All the action as it happened as Kevin Keen's side continued their pre-season preparations
05.08.2008
Pre-season friendly
Woodside Park
Kick-off: 7.35pm
Full time: 0-2
89min - The rain has stopped which will please the sizeable crowd who came along tonight. They have seen an enjoyable contest, with plenty of good football on view.
86min - Stanislas feels the full force of a challenge. Payne plays a lovely ball out of defence that sets Miller away. He then plays it inside to Harvey and he smashes one that Hasler does well to save.
85min - More good possession play. Stokes has been busy since his arrival in centre midfield with Collison.
83min - Charlie Hasler is on for Eyre in the Bishop's Stortford goal.
81min - You can tell these youngsters have been playing together for some time. They are popping the ball around superbly. This latest move must have involved 15 passes.
79min - It is a very youthful West Ham United side on view. With the new reserve season not far away, Keen will be looking to see who catches the eye. Collison is still full of running and earns a free-kick on the edge of the area. Stanislas takes it but Eyre is able to claim.
76min - Hopkins picks out Edwards but he is closed down before he can trouble Street.
74min - More changes. Ashley Miller is on for Thatcher, who has worked hard at left back. Also going off is Eyjolfsson to be replaced by Josh Payne. The hosts have brought on Luke Webster for Piers Wixen and Idemudia Okojie for Peter Dean.
71min - The game has become a little bit disjointed with all the changes. Paul Goodacre gets a chance from a corner but cannot direct the shot on target.
69min - Bowyer is coming off, to be replaced by the 16-year-old Northern Ireland youth international playmaker Daniel Kearns.
67min - Bowyer does really well in midfield. He has looked full of running this evening.
65min - Tony Stokes is on for Sears. For the home side, Liam Hopkins is on for Kyprianou.
62min - Jack Jeffery and Tom Harvey are on for Boa Morte and Mullins.
60min - Steve King has done well tonight up against the lively Sears and Boa Morte. Another good header away there.
59min - Bondz N'Gala is on for Spence.
57min - Stanislas is causing all sorts of problems. His latest foray forward ends with Bowyer sending in a curling effort from distance that just falls wide.
55min - Kyrianou thought he had scored but Thatcher had done well to get back on the line and clear after Eyjolfsson had slipped on the muddy surface. The home fans thought they were back in the contest there.
53min - Boa Morte finds himself through on goal after good link-up play with Stanislas. The No10 had time but Eyre was equal to his dinked effort. From the resulting corner, Collison drives one in low that the keeper claims.
52min - Stanislas does well to find room before a low shot that just fizzes wide of Eyre's right-hand post.
50min - Dean crosses from the right but Spence heads behind for a corner. This is a good period of play again for the hosts. From the corner, West Ham United break quickly through Sears. It eventually comes to Boa Morte who does well to work an opening but no one can meet the cross.
49min - The rain appears to be easing off. It has made for a very slick surface and plenty of quick passing.
47min - Green plays in a free-kick that just misses everyone and runs behind. An early touch for Street with the goal-kick.
46min - Adam Street is on for Marek Stech. The outgoing keeper had a run-out last night at Ipswich Town as well.
Half-time: 0-2
45min - The half-time whistle blows on what has been a very good work-out in front of the watching Alan Curbishley. Bishop's Stortford will feel they can still get back into it.
44min - Sears has the ball in the net but is flagged for offside. Stanislas and Boa Morte had combined well to create the chance.
43min - Sears takes a tumble after a late challenge. He gets up quickly though and is OK.
41min - Bishop's Stortford are dominating as the half draws to a close in torrential rain. Matt Jones sums it up with a low shot that Stech parries.
39min - Spence is penalised for a foul. Danny Green's free-kick causes concern until being put behind for a corner. From that, Green again gets a chance to play the ball in but this time it is too long and runs out of play.
38min - Sears and Boa Morte get away from the defence and the latter's lofted shot looks in until it just grazes the crossbar and goes over.
37min - Collison turns defence into attack brilliantly. He releases Sears, who quickly returns the pass. Collison is then forced off the ball but it falls to Mullins who again tries his luck from range. Good save Eyre.
36min - Bowyer upends Dean with a tackle in midfield.
34min - Craig Edwards heads for goal after a corner but it is straightforward for Stech to collect.
33min - Boa Morte does well with his back to goal. He chips the ball up and then crosses for Collison who heads over from close range. Seconds later, Mullins fires in on goal and only just misses.
31min - Dean fouls Eyjolfsson after the Iceland U21 international used all his strength to shield the ball and then move away from the attacker.
30min - Good tackle by Steve King denies Boa Morte after another good through-ball by Bowyer.
28min - Bowyer drops one into the on-rushing Boa Morte's path with precision. The Portuguese attacker takes it down in one movement but is swiftly crowded out of it.
26min - Dean has a chance to shoot but Stech saves again. Collison gave the ball away on the edge of the area.
25min - The visitors have the upper hand and are making their experience count. Six of the starting eleven have Premier League pedigree and it shows. Bishop's Stortford are showing though that they are a well-organised outfit.
22min - Eyjolfsson and Jordan Spence look to have forged a good understanding in central defence.
20min - GOAL! - Boa Morte finishes off from close range after a fast-paced break by Junior Stanislas and Freddie Sears down the left. The two youngsters were full of running before the latter's cross was helped into Boa Morte's path by home defender Tom Champion.
18min - The rain is lashing down here now. It is helping for a fast-paced game, that Collison is becoming more of an influence on, even from his wide right berth.
17min - Some crunching tackles are going in. Collison nearly picks out Sears with a headed pass but the hosts get the danger away.
15min - Craig Edwards tries his luck from distance but it is comfortable for Stech.
14min - Sears is looking lively. This is his first game since he bruised his foot away to Cambridge United last Wednesday.
12min - Boa Morte misses on the half-volley. Thatcher's crossfield pass had dropped for Collison to play into the Portuguese attacker first time.
11min - Thatcher rises high to head away a deep free-kick.
10min - Dean slips a neat pass through to Kyprianou. The striker was through on Marek Stech but could not keep his first-time shot on target.
9min - Bowyer is playing in a central position with Collison out on the right.
7min - Junior Stanislas shoots wide from 25 yards after Freddie Sears had produced a good save from Nicky Eyre in the home goal.
7min - A good block by Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson denies Kyprianou a shot on goal.
5min - West Ham United look assured already and are passing the ball around with confidence. Bowyer and Collison are seeing plenty of possession.
3min - GOAL! Jack Collison scores with a deflected drive after a quick break down the left by Freddie Sears found its way through to the captain via Lee Bowyer.
2min - Luis Boa Morte goes down under an early challenge but brushes himself off and gets going again. The visitors have triallist Ben Thatcher at left-back.
1min - Kyri Kyprianou and Peter Dean get us under way.
KICK-OFF
Bishop's Stortford: Nicky Eyre (Charlie Hasler 83), Matt Jones, Tom Champion, Paul Goodacre, Precious Koko, Danny Green, Steve King, Craig Edwards, Piers Wixen (Luke Webster 74), Kyri Kyprianou (Liam Hopkins 65), Peter Dean (Idemudia Okojie 74)
Subs: Richard Howell
West Ham United XI: Marek Stech (Adam Street 46), Ryan O'Neill, Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson (Josh Payne 74), Jordan Spence (Bondz N'Gala 59), Ben Thatcher (Ashley Miller 74), Lee Bowyer (Daniel Kearns 69), Hayden Mullins (Tom Harvey 62), Jack Collison, Junior Stanislas, Luis Boa Morte (Jack Jeffery 62), Freddie Sears (Tony Stokes 65)
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Ljungberg gone - KUMB
Filed: Wednesday, 6th August 2008
By: Staff Writer
Swedish midfielder Freddie Ljungberg is set to receive a massive pay-off after being released by the club, according to reports. Today's Standard claims that the club have reached a settlement with the 31-year-old former Arsenal player allowing him to effectively become a free agent, just one year into a three year deal at the Boleyn. Ljungberg, the paper claims, was being paid £85,000 per week and United have agreed to pay him £6million to cancel his contract - meaning that he will have cost the club £11million in wages for just 25 appearances - or £440,000 per game.
Rumours regarding Ljungberg's future have been rife since he failed to return to the club following his Euro 08 excursion with Sweden. It is said that he is currently back in his home country weighing up his options. Alan Curbishley is understood to have told the former Swedish international captain that he was not in his first team plans for the forthcoming season; Ljungberg is said to have reacted to the news by insisting that he would remain at the club and see out the remaining two years of his lucrative contract regardless. Ljungberg joined West Ham last summer in a move instigated by former Chairman Eggert Magnusson. It is thought that the deal was a major factor behind Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson's decision to fire his fellow countryman last December.
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Hammers trial vile thug - KUMB
Filed: Tuesday, 5th August 2008
By: Staff Writer
Former Millwall and Tottenham defender Ben Thatcher has been handed a trial by West Ham United. 32-year-old full-back Thatcher played 74 minutes of the reserve team's outing at Bishops Stortford tonight - prompting an angry outburst from supporters. Thatcher - who has also spent time under scrutiny at Championship clubs Ipswich and Wolves this summer - is currently out of contract since being released by Charlton at the end of last season. He is best known for sending Portsmouth's Pedro Mendes to the ground following a vicious elbow that left the Portuguese player unconcious in a Premier League fixture back in August 2006. The challenge, so vicious that it was investigated by the Greater Manchester Police led to an eight match FA ban with a futher 15 match ban suspended for two years. Manchester City fined him six weeks' wages as a result.
A month ahead of the Mendes incident Thatcher was involved in another fracas that left his opponent similarly hospitalised during a pre-season match in China - whilst prior to that he had been in trouble for savage challenges on Nicky Summerbee (Sunderland) and Allan Nielsen (Tottenham). More recently he was left facing prosecution by the Lancashire Police over an incident involving then-Blackburn player Ralph Welch. The decision to offer Swindon-born Thatcher a trial at West Ham had been roundly criticised tonight, with many supporters slamming the club for bringing in a player with one of the worst disciplinary records in English football.
* The Hammers won tonight's run-out 2-0 thanks to first half goals from Jack Collison and Luis Boa Morte, making his return from injury.
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Cole call-up cock-up? - KUMB
Filed: Tuesday, 5th August 2008
By: A different staff writer
Further to the earlier news that Carlton Cole has been called into the Nigerian international squad it now appears that he may not be eligible to play for the "Super Eagles" after all. Cole would normally qualify to play for Nigeria by virtue of the fact that his father is Nigerian. However, Cole has already played competitive football for the England U21 side and this would appear to prevent him from switiching football nationalities. FIFA rules allow players to change allegiance to another country if they have represented another at junior level. However the rules suggest that the change must take place whilst the player is still under the age of 21 and, at 24 years-old, the striker would seem to be out of time to start his Nigeria career.
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Cole call-up questioned - SSN
Hammers striker likely to be ruled out of Nigeria bow
Last updated: 5th August 2008
West Ham striker Carlton Cole looks certain to be ruled out of making his international debut for Nigeria. Cole was included in a 20-man squad by Nigeria coach Shaibu Amodu for the clash with South Africa early next month. But current Fifa guidelines mean that the former Chelsea forward is likely to be deemed ineligible to play for the Super Eagles. The Croydon-born forward was a regular member of England's Under 21 squad earlier in his career and turned down previous call-ups from Nigeria, saying instead he wanted to play for his homeland. Under Fifa guidelines, players who represent one country at junior level are allowed to switch to another country provided they are still under the age of 21. With Cole, who has a Nigerian father and Sierra Leonean mother, due to turn 25 in November, playing for Nigeria appears to be out of the question.
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Spurs in for Ashton - KUMB
Filed: Wednesday, 6th August 2008
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United have rejected a £15million bid from Tottenham for striker Dean Ashton, according to reports. Today's Guardian claims that United's North London neighbours saw an audacious bid for the English international forward rejected earlier this week - although a second improved bid may be made if Tottenham fail to land any of their other targets, one of which is believed to be Valencia's David Villa. Although Ashton recently signed a new five-year deal with the Hammers, rumours regarding his future have continued to circulate. West Ham have denied all summer that they are prepared to sell the fans' favourite, whilst the player himself has spoken of his desire to get back to his best with a full pre-season behind him. The 23-year-old former Crewe trainee joined West Ham from Norwich City in January 2006 and became an instant hit with the fans. However his first full season at the club was a washout after he broke an ankle whilst on England duty, whilst last season was also peppered with injuries. Despite his many problems Ashton finally made his full England debut at the end of last season, and is set to remain in the squad after receiving favourable reports from England boss Fabio Capello.
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Dean Ashton Tottenham offer turned down by West Ham
West Ham have dismissed rumours that striker Dean Ashton will be leaving the club after Tottenham offered £15 million for the England striker.
By Telegraph staff and agencies
Last Updated: 7:40AM BST 06 Aug 2008
The north London club have an unsettled look to their attacking options with Robbie Keane having departed for Liverpool while the future of Dimitar Berbatov still looks unsettled. Despite West Ham's insistence that Ashton will remain at Upton Park, Tottenham could be forced to up their bid to around £20 million as the club looks to challenge for honours again this season. Jermain Defoe was sold to Portsmouth earlier this year for £9m, which left Darren Bent and Berbatov as the club's only recognised strikers. West Ham chief executive Scott Duxbury has already confirmed that Ashton is going nowhere by saying: "Hell would have to freeze over for us to sell Dean to a major rival."
In West Ham's most recent pre-season game, Ashton fired a hat-trick for West Ham in a 5-3 victory over Coca-Cola Championship side Ipswich at Portman Road. Ashton broke his ankle 24 hours before making his proposed England debut in the summer of 2006 and it has been a long and painful route back to full fitness and prime form. Ashton missed the whole of the 2006-07 season for West Ham - and even last year it was not until the closing months of the campaign that he rediscovered his true self. Five of Ashton's 11 goals last season came in the last eight games. His reward was a recall to the England fold and a long-awaited debut in the friendly against Trinidad and Tobago.
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`SPURS FAIL IN ASHTON BID` - Football365
Posted 06/08/08 07:25EmailPrintSave
Tottenham have reportedly failed in a £15m bid for West Ham striker Dean Ashton. According to The Guardian, Spurs have turned to Ashton as it becomes increasingly likely that Dimitar Berbatov will join Manchester United, leaving them with only Darren Bent in the striking department. A bid of closer to £20m would probably tempt the Hammers, who have so far failed to get huge earners Lucas Neill and Freddie Ljungberg off their wage bill. Tottenham's dream transfer target is Valencia's David Villa, but he is likely to choose the Premier League only as a last resort as he favours remaining in Spain. Though his agent has been making all the right noises about a move to White Hart Lane. "David likes London and likes how Spurs play under Ramos." Villa's agent Luis Tamargo said. "If they present an offer Valencia will seriously study the subject."
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£6m...That's Ljungberg's reward for being a Premier League flop as Hammers show him the door - This Is London
Last updated at 01:54am on 06.08.08
Freddie Ljungberg's disastrous spell at Upton Park is over after only 12 months as West Ham agreed to pay a staggering £6million to get him off their spiralling wage billl. As the full extent of Ljungberg's incredible salary details emerged - he is paid £85,000 a week and had an option for another year if he made just 15 appearances this season - West Ham are still suffering from the aftershock of one of the most expensive mistakes in British football history.
In total, he cost them approximately £13m, taking into account transfer fee, wages and his pay-off - working out at over £500,000 per game, following 25 appearances for the club last season in which he made little impact. West Ham have yet to announce Ljungberg's departure, but the deal has been agreed and he has been told he is now effectively a free agent. Ljungberg, 31, believes he can still play at the top in England, Italy or Spain and has asked his agent to find him a new club. The Sweden midfielder was due to earn £8.84m over the next two years at West Ham and initially informed Hammers chief executive Scott Duxbury that he had no intention of reaching a settlement. Despite being told by manager Alan Curbishley that he would not be playing for the first team this season, the injury-prone midfielder told the club he would sit tight and see out the remaining two years on his mega-bucks deal. He has not been part of the pre-season programme and is understood to be back home in Sweden 'weighing up a number of options'. It is an incredible fall from grace for Ljungberg. He was a member of Arsenal's 'Invincibles' who won the Premier League in 2004 without losing a game and was recently voted the Gunners' 11th best player of all time.
The Hammers signed him from their London rivals for £3m last summer, but he showed no signs of his Arsenal form and his season ended early when he broke a rib in a collision with Newcastle defender Steven Taylor. Although Ljungberg recovered to play for Sweden at Euro 2008, he announced his retirement from international football after the tournament in order to prolong his career in the Premier League. Another of West Ham's injury-prone strikers, Craig Bellamy, faces being out for up to two months after tearing a hamstring in the first half hour of Monday night's 5-3 friendly win at Ipswich.
This setback follows news that Kieron Dyer's long-awaited return has been put back until November because of a stress fracture in the right leg he broke early last season.However, Bellamy will not face any action following an alleged verbal spat with a female fan at Portman Road.
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West Ham reject Tottenham's £15m offer for Ashton
David Hytner
The Guardian,
Wednesday August 6
West Ham United have turned down an offer of £15m from Tottenham for the striker Dean Ashton. The east London club have insisted that Ashton is not for sale yet Tottenham, who are preparing for life without Dimitar Berbatov, believe that a bid closer to £20m might force their hand. They are considering whether to return with an improved offer or move on to other targets.
Tottenham have sold Robbie Keane to Liverpool for £20m and with Berbatov itching to complete a transfer to Manchester United, the club need reinforcements. Having moved Jermain Defoe to Portsmouth in January for £9m, their only other striker is Darren Bent.
Tottenham's fantasy signing is David Villa, the Valencia and Spain striker, who was the Golden Boot winner at the European Championship in June. Valencia are in a parlous financial situation and need to sell players in order to balance their books. They value Villa at €35m (£27.7m).
He would prefer to remain in Spain and switch to Real Madrid or Barcelona but neither club is expected to move for him. The Premier League, however, holds appeal for him, where Tottenham are his principal suitor. Juande Ramos, Tottenham's Spanish manager, is considered a trump card for them while his Spanish-speaking assistant, Gus Poyet, is also a confirmed admirer of Villa.
It would be unthinkable for West Ham supporters to see Ashton, the England international, depart for Tottenham, not only because of his talent but because it would sorely stretch Alan Curbishley. He is looking forward to pairing Ashton with Craig Bellamy, although the latter is struggling with a hamstring injury which he picked up at Ipswich Town on Monday night. His other options extend little further than Carlton Cole and the 18-year-old Freddie Sears. West Ham's chief executive Scott Duxbury caught the mood when he claimed: "Hell would have to freeze over for us to sell Dean to a major rival."
It has been a difficult summer, though, for West Ham and they have been forced into denials they are seeking to cut costs by offloading players. Although they would like to get their highest earners Lucas Neill and Freddie Ljungberg off the wage bill, the Hammers have insisted that they have not invited offers for Anton Ferdinand.
Curbishley has so far been quiet in the transfer market. He has signed the right-sided Swiss player Valon Behrami from Lazio for £5m - "he can play at full-back or further forward on the flank" - while he has taken the goalkeeper Jan Lastuvka on loan from Shakhtar Donetsk. Yet he has overseen the departures of striker Bobby Zamora and defender John Pantsil to Fulham for a combined £6.3m and that of the goalkeeper Richard Wright to Ipswich.
Zamora's comments upon his sale were damaging. He said that he had a written assurance from the West Ham board that they would offer him a new contract only for them to accept Fulham's £4.8m offer. He also reinforced the feeling that the club's owners were short of money by saying he expected further departures from the playing staff. The club are owned by the Icelandic bank Landsbanki who have posted losses during the credit crunch.
Curbishley maintains that there is money to spend but he has had to put a brave face on set-backs, including the midfielder Kieron Dyer's injury relapse, which will sideline him until October at the earliest, and Robert Green's public show of dissatisfaction with the financial state of affairs. The goalkeeper has been denied a pay rise and insists that as the... "lowest earner by a long, long way in West Ham's strongest team," he feels "completely undervalued". Bookmakers have installed Curbishley as the favourite to be the first Premier League manager to be sacked in the new season.
The West Ham forward Cole has been called up to a 20-man Nigeria squad despite being ineligible to play for the country. Cole was a regular member of England's Under-21 squad and under Fifa guidelines players who represent one country at junior level are allowed to switch to another country provided if they are under the age of 21. But Cole will turn 25 in November and is set to have his debut blocked.
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Thatcher a Hammer? - WestHamBlog.co.uk
Ben Thatcher has apparently been handed a trial by West Ham, making an appearance for the reserves tonight in their 2-0 win over Bishop's Stortford. I'm not quite sure what the deal is here, but a player who was not good enough for Charlton and who has a habit of making, shall we say, some poor tackles, is not exactly the type of signing I expect from a top ten Premier League club. According to KUMB.com it did not go down too well with the fans either. We need cover at left back for sure, more so with Macca getting himself injured. But Ben Thatcher? Don't even think about it Curbs....
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Hammers eye £7million Liverpool star - FansFC.com
07:09 August, 6, 2008
West Ham United Football Club will enter the race for Jermaine Pennant should he become available. Rafael Benitez may need to offload from his first team squad if he is to finally land Gareth Barry in an £18million transfer from Aston Villa, and Pennant is one name being linked with an exit. The former Arsenal youngster insists he wants to remain at Anfield and fight for his place in the team, but he may have little choice if the Spaniard decides to make him available. Blackburn Rovers have been heavily linked with a £7million bid for the winger, but it has been rumoured that Alan Curbishley would like to take him to Upton Park for the new season.
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Spurs won't go higher than £14M for West Ham's Ashton
tribalfooball.com - August 05, 2008
West Ham United are pricing Dean Ashton out of a move to Tottenham. The Daily Mail says West Ham look to have priced Ashton out of a move to Tottenham after valuing him at £18m. With Robbie Keane joining Liverpool and Dimitar Berbatov still earmarked for a move to Manchester United, Spurs boss Juande Ramos singled out Ashton as a potential replacement, but was only prepared to pay up to £14m for the striker.
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Bellamy hit by West Ham injury jinx
tribalfooball.com - August 05, 2008
West Ham's injury jinx has struck again. Craig Bellamy faces being out for up to two months after tearing a hamstring in the first half hour of Monday night's 5-3 friendly win at Ipswich. This setback follows news that Kieron Dyer's long-awaited return has been put back until November because of a stress fracture in the right leg he broke early last season. However, Bellamy will not face any action following an alleged verbal spat with a female fan at Portman Road.
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West Ham favourites for Man Utd's Saha ahead of Sunderland
tribalfootball.com - August 05, 2008
Louis Saha's departure from Manchester United has been delayed by a new knee injury. The Daily Mail says West Ham want to sign Saha but have been forced to delay their approach after he aggravated a knee injury. Everton and Sunderland have also enquired but sources in France say he has his heart set on a move to either London or Paris St Germain.
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West Ham trials for Thatcher
tribalfooball.com - August 05, 2008
West Ham United have handed trials to Charlton Athletic fullback Ben Thatcher. Thatcher was given 74 minutes by coach Kevin Keen in West Ham reserves' 2-0 win at Bishop's Strotford last night.
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West Ham to release Ljungberg in amazing £6M deal
tribalfooball.com - August 05, 2008
West Ham United are clearing Freddie Ljungberg off their books in a sensational £6 million deal. The Daily Mail says Ljungberg's disastrous spell at Upton Park is over after only 12 months as West Ham agreed to pay a staggering £6million to get him off their spiralling wage bill. As the full extent of Ljungberg's incredible salary details emerged - he is paid £85,000 a week and had an option for another year if he made just 15 appearances this season - West Ham are still suffering from the aftershock of one of the most expensive mistakes in British football history. In total, he cost them approximately £13m, taking into account transfer fee, wages and his pay-off - working out at over £500,000 per game, following 25 appearances for the club last season in which he made little impact. West Ham have yet to announce Ljungberg's departure, but the deal has been agreed and he has been told he is now effectively a free agent.
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