Want-away
Hammers star Dimitri Payet has put his employers in an impossible
situation with his disgraceful refusal to play for the club. having
accepted a £1million loyalty bonus only 10 weeks ago! He is now essentially on
strike and holding the club to ransom to force a move elsewhere.
We've all had that experience at work when you realise what having a contract of employment means and that your boss can send you wherever you are considered most needed. Surely a similar logic should apply to our high-earning soccer stars?
Given that Payet is so
determined to leav, We at VERYWESTHAM have identified just the club for the
midfield 'talisman'. FC Milano sound like just the 'big' club that Payet claims
to prefer to little West Ham, but rather than the Italian giants we were
thinking of a loan move to the club that is propping up the Macedonian league
with only one win all season!
With their owner in
and out of trouble for smuggling and firearms offences, Mr Payet might be a little less inclined to
throw a 'Dimi wont play' strop and one suspects would be likely to find a new sense of 'loyalty'! Even better, the financial situation is so grave that players receive minimal
payment for the honour of turning out for the club and are thus unafflicted by
the greed that has soured Payet's reputation - FC Milano thus offers the
perfect destination for Dimitri to reclaim some footballing respect. Perhaps
Diego Costa could also go as his bodyguard!
However, back at the London Stadium despite all the tough talk from
the Hammers board, with an estimated value of £35 million and receiving over
£100,000 per week in wages, Club chairmen Sullivan and Gold are merely delaying
the inevitable by claiming that he is not for sale as ultimately, money talks
and traitors walk!
With Payet's former club now back in the
cash, it is hard not to suspect that this is all part of a well-choreographed
move that will allow Marseille to recapture Payet at a reduced price. The
currently favoured view is that Payet might be let go in the Summer, but as
Hammers fans stamped over his shirt outside the Olympic Stadium yesterday, its
hard to see him playing for the club again.
Sad times - this is the kind of saga that puts people off football. As the Liverpool fans put it when Fernando Torres departed for Chelsea - "He who betrays will always walk alone". Torres certainly found that to be the case as, having offended the footballing Gods, he never rediscovered his mojo.
20 minutes: Diego ACTUALLY DOES get a yellow card as the horrible referee singles him out for punishment for simply showing a little healthy dissent about a penalty claim - some fans think Oscar should also have been booked for the obvious dive but they are just being unfair on the gentle little Chelsea chappies!
34 minutes: Oops, Diego accidentally bangs into referee Anthony Taylor. strictly speaking that's another yellow card under new rules but we wont be that harsh on cuddles Costa!
68 minutes: Dear dear me, Diego slips as he tries to tackle Adrian in the West Ham goal and in his efforts to avoid colliding with the goalkeeper raises his foot and unfortunately clatters into the West ham netminder. Adrian totally over-reacts and even refuses to shake hands with Diego. In typical fashion, lots of people who like to pick on Diego suggest that it was a straight red card offence, but they are just jealous of Diego's strength.
89 minutes: Diego scores a late winner but the begrudgers highlight that his celebration, which included running into the crowd, also deserved a second yellow. Spoilsports!
Post Match: Diego wins everybody over with his insightful honesty explaining how "Here I'm marked by referees, I'm going to be honest...if I do anything, it's different to what any other footballer does, and we need to see this because people marked me and I have to deal with it and ask God that these things don't mess me up or take away opportunities of the game that happens with suspension."
God was clearly on duty to protect Diego on Monday night. However, away from Stamford Bridge and the ineffectual Mr Taylor, Mr Costa may find that other venues and referees actually enact the rules of the game.
 |
| About time! |
It's a tough opener for SuperSlav's men but many would say that it's a good time to take on a revitalised Chelski at the Bridge. In many respects the pressure is mostly on Antonio Conte's men as they will be expected to make the running. Such 'underdog' status usually suits Bilic who will alomost certainly play it tight to frustrate Chelsea before bringing on Mr Payet for the final quarter.
Chelsea fans are expecting to see N'Golo Kante debuting in the midfield holding role and his battle with Noble and Kouyate will be key to deciding this match. Equally, West Ham have an obvious weakness at right back where the in form again Eden Hazard will be hoping to announce his return as chief terrorizer of Premiership defences. If Sofiane Feghouli starts in right wing position he will need to drop back to assist Michail Antonio, unless Bilic starts with new signing Arthur Masuoku at left back and switches Sam Byram to his more natural RB position.
As always the loveable Diego Costa will lead the Chelsea attack where Reid and Ogbonna will expect to match him for physicality. For West Ham, Andy C looks ready to finally deliver on his potential and will look to develop on his excellent pre-season form. We expect Andre Agew to be sprung from the bench with Payet on 70 minutes to lead the Hammers to victory and revenge for Chelsea's very very fortunate late draw in the corresponding fixture last season.
COYI!!!
