Slaven Bilic speaks to the media ahead of Tuesday's game at AFC Bournemouth
The games continue to come thick and fast for Slaven Bilic and his West Ham United team, with a trip to AFC Bournemouth next on the agenda in the Barclays Premier League.
Fresh from a 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, Bilic faced the media ahead of Tuesday’s game on the South Coast.
Can we start with team news?
SB: “We will see today because the last couple of days have been ok. Sunday was a training and regeneration day for the guys who played, and we have a couple of doubts for Tuesday’s game, but I will know after training on Monday.
“Valencia could be back, and Kouyate. All the guys who played against Wolverhampton are fit, and if we can add at least one of those two, who had little injuries against Liverpool, it will be good.”
A set back for Manuel Lanzini when he came back?
SB: “It happens. It was one of those injuries which didn’t look big at first, but it took him out for four weeks. Then he played against Southampton and Liverpool, but it came back again, so it looks like three or four weeks once more. He is a very brave guy who wants to come back as quickly as possible, which is on hand one good, but on the other hand they can say I’m fit but it happens again. Hopefully he will be back soon for us.
Fresh from a 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, Bilic faced the media ahead of Tuesday’s game on the South Coast.
Can we start with team news?
SB: “We will see today because the last couple of days have been ok. Sunday was a training and regeneration day for the guys who played, and we have a couple of doubts for Tuesday’s game, but I will know after training on Monday.
“Valencia could be back, and Kouyate. All the guys who played against Wolverhampton are fit, and if we can add at least one of those two, who had little injuries against Liverpool, it will be good.”
A set back for Manuel Lanzini when he came back?
SB: “It happens. It was one of those injuries which didn’t look big at first, but it took him out for four weeks. Then he played against Southampton and Liverpool, but it came back again, so it looks like three or four weeks once more. He is a very brave guy who wants to come back as quickly as possible, which is on hand one good, but on the other hand they can say I’m fit but it happens again. Hopefully he will be back soon for us.
You also had some promising news regarding Victor Moses and Diafra Sakho?
SB: “Victor is back training on Monday with us. He’s been out since Manchester United and he won’t be in the squad for Tuesday, but we will see how he is progressing and he’ll be back in the near future. Whether that is Newcastle or Man City we don’t know. Sakho is ahead of schedule, so he could be fit earlier than we thought. It will be a big thing for us when he comes back.”
You’ve had five clean sheets in the last seven. Now Winston Reid is available again – is that a nice problem?
SB: “Yes. We have four quality players in that position, at centre back, and that’s a good thing for us as it gives us options. That is very important to have in the Premier League.”
Is playing Bournemouth right now perhaps a bad time, because they’ve had a good run?
SB: “They’ve had a good run, but so have we. I mean they are a really good side. They have been together for a long time with the same manager, and now they have added a couple of players they really needed. They are playing good football, and they don’t have a negative pressure. They are enjoying it.
“They are very well organised, hard to beat, they run a lot and to be fair they did it when they won here 4-3. Make no mistake, we are very well aware what kind of game we are expecting on Tuesday and how we have to play to get anything out of it.”
Will Dimitri Payet start on Tuesday?
SB: "He came back, he is fit and I am 99 percent sure he will start."
David Bowie. Were you an admirer of his?
SB: “David Bowie is a big loss. He is a legend, a hero. I don’t think there is any person in the world who doesn’t love at least one song, because he was so versatile. I prefer his early stuff like Ziggy Stardust and all that, and that was, is and is going to be brilliant for years. He is a massive loss for music."
SB: “Victor is back training on Monday with us. He’s been out since Manchester United and he won’t be in the squad for Tuesday, but we will see how he is progressing and he’ll be back in the near future. Whether that is Newcastle or Man City we don’t know. Sakho is ahead of schedule, so he could be fit earlier than we thought. It will be a big thing for us when he comes back.”
You’ve had five clean sheets in the last seven. Now Winston Reid is available again – is that a nice problem?
SB: “Yes. We have four quality players in that position, at centre back, and that’s a good thing for us as it gives us options. That is very important to have in the Premier League.”
Is playing Bournemouth right now perhaps a bad time, because they’ve had a good run?
SB: “They’ve had a good run, but so have we. I mean they are a really good side. They have been together for a long time with the same manager, and now they have added a couple of players they really needed. They are playing good football, and they don’t have a negative pressure. They are enjoying it.
“They are very well organised, hard to beat, they run a lot and to be fair they did it when they won here 4-3. Make no mistake, we are very well aware what kind of game we are expecting on Tuesday and how we have to play to get anything out of it.”
Will Dimitri Payet start on Tuesday?
SB: "He came back, he is fit and I am 99 percent sure he will start."
David Bowie. Were you an admirer of his?
SB: “David Bowie is a big loss. He is a legend, a hero. I don’t think there is any person in the world who doesn’t love at least one song, because he was so versatile. I prefer his early stuff like Ziggy Stardust and all that, and that was, is and is going to be brilliant for years. He is a massive loss for music."