West Ham supporters have been making a lot of noise in the Transfer Tavern recently after seeing their side end a promising week with a commanding 3-0 win at struggling Stoke City on Saturday, a result which moved them out of the Premier League’s bottom three.
David Moyes’ men beat champions Chelsea 1-0 at the London Stadium last weekend before holding Arsenal to a 0-0 draw in East London on Wednesday night, two much-improved displays to suggest that the new manager was beginning to put his stamp on this Hammers side. And they made it seven points out of nine for the week in Staffordshire on Saturday as goals from Mark Noble, Marko Arnautovic, and Diafra Sakho sealed a comfortable victory for Moyes’ side at the bet365 Stadium, which in turn moved them out of the bottom three for the first time since the start of November.
Subsequently, there have been many happy Hammers in the Tavern this week, several of whom are eagerly anticipating their team’s encounter with Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal in the quarter-final of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night, as the East London club bid to win the competition for the first time in their history.
In the meantime though, there has been plenty for our resident West Ham fans to get their teeth into, not least news that midfielder Manuel Lanzini has been charged by the FA for diving to win the penalty from which Noble netted the opener against Stoke on Saturday.
The Argentine is the second player after Everton’s Oumar Niasse to receive a ban retrospectively for diving since the new laws were introduced at the start of the season, and as such he could miss the game against Arsenal on Tuesday as well as their home clash with Newcastle United on Saturday if the ban is upheld.
And this news has stimulated quite a response from Hammers fans on Twitter, many of whom agree with the decision…
No complaints really needs cutting out the game but a career threatening challenge like Ali on De Bruyne needs to be dealt with too, shouldn’t be allowed to get away with it
— ⚒️Gazza 66 (@gary_wibberley) December 18, 2017
It’s the rules… so yes.
— Realistic Irons (@RealisticIrons) December 18, 2017
Right decision tbh
— Gianthammer (@NYG_WHU) December 18, 2017
100% dive, but well worth it!
— james sanders (@thecolonel_) December 18, 2017
So what about Delph for Man City against us? One rule for supposed big clubs and one for the rest!
— Telvis (@Telv1s) December 18, 2017
I’m a WHU supporter and I don’t disagree with the ban. Just hope we’re consistent in future. The application seems strange though. If he gets caught at the time he gets a yellow. If he doesn’t the retrospective punishment is harsher. They need VAR and dives should be a red card.
— Finegan Gringleberry (@FinGringle) December 18, 2017
Was a clear dive, but I’ve seen a lot worse this season even on the same wkd as lanzini’ and no action taken, wouldnt have affected the outcome of the game as we smashed them, the law needs to be consistent otherwise pointless! #whufc
— Edward Fordham (@EdFordy) December 18, 2017
West Ham fans… what do you think? Let us know!
