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Video: West Ham v Bournemouth Press Conference

Posted by Sean Whetstone on August 16, 2018 in News, Whispers

Manuel Pellegrini told reporters at the pre-match press conference that he has no new injury worries saying “The same three players with injuries are Andy Carroll, Reid and Lanzini. All the other players are OK.”

On the Liverpool defeat he said:“I was very disappointed about the result, I don’t think it was a result that we deserved. We played against a better team, a solid team who in this moment is more than our team but we expect maybe to play a little bit better especially in the chances we created.”

On West Ham fans he said “Every fan demands the best of their team. I know the fans of West Ham but they always support their team, sometimes they have less patience but I think that all the fans are demanding for good results of their squad.

I hope that some will arrive especially this first game at home because three points for us are very important for continuing to work with being calm so I don’t think we are going to have any problems with the fans.”

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Hammers to face Wimbledon

Posted by Sean Whetstone on August 16, 2018 in News, Whispers

West Ham have been drawn to face AFC Wimbledon in the second round of the Carabao Cup.

Thursday evening’s draw sends the Hammers to the Cherry Red Records Stadium, in Kingston, Surrey to take on the League One side in the week commencing 27 August.

Wimbledon defeated Portsmouth 2-1 in their first-round tie, with Joe Pigott and Anton Walkes scoring late on to turn the tie around.

The game will be played on Tuesday 28th or Wednesday 19th August at Kingsmeadow (known as the Cherry Red Records Stadium for sponsorship purposes). The Chelsea owned stadium is used for the home matches of AFC Wimbledon and Chelsea Women. Until 2017 it was the home of Kingstonian. It has a capacity of 4,850 with 2,265 seats.

AFC Wimbledon is a fan-owned club which plays in League One. The club was founded by former Wimbledon F.C. supporters in 2002 after the Football Association allowed that club to relocate to Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, 56 miles (90 km) north of Wimbledon.

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Pellegrini insists there can be no home sickness

Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 16, 2018 in News, Whispers

Manuel Pellegrini believes the Hammers squad has the “personality” to go for the three points against Bournemouth on Saturday.

Speaking at his pre-match presser he said: “ Away, you may have to defend more but at home you must be aware of counter attacks but try to create options against the team who come to defend. At home, I think the team has the personality to go for the three points from the beginning.

“Bournemouth are a very good team also. I hope we will have the personality we need to start well and win the first game at home.

“I saw a lot of games of Bournemouth from last season, especially this week, and they have the same manager and style of play from when I was at Manchester City. They have a lot of the same players as well and they are a good team who will always try to play.

“We must try to recover the ball as soon as we can and not to lose possession. We have a team in Bournemouth who don’t come to defend away, they have good players and good strikers and we must work as a balanced team.”

The manager also spoke of the changes he is trying to introduce adding: “For me the most difficult thing is to try and change our mentality. Last season, normally they were trying to play near our box and counter attack fast and we are trying to change the area of the pitch we have the most amount of minutes and this change of mentality is always difficult.

“We need to play everyone in the Premier League. If you start against Liverpool, of course you want to win but three points are very difficult. But at home, you must try to add three points. It’s not good to start with two defeats so they are three very important points.

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Hammer may not be allowed to leave on loan

Posted by Sean Whetstone on August 16, 2018 in News, Whispers

Josh Cullen says he is open to the idea of going out on loan but may be required to remain at West Ham to fulfill the eight player homegrown rule.

Cullen told the London Standard earlier this week “It’s not that I’ve decided totally whether I am staying or going; at the minute I’m here, just taking each day as it comes and trying to impress the manager.

However, West Ham need to submit a 25 man squad to the Premier League by 3rd September and Cullen could be required to the fulfill one of the eight home grown player rule who are over 21.

Cresswell, Carroll, Fredericks, Noble, Wilshere and Antonio are all home grown but two extra players are required so Makasi and Cullen are the two most likely candidates to fill the void.

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Bournemouth hints from Pellegrini

Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 16, 2018 in News, Whispers

Manuel Pellegrini has plenty of options as he ponders his team selection for the Bournemouth game on Saturday.

The manager – speaking in his pre-match presser – gave little away but maybe indicated that it’s unlikely either Carlos Sanchez or Lucas Perez would be involved.

He said: ““I can’t tell you now [if Perez and Sanchez will be involved]. Carlos arrived just last week on the last day [of the transfer deadline] and has had just a week with us, and Lucas Perez similar. We will see if they are good to go onto the bench, but I cannot say at this moment.”

He added: “Every week is important in this moment, when you bring in so many players and have so many changes.

“We will try to win as many games as possible, starting with Bournemouth now, and we won’t be changing our final target. We have a solid team .”

“We have nine new players and every week that you have you are working with them to try and improve. When you build up a squad, you know you need to let players go out also. Young players like [Toni] Martinez knew this from the beginning and they were going to go on loan.

“The squad we have now is our squad for the season; I don’t think we are going to have any more going out at this moment.

“We have brought in good players; players like Felipe Anderson who are creative players. Lucas Perez, Felipe, Yarmolenko, they are creative players and they will bring a lot to our team.

“Felipe is a good player. Before we bought him, we saw a lot of games he played. He’s a fast player, a mix between a winger and midfielder.”

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Video: Boleyn movie scene a real tear-jerker

Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 16, 2018 in News, Whispers

CandH Exclusive

We have been supplied with an exclusive clip from the all action thriller Final Score which really stirs up the emotions as it recalls pre-match routines and fever around the old Boleyn.

The film – which hits our screens including a Sky Movies premiere on September 7 – is a hugely exciting tale of the Hammers crowd being held hostage inside Upton Park with Dave Bautista their only hope of salvation!

Also starring as a former James Bond – a certain Mr Pierce Brosnan although this movie recalls memories of Die Hard.

This clip, however, shows the Hammers spiritual home in all its ‘glory’ with Bautista gaining his introduction to our wonderful old stadium under the lights.

With Green Street nearby we see the the burger and dog stalls and it really captures the atmosphere and spirit of our old manor.

An all-action movie featuring the Boleyn as its centrepiece – what’s not to like?!

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No chance of Yaya Toure

Posted by Sean Whetstone on August 16, 2018 in News, Whispers

Reports this morning that West Ham could sign free agent Yaya Toure this year are wide of the mark we understand.

Despite new Premier League rules West Ham could potentially sign a free agent at any stage as long as the player in question was out of contract when the summer transfer window closed.

Toure was released by Manchester City at the end of last season after eight years at the Etihad Stadium and has been heavily linked with a move to West Ham because of his previous connection to Pellegrini.

West Ham do have one remaining slot in their squad of twenty five but a club insider revealed to Claret and Hugh that the wage budget is already ‘smashed to bits’ and ‘there so nothing left in it’ so there was no chance.

Pellegrini said in his pre-match conference this afternoon “Yaya is a very good player. In his position at the moment we have very good players. He will always be a good player in any team but right now our squad is ready.”

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E20 and the Harry Enfield teenager complex

Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 16, 2018 in News, Whispers

A substantial number of media outlets are this morning latching on to the latest piece of commercial whinging from E20 – that they appear to want a ‘Spurs navy’ surround at the London Stadium.

Regular readers will know that ClaretandHugh started this particular hare running during the week when questioning the stadium owners over their behaviour and revealing they want £170k to lay a claret carpet.

Their reasoning – though sponsorship money appears to have never been mentioned previously – is that there is a value in it for them and they want to protect their commercial rights and get the best deal for taxpayers as far as ‘dah’ carpet is concerned.

Now, excuse me but that all seems a little ironic from where I’m sitting given the bigger picture as far as the stadium itself is concerned.

For as yet E20 haven’t even managed to get sponsorship/naming rights for the place and if the colour claret is worth the best part of £200k a year, God only knows hat they will want for the stadium itself if and when anyone shows the remotest interest in being associated with it.

Having lost on all four contested counts of the expert determination there will presumably be legal costs involved in West Ham’s favour which of course will come out of the taxpayer’s pocket.

Seems to us there’s some lazy thinking going on over there plus some sulky Harry Enfield teenager “It’s so unfair” mentality on display.

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Irons midfielder may be heading out

Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 16, 2018 in News, Whispers

Hammers midfielder Josh Cullen has admitted that he could again be heading out on loan as part of his bid to eventually become part of the Hammers first team set-up.

Deadline Day for loans to League Cups and the academy prospect may be on his way admitting: “Yeah, there have been a lot of conversations going on”

With the summer arrival of Jack Wilshere and fellow academy prospect Declan Rice’s move to a midfield role, Cullen is open to another spell away from east London.

He told the London Evening Standard: “It’s not that I’ve decided totally whether I am staying or going; at the minute I’m here, just taking each day as it comes and trying to impress the manager.

“First and foremost I want to be playing for West Ham, but if the manager says to me ‘there’s the right loan there’ then I’ll go and get some games up until January, come back and look at it then.

“I haven’t put a time limit on it, I’m still striving for it so whether that is coming and playing in the [U]23s, going out on loan or staying and learning off a top manager and brilliant players at the club, whatever is best for me.

“Nothing has been decided yet. The end target is always to play for West Ham and get in the first team.”

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Honest Rice owns up

Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 16, 2018 in News, Whispers

Honest Declan Rice admits he wasn’t at his best against Liverpool but obviously wants another chance against Bournemouth on Saturday.

The teenager was hauled off at half time at Anfield but as we have come to expect took it on the chin telling www.whufc.com: “For me, personally, I came off at half-time at Anfield. It was a tough game and I know I can play better than I showed.

“I’ve been training really well this week and we’ve got two more sessions until Saturday’s game. I just want to keep improving and keep showing the manager that I’m the right man to play.

“It’s really important that we bounce back in a way that is pleasing for the home fans this Saturday against Bournemouth. We want to succeed this weekend and get our first three points on the table.”

He added: “It’s really important for us to get a good result. The club has spent a lot of money this summer and the fans want to see a return on that investment. We want to do just that.

“We want to win for them, go out there and impress, and get the three-points to kick-start our season.”

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