WHUFC.com
West Ham United's Matthew Upson has enjoyed a fruitful 2008 for both club and country
19.12.2008
Matthew Upson can look back over the last 12 months with a strong sense of pride after enjoying a level of fitness and form not previously experienced in his career.
Upson, who will hoping to continue that good run when Aston Villa visit the Boleyn Ground on Saturday, has been a key figure in West Ham United's strong defensive displays of late. The centre-back has also seen this benefit his international credentials as he has cemented himself as an integral part of England coach Fabio Capello's plans - scoring his first England goal and picking up the man of the match award in the Three Lions' 2-1 win in Germany in November.
A sign of the 29-year-old defender's new-found consistency fitness-wise is the fact that he - along with Robert Green - is one of only two Hammers to have started every league game this season. Upson believes that he is only now reaping the rewards of the previous few years' hard graft: "I am enjoying my football here and I think, especially in the last month or two, everything I have been working on for the last three or four years is coming together," he said. "That includes the physical work and the mental preparation I have been doing. It is all starting to become a real fixture in my game and I feel very comfortable, it is a good feeling."
Gianfranco Zola's arrival as manager also seems to have had an impact on the West Ham United No15 and he concurs, explaining how much he is enjoying working under the Italian. "The energy he has brought in, he is a very optimistic and positive person and it is nice to have that around you every day. He likes to make it as enjoyable as he can while still doing things business-like and doing the things that you don't always like, but have to do because they are important. Everyone has committed to cause very well."
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West Ham v Aston Villa
PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: Upton Park Date: Saturday, 20 December Kick-off: 1730 GMT
Coverage: Updates on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Sport website & highlights on Match of the Day
BBC.co.uk
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Diego Tristan is not yet fit enough to start for West Ham, who are still without Dean Ashton and Danny Gabbidon. Kieron Dyer had been edging towards a return following a broken leg but his comeback has been delayed by illness.
Villa will welcome back Ashley Young, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Gareth Barry, James Milner and Martin Laursen, who did not feature against Hamburg in midweek.
Brad Friedel, Stiliyan Petrov and Curtis Davies are also set to return but John Carew (back) still injured.
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Aston Villa (from): Friedel, Guzan, L Young, Cuellar, Davies, Laursen, Knight, Shorey, Milner, Petrov, Barry, Sidwell, A Young, Reo-Coker, Gardner, Osbourne, Salifou, Agbonlahor, Delfouneso, Harewood.
West Ham (from): Green, Stech, Neill, Ilunga, Lopez, Parker, Bellamy, Etherington, Cole, Boa Morte, Upson, Noble, Mullins, Spector, Collins, Faubert, Stokes, Walker, Lastuvka, Davenport, Reid, Bowyer, Sears, Di Michele, Collison, Tomkins, Tristan.
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West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola on improving their performances at Upton Park: "I think right now we have to have a little confidence when we play in front of our supporters because recently we have been lacking on that. "If we can get the freedom that we have when we play away from home, I am sure things will be much better."
BIG-MATCH FACTS
West Ham are one point above the bottom three; Aston Villa one point below the top three.
The Hammers have lost twice as many Premier League matches than the Villans; eight to four.
Defeat would see the Londoners equalling their total of home Premier League defeats last season (five); victory will see Aston Villa equalling their total of top-flight away wins last term (six).
Seven of the Hammers' last eight home Premier League games against Aston Villa were drawn.
Distance between the clubs: 133 miles (214 kilometres)
CLUB FORM
WEST HAM UNITED
Club stats
16th 19 points
Highest realistically achievable after Saturday's matches: 11th
Lowest could fall: 17th
Best & Worst categories in 2008-09 Premier League
1. Gained one win in 11 Premier League outings; 0-1, away to Sunderland on 23 November.
2. Six points down on this same stage last season when 11th in the table.
3. Won the first three home league matches of the season, but not picked up a maximum in the five subsequent Upton Park fixtures.
4. On the joint longest current winless home Premier League sequence with Blackburn; gained one point out of a possible 15 on home soil from a goalless draw with Portsmouth on 15 November.
5. Failed to score in three of the last four league games at Upton Park.
6. On the longest current sequence of 11 top-flight matches since scoring more than a single goal in a game; the 1-2 away win over Fulham on 27 September being the most recent occasion.
7. Would be one point adrift at the foot of the table if only second-half performances counted.
8. Their Christmas fixtures are away to Portsmouth on Boxing Day and home to Stoke two days later.
ASTON VILLA
Club stats
4th 31 points
Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 3rd
Lowest could fall: 4th
Best & Worst categories in 2008-09 Premier League
1. Go into this game on the back of Tuesday's 3-1 away defeat to Hamburg in the Uefa Cup; but qualification to the last 32 had already been secured before the much changed line-up made this trip to Germany.
2. Looking to register three successive victories for the second time in this Premier League campaign, after beating Everton (a) and Bolton (h) in their last two outings, scoring a total of seven goals in the two games.
3. Unbeaten in five top-flight matches; won three and drawn two since losing 1-2, home to Middlesbrough on 9 November.
4. Three points up on this identical juncture last season when eighth in the table.
5. Holding a 100% record from matches in which they've opened the scoring; won all six games in which they've netted first.
6. Played nine league games at home and only eight away, yet scored 14 goals at home and 15 on their travels.
7. Won two of their three Premier League matches in London; against Tottenham and Arsenal.
8. The Christmas fixtures are home to Arsenal on Boxing Day and away to Hull four days later.
Fixtures
KEY PLAYER NOTES
WEST HAM UNITED
Squad profiles
Robert GREEN is the only remaining player to have been on the field for every minute of every one of West Ham's Premier League matches this season.
Lee BOWYER is a double shy of 50 career Premier League goals (Leeds, Newcastle and West Ham).
If selected:-
Carlton COLE will be facing familiar faces. COLE spent the 2004-05 season on loan at Villa Park, when on Chelsea's books.
ASTON VILLA
Squad profiles
Brad FRIEDEL has played every minute of every one of Aston Villa's Premier League matches this season.
Steve SIDWELL has scored the fastest goal in this season's Premier League; netting the first after only 31 seconds in Villa's 2-3 win over Everton at Goodison Park on 7 December.
If he scores:-
Gareth BARRY will have netted 50 club career goals - all in Villa colours.
If selected:-
FRIEDEL will be extending his record breaking run to 170 consecutive Premier League appearances.
Marlon HAREWOOD will be playing against his former club. The 29 year old forward made 170 appearances (142 in the league) and scored 56 goals (47 league) for West Ham between November 2003 and his move to Villa Park in July 2007.
Nigel REO-COKER will also be facing former colleagues. The 24 year old midfielder made 142 appearances (120 in the league) and scored 11 league goals for the Hammers between January 2004 and his £8.5m move to Aston Villa in July 2007.
If on the field from the outset:-
REO-COKER will be making his 50th league start for Villa.
Gabriel AGBONLAHOR will be making his 100th career league start (Aston Villa, Watford and Sheffield Wednesday).
HEAD TO HEAD
Aston Villa have not won at Upton Park since prevailing 0-2 on 4 December 1996, with goals from Ugo Ehiogu and Dwight Yorke.
Villa have not won at Upton Park since 11 January 2000, prevailing 3-1 after extra time in a Worthington League Cup quarter-final.
Home and away
League (inc PL): West Ham 31 wins, Villa 29, Draws 26
Prem: West Ham 5 wins, Villa 8, Draws 13
at West Ham only
League (inc PL): West Ham 20 wins, Villa 6, Draws 17
Prem: West Ham 3 wins, Villa 2, Draws 8
LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME
West Ham United 2-2 Aston Villa
11 May 2008 - Ref: Mike Dean
West Ham scorers: Solano 8, Ashton 88
Villa scorers: Young 14, Barry 58
REFEREE
Mark Halsey (Lancashire)
Premier League referees' table
Mark Halsey's 2008-09 Premier League card count
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Collison inks Hammers deal
Midfielder staying at Upton Park until 2013
Last updated: 19th December 2008
SSN
West Ham star Jack Collison has signed a new deal at Upton Park. The Wales international has impressed for the Hammers this season, catching the eye in making five Premier League appearances. The 20-year-old has agreed a new deal to keep him at West Ham until the summer of 2013 and the highly-rated midfielder was delighted to pledge his long-term future to the club. "It's been a really good year for me. It's a nice Christmas present and a good way to end the year after making my debut for the senior team at Arsenal at the beginning of the year," Collison told the club's official website. "I now want to claim a regular place in the starting eleven if I can and really push on now. "I'm delighted that the club wants me here for a long time. It gives you security and, now it's sorted, I can just concentrate on my football. "I've worked my way through from the youth team to the first team and want to be a regular part of it all. "The new manager has come in and given me the confidence to show what I can do and now I'm aiming to make the most of all my opportunities on the pitch."
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West Ham v Aston Villa preview
The Hammers will hope to curtail Villa's top-four challenge
By Chris Burton Last updated: 19th December 2008
SSN
PREDICTIONS:
Skysports.com prediction: 1-2
SKYBET odds: West Ham 11/5, Draw 12/5, Villa 6/5
One to Watch: Ashley Young
West Ham go in search of home improvements when they entertain Aston Villa on Saturday. The Hammers, who currently sit just a solitary point above the relegation zone, have failed to win any of their last five fixtures at Upton Park. They have also taken just one success from their last 11 Premier League outings, a run of results which has unsurprisingly seen them dragged into the basement battle. With financial insecurity also continuing to hang over the club, Gianfranco Zola will be desperate to bring about a change in fortune on the field. However, West Ham have not beaten a side currently occupying a top-eight spot this season and have seen the goals dry up of late. While the hosts have flattered to deceive this term, Villa have marched into UEFA Champions League contention. A five-game unbeaten run sees them perched in fourth place at present, while they have also safely negotiated a route into the last 32 of the Uefa Cup. Martin O'Neill's men have shipped two goals in each of their last two games, but won on both occasions, while a resolute backline has not conceded more than two goals in any of their last 11 games.
The form book would therefore suggest that the visitors will fancy their chances in the capital, but the Villains have not tasted success in East London since December 1996. Seven of the last eight top-flight meetings between the two sides at Upton Park have ended in stalemate, although none of those fixtures have been goalless.
West Ham were hoping to welcome Kieron Dyer back into the fold for the weekend encounter, but the injury-prone midfielder looks set to be restricted to the sidelines once again. The 29-year-old has been out of action since breaking his leg in August 2007 but is closing in on full fitness. However, an illness has curtailed his first-team return and he looks certain to miss out on Saturday. Diego Tristan, who scored twice in a reserve game on Tuesday, is not yet fit enough to start, while long-term injury victims Dean Ashton and Danny Gabbidon remain unavailable. Carlton Cole and Craig Bellamy, who scored in last weekend's 1-1 draw at Chelsea, will continue in attack.
Aston Villa will welcome back their leading players after resting them for the midweek Uefa Cup defeat in Hamburg. Gabriel Agbonlahor, Ashley Young, Gareth Barry, James Milner and captain Martin Laursen did not even make the trip to Germany with Villa already through to the knockout stages. Brad Friedel, Stilian Petrov and Curtis Davies are also expected to return, while 17-year-old Nathan Delfouneso will be looking to play some part after scoring in Europe for the second successive match. Meanwhile, Norwegian striker John Carew is still struggling with a back problem and will not play any part.
Possible starting XIs
West Ham: Green, Neill, Upson, Davenport, Ilunga, Collison, Parker, Noble, Faubert, Bellamy, Cole.
Aston Villa: Friedel, Cuellar, Laursen, Davies, Luke Young, Sidwell, Petrov, Barry, Milner, Agbonlahor, Ashley Young.
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Juventus to bid for West Ham's Behrami
19.12.08 | tribalfootball.com
Juventus are ready to offer £6 million for West Ham United wing-back Valon Behrami. Tuttosport says Juve coach Claudio Ranieri sees the Switzerland international as the answer to his problems on the right-side of his midfield. Juve will offer £6 million for ex-Lazio midfielder Behrami, who will also be tabled a contract worth £1.8 million-a-year.
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Eggy hands West Ham owner Gudmundsson new legal problem
19.12.08 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson is facing another legal battle. The Guardian says former West Ham chairman Eggert Magnusson is suing the club's owner, Gudmundsson, over the terms of his exit from Upton Park last year. According to legal documents filed yesterday at the Reykjavik Municipal Court, Magnusson is demanding 200m krona (£1.1 million) from Gudmundsson, who is trying to sell the club after falling victim to the Icelandic economic crisis.
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CLARKE WANTS HOME HELP
Posted 19/12/08 13:20EmailPrintSave
Football365
Assistant manager Steve Clarke admits he is baffled by West Ham's recent poor home form and has urged them to improve. The Hammers' last win at Upton Park came three months ago - against Newcastle - and defeats to Tottenham, Everton, Bolton and Arsenal have ensued. In contrast, they have picked up points on the road at Chelsea and Liverpool and three more at Sunderland, and Clarke has warned his charges to stop the rot sooner rather than later - starting at home to Aston Villa on Saturday. He said: "I don't understand why teams are struggling more at home than away. There's no real reason for it or logic behind it. "I wouldn't say it's grating at the moment but it'd be nice to win a couple of home games. "If I could work out why it was I'd have put it right a few weeks ago. "I suppose it's different circumstances, a few mistakes, maybe a little bit of anxiety playing at home. "But these are things we've been trying to address and hopefully you'll see in the weekend's game we've put them right. "It seems to be this year teams are finding it easier to play away from the added pressure I suppose, away from their own supporters who demand a performance."
Clarke refused to blame the fans, however, adding: "The supporters have been great. They're very vociferous at home and want to get behind the team. "The only time they maybe weren't behind the team was against Tottenham and we were very poor. "If we give a good performance they'll get behind us, we know that."
With only one win in their last 11 league games, West Ham have slid to 16th in the table, a position Clarke describes as a slap in the face. Only one point separates them from the relegation zone, but Clarke is refusing to panic. He has warned, though, that beating Villa will be no easy feat. "When you look at the table and see you're fifth-bottom, one point off the relegation zone, that's the obvious thing you look at," he continued. "It hits you in the face. "But we have to look beyond that and see that there are other teams not so far away from the mix as well. "I think the players we have here can get us away from this position in the league as quickly as possible and make sure we're not down there come the last six or seven games of the season. "It's very, very close. One win can put you up five or six places. "Martin O'Neill has put together a good collection of players in a very effective way at Villa and they're getting good results. "They can definitely challenge the top four this season. "He has some good young players. In any country when you get young players coming through it's important."
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Bellamy: The way things are going at West Ham I could be sold in January
By Andrew Hodgson
Last updated at 1:53 PM on 19th December 2008
Daily Mail
West Ham striker Craig Bellamy has added to the uncertainty surrounding the club by admitting that he could be sold in the January transfer window. The Wales striker revealed that the Hammers turned down a bid for him from Manchester City in the summer and, even though he does not want to leave, the financial difficulties at Upton Park could mean he may have to go. Owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson has confirmed this week that he is ready to sell West Ham, valued at £250million, after suffering huge losses to his personal wealth following the collapse of Icelandic bank Landsbanki. The club also have the possible £30m compensation claim by Sheffield United regarding the Carlos Tevez affair hanging over their heads and both former boss Alan Curbishley and ex-chairman Eggert Magnusson are suing over the terms of their exits from Upton Park. Bellamy said: 'It's that time of year, there's always a lot of speculation. I'm very happy at West Ham and I'm never going to go in and ask for move. But you don't know what position the club are in. 'You don't know if they are going to accept bids or not accept bids. Look what happened to Anton (Ferdinand). As far as we knew he wasn't going and then he was gone (to Sunderland). 'My situation was that Manchester City put a bid in and West Ham turned it down so if that happens again, maybe a club will be interested. 'I'm not saying that's going to happen. But if a club does (come in) and West Ham turn it down I'm still a West Ham player.'
For now, Bellamy is relishing working under manager Gianfranco Zola and believes that if he is allowed to keep the team together they can build on last week's draw at Chelsea - starting on Saturday against Aston Villa. 'It's a good training ground,' Bellamy told talkSPORT. 'Zola's brought in a lot of foreign players as that's the route he's going to go, that's what he knows.'
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Old Lady to buy Behrami? Friday 19 December, 2008
Channel 4
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Juventus are being linked with an audacious swoop for West Ham wide man Valon Behrami. The Bianconeri have had a superb first part of the season and are in second place in Serie A with a spot in the last 16 of the Champions League. However, there are widespread suggestions that the Turin giants will invest in the winter market to try and galvanise the squad. A number of names have been mentioned, but the latest is that of former Lazio man Behrami. The 23-year-old Swiss international is said to be unsettled in England and has previously been linked to Roma and Fiorentina. West Ham sporting director Gianluca Nani insists that Behrami is staying put, but Tuttosport claims that Juve are ready to make a bid and have a four-year deal worth £1.8m per season ready. Behrami played for Genoa, Verona and Lazio between 2003 and 2008 making over 100 appearances in Italy.
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Steve Sidwell backs Aston Villa to beat the West Ham Utd
Dec 19 2008 by Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail
STEVE Sidwell believes Villa can break a 12-year barren run at West Ham tomorrow and be third in the top division's table come Boxing Day for the first time in a decade. Only the top two and Everton have done better on their travels this season. A win and Villa will go third, where they have not been at this time since 1998/99 when they were top of the pile under John Gregory. Back then Villa had taken 36 points from their opening 18 matches – just five more than the current crop who have played a game fewer. Sidwell, sent off in the closing stages of the UEFA Cup game against Hamburg on Wednesday, says Villa prefer to play on the break.
"I think the boys do because of our style of play," he said. "With the pace we've got we are at our most dangerous on the counter. "We can catch teams on the break very easily away from home because they're trying to come out and score against us. We know what we can do away from home. "When you play at home the away team arrive not expecting to win, they "West Ham are at home. They need to come out and entertain their own crowd."
Villa have not won at the Boleyn Ground in the league since December 1996 but have drawn seven of the last eight encounters with a September 2005 defeat ruining that sequence. Villa's season sparked when John Carew was injured and Martin O'Neill switched his formation at Arsenal. Sidwell added: "When we're at home maybe the 4-5-1 doesn't work so well. "Sometimes we do struggle to break teams down when they come to Villa Park and put 10 men behind the ball. "But we know what we have to do and we're working hard in training on it." The Hammers have been having a rough time at home having failed to beat anyone since Newcastle in September. Bolton, Arsenal, Everton and Tottenham have come away with maximum points with Portsmouth getting a goalless draw.
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West Ham being sued by former chairman
West Ham's former chairman Eggert Magnusson is reportedly suing club owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson for not honouring the terms and conditions of his contract when he left the club.
Telegraph
By Emily Benammar
Last Updated: 11:05AM GMT 19 Dec 2008
Magnusson was relieved of his duties at Upton Park last year and according to his contract should have received three months pay, €1 million plus £200,000 - he claims he only saw £100,000 of this money. The Guardian claims that legal documents filed yesterday at the Reykjavik Municipal Court outline Magnusson's compensatory demands for 200 million krona (£1.1 million). The news comes at a time when West Ham's future is hanging in the balance as Gudmundsson is desperately seeking a buyer for the club after falling victim to the Icelandic economic crisis. The club are also facing the prospect of paying out more than £30 million in damages to Sheffield United in a legal dispute over their use of Carlos Tevez which was said to be in breach of Premier League rules Meanwhile, Craig Bellamy has said there is little chance of Celtic signing him in January because they simply cannot match his £100,000-a-week wages. "When was the last time Celtic paid £7million for a player?" the 29-year-old said. "When was the last time Celtic went to the wages I am earning at West Ham?"
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Eggert should be paying West Ham for his part in their demise rather than suing the club
Last updated at 10:20 AM on 19th December 2008
Daily Mail
Eggert Magnusson is suing West Ham owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson for £1.1million which he claims he is owed after his Upton Park departure a year ago.
Apparently he has only received £100,000 so far - but even that seems too much. Hatchet Man has no idea of what the former West Ham chairman's contract entitled him to but, if it was based on performance, he would surely owe the club money rather than the other way around. The biscuit baron was at the club for little more than a year but agreed to the signings of such value-for-money buys as Freddie Ljungberg (who cost about £500,000 per game in his short and ineffectual time at the club), Kieron Dyer (the injury-prone player who has managed just three appearances in nearly a season-and-a-half), Nigel Quashie, and Lucas Neill (both of whom were granted ridiculous wage deals). He also became embroiled in the Carlos Tevez saga, to which there seems to be no end and could seriously complicate any prospective takeover bid. So, when companies owned by his so-called friend Gudmundsson seem to be in serious financial difficulties, Magnusson sticks the knife in. Nice. With West Ham's owner ready to sell the club and Gianfranco Zola's team struggling against the threat of relegation, it is worth remembering who was in charge when the slide began. In August last year, he said: 'I have a very good partner in Bjorgolfur. We have known each other for almost 50 years and this is very important for West Ham to understand - we are together and we have this drive for football. 'It takes time but in two years I think we will be fighting for UEFA and even Champions League positions. 'The fantasy is that in 10 years we will see the team playing Champions League football regularly in our new stadium. 'We want to model ourselves on clubs like Barca and Madrid who have great marketing aspects. I think it is possible to compete with this kind of club.'
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Bellamy throws doubt on future at West Ham
Andrew Hodgson
19.12.08 Related Articles
Icelanders in £250m West Ham sale talks
This Is London
West Ham striker Craig Bellamy has added to the uncertainty surrounding the club by admitting that he could be sold in the January transfer window. The Welsh striker revealed that the Hammers turned down a bid for him from Manchester City in the summer and, even though he does not want to leave, the financial difficulties at Upton Park could mean he may have to go. Owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson has confirmed this week that he is ready to sell West Ham, valued at £250million, after suffering huge losses to his personal wealth following the collapse of Icelandic bank Landsbanki. The club also have the possible £30m compensation claim by Sheffield United regarding the Carlos Tevez affair hanging over their heads and both former boss Alan Curbishley and ex-chairman Eggert Magnusson are suing over the terms of their exits from Upton Park. Bellamy said: "It's that time of year, there's always a lot of speculation. I'm very happy at West Ham and I'm never going to go in and ask for move. But you don't know what position the club are in. "You don't know if they are going to accept bids or not accept bids. Look what happened to Anton [Ferdinand]. "As far as we knew he wasn't going and then he was gone [to Sunderland]. My situation was that Manchester City put a bid in and West Ham turned it down so if that happens again . . . maybe a club will be interested. "I'm not saying that's going to happen. But if a club does [come in] and West Ham turn it down I'm still a West Ham player."
For now, Bellamy is relishing working under manager Gianfranco Zola and believes that if he is allowed to keep the team together they can build on last week's draw at Chelsea — starting tomorrow against Aston Villa. "It's a good training ground," Bellamy told talkSPORT. "Zola's brought in a lot of foreign players as that's the route he's going to go, that's what he knows."
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