Daily WHUFC News - 4th December 2015

Slaven Speaks - Manchester United
WHUFC.com

Slaven Bilic revealed that DIafra Sakho faces a spell on the sidelines when
he faced the media on Thursday ahead of this weekend's trip to Manchester
United. The striker suffered an injury to his thigh in last Sunday's draw
with West Bromwich Albion and will sit out the busy festive period. Bilic
answered questions on Sakho, the threat Manchester United pose and more in
his weekly press briefing.

Slaven, can we start with your injury news for Saturday please?

SB: "We are still waiting for the results on Diafra Sakho's scan, but it's
not good. As I said we are waiting for the opinion of a couple of
specialists. It happened in a game when he had a chance. When Moses gave him
the ball, he felt it when he was sprinting, but because he is a brave guy he
continued and when he fell down after the shot he felt it again. "It's a
muscle injury, not dangerous for long-term or whatever, but it's not a light
one unfortunately. We are going to be without him for a few games
definitely."

How big a blow is it?

SB: "Of course it's a big blow. In terms of the quantity of injuries we are
not bad, but unfortunately those three injuries have happened to our key
players, especially on the offensive side of our game. Payet, Sakho,
Valencia, it's a big blow to us."

Does it mean you will need to buy a striker now in January?

SB: "Not necessarily. We have strikers, and we have different types of
strikers. I'm not saying we will not try to get someone, but at this time
we're not thinking about that. Okay we're going to have a few meetings and
all that, but we will see."

How important now is Andy Carroll and his form?

SB: "Of course he's important. As I said it's him, and Jelavic and Antonio.
When Dimitri got injured and when Enner got injured, we didn't talk a lot
about him, because he got injured in pre-season. Because he didn't play for
us this season, apart from a few minutes in a few games we didn't talk about
him. He is also a big blow the way he played last year, but it looks like he
will be okay soon. At least we will have him, hopefully, in a couple of
weeks' time. It's a good chance for some of the guys to get minutes to step
in and show their class.

What have you made of Andy Carroll so far?

SB: "He is trying hard in training and he's played really well in the few
games he's had for us. He showed against Norwich, when he came on for the
last 20 minutes or half an hour, and the same against Chelsea and Crystal
Palace. He showed his class, and so far he's showed it more as an impact
player when he's come on. He lifted our game, that's why we brought him in
of course, but also he needs to show it from the start. He's got the
quality, sometimes the players need a longer time to gel in completely and
play like they did before the injury. We hope he's going to do that now for
us, if he plays of course.

Much has been made of the fact that Manchester United are having narrow
victories this season, that they're not playing as exciting football as
previously. What do you think of that?

SB: "Well they are different than, let's say, the Ferguson era, when
especially at home they were electric, playing more vertically, but you say
narrow victories, but they are victories. So they are winning – they're not
conceding goals and somebody said they are boring, but they having the ball.
They are not a team that is giving you the ball and defending, you can call
that kind of football, sometimes, boring.

"They have the ball possession, they are controlling the game and trying to
win every game. Especially at home, when the opponents are defending with
numbers and are compact, you can't play very vertically. You need gaps and
space behind or in between the lines of the opponent. That's hard to find.
We can call it controlled football, we can call it patient football, but it
is so far very effective because they are sitting good in the table."

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Chambers highlights team effort
WHUFC.com

West Ham defender Leo Chambers praised the team effort behind the Hammers'
4-0 win over Exeter City U21 on Wednesday 2 December. Chambers put it a
dominant display at centre-back, and was crucial in securing his side a
clean sheet, their second in consecutive games. Reflecting on the match,
Chambers said: "It was a good performance, we scored a very early goal which
put us on the front foot and it was a good start for us. "Clean sheets are
always good for defenders but it was a whole team effort, I've always said
that clean sheets don't come by accident. The starting XI all worked hard
and so did the subs, we all grafted and got our rewards. "Even though we won
4-0, they did have a few chances, especially at 2-0. Credit to Sam because
he made some vital saves, 4-0 was an excellent result."

The victory, over a spirited and experienced Exeter outfit, was the Hammers
fifth in sixth games and they could not have wished for a better start as
Jaanai Gordon netted after just seven seconds. The forward doubled his tally
just ten minutes later, before Djair Parfitt-Williams and Moses Makasi
netted late on. The 20-year-old continued: "That was most definitely the
quickest goal I've been involved in, I think that's the quickest goal I know
of! I'll be on YouTube and Google later to see what is the quickest goal.
"Overall, I was pleased with my performance; I think I did some good things
tonight. I've seen a few clips of Rio Ferdinand making some blocks like
that, so that one goes to him! The win sees the young Hammers progress to
the Round of 16 where they will host either Fulham or Colchester United.
Chambers finished by saying: "Our confidence is good at the moment, as a
squad we always had that confidence and belief. Earlier on in the season we
didn't get the results we deserved; now our performances are being matched
with the results. "A cup run would be good definitely, we're in the last
sixteen now. Either Fulham or Colchester at home, we've got every chance."

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Westley proud of Dev Squad dedication
WHUFC.com

Terry Westley spoke of his pride for his players and backroom staff after
the Development Squad secured their second win in three days with a 4-0 win
over Exeter City U21s at St James Park.
The resounding victory, which sees the young Hammers progress to the Round
of 16 in the U21 Premier League Cup, followed their 1-0 triumph over Swansea
City U21 on Monday. Reflecting on a highly productive 72 hours, Westley
said: "We've had a really good Monday through to Wednesday. I'm really proud
of the way the players, the staff, everyone has handled themselves
throughout the trip, on and off the pitch. The kitman, physios, everyone,
has worked very diligently, I can't praise them highly enough. "The result
of that hard work is that we've won a hard league game away at Swansea, in
difficult conditions and have progressed to the next round of the cup with a
4-0 win over Exeter City. They're really a Division Two team as a lot of
their team has played league football. The centre-forward that played
tonight is the leading goalscorer. "So both games were two very difficult
challenges, we've come through and managed to field a number of young
players. At times, we played really well, we got through them because of
good play, good football and a plenty of other times when we got round the
back of them."

The Hammers raced to an opening goal in just under eight seconds as Jaanai
Gordon finished emphatically after Marcus Browne and Josh Cullen attacked
from the kick-off. Just ten minutes later, Gordon doubled his personal tally
with a header from Djair Parfitt-Williams' cross. Westley continued:
"People might laugh, but at 2-0, it was a close game, they had a lot of the
ball and were creating chances and if not for the back four and the keeper,
it could have been a lot worse. "Oxford did very well, particularly in the
first half; he recovered extremely well when he lost it while Chambers put
in some very important blocks."

The Grecians had a number of chances to get themselves back into the game,
however the Hammers stood firm and secured the win with late strikes by
Parfitt-Williams and substitute Moses Makasi. Westley's side will now face
either Fulham or Colchester United in the next round. The two sides play
each other on Tuesday 8 December, with the round of 16 tie due to be
scheduled in late December. Westley finished off by saying: "We've now got a
home game in the next round against either Fulham or Colchester United; we
have a good opportunity to get to the quarter finals. Whoever we play will
be a good game. Just like today we showed great determination, desire. "I've
said it before when we played well against West Brom, Stoke and Blackburn
but didn't get the results we deserved, now we're getting what our
performances merit and that is very pleasing."

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Former Player Blog - Tony Cottee
WHUFC.com

Tony Cottee scored 146 goals in 336 matches for West Ham United over two
spells in the 1980s and 1990s. He was part of the Hammers side which won at
Manchester United in the FA Cup fifth round in March 1986… There has been
talk of challenging for a European place but, for me, the bigger picture is
finishing in the top half of the Premier League table. At the start to the
season that was the aim for everyone. We made a sensational start with the
away performances and wins at some of the top clubs, which raised
expectations, but I still think that if we get the results to get a top nine
or ten finish I will be absolutely delighted. When you start the season like
we did, some people got carried away about the fantastic position we found
ourselves in, but the main priority is that we are still a Premier League
club when we move into the new Stadium next summer. We have probably done
enough already to ensure we will not be involved in a relegation fight this
season, but it's important that we pick up points quickly in the next few
weeks. When you play four games in a short period of time over Christmas and
the New Year and don't pick up points, and other clubs pick up six or eight
in no time, you can find yourself dropping down the table.

We have got 22 points on the board already and it's important we keep
collecting them going forward. A lot has been said and written about our
injuries, but they are part of football and every club suffers them – and
suspensions – throughout the course of the season. Manchester City have been
without David Silva and Sergio Aguero, Manchester United have lost Luke
Shaw, Liverpool have only just got Daniel Sturridge back, while Arsenal are
going to be without Santi Cazorla and Laurent Koscielny… Every club you can
think of has had long-term injuries. It's unfortunate for West Ham that they
have lost key players in Dimitri Payet and Diafra Sakho, but we cannot dwell
on their absences. As a squad, the boys have got to get together and produce
the goods, while Slaven Bilic and his coaching staff need to work out their
tactics to get us results and performances without them on the pitch. We
have now got to stop moaning about it and the players to take action and get
results on the pitch. We go to Manchester United on Saturday and I see a
team that are struggling to score goals.

Defensively, they are very strong and a lot of that has been down to the
form of Chris Smalling, who has been outstanding, while David De Gea in goal
behind him is back to his best.
Manchester United are not creating chances the way they did under Sir Alex
Ferguson and they do not carry the same attacking threat that they have done
down the years. We have got to go there and stop conceding goals the way we
have been in recent matches, because they don't concede many and if we fall
behind it will be difficult. They are hard to beat. I would take a 0-0 draw
now, and the longer it stays goalless the more chance we have got of
creating a chance and nicking a win in the last 20 minutes through someone
like Manuel Lanzini or Mauro Zarate, who have been excellent. I think this
is a big game for Andy Carroll, too. It is time for him to shine and the
challenge is to get the tactics right to play to his strengths. He is a big
man, but he can play with his back to goal and is also good on the floor, so
we don't want to get suckered into just lumping long balls up to him. As a
striker myself, I know that Andy is only as good as the service he receives,
so it is the responsibility of the team – not just Andy – to get the ball
into good positions and deliver quality into the penalty area. I can see us
setting up with Cheikhou Kouyate and Mark Noble shielding in front of the
back four, then you have Manuel, Mauro and Victor Moses as a creative
attacking trio behind Andy. It's a good chance for Slaven to look at his
squad and for those players to step up.

We have won at Old Trafford many times before, so why can't we do it again?

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Chadwell Chatter - Nikica Jelavic
Whufc.COM

Hello,

I have special memories playing at Old Trafford and look forward to going
back there on Saturday. I have had some great moments there scoring twice
for Everton when we came away with a 4-4 draw and it was a great game to be
involved in. We had lost against Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-final and we
went there still thinking about the game at Wembley. To be honest we didn't
think we could come away with anything but we had a great game and I managed
to score twice. There were eight goals and with that draw, United lost
points as they looked to win the title. This is something new and I am
looking forward to being involved in the game. It is always a great
atmosphere playing against Manchester United and it is a great stadium.
There will be a big crowd and you have to be at your best playing against
them.

We have already proved this season that we can play against the big teams.
We are a great team and have a great bunch of players. We have a couple of
injuries at the moment but we still have a good team and we can take some
points against United. It will be a tough game for us as they are playing in
front of their own fans, but we want to make it tough for them and come away
with a positive result. We are not going to go there and defend for the
whole game. I am sure we are going to have our chances against them. I am
enjoying my time at West Ham and this is a great club. Everyone around the
club has been fantastic and I am very pleased with the move. I know Slaven
and the management well and that definitely helped at the start. But I also
knew most of the lads as I have played against them before and it was not a
problem for me to settle so quickly. It is a big blow for us that Diafra has
now got injured but we have still got Andy, myself and a couple of the
younger lads. We are going to fight for our place in the team. The important
thing is that the team are playing well and we are winning games. Sometimes
it will be Andy and other times I will play. You want to play and show what
you can do. I will wait for my chance and hopefully I will take it.

We have got great players just behind us and it was an amazing free-kick
from Mauro Zarate against West Brom last weekend. Lanzini has also been
fantastic and he is a great talent. We have got some great players and we
can build on that. This is a big season for the Club as we prepare to move
next summer. We are moving into a bigger stadium and automatically there
will be bigger expectations. But I think we are ready for that step forward.

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Vice-Chairman named Ultimate Businesswoman
WHUFC.com

West Ham United Vice-Chairman Karren Brady has been named Ultimate
Businesswoman by Cosmopolitan in their 2015 Ultimate Women's Awards. The
Vice-Chairman was presented with her award by Myleene Klass at the Mayfair
awards dinner, which celebrates the ultimate women who have made a positive
difference to the world. The Vice-Chairman has long been a figurehead for
women in business and has championed their cause throughout her career.
Since arriving at West Ham United in 2010, the Vice-Chairman has brought the
Club back to its core values celebrating West Ham's role at the heart of the
East London community through the Moore than a Football Club brand and has
grown the Hammers' fanbase at grassroots and an international level. Her
ability to grow commercial revenue at every operational level of the
business saw the Club start recording its first operating profits in recent
history. While working tirelessly to attract investment, increase revenue
and reduce the Club's historic debt burden, one of the Vice-Chairman's
greatest triumphs to date came in March 2013, when Her Majesty's Government
selected West Ham United as the anchor concessionaire for the Olympic
Stadium following its transformation into a UEFA Category 4 Football Stadium
in 2016. Since then, she has worked tirelessly to ensure is a truly
world-class destination that will exceed the expectation of Hammers fans
come the first game there next August.

Ms Brady is also an indefatigable supporter of charitable causes as an
Ambassador for The Stroke Association, WellChild and Teenage Cancer Trust.
West Ham United Joint-Chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold were the first
to offer their congratulations to the Vice-Chairman. They said: "We are
delighted that Karren has won this prestigious award. It is thoroughly
deserved as recognition for her outstanding work. "Karren's passion and
vision were crucial for us securing our stunning new home in 2013 and she is
now spearheading the project to make sure it truly looks and feels like home
for our fans. "Having worked with Karren for more than two decades now, we
know what an asset she is to our football club and we are both very grateful
to have her on our Board."

The award follows a long list of recent accolades for the Vice-Chairman. She
was awarded a life peer in August 2014, made a CBE in HM The Queen's New
Year's Honours List in 2014 and FC Business Magazine CEO of the Year in
2012.

Everyone at West Ham United would like to congratulate the Vice-Chairman on
this latest award.

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View on the Opposition - Manchester United
WHUFC.com

Manchester United Season Ticket Holder and West Ham United Academy sport's
scientist Miles Smith lifts the lid on Saturday's opponents.

What have you made of United's season so far?

"I think we're getting there, under Louis van Gaal we're playing the style
that he likes to play, certain United fans haven't taken that so well
because of the expectations they have. But I think overall, the team are
getting there, he's starting to implement his philosophy.

"A few weeks ago Gary Neville said he thought United needed two more top
players to change the games and I think that's all we need really, I think
we're missing that spark."

Quite a few new players came in over the summer, who has impressed you most?

"The young boy Anthony Martial is obviously a standout; he couldn't have
started any better scoring against Liverpool. Memphis Depay has come in for
a lot of unnecessary criticism but he has definitely showed signs that he
can be a good player. He's got that quality to play at United's level for a
long, long time but it might not be happening for him at the minute."

What is a realistic expectation for United this season, in terms of a league
position?

"Top, I think you have to say top of the league every year as a United fan,
I don't think you can say anything else. If a United manager said any less
than top they'd already be in trouble, it's got to be challenging at least
for the title."

What have you made of West Ham this season?

"They've impressed a lot of people and I think they've ruined a lot of
betting slips this season. Obviously their away form has been amazing, they
have beaten the big teams so far and it'll be interesting to see if they can
do it again on Saturday. If they can they I'm sure they'll drive on for the
rest of the season. The last few results are not what they wanted but it'll
be interesting to see how they react on Saturday."

What is your prediction for Saturday's score?

"It's a tough one for me this weekend as I have a foot in both camps. This
fixture is probably the worst one of the season for me, obviously working at
West Ham I want them to do as well as possible but my family have been
United season ticket holders for generations really.

" I'll be at Old Trafford this weekend, it'll be a difficult game. I think a
draw is probably the worst outcome.

"We know West Ham can score while United are struggling up front a little
bit, but not conceding many. I'll go for a 1-0 to Manchester United."

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Diafra Sakho: West Ham man expected to miss 'four to eight weeks'
BBC.co.uk

West Ham striker Diafra Sakho could be out for more than two months after
injuring a thigh during Sunday's match against West Brom. The 25-year-old
pulled up after taking a shot and was substituted in the 17th minute of the
1-1 draw at Upton Park. It will definitely not be a couple of weeks - four
to eight, maybe longer," said manager Slaven Bilic. We are waiting for the
specialists. He has a bit of history with that thigh. It's not a light one
unfortunately." The Senegal striker has scored five goals in 14 appearances
for the Hammers this season. West Ham are already without midfielder Dimitri
Payet, who has been ruled out until February with an ankle injury.
Ecuadorian striker Enner Valencia is also sidelined by an ankle problem. "Of
course it's a big blow," Bilic added. "We are not bad in terms of quantity
of injuries, but unfortunately they have happened to key players."

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Sakho sidelined until 2016, says Bilic
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 3rd December 2015
By: Staff Writer

Slaven Bilic has confirmed that striker Diafra Sakho is unlikely to return
until the new year - as exclusively revealed on KUMB earlier this week. We
revealed on Monday how the Senegal international - injured during the 1-1
draw with West Bromwich Albion last weekend - was expecting to face around
two months on the sidelines as a result of the thigh injury he sustained
late on in the game. And that story was confirmed by Bilic during his
pre-match press conference this morning - in which he admitted that Sakho
would be out for some considerable time. "We are still waiting for the
results of the scan, but it's not good," said Bilic. "It will definitely not
be a couple of weeks - we're looking at four to eight weeks, maybe longer,
but we are waiting for the opinion of a couple of specialists. "It is a
thigh injury and he's got a bit of history with that. It happened in a game
when he got the ball and had a chance. He felt it when he was sprinting and
because he's a brave guy, he continued - but when he fell down after the
shot he felt it again. "It's a muscle injury, it's not dangerous for
long-term or whatever but it's not a light one, unfortunately. We are going
to be without him for a few games definitely."

The manager - whose team face Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday
afternoon - also admitted that Sakho's injury had arrived at the worst
possible time - when two of his fellow attacking players are already
sidelined. "Of course it's a big blow,2 he added. "In terms of the quantity
of injuries we are not bad, we are ok in that department. Unfortunately
those three injuries - Payet, Sakho, Valencia - have happened to our key
players, especially on the offensive side of our game. It's a big blow for
us."

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Big Sam's Tombides tribute
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 3rd December 2015
By: Staff Writer

Sam Allardyce may have left West Ham behind him, but there is one little
piece of the club he remains honoured to be associated with. The 61-year-old
has been at the helm of Premier League strugglers Sunderland since the
beginning of October, since when he has began to turn their season around
with three wins in six games.
Yet he was spotted wearing a DT38 shirt during his press conference this
morning - the name of the foundation set up in memory of former Hammer Dylan
Tombides by his family last year.
Allardyce was of course the managerial incumbent when Tombides passed away
at the age of just 20, following a long battle against cancer in April 2014.
Speaking at the time he described the young Australian's loss as a massive
blow. "It's been hugely difficult," he said just days after Tombides death.
"It's a massive blow to everybody that knew Dylan, because of how many times
we've seen him fighting this intolerable illness. "We had so much hope [due
to] the determination he showed to recover from the treatment he had and
recover from the disease he had. It looked so many times like he'd
recovered. "He was fit and never wanted to miss a day's training, but
unfortunately in the end it's been a sad day for all of us, especially for
the family."

You can find our more about the Dylan Tombides Foundation on their website
at www.dt38.co.uk.

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HOW HAVE WE SCORED OUR GOALS?
By Iain Dale 3 Dec 2015 at 08:00
WTID
Guest Post by RoHammer

As we were debating the topic of the moment (the merits of Carroll and Sakho
respectively) a week or so ago we ended up talking about how our play looks
with each of them. Undoubtedly Carroll has not had the best comeback from
injury this time around unlike last season but hopefully he will be back to
his marauding best eventually…God knows we'll need him what with everyone
else injured. So far Sakho has made up for it with his movements up front
somewhat but even his contributions in the final third have been less then
significant at times and the strain of his own style has become apparent.
While he hasn't been out for the long term yet it's his third injury in a
year and a half. But I digress; as we were debating on as we usually do
around WHTID it got me thinking about how we have scored our goals this
season. I will put my tin hat on for this, but I have to say, we are perhaps
not as good as we thought, especially in the final third. While we've played
better in some games then others undoubtedly, and at times our pressure has
forced defenders into mistakes, I feel we have also benefited from our share
of luck coupled with a few well taken set pieces and moments of magic…not to
mention playing against 10 men on more then one occasion. We don't really
seem to create that much in open play on our own though. Let's take it one
goal at a time shall we:

Arsenal 0-2 West Ham
1st goal – set piece, Cech comes out foolishly and Kouyate scores 2nd goal –
Zarate recovers a ball and shoots from range. Individual effort.

West Ham 1-2 Leicester
Goal – Noble from a wide position passes to Payet who shoots, the ball
rebounds off Sakho to Kouyate fortunately who plays in Payet who scores this
time. We were arguably unlucky not to score on Payet's first attempt and the
build up was decent enough so let's put this one down as a good team effort.

West Ham 3-4 Bournemouth
1st goal – Noble penalty, won also by him if memory serves. Enough said.
2nd goal – set piece…specifically a throw in to Sakho who shoots from close
range into the keeper. The ball falls kindly for Kouyate to slot home.
3rd goal – Maiga (yes I know lol) receives it and makes a solo run and goal.

Liverpool 0-3 West Ham
1st goal – Skrtel fails to properly clear a ball which ends up with Cressy
who plays Lanzini in to score. Good assist but it was a move comprised of
exactly 1 uninterrupted pass from us. Could be argued that we were creating
pressure and forced the error but on another day the ball wouldn't have
found itself at Cressy's feel.
2nd goal – Just as on another day Lovren wouldn't have made the blunder he
did. Even to it took a lucky deflection of Lanzini's pass to Sakho for the
ball to end up with Noble for the goal.
3rd goal – Kouyate tries to pass out wide, the ball hits a Liverpool player
and lands at Sakho's feet. Skrtel backs off clearing the way for a shot.

Man City 1-2 West Ham
1st goal – effort from range from Moses… how often will that happen over the
course of the season?
2nd goal – set piece. Obiang pushed it to Sakho who scores from the 6 yard
box.

West Ham 2-2 Norwich
1st goal – Payet runs receives the ball and runs wide, plays Sakho inside
the box who puts it in the back of the net. Good goal.
2nd goal – set piece. Keeper punches it into Carroll, rebounds to Kouyate
who slots home.

Sunderland 2-2 West Ham
1st goal – good build up, Moses rom a wide left position finds Jenks running
late into the box to score. Good goal.
2nd goal – Lanzini shoots from range. Keeper fails to clear properly, the
ball falls to Payet who puts it in the back of the net.

Crystal Palace 1-3 West Ham
1st goal – Moses from a central position plays in Jenks who is running
behind the opposing full back to score. Good goal.
2nd goal – 88th minute. Zarate crosses to AC who heads it down to
Jelavic/Lanzini. The ball end up with the latter who scores. Good goal.
3rd goal – smooth move with Lanzini finding Payet on the run. Lovely chip
for the finish. Good goal.

West Ham 2-1 Chelsea
I attended this game which made it special for me but we struggled to break
down a 10 man team in truth.
1st goal – set piece. Bad rebound from Terry fortuitously lands with Zarate
who shoots from range with a lovely first time effort.
2nd goal – Noble to Cress, cross to AC, goal. Good goal but even that was
preceded by a faulty clearance.

West Ham 1-1 Everton
Goal – ball played to Moses wide who's shot is deflected to a defender who
clears badly under pressure from AC. Ball ends up with Lanzini who finishes
with class.
Spurs 4-1 West Ham
Goal – ball played to Jelavic who turns and plays in Lanzini running in
behind who scores. Good goal

West Ham 1-1 West Brom
Goal – set piece. stunning free kick by Zarate.
So there you go. Out of our 25 goals of the season, 8 were created solely
from touches and passes from our own players from open play. A "whopping"
32%. 7 came from set pieces…which is 28% if my math is not off. Some of them
had an element of luck to them as well with the ball falling kindly for our
guys…but it didn't end there. 7 more goal came off failed ball clearances,
rebounds and such… another 28%. The other 3 were individual efforts. Taking
that into account, I'd say that singing "Barcelona, we're coming for you!"
is a bit premature isn't it? I realize that it was done in jest last season
mind you, but the point is we are still lacking in clear cut chance creation
in the final third and the absence of Payet makes this all the more
noticeable.

It's not that I didn't enjoy all our goals and they were all good in that
respect and like I said, I realize that some of the mistakes we "benefited"
from were forced by the pressure we created, and that we did play well in
some games… and I don't want to take anything away from the lads… but you
can't rely on Fortuna as much as we have and expect to finish amongst the
teams at the top of the league. We are still lacking in certain positions…we
need better quality wide players for one, a class right back and a top
striker. Going back to the original discussion, neither AC nor Sakho,
despite having their respective qualities, and having more (in the case of
Sakho) or less impact on the game so far into the season, are clear first
choice quality for a top team in my opinion. Neither play the "give it and
go" game that well and their pass completion in the final third is not the
best. Arguably it should be the midfield supplying the forwards and not the
other way around but the way Slav has us set up at the moment I feel lends
itself to a forward that is both strong enough to play the lone striker
role, mobile enough to cause problems but also with good feet and vision of
the game. Not asking much am i?!

I'm gonna go and fetch that tin hat now… but I can't help calling it as I
see it… as far as creating clear cut chances we have not been all that good,
even in our better games truth be told. Feel free to discuss ;)

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Laid back Slav knows the score
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 3, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

Slaven Bilic is ready to soldier on and make the best of what he's got
rather than press for signings in the January transfer window. The manager
was extremely cool when questioned on the crisis up front when speaking at
his presser this morning, more or less confirming what ClaretandHugh has
been reporting from insiders over the last few days – everybody is preparing
to soldier on. He explained: " We have strikers, and we have different types
of strikers. I'm not saying we will not try to get someone, but at this time
we're not thinking about that. Okay, we're going to have a few meetings and
all that, but we will see."
And we were told by a source close to the manager: "Thankfully he's a very
laid back guy and takes everything in his stride. He will get on with it.
"There are some small signs coming that James Collins may interest
Sunderland and were that to happen then there could be moves made of the
type Slav spoke about in the presser.
"But the more likely scenario now is that the manager will make do and mend
until he get his two main men back – Dimitru Payet and Diafra Sakho. The
pressure has been taken off by the quicker than expected recovery being made
by Enner Valencia but there's no cash to spare and Slaven knows the score."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Big Sam shows his softer side
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 3, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

Former Hammers Manager Sam Allardyce has shown his softer side today by
wearing a Dylan Tombides DT38 Foundation tee shirt during his Sunderland
press conference today. Dylan, who signed for West Ham in 2008, lost his
brave three-year battle with testicular cancer in April 2014, at the age of
just 20. Dylan's considerable legacy is now to be channelled through DT38, a
new Foundation which is setting out to provide testicular cancer support and
awareness through education and opportunity. Whatever your your views on Sam
Allardyce he deserves respect for honouring the memory of Dylan Tombides and
supporting such a worthy cause in the foundation in his name. Speaking on
Goals on Sunday just after Tombides passed in 2014 Allardyce said: "We all
felt so much for the parents who have supported Dylan for so long and had so
much hope. "There were so many times that young Dylan looked like he had
pulled through and recovered. "Because he loved football so much, he
couldn't wait to get back into training, even though he had been through
chemotherapy and wasn't feeling so well. "Unfortunately it kept coming back
and sadly, in the end, the brave fight was no more. It was a great shame for
the family and for us, and it was a sad moment when we all found out."
"It is a terrible disease and we have to do as much as we can to fight it,"
added Allardyce. "We do that in this country through charity events."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
X-factor finalist meets the Irons squad
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 3, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

West Ham fan and X-factor semi finalist Louisa Johnson visited the Hammers
first team squad in training today. The 17 year old Hammers fan is
considered one of the favourite's to win this year's X-Factor's finals.
Essex girl Louisa has one other ambition and that is to sing at the Boleyn
Ground this season before we move to the Olympic Stadium. In September she
tweeted out "I neeeeeeeeeed to sing at west ham before we move"

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham striker Diafra Sakho out for two months with thigh injury
By Huw Bonello
Last Updated: 03/12/15 10:16am
SSN

West Ham striker Diafra Sakho's is set to miss two months with a thigh
injury. The Senegal international sustained the injury in the last weekend's
1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion, and despite initial fears his season
could be over, Hammers coach Slaven Bilic is expecting to have him back
early in the New Year. "Diafra Sakho, we are still waiting for the results
of his scan, but it will definitely not be a couple of weeks - four to
eight, maybe longer," Bilic said in his press conference ahead of Saturday's
visit to Manchester United. "We are waiting for the opinion of a couple of
specialists. He has a bit of history with that thigh. It's not a light one
unfortunately. "Of course it's a big blow. We are not bad in terms of
quantity of injuries, but unfortunately they have happened to key players."
The Hammers are already without attacking midfielder Dimitri Payet (ankle)
until at least February while striker Enner Valencia has also been sidelined
since November with an ankle injury.
Bilic revealed that Valencia was nearing a return and is confident Andy
Carroll can step up after making an impact off the bench in several games
this season. "Enner is having a good recovery so hopefully we will have him
in a couple of weeks. It's a good chance for the guys to step in," Bilic
said. "Andy has lifted our game when he's come in for the last 20 or 30
minutes and now he needs to show that from the start."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers ht back on Collison's Payet claim
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 3, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

Jack Collison's comments on Dimitri Payet's future have gone down like a
lead balloon inside West Ham United. The former Irons midfielder – in
launching a new column today – declared that he didn't think the Hammers
could survive without Dimi Payet before adding bizarrely that the only
upside was that "the injury may mean some of the big boys will wait until
the summer to secure the Frenchman's signature."
As depressing statements go it doesn't get much worse than than that and the
club moved quickly today to scotch such talk before it gains any serious
currency. ClaretandHugh was told: "He signed a five year deal in the summer
and there is no buy out clause. we simply won't listen to any sort of offer.
To be making such suggestions is unhelpful. It won't happen. We put together
one of the tightest contracts ever."
Beyond any of that is Payet's age. He hits 29 in March and is not likely to
attract a mega bid as a result of that with our source saying: "That was
part of our thinking when buying him. Dimitri Payet will be a West Ham
player for a long time to come."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Depressing forecast from Collison
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 3, 2015 in News
C and H

Jack Collison has given a deeply depressing forecast of the Hammers outlook
without Dmitri Payet. Having launched a new column in London24.com he has
immediately addressed te issue asking: "Can they survive without star man,
Dimitri Payet? The answer is simple. No. He adds that Slaven Bilic was right
to describe the Frenchman as irreplaceable, "not just his goals and assists
but his ability to drive the team forward, and to inspire his team-mates
around him." And he forecasts even worse new declaring that the only
positive is that "the injury may mean some of the big boys will wait until
the summer to secure the Frenchman's signature." He adds: "There's no doubt
the West Ham squad is brimming with talent, but it's not often a player like
Payet comes along. From whispers of Europe early in the season it now seems
the Hammers faithful will be happy with a top half finish, and a good cup
run as a bonus. "The style of football has been great to watch at times with
some great scalps along the way including big wins at Liverpool, City and
Arsenal. I'm sure the fans will see this as a big improvement on last
season."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ravel in hot water again
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 2, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

It appears patience is finally running out for Lazio with regards to Ravel
Morrison in an all too familiar pattern. Italian media claim the Italian
club are open to letting go of Ravel Morrison in the January transfer but
want to recoup at least £750,000 in wages and agent fees they paid to land
the former Hammer. The 22-year-old is allegedly in hot water after leaving
Rome without permission from Lazio despite being selected in the Europa
League squad to face Dnipro last Thursday. The player's representative is
believed to have expressed their wishes for his client to leave in the
January transfer window, and although Lazio are open to such a request they
are unwilling to let him go for free. Therefore the termination of
Morrison's contract is not considered an option at this stage. Morrison
arrived at Lazio in the summer after being released by West Ham but he has
struggled with injuries and playing time under coach Stefano Pioli, making
just five substitute appearances and one start in all competitions.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Irons have international right back on radar
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 3, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

West Ham are tracking £7 million Villareal captain and right back Mario
Gaspar. The Hammers have been looking world wide for a permanent right sided
defender but ClaretandHugh understands that both Chelsea and Manchester City
are keen on the player. Barcelona made a move in the summer but the player
snubbed all moves to remain in Spain given his love of Villareal where he
has been since he was eight years old. He has been a member of the first
team since 2007 and has recently topped 250 appearances whilst currently
having made two international appearances.
He wants to move into the Premier League and the Hammers have been alerted
to the player by his advisers whm we understand are also set for talks with
Chelsea. We were told exclusively by sources close to the player: "West Ham
are aware of the player's availability as are one or two other clubs. They
are keeping tabs on the situation but Chelsea are also in the frame and the
plyer wants to be in London."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Slav names the new big players
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 3, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

Slaven Bilic has admitted that Michail Antonio has become a big West Ham
player as the injury crisis bitten into the club's squad. The manager says
that whilst the final verdict has not yet been delivered by specialisS that
Diafra Sakho could be out for between four to eight weeks. He said: ""It is
nothing dangerous for long term but it is not a light one and we will be
without him. It is a big blow, in terms of quantity of injuries we are not
bad but in terms of quality we are. "We don't necessarily need to sign a
striker in January, I am not saying we won't try and get someone but right
now we will wait and see. "Now Andy Carroll is a big player, and Nikica
Jelavic and Michail Antonio. It looks like Valencia is going to be ok soon,
maybe in a few weeks time so that is a big boost."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
What is the obsession with Ravel Morrison?!
thewesthamway.co.uk
Caretaker_Rants@twitter.com

Hello everyone and welcome back to another rant from the caretaker. I will
summarise the last couple of games at the end of this article but I want to
get straight to the point and get my rant going, which today is about Mr
Ravel Morrison. Less than six months into his Lazio playing career and after
a disastrous spell (Three sub appearances in the league) it looks like he
will be sold/released come January as once again, he is failing to tow the
line.

That is fine, I have no issue with what he gets up to these days, but I
cannot believe that I am reading, and hearing a vast amount of people almost
praying that we re-sign him! The same Morrison who, despite what he tweets,
didn't give a $hit about the club when he was here. The same Morrison who
couldn't even get a game at Cardiff last year. The same Morrison who Harry
Redknapp (famous for getting good shifts out of trouble makers) dropped for
the playoff final after he sulked at being subbed, amongst other issues.

I watched every minute Ravel Morrison played in a West Ham shirt and he did
provide some excellent moments, his world class goal against spurs will long
live in the memory for most fans. His vision, passing and silky skills were
almost too easy for him at times. But those moments were far outweighed by
constant discipline issues, training ground bust ups and the famous
Christmas incident when he just didn't bother to come back to London and
declared himself injured. In at least half the games he played (and I think
I am being generous) he offered absolutely nothing when the chips were down,
petulantly insisting on trying to turn it into the Ravel show before he
would get subbed after yet another failed attempt at being his marker.

Blame Sam Allardyce, that was the common line rolled out by his fans, as
Allardyce couldn't handle big players…….WRONG! Anelka, who is as big as they
come when it comes to troubled footballers played some of his best football
under Allardyce at Bolton and hardly put a foot wrong. Campo, Hierro,
Djorkaeff, Okocha. Just some more examples of big stars Allardyce managed
superbly at Bolton. Blame Sam for a lot of things, but blaming him for
Morrison's downfall is wrong and above all lazy.
The greatest British manager of all time declared him unmanageable and that
is as good a character reference as you need (Sir Alex Ferguson). At one
point or another he has fallen out with every manager at every club he has
been at, yet some of you are still desperate to have him back, WHY? Please
tell me why, please tell me what Ravel Morrison actually did for West Ham.
Bilic got rid of Amalfitano after he played up so what chance would Morrison
have, who despite somehow earning a move to a club like Lazio he has still
not taken his opportunity.

It would be a fool who denies Morrison's ability but that will only get you
so far in football, look at how Paul Pogba's career has panned out compared
to Ravel's. The way some people are shamelessly calling for his return is
absolute nonsense and I can only assume they play too much Football Manager
or Fifa. Think I am wrong, tweet me @caretaker_rants and tell me why.

Back to the club and what a disappointing week it has been. The way Spurs
almost tossed us aside was humiliating and we desperately needed to bounce
back against West Brom. The second half was woeful and the home performances
really have to start picking up. With the news that Sakho may be out for
months rather than weeks, being reported by ExWHUEmployee on the site, it is
worrying as to where the goals will come from. Andy Carroll looks like he
has forgotten how to perform and Jelavic almost seems like he has got the
move on the back of a friendship with Bilic. Given that Carroll would still
be able to fetch us £10M what would you guys do? Sell him and get someone
else in or persist with him? Drop me a tweet and let me know. Have a good
week guys

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Slaven Bilic gives update on January striker hunt and Liverpool target
Manuel Lanzini
London 24
11:41 03 December 2015 Brad Pinard at Chadwell Heath

West Ham boss Slaven Bilic admits signing a striker in January is not his
priority despite their injury worries. Diafra Sakho is ruled out for at
least two months and that leaves just Andy Carroll and Nikica Jelavic to
lead the line for the Hammers until the new year at the earliest. Bilic
insists no plans are currently in place to secure a new forward but that
could change. "We don't necessarily need a striker in January," Bilic said.
"We have strikers but we have different strikers. I am not saying we will
not try and get someone but at the moment we have what we have. "It is a
good chance for the guys to step in and show their class." Summer arrival
Manuel Lanzini has impressed so far this term and the loan deal reportedly
ties the playmaker down to a permanent deal should the Hammers want it.
Bilic knows that without Payet and Sakho, Lanzini becomes even more
important despite links to Liverpool. "I would like to make his move
permanent," he said. "He has proved himself and he is a key player for us.
The way he plays in recent games, he is playing all the games and been
really good. "He is missing Payet I think to be fair. I would like him to
stay with us, the chairmen agree and he is happy here."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Why Rafael Benitez should regret picking Real Madrid over West Ham United
Jason Pettigrove for Metro.co.uk
Thursday 3 Dec 2015 12:05 pm

The idea Rafa Benitez should have picked West Ham United over Real Madrid is
laughable. Isn't it?
If we backtrack to the summer, it's worth remembering just how close the
Spaniard was to becoming the Hammers' new manager. Talking to Sky Sports,
West Ham Chairman David Sullivan noted: 'Rafa Benitez was within three hours
of signing for us. 'Every clause in his contract was agreed and then he went
to Real Madrid. It was a real blow because he is a really experienced
manager in England and done really well in Italy. 'We had an agreement in
place but you have to pick yourself up, look who else is available and pick
the best you can.' The emotional lure of heading to the Santiago Bernabeu
and coaching some of the best players in the world was too hard for Benitez
to resist. However, just four months down the line and the manager is
treading water. At odds with a number of senior players, did Benitez really
supervise a side including Cristiano Ronaldo, James Rodriguez, Sergio Ramos
et al that wasn't really trying against Barcelona? To most observers it
certainly seemed that way. No passion, no fight, no chasing down every ball.
How else do you explain why Los Blancos just rolled over and handed the game
on a plate to their biggest rivals? All was well in the first 10 or so games
of the season when Real were taking all before them, but the poorest of
performances at home to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League despite
a win, followed by the defeat at Sevilla and then the manner of the loss to
Barca has seen some players break ranks. The notoriously fickle Real fans
are also calling for Benitez's head and that of president Florentino Perez.
It's hard to imagine that the manager would've been subjected to the same
treatment in East London.
Of course, the standard of club and players therein can't compare in any way
to Real Madrid with respect to West Ham, but Sullivan and his partner David
Gold have shown themselves to be good owners with the clubs' best interests
at heart. And importantly will put money where their mouths are. There's no
point trying to argue that by going to West Ham, Benitez would have shown a
lack of ambition. Moving into the Olympic Stadium is the beginning of a
brand new legacy and there is much to admire about the Hammers' modus
operandi and way of working presently.
Perhaps Rafa was ill advised to pass that particular opportunity up because
love affairs rarely end well. And this one is heading for divorce quicker
than anyone expected.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ravel Morrison returns to Lazio after talks with hierarchy
London24
11:23 03 December 2015 Brad Pinard

Ravel Morrison Former Manchester United and West Ham youngster Ravel
Morrison is back training with Lazio, according to Football-italia. The
playmaker reportedly left Rome last week without permission and retuned to
England before making the journey back to Italy on Tuesday. After missing
both a Europa League clash and a league defeat to Empoli, Morrison is back
training and ready to fight for his place. Director of Sport Igli Tare has
reportedly sat down with the Manchester-born midfielder and told him what is
expected if he is to make it in Serie A. Morrison reportedly had similar
issues with not turning up to training when at West Ham before Sam Allardyce
grew tired and released the 22-year-old. Reports in the English press this
week have claimed Morrison wants a January return home with QPR a possible
destination.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham striker Diafra Sakho out for 'four to eight weeks' says Slaven
Bilic as Hammers suffer another attacking blow
Daily Mail
By ANDY SIMS, PRESS ASSOCIATION
PUBLISHED: 11:15, 3 December 2015 | UPDATED: 11:21, 3 December 2015

West Ham have confirmed that they expect to be without striker Diafra Sakho
for at least two months with a thigh injury, as revealed by Sportsmail on
Wednesday. The Senegal international suffered the problem as he attempted to
shoot during the second half of last Sunday's 1-1 draw with West Brom. The
Hammers are still awaiting the results of a scan to determine the full
extent of the injury. But manager Slaven Bilic said: 'It's not good. It
will be four to eight weeks. Maybe more. 'He has a bit of history with his
thigh. It's a muscle injury. Nothing long term, but we will be without him
for a few games, definitely.' The injury to Sakho, who has hit five goals
this season, is the latest blow to hit Bilic's attacking players after
Dimitri Payet and Enner Valencia were sidelined by ankle problems. Andy
Carroll, only recently back to fitness after six months out following ankle
surgery, is set to lead the line against Manchester United on Saturday.

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

http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Daily WHUFC News - 3rd December 2015

From the Treatment Room
WHUFC.com

Hello everyone,

Let's start this week with Diafra Sakho as there has been so much
speculation and rumour over the past few days. Diafra unfortunately suffered
a significant injury to his left thigh during Sunday's Barclays Premier
League draw with West Bromwich Albion. He underwent a scan on Wednesday and
will see a specialist on Thursday, when we hope to learn more and put a more
certain timeframe on his absence. We will bring you more information via
whufc.com when we have it.

We have more positive news surrounding Enner Valencia, who suffered a high
ankle sprain in a heavy challenge during our draw with Everton last month.
The Ecuador international forward has come through a period of
immobilisation, during which we gave him permission to return home to South
America to spend some time with his family. This is important, as having a
positive mental outlook is beneficial to any player who is looking at a
period away from the Training Ground.
We are pleased to report that Enner is progressing very well and, should
his rehab continue to go as planned, he has a good chance to play before the
end of the year. He is ahead of schedule and we have been very happy with
his progress.

Dimitri Payet is still in a period of immobilisation after suffering a high
ankle sprain in a strong tackle in the same match against Everton. This
means that he is still wearing a walking boot, which protects the ankle and
keeps the joint in a certain position, allowing the body to heal without
straining the injured ligaments.
Dimi is still able to work on his general fitness and do strength and
conditioning work on his upper body. Should everything continue to go to
plan, Dimi will progress to the second, more active stage in his rehab this
week.

Finally, I'm pleased to say that Darren Randolph is now back to full
fitness. He injured his knee on international duty with Ireland but has now
fully recovered and is available for selection on Saturday.

Stijn Vandenbroucke
Head of Medical and Sports Science

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Boleyn People
WHUFC.com

For West Ham United Financial Controller and dyed-in-the-wool Hammer Paul
Ellis, the final season is particularly special...

As West Ham fans go, Plaistow-born Paul Ellis is as Claret and Blue as they
come. Since attending his first match in November 1980 – a 2-0 win over
Swansea City – he has been hooked.
Stemming from a family of Hammers, it did not take long before Paul adopted
the family tradition. "I was brought up literally just a mile down the
Barking Road in Plaistow and attended school in Canning Town so I was only
ever going to support one team - that was the way it was back then," he
began. "I've been coming here as a fan since 1980, standing on the North
Bank Terrace with my dad Bill and my brother John. I couldn't see much of
the action during those early years as I was quite small – Dad would sit me
on a crowd barrier so that I could enjoy the game. He later constructed
wooden stalls for both John and I to stand on. "The family affinity with
West Ham was started by my Dad when he began coming to matches from his home
in Dagenham during the late 1950s. When I was a very young boy, I was always
aware of Dad going to watch West Ham play once a fortnight on a Saturday
afternoon, but at the time it was of no interest to me, even when he would
bring home a claret and blue scarf and metal badge bought from just outside
the ground. "The 1980 FA Cup final changed all that and 10 May 1980 was the
date when my passion for West Ham United was really ignited. I remember
sitting down with my family and watching the match on TV (Dad was at
Wembley) and I've been hooked ever since. The aftermath of that win lives
long in the memory with the East End coming to life that evening with the
celebrations and the open-top bus parade the very next day. I call it the
'Spirit of 1980' and I'm in no doubt that many new West Ham fans were born
from that day."

Since then, Paul has enjoyed and endured the rollercoaster ride that is
being a West Ham fan and he took a further step by starting work for the
Club he loves in 2007. Paul explained: "Essentially, as Financial
Controller, my role is to support the CFO, Andy Mollett. I'm involved in all
financial aspects of the Club such as managing cash forecasts, preparing
monthly financial reports for the Board and the various heads of department,
as well as co-ordinating the annual audit whilst also ensuring compliance
with HMRC, FAPL and UEFA governance on finance related matters. I've been
working at West Ham for just over three years now, but this is my second
spell. I was here before for around 18 months from late 2007. "The time
came for me to move on and I then spent three years in the horse racing
industry working in a similar role for the broadcaster Racing UK. The
opportunity to come back to the Boleyn arose in November 2012, and I jumped
at the chance."

Due to the nature of Paul's work, there has to be a degree of discretion
around the financial workings of a Premier League club, but it is certainly
an integral and intriguing role.
Now living in Rainham in Essex, Paul explained what the transition from
being a fan to an employee was like: "It was difficult at first going from
being a supporter to working for the club you love. Once you become an
employee, it really does become everything. I had massive shift in outlook
and opinion of what a club is all about. "I'm quite fortunate in that I do
not have to work on a match-day, although I usually come into the office for
an hour or two pre-match to catch up on a few issues. If I have time before
kick-off I then pop into the Supporters' Club for a quick pint with friends
ahead of enjoying the match."

For every fan, this last season at the Boleyn Ground is a special, yearlong
event that will live long in the memory. Reflecting on the standout players
and moments witnessed at the iconic venue, Paul continued: "From my early
years, Trevor Brooking and Billy Bonds were my idols. Bonds was a true
leader of men, and for me as a young boy at the time, Billy epitomised what
being a club captain was all about. "Frank McAvennie was a big hero and that
season of 1985/86 was just amazing. It seemed as if almost all of Frankie's
shots would find the back of the net that year. Moving on from there Paolo
Di Canio was a fantastic player, that goal against Wimbledon was just
incredible. "At the time, I was a Season Ticket Holder in the Lower East
Stand and my seat was parallel to the line from where Paolo struck the ball,
I had an absolutely perfect view of the goal. As soon as the ball came over
it was only going one place. "Another goal that stands out is Ray Stewart's
penalty against Ipswich Town in April 1986 which kept our title hopes alive
going into the final weekend of the magical 1985/86 season. That was also my
most memorable match. Stewart stepped up as coolly as ever and smashed home
the penalty to put us in the lead – the stadium erupted. I was standing at
the front of the North Bank directly behind the goal and it was an occasion
I'll never forget."

While the past clearly holds a lot of fond memories, Paul insisted the
future is just as exciting for the Club, a move him and his four sons are
all eagerly anticipating. "I have four lads, Matthew, Tom, Daniel and Sam,
who are all massive West Ham fans. It's a huge part of their lives, and
being realistic, they too were only ever going to support one club. "Last
summer I did a 10km run which finished inside the Olympic Stadium. It's an
absolutely fantastic arena, and I cannot wait to get in there. A tremendous
amount of work has, and is still going on behind the scenes to make the
transition to Stratford a smooth one but also to ensure that the Boleyn
Ground is given the fitting send-off it deserves. As a fan who is also
fortunate to be employee, this really is an exciting time to be involved.
"Naturally, I will find it emotional to leave the Boleyn as it has been such
a big part of my life, from a very early age right up to the present. As
mentioned, my first match here was against Swansea, so there's some poetry
in facing them again in the last ever game before we leave. "Every match
played here this season is treasured especially as the clock is now running
down and I would say to fellow supporters that they should savour this
season and then look forward to the future."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Belic eager for Exeter chance
WHUFC.com

Luka Belic is planning to continue his march towards full fitness and top
form by inspiring the Development Squad to Barclays U21 Premier League Cup
victory at Exeter City on Wednesday.
The Serbian youngster returned to action in Monday's 1-0 Barclays U21
Premier League Division Two win at Swansea City, following a frustrating
period out injured. Serbia U19 international forward Belic, who joined West
Ham United in September after emerging at OFK Beograd in his homeland, says
the best is yet to come following an encouraging comeback display in South
Wales.
"It was frustrating to get injured, of course, so am happy to be making my
recovery," said the 19-year-old. "It was good to get as many minutes as I
did on Monday, but the most important thing is always the team winning
games. "I'd say I'm about 60% to what my full capacity is and you have to
play consistently at this level because the standard is very high."

Monday's victory represented the third in succession for Terry Westley's
side, who are latterly being rewarded for their performances with points
after a challenging start to the 2015/16 campaign. "It was a great team
performance, we had to work very hard. It was a tough away game, and the
most important thing was the team showed great character, that's why we won.
"We played very well individually and collectively. The first half we had to
stick together. They were a little bit better but we stuck together. Looking
around the locker room you could feel that we were going to win, we had a
confidence that comes from winning our other recent matches."

Despite his recent frustrations, the youngest player ever to appear in the
Serbian top flight – at the age of just 16 years and seven days in April
2012 – is enjoying being part of things with the Hammers. Next up for the
Development Squad is Wednesday's trip to St James Park and a Barclays U21
Premier League Cup Round of 32 clash with Exeter – a game Belic is eager to
be involved in. "For me personally, I have been injured, which has been
frustrating," he admitted. "You come to a new club, you want to impress
straight away but my game time has been limited.
"I'm also not used to this wind! But that's what it is like when you're
getting used to a new country, new conditions so it's fine. "We have a
create chemistry in the squad, a lot of good players, I didn't realise how
good the standard was really going to be. It's nice that West Ham has so
many talented players, and I have made a lot of friends very quickly."

Kick-off in Wednesday's tie in Devon is at 7pm. For South West-based Hammers
heading along, tickets are priced at £8 for Adults, £4 for Over-62s and £2
for Under-16s. All entry is through the Main Stand turnstiles. The winners
will host Colchester United or Fulham in the Round of 16.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
FT- Exeter City U21 0-4 Dev Squad
WHUFC.com

FT: That's the full time whistle and the young Hammers have done! A clinical
and meticulous performance sees them record a 4-0 win over Exeter City. The
hosts more then played their part in a highly entertaining game.

90: Three minutes of time to be added on here.

88: The Hammers will face either Fulham or Colchester in the Quarter-Final
of the U21 Premier League Cup. They play on Tuesday 8 December, it'll be a
home game whoever they face, the date is TBC.

86: GOOOOAL!! Substiute Moses Makasi gets involved with the action with a
wonderfully curled shot from the edge of the box. 4-0.

82: Jordan Brown is on for youngster Grady Diangana.

80: GOOOAL! Djair Parfitt-Williams does well to run onto a long ball and
finishes expertly! That should wrap things up and see the Dev Squad progress
to the Quarter-Finals!

77: More excellent build up play, Cullen the orchestrator, Knoyle, Gordon
and Parfitt-Williams all involved. Knoyle's whipped cross is cut out by
Hamon rushing off his line.

73: Lewis Page's cross almost catches James Hamon out in the Exeter goal!
Whether he meant it or not is a different matter, but it nearly worked!

70: Manny Onariase replaces Reece Oxford. The young Hammers have twenty
minutes to go before they are into the quarter-finals.

66: Sam Howes makes a great save, he's working hard to keep his second clean
sheet in three days.

63: Fantastic run by Parfitt-Williams on the edge of the box, he beats three
men and has Browne free in the six yard box. He tries to squeeze the ball
through but the hosts recover to clear. Close!

60: Chance for Exeter as Jason Pope flashes a shot from the edge of the box
narrowly wide.

57: Fantastic passing move almost involves the entire squad yet it breaks
down at the final ball, what a great goal that would've been!

54: Brilliant mazy run from Page takes him from the half-way line to the
edge of the box, he feeds Gordon, looking his hat-trick, but the ball just
gets away from him.

51: Chance for the Grecians as Jay turns inside and beats two men, however
his shot is blocked. Official attendance is 1,462 inside St. James Park
tonight.

46: We're back under way here in Exeter. Kyle Knoyle does well to get round
the back of the defence but his pull back his cut out. Nichols bursts down
the other side yet Oxford is there, again, to sweep up.

45+1: Cullen skips past a couple of tackles before looking to play in
Browne, unfortuately his pass has just too much on it and it goes out of
play.

43: Last few minutes of the half. Page receives some treatment but is fine
to continue. Exeter are threatening on the counter while the Hammers are
pushing for a third.

39: More pressure from the hosts - they are far from out of this game.
Watkins spins his man and is through on goal, he's just about to pull the
trigger yet Chambers puts in an inch-perfect tackle to smoother the shot.
Excellent defending.

36: Corner to the hosts as Oxford's hooked clearance flies over his own
goal, the cross is good but so is Gordon's defensive header, the forward is
having a superb game tonight.

33: Exeter forward Tom Nichols clearly has a bit about him and he looks the
most likely to score. He's through on goal however a combination of Chambers
and Dobson recover to clear the danger.

31: Josh Cullen goes into the book for one foul too many, from the resulting
free-kick Exeter really should've scored. Jamie Reid flings himself at
Storey's knock down yet somehow it falls wide of the post.

28: Parfitt-Williams tries to slip in Diangana but Riley-Lowe stops it with
a vital interception. He would've been through on goal otherwise.

26: Dobson picks out another cracking ball, this time for Page to run onto.
His cross is eventually cut out at the second attempt.

24: Alex Byrne's driven free-kick causes a small commotion in the area as
Leo Chambers and Sam Howes get in each others' way, the ball is cleared for
a corner which Chambers clears with a thumping header.

20: Grecian defender Tom McCready is replaced by Jason Pope after the
centre-back picked up a knock.

17: Exeter skipper Matt Jay has a sight on goal and Sam Howes does well to
collect a bobbling ball. He made it look more comfortable than it was.

15: Ollie Watkins bursts forward but a strong challenge by Oxford clears the
danger.

11: GOOOAL for the Hammers! Jaanai Gordon gets his second of the evening
with a stooping header to connect to Marcus Browne's fired cross. Excellent
start. 2-0.

10: Another superb ball forward by Dobson sets Parfitt-Williams free down
the left wing. He tries to cut and shoot but his effort is blocked.

8: George Dobson passes his way out of a tight gap and Oxford looks to play
a defence-splitting pass in Gordon's direction. The pass just has too much
on it and it runs through to goalkeeper Hamon.

5: Another chance for the hosts as Oxford tackles Reid but the ball falls to
Tom Nichols who shoots narrowly over.

3: Exeter doing well to respond to the early setback. A lovely move is
almost finished off by Jamie Reid who fires just wide of Sam Howes' near
post. Excellent game so far.

1: GOOOAL!! What a start for the Hammers! Marcus Browne and Djair
Parfitt-Williams burst forward immediately and feed Jaanai Gordon who bursts
into the box and fires expertly past James Hamon.

6.55pm: Not long to go now, a very healthy crowd has come out to support
youth football. Always good to see!

6.45pm: The Dev Squad are next in action at home on Monday 7 December. They
host West Bromwich Albion at Rush Green, kick off is 7pm. All are encouraged
to get down and support the future of West Ham!

6.30pm: The Hammers, who will play in electric blue tonight, are in terrific
form of their own. Monday's 1-0 win away at Swansea City was their fourth in
the last five games.

6.15pm: Our hosts tonight, Exeter City have enjoyed their time in the Cup in
recent years, and this season is certainly no different. The Grecians have
won 6-0 against Southend and 1-0 against Peterborough at St James Park.

Exeter City U21: Hamon, Egan, Tillson, Byrne, Riley-Lowe, Watkins, Storey,
McCready (Pope 20), Nichols, Reid, Jay

Subs: Keadel, Read, Harkness, Rosenwald

West Ham United U21: Howes, Knoyle, Page, Dobson, Chambers, Oxford (C)
(Onariase 70), Diangana J.Brown 80), Cullen, Gordon, Browne (Makasi 75),
Parfitt-Williams

Subs: T.Brown, Pike

Referee: Samuel Allison

6pm: A very warm welcome to all the Hammers' fans tuning in for live updates
from St. James' Park as the Development Squad prepare to face Exeter City's
U21s in the Premier League Cup Round of 32. Our hosts have been incredibly
hospitable and there's a real sense of cup fever here in Devon.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Adrian - I will never forget my debut at Old Trafford
WHUFC.com

As the team prepare to make the trip to Old Trafford on Saturday, there is
one man who will need no motivation when he takes his place against
Manchester United.
It proved to be a special introduction to English football when Adrian was
called upon to make his Premier League debut at Old Trafford back in
December 2013.
The result did not go West Ham's way as United came away with a 3-1 victory,
but for Adrian it was a major turning point in his Hammers career as he
cemented his position as the first-choice keeper and has never looked back.
The 28-year-old has quickly become a fans favourite at the Boleyn Ground and
has produced some outstanding displays for the Club. Adrian showed his
quality once again last weekend when he made a wonder save to deny a
close-range header from Salomon Rondon and help West Ham come away with a
point against West Brom. The talented keeper is now hoping to keep Wayne
Rooney and his fellow United team-mates at bay on Saturday and make it
another memorable trip to Manchester after the Hammers came away with a 2-1
victory over Manchester City back in September.
Adrian said: "I have good memories of going to Old Trafford and making my
debut for the Club. "We didn't enjoy the best of results but it was amazing
for me to my debut against Manchester United. They have a great stadium and
I enjoyed the game. "I have played in some big stadiums in Spain like the
Bernabeu and Camp Nou but to make my debut at Old Trafford was amazing and
it was unlucky that we could not get a result at that time. "We have plenty
of confidence going to play there and I think we can show a great
performance and get a good result. "We are playing well but sometimes we are
a bit unlucky and it was the same against West Brom last weekend. I believe
we can get good results if we are playing to our top level. "It is always
disappointing to miss players like Dimitri Payet and Diafra Sakho but we
have a good squad of players who can come into the starting eleven. We have
many players in attack and I have confidence in all of them."

Adrian was thrilled to meet up with West Ham legend Ludek Miklosko when he
attended the home game against West Brom last week. The Czech Republic
keeper had nothing but praise for the way Adrian has performed following his
arrival at the Boleyn Ground and Adrian was honoured to hear such positive
comments.
Adrian added: "I am very proud to hear what Ludek said about me. He is a
legend for West Ham and I managed to say hello to him for the first time
before the West Brom game. He was a great keeper for the Club and is a great
person. "I know the fans have a special song for him and they have some
songs for me. I just want to keep playing well and producing my best form."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Joint-Chairmen ranked second best in the league
WHUFC.com

West Ham United Joint-Chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold have been
ranked as the second best in the Barclays Premier League in a new feature by
the Daily Telegraph. The survey ranked every Premier League club owner on
five categories - investment, popularity, enthusiasm, avoiding controversy
and communication. The Joint-Chairmen scored at least 8/10 on four out of
the five categories, leading them to a level score with the owners of
Swansea City and Crystal Palace and only behind Manchester City in the
overall table. The piece states that the Club are 'now not just on an even
keel, but upwardly mobile' and that the move to the former Olympic Stadium
next year 'should make the club a force to be reckoned with.'

West Ham fan blogger Sean Whetstone believes the Chairmen's investment,
transparency and commitment are what has made their stock so high. He said:
"After almost one hundred years of under investment by anonymous men in
suits it was a breath of fresh air when David Gold and David Sullivan came
to our rescue in 2010. "West Ham is a better Club through their personal
investment in cash and time, for which they receive no salary or share
dividends, and their blunt honestly in telling things as they are. "They
are probably the most transparent and approachable Chairmen in the Premier
League. David Gold is very present on Twitter answering questions from fans,
while David Sullivan personally answers hundreds of supporters' emails on a
regular basis. "When you look at other Chairmen in the Premier League I
think we are very lucky to have the pair of them on board at our great
Club."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Exclusive: Valencia targets Stoke return
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 2nd December 2015
By: Staff Writer

Enner Valencia could be set to make a return to the first team squad in time
to face Stoke City at the Boleyn Ground less than a fortnight from now. The
Ecuador international has been out of action since damaging an ankle in the
1-1 draw with Everton at the beginning of November and was expected to be
out until the new year at the earliest. However KUMB has learned that the
26-year-old could be set to return in time to face the Potters at the Boleyn
Ground on Saturday week - around a month ahead of schedule - after it was
discovered that his injury was not as serious as had been previously
suggested. Speaking via the club's website a fortnight ago, Valencia
indicated that his original diagnosis may have been wide of the mark. "Thank
God the injury isn't quite as bad as initially thought. I hope to be back as
soon as possible," he said. "When I clashed with the Everton player I feared
it might be the same problem [as before] but it wasn't, it was a minor
ligament issue. I'm following the doctor's advice and despite wearing a
boot, my aim is to get back as soon as possible."

Sadly the news on Valencia's strike partner Diafra Sakho isn't quite as
positive. As exclusively reported here on KUMB earlier in the week, the
Senegal international is likely to be sidelined for a minimum of two months
after pulling up in last weekend's 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham await Diafra Sakho injury update
By Mark Ashenden
Last Updated: 02/12/15 5:21pm
SSN

West Ham will not know the full extent of the injury to Diafra Sakho until
the forward visits a specialist on Thursday. The 25 year-old Senegal
international looked to be struggling with a left leg injury during his
side's 1-1 draw at Upton Park on Sunday and had to be helped off the field
in the first half. A club statement on Thursday said: "Diafra [Sakho]
unfortunately suffered a significant injury to his left thigh. "He
underwent a scan on Wednesday and will see a specialist on Thursday when we
hope to learn more and put a more certain timeframe on his absence."
The latest medical status on Sakho will still be a huge concern for manager
Slaven Bilic who is already missing forwards Dimitri Payet and Enner
Valencia - both out with ankle problems. There was better news though for
Valencia, who suffered a high ankle sprain in a heavy challenge during the
draw with Everton in October.
The Hammers statement added: "The Ecuador international forward has come
through a period of immobilisation, during which we gave him permission to
return home to South America to spend some time with his family. "This is
important, as having a positive mental outlook is beneficial to any player
who is looking at a period away from the training ground. "We are pleased to
report that Enner is progressing very well and, should his rehab continue to
go as planned, he has a good chance to play before the end of the year. He
is ahead of schedule and we have been very happy with his progress."

The club stated Payet was at an early stage in rehabilitation after his
ankle sprain picked up against Everton.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
FORWARD THINKING
By Terence Bates 2 Dec 2015 at 17:00
WTID

Last weekend saw James Vardy beat Van Nistelrooys goal scoring record by
scoring in 11 consecutive games bringing his total to 14 league goals within
14 games of the season gone. If Vardy keeps this average up he will net 38
goals this season, a phenomenal strike rate for someone who was a couple of
years back plying his trade with little Fleetwood Town. It is a great story
especially following on from my article last week about the lack of English
players in our top tier and a story reportedly stirring interest within the
movie world.

Jamie Vardy the top scorer in the Premier League has enabled Leicester City
to sit proudly at the top of the League. This is brilliant for Leicester and
indeed good news for English players and England's national team, who if Roy
Hodgson has any balls can look beyond Rooney for next years Euro's. If Vardy
heads the golden boot list he will be the first English player to do so for
15 years since Kevin Phillips of Sunderland, whom coincidently was a coach
at Vardy's Leicester City until September just gone.

Over the years I have watched West Ham, I have witnessed many different
goal-scorers, but it is always that position of the centre forward and what
used to be the proverbial number '9' shirt that you looked for to bang the
goals in. The number '9' shirt is still the most revered number despite the
modernity of todays football squads. That shirt for the Hammers is currently
worn by injury prone Andy Carroll who many consider an old fashioned
centre-forward, but he is not scoring like an old fashioned centre forward.

I have fond memories of Bryan 'Pop' Robson who seemed to score goals for fun
back in the 1970's. In the season of 1972/1973 he walloped in 28 goals
making him the highest scorer in the top tier. Robson literally lived up to
his name by 'popping' up all over the place and scoring… his name was
chanted around the stadium and he was rightly crowned 'Hammer of The Year'.
He was like Jimmy Greaves a goal poacher, he had the knack of being in the
right place at the right time and the finishing to go with that intuition.
That season West Ham finished 6th thanks to his goal haul. The only other
time West Ham have had the top scorer in the top tier was in 1929/1930 with
Vic Watson bagging 41 goals, West Ham finished 7th.

Our most successful top league finish ever of 3rd greedily saw us with two
high scoring strikers in the 1985/1986 season, with Tony Cottee and Frank
McAvennie amassing an impressive 46 goals between them. I remember going to
many of those games and like Vardy the consistency became second nature, you
just knew one or both of them were going to score. It was a brilliant season
with a talented team and two prolific strikers, we were spoilt and like
Leicester at the top of the tree. Gary Lineker was top scorer in the 1st
Division for that season as Everton edged ahead of us and Liverpool stole
the title at the death against Chelsea. McAvennie was the runner up for
golden boot.

There is a clear correlation of having a prolific striker and a high league
standing. Football is not rocket science, to be successful and win you need
to score more goals than your opponents. Players that can score a net full
of goals are crucial and a rarity often arriving at a premium cost wise. And
in this simple analysis we can perhaps see one of the major reasons why West
Ham have struggled over the years to repeat that success of 1985/86.

West Ham have not had a player score over 20 goals in the premier league….
ever.

The highest goal tally by a West Ham player since the PL was established is
Paulo Di Canio's 16 goals in the 1999/2000 season, followed by John Hartson
with 15 in 1997/98. And since that monumental effort of 1985/86 we have
struggled to find that elusive player with the golden boots who can hit the
back of the net at will within the top division.

The popular Carlton Cole took 8 years to amass 41 goals, that's 5 goals a
year. The truth is he couldn't score for toffee and it sums up the clubs
failure to find a good striker.

Of course a top striker is what every club wants. The highest scorer in the
premier league has played for a club that has finished in the top three of
the premier league 17 times out of the 22 seasons that the premier league
has existed.

At the beginning of last season, I felt West Ham had finally found such a
player in Sahko, but after a promising start (4 goals in 4 starts), he
picked up an injury against WBA in the first week of January and on his
return his goals dried up as did West Hams season as they fell from the
lofty position of 4th to relegation form. Sahko scored 10 goals in total
last season. That's not to say Sahko isn't a useful player, he is but he
hasn't returned anywhere near to his goal scoring potential. And now in a
repeat of last season he picked up a major injury against WBA on Sunday and
looks like being side-lined for some time. West Hams striker problem has
just got more acute.

It is easy to be this obvious, the difficulty is finding such a player
whether in the transfer market or through youth development.

A few seasons back West Ham had a promising youth player rise in the ranks
who was whacking in the goals at every level from the kids academy, to youth
teams… to the reserves. His name Freddie Sears, he scored on his debut but
failed to make the step up. His career stalled and he ended up on a
rollercoaster career that took him to Scunthorpe, Coventry, Colchester and
finally Ipswich, where he is still trying to fulfil the potential he had in
his younger days.

Of course it is not just about the strikers, chances have to be created and
West Ham have a player that can create chances in abundance in the talented
Dimitri Payet. Much of West Hams game plan is built around Payet who is
acknowledged as one of Europes best players for creating goal scoring
chances…. But he too is now injured and West Ham have to explore other
options. In the 1985/86 season we were blessed with two creative midfielders
in Brooking and Devonshire, they complemented the two strikers up front,
creating many goal scoring assists and chances, they also avoided injury.

West Ham desperately need an out and out goal scorer. Andy Carroll wears the
coveted number '9' shirt, he does not deliver the goals, whatever the
reasons, he is not an out and out goal scorer and has the injury lurgy.
Sahko whose main role now appears as some kind of foil to pull the
opposition out of position, is now again injured joining our other striker
Valencia at the doctors. Zarate who scored a stunning free kick this Sunday
against WBA, but is never going to be a 20-25 goals per seasons striker. All
of these as strikers do not seem to carry that gene of sniffing out the back
of the net in the way Pop Robson or Tony Cottee did all those years back. It
is time to change and bust the bank in January for a quality striker who can
hit the back of the net consistently. West Ham need a Jamie Vardy and we
need one now! Suggestions on a postcard to….

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ravel Morrison seeking transfer back to England to end his Lazio nightmare
22:18, 2 DEC 2015 UPDATED 22:19, 2 DEC 2015
BY DARREN WITCOOP
The Mirror

Ravel Morrison is searching for a new club with Lazio ready to wash their
hands with the bad-boy midfielder. Morrison, 22, is free to end his
nightmare spell in Italy in January. The ex-West Ham playmaker has failed to
settle in Serie A and his wish to return to England will be granted.
Morrison has only played for 135 minutes after failing to impress Lazio boss
Stefano Pioli on and off the pitch. He has just one start in the Europa
League but Lazio will demand a fee if Morrison departs just six months into
a three-year deal. It's believed Italian giants Lazio want to recoup around
£750,000 despite landing Morrison on a free. QPR were keen to re-sign former
loanee Morrison in the new year. But a change in management could force
Morrison to look elsewhere to revive his troubled career.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Gordon scores a brace for the Hammers
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 2, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

Jaanai Gordon scored two goals for the Development team tonight in a 4-0 win
over Exeter City. Djair Parfitt-Williams and Moses Makasi doubled West Ham's
2-0 lead in the last ten minutes of the game. Gordon opened the scoring in
the first minute after Marcus Browne and Djair Parfitt-Williams burst
forward and fed Jaanai Gordon the ball to score his first of the evening.
Ten minutes later Gordon got his second of the evening with a stooping
header to connect to Marcus Browne's fired cross. On 86 minutes Djair
Parfitt-Williams did well to run onto a long ball and finish for the Hammers
third goal of the evening. Substiute Moses Makasi scored Hammers fourth of
the evening with a wonderfully curled shot from the edge of the box to make
it 4-0.

West Ham United U21: Howes, Knoyle, Page, Dobson, Chambers, Oxford (C)
(Onariase 70), Diangana J.Brown 80), Cullen, Gordon, Browne (Makasi 75),
Parfitt-Williams
Subs: T.Brown, Pike

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Make or break moment for this Iron
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 2, 2015 in Hugh's Blogs, News,
Whispers
C and H

The club's injury crisis, curse …call it what you will is as depressing as
it gets but it has left two issues sticking out like sore thumbs. The first
is that the Andy Carroll issue is about to be settled once and for all and
the second is that we are going to discover whether the squad we have been
shouting the odds about since summer is as good as we would like to believe.
A top source in looking at the problems today said to me: "Yes it is a good
squad and every one of them has to step up to the plate now."
My immediate reaction was: "Yep and Andy Carroll in particular." The striker
has been relentlessly discussed by everybody that matters. Now we need him
to stay injury free and genuinely perform rather than listen t the PR about
him still having an international future and all the rest of it. If at the
end of a period which looks likely to see us shorn of Diafra Sakho and Enner
Valencia he has produced the goods that will be great. If not we will all
know what the future is likely to hold for him.
I see this as the Andy Carroll make or break moment at West Ham United. I
hope it works out for him but I have my fears. Slaven Bilic is about to earn
his money the hard way coming up with a plan and formation that uses Carroll
effectively in a new system. We are going to find out just how flexible the
manager is but let's always remember he has – like them all – a favoured
tactical approach and the injures are extremely hurtful. Let's not rush to
blame him if things get lean. Lanzini and Zarate look a very decent
partnership but have to maintain things over 90 mins buzzing in and around
the big man whilst Michail Antonio's moment us here. Moses needs to show us
much more consistency and the defence needs to tighten up as a matter of the
highest priority. The squad – so highly rated by many – is going to be
tested to the limits but the singular issue is AC…he can – over the next
three of four weeks – secure his Hammers future once and for all.

On the other hand……..!!!

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Irons cool on foreign market
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 2, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

West Ham will be unable to work the British loan market in January should
they need additions or replacements for players. And they will need to get
rid of a player or two in any event if they are to freshen up the squad.
With Carl Jenkinson and Victor Moses on board they have their quota of UK
based players although they are allowed as many as they need from abroad. As
the speculation concerning Diafra Sakho continues to rage a Premier League
source confirmed to ClaretandHugh this morning that there was no limit on
the number of foreign players a club could loan. But a Hammers senior source
explained: "By and large foreign loans are very expensive and the fact that
we have injuries doesn't change anything on the financial front. We have
continually said that there's no money and that we are on the FFP limit. "We
have a decent squad. They must now stand up and be counted, BUT we don't
need anymore injuries or we will need to move somebody to free up wages.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Furious Irons response to Chinese takeover theory
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 1, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

BBC reporter Dan Roan has suggested that the Hammers are facing a takeover
from cash rich Chinese. In a tweet – as a deal for 13 per cent of Manchester
City was being completed with Chinese businessmen – Roan, who headed the
dreadful BBC 'investigation' into West Ham's deal for the Olympic Stadium,
tweeted that West Ham could face a Chinese takeover. He tweeted: "Some
suspect the one Chinese would really like is West Ham (Olympic Stadium,
already own nearby land). Not for sale apparently, let's see"

But that was met with a furious response from one of ClaretandHigh's top
level sources who rounded on Roan in a big way. He snarled: "Lets see who is
right in 5 years ! We have no desire or intention of selling West Ham
United." "In the last 6 months, David Sullivan has moved all his 51% share
holding into his personal name so they are exempt from death duties (as West
Ham United is a trading company).

IS THIS THE ACTION OF SOMEBODY LOOKING TO SELL THE CLUB ?"

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Great Expectations: Bilic Then and Now
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 2, 2015 in Sean's Blogs, Whispers
C and H

When Slaven Bilic was first appointed my first thought was that I hope we
aren't destined for a relegation dogfight in our last season before our move
to the Olympic Stadium. Although I wasn't Big Sam's greatest fan I respected
the fact he stablised our club, got us promoted at the first attempt and
kept us in the Premier League. We had to put up with his arrogance and his
football tactics but that was worth pain to rebuild the club and team after
Avram Grant and the Icelandic era. It was time to move on for both parties
at the end of last season but I must admit I saw Bilic as a semi gamble when
he was appointed.

My expectations pre season were that we would finish above the relegation
zone and survive but I was worried that his attractive football would come
at a cost and we would be found out and concede too many goals. Hindsight is
a wonderful thing and we had the best start to the Premier League season
ever, taking early scalps of Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester
City. We occupied Champions League places for much of the early season and
all got carried away. It all seemed too good to be true and it is was.

But we are West Ham and a run of ten games without a clean sheet and four
games without a win means we have tumbled to eighth place in the League. The
honeymoon period for Bilic is well and truly over. We have started
grumbling about his tactics, team selection and why he insisted on buying
Jelavic in the summer now that Sakho and Valencia are injured. In reality
like Scott Parker said recently on Goals on Sunday, we are mid table team in
a previously fake league position. I believe we will finish between 8th and
12th position this season. Bilic will have his ups and his downs in his
first season as a manager in the Premier League. But beat Manchester United
at Old Trafford this weekend and he will be a cult like hero again in a
heartbeat. What ever happens we need to fully back our new manager. I was
disappointed to read comments on social media on Sunday including 'Bilic
Out Bring Big Sam Back' 'Boring Boring West Ham Bilic Out' and 'Nah 0-0
Bilic Out'

I would like to think they were joking but the sad truth is many West Ham
fans are never happy and never will be!

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Irons admit their fears
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 2, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

West Ham are awaiting the scan report on Diafra Sakho with baited breath on
what they admit is a "fearful" day. The striker is expected to learn the
extent of his injury issue today after being forced off with a thigh problem
on Saturday against West Brom. Speculation over the player's problem has
been intense since with many media outlets claiming he could easily be out
of action until February. That remains unknown but the acute sense of
anxiety hanging over his position inside the club is almost palpable this
morning given the importance of the striker to the system of play developed
by Slaven Bilic. A senior source – speaking exclusively to us this morning –
said: "We honestly don't know how bad things may be and won't until after
the scan results come back. We hope there are no delays because of bruising.
"The scan will be done this afternoon but we are all fearful of the outcome
given his importance to our squad."

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Ex-West Ham bad-boy's Lazio future shrouded in mystery
http://gazzettaworld.gazzetta.it/
The Englishman's agent as opened talks with the Biancocelesti sporting
director in order to find a solution regarding the situation of Ravel
Morrison.
by Gazzetta World Staff, @GazzettaWorld 02/12/2015, 21:46

With the club open to letting go of Ravel Morrison, the player's agent has
met with Lazio sporting director Igli Tare to discuss the Englishman's
future. The 22-year-old landed in hot water after leaving Rome without
permission and despite being selected in the Europa League squad to face
Dnipro last Thursday. John Davies, agent of Morrison, arrived at the Stadio
Olimpico to meet with Tare in order to figure out their next course of
action regarding the former West Ham United midfielder's future. The
player's representative is believed to have expressed their wishes for his
client to leave in the January transfer window, and although Lazio are open
to such a request they are unwilling to let him go for free. Therefore the
termination of Morrison's contract is currently not an alternative being
considered, as the Aquile await an offer for the Englishman. Morrison
arrived at the Eternal City club in the summer after being released by the
Hammers but has struggled for playing time under coach Stefano Pioli, making
just five substitute appearances and one as a starter in all competitions.

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THE OVERSEAS TAKEOVER STORIES WILL MUTIPLE AS WE APPROACH THE MOVE TO THE
OS!
By S J Chandos 2 Dec 2015 at 08:00
WTID

It was interesting to see the story break yesterday about the potential of a
Chinese takeover of West Ham United. It emerged on the back of the news that
a Chinese consortium had purchased a 13% stake in Man City. It was BBC
sports journalist, Dan Roan, who actually floated the rumour in a tweet, in
which he stated the following:

'Some suspect the one Chinese would really like is West Ham (Olympic
Stadium, already own land nearby). Not for sale apparently, lets see.'

It is true that Chinese interests have recently invested in the London
Borough of Newham. And it is probable that they might well covet a deal to
purchase the local Premier League club (especially in view of the pending OS
move). However, does this not smack of a journalist putting 2 + 2 together
and = 5! Surely the key issue here is the difference between investment and
control. I am sure that David Sullivan and David Gold would welcome new
investment in the club via a similar deal to the one recently struck at Man
City. However, that is very different to a outright takeover of the club. I
am sure that most fans are rightly nervous of overseas takeovers after the
Icelandic experience, which could have very well have ruined the club.

Arguably what the club needs is continued stability under its present
ownership, not a leap in to the dark, involving shadowy overseas interests
with little affiliation to the club and its history. And I am sure that the
majority of fan opinion would be that they would prefer the current
ownership to continue. However, if a minority stake is negotiated (a la the
Man City deal), why not? It would bring extra investment in to the club,
strengthening us financially, and the Chinese would acquire a stake in
another prime asset. I suppose the question would then becomes whether such
a deal would result in them then maximising their stake over time and
eventually effecting a full takeover by stealth?

There have been dark rumours about the intentions of the present clubs
owners ever since they took over. This cynics view maintained that they
would sell Upton Park, move to the Olympic Stadium and cash in. Although
those dire predictions have not been nearly so prominent lately, as most
fans appear to have accepted that the commitment of Sullivan and Gold to
future of the club is genuine. I guess this is the ultimate litmus test of
that proposition.

Personally, I reckon the owners are committed to the club and that they will
retain majority control. But would that necessarily rule out a deal being
done with a new minority stakeholder? Perhaps that is more of a possibility?
After all, do the Icelandic banks still not own a minority stake in the
club? Could that not be up for grabs at some point? Regardless, no doubt
this will not be the last takeover story as we approach 2016 and the move to
Stratford. Especially from sports journalists looking to further
sensationalise the issues surrounding the club's tenure of the OS!

SJ. Chandos.

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Adrian reveals how Liverpool legend convinced him to join West Ham
London 24
12:06 02 December 2015
Jack Green

West Ham goalkeeper Adrian says Pepe Reina convinced him to make the move
from Spain to England in 2013. The Spaniard came through the youth system at
Real Betis and broke into the La Liga club's first team after a Man of the
Match performance as a substitute. He kept 11 clean sheets in 32 first-team
appearances for Betis and impressed Hammers boss Sam Allardyce enough to
secure a move to Upton Park. Adrian says he was not convinced about leaving
his home country to sign for West Ham due to the rigours of Premier League
football, but after a pep talk from ex-Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina the
28-year-old decided to make the move. "I talked with Pepe Reina before
signing," Adrian told Sport magazine. "He told me that if I had a chance to
come here, to a historic club like West Ham, I shouldn't think of anything
else. "Pepe told me that the football was slightly different. As a
goalkeeper, you need to be alert all the time for shots from long distance.
Over here, players try to score from far out. In Spain, they try to work a
position closer to the box. "The other thing is aerial balls. In Spain,
referees will blow for a free-kick if anyone touches you. Here, other
players are given more of a chance. You need to be strong in your area."
Adrian has established himself as a fan favourite at Upton Park with some
fine performances between the sticks. Perhaps his most memorable moment,
however, was scoring the match-winning penalty in an FA Cup third-round
shootout against Everton. "That is probably my best memory at West Ham;
certainly the most famous," he says. "I enjoyed my save a lot, and then to
score a winning penalty was unbelievable. "I felt very confident in that
moment, and took off my gloves. It was an instinctive movement, but I was
thinking: 'I have finished my job in goal, now I enjoy my strike like an
outfield player.' I will remember that moment for the whole of my career."

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Luka Belic shocked by the standard of West Ham United's academy players
HITC
John Verrall

Luke Belic signed for West Ham United during the summer transfer window.
Luka Belic has told West Ham United's official site that he has been shocked
by the standard of the club's youngsters since arriving in the summer. Belic
was snapped up by the Hammers in the previous transfer window, after the
Hammers were impressed by his performances for OFK Beograd in Serbia.
So far, the forward has not made his first team debut, but he has featured
for the side's under-21 side. Belic started for West Ham's development side
against Exeter City in midweek, and he helped them to a 1-0 win in the
contest. The 19-year-old is currently returning from injury, and he put in
an impressive display in the match. However, Belic admits that he has been
surprised by the standard of the Hammers youth products. "We have a create
chemistry in the squad, a lot of good players, I didn't realise how good the
standard was really going to be," he said. "It's nice that West Ham has so
many talented players, and I have made a lot of friends very quickly." West
Ham have benefitted from the standard of their current youth squad already
this season, with a number of youngsters being given first team
opportunities. Reece Oxford has starred in the Premier League, while a lot
of their academy graduates were handed chances in their Europa League
campaign earlier in the season.

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WEST HAM SENDS SCOUTS TO WATCH PORTUGUESE MIDFIELDER
By Michael Oliver
readWestHam.com

West Ham sent scouts to watch SC Braga midfielder Rafa Silva in recent days.
According to Sport Witness, who quote Portuguese source O Jogo, the Hammers
along with some of Europe's top clubs were in attendance of Braga's 0-2
defeat at the hands of Benfica on Monday night. 22-year-old midfielder Rafa
Silva was the main point of interest for West Ham on the night, who are said
to be interested in making a January move for the player. Silva broke
through last season, scoring five goals and recording six assists in 43
appearances for Braga, seeing him earn his first international caps for
Portugal in the process. This season he's stepped up his game again, and is
on pace to surpass last season's efforts with four goals and five assists in
just 16 games this season, which would be his best season of his career.
West Ham saw Dimitri Payet go down to injury last month and have yet to win
since he's been in the treatment room, and could do with some depth in the
creative department.

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OGBONNA: WEST HAM HAVE NO OLD TRAFFORD FEAR
By Dan Wilcox
readWestHam.com

Hammers defender Angelo Ogbonna says his side have no fear heading to Old
Trafford this weekend to face Louis van Gaal's Manchester United. In an
interview with the club's official website, Ogbonna discussed Saturday's
game – one of importance given the fact the London side are winless in three
matches. We have to look forward to the next game, a big game at Old
Trafford. We need all the support, not just of the team, but of our fans. We
have another chance to do better. Any fear? No, we're not afraid, because
this is our job. This is our passion, so we have to prepare everything
without being afraid. With wins at Anfield, The Etihad and The Emirates
under their belts, Slaven Bilic and his side definitely have nothing to be
wary about. The Hammers have a solid away record in the league so far this
season, winning four of their seven on the road. With two consecutive away
losses on the spin, however, Bilic will be hoping he can topple another big
gun to get his team back on track.

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Could Argentines Mauro Zarate and Manuel Lanzini be the Answer for West Ham?
DECEMBER 2, 2015 BY WILL STRATMANN

A little while ago, LTR took a look at how West Ham could plug the hole left
by Dimitri Payet. Obviously, they don't have a single individual who can
slot into the side and provide the same kind of drive and dynamism, but
across a squad packed with depth in its attacking ranks, there are a number
of players who could at least fill in to a serviceable degree.

Key to this process, of course, will be Manuel Lanzini. The little Argentine
has been in top form since signing, on loan, from Middle Eastern outfit Al
Jazira, and playing in the attacking midfield role, he has enough in his
arsenal to propel the Hammers in the absence of Payet. Equally, though, he
is in need of a supporting cast. The likes of Michail Antonio, Mauro Zarate
and even a second centre-forward could all be seen as the way forward, but
regardless of the option chosen by manager Slaven Bilic, the club needed to
retain that finely-tuned balance they found with Payet out on the left
against Everton.

In many ways, it was ideal. Payet would float infield from the flank and, as
he did so, Lanzini would drift towards the left-hand side to counterbalance
the Frenchman's movement. Elsewhere, Victor Moses would stay high and wide
on the right, in order to ensure West Ham retained their width, while
striker Andy Carroll operated in his typical big-man role up front. There
was a great sense of symmetry about the team in this configuration, and
though James McCarthy's incredibly reckless tackle would soon see Payet
rendered unable to continue, not only for the match but also for the
following three months, that scissor-challenge didn't come before a glorious
side-footed strike from Lanzini.

Naturally enough, this came about after Payet cut infield and fizzed a
long-range ball out to Moses on the right, before Lanzini motored forward to
finish the job. But just when Bilic looked to have found a wonderfully
complementary set of players in the final third, in terms of both attributes
and movement, he needed to go back to the drawing board. It always appeared
possible that Lanzini would remain in the centre without Payet alongside
him, charged with the playmaking responsibilities, but just who would take
up the station on the left felt like a question that could persist.

In the club's following match, against Tottenham, Bilic opted to move Moses
over to that side as the means through which to play Diafra Sakho out on the
right. West Ham's eventual 4-1 defeat sparked a rejig for their next and
most recent English Premier League fixture, when they hosted West Bromwich
Albion. This time, Moses swapped back to the right wing, and though Lanzini
continued to ply his trade through the centre, his compatriot, Zarate, took
up the now-vacant position on the left-hand side.

A fascinating player, Zarate has been used mostly off the bench by Bilic
throughout this campaign, only starting four games in comparison to his six
substitute appearances. He got the nod against the Baggies, though, and his
first-half performance showcased not only his capacity for individual
brilliance, but also the fact that his style is compatible with West Ham's
attacking approach.

His preference to come inside and play, rather than staying out wide in the
manner of Moses, implied that he aims to base his game around movements
similar to those of Payet. 29 minutes in, for instance, he shifted all the
way over to the right-hand side, picking up the ball soon after a Carl
Jenkinson throw-in. He then outfoxed a would-be tackler, in Claudio Yacob,
before bustling his way into the box and delivering a neat square pass for
Lanzini. It fell right into the path of the diminutive attacker, but in
contrast to his exquisitely placed finish against Everton, he could do
little more than fire this one straight at West Brom 'keeper Boaz Myhill.

Yet while the finish may not have matched Zarate's attacking industry, this
was indicative of the slick combination play between the two Argentines.
Earlier in the match, Lanzini embarked upon a mazy sequence of dribbling to
tee up a chance for Zarate, only to see the former Lazio prodigy arrow his
effort into the side netting. They also seamlessly swapped position, in
almost exactly the same way as Lanzini and Payet had done against Everton. A
moment late in the first half exemplified this symbiotic understanding, as
Zarate firstly sprinted forward on the break to play in Lanzini down the
left, while only a few seconds later Zarate again fed possession into the
feet of Lanzini, but this time he passed the ball towards the centre after
cutting inside off the left-hand touchline.

The two Argentines therefore dovetailed to excellent effect, and with such a
strong sense of each other's movements and a knack for finding one another,
there was a feeling that this could be the combination that allows West Ham
to stay afloat during Payet's extended absence. Yet for all of their spark
as a duo, a single instance of Zarate excellence surpassed it. It came from
a left-of-centre area, just after a foul from West Brom. Zarate stepped up
to take the free-kick. His eyes glanced towards the top left corner, then
they settled on the ball below him. He took three steps next, and with a
whipping motion he struck his shot towards goal.

The precision was such that it didn't just ripple the back of the net but it
also found the exact spot Zarate intended: the top left corner. The
precision was such that if people didn't consider Zarate a set-piece
specialist before that moment, they do now. In a more general way, as well,
it also provided a glimpse into Zarate's sometimes frustrating
decision-making. Following the match against Everton, for instance, he was
widely derided by West Ham's fans for selfish play, so much so that he
actually took to Twitter to apologise for his poor showing from the bench.
But given his proficiency for striking a football, maybe it's no surprise
that he occasionally shoots from range a little too often.

After all, it's not as if he's a lazy, disinterested player who puts himself
above his teammates. In contrast, he actually works very hard in the
defensive phase of the game, and his five completed tackles against West
Brom were evidence of this. He stalks the touchline with purpose, and
besides, his well-hit longshots have also contributed to wins against both
Arsenal and Chelsea. Zarate may need to moderate his desire to shoot from
speculative locations, at least at times, but this is nonetheless one of the
attributes that makes him so valuable.

Zarate may not be a Dimitri Payet, but while the Frenchman is on the
sidelines and recovering from injury, the ex-Inter man has the tools to fill
in for him. Throw in his already promising understanding with Lanzini, and
between the two of them they might just have the capacity not only to fill
in for Payet, but also to reverse the mini-slump which has seen West Ham
fail to win a game from their last four matches.

At the very least, the way in which Zarate and Lanzini harmonised against
West Brom was encouraging, and if Bilic sticks with them, there's no reason
why they can't continue to improve. They might not quite achieve the synergy
of a West Ham side featuring Payet at his peak, but one way or another it
will be fascinating to see what they can do as an attack-minded duo.

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http://vyperz.blogspot.com