Andre Ayew Injury
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anyone have an idea how long ayew is going to be out for - haven't heard much
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easy to criticise but
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Slav has got to realise now what as fans we already new that Antonio is not a right back never was and never can be....but being picked there for the game it was a case of when not if disaster would strike.....now before that happened slav had the chance when ayew came off to push Antonio forward and bring byram in...chelski while having a lot of the ball were not really causing to many problems and if we had made this move I feel we would of been a lot more secure at the back..he didn't and of course only Antonio knows why he didn't clear the ball insteadof trying to play out of the box getting caught and giving the penalty....but I felt sorry for him when he was hauled off just after by slav the look on his face you could see the guilt he felt about giving the pen away and his confidence will be very low and needs to be managed properly.... I only hope now slav understands byram has to start and stop trying to put square pegs into round holes.....the game itself was typical west ham started brightly if not really threatening anything our mosy expensive signing injured(sound familiar)nordveidt well he has to improve very very quickly because he was beyond poor musuaku grew into the game and did not look to bad but he has from here on in been christened B.A! kouyate and noble not at the races and poor carroll well he clearly needs help up there with him..as for losing well we all know that prick should not of been on the pitch to score and kante should of been off as well but we are all used to refs making mistakes especially in our matches.....one last thing Adrian just clear the bloody ball and stop trying to be cruyff.......still got a lot of players to come in but we need to improve clearly but have faith we will COYI
Chelsea FC v West Ham United Team Sheets & Links
Chelsea: Courtois, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Kante, Matic, Willian, Oscar, Hazard, Costa.
Subs: Begovic, Fabregas, Pedro, Loftus-Cheek, Moses, Batshuayi, Aina.
West Ham: Adrian, Antonio, Reid, Collins, Masuaku, Kouyate, Nordtveit, Noble, Ayew, Carroll, Valencia.
Subs: Randolph, Obiang, Tore, Ogbonna, Byram, Payet, Oxford.
Slaven Billic had a fairly unique situation to deal with in that he is virtually obligated to play new £20 Million plus record signing from Swansea Andre Ayew, but still accommodating those players who have served him well in the past. Dimitri Payet was still a little off match sharpness, so perhaps Billic decided to start with Ayew and then replace him by around the 60th minute of what will be a very hard fought match against Conte's Chelsea. - Ed
are we ready?
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With chelsea up do you think we have strengthened the squad enough? Having seen what other teams have done im not so sure.
Season Ticket Update
West Ham fans waiting for their season tickets to arrive should have already been pleasantly surprised that they have arrived ahead of the first Barclays Premier League fixtures, however if you haven't received yours yet don't panic! The club have assured those still waiting that their season tickets will arrive in the post within the next couple of days.
Considering the logistics of sending out 54,000 season tickets and welcome packs for the first time, the club should be commended on how painless the process has been, now all they have to do is sort out the signage from Stratford station to the London Stadium in such a way as to prevent those who find walking distances troublesome from having to walk further than is strictly necessary.
They could also ensure the food vendors don't run out of stock before half time! Small issues really, but they can make or break what should be a great experience for those making their first visit to the Olympic Park and the Stadium itself. - Ed
Dimitri Payet Can Fire West Ham Into The Top Six Once Again
Last season, Dimitri Payet was on another level. The West Ham United winger exceeded all expectations after signing from Marseille last summer as he adjusted to the Premier League immediately. The Hammers actually finished in 7th place last season; and Payet was one of the main reasons for their incredible success. The Frenchman scored 25 goals in all competitions and won the Club Player of the Year award – not bad for his first season in England...
Payet’s goals will be crucial to their chances of finishing in the European places again but the Hammers actually have a plethora of attacking talent at their disposal. In fact, they signed former Swansea City striker Andre Ayew earlier this month – an impressive acquisition if he can replicate last season’s form for his new club.
If truth be told, West Ham could be one of the most exciting teams in the Premier League next season. And if they can hammer it home in the new-look Olympic Stadium, Bilic’s men could be onto a winner this campaign.
As of August 9th, the Hammers are priced at 3/1 in Coral’s football odds to make the top six this season – a difficult task but one that is achievable for such a talented squad. On their day, West Ham are capable of beating anybody and their away results at the Emirates Stadium, Etihad Stadium and Anfield proved just how talented they are.
At the very least, a place in the top ten should be West Ham’s primary objective for the upcoming season. The Hammers cannot afford to rest on their laurels and settle for mid-table mediocrity every year; they should be aiming for much more. Their early transfer activity has suggested that West Ham are looking to compete at the top. While they missed out on Alexandre Lacazette, a move for AC Milan’s Carlos Bacca still looks plausible. Should West Ham acquire the striker, 2/5 to finish in the top half in Coral’s football odds are very appealing indeed.
Bilic praised Payet for his performances at Euro 2016 this summer and it was refreshing for West Ham fans to see their main man strutting his stuff on the international stage. In fact, Payet may be West Ham’s biggest star for quite some time and the Hammers will be desperate to keep the 28-year- old at the Olympic Stadium. This is one of the best West Ham sides for well over a decade and Bilic has created an aura of hope and optimism around the club. With the Hammers now settled into their new home we may be about to see a new era at West Ham – and Payet can be the standout player as they look to build on their recent success.
Coming over in September
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Booked my flight and picked up my ticket so I will be coming over for the Southampton home game and also the Middlesbrough home game. Looking forward to meeting any orgers that are going to those games so I will be in touch to find out where your local will be.
Has Ayew Taken A Pay Cut Signing For Slaven's West Ham?
The £20 Million plus arrival of Andre Ayew on a 3 year deal at the London Stadium from Swansea has undoubtedly raised a few eyebrows, not least because the ex-team mate at Marseille of Dimitri Payet arrived at Swansea on a free transfer last summer! Fans who have been expecting a 'marquee' signing may feel slightly underwhelmed by the Ghanaian International who was born in France's arrival, they may observe he seems more of a large tent than a marquee, however as with many signings the details of the deal are rather vague.
The main reason Swansea were able to sign the 27 year old from Marseille on a 'free' was because he and his manager had let his contract run down safe in the knowledge that they had a deal in place to go to Swansea on massive wages along with a huge signing on fee, so when is a free not a free? Rumour is that Ayew was being paid £120,000 per week by the Swans, a figure that the Hammers hierarchy were definitely NOT prepared to pay, which is one of the reasons for the protracted negotiations, with the player having to agree to a 33% reduction in his wages! Never the less £20 Million is a lot of money to pay. especially as Ayew is not an out and out striker and West Ham will still need to fork out for the 20 goal a season striker they so desire, but realistically the value of players doubled as soon as the new TV deal kicked in, this is apparent throughout the Barclays Premier League and has the obvious knock on effect in Europe.
One of the key elements involved with signing players like Andre Ayew is the fiscal manoeuvering that financial fair play rules necessitate, meaning you can pay a fortune for a player (usually in three monthly installments) but be better off from an FFP perspective so long as the wages are not too high, hence paying so much for Ayew is offset by the differential between player value and player cost in wages. It is a bit of a financial conundrum, but a clever accountant could sit you down and explain how it works in detail, that is if you have the time or inclination to want to know, failing that it is best just to accept that these are crazy times in football financially, those clubs who don't 'bite the bullet' financially risk being left behind. We are not advocating irresponsible spending that the likes of Leeds United and Rangers embarked on, merely keeping abreast of the competition, because it is plain for anyone to see that clubs cannot afford to stand still in the transfer market just to prove a point, they need to be pro-active rather than re-active.
Today's £20 Million is £2 Million from ten years ago. - Ed
Arthur Who? Masuaku Signs To Fill West Ham Left Back Void
Well the commentators had to get used to not getting too excited when pronouncing ex-Leicester City, now Chelsea midfielders name Konte, Sebastian Fuchs was another that was a live banana skin lurking to catch the unaware! Step forward West Ham United's newest recruit, Date of birth: Nov 7, 1993. Place of birth: Lille France. Age: 22. Height: 1,79 m. Nationality: France Congo DR, Name in home country: Fuka Arthur Masuaku! We know it is slightly lavatorial, but you kind of get the thought that using Arthur as his first name is probably a wise idea, you also cannot help but think how difficult it would have been to have had that moniker if he had grown up in the UK...
Masuaku, a very swift and talented left back, joins West Ham from Greek champions Olympiacos who have won the super league for the last two seasons and are favourites with to win this year with thatsagoal.com , he began his senior career with Valenciennes, and has represented France at under-18 and under-19 level, Slaven Billic moved very quickly to secure his services for a fee that is reported at anything from £1 Million to £6 Million depending on which media source used, the club itself, as is common practice, remain tight lipped as to the exact financial details. The swiftness of the deal was partly because of Davide Santon's failed medical and previous target Palermo left-back Achraf Lazaar attracting the interest of Marseille.
In an interview with West Ham TV, Masuaku said"It’s a big honour for me to be part of this Club. I was speaking with my agent about some opportunities, but when he told me about West Ham and also the coach, I didn’t think twice, so in my mind, it was West Ham.” asked if Slaven Bilic was a big reason and influence in his decision to join West Ham Masauaka added “Yeah, for sure. he wanted me at the Club. It is always very important for players when a coach wants you so, like I say, I didn’t need to think about it.”
Arthur will have his work cut out as his first Barclays Premier League match will more than likely be at Stamford Bridge against london rivals Chelsea, where he will face one time Hammers striker target Michy Batshuayi. - Ed
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