you. I have coached lots of big stars, and my players are
never picked on reputation."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Tuesday, September 19
Daily WHUFC News II - 19th September 2017
Rice: I want to help us through to the next round
WHUFC.com
Declan Rice is determined to make the most of his opportunity should Slaven Bilic select him for tonight's Carabao Cup third-round tie with Bolton Wanderers. The 18-year-old started West Ham United's opening four matches of the 2017/18 season, including the second-round victory at Cheltenham Town, before dropping to the substitutes' bench for the Premier League fixtures with Huddersfield Town and West Bromwich Albion. While his time on the pitch may have reduced, Rice is in line for another first-team appearance against Bolton on Tuesday evening, and is ready to take his chance to impress his manager once again. "This season has gone so quickly," he told the Official Matchday Programme. "I gave it everything in pre-season and the manager had plans for me and has played me, so I'm over the moon. "Tonight's is an important game in the Carabao Cup and we want to win. Hopefully I can play and help us get through to the next round."
In a revealing interview, Rice revealed how he had joined Chelsea almost by chance as a nine-year-old, when his cousin invited him along for a trial, before quickly getting over the shock of being released at the age of 14. The south west London-born youngster went on to praise his Academy of Football coaches for developing and improving him to the point where Bilic handed him a first-team debut at Burnley in May. Rice has since started against Manchester United, Southampton and Newcastle United in the top flight, made his Republic of Ireland U21 debut and is highly thought of by his coaches, teammates and fans for his calm and assured presence, leadership and technical ability. "West Ham have a tradition of playing out from the back and the coaches have always encouraged me to express myself," he said. "When I moved back into defence, they told me to stick to my own game, rather than hit the ball long, and it's helped me massively.
"I was on the bench a couple of times [late last season] and I thought I might get a chance and Burnley was my time to be brought on. I got about five minutes and touched the ball a few times, so I was well happy."
To read Declan's Official Matchday Programme interview in full, and find out which two former England internationals are mentoring him, pick up your copy at London Stadium before tonight's game, or alternatively order your copy online here.
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Bilic: We are thinking positively about the Cup
WHUFC.com
Slaven Bilic is keen for an extended run in the Carabao Cup this season with his West Ham United side set to take on Bolton Wanderers at London Stadium on Tuesday. The Hammers saw off Cheltenham Town in the second round of this competition and are eyeing up a spot in the last-16 for the third time in the last four seasons. Last term, Manchester United ended West Ham's run at the quarter-final stage, but with the road to Wembley getting shorter by the round, Bilic is determined to take as many steps along it as possible. He explained: "Of course, we are very ambitious and of course we are thinking about the cup in a positive way. We are not thinking about Spurs, we are thinking about Bolton because if we win, we are not far away from making it a big success for every individual and for the club. "We [would] need a good draw. We would need a few top performances, and you are talking about three, four games, it's not a league. It's a good chance for us, like it is for all the clubs. "I'm upbeat, if you are looking at the last week It has been a good week for us. We were on zero points having conceded ten goals in three games, now two games later we have four points and didn't concede in either game. We limited two teams to one or two chances."
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Ten amazing West Ham United debuts worth remembering
WHUFC.com
West Ham United have a number of youngsters alongside a host of senior players in the squad to take on Bolton Wanderers on Tuesday. Sead Haksabanovic and Nathan Holland are among the names hoping to make their first team debuts at the London Stadium, and if either does they would like a similar first showing to these ten West Ham stars...
Andy Carroll
Signed from Liverpool on loan in the summer of 2012, Carroll made his debut for the Hammers in the home contest with Fulham on 1 September. The striker gave the West Ham supporters a great idea of what he could offer, playing a vital role in two of the Hammers' three goals on their way to a dominant victory over the Cottagers.
Mauro Zarate
Argentinian Zarate made his first competitive appearance for West Ham in the fixture away at Crystal Palace, on 23 August 2014. The forward marked his first outing with a spectacular goal, meeting a poor, dropping clearance with the outside of his right foot to beat Julien Speroni in the Palace goal from 20 yards. The Hammers would win the game 3-1, continuing a strong start to the campaign.
Henri Lansbury
Henri Lansbury had joined the Hammers on loan from Arsenal for the 2011/12 campaign in the Championship, and the young midfielder made his mark instantly in a home match against Portsmouth. Lansbury showed his prowess when he was the first to connect with a loose ball in the penalty area, giving West Ham a 2-1 lead, before also winning the home side a penalty. The Irons would go on to win the contest 4-3.
Thomas Hitzlsperger
Thomas Hitzlsperger had to wait a number of months for his West Ham debut, having missed the start of the season due to injury, but the German certainly made up for lost time straight away. 'Der Hammer' proved why he had earned his nickname with a trademark thunderbolt of an effort to give the Irons the lead against Burnley in the FA Cup, putting West Ham on their way to an excellent 5-1 win at the Boleyn Ground.
Bobby Zamora
Having moved to West Ham from Tottenham, it didn't take long for Bobby Zamora to make his mark with the striker coming off the bench to net the winner in a 2-1 victory away to Bradford. Zamora would also score for the Irons on his home debut, helping his new side to a win against Cardiff City. Not too shabby!
Jermain Defoe
On this day 17 years ago West Ham United were struggling to get a result away at Walsall in the second round of the League Cup. Off the bench came a young forward called Jermain Defoe. The fresh-faced forward would then tuck home a typical striker's finish in the 84th minute, starting a career that would be filled with excellent goals, and plenty of them too!
Trevor Sinclair
Signed from QPR in January 1998, Trevor Sinclair made a real impact on his first showing for the Irons in a home match with Everton. The winger scored twice to help the Harry Redknapp's side earn a 2-2 draw, and would play a crucial role in the team's eventual eighth placed finish that campaign.
Tony Cottee
A 17-year-old Tony Cottee made his West Ham debut in January 1983, against London rivals Tottenham, and what a showing the youngster gave. Cottee endeared himself to the home supporters immediately by scoring in a 3-0 victory over Spurs. He would go on to score 146 goals across two spells for the Hammers, making him the fifth top scorer in the club's history.
Jimmy Greaves
With Martin Peters transferring to Tottenham, Jimmy Greaves was sent to West Ham in part exchange in March 1970. Greaves's first showing for the Irons came at Maine Road against Manchester City. The striker scored twice in that game, helping West Ham to a brilliant 5-1 win away from home.
Bobby Moore
Bobby Moore is the greatest icon in West Ham United history and therefore it's no surprise that even his debut was something special. Moore, then just 17-years-old, started for the Irons against Manchester United - the other club interested in his signature as a teenager - helping the team to a brilliant 3-2 win. It was the start of something that was simply sensational.
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Ladies' home clash with Charlton is opportunity to get season 'back on track' – De Carnys
WHUFC.com
West Ham United Ladies manager Greg De Carnys believes this Wednesday's home clash with Charlton Athletic can be the fixture to get his side's campaign "back on track". The Ladies head into this midweek match on the back of three consecutive defeats but will take heart from the fact that they've won their only home game so far, a 4-3 victory against Cardiff City. The Hammers will have to be at their very best to beat a Charlton side that sit top of the league, having won all four of their league matches so far, scoring 16 goals in the process. But De Carnys believes his team have the grit and determination needed to get a positive result out of Wednesday's fixture at Rush Green. The first team manager pointed to the steel shown last season by the side in avoiding relegation and reckons that spirit will be needed against Athletic. "It will require all the character we have to beat a very strong Charlton outfit," De Carnys told whufc.com. "Having survived a tough relegation battle last year I know the girls have the character we need. It doesn't change. It's about fighting hard for every 50/50 and never giving up."
Season Ticket Holders and Claret Members can attend Wednesday's match at Rush Green – which kicks off at 7:45pm – for free, while other supporters can buy tickets on the gate for just £1. De Carnys reckons the support of the home crowd could be just what his team needs to get a strong result, one which could turn the Ladies' season around. He added: "The three points we won in our last home game feels a long way away right now but if we can produce another gritty performance like that one in front of our own fans then there is no reason we can't get something from the game and get our season back on track."
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Trott impresses but Hammers 'need more focus'
WHUFC.com
Nathan Trott called on his side to have more focus in the big games after West Ham United under-23's suffered a 2-0 home defeat to Liverpool on Monday evening. The Hammers had previously enjoyed an unbeaten start to the 2017/18 season but have now suffered three straight defeats, the latest a result which extends Liverpool's own winning start to the campaign to five out of five. Two first half goals for the visitors was enough on a night where in truth, they controlled much of the game and were fully deserving of the three points. West Ham goalkeeper, Nathan Trott, who was called into action in spectacular fashion on a couple of occasions during the match, blamed a lack of focus at times for the performance. "We were organised at times but we need to be more focused if we're going win games against teams like this" he explained. "Everyone put in lots of work in the first half and we definitely improved in the second half, I just think we tired from not having too much of the ball."
Among a small handful of other chances, West Ham were awarded a first half penalty with the score at 2-0 but Toni Martinez failed to convert. Had the Spaniard scored, Trott felt the result could have been different. "Toni's penalty was unlucky, it was a good shot but unfortunately the keeper went the right way. "We had a couple more chances and if we had put some of them away the game would have been a lot different to how it ended."
Despite falling the wrong side of a 2-0 result, Trott once again impressed between the sticks for the Hammers, make a number of top saves which kept his side in contention. "I'm always happy to make saves and contribute to the game" he said. "But ultimately, we're not happy with the result. Next week, we need to keep the shots against us a lot lower if we're to win."
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Betway Insider's View of the Opposition: Bolton Wanderers
WHUFC.com
Considering West Ham shared their top-flight status with Bolton for a full 10 years, it is strange to think the clubs were separated by two divisions last season.
That gap has now been cut to one after Wanderers' promotion from League One, though it looks unlikely to remain that way for long. A strict transfer embargo – that was lifted on Thursday but had prevented the club from paying a fee for any permanent or loan signings since December 2015 – meant Bolton were unable to do much strengthening over the summer. As a result, they are currently bottom of the Championship, having failed to win any of their first eight matches. Worse still, Reece Burke and Josh Cullen – their two loanees from West Ham who have both featured heavily so far this season – are ineligible to face their parent club on Tuesday.
So their chances of an upset at the London Stadium look slim. Even in the third tier last season, Bolton were far from prolific – ending up with just the joint-fifth highest goals tally at an average of less than 1.5 per game. And they have not looked any sharper after the summer, failing to score in their last four matches in a row. Given the Hammers have won their last three cup ties against lower-league opposition – against Cheltenham last month, Accrington last season and Wolves in 2015/16 – to nil, a similar outcome looks likely.
Slaven Bilic's side should not have to wait too long for the breakthrough, either. The Trotters have trailed at half-time in five of their first eight league matches – losing all of them – and even found themselves behind at the break when taking on League Two side Crewe in the previous round. It is the Hammers' pacier players who are likely to cause the most damage, with neither Mark Beevers nor David Wheater blessed with much pace in the centre of defence. Wingers Adama Traore and Kamil Grosicki, meanwhile, have shown just how easy it is to get in behind Bolton's full-backs for both Hull and Middlesbrough in recent weeks. Javier Hernandez will be relishing the chance to finish off the opportunities that will surely come his way.
RECOMMENDED BETS
West Ham to win to nil - 6/5
Half-time/Full-time: West Ham/West Ham - 19/20
Javier Hernandez to score West Ham's first goal - 5/2
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Rio Ferdinand missed the 'chemical' of competition and sees boxing as 'great way to get it back'
ES Sport
Rio Ferdinand has announced his extraordinary plans to become a professional boxer and hopes to fight for an English title next year. The 38-year-old has already hired former WBC super-middleweight Champion and respected Team GB coach Richie Woodhall as his trainer. Ferdinand, who won six Premier League titles and a Champions League crown with Manchester United during his football career as well as 81 England caps, is doing the 'Defender to Contender' project in conjunction with online betting company Betfair. Speaking exclusively to Standard Sport, Ferdinand said: "A lot of people sit and watch huge fights, plus other sporting events and say 'I can do that' or 'they've messed it up'. "There are a lot of armchair fans wanting to pass judgement. Well, I'm going to walk the walk and actually do it.
"I'm into keeping fit and one of the big things I have missed since retiring from football in 2015 is the competition, whether it be as a team or as an individual going one-on-one against a striker. "I just miss that chemical that comes out of you. I have not been able to replace it. This is a great way to get that back. "I'm doing this for many reasons. I'm doing this to test myself as a man, as a human being. "Can I change sports? Can I be a respectable performer in other sports? Can my body get through it? "Can I mentally get up early at 5-6am in the morning when it is dark and cold to go on long, dirty runs? Then get back, take my kids to school, go to the gym and eat properly all of the time. "This is a test of my mind and body, that's the way I'm looking at it. I'm not looking at it to become the world champion, I'm not stupid."
Ferdinand is going to fight at Cruiserweight, but will have several weeks of training under Woodhall and his personal trainer Mel Deane before applying for a licence from the British Boxing Board of Control. Woodhall went to Ferdinand's house to assess the former centre half's fitness and boxing ability before agreeing to become his trainer. He said: "In all honesty, I think Rio can definitely box as a professional given time. He has natural power in his right hand, is extremely fit and is very enthusiastic to learn which is encouraging. "Style wise he's very raw and I'll have to develop this which will take time but he has all the natural ingredients, height and reach advantages over boxers in his weight division and definitely has potential to win a title in the future." Betfair also helped Victoria Pendleton make the transition from Olympic cyclist to Cheltenham jockey last year in the ground-breaking 'Switching Saddles' challenge.
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West Ham vs Bolton: EFL Cup prediction, team news, line-ups, start time, live, TV, head to head, odds
ALEX YOUNG
ES Sport
West Ham will name a strong team for their midweek League Cup clash with Bolton. Slaven Bilic has talked up the Hammers' "ambition" and face the Championship side's bottom side who are without a league win all season. West Ham have only one victory to their name this term, but made easy work of Cheltenham Town in the previous round after reaching the quarter-final the previous campaign.
Start time
West Ham will host Bolton Wanderers with kick-off scheduled for 7.45pm on Tuesday, September 19.
TV and live online coverage
The match will be not be televised live on TV in the UK. Alternatively, you can follow live goal updates with Standard Sport.
Team news
Andy Carroll will be rested for the League Cup third-round tie at home to Bolton on Tuesday evening. The striker has suffered from a string of injuries in recent years but is now back fit and will be given the night off to rest up ahead of the weekend visit of rivals Tottenham. Slaven Bilic is likely to make some changes as captain Mark Noble is expected to start following a knee injury, but promised a "strong side" when speaking to reporters on Monday. "It's a big game for us and all we are thinking about," he said. "We are very ambitious, as are all the clubs still in the competition. "We are playing home against Bolton and there are going to be some changes, but they are going to be the players who have already played for us in the Premier League this season and also last season."
Predicted line-ups
West Ham starting XI: Adrian; Fonte, Ogbonna, Masuaku; Byram, Noble, Rice, Cresswell; Fernandes, Sakho, Chicharito
Betting odds (via betfair)
West Ham to win: 3/10
Bolton to win: 10/1
Draw: 24/5
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Rio Ferdinand: I'm excited, not scared, and ready to give boxing my best shot
EXCLUSIVE
ES Sport
Rio Ferdinand's love affair with boxing began as a kid growing up on Peckham's Friary Estate and having a bit of fun with his friends. "One of my mates had a pair of Henry Cooper-type gloves and we used to settle little scores," the former England centre-half explained to Standard Sport. "We'd go round the back and have a tear up. One of us would be the ref and the other two would fight. "There was no technical side to it, there was no one sitting to the side coaching you and pointing out what you were doing wrong. We'd just slug it out." Here we are, three decades later, and Ferdinand is about to pull on the gloves again, yet the circumstances could not be any more different this time around. The 38-year-old is aiming to become a professional; not only that, he has set his sights on winning an English title at cruiserweight next year. Ferdinand, who won 10 major trophies during his time at Manchester United and was capped 81 times by England, is fully aware that there will be plenty of negativity coming his way at the news of Tuesday's announcement. It doesn't faze him one bit. "Do I have a message for the critics?" he said. "Yes, support me. That would be nice. I know many people will say I can't do it. Proving people wrong will definitely be a motivation. It was the case in my football career and is the same now."
To those do not know Ferdinand very well, the decision will not make much sense. Football has provided the central defender with riches and winners' medals. He is now respected as a football pundit on television, too. This seems like a good time to relax, not enter into one of the toughest sporting arenas there is. But the ease of his working life is part of the problem. "One of the big things I have missed since retiring from football in 2015 is the competition, whether it be as a team or as an individual, going one on one against a striker," he said. "I just miss that chemical that comes out of you. I have not been able to replace it. This is a great way to get that back. "I'm doing this for many reasons. I'm doing this to test myself as a man, as a human being. Can I change sports? Can I be a respectable performer in other sports? Can my body get through it? Mentally, can I get up at 5 or 6 in the morning when it is dark and cold to go on long, dirty runs, then get back, take my kids to school, go to the gym and continue to eat properly? "A lot of people sit and watch huge fights, plus other sporting events and say, 'I can do that' or 'They've messed it up'. There are a lot of armchair fans wanting to pass judgment. "Well, I'm going to walk the walk and actually do it."
One of Ferdinand's greatest strengths as a footballer was an unshakeable determination to achieve his ambitions. It will serve him in good stead. But as a father to three young children, some may question why he would want to put himself in harm's way. After all, due to trainer Richie Woodhall's careful training programme, Ferdinand will not know for at least 10 weeks whether he can actually take a punch in a sparring session. Those closest to him were not afraid to speak up on hearing what Ferdinand was planning. "A lot of people have said to me, 'You're crazy, what are you doing?', he said. "But I have always been my own man and I will make the decisions I want to make. "No-one has tried to persuade me not to do it because they know me better than that. I didn't need much convincing or take long to think about it. As soon as I was asked I said, 'Yes, let's go. I'll do it. Give me the details'. "Maybe it was something inside, without knowing it, I was searching for anyway. Something to give me a focus, a sense of purpose. There are no doubts, just excitement at the moment. That may change once I get in the ring and take a few digs. "Who knows how I'm going to react? That's the thing that's going to excite me even more. I'm going into the unknown. I'm not scared about it, I'm thrilled by it."
One might think a player of his vast experience would be better off putting his energies back into football, through management or coaching. That is still on the agenda; it has just been put on hold for now. "I'm going to study for my coaching badges one day, but I'm not ready to go into football management just yet," he said. "It will have to wait. I wouldn't have been able to do it within the next one or two years anyway."
Still, what if this all goes spectacularly wrong, as many experts will expect and he fails to win an English title or even worse, gets humiliated in the ring? "I won't have any regrets whatever happens," he insisted. "I want to find out if I can get through this. Can I get past my first opponent and win a fight? It's a challenge to answer. "If I lose, I lose. That is part and parcel of life. You don't always win. But after my time in boxing ends, I will go knowing I have worked as hard as I can."
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Pressure on Marko Arnautovic to impress on home debut after sending off in West Ham's loss at Southampton
KEN DYER
ES Sport
West Ham's record signing Marko Arnautovic makes his London Stadium debut tonight, knowing that a good performance will put pressure on Slaven Bilic to play him in Saturday's derby against Tottenham. The £25million summer signing from Stoke has just returned from a three-match suspension following his red card in the second match of the season, at Southampton. Arnautovic came on as a second half substitute in the goalless draw at West Brom on Saturday but is now looking to regain his place up-front in manager Bilic's first choice line-up. Bilic looks certain to make significant changes for tonight's Carabao Cup tie against Championship side Bolton but is looking for players like Arnautovic to prove a point and make it difficult for him to leave them out. The West Ham manager said: "I will make some changes but it will be a strong team and it's a good opportunity for these players. "We're looking for improvement, a few of the places are quite open and it's up to them to impress my staff, the press and the fans."
Bilic is still searching for the right blend and admits that striker Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez has been employed out of position in order to help his team turn around a poor start to the season during which they conceded 10 goals in their first three Premier League matches. "Our priority was to stop losing games and conceding goals," he said. "We have been working on getting that stability back and in the last two games we have four points and two clean sheets. "It's a lot on which to build and now is the time to be more dangerous and create more chances. It's very hard to please everyone and I am thinking about that a lot. It's difficult to play both Andy Carroll and Chicharito in their ideal positions, especially when you are playing three at the back. "I have spoken to Chicharito. He is a great lad and I said we have priorities and at this moment the team needs you there."
Bilic will rest Carroll tonight while Hernandez could start on the bench. "We have to manage Andy," said Bilic, "but he looks good, he looks fit. He won't play against Bolton but especially now, when he's just come back, we will try and avoid him playing three full games in a week." Diafra Sakho replaces Carroll up front while Andre Ayew should start in place of Hernandez, with Adrian in goal.
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Haven't been, won't go
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 19th September 2017
By: Staff Writer
Comedian, writer and lifelong Hammers fan Phill Jupitus says he will not watch his beloved team at the Olympic Stadium. Jupitus, who shot to fame as a poet (Porky the Poet) and stand-up comedian was a regular visitor to the Boleyn Ground and became part of the team working on Fortunes Always Hiding, a popular fanzine from the early 1990s. However in conversation with Talksport's Hawksbee and Jacobs, the 55-year-old - who recently moved from Leigh-on-Sea to Fife in Scotland - insisted that he would never visit the Olympic Stadium.
"Haven't been, won't go," said Jupitus, when asked to give his verdict on the Stratford arena. "'ll go and see them away if I'm not doing anything. I didn't see anything wrong with the ground as it was. It's just the way sport is going. "I remember when I used to wake up on Saturday [when I lived in Bow] and it was an option. 'Shall we go to the football today?' - you remember that feeling? I miss that, just having the option to go. "It's like the final crystallisation of everything that has happened to football, the changes and evolution over the last 20 years of the game. "At that amazing and beautiful ground at Upton Park you could touch them [the players] - they didn't like it, but you could touch them! You were that close to the action. "The management at Fenway Park in Boston were looking at the same thing but they consulted the fans and the fans were like 'we don't want to go'. "So they didn't go and they've been redeveloping the site as it is. I think we should have redeveloped the East Stand, where the Chicken Run was." I know there will be people screaming at their radios now - especially two short blokes with a woman in the background saying 'calm down, calm down' - but I'm one of the ones who thinks we shouldn't have moved. "I'm sure the people who go will love it, but there was just too much change that I didn't like."
You may listen to the full interview with Jupitus on Talksport.
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West Ham United v Bolton Wanderers
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 18th September 2017
By: Preview Percy
It's fair to say that Preview Percy wasn't over-impressed with the entertainment value of the weekend's visit to The Hawthorns. In fact we actually had to wake him up to write a few words about the League Cup visit of Bolton Wanderers. Expect much grumpiness. As usual.....
Next we take a break from the day to day stuff of the league for a 3rd round League Cup tie at home to Bolton Wanderers. Kick-off is 7:45pm on Tuesday so enjoy the rush hour traffic and train tribulations and have a gander at the travel websites before you leave.
So Bolton then. Not a great start to the season it should be said. They currently anchor the table in what used to be called Division 2 having picked up just the 2 points so far this season. They have lost six of the 8 played so far, both points coming on the road courtesy of a 1-1 at Millwall and a goalless draw at Birmingham City. Other than that it's been defeats all the way, the latest being a 2-0 reverse at Ipswich last weekend. Reports suggest that they were not without chances at Portman Road but a deflected goal just after the break and an 89th minute clincher were enough to ensure that they remained bottom with there already being a four point gap between them and safety. Boss Phil Parkinson may be looking nervously over his shoulder.
Parkinson has the record of being the only manager to take a 4th tier club to the final of a major competition getting his Bradford City side to the final of this self-same League Cup back in 2013 where they ran up against a brick wall and went down 5-0 to Swansea. So Parkinson does have a bit of pedigree in a competition that has been a bit of a blessed release from the trials and tribulations of League life for Bolton. In round 1 Crewe were sent packing 2-1 on their own ground. In the second round they disposed of Sheffield Wednesday, going 3-0 up through Karacan, Dervite and Armstrong before late goals from Rhodes got them slightly worried. They eventually prevailed but, despite the League Cup being the one ray of sunshine in an otherwise dismal season so far, not even they could be bothered to stay up until 4am to listen to the draw live.
Having been promoted from whatever that particular league was called last season, the work-experience kid of as yet-to-be determined gender wearing a hoodie who seems only able to communicate with some strange grunting noises tells me that they brought in 8 new players on permanent deals, though only two of those involved a transfer fee. The list of arrivals sounds like a veritable Who's Who of lower league journeymen whose names will be familiar to anyone who watches the scores come in on the telly. Try this little lot for size: Adam Le Fondre, Will Buckley, Sammy Ameobi, Craig Noone, Mark Little, Aaron Wilbreham, Andrew Taylor and Stephen Darby. Even a club aspiring to mid-table mediocrity would be struggling to be whelmed by that lot.
Of slightly more, if somewhat academic, interest are two of the four loan hires they have on the books at the moment in the form of Josh Cullen and Reece Burke. Both have featured regularly in the Trotters' first XI so, despite the tough start to the season they will at least be getting some toughening up under their respective belts. The loan deal should not have come as too much of a surprise to many – Trotters boss Parkinson had signed both on loan during his spell at Bradford a while back so he is more than aware of their capabilities. The pair are not available for selection for this one under the rules applying to the loan deal.
In a side that has mustered 4 goals in 8 league games it's difficult to place much emphasis on the identity of the top scorer. However, for what it's worth, top man in the league is Gary Madine who has a brace to his name. He is joined in the "all competitions" table by young Newcastle loan striker Adam Armstrong, who has been on target in both their League Cup matches thus far. He might be one to watch as part of that odd thing that sees some players have hot spells in particular competitions. His best spell was the 15-16 season spent with Coventry where he hit 20 in 40 matches, though he has yet to open his scoring in the 17 first XI league appearances he has made for his parent club. He was part of the England U20 squad this summer, picking up a World Cup winner's medal as an unused sub in the 1-0 final win over Venezuela.
And so to us. Well the West Brom game wasn't much to write home about. I tried. They returned the letter.
They seemed so frightened of losing two on the trot after the Brighton game they quite forgot that they were the team beginning with "West" who were at home. Their end of season DVD compilation will be a barrel of laughs on that showing. Obiang's shot that came off the bar was about the only thing of note through the whole match really. It was odd because I was only thinking during the warm-up how rare such efforts were given how much time 'keepers spend off their line.
Talking of 'keepers Foster was a bit lucky, wasn't he? Tierney was so busy making sure that he didn't issue an erroneous red for denial of goalscoring opportunity (or DOGSO as it's known in the trade) that he completely forgot to consider the nature of the challenge itself which, with two feet off the ground, could easily have been thought of as a straight red, and probably would have been had it been an outfield player.
Good as the away point was (in terms of its intrinsic value) one still has concerns. The recent move to a back three does suit the defenders available to us who, if I can put this kindly, are not what you might call blessed with an awful lot of pace. However, lining up in this manner does come with a cost, that being the tendency for two of your front three to play wide and a bit deep. Antonio is ok on the right – he has a natural width to his game – but Hernandez is wasted out on the left. Given his reputation (or "rep" as I believe the kids say) for being at home in the penalty area it would seem logical to try and play to that particular strength. It's almost as if we have been told "you can have either a decent defence or a decent attack – but not both".
There's good and bad news on the injury front. Ginge's ankle looked serious enough to keep him out for some time – well done to the ignorant tossers at West Brom who booed him. Noble and Fernandes are said to be close to a return and then we have Lanzini. The little Argentinian was sorely missed at The Hawthorns and, though the official list stills show him as a major doubt, the word is that the player has been training for a bit but won't be risked for this one.
We can expect a number of changes. I would have thought Zabaleta might have a night off given that he has four of the five yellow cards required for an enforced week's break at this stage of the season. One would imagine that the likes of Byram and Ogbonna will get to stretch their legs whilst Sakho and Ayew may also start.
Prediction? Well I know we have this "rep" for coming up short against the lower orders but even with an alternative starting XI we ought to have enough to get past Bolton. I will therefore place the traditional £2.50 on the counter at Winstone the Turf Accountant in return for a wager for a 3-1 home win, thus seeing us through to the next round which, on past form, will take place on Thursday at 3am in a slient running submarine sitting off the coast of Alaska, the final draw to be delivered by a suitably graffiti-ed cruise missile aimed in the general direction of North Korea.
Well it's no more stupid than the draws for the previous rounds.
Enjoy the game!
When Last We Met At The Boleyn Lost 1-3 Premier League August 2010
A bizarre game that, had we taken our early chances we would have won by a cricket score. A boot to Upson's face from Davies prompted an OG as Marriner waved play on. Four hours later Upson's face was still not in any fit state to be x-rayed which was interesting, given Marriner's insistence that nothing had happened. We bossed the match but were suckered into conceding a second from Elmander with 20 left. A Noble penalty – one of five that ought to have been awarded – gave hope but Davies wrestled Gabbidon to the ground, Taylor played the ball through to Elmander with his arm and we were 3-1 down. These things even themselves up according to some idiots. I'm waiting…
Referee: Simon Hooper
One of the second tier of professional referees so we haven't encountered him so far. A quick google search seems to indicate that Mr Hooper's full name is "Controversial Referee Simon Hooper". His highlight of the season so far was sending off a Fulham defender within 30 seconds of the start of a match for a very dubious DOGSO decision. According to a genuinely neutral observer of my acquaintance he then ignored all sorts of nailed-on yellow card offences for the next 70 minutes. A potential leveller then.
Danger Man: Adam Armstrong
Selected as a horse for this particular League Cup course.
Percy's Poser:
Last week we asked you "what is Jermain Jenas's problem?" Congratulations to Mrs Dorothy Stormy-Petrel of Harlow New Town who correctly stated "he's a no mark ex footballer who thinks ten minutes of media training will somehow cover up for a lack of knowledge and the fact that he is using his platform to peddle his petty prejudices to the licence paying public". Well done Dorothy!
This week we take you back to 1923 and the famous "White Horse" final to ask you: What was the name of the horse and what happened to him after the final.
Best of luck everyone!
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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Why the London Stadium is better than Wembley
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 19th September 2017
By: Staff Writer #3
West Ham's move to the London Stadium last season brought a lot of media and fan attention – though mostly negative. Many opposing supporters, particularly Leyton Orient and Tottenham Hotspur, were against the move with the great deal that both David Gold and David Sullivan got for the club. The previous season of 2015/16 Slaven Bilic had excelled in taking us to a 7th place finish with nine wins at the Boleyn Ground and only three defeats. Much pressure was on us to perform at the London Stadium, but it all got off to a negative start with elimination from the UEFA Europa League at home to Romanian minnows Astra Giurgiu, at home. The Premier League season didn't get much better – we were in a relegation battle for part of it and ended the season with eight home defeats and only seven wins at our new home.
Pressure of playing at the London Stadium? Or just the players we had? One of those victories however was against this weekend's rivals, Tottenham. West Ham odds are currently out at 6.0 to pull off a repeat of last season's victory. Spurs decided to follow in our footsteps this season by moving to Wembley Stadium, albeit a temporary deal whilst White Hart Lane is being renovated. Mauricio Pochettino's side had performed unsuccessfully at the home of English football in last season's Champions League as they dropped into the Europa League in a group they were widely-considered to win, versus AS Monaco, Bayer 04 Leverkusen and CSKA Moscow. Then in the Europa League they were dumped out by Belgium First League A side, Gent, following a 2-2 draw at Wembley. Spurs have started the 2017-18 Premier League season without a win at their temporary home. The first-ever Premier League game at Wembley saw them beaten 1-2 by Chelsea, before being held 1-1 by Burnley and 0-0 by Swansea – the latter two both expected to be in the bottom half if not battling relegation this season.
Pressure of playing at the national stadium? Unlucky? Simply a slow start to the season? Or the bigger pitch not suiting Pochettino's tactics? Unlike Spurs, we got a win on our opening home game this season – a solid performance in beating Huddersfield Town 2-0 on Monday night football. The first goals the newly-promoted Terriers had conceded this season. Results aside, the graphic below from Betfair highlights that the London Stadium is much closer to the Boleyn compared to Wembley and White Hart Lane. Though this doesn't affect Spurs fans greatly as most of them come from much further away. What's more, the pies and pints are also cheaper for the fans at our new stadium!
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Haksabanovic, Arnautovic & Rice start - how West Ham should line up against Bolton
This is how we would like to see the Hammers take to the field
Football London
BYSAM INKERSOLE
14:13, 19 SEP 2017
Slaven Bilic admitted he will be changing around his squad for West Ham's Carabao Cup tie against Bolton Wanderers at the London Stadium this evening (Tuesday). The likes of Pablo Zabaleta, Javier Hernandez, Aaron Cresswell and Michail Antonio will be rested for the League Cup tie in E20 and it gives an opportunity for others top stake their claims. Arthur Masuaku and Sam Byram are almost certain to get 90 minutes, while youngsters Domingos Quina, Sead Haksabanovic, Declan Rice and Nathan Holland are all in the squad. With that in mind, here is how we think the Hammers should line up in Stratford.
How we think the Hammers should line up
Yes, it's four at the back.
Angelo Ogbonna gets a recall and also a chance to prove himself with the absence of James Collins for at least a month following his ankle injury, while Masuaku and Byram operate a full back and Rice gets a start in his preferred position of centre half. Mark Noble returns from injury tonight so he's straight back in, while Haksabanovic and Pedro Obiang make up the midfield. The front three consists of three players with something to prove in Diafra Sakho, Marko Arnautovic and Andre Ayew.
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Was West Ham's Martin Samuelsen over-hyped or does he just need time?
HITC
Vincent Ralph
The West Ham United midfielder has fallen off the radar after initially impressing. When West Ham United initially signed Martin Samuelsen it looked like the Hammers had pulled off a masterstroke, but things have not exactly gone according to plan for the young Norwegian in the time that followed. After some impressive showings for West Ham in their pre-season preparations of 2015, where the teenager showed his passing range and composure on the ball, he quickly found himself making do with under-23 football before a loan spell at Peterborough United started to demonstrate what all the fuss was about. Samuelsen's balance, confidence and innate talent shone during that initial spell and he was expected to make a name for himself back at the Hammers soon after.
That did not happen, and a disappointing return to Posh, along with a doomed temporary stint at Blackburn Rovers, set Samuelsen back at exactly the time when he should have been pushing for a Hammers' debut. This season he is back with West Ham's under-23 side, but two years since his arrival he seems no closer to that allusive senior chance. Now 20, Samuelsen needs to prove his worth over the current campaign or risk failing to make the breakthrough many felt was only a matter of time. West Ham have some of the best young players in the country on their books, yet manager Slaven Bilic has been reluctant to test them unless he absolutely has to. Samuelsen is just one to suffer as a consequence, with Reece Oxford currently warming the bench at Borussia Monchengladbach, Toni Martinez making light work of second string football and the youngest of the lot, Domingos Quina, edging ever closer to his first start.
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WILSHERE HOPING TO SECURE JANUARY WEST HAM MOVE
MICHAEL OLIVER @MichaelOIiver
ReadWestHam
In the early weeks of the season, West Ham have missed the guile and creativity of Manuel Lanzini in the final third, and the fact that the Hammers have netted just four goals in five games is a testament to that. The Argentine playmaker has been sidelined with a knee injury and isn't expected to return until after the next international break, and West Ham really could do with a midfielder who can operate between the lines and spot passes. West Ham were linked with a summer move for Jack Wilshere but were put off by Arsenal's £20m asking price, says the Daily Star, but the England international is desperate to complete a January transfer to the club he's supported since he was a boy. With just a year left to run on his contract, Wilshere is resigned to the fact he will be leaving Arsenal at the end of the season no matter what with the Gunners having made no attempt to open talks over a new deal with the midfielder. Wilshere impressed on loan at Bournemouth last season but injuries continue to plague him after suffering a fractured leg at the end of last season which caused him to miss the start of the 2017/18 campaign. Having made his first appearance for Arsenal in 18 months in the Europa League clash with Cologne last week, Wilshere is hoping to impress in Europe and in the Carabao Cup in order to earn a January transfer to the Hammers so he can look to rebuild his stuttering career. West Ham are a man light in midfield and a player of Wilshere's profile does fit the bill of someone the club would like to take a punt on, but whether they sanction the deal remains to be seen.
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Why West Ham United should grant Jack Wilshere's wish
HITC
John Verrall
West Ham United should make a move for Arsenal's Jack Wilshere in January, after reports emerge suggesting he wants to switch to the London Stadium. According to the Daily Star, Jack Wilshere wants to earn a move to West Ham United and Slaven Bilic should grant the midfielder his wish. Wilshere is said to be keen to leave Arsenal, with West Ham his first choice. The 25-year-old is believed to be hoping to impress West Ham's scouting team with his performances in cup competition. If Wilshere can catch the eye, West Ham shouldn't think twice about bringing the former England international to the London Stadium. Wilshere's career may have stalled in recent times, but he remains a wonderful talent on his day. Although a succession of injuries have certainly hampered his progress, if West Ham could nurse Wilshere back to his best then he would be a massive upgrade on what they already have. And, with Wilshere so determined to impress West Ham, there would surely be no doubting his commitment to making his time with Bilic's side a success, if a move did come off. As a result, the positives of the transfer far outweigh any negatives - and West Ham should grant Wilshere his wish, by offering him an escape route out of Arsenal in January.
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West Ham face up to a month without Manuel Lanzini as star playmaker suffers significant injury setback
Manuel Lanzini's recovery from a knee injury has stalled significantly
It means the Hammers could be without their star Argentine until October
Boss Slaven Bilic will rest Andy Carroll for Tuesday's Carabao Cup clash
Bilic believes it's 'almost impossible' to play Carroll with Javier Hernandez
By Oliver Todd for the Daily Mail
PUBLISHED: 22:30, 18 September 2017 | UPDATED: 22:58, 18 September 2017
West Ham are facing up to another month without star playmaker Manuel Lanzini with his recovery from a knee injury stalling significantly. Lanzini has only played 45 minutes this season and is struggling to make progress towards a return, training alone throughout September. Tuesday's Carabao Cup clash with Bolton Wanderers would have presented an ideal opportunity to ease the Argentine back in — but manager Slaven Bilic does not expect him back until after the October international break now. Bilic will rest Andy Carroll at the London Stadium, another player plagued by injury trouble, after admitting he cannot call on his striker to play three times in eight days. But while Carroll's game-time is simply being moderated, Lanzini is not ready at all. He has suffered issues with his movement since being sent home from Argentina's camp last month. 'Lanzini is as close now as he was a couple of days before he started to train before the Newcastle game (in August),' Bilic said. 'He's doing everything but he is not training with us as in one movement he still feels the injury. We don't want to risk it. 'He's going to be definitely be ready after the international break. Will he be ready before, for the Swansea game? Hopefully… is it 100 per cent? No. You have the things that you hoping for — a timetable — and then you have a much more realistic timetable.' Bilic believes he needs the creativity of Lanzini, 24, before he can begin to play Carroll in a strike pairing with £16million signing Javier Hernandez. For now, he says it is 'almost impossible' to field the two hitmen together upfront. Carroll will miss Tuesday's game against Bolton while Hernandez is set to be on the bench with Diafra Sakho starting. 'I think about that the most [playing two up front], but it's very hard to put them as their ideal positions as two strikers,' Bilic said. 'It looks good on paper, but then it's very hard to have three at three at the back (in defence). It's almost impossible. Of course, I'm thinking about that.'
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Bilic gives Manuel Lanzini injury update as West Ham star remains on the sidelines
The Argentine has managed just 45 minutes of football this season
Football London
COMMENTS
BYSAM INKERSOLE
22:45, 18 SEP 2017
Slaven Bilic admitted Manuel Lanzini hasn't begun "proper training" with the West Ham squad as he recovers from a knee problem. Lanzini has played just 45 minutes of football this season owing to a knee injury first picked up in pre-season then aggravated during the 3-0 reverse at Newcastle last month Bilic's side desperately lack creativity without "The Jewel" in their side, none more evident than during their dire 0-0 draw with West Brom at the weekend and owing to them scoring just four goals this season. Lanzini is training at Rush Green but individually as the boss admitted there is one specific movement where he still feels discomfort in his knee. The Hammers boss said Lanzini might be ready for Swansea but it's more likely to be after the next international break, effectively ruling him out of the visit of Spurs this weekend in the Premier League as well. "Lanzini is as close as he was a couple of days before he started to train before Newcastle. He is still a little bit away from starting training," Bilic said. "He's doing everything but he is not training with us as in one movement he still feels it. Only in one movement and we don't want to risk. He's going to be definitely be ready after the international break. Will he be ready before, for the Swansea game? Maybe. "But after the international break he will definitely be playing. Hopefully he will be OK for the Swansea game but is it 100 per cent? No it is not."
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West Ham United still waiting for a work permit for Ghanaian goalkeeper Joseph Anang
Published on: 19 September 2017
GhanaSoccernet.com
English Premier League side West Ham United are working round the clock to secure Ghanaian goalkeeper Joseph Anang a work permit. Anang started his youth career at his native Danbort FC before joining Ghanaian top-tier side Wa Allstars FC. A goalkeeper who highlights his kicking and reflexes as his main strengths, Anang reportedly made a positive impression on both players and coaches alike while on trial with the east London side. He finally signed a three-year deal with the Hammer in August and the club has slapped in an offer for a work permit. He has been training with the first team as back up to Joe Hart and Adrian at the club's Rush Green training complex in Romford.
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Reece Oxford still hasn't featured for Gladbach
Calm down — it's going to be fine
by Chad Hoy@ChadHoy Sep 19, 2017, 2:00am EDT
BraceTheHammer
Reece Oxford has been out on loan for all of three months now, and some fans are starting to get up in arms about his playing time at his adoptive club Borussia Mönchengladbach. We are here today to let you know that this is perfectly fine, and in fact, it makes sense — do not fret mon frere!
Fellow Brace the Hammer writer, Jonathan Lines, had this to say on the subject:
Surely we didn't expect he'd be straight up first choice. Gladbach have got [Matthias] Ginter and [Jannik] Vestergaard [at center-back]. Think the move will be really excellent for his development and he probably has a better chance of some action; but at the end of the day, we've loaned him to a team who are better than us, so. . .
Gladbach is a good side with a clever coach. Oxford will have time and space to grow without pressure. Look up Gladbach kids making it big. There have been a few, plus a few who still play there, having grown up at the club. They have some class players like Christoph Kramer and [Reece] will develop and grow a lot in the environment. He's first reserve which is better than West Ham. Who knows what may happen if he gets a chance.
Jonathan raises a few important points here, one being that Oxford is essentially in a better place learning in a Champions-League-level football program. If West Ham United played Borussia Mönchengladbach right now, they'd get absolutely handled. If Reece isn't first choice at West Ham, how could any fan just expect him to walk on at a club that's a regular participant in UEFA Champions League competition?
Reece Oxford is quite a player. We all know this. We saw it when he pocketed Mesut Özil as a 16-year-old. However, one good game two seasons ago does not a Premier League player make. Oxford is developing well, regardless of the playing time he's getting. Obviously playing time is pertinent to player improvement, but the time Oxford is putting in — even just in training — at a club like Gladbach is doing a lot for his long-term development. Playing time will come eventually, surely. Should it not, though, this loan spell is better than another year playing in the Championship, or training with West Ham's U21 squad.
At the end of the day, Reece Oxford is eighteen years old. He's got plenty of time to establish himself as a top center-back. If we're not absolutely certain that Oxford would be an upgrade over José Fonte, Angelo Ogbonna, Winston Reid, or James Collins (injuries notwithstanding) at this point, then he's better off in his current situation.
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James Collins reveals extent of injury after scan results for West Ham defender
The defender limped out of the Hammers' match against West Brom
Football London
BYADAM JONES
07:00, 19 SEP 2017
James Collins has good news for West Ham fans after scan results revealed the extent of the defender's injury yesterday. The 34-year-old limped out of the Hammers' 0-0 draw with West Bromwich Albion on Saturday and was withdrawn at half time - with a scan due on the ankle injury yesterday. The Wales defender has been in fantastic form for West Ham over the last two matches as Slaven Bilic's side have successfully managed to their form around after a disappointing start to the campaign. And Collins revealed on Instagram yesterday some good news for West Ham fans - as the results of his scan were not as bad as first expected.
The defender posted a picture of him limping off the pitch at the Hawthorns on Instagram with the caption: "Scan has reported ligament damage in my ankle but not as bad as first feared. Working hard already to be back in 3-4 weeks." That's much better news for the Hammers after Slaven Bilic admitted he was fearing the worst when Collins was initially withdrawn from the goalless draw at the weekend. If that injury time-frame is accurate then Collins could potentially be back for either West Ham's home tie against Brighton on October 20 or the trip to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace on October 28.
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West Ham fitness chief Gary Lewin squashes Manuel Lanzini cup match rumours
HITC
Damien Lucas
West Ham United fitness chief Gary Lewin has squashed rumours doing the rounds about star man Manuel Lanzini. The Hammers have recovered from a dreadful start to the season to record back-to-back clean sheets and four points, lifting them out of the relegation zone. But while the the 2-0 win over Huddersfield and 0-0 draw with West Bromwich Albion have proved the East Londoners have the stomach to grind out results it has not been easy on the eye. One player who could change all that, star creative influence Manuel Lanzini. The Argentine playmaker has been missing for most of the season so far bar a premature return as a half-time substitute in the 3-0 drubbing at Newcastle. Lanzini has been injured ever since but rumours have been circulating online that he could return to the side this week ahead of the big London derby against Tottenham Hotspur and may even get some minutes under his belt in the midweek Carabao Cup match against Bolton Wanderers. But former England and Arsenal physio Gary Lewin, now West Ham's fitness chief, had some bad news for Hammers fans on the club's official website revealing Lanzini is some way off a return yet. "Manuel Lanzini is a bit further away but still on schedule in terms of his rehabilitation from the knee injury that he irritated up at Newcastle last month," Lewin told whufc.com. "He is back on the training pitches and working hard, and we are looking at him being available again after the next international break."
The news will be hugely disappointing for supporters ahead of the huge derby against rivals Spurs. Lanzini got the only goal of the game as West Ham ended Tottenham's title hopes for the second successive season back in May.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Declan Rice is determined to make the most of his opportunity should Slaven Bilic select him for tonight's Carabao Cup third-round tie with Bolton Wanderers. The 18-year-old started West Ham United's opening four matches of the 2017/18 season, including the second-round victory at Cheltenham Town, before dropping to the substitutes' bench for the Premier League fixtures with Huddersfield Town and West Bromwich Albion. While his time on the pitch may have reduced, Rice is in line for another first-team appearance against Bolton on Tuesday evening, and is ready to take his chance to impress his manager once again. "This season has gone so quickly," he told the Official Matchday Programme. "I gave it everything in pre-season and the manager had plans for me and has played me, so I'm over the moon. "Tonight's is an important game in the Carabao Cup and we want to win. Hopefully I can play and help us get through to the next round."
In a revealing interview, Rice revealed how he had joined Chelsea almost by chance as a nine-year-old, when his cousin invited him along for a trial, before quickly getting over the shock of being released at the age of 14. The south west London-born youngster went on to praise his Academy of Football coaches for developing and improving him to the point where Bilic handed him a first-team debut at Burnley in May. Rice has since started against Manchester United, Southampton and Newcastle United in the top flight, made his Republic of Ireland U21 debut and is highly thought of by his coaches, teammates and fans for his calm and assured presence, leadership and technical ability. "West Ham have a tradition of playing out from the back and the coaches have always encouraged me to express myself," he said. "When I moved back into defence, they told me to stick to my own game, rather than hit the ball long, and it's helped me massively.
"I was on the bench a couple of times [late last season] and I thought I might get a chance and Burnley was my time to be brought on. I got about five minutes and touched the ball a few times, so I was well happy."
To read Declan's Official Matchday Programme interview in full, and find out which two former England internationals are mentoring him, pick up your copy at London Stadium before tonight's game, or alternatively order your copy online here.
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Bilic: We are thinking positively about the Cup
WHUFC.com
Slaven Bilic is keen for an extended run in the Carabao Cup this season with his West Ham United side set to take on Bolton Wanderers at London Stadium on Tuesday. The Hammers saw off Cheltenham Town in the second round of this competition and are eyeing up a spot in the last-16 for the third time in the last four seasons. Last term, Manchester United ended West Ham's run at the quarter-final stage, but with the road to Wembley getting shorter by the round, Bilic is determined to take as many steps along it as possible. He explained: "Of course, we are very ambitious and of course we are thinking about the cup in a positive way. We are not thinking about Spurs, we are thinking about Bolton because if we win, we are not far away from making it a big success for every individual and for the club. "We [would] need a good draw. We would need a few top performances, and you are talking about three, four games, it's not a league. It's a good chance for us, like it is for all the clubs. "I'm upbeat, if you are looking at the last week It has been a good week for us. We were on zero points having conceded ten goals in three games, now two games later we have four points and didn't concede in either game. We limited two teams to one or two chances."
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Ten amazing West Ham United debuts worth remembering
WHUFC.com
West Ham United have a number of youngsters alongside a host of senior players in the squad to take on Bolton Wanderers on Tuesday. Sead Haksabanovic and Nathan Holland are among the names hoping to make their first team debuts at the London Stadium, and if either does they would like a similar first showing to these ten West Ham stars...
Andy Carroll
Signed from Liverpool on loan in the summer of 2012, Carroll made his debut for the Hammers in the home contest with Fulham on 1 September. The striker gave the West Ham supporters a great idea of what he could offer, playing a vital role in two of the Hammers' three goals on their way to a dominant victory over the Cottagers.
Mauro Zarate
Argentinian Zarate made his first competitive appearance for West Ham in the fixture away at Crystal Palace, on 23 August 2014. The forward marked his first outing with a spectacular goal, meeting a poor, dropping clearance with the outside of his right foot to beat Julien Speroni in the Palace goal from 20 yards. The Hammers would win the game 3-1, continuing a strong start to the campaign.
Henri Lansbury
Henri Lansbury had joined the Hammers on loan from Arsenal for the 2011/12 campaign in the Championship, and the young midfielder made his mark instantly in a home match against Portsmouth. Lansbury showed his prowess when he was the first to connect with a loose ball in the penalty area, giving West Ham a 2-1 lead, before also winning the home side a penalty. The Irons would go on to win the contest 4-3.
Thomas Hitzlsperger
Thomas Hitzlsperger had to wait a number of months for his West Ham debut, having missed the start of the season due to injury, but the German certainly made up for lost time straight away. 'Der Hammer' proved why he had earned his nickname with a trademark thunderbolt of an effort to give the Irons the lead against Burnley in the FA Cup, putting West Ham on their way to an excellent 5-1 win at the Boleyn Ground.
Bobby Zamora
Having moved to West Ham from Tottenham, it didn't take long for Bobby Zamora to make his mark with the striker coming off the bench to net the winner in a 2-1 victory away to Bradford. Zamora would also score for the Irons on his home debut, helping his new side to a win against Cardiff City. Not too shabby!
Jermain Defoe
On this day 17 years ago West Ham United were struggling to get a result away at Walsall in the second round of the League Cup. Off the bench came a young forward called Jermain Defoe. The fresh-faced forward would then tuck home a typical striker's finish in the 84th minute, starting a career that would be filled with excellent goals, and plenty of them too!
Trevor Sinclair
Signed from QPR in January 1998, Trevor Sinclair made a real impact on his first showing for the Irons in a home match with Everton. The winger scored twice to help the Harry Redknapp's side earn a 2-2 draw, and would play a crucial role in the team's eventual eighth placed finish that campaign.
Tony Cottee
A 17-year-old Tony Cottee made his West Ham debut in January 1983, against London rivals Tottenham, and what a showing the youngster gave. Cottee endeared himself to the home supporters immediately by scoring in a 3-0 victory over Spurs. He would go on to score 146 goals across two spells for the Hammers, making him the fifth top scorer in the club's history.
Jimmy Greaves
With Martin Peters transferring to Tottenham, Jimmy Greaves was sent to West Ham in part exchange in March 1970. Greaves's first showing for the Irons came at Maine Road against Manchester City. The striker scored twice in that game, helping West Ham to a brilliant 5-1 win away from home.
Bobby Moore
Bobby Moore is the greatest icon in West Ham United history and therefore it's no surprise that even his debut was something special. Moore, then just 17-years-old, started for the Irons against Manchester United - the other club interested in his signature as a teenager - helping the team to a brilliant 3-2 win. It was the start of something that was simply sensational.
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Ladies' home clash with Charlton is opportunity to get season 'back on track' – De Carnys
WHUFC.com
West Ham United Ladies manager Greg De Carnys believes this Wednesday's home clash with Charlton Athletic can be the fixture to get his side's campaign "back on track". The Ladies head into this midweek match on the back of three consecutive defeats but will take heart from the fact that they've won their only home game so far, a 4-3 victory against Cardiff City. The Hammers will have to be at their very best to beat a Charlton side that sit top of the league, having won all four of their league matches so far, scoring 16 goals in the process. But De Carnys believes his team have the grit and determination needed to get a positive result out of Wednesday's fixture at Rush Green. The first team manager pointed to the steel shown last season by the side in avoiding relegation and reckons that spirit will be needed against Athletic. "It will require all the character we have to beat a very strong Charlton outfit," De Carnys told whufc.com. "Having survived a tough relegation battle last year I know the girls have the character we need. It doesn't change. It's about fighting hard for every 50/50 and never giving up."
Season Ticket Holders and Claret Members can attend Wednesday's match at Rush Green – which kicks off at 7:45pm – for free, while other supporters can buy tickets on the gate for just £1. De Carnys reckons the support of the home crowd could be just what his team needs to get a strong result, one which could turn the Ladies' season around. He added: "The three points we won in our last home game feels a long way away right now but if we can produce another gritty performance like that one in front of our own fans then there is no reason we can't get something from the game and get our season back on track."
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Trott impresses but Hammers 'need more focus'
WHUFC.com
Nathan Trott called on his side to have more focus in the big games after West Ham United under-23's suffered a 2-0 home defeat to Liverpool on Monday evening. The Hammers had previously enjoyed an unbeaten start to the 2017/18 season but have now suffered three straight defeats, the latest a result which extends Liverpool's own winning start to the campaign to five out of five. Two first half goals for the visitors was enough on a night where in truth, they controlled much of the game and were fully deserving of the three points. West Ham goalkeeper, Nathan Trott, who was called into action in spectacular fashion on a couple of occasions during the match, blamed a lack of focus at times for the performance. "We were organised at times but we need to be more focused if we're going win games against teams like this" he explained. "Everyone put in lots of work in the first half and we definitely improved in the second half, I just think we tired from not having too much of the ball."
Among a small handful of other chances, West Ham were awarded a first half penalty with the score at 2-0 but Toni Martinez failed to convert. Had the Spaniard scored, Trott felt the result could have been different. "Toni's penalty was unlucky, it was a good shot but unfortunately the keeper went the right way. "We had a couple more chances and if we had put some of them away the game would have been a lot different to how it ended."
Despite falling the wrong side of a 2-0 result, Trott once again impressed between the sticks for the Hammers, make a number of top saves which kept his side in contention. "I'm always happy to make saves and contribute to the game" he said. "But ultimately, we're not happy with the result. Next week, we need to keep the shots against us a lot lower if we're to win."
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Betway Insider's View of the Opposition: Bolton Wanderers
WHUFC.com
Considering West Ham shared their top-flight status with Bolton for a full 10 years, it is strange to think the clubs were separated by two divisions last season.
That gap has now been cut to one after Wanderers' promotion from League One, though it looks unlikely to remain that way for long. A strict transfer embargo – that was lifted on Thursday but had prevented the club from paying a fee for any permanent or loan signings since December 2015 – meant Bolton were unable to do much strengthening over the summer. As a result, they are currently bottom of the Championship, having failed to win any of their first eight matches. Worse still, Reece Burke and Josh Cullen – their two loanees from West Ham who have both featured heavily so far this season – are ineligible to face their parent club on Tuesday.
So their chances of an upset at the London Stadium look slim. Even in the third tier last season, Bolton were far from prolific – ending up with just the joint-fifth highest goals tally at an average of less than 1.5 per game. And they have not looked any sharper after the summer, failing to score in their last four matches in a row. Given the Hammers have won their last three cup ties against lower-league opposition – against Cheltenham last month, Accrington last season and Wolves in 2015/16 – to nil, a similar outcome looks likely.
Slaven Bilic's side should not have to wait too long for the breakthrough, either. The Trotters have trailed at half-time in five of their first eight league matches – losing all of them – and even found themselves behind at the break when taking on League Two side Crewe in the previous round. It is the Hammers' pacier players who are likely to cause the most damage, with neither Mark Beevers nor David Wheater blessed with much pace in the centre of defence. Wingers Adama Traore and Kamil Grosicki, meanwhile, have shown just how easy it is to get in behind Bolton's full-backs for both Hull and Middlesbrough in recent weeks. Javier Hernandez will be relishing the chance to finish off the opportunities that will surely come his way.
RECOMMENDED BETS
West Ham to win to nil - 6/5
Half-time/Full-time: West Ham/West Ham - 19/20
Javier Hernandez to score West Ham's first goal - 5/2
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Rio Ferdinand missed the 'chemical' of competition and sees boxing as 'great way to get it back'
ES Sport
Rio Ferdinand has announced his extraordinary plans to become a professional boxer and hopes to fight for an English title next year. The 38-year-old has already hired former WBC super-middleweight Champion and respected Team GB coach Richie Woodhall as his trainer. Ferdinand, who won six Premier League titles and a Champions League crown with Manchester United during his football career as well as 81 England caps, is doing the 'Defender to Contender' project in conjunction with online betting company Betfair. Speaking exclusively to Standard Sport, Ferdinand said: "A lot of people sit and watch huge fights, plus other sporting events and say 'I can do that' or 'they've messed it up'. "There are a lot of armchair fans wanting to pass judgement. Well, I'm going to walk the walk and actually do it.
"I'm into keeping fit and one of the big things I have missed since retiring from football in 2015 is the competition, whether it be as a team or as an individual going one-on-one against a striker. "I just miss that chemical that comes out of you. I have not been able to replace it. This is a great way to get that back. "I'm doing this for many reasons. I'm doing this to test myself as a man, as a human being. "Can I change sports? Can I be a respectable performer in other sports? Can my body get through it? "Can I mentally get up early at 5-6am in the morning when it is dark and cold to go on long, dirty runs? Then get back, take my kids to school, go to the gym and eat properly all of the time. "This is a test of my mind and body, that's the way I'm looking at it. I'm not looking at it to become the world champion, I'm not stupid."
Ferdinand is going to fight at Cruiserweight, but will have several weeks of training under Woodhall and his personal trainer Mel Deane before applying for a licence from the British Boxing Board of Control. Woodhall went to Ferdinand's house to assess the former centre half's fitness and boxing ability before agreeing to become his trainer. He said: "In all honesty, I think Rio can definitely box as a professional given time. He has natural power in his right hand, is extremely fit and is very enthusiastic to learn which is encouraging. "Style wise he's very raw and I'll have to develop this which will take time but he has all the natural ingredients, height and reach advantages over boxers in his weight division and definitely has potential to win a title in the future." Betfair also helped Victoria Pendleton make the transition from Olympic cyclist to Cheltenham jockey last year in the ground-breaking 'Switching Saddles' challenge.
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West Ham vs Bolton: EFL Cup prediction, team news, line-ups, start time, live, TV, head to head, odds
ALEX YOUNG
ES Sport
West Ham will name a strong team for their midweek League Cup clash with Bolton. Slaven Bilic has talked up the Hammers' "ambition" and face the Championship side's bottom side who are without a league win all season. West Ham have only one victory to their name this term, but made easy work of Cheltenham Town in the previous round after reaching the quarter-final the previous campaign.
Start time
West Ham will host Bolton Wanderers with kick-off scheduled for 7.45pm on Tuesday, September 19.
TV and live online coverage
The match will be not be televised live on TV in the UK. Alternatively, you can follow live goal updates with Standard Sport.
Team news
Andy Carroll will be rested for the League Cup third-round tie at home to Bolton on Tuesday evening. The striker has suffered from a string of injuries in recent years but is now back fit and will be given the night off to rest up ahead of the weekend visit of rivals Tottenham. Slaven Bilic is likely to make some changes as captain Mark Noble is expected to start following a knee injury, but promised a "strong side" when speaking to reporters on Monday. "It's a big game for us and all we are thinking about," he said. "We are very ambitious, as are all the clubs still in the competition. "We are playing home against Bolton and there are going to be some changes, but they are going to be the players who have already played for us in the Premier League this season and also last season."
Predicted line-ups
West Ham starting XI: Adrian; Fonte, Ogbonna, Masuaku; Byram, Noble, Rice, Cresswell; Fernandes, Sakho, Chicharito
Betting odds (via betfair)
West Ham to win: 3/10
Bolton to win: 10/1
Draw: 24/5
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Rio Ferdinand: I'm excited, not scared, and ready to give boxing my best shot
EXCLUSIVE
ES Sport
Rio Ferdinand's love affair with boxing began as a kid growing up on Peckham's Friary Estate and having a bit of fun with his friends. "One of my mates had a pair of Henry Cooper-type gloves and we used to settle little scores," the former England centre-half explained to Standard Sport. "We'd go round the back and have a tear up. One of us would be the ref and the other two would fight. "There was no technical side to it, there was no one sitting to the side coaching you and pointing out what you were doing wrong. We'd just slug it out." Here we are, three decades later, and Ferdinand is about to pull on the gloves again, yet the circumstances could not be any more different this time around. The 38-year-old is aiming to become a professional; not only that, he has set his sights on winning an English title at cruiserweight next year. Ferdinand, who won 10 major trophies during his time at Manchester United and was capped 81 times by England, is fully aware that there will be plenty of negativity coming his way at the news of Tuesday's announcement. It doesn't faze him one bit. "Do I have a message for the critics?" he said. "Yes, support me. That would be nice. I know many people will say I can't do it. Proving people wrong will definitely be a motivation. It was the case in my football career and is the same now."
To those do not know Ferdinand very well, the decision will not make much sense. Football has provided the central defender with riches and winners' medals. He is now respected as a football pundit on television, too. This seems like a good time to relax, not enter into one of the toughest sporting arenas there is. But the ease of his working life is part of the problem. "One of the big things I have missed since retiring from football in 2015 is the competition, whether it be as a team or as an individual, going one on one against a striker," he said. "I just miss that chemical that comes out of you. I have not been able to replace it. This is a great way to get that back. "I'm doing this for many reasons. I'm doing this to test myself as a man, as a human being. Can I change sports? Can I be a respectable performer in other sports? Can my body get through it? Mentally, can I get up at 5 or 6 in the morning when it is dark and cold to go on long, dirty runs, then get back, take my kids to school, go to the gym and continue to eat properly? "A lot of people sit and watch huge fights, plus other sporting events and say, 'I can do that' or 'They've messed it up'. There are a lot of armchair fans wanting to pass judgment. "Well, I'm going to walk the walk and actually do it."
One of Ferdinand's greatest strengths as a footballer was an unshakeable determination to achieve his ambitions. It will serve him in good stead. But as a father to three young children, some may question why he would want to put himself in harm's way. After all, due to trainer Richie Woodhall's careful training programme, Ferdinand will not know for at least 10 weeks whether he can actually take a punch in a sparring session. Those closest to him were not afraid to speak up on hearing what Ferdinand was planning. "A lot of people have said to me, 'You're crazy, what are you doing?', he said. "But I have always been my own man and I will make the decisions I want to make. "No-one has tried to persuade me not to do it because they know me better than that. I didn't need much convincing or take long to think about it. As soon as I was asked I said, 'Yes, let's go. I'll do it. Give me the details'. "Maybe it was something inside, without knowing it, I was searching for anyway. Something to give me a focus, a sense of purpose. There are no doubts, just excitement at the moment. That may change once I get in the ring and take a few digs. "Who knows how I'm going to react? That's the thing that's going to excite me even more. I'm going into the unknown. I'm not scared about it, I'm thrilled by it."
One might think a player of his vast experience would be better off putting his energies back into football, through management or coaching. That is still on the agenda; it has just been put on hold for now. "I'm going to study for my coaching badges one day, but I'm not ready to go into football management just yet," he said. "It will have to wait. I wouldn't have been able to do it within the next one or two years anyway."
Still, what if this all goes spectacularly wrong, as many experts will expect and he fails to win an English title or even worse, gets humiliated in the ring? "I won't have any regrets whatever happens," he insisted. "I want to find out if I can get through this. Can I get past my first opponent and win a fight? It's a challenge to answer. "If I lose, I lose. That is part and parcel of life. You don't always win. But after my time in boxing ends, I will go knowing I have worked as hard as I can."
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Pressure on Marko Arnautovic to impress on home debut after sending off in West Ham's loss at Southampton
KEN DYER
ES Sport
West Ham's record signing Marko Arnautovic makes his London Stadium debut tonight, knowing that a good performance will put pressure on Slaven Bilic to play him in Saturday's derby against Tottenham. The £25million summer signing from Stoke has just returned from a three-match suspension following his red card in the second match of the season, at Southampton. Arnautovic came on as a second half substitute in the goalless draw at West Brom on Saturday but is now looking to regain his place up-front in manager Bilic's first choice line-up. Bilic looks certain to make significant changes for tonight's Carabao Cup tie against Championship side Bolton but is looking for players like Arnautovic to prove a point and make it difficult for him to leave them out. The West Ham manager said: "I will make some changes but it will be a strong team and it's a good opportunity for these players. "We're looking for improvement, a few of the places are quite open and it's up to them to impress my staff, the press and the fans."
Bilic is still searching for the right blend and admits that striker Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez has been employed out of position in order to help his team turn around a poor start to the season during which they conceded 10 goals in their first three Premier League matches. "Our priority was to stop losing games and conceding goals," he said. "We have been working on getting that stability back and in the last two games we have four points and two clean sheets. "It's a lot on which to build and now is the time to be more dangerous and create more chances. It's very hard to please everyone and I am thinking about that a lot. It's difficult to play both Andy Carroll and Chicharito in their ideal positions, especially when you are playing three at the back. "I have spoken to Chicharito. He is a great lad and I said we have priorities and at this moment the team needs you there."
Bilic will rest Carroll tonight while Hernandez could start on the bench. "We have to manage Andy," said Bilic, "but he looks good, he looks fit. He won't play against Bolton but especially now, when he's just come back, we will try and avoid him playing three full games in a week." Diafra Sakho replaces Carroll up front while Andre Ayew should start in place of Hernandez, with Adrian in goal.
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Haven't been, won't go
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 19th September 2017
By: Staff Writer
Comedian, writer and lifelong Hammers fan Phill Jupitus says he will not watch his beloved team at the Olympic Stadium. Jupitus, who shot to fame as a poet (Porky the Poet) and stand-up comedian was a regular visitor to the Boleyn Ground and became part of the team working on Fortunes Always Hiding, a popular fanzine from the early 1990s. However in conversation with Talksport's Hawksbee and Jacobs, the 55-year-old - who recently moved from Leigh-on-Sea to Fife in Scotland - insisted that he would never visit the Olympic Stadium.
"Haven't been, won't go," said Jupitus, when asked to give his verdict on the Stratford arena. "'ll go and see them away if I'm not doing anything. I didn't see anything wrong with the ground as it was. It's just the way sport is going. "I remember when I used to wake up on Saturday [when I lived in Bow] and it was an option. 'Shall we go to the football today?' - you remember that feeling? I miss that, just having the option to go. "It's like the final crystallisation of everything that has happened to football, the changes and evolution over the last 20 years of the game. "At that amazing and beautiful ground at Upton Park you could touch them [the players] - they didn't like it, but you could touch them! You were that close to the action. "The management at Fenway Park in Boston were looking at the same thing but they consulted the fans and the fans were like 'we don't want to go'. "So they didn't go and they've been redeveloping the site as it is. I think we should have redeveloped the East Stand, where the Chicken Run was." I know there will be people screaming at their radios now - especially two short blokes with a woman in the background saying 'calm down, calm down' - but I'm one of the ones who thinks we shouldn't have moved. "I'm sure the people who go will love it, but there was just too much change that I didn't like."
You may listen to the full interview with Jupitus on Talksport.
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West Ham United v Bolton Wanderers
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 18th September 2017
By: Preview Percy
It's fair to say that Preview Percy wasn't over-impressed with the entertainment value of the weekend's visit to The Hawthorns. In fact we actually had to wake him up to write a few words about the League Cup visit of Bolton Wanderers. Expect much grumpiness. As usual.....
Next we take a break from the day to day stuff of the league for a 3rd round League Cup tie at home to Bolton Wanderers. Kick-off is 7:45pm on Tuesday so enjoy the rush hour traffic and train tribulations and have a gander at the travel websites before you leave.
So Bolton then. Not a great start to the season it should be said. They currently anchor the table in what used to be called Division 2 having picked up just the 2 points so far this season. They have lost six of the 8 played so far, both points coming on the road courtesy of a 1-1 at Millwall and a goalless draw at Birmingham City. Other than that it's been defeats all the way, the latest being a 2-0 reverse at Ipswich last weekend. Reports suggest that they were not without chances at Portman Road but a deflected goal just after the break and an 89th minute clincher were enough to ensure that they remained bottom with there already being a four point gap between them and safety. Boss Phil Parkinson may be looking nervously over his shoulder.
Parkinson has the record of being the only manager to take a 4th tier club to the final of a major competition getting his Bradford City side to the final of this self-same League Cup back in 2013 where they ran up against a brick wall and went down 5-0 to Swansea. So Parkinson does have a bit of pedigree in a competition that has been a bit of a blessed release from the trials and tribulations of League life for Bolton. In round 1 Crewe were sent packing 2-1 on their own ground. In the second round they disposed of Sheffield Wednesday, going 3-0 up through Karacan, Dervite and Armstrong before late goals from Rhodes got them slightly worried. They eventually prevailed but, despite the League Cup being the one ray of sunshine in an otherwise dismal season so far, not even they could be bothered to stay up until 4am to listen to the draw live.
Having been promoted from whatever that particular league was called last season, the work-experience kid of as yet-to-be determined gender wearing a hoodie who seems only able to communicate with some strange grunting noises tells me that they brought in 8 new players on permanent deals, though only two of those involved a transfer fee. The list of arrivals sounds like a veritable Who's Who of lower league journeymen whose names will be familiar to anyone who watches the scores come in on the telly. Try this little lot for size: Adam Le Fondre, Will Buckley, Sammy Ameobi, Craig Noone, Mark Little, Aaron Wilbreham, Andrew Taylor and Stephen Darby. Even a club aspiring to mid-table mediocrity would be struggling to be whelmed by that lot.
Of slightly more, if somewhat academic, interest are two of the four loan hires they have on the books at the moment in the form of Josh Cullen and Reece Burke. Both have featured regularly in the Trotters' first XI so, despite the tough start to the season they will at least be getting some toughening up under their respective belts. The loan deal should not have come as too much of a surprise to many – Trotters boss Parkinson had signed both on loan during his spell at Bradford a while back so he is more than aware of their capabilities. The pair are not available for selection for this one under the rules applying to the loan deal.
In a side that has mustered 4 goals in 8 league games it's difficult to place much emphasis on the identity of the top scorer. However, for what it's worth, top man in the league is Gary Madine who has a brace to his name. He is joined in the "all competitions" table by young Newcastle loan striker Adam Armstrong, who has been on target in both their League Cup matches thus far. He might be one to watch as part of that odd thing that sees some players have hot spells in particular competitions. His best spell was the 15-16 season spent with Coventry where he hit 20 in 40 matches, though he has yet to open his scoring in the 17 first XI league appearances he has made for his parent club. He was part of the England U20 squad this summer, picking up a World Cup winner's medal as an unused sub in the 1-0 final win over Venezuela.
And so to us. Well the West Brom game wasn't much to write home about. I tried. They returned the letter.
They seemed so frightened of losing two on the trot after the Brighton game they quite forgot that they were the team beginning with "West" who were at home. Their end of season DVD compilation will be a barrel of laughs on that showing. Obiang's shot that came off the bar was about the only thing of note through the whole match really. It was odd because I was only thinking during the warm-up how rare such efforts were given how much time 'keepers spend off their line.
Talking of 'keepers Foster was a bit lucky, wasn't he? Tierney was so busy making sure that he didn't issue an erroneous red for denial of goalscoring opportunity (or DOGSO as it's known in the trade) that he completely forgot to consider the nature of the challenge itself which, with two feet off the ground, could easily have been thought of as a straight red, and probably would have been had it been an outfield player.
Good as the away point was (in terms of its intrinsic value) one still has concerns. The recent move to a back three does suit the defenders available to us who, if I can put this kindly, are not what you might call blessed with an awful lot of pace. However, lining up in this manner does come with a cost, that being the tendency for two of your front three to play wide and a bit deep. Antonio is ok on the right – he has a natural width to his game – but Hernandez is wasted out on the left. Given his reputation (or "rep" as I believe the kids say) for being at home in the penalty area it would seem logical to try and play to that particular strength. It's almost as if we have been told "you can have either a decent defence or a decent attack – but not both".
There's good and bad news on the injury front. Ginge's ankle looked serious enough to keep him out for some time – well done to the ignorant tossers at West Brom who booed him. Noble and Fernandes are said to be close to a return and then we have Lanzini. The little Argentinian was sorely missed at The Hawthorns and, though the official list stills show him as a major doubt, the word is that the player has been training for a bit but won't be risked for this one.
We can expect a number of changes. I would have thought Zabaleta might have a night off given that he has four of the five yellow cards required for an enforced week's break at this stage of the season. One would imagine that the likes of Byram and Ogbonna will get to stretch their legs whilst Sakho and Ayew may also start.
Prediction? Well I know we have this "rep" for coming up short against the lower orders but even with an alternative starting XI we ought to have enough to get past Bolton. I will therefore place the traditional £2.50 on the counter at Winstone the Turf Accountant in return for a wager for a 3-1 home win, thus seeing us through to the next round which, on past form, will take place on Thursday at 3am in a slient running submarine sitting off the coast of Alaska, the final draw to be delivered by a suitably graffiti-ed cruise missile aimed in the general direction of North Korea.
Well it's no more stupid than the draws for the previous rounds.
Enjoy the game!
When Last We Met At The Boleyn Lost 1-3 Premier League August 2010
A bizarre game that, had we taken our early chances we would have won by a cricket score. A boot to Upson's face from Davies prompted an OG as Marriner waved play on. Four hours later Upson's face was still not in any fit state to be x-rayed which was interesting, given Marriner's insistence that nothing had happened. We bossed the match but were suckered into conceding a second from Elmander with 20 left. A Noble penalty – one of five that ought to have been awarded – gave hope but Davies wrestled Gabbidon to the ground, Taylor played the ball through to Elmander with his arm and we were 3-1 down. These things even themselves up according to some idiots. I'm waiting…
Referee: Simon Hooper
One of the second tier of professional referees so we haven't encountered him so far. A quick google search seems to indicate that Mr Hooper's full name is "Controversial Referee Simon Hooper". His highlight of the season so far was sending off a Fulham defender within 30 seconds of the start of a match for a very dubious DOGSO decision. According to a genuinely neutral observer of my acquaintance he then ignored all sorts of nailed-on yellow card offences for the next 70 minutes. A potential leveller then.
Danger Man: Adam Armstrong
Selected as a horse for this particular League Cup course.
Percy's Poser:
Last week we asked you "what is Jermain Jenas's problem?" Congratulations to Mrs Dorothy Stormy-Petrel of Harlow New Town who correctly stated "he's a no mark ex footballer who thinks ten minutes of media training will somehow cover up for a lack of knowledge and the fact that he is using his platform to peddle his petty prejudices to the licence paying public". Well done Dorothy!
This week we take you back to 1923 and the famous "White Horse" final to ask you: What was the name of the horse and what happened to him after the final.
Best of luck everyone!
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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Why the London Stadium is better than Wembley
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 19th September 2017
By: Staff Writer #3
West Ham's move to the London Stadium last season brought a lot of media and fan attention – though mostly negative. Many opposing supporters, particularly Leyton Orient and Tottenham Hotspur, were against the move with the great deal that both David Gold and David Sullivan got for the club. The previous season of 2015/16 Slaven Bilic had excelled in taking us to a 7th place finish with nine wins at the Boleyn Ground and only three defeats. Much pressure was on us to perform at the London Stadium, but it all got off to a negative start with elimination from the UEFA Europa League at home to Romanian minnows Astra Giurgiu, at home. The Premier League season didn't get much better – we were in a relegation battle for part of it and ended the season with eight home defeats and only seven wins at our new home.
Pressure of playing at the London Stadium? Or just the players we had? One of those victories however was against this weekend's rivals, Tottenham. West Ham odds are currently out at 6.0 to pull off a repeat of last season's victory. Spurs decided to follow in our footsteps this season by moving to Wembley Stadium, albeit a temporary deal whilst White Hart Lane is being renovated. Mauricio Pochettino's side had performed unsuccessfully at the home of English football in last season's Champions League as they dropped into the Europa League in a group they were widely-considered to win, versus AS Monaco, Bayer 04 Leverkusen and CSKA Moscow. Then in the Europa League they were dumped out by Belgium First League A side, Gent, following a 2-2 draw at Wembley. Spurs have started the 2017-18 Premier League season without a win at their temporary home. The first-ever Premier League game at Wembley saw them beaten 1-2 by Chelsea, before being held 1-1 by Burnley and 0-0 by Swansea – the latter two both expected to be in the bottom half if not battling relegation this season.
Pressure of playing at the national stadium? Unlucky? Simply a slow start to the season? Or the bigger pitch not suiting Pochettino's tactics? Unlike Spurs, we got a win on our opening home game this season – a solid performance in beating Huddersfield Town 2-0 on Monday night football. The first goals the newly-promoted Terriers had conceded this season. Results aside, the graphic below from Betfair highlights that the London Stadium is much closer to the Boleyn compared to Wembley and White Hart Lane. Though this doesn't affect Spurs fans greatly as most of them come from much further away. What's more, the pies and pints are also cheaper for the fans at our new stadium!
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Haksabanovic, Arnautovic & Rice start - how West Ham should line up against Bolton
This is how we would like to see the Hammers take to the field
Football London
BYSAM INKERSOLE
14:13, 19 SEP 2017
Slaven Bilic admitted he will be changing around his squad for West Ham's Carabao Cup tie against Bolton Wanderers at the London Stadium this evening (Tuesday). The likes of Pablo Zabaleta, Javier Hernandez, Aaron Cresswell and Michail Antonio will be rested for the League Cup tie in E20 and it gives an opportunity for others top stake their claims. Arthur Masuaku and Sam Byram are almost certain to get 90 minutes, while youngsters Domingos Quina, Sead Haksabanovic, Declan Rice and Nathan Holland are all in the squad. With that in mind, here is how we think the Hammers should line up in Stratford.
How we think the Hammers should line up
Yes, it's four at the back.
Angelo Ogbonna gets a recall and also a chance to prove himself with the absence of James Collins for at least a month following his ankle injury, while Masuaku and Byram operate a full back and Rice gets a start in his preferred position of centre half. Mark Noble returns from injury tonight so he's straight back in, while Haksabanovic and Pedro Obiang make up the midfield. The front three consists of three players with something to prove in Diafra Sakho, Marko Arnautovic and Andre Ayew.
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Was West Ham's Martin Samuelsen over-hyped or does he just need time?
HITC
Vincent Ralph
The West Ham United midfielder has fallen off the radar after initially impressing. When West Ham United initially signed Martin Samuelsen it looked like the Hammers had pulled off a masterstroke, but things have not exactly gone according to plan for the young Norwegian in the time that followed. After some impressive showings for West Ham in their pre-season preparations of 2015, where the teenager showed his passing range and composure on the ball, he quickly found himself making do with under-23 football before a loan spell at Peterborough United started to demonstrate what all the fuss was about. Samuelsen's balance, confidence and innate talent shone during that initial spell and he was expected to make a name for himself back at the Hammers soon after.
That did not happen, and a disappointing return to Posh, along with a doomed temporary stint at Blackburn Rovers, set Samuelsen back at exactly the time when he should have been pushing for a Hammers' debut. This season he is back with West Ham's under-23 side, but two years since his arrival he seems no closer to that allusive senior chance. Now 20, Samuelsen needs to prove his worth over the current campaign or risk failing to make the breakthrough many felt was only a matter of time. West Ham have some of the best young players in the country on their books, yet manager Slaven Bilic has been reluctant to test them unless he absolutely has to. Samuelsen is just one to suffer as a consequence, with Reece Oxford currently warming the bench at Borussia Monchengladbach, Toni Martinez making light work of second string football and the youngest of the lot, Domingos Quina, edging ever closer to his first start.
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WILSHERE HOPING TO SECURE JANUARY WEST HAM MOVE
MICHAEL OLIVER @MichaelOIiver
ReadWestHam
In the early weeks of the season, West Ham have missed the guile and creativity of Manuel Lanzini in the final third, and the fact that the Hammers have netted just four goals in five games is a testament to that. The Argentine playmaker has been sidelined with a knee injury and isn't expected to return until after the next international break, and West Ham really could do with a midfielder who can operate between the lines and spot passes. West Ham were linked with a summer move for Jack Wilshere but were put off by Arsenal's £20m asking price, says the Daily Star, but the England international is desperate to complete a January transfer to the club he's supported since he was a boy. With just a year left to run on his contract, Wilshere is resigned to the fact he will be leaving Arsenal at the end of the season no matter what with the Gunners having made no attempt to open talks over a new deal with the midfielder. Wilshere impressed on loan at Bournemouth last season but injuries continue to plague him after suffering a fractured leg at the end of last season which caused him to miss the start of the 2017/18 campaign. Having made his first appearance for Arsenal in 18 months in the Europa League clash with Cologne last week, Wilshere is hoping to impress in Europe and in the Carabao Cup in order to earn a January transfer to the Hammers so he can look to rebuild his stuttering career. West Ham are a man light in midfield and a player of Wilshere's profile does fit the bill of someone the club would like to take a punt on, but whether they sanction the deal remains to be seen.
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Why West Ham United should grant Jack Wilshere's wish
HITC
John Verrall
West Ham United should make a move for Arsenal's Jack Wilshere in January, after reports emerge suggesting he wants to switch to the London Stadium. According to the Daily Star, Jack Wilshere wants to earn a move to West Ham United and Slaven Bilic should grant the midfielder his wish. Wilshere is said to be keen to leave Arsenal, with West Ham his first choice. The 25-year-old is believed to be hoping to impress West Ham's scouting team with his performances in cup competition. If Wilshere can catch the eye, West Ham shouldn't think twice about bringing the former England international to the London Stadium. Wilshere's career may have stalled in recent times, but he remains a wonderful talent on his day. Although a succession of injuries have certainly hampered his progress, if West Ham could nurse Wilshere back to his best then he would be a massive upgrade on what they already have. And, with Wilshere so determined to impress West Ham, there would surely be no doubting his commitment to making his time with Bilic's side a success, if a move did come off. As a result, the positives of the transfer far outweigh any negatives - and West Ham should grant Wilshere his wish, by offering him an escape route out of Arsenal in January.
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West Ham face up to a month without Manuel Lanzini as star playmaker suffers significant injury setback
Manuel Lanzini's recovery from a knee injury has stalled significantly
It means the Hammers could be without their star Argentine until October
Boss Slaven Bilic will rest Andy Carroll for Tuesday's Carabao Cup clash
Bilic believes it's 'almost impossible' to play Carroll with Javier Hernandez
By Oliver Todd for the Daily Mail
PUBLISHED: 22:30, 18 September 2017 | UPDATED: 22:58, 18 September 2017
West Ham are facing up to another month without star playmaker Manuel Lanzini with his recovery from a knee injury stalling significantly. Lanzini has only played 45 minutes this season and is struggling to make progress towards a return, training alone throughout September. Tuesday's Carabao Cup clash with Bolton Wanderers would have presented an ideal opportunity to ease the Argentine back in — but manager Slaven Bilic does not expect him back until after the October international break now. Bilic will rest Andy Carroll at the London Stadium, another player plagued by injury trouble, after admitting he cannot call on his striker to play three times in eight days. But while Carroll's game-time is simply being moderated, Lanzini is not ready at all. He has suffered issues with his movement since being sent home from Argentina's camp last month. 'Lanzini is as close now as he was a couple of days before he started to train before the Newcastle game (in August),' Bilic said. 'He's doing everything but he is not training with us as in one movement he still feels the injury. We don't want to risk it. 'He's going to be definitely be ready after the international break. Will he be ready before, for the Swansea game? Hopefully… is it 100 per cent? No. You have the things that you hoping for — a timetable — and then you have a much more realistic timetable.' Bilic believes he needs the creativity of Lanzini, 24, before he can begin to play Carroll in a strike pairing with £16million signing Javier Hernandez. For now, he says it is 'almost impossible' to field the two hitmen together upfront. Carroll will miss Tuesday's game against Bolton while Hernandez is set to be on the bench with Diafra Sakho starting. 'I think about that the most [playing two up front], but it's very hard to put them as their ideal positions as two strikers,' Bilic said. 'It looks good on paper, but then it's very hard to have three at three at the back (in defence). It's almost impossible. Of course, I'm thinking about that.'
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Bilic gives Manuel Lanzini injury update as West Ham star remains on the sidelines
The Argentine has managed just 45 minutes of football this season
Football London
COMMENTS
BYSAM INKERSOLE
22:45, 18 SEP 2017
Slaven Bilic admitted Manuel Lanzini hasn't begun "proper training" with the West Ham squad as he recovers from a knee problem. Lanzini has played just 45 minutes of football this season owing to a knee injury first picked up in pre-season then aggravated during the 3-0 reverse at Newcastle last month Bilic's side desperately lack creativity without "The Jewel" in their side, none more evident than during their dire 0-0 draw with West Brom at the weekend and owing to them scoring just four goals this season. Lanzini is training at Rush Green but individually as the boss admitted there is one specific movement where he still feels discomfort in his knee. The Hammers boss said Lanzini might be ready for Swansea but it's more likely to be after the next international break, effectively ruling him out of the visit of Spurs this weekend in the Premier League as well. "Lanzini is as close as he was a couple of days before he started to train before Newcastle. He is still a little bit away from starting training," Bilic said. "He's doing everything but he is not training with us as in one movement he still feels it. Only in one movement and we don't want to risk. He's going to be definitely be ready after the international break. Will he be ready before, for the Swansea game? Maybe. "But after the international break he will definitely be playing. Hopefully he will be OK for the Swansea game but is it 100 per cent? No it is not."
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West Ham United still waiting for a work permit for Ghanaian goalkeeper Joseph Anang
Published on: 19 September 2017
GhanaSoccernet.com
English Premier League side West Ham United are working round the clock to secure Ghanaian goalkeeper Joseph Anang a work permit. Anang started his youth career at his native Danbort FC before joining Ghanaian top-tier side Wa Allstars FC. A goalkeeper who highlights his kicking and reflexes as his main strengths, Anang reportedly made a positive impression on both players and coaches alike while on trial with the east London side. He finally signed a three-year deal with the Hammer in August and the club has slapped in an offer for a work permit. He has been training with the first team as back up to Joe Hart and Adrian at the club's Rush Green training complex in Romford.
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Reece Oxford still hasn't featured for Gladbach
Calm down — it's going to be fine
by Chad Hoy@ChadHoy Sep 19, 2017, 2:00am EDT
BraceTheHammer
Reece Oxford has been out on loan for all of three months now, and some fans are starting to get up in arms about his playing time at his adoptive club Borussia Mönchengladbach. We are here today to let you know that this is perfectly fine, and in fact, it makes sense — do not fret mon frere!
Fellow Brace the Hammer writer, Jonathan Lines, had this to say on the subject:
Surely we didn't expect he'd be straight up first choice. Gladbach have got [Matthias] Ginter and [Jannik] Vestergaard [at center-back]. Think the move will be really excellent for his development and he probably has a better chance of some action; but at the end of the day, we've loaned him to a team who are better than us, so. . .
Gladbach is a good side with a clever coach. Oxford will have time and space to grow without pressure. Look up Gladbach kids making it big. There have been a few, plus a few who still play there, having grown up at the club. They have some class players like Christoph Kramer and [Reece] will develop and grow a lot in the environment. He's first reserve which is better than West Ham. Who knows what may happen if he gets a chance.
Jonathan raises a few important points here, one being that Oxford is essentially in a better place learning in a Champions-League-level football program. If West Ham United played Borussia Mönchengladbach right now, they'd get absolutely handled. If Reece isn't first choice at West Ham, how could any fan just expect him to walk on at a club that's a regular participant in UEFA Champions League competition?
Reece Oxford is quite a player. We all know this. We saw it when he pocketed Mesut Özil as a 16-year-old. However, one good game two seasons ago does not a Premier League player make. Oxford is developing well, regardless of the playing time he's getting. Obviously playing time is pertinent to player improvement, but the time Oxford is putting in — even just in training — at a club like Gladbach is doing a lot for his long-term development. Playing time will come eventually, surely. Should it not, though, this loan spell is better than another year playing in the Championship, or training with West Ham's U21 squad.
At the end of the day, Reece Oxford is eighteen years old. He's got plenty of time to establish himself as a top center-back. If we're not absolutely certain that Oxford would be an upgrade over José Fonte, Angelo Ogbonna, Winston Reid, or James Collins (injuries notwithstanding) at this point, then he's better off in his current situation.
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James Collins reveals extent of injury after scan results for West Ham defender
The defender limped out of the Hammers' match against West Brom
Football London
BYADAM JONES
07:00, 19 SEP 2017
James Collins has good news for West Ham fans after scan results revealed the extent of the defender's injury yesterday. The 34-year-old limped out of the Hammers' 0-0 draw with West Bromwich Albion on Saturday and was withdrawn at half time - with a scan due on the ankle injury yesterday. The Wales defender has been in fantastic form for West Ham over the last two matches as Slaven Bilic's side have successfully managed to their form around after a disappointing start to the campaign. And Collins revealed on Instagram yesterday some good news for West Ham fans - as the results of his scan were not as bad as first expected.
The defender posted a picture of him limping off the pitch at the Hawthorns on Instagram with the caption: "Scan has reported ligament damage in my ankle but not as bad as first feared. Working hard already to be back in 3-4 weeks." That's much better news for the Hammers after Slaven Bilic admitted he was fearing the worst when Collins was initially withdrawn from the goalless draw at the weekend. If that injury time-frame is accurate then Collins could potentially be back for either West Ham's home tie against Brighton on October 20 or the trip to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace on October 28.
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West Ham fitness chief Gary Lewin squashes Manuel Lanzini cup match rumours
HITC
Damien Lucas
West Ham United fitness chief Gary Lewin has squashed rumours doing the rounds about star man Manuel Lanzini. The Hammers have recovered from a dreadful start to the season to record back-to-back clean sheets and four points, lifting them out of the relegation zone. But while the the 2-0 win over Huddersfield and 0-0 draw with West Bromwich Albion have proved the East Londoners have the stomach to grind out results it has not been easy on the eye. One player who could change all that, star creative influence Manuel Lanzini. The Argentine playmaker has been missing for most of the season so far bar a premature return as a half-time substitute in the 3-0 drubbing at Newcastle. Lanzini has been injured ever since but rumours have been circulating online that he could return to the side this week ahead of the big London derby against Tottenham Hotspur and may even get some minutes under his belt in the midweek Carabao Cup match against Bolton Wanderers. But former England and Arsenal physio Gary Lewin, now West Ham's fitness chief, had some bad news for Hammers fans on the club's official website revealing Lanzini is some way off a return yet. "Manuel Lanzini is a bit further away but still on schedule in terms of his rehabilitation from the knee injury that he irritated up at Newcastle last month," Lewin told whufc.com. "He is back on the training pitches and working hard, and we are looking at him being available again after the next international break."
The news will be hugely disappointing for supporters ahead of the huge derby against rivals Spurs. Lanzini got the only goal of the game as West Ham ended Tottenham's title hopes for the second successive season back in May.
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