Up The Hammers – Latest West Ham United FC News

The Observer fans’ network on the season so far: United in transition, Stoke’s messy start and the problem with Bob Bradley Part 1: Arsenal to Manchester City Frustrating. We’ve squandered leads and points, but the team is vastly improved since Mourinho took over. We’re slowly returning to the attractive football the fans yearn. At times the team can appear one-paced, and really needs the infectious, direct positivity of Mkhitaryan. Rooney and Mata shouldn’t be starting as …

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The Ghana international, who signed from Swansea City for £20.5million in the summer before suffering a thigh injury on his league debut, joined the likes of Dimitri Payet and Co at Rush Green.

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For the first time more than £1bn was spent by Premier League clubs in the summer transfer window. England’s top flight is awash with cash and astonishingly 13 of its 20 clubs broke their transfer record to bring in new players. Take a look at who went where and for how much Real winners and losers of the transfer window are obscured by headline figures Continue reading…

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The lowdown on the business conducted by England’s top-flight clubs before the close of the deadline It has taken two summers but Arsène Wenger has finally bought to strengthen the spine of his squad. Coming in after Petr Cech last season are players to address key positions that have needed bolstering for some time. Wenger hopes Shkodran Mustafi quickly forms a great partnership with Laurent Koscielny, while Granit Xhaka has already inspired comparisons to Emmanuel Petit in midfield…

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West Ham and Swansea City in talks over a £12m deal for forward Enner Valencia, according to MailOnline. Valencia has struggled to impress since signing for the Hammers two summers ago, scoring just 10 goals in 68 first team outings. And his underwhelming performances for the Hammers so far this season, both in the Premier

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• Ghana forward signs four-year contract with Slaven Bilic’s side • Ayew moved to Swansea last summer on free transfer West Ham United have completed the signing of the Swansea City forward André Ayew for a club record fee of £20.5m. Related: Crystal Palace reject Everton’s £18m bid for Yannick Bolasie I am delighted to announce the transfer of outstanding Ghana forward Andre Ayew for a Club-record £20.5M fee. dg pic.twitter.com/4Hh4aCsgmG Continue reading

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United are getting their swagger back; Saints are eying a season of intrigue; and why Tottenham need to do some serious squad-building Part one: Arsenal to Manchester City A new era dawns – hopefully one free from LVG’s possession-at-all-costs approach. In signing Ibrahimovic, Mkhitaryan and Bailly, Mourinho has added a real mix of experience and class – it feels like we’re about to get some of our swagger back…

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Former West Ham target Andre Ayew could leave Swansea this summer and would be available for £15m, according to Sky Sports News HQ. The Ghana international was believed to be close to agreeing a free transfer to the club last summer but infamously opted to sign for Swansea instead. Although his choice of club perhaps

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Olivier Giroud continues to polarise opinion, Chelsea face a summer of change, West Ham need a new striker and Jordan Henderson should not start in Basel Related: The Dozen: the weekend’s best Premier League photos Related: Mauricio Pochettino apologises to Tottenham fans for Newcastle shambles Continue reading…

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Claudio Ranieri flies to Italy with Leicester on verge of title, is time running out for Jack Wilshere to make Euro 2016 and will Pellegrini gamble pay off in Madrid? The romantic at heart might hope that Leicester complete their crowning achievement on their own turf by defeating Everton at an incredulous King Power Stadium but the fact we can seemingly afford to be that picky is astonishing in itself and perhaps an …

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Rafael Benítez can expect a warm Anfield welcome, Claudio Ranieri’s striking conundrum and crunch time in the Championship • Vardy accepts FA charge but hopes to avoid extended ban • Leicester and Tottenham dominate PFA Premier League team of the year • Everton’s Funes Mori issues apology for red card against Liverpool • ‘We’ve shown we can fight,’ says Newcastle’s Benítez • Kane: Tottenham striker fired by one-season wonder critics • Leicester and Tottenham dominate…

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We look at each Premier League club, what they need to strengthen and who they are hoping to sign in the January transfer window 1st 39pts Related: Aston Villa’s Rémi Garde targets loan move for Chelsea’s Loïc Remy Continue reading…

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Manchester City stay top, Arsenal score their 2,000th goal under Arsene Wenger, Jamie Vardy finds the net yet again, and Jurgen Klopp wins his first Premier League match. 5.04pm GMT And that’s that on the day Jamie Vardy scored in his eighth consecutive Premier League match, Arsenal scored their 2,000th goal under Arsene Wenger, Jurgen Klopp registered his first league victory in English football, and Jose Mourinho answered 13 questions in…

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Petr Cech to Arsenal, Raheem Sterling to Manchester City, Bastian Schweinsteiger to Manchester United … the movers hoping to become shakers * denotes loan deal Continue reading…

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Newcastle need a return on Ashley’s commitment; Sunderland expect trouble; anticipation is high at Swansea; Watford look to the obvious from their Uruguayan centre-back and Spurs want Lee Marvin leading their Dirty Dozen A new head coach, new backroom staff and a new commitment from Mike Ashley to back the team with cash … this has been a summer of change after all the stagnation. Steve McClaren wasn’t first choice with many fans, but he was probably the most experienced…

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Liverpool start at Stoke City in repeat of last season’s closer Chelsea begin their title defence at home to Swansea City Manchester United open up against Tottenham at Old Trafford Brendan Rodgers will have to demonstrate immediate improvement at Liverpool, as his team will kick off their next Premier League campaign at Stoke City, who walloped them 6-1 at the Britannia Stadium at the end of last season. Related: Premier League 2015-16 fixtures: …

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Managers must now decide their transfer targets for next season and move quickly to sign them. Here is our team-by-team assessment: The three most obvious positions where Arsenal require an upgrade are goalkeeper, centre-forward and defensive midfielder. In goal, Wojciech Szczesny and David Ospina have had too many jittery and unreliable moments. Up top, on days when Olivier Giroud has strained to make an impression, the need for an…

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We round up our favourite pictures from Sunday’s matches in the English top flight, the final matches of the 2014/15 season Continue reading…

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Chances are that José Mourinho would agree with us that he deserves a place on this shortlist but Ronald Koeman, Garry Monk, Alan Pardew and, yes, Sam Allardyce have also had tremendous seasons • Have your say in the other categories too Welcome to theguardian.com review of the 2014-15 Premier League season . Now that the campaign has ended we would like you to help us choose your favourite goal, the best referee and the best manager, and…

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In a break from tradition we have taken time out to celebrate not the best team in the Premier League but the most inept. Our (not wholly scientific) approach reveals … As it comes towards the end of the season, it has always been traditional to round up the best moments of the league: the best performances, best goals, best players and so on. But the reason those moments stand out are because they are rare islands …

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Garry Monk dismisses reports linking him to the managerial job at West Ham United, saying the speculation is nothing more than a compliment to his work at Swansea. There is speculation Monk could Sam Allardyce, whose contract expires at the end of the season, but Monk says West Ham already have a good manager Continue reading…

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Live scoreboard! Follow all the day’s goals and games as they happen And email niall.mcveigh.casual@theguardian.com or tweet @niallmcveigh 2.46pm BST Fifteen minutes until kick-off at an assortment of top-flight grounds, including Goodison Park, where Gary Naylor is stationed: 2.42pm BST For shame 2.38pm BST It’s finished Arsenal 4-1 Liverpool at the Emirates, meaning Arsenal are up to second. Barry Glendenning saw the whole thing. 2.37pm BST Goals are flying in…

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Barney Ronay was online to discuss the midweek fixtures in the Premier League 1.51pm GMT Thanks for reading and commenting. Barney has signed off. In his absence, why not read this piece about Sam Allardyce’s revolutionary time at Bolton , which features various photos of Big Sam through the years, including this one: 1.32pm GMT WallyFister asks: Why are English clubs continuing to fail in Europe? Would it be beneficial to keep sacking managers? Or should the media take…

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Olivier Giroud is crucial to Arsenal’s push for third despite his Monaco misses, while Robin van Persie’s absence for United could be a blessing in disguise and surely it is time Mark Noble received an England call-up Nobody has ever claimed Olivier Giroud was a world-class striker. His is not a name one would mention alongside Sergio Agüero, Diego Costa or Luis Suárez. He is a rung below that – always has been, always will be…

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Sherwood might be the man for a quick fix, Swansea need to retrieve their mojo and a win over Arsenal would give substance to the Pardew revolution The cross came over. It seemed to hang in the air for an eternity. There, a chance, a brilliant opportunity to break a goalless cycle that had become crippling. The FA Cup was both an opportunity for Aston Villa to inject some life into a stagnant campaign and to achieve …

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Follow all the latest action from the night’s Premier League matches Live scoreboard! Keep up with all the latest goals and games right here And email alan.smith@theguardian.com or tweet @alansmith90 8.26pm GMT 8.25pm GMT Shock at Old Trafford – Ander Herrera is on the pitch. Yes, Herrera is on the pitch. Blind’s head injury has forced him off. Bizarrely, Wayne Rooney now appears to be playing a holding role and Herrera has moved onto the right…

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