Daily WHUFC News II - 13th December 2017

Hammers net 13 goals in Margate rout
WHUFc.com

West Ham United Ladies secured a sensational 13-0 win over Margate Ladies
thanks to four goals apiece from Ellie Zoepfl and Amber Stobbs. The Irons
led 4-0 in the first half as a brace from Zoepfl, Stobbs' first finish and
an Andria Geogriou goal put the Hammers in firm control. The floodgates
opened in the second half with another nine goals being scored by the away
side, including three more from the No10 and another two by Zoeplf. The
Hammers are back in action on Sunday when they host Crystal Palace at Rush
Green. Kick-off is at 2pm and admission is FREE for Season Ticket Holders,
Claret Members and all Under-16s. Click here for more info. It took the
Hammers just nine minutes to take the lead in this midweek fixture as Stobbs
tucked home after Molly Peters saw an effort well saved. West Ham kept the
pressure on and got their rewards again just a few minutes later as Zoepfl
scored from a narrow angle, making it 2-0 to the visitors.
Stobbs looked for a second as she saw an effort fantastically saved before
smacking the post with a powerful effort, while Zoepfl also hit the
woodwork. The American grabbed her second though, and West Ham's third, just
after half an hour with a glancing header before Georgiou tapped in after a
terrific team move.
Despite leading 4-0 the Ladies showed no signs of letting up in the second
period, with Stobbs shooting into the roof of the net on 54 minutes for her
second goal.
Just a moment later and Zoepfl had her hattrick after an excellent finish,
while substitute Kmita added two goals in just two minutes from close range.
Zoepfl was again on the scoresheet on 75 minutes for her fourth goal,
netting with a low finish, while Stobbs got her hattrick with ten minutes to
go. There was still time for Georgiou to find her second before Stobbs
joined the four-goal club on 85 minutes, giving the Hammers an incredible
13-0 win.

West Ham United Ladies: Kanto, Mackie, Wheeler, Austin (M Kmita 46'),
Auguste; Chong, Georgiou; Zoepfl, Burr (R Kmita 46'), Stobbs, Peters (Swift
66')
Subs not used: Wealthall

Goals: Stobbs 9' 54' 80 85'', Zoepfl 16' 32' 56' 75, Georgiou 35 83', R
Kmita 60' 62', Swift 77'

Margate Ladies: Andrews, Scannell, Green, Thudusion, Aran, Bailey, Cover,
Richardson, Waineright, Heminouay, Thesomma
Subs not used: Powell, Coresna, A Buson, K Buson, Kiss

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Team news: Hammers unchanged for Arsenal derby
WHUFC.com

David Moyes has named an unchanged team for West Ham United's home London
derby against Arsenal on Wednesday night. Hot on the heels of Saturday's 1-0
victory over Chelsea, the Hammers will be going for another three point haul
against their London rivals. Adrian remains in goal after his clean sheet
against the Blues, with Winston Reid, Angelo Ogbonna and Aaron Cresswell
lining up in a back three in front of him. Michail Antonio will again play
as a striker, supported by Manuel Lanzini and Marko Arnautovic, with Mark
Noble anchoring the midfield. James Collins returns from a hamstring injury
and is named on the bench for his first involvement since September.

West Ham United: Adrian, Reid, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Zabaleta, Noble (c),
Obiang, Masuaku, Lanzini, Arnautovic, Antonio
Substitutes: Hart, Collins, Rice, Carroll, Ayew, Sakho, Chicharito

Arsenal: Cech, Bellerin, Koscielny (c), Monreal, Xhaka, Wilshere,
Maitland-Niles, Ozil, Iwobi, Sanchez, Giroud
Substitutes: Ospina, Chambers, Kolasinac, Coquelin, Elneny, Lacazette,
Welbeck

Referee: Jonathan Moss

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West Ham United Coaching Association Launches
WHUFC.com

West Ham United's Academy has launched an Official Coaching Association,
giving coaches the perfect opportunity to utilise the vast experience inside
the Academy of Football, whilst creating a local coaching fraternity which
brings together the professional and grassroots game in a unique and
progressive manner.

Headed up by our Academy Director Terry Westley, the West Ham United
Official Coaching Association brings together local grassroots coaches to
experience best practice sessions from elite Hammers coaching staff,
including former England U21 manager Stuart Pearce, alongside leading guest
figures within the elite sporting industry.

Endorsed by the FA, the association will offer quarterly learning events for
coaches at the famed Academy of Football, Chadwell Heath, where visionary
coaches in the game such as Ron Greenwood and John Lyall developed a string
of Hammers legends, including Bobby Moore, Sir Geoff Hurst, Sir Trevor
Brooking, and in more recent times Premier League winners Rio Ferdinand,
Frank Lampard, Michael Carrick and Joe Cole.

Join the Coaching Association here
These coaching seminars will give coaches the chance to learn in an
informative, interactive environment and will be led by professionals with
vast experience in the sporting industry, whilst also enabling coaches to
share best practice methods and widen their knowledge base.

Regardless of the coach's level, all members of the Association will gain
key insights into building and implementing a coaching philosophy, further
aiding your players' development.

Annual Subscription will also include monthly coaching-led digital content,
a pre-booked place at all four events, exclusive coaching materials and
learning aids.

Places in the association are limited to 100 coaches, so hurry to secure
your place among the most forward-thinking coaches in the area.

Membership of the association will not only give you access to the
experience of professionals operating at the highest level of professional
sport, but also open up a potential pathway to the Academy for your players.

West Ham United Academy Director Terry Westley said: "The West Ham United
Official Coaching Association offers an unmissable chance for local coaches
to access the world class resources available to us as a Premier League
football club.

"As a member of the association, coaches will have learning opportunities
unavailable elsewhere, giving them the tools to take their players to the
next level.

"The benefits for the Club are also clear, as we will be opening up an even
bigger pathway for elite local talent to our world famous Academy, so
membership of the Official Coaching Association will help raise standards
for coaches, players and the Club.

Click here to sign up today, for an annual fee of just £80 or alternatively
book onto any of quarterly events priced at £30 per session.

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Noble: We cannot allow our level to drop at all against Arsenal
WHUFC.com

Mark Noble is determined to lead West Ham United to another vital Premier
League victory at London Stadium. The Club captain was in inspirational form
in Saturday's 1-0 win over champions over Chelsea. Not only did the No16 run
an astounding game-high 12.77km, but he also made more passes in the
opposition half than any other Hammer, won three tackles, made two
clearances, two interceptions and regained possession for his team six
times. A repeat performance when Arsenal visit Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
is top of Noble's agenda for Wednesday evening. "We go into the game with
growing confidence after beating Chelsea here on Saturday, but we cannot
allow our level to drop at all against another top team," he wrote in his
Official Programme column. "I said after the game at the weekend that some
people need to realise that we are not 'parking the bus', which is a lazy
cliché, but that we don't have the spending power or the overall quality of
the very biggest teams like Chelsea and Arsenal, so we have to find a
different way to even it up or, on a good day, beat them."

Noble, who earned his Club-record 100th Premier League victory in Claret and
Blue at the weekend, has seen it all during his 13-year career. It is in
circumstances like the present, with his boyhood team fighting for their
top-flight future, that the man appointed skipper two-and-a-half seasons ago
stands tallest. "At times like this, I relish my role as captain of this
football club, my football club," he confirmed. "I've been playing in the
Premier League for more than a decade now and have given my life to this
Club, as this Club has given me my life and career, so I'm going to do as I
always have done and give absolutely everything. "I'm not going to sulk or
chuck my toys out of the pram if I'm not playing every minute of every game.
My job is to look after the changing room and make sure the boys are happy,
creating a positive environment in which we can thrive. "Every player
understands what the manager is trying to do here. We are all professionals
and accept his decisions for the good of the team and the good of the Club,
and that's what every player has done. "That is the approach we need to take
to get out of the mess we find ourselves in, and Saturday showed what that
approach can achieve. "We need to start tonight's game as we started against
Chelsea, on the front foot, full of energy and purpose, not allowing our
opponents to settle. "We've got another battle ahead of us, but we're at
home and the crowd will be behind us for sure and, if we can get another
three points, that would be massive."

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West Ham Ladies 13-0 Margate: Ray 'couldn't be prouder' of players
WHUFC.com

West Ham United Ladies general manager Karen Ray has expressed her pride at
the intensity, commitment and effort shown by her side in the 13-0 victory
against Margate. Four goals apiece from Ellie Zoepfl and Amber Stobbs, as
well as braces from Rosie Kmita and Andria Georgiou and a finish by Zoe
Swift earned the Hammers an unforgettable win at Hartsdown Park. Having led
4-0 at half-time, the Irons refused to take their foot off the pedal and
proceeded to net another nine times in the second period. And Ray – taking
charge of her first match as interim first team manager – could not be more
pleased with what she saw from the team. "Midweek away games are always
tough," Ray told whufc.com. "Players have full time jobs so driving two
hours after a long day at work can make it hard to focus. However, we can't
fault the effort and intensity they demonstrated. "This win was all about
the players. They deserved to earn themselves a convincing result. The staff
and I couldn't be prouder of the reaction showed after a tough few weeks.
They dug deep, rallied around each other and played some beautiful
football."
Ray singled out new signing Zoepfl for praise after the American gave what
was arguably her most complete performance since joining the Hammers. The
24-year-old netted four times and was a constant threat to the Margate
defence, and Ray has praised Zoepfl's versatility as well as the creativity
of her entire team. She continued: "If you look at the type of goals we
scored, they're not all the same. We showed our ability to be creative and
relentless in the final third. "Ellie showed how versatile she is; not only
posing a threat in attacking areas by linking up well with the midfielders
but also making runs in behind. A side to her game we hadn't yet had a
chance to see. "I thought we used the pitch really well and made it tough
for Margate to have any possession - winning the ball back early and then
working through their lines quickly making it difficult for them. The second
half we didn't take our foot off the gas and total credit to the players.
You could see the confidence in their performance."

Attention now turns to the league contest against Crystal Palace on Sunday
at Rush Green. Palace currently sit fourth in the Women's Premier League
Southern Division and have proven to be a tricky test this campaign. But Ray
is confident her side have the talent and belief to best this Eagles this
weekend. Ray added: "Our focus now switches to Crystal Palace on Sunday, who
will pose a very different threat. It's tough to only have one training
session to prepare but I believe in this team and their desire to pick up
points."

Sunday's Ladies match with Crystal Palace kicks off at 2pm at the Rush Green
Training Facility, and West Ham United season ticket holders and Claret
Members can attend this fixture for free!
Fans under the age of 16 can also watch the Ladies play the Eagles for free
this Sunday, while general admittance is just £2!

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In their words: The 1980 FA Cup winners
WHUFC.com

On May 10 1980 West Ham United, then of the Second Division, bested First
Division side Arsenal in the final of the FA Cup. A rare Trevor Brooking
header gave the Hammers the victory, and a third FA Cup win, as the Irons
bested a Gunners side that had won the previous two finals. Ahead of
Wednesday's clash with the Gunners, the players from that unforgettable day
take a look back at one of the stand-out matches in West Ham history...

Sir Trevor Brooking

The only goalscorer on the day, Brooking found the back of the net with a
rare header in the 13th minute to give the Irons the 1-0 win over Arsenal.
The result was Brooking's second FA Cup with West Ham, having also been in
the team for the 1975 final victory. "I know I wasn't noted for my heading,"
Brooking told the Standard. "Some think that Stuart Pearson's cross simply
hit me on the head and bounced in. It wasn't quite like that. "Stuart
dragged the ball across the face of the goal. I saw it coming my way and had
I stood upright it would have missed me. But I leaned back to put myself in
line with the ball. I made contact with my head and tried to steer it into
the net. At the time - it was the 13th minute - I didn't imagine it would be
the winning goal. "It was one of the great moments of my career. To play in
a Cup Final was a massive event but to score made it really memorable."

Brooking also fondly recalls the celebrations that followed the match, in
particular the parade that took place the next day, where over 200,000
supporters turned out to congratulate the West Ham players. He told BBC
Sport: "The parade is always a bit special because by then you have had 24
hours to enjoy it. We picked up the open-top bus at Stratford Broadway and
then took a route to get us to East Ham town hall, a few miles away. "It
took us more than a couple of hours to get there - they estimated that more
than 200,000 people lined the streets. "The old east end did know how to
celebrate and people had come out from hospitals so you could see various
patients and babies being held up and crying their eyes out. The atmosphere
was fantastic on that Sunday because winning a match like that against
Arsenal was something the east end wanted to celebrate. It is something I
will always remember."

Billy Bonds


Having already captained the Hammers to the 1975 Cup win, Billy Bonds once
again got the illustrious honour of hoisting the FA Cup trophy into the air
in 1980 after the win against Arsenal. "We didn't really go into the game
thinking we were underdogs because, although we were a second division side,
we had a lot of very good players in that team," Bonds recalled to BBC
Sport. "If you look through that team a lot of them became legends at the
club."

When asked about the party after the match Bonds responded: "Do I remember
much about the celebrations? No, not really, apart from that I had to put
our coach Ernie Gregory and physio Rob Jenkins to bed early because they had
both drunk too much out of the Cup."

Alvin Martin

Alvin Martin spent 21 years on the books at West Ham United, but undoubtedly
the highlight in his 598 games for the Club came in 1980, with the defender
a key cog in the 1-0 FA Cup win. Martin is full of praise for the
performance of goalscorer Brooking, remembering that his efforts were
partially down to some criticism he had received from a notable name in
football. "I think I've only looked at that game once, maybe twice," Martin
admitted to the Guardian. "But when you're involved in the game you don't
get a clear perception of it. You have certain memories like the final
whistle, but I looked at the game and I've never seen him [Trevor Brooking]
work so hard in the middle. "That was probably in part due to the criticism
he got from Brian Clough, who had a pop at him prior to the game. Trevor
went out there on a mission. He didn't just create, he worked as hard as any
player I've seen on that day."

Martin continued: "On our day, we knew we could beat anybody. John Lyall was
in the middle of a rebuilding programme. He'd brought Ray Stewart in, Alan
Devonshire and I had made an impact and it was a team that was full of
internationals. As far as I'm concerned, Billy Bonds should have had 50
caps. He only got one and that was down to injury. "Trevor Brooking was a
class performer. We had Frank Lampard. We just struggled for consistency,
but the FA Cup wasn't about consistency. But coming to the final, you know
you're up against it because that was a good Arsenal side."

Alan Devonshire

It was thanks to Alan Devonshire that West Ham reached the FA Cup final in
1980, with the midfielder scoring in the 2-1 win over Everton in the
semi-final replay.
"It was a great day," he told TheFA.com on the final against Arsenal. "I
remember it being very hot and that we were quietly confident. "When we went
on the pre-match walkabout we were in a good mood, and I remember when the
Arsenal players came out they looked very pensive and as if they had the
weight of the world on their shoulders." "We fancied our chances big time.
We started brightly and scored early. From then it was quite comfortable, I
think they only had one or two shots for the whole game. "It was a great
day. Playing in front of 100,000 people in an FA Cup Final, it's what
everyone dreams about as a kid. I was lucky enough to do it and get the win
as well."

John Lyall

Arguably the most illustrious manager in West Ham history, John Lyall
claimed two FA Cups during his tenure as the Hammers boss and also guided
the Club to the final of the European Cup Winners Cup, the League Cup and
winners of the Second Division in 1980/81. Writing a newspaper column the
day after the famous FA Cup win of 1980, Lyall said: "There's an adage I'll
always go along with: 'To be successful you have to take chances.' The
soccer fans wants to be excited by men like Trevor Brooking and Alan
Devonshire. "I'm just delighted for those wonderful fans of ours. We gave
them the opportunity for a typical East London knees-up."

Lyall sadly passed away, at just 66-years-old, in April 2006 after suffering
a heart attack. The legendary manager's legacy is remembered by West Ham
United with the famous gates at the Boleyn Ground renamed 'The John Lyall
Gates' in 2009.

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Stadium losing £190,000 per match, say LLDC
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 13th December 2017
By: Staff Writer

The LLDC have admitted that the Olympic Stadium loses a small fortune every
time West Ham United play a match there. The shocking revelation was just
one of many made at a London Assembly Budget Monitoring Sub-Committee
meeting this afternoon, chaired by Gareth Bacon, leader of the LA
Conservatives. Bacon, 45, took the London Legacy Development Corporation to
task on several accounts regarding their relationship with West Ham - with
the corporation's Gerry Murphy bearing the brunt of the questioning and
criticism.

In addition to the huge losses encountered every match day, Murphy revealed
that the LLDC has refused to sanction an increased capacity until West Ham
agreed to increase their contribution to the stadium costs. Currently
capped at 57,000, the club have seen bids to raise capacity to 60,000 and
66,000 rejected as a result of the LLDC's stance - and Murphy confirmed that
further legal action would be necessary in order to determine the outcome.
"The concession agreement talks about minimum seating," she said. "There are
more seats available in the stadium, however in order to activate those
seats it would cost E20 additional operating costs. "There is a dispute
with West Ham about what the contract says in terms of capacity. West Ham
have said they absolutely want to increase capacity to 60,000, and further
increase the capaity to 66,000. "LLDC and E20 disagrees with their
interpretation of the contract. We feel that if West Ham want to enjoy more
seats then they should commensurately pay more - and that's the gist of the
disagreement between us which is subject to legal proceedings. "We have had
a number of discussion with West Ham about capacity. Of course it would be
good for us to have higher capacity, if we would get a share of that revenue
- but that is not what West Ham propose."

Murphy, who insisted that "West Ham have a great deal" also revealed that
the cost of moving seats from to and from football mode, initially budgeted
at £50,000 per annum was in the region of £12million last year, largely as a
result of the stadium hosting the World Athletics Championships. "We have
been looking at the overall efficacy of the seating system and there are a
number of proposals for replacing elements of the seating," she added. "They
are in concept design at the moment. "We expect to see some proposals come
forward in the first quarter of next year which may also allow us to reduce
the seat move costs. I think we've gone some way already with configurations
and some minor amendments of the existing system and there is also a review
of the seating system and to see whether there are other things we can do to
substantially improve."

And asked by Bacon why the LLDC hadn't entered discussion with West Ham with
regard to making the stadium more profitable, Murphy insisted that the club
would be heavily involved with their future plans. "We will be talking to
West Ham about all those things, "she replied. "We talk to West Ham all of
the time. We are developing a commercial strategy and West Ham will be part
of that development."

To which Bacon replied: "It doesn't feel like a partnership arrangement from
what I'm hearing today. Partners who are supposed to be working together
don't sue each other."

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Arsenal's Jack Wilshere interests West Ham boss David Moyes
Last Updated: 13/12/17 12:01am
SSN

West Ham boss David Moyes has admitted he would be interested in signing
Jack Wilshere in January if the Arsenal midfielder is made available.
Wilshere has been largely limited to Europa League appearances and the
occasional substitute role in the Premier League for the Gunners this
season. But the 25-year-old, who has six months left on his contract, is in
line to start against West Ham on Wednesday due to an injury to Aaron
Ramsey. Moyes, who believes the January transfer window is vital if West Ham
are to climb away from relegation trouble, said: "Jack Wilshere would be
someone who we'd have to look at if he was available. "I also want to make
sure we're looking at players who can be at the club for a long period and
not just in for a short period. "Then there's also the short-term fix for me
which is how do we get enough wins between now and the end of the season?
There's a balance between that. "That's why those decisions will have to be
mutually taken with [head of recruitment] Tony Henry, the chairman and
myself to make the right deals. "I've got an idea of where I need to
strengthen. We've already said there's a little bit of an imbalance but that
can happen at football clubs. "Could January be the difference between
staying up and going down? I do believe it could. "I think if the right
players are available we should try and do something. If we can get the
right players, that's the big part of it."
West Ham also expressed an interest in signing Arsenal forward Olivier
Giroud in the summer, but were unable to agree a deal. Moyes added: "We've
got a lot of strikers so I think for us to be linked to strikers at the
moment might not necessarily be the right thing. "But who knows? I think
Olivier Giroud is a talented footballer and has a record of scoring goals."

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http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Daily WHUFC News - 13th December 2017

West Ham United v Arsenal: All you need to know

Having bested Chelsea in the last match, West Ham United return to action just a couple of days later against Arsenal on Wednesday.

Read on for all the information you need ahead of this midweek fixture!

Where and when?

West Ham United will welcome Arsenal to London Stadium on Wednesday 13 December 2017, with kick-off scheduled for 8pm.

How to follow:

West Ham United v Arsenal will be shown live on BT Sport 1 and BT Sport 4k UHD, with coverage beginning at 7:15pm.
Live match updates will be provided through the official West Ham Twitter account.
You can also follow the game live via our Matchday Blog on whufc.com.
You can also follow the match on our official Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat channels.

Meet the opposition:

Team news:

David Moyes will offer an update on his team selection when he faces the media on Tuesday afternoon at Rush Green for his press conference.

The press conference is set to begin at 1.30pm on Tuesday.

What they say:
Now it's a busy month and we're going to have a game every three days so it's going to be hard. I'm going to work hard to make sure I'm ready for Wednesday!
Marko Arnautovic

Match Officials:

Referee: Jonathan Moss
Assistant Referees: Eddie Smart and Harry Lennard
Fourth Official: Craig Pawson
Last five meetings:
0:39

How to get there:
There are four Underground stations that supporters should utilise to reach London Stadium: Stratford Station, Stratford International, Hackney Wick and Pudding Mill Lane. All four are expected to be running with decent service on matchday.
By Train

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Betway Insider's View of the Opposition: Arsenal
WHUFC.com

Having recorded a brilliant 1-0 win over champions Chelsea on Saturday, West Ham will be confident of another upset when they host Arsenal on Tuesday night. The Gunners head to London Stadium on the back of a disappointing draw at Southampton, and will need to improve upon their recent performances away from home to have a chance of beating the Hammers, who look resolute and organised under David Moyes. Arsene Wenger's side have only won two of their eight Premier League away games this season, and they've already been beaten by Stoke, Liverpool, Watford and Manchester City on their travels.
They could be susceptible to a slow start against West Ham, given that they conceded after just 127 seconds against Southampton on Sunday and let in two goals in 11 minutes in their previous game against Manchester United. The Hammers broke the deadlock against Chelsea after just six minutes on Saturday, and that was the third time that they've scored in the first half in their last four games. There have been at least three goals scored in 10 of the last 11 meetings between these two sides, and it's safe to expect another high-scoring game on Tuesday night, given how open Arsenal have been this season.
The north Londoners are among the league's highest scorers with 30 goals in 16 games, but they've also let in eight in their last five away from home.
Shkodran Mustafi is likely to miss the game, leaving Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker to start alongside Nacho Monreal in the Arsenal back three.
To have a chance of taking all three points, West Ham will need to take advantage of that defensive fragility and build a healthy lead, given Arsenal's knack of scoring late goals. Olivier Giroud's 88th-minute equaliser at St Mary's was the Gunners' seventh goal in the final 10 minutes of matches this season, and they've notched three injury-time strikes in their last four away games in the league.

Recommended bets

West Ham to score in first half – 13/8
Arsenal to score between 76-90 mins – 8/5
Over 2.5 goals – 7/10

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Moyes: Enjoying the job, getting more out of Marko and respect for Wenger
WHUFC.com

David Moyes enjoyed speaking to the broadcast media ahead of Wednesday's Premier League derby with Arsenal at London Stadium. The West Ham United manager was all smiles after recording his first win as Hammers boss against champions Chelsea at the weekend. Now, with match-winner Marko Arnautovic returning to his best form, Moyes is relishing the midweek clash with old foe Arsene Wenger and the Gunners...

I enjoy that winning feeling

Saturday's win over Chelsea was my first as West Ham United manager and was certainly what I wanted from the game, and what the team wanted.
I could sense the team's attitude was improving all the time and we are having to change a few things around so, at the end of the game, it was a brilliant result for us to beat Chelsea at home. Chelsea had gone eight games unbeaten and had a really great record, so I'd have to say it was a great result for us and, in the end, hopefully it's a valuable three points come the end of the season. I don't know if there was a gloom when I took over, but I certainly arrived to work with a team that had struggled to win any games. I have to say I've really enjoyed my time here and I'm really enjoying coaching and working with them.
What I really enjoy is winning and I got a great win on Saturday to go with how I'm feeling!

Marko's form shows players are taking responsibility

People have commented positively about the form of Marko Arnautovic in recent matches. Ultimately, Marko has come as a big signing with big expectation here. Everybody knows he is a really good player, he was a really good player at Stoke City, maybe of a type, and we had to make sure we got at least out of him what he showed at Stoke City, and if we can get any more than even better. We've told the players we need to work a bit harder and play more together as a team and, if we do that will help us get results.
Am I more ruthless as a manager now than I have been in my previous roles? I could possibly say that but it's always been my style. Players have changed and sometimes they can't take it when they're getting it. In days gone by you'd hear all about hairdryers and all that, but the players are less and less accepting of that nowadays! I've had no real need to be ruthless since I've come to West Ham, though, because the players are giving great effort. If they didn't get their effort right, I'd certainly let them know. I said to the players when I came in, 'Don't be telling me at lunchtime that you're working too hard' because before it was down to them perhaps not doing enough. Players have to take a bit of responsibility as well.

We'll have to work hard to keep Arsenal out

If you talk about Arsenal, they're a really good football team with excellent players in their side, but we need to find a way of getting a result. That's what we have to do here at West Ham. We're in a run of really difficult games. We picked up three vital points on Saturday and we're aware of Arsenal's qualities and, if we can score another early goal, we'll be thrilled.
Arsene Wenger has had great longevity and his energy to keep doing the job in a really difficult time for football coaches to be in a job so long, he's done a brilliant job at Arsenal over the years and I respect him for the work he does. I want to beat his Arsenal teams every time I play them but I have to admire anybody who can put that amount of effort and energy into one club. I really like Aaron Ramsey and it will undoubtedly be to Arsenal's detriment if he is not available for Wednesday's game. I tried to sign him for Everton before he went to Arsenal and he's turned out to be a terrific player, as everybody knows.
Jack Wilshere is also an excellent footballer, but maybe had a few injury problems have kept him back a little bit. I'm not an expert on Arsenal and I couldn't tell you if they are a better side with Aaron Ramsey or Jack Wilshere, but whoever will be play will be good players. Olivier Giroud scored against me last year at Sunderland. He's important for Arsenal and gives them another option, but who knows if he'll start after he scored off the bench on Sunday?
Overall, they've got good forwards and a good team and we'll have to work hard to keep them out.

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Team news: Kouyate back in training, Chicharito and Carroll getting fitter
WHUFC.com

David Moyes could name an unchanged starting XI for West Ham United's Premier League derby with Arsenal on Wednesday.
The manager reported a clean bill of health from his team following Saturday's outstanding 1-0 victory over champions Chelsea, with Michail Antonio fit for selection after being forced off through sheer exhaustion against the Blues. Fellow forwards Chicharito and Andy Carroll are getting fitter as they continue their respective returns from injury, while midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate has returned to full training after missing the weekend win with a knock picked up at Manchester City. Only Swiss midfielder Edimilson Fernandes, who was an unused substitute at the weekend, looks set to miss the visit of the Gunners after suffering an ankle injury in training on Monday. "Cheikhou has returned a little bit to training, so we're hoping we can get him back quite quickly," Moyes told broadcasters at his pre-match press conference. "Obviously Chicharito and Andy Carroll were back on the bench at the weekend. "James Collins is coming on a little bit as well, but he won't be ready for the game. We've got a couple of long-termers [in Sam Byram and Jose Fonte], so we're pretty much as we were, really."The only one who is a little doubt is Edi Fernandes, who hurt his ankle in training. That's it."

The manager was also asked about the goalkeeping situation and responded by saying that, while Adrian is the man in possession of the gloves for now, Joe Hart can expect to be called upon again as the season progresses. Moyes also dismissed speculation that the England international's loan deal might be terminated in January. "I'm sure Joe has been No1 throughout his career, wherever he has been, and there has been somebody else who has worked alongside him. "At this moment in time, Adrian went in goal at Man City and played well and he did so again on Saturday. I am sure Joe will give Adrian all the respect from that position. "Joe is good in the dressing room, he's a really good guy and his level experience and the games and competitions he has played in are important for us and I can tell you now that he'll play a lot of games for West Ham between now and the end of the season. "I hope Adrian keeps playing well, but there will be games for Joe. Adrian is going to have to play well. I'm really pleased I have two good goalkeepers and them to be competitive. Joe is here and if I'm correct I don't think his loan contract allows him to go back anyway."My job is to pick the West Ham team and not pick the England team. Gareth Southgate is a really good coach and he'll know exactly what he wants."

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Antonio: West Ham fans have important role to play vs Arsenal
WHUFC.com

Michail Antonio has hailed the support the West Ham United fans offer the team and has called on them to play an 'important role' in Wednesday's Premier League clash with Arsenal. London Stadium omitted a thunderous noise on Saturday as supporters cheered the Hammers on to an impressive 1-0 victory over reigning Champions Chelsea, while the backing in recent matches against Leicester City and Manchester City has also been praised by manager David Moyes and other first team players. Antonio has added his voice to the list of individuals who have noted the incredible support from the West Ham faithful, revealing that the support serves as inspiration to himself and his teammates. The 27-year-old has called on the fans to again bring the noise against Arsenal, to push the Irons on to another victory.
When asked about the fans' support Antonio said: "It's massive. It gives us the extra 10% we need. We're out there and we're building. We've not been winning games so our confidence has been a bit low, so the fans being behind us gives us that lift, that extra boost, to go out there and run more and do more. "It's another London derby on Wednesday and the fans will have another important role to play – to make sure we can really hear them!"
The Hammers were hailed for their efforts in the victory against Chelsea but Antonio reckons that the bar was set in the trip to the Etihad Stadium a week prior. "I think we set the bar against Manchester City," Antonio added. "We showed we can press and can be in a game against the best. They are top of the league by eleven points and we've held them until 80-odds minutes. We showed our resiliency and then we've gone and beat the Champions. "We've set the bar and we don't want to drop the standards below it. We believe we can go out there, and as long as we have the work-rate, the fans are behind us, we can do it."
West Ham were on the receiving end of a pair of defeats at the hand of Arsenal last season but Antonio insists that it's not about what the Gunners can do, but what West Ham can instead do to Arsene Wenger's side. And the versatile forward is confident that he and his teammates will have a gameplan that can halt the north London side. He added: "It's not about what they do, it's about what we can do to them. That's exactly the thing we were concentrating on against City and what we were thinking about against Chelsea. "Everything we thought we could do to them, it worked for us, so we will have our game plan against Arsenal and we think it will work for us."

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Pearce: Competition between Adrian and Joe Hart is healthy for the Hammers
WHUFC.com

Stuart Pearce says competition for the No1 goalkeeping position between Adrian and Joe Hart can only be healthy for West Ham United. The Spaniard and England international have been vying for the starting spot in David Moyes' side in recent weeks, with Adrian replacing Hart when the latter's loan ruled in ineligible for the recent trip to Manchester City. The two-time Hammer of the Year runner-up produced a fine display at the Etihad Stadium and kept his place for Saturday's 1-0 win over Premier League champions Chelsea, with Hart making do with a place on the substitutes' bench.
Pearce, who handed a then-teenage Hart his Manchester City debut back in 2006 and later took him to two UEFA European Championship finals with England U21s, said the 30-year-old reacted positively to his demotion and expects him to fight hard to win a starting place back. At the same time, the coaching assistant believes Adrian will give everything to retain his current position in Moyes' XI "Firstly, I think the criticism he got, he's thought everyone in the team has got to take a responsibility when the team concedes goals," Pearce told BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club. "He's been left very, very open. I covered a few games before I went in at West Ham and he's been left very vulnerable, there's no doubt about that. "I've got to say that we're in a situation here, like every other club, where everyone is competing for the jersey. I know Joe very well obviously from my time at City and England and he's the type of character who will roll his sleeves up. "We want two goalkeepers at this football club, at least, with a young goalkeeper pushing them as well, vying for the No1 jersey.
"I think Adrian played extremely well at Man City, and Joe wasn't dropped for that game obviously, because the loan situation meant he couldn't play, but every football club knows that competition for places is healthy and Joe knows he has to roll his sleeves up and fight to get his place back at club level, and also to keep his England place for the summer."

Speaking more generally about West Ham's improved resilience and physical output in their last two matches, Pearce says the squad as a whole have responded to the demand for hard work and intensity in every single training session. "David has asked them to up their performance, both on the training pitch and in matches as well and you've only got to look at the body language of Michail Antonio and Marko Arnatovic, as they put some miles in during the game on Saturday," he observed. "If you don't do that in this division, you're not going to win games. If you're one of the top six teams, you can turn up and play at 95 per cent and still win a game, but if you're not one of the top six, you've got to be flat out and more each week."

On Wednesday, West Ham face their third consecutive fixture against one of those 'top six' clubs, when they welcome Arsenal to London Stadium. And the England great and former Hammers defender expects the home side to produce another organised, disciplined and hard-working display against Arsene Wenger's talented Gunners. While some groups of players may resent being told to 'work hard first, express yourself second', Pearce says the West Ham squad have responded overwhelmingly positively to Moyes' message. "I think they can when they see results in terms of their performance and the results they get from that, if you like. "They have got to see that 'Hang on, the way you are asking me to play as an individual is getting the best out of me and the best out of the team' and the best way of doing that is through performances. There has been a decent feel-good factor around the last two performances, no doubt about that."

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Ogbonna: We need to focus for Arsenal test
WHUFC.com

Angelo Ogbonna is calling for more of the same when West Ham United take on Arsenal in their second London derby of the week on Wednesday. The Hammers saw off the challenge of Chelsea with a terrific performance at the weekend, protecting the lead given to them by Marko Arnautovic's early goal with aplomb to shut out the Premier League champions. That came hot on the heels of a similarly solid display at Manchester City, which could have yielded more than a 2-1 loss for the visitors, and Ogbonna says that level of focus is required again when the Gunners come to town. "We are already confident – we did really well against Manchester City," the defender said. "We didn't get any points that day, but we deserved the result against Chelsea. "We are looking at the present, not at what happened today or yesterday. We have to concentrate and step ahead again [when we play Arsenal]. "We did a really great job against Chelsea, not just in defending but for everyone. The way Michail Antonio ran in behind was fantastic for us, and for me personally, it was a huge game."We'll need the fans with us too, like they always are. We saw great support from the fans against Leicester and Chelsea and it's really important to have them behind us."

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West Ham United v Arsenal
WED 13 DEC 2017PREMIER LEAGUE
20:00
Venue: London Stadium
BBC.co.uk

TEAM NEWS

West Ham forward Javier Hernandez was an unused substitute at the weekend but could feature after five weeks out with a hamstring injury. Cheikhou Kouyate could return after a hamstring problem while Edimilson Fernandes's ankle will be assessed.

Arsenal will be without Aaron Ramsey, who sustained a hamstring injury in the weekend draw with Southampton. Shkodran Mustafi remains sidelined with a thigh problem while Santi Cazorla is a long-term injury absentee.

MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES

Steve Bower: "Two weeks ago this looked a very different fixture. West Ham had just conceded four at Goodison Park and were seven games without a league win, while Arsenal had routinely put five past Huddersfield to stay in touch with the top four. "Since then, West Ham have pushed the leaders all the way and unexpectedly beaten the champions, but Arsenal have only picked up a point from their last two games and began the week out of the Champions League places. "The question now is whether the Hammers can use the win over Chelsea as a springboard to upset another of the big boys? "Saturday's win will provide a huge injection of belief and, after the weekend draw at Southampton, Arsenal will be fully aware of the need to get back on track."

Twitter: @SteveBowerComm

WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY

West Ham manager David Moyes on Adrian playing instead of Joe Hart: "There will be games for Joe and Adrian is going to have to play well. I'm lucky to have two good goalkeepers and at the moment Adrian has got the jersey. "My job is to pick the West Ham team, not to pick the England team."

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger: "West Ham were unlucky against Manchester City and will be confident after Chelsea. They will be a tricky opponent."

LAWRO'S PREDICTION

I am backing West Ham to get something against an Arsenal team who started slowly against Southampton on Sunday and ended up dropping more points.

Prediction: 1-1

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

West Ham's only win in the past 19 competitive meetings came at the Emirates Stadium in August 2015 (D3, L15).
The Hammers haven't beaten Arsenal at home in nine league games since a 1-0 win in 2006, when substitute Marlon Harewood scored a last-minute winner (D2, L7).
The last three top-flight games between these sides have produced 15 goals. Arsenal were 5-1 winners at the London Stadium last December, with Alexis Sanchez scoring a hat-trick.
West Ham United

The Hammers earned their first league win in nine attempts by beating Chelsea on Saturday (D3, L5).
It was also David Moyes' first victory in his fifth game in charge.
This will be an unprecedented 42nd consecutive Premier League matchday in which a team led by Moyes has started in the relegation zone.
West Ham's three Premier League wins have all come at home, having also beaten Huddersfield and Swansea.
The Hammers are aiming to win home matches against both Chelsea and Arsenal in the same season for the first time since 1986-87.
Arsenal

Arsenal have won just two of their eight top-flight away matches this season (D2, L4).
They have conceded 32 Premier League away goals in 2017. Only West Ham (35), Stoke and Watford (33 each) have let in more.
The Gunners could go three league games without a win for the first time since April.
Nine of Arsenal's 11 defeats in 2017 have come away from home.
Mesut Ozil has scored in his last three Premier League games against West Ham.

SAM's verdict
Most probable score: 0-1 Probability of draw: 23%
Probability of home win: 18% Probability of away win: 59%
SAM (Sports Analytics Machine) is a super-computer created by @ProfIanMcHale at the University of Liverpool that is used to predict the outcome of football matches.

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West Ham: Why has London Stadium move been so problematic?
By Simon Stone
BBC Sport

In May 2016, when West Ham were making their final preparations before completing their move to the London Stadium, co-owner David Sullivan addressed the thorny issue of leaving Upton Park. "Yes," he said, it was quite possible, indeed probable that "half of our fans don't want to move". But it would soon become apparent the decision was right, he insisted.
Citing modern transport links and better toilet facilities as obvious areas of improvement, Sullivan felt that, while not everything in their new home was perfect, particularly the distance from the main stand to the pitch, it would only take six months for supporters to be shown the wisdom of West Ham's momentous relocation This was the venue, after all, where Usain Bolt won three Olympic gold medals and Super Saturday became part of British sporting folklore. The transition is taking longer than Sullivan thought. West Ham are almost a season and a half into their settling-in period and it is fair to say no-one is entirely happy.

Rented offices and shuttle buses to the stadium

Part way through their debut campaign at the London Stadium, manager Slaven Bilic identified a problem. While the pitch size is a Premier League standard 105m x 68m, Bilic felt the green colour that surrounds it disorientated the players and made them feel the arena was bigger than it actually was.

Was it possible to have a different colour, he asked?

West Ham were willing to pay the £250,000 estimated cost and they suggested claret, which would at least give the space, which is needed for athletics events but an oddity in a football stadium, a homely look. The answer from the organisation that runs the stadium, E20, came back that it was not possible. West Ham could have blue, which was in keeping with the London Olympic venue, but nothing else. They decided to keep things as they were. It is just one of the inherent frustrations West Ham, as tenants, have with the stadium.

Last summer, after Pablo Zabaleta completed his move from Manchester City, the normal welcoming pictures were done from the London Eye. That was because apart from their normal office space, West Ham could not use the London Stadium, which had been turned into a building site as it was being used by UK Athletics in the build-up to the World Championships.

Staff members using West Ham's stadium office could not park in the normal car park and were offered the use of shuttle buses to get them from the alternative parking area.

Last month, the Hammers had to pay to use the stadium for David Moyes' unveiling as their new manager.

When £50,000 spirals to £11.8m

On 1 December, London mayor Sadiq Khan announced he had taken control of the stadium following publication of a review that was hugely critical of previous administrations. The review calculated that the stadium will lose £24m during the 2017-18 season. This deficit is largely due to a business plan that has proved to be wholly inadequate.

Turning the stadium into a football venue after the Olympics cost £323m rather than the projected £190m, which the review regarded as "unrealistic". In their own early bid to take over the running of the venue, Tottenham Hotspur said it would cost around £320m to knock the Olympic Stadium down and build a football-specific one on the same site.

Changing the seating arrangement for the 2017 World Athletics Championships and putting it back again was £11.8m. The initial budget from March 2013 had been £50,000. In business plans as recent as March 2016, the cost was budgeted at £300,000 even though the tender for the work exceeded £1m. The mayor's office has pledged to speak with West Ham and UK Athletics in a bid to "address flaws in the existing arrangements", reduce their own costs and make the stadium financially viable.

Toilets and tea - fans' goodwill disappearing fast

On Saturday, West Ham beat London rivals Chelsea 1-0. Along with a similar success against Tottenham in May, it was one of the few high spots since the club moved out of Upton Park. A crowd of 56,953 proved that, contrary to popular belief, the stadium is capable of generating a positive atmosphere. Yet the underlying view remains a negative one.

Mark Walker, interim chairman of the West Ham United Independent Supporters' Association, said that rather than getting used to their new surroundings, the opposite is now true. "A lot of the goodwill from before we moved in has been lost," he said. "Fans feel it has not lived up to the expectations or promises that were made."The transport links are not as good as anticipated. The distance between the pitch and the stands is too big. "The fans who sit at the back of the upper tier of the stand have no toilet. They can't get a cup of tea. "The idea of going into a new stadium was to attract more fans. For that to happen, you need success on the pitch, and results have been woeful. We are still third from bottom even after a tremendous result like beating Chelsea. If we lose to Arsenal on Wednesday and Stoke at the weekend, we could be bottom by Christmas."

'Upton Park wasn't the Upton Park of years ago'

Ken Dyer has been watching West Ham since the 1950s, first as a young boy with his dad, then as a highly-respected journalist for the London Evening Standard.
Dyer always felt moving away from such an iconic stadium as Upton Park would be fraught with difficulties, both emotional and physical. However, he does not feel the club had much choice given how top-flight football in England has evolved into far more than a Saturday afternoon out for a local fan. He said: "Upton Park is part of my life. It was a wrench to leave, like leaving a home you have been in for 40 years. "If you wanted an experience that was almost 100% different to Upton Park, this would be it, even though it is only three miles down the road. "But Upton Park wasn't the Upton Park I remember from years ago. It had lost a bit of its atmosphere. Most grounds have over the years. "There are fans, younger ones with families, who find the facilities at the London Stadium are so much better. "Gradually it is starting to feel like home. But sometimes it has been two steps forward and three back. It has taken a long time and they are not there yet."

Stuart Pearce returned to West Ham last month as assistant manager, rejoining a club he played for between 1999 and 2001. "It does feel like a different club," he said. "In many ways football clubs don't change their DNA. That comes from the terraces, the fans and the long-serving staff. "Lots of us in football have this rose-tinted vision of what things used to be like. But make no mistake, only a fraction of it was like our memory tells us it was. "West Ham have got a fantastic stadium and I think it's important that we create history in that stadium. There's nothing to be gained for West Ham by saying 'it's not a football stadium'. All that does is benefit the other 19 teams in the Premier League. "What we have to do is say 'this is our home, let's create some fantastic memories'. The two games we've played there since I returned, against Leicester and Chelsea, the crowd have been brilliant."

What happens next?

It is impossible to argue West Ham did not negotiate a great deal when they struck an agreement to pay £2.5m for 25 "event days" per year. The stadium loses £2.25m simply by letting them play matches there due to costs such as stewarding, policing, catering and turnstile operation that they are responsible for.
It is understood West Ham are not unwilling to increase their overall contribution. However, as with any negotiation, they will only hand over more cash if it results in them getting greater flexibility in their use of the stadium and an ability to manipulate it into a venue that serves their purposes to a far greater degree than it does at the moment.
For their part, the mayor's office are not willing to publicly state what may be on the table as a bargaining tool at such an early stage of what are likely to become extensive negotiations. Sorting out the naming rights issue is an imperative, which is obvious from the review, and requires West Ham's involvement if revenues are going to be maximised. And all this against the backdrop of a potential relegation battle that, unless it is won, would be a financial catastrophe and turn the London Stadium into the biggest ground in the second tier since Manchester United were relegated in 1974.

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Merson unsure on unpredictable Hammers
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 12th December 2017
By: Staff Writer

Former Arsenal star and TV pundit Paul Merson believes West Ham can potentially upset the apple cart for a second time inside a week. Having beaten reigning champions Chelsea at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday lunchtime, Merson warned that David Moyes's side could repeat that feat by knocking the Gunners off their perch tomorrow night, when the two sides meet in the first of two encounters this month.
However he still backed his former side to come out on top - due to West Ham's 'obscene' effort in beating Antonio Conte's side. "West Ham are a bag of Revels," he said. "I watched them play at Everton, and they were absolutely slaughtered. "They were so poor. They then could have got a result at Man City - and then they beat Chelsea. "I still think Arsenal will win this, because Arsenal do have joy at West Ham. And they put so much into that win over Chelsea they might not have much left in the tank."
Arsenal, who failed to qualify for the Champions League last season go into the game fifth in the table, but in mixed form. A 6-0 Europa League win against Bate Borisov last week was sandwiched between a draw and Southampton and a home defeat against Manchester United - although Arsene Wenger's side enjoyed a run of four straight wins prior to that disappointment.

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Moyes: an(other) early goal could be key
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 12th December 2017
By: Staff Writer

David Moyes says that he would be delighted if West Ham could score another early goal against Arsenal tomorrow night - as they did against Chelsea last weekend.

Marko Arnautovic's seventh-minute strike was enough to win the Hammers all three points against the reigning champions last weekend - and Moyes admits he will be absolutely delighted if his team can get off to another flyer against the Gunners. "Arsenal, they're a really good team with excellent players," he said during his pre-match press conference at Rush Green. "We need to find a way of getting a result. If we can score another early goal, we'll be thrilled."

And the Hammers boss also predicted that his side would be in for a tough test, regardless of which particular eleven players opposite number Arsene Wenger decided to field. "I'm not an expert on Arsenal, but whoever plays will be good players," he added. "I tried to sign Aaron Ramsey for Everton before he went to Arsenal and he's turned out to be a terrific player. Jack Wilshere is also an excellent footballer, but maybe some of his injury problems have held him back. "Olivier Giroud scored against me last year at Sunderland. He's important for Arsenal and who knows if he'll start after he scored off the bench on Sunday? They've got good forwards and we'll have to work hard to keep them out. "Arsene Wenger's done a brilliant job over the years and I respect him for what he does. I want to beat his Arsenal teams every time, though, even though I admire what he has achieved there!" We'll have more for you from Moyes' pre-match presser later in the day.

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New arrivals imminent, promises Sullivan
KUMb.com
Filed: Tuesday, 12th December 2017
By: Staff Writer

West Ham United co-chairman David Sullivan has told West Ham supporters to expect "two or three" new arrivals in next month's transfer window.
Sullivan, writing for the Arsenal edition of the club's match day programme insists that David Moyes' squad is set to be improved by the new arrivals - although the manager is yet to determine which areas are in most need of a boost. "David [Moyes] is still weighing up the areas we are short in but you can be rest assured two or three players will be brought in to improve the team," writes Sullivan. "Before then, we have players available again after injury, with more set to return soon, too, so there is competition for places."

One area in which Moyes is thought to be keen to improve is in attack, with Diafra Sakho still determined to leave for pastures new and Andy Carroll no more reliable than he has ever been. That has resulted in West Ham being linked with the likes of Danny Ings (Liverpool) and Olivier Giroud (Arsenal), the latter potentially on loan for the remainder of the season. Moyes is also thought to be keen on signing a defensive midfielder to assist the likes of Pedro Obiang and Cheikhou Kouyate, the latter of whom has been unsettled at West Ham for some considerable time.

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Roll your sleeves up and fight, Pearce tells Hart
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 12th December 2017
By: Staff Writer

West Ham United coaching assistant Stuart Pearce has told England goalkeeper Joe Hart he has a fight on his hands to win back his starting spot. The experienced goalkeeper, who joined West Ham on a season-long loan last summer lost his place to Adrian against Chelsea last weekend having been forced to sit out the trip to parent club Manchester City the week before.
And Pearce, who returned to West Ham last month as part of David Moyes new regime has instructed Hart - who is desperate to regain his place in the team, with the World Cup Finals just six months away - to keep giving 100 per cent effort in training if he wishes to regain his first team spot. ""We want two goalkeepers at this football club, at least, vying for the #1 jersey," Pearce told whufc.com. "Joe knows he has to roll his sleeves up and fight to get his place back at club level, and also to keep his England place for the summer. "Adrian played extremely well at Man City - Joe wasn't dropped for that game - but every football club knows that competition for places is healthy. "We're in a situation here where everyone is competing for the jersey. I know Joe very well from my time at [Manchester] City and England and he's the type of character who will roll his sleeves up and fight to get his place back."
However Pearce defended the England stopper against recent criticism, insisting that West Ham's leaky defence was just as culpable for the team having the Premier League's worst defensive record. "He's been left very, very open," added Pearce. "I covered a few games before I went in at West Ham and he's been left very vulnerable, there's no doubt about that. As for the criticism he got, he thought everyone in the team has to take responsibility when the team concedes goals."
Meanwhile David Moyes, speaking in his pre-match press conference this afternoon insisted that there would be an opportunity for Hart to shine again - but insisted that his only priority was to pick the best team for West Ham. "I'm sure Joe will give Adrian all the respect from his position," he said. "He's good in the dressing room, his experience is important and he'll play a lot of games for West Ham between now and the end of the season. "I hope Adrian keeps playing well, but there will be games for Joe. I'm really pleased I have two good goalkeepers. Joe is here and if I'm correct I don't think his loan contract allows him to go back."My job is to pick the West Ham team and not the England team."

Tale of the tape: 2017/18 so far

Joe Hart
Played: 14 (Premier League 14, Carabao Cup 0)
Goals Conceded: 30
Average goals conceded per game: 2.14

Adrian San Miguel Del Castillo
Played: 5 (Premier League 2, Carabao Cup 3)
Goals Conceded: 4
Average goals conceded per game: 0.80

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Wenger wary of newly-confident West Ham
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 12th December 2017
By: Staff Writer

Arsene Wenger says his Arsenal side will face a game against a "condifent and dangerous" West Ham at the Olympic Stadium tomorrow night. Wenger, speaking to the media ahead of Arsenal's visit to the Olympic Stadium insisted that the Hammers would be full of enthusiasm and fresh resolve following their defeat of reigning champions Chelsea on Saturday. "It will be a tough test because they were unlucky against [Manchester] City and certainly built some confidence against Chelsea," he said. "So it will be a game against a West Ham team with more confidence who will be more dangerous as well. "They've also had 24 hours more recovery than us so that have a big advantage on that front. "They had a good manager before in [Slaven] Bilic, who did an excellent job. [David] Moyes has big experience to build them up again, he has shown that recently so I'm not surprised they're improving as he has big experience in the Premier League."

Wenger also revealed that he wasn't expecting a repeat of last season's corresponding fixture, when Arsenal ran out 5-1 winners. "At the time West Ham were a bit short of confidence - and we took advantage of that," he added. The Frenchman also confirmed that Arsenal will be without one or two key figures as the north London side attempt to keep within touching distance of the Premier League's front runners. "[Shkodran] Mustafi will not be back as the medical staff have decided that he's not completely ready, and we lost [Aaron] Ramsey against Southampton," he confirmed. "He will not be available for tomorrow's game. It's a hamstring injury, but not a big one. "Everybody else, apart from the long-term injury [to Santi Cazorla], looks available. We have tests this morning to see how they have recovered."

Wenger also confirmed that he was still considering rotating certain members of his squad, in order to keep them fresh for the busy Christmas period. "I have not made that decision completely so I will have to look first of all at how some players have recovered," he said. "We look at how much energy they spent, how they recover and after I make my decisions, adding to that the balance of the team."

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Call forth the spirit of Chelsea
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 12th December 2017
By: Staff Writer

Pablo Zabaleta says West Ham need to show the same desire and determination they did to beat Chelsea, when Arsenal visit the Olympic Stadium tomorrow night. Having put the Blues to the sword on Saturday afternoon, the Hammers have a chance to make it two derby wins out of two inside a week when the Gunners provide the next opposition at Stratford. And the Argentinian defender challenged his team mates to repeat that outstanding performance and produce a win that would almost certainly take West Ham out of the relegation zone. "We showed in the last two games that we are a good team with spirit, commitment and discipline," he told whufc.com. "We need to show that for 90 minutes. "Hopefully we can put another good performance in against Arsenal on Wednesday night. I'm sure the supporters will be behind us. "We should have more points so we need to learn from our mistakes and keep moving forward."

Meanwhile club captain Mark Noble - who played a pivotal role against Chelsea last weekend having been benched for the previous two outings - also issued a rallying call to his team mates. "I do like winning local derbies," he said. "Chelsea, Spurs, and we've got another one on Wednesday night. When the atmosphere's like that it's really hard for the other team to play. "My fingers are going to be crossed because after the Chelsea game, when we put so much in, we need to replicate that and do it all over again."

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Wenger keen to keep Giroud
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 12th December 2017
By: Staff Writer

Arsene Wenger says he wants Olivier Giroud to stay and fight for his place at Arsenal - despite reports linking the French international with a loan move in January. Despite having plenty of choices in attack, West Ham are one of several clubs to have been linked with a short-term loan move for the French star who has one eye on next summer's World Cup Finals. However Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger - who brings his side to east London tomorrow night for another big London derby - says he would prefer to keep Giroud at the Emirates. "He's a very good player," Wenger told reporters. "I have plenty of good strikers, but I cannot play them all together. "He's a very important player I have great respect for. I am a great admirer of Giroud. If you look at his career since he came here, look how many French caps he's got since he has been at Arsenal, he has not wasted his time. "I can understand the frustration of every player that doesn't play, but that's part of the job when you go to a big club. But when you have three games in six days like this week, there will be an opportunity to start.
"Personally, I want him to stay at the club until the end of the season, then we will see."

The 31-year-old forward - who is also said to be on Crystal Palace's radar - has spent the last five years at Arsenal, but fears he could lose his spot in France's World Cup squad if he isn't playing on a regular basis. West Ham were previously linked with a move for Giroud last summer, but the club's interest fell through when he insisted he was happy at Arsenal. "I am Arsenal player and for the moment I am here," he said. "I just want to prepare well for the season and we will see later. I've been here for five years - next year could be my sixth one and I am still an Arsenal player for the moment."

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David Moyes: Adrian has the No 1 jersey at West Ham
Last Updated: 12/12/17 3:45pm
SSN

David Moyes says Adrian has reclaimed the goalkeeper's jersey at West Ham and insists Joe Hart will not be leaving the club during January's transfer window.
Hart relinquished the No 1 jersey after conceding 16 goals in six league games between October 20 and November 29, with Adrian taking over for matches against Manchester City and Chelsea - and performing well in both. But Moyes has no intention of allowing the England international to change clubs in January, in order to improve his chances of playing at next year's World Cup Finals in Russia. And the West Ham boss expects Hart to feature in many games between now and the end of the season. Regarding Hart's current status at the London Stadium, Moyes said: "At this moment in time, Adrian played well at Man City (where Hart was ineligible) and again on Saturday. "I'm sure Joe will give Adrian all the respect. Joe's a real good guy. He's good in the dressing room and the big thing is his level of experience. He's played in so many big games. "And I'll tell you this, he'll play a lot of games for West Ham between now and the end of the season. "I'm fortunate to have two really good goalkeepers who are competitive and Adrian will have to play well. But, at the moment, Adrian has got the jersey."
When pressed on whether he would show compassion and allow Hart to further his World Cup ambitions by leaving next month, Moyes added: "My job is to pick the West Ham team, not the England team." Meanwhile, Moyes says he has been delighted by the squad's work ethic since taking over as manager from Slaven Bilic at the start of November.
When asked whether he has had to get tough with the squad, the Scot went on: "We're trying to make the players accountable for everything they do on the pitch. "I've told the players we need to work a bit harder as a team. "It's less and less likely players accept the hairdryer (treatment) now. But I've had no need to, because they have really put in the effort. "And if they hadn't I'd soon let them know. They're giving me the effort on the training pitch too."

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West Ham v Arsenal preview: Aaron Ramsey and Shkodran Mustafi out
Last Updated: 12/12/17 7:15pm
SSN

Arsenal will be without Shkodran Mustafi and Aaron Ramsey when they travel to West Ham in the Premier League on Wednesday. Mustafi missed Sunday's 1-1 draw at Southampton due to a thigh problem while Ramsey sustained a hamstring injury late in the game at St Mary's. The draw was another setback for the Gunners away from home in the Premier League this season, with only two of their nine wins coming on the road.
West Ham, meanwhile, are buoyant following their 1-0 win over Chelsea at the London Stadium on Saturday - a result that lifted the Hammers to third-bottom in the table and level on points with 17th-placed West Brom. It also marked West Ham's first win in nine and David Moyes' first since taking charge at the club. "They rebuilt some confidence against Chelsea," said Wenger of the Hammers. "So it will be certainly a game with a West Ham team that is more confident. More dangerous as well."

Team news

Edimilson Fernandes is a doubt for West Ham after hurting his ankle in training. James Collins is not yet ready to return and Sam Byram and Jose Fonte remain out. Cheikhou Kouyate could return to the squad after he missed out against Chelsea with a hamstring problem.

Arsenal will be without Mustafi and Ramsey while Santi Cazorla (ankle) remains a long-term injury absentee.

Opta stats

West Ham have won just one of their last 18 Premier League meetings with Arsenal (W1 D3 L14), with this win coming at the Emirates in August 2015.
Gunners are unbeaten in their last nine top-flight away games against West Ham (W7 D2), since a 0-1 loss in November 2006.
This will be West Ham's 100th home London derby in the Premier League. They've won 36 of their previous 99 (D22 L41), including Saturday's 1-0 victory against Chelsea.
Despite beating reigning champions Chelsea on Saturday, this will be the 42nd consecutive Premier League matchday in which David Moyes has started in charge of a team in the relegation zone - a competition record.
Arsenal have conceded 32 Premier League goals away from home in 2017. Only West Ham (35) & Stoke & Watford (33 each) have shipped more.
No player has scored more substitute goals for a single Premier League team than Olivier Giroud - level with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Man Utd (17).
Mesut Ozil has scored in each of his last three Premier League games against West Ham, while also providing an assist in the last two.

Merson's prediction

West Ham are a bag of revels. I watched them play at Everton, and they were absolutely slaughtered. They were so poor. They then could have got a result at Man City then they beat Chelsea. I still think Arsenal will win this, because Arsenal do have joy at West Ham, and they put so much into that win over Chelsea they might not have much left in the tank.

Paul predicts: 1-3 (11/1 with Sky Bet)

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EVEN THE BOOKIES ARE IMPRESSED
By Tony Hanna 12 Dec 2017 at 08:00
WTID

Normally a new football manager gets an immediate "bounce" but we don't do normal and our one got three defeats and a draw to start his West Ham career. On his debut, Watford took the mickey in the final 30 minutes playing keep football to the opposition crowds ole's as we wilted to a 2-0 defeat. There was a glimmer of hope in the second game at home to Leicester as for once we got to see some sort of organisation and effort but still only a point. In Moyes third game, against Everton, any sense of optimism gained from the Leicester match was crushed as we wilted to a 4-0 defeat against a side that was as devoid of confidence and self belief as we were. To rub salt in the wounds there was Big Sam looking down from the stands watching his new safety project – chewing gum, thumbs up with a wide grin on his face. If I can analogise it was like watching the bird that dumped you showing off her new boyfriend to all and sundry. Not that Sam dumped us but when Frank Lampard used to score against us and then kiss the Chelsea badge it gave me the same sort of feeling.

The prospect of the next set of fixtures got most of us older Hammers fans reaching for the abacus. City, Chelsea and Arsenal – oh the joy! I went for 6-0 in the predictor against City– how about you? The signs that things are changing at West Ham were there for all to see though as we led 1-0 at half time until the inevitable happened. Why can't we play a Manchester City side without De Bruyne and David Silva? And so on to Chelsea. Why can't we play a Chelsea side without Eden Hazard? But this time it didn't matter and in fact beating a Chelsea side with Hazard and Kante in it makes it feel even better. It is often said that in the past we raise ourselves for the big games and we do the unexpected, but the last two performances have been light years ahead of much of what we have seen in recent months. So, are we turning the corner or are our we getting ahead of ourselves? That great barometer, you know the bookie guys with their professional, cold and unemotional outlook on the game of football seem to think the former. Before the City game we were even money to get relegated, that's a 50% chance. Now we are 11/4 – just a 26% chance despite still being in the bottom three. You might say that they have also been duly impressed.

But before we get carried away we need to learn many more lessons. Sitting back in an organised way on the back of a 1-0 lead against quality opposition is a different proposition to the games we face more often over the course of a season. Those games where the class difference is much closer and where many of these teams will try to do the same to us as we did to Chelsea. Antonio and Arny's pace and strength have looked good in tandem against City and Chelsea but how will they fare when we play the likes of West Brom and Stoke at the OS? After what has transpired over the past fortnight will Moyes revert back to his Duncan Ferguson style tactics now that Carroll has recovered from his knock? Where does Chico fit in – if at all? Moyes looks as though he has got us fit and organised enough to be hard to break down and beat but there will be different obstacles to overcome when we play teams where they are the ones sitting back looking to hit us on the break.

I have long been an admirer of Arthur Masuaku. Convinced he was a player of great talent it was always my belief he would improve defensively given time. Perhaps that will happen, perhaps it won't, but I have no doubt he has cemented his place in the team for now. What an exciting player he could become for us? On the other side of the coin I have also been banging the drum that Cresswell's form had dropped so much he shouldn't be seen anywhere near a West Ham shirt. Well, judging from the last few games the "old" Cresswell is back and I am so happy for Dan Coker who never lost the faith in him! Whilst I never gave up hope that fan favourite Adrian would get back into the West Ham team, I doubt it would have happened under Slaven Bilic? I base this on his all too long reluctance to give the Spaniard a recall despite Randolph's poor form last season. I have little doubt Adrian would have been angling for a January move but for Moyes giving him this new chance? I must say I have warmed to David Moyes. Whilst some say his pressers lack positivity I prefer the realism and honesty. The manager, the players and the supporters have been given a shot in the arm over the past week or so. Let's hope we can kick on from here.

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Borussia Mönchengladbach's West Ham loanee Reece Oxford makes first Bundesliga start
bundesliga.com OFFICIAL WEBSITE

England Under-20 defender Reece Oxford made his first Bundesliga start in Borussia Mönchengladbach's 1-0 defeat to Freiburg on Matchday 16.
Oxford joined Gladbach on loan from English Premier League side West Ham United in the summer, but has only played a single minute in the Bundesliga so far, coming on as a late substitute in the 3-1 victory over Hoffenheim on Matchday 10.

Gladbach
✔
@borussia_en
First #Borussia start incoming for our @WestHamUtd loanee 🇬🇧#fohlenelf #SCFBMG
6:41 PM - Dec 12, 2017
16 16 Replies 125 125 Retweets 632 632 likes

There has been speculation surrounding the 18-year-old's future in Germany, with Gladbach sporting director Max Eberl insisting that the club "certainly want him to stay". Oxford, who played a key role for the Foals in pre-season, will be looking to kick on and help Gladbach in their quest to qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season.

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http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Daily WHUFC News - 12th December 2017

Martinez names seven strikers that have influenced him
WHUFC.com

Toni Martinez has been in inspired form for the West Ham United U23s this
season, netting ten goals in all competitions already this campaign. The
Spaniard's hard work has earned him calls into the senior squad and, as
Martinez eyes a breakthrough, the forward has named the seven strikers that
have inspired him to succeed.

Chicharito
Martinez said:

He is one of the best finishers in the world. He has had an incredible
career, where he has always scored goals wherever he has gone. I talk a lot
with him, and I ask him for advice, because I like to listen to those who
know more, to learn. And he always helps me. He doesn't see youngsters as a
competition but as his heirs. I am very grateful for all his advice. Having
a striker of his level to help you is amazing.

Fernando Torres
Martinez said:

Torres was my childhood idol. When I was a kid and played at Real Murcia, he
had just emigrated to the Premier League, and he was a striker which I took
as a reference. I wanted to be like him. Most kids look up to Messi and
Cristiano Ronaldo, but for me it was always Torres. And I think now I feel a
bit identified. He left Atlético to go to Liverpool and I left Valencia to
come here, I hope to succeed.

Luis Suarez
Martinez said:

He is a fighter. I feel identified with him because he fights for 90
minutes. The match ends and he might have not scored but he carried his team
on his shoulders and his teammates scored two goals. And that is also very
important. I see that he is a club forward, he thinks about the team before
himself and that is great.

Fernando Llorente
Martinez said:

In the end, he ended up coming to the Premier League because I think it's a
league for Spanish forwards like him… or me. He left a legacy at Athletic
Bilbao and he did not stop scoring goals when he arrived here because, with
his qualities, it is a little easier to adapt to England. He is the example
of a striker who shapes his team's future as, at Swansea City, he scored 12
goals thanks to his amazing work-rate.

Sergio Aguero
Martinez said:

He has the goal record at Manchester City, and that says it all. He always
knows where he has to be to put the ball in the net. He is synonymous with
goals.

Marco van Basten
Martinez said:

I think I've seen all the videos of him! After seeing his goals, his
movements and in general how he worked on the pitch, he is the clear example
of the typical Dutch forward, talented but also a fighter. He scored goals
that seemed impossible.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Martinez said:

He's a beast. When we played against Everton I was impressed by how he
fought, the balls he won and the opportunities he generated for his team.
And that's a motivation, to see that a boy a few months older than me doing
so well in the Premier League. If he has done it, why not me? There are
other youngsters that I like. Tammy Abraham, who scored 20 goals in the
Championship, not to talk about Marcus Rashford, who will be a star. It's
not easy to play every week at Manchester United.

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Zabaleta: We need to show the same spirit and commitment against Arsenal
WHUFC.com

Pablo Zabaleta says West Ham United need to keep up the momentum when they
welcome Arsenal to London Stadium on Wednesday evening. The Hammers go into
their second straight derby having gained confidence by pushing Premier
League leaders Manchester City all the way, before beating champions
Chelsea. And right-back Zabaleta, who was in typically determined form in
Saturday's success, says David Moyes need to maintain the same standards
when they face the Gunners. "We didn't start the season the way we expected
but we showed in the last two games that with that spirit and commitment and
discipline, we are a good team" said the Argentina international, who
covered 10.73km against Chelsea. "You need to show that for 90 minutes. We
should have more points so we need to learn from our mistakes and keep
moving forward. "Hopefully we can put another good performance in against
Arsenal on Wednesday night. I'm sure the supporters will be behind us. It's
time to stick together and be positive."

Zabaleta himself is clearly enjoying West Ham's belated renaissance, none
more so than during Saturday's superb victory over Antonio Conte's Blues – a
team he enjoyed so many top-of-the-table battles with during nine seasons
with Manchester City. Now, the 32-year-old faces a different sort of
challenge; inspiring West Ham to the victories they need to steer clear of
the relegation zone. While he may be older, he is also wiser, and his
enthusiasm and passion for the game burn as bright as they ever have.
"Football today is physically so demanding and you need to be a good
professional to keep performing week in and week out," he observed. "Since
I've been here at West Ham I've always tried to give my best and I will
continue to. "I have the experience you need to help the young lads in that
team but also I need to work really hard. My position is to run up and down
for 90 minutes, to support an attack and be ready to track back and defend.
I thought I did quite well. "My love of the game is probably the last thing
I will lose as a football player. I'm so hungry to keep playing in football
and I came to West Ham to enjoy that. It's a great club. "My fighting spirit
makes me feel young. I wake up every morning and go in for training trying
to be a good professional and that will never change!"

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Premier League 2 London derby postponed
WHUFC.com

West Ham United U23s' Premier League 2 London derby against Tottenham
Hotspur on Monday night has been postponed due to the effects of the adverse
weather conditions. Following the falling of snow over the weekend and the
freezing temperatures which have affected the majority of the country over
the last couple of days, the match was postponed following a pitch
inspection on Monday afternoon.
A new date for the game will be announced in due course. Meanwhile, the
Club's next fixture at the Chigwell Construction Stadium is this Friday,
when the U18s begin their FA Youth Cup campaign with a home tie against
Blackpool. Tickets are priced at £3 for adults and £1 concessions at the for
the Blackpool clash – which kicks-off at 7pm – and all tickets will be
available to purchase on the day on the gate.

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Mark Noble: I love winning derbies!
WHUFC.com

Mark Noble is overjoyed by West Ham United's derby victory against Chelsea
and is hoping for a similar feeling after playing Arsenal later this week.
The Hammers claimed a 1-0 win against the Blues on Saturday thanks to an
early strike from Marko Arnautovic, giving David Moyes his first victory as
West Ham United manager. The result has given Noble – who ran 12.9km in the
contest at London Stadium – a huge smile that doesn't look like fading
anytime soon, and the captain wants the positivity to continue when the
Irons play the Gunners on Wednesday. "It's nice to go home with a smile on
my face," Noble told whufc.com. "I do like winning local derbies! Chelsea,
Spurs, and we've got another one on Wednesday night [against Arsenal]."
Noble and his teammates put in an impressive performance to get the better
of Antonio Conte's Chelsea, with the away side limited to just two shots on
target, both of which came in the first half. The 30-year-old was thrilled
with the defensive display of the team, having kept a clean sheet in the
result. Noble explained: "When you play against these players and you play
against teams like this that have so much money and can buy the best players
in the world, you can't just open up and match them up. "You've got to
realise that and you have to find a way to beat them. We found that way by
defending, by counter-attacking and I don't care if we defended for 90
minutes. We won the game."

The skipper, who made his 298th Premier League appearance on Saturday, also
took time to hail the loyal West Ham supporters for their role in the win
over the Blues. "The fans against Leicester, in the second half, took it
upon themselves to create an atmosphere. At points versus Chelsea I was
trying to take it upon myself to give the boys instructions on what to do
but they couldn't hear me because the crowd was so loud. I'd like that
problem every week!"

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Zoepfl relishing life at West Ham United Ladies
WHUFC.com

The infamous initiation ceremony of new players at new clubs, up and down
the country, traditionally sees the new signing required to sing in front of
their new comrades. Yet Ellie Zoepfl, who moved to West Ham United Ladies
after playing collegiate football for Virginia Tech Hokies and coaching at
Heritage High School in Leesburg, Virginia, is yet to complete her task.
"They told me I was going to have to get up and sing, but it still hasn't
happened!" midfielder Zoepfl admitted in her first interview since joining
the Club. "I'm hoping they've forgotten about it to be honest. I'm a little
nervous about that now. They might read this and remember…"

While Zoepfl is admittedly concerned about clearing her throat in front of
her teammates, the new acquisition had no such hesitation when it came to
making the switch to the Hammers. The signing of Zoepfl coincided with two
other additions – fellow American Zoe Swift and London Bees midfielder
Andria Georgiou – as there Hammers boosted his squad for the remainder of
the season. And the 24-year-old has found the move to the FA Women's Premier
League Southern Division a pleasant one so far, while the different style of
football played on this side of the Atlantic has presented a welcome
challenge. "It's been a really easy transition. I've been provided with so
much support. The other girls have been really welcoming which has made
moving to the club so enjoyable. I'm really enjoying my experience here so
far. "It's a different style of football to what I was used to back in
America. I think, while football is football, the game back in the USA is
focused on athletic ability, how fast you are, and those sorts of qualities.
Over here though it's more focused on technical ability. I'm liking that
aspect and I'm enjoying the competition so far."

Having played in just a handful of matches for the Irons so far, Zoepfl has
made an immediate impact on the home fans at Rush Green, most notably when
she netted an excellent half-volley from the edge of the box against C&K
Basildon. Despite that goal coming in a 7-3 defeat, Zoepfl was delighted to
register her first effort for the Hammers. "It was a relief to get my first
goal. It was a good finish. I was delighted with it and I'm hoping to score
even more."

In that game Zoepfl featured in the middle of the park, but already she has
cropped up in different roles for her new team. Moving around the pitch is
no bother to the recent signing, however. "I will play whatever position the
manager wants me to play. I think I can play a variety of different
positions. I can play on the wing or midfield. Wherever they want me to play
I'll give 100 per cent. "I just want to grow as a player and West Ham is
giving me an amazing platform to do that."

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Moyes: Getting the most out of Marko, Michail's work-rate and scary Stuart!
WHUFC.com

David Moyes was in exuberant mood when he spoke to the daily newspaper
journalists following Saturday's 1-0 Premier League victory over Chelsea.
The West Ham United manager was asked about getting the best out of Marko
Arnautovic, Michail Antonio's amazing work-rate and working with Stuart
Pearce. The Scot's answers were both enlightening and entertaining…

Getting the most out of Marko

I was asked after Saturday's game how I best use Marko Arnautovic if
everyone in the squad is fit. It's a tactical jigsaw puzzle which I will
have to make before and during every game we play. If we play with three at
the back, as we did against Chelsea, it's going to be difficult to play with
Michail Antonio wide on the right, to play Arnautovic wide on the left,
because it would mean we will be 3-4-3, which can be too attacking,
particularly against the top sides. On Saturday we were 3-5-2 for most of
the game, with Michail down the middle and Marko supporting him, with Manuel
Lanzini slightly deeper. We used their power and strength and I thought
those two as forwards could cause problems, and they did. Marko's all-round
work has been really good. I've just said to all the players 'If you don't
do it I won't select you because at the moment I need it'. Football isn't
all about running, it's about or passing the ball as well and other things,
but what the people here want to see is players putting in effort, and
energy. And I think the energy Marko showed is giving the crowd a lift and
they are reacting to see if Marko Arnautovic can do it they all can do it.

Michail ran himself into the ground

Talking of hard work, Michail Antonio literally ran himself into the ground
on Saturday. We wanted him to stay on as long as he could because we thought
he was in the mood. There's getting tired and grinding to a halt. He worked
really hard. He works really hard in every game and is a real handful at
times. It's more important that with him coming back from injury, we don't
overdo it and he gets injured. I wanted to hit them on the break but then he
ran out of steam. We got Andre Ayew on in the end and he used his experience
and his abilities to help us see the game out.

Stuart scares a few people!

The media asked me what I thought of Stuart Pearce being told to sit down
after he kicked the ball into the stand during the second half! I think the
public here know what Stuart Pearce is. And a lot of the people here thought
the defenders played a lot more like Stuart Pearce, putting their foot
through the ball and tackling and that we were more resilient than what we
have seen in other games. Chelsea did have some opportunities but in the
main we did a really good job in defending. Anthony Taylor came over and had
a word, but I think some of the refs are a wee bit frightened of him!

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Four Hammers in team of the week
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 11th December 2017
By: Staff Writer

West Ham United's defeat of Chelsea at the weekend resulted in three Hammers
being selected in ESPN's Team of the Week.

The Team of the Week, chosen by pundits included two defenders - Arthur
Masuaku and Angelo Ogbonna - plus match-winner Marko Arnautovic (even though
he is incorrectly listed as still representing his former club Stoke City).

Additionally, David Moyes was named as manager of the week - resulting in a
third of those nominated being Hammers - whilst at least one member of the
panel also selected Winston Reid.

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Fonte blasts 'ignorant' Sullivan
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 11th December 2017
By: Staff Writer

Jose Fonte has hit back at David Sullivan after the co-chairman revealed
that "my kids begged me not to sign" the Portuguese international. Sullivan,
speaking last week to The Guardian revealed that his sons had implored the
co-owner not to spent £18million on the central defender and Hull City
iwnger Rovert Snodgrass.
And Fonte, speaking to a tabloid newspaper called the 68-year-old "ignorant"
in response to his ill-judged comments. "I'm not going to say anything," -
said Fonte, who is currently sidelined through injury. "It's not going to
change who I am. It's not going to change what I do. "I'm going to keep
being the good professional that I am. I am going to keep working hard to
try and help my team-mates and the manager. What has been said has no effect
on me or who I am."

The other player accused of not being up to scratch, Scottish international
Snodgrass hit back at Sullivan on Friday night, when he sarcastically
thanked Sullivan for his support via social media.

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West Ham allocated three per cent for Spurs trip
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 11th December 2017
By: Staff Writer

West Ham have been allocated just 2,700 seats for the trip to Wembley next
month. Although the stadium holds in the region of 90,000 people, Spurs have
granted West Ham the tiny allocation on the advice of the Wembley Stadium
SAG (Safety Advisory Group). This has led to West Ham putting their away
ticket trial on hold temporarily, meaning season ticket holders and club
members with insufficient points will not be able to apply for match
tickets. The match, originally scheduled for New Year's Eve was postponed on
the advice of the SAG; West Ham will now play three games in six days as a
result.

Ticket Prices
Adults: £30; Over-65s: £19; Under-18s; £17.
Accessibility Prices: Adults: £30; Over-65s: £19; Under-18s: £17.
For both Wheelchair Viewing Spaces and Accessible (AEA) seating please email
accessibility@westhamunited.co.uk or call 0333 030 0174.

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West Ham 1-0 Chelsea (And Other Ramblings)
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 11th December 2017
By: HeadHammerShark

"You're part of the plan
For a new man, to come through"
- Van Morrison, "A New Kind of Man"

Yeah, so Match of the Day hasn't improved much since I last watched it in
2016.

Still, this might not have been a victory hatched hatched in Skokie,
Illinois by a barbershop quartet, or required the services of a lawyer by
the name of Kobayashi but this was a game won with a plan. And I am not used
to that. We are a team that tends to win with the inexpert deployment of
freewheeling chaos and lose with similarly spectacular implosions. What we
have seen in these last two games has been something a bit more akin to
precision engineering, as David Moyes has convinced his men to wed
themselves to the notion of becoming hard to beat, and trusting in moments
of quality to get a foothold in the game.

Five at the back isn't a new idea

And so it came to pass that Moyes established himself as our very own Verbal
Kint. The man with a plan. The Cockney Keyser Soze by way of Glasgow, who
turned to the customary names - Adrian, Reid, Noble and Cresswell, to drive
us through. And maybe at the end of the season it won't be enough and, like
that, he will be gone but for right here and now there is much to admire
about what he is doing, even if you've never seen the seminal The Usual
Suspects and are wondering if the simple act of winning has pushed me into
writing gibberish.

*Stops to pick up Alvaro Morata who has inexplicably just fallen over at my
feet*

Anyway, perhaps the best thing about this victory was that it wasn't an
"event" game. This wasn't Friday night at home to Spurs to end their title
challenge. This wasn't a desperate save-the-bosses-job rearguard action
against some fellow denizens of the depths of the Premier League. Instead,
this was a big game, for sure, but it was more ordinary than the usual games
we've tended to win since moving to the London Stadium. This was a derby,
but not a vitriolic one, played in the low morning sun of a freezing
December Saturday and without that frisson of something that hangs over such
games when the lights are on.

But what happened here was that the team gave us a lift. By scoring early
and then by looking competent, hard to beat and organised they gave us
something to latch on. It's hard to be bang up for a game when you've only
been up for a couple of hours after a heavy Friday night, but it's a whole
other plate of biscuits when Marko Arnatouvic has scored after five minutes,
Arthur Masuaku is pirouetting past their wing backs like Darcey Bussell and
Adrian has brought his wall-shaped gloves.

Above all, what this reminded me of was a game at Upton Park. We arrived
with a bit more hope, by virtue of the Manchester City performance and left
with the cast iron knowledge that this team can actually compete, and with a
bit more trust in the men in the dugout. The crowd were dragged into it, and
stayed with the team even though our second half attacks were little more
than speculative punts in the vague direction of Antonio and akin to lobbing
coins at fighter jets. And when the final whistle went there was a feeling
that, in some strange indefinable way we had got back a little of what we
lost by moving ground. That will mean different things to different people,
of course, but if I had to describe it I would say that by showing us he is
a credible candidate to lead this fight against relegation, Moyes has
successfully united everyone behind him. And that's a pretty good start.

***

"When you're lucid, you're the sweetest thing
I would trade my mother just to hear you sing"
- Camera Obscura, "The Sweetest Thing"

This sort of thing. More often, please.

I don't want to go too far overboard about a single victory, but there was
much to be enthused about there. Certainly, if Moyes can extract this level
of performance in the majority of the remaining games, and instil this level
of discipline into our defensive efforts then we will stay up. If nothing
else, this team should be able to get points at a greater rate than the
likes of Swansea or the freefalling promoted clubs.

We won here by virtue of a lovely effort from Arnautovic, who exchanged
pinpoint passes with Lanzini before curling home delightfully past an
unsighted Courtois. He then jumped in the crowd with a Gene Kelly style
sidekick, which at least reminded us all of the Golden Age of Hollywood
while he was getting booked.

Arnautovic gets a yellow card

The Austrian was perhaps a surprise recall given that the Manchester City
performance was largely built on hard work and defensive endeavour, but he
performed admirably here, and served the important function of giving us an
outlet further up the field. He played just behind Antonio who was the lone
striker and was excellent in harrying the Chelsea back line with his pace
and physicality. It was also a healthy reminder not to write off players too
soon when injuries, illness, confidence and even unwelcome comments from
chairmen might be affecting them.

*Stops to pick up Alvaro Morata who has inexplicably just fallen over at my
feet*

What was so different here to the rest of the season, was that the team had
more than one option when they looked forward. Either Arnautovic was
drifting out left and looking to exploit the space ahead of Masuaku, or
Antonio was running in behind Cahill and Christensen and forcing them to
deal with a mobile threat. The contrast to those long afternoons of watching
Andy Carroll play Musical Statues, or of Chicharito marooned out wide was
stark. Indeed, watching these last two performances against two of the best
teams in Europe should really be hammering home to people just how badly
Bilic did in those first few months of the season.

I sense that while Moyes is determined to build from the back, he has
decided that Arnautovic is a project worth pursuing, and you could see why
today. He didn't have huge amounts of defensive responsibility but worked
hard and, crucially, did enough in advanced areas to keep Chelsea occupied.
What is encouraging is that against weaker teams, you can see how this set
up can be progressive too. Masuaku can be pushed further forward, and
Lanzini can be freed to get closer to the front two and we won't spend
entire second halves frantically bailing water in the face of a continual
onslaught.

Selecting Arnautovic does cause a certain problem for Moyes because he
traditionally hasn't had too many of those mercurial types in his teams, and
seems a bit distrustful of any one who doesn't get up and run five miles
before breakfast, but if he can successfully integrate our record signing
then you sense there may be more days like this ahead.

***

"Did you ever have to finally decide?
And say yes to one, and let the other one ride?"
- The Lovin' Spoonful, "Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind?"

It might have only been a few weeks but Moyes already seems to have made a
few seismic decisions about this squad. His insistence that the players
weren't fit enough might have just been the standard new manager schtick,
but we are five games in and Joe Hart and Andy Carroll are on the bench, and
Aaron Cresswell is a centre back, so I think it's fair to say that he's now
forging his own path.

The goalkeeping decision was straightforward in terms of form, but not in
the sense of the profile of the players involved. Hart's World Cup ambitions
are what led him to us, and with typically short-sighted hubris we lapped
that up and forgot we already had his equal here. Quite apart from the cost
involved, it's not difficult to imagine the raised eyebrows that might have
caused among the strong Spanish speaking contingent in the squad.

Pashun, or PASHUN as we yell on the Costa del Sol

So Adrian deservedly kept his place here while Winston Reid undeservedly
reclaimed his, and both were excellent in repelling an off colour but still
dangerous Chelsea. In fact, calling them off colour is probably unfair to us
- it's weird how both City and Chelsea both had off days when confronted
with our well drilled back four isn't it?

In front of them Mark Noble returned at the expense of Edimilson Fernandes,
which I initially thought was a mistake as the latter's mobility was a
crucial factor last week, but once the game started and it became clear that
Chelsea don't play at the pace of City you could see the merit.

Noble may be slowing like Damian Green's computer, but he still possesses
the experience to manage games like these. Even in the first half when he
misplaced a few passes and the crowd began to "weerrrrrr" he still kept
playing, because he realised the crucial value of getting out of your own
box and stretching these sort of teams. So it was that most of our better
moves had Noble involved somewhere, and in the dying moments it was he who
did most to keep the team from exposing our backline to the kind of rapier
quick counter attack that did for us here last season, as astutely observed
by Michael Cox at ESPN.

While Chelsea dominated the ball they really didn't do a huge amount with
it, instead choosing to pass it round a lot before losing patience at our
surprisingly resilient defending and attempting something extravagant. Kind
of like when your local decides to become a gastropub and then googles the
price of quinoa and admits defeat.

*Stops to pick up Alvaro Morata who has inexplicably just fallen over at my
feet*

What was also noticeable was how differently referee Anthony Taylor treated
the fouling of the two sides. Like Manchester City last week, Chelsea are
the masters of the sly foul to prevent teams breaking on them quickly. They
tend to allow four or five seconds to recover the ball and if they don't
they foul. The likes of Cahill and Fabregas have it down to a fine art.
What's really interesting is that because these transgressions are generally
so far from the goal and so innocuous, referees rarely book players for
them, especially if the team in question is trailing. However, when a team
is defending a lead, then it seems to me that players will almost certainly
be booked immediately for any kind of foul, as officials seem to view these
all as cynical attempts to slow down play. And so it was that while both
teams committed ten fouls, we picked up six bookings and Chelsea managed
just one. Must be nice.

But despite that we held firm for 95 minutes, and should even have had a
penalty when an Arnautovic flick was fairly obviously handled by
Christensen. As it is, we are now a team who have conceded twice as many
goals in our games against Watford and Everton as we did against Manchester
City, Chelsea and Leicester. Welcome to East London, Moyesy, it's mad here.

Reid and Ogbonna were in their element today, however, as Chelsea started
looking to hit Morata with crosses, and whenever they were absent then
Cresswell was there to help out, as his positioning and passing were
excellent. It is noticeable how much better we look when we pass out through
the left with Cresswell and Masuaku then when it goes the other side through
the Hit'n'Hope twins Zabaleta and Reid, who combined to make less accurate
passes in this game than Cresswell on his own.

But for all that, the system worked and we funnelled plenty of attacks out
wide and away from goal, and that showed up in the fact that Chelsea
mustered just two shots on goal all day and both were in the first half. And
so the Caley Graphics xG map might show a slightly fortuitous win, that
doesn't tell the whole story. We battled, blocked and battered our way to a
win, and what a feeling it was.

This was genuinely the first time I have a left a game all year where I
couldn't really identify a poor performer in claret and blue. I could have
picked any of them as Man of the Match and not been wrong. Drink up these
days, for they don't come often enough.

***

"Get on yer dancing shoes
You sexy little swine"
- Arctic Monkeys, "Dancing Shoes"

On a day of claret cheeks and blue fingers, it was a bit of a surprise that
our best performer was a twinkle-toed African left wing back, but Arthur
Masuaku has been defying expectations quite a bit recently. He has always
looked comfortable on the ball but has generally displayed all the energy
and drive of a traffic warden in his previous performances. But, somewhere
at the end of last season he began to run with the ball, and he hasn't
looked back - quite possibly because if he did he'd just see a massive wide
open gap and Aaron Cresswell on his knees, weeping.

*Stops to pick up Alvaro Morata who has inexplicably just fallen over at my
feet*

In this game Masuaku was exceptional, as his runs repeatedly gave us an
option and a way out of from Chelsea pressure. Most fans were purring at his
dragbacks and turns, but I just enjoyed seeing one of our players look like
he could carry the ball into those rarefied advanced positions without
getting a nosebleed, and his quick interplay with Lanzini and Arnautovic was
a big part of our first half performance.

Call me after, yeah?

He also did his bit defensively, especially after Victor Moses came on, and
it is to the credit of Moyes and his team that he didn't choose to make the
Creswell/Masuaku decision a binary one and instead found a way to
accommodate both. I could do with Masuaku toning it down a little bit in his
own half, but given then he successfully went past 11 opponents in this game
- a season high for the anyone in the Premier League - it's probably
churlish to argue.

What I have also enjoyed about Moyes is that he seems to have got the team
to buy into a concept bigger than themselves. We fans tend to view games as
single, discrete events but there is little doubt that the confidence from
the Manchester City performance bled across here. Now the players had some
belief in what they were doing and that was never more evident than when
Masuaku had the ball and we were going forward. With Antonio running the
channels, and Noble and Obiang intelligently covering behind him we just
looked so much more solid as a unit. This must have been what it was like
when they finally fixed the Hyperdrive on the Millenium Falcon.

And as much as I'm loathe to say it loud, we have done most of this without
Cheikhou Kouyate, who is perhaps the best example of a player who had
deteriorated physically and tactically under Bilic, and seemingly has so
much more to give then we have seen lately. I'll never not believe in the
Senegal captain, in the same way as I will never accept that TJ Hooker was
anything other than world class television programming, but when he comes
back he is going to have to match this level of work and decision making to
hold down his spot. Which is as it should be.

*Stops to pick up Alvaro Morata who has inexplicably just fallen over at my
feet*

***

"Do you remember when the ship went down, you left me on the deck?
The Captain's corpse jumped up
And threw his arms around my neck"
- The Pogues, "The Turkish Song of the Damned"

There are other things I could talk about here - that very bizarre Antonio
substitution, the general tendency Moyes is showing to make his replacements
too late or the bird that literally died half way through the first half and
fell from the roof to the athletics track after a particularly wayward
Fabregas effort. But no, instead I'll address the elephant in the room -
David Sullivan has given an interview, everyone!

And so here we go - an H List within an H List. Kind of like Inception and
dreams within dreams, except that Tom Hardy isn't riding around on a
snowmobile shooting anyone and maybe you'll be able to understand this after
just one viewing. Although I'm not promising anything.

"Oh excellent - the Chairman has been speaking to the Press. I foresee no
issues at all"

If you haven't read the interview, you simply must stop what you are doing
right now and click on the above link to do so. It is by The Guardian
journalist, West Ham fan and friend of The H List, Jacob Steinberg, and I
think it's a brilliant piece because it isn't confrontational but draws so
much out of Sullivan.

Some might feel that focusing on this after a victory isn't the done thing,
but it's timely and in some respects, more relevant to our long term future
than any single game. Perhaps the easiest thing to do might be to take some
of the comments and explore them in a little more detail. I accept that we
can't be entirely privy to the tone or context of each of these statements,
but I keep hearing about how Sullivan's spent thirty years in football, and
therefore I'm going to assume that he understands how dictaphones and, you
know, interviews work. Albeit, that's not a conclusion you would draw from
actually reading any of it.

"I work my socks off, but sometimes it's not good enough"

It starts like every bad appraisal meeting I've ever had to take. It is such
a common thread among poorly performing professionals that they equate how
hard and how long they work with being good at their job. This isn't unique
to Sullivan, by any stretch, but when you're in your office at 2am and all
your peers are home in bed there's a reasonable chance it's not because
they're less dedicated than you and far more likely that they are simply
better at their job than you.

I should add here that the overriding feeling I had when I read this piece
was one of sympathy. It's never fun to watch somebody try and do a job they
care a great deal about, but don't really have any idea how to do. But
sympathy can only go so far - I wouldn't be that understanding of a surgeon
who was stood in an operating theatre quickly reciting "...the knee bone's
connected to the thigh bone, the thigh bone's connected to the hip bone!..."
before cutting open my patella. And so my empathy for Sullivan only
stretches so far - he might be finding it harder than he imagined and he
might be at a loss as to how he's ended up here but that's tough. There is
another option available to him whereby he steps aside for someone
competent, and every day he doesn't do that harms our club a little more.

"David Gold is 81, it's is whole life. He has nothing in his life except
West Ham. He has no hobbies. He has a family but he has one granddaughter"

Excuse me a moment while I load up my shotgun and just blow a few of these
fish out of this barrel.

(fires)

*In the distance Alvaro Morata falls over*

I have to imagine some of this has been lost in the translation. To talk so
dismissively of an old friend and business partner is just odd. To
insinuate, even unintentionally, that having a granddaughter is somehow
worse than having boys is also a bit of a misstep, shall we say. The
following morning Gold then "liked" a Tweet from a fan commenting that he
felt sorry for Gold having Sullivan as a business partner.

(sighs)

*Loads up shotgun again*

"Jack's learning his trade, he was desperate to do it. He worked in every
department at West Ham for a week. He knows everyone. He has opinions on
everyone... He or Dave could possibly be chairmen in the future"

Leaving aside the rather obvious point that nepotism isn't generally a great
trait for any business, this is still such a bizarre thing to say. I don't
have any particular issue with Sullivan's two boys wanting to follow him
into the family business, but I certainly have an issue with them doing it
in such a public way. Wouldn't be nice if they were instead sent off
overseas for a year or two to learn their trade at progressive, well run
clubs overseas? He could find them internships at Bundesliga or MLS clubs
and they could learn how different organisations operate, and gain crucial
knowledge of overseas markets while they do it.

Instead they've done a week putting names on the back of shirts in the Club
Shop and now Jack has just fired his first manager. Get up Morata, I want to
shoot you again.

Perhaps even more galling is that Gold's two daughters - Vanessa and
Jacqueline run large multinational, successful companies already. Giving
people jobs because of who they are related to isn't generally ever a good
thing, but we can't even get the bloody nepotism right.

"We're about £10m a year better off - it's not going to change our lives...I
just think we feel like a big club. Not a tinpot club."

So, in the week that the Mayor set his sights on West Ham for having a
one-sided deal involving public finances, our owner decided to announce that
a £10m a year profit wasn't all it's cracked up to be. I get that the
context was probably vastly different, but it does rather highlight the
constantly tone deaf nature of Sullivan's public utterances. E20 - who run
the stadium - have a best projected annual return in the next decade of a
£10m loss. The tabloids are circling. The mayor is fuming. Your local
council are out £40m in a time of eye watering austerity. There's a time and
a fucking place, man.

But even that pales next to the notion that our Chairman feels like we are a
big club. It inadvertently says so much about where we are now that our
owner, presiding over a team with the 13th highest wage bill in Europe and
the largest season ticket holder group in the country only "feels" like he's
in charge of a big club.

"I'm sure there's a hundred things I've said that I regret"

Today? In this interview? Have you ever considered not saying them? No? OK,
as you were.

"If we go down, we'll come straight back up. We always do...(but)...I should
have got rid of him in the summer, but beating Tottenham in the last home
game and beating Burnley was just enough. My family gave me such grief for
not doing it"

So. Many. Things.

Going down and coming straight back up isn't a skill you want to acquire.
Spurs wasn't the last home game - we played Liverpool and lost 4-0
immediately after. We beat Burnley at a fancy dress funfare where a game of
Premier League football broke out. Sofiane Feghouli played the whole game in
a mankini and still scored. Basing any decisions off that result would be
like deciding to hire me to direct the next Star Wars film because I did a
great job capturing the cake cutting at a wedding on my iPhone.

Your two teenage boys were giving you grief? And you care? And you think we
care?

Where's that gun? Morata you better get back up again cos I'm definitely
going to put one in your right foot, son.

"I'm not really the Director of Football...I'm not involved in the strategy.
The manager said he wanted Fonte and Snodgrass. My kids begged me not to
sign them"

What's really noticeable at this point is how little the interview is really
about West Ham, and how it's much more about Sullivan. Here, in two
sentences, he throws five people under that bus we parked at Chelsea a few
years ago. Bilic, Fonte, Snodgrass and his kids - all traduced in order to
preserve the image of Sullivan as an innocent bystander. So, while he may
have started by saying that he hadn't done well enough personally, we have
really arrived at the meat of it here. Now he is upset that he's given Bilic
too much rope, and is blaming Fonte and Snodgrass, two men he still employs,
for the simple sin of accepting his stupidly bloated contract offers. You
know, I begged you not to sign them too David, but once they joined I kind
of expected that we would at least give them a chance to show what they
could do before trashing them in a national paper.

I wonder if the Board will ever be able to draw a straight line from
comments such as these to their constant failure to hire the people they
want to hire as managers, coaches or indeed players?

As for Sullivan not being Director of Football, let's just gloss over the
incorrect statement from our Vice Chair in her annual report for the
accounts, and simply gaze in wonder at the fact that we apparently have a
huge gap at the centre of the club structure. Who is dealing with all those
things that don't include coaching or recruitment? Who is looking at
analytics and youth development? What about the link into the sports science
department? Remember when Allardyce led that initiative to check the players
teeth a couple of years ago? Or how about making sure there is sufficient
language support for new foreign players?

Maybe all of the above is moot and all that stuff happens seamlessly, but
the very strong signal from these type of comments is that perhaps they no
longer happen at all, or if they do, then nobody is tying it all together.

I'd just like to point out at this stage that if they need someone to cover
the position until Jack has finished his week in the ticket office, then I
am available.

(On a Director of Football) "There is one very good one in the Premier
League. I would seriously think about taking him on in due course and I know
he would come because he's approached me"

I won't lie - I'm deeply suspicious of anyone who has grown sick of the
constant competence at another club and wants to work in our Looney Toons
setup. On the other hand, perhaps the West Ham job is the ultimate goal
because there is so much demonstrable opportunity.

Where Sullivan does deserve credit here is for seemingly having the
intellectual flexibility to think beyond what hasn't been working so far. Of
course, the difference between talk and action is substantial, but perhaps
there is a glimmer of hope here. He'd better hope we're still in the Premier
League when he finally comes blinking into the modern age, however, or he'll
find his options are far less appetising than than they might otherwise be.

***

"I'm movin' on up now
Gettin' out of the darkness. My love shines on"
- Primal Scream, "Movin' On Up"

So on to Arsenal we go. I feel for Moyes because after Manchester City and
Chelsea, he deserved something easier like Brighton or Newcastle but Bilic
already wasted those games. Perhaps Wednesday will tell us a lot about the
direction of our travel, or perhaps it will simply be a little detour before
we crash into reality at Stoke on Saturday.

But what he has done is instil something in all of the team and the crowd,
and Moyes deserves credit for that. Maybe it won't last long, but so far the
signs seem to point at us having Everton era Moyes rather than the Grim
Reaper who turned up at Sunderland. Indeed, it feels like he's already
achieved more here in a month than he did in an entire season in the North
East. So, I continue to be cautiously impressed because, if nothing else, he
seems to be a man with a plan.

Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are those of the
author and do not necessarily represent the views of, nor should be
attributed to, KUMB.com.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Jose Fonte labels West Ham owner David Sullivan's transfer claims
'ignorance'
Last Updated: 11/12/17 7:25am
SSN

West Ham owner David Sullivan's claim his kids begged him not to sign Jose
Fonte has been labelled as "ignorance" by the player. Fonte initially
struggled to impress since making his £8m move from Southampton in January,
but his performances had improved before an injury in November ruled him out
for up to three months. Sullivan's comments came on the eve of West Ham's
1-0 victory over Chelsea, telling The Guardian he is not involved in the
club's transfer strategy and that then manager Slaven Bilic had told him he
wanted to sign Fonte along with Robert Snodgrass from Hull. "My kids begged
me not to sign them," Sullivan said.
Asked for a response, Fonte told: "It's ignorance. I'm not going to say
anything. It's not going to change who I am. It's not going to change what I
do. "I'm going to keep being the good professional that I am. I am going to
keep working hard to try and help my team-mates and the manager. What has
been said has no effect on me or who I am."
David Moyes swerved commenting on whether or not he will be looking to keep
Fonte at the club after taking over from Bilic, saying he had not spoken to
the defender since Sullivan's interview was published. Fonte insists his
future at the club lies in other people's hands, but defended his
credentials. "That decision is not for me," he added. "I am 33 years of age.
I have 500 or 600 appearances. I know what I have done in football. I know
how hard I have to work to be in this position "It makes no difference to
me. I will still continue to be the same guy I have always been."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
COLIN MAFHAM: How West Ham actually SAVED London by moving into the Olympic
Stadium
YOU may have noticed that West Ham played Chelsea at what started life as
the much vaunted Olympic Stadium, but which now goes under the title of the
rather less loved London Stadium.
By COLIN MAFHAM
PUBLISHED: 00:28, Sun, Dec 10, 2017
Express.co.uk

Around 50,000 people turned up for that one, paying good money and keeping
the turnstiles turning. Goodness knows what would have happened if they
hadn't.
Like some other Olympic stadiums around the world it would have been dead as
a dodo, not too many souls in sight, weeds sprouting all over the place, and
literally haemorrhaging money by the millions. Whether the Mayor of London
likes it or not, if West Ham hadn't moved in and taken a 99-year lease on
the place that 'old' Olympic stadium would have been an acutely embarrassing
- and very costly - white elephant which the Government would have found
very difficult to explain or justify. The millions squandered are nowhere
near as much as we're apparently willing to hand over to the European Union,
but it's a heckuva lot nonetheless. In fact the bill nudged nearly
£500million before they ever realised they had spent so much on what was
effectively a one horse pony. For all the talk about an Olympic legacy no
one seems to have worked out precisely how such a legacy was going to work
long term, what it would cost, and who would be in overall charge on a day
to day basis. There would appear to have been no real financial Plan B . . .
Until West Ham came to the rescue.

Rather than the football club getting the deal of the century as Mayor Sadiq
Khan calls it, the Hammers saved London, the Government, and his
predecessor, Boris Johnson, from a financial disaster that could still cost
taxpayers up to £1BILLION. The bill potentially went up another £50million
last week with plans to replace the retractable seats with an improved
hydraulic system which has to be installed manually and could threaten the
viability of the already cash guzzling stadium because of the time and
labour that will take. Now, it may suit the Labour Mayor to embarrass Boris
and Mr Khan's other political rivals as much as possible, and one could
argue he'd have a point on this one. The simple truth is that our present
Foreign Secretary and financially profligate advisers were sucked in by Lord
Seb Coe's romantic dream of a cathedral for athletics. And all at OUR
expense!

But his stadium of dreams was built in such a barmy way, and at such an
incredibly crazy cost, that the only people it appears to have provided a
legacy for are athletes who only need it for a handful of meetings a year!
All at a time when it would probably have cost considerably less to update
the i rundown, but fit for purpose, athletics stadium at Crystal Palace. As
I recall the Olympic cum London Stadium was supposed to stage all sorts of
other events, but the truth is it was never actually fit for most, bar one,
of those purposes. Forget not that such was the clueless thinking of those
who first ran the show that essentials like toilets, as well as catering
facilities and executive boxes all had to be built - afterwards.

Enter West Ham United and Baroness Karren Brady, a lady with more commercial
nous and commonsense in her little fingers than Boris and Lord Coe would
appear to possess in their entire bodies. Given that her club needed a new
place to expand in, it wasn't West Ham's fault that despite all the
political shenanigans that went on for some time they were the only ones who
wanted the place on a financially realistic basis. And, more importantly,
with the potential earnings and infrastructure to make it pay. Me thinks
that if they had appeared on The Apprentice TV show in which she stars with
Lord Sugar Messrs Johnson and Coe would have been told: You're fired! You
will recall Coe and co complaining bitterly that the Hammers involvement,
and any other alternative move for that matter, would be a betrayal of the
athletics legacy they held so dear, if you excuse the pun.

West Ham's bid to take over the stadium was challenged in the courts by
Tottenham Hotspur - who wanted to knock the whole place down and start again
- and Leyton Orient, whose interests and intentions were never totally
clear. As a result the whole plan had to be scrapped, subject to a bruising
war of words in front of the European Commission. Some sort of sense
eventually prevailed, West Ham's 99-year agreement was finally confirmed in
2013, and then the real work began to make the stadium fit for footy and, so
the plan went, for athletics, concerts and other events in the summer. But
then came the cost, more costs, and even more crippling costs. The naivety
and inefficiency bordered on the criminal. Because only two-thirds of the
seats were covered the initial cost of a new roof and retractable seats to
help fans get closer to the action was a whopping £160million. Basically, a
so called state of the art stadium that had already cost £700million
(without proper loos) had to be almost rebuilt to ditch the Coe dream and
convert the stadium into a 54,000 capacity dual-use arena (with proper
loos).

West Ham agreed to pay £15m towards the overall conversion costs, plus a
basic £2.5m a year in rent, including extra payments if they are successful
and a rent reduction if, God forbid, they are relegated. The rest of the
conversion budget is funded by the London Legacy Development Corporation
(LLDC), whoever they might be. So, here we are again, with politicians
wrangling over how to spend - and waste - other people's money. You would
have thought they would have learned from old mistakes (remember what the O2
used to be before it was a soaraway success?) and got the hang of balancing
the books like the rest of us have to. Wouldn't it be nice if, instead of
meddling in businesses they know nothing about, they deferred to proper
professionals to do the job - and let West Ham run the lot! Their players
might be struggling on the field right now, but Baroness Brady and club
owners David Gold and Sullivan have been running businesses successfully for
years. They, at least, know what they're doing - and they don't cost us
taxpayers a penny we don't want to spend.

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