Claretandhugh

The Football Supporters’ Association in their report today entitled ” Concessions battle: Spurs and West Ham fans plan joint demo” suggest Hammers and Spurs fans plan to put aside their differences by coming together in a joint protest at the removal and reduction of concessionary tickets at both East and North London clubs.

The FSA reports that “Supporters of Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United are set to demonstrate alongside one another against their respective clubs ahead of the game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday.”

If successful, the campaign will manage to achieve something remarkable indeed, by setting aside a rivalry between two groups of fans which has run for many decades.

The FSA reports West Ham’s situation thus:” West Ham United announced significant increases to season ticket and matchday pricing for the 2024-25 season earlier this year.On top of that, the club also announced changes to concessionary pricing – restricting them to certain sections and price bands of the London Stadium while increasing prices for young supporters – a move that has angered and disappointed West Ham fans across the board”.

Describing similar issues at Tottenham:”Back in March Tottenham Hotspur announced that, unless you’re already eligible for a “senior concession” by 2025-26 they’ll no longer offer OAP season ticket discounts at all. They’re gone forever.”

“Supporters at both clubs are calling on their clubs to reverse their decisions to remove and restrict concessionary pricing at their respective stadiums.”

More information at thefsa.org.uk

*For the record, I was at one time ( I might still be, to be honest I have no idea!) a member of WHUST and still receive their newsletters. Just to make my own position clear. MT

Saturday’s Premier League action commences at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with an all-London showdown between Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United.

Old foes welcomed October’s international break in conflicting spirits.

Spurs shockingly threw away a two-goal cushion in a stomach-wrenching 3-2 defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion, suffering their third league loss this season.

Michail Antonio’s 48th-second opener set the tone for the Hammers’ first home league triumph under new manager Julen Lopetegui, offering the Spanish boss some respite during the two-week hiatus.

Lucas Paqueta was also on the scoresheet amid growing speculation linking him with a big-money transfer to Real Madrid, recently fuelled by Eduardo Camavinga’s social media activities, as per Bola Vip.

Before the Brazilian forward can start thinking about teaming up with the most successful club on the planet, he must prove his innocence in court over match-fixing allegations first.

For the time being, he remains a focal point of Lopetegui’s frontline, with the Hammers looking to fly out of the traps after hitting a pause button for a fortnight.

As a result of their first win since August, West Ham entered the break in 12th, trailing fifth-placed Aston Villa by six points.

Lopetegui Not Out of the Woods Yet

Despite posting his first home league win on the board in round seven, Lopetegui isn’t off the hook by any stretch of the imagination.

The former Wolverhampton Wanderers was supposed to be an upgrade on former manager David Moyes.

However, his early tenure has shown no signs of improvement on Moyes’ regime.

West Ham fans remain desperate for their expensively-built squad to live up to its potential.

Unless they can prove their worth in a high-profile encounter such as this, the abovementioned rout of Ipswich will feel like a fleeting moment of false hope rather than a sign of genuine progress.

Problems Keep Piling Up

Apart from their scoring woes, the Irons have been terminally unable to defend their goal.

Ipswich’s strike at the London Stadium extended West Ham’s woeful run without a clean sheet to six matches.

That wouldn’t have been an issue had they not conceded at least three goals against Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City across various competitions.

A lack of defensive resilience has been West Ham’s scourge in recent clashes against Tottenham.

Since a 1-0 home league win in October 2021, they have gone six successive meetings with Spurs without a shutout (W1, D2, L3).

Fixing that problem would be the first prerequisite for Lopetegui to launch a much-needed winning streak.

Travel Sickness

Away games hadn’t been West Ham’s strong suit under Moyes.

To put this statement into context, the Hammers won only 36.8% of their Premier League outings on the road last season (W7, D2, L10).

But there’s a looming sense that their away form could plummet to new lows under Lopetegui.

Since two unanswered second-half goals inspired West Ham to a 2-0 win against Crystal Palace on their opening Premier League travel, they’ve lost their footing away from home.

West Ham drew level early in the second half to avoid defeat against Brentford on their last league road trip.

However, before that, they needed a last-gasp equaliser to take a 1-1 stalemate at Fulham, while Liverpool trounced them 5-1 in the EFL Cup.

Slow out of the traps, Lopetegui’s charges have yet to find the net in the first half in Premier League away action this season.

That’s unacceptable for a team boasting such tremendous scoring potential.

What the bookies think

Tottenham – 19/40

Draw – 7/2

West Ham – 9/2

Odds provided by Betway, and are subject to change.

The clock is ticking. the international break gives us all a brief, frustrating pause with no Premier League action next weekend. For some, it is an opportunity to tweak systems and for West Ham no doubt time to improve new recruit fitness and integration into the evolving Lopetegui high press, high energy possession based-game. For others, West Ham’s Niclas Fullkrug included, the race is on to be fit and on the team sheet come the 19th October lunchtime start against old enemy Tottenham Hotspur.

Fullkrug has been struggling with what has at various times been described as an achilles or heel injury and he hasn’t played since the last international break.

Spurs, too, have their issues and have suffered a noticeable drop in form.

According to EPL Index this is due to playing “without their talismanic captain Heung-Min Son, who has been notably absent from Tottenham’s last three fixtures due to a hamstring injury he sustained during the Europa League win over Qarabag. His absence has clearly impacted the squad, as his energy and leadership on the field are irreplaceable.”

Son has been struggling to return to match fitness, with boss Postecoglou confirming that he’ll miss the Internationals but is targeting a return from injury for – the home game against West Ham. Cutting it fine then, with less than two weeks to be ready.

Spurs’ news on other established team member Richarlison is even less positive: His injury is a calf issue which is ‘kind of long term’ according to his manager and means he’ll miss the London derby. Summer signing Wilson Odobert is also out until November with a hamstring injury.

Nothing makes me smile like a good tale of Tottenham Hotspur rejecting a young player and the subsequent success of said player who goes on to become a hero in Claret and Blue. This one is a peach. When a former scout and highly regarded Tottenham Hotspur ex-manager opened up to The Athletic recently, it made my day.

Consultant Scout and former Manager for The Spuds, David Pleat, left his role at North London last summer and has been talking about some of the signings he helped secure, and, hilariously, the one he recommended but had his advice ignored.

Back in 2019 he made a recommendation to Spurs to go and sign a young talented English player at Hull City, one Jarrod Bowen. Tottenham chose to ignore his advice and selected Jack Clarke instead, then at Leeds United. The winger failed miserably to make any impact at Spurs and had to leave, drop down to the championship again and rebuild his career with Sunderland before finally making the PL grade and securing a move to Ipswich Town this Summer.

And as for Bowen – one of the many things we will thank David Moyes for: The Scotosaurus saw the latent talent in Jarrod Bowen and bought him from Hull to London Stadium in January 2020 for £17 million. Bowen of course has gone on to equal our club record for ‘goals scored in a season’ tally and has become an England regular and Club Captain. Good choice, Spurs, and thanks for ‘passing’ on our Hammers Hero. It’ll be the icing on the cake if he scores against Spurs this season.

(Image- Spursweb)

West Ham United manager Julen Lopetegui is wasting no time revamping his squad, with the right-back position a major area of concern following Ben Johnson’s departure to Ipswich Town.

The Hammers reportedly hold aspirations of landing Manchester United’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka, but the Red Devils’ intentions regarding the player remain unclear. This has led West Ham to explore more attainable options, with Kyle Walker-Peters of Southampton emerging as a frontrunner.

According to GiveMeSport, Walker-Peters is seen as the “easier” option due to his contract expiring next year at Southampton. This potentially lower transfer fee makes him a more realistic target for West Ham.

The recent sale of midfielder Flynn Downes to Southampton could also prove beneficial for West Ham in their pursuit of Walker-Peters. The established relationship between the clubs might ease negotiations for the right-back.

However, West Ham are not alone in their interest. Walker-Peters’ former club, Tottenham Hotspur, is also reportedly keen on acquiring him, potentially as a backup option.

West Ham are determined to find a solution at right-back quickly as they prepare for the upcoming season. Walker-Peters’ contract situation makes him a strong contender, but Tottenham’s interest adds another dimension to this transfer saga.

While solidifying the backline is a priority, West Ham are also addressing their attacking options. Their initial target, Aston Villa’s Jhon Duran, proved too expensive with a £40 million price tag. The club is now exploring alternative striking solutions, with names like Alexander Sørloth and Jonathan David reportedly on our radar.

West Ham United have emerged as the frontrunners to sign Steven Bergwijn from Ajax, according to a report this morning from teamTALK. This reignites earlier rumours linking the Dutch winger with a move to the London Stadium. However, this latest report is in complete contrast with the news C&H learnt last night which stated there was no interest in the player at this moment.

Bergwijn’s impressive form with Ajax, contributing 16 goals or assists in just 24 Eredivisie matches last season, has reignited West Ham’s interest.

Ajax reportedly values the Dutchman between £20 million and £25 million.

Despite West Ham’s lead, Bergwijn attracts interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia and France, creating a competitive transfer landscape. This is precisely the same tactic being used to once again link Youssef En-Nesyri to the club, who also conveniently has interest from Saudi.

The report also suggests Ajax manager Francesco Farioli has accepted Bergwijn’s likely departure.

While lucrative offers from Saudi Arabia are tempting, Bergwijn reportedly desires a return to the Premier League to prove himself after limited playing time at Tottenham Hotspur.

With pressing needs for a striker, right-back, and potentially another central defender, West Ham must weigh the significant price tag for Bergwijn against their other transfer priorities.

But, despite transfer needs in other areas, Bergwijn’s talent and age (approaching his prime) could make him a valuable long-term signing for West Ham.

According to 90min, Tottenham Hotspur have moved ahead f West Ham in the pursuit of Lille’s forward Jonathan David.

David, who has been perennially linked with the Hammers, is approaching the end of his tenure with Lille, having entered the final year of his contract. This has led to widespread speculation that he will depart Stade Pierre Mauroy, with the Premier League touted as his probable next stop ahead of the 24-25 season.

Recent reports, indicate that Tottenham, along with Manchester United, Chelsea, and West Ham, are all vying for the Canadian international’s signature. However, it does seem slightly odd that nobody has yet pulled the trigger on a player who has been so highly regarded for so long.

It’s suggested that David, a standout in Ligue 1, could be snapped up for a bargain £20m due to his impending contract expiry.

West Ham’s recent shift in focus towards Aston Villa’s Jhon Duran suggests a move away from the Canadian but many hadn’t given up on the prospect of signing David.

With Canada’s Copa America efforts wrapping up this Saturday in a third-place playoff against Uruguay, discussions about David’s future are expected to intensify shortly thereafter.

West Ham United are hot on the heels of Tottenham Hotspur full-back Sergio Reguilon, according to Diario AS. The Spanish defender is tipped for an exit from Spurs this summer, and West Ham, under new boss Julen Lopetegui, appear to be frontrunners for his signature.

Lopetegui, is wasting no time in moulding the West Ham squad to his liking. Following the acquisitions of Luis Guilherme and Wes Foderingham, bolstering the full-back positions is believed to be a priority. Southampton’s Kyle Walker-Peters has already been linked with a move to the London Stadium.

Tottenham are actively trimming their squad, with Joe Rodon’s recent departure adding to the five players who left on free transfers this summer. Reguilon, who spent last season on loan spells at Manchester United and Brentford, is expected to be next out the door.

Lopetegui’s interest in Reguilon is likely fueled by their past association. The Spaniard managed Reguilon during Sevilla’s Europa League victory in the 2019/20 season. This pre-existing relationship could prove decisive in West Ham’s pursuit.

While Italian giants Juventus have shown interest, Reguilon is likely to stay in the Premier League. Manchester United are also reportedly keen on the 25-year-old.

A reunion with Lopetegui could be a tempting proposition for Reguilon. He would also provide much-needed competition and depth at left-back for the Hammers.

Tottenham Hotspur may soon make a bid for Corinthians winger Wesley Gassova, who has been a long-term target for West Ham United.

The Brazilian youth international has received significant attention across Europe due to his standout performances at Corinthians. Napoli and West Ham’s Tim Steidten have been monitoring the player closely. The Hammers have been watching the player for months and only switched priorities to Luis Guilherme when it became clear he was available.

However, it has still been widely reported that West Ham are still interested in one more winger and the Wesley transfer deal was still on.

Sky Italy reports that Tottenham has now “entered the race” for Wesley and could “present their offer in July.”

The 19-year-old has already amassed over 70 appearances for Corinthians’ senior team, contributing 7 goals and 5 assists. Although his contract with the Brazilian club runs until the end of 2027, several top clubs are poised to make a move for him this summer.

West Ham was reportedly close to securing a deal to sign Wesley during the January transfer window. Napoli showed strong interest in the young winger but seem to have stepped back in their pursuit.

Tottenham, having just joined the chase, have yet to submit a formal offer. With uncertainty surrounding Bryan Gil’s future and Ryan Sessegnon’s departure, Spurs are in need of reinforcements on the left flank. Sessegnon, who is available on a free transfer, is also a target for West Ham, setting up a potential game of footballing musical chairs.

The more I consider the recent transfer rumour linking Jarrod Bowen with a move to Tottenham Hotspur, the less it makes sense.

Of course, it could just be one of those transfer rumours that are entirely fabricated, though some prominent sources did seem to confirm the story. I’m fully aware that any talk of £150 million is nothing more than a deterrent, but issuing a price-tag did seem to dangle the carrot somewhat.

Aside from it being incredibly difficult for West Ham United and Spurs to do transfer business due to rivalry, it doesn’t make financial sense at all. Tottenham are not impervious to the same financial restrictions and regulations that the rest of the Premier League increasingly have to abide by. So, I find it incredibly difficult to believe that they could even begin to afford Bowen.

The North Londoners have a Harry Kane-shaped void at the heart of their attack and are supposedly ready with a £50 million bid for West Ham target Ivan Toney. Riccardo Calafiori is believed to be on their radar as well as ours, and there is also talk of a move for Crystal Palace’s Ebere Eze.

Factor in Tottenham’s requirements for a midfielder, as well as the numerous attacking options they already possess in wide areas, and the Bowen links just seem to melt away.

I must confess to a moment of panic when I first heard the news that Spurs were in high-level negotiations with the Hammers for our Player of the Year. It’s also worth noting that anyone who sanctions the sale of Bowen to our London rivals would make themselves incredibly unpopular.

For me, whilst I was initially concerned, this has now become a bit of transfer twaddle.