“We would be having a very different press conference if we had lost,” said the Scot after Saturday’s precious 3-0 win over Premier League relegation rivals Southampton.

The joyous scenes at London Stadium as the Hammers outplayed the Saints came three weeks after the toxic scenes during the home defeat against Burnley.

The fallout from the protests and pitch invasions back then led to five Hammers fans being banned for life.

Defeat against Southampton would have made life very uncomfortable, not just for Moyes, but co-chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold, plus their managing director Karren Brady.

But even so, to say that all is suddenly rosy in the West Ham camp would be wide of the mark.

I spent four hours with various groups of supporters before the match to assess the mood around the troubled London club.

‘No confidence in the board’
Just after noon, at the end of a two-hour meeting in a cafe-bar close to London Stadium, the West Ham United Independent Supporters Association decided upon a course of action.

“We were promised a world-class team in a world-class stadium,” said a statement. “Today the members of the WHUISA that were present voted unanimously in a vote of no confidence in the current board of West Ham United to deliver this.

“We will therefore launch a concerted ‘UNITED Campaign for Change’ and will announce further details shortly.

“We will be in touch with our members and other West Ham fan groups for consultation.”

Various ideas had been discussed, including a protest march, ambush protests and isolating Brady to push for her removal.

The meeting involved discussion not argument. There was no sense of militancy. There was simmering resentment but it is not boiling over.

A desire to exert pressure on the board was obvious. However, the point was made by a number of members that a coherent strategy is required.

That, as it turns out, may turn out to be the tricky bit.

For, while WHUISA’s membership is rising, over 3,000 at the last count, and the organisation says it is democratic, only a small percentage were at the meeting. And, more importantly, they are not the only show in town.

Walk this way
Not long after the WHUISA meeting finished I headed towards the Westfield centre, past Stratford station, through the Stratford Centre and on to Stratford Park.

I was in a hurry. I wanted to attend an event organised by a group that calls themselves the West Ham United ramblers association, which was scheduled to start at 12:30 BST.

They were fewer in number than had been at the WHUISA meeting.

Islington, who explained that the idea had come about because a protest march that was supposed to be held prior to the Burnley game had been cancelled by the organisers at short notice and some fans wanted to do something pro-active anyway.

Mick, from Dover, was rather more forthright in his view of Sullivan, Gold and Brady than anyone at the earlier meeting had been.

“They have sold our soul,” he said. “We have given up our home for this shambles.”

I didn’t actually stay for the ramble itself because a third protest was about to start and I had to get back through the Stratford Centre.

Where’s the money gone?
By far the most noisy and numerous protest was the one endorsed by the Real West Ham Fans group.

It started back at Stratford station, where supporters had been asked to gather from 13:00 BST.

The chants were aggressive in nature but I didn’t sense any outright hostility from those who made their way up Gibbins Road, past the Carpenters Arms, up Hutchins Close and towards the stadium, picking up greater numbers as they went along.

Police followed the march to the stadium and although it seemed they were wary at the outset, by the end they were posing for pictures.

They chanted about wanting to ‘sack the board’, which was especially loud as the march snaked through an underpass.

They proclaimed they were ‘West Ham till I die’, ‘Stratford’s not very nice (these weren’t the actual words), I want to go home’ and another song about Gold and Sullivan, demanding to know what happened to the money it was envisaged would be generated by the stadium move.

The whole thing took about an hour and involved a 10-minute stop outside the hospitality entrance at the stadium, near which was a solid police and security presence.

The only person isolated for special treatment was a fan who bore a passing resemblance to Harry Potter.

Together, these fans groups would make a very loud voice. Apart, it is difficult to establish exactly what it is they want – still less whether it is achievable.

The fear from upstairs
The game against Southampton was West Ham’s 34th in the Premier League at London Stadium.

It was their 13th win, only four of which have been by more than a single goal. The 3-0 scoreline equals their biggest victory at the ground.

A concern expressed in private by a senior figure at West Ham before the match was that unless the atmosphere at the stadium improves, it will continue to have a negative impact on results and the Hammers might end up “doing a Sunderland”.

Marko Arnautovic
Arnautovic scored twice and there was plenty of passion and determination on display at London Stadium
Despite Friday’s 4-1 win at Derby, the Black Cats are still facing a second successive relegation.

Sunderland have collected a total of 26 points at the Stadium of Light over the past two seasons, putting them bottom of the home form league table last season and second from bottom in the Championship this time around.

But at the end of Saturday’s match in London, the tannoy announcer thanked West Ham’s ’12th man’ for their part in the victory.

In stark contrast to the pitch invasions and venomous abuse being directed at Sullivan and Gold three weeks ago, the home fans in a 56,882 crowd were a wholly positive influence on their team, something acknowledged afterwards by Moyes.

He said: “The fans were with the club and the team. These things can change clubs.

“They have had their say but today they were terrific. I hope we can give the supporters more of what we did today. If the stadium stays the way it was today we will have a great chance.”

Quite where the planned protests will go from here remains unclear. But one thing seems certain – when West Ham win, the team at least still has the backing of the fans.

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Source: BBC

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Henry was fired by the Hammers for comments he made claiming that players from the continent caused trouble in the dressing room.

The 28-year old, who left West Ham on deadline day to rejoin Swansea in an £18 million deal, has now hit out at the Hammers officials insisting Africans bring success to their sides.

Ayew says African players are very proud of themselves and where they come from.

“I just know that we African players are proud of ourselves, we know where we have come from, and we believe in our football,” said Ayew.

“African players like Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto’o have played at the greatest clubs in the world and done their jobs.

“We have done a lot to get into professional football and African footballers now play for Barcelona, Real Madrid and Chelsea.

“It’s an honour to be an African. I am so proud and so happy and I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

Ayew is in line to make his Swansea debut this weekend against Burnley in the Premier League.

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By: Daniel Koranteng/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The Frenchman, 36, has been without a club since he left Marseille by mutual consent in November after kicking one of the club’s fans before a Europa League match.

Evra was banned from Uefa competition for the rest of the season, but is able to play domestically for West Ham.

He played for Hammers boss David Moyes when he managed Manchester United.

Evra then left Old Trafford for Juventus in 2014, and had three seasons in Italy before moving to Marseille in January 2017.

He played 379 games for United between 2006 and 2014 and won nine major trophies, including five Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2008.

Evra made nine appearances for Marseille this season, most recently in October, before the incident prior to a European game against Vitoria Guimaraes on 2 November.

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Source: BBC

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The decision follows a report by the Daily Mail which carried quotes from Henry stating African players “cause mayhem” when they are not in the team.

The club said his comments were “unacceptable”, adding they conducted a “full and thorough investigation”.

It added: “West Ham United will not tolerate any type of discrimination.”

Earlier on Friday, Hammers manager David Moyes said Henry had recommended two players from the African continent during the January transfer window.

The Scot said the club were “very, very close” to signing Leicester’s Algeria forward Islam Slimani, who joined Newcastle on loan, and Lille’s Cameroon defender Ibrahim Amadou.

When asked about the comments made by the former recruitment chief, Moyes said: “It’s a massive shock, because you are well aware of the couple of players we were trying to sign on deadline day, so that’s why it’s a big surprise.

“I’ve known Tony and he has to get on with his stuff but all I can say is that it wasn’t correct because we were trying to sign two players like that on deadline day.”

Asked if Henry had recommended Slimani and Amadou, he added: “Yes. They were two players who were slightly available, albeit who came up late.”

The Professional Footballers’ Association had said it was “shocked” by the reported comments. It added: “The PFA strongly condemns any such views and there is no place for them in football.”

West Ham have six first-team squad members of African descent: Cheikhou Kouyate, Pedro Obiang, Joao Mario, Angelo Ogbonna, Arthur Masuaku and Edimilson Fernandes.

Senegal striker Diafra Sakho left the club in the January transfer window to join Rennes, with Ghana international Andre Ayew heading to Swansea.

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Source: BBC

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Hammers boss David Moyes has reportedly placed the Ghana international on the transfer list and is in advanced talks to sign Pelle as a replacement.

Ayew’s former side Swansea and Turkish side Galatasaray are among the clubs interested in his signature, with Swansea having a £14m bid rejected last week.

A move away from the London stadium seems imminent as he was left out of the West Ham match day squad that lost at Wigan at the weekend.

The 28 year old has failed to live up to his then club record £20m price tag since joining from Swansea in 2016.

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By: Daniel Koranteng/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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According to Sky Sports, the Hammers value Ayew at £20m and will not budge into selling him below their asking price.

Ayew joined West Ham from Swansea back in 2016 for £20m but has struggled to hit the ground running at the London club.

The 28-year-old has been deemed surplus to requirements at West Ham and manager David Moyes is reportedly open to offloading the Ghanaian international.

Swansea are expected to make an improved bid in the coming days.

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By: Daniel Koranteng/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The Hammers scored the only goal after just six minutes when Arnautovic curled a deft strike into the bottom corner after exchanging passes with Manuel Lanzini on the edge of the area.

Chelsea responded well before the break but were repelled by an organised West Ham defence and two solid saves from Adrian, retaining his spot in place of the dropped Joe Hart.

Both sides became increasingly ragged in the second half but West Ham desperately held on, with Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata firing wide when clean through late on.

Despite victory, the hosts remain in the bottom three, though they have drawn level on points with 17th-placed West Brom, who face fellow strugglers Swansea at 15:00 GMT.

Defeat means champions Chelsea will finish the weekend 14 points behind leaders Manchester City if Pep Guardiola’s side beat rivals Manchester United on Sunday.

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Source: BBC Sport

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Marc Albrighton fired the Foxes ahead after Angelo Ogbonna failed to deal with Jamie Vardy’s low cross.

Vardy went close to doubling the lead with a curling attempt before Kouyate got on the end of Manuel Lanzini’s corner.

West Ham, roared on by the home fans, were the better side after the interval but could not force a second goal.

They remain in the relegation zone but are now level on points with 17th-placed West Brom, while Leicester move above Newcastle United into 11th.

‘A tough place to come with a tough crowd’

Moyes described the point as “a start” and said of the Hammers fans: “They got right behind the players and the players gave them something back.”

He added: “The fans were fantastic, after all the negatives we heard, it was the opposite.

“When you come to play West Ham over the years, it has been a tough place to come with a tough crowd and they did that tonight.”

Leicester have taken five points in Claude Puel’s first four league games in charge yet the Foxes boss believes it should be more.

“The only disappointment is that we didn’t win,” said the Frenchman.

“We play well with the ball on the floor, press our opponents well and create chances to score. Now we must start to be more clinical.

“It’s disappointing because we had a lot of opportunities in the first half and we should have killed the game.”

Hammers respond well to going behind

This was a spirited performance from the Hammers which will give Moyes hope of steering the struggling club out of the bottom three.

In the 2-0 defeat at Watford in his first game in charge, West Ham’s heads dropped after conceding in the 11th minute.

Yet there was a determination about the hosts after the Premier League’s worst defence conceded for the 26th time in the league this season.

Winston Reid’s failure to close Jamie Vardy down allowed the England striker to cross. Angelo Ogbonna should have cleared yet lost his footing to allow Albrighton to slide home.

Kouyate headed the first Hammers goal of the Moyes reign from Lanzini’s corner, which lifted the atmosphere inside London Stadium.

West Ham fans spent the second half urging their team forward, substitute Andre Ayew going closest to a second with an overhead kick in stoppage time.

Ayew’s eventful cameo

Although he went close to scoring the winner in the dying moments, Ayew was involved in two controversial incidents after replacing the impressive Marko Arnautovic.

The former Swansea winger appeared to dive to try and win his side a penalty when challenged by Harry Maguire on the edge of the Leicester penalty area.

Referee Martin Atkinson waved play on, although Ayew was booked moments later after a late challenge on Demarai Gray, who was also cautioned for reacting and shoving his opponent.

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Source: BBC Sport

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The Scot’s hopes of a winning start in his 500th Premier League game as a manager were dashed by goals in either half from Will Hughes and Richarlison that left his new club in the bottom three and the size of the task facing him even clearer.

For the hosts, it was another energetic and clinical performance that highlighted why coach Marco Silva is coveted by Everton.

Moyes, appointed as Slaven Bilic’s successor on 7 November, can feel aggrieved at an unpunished handball in the build-up to Richarlison’s strike, and lost £25m striker Marko Arnautovic with a suspected broken thumb in the second half.

He will have to build on an improved second-half spell by the Hammers, who were spectacularly denied by Watford keeper Heurelho Gomes.

Moyes, 54, said: “I always thought this was a big job. Some big players with big reputations disappointed me a lot.

“I thought they would show me more. They need to show me why they have got that reputation.

“I don’t enjoy the performance and I expected us to do better. We tried to stay in the game and give ourselves a chance – and we probably did – but overall it was not good enough.”

It was an impressive return to winning ways for the Hornets, whose early-season momentum had stalled with defeats in their previous three games, and the victory moves them up a place to eighth in the table.

Hughes, the 22-year-old £8m summer signing from Derby County, scored with his first attempt on goal in the top flight, latching on to Andre Gray’s scuffed effort and smashing it past Joe Hart.

The England goalkeeper was also beaten by Richarlison, who was a constant threat but did well to stop Adrian Mariappa’s header to deny Watford a third after an hour.

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Source: BBC Sport

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