West Ham’s Slaven Bilic: No need for panic transfers despite Andre Ayew injury

Ayew has been ruled out for four months with a thigh injury
AFP/Getty Images
Slaven Bilic19 August 2016

Andre Ayew’s thigh injury is a big blow for us. We were delighted to have signed him from Swansea and the news that he is now out for a long time is not good.

There will be no panic buying — maybe we are lacking one midfielder. Hopefully, we will qualify for the Europa League group stages but, even if we don’t, we need one more in that position.

But with the season hardly begun, we have had too many injuries, although the arrival of Jonathan Calleri will help.

Diafra Sakho is still having treatment on an injury. He is our player and when he is fit and available, he is going to play.

Last season, after beginning so well away at Arsenal, we lost our first two home matches, against Leicester and Sunday’s opponents Bournemouth.

I remember the Bournemouth game well. We lost 4-3 and without taking anything away from them, we handed them the first two goals.

In theory, every goal can be stopped and it is a game of mistakes but the first, second and third goals were huge errors.

Sunday will be the first Premier League game at the new stadium and we want to win it.

I told the players we have a big couple of weeks — five games and then an international break.

Photo: Avril Husband/West Ham United via Getty Images
Avril Husband/West Ham United via Getty Images

WE WON’T PUSH PAYET TOO MUCH

The good news for me is that Dimitri Payet is getting fitter day by day. Of course we need him and Manuel Lanzini but you can’t rush him too much.

You can probably rush him 10 per cent without too much risk but not more than that. Otherwise you risk him picking up an injury which, on top of all the others, we certainly do not need.

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