Slaven speaks - Stoke City
WHUFC.com
Slaven Bilic held his pre-match briefing with the broadcast media ahead of Saturday's Boleyn Ground Barclays Premier League date with Stoke City. However, this weekend's match was low down the agenda when it came to questioning of the manager, who was quizzed about the injury issues which are currently affecting his Hammers squad. The manager revealed timeframes for injuries suffered by Winston Reid and Victor Moses, some more positive news regarding Manuel Lanzini, and also talked about plans to move first-team training sessions from Chadwell Heath to Rush Green.
What can you tell us about Winston Reid's injury, which was reported on Wednesday evening?
SB: "Winston has injured his hamstring in the training session on Wednesday and he will go for a scan on Friday. Then we will see how long he is out for. It doesn't look good. Has has done it before and it's one of them, when they tell you four to six weeks. It doesn't look to be a small one. "It happened in the very beginning of the training in the activation, like a long warm-up. Straight after, he slipped and he felt it rupture, so it's most definitely a rupture and we're going to see on Friday exactly how long it's going to be. It's not just going to be the Stoke game, it will be longer. We will know more after the scan."
Slaven, you also lost Victor Moses at Manchester United, so can you update us with regard to his injury situation?
SB: "Victor is out for four to six weeks. It's blow. We now have six injuries. Before the Everton game we had a full squad and they were all training and all fit and everything. First, against Everton we had two injuries with Valencia and Payet, both of them from tackles. After the international break, we've had four injuries, starting with Sakho, then Lanzini, Moses and now Winston Reid. "Of course it's a big blow for us because they are six very important players, but we are going to move on and we have to get over this period without them. We have a good medical team that will usually bring the players back very soon, so we have to compensate their absence with team-work, like we did against Manchester United. That was really good, so I want us to continue the way we are playing.
What impact does losing your main goalscorers and assist-makers to injury have on the way you will approach matches?
SB: "It's logical that they created and scored most of our chances and goals, because they were the ones who played in those positions - left, right, up front or behind. They were doing their job really good and we're going to miss them of course, because they're great players. That's why we got them and they've been playing regularly. "It's a good thing Valencia is back now and he's training with us today, so we'll see if he is in good shape in terms of fitness and in terms of if he is available. He is a great player and we're delighted he is back. "It's going to be hard without players like Lanzini, Payet, Moses and Sakho, but we played without almost all of them against Manchester United and still we created enough chances to score goals.
"As I said, when all the players were available it was also about the squad. Now, we have a tinier squad but it's time for those those players to step up. "It's impossible to compensate for these players individually, but with team-work and spirit that we have already got, we know we can do it. It's time for those players who didn't play that much, but worked hard in training, to step up and for the rest of the team to help them and for us to continue."
Do you have a theory as to why you have suffered so many injuries in recent weeks?
SB: "It's the million dollar question. On the one hand you see it happening at many Premier League clubs, but to be fair I don't care about other clubs in that sense. "There have been a lot of things said since I came here about the pitches that we have here at Chadwell Heath, and they're not ideal. If you saw Reidy's injury, he slipped because our pitches are very soft on the surface, but underneath they are very, very hard, so that's the worst combination. "Not only this year, but throughout the years we have a history in that and the players are moaning as they are not happy about the quality of the pitches. "So, I've decided that we are a club in transition regarding our training facilities and we are planning to move next season to Rush Green, but because of the quality of the pitches we're going to go there earlier. "I've decided, from Monday, we are going to move to Rush Green and start to train there because we can't continue to miss this much players with these kind of pitches, which are not in good shape. "We're going to move on Monday. The plan was to go next year, but because of the situation we're going to do it now. "I don't see any other reason because we have a good medical team and good players and the sessions are good, and I told you that since I came here it was an issue - last year, two years ago or five years ago. It has nothing to do with the groundsmen or the medical staff - it's just the way the ground is here."
How do you try to be positive in this current situation?
SB: "I am not trying to be positive - I am very positive. I said to the players it is time for us to show that we can get over the injuries. "The season is very long and in every season you more or less have these situations. One day, you think 'Do we have too many players?' and 'Can you keep them all happy?' and then in basically no time you have the totally opposite situation. "No matter how hard it is, you have to stay positive and I am. We have a good team and I'm sure we're going to show that we can play without those players, who we're going to try to bring back as soon as possible."
Will you buy players in January?
SB: "I said four weeks ago that I was quite happy and we'd only sign a player if an exceptional one became available, or if someone goes, then we would have to replace them. "In every club there is always room for one player to come, but only if he is exceptional or can make the team better. Now, if we think about Stoke or Swansea, we want to have two or even three players!
"These are not long, long term injuries. valencia is back and I hope Lanzini will be back for the Swansea game. Dimitri Payet looks really good and has come back for treatment. His ankle is very, very stable and who knows what will happen in two or three weeks. "I am not hoping but expecting a few of them to come back very, very soon and when they do, there is no need for new players, except if we find one who is exceptional."
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Chadwell Chatter - Manuel Lanzini
WHUFC.com
Hola!
On Wednesday I was lucky enough to visit our fantastic new stadium in Stratford for a tour alongside Joint-Chairman David Gold, Aaron Cresswell, Reece Oxford and some lucky competition winners. It is a very impressive stadium, not only the stands and the pitch but all the other facilities; they are just excellent. I think the move is really going to give West Ham a boost and that is obviously very important. I really think the fans and the players will enjoy it and I'm sure we'll have some successful years in the near future. Throughout my career I have been lucky enough to play in some fantastic stadiums so far, I think this stadium is going to be absolutely incredible, all footballers will want to come and play here and it'll help the Club grow.
One of the most important things is that the fans, I'm sure, are going to enjoy coming here, and we're going to be relaxed about putting on a really good show.
I'd also like to thank all the West Ham fans who have wished me a speedy recovery since getting injured last week, it honestly means a lot! One of the most frustrating things about being injured is the uncertainty, the not knowing how long it'll take to recover and return to full fitness. Trust me when I say I am as desperate to return to action as you are. Thankfully my recovery is going well and I may be able to return in a few weeks. I'm feeling a lot better now, I'm hoping to get back as soon as possible, there's nothing like the feeling of running out on the pitch every weekend so I'm hoping for a quick recovery and hopefully I get back to the level I was playing at before the injury.
We're nearly half way through the season and I think overall we've had a fantastic start. Despite having a few disappointing results recently I think we can bounce back and continue on our good run. We have a few injuries now which doesn't help but we have good, strong squad and I am confident we can cope.
See you soon!
Manu
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View on the Visitors - Stoke City
WHUFC.com
Stoke Sentinel's sports reporter Pete Smith lifts the lid on Saturday's visitors. Stoke come into this game off the back of the 2-0 win over Manchester City and one defeat in six. It all seems to be going well at the moment?
"Absolutely, the team are hitting new heights. Against City, they tried a new formation and it clearly worked very, very well. They looked like a slick attacking side which hasn't always been the case. There's a real feeling that this is the best Stoke side in a generation, the likes we haven't seen for 40 odd years.
"The result last weekend was unreal, it was certainly the crowing result of the season so far and it shouldn't be overlooked how good they really were."
It's not just Stoke's league form, but a League Cup semi-final with Liverpool to look forward to?
"Yes, and it's something the fans are quite rightly really looking forward too. For Stoke, it has been all about avoiding relegation for a long time, and more recently getting into the top ten. The next stage upward is challenging for a trophy. They last won the League Cup back in 1972 so it's something the fans would dearly love to win again."
Presumably Mark Hughes is a popular figure at the Britannia?
"He can't put a foot wrong in the fans' eyes! People haven't forgotten all the good work Tony Pulis did in laying the foundations, but Mark Hughes has taken them that step further. The vast majority of transfers have worked well, tactically he's spot on and the fans are right behind him."
Jack Butland has been sensational this season
Which players have stood out for you this season so far?
"Jack Butland has been the star of the season so far, he was man of the match in almost every game right at the start. The fact we haven't missed Asmir Begovic shows how good he really is, he's still young too.
"Since Ryan Shawcross has returned from injury the defence has looked much more solid, they picked up a few more clean sheets too. His return to fitness and form is remarkable really considering he had major back surgery in the summer.
"Then obviously the forward trio of Marko Arnautovic, Xherdan Shaqiri and Bojan Krkic have stolen the headlines, and rightly so. Their quality is obvious for all to see."
Having said all that, what is Stoke's Achilles heel?
"In most departments they've been solid so far, they haven't conceded many goals, in fact they've tended to concede more goals against the smaller sides, Watford and Sunderland, then the big teams."
In all likelihood, this is the last time Stoke play at the Boleyn Ground, what memories stick out for you about this stadium?
"It has to be the 1972 League Cup semi-final which has gone down as one of the greatest League Cup games ever. West Ham won away 2-1, meaning Stoke had to come to the Boleyn Ground and get a result to progress to the final. In particular Gordan Bank's penalty save late on from Geoff Hurst is one of the defining moments in Stoke City's history."
How do you think Saturday's game will pan out?
"It'll be a tight game; neither side will give much away so I think it'll be a 1-1 draw."
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Rio - Slaven is doing a great job
WHUFc.com
Former Hammer Rio Ferdinand praised the effect current manager Slaven Bilic has had since he returned to the Club in the summer. Ferdinand, one of the greatest players to have come through the famous Academy of Football, made 158 appearances for the Claret and Blues, winning the illustrious Hammer of the Year award in 1998. The defensive duo overlapped at the Boleyn Ground for two seasons between 1995 and 1997 and when asked about his former teammate, the south Londoner had nothing but praise: "He has done really well; I was shocked that no one tried to hire him before now to be honest. He was great for Croatia; he's a real good guy.
"I always got on well with him when we played together. When he came back to West Ham, I called him, gave him a bit of advice, and obviously he's taking it all on board! But seriously, he's a top lad, a top manager and I really get on with him."
Like many fans and pundits, some of the results Bilic has orchestrated in his short tenure so far have caught the imagination and allowed the West Ham faithful to dream big once more. With wins over Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City already secured, Ferdinand clearly believes West Ham are on the right track: "They've been a great surprise this year; they've had some fantastic results. "Dimitri Payet is a massive loss, I was surprised that he wasn't picked up before now. He's a great coup for West Ham and he's proved in the first few months how talented he is. "If they can get him back soon I'm sure they'll have a strong second half of the season. In terms of a target, I think West Ham have got to be happy with a top 10, top eight finish."
Having come through the Academy alongside the likes of Michael Carrick and Joe Cole, Ferdinand left West Ham in 2000 for Leeds United before joining Manchester United where he won a staggering six Premier League titles as well as the Champions League in 2008. On his return to Boleyn Ground, his first since retiring as a professional footballer, he reflected on where it all began: May 5 1996, a 1-1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday. He recounted: "My debut has to be my stand out memory, I remember coming out, standing on the touchline with Harry Redknapp, it was the stuff of dreams. I envisaged it for a couple of years before it happened, but until it happens, you're never really sure if you're ever going to get there. "On the day, the fans were so loud and really supportive; they really got behind me as a home-grown, young player. It was a great feeling that day. "I remember the great atmosphere, for any young player to come through at a club; you never get that type of love or adulation anywhere else. When you come through a club's youth system, the fans definitely see a part of themselves in you; they definitely feel a part of your journey. Every fan loves to see their club producing young, exciting talent. "I've got loads of memories here; it's a beautiful place to play football. It hasn't got long left, I've always liked being able to see the flats above the stand, but yes, great memories."
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Hammers on the home straight
WHUFC.com
West Ham United report more Season Tickets already sold for 2016/17 season than in any other in their history
Number of people on the Priority List exceeds available Season Tickets several times over
New CGI shows stunning new claret and blue detail around concourse area, keeping promise to supporters
West Ham United are delighted to announce that they have already sold more Season Tickets for their first season in the former Olympic Stadium than in any other year in the Club's history, despite there still being nine months to go until their first game.
The Hammers passed the milestone last month, and, with the iconic venue winning plaudits the world over during the Rugby World Cup and Slaven Bilic bringing entertaining football back to E13, demand for tickets to see West Ham in Stratford in the 2016/17 season continues to surpass all expectations.
The Club have pledged to do all they can to help as many Hammers fans as possible get a Season Ticket, but, as there are now several times as many fans on the Priority List as Season Tickets available, it is imperative that any supporter on the Priority List attends their Reservation Centre appointment when they are offered one next year.
Furthermore, any supporter wishing to buy a Season Ticket for next season is urged to join the Priority List immediately to stand any chance of securing a seat.
Due to the unprecedented demand, the Club can confirm that in the event that any member of the Priority List does not get an appointment at the Reservation Centre for next season, they will be offered the chance to join the Priority List for Season Tickets for the 2017/18 season.
Details of the Priority List sales process can be found here.
With the sales period for existing Season Ticket Holders set to conclude in January, the Club have today announced how the process for new Season Ticket sales at the UEFA Category Four venue will work for members of the Priority List.
Work resumes
The Club have released a new CGI showing how the stunning claret and blue colouring in the concourse of the Bobby Moore Stand, which will further ensure the Stadium truly looks and feels like West Ham's new home. The image shows how Hammers legend Moore's shirt will proudly adorn the stand carrying his name, with huge crossed hammers standing guard alongside it.
Those improvements will be just one of a number of key changes made following the recommencement of work at the new Stadium as preparations for West Ham United's first game at their stunning new home in Stratford enter their final phase.
The successful run of summer and autumn events required a pause in the construction timetable, but, following the Race of Champions finale last month, the contractors have now resumed their work in earnest. A number of major changes are set to take place to ensure the world-class venue is ready for the arrival of the Claret and Blue Army in August 2016.
To celebrate the resumption of the construction period, Hammers trio Aaron Cresswell, Manuel Lanzini and Reece Oxford accompanied Joint-Chairman David Gold on a tour of the new Stadium, together with a handful of lucky competition winners made up of Founders, supporters who have already selected their seats, and members of the New Stadium Season Ticket Priority List.
Commenting on today's announcements, West Ham United Vice-Chairman Karren Brady said: "I am both delighted and proud to be providing such positive updates today.
"Firstly, our confirmation of further extensive West Ham detail throughout the Stadium ties in perfectly with the contractors commencing the major overhaul needed to ready the Stadium for our first game there next August.
"The new designs further add to those we announced earlier this year, which will see 'West Ham' spelt in the new 'Kop' style East Stand, a claret crossed hammers design adorning three stands and claret and blue featuring inside and outside the new Stadium.
"We have always promised our supporters that this will look and feel like the home of West Ham United and today's new CGI is further evidence that we have been true to our word.
"Secondly, it is fantastic news that we have now sold more Season Tickets for next season than in any other in our history, and that is with nine months still to go before our first game. Demand for Season Tickets has surpassed all of our expectations and that is testament to the rapid progress we have seen on and off the pitch over the past few years.
"We desperately want as many Hammers fans as possible to sample what will be an unbelievable experience of watching their team in this stunning new venue, so I would urge anyone already on the Priority List to make sure they seize their opportunity when it comes around. And I would encourage anyone yet to join to do so immediately to stand any chance of getting what will be the hottest ticket in London come August 2016."
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Priority List process explained
WHUFC.com
West Ham United are pleased to announce the sales process for supporters on the New Stadium Season Ticket Priority List.
Now that the seat selection process for existing Season Ticket Holders is nearing the end, supporters on the Priority List can expect to start receiving their Reservation Centre appointments in the New Year.
From the beginning of January, the Reservation Centre will begin contacting supporters on the Priority List to schedule their seat selection appointments. Following the call, each group will need to confirm their booking with a £10 appointment confirmation fee, which will be deducted from the final cost of their Season Ticket.
Supporters will be contacted based on the order in which they joined the Priority List and, with several times as many names on the Priority List as available seats, we ask that supporters are patient during this process.
With demand so high, it is vitally important that you attend your appointment to avoid missing out. Similarly, rescheduling your appointment will impact your choice of seats.
When you confirm your Season Ticket seat for the Club's momentous first season in the new Stadium, you can join our founding fathers by being recognised as a Founder. This is a one-time opportunity for your Founding status to be proudly displayed, for all to see, acknowledging how you helped to build our exciting future.
If you buy a Season Ticket in our new home, you can also share your priority with two friends or family members who can join you at your Reservation Centre appointment so you can select your seats all together.
You can confirm your additional supporters when you receive your phone call to schedule your appointment. Supporters are therefore advised to consider who they wish to bring with them in the run-up to January, so that you have all the appropriate details to hand.
On the day of the appointment you can expect a presentation about the Stadium and you will then be invited to select your new seats using the state-of-the-art Virtual Venue. The new software allows you to virtually 'sit' in your seat at the new Stadium to check out the views.
Once you have chosen your seats, you will be required to pay 25 per cent of your Season Ticket value. The remaining balance is payable by Sunday 1 May. Please note if your appointment is on or after 1 April 2016 you will be required to pay in full.
A Monthly Payment Plan is available courtesy of V12 Season Ticket Finance, for which you can apply in person during your appointment.
Due to the unprecedented demand, the Club can confirm that in the event that any member of the Priority List does not get an appointment at the Reservation Centre for next season, they will be offered the chance to join the Priority List for Season Tickets for the 2017/18 season.
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West Ham move training grounds months ahead of schedule
BBC.co.uk
West Ham will move to their new training ground months ahead of schedule as they attempt to combat a growing injury list. Winston Reid and Victor Moses have joined Dimitri Payet, Diafra Sakho and Manuel Lanzini on the sidelines. The Rush Green site is unfinished but the pitches are in use and they will begin training there from Monday. "The Chadwell Heath pitches are soft on top but hard underneath, which is the worst combination," said Slaven Bilic. "The pitches are better there than here. We can live without the great dressing room, the kitchens and the free area for now."
The Hammers were due to relocate to their new Rush Green HQ, where they currently play under-21 games, at the start of next season. But Bilic said they "can't continue to risk" using the pitches at their current Chadwell Heath base. 'It doesn't look good'
Reid and Moses are facing up to six weeks on the sidelines with hamstring problems. Centre-back Reid was injured during training and will get the results of a scan on Friday. "It doesn't look good," said Bilic, whose side host Stoke on Saturday. "It's one of those they tell you is four to six weeks but it doesn't look like a small one. He slipped and felt it rupture." Moses, on loan from Chelsea, suffered his injury in a goalless draw at Manchester United last weekend. Bilic added: "Victor is out for four to six weeks. It's a blow, we have had six injuries since the Everton game. "Before that we had a full squad, then Payet and Valencia were injured against Everton and now we have four muscle injuries."
Attacking midfielder Payet and striker Sakho are both out until February, while Lanzini is out for six weeks with a thigh problem suffered in training. Bilic could have Enner Valencia back to face Stoke after the striker's five-week absence with an ankle injury.
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David Gold says new stadium will help West Ham reach new levels
By Amy Lewis, Sky Sports News HQ
Last Updated: 10/12/15 3:01pm
SSN
West Ham co-chairman David Gold believes the club can claim a top-six finish - and that their new stadium will help them build on that success next season. The Hammers are due to move into the Olympic Stadium for the start of the 2016/17 season and the final phases of the construction work are already underway.
"We dream of the impossible where we pursue the impossible," said Gold. "I would still say to you that our ambition is to finish in the top half of the division. Can we finish higher, in the top six? Yes we can."
The club revealed they have sold more season tickets for their first season in the Olympic Stadium than any other previous campaign with 30,000 seats already taken up out of the 54,000 capacity. And Gold expects to have capacity crowds at nearly all of their matches at their new home. West Ham co-chairman David Gold is targeting a top six finish this season and says they want to bring European football to the Olympic Stadium. "Everyone was very dubious as to whether we could fill the stadium," he said. "We were confident with all the work we did and all the enquiries we made. The reality is that we are going to be coming very close to filling this stadium with season ticket holders. "Let alone the thousands who would want to come because they would want to see this iconic stadium."
West Ham will have to make extra payments if they finish in the top 10 of the Premier League. The contract also states they have to pay an additional fee if they win the FA Cup or qualify for the Europa League or Champions League. The club will not have to pay for turnstile operators, much of the security and steward personnel and catering staff on match days. Gold defends the importance of West Ham's contribution. "There's no doubt that a lot of people feel this has been funded by the taxpayer but without West Ham this wouldn't have happened," he said. After hosting international events such as the Rugby World Cup over the summer, the stadium's construction work is expected to be ready by late spring. Defender Aaron Cresswell visited the ground and says he looking forward to playing at the club's new home. "This is the first time I have been here at the stadium of course it is fantastic facilities," he said. "I'm not too sure the manager is going to be too happy with the pitch but it's going to be ready in time for the new season. Doing a mini tour around the inside bits and it looks fantastic."
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Bastian Schweinsteiger given three-match ban for elbowing Winston Reid.
By Paul Vinnell
Last Updated: 10/12/15 5:28pm
SSN
Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger will serve a three-match suspension for elbowing West Ham's Winston Reid. The ban begins with immediate effect after the Germany captain accepted an FA charge for violent conduct. The incident, last Saturday at Old Trafford, was not seen by the match officials but was caught on video. Schweinsteiger caught Reid in the throat as the players battled for position from a first-half free-kick during the 0-0 draw.
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Chadwell Heath pitch is too firm and causes injuries!
December 10, 2015
thewesthamway.co.uk
Matthew Etherington
Hi all, first and foremost we have a very tough game coming at the weekend, Stoke are starting to fire on all cylinders. Shaquiri, Arnoutavic, Bojan are all in form. A very decent side.
The reason for this post is the injuries we have at the club right now, it's ridiculous. I can only speak of my time at this great club and say that the training ground was always way too firm, don't get me wrong the surface was pristine but always liable for injuries. It was like literally training on a road for 2 hours every day. Eventually your muscles say enough, there come the injuries, either during training or on a match day. I was there for five seasons and every pre-season the pitches would get re-layed. Still too firm. When I went back to train last summer (2014) the training ground was still way too hard and nothing had changed. I had a muscle injury myself within a few days. At Stoke's training ground with decent pitches (plenty of rain also!) we had minimal injuries, me and my groins/muscles injuries, in the early years at Stoke, were absolutely fine.
People will say "Premier League pitches are the same now, so get on with it". They are not. Chadwell Heath is a lot firmer than any training ground/Premier League pitch I have played football on. I'm sure the Chairmen, who have done such an admirable job since taking over, know this. I think we all agree it needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. Thankfully this appears to now be the case with the club moving to Rush Green on Monday as opposed to the end of the season. You do have to question why it has taken so many injuries to make this happen however. I don't believe the medical team are at fault either, personnel has changed a few times over several years and we still seem to get numerous injuries every season lets hope the move to Rush Green now solves the problems.
COYI
Matty.
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Caretaker Rants: Parker haters you should be ashamed!!
December 10, 2015
WestHamWay.co.uk
@caretaker_rants
Hard working, a grafter, 100% committed. These are just a few qualities which we love to see in a player at West Ham. Three times Hammer of the Year, almost single handily keeping the club up one year, winning the Football Writers Player of the Year award when we finished rock bottom of the league. A few milestones which you can say wouldn't be possible without having the initial qualities I mentioned. Scott Parker had, and achieved everything I have mentioned so far, yet it was almost three years ago that he was shamefully booed by a large number of our supporters on his return to Upton Park, something which I have never forgotten and ultimately will go down as one of my lowest moments at the ground.
This isn't a biography on him so I won't bore you with a factfile on Scott but I think we can all agree that his performances and level of consistency during his four years with the club (and in particular the last two) were at a level not seen by anyone for years and probably haven't been seen since. Someone who knew nothing about Scott could be mistaken for thinking he had left in the same circumstances that surrounded Paul Ince perhaps, which could explain why he was booed on his return, but this was certainly not the case.
After getting relegated in 2011 Scott was awarded the Football Writers Player of the Year which is a prestigious honour and to my knowledge has never been given to someone at a club which finished bottom of the league. Scott had started playing regularly for England, and we all knew deep down that he wasn't going to hang around in the Championship and lose the place that he had worked so hard to earn, nor could any of us deny him a move when you consider what he had done for the club.
Now comes the controversial part, Scott eventually joined Spurs very late on in the transfer window. Spurs had just finished fifth in the league and were a club progressing and whilst they are rivals of ours, and of course I would have preferred to see him in another shirt, I didn't begrudge him that move, especially since he was/is a Spurs fan. Then a lot of fans started to turn bitter and sour, all sorts of nonsense emerged from fans who had read in The Sun (of all rags) that Scott had threatened to go on strike if he didn't get his move to Spurs. Scott did place a transfer request to seal his move to Spurs, something which is a common procedure with football players, but at no point would he ever have dreamed of refusing to play if he didn't get his move.
Scott started the season with us and played four games with us, at the time nobody questioned his commitment, and why should they? This guy was one of us out there, giving everything he had for the shirt. Yet as soon as he left people were saying that 'his heart wasn't in it' and that he was 'dodging tackles' for fear of getting injured. Statements that were absolutely bull$hit and an insult to Scott. Another classic line was that he had left to earn more money as he was greedy. We were paying him such a high salary that I doubt he earnt much more money at Spurs, if at all.
So what if he went so Spurs? Are we West Ham fans or anti Spurs fans? To this day I still find it childish and pathetic that so many ignorant fans somehow forget everything he did for us and simply want to focus on the fact that he joined Spurs. As I said before, Scott is a spurs fan, so why the hell should he be denied a move to his club? If, for example Mark Noble had been a Crystal Palace player and joined us we would all laugh at Palace fans and consider them small minded in their hatred aimed towards Mark. Joe Cole refused to sign a new contract with the club when we finished 7th yet that didn't seem to bother people and he is often referred to as a West Ham legend, but he certainly didn't contribute as must to the club as Scott did on the field. Michael Carrick also went to spurs, yet he always gets a good reception on his return, and rightly so.
Scott openly said after the game that he was disappointed and upset at getting booed, so that tells you all you need to know about the guy, he didn't stick the knife in and mention the fact that Spurs had won the game late on, he simply stated what a great time he had at the club and how he was proud of his time here, and that is why I am still disgusted by what I witnessed that day.
Agree or disagree, let me know @caretaker_rants. Thanks for reading and take care people.
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Watch out…Paolo's tweeting!
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
It looks like DiCanio…it feels like DiCanio and may well be DiCanio. But until the blue tick appears beside his twitter name @OfficialDiCanio there's no 100 per cent certainty. Still it looks like the legend has now emerged on the social network having announced his arrival like this:
Paolo Di Canio @OfficialDiCanio 51 mins51 minutes ago
Delighted to finally be on Twitter! Looking forward to hearing from you all #yesitreallyisme
If it really is the main man then we can stand by for some serious fun over the next few years for Paolo is certain to become a very controversial figure. So welcome to the playground Paolo – err hopefully, We look forward to hearing from you. Within just a couple of hours PDC has collected over 700 followers, seen his first tweet retweeted 50 times and liked 59.
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Olympic Stadium LED wrap approved
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
The London Legacy Development Corporation has confirmed that the proposed LED Stadium Wrap for the former Olympic Stadium has been granted planning permission on the 27th October, subject to conditions of operation and impact mitigation. The procurement process for the new wrap is ongoing and a preferred contractor should be announced before the end of the year. The news was published in LLDC's board meeting from 24th November.
The wrap will stretch around the north, east and south sides of the Stadium and would be capable of displaying moving, colour content. The LEDs will be housed in a structure attached to back of the existing Stadium bowl. Hours of usage will be limited so as to be sensitive to neighbouring uses and ecology. The west side of the Stadium, facing the Fish Island Conservation Area, will not have any LEDs.
The LLDC say the wrap is intended to fulfil the following objectives:
Enhance the Stadium aesthetics and provide a creative, feature lighting installation;
Provide flexibility to reflect the look and feel of events taking place within the multi-use Stadium;
Provide a positive community asset – promote the wider Park, whilst ensuring content is sensitive to neighbours and neighbouring uses;
Provide the opportunity for Stadium naming rights partner activation.
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Rush Green Planning Permission approved
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
Planning permission to transform Rush Green into a state of the art training facility has been approved by London Borough of Havering this week with minor conditions attached.
The full planning decision published three days ago can be found HERE . The council puts certain conditions on the transformation of Rush Green and requests further information where they claim insufficient information was supplied in the original planning application on behalf of West Ham.
Earlier today Slaven Bilic announced that the first team would be moving to Rush Green on Monday but the current ground also has basic facilities and the first team will need to slum it until the transformation of Rush Green is complete.
In February 2009, West Ham entered into an option agreement to purchase the freehold interest in the 29 acre Rush Green Ford Sports Ground from the Ford Motor Company. In September the same year, they completed the acquisition of the property for a sum of £1.4 million.
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Gaffer gets right response after shock
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
Slaven Bilic's out-of-the-blue decision to move the first team squad to Rush Green from Chadwell Heath came as a surprise to everybody inside the club today.
The manager had told nobody outside of his coaching staff what he had in mind but has immediately received the full backing of the board.
Whilst he clearly doesn't KNOW that Chadwell Heath is responsible for the injury record at the club he suspects that the soft/hard ground may be responsible.
And with start of the art training pitches in place at Rush Green he is determined to eliminate any last risk.
A club source said: "Nobody knew about the decision until today. We thought the changeover would take place next season but the facilities are in place and it's the manager's decision. He will get all the support he requires.
"There are three world class pitches at Rush Green – all of which had laser beams used on them to make sure they were 100 per cent level.
"Not everybody is of the view that Chadwell Heath is the sole problem but all the facilities are in place at Rush Green and if the manager wants to use them it's entirely his decision.
It could have the effect of freshening everybody up as well."
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West Ham ranked 8th in injury table
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 9, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
Despite the growing Injury list with Lanzini and Reid added in the last week, West Ham only sit in 8th place with regards to the most number of injuries in the Premier League. With Enner Valencia set to return as soon as Saturday, West Ham could drop as low as 10th in the Premier League in terms of number of injured squad players.
1st Newcastle 10 Injuries
2nd Bournemouth 9 Injuries
3rd Manchester United 9 Injuries
4th Arsenal 7 Injuries
5th Liverpool 7 Injuries
6th Manchester City 7 Injuries
7th Everton 6 Injuries
8th West Ham 6 Injuries (Payet, Valencia, Lanzini, Sakho, Reid and Moses)
9th Spurs 5 Injuries
10th Aston Villa 5 Injuries
11th Southampton 4 Injuries
12th Sunderland 4 Injuries
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Irons to move from Chadwell Heath
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
Slaven Bilic has announced the squad is on its way from its Chadwell Heath training headquarters. The news comes at more or less the same time as the crushing news that Winston Reid is set to miss the next four weeks with a new hamstring injury – his third in less than a year. Many fans have been questioning the Chadwell Heath facilities for a long time and whilst the announcement is a shock, there is absolutely no question that it will be met with widespread relief. The manager made the news public in his morning press conference ahead of the weekend match against Stoke City which sees the squad without Reid, Payet, Moses, Lanzini and Sakho. Bilic declared: "We were planning on moving the training ground to Rush Green at the end of the season, now we are moving that forward. "We will be training at Rush Green from Monday. The pitches here at Chadwell Heath are soft on top, but hard underneath which is the worse combination. So I have made the decision to go to Rush Green where the pitches are better."
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Reid's worrying injury history
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
Winston Reid's injury problems – and his hamstring in particular – are becoming a regular issue in his West Ham career. The central defender – always an awesome presence when available – has now gone down with his third 'hammy' problem inside 11 months. And in football season terms that can be translated to nine games missed as a result and laid off for a total of 53 days.
Within the same 11 months the central defender has also suffered thigh muscle strains and hip problems which saw him miss 56 days and eight games. And back in the 13/14 season the Kiwi was laid off for a total of 85 days which saw him miss 16 games.
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Boots issue raised again on injuries
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
A story suggesting in part that the boots worn by players may be contributing towards the injuries suffered by Premier League players is again doing the rounds on social media following the shocking injury crisis at Upton Park. The Mail Online published a story back in October saying that six Premier League stars who suffered devastating cruciate ligament injury blows in the last six weeks were wearing Nike boots. The players were Danny Ings ( Liverpool), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Tim Krul (Newcastle), Tyrone Mings (Bournemouth), Callum Wilson (Bournemouth) and Max Gradel (Bournemouth). A quick check on Google has shown this morning that Winston Reid – who has suffered his third ligament injury in less than a year – is also using Nike boots along with Enner Valencia, Manuel Lanzini and Dimitri Payet. However, there is absolutely no evidence connecting the Irons injuries to the brand of boots the players wear and within the Mail story a footwear industry source said: "Injuries are part and parcel of the game and have always occurred. What brand is being used is a complete coincidence – this has nothing to do with boots!"
Injury data analyst Ben Dinnery is quoted as saying: "Nothing shouts out that this is a problem with football and certainly not Nike. "In almost every case there has been some form of coming together with either the turf or an opponent. I know that Eddie Howe and Sean Dyche have investigated and found that the injuries were unavoidable." And a West Ham source, when asked by ClaretandHugh whether we should be over-worried by Winston's injury record over the past 12 months said: "No, it really is down to bad luck."
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West Ham pair Winston Reid and Victor Moses out for rest of year
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 10/12/15 10:59am
SSN
West Ham duo Winston Reid and Victor Moses have been ruled out until the new year with hamstring injuries. Defender Reid was injured in training on Wednesday and could be set for a long spell out, with the results of a scan expected on Friday. Jack Sullivan, son of Hammers' joint-chairman David Sullivan, tweeted: "Very bad news. Reid injured in training 4-6 weeks with hamstring. But some players will return faster than anticipated due to hard work."
On-loan Chelsea winger Moses sustained a similar injury against Manchester United last weekend and manager Slaven Bilic fears he will not be available for up to six weeks. They are the latest additions to a growing casualty list at Upton Park which threatens to derail their fine start to the season. West Ham have already lost Dimitri Payet and Diafra Sakho until February while Manuel Lanzini is out for six weeks with a thigh problem. Enner Valencia has been out for five weeks with an ankle injury but he could give Bilic a boost by being added to the squad to face Stoke on Saturday. On Reid, Bilic said: "It doesn't look good. It's one of those they tell you is four to six weeks but it doesn't look like a small one. He slipped and felt it rupture. "Victor is out for four to six weeks. It's a blow, we have had six injuries since the Everton game. Before that we had a full squad, then Payet and Valencia were injured against Everton and now we have four muscle injuries."
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West Ham's Olympic Stadium to include Sir Trevor Brooking Stand as club sell more season tickets than ever before
West Ham are in their final season at Upton Park ahead of the big move
Slaven Bilic's side will ply their trade at the Olympic Stadium next year
David Gold toured the new ground with three players on Wednesday
By MATT BARLOW FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 12:01, 10 December 2015 | UPDATED: 12:01, 10 December 2015
As West Ham prepare for their last Christmas at the Boleyn Ground they are also busy decorating the Olympic Stadium ready for the big move next year. New computer-generated images have been released as the project enters its final phase, detailing how parts of the venue will look when they move from Upton Park to their new home in Stratford in the summer. There will be claret everywhere - and some blue - with Bobby Moore's No.6 shirt above the concourse of the stand which will carry his name. A stand will also be named after Sir Trevor Brooking, as at Upton Park, and the crossed hammers design will be on display in the lower tier seats of 54,000-capacity arena. West Ham have already sold more season tickets for next season than at any other season in the club's history, thanks to a bigger capacity at the new venue and price cuts which mean adult season tickets start at £289. Numbers have not been revealed but Sportsmail understands the club is on track to have sold 35,000 season tickets for 2016/17 by the end of this year, an increase of about 10,000 on this season. Each current season ticket holder has been invited to buy an additional two before sales are opened in February to those on a waiting list of more than 20,000. Co-chairman David Gold toured the site yesterday with three players – Manuel Lanzini, Aaron Cresswell and Reece Oxford – and some competitions winners. They settled into what will be the home-team dressing room as Gold pointed out how it was big enough for 25 players, and therefore meets UEFA criteria. 'We're ready for Europe,' said Gold, as he led the entourage through the claret-and-blue tiled shower rooms, across a warm-up track for athletes, down the tunnel and out onto a horribly churned-up pitch, a result of the 'Race of Champions' motor sport bonanza last month. A brand new Desso pitch will be installed next year and overseen by head groundsman Dougie Robertson.
With the Rugby World Cup matches and other autumn events over, the construction work have restarted to make the stadium ready for its new tenants. The interior and a new on-site club store will start to take shape next month and West Ham are working to further personalise the stadium subject to planning permission. Vice-chairman Karren Brady said: 'The new designs further add to those we announced earlier this year, which will see 'West Ham' spelt in the new 'Kop' style East Stand, a claret crossed hammers design adorning three stands and claret and blue featuring inside and outside the new Stadium. 'We have always promised our supporters that this will look and feel like the home of West Ham United and today's new CGI is further evidence that we have been true to our word. 'Secondly, it is fantastic news that we have now sold more season tickets for next season than in any other in our history, and that is with nine months still to go before our first game. 'Demand has surpassed all of our expectations and that is testament to the rapid progress we have seen on and off the pitch over the past few years.
'We desperately want as many Hammers fans as possible to sample what will be an unbelievable experience of watching their team in this stunning new venue, so I would urge anyone already on the Priority List to make sure they seize their opportunity when it comes around. 'And I would encourage anyone yet to join to do so immediately to stand any chance of getting what will be the hottest ticket in London come August 2016.'
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West Ham join crowded race to sign Boca Juniors goal machine Jonathan Calleri
HITC
Olly Dawes
West Ham are the latest club to be linked with a move for Boca Juniors star Jonathan Calleri. According to Calcio Mercato, West Ham have made contact with the representatives of Boca Juniors striker Jonathan Calleri. The Hammers have been hit by a stunning run of injuries in the final third, with Dimitri Payet, Manuel Lanzini, Victor Moses, Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia all on the treatment table. Fans now unsurprisingly want to see West Ham bring in a new striker in January, and reports suggest that the Upton Park hierarchy are at least exploring that possibility. Calcio Mercato report that West Ham have contacted the representatives of Boca Juniors hero Jonathan Calleri, who is attracting plenty of interest from English clubs. Stoke City were suggested to be leading the race for his signature over the summer according to The Mirror, whilst Argentine newspaper Ole published a shocking report earlier this season, suggesting that Championship club Brighton were pursuing a stunning deal to bring Calleri to the South Coast. Earlier this week, Marca claimed that Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are pursuing the 22-year-old ahead of the January transfer window, with both clubs needing attacking reinforcements. Now, it appears that West Ham have entered the race for Calleri's signature, and after racking up 21 goals and 11 assists in 53 games for Boca, it's no surprise that clubs are queueing up the Argentine hitman - and the Hammers may now be hoping to pip their rivals to his signature.
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West Ham open talks with Chelsea transfer target Jonathan Calleri – report
Will Giles for Metro.co.uk
Thursday 10 Dec 2015 9:45 am
West Ham have held talks with Chelsea transfer target Jonathan Calleri, according to reports. Calleri, 22, is set to leave Boca Juniors imminently after appearing to bid farewell to the club on Twitter. Chelsea and Inter are both believed to be keen on the player, but according to Calciomercato, West Ham have entered into talks with the player's entourage. It's claimed that Inter are struggling to finance a deal for the Argentinean, and although Chelsea will likely be seen as a more favourable destination than West Ham, Slaven Bilic could go all out for the striker given the injury crisis that has engulfed his squad.
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West Ham's Winston Reid and Victor Moses out until new year with injuries
• Defender Reid hurt in training session during week
• Moses suffered problem against Manchester United
Thursday 10 December 2015 10.42 GMT Last modified on Thursday 10 December 2015 10.44 GMT
The Guardian
West Ham's Winston Reid and Victor Moses have been ruled out until the new year with hamstring injuries. The defender Reid was injured in training on Wednesday and could be set for a long spell out, with the results of a scan expected on Friday. The on-loan Chelsea winger Moses picked up his injury against Manchester United last weekend and his manager Slaven Bilic has ruled him out for four to six weeks. They are the latest additions to a growing casualty list at Upton Park which threatens to derail their fine start to the season. The Hammers have already lost Dimitri Payet and Diafra Sakho until February while Manuel Lanzini is out for six weeks with a thigh problem suffered in training. Enner Valencia has been out for five weeks with an ankle injury but he could give Bilic a boost by being added to the squad to face Stoke on Saturday. Bilic said: "Reid got injured in training, it doesn't look good. It's one of those they tell you is four to six weeks but it doesn't look like a small one. He slipped and felt it rupture. "Victor is out for four to six weeks. It's a blow, we have had six injuries since the Everton game. Before that we had a full squad, then Payet and Valencia were injured against Everton and now we have four muscle injuries."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Friday, December 11
Thursday, December 10
Daily WHUFC News - 10th December 2015
Etherington expects 'difficult' Stoke test WHUFC.com
Matty Etherington says West Ham United will have to be at their best to
overcome another of his former clubs on Saturday. Stoke City arrive at the
Boleyn Ground in great form, having defeated Manchester City at the
Britannia Stadium and as League Cup semi-finalists. After an indifferent
start to the campaign results-wise, Mark Hughes' side have closed the gap on
the Hammers to just one point ahead of this weekend's clash. Etherington,
who spent six seasons with both clubs, reaching the FA Cup final with West
Ham in 2006 and Stoke in 2011, is expecting a competitive match between the
pair. The winger, who made 195 appearances in Claret and Blue before turning
out 177 times in Red and White, pinpointed Swiss playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri
and Austrian attacking midfielder Marko Arnautovic as Stoke's two main
threats. "Stoke have got some good players there," he confirmed. "Shaqiri
has been playing his best football recently, especially in their Premier
League win over Chelsea, having been disappointing up until then.
"Arnautovic is also a decent player and he seems to have been playing his
best football consistently this season, so they are a decent team. "I don't
think they were performing to their best earlier in the season, yet they've
made a relatively good start and have now won a few games. I definitely
think there is more to come from them."
While the Potters have picked up their form and results in recent weeks,
beating Chelsea twice ahead of last Saturday's 2-0 win over Manchester City,
the Hammers have struggled to pick up points on home turf. Just nine of West
Ham's 23 points have been gathered from games at the Boleyn Ground, and
Etherington expects Stoke to make it tough for Slaven Bilic's
injury-depleted side to add to that tally. "It's another difficult home game
for West Ham, but all the games in the Premier League are difficult these
days. Even the teams down the bottom are fighting and the top teams are
finding it hard to beat them. "It'll be another hard game at Upton Park, but
there is a lot of attacking talent in both teams, so I'm expecting a
competitive and entertaining game."
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Reid targets Stoke success
WHUFC.com
Having gained a hugely creditable point at Manchester United on Saturday,
Winston Reid is targeting a return to winning ways when West Ham United host
Stoke City this weekend. West Ham gained many plaudits for their display at
Old Trafford - achieved without four of their star attacking names - but the
point extended their winless run to five. Reid said the positive of the
performance outweighed the disappointment of not claiming maximum points and
thinks that will stand them in good stead when they take on the Potters. He
said: "Stoke are no easy team, they've improved themselves since they
changed their coach. Mark Hughes has changed their football, changed their
personnel and they are a tough team to play against. "We played against them
last year and didn't beat them and, although they have added more flair to
their team, they still have that doggedness and are hard to beat. "When you
come across those teams in the league you have to prepare yourself that it's
going to be a battle and it won't be any different come Saturday. We'll have
to make sure we're ready for it."
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Winston Reid sidelined for up to six weeks
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 9th December 2015
By: Staff Writer
Winston Reid has joined West Ham's lengthening injury list after suffering a
hamstring strain during training earlier today. The Kiwi international is
facing up to six weeks on the sidelines after sustaining the injury at
Chadwell Heath earlier today and joins the likes of Dimitri Payet, Diafra
Sakho and Manuel Lanzini. Reid's injury - as exclusively revealed on the
KUMB Forum earlier this evening - has left manager Slaven Bilic facing an
injury crisis as he approached the Christmas programme.
In addition to the aforementioned injuries, he is also without Enner
Valencia and Victor Moses (both injured) - although the former is hoping to
return to the first team squad in time for this weekend's clash with Stoke
City at the Bolen Ground.
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SO WE NEED A 20 GOAL A SEASON STRIKER
By Iain Dale 9 Dec 2015 at 17:00 WTID
Guest Post by Ennate
IEvery time we fail to win, we see comments on WHTID about our need to find
a striker who can score us 20 goals in a season, so I decided to look into
how many such players there have been in the Premier League.
In the 24 seasons that this competition has been running, there have only
been 37 players who have scored 20 or more goals in a season; between them
they have achieved this benchmark 62 times. In three seasons, 1997-1998,
1998-1999 and 2008-2009 no players scored 20 goals, and in two other seasons
only one player reached this level. The highest number of scorers to reach
20 were in the early days of the PL, in 1993-1994 and 1994-1995, when 6
players got 20 or more. In 2009-10 there were 5 players to do this, but the
most frequently occurring statistic was three players in a season in the
entire league; occurring in seven seasons, including the four most recent.
Alan Shearer has the best record, scoring 20 or more on seven occasions,
with Thierry Henry on 5, Ruud Van Nistleroy on 4, Les Ferdinand on 3, and
Aguero, Suarez, Van Persie, Rooney, Tevez, Drogba, Wright, Fowler and Andy
Cole on 2, and 23 players achieving this level only once in their PL career.
The team winning the league doesn't necessarily include a 20-a-season
scorer, though it is becoming more frequent, having occurred in each of the
last seven seasons. The teams including these top scorers usually make the
top 10, bit not necessarily so. Shearer's 23 goals in 1999-2000 only took
Newcastle to 11th; despite Mark Viduka's 20, Leeds only achieved 16th in
2002-2003; Darren Bent's 24 only got Sunderland unlucky 13th in 2009-10;
Southampton only just avoided going down in 1994 with Matt Le Tissier on 25
goals; and Andy Johnson's 21 in 2004-2005 didn't prevent Crystal Palace's
relegation.
So I conclude from this that 20-goal-a-season strikers are rarer than we
think they are, and they are becoming more likely to be with top 5 clubs
(only 2 exceptions in the last 10 years). 23 of these 37 top scorers – about
60% – have only achieved this feat once, for various reasons. Some haven't
been able to achieve the same level again, some have transferred overseas,
and some still remain in the PL and may reach that score again in the
future.
So next time someone calls for the owners to buy us a 20-goal striker, we
have to be realistic about our chances. They are rare, and expensive, so our
best chance is to find an under-the-radar talent as we did with Sakho, and
if we do find one, we will battle to keep him if Real Madrid, Barcelona or
PSG comes calling. The question is, do we need a 20-goal striker to get into
the top 5, or do we need to get into the top 5 to attract a 20-goal striker?
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A MAJOR TEST OF CHARACTER AND QUALITY; PLUS, EMULATE GREENWOOD AND JUST SAY
'NO'!
By S J Chandos 9 Dec 2015 at 08:00
WTID
The 0-0 draw with Manchester United was a magnificently gritty performance.
The likelihood is we are going to need much more of that grit and character
over the next couple of months. The current injury situation will fully test
the character and the quality of the squad. Although the loss of the likes
of Payet, Lazini and Sakho is a massive blow, the fit players now need to
step up and compensate in the short to medium term. And a major factor in
keeping us moving forward will be that we continue to show the type of
character so amply demonstrated at Old Trafford.
The light at the end of the tunnel is the possibility that Enner Valencia
could make an early return over the festive period/new year period. There is
also the possibility that Lanzini might return earlier then currently
predicted. In addition, we have the added bonus of the recent return of Alex
Song and Pedro Obiang to not only augment our defensive midfield capacity,
but also, in Song's case, add leadership/experience, creativity and the
ability to pick out those killer passes in the final third. Finally, Antonio
got some serious PL game time at Old Trafford and Zarate is currently
playing his best football since he arrived at the club. In my view, Antonio
has to play against Stoke City and bring his pace and power to the forward
line. There is also the possibility that he might provide Carroll with an
improved supply of the type of accurate crosses that he relishes. While,
Zarate is not only showing his class/skill, but is really digging in and
combining his flair with an hitherto unfamiliar application and industry.
No one should under-estimate the threat that the current injury crisis poses
to our season. But if we can keep accumulating the points and staying in
touch with that golden 4th spot then it will be a real achievement and one
that could pay dividends when the likes of Payet and Sakho return in
February. We currently have enough first team regulars to pick a strong team
and bench. However, Bilic must be considering which of the U-21 players are
best placed to step up (if needed). The first name considered will
undoubtedly be Reece Oxford and there is no doubt that he will continue to
receive measured PL/FA Cup exposure over the remainder of the season.
However, the youngster is such a top prospect that there is a tendency to
forget that he is still only 16 years of age. At that age he needs carefully
handling, besides which his main positions of defensive midfield and central
defence are currently well covered. There are also competing claims for
Samuelson (on one month's loan at Peterborough) and Gordon, who has really
shown good goal scoring form of late. They (all things being equal) will all
get their chances this season or next. However, I feel that the strongest
immediate claim could come from Josh Cullen, who has produced some excellent
U-21 midfield performances and looks mature and ready to step up. If we are
looking for an extra attacking midfielder for the bench then I feel that
this excellent 19 year old prospect can (if called upon) make a successful
transition – sooner rather than later.
Talking of Reece Oxford, there have been news stories recently that Arsenal
and Manchester United are looking to submit c.£8m bids for the youngster's
services this January! The likes of Oxford represent this club's future. Mr
Sullivan and Mr Gold should ask themselves if they want to repeat the Rio
Ferdinand scenario, where the club sold an outstanding youth product only to
watch him mature and excel at another club. I am pretty sure that they are
acutely aware of this and understand the crucial importance of the Academy
serving the future success of the Hammers, not that of other clubs. I
personally do not think that the story makes any sense at this juncture. But
if a bid does arrive in January, I would urge them to emulate Ron
Greenwood's response to a 1967 c.£200,000 Manchester United bid for Geoff
Hurst's services. He simply sent a one word reply to Matt Busby, 'No.'
Short, sweet and to the point!
The move to the Olympic Stadium is on the horizon and that, in conjunction
with the new lucrative TV deal, has the potential to move West Ham to
another level. We must look to gatecrash the top PL teams and compete for
Champions League football year-on-year. These are not dreams, they distinct
and realistic objectives, achievable through the correct management of the
club both on and off the pitch. The so-called 'big clubs' look to feed off
the emerging talent of the lower PL teams. That is one of their strategies
for maintaining their hegemony and weakening the challenges of aspirant
clubs. You cannot blame them for doing it and no doubt West Ham will do the
same when/if we get to that exalted position. However, we are at a crucial
stage in building a better future for our club and we must resist the
temptation to weaken ourselves long-term for short-term financial gain.
I do not want to see a 23 year old Reece Oxford winning titles/cups and
England caps with another club. I want to see him achieving those things
with the Hammers! That is the vision and the ambition – the board need to
make it happen!
SJ. Chandos.
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January Transfers, Santon in? Injuries investigated?
December 6, 2015
ExWHUEmployee
If you had said to me that we would have got a draw at Old Trafford before
the game I would have taken it but I cant help but feel a little
disappointed. We hit the post twice and Zarate missed an absolutely golden
opportunity which I would have bet my house on him scoring. There were
periods of the game when we were totally dominated. If you put into the
equation that Manchester United could have had both Fellani and
Schweinsteiger sent off, although at Old Trafford this is about as likely to
happen as Mr Moon staying to watch a whole game at the Boleyn Ground.
The injuries are getting a joke but to be honest this is something that has
always happened to us. I remember when I first start going to West Ham I
was also frustrated that the likes of Julian Dicks, Stewart Robson and Frank
McAvennie were always injured. This continued with the likes of Simon
Webster, Fredi Kanoute, Kieron Dyer, Dean Ashton, Craig Bellamy and many
others down the years and so is nothing new. The club have investigated the
Chadewell Heath training ground to see if there is anything wrong with the
pitches but they didn't find anything. These investigations have been
carried out at least two times in recent years but have been fruitless on
both occasions.
First we were created with the pre match news that Lanzini would be injured
for the match. I was the first to report on twitter that the club are not
overly worried about the thigh injury but couldn't risk him against
Manchester United as it happened on the Friday in training before the game.
Victor Moses' injury is likely to have a much longer duration with over a
month the likely outcome. As you will all know by now Sakho is also out
for three months something I reported early on in the week.
The only consolation I am trying to take from all these injuries is that it
is giving fringe players a chance to prove themselves. I thought Antonio
looked quite good after coming on. It also now gives Andy Carroll a chance
to prove that he has fully recovered from all of his injuries.
I thought Winston Reid was superb against The Red Devils and when he plays
like that he is as good as any centre back in the league. I also felt that
Ogbonna played well, Noble had a very good second half and other than the
Chelsea game that was Andy Carroll's best contribution so far. I felt that
the defence looked a lot better with Tomkins at right back and I would keep
that back four as the same. Mark Noble made a lot of important
interceptions, won the ball and disrupted their play frequently. I also
thought Alex Song looked like he is edging back to his brilliant best.
We hav been linked with a number of players again this week and Davide
Santon could be someone that we would consider. As you will have seen there
has been a common theme for players that we are interested in and they are
mainly right backs. I thought James Tomkins played very well at right back
again and surely has to be the first choice there but obviously he isnt a
natural right back so we will look abroad.
If you read other websites you will see they have been quite contradictory
in their transfer news. One minute saying we wont buy players the next
linking us with £8m pound footballers. The bottom line is we will need to
sell before we buy. There is hope that we may be able to persuade Norwich
to make the Jarvis deal finalised for around £4-5m. There is a
consideration of selling Collins but this isn't going to make us any money
because of his age and the fact his contract runs out in the summer. There
was also stories linking Tomkins with Sunderland but again I cannot imagine
this has any substance and we wouldn't consider selling, which was the
answer I got when I asked a well placed source. Talk of Oxford leaving for
£8m as I said on the day is ludicrous. Players being sold will dictate
players being bought. Of course I woul d love to sit here and tell you all
the players we are going to sign because that brings in more hits etc but
this isnt what we do on our website we pride ourselves on being accurate.
Both Jack Sullivan and I will keep you up to date with all the news.
For those of you who haven't see it, please get involved with the
competition that we have running. It really is a great opportunity and I am
shocked that more havent entered it yet. Here is the link:
http://www.thewesthamway.co.uk/#!Win-a-signed-shirt-from-a-player-of-your-ch
oice/maip4/566048800cf21dcdb62ba10c
We also have our weekly competition in association with the Ribman. Say to
him that you read the website and if you are the random number of customer
your meal will be free! It really is lovely so is well worth chancing it at
the game against Stoke.
This week on the website we should have some cracking articles including one
from Dave Sullian which cannot be missed exclusively discussing transfers
past and present.
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Winston Reid added to growing injury list
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 9, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
Chairman's son Jack Sullivan has added further injury woes by revealing
Winston Reid has also suffered an injury in training and could be out for
between four and six weeks with an injured hamstring. Master Sullivan
tweeted out "Very bad news… Reid Injured in training 4-6 weeks with
hamstring. But some players will return faster than anticipated due to hard
work" Reid has made twelve appearances after suffering a hip injury earlier
this season.
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Fabulous message of hope from fan
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 9, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
ClaretandHugh Facebook member Eamonn Driscoll delivered wonderfully
positive and uplifting message to the gloom and doom merchants this evening.
We were so impressed with the optomism and hope that we felt it deserved a
much wideer audience and unhesitatingly bring it to you ll here.
When I stop and think about it Lanzini, Payet, Moses, (and of course Bilic)
are all new this season and have been instant hits. The fact we are going to
miss these players so much shows what great signings/loans they have been. I
think Antonio is going to be another hit (he is also the future – not a
loanee), Zarate is a revelation under Bilic and Carroll needs a run of games
and our support; we all raved about him when he finished his loan from
Liverpool. The reason we don't have money to spend is because we have a
bigger quality squad now, albeit with more injuries than you'd expect. So
far this season we've seen a much more entertaining style emerging and some
amazing results. We should be pleased with the direction and points we've
accumulated. Yes, we have seen some baffling displays as well, but I agree
with those that have said there's not been enough protection in front of the
back four. We were overrun in midfield against Watford. Song looked great
against Man Utd, let's hope it's the same against better attacks. So yes,
perhaps it's going to be a tough few weeks while this new combo work each
other out but the future still looks very bright.
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Gold hits back at "insult"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 9, 2015 in News, Whispers C and H
David Gold has hit back hard at a supporter who has lashed out at the club's
medical staff and training facilities. Forgetting that Dimitri Payet, Victor
Moses, Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia were all injured in match action, a
Gold Twitter follower hit out at both areas of the club 's operation. The
training ground conspiracy theory has regularly been raised and dismssed as
a reason for a lengthy injury list but Gold denied it was a problem Manuel
Lanzini has of course joined the walking wounded as the result of a knock in
training which presumably provoked the Twtter outburst. But the co chairman
said: "There is nothing wrong with our training facilities, we are mid
table as far as injuries are concerned. And when their medical staff were
labelled as 'a joke' he replied: "I'm sorry but this is an insult to our
medical staff who are dedicated, loyal professionals who care passionately."
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Confirmed: No January spending plans
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 9, 2015 in News, Whispers C and H
Confirmation that West Ham will refuse to spend in January has emerged this
morning in the national press. ClaretandHugh has regularly reported that
with no cash in the kitty and the FFP ceiling reached, the Irons will need
to sell to buy but that any new arrivals are unlikely. Now The Mirror's
Darren Lewis has reported this morning that the club's current injury crisis
will not create a rush to buy in January. In commenting on the Manu Lanzini
injury he declares: "It is understood, however, that the seventh-placed club
feel they still have enough within the squad not to have to spend their way
out of trouble. Andy Carroll will keep his place in the side while Nikica
Jelavic, Mauro Zarate and Michail Antonio, a £7million signing from
Nottingham Forest in the summer, will now be handed more significant roles
over the festive period."
Darren also includes a credit for this site in his report on the FA Cup draw
declaring: "Sullivan told the Claret and Hugh website: "It's a decent draw,
its been four or five games since we have been drawn at home in the Cup. We
are due four or five home draws. "We will be treating the FA Cup very
seriously. We must give Wolves respect. It's not an easy draw, but it's one
we expect to win."
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Chav corner to be moved to the OS
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 9, 2015 in News, Whispers C and H
Chav corner is to be recreated at the Olympic Stadium next to the away fans
in the lower south stand in Stratford. The current Chav corner at the Boleyn
Ground is located in the corners of Sir Trevor Brooking lower and Alpari
West Stand and is one of the best places for atmosphere and signing in the
ground. West Ham hoping to recreate that atmosphere next to the away fans
again in their new stadium. A Liverpool supporting reservation centre sales
advisor confirmed to me earlier this week that current season ticket holders
will need to upgrade from band 4 to band 3 to stay in the area
affectionately known as Chav corner. Although Band 4 will reduce to £499 at
the OS, band 3 will be £599 meaning those who want to be located in that
lower area next to the away fans will need to fork out an extra £100 or be
forced to move to the upper tiers to enjoy the £499 band 4 price reduction.
My season ticket is in Sir Trevor Brooking lower and tomorrow (Thursday) I
go to the West Ham Stratford reservation centre for my 12pm appointment to
renew season ticket in the Olympic Stadium. I will let you know how I get on
both good and bad.
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At long last - some good news for the Irons Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on
December 9, 2015 in News, Whispers C and H
Enner Valencia is set to return from injury at the weekend against Stoke
City. The Ecuador international has made a far faster than expected recovery
from injury and although he isn't expected to start could feature "for 30
minutes." Valencia's return is a massive boost for our injury stricken squad
and manager Slaven Bilic, giveng him a badly needed option following the
news of Diafra Sakho's long term lay off. and the other injury issues.
Valencia suffered his injury against Everton but forecasts were that he
wouldn't be back until the 20th of this month but the news of his recovery
puts him nearly two weeks ahead of schedule. A delighted ClaretandHugh
source declared: "At last we have some good news and it could be that he
will feature for perhaps 30 minutes." He added: "Alex Song too is gaining
some much needed fitness. So the news isn't all bad. It is an interesting
weekend for the manager."
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West Ham may rival Arsenal for Porto midfielder Ruben Neves transfer after
scouting mission - report Default author imageGOSSIP Mark Brus for
Metro.co.uk Wednesday 9 Dec 2015 10:59 am
West Ham scouts have watched Porto midfielder and Arsenal target Ruben Neves
ahead of a possible shock transfer bid, according to reports. The Hammers
had representatives at a Porto match recently and the Premier League's TV
money makes a move possible, according to O Jogo (via Sport Witness). Neves
would likely cost around £21.8million, which would break West Ham's transfer
record of £15m paid for Andy Carroll in 2013. It seems more likely that
Arsenal remain favourites for Neves after extensive scouting of the
18-year-old, but West Ham also have injuries to key players in midfield and
seem interested in this exciting deal.
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West Ham's Michail Antonio keen to take his chance after Victor Moses injury
SAM LONG 2 hours ago0 comments Evening Standard
West Ham winger Michail Antonio could not have asked for a better stage to
finally showcase his talents than Old Trafford. The 25-year-old joined
Slaven Bilic's side from Nottingham Forest in the summer but is yet to start
a game for the Hammers this season. But the winger replaced the injured
Victor Moses during Saturday's 0-0 draw at the Theatre of Dreams and is
determined to become a regular for the east Londoners. "Hopefully I can
build on this," he told the club's website. " We have got a few injuries in
the position I play. "I have been patient for my chance but now I need to
take it and keep the shirt." Dimitri Payet is out until the New Year with an
ankle injury while Manuel Lanzini, Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia have all
joined the Frenchman on the treatment table in recent weeks. The extent of
Moses' hamstring injury is not yet known but Bilic admitted that it "didn't
look good" in the wake of his side's stalemate with United. Antonio is now
in line to be included in the Croatian manager's starting line up for
Saturday's clash against Stoke if the Chelsea loanee fails to recover.
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Marriner The Man For West Ham Trip
stokecityfc.co.uk
12:30 9th December 2015
Match officials information ahead of Saturday's game
ANDRE MARRINER will referee Stoke City's Barclays Premier League clash with
West Ham United this weekend. It will be the Potters' second game of the
season with Marriner in charge; having already been under his watch during
the 2-2 draw with Leicester City at the Britannia Stadium in September. The
Hammers haven't yet had the official oversee one of their fixtures this
term, although he was the fourth official for their 2-1 home defeat against
Leicester City earlier in their campaign. In total, Marriner has officiated
13 matches in a number of competitions this season, booking 51 players and
sending off three. His last port of call was St James' Park for Newcastle
United's 2-0 win over Liverpool on Sunday, whilst before that he was in
Poland for Legia Warsaw's 1-0 victory against FC Midtjylland in the UEFA
Europa League. Marriner will be assisted on Saturday by Scott Ledger and
Eddie Smart, with Keith Hill the fourth official.
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WEST HAM TO BATTLE LEICESTER FOR CHAMPIONSHIP DEFENDER By Matthew Brown
IronsInTheCircle
West Ham are considering a move for Burnley right-back Tendayi Darikwa in
January, according to Shoot. The Hammers are said to have been scouting the
Championship defender throughout the current campaign, despite the
23-year-old having only joined Burnley in July. Slaven Bilic is understood
to be keen on recruiting a new right-back in the January window, but the
Hammers boss may also face competition for Darikwa's signature from fellow
Premier League side Leicester City. Darikwa signed for Burnley from
Chesterfield in the summer on a three-year deal.
It's unlikely that the Clarets would let the defender leave easily, though,
having also seen last season's first choice right-back, Kieran Trippier,
depart for Tottenham Hotspur in July.
West Ham's current first choice right-back Carl Jenkinson is on loan from
Arsenal until the end of the campaign, whilst Joey O'Brien hasn't played yet
this season. Darikwa has played in all 19 of Burnley's Championship matches
so far this term, providing one goal and one assist in that time.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Matty Etherington says West Ham United will have to be at their best to
overcome another of his former clubs on Saturday. Stoke City arrive at the
Boleyn Ground in great form, having defeated Manchester City at the
Britannia Stadium and as League Cup semi-finalists. After an indifferent
start to the campaign results-wise, Mark Hughes' side have closed the gap on
the Hammers to just one point ahead of this weekend's clash. Etherington,
who spent six seasons with both clubs, reaching the FA Cup final with West
Ham in 2006 and Stoke in 2011, is expecting a competitive match between the
pair. The winger, who made 195 appearances in Claret and Blue before turning
out 177 times in Red and White, pinpointed Swiss playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri
and Austrian attacking midfielder Marko Arnautovic as Stoke's two main
threats. "Stoke have got some good players there," he confirmed. "Shaqiri
has been playing his best football recently, especially in their Premier
League win over Chelsea, having been disappointing up until then.
"Arnautovic is also a decent player and he seems to have been playing his
best football consistently this season, so they are a decent team. "I don't
think they were performing to their best earlier in the season, yet they've
made a relatively good start and have now won a few games. I definitely
think there is more to come from them."
While the Potters have picked up their form and results in recent weeks,
beating Chelsea twice ahead of last Saturday's 2-0 win over Manchester City,
the Hammers have struggled to pick up points on home turf. Just nine of West
Ham's 23 points have been gathered from games at the Boleyn Ground, and
Etherington expects Stoke to make it tough for Slaven Bilic's
injury-depleted side to add to that tally. "It's another difficult home game
for West Ham, but all the games in the Premier League are difficult these
days. Even the teams down the bottom are fighting and the top teams are
finding it hard to beat them. "It'll be another hard game at Upton Park, but
there is a lot of attacking talent in both teams, so I'm expecting a
competitive and entertaining game."
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Reid targets Stoke success
WHUFC.com
Having gained a hugely creditable point at Manchester United on Saturday,
Winston Reid is targeting a return to winning ways when West Ham United host
Stoke City this weekend. West Ham gained many plaudits for their display at
Old Trafford - achieved without four of their star attacking names - but the
point extended their winless run to five. Reid said the positive of the
performance outweighed the disappointment of not claiming maximum points and
thinks that will stand them in good stead when they take on the Potters. He
said: "Stoke are no easy team, they've improved themselves since they
changed their coach. Mark Hughes has changed their football, changed their
personnel and they are a tough team to play against. "We played against them
last year and didn't beat them and, although they have added more flair to
their team, they still have that doggedness and are hard to beat. "When you
come across those teams in the league you have to prepare yourself that it's
going to be a battle and it won't be any different come Saturday. We'll have
to make sure we're ready for it."
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Winston Reid sidelined for up to six weeks
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 9th December 2015
By: Staff Writer
Winston Reid has joined West Ham's lengthening injury list after suffering a
hamstring strain during training earlier today. The Kiwi international is
facing up to six weeks on the sidelines after sustaining the injury at
Chadwell Heath earlier today and joins the likes of Dimitri Payet, Diafra
Sakho and Manuel Lanzini. Reid's injury - as exclusively revealed on the
KUMB Forum earlier this evening - has left manager Slaven Bilic facing an
injury crisis as he approached the Christmas programme.
In addition to the aforementioned injuries, he is also without Enner
Valencia and Victor Moses (both injured) - although the former is hoping to
return to the first team squad in time for this weekend's clash with Stoke
City at the Bolen Ground.
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SO WE NEED A 20 GOAL A SEASON STRIKER
By Iain Dale 9 Dec 2015 at 17:00 WTID
Guest Post by Ennate
IEvery time we fail to win, we see comments on WHTID about our need to find
a striker who can score us 20 goals in a season, so I decided to look into
how many such players there have been in the Premier League.
In the 24 seasons that this competition has been running, there have only
been 37 players who have scored 20 or more goals in a season; between them
they have achieved this benchmark 62 times. In three seasons, 1997-1998,
1998-1999 and 2008-2009 no players scored 20 goals, and in two other seasons
only one player reached this level. The highest number of scorers to reach
20 were in the early days of the PL, in 1993-1994 and 1994-1995, when 6
players got 20 or more. In 2009-10 there were 5 players to do this, but the
most frequently occurring statistic was three players in a season in the
entire league; occurring in seven seasons, including the four most recent.
Alan Shearer has the best record, scoring 20 or more on seven occasions,
with Thierry Henry on 5, Ruud Van Nistleroy on 4, Les Ferdinand on 3, and
Aguero, Suarez, Van Persie, Rooney, Tevez, Drogba, Wright, Fowler and Andy
Cole on 2, and 23 players achieving this level only once in their PL career.
The team winning the league doesn't necessarily include a 20-a-season
scorer, though it is becoming more frequent, having occurred in each of the
last seven seasons. The teams including these top scorers usually make the
top 10, bit not necessarily so. Shearer's 23 goals in 1999-2000 only took
Newcastle to 11th; despite Mark Viduka's 20, Leeds only achieved 16th in
2002-2003; Darren Bent's 24 only got Sunderland unlucky 13th in 2009-10;
Southampton only just avoided going down in 1994 with Matt Le Tissier on 25
goals; and Andy Johnson's 21 in 2004-2005 didn't prevent Crystal Palace's
relegation.
So I conclude from this that 20-goal-a-season strikers are rarer than we
think they are, and they are becoming more likely to be with top 5 clubs
(only 2 exceptions in the last 10 years). 23 of these 37 top scorers – about
60% – have only achieved this feat once, for various reasons. Some haven't
been able to achieve the same level again, some have transferred overseas,
and some still remain in the PL and may reach that score again in the
future.
So next time someone calls for the owners to buy us a 20-goal striker, we
have to be realistic about our chances. They are rare, and expensive, so our
best chance is to find an under-the-radar talent as we did with Sakho, and
if we do find one, we will battle to keep him if Real Madrid, Barcelona or
PSG comes calling. The question is, do we need a 20-goal striker to get into
the top 5, or do we need to get into the top 5 to attract a 20-goal striker?
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A MAJOR TEST OF CHARACTER AND QUALITY; PLUS, EMULATE GREENWOOD AND JUST SAY
'NO'!
By S J Chandos 9 Dec 2015 at 08:00
WTID
The 0-0 draw with Manchester United was a magnificently gritty performance.
The likelihood is we are going to need much more of that grit and character
over the next couple of months. The current injury situation will fully test
the character and the quality of the squad. Although the loss of the likes
of Payet, Lazini and Sakho is a massive blow, the fit players now need to
step up and compensate in the short to medium term. And a major factor in
keeping us moving forward will be that we continue to show the type of
character so amply demonstrated at Old Trafford.
The light at the end of the tunnel is the possibility that Enner Valencia
could make an early return over the festive period/new year period. There is
also the possibility that Lanzini might return earlier then currently
predicted. In addition, we have the added bonus of the recent return of Alex
Song and Pedro Obiang to not only augment our defensive midfield capacity,
but also, in Song's case, add leadership/experience, creativity and the
ability to pick out those killer passes in the final third. Finally, Antonio
got some serious PL game time at Old Trafford and Zarate is currently
playing his best football since he arrived at the club. In my view, Antonio
has to play against Stoke City and bring his pace and power to the forward
line. There is also the possibility that he might provide Carroll with an
improved supply of the type of accurate crosses that he relishes. While,
Zarate is not only showing his class/skill, but is really digging in and
combining his flair with an hitherto unfamiliar application and industry.
No one should under-estimate the threat that the current injury crisis poses
to our season. But if we can keep accumulating the points and staying in
touch with that golden 4th spot then it will be a real achievement and one
that could pay dividends when the likes of Payet and Sakho return in
February. We currently have enough first team regulars to pick a strong team
and bench. However, Bilic must be considering which of the U-21 players are
best placed to step up (if needed). The first name considered will
undoubtedly be Reece Oxford and there is no doubt that he will continue to
receive measured PL/FA Cup exposure over the remainder of the season.
However, the youngster is such a top prospect that there is a tendency to
forget that he is still only 16 years of age. At that age he needs carefully
handling, besides which his main positions of defensive midfield and central
defence are currently well covered. There are also competing claims for
Samuelson (on one month's loan at Peterborough) and Gordon, who has really
shown good goal scoring form of late. They (all things being equal) will all
get their chances this season or next. However, I feel that the strongest
immediate claim could come from Josh Cullen, who has produced some excellent
U-21 midfield performances and looks mature and ready to step up. If we are
looking for an extra attacking midfielder for the bench then I feel that
this excellent 19 year old prospect can (if called upon) make a successful
transition – sooner rather than later.
Talking of Reece Oxford, there have been news stories recently that Arsenal
and Manchester United are looking to submit c.£8m bids for the youngster's
services this January! The likes of Oxford represent this club's future. Mr
Sullivan and Mr Gold should ask themselves if they want to repeat the Rio
Ferdinand scenario, where the club sold an outstanding youth product only to
watch him mature and excel at another club. I am pretty sure that they are
acutely aware of this and understand the crucial importance of the Academy
serving the future success of the Hammers, not that of other clubs. I
personally do not think that the story makes any sense at this juncture. But
if a bid does arrive in January, I would urge them to emulate Ron
Greenwood's response to a 1967 c.£200,000 Manchester United bid for Geoff
Hurst's services. He simply sent a one word reply to Matt Busby, 'No.'
Short, sweet and to the point!
The move to the Olympic Stadium is on the horizon and that, in conjunction
with the new lucrative TV deal, has the potential to move West Ham to
another level. We must look to gatecrash the top PL teams and compete for
Champions League football year-on-year. These are not dreams, they distinct
and realistic objectives, achievable through the correct management of the
club both on and off the pitch. The so-called 'big clubs' look to feed off
the emerging talent of the lower PL teams. That is one of their strategies
for maintaining their hegemony and weakening the challenges of aspirant
clubs. You cannot blame them for doing it and no doubt West Ham will do the
same when/if we get to that exalted position. However, we are at a crucial
stage in building a better future for our club and we must resist the
temptation to weaken ourselves long-term for short-term financial gain.
I do not want to see a 23 year old Reece Oxford winning titles/cups and
England caps with another club. I want to see him achieving those things
with the Hammers! That is the vision and the ambition – the board need to
make it happen!
SJ. Chandos.
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January Transfers, Santon in? Injuries investigated?
December 6, 2015
ExWHUEmployee
If you had said to me that we would have got a draw at Old Trafford before
the game I would have taken it but I cant help but feel a little
disappointed. We hit the post twice and Zarate missed an absolutely golden
opportunity which I would have bet my house on him scoring. There were
periods of the game when we were totally dominated. If you put into the
equation that Manchester United could have had both Fellani and
Schweinsteiger sent off, although at Old Trafford this is about as likely to
happen as Mr Moon staying to watch a whole game at the Boleyn Ground.
The injuries are getting a joke but to be honest this is something that has
always happened to us. I remember when I first start going to West Ham I
was also frustrated that the likes of Julian Dicks, Stewart Robson and Frank
McAvennie were always injured. This continued with the likes of Simon
Webster, Fredi Kanoute, Kieron Dyer, Dean Ashton, Craig Bellamy and many
others down the years and so is nothing new. The club have investigated the
Chadewell Heath training ground to see if there is anything wrong with the
pitches but they didn't find anything. These investigations have been
carried out at least two times in recent years but have been fruitless on
both occasions.
First we were created with the pre match news that Lanzini would be injured
for the match. I was the first to report on twitter that the club are not
overly worried about the thigh injury but couldn't risk him against
Manchester United as it happened on the Friday in training before the game.
Victor Moses' injury is likely to have a much longer duration with over a
month the likely outcome. As you will all know by now Sakho is also out
for three months something I reported early on in the week.
The only consolation I am trying to take from all these injuries is that it
is giving fringe players a chance to prove themselves. I thought Antonio
looked quite good after coming on. It also now gives Andy Carroll a chance
to prove that he has fully recovered from all of his injuries.
I thought Winston Reid was superb against The Red Devils and when he plays
like that he is as good as any centre back in the league. I also felt that
Ogbonna played well, Noble had a very good second half and other than the
Chelsea game that was Andy Carroll's best contribution so far. I felt that
the defence looked a lot better with Tomkins at right back and I would keep
that back four as the same. Mark Noble made a lot of important
interceptions, won the ball and disrupted their play frequently. I also
thought Alex Song looked like he is edging back to his brilliant best.
We hav been linked with a number of players again this week and Davide
Santon could be someone that we would consider. As you will have seen there
has been a common theme for players that we are interested in and they are
mainly right backs. I thought James Tomkins played very well at right back
again and surely has to be the first choice there but obviously he isnt a
natural right back so we will look abroad.
If you read other websites you will see they have been quite contradictory
in their transfer news. One minute saying we wont buy players the next
linking us with £8m pound footballers. The bottom line is we will need to
sell before we buy. There is hope that we may be able to persuade Norwich
to make the Jarvis deal finalised for around £4-5m. There is a
consideration of selling Collins but this isn't going to make us any money
because of his age and the fact his contract runs out in the summer. There
was also stories linking Tomkins with Sunderland but again I cannot imagine
this has any substance and we wouldn't consider selling, which was the
answer I got when I asked a well placed source. Talk of Oxford leaving for
£8m as I said on the day is ludicrous. Players being sold will dictate
players being bought. Of course I woul d love to sit here and tell you all
the players we are going to sign because that brings in more hits etc but
this isnt what we do on our website we pride ourselves on being accurate.
Both Jack Sullivan and I will keep you up to date with all the news.
For those of you who haven't see it, please get involved with the
competition that we have running. It really is a great opportunity and I am
shocked that more havent entered it yet. Here is the link:
http://www.thewesthamway.co.uk/#!Win-a-signed-shirt-from-a-player-of-your-ch
oice/maip4/566048800cf21dcdb62ba10c
We also have our weekly competition in association with the Ribman. Say to
him that you read the website and if you are the random number of customer
your meal will be free! It really is lovely so is well worth chancing it at
the game against Stoke.
This week on the website we should have some cracking articles including one
from Dave Sullian which cannot be missed exclusively discussing transfers
past and present.
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Winston Reid added to growing injury list
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 9, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
Chairman's son Jack Sullivan has added further injury woes by revealing
Winston Reid has also suffered an injury in training and could be out for
between four and six weeks with an injured hamstring. Master Sullivan
tweeted out "Very bad news… Reid Injured in training 4-6 weeks with
hamstring. But some players will return faster than anticipated due to hard
work" Reid has made twelve appearances after suffering a hip injury earlier
this season.
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Fabulous message of hope from fan
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 9, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
ClaretandHugh Facebook member Eamonn Driscoll delivered wonderfully
positive and uplifting message to the gloom and doom merchants this evening.
We were so impressed with the optomism and hope that we felt it deserved a
much wideer audience and unhesitatingly bring it to you ll here.
When I stop and think about it Lanzini, Payet, Moses, (and of course Bilic)
are all new this season and have been instant hits. The fact we are going to
miss these players so much shows what great signings/loans they have been. I
think Antonio is going to be another hit (he is also the future – not a
loanee), Zarate is a revelation under Bilic and Carroll needs a run of games
and our support; we all raved about him when he finished his loan from
Liverpool. The reason we don't have money to spend is because we have a
bigger quality squad now, albeit with more injuries than you'd expect. So
far this season we've seen a much more entertaining style emerging and some
amazing results. We should be pleased with the direction and points we've
accumulated. Yes, we have seen some baffling displays as well, but I agree
with those that have said there's not been enough protection in front of the
back four. We were overrun in midfield against Watford. Song looked great
against Man Utd, let's hope it's the same against better attacks. So yes,
perhaps it's going to be a tough few weeks while this new combo work each
other out but the future still looks very bright.
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Gold hits back at "insult"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 9, 2015 in News, Whispers C and H
David Gold has hit back hard at a supporter who has lashed out at the club's
medical staff and training facilities. Forgetting that Dimitri Payet, Victor
Moses, Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia were all injured in match action, a
Gold Twitter follower hit out at both areas of the club 's operation. The
training ground conspiracy theory has regularly been raised and dismssed as
a reason for a lengthy injury list but Gold denied it was a problem Manuel
Lanzini has of course joined the walking wounded as the result of a knock in
training which presumably provoked the Twtter outburst. But the co chairman
said: "There is nothing wrong with our training facilities, we are mid
table as far as injuries are concerned. And when their medical staff were
labelled as 'a joke' he replied: "I'm sorry but this is an insult to our
medical staff who are dedicated, loyal professionals who care passionately."
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Confirmed: No January spending plans
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 9, 2015 in News, Whispers C and H
Confirmation that West Ham will refuse to spend in January has emerged this
morning in the national press. ClaretandHugh has regularly reported that
with no cash in the kitty and the FFP ceiling reached, the Irons will need
to sell to buy but that any new arrivals are unlikely. Now The Mirror's
Darren Lewis has reported this morning that the club's current injury crisis
will not create a rush to buy in January. In commenting on the Manu Lanzini
injury he declares: "It is understood, however, that the seventh-placed club
feel they still have enough within the squad not to have to spend their way
out of trouble. Andy Carroll will keep his place in the side while Nikica
Jelavic, Mauro Zarate and Michail Antonio, a £7million signing from
Nottingham Forest in the summer, will now be handed more significant roles
over the festive period."
Darren also includes a credit for this site in his report on the FA Cup draw
declaring: "Sullivan told the Claret and Hugh website: "It's a decent draw,
its been four or five games since we have been drawn at home in the Cup. We
are due four or five home draws. "We will be treating the FA Cup very
seriously. We must give Wolves respect. It's not an easy draw, but it's one
we expect to win."
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Chav corner to be moved to the OS
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 9, 2015 in News, Whispers C and H
Chav corner is to be recreated at the Olympic Stadium next to the away fans
in the lower south stand in Stratford. The current Chav corner at the Boleyn
Ground is located in the corners of Sir Trevor Brooking lower and Alpari
West Stand and is one of the best places for atmosphere and signing in the
ground. West Ham hoping to recreate that atmosphere next to the away fans
again in their new stadium. A Liverpool supporting reservation centre sales
advisor confirmed to me earlier this week that current season ticket holders
will need to upgrade from band 4 to band 3 to stay in the area
affectionately known as Chav corner. Although Band 4 will reduce to £499 at
the OS, band 3 will be £599 meaning those who want to be located in that
lower area next to the away fans will need to fork out an extra £100 or be
forced to move to the upper tiers to enjoy the £499 band 4 price reduction.
My season ticket is in Sir Trevor Brooking lower and tomorrow (Thursday) I
go to the West Ham Stratford reservation centre for my 12pm appointment to
renew season ticket in the Olympic Stadium. I will let you know how I get on
both good and bad.
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At long last - some good news for the Irons Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on
December 9, 2015 in News, Whispers C and H
Enner Valencia is set to return from injury at the weekend against Stoke
City. The Ecuador international has made a far faster than expected recovery
from injury and although he isn't expected to start could feature "for 30
minutes." Valencia's return is a massive boost for our injury stricken squad
and manager Slaven Bilic, giveng him a badly needed option following the
news of Diafra Sakho's long term lay off. and the other injury issues.
Valencia suffered his injury against Everton but forecasts were that he
wouldn't be back until the 20th of this month but the news of his recovery
puts him nearly two weeks ahead of schedule. A delighted ClaretandHugh
source declared: "At last we have some good news and it could be that he
will feature for perhaps 30 minutes." He added: "Alex Song too is gaining
some much needed fitness. So the news isn't all bad. It is an interesting
weekend for the manager."
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West Ham may rival Arsenal for Porto midfielder Ruben Neves transfer after
scouting mission - report Default author imageGOSSIP Mark Brus for
Metro.co.uk Wednesday 9 Dec 2015 10:59 am
West Ham scouts have watched Porto midfielder and Arsenal target Ruben Neves
ahead of a possible shock transfer bid, according to reports. The Hammers
had representatives at a Porto match recently and the Premier League's TV
money makes a move possible, according to O Jogo (via Sport Witness). Neves
would likely cost around £21.8million, which would break West Ham's transfer
record of £15m paid for Andy Carroll in 2013. It seems more likely that
Arsenal remain favourites for Neves after extensive scouting of the
18-year-old, but West Ham also have injuries to key players in midfield and
seem interested in this exciting deal.
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West Ham's Michail Antonio keen to take his chance after Victor Moses injury
SAM LONG 2 hours ago0 comments Evening Standard
West Ham winger Michail Antonio could not have asked for a better stage to
finally showcase his talents than Old Trafford. The 25-year-old joined
Slaven Bilic's side from Nottingham Forest in the summer but is yet to start
a game for the Hammers this season. But the winger replaced the injured
Victor Moses during Saturday's 0-0 draw at the Theatre of Dreams and is
determined to become a regular for the east Londoners. "Hopefully I can
build on this," he told the club's website. " We have got a few injuries in
the position I play. "I have been patient for my chance but now I need to
take it and keep the shirt." Dimitri Payet is out until the New Year with an
ankle injury while Manuel Lanzini, Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia have all
joined the Frenchman on the treatment table in recent weeks. The extent of
Moses' hamstring injury is not yet known but Bilic admitted that it "didn't
look good" in the wake of his side's stalemate with United. Antonio is now
in line to be included in the Croatian manager's starting line up for
Saturday's clash against Stoke if the Chelsea loanee fails to recover.
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Marriner The Man For West Ham Trip
stokecityfc.co.uk
12:30 9th December 2015
Match officials information ahead of Saturday's game
ANDRE MARRINER will referee Stoke City's Barclays Premier League clash with
West Ham United this weekend. It will be the Potters' second game of the
season with Marriner in charge; having already been under his watch during
the 2-2 draw with Leicester City at the Britannia Stadium in September. The
Hammers haven't yet had the official oversee one of their fixtures this
term, although he was the fourth official for their 2-1 home defeat against
Leicester City earlier in their campaign. In total, Marriner has officiated
13 matches in a number of competitions this season, booking 51 players and
sending off three. His last port of call was St James' Park for Newcastle
United's 2-0 win over Liverpool on Sunday, whilst before that he was in
Poland for Legia Warsaw's 1-0 victory against FC Midtjylland in the UEFA
Europa League. Marriner will be assisted on Saturday by Scott Ledger and
Eddie Smart, with Keith Hill the fourth official.
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WEST HAM TO BATTLE LEICESTER FOR CHAMPIONSHIP DEFENDER By Matthew Brown
IronsInTheCircle
West Ham are considering a move for Burnley right-back Tendayi Darikwa in
January, according to Shoot. The Hammers are said to have been scouting the
Championship defender throughout the current campaign, despite the
23-year-old having only joined Burnley in July. Slaven Bilic is understood
to be keen on recruiting a new right-back in the January window, but the
Hammers boss may also face competition for Darikwa's signature from fellow
Premier League side Leicester City. Darikwa signed for Burnley from
Chesterfield in the summer on a three-year deal.
It's unlikely that the Clarets would let the defender leave easily, though,
having also seen last season's first choice right-back, Kieran Trippier,
depart for Tottenham Hotspur in July.
West Ham's current first choice right-back Carl Jenkinson is on loan from
Arsenal until the end of the campaign, whilst Joey O'Brien hasn't played yet
this season. Darikwa has played in all 19 of Burnley's Championship matches
so far this term, providing one goal and one assist in that time.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Wednesday, December 9
Daily WHUFC News - 9th December 2015
Page pleased to see performances rewarded
WHUFC.com
Having secured their fifth consecutive win with a 2-1 victory over
previously undefeated West Bromwich Albion, left-back Lewis Page said he was
delighted that the Dev Squad are getting the rewards that their performances
deserve. In a dominant display, the Dev Squad took the lead through Jaanai
Gordon's powerful drive from the edge of the box, before Martin Samuelsen's
late strike sealed the three points after Saido Berahino had equalised.
Reflecting on the win, their sixth from seven games in all competitions,
Page said: "It's nice that our performances are turning into results, at the
start of the season our performances weren't getting anything, but now we're
all playing well and taking our chances. "It was definitely a deserved win,
even though they had a strong team out tonight, Serge Gnabry and Saido
Berahino as well as some other good players, so it was good to get a win
over such a strong side."
While the young Hammers had a tough start to the campaign, they have
improved as the season has progressed and now find themselves seventh in the
Barclays U21 Premier League Division Two.
Up next is a tough London derby with Arsenal at Upton Park next Monday, and
Page and his teammates know another win could see them climb as high as
third. He continued: "The confidence has always been there really, now after
a few wins it's obviously even better, we're all buzzing in the dressing
room now. "I just hope we can maintain this unbeaten run for as long as
possible, if we do that, who knows where it'll take us. We're slowly
climbing the league which is nice to see, and hopefully that continues. "We
didn't play to our best against Arsenal that day, we're playing a lot better
now than we were back then so hopefully we'll give them a good game and get
something out of it."
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Manuel Lanzini update
WHUFC.com
West Ham United can confirm that Manuel Lanzini could be ruled out for up to
six weeks with a quadriceps injury. The Argentinian attacking midfielder
suffered the thigh injury in training ahead of Saturday's Barclays Premier
League trip to Manchester United. Lanzini underwent a scan on Monday and
will now begin a period of rehabilitation which is expected to keep him out
of first-team action for a period of up to six weeks. The 22-year-old is
currently on a season-long loan from UAE-based Al-Jazira Club. He has four
goals and one assist in his 12 Barclays Premier League appearances this
term.
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From the Newsroom - Dave Evans
WHUFC.com
It was just a year ago when we all thought that Mauro Zarate had played his
last game for West Ham. He was in the team that returned from West Brom with
all three Premier League points, but differences with then manager Sam
Allardyce meant he was out of the team and shipped off to west London and
Queens Park Rangers. Things did not get much better there as first injury
and then non-selection restricted him to just four substitute appearances.
What a difference a year makes. With the arrival of Slaven Bilic, has come a
new start and a new belief in the skills and potential of the 28-year-old
Argentinian. He has scored five goals already this term and though Saturday
at Old Trafford turned out not to be his day, he was the man who took the
game to Manchester United with his flair and daring. Without Dimitri Payet,
Enner Valencia, Diafra Sakho and latest injury victim Manuel Lanzini many
thought that West Ham would be in for a long and tough afternoon in
Manchester on Saturday. But even without those key men, West Ham looked
confident, took the game to Louis van Gaal's men and on another day would
have had the game sewn up by half time.
That first half was as good as the Hammers have played on the road this
season and that includes the trips to Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester
City. The only thing that was missing was the finishing. Zarate was one of
the reasons for that first-half dominance. While Adrian did not have a shot
to save in the opening 45 minutes, Zarate hit the post, albeit without
realising it; Winston Reid headed against the base of the same post, while
perhaps the best chance fell to Victor Moses who failed to beat David de Gea
in a one-on-one situation. United have only let in one home league goal all
season and most visiting teams have not had much of a sniff of even an
opening there, so to have four golden chances in the opening 45 minutes was
a monumental achievement.
Earlier in the season it would have been game over and three more points for
West Ham, but it wasn't quite to be. The second half saw United storm back –
it is United at home after all – but the Hammers kept their belief, defended
superbly with Winston Reid at his very best, but they still would not have
held out if it wasn't for the fact that they relieved the pressure with some
attacking of their own. And then came the moment - the moment where West Ham
could and should have secured the match. It was a great move. Michail
Antonio put in a low cross with the outside of his boot, Andy Carroll played
a superb knock down which fell neatly into the path of the onside Zarate.
But inexplicably, the Argentinian somehow managed to poke his shot wide with
just the keeper to beat and he buried his head into the Old Trafford turf in
disbelief. Zarate apologised for the miss on twitter on Saturday night, but
there was no need.
At least he was in the right place at the right time and over the years
since that Carlos Tevez winner on 'Great Escape' day, the Hammers have
rarely got into the United box at all. This is a different sort of West Ham
though. Not a defence first, play for a point team, but a confident side who
know they can play with the best, even if they are missing their own key
men.
Zarate is a part of that and a year is clearly a long time in football.
Without a change in manager and the arrival of Bilic, he would have been
long gone. Now he is a vital attacking player for the team. Not bad for a
free transfer who couldn't get into QPR's relegation team!
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The Big Interview - Michail Antonio
WHUFC.com
Michail Antonio has been waiting patiently for his chance in the first-team
but could not have asked for a bigger platform to showcase his talents than
Old Trafford on Saturday. Antonio has been a regular member of the
first-team squad following his big money move from Nottingham Forest during
the summer, but has yet to start a Premier League game. The 25-year-old was
called into action after 37 minutes during the 0-0 draw against Manchester
United after Victor Moses was forced to leave the field through injury.
Antonio quickly showed why he is rated so highly with an impressive display
and will now be hoping to keep his place for the home game against Stoke on
Saturday.
Michail, this was not a bad time for you to come on and play such a big part
in the game at Old Trafford. Do you feel the team could have come away with
all three points?
MA: "We could have definitely come away with a victory. We had some big
chances with Victor Moses who was through on goal, we hit the woodwork twice
and Zarate had a big chance in the second half. "We could have taken all
three points but we will settle for taking a point as Old Trafford which is
a great stadium to play in and this will be a confidence boost for the rest
of the season."
We had so many influential players missing for the United game. Is there a
belief in the dressing room that we can go to these big clubs and come away
with a result?
MA: "Manchester United have got a great history and some great players. Some
people will say this was a bonus game for us but we have gone out with
nothing to lose. "We wanted to see what we could take from the game and we
are happy to come away with a point and move onto the next game."
Victor Moses was forced to come off with an injury, but you seemed to relish
coming on in front of a big crowd at Old Trafford and taking your chance in
the first-team?
MA: "Victor has picked up an injury and it has given me the opportunity. I
hope he has a fast recovery but I now have a great opportunity. "Hopefully I
can build on this and get better as the season goes on."
You have had to be patient for you chance but how much do you want to
establish yourself as a first-team regular?
MA: "We have got a few injuries in the position that I play. I have been
patient for my chance but now I need to take it and keep my shirt. "I need
to take my opportunity and push on for the next game."
Finally, we return to action at the Boleyn Ground this weekend. How much are
the players keen to get back on the winning trail when we face Stoke on
Saturday?
MA: "We have not won for a couple of games now and we need to get three
points back on the board again. "Even though we are picking up points in the
league, we need to be picking up victories to help us move higher in the
league."
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Manuel Lanzini: West Ham midfielder faces six weeks out
BBc.co.uk
West Ham midfielder Manuel Lanzini could be out for up to six weeks with a
thigh injury. The Argentine, 22, suffered the problem in training before
Saturday's 0-0 draw at Manchester United. Lanzini, on a season-long loan
from Abu Dhabi club Al Jazira, has four goals and one assist in his 12
league appearances this campaign.
He had a scan on Monday and has now begun the rehabilitation which should
see him return next month. Meanwhile, Hammers winger Victor Moses will have
a scan on Tuesday on his hamstring injury. The 24-year-old, on loan from
Chelsea, came off during the goalless draw at Old Trafford.
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Lanzini ruled out until January
KUMb.com
Filed: Tuesday, 8th December 2015
By: Staff Writer
Manuel Lanzini has added to West Ham's injury woes after being ruled out of
action for at least a month. The in-form Argentine midfielder has joined the
likes of Dimitri Payet, Diafra Sakho and Enner Velencia on the sidelines
after sustaining a quadriceps injury, according to West Ham's website. "The
Argentinian attacking midfielder suffered the thigh injury in training ahead
of Saturday's Barclays Premier League trip to Manchester United," said
whufc.com. "Lanzini underwent a scan on Monday and will now begin a period
of rehabilitation which is expected to keep him out of first-team action for
a period of up to six weeks."
Lanzini, who is currently on a season-long loan from Al-Jazira has made 14
appearances for West Ham since moving to England and scored four goals -
against Liverpool, Crystal Palace, Everton and, most recently, Tottenham.
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Stop making nonsense
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 8th December 2015
By: Matthew Webb
Following the match against Manchester United on Saturday, most people seem
to agree that both Marouane Fellaini and Bastian Schweinsteiger should have
been sent off. I am certainly one of them.
Marouane Fellaini is a player that I would award a yellow card to just for
walking on the pitch. Schweinsteiger is less disagreeable, but you can't
argue with an elbow to the throat (although I'm sure Manchester United will
try.)
I am not writing to bitterly lament our bad luck in not being given the
opportunity to play most of this game against nine men (well…maybe I am a
little…) but what this game has really highlighted for me is an odd trend
I've been noticing recently among pundits and journalists when talking about
potential sending off incidents.
More and more often I am hearing people say something along the lines of,
"What the fans want to see is eleven against eleven." Which on the surface
of things is a fair enough statement, even if simply because that is one of
the principle rules of the game that so many of us flock to watch each week.
What I'm finding increasingly frustrating is the way this phrase is being
used as an excuse for a referee not issuing a red card to a player. It seems
that in the game on Saturday, Mark Clattenburg genuinely didn't see either
incident. Frustrating but forgivable. But if he had seen these incidents and
decided against issuing a red card in order to avoid spoiling the match for
"everybody," what sort of a message does that send out?
That is essentially what pundits are arguing in favour of when they make
this "eleven against eleven" comment. Let's ignore the rules of the game so
that the fans can get full enjoyment out of it, somehow. Don't issue a
second yellow for a foul that deserves one. Don't issue a red for an elbow.
Bend the rules as much as possible. For the fans.
This is yet another comment that proves to me that most people who work in
football media actually have no idea what an average fan thinks. Imagine if
Fellaini or Schweinsteiger had popped up with a last minute winner on
Saturday. Apparently we'd have all been saying, "Oh well, at least we got to
see a fair game, eleven on eleven!"
Of course we wouldn't have been saying that because that would not have been
a fair game. We'd have been furious. Fellaini should have been sent off.
Schweinsteiger should have been sent off.
I suppose what I'm saying is that I'd prefer pundits to start using a phrase
more along the lines of, "What the fans want to see is a decent game of
football, competently refereed by somebody that knows and understands the
rules properly" but that would be a bit of a mouthful for a Robbie Savage or
a Graeme Souness.
Actually, what I'd really like is for pundits and commentators to stop
assuming any kind of knowledge of what the fans are thinking at all. We are
a fickle and unpredictable bunch. We quite like seeing our team win. Beyond
that it's very hard to say how we're feeling, almost as if we're a
collection of individuals rather than a single giant entity like The Blob
from the 1958 film of the same name.
Take the case of pundits trying to understand our feelings towards Sam
Allardyce last season. "I don't know what West Ham fans expect," was
commonly heard from Alan Shearer on Match of the Day. That's right, Alan.
You don't. Neither do we, for the most part, except maybe... just...
better..?
Yes, I think that's what I expected towards the end of last season. Better.
I really would have struggled to explain my feelings in clearer words than
that, so for a bunch of overpaid ex-professionals to try to make sense of
those emotions is just ridiculous.
So there's my message for pundits and journalists. Stop making assumptions
on behalf of football fans. Stop trying to understand how our crazy minds
works. Most of all, stop using our feelings as an excuse for referees not
doing their jobs properly.
Maybe if the FA could see their way clear to retrospectively awarding us
three points for Saturday; that would also be great.
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LANZINI JOINS THE INJURY LIST SO WHO CAN REPLACE HIM?
By Iain Dale 8 Dec 2015 at 19:31
WTID
I was having a row with my Gooner supporting LBC producer Matt this
afternoon. He reckoned Arsenal's injury problems were far worse than ours
and involved better players than ours. He cited Wilshire, Sanchez Carzola
and a couple of others I can't recall (and care even less about). I reckoned
that the fact that we now have Payet, Sakho, Lanzini, Moses and Valencia out
more than out-trumped him. He laughed at my assertion that Payet is better
than Sanchez.
The news that Lanzini is out for six weeks is a bitter pill to swallow on
top of everything else. To lose Payet would have been bad enough, but now
Lanzini, it means we're incredibly light on the creative front. It will give
Antonio and Obiang their chances to shine, and maybe Reece Oxford too, but
no one can pretend they will score or create the goals that Payet and
Lanzini would have. I'm also assuming Moses is out too. So it seems that
Michael Antonio is going to get his chance to show us what he can do. By all
accounts e did very well at Old Trafford.
We have Martin Samuelsen out on loan to Peterborough, who might have been a
direct replacement for Lanzini in the short term but apparently, according
to Hugh Southon we cannot recall him as he has to be there a full month.
Unbelievable. Diego Poyet is at Huddersfield for the season but hopefully he
could be recalled. He is more of a holding midfielder than a creative one,
though.
So how might we line up against Stoke in midfield and attack? I suspect it
will be something like this…
Adrian, Cresswell, Tomkins, Ogbonna, Reid, Noble, Kouyate, Song, Antonio,
Zarate, Carroll
Subs Randolph, Collins, Jenkinson, Oxford, Jelavic, Obiang, Cullen
Still a strong team. Just as well we have strength in depth for once.
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UPTON PARK MEMORIES - NEW BOOK
By Tony McDonald 8 Dec 2015 at 17:00
WTID
NOT long to go now until West Ham United and their passionate, loyal fans
bid an emotional farewell to the Boleyn Ground before moving to Stratford's
Olympic Stadium.
The bulldozers will be on their way soon . . . but they can't destroy our
memories.
Upton Park Memories is a brand new book launching this Saturday (Dec 12)
that captures the essence of the club's spiritual home for the past 112
years. Printed in hardback and lavishly illustrated throughout its 372 full
colour pages, UPM is a riveting compilation of personal stories, anecdotes
and shared experiences as recalled by 200-plus West Ham fans and a number of
players, including heroes such as Sir Trevor Brooking, Sir Geoff Hurst,
Billy Bonds, Julian Dicks and Paolo Di Canio.
Our contributors' devotion to the Hammers spans all 11 decades of The Boleyn
years – the oldest was 100-years-old and saw his first game aged six in 1910
– and each has a unique story to tell. Absorb and entertain yourself by
reading about:
WHY FANS SUPPORT WEST HAM UNITED AND THEIR FIRST GAME MEMORIES
MEMORABLE MATCHES & MOMENTS
GREAT GOALS
THREE FAVOURITE PLAYERS & CULT HEROES
MATCH DAY ROUTINES & RITUALS
BOLEYN HIGHS & LOWS
FAVOURITE KITS
CHARACTERS IN THE CROWD
Quotes from the back cover.
Plus . . . Songs & Chants, Bond Scheme Protests and Hooliganism, Fanzines,
Collectables, Autographs, Tickets, Boleyn by Air, Special Guests,
Programmes, Handbooks, Upton Park Firsts, Street Parades, Stadium Views
Through the Years, Timeline, etc.
In the final 'Moving On' chapter, fans express their forthright views on the
owners' decision to sell Hammers' famous old ground and move to the Olympic
Stadium.
The book includes 700-plus photos and illustrations, many of which have
never been seen before. It's an emotional rollercoaster read that will make
you laugh out loud and bring tears to your eyes. I feel sure all of you
reading this will readily relate to most of what is in the book and,
hopefully, be entertained by it.
With Stoke City visiting Upton Park on Saturday, I'm pleased to present the
following excerpts from our book, which I hope will resonate and give you a
flavour of what to expect . . .
From the chapter titled: Why West Ham United? – Your First-Ever Visit to the
Boleyn Ground
Joe Durrell: When I arrived at the ground to sign schoolboy forms in the
summer of 1968, there was nobody there. Eventually, Ernie Gregory turned up
and told me to go and buy 20 fags at the local shop, so the first task I had
as a West Ham boy was to go and buy Ernie Gregory a packet of Batchelors
cigarettes!
My family were regulars at Upton Park and when I think back I remember
going, with Mickey Durrell, to the FA Cup semi v Manchester United as well
as the finals. To then later play with those same guys is simply
unbelievable. As a kid you just can't absorb the full magnitude of that.
On the day of my first team debut v Stoke City (25/9/71), I remember getting
on the train at Mile End to go to the ground about an-hour and-half before
kick-off. I would be sitting there with the fans.
Gordon Banks was in goal for Stoke and I got injured early on. Before taking
the free-kick Bobby Moore came over to me and said: "Try and keep it away
from the big man in green," which was a brilliant thing for me to hear at
the time. It really settled me down and was just the instruction I needed.
I think I did all right. I wasn't fantastic but I was good enough and we won
the game 2-1 (with goals from Clyde Best, Bobby Moore). I didn't have any
chances but I did put in a few crosses.
John Lawrence: One of our neighbours, Ernie, popped round to our house one
Friday evening to ask if I wanted to go to West Ham the following day. I
went as company for his son Terry, who was three years older than me. It was
a goal-less draw v Stoke City (30/10/65) and at the impressionable age of
eight I was amazed by the colours and the noise of the crowd. I remember
very little apart from a truckload of back passes and the fact that I stood
in the cage in the North Bank – the one that overlooked the main grandstand.
The steps were huge and the bit next to the stand had wobbly railings. If
you looked down and through them there was a massive drop. Very scary!
Lee Burch: v Stoke City (21/10/78), 1-1 (Trevor Brooking). I was four and
the crowd was electric as I took my seat in the West Stand upper. I remember
asking my uncle for a song-sheet, because I didn't know all the words to the
songs!
From the chapter titled: Memorable Matches & Moments
Dave Spurgeon: If I am tied down to one choice only, then not for the
happiest of reasons it has to be me being among that throng of fans on the
North Bank when Stoke's Gordon Banks saved Geoff Hurst's penalty in the
dying minutes of extra-time (15/12/71) to deny us a place in the League Cup
final at Wembley. Inside 60 seconds every Hammers fan there that night rode
the emotional rollercoaster of euphoric anticipation through to dismayed
disappointment and disbelief, pretty typical over the decades, one could
say.
There was celebration and noise when the penalty was awarded (Banks dropped
a cross and then brought down Harry Redknapp while trying to retrieve the
ball) akin to an actual goal being scored. As Hurst placed the ball on the
spot the crowd and mood seemed to change in a matter of seconds. Even the
more exuberant and vocal elements on the North Bank steadied themselves in
anxious anticipation. Hurst had scored from the spot against Banks in the
first leg. Could he do it again with the Twin Towers in sight?
Hammers heartbreaker: Gordon Banks diverts Geoff Hurst's penalty over the
bar.
My vivid memory is of looking down the length of the pitch to see Tommy
Taylor and John McDowell crouched down, covering their eyes with their hands
facing the South Bank and not daring to watch. Some prophet of doom from
about three feet behind me on the terrace then shouted: "Give it to Robson,
for f*** sake, Hurstie, we all know where you gonna f****** put, it let
alone Banks!"
Well, Gordon Banks certainly knew and as the ball flew off Hurst's boot at
such power and speed, I could not actually say I could follow it with the
naked eye. My eyes, however, did not see the desired result of the ball
smashing the net, only it's return from orbit via Gordon Banks fists and the
look of disbelief on Geoff's face.
My ears were filled with groans and foul mouthed curses from 10,000 fans
around me. I was probably too numb to shout anything but if that prophet of
doom from behind me had been identified, I may well have had a word in his
ear.
Kevin Courtney: Seeing my boyhood hero Bobby Moore scoring past Gordon Banks
via a deflection in the 2-1 victory v Stoke City (25/9/71). His celebration
was typically muted but after that I proceed to copy him whenever I scored a
goal at school!
Terry Foster: Most unusual memory was v Stoke City (8/4/69). A terrible,
goal-less game enlivened only by a woman spectator running onto the pitch at
the end and decking the ref (T.H.C. Reynolds of Swansea).
Paul Morgan: v Stoke City, (7/10/67), THAT unbelievable 4-3 defeat! Geoff
Hurst (2) and Martin Peters put Hammers 3-0 up in 40 minutes but Stoke
scored four in the last 25 minutes.
This is just a very small sample from a substantial volume containing
150,000-plus words. To pre-order Upton Park Memories for £20 (saving a fiver
on the RRP and with FREE P&P in the UK) visit our EX-Hammers website or
phone Caroline or Susie on 01708 744 333. We expect delivery of the book
this Friday (Dec 11) and all orders will be despatched that day.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
A TIME OF OPPORTUNITY
By Bobby Shovels 8 Dec 2015 at 08:00
WTID
I said we needed a result at Old Trafford and we deservedly got one. Yes,
many of us will replay in our head that Mauro Zarate opportunity a million
times over: his finishes against Arsenal and Chelsea were far more difficult
to execute. But hey, that's football, and a point at Old Trafford –
regardless of all the negative chat around them at the moment – is something
to be fully pleased with.
The matter of my negativity is one that comes up a lot but I want to focus
on something my pessimism fails to fully appreciate in this season: the
unpredictable nature of 2015/2016. I'm sure you've heard a lot about this in
podcasts and papers, but it is truly something to behold. During a work
shift this weekend, I kept casting fleeting glances at the Newcastle v
Liverpool game, convinced of a late victory to the Reds or a stalemate. 2-0
to the Magpies was not something anyone saw coming.
There are numerous reasons given for such a bizarre season. The tiredness of
Chelsea. The dullness of United. The injuries of Arsenal. The inconsistency
of Man City. Yet it's also about the strengths of sides. The consistency of
Leicester City. The silent rise of Stoke. The Palace of Pardew. The rise
again of Everton. And what about the newcomers? Watford's start of a good
run as well as Norwich's growing comfortableness in the top league.
Ahead of the TV revenue windfall, clubs are desperate to stay in the league.
But clubs are also realising the allure of the league more widely and the
ability to get a lot of bang for your buck. The brilliance of Payet and
Shaqiri – and even Mahrez, who was bought for just 400,000 in early 2014 –
shows that you do not even need to spend huge sums to get real quality that
can take you above the mid-table inertia your team has become accustomed
too.
It is in such an environment, that West Ham faces Stoke after a run of five
games without a win – but yes, with two decent draws against Everton and
United. Stoke have just beaten City – West Ham were the first team this
season to triumph against the title favourites. So? My gut says a Hammers
win. Is that a surprise? Well, yes and no. No, because it should be a game
the Hammers can muster some strength and fight for. Yes, because West Ham
have only won two games at home this season.
The key thing though is that West Ham have a string of injuries that
threaten to derail our season. But, as my musings above detail, this is a
year when such a problem may not be too big if we can hold on until the new
year. Stoke, Swansea, Villa and Southampton are our remaining games in 2015.
Now, part of me worries that matches against Swansea and Villa – teams
really under the cosh – are just the kind of battles that the Hammers
usually come out defeated, much to our collective embarrassment. But surely
this is as good a time as any – in a season when others keep slipping – for
us to muster the strength in the depth of our squad, despite the injuries,
to really get a good number of points on the board so that 2016 – perhaps
the biggest year in the Hammers' history since 1986 (or even since 1965)
gets off to a calm and safe start – ready to take on Klopp's Liverpool.
Bring in the New Year, come on you Irons.
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West Ham WON'T spend big in January despite Manuel Lanzini blow adding to
injury crisis
18:39, 8 DEC 2015 UPDATED 19:02, 8 DEC 2015
BY DARREN LEWIS
The playmaker is out for up to six weeks - a month longer than anticipated -
and joins Dimitri Payet, Diafra Sakho and Victor Moses as long-term
absentees
The Mirror
West Ham will refuse to go on a January spending spree even after their
injury crisis hit a new low. The east Londoners have been rocked by
confirmation that playmaker Manuel Lanzini is out for up to six weeks - a
month longer than they had anticipated. Mirror Sport revealed on Monday that
22-year-old Lanzini - whose loan deal from Al-Jazira is set to be made
permanent - had picked up the thigh problem in training ahead of Saturday's
goalless draw at Manchester United.
West Ham had initially expected him to be out for seven to 14 days. Hammers
co-chairman David Gold even tweeted on Monday that he was confident that the
Argentine would be back for Saturday's home game against Stoke.
A scan on Monday, though, confirmed the extended layoff and Lanzini has now
started the rehab that the club hope will see him back for the home game
against Manchester City on January 23. It is understood, however, that the
seventh-placed club feel they still have enough within the squad not to have
to spend their way out of trouble. Andy Carroll will keep his place in the
side while Nikica Jelavic, Mauro Zarate and Michail Antonio, a £7million
summer signing from Nottingham Forest in the summer, will now be handed more
significant roles over the festive period. So far this season Lanzini has
scored four goals and provided one assist in 12 Premier League appearances.
His absence will be a huge blow for boss Slaven Bilic. West Ham are also
expecting to receive confirmation that Victor Moses is out for a similar
length of time with a hamstring injury. The 24-year-old Nigeria forward, on
loan from Chelsea, came off after 37 minutes of the United game at the
weekend.
The loss of both players comes with key men Dimitri Payet and Diafra Sakho
both out for three months. In better news for the Hammers, Enner Valencia
could return this weekend. He was previously expected to be out for another
three weeks.
Meanwhile, chairman David Sullivan has revealed he wants the club to exact
revenge on FA Cup third round opponents Wolves. Reacting to Monday night's
draw, Sullivan said: "One of my first games at the club was Wolves at home
and we were appalling. I'd like revenge for that. It was a Tuesday night, we
were terrible."
Goals from Kevin Doyle, Ronald Zubar and Matt Jarvis clinched victory for
Wanderers that night in March 2010, with Guillermo Franco grabbing the
Irons' consolation.
Sullivan told the Claret and Hugh website: "It's a decent draw, its been
four or five games since we have been drawn at home in the Cup. We are due
four or five home draws. "We will be treating the FA Cup very seriously. We
must give Wolves respect. It's not an easy draw, but it's one we expect to
win."
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Referees amazed by Manchester United star Bastian Schweinsteiger's FA charge
over West Ham incident
17:00, 8 DEC 2015 UPDATED 17:16, 8 DEC 2015
BY JOHN CROSS
The decision has sparked concern about 're-officiating' games despite
whistler Clattenburg missing the German's clash with Winston Reid
The Mirror
Bastian Schweinsteiger is set to appeal after the FA's decision to charge
him caused widespread amazement among the refereeing fraternity. Manchester
United midfielder Schweinsteiger is facing a three-game ban after trial by
television for flooring West Ham defender Winston Reid at Old Trafford on
Saturday. Former officials Steve Dunn, Alan Wiley and Eddie Wolstenholme all
agreed the case should be referred after Mark Clattenburg missed the
incident during the game.
But Mirror Sport understands the FA's decision has caused concern among
whistlers about re-refereeing the game, and whether it was deliberate. One
source said of the Schweinsteiger incident: "You cannot possibly say that he
meant that. It was purely the motion of his arm. It's a very strange case."
Man United are believed to be ready to take legal advice before deciding
whether to appeal and have until Thursday to contest the charge.
Historically, clubs very rarely have any success overturning charges after
'trial by television' and a ban would rule Schweinsteiger out of the
upcoming games with Bournemouth, Norwich and Stoke. West Ham are convinced
the shove merits a suspension. Reid insisted after the match: "It was a red
card. "He knows what he's done – he's elbowed me in the face."
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Striker's injuries need thorough investigation
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 8, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
Yes, the injury issues which surround West Ham United are extraordinary and
very, very worrying – there's too many of them too often. CandH forum
members are calling for investigations into the whys of this although no
probe is required into the Dimi Payet injury. We all know what happened
there. However, the communication breakdown on Manu Lanzini needs some
explaining
Both co-chairman were of the view publicly -David Gold even tweeted it -that
his was a relatively minor problem yet today we are stunned by the news that
its a major quadriceps injury – the same as suffered by Angelo Ogbonna.
Coincidence or what? Enner Valencia will soon be back and has been unlucky
whilst the Victor Moses hamstring was sustained during the game and owes
nothing to the Chadwell Heath training ground conspiracy theory which
regularly does the rounds.
I just believe we are unlucky but there has been one recurring thought which
is starting to concern me more than a bit – Diafra Sakho's injury problems.
Last season he made 26 appearances from a possible 43 with his back the
issue. This season we will be without him for another 13 on top of those
already missed. It could be more if he fails to make it back for March 1,
the generally projected date. This time his problem is a thigh muscle strain
– a similar injury to that affecting his back last season.The full
investigation called for on the FB forum into injures generally may not be
realistic or possible.
But the medics should surely make certain that they look very very closely
at the issues which may surround Sakho – arguably the most important member
of the squad if for a moment we can disregard Payet.
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Hammers repeat: "He's not for sale"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 8, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
West Ham have again made it clear that James Tomkins is going nowhere. With
the Hammers set to be very quiet in the January transfer window, keen
speculation has started surrounding Irons players who may be on their way
out. ClaretandHugh reported a couple of days back that the Hammers have no
intention of selling but such has been the speculation that a reliable club
source has repeated their position. And chief among them since a weekend
report appeared in one of the Sunday papers is that Sam Allardyce wants
Tomkins at around £10 million. That has been rejected again with a source
telling us this morning: "It's nonsense. It won't be happening. James is an
important member of the squad and won't be going anywhere. "Let's be honest
even if we were ready to sell him – which most certainly are not – he's an
Essex boy and the last place I can imagine him going would be Sunderland.
"We understand that reporters have to get stories published but this one
truly is a non starter. We would add that Sunderland have made absolutely no
approaches either."
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Hammers can't recall this loanee for Lanzini
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 8, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
West Ham cannot recall Martin Samuelsen from Peterborough United as an
emergency replacement for Manuel Lanzini. The Hammers were hit with the
shock news of the midfielder's injury which could keep him out of action for
up to six weeks. And the thoughts of some on the social networks immediately
turned to the young Norwegian as a replacement after his stunning start to
life on loan at London Road. But ClaretandHugh was immediately told: "No,
he's not ready and he has to stay at Peterborough for month a month before
he can be recalled anyway." "The Lanzini blow is cruel. No one expected such
news but we showed on Saturday we can cope but we really can't take any more
injuries."
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Sullivan seeking revenge
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 8, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
David Sullivan will be looking for revenge when the Hammers meet Wolves at
the Boleyn in the Third Round of the FA Cup. The chairman is pleased with a
draw which finally sees us getting a home draw in the premier domestic cup
competition. Hammers fans didn't have long to wait beyong the third and
fourth balls to arrive out of the canister to know their 2015-16 opponents.
There was relief that we were at home to a very beatable team and speaking
exclusively to ClaretandHugh this morning the chairman declared himself
content with the match-up But he recalled: "One of my first games at club
was Wolves at home at we were appalling, I'd like revenge for that It was a
Tuesday night, we were TERRIBLE !" The Hammers were beaten 3-1 via goals
from Kevin Doyle, Ronald Zubar and a certain Matt Jarvis with our lone
response coming from Guillermo Franco. Sullivan told us: "It's a decent
draw, its been four or five games since we have been drawn at home in the
Cup. We are due 4-5 HOME DRAWS ! If we can't beat a middle table
Championship side at home we do not deserve to get to round 4. We will be
treating the FA Cup very seriously. We must give Wolves respect. It's not an
easy draw, but its one we expect to win."
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Injured Irons expected return dates
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 8, 2015 in News
C and H
Keeping track of West Ham's walking wounded and their likely return dates is
becoming a time consuming job. And in the absence of an update from the club
we are grateful for the information supplied by www.physioroom.com who keep
a reasonably accurate check on injuries across the Premier League over the
course of the season. Here's how they are reporting the Hammers casualty
situation at the moment.
Victor Moses: Hamstring injury……..no return date
Manu Lanzini: Hip/thigh ………………January 23rd 2016
Diafra Sakho: Thigh muscle strain…March 2016
Enner Valencia: Ankle/foot injury…..December 20th 2015
Dmitri Payet: High Ankle sprain…….February 2016
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Manchester United's Bastian Schweinsteiger to appeal against charge
• Midfielder allegedly elbowed West Ham's Winston Reid
• Referee Mark Clattenburg and assistants missed incident
Daniel Taylor
@DTguardian
Tuesday 8 December 2015 12.08
Bastian Schweinsteiger has told Manchester United he wants to fight a charge
of violent conduct after his clash with Winston Reid during Saturday's
goalless draw against West Ham at Old Trafford. Schweinsteiger is facing a
three-match ban after knocking Reid to the ground with his forearm but the
Germany international does not believe it should warrant a suspension and
has the backing of his club. United have until Thursday to inform the FA
about whether they intend to appeal but their chances of overturning the
decision look slim given that the governing body has already shown the
incident to a panel of three former referees. Their decision unanimously was
that it should have warranted a red card and Schweinsteiger should miss
United's matches against Bournemouth, Norwich City and Stoke City. The
referee, Mark Clattenburg, has told the FA he did not fully see the incident
and West Ham are convinced it deserves a ban. Their manager, Slaven Bilic,
described it as "a moment of madness" and Reid insisted after the match it
was deliberate. "It was a red card," the West Ham defender said. "He knows
what he's done – he's elbowed me in the face. The referee couldn't see it,
so we move on."
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Lanzini adds to the list of Hammers attackers on the sidelines
Date: 8th December 2015 at 2:08 pm
Written by: Matt Bourne | Comments (0)
froeverwestham.com
Another massive injury blow today as West Ham have confirmed that Manuel
Lanzini will be out of action for the hammers for up to 6 weeks following a
scan on his thigh. Lanzini was left out of the draw with Manchester United
at the weekend as a precautionary measure, and was expected to return to the
side for the Stoke match this weekend. However, this new injury setback
means that another one of our most influential attacking players is set for
a spell on the sidelines. The Argentine has been added to a list including
Payet, Sakho and Valencia. We are also still waiting anxiously for the news
from Victor Moses' hamstring scan as the Nigerian could yet be added to the
growing list after his injury picked up on Saturday at Old Trafford.
These players are all potential starters in Bilic's strongest starting
eleven and Sakho, Lanzini and Payet all look destined to miss the busy
Christmas period coming up. So what does this mean for Slaven Bilic's side
in the immediate future? It means that the hammers are gonna need to follow
up the clean sheet at Old Trafford with more of the same. The defence is
gonna be essential over the Christmas period as Carroll and Jelavic don't
look like banging in the goals anytime soon. Zarate has had moments of magic
this season, but has also had his fair share of shockers. Some consistency
is needed from him to fill the creative void left by the likes of Payet and
Lanzini. We might even catch a rare Michail Antonio sighting from the start
of a Premier League game at some point.
Some good news is long overdue on the injury front, so let's hope that
Victor Moses will be ready to return to action sooner rather than later.
There is no need to panic for West Ham fans yet, but another attacker on the
sidelines is not ideal with a busy schedule coming up.
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Tony Cottee backs Slaven Bilic to guide West Ham to the Champions League in
the future
HITC
Jordan Harris
The Hammers have claimed some famous victories already this season. Former
West Ham striker Tony Cottee has backed Slaven Bilic to one day guide the
Hammers into the Champions League, the Daily Star report. "Let's be honest.
West Ham are behind the three main London clubs. Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs
have all had Champions League experience of various forms," he said. "West
Ham are the fourth London club at the moment. As a passionate West Ham fan I
want us to move on to the next level and be competing with them. "But Slaven
Bilic is doing a great job, and if we build slowly I think West Ham can get
to that stage. People will laugh and say West Ham fans are dreaming but you
have to dream in football," he added. The Boleyn Ground outfit currently sit
sixth in the Premier League table, having already beaten Arsenal, Liverpool,
Manchester City and Chelsea this season. And while their performances in
those games would suggest that Cottee's prediction is not as bold as it
initially sounds, defeat against the likes of Bournemouth and Watford have
prevented Bilic's men from staying in touch with the current top four.
However, with tenth-place Stoke City being the highest placed side that the
Hammers will come up against during the busy Christmas period, Bilic's men
will have the opportunity to prove whether they have banished the
complacency which prevented them hitting the heights they hit against some
of the division's biggest sides. Although Cottee's prediction will arguably
come too soon to be fulfilled this season, a string of ruthless performances
in December may well put them back into the mix to spring another surprise
during this bizarre campaign.
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Sam Allardyce eyes £10million January West Ham raid to solve Sunderland's
defensive issues
London 24
06:55 08 December 2015 Brad Pinard
Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce is hoping to snap up James Tomkins from West
Ham in January. The Evening Chronicle claims Big Sam is hoping to lure
Tomkins away from Upton Park but the £10million asking price could be
excessive with loan deals currently the plan for Sunderland. Fellow Hammer
James Collins is also a target of Allardyce who wants to plug his leaky
defence, with only rivals Newcastle and newly promoted Bournemouth conceding
more than them this season. Tomkins has been an unsung hero for Slaven Bilic
this season, playing centrally or at right back with great effect. Having
lead a young West Ham team through the early stages of the Europa League in
pre season, Tomkins has now become regular despite Bilic originally planning
his defence without him. Sunderland are also keen on Leeds United full back
Sam Byram who has turned down a new deal at Elland Road and could be
available for free in the summer or cheap in the January window.
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West Ham transfer news: Hammers plan swoop for Chelsea academy starlet
Brentwood Gazette
By SamBalls | Posted: December 08, 2015
West Ham are keeping tabs on Chelsea's academy starlet Charly Musonda and
could be tempted to make a move for the Belgian wonder kid. Musonda is a
Belgian under-21 international and is regarded as one of his nation's
brightest talents, yet finds his path to first team football blocked at
Stamford Bridge. The Hammers are keen on an 18 month loan deal to let the
youngster, 19, show what he can do, but face competition from Marseille.
Musonda has won both the FA Youth Cup and the UEFA Youth League with Chelsea
over the past two seasons, but needs to play first team football to continue
his progression. Chelsea have Musonda tied down to a contract until 2019,
and Mourinho has already resisted advances from Manchester City, Arsenal and
Manchester United for his player's signature.
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West Ham confirm the situation regarding Martin Samuelsen
HITC
Vincent Ralph
The young Norwegian is currently on loan at Peterborough United from West
Ham United. West Ham United's official Twitter account has clarified the
situation regarding midfielder Martin Samuelsen. The 18-year-old midfielder
is currently on loan at League One side Peterborough United but he made a
somewhat surprising appearance for the Hammers' under-21 side when they took
on their West Bromwich Albion counterparts on Monday evening. Recent
suggestions were that West Ham had given Samuelsen permission to play in
Peterborough's FA Cup second round match against Luton Town, but after the
Norwegian teenager was not included in the match-day squad on that occasion
some Posh fans wondered what was going on. Now West Ham have clarified the
situation on social media, explaining that they did not give permission for
Samuelsen to become cup-tied, and that Peterborough have allowed the
attacking midfielder to feature for the Hammers' under-21s this week.
Samuelsen enjoyed an outstanding debut for Posh against Scunthorpe United
and it will be interesting to see how he develops in the coming months.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Having secured their fifth consecutive win with a 2-1 victory over
previously undefeated West Bromwich Albion, left-back Lewis Page said he was
delighted that the Dev Squad are getting the rewards that their performances
deserve. In a dominant display, the Dev Squad took the lead through Jaanai
Gordon's powerful drive from the edge of the box, before Martin Samuelsen's
late strike sealed the three points after Saido Berahino had equalised.
Reflecting on the win, their sixth from seven games in all competitions,
Page said: "It's nice that our performances are turning into results, at the
start of the season our performances weren't getting anything, but now we're
all playing well and taking our chances. "It was definitely a deserved win,
even though they had a strong team out tonight, Serge Gnabry and Saido
Berahino as well as some other good players, so it was good to get a win
over such a strong side."
While the young Hammers had a tough start to the campaign, they have
improved as the season has progressed and now find themselves seventh in the
Barclays U21 Premier League Division Two.
Up next is a tough London derby with Arsenal at Upton Park next Monday, and
Page and his teammates know another win could see them climb as high as
third. He continued: "The confidence has always been there really, now after
a few wins it's obviously even better, we're all buzzing in the dressing
room now. "I just hope we can maintain this unbeaten run for as long as
possible, if we do that, who knows where it'll take us. We're slowly
climbing the league which is nice to see, and hopefully that continues. "We
didn't play to our best against Arsenal that day, we're playing a lot better
now than we were back then so hopefully we'll give them a good game and get
something out of it."
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Manuel Lanzini update
WHUFC.com
West Ham United can confirm that Manuel Lanzini could be ruled out for up to
six weeks with a quadriceps injury. The Argentinian attacking midfielder
suffered the thigh injury in training ahead of Saturday's Barclays Premier
League trip to Manchester United. Lanzini underwent a scan on Monday and
will now begin a period of rehabilitation which is expected to keep him out
of first-team action for a period of up to six weeks. The 22-year-old is
currently on a season-long loan from UAE-based Al-Jazira Club. He has four
goals and one assist in his 12 Barclays Premier League appearances this
term.
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From the Newsroom - Dave Evans
WHUFC.com
It was just a year ago when we all thought that Mauro Zarate had played his
last game for West Ham. He was in the team that returned from West Brom with
all three Premier League points, but differences with then manager Sam
Allardyce meant he was out of the team and shipped off to west London and
Queens Park Rangers. Things did not get much better there as first injury
and then non-selection restricted him to just four substitute appearances.
What a difference a year makes. With the arrival of Slaven Bilic, has come a
new start and a new belief in the skills and potential of the 28-year-old
Argentinian. He has scored five goals already this term and though Saturday
at Old Trafford turned out not to be his day, he was the man who took the
game to Manchester United with his flair and daring. Without Dimitri Payet,
Enner Valencia, Diafra Sakho and latest injury victim Manuel Lanzini many
thought that West Ham would be in for a long and tough afternoon in
Manchester on Saturday. But even without those key men, West Ham looked
confident, took the game to Louis van Gaal's men and on another day would
have had the game sewn up by half time.
That first half was as good as the Hammers have played on the road this
season and that includes the trips to Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester
City. The only thing that was missing was the finishing. Zarate was one of
the reasons for that first-half dominance. While Adrian did not have a shot
to save in the opening 45 minutes, Zarate hit the post, albeit without
realising it; Winston Reid headed against the base of the same post, while
perhaps the best chance fell to Victor Moses who failed to beat David de Gea
in a one-on-one situation. United have only let in one home league goal all
season and most visiting teams have not had much of a sniff of even an
opening there, so to have four golden chances in the opening 45 minutes was
a monumental achievement.
Earlier in the season it would have been game over and three more points for
West Ham, but it wasn't quite to be. The second half saw United storm back –
it is United at home after all – but the Hammers kept their belief, defended
superbly with Winston Reid at his very best, but they still would not have
held out if it wasn't for the fact that they relieved the pressure with some
attacking of their own. And then came the moment - the moment where West Ham
could and should have secured the match. It was a great move. Michail
Antonio put in a low cross with the outside of his boot, Andy Carroll played
a superb knock down which fell neatly into the path of the onside Zarate.
But inexplicably, the Argentinian somehow managed to poke his shot wide with
just the keeper to beat and he buried his head into the Old Trafford turf in
disbelief. Zarate apologised for the miss on twitter on Saturday night, but
there was no need.
At least he was in the right place at the right time and over the years
since that Carlos Tevez winner on 'Great Escape' day, the Hammers have
rarely got into the United box at all. This is a different sort of West Ham
though. Not a defence first, play for a point team, but a confident side who
know they can play with the best, even if they are missing their own key
men.
Zarate is a part of that and a year is clearly a long time in football.
Without a change in manager and the arrival of Bilic, he would have been
long gone. Now he is a vital attacking player for the team. Not bad for a
free transfer who couldn't get into QPR's relegation team!
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
The Big Interview - Michail Antonio
WHUFC.com
Michail Antonio has been waiting patiently for his chance in the first-team
but could not have asked for a bigger platform to showcase his talents than
Old Trafford on Saturday. Antonio has been a regular member of the
first-team squad following his big money move from Nottingham Forest during
the summer, but has yet to start a Premier League game. The 25-year-old was
called into action after 37 minutes during the 0-0 draw against Manchester
United after Victor Moses was forced to leave the field through injury.
Antonio quickly showed why he is rated so highly with an impressive display
and will now be hoping to keep his place for the home game against Stoke on
Saturday.
Michail, this was not a bad time for you to come on and play such a big part
in the game at Old Trafford. Do you feel the team could have come away with
all three points?
MA: "We could have definitely come away with a victory. We had some big
chances with Victor Moses who was through on goal, we hit the woodwork twice
and Zarate had a big chance in the second half. "We could have taken all
three points but we will settle for taking a point as Old Trafford which is
a great stadium to play in and this will be a confidence boost for the rest
of the season."
We had so many influential players missing for the United game. Is there a
belief in the dressing room that we can go to these big clubs and come away
with a result?
MA: "Manchester United have got a great history and some great players. Some
people will say this was a bonus game for us but we have gone out with
nothing to lose. "We wanted to see what we could take from the game and we
are happy to come away with a point and move onto the next game."
Victor Moses was forced to come off with an injury, but you seemed to relish
coming on in front of a big crowd at Old Trafford and taking your chance in
the first-team?
MA: "Victor has picked up an injury and it has given me the opportunity. I
hope he has a fast recovery but I now have a great opportunity. "Hopefully I
can build on this and get better as the season goes on."
You have had to be patient for you chance but how much do you want to
establish yourself as a first-team regular?
MA: "We have got a few injuries in the position that I play. I have been
patient for my chance but now I need to take it and keep my shirt. "I need
to take my opportunity and push on for the next game."
Finally, we return to action at the Boleyn Ground this weekend. How much are
the players keen to get back on the winning trail when we face Stoke on
Saturday?
MA: "We have not won for a couple of games now and we need to get three
points back on the board again. "Even though we are picking up points in the
league, we need to be picking up victories to help us move higher in the
league."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Manuel Lanzini: West Ham midfielder faces six weeks out
BBc.co.uk
West Ham midfielder Manuel Lanzini could be out for up to six weeks with a
thigh injury. The Argentine, 22, suffered the problem in training before
Saturday's 0-0 draw at Manchester United. Lanzini, on a season-long loan
from Abu Dhabi club Al Jazira, has four goals and one assist in his 12
league appearances this campaign.
He had a scan on Monday and has now begun the rehabilitation which should
see him return next month. Meanwhile, Hammers winger Victor Moses will have
a scan on Tuesday on his hamstring injury. The 24-year-old, on loan from
Chelsea, came off during the goalless draw at Old Trafford.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Lanzini ruled out until January
KUMb.com
Filed: Tuesday, 8th December 2015
By: Staff Writer
Manuel Lanzini has added to West Ham's injury woes after being ruled out of
action for at least a month. The in-form Argentine midfielder has joined the
likes of Dimitri Payet, Diafra Sakho and Enner Velencia on the sidelines
after sustaining a quadriceps injury, according to West Ham's website. "The
Argentinian attacking midfielder suffered the thigh injury in training ahead
of Saturday's Barclays Premier League trip to Manchester United," said
whufc.com. "Lanzini underwent a scan on Monday and will now begin a period
of rehabilitation which is expected to keep him out of first-team action for
a period of up to six weeks."
Lanzini, who is currently on a season-long loan from Al-Jazira has made 14
appearances for West Ham since moving to England and scored four goals -
against Liverpool, Crystal Palace, Everton and, most recently, Tottenham.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Stop making nonsense
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 8th December 2015
By: Matthew Webb
Following the match against Manchester United on Saturday, most people seem
to agree that both Marouane Fellaini and Bastian Schweinsteiger should have
been sent off. I am certainly one of them.
Marouane Fellaini is a player that I would award a yellow card to just for
walking on the pitch. Schweinsteiger is less disagreeable, but you can't
argue with an elbow to the throat (although I'm sure Manchester United will
try.)
I am not writing to bitterly lament our bad luck in not being given the
opportunity to play most of this game against nine men (well…maybe I am a
little…) but what this game has really highlighted for me is an odd trend
I've been noticing recently among pundits and journalists when talking about
potential sending off incidents.
More and more often I am hearing people say something along the lines of,
"What the fans want to see is eleven against eleven." Which on the surface
of things is a fair enough statement, even if simply because that is one of
the principle rules of the game that so many of us flock to watch each week.
What I'm finding increasingly frustrating is the way this phrase is being
used as an excuse for a referee not issuing a red card to a player. It seems
that in the game on Saturday, Mark Clattenburg genuinely didn't see either
incident. Frustrating but forgivable. But if he had seen these incidents and
decided against issuing a red card in order to avoid spoiling the match for
"everybody," what sort of a message does that send out?
That is essentially what pundits are arguing in favour of when they make
this "eleven against eleven" comment. Let's ignore the rules of the game so
that the fans can get full enjoyment out of it, somehow. Don't issue a
second yellow for a foul that deserves one. Don't issue a red for an elbow.
Bend the rules as much as possible. For the fans.
This is yet another comment that proves to me that most people who work in
football media actually have no idea what an average fan thinks. Imagine if
Fellaini or Schweinsteiger had popped up with a last minute winner on
Saturday. Apparently we'd have all been saying, "Oh well, at least we got to
see a fair game, eleven on eleven!"
Of course we wouldn't have been saying that because that would not have been
a fair game. We'd have been furious. Fellaini should have been sent off.
Schweinsteiger should have been sent off.
I suppose what I'm saying is that I'd prefer pundits to start using a phrase
more along the lines of, "What the fans want to see is a decent game of
football, competently refereed by somebody that knows and understands the
rules properly" but that would be a bit of a mouthful for a Robbie Savage or
a Graeme Souness.
Actually, what I'd really like is for pundits and commentators to stop
assuming any kind of knowledge of what the fans are thinking at all. We are
a fickle and unpredictable bunch. We quite like seeing our team win. Beyond
that it's very hard to say how we're feeling, almost as if we're a
collection of individuals rather than a single giant entity like The Blob
from the 1958 film of the same name.
Take the case of pundits trying to understand our feelings towards Sam
Allardyce last season. "I don't know what West Ham fans expect," was
commonly heard from Alan Shearer on Match of the Day. That's right, Alan.
You don't. Neither do we, for the most part, except maybe... just...
better..?
Yes, I think that's what I expected towards the end of last season. Better.
I really would have struggled to explain my feelings in clearer words than
that, so for a bunch of overpaid ex-professionals to try to make sense of
those emotions is just ridiculous.
So there's my message for pundits and journalists. Stop making assumptions
on behalf of football fans. Stop trying to understand how our crazy minds
works. Most of all, stop using our feelings as an excuse for referees not
doing their jobs properly.
Maybe if the FA could see their way clear to retrospectively awarding us
three points for Saturday; that would also be great.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
LANZINI JOINS THE INJURY LIST SO WHO CAN REPLACE HIM?
By Iain Dale 8 Dec 2015 at 19:31
WTID
I was having a row with my Gooner supporting LBC producer Matt this
afternoon. He reckoned Arsenal's injury problems were far worse than ours
and involved better players than ours. He cited Wilshire, Sanchez Carzola
and a couple of others I can't recall (and care even less about). I reckoned
that the fact that we now have Payet, Sakho, Lanzini, Moses and Valencia out
more than out-trumped him. He laughed at my assertion that Payet is better
than Sanchez.
The news that Lanzini is out for six weeks is a bitter pill to swallow on
top of everything else. To lose Payet would have been bad enough, but now
Lanzini, it means we're incredibly light on the creative front. It will give
Antonio and Obiang their chances to shine, and maybe Reece Oxford too, but
no one can pretend they will score or create the goals that Payet and
Lanzini would have. I'm also assuming Moses is out too. So it seems that
Michael Antonio is going to get his chance to show us what he can do. By all
accounts e did very well at Old Trafford.
We have Martin Samuelsen out on loan to Peterborough, who might have been a
direct replacement for Lanzini in the short term but apparently, according
to Hugh Southon we cannot recall him as he has to be there a full month.
Unbelievable. Diego Poyet is at Huddersfield for the season but hopefully he
could be recalled. He is more of a holding midfielder than a creative one,
though.
So how might we line up against Stoke in midfield and attack? I suspect it
will be something like this…
Adrian, Cresswell, Tomkins, Ogbonna, Reid, Noble, Kouyate, Song, Antonio,
Zarate, Carroll
Subs Randolph, Collins, Jenkinson, Oxford, Jelavic, Obiang, Cullen
Still a strong team. Just as well we have strength in depth for once.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
UPTON PARK MEMORIES - NEW BOOK
By Tony McDonald 8 Dec 2015 at 17:00
WTID
NOT long to go now until West Ham United and their passionate, loyal fans
bid an emotional farewell to the Boleyn Ground before moving to Stratford's
Olympic Stadium.
The bulldozers will be on their way soon . . . but they can't destroy our
memories.
Upton Park Memories is a brand new book launching this Saturday (Dec 12)
that captures the essence of the club's spiritual home for the past 112
years. Printed in hardback and lavishly illustrated throughout its 372 full
colour pages, UPM is a riveting compilation of personal stories, anecdotes
and shared experiences as recalled by 200-plus West Ham fans and a number of
players, including heroes such as Sir Trevor Brooking, Sir Geoff Hurst,
Billy Bonds, Julian Dicks and Paolo Di Canio.
Our contributors' devotion to the Hammers spans all 11 decades of The Boleyn
years – the oldest was 100-years-old and saw his first game aged six in 1910
– and each has a unique story to tell. Absorb and entertain yourself by
reading about:
WHY FANS SUPPORT WEST HAM UNITED AND THEIR FIRST GAME MEMORIES
MEMORABLE MATCHES & MOMENTS
GREAT GOALS
THREE FAVOURITE PLAYERS & CULT HEROES
MATCH DAY ROUTINES & RITUALS
BOLEYN HIGHS & LOWS
FAVOURITE KITS
CHARACTERS IN THE CROWD
Quotes from the back cover.
Plus . . . Songs & Chants, Bond Scheme Protests and Hooliganism, Fanzines,
Collectables, Autographs, Tickets, Boleyn by Air, Special Guests,
Programmes, Handbooks, Upton Park Firsts, Street Parades, Stadium Views
Through the Years, Timeline, etc.
In the final 'Moving On' chapter, fans express their forthright views on the
owners' decision to sell Hammers' famous old ground and move to the Olympic
Stadium.
The book includes 700-plus photos and illustrations, many of which have
never been seen before. It's an emotional rollercoaster read that will make
you laugh out loud and bring tears to your eyes. I feel sure all of you
reading this will readily relate to most of what is in the book and,
hopefully, be entertained by it.
With Stoke City visiting Upton Park on Saturday, I'm pleased to present the
following excerpts from our book, which I hope will resonate and give you a
flavour of what to expect . . .
From the chapter titled: Why West Ham United? – Your First-Ever Visit to the
Boleyn Ground
Joe Durrell: When I arrived at the ground to sign schoolboy forms in the
summer of 1968, there was nobody there. Eventually, Ernie Gregory turned up
and told me to go and buy 20 fags at the local shop, so the first task I had
as a West Ham boy was to go and buy Ernie Gregory a packet of Batchelors
cigarettes!
My family were regulars at Upton Park and when I think back I remember
going, with Mickey Durrell, to the FA Cup semi v Manchester United as well
as the finals. To then later play with those same guys is simply
unbelievable. As a kid you just can't absorb the full magnitude of that.
On the day of my first team debut v Stoke City (25/9/71), I remember getting
on the train at Mile End to go to the ground about an-hour and-half before
kick-off. I would be sitting there with the fans.
Gordon Banks was in goal for Stoke and I got injured early on. Before taking
the free-kick Bobby Moore came over to me and said: "Try and keep it away
from the big man in green," which was a brilliant thing for me to hear at
the time. It really settled me down and was just the instruction I needed.
I think I did all right. I wasn't fantastic but I was good enough and we won
the game 2-1 (with goals from Clyde Best, Bobby Moore). I didn't have any
chances but I did put in a few crosses.
John Lawrence: One of our neighbours, Ernie, popped round to our house one
Friday evening to ask if I wanted to go to West Ham the following day. I
went as company for his son Terry, who was three years older than me. It was
a goal-less draw v Stoke City (30/10/65) and at the impressionable age of
eight I was amazed by the colours and the noise of the crowd. I remember
very little apart from a truckload of back passes and the fact that I stood
in the cage in the North Bank – the one that overlooked the main grandstand.
The steps were huge and the bit next to the stand had wobbly railings. If
you looked down and through them there was a massive drop. Very scary!
Lee Burch: v Stoke City (21/10/78), 1-1 (Trevor Brooking). I was four and
the crowd was electric as I took my seat in the West Stand upper. I remember
asking my uncle for a song-sheet, because I didn't know all the words to the
songs!
From the chapter titled: Memorable Matches & Moments
Dave Spurgeon: If I am tied down to one choice only, then not for the
happiest of reasons it has to be me being among that throng of fans on the
North Bank when Stoke's Gordon Banks saved Geoff Hurst's penalty in the
dying minutes of extra-time (15/12/71) to deny us a place in the League Cup
final at Wembley. Inside 60 seconds every Hammers fan there that night rode
the emotional rollercoaster of euphoric anticipation through to dismayed
disappointment and disbelief, pretty typical over the decades, one could
say.
There was celebration and noise when the penalty was awarded (Banks dropped
a cross and then brought down Harry Redknapp while trying to retrieve the
ball) akin to an actual goal being scored. As Hurst placed the ball on the
spot the crowd and mood seemed to change in a matter of seconds. Even the
more exuberant and vocal elements on the North Bank steadied themselves in
anxious anticipation. Hurst had scored from the spot against Banks in the
first leg. Could he do it again with the Twin Towers in sight?
Hammers heartbreaker: Gordon Banks diverts Geoff Hurst's penalty over the
bar.
My vivid memory is of looking down the length of the pitch to see Tommy
Taylor and John McDowell crouched down, covering their eyes with their hands
facing the South Bank and not daring to watch. Some prophet of doom from
about three feet behind me on the terrace then shouted: "Give it to Robson,
for f*** sake, Hurstie, we all know where you gonna f****** put, it let
alone Banks!"
Well, Gordon Banks certainly knew and as the ball flew off Hurst's boot at
such power and speed, I could not actually say I could follow it with the
naked eye. My eyes, however, did not see the desired result of the ball
smashing the net, only it's return from orbit via Gordon Banks fists and the
look of disbelief on Geoff's face.
My ears were filled with groans and foul mouthed curses from 10,000 fans
around me. I was probably too numb to shout anything but if that prophet of
doom from behind me had been identified, I may well have had a word in his
ear.
Kevin Courtney: Seeing my boyhood hero Bobby Moore scoring past Gordon Banks
via a deflection in the 2-1 victory v Stoke City (25/9/71). His celebration
was typically muted but after that I proceed to copy him whenever I scored a
goal at school!
Terry Foster: Most unusual memory was v Stoke City (8/4/69). A terrible,
goal-less game enlivened only by a woman spectator running onto the pitch at
the end and decking the ref (T.H.C. Reynolds of Swansea).
Paul Morgan: v Stoke City, (7/10/67), THAT unbelievable 4-3 defeat! Geoff
Hurst (2) and Martin Peters put Hammers 3-0 up in 40 minutes but Stoke
scored four in the last 25 minutes.
This is just a very small sample from a substantial volume containing
150,000-plus words. To pre-order Upton Park Memories for £20 (saving a fiver
on the RRP and with FREE P&P in the UK) visit our EX-Hammers website or
phone Caroline or Susie on 01708 744 333. We expect delivery of the book
this Friday (Dec 11) and all orders will be despatched that day.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
A TIME OF OPPORTUNITY
By Bobby Shovels 8 Dec 2015 at 08:00
WTID
I said we needed a result at Old Trafford and we deservedly got one. Yes,
many of us will replay in our head that Mauro Zarate opportunity a million
times over: his finishes against Arsenal and Chelsea were far more difficult
to execute. But hey, that's football, and a point at Old Trafford –
regardless of all the negative chat around them at the moment – is something
to be fully pleased with.
The matter of my negativity is one that comes up a lot but I want to focus
on something my pessimism fails to fully appreciate in this season: the
unpredictable nature of 2015/2016. I'm sure you've heard a lot about this in
podcasts and papers, but it is truly something to behold. During a work
shift this weekend, I kept casting fleeting glances at the Newcastle v
Liverpool game, convinced of a late victory to the Reds or a stalemate. 2-0
to the Magpies was not something anyone saw coming.
There are numerous reasons given for such a bizarre season. The tiredness of
Chelsea. The dullness of United. The injuries of Arsenal. The inconsistency
of Man City. Yet it's also about the strengths of sides. The consistency of
Leicester City. The silent rise of Stoke. The Palace of Pardew. The rise
again of Everton. And what about the newcomers? Watford's start of a good
run as well as Norwich's growing comfortableness in the top league.
Ahead of the TV revenue windfall, clubs are desperate to stay in the league.
But clubs are also realising the allure of the league more widely and the
ability to get a lot of bang for your buck. The brilliance of Payet and
Shaqiri – and even Mahrez, who was bought for just 400,000 in early 2014 –
shows that you do not even need to spend huge sums to get real quality that
can take you above the mid-table inertia your team has become accustomed
too.
It is in such an environment, that West Ham faces Stoke after a run of five
games without a win – but yes, with two decent draws against Everton and
United. Stoke have just beaten City – West Ham were the first team this
season to triumph against the title favourites. So? My gut says a Hammers
win. Is that a surprise? Well, yes and no. No, because it should be a game
the Hammers can muster some strength and fight for. Yes, because West Ham
have only won two games at home this season.
The key thing though is that West Ham have a string of injuries that
threaten to derail our season. But, as my musings above detail, this is a
year when such a problem may not be too big if we can hold on until the new
year. Stoke, Swansea, Villa and Southampton are our remaining games in 2015.
Now, part of me worries that matches against Swansea and Villa – teams
really under the cosh – are just the kind of battles that the Hammers
usually come out defeated, much to our collective embarrassment. But surely
this is as good a time as any – in a season when others keep slipping – for
us to muster the strength in the depth of our squad, despite the injuries,
to really get a good number of points on the board so that 2016 – perhaps
the biggest year in the Hammers' history since 1986 (or even since 1965)
gets off to a calm and safe start – ready to take on Klopp's Liverpool.
Bring in the New Year, come on you Irons.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham WON'T spend big in January despite Manuel Lanzini blow adding to
injury crisis
18:39, 8 DEC 2015 UPDATED 19:02, 8 DEC 2015
BY DARREN LEWIS
The playmaker is out for up to six weeks - a month longer than anticipated -
and joins Dimitri Payet, Diafra Sakho and Victor Moses as long-term
absentees
The Mirror
West Ham will refuse to go on a January spending spree even after their
injury crisis hit a new low. The east Londoners have been rocked by
confirmation that playmaker Manuel Lanzini is out for up to six weeks - a
month longer than they had anticipated. Mirror Sport revealed on Monday that
22-year-old Lanzini - whose loan deal from Al-Jazira is set to be made
permanent - had picked up the thigh problem in training ahead of Saturday's
goalless draw at Manchester United.
West Ham had initially expected him to be out for seven to 14 days. Hammers
co-chairman David Gold even tweeted on Monday that he was confident that the
Argentine would be back for Saturday's home game against Stoke.
A scan on Monday, though, confirmed the extended layoff and Lanzini has now
started the rehab that the club hope will see him back for the home game
against Manchester City on January 23. It is understood, however, that the
seventh-placed club feel they still have enough within the squad not to have
to spend their way out of trouble. Andy Carroll will keep his place in the
side while Nikica Jelavic, Mauro Zarate and Michail Antonio, a £7million
summer signing from Nottingham Forest in the summer, will now be handed more
significant roles over the festive period. So far this season Lanzini has
scored four goals and provided one assist in 12 Premier League appearances.
His absence will be a huge blow for boss Slaven Bilic. West Ham are also
expecting to receive confirmation that Victor Moses is out for a similar
length of time with a hamstring injury. The 24-year-old Nigeria forward, on
loan from Chelsea, came off after 37 minutes of the United game at the
weekend.
The loss of both players comes with key men Dimitri Payet and Diafra Sakho
both out for three months. In better news for the Hammers, Enner Valencia
could return this weekend. He was previously expected to be out for another
three weeks.
Meanwhile, chairman David Sullivan has revealed he wants the club to exact
revenge on FA Cup third round opponents Wolves. Reacting to Monday night's
draw, Sullivan said: "One of my first games at the club was Wolves at home
and we were appalling. I'd like revenge for that. It was a Tuesday night, we
were terrible."
Goals from Kevin Doyle, Ronald Zubar and Matt Jarvis clinched victory for
Wanderers that night in March 2010, with Guillermo Franco grabbing the
Irons' consolation.
Sullivan told the Claret and Hugh website: "It's a decent draw, its been
four or five games since we have been drawn at home in the Cup. We are due
four or five home draws. "We will be treating the FA Cup very seriously. We
must give Wolves respect. It's not an easy draw, but it's one we expect to
win."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Referees amazed by Manchester United star Bastian Schweinsteiger's FA charge
over West Ham incident
17:00, 8 DEC 2015 UPDATED 17:16, 8 DEC 2015
BY JOHN CROSS
The decision has sparked concern about 're-officiating' games despite
whistler Clattenburg missing the German's clash with Winston Reid
The Mirror
Bastian Schweinsteiger is set to appeal after the FA's decision to charge
him caused widespread amazement among the refereeing fraternity. Manchester
United midfielder Schweinsteiger is facing a three-game ban after trial by
television for flooring West Ham defender Winston Reid at Old Trafford on
Saturday. Former officials Steve Dunn, Alan Wiley and Eddie Wolstenholme all
agreed the case should be referred after Mark Clattenburg missed the
incident during the game.
But Mirror Sport understands the FA's decision has caused concern among
whistlers about re-refereeing the game, and whether it was deliberate. One
source said of the Schweinsteiger incident: "You cannot possibly say that he
meant that. It was purely the motion of his arm. It's a very strange case."
Man United are believed to be ready to take legal advice before deciding
whether to appeal and have until Thursday to contest the charge.
Historically, clubs very rarely have any success overturning charges after
'trial by television' and a ban would rule Schweinsteiger out of the
upcoming games with Bournemouth, Norwich and Stoke. West Ham are convinced
the shove merits a suspension. Reid insisted after the match: "It was a red
card. "He knows what he's done – he's elbowed me in the face."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Striker's injuries need thorough investigation
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 8, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
Yes, the injury issues which surround West Ham United are extraordinary and
very, very worrying – there's too many of them too often. CandH forum
members are calling for investigations into the whys of this although no
probe is required into the Dimi Payet injury. We all know what happened
there. However, the communication breakdown on Manu Lanzini needs some
explaining
Both co-chairman were of the view publicly -David Gold even tweeted it -that
his was a relatively minor problem yet today we are stunned by the news that
its a major quadriceps injury – the same as suffered by Angelo Ogbonna.
Coincidence or what? Enner Valencia will soon be back and has been unlucky
whilst the Victor Moses hamstring was sustained during the game and owes
nothing to the Chadwell Heath training ground conspiracy theory which
regularly does the rounds.
I just believe we are unlucky but there has been one recurring thought which
is starting to concern me more than a bit – Diafra Sakho's injury problems.
Last season he made 26 appearances from a possible 43 with his back the
issue. This season we will be without him for another 13 on top of those
already missed. It could be more if he fails to make it back for March 1,
the generally projected date. This time his problem is a thigh muscle strain
– a similar injury to that affecting his back last season.The full
investigation called for on the FB forum into injures generally may not be
realistic or possible.
But the medics should surely make certain that they look very very closely
at the issues which may surround Sakho – arguably the most important member
of the squad if for a moment we can disregard Payet.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers repeat: "He's not for sale"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 8, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
West Ham have again made it clear that James Tomkins is going nowhere. With
the Hammers set to be very quiet in the January transfer window, keen
speculation has started surrounding Irons players who may be on their way
out. ClaretandHugh reported a couple of days back that the Hammers have no
intention of selling but such has been the speculation that a reliable club
source has repeated their position. And chief among them since a weekend
report appeared in one of the Sunday papers is that Sam Allardyce wants
Tomkins at around £10 million. That has been rejected again with a source
telling us this morning: "It's nonsense. It won't be happening. James is an
important member of the squad and won't be going anywhere. "Let's be honest
even if we were ready to sell him – which most certainly are not – he's an
Essex boy and the last place I can imagine him going would be Sunderland.
"We understand that reporters have to get stories published but this one
truly is a non starter. We would add that Sunderland have made absolutely no
approaches either."
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Hammers can't recall this loanee for Lanzini
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 8, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
West Ham cannot recall Martin Samuelsen from Peterborough United as an
emergency replacement for Manuel Lanzini. The Hammers were hit with the
shock news of the midfielder's injury which could keep him out of action for
up to six weeks. And the thoughts of some on the social networks immediately
turned to the young Norwegian as a replacement after his stunning start to
life on loan at London Road. But ClaretandHugh was immediately told: "No,
he's not ready and he has to stay at Peterborough for month a month before
he can be recalled anyway." "The Lanzini blow is cruel. No one expected such
news but we showed on Saturday we can cope but we really can't take any more
injuries."
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Sullivan seeking revenge
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 8, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
David Sullivan will be looking for revenge when the Hammers meet Wolves at
the Boleyn in the Third Round of the FA Cup. The chairman is pleased with a
draw which finally sees us getting a home draw in the premier domestic cup
competition. Hammers fans didn't have long to wait beyong the third and
fourth balls to arrive out of the canister to know their 2015-16 opponents.
There was relief that we were at home to a very beatable team and speaking
exclusively to ClaretandHugh this morning the chairman declared himself
content with the match-up But he recalled: "One of my first games at club
was Wolves at home at we were appalling, I'd like revenge for that It was a
Tuesday night, we were TERRIBLE !" The Hammers were beaten 3-1 via goals
from Kevin Doyle, Ronald Zubar and a certain Matt Jarvis with our lone
response coming from Guillermo Franco. Sullivan told us: "It's a decent
draw, its been four or five games since we have been drawn at home in the
Cup. We are due 4-5 HOME DRAWS ! If we can't beat a middle table
Championship side at home we do not deserve to get to round 4. We will be
treating the FA Cup very seriously. We must give Wolves respect. It's not an
easy draw, but its one we expect to win."
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Injured Irons expected return dates
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 8, 2015 in News
C and H
Keeping track of West Ham's walking wounded and their likely return dates is
becoming a time consuming job. And in the absence of an update from the club
we are grateful for the information supplied by www.physioroom.com who keep
a reasonably accurate check on injuries across the Premier League over the
course of the season. Here's how they are reporting the Hammers casualty
situation at the moment.
Victor Moses: Hamstring injury……..no return date
Manu Lanzini: Hip/thigh ………………January 23rd 2016
Diafra Sakho: Thigh muscle strain…March 2016
Enner Valencia: Ankle/foot injury…..December 20th 2015
Dmitri Payet: High Ankle sprain…….February 2016
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Manchester United's Bastian Schweinsteiger to appeal against charge
• Midfielder allegedly elbowed West Ham's Winston Reid
• Referee Mark Clattenburg and assistants missed incident
Daniel Taylor
@DTguardian
Tuesday 8 December 2015 12.08
Bastian Schweinsteiger has told Manchester United he wants to fight a charge
of violent conduct after his clash with Winston Reid during Saturday's
goalless draw against West Ham at Old Trafford. Schweinsteiger is facing a
three-match ban after knocking Reid to the ground with his forearm but the
Germany international does not believe it should warrant a suspension and
has the backing of his club. United have until Thursday to inform the FA
about whether they intend to appeal but their chances of overturning the
decision look slim given that the governing body has already shown the
incident to a panel of three former referees. Their decision unanimously was
that it should have warranted a red card and Schweinsteiger should miss
United's matches against Bournemouth, Norwich City and Stoke City. The
referee, Mark Clattenburg, has told the FA he did not fully see the incident
and West Ham are convinced it deserves a ban. Their manager, Slaven Bilic,
described it as "a moment of madness" and Reid insisted after the match it
was deliberate. "It was a red card," the West Ham defender said. "He knows
what he's done – he's elbowed me in the face. The referee couldn't see it,
so we move on."
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Lanzini adds to the list of Hammers attackers on the sidelines
Date: 8th December 2015 at 2:08 pm
Written by: Matt Bourne | Comments (0)
froeverwestham.com
Another massive injury blow today as West Ham have confirmed that Manuel
Lanzini will be out of action for the hammers for up to 6 weeks following a
scan on his thigh. Lanzini was left out of the draw with Manchester United
at the weekend as a precautionary measure, and was expected to return to the
side for the Stoke match this weekend. However, this new injury setback
means that another one of our most influential attacking players is set for
a spell on the sidelines. The Argentine has been added to a list including
Payet, Sakho and Valencia. We are also still waiting anxiously for the news
from Victor Moses' hamstring scan as the Nigerian could yet be added to the
growing list after his injury picked up on Saturday at Old Trafford.
These players are all potential starters in Bilic's strongest starting
eleven and Sakho, Lanzini and Payet all look destined to miss the busy
Christmas period coming up. So what does this mean for Slaven Bilic's side
in the immediate future? It means that the hammers are gonna need to follow
up the clean sheet at Old Trafford with more of the same. The defence is
gonna be essential over the Christmas period as Carroll and Jelavic don't
look like banging in the goals anytime soon. Zarate has had moments of magic
this season, but has also had his fair share of shockers. Some consistency
is needed from him to fill the creative void left by the likes of Payet and
Lanzini. We might even catch a rare Michail Antonio sighting from the start
of a Premier League game at some point.
Some good news is long overdue on the injury front, so let's hope that
Victor Moses will be ready to return to action sooner rather than later.
There is no need to panic for West Ham fans yet, but another attacker on the
sidelines is not ideal with a busy schedule coming up.
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Tony Cottee backs Slaven Bilic to guide West Ham to the Champions League in
the future
HITC
Jordan Harris
The Hammers have claimed some famous victories already this season. Former
West Ham striker Tony Cottee has backed Slaven Bilic to one day guide the
Hammers into the Champions League, the Daily Star report. "Let's be honest.
West Ham are behind the three main London clubs. Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs
have all had Champions League experience of various forms," he said. "West
Ham are the fourth London club at the moment. As a passionate West Ham fan I
want us to move on to the next level and be competing with them. "But Slaven
Bilic is doing a great job, and if we build slowly I think West Ham can get
to that stage. People will laugh and say West Ham fans are dreaming but you
have to dream in football," he added. The Boleyn Ground outfit currently sit
sixth in the Premier League table, having already beaten Arsenal, Liverpool,
Manchester City and Chelsea this season. And while their performances in
those games would suggest that Cottee's prediction is not as bold as it
initially sounds, defeat against the likes of Bournemouth and Watford have
prevented Bilic's men from staying in touch with the current top four.
However, with tenth-place Stoke City being the highest placed side that the
Hammers will come up against during the busy Christmas period, Bilic's men
will have the opportunity to prove whether they have banished the
complacency which prevented them hitting the heights they hit against some
of the division's biggest sides. Although Cottee's prediction will arguably
come too soon to be fulfilled this season, a string of ruthless performances
in December may well put them back into the mix to spring another surprise
during this bizarre campaign.
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Sam Allardyce eyes £10million January West Ham raid to solve Sunderland's
defensive issues
London 24
06:55 08 December 2015 Brad Pinard
Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce is hoping to snap up James Tomkins from West
Ham in January. The Evening Chronicle claims Big Sam is hoping to lure
Tomkins away from Upton Park but the £10million asking price could be
excessive with loan deals currently the plan for Sunderland. Fellow Hammer
James Collins is also a target of Allardyce who wants to plug his leaky
defence, with only rivals Newcastle and newly promoted Bournemouth conceding
more than them this season. Tomkins has been an unsung hero for Slaven Bilic
this season, playing centrally or at right back with great effect. Having
lead a young West Ham team through the early stages of the Europa League in
pre season, Tomkins has now become regular despite Bilic originally planning
his defence without him. Sunderland are also keen on Leeds United full back
Sam Byram who has turned down a new deal at Elland Road and could be
available for free in the summer or cheap in the January window.
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West Ham transfer news: Hammers plan swoop for Chelsea academy starlet
Brentwood Gazette
By SamBalls | Posted: December 08, 2015
West Ham are keeping tabs on Chelsea's academy starlet Charly Musonda and
could be tempted to make a move for the Belgian wonder kid. Musonda is a
Belgian under-21 international and is regarded as one of his nation's
brightest talents, yet finds his path to first team football blocked at
Stamford Bridge. The Hammers are keen on an 18 month loan deal to let the
youngster, 19, show what he can do, but face competition from Marseille.
Musonda has won both the FA Youth Cup and the UEFA Youth League with Chelsea
over the past two seasons, but needs to play first team football to continue
his progression. Chelsea have Musonda tied down to a contract until 2019,
and Mourinho has already resisted advances from Manchester City, Arsenal and
Manchester United for his player's signature.
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West Ham confirm the situation regarding Martin Samuelsen
HITC
Vincent Ralph
The young Norwegian is currently on loan at Peterborough United from West
Ham United. West Ham United's official Twitter account has clarified the
situation regarding midfielder Martin Samuelsen. The 18-year-old midfielder
is currently on loan at League One side Peterborough United but he made a
somewhat surprising appearance for the Hammers' under-21 side when they took
on their West Bromwich Albion counterparts on Monday evening. Recent
suggestions were that West Ham had given Samuelsen permission to play in
Peterborough's FA Cup second round match against Luton Town, but after the
Norwegian teenager was not included in the match-day squad on that occasion
some Posh fans wondered what was going on. Now West Ham have clarified the
situation on social media, explaining that they did not give permission for
Samuelsen to become cup-tied, and that Peterborough have allowed the
attacking midfielder to feature for the Hammers' under-21s this week.
Samuelsen enjoyed an outstanding debut for Posh against Scunthorpe United
and it will be interesting to see how he develops in the coming months.
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