Bellamy back in the groove - WHUFC
23/10/2007 08:25
Craig Bellamy is delighted to be back in the swing of things at West Ham
United after making a goalscoring return at the weekend. The striker made
his first appearance for the club since 15 September against Sunderland on
Sunday, having initially recovered from groin surgery to play two games for
Wales in the last fortnight. It was a difficult schedule but he kept going
against the Premier League newcomers to score his first goal at the Boleyn
Ground and seal a 3-1 victory.
"I felt a bit leggy because of the busy week I've had," Bellamy said. "I've
been out for a month and then been travelling and playing all over. So
trying to cram so many games in is obviously going to take its toll but I
got a second wind in the last 15 minutes and just ran off the back of that
basically." His goal was a neat finish that spoke volumes about his hunger
to score, getting in front of his marker to steer a Luis Boa Morte cross
beyond Craig Gordon and, in the process, confirm a precious win.
He added: "We were delighted to get the three points. Obviously it was a bit
tough towards the end but getting the three points was more important than
how we performed because we didn't perform as well as we should have done.
But the 3-1 scoreline did flatter us a little bit." Next up for Bellamy will
be a trip to Portsmouth and, with his first game alongside Carlton Cole in
attack leading to a goal apiece, there is every reason to be confident.
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Solano in the swing of things - WHUFC
23/10/2007 08:35
Nolberto Solano is coming back down to earth this week after a terrific
debut for West Ham United saw his Boleyn Ground career get off to a flier.
The Peruvian international came off the bench in the 72nd minute against
Sunderland on Sunday with the scores level at 1-1. Within five minutes, he
had forced a bizarre own goal from Craig Gordon when his shot cannoned off
the post and hit the hapless goalkeeper on its way into the net. Craig
Bellamy then wrapped up the win at the death and Solano is determined to
make sure his name also goes down in the scoring statistics.
"I'm going to try and claim the goal," he said. "Perhaps if the ball hadn't
hit the keeper it would have come back to me anyway. But the most important
thing is we won and I don't care if they give it to me or not. It was very
sweet to score my first goal, especially as a former Newcastle player
against Sunderland. I've already had a few texts from some friends in
Newcastle and they're very happy!
"We're very pleased with the three points. I haven't been involved with the
team until now but I got an opportunity and I'm delighted we got the win.
We'd lost three games in row and it was important we got back to winning
ways." Solano had not figured for Alan Curbishley since signing at the end
of August, having twice had to go away on international duty with his
country - most recently to Chile where he played a full 90 minutes last
Wednesday in a World Cup qualifier.
Solano said: "It has been frustrating but we have a big squad and I just had
to wait for my chance. When I moved here I wasn't cleared in time to play
the first game against Reading and then I went away on international duty
for the next game so it's been difficult for me to get a game here. But now
I have an opportunity to get a place in the team.
"I've just played two games with Peru against Paraguay and Chile and I
didn't realise I would be involved. I arrived back on Friday afternoon from
a 13-hour flight and they're six hours ahead so I was a little tired. I want
to be involved, I've been waiting for my chance but now I've got an
opportunity and I'm going to get more."
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Dailly extends Saints loan spell - BBC
Southampton have extended the loan signing of defender Christian Dailly from
West Ham for a second month. The Scotland international was drafted in by
Saints boss George Burley in September to ease his defensive crisis. Dailly,
34, has impressed in a patched-up back line, not least during Sunday's 1-0
home win over Cardiff. Burley said: "We brought him in for a month as we had
other players coming back from injury, but we have lost more players and we
are short of numbers."
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Dailly extends loan - KUMB
Filed: Monday, 22nd October 2007
By: Matthew O'Greel
Christian Dailly will stay with Championship side Southampton for a further
month after his loan deal was extended today. Scottish international Dailly
has proved something of a success with the Saints, who have won three of the
last four games in which he has played. George Burley, speaking on
Southampton's website tonight said: "He's a great pro with great experience.
We brought him in for a month initially as we had other players coming back
from injury. "But we have actually lost more players, and we are really
short of numbers." Dailly joined the Hammers in January 2001, and is
currently the club's longest-serving player.
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Green concentrating on Hammers - SSN
West Ham keeper not worrying about England recall
By James Pearson Last updated: 22nd October 2007
West Ham keeper Robert Green says he will not lose any sleep if he fails to
get back into the England squad anytime soon. The former Norwich City ace,
who has one England cap to his name, was impressive again for The Hammers on
Sunday as beat Sunderland. With many calling for Steve McClaren to axe
current No.1 Paul Robinson following a series of below-par displays, Green
is waiting in the wings for his chance to impress. However, the 27-year-old
knows competition for squad places is fierce and he is putting West Ham
first before worrying about an international recall.
"The lads who are in there (the England squad) are there on their own merits
and if I don't get picked then I won't lose any sleep over it," said Green.
"I'm very happy playing for West Ham and that is motivation enough for me."
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Dailly stays with Saints - SSN
Hammers defender stays until November
By Peter O'Rourke Last updated: 22nd October 2007
Southampton have extended the loan signing of Christian Dailly from West Ham
for a second month. Dailly arrived at St Mary's in September and he has
impressed during his time at the club. The Scottish international has helped
provide cover after Southampton lost a number of defenders to injury and
Saints boss George Burley has moved to keep him at the club for a further
month. "He's a great pro with great experience," Burley told the club's
official website. "We brought him in for a month initially as we had other
players coming back from injury, but we have actually lost more players and
we are really short of numbers." Meanwhile, Burley is sweating over the
fitness of full-back Alexander Ostlund after he picked up a hamstring strain
during Sunday's win over Cardiff.
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Solano switch works for Curbs - SSN
Hammers boss happy to be proved right
By Rob Parrish Last updated: 22nd October 2007
Alan Curbishley was happy to take the credit for an inspired substitution as
Nolberto Solano helped West Ham to victory over Sunderland. The West Ham
manager's decision to bring on the Peruvian international was not
universally welcomed at Upton Park, but Solano provided the turning point to
the match with one of his first touches. The former Newcastle player, who
only flew back in from Chile on Saturday morning, rattled the post in the
77th minute with the ball coming back out and hitting unfortunate Black Cats
goalkeeper Craig Gordon's legs before rolling home. That gave the Hammers a
2-1 lead after coming under some fierce Sunderland pressure with Craig
Bellamy adding a further gloss to the scoreline with a late third.
Curbishley said: "We needed a shake-up in the second half and although I got
some stick for it I think I made the right changes. "The reason I brought
him (Solano) here was just for exactly what he did.
"He has a great first touch, brings other people into the game and calms us
down a bit when we need it. "He's actually been here five weeks but four of
those have been international breaks and he has only trained with us five
times. "He arrived back from Chile on Saturday morning and I thought it
would be best used as a sub."
Curbishley also singled out goalkeeper Robert Green, who is pushing for an
England recall, for praise after he made a stunning save from Grant
Leadbitter when the score was locked at 1-1. He said: "It was a
match-winning save if you like and sums up all that Greenie has done this
season. England? He's certainly done himself no harm."
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Robert Green puts club before country - Times Online and Agencies
Robert Green, the West Ham United goalkeeper, says he could not care less if
he is picked for England and playing well for his club is all that matters
to him. The former Norwich player has not played for England since
Sven-Goran Eriksson sent him on as a substitute against Colombia at the
Giants Stadium in New Jersey in May 2005. Yet, after impressing in
yesterday's 3-1 Barclays Premier League defeat of Sunderland, the
27-year-old confessed he was not expecting to get a call-up from Steve
McClaren. "The lads who are in there [the England squad] are there on their
own merits and if I don't get picked then I won't lose any sleep over it,"
he said. "I'm very happy playing for West Ham and that is motivation enough
for me."
Alan Curbishley, the West Ham manager, admitted he had been told the reason
why Green had not been recalled, but refused to divulge it. "I had a
conversation with [England coach] Steve McClaren who explained why he hasn't
brought him in. "That must stay between myself and Rob and Steve, but they
know he is out there and all he's got to do is keep playing the way he's
playing."
McClaren ignored the critics and kept faith with Paul Robinson for the vital
Euro 2008 qualifier against Russia - only for another mistake from the
Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper to set up Russia's winning goal. It looks
likely now that Portsmouth's David James will be asked to take over for the
friendly against Austria on November 16, which precedes the final qualifier
against Croatia the following Wednesday.
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Robert Green ignores national calls to earn keep for West Ham - Times
George Caulkin
Robert Green is refusing to contemplate a return to international football
in spite of his excellent form for West Ham United. The 27-year-old
goalkeeper has not played for England since appearing as a substitute
against Colombia in 2005, but, with Paul Robinson enduring a miserable run
of form, a comeback for his country surely beckons.
Green was pivotal in his club's 3-1 victory over Sunderland on Sunday,
turning a shot from Grant Leadbitter against the woodwork shortly after Roy
Keane's side had equalised. As Alan Curbishley, the West Ham manager,
admitted: "That save from Greenie turned the game for us." Many West Ham
supporters are perplexed at Steve McClaren's refusal to select him.
It is a subject that Curbishley has brought up with the England head coach,
although the details of their chat remain private. "I had a conversation
with Steve McClaren, who explained why he hasn't brought him in," Curbishley
said. "That must stay between myself and Rob and Steve, but they know he is
out there and all he's got to do is keep playing the way he's playing."
Green still has only one senior England appearance to his name. He injured
his groin in the B international against Belarus last year, which prevented
him from attending the World Cup finals. Although he was called up for the
friendly against Brazil and the European Championship qualifying match
against Estonia in June, he did not play.
Green is sanguine about the situation, preferring to concentrate on
maintaining his first-choice status at West Ham. "The lads who are in there
[the England squad] are there on their own merits and if I don't get picked,
then I won't lose any sleep over it," he said. "I'm very happy playing for
West Ham and this is motivation enough for me."
He was equally unemotional about his save from Leadbitter. "It is what you
train for," he said. "He hit it well and probably wouldn't want to hit it
any better, but, thankfully, I managed to get a couple of fingers on it and
push it onto the post.
"Five minutes after Kenwyne Jones scored for Sunderland, we would have taken
a draw because they looked a lot more threatening as a side then we did. We
know we can play a lot better."
Supporters made sure that Curbishley knew it, too, jeering his
substitutions. "They are a great bunch of fans, really," Green said. "It is
fantastic to play here. It is a passionate crowd and it [Sunday] was
probably the flattest I have seen them until the second half when the game
really got going. They will tell you what they think, one way or another,
and you would rather it be like that."
Green's efforts were respected, if not quite appreciated, by Craig Gordon,
his opposite number. "Sometimes a game can swing on something like that,"
the Sunderland goalkeeper said. "I spoke to Robert afterwards and told him
it was a fantastic save. He certainly earned his side three points. At that
stage, we looked like the side that would win the game."
Sunderland's season is becoming a tale of hard-luck stories - illustrated by
Gordon's unfortunate own goal - a scenario they must reverse if they are to
consolidate their position in the Premier League.
"We are fed up of losing games we should have got something from," Gordon
said. "You could say we were a bit unlucky because of what happened with the
second goal, but we had chances in the game and failed to take them. It was
still a bad second goal because we failed to clear our lines when the ball
came in.
"It is about time we started getting points on the board. We started the
season fairly well and we need to get back to doing the things that were
winning us games."
West Ham's second goal was a shot that struck the post and rebounded in via
Gordon's leg. "It was unbelievable," he said. "I was close to getting a hand
on the shot, but it was well struck and I heard it hit the post. Just as I
turned to see where the ball was, it hit my foot and was heading back
towards the line. I knew there was enough pace on it to go in and there was
nothing I could do."
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West Ham boss knows reason behind Green's England snub
tribalfootball.com - October 22, 2007
West Ham boss Alan Curbishley has revealed he knows why goalkeeper Robert
Green isn't being selected for England.
Curbishley said: "I had a conversation with (England coach) Steve McClaren
who explained why he hasn't brought him in. That must stay between myself
and Rob and Steve, but they know he is out there and all he's got to do is
keep playing the way he's playing."
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