Dean Ashton believes a link up with Carlton Cole could be a threat to
Chelsea
30.11.2007
Dean Ashton is hoping to force his way into the starting lineup against
Chelsea on Saturday and believes a strikeforce featuring him and Carlton
Cole could pay dividends.
While acknowledging that Luis Boa Morte "would have something to say about"
the forward places when West Ham United arrive at Stamford Bridge, Ashton is
well aware that he and Cole, both 24 with barely a month between them, had a
proven connection from their England Under-21 days. Looking back to that
time, Ashton said "I enjoyed playing with him a hell of a lot".
The imposing pair have featured in five games together this season between 1
September and 6 October - but that run of matches came when Ashton was still
finding his way back after a year out and Cole was just starting to get his
confidence up. Ashton believed the time was right now for the two to click
again as they did at U21 level.
He said: "[Carlton] has got pretty much all the attributes you would want as
a striker. He's quick, he's strong and he's big. He's good in the air, he
can score goals - there's not a lot more you'd want as a striker. So coupled
with perhaps my link-up play we just used to hit it off. We have good
respect for each other and I think he has done magnificently well.
"He knows the lads all think a lot of him and respect him - especially on
the training field so he is going to go out there full of confidence. When
he was just coming on as a substitute last season - coming in and going out
- I think the fans didn't get to see the best of him. It is difficult coming
on like that, if you are not playing every week it is difficult to then come
into the team and be really good.
Having played briefly as a substitute himself in last Sunday's 1-1 draw
against Tottenham Hotspur and then getting 90 minutes, and two goals, in a
Monday reserve game at Derby County, Ashton said he was more than ready for
a starting role. "I want to play every game. I have missed a year and then
to be on the bench is not that great. Obviously I'd love to play but it is
the manager's decision and the players that have come in have done very
well.
"I feel really good. Although I have been out for six weeks, I don't really
feel the affects of it. I think because of all the work that I did and I
managed to get a pre-season under my belt, I don't feel that I have lost a
lot. It is down to the manager to decide and that is his job. I am not going
to make it an easy decision for him. I want to play and I will make that
known."
Ashton is looking forward to figuring in the same game as Chelsea's Didier
Drogba, claiming with a smile that "I wish I could come back from injury and
score two in the first 20 minutes". He added: "That is the quality of him.
He has been out injured, comes straight back in and scores two goals. He
looks really good. I think that just shows what a player he is at the moment
and how confident he is. He is going to be a threat but he is not the only
threat to us from Chelsea." In return, Chelsea will know that Ashton is not
the only threat facing them.
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Chelsea v West Ham United - KUMB
Filed: Friday, 30th November 2007
By: Matthew Coker
We continue at the weekend with a little run of games that have seen us get
more TV time of late than Vernon Kaye. This week, we travel to Stamford
Bridge to take on arch enemies, Chelsea, in a 12.45pm, Saturday lunchtime
kick off.
Our opponents this week are the team that most remind me of Pete Burns, a
side that has suddenly decided that they are not happy with their natural
look and have decided to make a few cosmetic changes. The focus at the
Bridge these days seems to be on producing attacking flowing football,
though to my mind, this currently exists more in club PR and journalist's
minds than in reality.
My own view of Chelsea under Avram Grant is that they are not wildly
dissimilar to Chelsea under Jose Mourninho. The personnel is very much as
you were, obviously the transfer window being shut has prevented any squad
changes, but the team hasn't altered dramatically, though Grant has had the
advantage of being able to field Drogba and Lampard, who were both injured
as Jose's reign came to an end.
Tactics have also remained fairly consistent, there is still evidence of a
five man midfield on many occasions, whether it is described as a 4-1-4-1
with Obi Mikel holding or a 4-3-3 with the two wingers, it still lines up
with a lone striker, something Chelsea have done often over the last few
seasons.
The stars of the season so far are also familiar names, the fans have raved
about the performances of Petr Cech, Richardo Carvalho, Big Fat Frank and
Didier Drogba, all crowd favourites in the Mourinho days. I'm not in any way
criticising their line up or tactics, as it is clearly a successful model,
but it is difficult to see what the big difference is that the papers have
spotted, my own understanding is that Chelsea have simply been Grant
maintained.
Avram's Accomplishments
Our opponents currently sit in 4th place in the table, six places and nine
points ahead of us and five points short of league leaders, Arsenal, though
the Gooners still have a game in hand.
They have managed to protect their enviable home record that has seen them
undefeated in the league at Stamford Bridge since February 2004 and in the
six home games this season, they have won three (against Birmingham,
Portsmouth and Manchester City) and drawn three (against Blackburn, Fulham
and Everton). They have had a pretty mean defence, only conceding three
goals at home this campaign, and two of those were scored by Birmingham on
the opening day.
Grant has seen his stock rise in the media with the clubs recent run of
results, though with the squad that he inherited and a closer look at who
Chelsea have recently played, I still think that it is too early to judge
the impact that he has had. The away games have been at strugglers Derby,
Wigan, Middlesbrough and at Bolton, though a pre Gary Megson version, not
the one on the current run.
The home games have seen a goalless draw with Fulham, a draw with Everton
(which they would have won at a canter if Drogba had taken his chances, if
Cahill hadn't equalised so late on and which owed a great deal to an
outstanding performance from Everton keeper, Tim Howard) plus their stand
out result, a 6-0 thrashing of third place, Manchester City. Again, there is
not really too many glimmers of hope for us, but in the same respect it is a
set of results that even Steve McClaren could have led Chelsea to with the
talent that they have at their disposal.
"I don't want to say something against him but I have a feeling - and I was
warned about this before I came to Chelsea and I fear it's true - that we
are an easy target for getting red cards."
Avram Grant gets his complaining in early.
Petr Cech is expected to have recovered from his calf muscle strain to face
us and the back four is likely to be made up of Ashley Cole on the left,
John Terry and Tal Ben-Haim or the free scoring, Rodrigo Alex, in the middle
and Brazilian summer signing, Juliano Belletti on the right.
Skipper, Terry, appeared on the front page of last weekend's News of the
World for his drunken exploits at Shaun Wright-Phillip's birthday bash,
where he appeared to be both drinking and shagging for England. Had he, and
the other Chelsea players put as much effort into playing for England, then
we may well have qualified and I'd imagine that a week would not be enough
for the vocal opinion that the country was let down to abate.
The midfield will be missing the influential Michael Essien, following his
dismissal at Pride Park, so we may see a 4-4-2 or alternatively, a second
successive run out for Steve Sidwell alongside the Hammer's heavyweight
nemesis, Fat Lamps. The line up should be underpinned up by the impressive
John Obi Mikel, who is currently preventing Claude Makelele from playing in
what's universally referred to as the Makelele role.
The fans are not particularly enamoured with the first choice wingers,
Wright-Philips and Joe Cole. They feel that they have lost a player of match
winning quality with Arjen Robben's move to a bigger club, that Wrighty's
boy's crossing is suspect and that Joe is not really a winger as he has
little pace and that his tricks and flicks get in the way of the business of
getting down the line and getting the ball over.
The front line, in conjunction with most of the top four teams, is the area
with the least strength in depth. The quality of first choice and the top
scorer, Didier Drogba, is undisputed and he has registered five league
strikes so far this season. He is been in good form when fit and has
returned to action in the midweek Champions League game after missing last
weekend's game. He is a big, physical, powerful presence and guaranteed to
give Danny Gabbidon or Matty Upson a busy afternoon.
The back ups come in the form of Salomon Kalou, a young Ivory Coast striker
who has popped up with three league goals this campaign. As a young player,
there are improvements to be made, not least to his finishing but he is pacy
and tricky and is able to drift wide to good effect. The alternative is the
Ukrainian international, Andriy Shevchenko, signed from AC Milan for a fee
in excess of £30m, who has looked a shadow of the player who enjoyed so much
success in Serie A and who still looks capable when he plays for his
country.
In a Chelsea shirt, he seems to lack any of the characteristics of a top
class striker, his heading is suspect, he lacks pace and he does not hold
the ball up well. The system of a lone striker does not help his
performances, he clearly relies on a partner to provide the knockdowns, but
it either appears that the Premier League is not for him or even that his
best days are past him and the suggestion of fans at the Bridge is that
he'll by plying his trade at LA Galaxy in the not too distant future.
Saturday's scoreline
Last week's draw with Sp*rs was almost a classic away performance by the us
in that we played deep with a lone striker, we were content to concede
possession but not to give the opposition too many opportunities and that
the two centre backs remained alert to any threat (and both played very well
in my own opinion).
The way that game ended may also give Curbs something to think about as we
did look a more serious threat with Parker and Ashton (and hence two
strikers) on the field. I think we'll go safety first and stick with Carlton
Cole in the lone striker's role to begin with, though Parker may have done
enough to get the chance to prove Chelsea wrong from the start.
Despite our decent away run this season, a win seems unlikely bearing in
mind their home record and the gulf between even our first eleven (which we
are still several players away from putting our) and their line up. A draw
does seem attainable as a few sides have proved and their Champions League
midweek involvement could help us in respect of fatigue.
However, the most likely outcome is a defeat and I am going to plump for a
3-1 defeat in the hope that my run of awful predictions this season
continues for another week.
Enjoy the game.
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Chelsea v West Ham preview - SSN
Catch all the action live on Sky Sports 1, KO 12:45
Last updated: 30th November 2007
Chelsea turn their attentions back to domestic action after their midweek
UEFA Champions League drubbing of Rosenborg, with West Ham the visitors to
Stamford Bridge. It's west-meets-east in Saturday's London derby, and Blues
coach Avram Grant may shuffle his pack as he attempts to take the club's
record unbeaten home run to an incredible 70 games. Grant will definitely be
without Michael Essien, who is suspended after being sent off in his side's
2-0 win at rock-bottom Derby County. Ricardo Carvalho is still out after
cracking a vertebrae against Everton, while goalkeeper Petr Cech has made a
speedy recovery from a calf injury and is set to return in place of Carlo
Cudicini. West Ham boss Alan Curbishley has been boosted by the return of
striker Dean Ashton and midfielder Scott Parker, who are in contention to
start after coming through a midweek reserve game unscathed. Freddie
Ljungberg is fit again after the migraine that ruled him out of the last
match against Tottenham, but Lee Bowyer (hernia) faces a fitness test and
Craig Bellamy (groin) is definitely out.
The Hammers are also in a good vein of form, unbeaten in their last five
Premier League matches.
Chelsea 1/4, Draw 4/1, West Ham 8/1
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Cole And Parker To Feature in Chelsea v West Ham - West Ham Fans.org
Submitted by Neville Nixon on 30 November, 2007 - 22:51.
West Ham travel across town to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge more in hope
than anticipation, but Carlton Cole and Scotty Parker both have their own
reasons for leaving their mark on the fixture. They both have a point to
prove, as ex-chelsea players the desire to get one over on their old club is
obvious and perhaps the Premiership's third longest serving manger, Alan
Curbishley, may well choose to exploit that option. With a host of players
available for selection the Hammers manager will have to go for broke if he
is to get anything from this tough fixture, a resurgent home side that will
field two ex-hammers, Joe Cole and Frank Lampard, the latter having an
uncanny knack of scoring against his former team, is hardly a good prospect,
but West Ham have nothing to lose. Many Hammers fans will hope that their
team do not try to 'park a bus' across the pitch, a fit again Freddie
Ljungberg could become a key player if selected, his skill and guile on the
ball could well represent an opportunity to unlock the home side's defence.
Lee Bowyer and Dean Ashton are also available and could add spice to the
mix. On the other hand, Nobby Solano's free kick expertise could also prove
to be an effective tool, for once Curbs is almost spoiled for choice in his
team selection, this is when he proves whether he is the dogs or the duds,
defeat would not be dishonorable, but the nature of it could well be
dictated by a certain manager's bravery. Hammers (from): Green, Neill,
Gabbidon, Upson, McCartney, Solano, Mullins, Noble, Etherington, Cole,
Boa-Morte, Wright, Ashton , Collins, Parker, Spector, Bowyer, Ljungberg.
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Hammers hitman Ashton hopes to fire Cole - Daily Mail
Last updated at 17:07pm on 30th November 2007
West Ham striker Dean Ashton hopes to get the chance to renew his old
England Under-21 partnership with Carlton Cole and help the former Chelsea
man enjoy his return to Stamford Bridge tomorrow. Cole, 24, has found
himself spearheading the Hammers attack following a run of injuries to Alan
Curbishley's frontmen. However, Ashton is back to full match sharpness after
a knee injury suffered in October when he looked set to be involved in
England's Euro 2008 qualifying campaign. The £7million signing from Norwich
- who had spent a year on the sidelines with a broken ankle - hopes
Curbishley will give him the nod to partner Cole against the Blues in
tomorrow's televised lunchtime kick-off. "We played together in the
under-21's and we had a really good record when we played together," Ashton
said. "I enjoyed playing with him a lot then, so I would love to play with
him now. "I remember we played against Germany a couple of times and did
particularly well." Ashton added: "Carlton has got pretty much everything
you would want as a striker - he is quick, strong, big, good in the air,
scores goals. "So coupled with my link-up play we really used to hit it
off."
Former Crewe trainee Ashton remains positive despite his recent injury
nightmare - which saw him struck down in August 2006 when training with
England following an impressive first few months at West Ham, capped by a
goal in the FA Cup final against Liverpool in Cardiff. "Although I have been
out for six weeks I don't feel the effects of it probably because of all the
work I did in pre-season, I don't feel like I have lost a lot," said Ashton,
who netted a brace for the reserves in midweek. "Obviously I would love to
start against Chelsea and if I don't I will be p off - but that's the way it
is. "I want to play every game, I have missed a year and then to be on the
bench is not that great so I would love to play. "But it is down to the
manager to decide and that is his job really.
"However, I am not going to make it an easy decision for him - I want to
play and I will make that plain to him." Curbishley admits pairing Cole and
Ashton in a 4-4-2 "could be a good combination". The West Ham manager is
pleased to see Cole back on good form following a difficult spell in his
early career. Curbishley had taken Cole to The Valley when he was in charge
of Charlton, but felt the striker then "got lost" somewhat as he looked for
first-team football elsewhere. "Carlton went to Wolves before he came to
Charlton and when he turned up for us, he was not fit, he had a hip injury,"
Curbishley recalled.
"But he played 10 or 11 games, scored five goals and did well for us. "I was
desperate to take him for another year - but his agent and other people had
different ideas on that, and he ended up going to Aston Villa. "I knew that
was going to be a mistake because he was going to live away from home. "He
got lost at Villa after only playing a few games, and then went back to
Chelsea because Jose Mourinho had gone there and wanted to see all his
players, but Carlton got lost again. "Then when he came here he was lacking
match fitness. "I told him there was a bit of competition here and he needed
to get himself right. "Carlton worked hard during pre-season and got his
chance and he has done well. "His consistency was the problem, whereas now
he has been given his chance." Curbishley added: "I do think, though, that
if he had a strike partner, it would take a bit of weight off his shoulders
and he could benefit from that."
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My West Ham: Simon Walters - West Ham Till I Die
I'm starting a new series on the blog asking figures from politics and the
media about their support for the Hammers. We start off today with the
Political Editor of the Mail on Sunday, Simon Walters.
How did you become a Hammer?
I became a Hammer because my mum grew up in the East End and as children, we
used to visit my grandparents' home there often.
Your first game?
Not sure about first game but the first one I remember is Chelsea v W Ham at
Stamford Bridge which was a 5 - 5 draw. Must have been the Sixties.
How many games do you get to?
How many games do I get to? One or two a year mainly because I work on
Saturdays. Managed to get to W Ham v Spurs on Sunday. What a save! Gave up
going as a teenager partly because I got scragged on the Tube by QPR fans on
the Tube. They stole my scarf and bobble hat.
Most memorable moment?
Most memorable moment at a live match was the 5 - 5 draw, though 1 - 0 over
Man U at home last yr in Curbs' first match came close.
Have you met any Hammers players?
Only Hammers player I recall meeting was Trevor Brooking who I persuaded to
attend a childrens Xmas party at the Commons Press gallery.
Favourite current player?
Dean Ashton
What's the football banter like in the bars of the House of Commons?
The only soccer banter I take part in at the Commons is with a Tory MP who
once offered out of the blue - so to speak - to take me to a W Ham match.
That was 15 years ago. I am still waiting and I remind him every time I see
him.
Describe last season. How did it affect you?
My memory of last season is the Tevez goal at Old Trafford. I ran round my
brother in law's house screaming like a whirling dervish. I went there
because he has Sky TV. He is a Man U fan and was Old Trafford - poor bloke.
What are your hopes for this season?
Two more wins and we could be eighth. As a Fulham fan pal of mine said the
other day, we spend our whole lives saying that.
Choose your all time Hammers Eleven
Tevez x 5, Moore x 5, Robert Green.
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