Wednesday, August 29

Web Digest [ West Ham United ] - II 29th August 2007

Club Statement on Kieron Dyer - WHUFC
29/08/2007 09:54

The Club can today confirm that Kieron Dyer has suffered a double-fracture
to his lower leg following the results of a series of x-rays taken last
night.
Following a late challenge by Bristol Rovers defender, Joe Jacobson in last
night's Carling Cup tie, Kieron was stretchered off the pitch and rushed
straight to hospital where it was confirmed he had fractured both the tibia
and fibula of his right leg. It is too early to say at this stage how long
the player will be out for as this will become clearer once the first stage
of surgery is completed.

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Curbs:"We're devastated for Kieron" - WHUFC
29/08/2007 09:05

Craig Bellamy's Bristol brace may have put Hammers into the Carling Cup
third round draw, but Alan Curbishley's thoughts were with one of his less
fortunate summer signings at the Memorial Stadium last night. "We think that
Kieron Dyer's broken his leg and we're so devastated for him," revealed
Curbs after the 2-1 win that was marred by Joe Jacobson's 10th-minute
challenge on his England midfielder. "I just can't put it into words. The
game was just immaterial after that and I think that the Bristol Rovers'
player has got to be very disappointed with his tackle because, as far as I
could see, he lashed out after losing the ball. "The players could see what
he did and that's why they were so angry. "Obviously, we're delighted that
we got through to the next stage of the competition but the game was
irrelevant after Kieron's injury. I'm really down because he was looking
sharp out there, playing in his favourite position in the middle of the
park. "Everyone in the dressing room's really flat but we've just got to get
over this. After all, that's the reason why we've got a squad and now we've
got to push on and look forward to Saturday's game at Reading. "Although you
sometimes wonder why you put such a strong team out for these games, it
still won't make me think twice about putting out a similar strength side in
the future," insisted Curbs. "Here at West Ham United, we see the League Cup
as a competition in which we can do well. I said to the players before the
game that Middlesbrough, Bolton Wanderers and Wigan Athletic have all made
the final in recent years, so it's an opportunity for us to get into
Europe."That's why we attacked the game against Bristol Rovers but I guess
the luck's against us right now. It's delicate and we're treading on
eggshells. Things had already conspired against us before the game, when
Dean Ashton's girlfriend went into labour and he had to miss out because
he's so desperate for a game. "Craig Bellamy had come off with a niggling
groin injury against Wigan Athletic on Saturday and we were wondering
whether we did the right thing in playing him instead of Deano but,
fortunately, he got his first couple of goals for us and he's really pleased
with himself. "Looking around, though, I've got £20 million-worth of injured
players - Julien Faubert, Freddie Ljungberg, Scott Parker and now Kieron
Dyer - all on the sidelines.

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Neill: "We wish Kieron a speedy recovery" - WHUFC
29/08/2007 11:41

Hammers captain Lucas Neill reflected on last night's Carling Cup win at
Bristol Rovers. "We allowed them back into the game after executing a very
good first half of total football," he said. "But when you don't score the
third goal and you give them a sniff in front of their home crowd, they're
going to raise their game. "In the end I thought we were quite resilient but
it was our mistake that allowed them back into the game and we put ourselves
under unnecessary pressure. "When you play in the Cup, it's not so much
about the performance. It's being in the next round that's important. "If
you win five games ugly and get to the final, eventually you're going to
play really well but no one remembers the performance, just the result up
until that point. "We're in the next round, we can stay positive and there's
an opportunity to get into Europe if we're successful in this tournament so
we'll be taking it seriously."
Taking much of the gloss off an important win was the injury sustained by
Kieron Dyer after a late tackle six minutes into the match. "It wasn't an
overly aggressive challenge or full of malice but it was a foul," said
Lucas. "Everyone is devastated that it has happened to the poor lad. "We
really feel for him. We're all going to go and visit him and hope that he as
a speedy recovery. It's the scariest time for a footballer and no one likes
to see it. "He's only been here a couple of weeks and after all the activity
that went on trying to get him as well. He was starting to look really good,
he was hungry, he was determined to do well and he was looking sharp in
training. He has great experience, both internationally and domestically and
it's a big lost. "But we've got players in the squad who now, through his
unfortunate circumstances, will get an opportunity to replace him and
hopefully push on."

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Collins pleased to be back in action - WHUFC
29/08/2007 12:54

James Collins was glad to return to action yesterday at Bristol Rovers
following his calf injury as he came on as a substitute in the second half.
"I've been a bit disappointed to miss out in the first three games but I was
pleased to put on the West Ham shirt again," he said. "It's always hard
coming on as sub, especially as Bristol Rovers were pressing quite well. "We
got off to a good start with Bellers scoring two goals, so it made it
slightly easier coming on at 2-0.
"It was a bit disappointing to give away a goal but we made it through the
tie. It was a tricky tie, coming here but we're just happy to get through
it." In the final moments, James threw himself in front of a goal-bound
effort to keep the Hammers in the lead, but felt the force of the impact.
"If my girlfriend was watching on telly I don't think she'd be too happy
with where it hit me!" he joked. "It had to be done and it had to be blocked
otherwise it would have gone to extra time. We didn't need that when there's
a big game on Saturday." James echoed the sentiments of his team-mates as he
reflected on the injury to Kieron Dyer. "Everyone's really disappointed," he
said. "We'd rather have lost the game and kept Kieron on the pitch. "It's
disappointing for everyone at West Ham. All our best is with Kieron and
hopefully he'll come back as soon as possible."

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Week of mixed emotions for Bowyer - WHUFC
29/08/2007 15:00

It has been a week of mixed emotions for Hammers midfielder Lee Bowyer, who
scored his first goal for the Club against Wigan on Saturday but saw
team-mate Kieron Dyer suffer a fractured leg at Bristol Rovers. "The goal
was a long time coming," he said. "I was delighted to get off the mark for
the Hammers. I had another little chance crop up last night and I just
pulled it a little. "I think we deserved to win and we deserved to win on
Saturday as well, which is unfortunate that we didn't, but it took spirit to
come back from a goal down. "Last night we were in control of the game the
whole time. They nicked one at the end and put us under a little bit of
pressure, which was expected, but I think it was a good result. "Sky came to
film it, I suppose they were expecting that there might be a slip up like
last year at Chesterfield but I think the lads did really well. "We passed
the ball well, moved it and didn't really give them a chance. It could have
been five or six to us today but we're in the next round and that's the main
thing."
Lee was the first player to tend to Kieron as he went down following a late
challenge by Joe Jacobson. "It was a nightmare," he recalls. "I was standing
right there. Kieron came straight towards me and I thought he was going to
pass me the ball because he took a touch and it came my way. "But the fella
went in after and it looked like a slash to me. I said that to the referee.
I heard a crack but I was hoping it was just his shin pad. "Obviously it
wasn't and it's a big loss for us. We're just not having much luck at the
moment with Julien and his Achilles and Kieron being another new signing
with his leg, both on the right side.
"I've played with him before so I know how he plays and I thought he did
well against Birmingham and again on Saturday against Wigan. Hopefully he
gets better sooner rather than later."

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Curbishley fury at Dyer leg break - BBC

West Ham boss Alan Curbishley has accused Bristol Rovers' Joe Jacobson of
"lashing out" at Kieron Dyer in a tackle that broke the midfielder's leg.
Dyer, 28, suffered a double fracture to his lower leg during West Ham's 2-1
Carling Cup victory on Tuesday. Curbishley said: "We're devastated for
Kieron. I can't put it into words. The game was just immaterial after that.
"The player has got to be disappointed with his tackle. As far as I could
see, he lashed out after losing the ball." A club statement said: "Kieron
was stretchered off the pitch and rushed to hospital where it was confirmed
he had fractured both the tibia and fibula of his right leg. "It is too
early to say how long he will be out for as this will become clearer once
the first stage of surgery is completed."
Curbishley added: "The players could see what happened and that's why they
were so angry. "Everyone in the dressing-room is really flat but we've got
to get over this. "The game was irrelevant after Kieron's injury. I'm really
down because he was looking sharp out there, playing in his favourite
position in the middle of the park."
West Ham won the game 2-1 to go through to the third round, thanks to
striker Craig Bellamy's first goals for the club.

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McCartney fitness concern for NI - BBC

George McCartney could be a fitness worry for Northern Ireland's vital Euro
2008 qualifiers against Latvia and Iceland on 8 and 12 September. McCartney
had to be substituted during West Ham's Carling Cup win over Bristol Rovers
because of a calf injury. The defender sustained the injury during the
warm-up although he did play for the opening hour of Tuesday's game. "I'll
rest it over the next couple of days. Hopefully it should be okay for
Saturday and the qualifiers," he said. "The two qualifiers are important
games and I wouldn't want to miss them."
Earlier this month, McCartney returned to Northern Ireland duty after a
26-month absence in the 3-1 qualifier win over Liechtenstein. West Ham have
an away game against Reading in the Barclays Premier League on Saturday.

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West Ham make £5m bid for Shorey - BBC

West Ham have made a £5m bid for Reading's England left-back Nicky Shorey,
BBC Radio 5live understands. Shorey, 26, made his England debut against
Brazil at Wembley at the end of last season. He has been linked with
Newcastle, but West Ham are favourites to clinch a deal after talks on a new
contract at Reading stalled. West Ham, however, may need to increase their
offer to about £6m to persuade Reading to sell Shorey.

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Hammers confirm Dyer despair - SSN
Midfielder suffers double leg fracture
By Rob Parrish Last updated: 29th August 2007

West Ham have confirmed that Kieron Dyer suffered a double fracture to his
lower right leg during the Carling Cup victory over Bristol Rovers. The
England international sustained the injury following a challenge by Rovers
defender Joe Jacobson during the opening stages of the Memorial Stadium
clash. The Hammers are refusing to put a timetable on Dyer's recovery after
X-rays confirmed the severity of the injury but he is certain to require
several months on the sidelines. A West Ham statement on their official
website read: "Kieron was stretchered off the pitch and rushed straight to
hospital where it was confirmed he had fractured both the tibia and fibula
of his right leg. "It is too early to say at this stage how long the player
will be out for as this will become clearer once the first stage of surgery
is completed." Dyer only joined the Hammers from Newcastle earlier this
month and the midfielder's stay at St James' Park was also blighted by a
series of injuries.
Upton Park boss Alan Curbishley admitted the loss of Dyer is yet another
blow, but is backing his squad to cope despite a number of key players being
on the sidelines. He said: "The game was irrelevant after Kieron's injury.
I'm really down because he was looking sharp out there, playing in his
favourite position in the middle of the park. "Everyone in the dressing
room's really flat but we've just got to get over this. After all, that's
the reason why we've got a squad and now we've got to push on and look
forward to Saturday's game at Reading. "Although you sometimes wonder why
you put such a strong team out for these games, it still won't make me think
twice about putting out a similar strength side in the future."

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Dyer - injury latest - KUMB
Filed: Wednesday, 29th August 2007
By: Matthew O'Greel

Kieron Dyer has suffered a double fracture to his right leg, it has been
confirmed. West Ham confirmed the news this morning in a brief statement on
whufc.com. However it is unknown when Dyer is expected to be back in action.
"The Club can today confirm that Kieron Dyer has suffered a double-fracture
to his lower leg," read the statement. "Kieron was stretchered off the pitch
and rushed straight to hospital where it was confirmed he had fractured both
the tibia and fibula of his right leg. "It is too early to say at this
stage how long the player will be out for as this will become clearer once
the first stage of surgery is completed."
Meanwhile Alan Curbishley was left ruing the loss of another big money
signing. "We're devastated for him," he said. "I just can't put it into
words. "Obviously, we're delighted that we got through to the next stage of
the competition but the game was irrelevant after Kieron's injury. I'm
really down because he was looking sharp out there, playing in his favourite
position in the middle of the park. "Everyone in the dressing room's really
flat but we've just got to get over this. After all, that's the reason why
we've got a squad and now we've got to push on and look forward to
Saturday's game at Reading."

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Royals reject Shorey bid _ SSN
Royals rebuff Hammers' Shorey offer
By Peter O'Rourke Last updated: 29th August 2007

Skysports.com understands Reading have rejected a bid from West Ham for
Nicky Shorey. Shorey's future at Reading has been the subject of intense
speculation in recent weeks after talks over a new deal at the Madejski
Stadium stalled. The news has alerted a number of clubs with West Ham
believed to be leading the hunt for the full-back. The Hammers need to
strengthen their options at left-back after letting Paul Konchesky join
Fulham and Shorey is thought to be Alan Curbishley's top target. Shorey, who
has broken into the England set-up, has previously admitted he is flattered
to be linked with a move to West Ham. Reading are reluctant to lose Shorey
as he is a key member of Steve Coppell's side and they are believed to have
turned down West Ham's offer for the 26-year-old. It remains to be seen if
West Ham will increase their offer for Shorey as they try to beat the
transfer deadline to bolster their squad

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Dyer-bolical luck - Newham Recorder
29 August 2007

WEST HAM boss Alan Curbishley was left cursing his bad luck again on Tuesday
night when it was confirmed that Kieron Dyer had suffered a double fracture
to his leg, writes DAVE EVANS. The horrendous injury will rule him out for
most, if not all the season and it follows hard upon a series of injuries to
the manager's high profile signings. Last January, Matty Upson and Lucas
Neill had hardly stepped out on to the Upton Park turf before they were
ruled out.
Nigel Quashie hasn't played since March while Calum Davenport has just had a
hernia operation. Now this summer's recruits seem to be suffering similar
fates.
Julien Faubert has been ruled out for six months after damaging his Achilles
on the pre-season tour. Scott Parker hasn't played after tweaking his knee
on the same trip, while Freddie Ljungberg was injured after just one game.
The manager is finding it difficult to comprehend: "At the moment I feel the
luck is against us," confessed Cubishley. "I am sitting there with
£20million worth of players out injured. "We are treading on eggshells. It
is a little bit delicate for us at the moment," he said. The boss is
considering further strengthening his midfield before the transfer window
shuts tomorrow night, but he is not holding out too much hope of finding the
right people. "I will have to assess it but that right hand side! Who would
want to come and play for us with what has happened there?" Ljungberg and
Lee Bowyer will vie for the spot this Saturday.

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Ashton forced to play waiting game - Newham Recorder
29 August 2007

WHEN Alan Curbishley arrived at Upton Park last December he couldn't quite
understand why the crowd were constantly chanting for Carlos Tevez to be
called into the team,writes DAVE EVANS. With no goals to his name from a
dozen or so appearances, the new boss stubbornly refused to unleash the
striker on Premiership defences and on more than one occasion questioned the
fans' faith in the little Argentinian. Shades of that scenario have come
into supporters' minds this season as in the opening three Premier League
matches Curbishley has opted for a clearly out of sorts Bobby Zamora in
preference to fans' favourite Ashton, but the boss is quick to point out
that he is doing it for the big striker's own good. "The longer it went on
without scoring, the more the crowd were getting restless for Dean to come
on but I want to ease him back," explained Curbishley. "He's worked so hard
to get back to full fitness and the big fear was that something else, other
than the ankle, would happen to him in pre-season. "We think we've got him
to where he should be. It's difficult - nothing like the Carlos Tevez
situation - but we know what we're doing." Certainly it has been tough for
Ashton to come on and turn a game that is going against West Ham. So much
pressure is being placed on him by the fans who expect him to immediately
blow the opposition away with a stunning goal or two. But in glimpses we are
seeing signs of the old Ashton and with Zamora struggling so badly, it seems
inexplicable that the 23-year-old former Norwich City centre forward has not
been given his chance. The manager though confirms that there are no
problems between him and Ashton: "He's not coming to me, asking to play and
like us all, he's being realistic," said the boss. "He's delighted that he's
come through all this. There's no problem, we've just got to make sure that
we're doing the right thing for the team and individu als."
As for Ashton, he is just desperate to show what he can do and also chuffed
at the reaction he is getting from the West Ham fans. "When the crowd are
chanting my name when I'm warming up it makes me feel fantastic and gives me
that buzz to really get out on that pitch and show my appreciation for
them," he said. The striker got the chance after an hour on Saturday when he
came on for Zamora and he felt that he played his part. "I tried my best to
influence the game when I came on, getting involved as much as possible," he
confirmed. "It was a credit to the team and a credit to the subs that came
on, Luis Boa Morte and Lee Bowyer as well as myself, for making an impact."
They certainly did, but in the case of Ashton, the manager is determined to
play a patient game with one of his prize assets. "Dean is in a similar
position to Michael Owen who has also been out for a long time," explained
the manager. "But with every week and every game he has the chance to get
fitter and stronger. He needs lots of games but since pre-season he hasn't
really had the chance to get any more in. "Dean needs football, football,
football. He has managed to get through pre-season without any hiccups and
we don't want them starting now." Ashton himself seems to be in agreement:
"Obviously I want to stay fit and healthy and I want to get back into the
team, which is the main thing at the moment, and score goals," said the
striker. "With the competition for places at the moment it is very difficult
to get into the team and when you come on as a substitute, you really want
to show that you should be in the team and that can only be good for the
squad." It can, but while Ashton remains on the bench, there are going to be
an army of his fans crying out for him to be given a run in the starting
line-up. Surely it can only be a matter of time before they get their wish.

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Hayden's keen to play a part - Newham Recorder
29 August 2007


HE was the first man that Alan Pardew brought to Upton Park and he was an
integral part of both the promotion team as well as the side that
distinguished themselves so well on their return to the Premiership. But on
Pardew's departure, it seemed that the influence and importance of Hayden
Mullins, the quiet man of the West Ham United squad, would diminish
accordingly. However, injury to Scott Parker and a disastrous first half
display on the opening day by Lee Bowyer, gave Mullins another chance in the
limelight and he has taken it with both hands. "I feel okay," said the
28-year-old who has clocked up 140 appearances for the Hammers since his
arrival from Crystal Palace in October 2003. "I missed out on the start of
the first game, came on at half time and I felt good. Again against
Birmingham I felt I did well and chalked up not a bad display and again
today I felt sharp in the first half." It appears that every team needs a
player like Mullins. Yet it was he who found himself in the wilderness last
season when Nigel Reo-Coker, despite some desperate performances, remained
in the starting line-up - Mullins scored three goals to his captain's
solitary strike. "The boss knows what I can do," he said. "It is just a
natural part of my game to sit there and hold things together, keep the ball
for the boys and let them do the attacking."
That is exactly what he did against Birmingham City when West Ham grabbed
their first win of the season and his prompting certainly helped the Hammers
attack incessantly in the first half on Saturday, even if it didn't lead to
any goals. The midfielder felt that the team battled hard against Wigan: "We
certainly deserved something out of the game," he confirmed. "First half we
played well, I think we looked sharper than them, we kept them penned back
and they are not a bad side, but in the first half we made them look quite
ordinary. "But after the break we seemed to lose our way a little bit, until
we came strong at the end. "Credit to the boys, we stuck together after they
scored and shot straight back into it and got an equaliser."
Mullins was one of the casualties of West Ham losing their way in that
second half, being replaced by eventual scorer Lee Bowyer on 65 minutes, but
he is simply happy to be playing a part, something he was not expecting at
this stage of the season. "With players like Scott Parker coming in I
suppose I didn't expect to get a chance this early," he admitted. "I knew
that Scott was going to play and be a big part of the squad this year and
'Nobes' did well last year and got the jersey on merit, so I knew that I
would have to bide my time. "But fortunately for me, Scotty has gone down
with an injury and it has given me a chance to show what I can do."
Things have changed dramatically since Curbishley has arrived at the club
and many of the old manager's favourites have been moved on. There were
stories that Mullins was set to join Pardew at Charlton, but perhaps now the
new boss appreciates a little more the steady influence that Mullins can
provide.

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'I expected more points' says Curbs
By Guardian-series

WEST Ham manager Alan Curbishley expected to have more than four points on
the board by now. Having collected a defeat, a win and a draw in three
Premier League games, the boss admitted he was disappointed. "When I looked
at the fixtures I thought we'd have a few more points than that, but we'll
get on with it," he said. "All managers look at the fixtures and calculate
how many points they think they can take and I have to admit when I looked
at them this year I thought it looked quite an even situation - there were
games that we thought looked winnable for us and maybe the other teams
looked at them and thought the same - a nice even spread. "I thought we
might have done a little better at this stage, but we haven't taken
advantage. We got the result at Birmingham and coming back to Upton Park, if
we'd got the win against Wigan, it would have been a decent start so we are
a bit disappointed." But with injured players like Lucas Neill and Dean
Ashton easing back into the side and Scott Parker, Fredie Ljungberg and
Julien Faubert yet to return, Curbishley is confident that given time his
squad can give fans first the stability, and then the success they crave.
"It's a start and it's a long season," he said. "We know that we're better
than this and if we keep going the results will definitely come." "We
certainly don't expect to be in the bottom three again this year. We want to
have a solid, mid-table season so that we can then build some foundations
that will enable us to push on next year."

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Craig double sinks the plucky Pirates - Newham Recorder
29 August 2007

Bristol Rovers 1 West Ham United 2

WEST HAM never make it easy for themselves. The first half on Tuesday night,
despite the horrendous injury to Kieron Dyer, was like watching Real Madrid
stroking the ball around against the local park team, writes DAVE EVANS. By
the end it was like watching a punch-drunk heavyweight, staggering against
the ropes and clinging on to a points victory for dear life. That first half
showed what a gulf there is between the Premier League and League One as the
Hammers kept the ball well and put Rovers under pressure every time they
went into the final third. The goals were simple enough, but clinical in
their execution. First, on 32 minutes, Hayden Mullins won possession, fed
Craig Bellamy and the Welsh striker beat his marker before thundering a
25-yarder into the corner of the net for his first goal as a Hammer. Just
before half time he made it two for himself and West Ham with a real
route-one goal. Captain Lucas Neill hoisted a huge ball forward and with
goalkeeper Steve Phillips hesitating on his six-yard box, Bellamy took full
advantage to finish with aplomb. Up at the Racecourse Ground, Aston Villa,
with Nigel Reo-Coker and Marlon Harewood, were having much the same night,
but the difference was that they went on to win 5-0. Back in Bristol it
should have been the same story, but in the end it almost became a disaster.
Despite Dean Ashton having to pull out on the day of the game as his
girlfriend went into labour, manager Alan Curbishley was still able to make
four changes from Saturday's draw with Wigan as the star substitutes from
the weekend - Luis Boa Morte and Lee Bowyer - came in, while Danny Gabbidon
made his first start of the season and Richard Wright made his debut. The
reprieved Bobby Zamora had a golden chance to find his scoring form when he
was set up by Boa Morte after just two minutes, but his header over the top
epitomised how his season has gone so far. All such problems were put firmly
into perspective however, as on nine minutes what seemed to be a fairly
innocuous tangle between Joe Jacobson and Dyer ended with the West Ham man
writhing on the floor in agony before being stretchered off with a double
fracture of his right leg.
All Rovers had to offer in the first half was a half chance for Jacobson
which was expertly blocked by the retreating Bowyer, but perhaps a
combination of the news on Dyer that greeted the players when they returned
to the dressing room and a change of tactics from the Pirates gave us a very
different second half.
On a flat, wide pitch and against a Rovers team determined to match West Ham
in playing football, the Premier League side had it all their own way before
the break. In the second half, Paul Trollope's side turned up the heat,
hassled their opponents and began to panic the Hammers defence. Had Bowyer
made it three on 51 minutes after being put in by Mark Noble, it might have
been a walk in the park, but he dragged his shot wide and gradually Rovers
grew in confidence. Wright made a double save from his own man George
McCartney's deflection and then from Richard Lambert's header on 54 minutes,
but with 18 minutes to go the home side grabbed a lifeline. A long clearance
was nodded on by Richard Walker to substitute Andy Williams, who expertly
turned Anton Ferdinand before beating Wright with a low shot. West Ham
didn't help themselves. Curbishley took off McCartney to bring on James
Collins and strangely pushed Gabbidon out to left back and from that moment
the defence looked unbalanced and shaky. James Collins almost settled
matters when his bullet header from Noble's corner was brilliantly pushed on
to the underside of the bar by Phillips, but when that didn't go in there
followed a nervous last few minutes. Steve Elliott headed a corner inches
over, while Wright's punched clearance to the edge of the box allowed David
Pipe to drill a shot inches wide.
West Ham held on and booked their place in the next round, but this should
have been so much easier for Curbishley's men. But a narrow win, another
blank game for Zamora and a terrible injury to Dyer turned it from a night
that looked so promising, to one that was not far short of a tragedy.
For manager Alan Curbishley the victory meant very little after the
appalling injury sustained by his midfielder. And he was quick to slam the
challenge by Jacobson that had led to Dyer's injury. The challenge looked a
blameless one, but a clearly angry Curbishley had a different view. "The
Bristol Rovers player has got to be very disappointed with his tackle,"
slammed the boss. "As far as I can see he has lashed out after losing the
ball and caught Kieron in a difficult area. "Wouldn't you be angry? The
players could see he lashed out. We are delighted to have got through but
after 10 or 15 minutes the game was immaterial after you get an injury like
that." It might have been the anger talking; it might have been his
frustration at the situation and I suppose you can't blame him as another of
his signings is left on the sidelines. But it was a little harsh to condemn
the Rovers player and in the cold light of day, he may regret saying it.

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West Ham will be a bad move for Reading's Shorey - SoccerLens
Written by Ahmed Bilal.

The Beeb reports that West Ham have made a 5m bid for Reading left-back
Nicky Shorey. Shorey's a good player and West Ham will improve thanks to
him, but I don't think that moving to West Ham would turn into a good career
move for Shorey. This has nothing to do with whether I like West Ham or not
(so don't go there - I like the Hammers); on the other hand it's all about
the West Ham manager and the squad currently assembled at West Ham. I don't
think Curbishley has it in him to make West Ham into a consistent top-7
side. He could take West Ham to Uefa Cup football in one season but over the
long run, all Curbishley can do is stabilize West Ham and turn them into a
promising but under-achieving mid-table side. The West Ham squad is perhaps
good enough to be playing in Europe right now, but they need a lot of
playing time together and without a good manager, there's no point to it, is
there?

Shorey would be better off staying at Reading for another season and then
deciding on his future next summer - or if he must move, he should aim for a
move to Newcastle - a club that needs a left-back, have a better manager and
definitely one that has more chances of making the top 7 than West Ham.

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Old Chelsea and Hammers roll back years - YourLocalGuardian

Chelsea and West Ham legends rolled back the years to provide a treat for
fans at Imperial Fields in the Bank Holiday weekend sunshine. One of the
most feared striking partnerships of the 1980s came to the fore as West Ham
ran out 6-5 winners as part of Tooting & Mitcham's 75th birthday
celebrations on Sunday. Flamboyant Scottish striker Frank McAvennie scored a
hat-trick for the Hammers, with Tony Cottee, now a regular face on Sky
Sports' football coverage, netting twice. Stuart Slater got West Ham's other
goal. Chelsea had led 2-0, thanks to goals from former Molesey boss Clive
Walker and Trevor Aylott. The second half notable for a remarkable 65-yard
strike from David Lee. Chelsea Old Boys player-boss Gary Chivers said: "He
saw the keeper was off his line and he hit it, a la David Beckham, into the
top right-hand corner."

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Curbishley Owes Rovers An Apology! - newcastlemad.co.uk
By Nu Mad Wednesday 29th August 2007

No surprise when Bristol Rovers boss Paul Trollope leaped to the defence of
Joe Jacobson after the incident which left West Ham's Kieron Dyer with a
double fracture of his right leg. Hammers boss Alan Curbishley accused
Jacobson (on Sky TV) of "lashing out" at the £6 million summer recruit from
Newcastle, when the tackle was nothing more than two players scrambling for
the ball. The England midfielder was carried off after tangling with the
former Cardiff City man near the touchline nine minutes into last night's
Carling Cup clash at the Memorial Stadium. The challenge looked innocuous,
but obviously Curbishley had £7m flashing before his eyes, and thinking of
all those who said he was taking a major gamble on a player with a dreadful
injury record. Curbishley: "The Bristol Rovers player should be very
disappointed with that tackle as he lashed out after losing the ball and
caught Kieron. "I'm really down and so is everyone in the dressing room. The
game was immaterial after that."
Paul Trollope: "That's the view of their camp - but nobody else seems to
share it. "From our point of view, it was a foul. He swung his leg back to
try and win the ball and it was just an unfortunate outcome. "Stories from
the other camp that it was a malicious challenge and he's gone to do him are
wide of the mark.
"Joe's an honest lad and he's not like that. He just swung his leg to try
and win the ball and it was an unfortunate outcome. "Our thoughts are with
Kieron Dyer because it looks a serious injury and you don't wish that on
anybody."
The West Ham boss reacted at a time when he had seven million voices in his
head saying "I told you so!" So do the right thing Curbishley ... and
apologise!

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CURBISHLEY FURIOUS OVER CROCKED DYER - Daily Express
Wednesday August 29,2007
By Julia White for express.co.uk

FURIOUS West Ham manager Alan Curbishley admits he might have to make an
emergency purchase before the transfer window closes on Friday following
Kieron Dyer's suspected broken leg at Bristol Rovers. Curbishley has already
seen Freddie Ljungberg, Scott Parker and Julien Faubert sidelined and lost
Dyer in the first half against Rovers last night. He said: "At the moment I
feel the luck is against us. "I am sitting there with £20million worth of
players out injured. It's disappointing but we have just got to get on with
it and that's what the squad is for. "We are treading on eggshells. It is a
little bit delicate for us at the moment. "I will have to assess it but that
right-hand side - who would want to come and play for us with what has
happened there?" It seems unlikely that Brazilian striker Adriano will be at
Upton Park by the weekend. The club confirmed talks with Inter Milan about a
loan deal but Curbishley was in the dark and Adriano is reported only to be
interested in a permanent move. He said: "I don't know too much about it to
be fair. I don't know if it is talk to stir things up, we will have to see.
Is it speculation or is there anything in it? I don't really know."

The Hammers boss described his side's 2-1 Carling Cup success at the
Memorial Stadium as "immaterial" once Dyer was hospitalised and insisted
Rovers winger Joe Jacobson had been reckless with his challenge He said:
"The Bristol Rovers player has got to be very disappointed with his tackle.
As far as I can see he has lashed out after losing the ball and caught
Kieron in a difficult area. "Wouldn't you be angry? The players could see he
lashed out. We are delighted to get through but after 10 or 15 minutes the
game was immaterial after you get an injury like that."
Craig Bellamy scored twice before the break with Rovers substitute Andy
Williams pulling one back to set up a breathless finish. Rovers manager Paul
Trollope defended Jacobson. He said: "Joe is an honest lad and he swung his
leg to get the ball. It was just an unfortunate incident." The result ended
a 14-match unbeaten run for Rovers but Trollope added: "We can take a lot of
positives. "A couple of poor bits of defending in the first half gave us a
mountain to climb but we managed to put them under pressure, scored a good
goal and maybe could have had an equaliser."

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Dyer faces surgery after double leg fracture
'It is too early to say at this stage how long the player will be out for'
Staff and agencies
Wednesday August 29, 2007
Guardian Unlimited

West Ham have confirmed that Kieron Dyer suffered a double leg fracture
during last night's Carling Cup tie against Bristol Rovers. Dyer was
stretchered off with his right leg broken in two places below the knee, and
taken to hospital as a result of a challenge from the the Rovers left winger
Joe Jacobson.
"It is too early to say at this stage how long the player will be out for as
this will become clearer once the first stage of surgery is completed," read
a West Ham statement. Dyer, a £6m summer signing from Newcastle, joins
fellow injured new arrivals Julien Faubert and Freddie Ljungberg on the
sidelines.

The West Ham manager Alan Curbishley suggested Jacobson's challenge was
reckless. "I think the Bristol Rovers player has got to be very disappointed
with his tackle," said Curbishley. "As far as I can see he has lashed out
after losing the ball and caught Kieron in a difficult area. We are so
devastated for [Dyer]. I can't put it into words, really. The game was
immaterial after that."
However, the Rovers manager Paul Trollope defended Jacobson, insisting: "Joe
is an honest lad and he swung his leg to get the ball. It was just an
unfortunate incident."

The injury is the latest serious problem suffered by Dyer, who is almost
certain to miss the remainder of England's Euro 2008 qualifying campaign and
could even struggle to prove his fitness in time, should Steve McClaren's
side reach next summer's finals. Previous setbacks include a stress fracture
of the foot, knee ligament trouble, shin splints and injuries to his back
and hamstring.

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Adriano Deal Ongoing According To West Ham- West Ham Fans.org
Submitted by Neville Nixon on 29 August, 2007 - 10:20.

Despite reports to the contrary, West Ham United are still in talks with
Brazil star Adriano and his club Inter Milan about a season's loan with a
view to a permanent £12 Million move. The player needs games to get fit and
to rekindle his once devastating form, his huge wages shouldn't be too much
of a problem unless Hammers are forced to pay them in full as opposed to the
customary 50%. Scot Duxberry has been told to "make it happen" by his
'Picardesque' chairman Eggert Magnusson who must be wondering how many more
new signings can possibly get injured, one can safely assume that the club's
insurance premiums will be going up more than a little! - Ed

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham boss unaware of Adriano talks
tribalfooball.com - August 29, 2007

West Ham United boss Alan Curbishley admits he's in the dark over confirmed
talks with Inter Milan for striker Adriano. He said: "I don't know too much
about it to be fair. I don't know if it is talk to stir things up, we will
have to see. Is it speculation or is there anything in it? I don't really
know."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham boss Curbishley admits Dyer replacement signing needed
tribalfooball.com - August 29, 2007

West Ham United boss Alan Curbishley admits he will return to the market to
replace broken-leg victim Kieron Dyer. Dyer suffered the injury in last
night's Carling Cup tie at Bristol Rover and Curbs said: "At the moment I
feel the luck is against us. "I am sitting there with £20million worth of
players out injured. It's disappointing but we have just got to get on with
it and that's what the squad is for. "We are treading on eggshells. It is a
little bit delicate for us at the moment. "I will have to assess it but that
right-hand side - who would want to come and play for us with what has
happened there?"

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Curbs confused by Adriano talk - metro.co.uk
Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Alan Curbishley claims he is in the dark over West Ham's reported bid to
sign Inter Milan striker Adriano on loan. The Hammers released a statement
on Tuesday claiming they were in talks with the Italian champions about a
move for the unsettled Brazil international. The statement explained: 'The
figures that have been quoted in the media are inaccurate as the possible
deal is in its early stages. The club are investigating the possibiity of a
loan deal at this stage.'
However, speaking after his side's 2-1 Carling Cup win at Bristol Rovers,
West Ham manager Curbishley sounded far less certain. 'I don't know too much
about it to be fair. I don't know if it is talk to stir things up, if you
like, we will have to see,' he said. 'I just think it is something that has
cropped up. Is it speculation or is there something in it? I don't know.'
Adriano has also been linked with Manchester City, although the 25-year-old
appeared to rule out a move to Eastlands on Tuesday. Arsenal, meanwhile, are
reported to have rejected the chance to sign the striker.

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Spurs, West Ham ask Real Madrid for Soldado
tribalfooball.com - August 29, 2007

Tottenham and West Ham United are chasing Real Madrid striker Roberto
Soldado. The exciting Spanish forward is the subject of a £10 million bid
from Benfica this week, while Marca says within the last 30 days West Ham,
Tottenham and Olympique Lyon are among clubs to have asked for the player.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Web Digest [ West Ham United ] - 29th August 2007

Bristol Rovers 1 West Ham United 2
Williams Bellamy(2)
Carling Cup 28th August 2007 Kick-off: 19:45
Venue: The Memorial Stadium Attendance: 10,831 Referee:Michael Jones

Two-goal Craig Bellamy shipwrecked the Pirates at the Memorial Stadium with
a clinical first-half double. But while the £7.5million striker secured
Hammers third round place with his first-ever strikes for West Ham United,
there was no Carling Cup cheer for fellow new signing Kieron Dyer, who was
stretchered away with a suspected broken leg with just a dozen minutes on
the clock. And the midfielder's terrible injury is disastrous news for Alan
Curbishley who paid the price for justifiably naming a strong side after
coming into this tie declaring that he has always taken this competition
seriously. From Crewe Alexandra back in 1992 to Chesterfield last year, the
Hammers had bowed out of this competition to lower league sides on no fewer
than nine occasions during the past 15 seasons, a sorry sequence that the
new manager wanted to halt. And although Curbs' pre-match plans had been
disturbed by the absence of Dean Ashton, whose partner was about to give
birth, the Hammers' boss had still been able to field a powerful West Ham
United line-up to face an unchanged Rovers side sitting in ninth-spot in
Coca-Cola League One, following Saturday's 1-0 win at Oldham Athletic. There
were four changes from the team that drew with Wigan Athletic at the weekend
as Danny Gabbidon, Luis Boa Morte and Lee Bowyer each came in for Matthew
Upson, Matthew Etherington and Mark Noble, while 'keeper Richard Wright was
handed his first start in place of Robert Green. But after the unmarked
Bobby Zamora nodded Boa Morte's cross over the bar in the opening seconds,
Curbs was forced to make a further, unwelcome change on 12 minutes, when Joe
Jacobson scythed through Dyer with a hefty touchline tackle that saw the
England midfielder stretchered away with a suspected double fracture of the
right leg, as the Pirate curiously escaped any more punishment than a
free-kick. With substitute Mark Noble slotting effortlessly into the central
midfield berth vacated by the luckless Dyer, West Ham continued to spend
more and more time in the Rovers' half as the team 40 league places below
them relied on sporadic counter-attacks. Apart from Jacobson's 20-yard
free-kick that drifted wide of Wright's left-hand upright, the debutant
'keeper had enjoyed an incident free introduction to life between the West
Ham goalposts. And it was no surprise when Hammers took the lead on the
half-hour mark through the unmarked Bellamy, who collected the ball from
Hayden Mullins and turned towards goal before unleashing a thunderous, low
30-yarder that flew past the sprawling Steve Phillips. Having netted his
first goal for the club, the Hammers' striker might have had a second
moments later, however he headed the impressive George McCartney's cross
straight to the Rovers' 'keeper.
In reply, Richard Walker nodded into Wright's arms and Lee Bowyer denied
Jacobson in the act of shooting, but with Rovers only showing token
resistance, that man Bellamy did not have to wait too long to double his
tally. Seconds before the interval, the Welshman lengthened his stride as he
raced across the West Country turf to slot Lucas Neill's cleverly lofted
through-ball across the face of the exposed Phillips and into the far corner
of the net from ten yards, to the delight of the 1,463 Hammers' fans packed
amongst the 10,831 crowd. Emerging for the second period with the job more
than half-done, West Ham could have made it 'Game Over' in the opening
exchanges when Noble played in the overlapping Bowyer but his tightly angled
shot rolled agonisingly beyond the far post. With nothing to lose, Rovers
threw caution to the wind in a bid to claw their way back into the tie and
Wright, suddenly on full alert, pulled off a fine double save to prevent a
deflected Neill own-goal before recovering to claim Richie Lambert's
follow-up header from under the bar. A few more awkward scrambles in the
Hammers' box proved the cue for James Collins to replace McCartney on the
hour, while Paul Trollope introduced Andrew Williams, Lewis Haldane and
Sammy Igoe at the expense of Craig Disley, Lambert and Jacobson. Certainly,
those three new faces put the wind in the Pirates' sails, for with 20
minutes remaining, Richard Walker's defence-splitting chip was collected by
substitute Williams, who clipped the ball over the advancing Wright from 12
yards to give the League One side hope. That set up an almost inevitable
late onslaught that led to more Rovers' raids, while at the other end, only
a goal-line clearance prevented Collins from booking the east enders
deserved place in the third round draw long before the final whistle.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Deano withdraws from match - WHUFC
28/08/2007 18:40

Dean Ashton who was expected to start in West Ham's Carling Cup tie at
Bristol Rovers tonight, has had to pull out of the match, after his partner
went into labour with the couple's first child earlier today. The striker
did not travel with his team-mates to the Memorial Stadium after it was
clear that the newest member of the Ashton family was set to make an
appearance and manager Alan Curbishley allowed Dean to stay behind with his
partner instead. Dean will be back in the squad for the Hammers' trip to
Reading in the Barclays Premier League on Saturday.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bristol Rovers 1-2 West Ham - BBC

West Ham moved into the third round of the Carling Cup but the win at
Bristol Rovers was marred by the suspected broken leg suffered by Kieron
Dyer. Dyer went down in agony following a tackle by Joe Jacobson after a few
minutes and was taken off on a stretcher after lengthy treatement. Craig
Bellamy put the visitors ahead, blasting home from 25-yards. Bellamy then
raced onto a long ball to fire in the second but Andy Williams' fine run and
finish made it 2-1.

Bristol Rovers: Phillips, Lescott, Anthony, Elliott, Carruthers, Pipe,
Campbell, Disley (Igoe 70), Jacobson (Haldane 64), Lambert (Andrew Williams
64), Walker.
Subs Not Used: Hinton, Rigg.
Booked: Walker.

Goals: Andrew Williams 72.

West Ham: Wright, Neill, Gabbidon, Ferdinand, McCartney (Collins 62), Dyer
(Noble 13), Mullins, Bowyer, Boa Morte, Bellamy (Cole 76), Zamora.
Subs Not Used: Green, Etherington.
Goals: Bellamy 31, 45.

Att: 10,831.
Ref: Michael Jones (Cheshire).

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Dyer suffers suspected broken leg - BBC

West Ham midfielder Kieron Dyer suffered a suspected broken leg in the
Carling Cup tie against Bristol Rovers. The England international, who
joined from Newcastle at the start of this season, was carried off on a
stretcher in the opening minutes of the game. Dyer, 28, was injured in a
tackle by Joe Jacobson and the game was delayed before he was taken to
hospital. The Hammers went on to reach round three with a 2-1 win, but boss
Alan Curbishley said: "It's immaterial." He added: "We are so devastated for
him. I can't put it into words really. You put a strong side out and you
wonder why sometimes. "We are delighted we have got through but after 10 or
15 minutes the game was immaterial. Everyone in the dressing room is really
down about it."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Curbishley cool on Adriano move - BBC

West Ham manager Alan Curbishley played down talk of a move for Inter Milan
Adriano despite an earlier statement from the London club on the issue. A
statement by the Hammers said: "The possible deal is in its early stages and
money has not yet been discussed. "We are investigating the possibility of a
loan deal at this stage." But Curbishley, speaking after his side's Carling
Cup win at Bristol Rovers, said: "I don't know too much about it to be
fair." He added: "I don't know if it is talk to stir things up, if you like,
we will have to see. I just think it is something that has cropped up.
Adriano, 25, has slipped down the pecking order at Inter and Arsenal boss
Arsene Wenger has revealed he rejected a chance to take him on loan. The
Brazilian has scored 25 goals in 37 games for his country but has suffered a
loss of form amid a succession of injuries and doubts over his commitment.
Part of Wenger's refusal to do business with Inter was because they wanted
an unnamed Arsenal player on loan as part of the deal. But the Gunners boss
says he feels that area of his squad is strong enough, explaining: "We do
not need him and it was an easy decision to make because we're not out there
to sign another striker. "The agreement was for a loan. Adriano has
qualities we don't need. They wanted to give us a player but wanted one back
in return. "I won't say who it was. I didn't want to lose the player they
requested. I didn't necessarily think Adriano would upset the balance of the
squad. "I have bought Eduardo Da Silva. I already had Emmanuel Adebayor and
Robin van Persie and I brought Nicklas Bendtner back. "I still have Theo
Walcott and Abou Diaby can play through the middle. Why should I bring more
forwards in? "I have big faith in my squad and they've proved me right so
far this season."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Adria-no? - KUMB
Filed: Tuesday, 28th August 2007
By: Gordon Thrower

It is being reported that Brazilian international Adriano has turned down a
move to the Boleyn. The club earlier confirmed that talks were in progress
with Internazionale with a view to taking the 25 year-old to E13 on loan -
apparently without the knowledge of Alan Curbishley. However Sky Sports have
tonight reported that the deal will not now take place. More on this as it
comes in...

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bristol Rovers 1 West Ham Utd 2 - KUMB
Filed: Tuesday, 28th August 2007
By: Matthew O'Greel

Two goals from Craig Bellamy ensured the Hammers avoided a potential banana
skin aginst League One outfit Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Ground tonight.
Bellamy's brace - his first competitive goals for the club - gave United a
2-0 lead at the break before Rovers pulled one back midway through the
second period giving the Hammers - no strangers to cup upsets - a nervous
final few minutes. The £7.5m signing opened the scoring on 31 minutes when
he found the net from 25 yards with a fine solo effort. His second came on
the stroke of half-time; a long ball from Lucas Neill sent Bellamy through
on goal and the Welsh striker finished cooly into the bottom right corner.
The Hammers had controlled the game for much of the first half, as they did
in the second until Andrew Williams reduced the deficit to one on 72
minutes. Anton Ferdinand was guilty of falling asleep - not for the first
time this season - allowing Williams to round him, leaving the Rovers man
with a simple finish. Sadly a good Hammers performance was marred by a
serious injury to new signing Kieron Dyer, who is likely to be out until the
New Year - at the earliest - after breaking a leg in what appeared to be an
innocuous first half challenge.

West Ham United: Wright, Neill, McCartney (Collins 62), Ferdinand, Gabbidon,
Mullins, Dyer (Noble 13), Bowyer, Boa Morte, Bellamy (Cole 76), Zamora.
Subs not used: Green, Etherington.
Goals: Bellamy (31, 45).

Bristol Rovers: Phillips, Anthony, Elliott, Carruthers, Jacobsen (Haldane
64), Lescott, Pipe, Campbell, Disley (Igoe 70), Lambert (Williams 64),
Walker.
Subs not used: Rigg, Hinton.
Goals: Williams (72).

Booked: Walker (70, dissent).
Referee: M.Jones
Attendance: 10,831

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Dyer straights - KUMB
Filed: Tuesday, 28th August 2007
By: Matthew O'Greel

Kieron Dyer will be out until the New Year at least after breaking a leg in
tonight's Carling Cup clash against Bristol Rovers. Alan Curbishley's newest
recruit became the latest player to suffer a serious injury in the early
stages of tonight's clash, which the Hammers lead 1-0 at the time of
writing. An innocuous-looking challenge left Dyer writhing in agony before
the £7m man was carried off the pitch with his leg in a brace. It was later
confirmed that he had broken his leg in two places, meaning at least four
months out of action. We'll have more for you from tonight's game at the
final whistle.

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Curbs: Luck's against us - SSN
Hammers consider options after Dyer injury
By Mark Buckingham Last updated: 29th August 2007

Alan Curbishley is weighing up another addition to his midfield after Kieron
Dyer broke his leg in West Ham United's Carling Cup win at Bristol Rovers.
Dyer suffered the injury after just 10 minutes of the 2-1 success following
a challenge from Joe Jacobson, which left Curbishley upset. With the summer
signing facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines, and with Julien Faubert and
Freddie Ljungberg also injured, Curbishley was in exasperated mood "At the
moment I feel the luck is against us," said Curbishley. "I am sitting there
with £20million worth of players out injured. It's disappointing, but we
have just got to get on with it and that's what the squad is for. "We are
treading on eggshells. It is a little bit delicate for us at the moment. "I
will have to assess it, but that right-hand side - who would want to come
and play for us with what has happened there?" Meanwhile, Rovers boss Paul
Trollope has defended Jacobson for the tackle on Dyer, which left Curbishley
'disappointed'. Trollope said: "It was a foul. Joe swung his leg back to try
and win the ball and that was it. "The stories coming from West Ham that it
was a malicious tackle, that he has gone to do him, are wide of the mark.
"Joe just swung his leg and it's a very unfortunate incident."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Dyer fears for West Ham - SSN
Midfielder suffers suspected broken leg
By Andrew Scurr Last updated: 28th August 2007

Kieron Dyer has suffered a suspected broken leg during West Ham's Carling
Cup tie with Bristol Rovers. The midfielder, who was making just his third
start for The Hammers since joining from Newcastle earlier this month, was
stretchered off in the 13th minute at the Memorial Stadium. Dyer crumbled to
the ground following a challenge with Joe Jacobson on the right-hand side
and immediately looked in severe pain. The England international has been
taken to hospital for scans but West Ham fear he has broken both bones in
his lower leg. "We think he's broken his leg," Hammers manager Alan
Curbishley told Sky Sports. "It's so disappointing for him and we feel
desperately disappointed for him. "I'm so disappointed with the tackle
because it was needless and I think Jacobson will have a look at that and be
very disappointed with himself." West Ham have already seen fellow summer
signing Julien Faubert ruled out until the new year with a ruptured Achilles
tendon and Dyer looks likely to join him on the sidelines for an extended
period.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bellamy sees Hammers through - SSN
Hammers win overshadowed by Dyer injury
Last updated: 28th August 2007

Craig Bellamy's first two goals for West Ham were enough to give Alan
Curbishley's side a 2-1 Carling Cup victory over Bristol Rovers. Bellamy
struck twice in the first half, including a stunning 30-yard shot to open
his account, as the Premiership club capitalised on their first half
dominance. Rovers fought back after the break and hit back through Andy
Williams, but they were unable to force an equaliser. However, the match was
marred by a serious injury to West Ham and England midfielder Kieron Dyer.
Dyer is believed to have broken both the tibia and fibula in his right leg
after being caught by Rovers midfielder Joe Jacobson after catching his
studs in the turf.
West Ham manager Alan Curbishley had earmarked this game for a first start
since the 2006 FA Cup final for Dean Ashton, who is still striving for full
fitness after suffering a broken ankle on England duty a year ago. But the
striker's partner Gemma, who is expecting their first child, went into
labour and his manager was forced into a rethink. That meant the Hammers
stuck with the previously unproductive partnership of Bellamy and Bobby
Zamora, who both had spells at Rovers as teenagers, and the latter sent an
early header over from a good position. However, Bellamy made sure there was
to be no repeat of last season's Carling Cup exit at a League One ground,
when Chesterfield had beaten a West Ham side then still picked by Alan
Pardew. His two strikes before the break were his first since his
£7.5million summer switch from Liverpool. The first was made possible by
Hayden Mullins, who won the ball in midfield, but the Welshman was still
some 30 yards away from the Rovers goal when he decided to let fly and his
low drive eluded Steve Phillips' dive to his right to nestle in the corner.
A trademark turn of speed conjured up the second in stoppage time after
Lucas Neill had powered a long ball over an otherwise resilient Rovers
back-line. Goalkeeper Phillips had dithered coming off his line and
regretted it as soon as Bellamy slotted past him with ease.
The home side's 14-match unbeaten run, that had seen them promoted via last
season's play-offs and Crystal Palace removed from the first round of this
competition, was coming to an end but they refused to go down without a
fight. Rickie Lambert was denied by Wright's alertness 10 minutes into the
second
period, with the former Everton reserve showing great agility in the 53rd
minute to keep out the striker's header after Jacobson had again caused
problems on the left. Lambert and Walker combined again to put the visitors
under pressure and twice Ferdinand had to mop up in the box before
Curbishley made a change by taking George McCartney off in favour of James
Collins just after the hour mark. Rovers made a trio of substitutions in the
next 10 minutes and it was Lambert's replacement, Andrew Williams, who
ensured there would be a rousing end to this tie with a fine solo goal in
the 72nd minute. The substitute slipped past Anton Ferdinand with a neat
turn in the box and crashed the ball past Wright. Collins thought he had
wrapped it up for the Hammers when his header bounced down off the crossbar
via a superb Phillips save, but the ball clearly did not cross the line.
Rovers piled men forward, including goalkeeper Phillips, as the minutes
ticked away but the Hammers' re-jigged back-line held out.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Adriano rejects Hammers - SSN
Hammers fail to entice striker
By Peter O'Rourke Last updated: 28th August 2007

Sky Sports News understands Adriano has turned down a loan move to West Ham.
The Hammers confirmed earlier on Tuesday that they were in talks with
Internazionale over a possible loan deal for the Brazilian. Adriano's future
at Inter looks uncertain with the club willing to loan him out so that he
can regain his form and fitness. The Brazilian international is well down
the pecking order at Inter and does not currently figure in Roberto
Mancini's plans. West Ham are hoping to lure Adriano to Upton Park, but is
believed that the former Parma hit-man has rejected their overtures. Despite
Adriano's initial rejection West Ham are expected to make a renewed bid to
take the player to east London before the closure of the transfer window on
Friday. Hammers boss Alan Curbishley, speaking before West Ham's win over
Bristol Rovers, was in the dark over the possible move for Adriano. "I don't
know too much about it to be fair," said Curbishley. "I don't know if it is
talk to stir things up, if you like, we will have to see. "I just think it
is something that has cropped up. Is it speculation or is there something in
it? I don't know."

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Bristol R 1-2 West Ham: Bellamy bags brace - Soccernet

Craig Bellamy's first goals for West Ham ensured there was no Carling Cup
humiliation for the Premier League side at League One Bristol Rovers but
their 2-1 success was achieved at a high cost after Kieron Dyer was
hospitalised with a suspected double fracture of his right leg. And that
also represents a blow for England ahead of next month's all-important Euro
2008 qualifiers with Israel and Russia, with the midfielder - a recent
recruit from Newcastle at £6million - a regular in Steve McClaren's squads.
Dyer had to cope with many injury problems during his time in the north-east
and he now faces yet more months on the sidelines. It had been a busy day
for the Hammers before kick-off with talks on-going with Inter Milan over a
loan move for Brazil forward Adriano. Manager Alan Curbishley had earmarked
this game for a first start since the 2006 FA Cup final for Dean Ashton, who
is still striving for full fitness after suffering a broken ankle on England
duty a year ago. But the striker's partner Gemma, who is expecting their
first child, went into labour and his manager was forced into a rethink.
That meant the Hammers stuck with the previously-unproductive partnership of
Bellamy and Bobby Zamora, who both had spells at Rovers as teenagers, and
the latter sent an early header over from a good position. Dyer's misfortune
arrived soon afterwards and it was immediately apparent the midfielder was
in severe pain following Joe Jacobson's challenge near the right flank,
which referee Mike Jones penalised with a free-kick. The midfielder stayed
down a long while and was eventually carried off in the 13th minute to be
replaced by Mark Noble. Initial diagnosis before he was despatched to
hospital was a double fracture. Bellamy made sure there was to be no repeat
of last season's Carling Cup exit at a League One ground, when Chesterfield
had beaten a West Ham side then still picked by Alan Pardew. His two strikes
before the break were his first since his £7.5million summer switch from
Liverpool. The first was made possible by Hayden Mullins, who won the ball
in midfield, but the Welshman was still some 30 yards away from the Rovers
goal when he decided to let fly his low drive eluded Steve Phillips' dive to
his right to nestle in the corner. A trademark turn of speed conjured up the
second in stoppage time after Lucas Neill had powered a long ball over an
otherwise resilient Rovers back-line. Goalkeeper Phillips had dithered
coming off his line and regretted it as soon as Bellamy slotted past him
with ease. Rovers had been second best but still had their moments with
Jacobson impressive down the left and certainly not affected by his
leg-breaking tackle earlier on. His cross picked out Richard Walker in space
in the box but the striker headed straight at the visitors' debutant
goalkeeper Richard Wright. The home side's 14-match unbeaten run, that had
seen them promoted via last season's play-offs and Crystal Palace removed
from the first round of this competition, was coming to an end but they
refused to go down without a fight. Rickie Lambert was denied by Wright's
alertness 10 minutes into the second period, with the former Everton reserve
showing great agility in the 53rd minute to keep out the striker's header
after Jacobson had again caused problems on the left. Lambert and Walker
combined again to put the visitors under pressure and twice Ferdinand had to
mop up in the box before Curbishley made a change by taking George McCartney
off in favour of James Collins just after the hour mark. Rovers made a trio
of substitutions in the next 10 minutes and it was Lambert's replacement,
Andrew Williams, who ensured there would be a rousing end to this tie with a
fine solo goal in the 72nd minute. The substitute slipped past Anton
Ferdinand with a neat turn in the box and crashed the ball past Wright.
Collins thought he had wrapped it up for the Hammers when his header bounced
down off the crossbar but referee Mike Jones, having consulted the relevant
linesman, ruled it had not crossed the line. Rovers piled men forward,
including goalkeeper Phillips, as the minutes ticked away but the Hammers'
re-jigged back-line held out.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Vinny's Bristol Rovers Report - West Ham Online
Vinny - Wed Aug 29 2007

League Cup 2nd Round

Bristol Rovers 1 West Ham United 2

Craig Bellamy's first goals for the club came in this League Cup 2nd round
tie at league one side Bristol Rovers. But the talking point will all be
about the injury to Kieron Dyer which appears to be a broken leg and will
keep him out for quite a while.

As for the game, well it was pretty much as expected with West Ham dictating
the play and doing the minimum required to get them through to the next
round. In typical West Ham fashion we let them back into the game with a
soft goal, but Bristol Rovers couldn't create the chances to make the
comeback.

The side who started against Wigan was slightly changed for this one. In
goal, Richard Wright made his debut for the club, in defence, Danny Gabbidon
replaced Matthew Upson who was rested completely but was in attendance along
with Jonathan Spector who was also not in the 16.

In midfield, Saturday's goalscorer Lee Bowyer was in midfield in place of
Mark Noble who dropped to the bench. Bowyer went to the right wing with Dyer
and Mullins in the middle and Boa Morte on the left in place of Etherington
who was also on the bench.

Up front it was once again Bobby Zamora who partnered Craig Bellamy after it
was revealed that Dean Ashton (who was to start) had to be with his wife who
had gone into labour. This saw Carlton Cole return to the squad and he was
on the bench.

It was a nice evening in a strange looking football ground, with our fans
looking have snapped up just about all the tickets that were available. Of
course Bristol Rovers were looking forward to the possibility of playing a
Premiership side and they filled their stadium.

The first chance of the game fell to Bobby Zamora who may have thought he
should have done better with a header from a Luis Boa Morte cross. The
striker found himself unmarked but didn't get the connection he would have
liked on the ball.

Moments later Alan Curbishley would have been cursing his luck as Kieron
Dyer had to be taken off with what it is now looking like a broken leg. From
where I was standing it didn't seem much of tackle, but after watching the
replays on TV in the last few minutes it appears that he studs were caught
in the ground as the Bristol Rovers player Jacobson caught him with a late
tackle. It didn't look malicious but it is yet another injury for a player
who is usually injured.

Mark Noble came on to replace Dyer with only 13 minutes on the clock. This
didn't seem to hinder our progress as we begun to wear the home side down,
spending a lot of time in possession and in their half. You could sense that
something would come of the neat passing, but we needed someone to make that
killer pass or hit that killer shot.

The killer shot did come and it came through Craig Bellamy who had taken a
lot of stick from the Rovers fans for just being welsh. Or was it just being
Craig Bellamy? Nevertheless, he would ram their abuse down their throat with
a wonderful shot from about 30 yards after being supplied by Hayden Mullins.
The keeper had no chance thus was the accuracy and power, and Bellamy could
celebrate his first goal in a West Ham shirt.

Bellamy could and should have had a second goal just minutes later after a
great cross from McCartney found the Welshman completely unmarked and
despite the ball being a great height for him his header was straight at
Rovers keeper Steve Phillips.

Rovers found it difficult to get in behind our defence and their long balls
forward were easily mopped up by Gabbidon and Ferdinand. They did however
have a decent chance to get themselves back on level terms when some good
work on the left hand side resulted in a cross to an unmarked Richard Walker
but his header was straight at Richard Wright.
This looked to have given Rovers a little boost and showed them that they
were still in this game, but the wind were taken out of the Pirates sails as
we doubled our lead and once again it was Craig Bellamy who would get the
goal.

Bellamy would have to give huge thanks to captain Lucas Neill as it was he
who would play a sublime pass over the top (like we saw at Wigan away and
Arsenal away last season) which set Bellamy through on goal, and he finished
coolly to give West Ham a 2-0 lead.

From then to the end of the half it was complete possession control for us
as the defence and midfield just sprayed the ball around to each other with
Rovers unable to do anything but watch.

The half time whistle went and it seemed as though this game (on the
evidence of that first half) was over as a contest.

The second half began with us coming out of the traps quickest as Noble
played in Bowyer whose shot (from a similar position where he scored on
Saturday) went agonizingly wide of the goal.

The home side knew that they must give it a go and with nothing to lose they
did have more possession inside our half than we would have liked.

Their first chance of the half came when a shot deflected wickedly of Lucas
Neill but Richard Wright was equal to it and the was also equal to the
follow up header from Lambert. Up until this point Wright was a virtual
spectator but he was alert to see off any danger.

What Rovers were doing much better in this half was getting the ball into
our box quicker. They still lacked that player with a bit of pace to cause
us trouble but with our defence generally looking a little dodgy (as it
always does) there was a little concern that something might break for them.

We made a substitution which I got in one sense but was confused in another.
James Collins came on and this was perfectly understandable. Collins is
excellent in the air as we know, and Bristol Rovers were pumping high balls
into the area so of course this was a good idea from Curbishley. But I
didn't get why he took off George McCartney. Was he injured?

My problem with this is that after a pretty decent defensive performance we
had center half Danny Gabbidon go to left back, and Rovers just put as much
pressure on his as possible. We had given them a weakness to try and
exploit. With Boa Morte unable to defend (or attack some might say) he
couldn't give Gabbidon much support and I just thought it was a little
unnecessary.

The bit of pressure they were having got their fans going and a goal did
come their way after Walker played the ball through to substitute Williams
who had got away from our defenders far to easily. The striker clipped the
ball over Wright to make it an uncomfortable last 15 minutes.

There wasn't much of an onslaught from the home side and in fact it was us
who had the best chance of the remainder when a corner from Noble was met
but a thunderous header from Collins but just as the West Ham fans were
about to celebrate it crashed onto the bar and was scrambled clear.

A few corners aside, it wasn't a really difficult last few minutes and
although it was always in the back of my mind that "this is West Ham" we
kept our heads and find ourselves in the hat for the next round of the
League Cup.

Job Done.

Player Reviews

Richard Wright
Nothing to do in the first half but make one standard save from a header
which was straight at him. Made a few decent stops in the second period and
although he wasn't tested frequently he stayed alert and did his job well
enough.

Lucas Neill
Like Saturday he did have his rusty moments where simply lack of
concentration made him look a little silly. Gave the ball away a few times,
but got stronger as the game went on in terms of his defensive game. His
pass to Bellamy for the second goal was superb.

Anton Ferdinand
I haven't seen the goal so can't be 100% if he was to blame but it seemed as
though he may have got turned easily for it but I can't say for sure. His
performance was decent enough on the whole and I can't have too many
complaints.

Danny Gabbidon
Been a while since I have seen him start and the former hammer of the year
put in a solid display which saw him play most of the second half as a left
back. His first half performance was calm and collected, his second was one
which he had to be on his toes with his new position being targeted as the
one which would get attacks going for the home side. Has been replaced as a
first teamer by Matthew Upson but wouldn't think Curbishley will worry about
putting him in when needed.

George McCartney
Another consistent performance form McCartney. Solid in defence and a bit
dodgy going forward. Can't fault his tackling though, made some nice ones
tonight and is not afraid of the odd crunching one.

Lee Bowyer
Got a full 90 minutes under his belt which of course will do him no harm.
Has good feet and can spot a pass but I still think he is just that little
to slow to be a first team starter. His lack of pace was exposed against
Manchester City and even at times tonight I thought he looked a little slow
and this was a problem a few times when we were trying to pick up the pace.
With Dyer now injured, it seems we will be seeing more of Bowyer.

Hayden Mullins
A very efficient performance from Mullins. His passing was decent, his
tackling was good enough and he did his usual thing of being in the right
place to break up an attack or intercept a pass. That is his role and
although he wasn't really tested he put in a good account of himself. Also
gets himself an assist for the first goal.

Kieron Dyer
Injury prone players get injured.

Luis Boa Morte
Thought he was excellent in his brief substitute appearance on Saturday
against Wigan as he went to a more center forward position. Tonight he was
back on the left wing where he put in a pretty non existent performance.
Being so close to the pitch and with him being our side in the second half
you could really see that the man has no idea off the ball. He just doesn't
know where to run or position himself which means he either gets the ball
and gets tackled quickly, or the other players will just bypass him and look
for another option. I still think he has ability but he just doesn't do
enough.

Bobby Zamora
I have been accused of having a "vendetta" against Mr Zamora which I assure
you is totally false. So tonight I will just say, if you saw this game
tonight either on the tv or having actually been there, then you make your
own minds up. Didn't seem to want to come over to the fans after the game.
He went quickly back to the changing room leaving his teamates (even Carlton
Cole) to applaud the travelling support.

Craig Bellamy
The star of the show tonight. Yes, ok he had lots of room to do his thing
but he still had to deliver and his two finishes were excellent and very
encouraging. Be great if he can do this in the premiership. Was good to see
us actually using his pace as a game plan. Two goals tonight and hopefully
the start of many.

Subs Used

Mark Noble (on for Dyer 13 mins)
On for most of this game, Noble slotted in comfortably and put in a good all
round display. Tackles, passes, corners, it was a Mark Noble performance.

James Collins (on for McCartney 62 mins)
Came on to give us that extra boost in the air and he showed his worth with
some good solid headers and clearances. Nearly scored with a great header
which hit the bar.

Carlton Cole >i>(on for Bellamy 76 mins)
One day Carlton Cole will take over the footballing world. You heard it here
first.

Overall

These games are usually a no win situation as you get slated for losing to
lower league clubs and if you win you were expected to anyway. We did the
bare minimum tonight which was thankfully enough in the end. The first half
was professional, the second a little lethargic but I can understand that.

Dyer is now injured and with Parker (still) unavailable and Ljungberg
(still) absent, Alan Curbishley maybe needs to think about bringing someone
in either on loan or permanent by Friday because some of these players are
just not going to be good enough quality to have a good league campaign.

And by good I mean finishing above 14th place.

Reading next - we always get stuffed by these. I am trying to think of
reasons why that will change this time around.

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Kieron Dyer break hits West Ham - Telegraph
By Martin Smith
Last Updated: 2:04am BST 29/08/2007

Bristol Rovers (0) 1 West Ham United (2) 2

West Ham, removed from the competition by Chesterfield last season, ensured
there was no Carling Cup repeat last night at Bristol Rovers, though at the
loss of Kieron Dyer, who may miss the rest of the season.

The game became immaterial, according to the West Ham manager Alan
Curbishley, from the ninth minute, when Dyer crumpled to the ground after
what looked initially to be an innocuous challenge from Joe Jacobson, the
Rovers midfielder. There were accusations and denials long into the night
about the intent of Jacobson's tackle, the incident being the main talking
point of a tie West Ham should have won more comfortably.

That they are in the draw for the third round was largely due to two goals
from Craig Bellamy, his first for the club. That West Ham were hanging on at
the end was down to a spirited second-half comeback by the League One side.

"I think from us we see the League Cup as a competition we can do well in,"
Curbishley said. "We have seen Middlesbrough, Bolton and Wigan get to the
final in recent years so we attacked it with that in mind. But at the moment
we feel the luck is against us."

He said that he now has £20 million-worth of talent left on the sidelines,
as Dyer joined Freddie Ljungberg, Scott Parker and Julian Faubert on the
injured list. To add to his frustration, he had hoped to give Dean Ashton
his first start after a 15-month absence with a broken ankle. However,
yesterday morning he learnt that Ashton's girlfriend had gone into labour
with the couple's first child, and he had to change plans again.

It was pure coincidence, however, that West Ham had earlier confirmed they
were in talks with Inter Milan about Adriano, the Brazilian striker who has
slipped down the pecking order in Italy. In a statement, they said: "Talks
are at an early stage, but the club are investigating the possibility of a
loan deal."

If Bellamy felt pressure from talk of Adriano's possible arrival, it did not
show in his finishing, as he gave West Ham a two-goal cushion before
half-time. For the first, Stuart Campbell was robbed and the ball worked
forward to Bellamy, who beat Steve Phillips with a spectacular shot from 30
yards.

The second came almost on the stroke of half-time, Lucas Neill's
through-ball putting him beyond the defence, and he does not miss chances
like that.

Bellamy might even have had another sandwiched between the two goals when he
moved towards the near post to meet George McCartney's centre, but put it
straight into the goalkeeper's arms.

Rovers had not shown much in the first half, but they made up for it after
the break. Richard Wright, making his debut in West Ham's goal, had to
readjust when Jacobson's shot was deflected off Neill and was heading just
under his crossbar.

However, Wright was beaten with 18 minutes to go, Richard Walker flicking on
to put Andy Williams behind the West Ham defence. Cries of Goodnight Irene
rang out with renewed gusto, but ultimately to no avail.

Match details

Bristol Rovers (4-4-2): Phillips; Lescott, Anthony, Elliott, Carruthers;
Pipe, Campbell, Disley (Igoe 70), Jacobson (Haldane 64); Lambert (Williams
64), Walker.
Subs: Hinton, Rigg.
Booked: Walker.
Goals: Andrew Williams 72.
West Ham (4-4-2): Wright; Neill, Gabbidon, Ferdinand, McCartney (Collins
62); Bowyer, Dyer (Noble 13), Mullins, Boa Morte; Bellamy (Cole 76), Zamora.

Subs: Green (g), Etherington.
Goals: Bellamy 31, 45.
Referee: M Jones (Cheshire).

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Kieron Dyer injury adds to England's problems - Telegraph
By Martin Smith
Last Updated: 1:52am BST 29/08/2007

Kieron Dyer, one of the most injury jinxed of modern footballers, suffered a
suspected broken right leg at Bristol Rovers last night, and will miss the
rest of England's qualifying campaign for Euro 2008. Dyer, who played 30
minutes in England's friendly against Germany last week, was carried off
after 13 minutes of West Ham's Carling Cup tie with suspected fractures of
his tibia and fibula bones. It was only his third appearance in West Ham's
midfield since moving from Newcastle for £6 million in the summer. Dyer had
played in the centre of midfield for the closing third of the international
at Wembley, and his injury will be a serious blow to Steve McClaren, who has
mounting problems ahead of the double header against Israel and Russia at
Wembley in the next two weeks. McClaren has already lost Wayne Rooney and
Gary Neville and has doubts over Steven Gerrard. In addition, Peter Crouch
is suspended for the Israel match.
Dyer broke his leg while he was at Ipswich a decade ago, and missed a large
portion of last season with hamstring and back injuries. His latest injury
came early on at the Memorial Ground. He was caught with an innocuous
challenge by Joe Jacobson and seemed to quickly recognise the extent of the
damage.

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Curbs devastated by Dyer injury - TeamTalk

Alan Curbishley described West Ham's 2-1 Carling Cup win at Bristol Rovers
as "immaterial" after Kieron Dyer suffered a suspected broken leg. The
Premier League side defeated the League One outfit thanks to two Craig
Bellamy goals before half-time but Dyer had already been hospitalised by
then.
The England man, who has suffered with a host of injury problems in recent
years, now faces another lengthy spell on the sidelines just 12 days after
completing his move from Newcastle to Upton Park. Curbishley said: "We are
so devastated for him. I can't put it into words really. The game was
immaterial after that. You put a strong side out and you wonder why
sometimes. "We are delighted we have got through but after 10 or 15 minutes
the game was immaterial. Everyone in the dressing room is really down about
it."
Dyer had been hurt by a challenge from Rovers left winger Joe Jacobson and
Curbishley intimated he and his players felt the challenge - which was
punished by a free-kick only by referee Mike Jones, had been a reckless one.
He said: "I think the Bristol Rovers player has got to be very disappointed
with his tackle. As far as I can see he has lashed out after losing the ball
and caught Kieron in a difficult area. "Wouldn't you be angry? The players
could see he lashed out. But it is immaterial what the referee does after
you get a serious injury like that."
Rovers manager Paul Trollope, who saw substitute Andy Williams pull a goal
back to set up a tense finish, insisted the incident was not a deliberate
attempt to cause injury. He said: "It was a foul. He swung his leg back to
try to win the ball and that was it. Our thoughts are with Kieron Dyer but
Joe is not that type of player and we are not that type of football club. We
don't tell our players to do that. "Joe is an honest lad and he swung his
leg to get the ball. It was just an unfortunate incident."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Injury agony for Hammers' Dyer - TeamTalk

Kieron Dyer suffered a suspected broken leg during West Ham's Carling Cup
tie away to Bristol Rovers on Tuesday night. The 28-year-old midfielder, who
was making just his third start for the Hammers since joining from Newcastle
earlier this month, was stretchered off in the 13th minute at the Memorial
Stadium.
Dyer crumbled to the ground following a challenge with Joe Jacobson on the
right-hand side and immediately looked in severe pain. The England
international has been taken to hospital for scans but West Ham fear he has
broken both bones in his lower leg. West Ham have already seen fellow
summer signing Julien Faubert ruled out until the new year and Dyer looks
likely to join him on the sidelines for an extended period.

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Dyer double-leg break torture - The Sun
By DAVE KIDD:
Bristol Rovers 1 West Ham 2
August 29, 2007

ALAN CURBISHLEY launched an angry attack on Bristol Rovers' Joe Jacobson for
the tackle that left Kieron Dyer with a broken leg. Craig Bellamy hit both
West Ham goals but England midfielder Dyer was carried off on a stretcher
with his right leg in a splint 10 minutes into last night's Carling Cup
clash.
It is feared his leg is broken in two places and Dyer, 28, faces six months
on the sidelines — just 12 days after his £7million switch from Newcastle.
Hammers boss Curbs said: "We're so devastated for him. The game was
immaterial after that. "I think the Rovers player has to be very
disappointed with the tackle.
"He lashed out after losing the ball, caught Kieron in a difficult position
and that is what you get. The players could see he lashed out. "Their
manager asked before the game whether I would be putting out a strong side
and I said I would be — but sometimes you wonder why. "I'm really down.
Kieron has been looking sharp."
Jacobson was not booked by ref Mike Jones. And Rovers boss Paul Trollope
insisted: "It was a foul — Joe swung his leg back to try and win the ball.
And that was it. "The stories coming out from West Ham that it was a
malicious tackle, that he has gone to do him are wide of the mark. "Joe just
swung his leg and it's a very unfortunate incident."

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Hammers in Adriano bid - The Sun
By PAUL JIGGINS
August 29, 2007

WEST HAM have confirmed they are in talks to sign Inter Milan striker
Adriano. Arsenal have rejected the Brazilian who would have been offered on
a season's loan basis. The Hammers now want him on a similar deal — but the
hitman, 25, is holding out for a permanent £15million switch. A Hammers
spokeswoman said last night: "We're in talks with his club but they're at a
very early stage. No offer has been made because we would prefer a loan
deal." Adriano wants to quit the San Siro after falling behind Zlatan
Ibrahimovic, Julio Cruz, David Suazo and Hernan Crespo in Inter's pecking
order of frontmen. He was not included in manager Roberto Mancini's squad
for Sunday's 1-1 draw with Udinese and has also lost his place in the Brazil
side after struggling with his weight and form.
But he insisted: "I don't want to go on loan again. I already went once, to
Parma, when it was right for my career. Now if I must really leave, I'll go
and that's it." Inter president Massimo Moratti said: "He has two choices in
front of him — do really well with us or do really well on loan and return
to us as the formidable centre-forward that we know he can be." Adriano will
also be talking with Middlesbrough today.

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CURBS CURSE - the Mirror
West Ham's jinx strikes again as Dyer breaks leg BRISTOL ROV 1 WEST HAM 2
By Ann Gripper 29/08/2007

West Ham boss Alan Curbishley admitted he fears his team is cursed after
Kieron Dyer suffered a double fracture of his right leg in the Carling Cup
win at Bristol Rovers last night. Dyer was injured nine minutes into the
second round tie after a challenge by Rovers' Joe Jacobson and Curbishley
said: "I feel the luck's against us. I will have to access whether we need
to strengthen the squad - that right hand side, who wants to come and play
there with what's happened to us?" Since taking over last season Curbishley
has seen a succession of his signings suffer injuries. Lucas Neill, Matthew
Upson, Freddie Ljungberg, Julien Faubert, Scott Parker and now Dyer, in only
his third appearance since completing a £6m move from Newcastle, have all
endured lengthy spells on the sidelines after moving to Upton Park. Hammers
boss Alan Curbishley said: "I am sitting here with £20m worth of injured
players. We are so devastated for Kieron - the game was immaterial after
that. "I think the Bristol Rovers player has got to be very disappointed
with his tackle. He lashed out after losing the ball, caught Kieron in a
difficult position and that's what you get." Craig Bellamy's first two goals
for the Hammers earned them a place in the third round draw, although Andrew
Williams' 72nd minute strike made for a tense ending for the east Londoners.


::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
ROVERS: HONEST JOE NOT GUILTY - Western Daily Press
BY CHRIS SWIFT C.SWIFT@BEPP.CO.UK
08:00 - 29 August 2007

Paul Trollope has leaped to the defence of Joe Jacobson after the incident
which left West Ham's Kieron Dyer with a double fracture of his right leg.
The England midfielder was carried off after tangling with the former
Cardiff City man near the touchline nine minutes into last night's Carling
Cup clash at the Memorial Stadium. Although the challenge looked innocuous,
Hammers boss Alan Curbishley accused Jacobson of "lashing out" at the £6
million summer recruit from Newcastle. "The Bristol Rovers player should be
very disappointed with that tackle as he lashed out after losing the ball
and caught Kieron," said Curbishley. "I'm really down and so is everyone in
the dressing room. The game was immaterial after that." But Trollope
defended Jacobson, saying: "That's the view of their camp - but nobody else
seems to share it. "From our point of view, it was a foul. He swung his leg
back to try and win the ball and it was just an unfortunate outcome.
"Stories from the other camp that it was a malicious challenge and he's gone
to do him are wide of the mark. "Joe's an honest lad and he's not like that.
He just swung his leg to try and win the ball and it was an unfortunate
outcome. "Our thoughts are with Kieron Dyer because it looks a serious
injury and you don't wish that on anybody." The incident overshadowed a
pulsating second-round tie which saw West Ham take a 2-0 lead thanks to
Craig Bellamy's first-half double, before substitute Andy Williams pulled a
goal back in the second half. Trollope said: "Bellamy's a top international
striker who's played for a lot of top clubs. But we produced a good
fightback and scored a good goal. We got a head of steam up, played some
good football but unfortunately couldn't get the second."

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City make £12m Adriano swoop - lep.co.uk

Manchester City are attempting to sign Inter Milan striker Adriano in a deal
worth £12m, according to reports. The Daily Mail claim that Manchester City
were weighing up a loan deal for the 25-year-old powerhouse, and West Ham
Unied sent a delegation to Milan on Tuesday to discuss a similar deal. But
City boss Sven Goran Eriksson is aware the player does not want to go on
loan and City are trying to stretch their budget to pull off what would be a
remarkable coup at wages of around £70,000 a week. The Brazilian told the
Daily Mail said: "I don't want to go out on loan again. I've already been at
Parma, and at that time it was right for my career but now I really must
leave for good and that's that."

Last Updated: 29 August 2007 7:34 AM

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Jinxed Dyer breaks leg - The Mirror
CARLING CUP
Bristol Rovers 1-2 West Ham
By Ann Gripper 29/08/2007

West Ham's injury curse struck again last night when Kieron Dyer suffered a
double fracture of his right leg just nine minutes into his third match
since joining them from Newcastle for £6million. Craig Bellamy, who scored
two goals in the 2-1 win, said: "Kieron's injury overshadows the game. He's
one of my best friends and will be out for a while. It's devastating."
Hammers chief Alan Curbishley added: "It's a high price to pay for getting
through."

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Bristol Rovers 1 West Ham 2 - The Sun
By DAVE KIDD
August 29, 2007

CRAIG BELLAMY has so far survived the curse of the West Ham new boy. His
first two goals for the club fired Hammers into round three on a night
overshadowed by Kieron Dyer's horror injury. Dyer suffered a double leg
break in a 10th-minute challenge with Bristol Rovers midfielder Joe
Jacobson.
The England midfielder joins fellow summer signings Scott Parker, Freddie
Ljungberg and Julien Faubert on the Upton Park sick list. Matt Upson and
Lucas Neill also suffered bad injuries after joining Hammers in January. So
Inter striker Adriano will surely be checking his medical insurance as he
thinks over a possible move to the East End. Boss Alan Curbishley groaned:
"We have £20million worth of players out injured. "The luck is really
against us. We're treading on eggshells." Bellamy saw Hammers through
against the club he trained with as a schoolboy. As Dyer, 28, was rushed to
hospital just 12 days after his £7m switch from Newcastle, the Welshman gave
boss Curbs a welcome silver lining with two classy finishes before
half-time. Despite the distress of seeing Dyer carried off in agony, the
Premier League side kept a grip in midfield and went in front on the
half-hour. Rovers captain Stuart Campbell lost possession and the ball broke
to Bellamy, who turned and thumped a 30-yarder low past keeper Steve
Phillips. It was the striker's first goal since his £7.5m move from
Liverpool last month. He could have had his second just a minute later when
he headed straight at Phillips. But a minute before half-time the chippy
little hitman showed just why managers keep taking a punt on him as he
darted on to a punt from Neill and stroked home No 2. Rovers pressed forward
more after the break and got a goal back when Richard Walker flicked on
Phillips' long ball for sub Andy Williams who chipped over Richard Wright.
Hammers sub James Collins crashed a header against the underside of the bar.
But there were some shaky moments for the visitors' defence as Rovers
launched a grandstand finish.

DREAM TEAM STAR MAN: Craig Bellamy (W Ham).

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West Ham must go to £6M for Shorey
tribalfooball.com - August 28, 2007

West Ham United must go to £6 million to land Reading fullback Nicky Shorey.
The Hammers had an official £5m bid rejected by Reading on Monday but they
are determined to sign the England left-back. More talks are planned this
week with Curbs hoping to get Shorey, 26, before the transfer window closes
on Friday - in time for Saturday's encounter with the Royals at the Madejski
Stadium.

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Man City to outbid West Ham for Adriano
tribalfooball.com - August 28, 2007

Manchester City plan to outbid West Ham with a £12 million offer for Inter
Milan striker Adriano. West Ham yesterday sent a delegation to Milan to
discuss a similar deal, says the Daily Mail. But City boss Sven Goran
Eriksson, who held talks with Adriano's representatives yesterday, is aware
the player does not want to go on loan and City are trying to stretch their
budget to pull off what would be a remarkable coup at wages of around
£70,000 a week.

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Rangers ask West Ham for McCartney
tribalfooball.com - August 28, 2007

Rangers have approached West Ham United for left-back George McCartney. The
Northern Ireland could become available should the Hammers' pursuit of
Reading defender Nicky Shorey prove successful this week.

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West Ham furious over Dyer leg-break
tribalfooball.com - August 28, 2007

West Ham United boss Alan Curbishley was furious after seeing new signing
Kieron Dyer break his leg in last night's 2-1 Carling Cup defeat of Bristol
Rovers.
The Hammers defeated the League One outfit thanks to two Craig Bellamy goals
before half-time but Dyer had already been hospitalised by then. The England
man, who has suffered with a host of injury problems in recent years, now
faces another lengthy spell on the sidelines just 12 days after completing
his move from Newcastle to Upton Park. Curbishley said: "We are so
devastated for him. I can't put it into words really. The game was
immaterial after that. You put a strong side out and you wonder why
sometimes. "We are delighted we have got through but after 10 or 15 minutes
the game was immaterial. Everyone in the dressing room is really down about
it." Dyer had been hurt by a challenge from Rovers left winger Joe Jacobson
and Curbishley intimated he and his players felt the challenge - which was
punished by a free-kick only by referee Mike Jones, had been a reckless one.
He said: "I think the Bristol Rovers player has got to be very disappointed
with his tackle. As far as I can see he has lashed out after losing the ball
and caught Kieron in a difficult area. "Wouldn't you be angry? The players
could see he lashed out. But it is immaterial what the referee does after
you get a serious injury like that." Rovers manager Paul Trollope, who saw
substitute Andy Williams pull a goal back to set up a tense finish, insisted
the incident was not a deliberate attempt to cause injury. He said: "It was
a foul. He swung his leg back to try to win the ball and that was it. Our
thoughts are with Kieron Dyer but Joe is not that type of player and we are
not that type of football club. We don't tell our players to do that. "Joe
is an honest lad and he swung his leg to get the ball. It was just an
unfortunate incident."

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