The partnership with George McCartney is paying dividends for Matthew
Etherington
06.11.2007
Matthew Etherington was particularly pleased to see George McCartney steal
the headlines for his wonder goal against Bolton Wanderers.
The left-sided duo, both 26, have been among the club's most consistent
performers this season, forging a promising partnership and doing so again
to good effect in Sunday's 1-1 draw. "I enjoy playing with him, he overlaps
me and it gives me options," said Etherington. "There is a good
understanding there."
Etherington was a surprised as anyone to see McCartney open the scoring
against Bolton with a "rare-old right-footed volley". He added: "It was a
great goal from him. He deserves it, he's been playing well this season. It
was a game we should have gone on to win. We had more than enough to chances
to kill the game off and we never did."
Undeterred and mindful that the club are four games unbeaten, Etherington is
looking ahead to Saturday's trip to Derby County. "We have got a week now to
prepare," he said. "We are looking to go there and get the win. To have 15
points is not a bad start but it could be better. We will hopefully get a
few injuries back and get three points at Derby.
"It is important to get in the top half - instead of looking behind you are
looking above. We want to pushing up the league this season and not looking
behind us." The club also have the Carling Cup quarter-final against Everton
on 12 December and Etherington was delighted with the draw. "We missed the
big clubs but it is still a tough game. It is a good draw for us though and
we are at home so hopefully we will take full advantage."
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Collison rising through the ranks
Jack Collison will be out to continue his progress for the reserves this
evening
06.11.2007
Jack Collison is being given extra responsibility this season and the young
midfielder is determined to use it in his quest to make the first team at
West Ham United.
The 19-year-old has been made reserve-team captain by coach Kevin Keen and
sees it as an opportunity to strengthen his game and make that big push
forwards. He is set to lead out the side again this evening for the visit of
Arsenal to the Boleyn Ground. As well as playing at a higher level, he is
also relishing regular sessions with the first team.
"It's going really well," he said. "I am trying to pick up as much as I can
from training with the first team. Because they are all great players, I can
learn so much from them. It is much more intense and the quality obviously
is a lot higher, and you have to concentrate more and be sharper in
everything you do.
"If you let things slip, you certainly know about it straight away. But
equally, the boys are also very encouraging and quick to praise you when you
have worked hard and put in the effort and this can only be helpful to me
and my game."
Collison, a tall athletic midfielder with an explosive shot, is looking to
make the most of his chance when asked to be involved with the first-team
squad. He travelled with defender James Tomkins for the 2-1 Carling Cup win
at Coventry City and was also named in the 19-man squad to face Bolton
Wanderers in the Premier League at the weekend.
Although he did not make the bench, he was undeterred. "Being part of the
team like this, going to away matches and seeing at close hand what the
build-up is like to big matches is great. It is something I want to be part
of more and more. When we won at Coventry, it meant we were in the last
eight and it was good to be around the dressing room after the game, seeing
how everyone reacted."
Working towards his ambitions of catching the eye of manager Alan
Curbishley, Collison knows he must simply keep his head down and work as
hard as he can. Taking on the role of captaincy for the reserve team is
something he knows can help him. "I am really enjoying the responsibility. I
think if anything it is giving me something extra to my game," he admitted.
"You get that extra buzz when you are leading the team out on to the pitch
and it's something I want to continue." Asked if he is shouter and how he
rallies the troop in a match, Collison said he just tries to get a message
across to his team-mates. "I do talk a bit, whether they do really listen to
me is another thing! But seriously, most of the boys are good talkers. At
the end of the day, if we communicate well as a team it can only help us to
getting a good result."
The Watford-born player will be hoping to build on some recent good form for
the reserves this evening. They have picked up a good results of late,
especially against London rivals, with a 1-1 draw at Fulham and a 1-0 home
victory against Tottenham Hotspur.
"It is a big step up, going from youth-team football to reserves, it's more
competitive," he said. "In the last two years I have been playing reserves,
the team has been made up of many of the youth boys. But now Kevin has a
squad of players he works with all the time and the gaffer has been putting
in experienced first-team players, so that has been a big help to the
younger players like me.
"For me this season the aims are to be in and around the first team as much
as I can and to make sure I put in the performances that will keep me in the
manager's eye. I have to keep working as hard as I can, try to impress all
the right people and see where that takes me. Then when my chance comes
along, I am going to grab it with both hands."
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Derby beamback this Saturday - WHUFC
Two mouth-watering packages are on offer for Derby County on 10 November
05.11.2007
If you cannot make it to Pride Park to watch West Ham United take on Derby
County this Saturday - come along to the Beamback.
See the Premier League encounter in warmth and style with a choice of two
mouth-watering packages running from 12pm to 5pm at the Boleyn Ground.
# A 3 course-carvery meal and matchday programme in the Castle Suite
(pay-bar available. Prices are £35 for adults, £22.50 for senior
citizens/disabled and £17.50 for children under 16. For more information,
call 020 8548 2777.
# Pie and mash and a matchday programme in the Premier Suite (pay-bar
available). Prices are £20 for adults, £18 for senior citizens/disabled and
£15 for children under 16. For more information call 0870 112 2700 (Option
3)
Be there and soak up the atmosphere on Saturday 10 November. The kick-off is
3pm.
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Everton tie set for 12 December - WHUFC
The club has confirmed the date for the Carling Cup quarter-final tie
05.11.2007
West Ham United can confirm that the Carling Cup quarter-final against
Everton will be played on Wednesday 12 December. The match at the Boleyn
Ground will kick-off at 7.45pm. The club reached the last eight of the
competition with a 2-1 victory at Coventry City last Tuesday while Everton
made it through with a 1-0 success at Luton Town. The semi-finals are due to
be played over two legs on 8/9 and 22/23 January with the final following on
24 February at Wembley Stadium.
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Boa Morte points the way forward - WHUFC
After a frustrating finish for the team against Bolton Wanderers, Luis Boa
Morte is looking ahead
05.11.2007
Luis Boa Morte is already thinking about Derby County away next Saturday
after seeing hopes of a home win dashed at the death on Sunday.
In what was to prove a frustrating contest against Bolton Wanderers, the
Portuguese forward played in an unfamiliar position wide right in support of
lone striker Carlton Cole. After George McCartney's volleyed opener, it
looked like another three points were in the bag until added time when a
Bolton break led to Kevin Nolan earning the visitors a last-gasp 1-1 draw.
"Of course we are disappointed today because we worked so hard, only to
concede a goal in the last couple of minutes," Boa Morte said. "We are not
happy as we didn't win but we have to look forward. We are four games
unbeaten but we should win these home games and wrap up the three points.
"OK we didn't lose and we got a point but we should have won. We go to Derby
next week and on Monday we are going to start thinking about them already.
We are going to go there and try to come away with the points. We know we
are capable of doing it when we play away from home and we are going to be
doing everything we can."
Boa Morte was only too happy to play wherever asked by manager Alan
Curbishley, but admitted he found it a little tricky to find his rhythm in
the early stages. "It got better the longer the game went on," he explained.
"I stepped up my work-rate as hard as I could. I don't usually play on the
right but we just have to dig in and work as hard as we can."
One player certainly doing that is McCartney, the left-back, who is the only
player to have featured in every game the club has played this season in
league and cup. Boa Morte is no stranger to spectacular goals and praised
his team-mate for a fine first strike in claret and blue. "It was a great
goal for George and I am glad for him," he said. "It was really good he
scored but it is just a shame we couldn't win."
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McCartney hails squad effort - SSN
Defender looking forward to return to full-strength
By Peter Fraser Last updated: 5th November 2007
George McCartney believes West Ham manager Alan Curbishley will face a
selection dilemma when the squad returns to full strength. The Hammers have
11 players on the sidelines through injury, but they are still showing
mid-table promise in the Premier League and are in the quarter-finals if the
Carling Cup. Hayden Mullins was the latest player to pick up a knock - he
was taken off shortly after half-time in Sunday's 1-1 draw against Bolton.
However, McCartney - who scored West Ham's goal against Bolton - is looking
forward to when his team-mates return to action. "We have a big squad here
but the majority of them are injured at the moment, including the signings
we made during the summer," said McCartney. "It's disappointing to have so
many injuries although the players who have come in have done a great job.
"Considering that, we've probably done well to be where we are in the league
and progressing nicely in the Carling Cup. "I am sure when the players come
back we will be a stronger team all round."
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Hammers paid for lack of nouse, says Curbishley - Soccernet
Alan Curbishley called for more professionalism from his West Ham players
after failing to close out victory and allowing Kevin Nolan to earn Bolton a
point in their relegation battle. Curbishley's men were 90 seconds from a
win at Upton Park but chose to attack in stoppage-time, allowing the
visitors a last chance to give their small travelling support something to
cheer. Nolan punished them, prodding home when Lubomir Michalik flicked on
Jlloyd Samuel's cross after West Ham failed to clear a throw-in. 'We needed
a bit of professionalism,' said Hammers boss Curbishley.
'One or two needed to get their foot on it and run it into the corner. 'If
it had been Bolton, (El Hadji) Diouf would have run it into the corner and
attracted a foul. 'The last thing we wanted with a minute to go was a long
throw to go in there with lots of bodies. It was a typical Bolton goal.'
Bolton had been putting pressure on the hosts after George McCartney had
opened the scoring with an acrobatic volley in the 19th minute, his first
goal in club football. Danny Guthrie hit the post, Gary Speed went close
after feeding off typical Bolton knockdowns, and Kevin Davies also skimmed
the bar with a header. Jonathan Spector also cleared off the line and when
it looked like West Ham would be earning a place in the top half of the
Premier League, Nolan struck to earn Bolton a share of the spoils. 'You
think it's not going to be our day but they kept going and the jubilation
you get from that point is terrific,' said Bolton boss Gary Megson. 'You
have two choices - either the white flag goes up or you keep going. They
certainly kept going.' Megson is still without a win since arriving at the
Reebok Stadium and Bolton remain in deep trouble in the relegation zone -
but he took heart from the point.
Under Sammy Lee, Nolan found himself on the bench or out of position, while
Speed's appointment as a coach did not work, but Megson underlined how
important the pair are by lining them up in midfield where they fought to
get Bolton back in the game. 'Footballers don't play for the manager first
and foremost, they play for their families and then the football club,'
Megson added. 'Your family stays constant, your football club can change, so
that is what you're playing for. 'In terms of playing for the football club
they couldn't have done any more. They ran themselves into the ground, they
can pass better, cross better and finish better - but we can't show any more
commitment or honesty.'
Megson had Nicky Hunt taken off with a suspected dislocated shoulder, while
Hayden Mullins was added to West Ham's lengthy injury list. The only
consolation for Curbishley is Dean Ashton returning to training this week.
'We'll see what we've got for Saturday,' Curbishley said. 'It doesn't seem
to be getting any better at the moment.'
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Tottenham will use Wembley for high profile matches and West Ham for others
while new stadium is built - Daily Mail
Last updated at 08:34am on 6th November 2007
Tottenham have turned to a man who played a major role in the development of
Arsenal's Emirates Stadium to help them build a venue of similar quality.
Tony Winterbottom, formerly of the London Development Authority, is now
masterminding plans to expand Spurs' White Hart Lane ground to about 52,000.
The project would cost in the region of £300m of which £150m would be
borrowed. But it would mean Spurs vacating White Hart Lane for two seasons,
prompting a possible ground share with West Ham. A couple of years ago
Tottenham were very keen to become permanent tenants at Wembley but the
Football Association did not want that. The BBC Sport Website reports that
Tottenham have again approached Wembley to inquire about playing some of
their matches there while they rebuild White Hart Lane. But Wembley want a
lot of money to hire the stadium and Tottenham may only consider it
worthwhile that top matches, such as the derby with north London rivals
Arsenal, are played there. The board feel if they don't catch up with the
existing big four now, then maybe they never will. So they have also spoken
to West Ham, with a view to playing the less high-profile matches at Upton
Park. The problem with West Ham is that the Hammers are themselves thinking
about building a new stadium, so that might complicate things too. Another
solution might be to share the Emirates Stadium with Arsenal but that seems
fraught with difficulty, particularly with the present rivalry between the
fans. Consequently, there is also talk of Tottenham playing some matches at
a ground outside London. But while rebuilding White Hart Lane is the
preferred option for Spurs, there are two other alternatives that are being
considered. One is to develop some land just north of White Hart Lane. This
would mean Tottenham would continue to play at White Hart Lane while the new
stadium was built. Or they could develop one of a couple of possible sites
in Enfield, but that would mean a new stadium quite some distance from their
current ground.
Redeveloping White Hart Lane is definitely the number one choice and Paul
Phillips, a project manager at Emirates, is also helping Tottenham. Spurs
have also got high-powered architect Ken Shuttleworth, who is the right-hand
man of Norman Foster, whose company designed the new Wembley, on board.
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West Ham set for sensational £15M Adriano swoop ! - soccerblog
November 5, 2007
West Ham United boss Alan Curbishley will revive his bid for Inter Milan
striker Adriano in January. The Hammers almost landed the Brazil
international in the final weeks of the summer market and they will try
again when the market reopens at the turn of the year. Adriano is on the
outer at Inter and only yesterday was the subject of a bid from Turkey's
Fenerbahce, which boasts close friend Robert Carlos on it's books.
Controcampo says West Ham directors have made contact with Inter in the last
24 hours and are prepared to cough up £15 million
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Neill in talks for pay rise - fox.com.au
November 06, 2007 SOCCEROOS captain Lucas Neill has begun pay rise talks
with his bosses at English Premier League club West Ham. The 29-year-old
moved to Upton Park on a $136,008.16 contract in January after turning down
an offer from Liverpool. The Daily Mirror reports that Neill wants a pay
rise now that Scott Parker and Freddie Ljungberg have joined West Ham on
contracts worth $170,010.2 a week. The original contract Neill signed when
he transferred from Blackburn was for two years, but now the Socceroos star
wants pay parity. "Talks have started but the club are resisting increasing
the $A6.8 million salary of the 29-year-old,'' the newspaper said. West Ham
drew 1-1 with Bolton in their premiership clash on Sunday.
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My Glass is half full - West Ham Online
Wee.Pee.Wee - Mon Nov 5 2007
After 11 games we are in 11th position. We are in the Quarter final of the
league cup. We have a massive injury list with top players on and yet we are
still grinding out results. I think most of us before the season started
would have accepted that finishing in 11th position would be acceptable
after last years showing. Well it would certainly be an improvement. So we
are in a position that is a vast improvement on last year with arguably a
worse team (at the moment) and yet everyone seems so down about it.
How would other clubs deal with losing their two best strikers and two first
choice Midfielders? A couple of weeks back Chelsea were without Drogba and
Lampard for a few games, it was enough to make them drop points and lose
their manager his job.
Would Man Utd without Rooney, Tevez , Ronaldo and Hargreaves still be
picking up maximum points week in week out? How about Liverpool without
Torres, Vorinon (sp?) Gerrard and Mascherano? Arsenal without Van Persie,
Adibayor (sp?), Fabregas and Hleb?
That is just 4 injuries yet we have double that. The fact is we have kept
grinding out results with a team that is far from our first choice 11. There
is no reason if we can keep grinding out these results for a few more weeks
and stay around mid table, with the players we have coming back we could
well be the surprise package of the second half of the season and could well
push on for 6th spot.
So well done Curbishley for keeping the points ticking over, well done the
team for struggling through this difficult time, playing out of position and
still giving your all. I can see a great end of the season in store....
C'mon you Irons!!!
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Curbishley refuses to let the strain get to him - Daily Mail
Last updated at 12:57pm on 5th November 2007
Alan Curbishley denied he is feeling the pressure after West Ham threw away
the chance to beat struggling Bolton. The Hammers manager admitted the
demands to be successful are something "we have all got to live with" but
remains desperate to find some continuity in what has been an injury-ravaged
season. West Ham took an 18th-minute lead through George McCartney and held
on until deep in injurytime only for Bolton captain Kevin Nolan to equalise.
"I'm not feeling any pressure other than to make sure we get three points,"
he said. "I've been here 10 months and it's been topsyturvy. We've never
been able to settle, firstly because we had a relegation battle and this
season every week has been different. "We had big plans pre-season and they
were scuppered in the second week when we began losing players through
injury."
Curbishley said Dean Ashton, Freddie Ljungberg and James Collins were due to
resume full training today but added: "I don't think the situation will
change a great deal until after the international break in a couple of
weeks. "We will have had three international breaks with this one and
players like Freddie and Craig Bellamy seem to be getting fit for their
countries and then coming back injured. "In some respects, I see the
international games as a chance for players to get fit and that may be the
situation again this month."
Curbishley, however, was angry about conceding such a late goal. Nolan
punished the Hammers, prodding home when Lubomir Michalik f licked on Jlloyd
Samuel's cross after the home side f ailed to clear a throw-in. "Whatever
way you get to the 94th minute you should see out the game," he said. "In
the last 10 minutes you would have thought we were 1-0 down rather than the
other way around. "Perhaps we just needed a bit of professionalism. It
needed one or two of them to put their foot on the ball and run it into the
corner."
West Ham's scorer, Northern Ireland full-back McCartney, agreed with his
manager. "We had the ball up in the corner and we've tried to play it into
the box a couple of times," he said. "Maybe we should have kept it there but
it was cleared, they've got a throw-in, they've won a flickon and Kevin
Nolan's popped up with a great finish."
McCartney also believes that people should not be too critical despite the
disappointment of dropping two points.
He said: "We have a big squad here but the majority of them are injured at
the moment, including the signings we made during the summer. "It's
disappointing to have so many injuries although the players who have come in
have done a great job. "Considering that we've probably done well to be
where we are in the league and progressing nicely in the Carling Cup. I am
sure when the players come back we will be a stronger team all round. "At
the moment, the lads feel as though they've lost the game after conceding in
injury time."
McCartney's goal — an acrobatic volley — was his first in the Premier League
for West Ham and the defender hopes he has convinced the doubters he is
worth his place in the side. "I'm pleased with my form," said McCartney.
"The manager strengthened every position during the summer apart from
left-back. "Then the fans were saying they wanted a left-back but hopefully
I've proved to them that I can play at this level. "I hope now they might
have changed their thoughts about bringing someone else in."
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West Ham midfielder struggling for Derby trip - Daily Mail
Last updated at 12:56pm on 5th November 2007
Midfielder Hayden Mullins is a doubt for West Ham's trip to Derby on
Saturday. The England U-21 international limpied out of yesterday's 1-1 draw
with Bolton with a recurrence of the calf injury he picked up in last week's
Carling Cup victory at Coventry.
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Solano knows Peru commitments will hurt West Ham career
tribalfooball.com - November 05, 2007
West Ham United midfielder Nobby Solano admits his World Cup commitments
with Peru could wreck his chances of being a success at Upton Park. He
admits the energy-sapping long-haul flights are draining, but insists his
country has to come first. Solano said: "Playing in the World Cup is my
dream and South Africa will be my last chance. It would be fantastic to end
my career there. "But it is hard because the games are so far away. The jet
lag, the flying is very tiring and often you only land on the Friday
morning, so you cannot play on the Saturday. "The Brazilian and Argentine
players are flown back by private jet because their whole squad plays in
Europe, but we have to fly back on a 12-hour normal flight. "It is difficult
for the clubs but everyone feels proud to play for their country. It is so
far away that you are going to miss games and it's been disappointing. "Now
I've just got to be patient, wait for my chance and take it when it comes."
Boss Alan Curbishley admits losing Solano - who missed two glaring headers
in last week's goalless draw at Portsmouth - for so long already this season
has been frustrating. He said: "As soon as he'd signed he had to go off to
Peru for two weeks. Then he came back and had to go off again. "He's only
really got involved with us in the last two weeks. But we knew the situation
when we signed him."
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West Ham contact Inter for £15M Adriano
tribalfootball.com - November 05, 2007
West Ham United boss Alan Curbishley will revive his bid for Inter Milan
striker Adriano in January. The Hammers almost landed the Brazil
international in the final weeks of the summer market and they will try
again when the market reopens at the turn of the year. Adriano is on the
outer at Inter and only yesterday was the subject of a bid from Turkey's
Fenerbahce, which boasts close friend Robert Carlos on it's books.
Controcampo says West Ham directors have made contact with Inter in the last
24 hours and are prepared to cough up £15 million in January for the
striker.
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Curbs seething after Hammers gift Bolton a point - metro.co.uk
Monday, November 5, 2007
McCartney gives West Ham the lead Alan Curbishley called for more
professionalism from his West Ham players after failing to close out victory
and allowing Kevin Nolan to earn Bolton a point in their relegation battle.
Curbishley's men were 90 seconds from a win at Upton Park but chose to
attack in stoppage-time, allowing the visitors a last chance to give their
small travelling support something to cheer. Nolan punished them, prodding
home when Lubomir Michalik flicked on Jlloyd Samuel's cross after West Ham
failed to clear a throw-in. 'We needed a bit of professionalism,' said
Hammers boss Curbishley. 'One or two needed to get their foot on it and run
it into the corner. 'If it had been Bolton, (El Hadji) Diouf would have run
it into the corner and attracted a foul. 'The last thing we wanted with a
minute to go was a long throw to go in there with lots of bodies. It was a
typical Bolton goal.'
Bolton had been putting pressure on the hosts after George McCartney had
opened the scoring with an acrobatic volley in the 19th minute, his first
goal in club football. Danny Guthrie hit the post, Gary Speed went close
after feeding off typical Bolton knockdowns, and Kevin Davies also skimmed
the bar with a header. Jonathan Spector also cleared off the line and when
it looked like West Ham would be earning a place in the top half of the
Premier League, Nolan struck to earn Bolton a share of the spoils. 'You
think it's not going to be our day but they kept going and the jubilation
you get from that point is terrific,' said Bolton boss Gary Megson. 'You
have two choices - either the white flag goes up or you keep going. They
certainly kept going.'
Megson is still without a win since arriving at the Reebok Stadium and
Bolton remain in deep trouble in the relegation zone - but he took heart
from the point. Under Sammy Lee, Nolan found himself on the bench or out of
position, while Speed's appointment as a coach did not work, but Megson
underlined how important the pair are by lining them up in midfield where
they fought to get Bolton back in the game. 'Footballers don't play for the
manager first and foremost, they play for their families and then the
football club,' Megson added. 'Your family stays constant, your football
club can change, so that is what you're playing for. 'In terms of playing
for the football club they couldn't have done any more. They ran themselves
into the ground, they can pass better, cross better and finish better - but
we can't show any more commitment or honesty.'
Megson had Nicky Hunt taken off with a suspected dislocated shoulder, while
Hayden Mullins was added to West Ham's lengthy injury list. The only
consolation for Curbishley is Dean Ashton returning to training this week.
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Hero McCartney is big hit - The Mirror
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
By Neil Mcleman 05/11/2007
Unsung hero George McCartney hit the only high note of a low-key West Ham
performance yesterday with his first goal in club football. The Northern
Ireland left-back, who is nicknamed Linda by the Hammers fans, is about as
one-footed as Long John Silver. But yesterday he finally struck gold when he
unleashed an unstoppable volley with his under-used right foot after 19
minutes for his debut goal in competitive football after 197 appearances for
Sunderland and West Ham. The only ever-present in the Hammers team this
season said: "I kept my eye on the ball and hoped for the best. Luckily
enough it ended up in the net."
The only previous competitive goal for McCartney, a £1million signing from
Wearside last year, came when he netted for Northern Ireland against Iceland
back in 2001. His second came in the first half when Matthew Upson's header
was booted off the line by Kevin Davies but Lee Bowyer launched the ball
back into the box. Abdoulaye Meite got the first contact and when the ball
broke from a tussle between Upson and Davies, the 26-year-old crashed home.
Manager Alan Curbishley said: "We are not the biggest side so we have to
send as many people up there as we can. It was a great strike from him. I
just wish it had been the winner."
Midfielder Hayden Mullins limped out of yesterday's game to add to the
Hammers injury woes. "It will be hands to the pump," Curbishley said. "We
will have to see how it is Saturday but it doesn't seem to be getting any
better at the moment. It might be better after the international break but
it doesn't look like a lot is going to change."
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Curbs: We bottled it - The Mirror
We should have killed them off, raps Curbishley West Ham 1 Bolton 1
By Neil Mcleman 05/11/2007
Alan Curbishley accused his West Ham players of lacking professionalism
after they conceded a 94th-minute equaliser at Upton Park last night. The
Hammers boss (left) hurled his water bottle on to the pitch in frustration
when Kevin Nolan flicked home in a game the East London club had led from
the 19th minute. A win would have pushed Curbishley's injury-ravaged side
into the top half of the Premier League. But he was furious they continued
to push forward looking for a second goal late on when he wanted the game
killed off. "Whatever way you get to the 94th minute, you should see the
game out," he said. "I looked at us in the last 10 minutes and thought we
were one down.
"We were getting in the box and crossing balls when there was no need for
it. We just needed a little bit of professionalism with one of two of them
getting their foot on it to kill the game off. "We had four or five men in
the box with 90 seconds to go. It was self-inflicted. We were in a great
position up their end with a minute to go and it should have been run out.
"Diouf would have cuddled the ball, taken it into the corner and took a
foul. We decided to cross it and then cross it again. "I give Bolton a lot
of credit. From the moment we scored, they upped it and got themselves back
in it and we never looked like getting that second goal. "We needed that
second goal and in the end we have been done. You have got to see the game
out. "I can't complain about how hard they have worked. It was just a lot of
energy was wasted in doing needless things. We should have been more
professional."
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