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Slaven Bilic will be given a few more games after West Ham consider sacking him
West Ham United are planning to give Slaven Bilic a few more games to turn around the club’s fortunes – but have considered sacking their manager after Saturday's dismal 3-0 defeat at Newcastle.
Bilic will holds talks with the club on Monday but rather than a face-to-face meeting, it will be the usual Monday morning debrief with the owners. However, they will want to know how Bilic can improve the team’s fortunes after losing their first three Premier League matches and conceding 10 goals.
There is concern over Bilic’s tactics, team selection and also training methods, which have carried on from last season when West Ham struggled following their move to the London Stadium. At that time, Bilic’s future was in some doubt but having steered West Ham to finish 11th in the table, he proved that he deserved to stay on and has been given the opportunity to invest in the squad this summer.
It certainly appears that Bilic will carry on for now, which would seem to be the right decision, not least because it is so early in the season, West Ham have yet to play a home game and also because the summer signings are his choices. He also deserves the chance to improve things.
Those signings include Marko Arnautovic for a club record of up to £24 million, Javier Hernandez for £16 million plus Pablo Zabaleta and Joe Hart, the goalkeeper on a season-long loan.
West Ham still hope to break their club record fee again with the signing of Sporting Lisbon midfielder William Carvalho but that deal has stalled with the two clubs remaining £5.5 million apart in their valuation for the Portugal international. West Ham have offered up to £33.6 million.
Their next games, after the international break, are at home to Huddersfield Town, then away to West Bromwich Albion before two more homes games – against Tottenham Hotspur and Swansea City.
Given there are further international games after those four fixtures, and the Carabao Cup tie at home to Bolton Wanderers, which is less important, they would appear to be the ones to determine Bilic’s future.
The Croat was not alone in finding this depressing viewing at St James’ Park. Newcastle’s Dwight Gayle will not have been too happy sitting in the stands while Joselu and Aleksandar Mitrovic, rivals for his striker’s role, supplied the goals he was expected to score this season.
Gayle, responsible for 23 of Newcastle’s goals as they won the Championship last season, was not even among the substitutes.
Manager Rafael Benitez resisted the temptation to sidestep the issue. No, Gayle was not injured, he admitted. “Dwight wasn’t on the bench because Mitrovic has been doing well and training well.”
Benitez’s decision to choose newcomer Joselu ahead of Mitrovic suggests he still harbours doubts about the Serbian forward, who packed a lot into his 18 minutes on the pitch at the end of the match.
Mitrovic forced Hart to make a fine save before tricking the goalkeeper on his way to an 86th-minute goal that he celebrated by placing a forefinger on his lips. Stay silent, he was telling his critics.
“For who it is, they know,” said Mitrovic. “There are a lot of people who don’t trust in me, so I just try to make them wrong.”
Doubts will remain about Mitrovic’s future at Newcastle until the transfer window closes, but he insists he is staying at the club.
He said. “I have a lot of options in this transfer window, many from the top five leagues, but Newcastle decide that I need to stay here. I agree with them.
“I have unfinished business in the Premier League. I have a mission to show people in England – and I will show them.”
A less impressive contribution from Mitrovic was a challenge on Manuel Lanzini. He appeared to elbow the West Ham player and may face action from the Football Association.
Joselu’s goal in the 36th minute was his first since a £5 million move from Stoke City and Newcastle’s first in the league after their unconvincing start to the season.
Ciaran Clark headed Newcastle’s second goal in the 72nd minute after his goal-line clearance prevented Hernandez equalising from a rare attack.
Mark Noble, the West Ham captain, said: “The atmosphere in the dressing room isn’t great, but we’re lucky that it’s early in the season. It’s not the start we wanted.