Wednesday, September 30

Daily WHUFC News - 30th September 2009

Ilunga expects
WHUFC.com
The chance to put things right will come for West Ham United in Sunday's
London derby against Fulham
29.09.2009

Herita Ilunga expects the team to "show a lot of character" when Fulham
arrive for a Barclays Premier League London derby this coming Sunday.

The DR Congo defender was speaking after his third game in a week since
returning from a facial injury that had kept him out since the first day of
the season. As such, Ilunga acquitted himself well in a difficult 3-1 defeat
by against a Manchester City side who will provide a stern test for most
top-flight teams this season.

He said: "We were up against a strong team with some great individual
players, that's obvious. We started on the wrong foot. We tried to play and
to get forward and we managed to get an equaliser [through Carlton Cole].
Unfortunately they then started pushing us back and got the second goal.

"We started the second half with a lot of good intentions, we tried hard,
but you could see why they've had a lot of success. They get forward very
quickly and they got their third goal."

Despite the reverse, Ilunga is focused on the positives. "Looking forward,
we need to show a lot of character because this is a difficult period for
us," he said. "But last year we had a difficult spell too and we need to put
a good run together and I hope it starts on Sunday against Fulham.

"We're a team that plays very good football. You see it in training - we
work a lot, the coaches insist on us playing football, keeping the ball,
good possession. But we need to play and win at the same time - it's not
enough to just play. We need results too.

"It is a state of mind. We need to get back our winning mentality. We have
to defend together, first of all, and then keep hold of he ball and get
forward at the opposition. It is very important we get ourselves right
mentally, recover our calm. We need to find the right spirit together and I
hope it will happen at the weekend in front of our own fans. It's very
important."

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Portsmouth 3-0 Reserves
WHUFC.com
29.09.2009

Barclays Premier Reserve League South
Portsmouth reserves v West Ham United reserves
Westleigh Park
Tuesday 29 September
7pm
Referee: Chris Powell

Full-time

90 min - Fierce drive from Smith forces Kurucz to show some safe hands as he
catches the ball to his chest.

89 min - We lose our final ball as Piquionne's attempt at getting his
hat-trick from a free-kick clears not only the stand but probably the car
park I would guess. It is a shame he did not do that when he had his two
chances earlier!

88 min - We are entering the final stages here now. Although the result is
not going to go their way, West Ham's youngsters have not let their heads
drop and continue to give it their all. Just as I write that Kearns tries a
little too hard and fouls Bopp and picks up a caution.

85 min - Final change for Pompey is Finnan for Pete Gregory.

80 min - We lose another ball as a cross is deflected off N'Gala and out of
the stadium.

77 min - The boys in claret and blue are still giving it their all out there
but are not getting much joy. Payne has just hit a ball over the top for
Nouble but the Pompey defenders shepherd it out for a corner.

74 min - A clever run and shot from Edgar looks like it has pulled one back
but sadly it is the side netting that is bulging and not the back of the
net.

71 min - A long-range effort from Payne causes Niemi a few problems but he
eventually smothers it after diving to his left.

69 min - GOAL! Samba feeds Piquionne with a through-ball and the forward
makes no mistake by sliding it under Kurucz. That could be it for West Ham's
chances of getting a result here tonight.

66 min - Second change for the home side sees Webber make way for Cerno
Samba.

64 min - Mahoto has picked up a knock from that Payne challenge and Mark
Smith comes on in his place.

63 min - The final change for West Ham sees Danny Kearns come on for
Quashie.

62 min - Nouble comes even closer to grabbing one back. He shows some real
speed to make a through-ball before Niemi, and with a clever touch takes it
round the stopper. He cannot quite get his angles right on the shot, though,
and his effort flies wide.


61 min - Edgar gets close to getting one back straight away but he is inches
away from charging down Niemi's clearance.

59 min - GOAL! The home side double their lead as Piquionne plants a firm
header past Kurucz from a Finnan cross. West Ham have their work cut out
now.

58 min - Payne's name is taken for a sliding tackle on Mahoto.

55 min - Dyer is out on the edge of his technical area to get some
instructions out to his players. The tactic seems to work as Nouble wins a
free-kick just inside the Portsmouth half. It is played short to Payne, who
drills a shot against the back of Edgar.

52 min - Quashie goes into the book for a strong tackle on Cowan-Hall.

51 min - The Hammers even up the shot count for the half soon after though
as Grasser tries one from distance. He probably would not like me to tell
this but it clears the stand behind the goal and leaves the stadium.

49 min - Pompey have the first shot of the second half as a Mahoto shot is
just too high.

46 min - Portsmouth kick us off. Dyer has used the break to make one change.
Ferrari comes on to replace Brookes. It looks like Eyjolsson will move to
right-back, Daprela in the centre with the new arrival slotting in on the
left of the back four.

The players are back out and the second half is about to start.

46 min - Piquionne has a great chance double the home side's lead with the
last kick of the half. The French forward lept highest to meet a right-wing
cross but put his header the wrong side of Kurucz's goal from four yards.

45 min - They have one more minute to do that as the fourth official signals
that amount of time should be added on at the end.

44 min - We are in the last few minutes of the half and West Ham are going
to have to hurry if they are to get level before the break.

41 min - More good goalkeeping from Kurucz there as he races from this goal
to save at the feet of Webber. The home side are finishing this half as they
began it.

38 min - We are back playing again and Danny Webber forces a smart save from
Kurucz. The Portsmouth No10's strong shot required two hands to turn it
around the post.

35 min - We have got a break in play now as Eugen Bopp is down with a knock.

32 min - Good burst forward from Daprela there helps West Ham force a
corner. After a bit of head tennis, N'Gala's looping header forces Niemi
into a smart tip over the bar. The visitors' best chance so far that.

30 min - I have just been told we have 324 people inside Westleigh Park
tonight. Among them are a group of Hammers fans just in front of me who are
giving the team some good vocal backing.

28 min - A late tackle from Edgar earns him the first booking of the game.
The tackle was on Cowan-Hall, who did not take to it too kindly and is also
carded by Mr Powell, who is, by the way, not the Chris Powell!

26 min - West Ham are forced to make a change as it looks like Lee picked up
a knock when taking that shot a minute ago. He leaves the field and Georg
Grasser comes on.

24 min - Portsmouth break out and Quashie is forced to concede a free-kick
25 yards from goal. Mahoto takes it but smashes it straight into the wall.
That looked like it could have hurt!

23 min - Another free-kick. This time from the right-hand side. Edgar takes
it once more but it is cleared for a throw-in.

20 min - More positive play from West Ham sees a 20-pass move create a
shooting chance for Lee. Sadly the young midfielder drags his shot well
wide. A good spell this for Londoners.

18 min - Corner to West Ham after Edgar's shot it deflected wide. The winger
takes the flag-kick himself but Niemi is there to claim it.

17 min - Portsmouth are awarded a free-kick on the right after Daprela
tangles with Paris Cowan-Hall. Gautier Mahoto curls it in but Peter Krucz is
there to take an easy catch.

12 min - Although there is quite a young team out there, West Ham still have
four players with first-team experience. N'Gala's debut at Bolton a week ago
helped him join Nigel Quashie, Josh Payne and Frank Nouble in that club.

9 min - It is Edgar that takes it but his curling effort flies inches over.

7 min - Aside from the goal West Ham really have not started too badly here
at all. They are zipping the ball about on the floor to good effect. Just as
write that, another slick move sees Oliver Lee felled on the edge of the
penalty area. Edgar and Nouble are standing over it.

5 min - As usual, Dyer's side are using a 4-3-3 formation. Nouble is once
again the central striker, with Edgar and Montano supporting him.

4 min - Well I am sure that is not the start the visitors would have wanted
but they have not let it affect them. Fabio Daprela takes a tumble in the
Pompey area but Mr. Powell waves away the calls for a penalty.

2 min - GOAL! The home side take the lead with the first attack of the game
as Gael Nlundulu's looping shot from the edge of the area flies into the top
corner.

1 min - We are underway.

7.04pm - The players are out now and captain N'Gala goes forward for the
coin toss. He wins it and West Ham will kick-off.

7pm - Well it looks like kick-off may be slightly delayed as we are still
awaiting the teams. Think we should be underway by five past, though.

6.55pm - The floodlights are on and the players leave the pitch to make
their final preparations before kick-off, which is now just five minutes
away. It looks like we will have a decent turnout tonight. The Hammers have
certainly got some support here as there are a couple of claret and blue
shirts in the crowd.

6.45pm - Just to give you the background, Dyer's side are third in the
Barclays Premier Reserve League South with four points from their first
three games and a goal difference of plus five. Pompey are a point and three
places behind with a minus four goal difference.

6.40pm - We are going to need the floodlights on soon as darkness is rapidly
falling. Luckily a kind man from Havant and Waterlooville has come and
turned a light on in the press box so we can all see what we are doing.

6.35pm - Some rather smartly dressed ladies have just taken their seats in
front of me. If I was a betting man I would say that that may be the wives
or girlfriends of one of the Portsmouth players as they seem to be paying
them a lot of attention. Meanwhile, on the far side Dyer and his team are
doing some one-touch passing drills to get the players ready.

6.30pm - The rest of the players have joined the 'keepers on the pitch and
the atmosphere is starting to build with to music blaring through the PA
system.

Hello and good evening from Westleigh Park.

It is a glorious evening down on the south coast and the goalkeepers are
just starting their warm-ups in the last of the sunshine. Alex Dyer has just
been out to take a look at the pitch but has gone back in to give some
further instructions to his players. The reserve-team manager has named a
youthful side for tonight's match, a side that sees three changes from the
goalless draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers two weeks ago.

Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson starts in place of Manuel Da Costa, 19-year-old Tony
Brookes comes in at right-back with Davide Ferrari dropping to the bench. In
attack, Cristian Montano replaces Daniel Kearns.

Portsmouth look to have slightly more experience in their side with UEFA
Champions League winner Steve Finnan returning from injury to take his place
at right-back. He will be playing just in front of 67-capped Finnish
international goalkpeeper Antii Niemi, while in attack Frederic Piquionne
has had considerable experience in the French league.

West Ham United: Kurucz, Brookes (Ferrari 46), N'Gala, Eyjolfsson, Daprela,
Quashie (Kearns 63), Payne, Lee (Grasser 26), Edgar, Montano, Nouble
Subs: Cowler, Abdulla

Portsmouth: Niemi, Finnan (Gregory 85), Sowah, Bopp, Williamson, Kilbey,
Cowan-Hall, Mahoto (Smith 63), Piquionne, Webber (Samba 66), Nlundulu
Subs: Ryan, O'Brien

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Zola on ... Manchester City
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 29th September 2009
By: Staff Writer

A hugely disappointed Gianfranco Zola shares his thought on last night's
defeat ...

It's not good. I am not happy about it. In my opinion in the first 45
minutes we did not play at all and maybe there was a couple of mistakes from
the referee but that is part of the game. The standard that I am expecting
from the team is much more than that.

I think in the second half we were much better and we tried in a better way.
The first half in my opinion was not good enough. You can't afford to come
to places like this and just give presents to the opposition. They are too
good and will take advantage of a minimum opportunity and that's what they
did today?

Of course we have [a better team than position suggests]. But at the moment
we haven't been able to show. Unless we do more than we are doing it is not
good enough. I know the potential of these players and I have no doubt that
we are soon going to come back to the position that we deserve. But for the
moment it is not good enough. So for everyone, and I put myself first, we
need to ask more about ourselves.

I am angry with myself, with my team, with everybody right now that anyone
including is doing what he is capable of – it is as simple as that. I see
these players training and the way they train is absolutely fantastic and we
need to take that on the pitch as a team not as individuals so I am not
pleased. First of all with myself. I am the first one. I have blame for
myself first.

If the belief is not there it is better if we go and do something else. The
belief is always the main thing. Along with the belief there has to be a
better effort from everybody.

I was really impressed today with Manchester City and some of the quality
they played over there was outstanding. If they play this standard they are
going to be up there at the end. I think in the top four as they have the
quality to be there.

Please guys do not ask me to go into details. The details are for me and my
players and not for you with all due respect. We are preparing for a cup
final on Sunday so everybody will be picking up the best thunder they can
give, including myself.

[On Tevez] Great players like he is are also gentlemen and he showed that so
my appreciation to him. Not only for what he did after the celebration but
what he did in the rest of the game. I think he had been outstanding for
them. He and Bellamy were terrific today.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Vinny's Manchester City Report
Vinny - Tue Sep 29 2009
West Ham Online
Manchester City 3 West Ham United 1

Three seems to be the number at West Ham these days with the club lying
third from bottom after three straight premiership defeats, and three goals
conceded in each of the last three games (league & cup).

It is very easy to become all doom and gloom about the current situation but
did anyone really expect us to go and beat Manchester City on their own
patch? At the best of times we struggle away at the City of Manchester
Stadium so to think we were going to get anything out of the game given how
much money they have spent would have been very wishful thinking.

But like the Liverpool game I come away not annoyed that we lost that
individual game but I continue to be frustrated at our performance away at
Blackburn & Wigan because it was those games that put us where we are. Our
lack of fight and desire in those put the pressure on us to get something
out of the difficult fixtures and when we do not confidence drains and we
all get a little uneasy seeing us in the bottom three alongside Hull City
and Portsmouth who as we have seen are just awful.

It is in the nature of the football fan these days to panic whenever your
side has a few defeats but we have seen that when clubs get stuck into
losing ways it is very difficult to get out of it. The match against Fulham
on Sunday becomes a vital one for another defeat would see the confidence
all but disappear out of the supporters and players and with Stoke away as
the following game you would have to wonder where the next point is coming
from.

The usual smiling persona of Gianfranco Zola seems to be absent and his post
match interviews are seeing the man look more stressed with every passing
game. He seems to be perplexed at how the side are unable to play in the way
he is wanting but I looked at the side who started last night and thought
there was a terrible lack of balance with too players going missing for
large chunks of the game.

The starting line up as always saw a number of changes from the previous
game. In defence Julien Faubert returned to the right back slot in place of
Jonathan Spector. Manuel Da Costa retained his place at centre half
alongside James Tomkins with Matthew Upson and Danny Gabbidon both injured.

Kieron Dyer was out injured again but he did play 75 minutes against Bolton
in the League Cup so it would be silly of us to expect he could play again
anytime in the next month. In his place came in Luis Jimenez.

Carlton Cole came in for Zavon Hines who dropped to bench with Cole playing
up front on his own with Diamante and Jimenez on the flanks to support him
when needed. Not that this actually transpired.

Starting up front for Manchester City were two former hammers in Craig
Bellamy and Carlos Tevez. Both would get very different receptions from
travelling West Ham support (which could have been no more than 1000).

We started the game as many thought we would and although there was the
surprise that many of our predictions actually true even when you think
something will happen and it does there is still a shock to the system when
it does.

Manchester City started the game on fire with our side seemingly still back
in the dressing room as we just did not look as though we were up for the
game as Martin Petrov raced down the left wing beating Faubert and crossed
for Tevez to tap in from just a few yards out. Poor defending from Faubert
and Ilunga just watched Tevez move into an area where he would have the
simple task to score.

Tevez almost apologised to the West Ham fans as he ran past us and even
received a few applause from fans. Whilst I have no animosity towards Carlos
Tevez if it comes to scoring against West Ham I would rather he broke both
his legs than do so.
It seemed as though it would be a very long night with the hosts coming at
us once again and Tevez so nearly doubled the lead when a corner was not
cleared and found the feet of the striker who turned and shot with his left
foot only to see the ball go agonisingly wide.

Tevez should have had a hat trick already a few moments later when more poor
defending saw the ball break for him but his shot went over the bar when it
should have been testing Robert Green at least.

I thought at this point that we were going to get smashed. I really did
contemplate a result such as Reading away proportions.

But they took their foot off the gas a little and we started to knock the
ball about although most of this short passing would get us nowhere and
often resulted in Tomkins of Da Costa passing the ball back to Robert Green.

On 24 minutes everyone was stunned as out of nothing we stole an equaliser.
At the time I did not realise what a clever finish it was.

A free kick on the left hand side was swung in by Diamante and was only
cleared as far as Kovac who smashed the ball towards goal (although the shot
was going well wide) and Carlton Cole managed to flick the ball past Shay
Given for his third (there is that number again) goal of the season.

How we had managed to get back in the this one was a real turn up and gave
us hope that we may get something out of this game after all. City looked
rattled for the next few minutes and we nearly took the lead when a cross
from Faubert found Cole who head towards goal by Given got down well to keep
it out.

This new found hope was not to last long (it only lasted eight minutes) as
Manchester City regained their lead this time through a free kick that was
given away by Luis Jimenez just outside the area. It was given for a push on
Zabaleta and looked pretty blatant to me despite the protestations from our
players.

Up stepped Martin Petrov a player who has destroyed us a few times if I
rightly recall and his left foot striker went through the wall and through
Robert Green who I still think should have done better but seemed to see the
ball late.

Tevez nearly scored again soon after that goal when his jinking run had Da
Costa seeing stars but Green made a smart stop to deny the Argentinean
forward.

Before the half was up there was once incident that has left many supporters
(including myself) very annoyed and like away at Wigan I feel we have been
done a real injustice that if this had been Manchester United or Chelsea
playing we would have never heard the end of it.

A ball forward saw Cole nip the ball past Lescott and square for Parker to
score only for a free kick to be given against Carlton Cole for a foul on
Lescott. It was never a free kick not in a million years and this goal would
have set us up nicely going in to the second half and much like the ref
blowing up for half time when Cole had scored against Wigan we can feel very
harshly done by.

Given how we started the half going in at half time trailing 2-1 did not
seem that bad and having shown that we can score and but for a poor decision
by the officials should even be level there was a faint hope in my mind that
we could get something out of the game.

And when I saw how we reacted in the first ten minutes of the second period
I felt sure that we would in fact grab this equaliser as we seemed to be
camped in the Manchester City half in the early stages.

Our problem as always was the final ball and although we dominated
possession for those first ten minutes there were no real chances to talk
about although Jimenez did have a goal bound shot blocked by Lescott.

Any good work we thought we had done was all for nothing as on the hour mark
Manchester City would score that killer goal to make it 3-1. A free kick was
awarded and swung in by Bellamy and with most of our defenders claiming
offside, Tevez (and about three others) was left unmarked to head easily
past Green.

We attempted to try and get back into the game but Manchester City were
simply too strong and although we had not capitulated after the opening goal
ultimately the side with the better players shone and we looked pretty
average up against all those big money signings.

Mark Noble saw a decent effort saved by Given and the Irish goal keeper was
called into action again a few moments later when Diamante saw his rasping
left foot shot tipped over bar after he had exchanged passes with Noble.

Jimenez and Kovac were taken off with just under twenty minutes remaining
with Hines and Stanislas coming on in their place. Neither really had an
impact on the game and it all fizzled out with chances for Petrov and Santa
Cruz being the only things of note to take place.

Beaten by a better and much stronger side no doubt, but still a very
frustrating game to witness.

Player Reviews

Robert Green
Made a few smart stops throughout the game but I still think he should have
done better with the second goal. If he was unsighted then he should have
been screaming for the wall to move because when that ball came through he
seemed to have no time to react when the ball really went straight through
him.

Julien Faubert
Always involved in the game but when defending he was way out of his depth.
No idea of his positioning and often beaten by whoever was up against him.
He is an attacking right winger playing at right back and this sort of thing
is to be expected. We never replaced Lucas Neill, why this was the case I
just do not know.

Manuel Da Costa
A very hard game to make your Premiership debut in. He looked a little lost
and with only the young Tomkins beside him there was no one to pick up and
give him some words of encouragement. Up against Tevez for most of the game
and he was second best throughout. He will though have much easier games
than this.

James Tomkins
Not too bad from Tomkins who was part of the defence that was put under
immense pressure at times. He was better than Da Costa but that is not
saying much. Did not make too many mistake which was key in a game like that
and with all the injuries in defence it is going to be vital that he plays
well.

Herita Ilunga
Not a great showing from the left back who I thought was just too slow to
react for most of the game. When he got forward he often gave the ball away
and overall I felt this was a weak performance from Ilunga.

Mark Noble
Not really doing it at the moment and going through a spell much like he did
last season around the same time. Did not get into the game enough and found
it very difficult up against De Jong. One of my main issues is how slow he
looks and sometimes it is like he is carrying weights in his boots and he
just finds it hard to stride forward. His passing was also off and he gave
it away far too many times. Needs to get better.

Radoslav Kovac
Another performance from Kovac which really makes you wonder what he is
there for. What does he offer the team? What does he do in a game to merit a
starting place? Just seems to watch the game go by, puts his foot in now and
then but really I am yet to see why we felt the need to go out and actually
spend money on this man.

Scott Parker
Our best midfielder by a long way but he cannot do it all. I was impressed
with his determination and willingness to try and close their players down.
Had a goal chalked off when it should have stood so overall a good
performance from Parker.

Luis Jimenez
Very disappointing from Jimenez who I am yet to see put in a good
performance as of yet. I have been giving him the benefit of the doubt so
far but I just think he need to do more on the ball and having him and
Diamante in the side means they both need to work hard. Jimenez did not work
hard and looked a bit lazy and was wasteful in possession.

Alessandro Diamante
Better than Jimenez but not by much. At least he got involved in the game
but apart form a few good free kicks and corners when in possession of the
ball he was poor and gave it away on a number of occasions.

Carlton Cole
His first touch may have been heavy on more than one occasion but I still
thought he had a terrific game. Scored his third goal in six premiership
games which is not a bad record if he can keep it up. Worked his bollocks
off even in the late stages of the second half when we were 3-1 down with
City just playing keep ball.

Subs Used

Junior Stanislas (on for Kovac 71 mins)
Never saw enough of the ball to get into the game although when he did get
the ball I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see if he would finally
beat his man. This vision continues to allude me.

Zavon Hines (on for Jimenez 71 mins)
Like Stanislas he did not see enough of the ball although he worked very
hard in an attempt to get the ball and was running around like a man
possessed.

Subs Not Used: Kurucz, Nouble, Spector, Payne, Ngala

Bookings: Diamante

Man Of The Match: Carlton Cole

Attendance: 42745

Overall

Like the Liverpool game the disappointment for me does not just come from
losing to Manchester City because it was not something I expected but the
pressure we have put on ourselves to get a result in games like this have
stemmed from our poor showings at Blackburn and Wigan where we simply did
not show enough quality.

The pressure to beat Fulham is quite high with anything other than a win
being unacceptable. Zola did not look happy after last night and the smiling
face seems to have disappeared. I don't know if I am the only one who is
please at this because I would like to seem him taking it all a little more
seriously.

In defence of Zola, injuries have yet again taken its toll with Gabbidon,
Upson, Behrami and Collison all missing. We never seem to have less than
three or four first team players out and we cannot continue to sustain this.
I feel like I have been saying 'once we get everyone fit' for three seasons
now and something cannot be right to have this many injuries every week.

Players such as Noble and Jimenez really need to step up because they are
our play makers and hoping for goals from set pieces every week is not what
I expected to see with Zola playing so many technically good footballers.

Next Game - Fulham (h)

This is a game we traditionally do well in and have beaten Fulham (home and
away) in our last four fixtures. This simply has to be another victory as we
do not want to be sucked into a relegation battle and this is not something
we can over look because we play better football than some of the other poor
teams in the league.

One victory will give us some confidence and the doom and gloom which seems
to be around at the moment will be lifted for a few weeks at least. A loss
in this one and you have to wonder where we are picking up points after that
because I don't really see too many coming our way.

Zola' View

"In my opinion in the first 45 minutes we did not play at all. Maybe there
were a couple of mistakes from the referee but that is part of the game. The
standard that I am expecting from the team is much more than that.

"In the second half we were much better and we tried in a better way. The
first half in my opinion was not good enough. You can't afford to come to
places like this and just give presents to the opposition. They are too good
and will take advantage of a minimum opportunity and that's what they did."

"We are preparing for a cup final on Sunday so everybody will be picking up
the best thunder they can give, including myself."

"I see these players training and the way they train is absolutely
fantastic, but we need to take that on the pitch as a team - not as
individuals so I am not pleased. First of all with myself. I am the first
one. I have blame for myself first."

"Of course we have a much better team than our position suggests. But at the
moment we haven't been able to show. Unless we do more than we are doing it
is not good enough. If the belief is not there it is better if we go and do
something else. The belief is always the main thing. Along with the belief
there has to be a better effort from everybody.

"I know the potential of these players and I have no doubt that we are soon
going to come back to the position that we deserve. But for the moment it is
not good enough. So for everyone, and I put myself first, we need to ask
more about ourselves"

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Let's just enjoy this season
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 29th September 2009
By: Kyle Marvell

You could say after losing to Man City that this season is starting to look
a little bleak. I mean you can't judge this on just six games played in the
league but before all this negativity and lack of enthusiasm arises let's
just remember that we only live once, so why make West Ham stop you living?

We started the season with a certain degree of uncertainty in regards to
what we could achieve, whether it would be mid-table obscurity or a push for
Europe once again. The announcement of a tasty cup tie against Millwall
under the Boleyn Ground lights sparked celebrations as if we had already won
the game. That's what it's all about: enjoying the game no matter what
happens.

And so we faced a potential banana skin on the opening day of the season
away to newly promoted Wolverhampton Wanderers, but we surprised a few
pundits and won very professionally. Many Hammers fans thought 'maybe we
didn't need to sign those three players Duxbury promised us'. Beating Wolves
then put us in good spirits for the coming week when two local derbies
awaited us.

The Spurs game was almost like a dress-rehearsal for what was about to
happen days later. Playing two local grudge matches within a few days at
home, that doesn't come around often and the best possible way to experience
those two games would to simply enjoy them, remember them and to make the
most out of them - because we won't experience what happened for a long time
to come.

The Spurs game in general was a passionate affair that proved some fans'
points about Carlton Cole going from one extreme to another…Scoring a left
footed volley into the top corner with such precision and power but to
assist Jermaine Defoe expertly minutes later. Boy did that hurt, especially
splitting the defence single handedly into the path of the enemy. It
transpired that we lost the game due to the quality of in-form Aaron Lennon
(capitalising on Spector's slip). But hey, I enjoy the intensity of a London
derby - which you need to, when you lose against one of your biggest rivals.


Next up was Millwall. Anyone with half a brain cell would have guessed what
was going to happen that night, but the Police surprised everyone by using
limited resources. There were problems inside and outside the ground, three
pitch invasions and even a stabbing; just some of the reported incidents of
that night.

The match itself failed to prevent Hammers fans from getting edgy and
aggressive as Millwall's leading goal scorer of all time, Neil Harris, gave
them the lead after just 26 minutes. But when Junior Stanislas scored the
equaliser late on the whole of the East End took off their seats in
jubilation and a roar of passion, that only West Ham fans could describe,
grew louder and louder.

The goal caused a minority of fans to sprint onto the pitch as extra time
beckoned. I remember saying to my mate before extra time started that
Millwall actually out-played us the whole match - but that's football, and
so extra time began.

A penalty from Stanislas gave the minority another chance to invade the
pitch which caused echoes of boos from the sensible Hammers. The game was
done and dusted by a superb individual goal from Zavon Hines. Once the full
time whistle went it made me realise what it meant again to beat our arch
rivals - and money can't buy that kind of thing.

Enjoying the beautiful game is one thing but to celebrate it by running onto
the pitch three times in one game is another. However if this made the
minority take pleasure from the night then why not? They made the most of it
in some respects, I'm not saying it was acceptable but at the end of the day
it made their night more of an event.

Since that game we have just gathered one point in the league and have
crashed out the League Cup and yes, we may have a relegation battle on our
hands - but let's forget all of that and thrive on the game that gets us up
in the morning, whether it's a bitter away day up Bolton or an unforgettable
local derby.

Don't get me wrong, I am as passionate as any other fan but I have got to
the point where I've realised life is too short to worry about football too
much. Bring on the rest of the season and let's enjoy ourselves as it may be
our last season in the Premier League for some time to come.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Premier League
Monday, 28th September 2009
Manchester City 3
West Ham United 1
by Hammer John
KUMB.com

In a game that, on paper, favoured the home side, the opening flourishes
were all City. Our former hero Carlos Tevez busied himself in the West Ham
penalty area, linking up well with SWP and Martin Petrov who was making his
return to first team action in over a year. Tevez opened the scoring on 4
minutes following a cross from Petrov; he duly apologised to the 900 West
Ham faithful behind Rob Green's goal.
It was pretty much consistent Man City pressure at that stage, our only
efforts in the opening 20 minutes coming from Alessandro Diamanti and Mark
Noble.

Realistically Tevez should have had a hat-trick before West Ham won a free
kick on 22 minutes. Taken by Diamanti, it was half-cleared by Joleon Lescott
to Radoslav Kovac whose shot was back-heeled into the net by Cole. Against
the run of play, we had an equaliser.

What followed was a brief but enjoyable spell of West Ham possession,
however normal service was soon resumed with Petrov (again) giving City the
lead with a well-taken free kick on 31 minutes. As we neared half time,
Carlton Cole was penalised for a foul just before he slotted the ball to
Scott Parker whose goal was somewhat harshly disallowed.

The first half saw a succession of City corners - six to our none - and a
little bit of play-acting by Julien Faubert who obviously still holds a
grudge against Craig Bellamy.

Diamanti showing skill but without that final touch; Herita Illunga and
James Tomkins strong in defence. Parker and Jimenez still industrious and
the lone figure of Cole fighting for every ball. Tevez showing why so many
clubs were courting him, and Bellamy showing his strength and vigour.

The second half began with a good spell for West Ham; Diamanti and Jimenez
again linking up well but with no end product. On the hour Bellamy's
industry laid on the ball for Tevez to head the ball past a helpless Rob
Green. 3-1.

Bellamy, desperate to get on the score sheet against us blasted over his
effort on 62 minutes and again West Ham countered. Jimenez had his shot
blocked only to see Diamanti have two shots on goal within a minute. Despite
going close and good build-up work, we were being outplayed and outclassed.

Diamanti was booked for West Ham and Bridge for City in what was a keenly
fought game that gave both travelling and home fans good value for money.
Zola made two changes on 70 minutes; Jimenez and Kovac being replaced by
youngsters Zavon Hines and Junior Stanislas. Neither made any real impact.
City replaced SWP with Roque Santa Cruz, making his debut, while Michael
Johnson made his long-awaited return in place of Barry.

For me the man of the match was Martin Petrov, no question he was incredible
for a man who has been out with a serious knee injury. Our man of the match?
Diamanti gave his all, Ilunga was solid, Faubert worked hard but Cole, for
me, never stopped running all night.

It finished 3-1 but the gulf between the sides was greater, We played well
and can take heart from this West Ham team. We don't look like a bottom
three side, and with players returning in the coming weeks we look a decent
prospect this season.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Zola v Hughes: what a difference a year makes
The Times
Frank Praverman, Gary Jacob and James Ducker

This time last year, Gianfranco Zola couldn't put a foot wrong with West
Ham, taking over from Alan Curbishley and turning a workmanlike, second-rate
team into an attractive Premier League force. Now he can't buy a victory.

Despite the arrival of Sheikh Mansour, the billionaire Arab at Manchester
City, Mark Hughes's team too often flattered to deceive, a good home record
disguising a lamentable one on the road as the manager faced persistent
speculation about his future. Such concerns seem a lifetime ago now, though.

Our experts run the rule over the former Chelsea team-mates.

JAMES DUCKER ON HUGHES

What's changed?

The injection of £140 million worth of talent into the squad, first and
foremost. Emmanuel Adebayor, Carlos Tevez, Roque Santa Cruz, Gareth Barry,
Joleon Lescott, Kolo Toure and Sylvinho arrived in the summer to transform
the make-up of Hughes's team and the investment has paid immediate
dividends. On top of that, disruptive influences such as Elano were ejected
while others deemed not good enough or surplus to requirements were shipped
out, leaving Hughes with a strong, cohesive, multi-talented squad.

How much credit can Hughes take and how much is due to the size of his
cheque book?

A lot. Money, of course, has been a huge part in City's emergence, but given
the domination of the established big four, it was always going to take some
sort of outlandish investment to ensure a team could challenge that
hegemony. Hughes has bought well, signing proven Premier League performers
with bundles of experience at the highest level, but money alone does not
explain the improved fitness and organisation in the City ranks. Hughes was
appalled at the level of fitness of the squad he inherited from Sven-Goran
Eriksson and devised a series of punishing regimes to ensure that did not
continue to remain the case. The effects of that are being seen this season.
Few teams look as fit as City going into the last 20 minutes of games.

Can he cope with the pressure and is he the man for the long haul?

Without question. He is his own man, a manager with complete conviction in
his abilities. If anyone doubted that, they may have been forced to think
again after watching Hughes's handling of Sir Alex Ferguson in the build-up
and aftermath of that tumultuous Manchester derby. Most are intimidated and
overawed by Ferguson. Not Hughes. He respects his former manager at
Manchester United but that's it. He won't be bullied by anyone and, as
Sheikh Mansour and his team have discovered, Hughes has never veered from
the message he first put across. He has one of the brightest coaching
networks behind him and the respect his players have for him says
everything. Like Ferguson at United, City's players know who is the boss.

How do the fans feel?

At first, they seemed to struggle to take it all in, but they have quickly
come around to believing they support a team capable of upsetting the
Barclays Premier League apple cart. Their backing for Hughes after the
initial scepticism which greeted the appointment of a legendary United
player has given way to admiration and respect and the chorus of approval
that often greets the manager on match-days is reflective of that. There
will always be some who resent his United ties and, as such, may never warm
to the manager, regardless of what he achieves, but most seem to recognise
that they have a man who can deliver on the promises.

What can we expect this season?

How long is a piece of string? This being City, it often helps to be
cautious, but without the distraction of European football, there is no
reason why the club cannot mount a sustained push for a top-four berth. The
loss of Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor to the African Cup of Nations may
derail any hopes of a championship bid, but if everyone stays fit and
largely in form, which is a big ask, then a tilt at the title cannot be
entirely ruled out. City may also prove a force in both of the domestic cup
competitions, certainly if they are lucky and keep getting drawn at home,
where they remain a formidable proposition.

GARY JACOB ON ZOLA

What's changed?

Nothing up front, where West Ham can't score goals. Carlton Cole has come on
leaps and bounds as a target man, but he's not assured and clinical enough
to be able to score 20 goals a season. No other striker could contribute
enough last season, adding more pressure on the team and Alessandro Diamanti
this term.

One difference is that the team did at least create more opportunities last
season. They play a narrow midfield and try to play through teams, and the
loss because of injuries to Valon Behrami and Jack Collison, two engines in
the midfield, have been crucial. Radoslav Kovac gives the ball away too
much.

The other difference has been at the back, where their concentration levels
have been poor. They were sloppy to lose away to Wigan Athletic, a game that
the opposition was there to beat. Equally, they conceded two poor goals to
lose against Tottenham. Two of the back four has changed. The loss of Lucas
Neill's experience has had an impact, despite Julien Faubert playing fairly
well in an unfamiliar position at right back, and James Tomkins is learning
his trade. That adds more pressure on Matthew Upson, who could probably be
at a top six club.

That all said, Zola had an uncomfortable start as manager last season, as he
tried to change the style and formation, and it wasn't until a 4-1 victory
away to Portsmouth in December that they kicked on.

How much is down to Zola and how much to the club's financial instability?

The financial instability has not helped because Zola has had to sell to buy
and two of the players that they wanted to sell, Luis Boa Morte and Calum
Davenport, suffered injuries. The club's new owners are unlikely to want to
put more capital into a club that has been losing money.

Can he cope with the pressure and is he the man for the long haul?

The pressure is different now, because he could cite having to change the
team as a reason for the form when he took over as well as being a new
manager. He has more experience now and yes, he is the man for the long
haul.

How do the fans feel?

Anxious and worried. The football is far better than under Curbishley, but
they need to pick up a few wins for confidence. They play Fulham on Sunday,
who might be feeling the effects of their European tie. They also have to
play Stoke City and Hull City in the next six games, both away, both
crucial.

What can we expect this season?

Last week, Zola said that he believed that they can finish in the top ten,
but a lower mid-table finish is probably the best that they can achieve.

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

http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Tuesday, September 29

Daily WHUFC News - 29th September 2009

City too slick
WHUFC.com
West Ham United went down to a 3-1 defeat at Manchester City on Monday
evening
28.09.2009

Manchester City 3-1 West Ham United

West Ham United went down to a spirited 3-1 Barclays Premier League loss at
Manchester City on Monday evening. The Hammers, without the injured Matthew
Upson, Valon Behrami and Jack Collison, fought hard at Eastlands, but were
eventually undone by the big-spending Citizens. Two goals from former Boleyn
Ground hero Carlos Tevez sandwiched a Martin Petrov free-kick, with West
Ham's goal coming courtesy of a neat Carlton Cole finish. The visitors had
their moments in front of a 42,745-strong crowd, but Gianfranco Zola's side
were just unable to match one managed by his former Chelsea strike-partner
Mark Hughes. The home side controlled the majority of the game, with the
ex-Hammers pairing of Tevez and Craig Bellamy, and the elusive left-winger
Petrov, very much to the fore. Bellamy occupied centre-backs James Tomkins
and Manuel Da Costa with his pace and trickery, while the diminutive Tevez
dropped deep repeatedly to pick up possession from his midfield cohorts. It
took just five minutes for the plan to come to fruition, with Tevez the
scorer. Gareth Barry sent Petrov clear down the left, the Bulgarian hit the
byline before rolling the ball into the path of the Argentinean, who could
not miss from five yards.
For a while after they had taken the lead, it appeared as if the floodgates
would open for City, but West Ham held firm. Robert Green saved well from
Wayne Bridge before Tevez ended a neat short-corner routine by lifting a
shot just a foot wide of the post. City were purring, and Tevez came close
again on the quarter-hour mark, driving a shot over to climax a flowing move
involving Pablo Zabaleta, Nigel de Jong, Barry, Bridge and Petrov. West Ham
were creaking, but they refused to buckle, and were rewarded for their
application with an equaliser on 24 minutes. The industrious Noble was
pulled back by Shaun Wright-Phillips 35 yards from goal, allowing Alessandro
Diamanti to curl a vicious free-kick into the home penalty area. Joleon
Lescott's header fell to Radoslav Kovac, whose low strike was diverted into
the bottom corner by an alert Cole. The equaliser gave the Hammers an
immediate shot of confidence, and Cole could have put them ahead with a
powerful downward header from Julien Faubert's right-wing cross, only for
Shay Given to deny him with a smart stop.
Unfortunately for the visitors, the wind was taken out of their sails just
when it looked like they were getting up a head of steam in the shape of a
Petrov free-kick. Luis Jimenez was penalised for a nudge on Zabaleta, and
the winger did the rest, curling the ball around the wall and into Green's
bottom right-hand corner. Ahead for a second time, City went looking for a
third, only for England's No1 Green to deny both Tevez and Bellamy as the
opening half came to a close. No doubt inspired by a rousing team-talk from
Gianfranco Zola and Steve Clarke, West Ham started the second 45 minutes on
the front foot, forcing a succession of corners before Jimenez saw a
powerful shot blocked by Lescott.

All the good work was undone just after the hour-mark, though, when Tevez
was left unmarked to head Bellamy's free-kick past Green from close-range.
West Ham refused to give in, and Noble saw a shot well saved before Diamanti
tested the Republic of Ireland stopper with a well-struck first-time shot
after exchanging passes with the former England Under-21 captain. Zola sent
on home-grown youngsters Junior Stanislas and Zavon Hines in an attempt to
keep up the pressure on City, but despite their endeavour, West Ham were
unable to force a way back into the match. The manager will be hoping for
better, and the return of some of his injured stars, when Fulham visit the
Boleyn Ground on Sunday.

Manchester City: Given, Zabaleta, Lescott, Toure, Bridge, Wright-Phillips
(Santa Cruz 80), Barry (Johnson 89), de Jong, Petrov, Tevez, Bellamy
Subs not used: Taylor, Richards, Garrido, Sylvinho, Weiss

West Ham United: Green, Faubert, Da Costa, Tomkins, Ilunga, Noble, Parker,
Kovac (Stanislas 71), Jimenez (Hines 71), Diamanti, Cole
Subs not used: Kurucz, Spector, N'Gala, Payne, Nouble

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Zola demanding improvement
WHUFC.com
Gianfranco Zola wants more from everyone after the pain of a 3-1 defeat by
Manchester City
28.09.2009

Gianfranco Zola is expecting a reaction from his squad as he readies them
for a "cup final" against Fulham on Sunday. The West Ham United manager was
clearly frustrated after seeing Manchester City win Monday night's Barclays
Premier League game at Eastlands. An early goal from Carlos Tevez set the
tone and despite Carlton Cole's third goal in six league games drawing the
Hammers level, further strikes from Martin Petrov and Tevez ensured City
took the spoils with a 3-1 victory.

"It's not good and I am not happy about it," Zola said. "In my opinion in
the first 45 minutes we did not play at all. Maybe there were a couple of
mistakes from the referee but that is part of the game. The standard that I
am expecting from the team is much more than that. "In the second half we
were much better and we tried in a better way. The first half in my opinion
was not good enough. You can't afford to come to places like this and just
give presents to the opposition. They are too good and will take advantage
of a minimum opportunity and that's what they did."

Zola's side now face a big London derby with the Cottagers at the Boleyn
Ground, a game in which the West Ham United manager is expecting to see
"thunder" from his squad. "We are preparing for a cup final on Sunday so
everybody will be picking up the best thunder they can give, including
myself." That kind of reaction should be forthcoming if the manager's
steely determination to see an improvement from everyone concerned is
anything to go by. "I am angry with myself, with my team, with everybody
right now. Not anyone including myself is doing what he is capable of - it
is as simple as that. "I see these players training and the way they train
is absolutely fantastic, but we need to take that on the pitch as a team -
not as individuals so I am not pleased. First of all with myself. I am the
first one. I have blame for myself first."

With a win against Fulham possibly able to lift the Hammers to joint 13th
place and the first half-dozen league fixtures this campaign dominated by
four awaydays, Zola knows there is certainly no need to panic. But he wants
the upturn in form to come sooner rather than later.

"Of course we have a much better team than our position suggests. But at the
moment we haven't been able to show. Unless we do more than we are doing it
is not good enough. If the belief is not there it is better if we go and do
something else. The belief is always the main thing. Along with the belief
there has to be a better effort from everybody. "I know the potential of
these players and I have no doubt that we are soon going to come back to the
position that we deserve. But for the moment it is not good enough. So for
everyone, and I put myself first, we need to ask more about ourselves."

Finally, Zola recognised the gesture made by Tevez after he scored the
game's opener. The former Hammer of the Year refused to celebrate and ran
over to the away fans in an almost apologetic move, which was roundly
applauded by the tremendous travelling support. "Great players like him are
also gentlemen and he showed that so my appreciation to him. Not only for
what he did after the celebration but what he did in the rest of the game. I
think he had been outstanding for them."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Response to FA charges
WHUFC.com
West Ham United have issued a statement in response to the Football
Association's charges
28.09.2009

The Football Association has charged West Ham United and Millwall in
relation to the Carling Cup tie on Tuesday 25 August 2009. Both clubs have
14 days to respond to their respective charges but West Ham United have
issued a statement following today's developments. Click here to see the FA
charges in full. A West Ham United spokesman said: "We are reviewing the FA
charges and will respond accordingly. In advance of the Millwall match, the
club followed the strict advice of the police and relevant authorities at
every stage of the planning process. "That full cooperation continued on the
night with the club working closely with police on a carefully set-out plan
that was initiated and approved by the independent safety advisory group.
"We do acknowledge the appalling behaviour of a minority of fans inside the
stadium and, in conjunction with the police, will continue to take strong
and appropriate action against anyone found responsible."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Man City 3 - 1 West Ham
By Nabil Hassan
BBC.co.uk

Manchester City moved to within three points of the league leaders as two
goals from former West Ham hero Carlos Tevez helped overcome the Hammers.
Tevez side-footed home Martin Petrov's cross from six yards out but Carlton
Cole levelled with a neat back-heel. Petrov, making his first league start
of the season, curled a low, 25-yard free-kick into the corner of the net.
Tevez's header from Craig Bellamy's free-kick sealed victory and secured
City's best league start since 1961. The win moved City up to fifth in the
Premier League, level on points with fourth-placed Tottenham and
third-placed Liverpool and three points behind joint leaders Manchester
United and Chelsea. West Ham remain without a win in five matches and
languishing in the bottom three. City started brightly and could have been
three goals up inside 15 minutes. They had to settle for only one and it
came after five minutes through Tevez, the former Hammers' favourite who
helped lead the Londoners to Premier League survival in 2007. Bulgarian
winger Petrov found space out wide, following Gareth Barry's flick-on, and
squared it to the unmarked Argentine, who from six yards out side-footed
into the roof of the net for his first league goal of the season.
It was the worst possible start for the Hammers and a few moments later they
were fortunate it was not worse after Tevez's neat swivel and shot flew
inches wide of the post.
The striker was reaping havoc in the Hammers defence and soon after he
blazed over the bar after Wayne Bridge's cross had deflected into his path.
The visitors struggled to get into the game with Mark Noble's deflected
30-yard shot, which was comfortably saved by Shay Given, their only attempt
inside the opening 20 minutes. But after Petrov's half-volley was well held
by Robert Green, the Hammers shocked Eastlands with a goal against the run
of play. City failed to clear Alessandro Diamanti's floated free-kick and
Kovac's shot was back-heeled into the net by striker Cole.

The goal unsurprisingly invigorated the Hammers and soon after Cole's header
from Julien Faubert's cross was neatly kept out by Given. But just as the
Hammers appeared to have taken a grip on the game, City got themselves back
in front when Petrov's free-kick curled around the wall and into the bottom
corner. Soon after, Tevez found himself one-on-one with Green, but the
Hammers keeper did well to narrow the angle and block the shot. From the
resulting corner an unmarked Joleon Lescott headed wide as West Ham's
defence again was in disarray. A moment of controversy then followed when
the visitors were denied a goal. Scott Parker scored it, slotting in from 12
yards, but Cole was harshly penalised for an earlier foul on Lescott.

As the half reached its climax City enjoyed even more success on the wings
and Green was twice called into action to keep out Bellamy's close-range
header and Petrov's brilliant volley from the angle of the box. It took
until the hour for the next goal to come and Tevez was perfectly placed to
expose the gaps in the visitors' defence. The former West Ham striker found
himself unmarked at the back post and accurately headed Bellamy's free-kick
across goal beyond Green.At the other end, Given was twice called into
action with Diamanti testing the Irishman and James Tomkins then failed to
hit the target from Diamanti's inswinging corner. Barry could have extended
the lead late on with a dipping volley that England keeper Green
acrobatically tipped over the bar. With 10 minutes remaining City introduced
Roque Santa Cruz to make his debut following his arrival from Blackburn for
£18m in June. But the Paraguayan striker missed out on making the dream
start to his Eastlands career when he steered Petrov's cross the wrong side
of the post. Petrov fired just wide as the Hammers defence crumbled, but it
mattered little as City sealed their fifth win out of six league games this
season.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Manchester City manager Mark Hughes: "All night Carlos Tevez and Craig
Bellamy were a real handful for the opposition, they couldn't handle them.
"It was hard for West Ham to stop them from having an influence because
their movement and energy was outstanding. "We executed our game plan
perfectly. I think the movement and positioning of our guys, getting into
good areas and causing the opposition problems was there for all to see. "We
were also able to get Roque Santa Cruz and Michael Johnson, who has been out
for a long time, on at the end so they were another couple of positives on a
night of positives."

West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola: I am not feeling well now as you can imagine.
"We didn't play in the first 45 minutes. When you play a team like City and
you concede so much then it is very difficult to come back. "I think this
will be an important week for us, we will have to work hard. There are many
things we need to concentrate on. "We are much better than we are showing
right now."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Surprise, surprise
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 28th September 2009
By: Staff Writer

The FA have charged West Ham United on four counts of failing to control
supporters during the recent Carling Cup match with Millwall.

The charges, confirmed this morning, following disturbances outside the
ground during the tie in August.

The charges levelled are as follows:

1. Failure to ensure their supporters refrained from violent, threatening,
obscene and provocative behaviour.

2. Failure to ensure their supporters refrained from racist behaviour.

3. Failure to ensure their supporters didn't throw missiles, harmful or
dangerous objects onto the pitch.

4. Failure to ensure their supporters didn't enter the field of play.

Meanwhile League One Millwall, who have sought to point the finger of blame
at West Ham at every opportunity since the game have also been charged on
three counts, namely:

1. Failure to ensure their supporters refrained from violent, threatening,
obscene and provocative behaviour.

2. Failure to ensure their supporters refrained from racist behaviour.

3.Failure to ensure their supporters didn't throw missiles, harmful or
dangerous objects onto the pitch.

Both clubs now have 14 days to respond to the charges.

Similar incidents - such as the violent outbursts that followed the recent
Aston Villa v Birmingham derby and the pitch invasion by Manchester United
fans at Old Trafford in the recent Manchester derby - have thus far gone
unpunished.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers fall to slick City
Tevez breaks Hammers' hearts
Last updated: 28th September 2009
SSN

Man of the match: Martin Petrov showed the City fans what they have been
missing during his time on the sidelines with a near faultless performance.
Goal of the match: Petrov's free-kick was well disguised and gave Robert
Green no chance.
Save of the match: Robert Green was given little protection throughout and
he needed to be at full stretch to keep out a dipping volley from Gareth
Barry.
Moment of the match: Michael Johnson made a welcome return to action as a
late substitute after more than a year out injured.
Talking point: City look like top four contenders, but can they challenge
for the top prize?

Carlos Tevez bagged a brace for Manchester City as they saw off his former
employers West Ham 3-1 at Eastlands. Martin Petrov was also on target for
the Blues, while Carlton Cole notched for the Hammers, as Mark Hughes' side
laid down an impressive marker in their pursuit of a top four finish in the
Premier League. City looked to be in imposing mood from the off and it came
as no surprise when they opened the scoring inside five minutes. The lively
Petrov broke free down the left and his centre was rolled into an empty net
by Tevez, who duly apologised to the away support huddled behind the goal.
City then allowed the Hammers a route back into the game after 24 minutes
when, against the run of play, Cole flicked a Radoslav Kovac drive over the
line from close range. Mark Hughes' men upped the tempo again, though, and
restored their advantage shortly after the half-hour mark when Petrov found
the bottom corner with a well-struck free-kick which left Robert Green
wrong-footed. The Blues continued to control proceedings after the interval
and Tevez duly added a third after 61 minutes when he was left all alone at
the back post to plant a firm header past a stranded Green. After finding
one set of former supporters no longer regard him with any affection at Old
Trafford last week, Tevez knew he was on safer ground with the Hammers who,
for all the controversy, will always be grateful for the goals that helped
to keep them up in 2007. The respect is mutual and as Tevez raced in front
of them after scoring the opening goal, he raised an almost apologetic hand
of acknowledgement before being besieged by ecstatic team-mates. It was a
pretty significant goal for Tevez given Sir Alex Ferguson's doubts over his
goalscoring prowess, and Petrov's assist was arguably even more noteworthy.
Brought to the club two years ago by Sven-Goran Eriksson, the Bulgarian's
direct running endeared him to the City faithful. However, as other
noteworthy Eriksson buys were doing little to impress Mark Hughes in his
first season at the club, Petrov had little chance to impress once he had
ruptured his cruciate on international duty. Petrov felt he had no future at
the club and made his disappointment plain when a deadline-day move to
Tottenham failed to materialise. Yet he remains a big danger and a
worthwhile asset and was afforded his first start when Stephen Ireland was
ruled out through illness.
He clearly intended to make the most of it and, after presenting Tevez with
a tap-in following his forceful left-wing burst, was soon celebrating a goal
too. There may have been an element of good fortune about the free-kick City
were awarded for Luis Jimenez's minor shove on Nigel de Jong, but the finish
was pretty emphatic. Petrov drilled it into the bottom corner before edging
towards Hughes in his dug-out and pulling the back of his shirt to emphasise
his name. Had the goal been City's fourth or fifth, West Ham could not have
complained. Attack after attack washed over them, with Tevez, Petrov, strike
partner Craig Bellamy and Joleon Lescott all going close. Staggeringly
though, Petrov had actually put City back in front for, on their first
attack, the Hammers had equalised when Cole turned home Kovac's volley. In
fact, the Hammers would have been in front but for the generosity of referee
Chris Foy, who ruled Cole had fouled Joleon Lescott before teeing up Scott
Parker when contact had been very minimal.
Gianfranco Zola did not need that to prove it was going to be another bad
night for his team. A simple offside manoeuvre proved beyond the Hammers
defence when Bellamy floated over a free-kick just after the hour mark. As
the visitors raced out, three City men were left to queue up to score, Tevez
nodding home from six yards. It was the end of the goals, but not the
chances. Gareth Barry went close with a thunderous effort before Roque Santa
Cruz made his debut after spending all the time since his £17million summer
move from Blackburn recovering from knee surgery. It was a move West Ham
could only dream of. Indeed, neither Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool nor
Manchester United could presently make such a show of strength. Forget about
giving City time. Their rivals have every reason to be worried right now.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Zola slams first-half showing
Hammers chief not happy
Last updated: 29th September 2009
SSN

West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola slammed his side's first-half performance
following their 3-1 loss at Manchester City. The Hammers were behind after
just five minutes at Eastlands as Carlos Tevez struck. Carlton Cole
back-heeled an equaliser, but Martin Petrov made it 2-1 at half-time. Things
did not improve after the break as Tevez wrapped up the match with his
second, and Zola was not happy. The Hammers chief was also not too pleased
with referee Chris Foy, who disallowed a Scott Parker goal in the first-half
- but he refused to blame the officials for the loss. "It was a game, in my
opinion, that we didn't play at all and yes maybe there was a couple of
mistakes from the referee but that is part of the game," Zola said on Sky
Sports News. "But the standard I am expecting from the team is much more, in
the second-half we were better. "I am talking about the first-half which
wasn't good enough and you can't afford to come to places like this and just
give presents to the opposition, they will take advantage of the smallest
opportunity."
Zola finds his side third from bottom and he insists they are better than
their league position is showing. "For the moment, we haven't been able to
show it [how good they are]," he continued. "Unless we improve it is not
good enough - no doubt we will improve our position and will ask more of
ourselves."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
From The Times September 29, 2009
Manchester City's Carlos Tévez delivers body blows to former club West Ham
United
James Ducker
The Times

Gianfranco Zola backed Manchester City to finish in the top four of the
Barclays Premier League after watching his West Ham United team slip deeper
into trouble last night.
Carlos Tévez scored twice against his former club as City coasted to an
impressive 3-1 win that moved Mark Hughes's team up to fifth and underlined
the threat they are likely to pose to the established elite this season.
The Argentina striker refused to celebrate either of his goals, clasping his
hands and nodding apologetically in front of the West Ham fans at the City
of Manchester Stadium after plundering his first inside five minutes. It was
a show of respect that drew applause from the visiting supporters and praise
from Zola, although the Italian's admiration for Tévez and City did not
extend to his own team. West Ham have taken four points from a possible 24
and Zola could not conceal his anger. "You can't come to places like this
and just give presents to the opposition," he said. "They are too good and
will just take advantage. "I was really impressed with City, they were
really good. Some of the football they played was outstanding. If they play
to this standard for the rest of the season, they will be up there in the
top four at the end."
Carlton Cole, the England forward, drew West Ham level in the 24th minute,
but they were comfortably outplayed and could have lost by a heavier
scoreline. Martin Petrov, impressing on his first start of the season, put
City back in front with a 32nd-minute free kick before Tévez, who might have
scored four or five, added a third shortly after the hour. Hughes praised
the movement of his strike pair, with Craig Bellamy also tormenting his
former club. "All night Carlos and Craig were a real handful for the
opposition," he said. "They couldn't handle them."
Despite receiving a hostile reception from Manchester United supporters
during the 4-3 derby defeat at Old Trafford eight days earlier, there was
never any danger of Tévez being booed by the West Ham fans after the role he
played in keeping the club in the Premier League at the end of the 2006-07
season. "Great players like he is are also gentlemen and he showed that,"
Zola said. "He has my appreciation not only for his celebration but the way
he played all game."

It was a night when the positives abounded for City. Roque Santa Cruz, the
Paraguay striker signed from Blackburn Rovers for £18 million in July, made
his debut after three months on the sidelines with a knee problem, while
Michael Johnson, the midfield player, enjoyed his first appearance for more
than a year. Hughes confirmed, though, that Robinho, the City and Brazil
forward, will be out for another three weeks because of an ankle injury. The
result completed a miserable day for West Ham, who have been charged on four
counts by the FA in relation to their Carling Cup second-round tie against
Millwall at Upton Park last month.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers up Four appeal
The Sun
By MARK IRWIN
Published: Today

WEST HAM will fight the threat of playing FOUR games behind closed doors
following the Carling Cup riot against Millwall. The Hammers have been hit
with a damning rap sheet by the FA for the appalling violence which
overshadowed last month's clash. Now they fear they could be hit with a
one-match Upton Park closure for EACH of the four charges brought against
them. Angry FA chiefs are determined to send out the strongest possible
message that a return to the dark days of soccer hooliganism will not be
tolerated. An FA insider said: "Games behind closed doors will make the fans
see the severity of their actions - a fine would not have that effect."
The hard-up Hammers have already admitted that the behaviour of some of
their supporters against bitter rivals Millwall last month was "appalling".
But a spokesman last night insisted: "The club followed the strict advice of
the police and relevant authorities at every stage of the planning process.
"That full co-operation continued on the night of the match, with the club
working closely with police on a carefully set-out plan. "We do acknowledge
the appalling behaviour of a minority of fans inside the stadium and will
take strong action against anyone found responsible."
Both clubs have been charged with failing to ensure their supporters
refrained from violence, from racist behaviour and from throwing missiles
onto the pitch. In addition, West Ham have also been charged with failing to
prevent three pitch invasions during the match. Millwall, who have a long
and shameful history of crowd trouble, are likely to be hit with a hefty
fine but will argue that they cannot be held responsible for the behaviour
of supporters at another club's ground. "We are shocked and disappointed
that charges have been issued against us in respect of events that took
place at West Ham," a club statement said. "We expressed our concerns about
ticket allocations and arrangements in general ahead of the match and did
everything in our power with regard to arrangements for this game. "Our
question for the FA is what can Millwall do to control individuals' actions
once inside our opponents' stadium?" Both clubs have 14 days to respond to
the charges, which will be dealt with an independent commission.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Zola hails Tevez's muted celebrations
29.09.09 | Andrew Slevison

West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola has hailed the muted celebrations
undertaken by Manchester City's Carlos Tevez after scoring on Monday night.
Tevez, a former West Ham star, netted twice in City's 3-1 win over the
Hammers, and in the wake of recent events involving Emmanuel Adebayor, Zola
praised the way Tevez carried himself. "Great players, like he is, they are
absolute gentlemen and he showed that tonight," Zola said. "My appreciation
of him is great, not only for what he did with his celebration, but for the
way he played throughout the game was fantastic." Mark Hughes wasn't
surprised by Tevez's sporting gesture and said: "That's to be expected. "He
had a good relationship with the club and the fans so we fully expected that
to happen."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham expect big things from Nigeria U20 international Danny Uchechi
29.09.09 | tribalfootball.com

West Ham United are keeping tabs on their Nigeria U20 international Danny
Uchechi in Egypt. Hammers management are expecting big things from Uchechi,
20. The Daily Mail says West Ham are hoping that Uchechi will become every
bit as good as the last young striker they took from Charlton - Jermain
Defoe.

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

http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Monday, September 28

Daily WHUFC News - 28th September 2009

'We'll take it to City'
WHUFC.com
Gianfranco Zola will send his team out in positive mood at Manchester City
on Monday evening
27.09.2009

Gianfranco Zola has vowed to take the fight to in-form Manchester City on
Monday evening. West Ham United visit big-spending City, whose first defeat
of the season came in last Sunday's Manchester derby, eager to register
their first Barclays Premier League victory in four matches. While some
pundits may be predicting that Zola will send the Hammers with a defensive
mindset at Eastlands, the manager insists he will tell his West Ham team to
play their own game. The possible return of Luis Jimenez and a potential
debut for Guille Franco will certainly help. At the same time, Zola insisted
that his players would scrap for every ball. "Last year, there were times
when we went on the pitch and we were tough and defended in a rough way. If
it's necessary, we will do it again. There's no problem about that. "I
haven't thought yet thoroughly about the way we're going to play, but that's
something I'll be considering over the weekend. I think we're in the
condition to go there and play our own game and see if they are better than
us. That is the kind of thing I want to do all the time. "I'm not looking
for the result itself. I'm looking for the team to get better and better and
I think we can achieve that."

Monday's game will see Zola pit his wits against former Chelsea strike
partner Mark Hughes, who has guided City into the top-six after spending
upwards of £100m during the summer. Kolo Toure, Joleon Lescott, Gareth
Barry, Carlos Tevez, Roque Santa Cruz and Emmanuel Adebayor have all joined
Hughes' City revolution, and Zola insists both he and the Welshman are under
pressure to produce the goods. "Both of us are under pressure for different
reasons. He obviously knows that, with the budget he's got and the team he's
got, that he has to perform and produce good results, and this is a
pressure. "For me, as well, I have all the time to think and find solutions.
The edge is how to take it and Mark takes it very well and I'm trying to do
the same. I'm coping with the job. To be honest, this situation is making me
more creative, and is making the club more responsible for what it is
doing."

While Hughes has been bankrolled by the Abu Dhabi United Group, Zola has
instead concentrated on developing young players, with the likes of James
Tomkins, Jack Collison, Valon Behrami, Mark Noble, Carlton Cole and Zavon
Hines flourishing under his direction. "That's the job I've been employed
for and that's the job I like to do. I like to work on the players and to
make them better and to get a bunch of players and to make a team. That's my
ultimate task and one I like. "But I don't mind if I get some money to spend
on a good player! I think that would make the whole process a little bit
quicker, but I don't mind, really. I like what I'm doing and I think this
team has got a future."

Zola and Hughes are just two of a host of former Chelsea team-mates to go
into management. Romanian Dan Petrescu has taken unheralded Unirea Urziceni
into the UEFA Champions League, while Dennis Wise and Gus Poyet teamed up at
Leeds United and Gianluca Vialli took charge at Stamford Bridge between 1998
and 2000. The Hammers boss said he was not surprised so many of the squad
had taken up coaching posts, but admitted he was sometimes shocked to find
himself in a Barclays Premier League dugout alongside yet another ex-Blue in
first-team coach Steve Clarke "I didn't imagine myself as a football manager
and regarding Mark, he was strange because on the pitch he was unbelievable.
I'm telling you, it was my fortune as a footballer to have him on my side,
but on the training ground, he was the worst training mate I've had in my
career! You wouldn't have wanted to have him on your side during training
sessions. "It was difficult to say we'd be managers one day, but I must say
he's doing very well in his job. It's not only this year but he did very
well at Blackburn and with the national team. I have only admiration for
him. I had admiration for him as a player and now as a manager."

"It's unbelievable. You had the feeling that that team was made by
intelligent people, excluding me! Dan Petrescu is doing great, and we also
had Dennis and Steve. You could see that we went on to the pitch and we
didn't need to be told very much. They were thinking players and so it comes
not as a big surprise to me to see so many of them doing the job."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Noble knows the score
WHUFC.com
Having earned a harsh red card at Manchester City last year, Mark Noble is
looking to put things right
26.09.2009

Mark Noble is aiming to enjoy better fortune than on his last visit to
Eastlands to take on Manchester City when West Ham United arrive on Monday
night. Little more than a year ago, the midfielder was sent off after just
38 minutes for two yellow cards in a 3-0 defeat for the Hammers that saw
nothing go right on the day. After that disappointment on 23 August 2008, it
was a different story in the return match on 1 March this year at the Boleyn
Ground when Jack Collison's solitary strike gave West Ham all three points.

"Hopefully it will be good for us and we can go there and win," said Noble.
"I remember playing them last season and we had some good games with them. I
got sent off there which wasn't so good though but we go there now and [it
is different], they are known as one of the big teams now with the players
they have got."

Despite the considerable riches at City's disposal, the homegrown Hammer
said he and his team-mates should not be overly concerned. "We don't fear
them. We know they have got a lot more ability in their team [than last
season]. Craig Bellamy is on fire and we know what he is capable of. I think
it will be a good game to play in. They play football and so do we. May the
best team win."

The match will be the Hammers fifth on the road out of seven games in all
competitions this season, and Noble said there was a determination to get a
first win in five attempts. "I am looking forward to the game. They are
doing so well at the minute. We are playing well but aren't picking up
results. We need to start getting some points.

"Monday is our first priority," added the 22-year-old. We need to go there
and pay the way we can do and hopefully get some points off them It is a
lovely stadium to play at. If we can go there and put a good stall out and
get some points that would be fantastic."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Franco and Jimmy in line
WHUFC.com
Guillermo Franco and Luis Jimenez could both figure in Monday evening's game
with Manchester City
25.09.2009

Gianfranco Zola could have two more senior players to call on for Monday
night's Barclays Premier League meeting with Manchester City. New signing
Guillermo Franco and the fit-again Luis Jimenez both trained fully with the
squad on Friday and could bolster the forward options available to Zola as
he seeks his second consecutive win over the Mark Hughes' side. Captain
Matthew Upson could also be back in training on Saturday, while Valon
Behrami has two days to prove his fitness. "It would be fantastic if Franco
could start," Zola said. "I think he is going to be very important for us.
He has all of the experience, he's got presence on the pitch and I'm really
impressed with him. I think he is going to be a very good signing for us. "I
don't know yet with Behrami. Upson may train with us on Saturday so it is
good news. Jimenez is coming back so nearly all of the players are back
which is good news for us."

With two narrow home defeats and a win, draw and loss away from home so far,
Zola is focused on picking up points. Although he would have preferred a
better return thus far, the West Ham United manager is relaxed about how his
side will fare over the coming weeks. "I am the first to say that
points-wise, we are not doing great but as a manager here we don't work on
three points - I see the bigger picture. Our team is playing as a big team
now and it is a matter of time before we start picking up points and
consistency as well."

Zola knows that Hughes' Manchester City will provide stiff opposition to
that aim in Monday's televised game. Having won their first four games, City
lost their 100 per cent record last time out to a 96th-minute Michael Owen
winner in the Manchester derby. "I have a lot of admiration for them. They
have a lot of talent and they are working very hard to be a team too. The
results have been very good so I have a lot of respect for them."

To add a bit of extra spice to the occasion, there could be a couple of
familiar faces lining up in sky blue. Striker Craig Bellamy left the Hammers
for the City of Manchester Stadium in January, and the Wales international
could be joined in attack by former Hammer of the Year Carlos Tevez.
Speaking of Bellamy, Zola said: "I think it will be massive as he has done
very well. When he left, for the supporters he left on strange terms so he
will be very up for it. We are going to find a way to look after him. It is
not going to be easy as he is a very good player but we will try."

Monday's opponents' new-found strength could leave some managers slightly
green with envy, but Zola is not one of them, explaining that he feels
privileged to be in charge of the Hammers. "I don't envy anyone. I am very
happy to be manager of this club. This group is a group that is going to
give a lot of satisfaction to our fans. "I am excited to work with them and
take them to a better position and I am enjoying it and don't want to be in
another position."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Manchester City preview
WHUFC.com
All of the early team news ahead of Monday's Premier League match at the
City of Manchester Stadium
25.09.2009

Barclays Premier League
Manchester City v West Ham United
City of Manchester Stadium
Monday 28 September
8pm
Referee: Chris Foy

Introduction

• West Ham United travel to high-flying Manchester City for their fifth away
game of the season and their fourth in the north west of England. The
Hammers have had mixed luck on the road so far, beating Wolverhampton
Wanderers on the opening day before drawing with Blackburn Rovers and losing
out to Wigan Athletic and then Bolton Wanderers in the Carling Cup on
Tuesday.

• Monday night's game will be West Ham's second consecutive league game
televised live on ESPN - the third of the season so far following the visits
of Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool to the Boleyn Ground.

• The Hammers sit in 16th place in the fledgling Barclays Premier League
standings with four points from five matches, while Manchester City are
eight points and 12 places ahead, having played the same amount of games.

• West Ham and Manchester City are the only two sides in this season's
Premier League yet to be behind at half-time.

• It was honours even last season as City beat the Hammers 3-0 in the
corresponding fixture on 24 August 2008. West Ham got their revenge in the
return match, though, with a single Jack Collison goal securing the win for
the east Londonders at the Boleyn Ground on 1 March. That victory halted a
run of seven games without a win against the Citizens stretching back to
2006. Four of those six games came in the 2007/08 season.

• The 2007/08 league season started with City's trip to the Boleyn Ground on
11 August - the first game in charge for manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, who
lasted only a season. Rolando Bianchi and Geovanni scored the goals as City
won 2-0.

• That was followed by the first FA Cup third-round meeting on 5 January,
again in east London. Neither side could break the deadlock in a contest
that saw Robert Green and Joe Hart excel. The replay at the City of
Manchester Stadium on 16 January was again a tight affair and only a
73rd-minute headed goal from Elano separated the sides.

• The final meeting of that season was the 1-1 league draw four days later
on 20 January. Carlton Cole scored a terrific overhead kick in the eighth
minute before Darius Vassell struck a 16th-minute equaliser.

• West Ham United's biggest victories against Manchester City are a 6-1 home
success in the old First Division on 18 May 1963 and victory by the same
margin in the away fixture that season on 8 September 1962.

• This is the 88th meeting between the two sides. West Ham have come out on
top on 35 occasions with 14 draws.

Last meeting

• On 1 March this year, West Ham United edged a closely-fought encounter in
what was, at the time, a key match in the hunt for a UEFA Europa League
place.

• With 20 minutes to go, Jack Collison was on hand to loop in a rebound
after Shay Given could only palm Savio's shot into his path. Despite the
result that day, neither side were to secure European football for this
season with West Ham finishing ninth on 51 points and City a point and a
place below.

The teams that day were -
West Ham United: Green, Neill, Tomkins, Upson, Ilunga, Behrami (Savio 43),
Parker, Collison, Kovac (Spector 83), Di Michele (Lopez 45), Cole
Subs: Lastuvka, Payne, Stanislas, Sears
Goal: Collison (70)

Manchester City: Given, Zabaleta, Onuoha, Dunne, Richards (Caicedo 15), De
Jong (Bojinov 89), Ireland, Kompany, Bridge, Robinho, Bellamy (Elano 65)
Subs: Hart, Garrido, Berti, Vassell

Last time out

Tuesday 22 September 2009
Carling Cup third round
Bolton Wanderers 3-1 West Ham United
West Ham United: Green, Spector, Tomkins, Da Costa (N'Gala 63), Ilunga,
Noble, Parker, Kovac, Dyer (Cole 75), Diamanti, Hines (Faubert 88)
Subs: Kurucz, Payne, Edgar, Nouble
Goal: Ilunga (59)

Wednesday 23 September 2009
Carling Cup third round
Manchester City 2-1 Fulham
Manchester City: Given, Bridge, Zabaleta, Lescott, Toure, Ireland (Petrov
75), Wright-Phillips, Barry, De Jong (Weiss 91), Tevez, Bellamy
Subs: Taylor, Garrido, Sylvinho, Vidal, Petrov, Weiss, Ball
Goals: Barry (52), Toure (111)

Referee

• Monday's referee will be Chris Foy.

• Now 46, Foy started refereeing at the age of 20 in 1983. He joined the
Football League list of assistant referees in 1994 and the Premier League
assistant referees' list a year later.

• Foy became a Football League referee in 1996 before being promoted to the
Premier League list in 2001, taking charge of his first top-flight fixture
in December of that year.

• Foy took charge of the 2007 FA Trophy final between Stevenage Borough and
Kidderminster Harriers at Wembley on 12 May 2007.

• He returned to the national stadium as fourth official for the 2008 FA Cup
final between Portsmouth and Cardiff City before refereeing last season's
Carling Cup final between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

• Foy has been actively involved in the 'Don't X The Line' campaign to
eradicate abusive or aggressive behaviour from players and spectators at
junior and youth matches.

• Foy took charge of three West Ham fixtures last season, refereeing the
Hammers' 1-0 defeat at Hull City on 19 October, the 2-0 defeat to Tottenham
Hotspur on 8 December and the 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers on 21 March.

• This will be Foy's second West Ham United match this season, after taking
charge of the opening day win against Wolves.

• Foy also took charge of the FA Community Shield match between Chelsea and
Manchester United.

Old boys

• There could be a couple of familiar faces on show at the City of
Manchester Stadium on Monday.

• Craig Bellamy scored seven goals in 24 league games for West Ham United
between July 2007 and January 2009. He moved to Manchester City for an
undisclosed fee on 19 January.

• He could be joined in attack by former Hammer of the Year Carlos Tevez,
who left the Boleyn Ground to join City's great cross-town rivals Manchester
United at the end of the 2006/07 season. He joined the blue half of the city
for an undisclosed fee in June.

• Other famous faces to have played for both clubs are Ian Bishop, James
Cumming, Justin Fashanu, David James, Patrick Leonard, Steve Lomas, Trevor
Morley, John Payne, Stuart Pearce, Trevor Sinclair, Paulo Wanchope and Mark
Ward.

Last six meetings

Head to head (last six meetings, league unless stated)
1 March 2009 - West Ham United 1-0 Manchester City
24 August 2008 - Manchester City 3-0 West Ham United
20 January 2008 - Manchester City 1-1 West Ham United
16 January 2008 - Manchester City 1-0 West Ham United (FA Cup)
5 January 2008 - West Ham United 0-0 Manchester City (FA Cup)
11 August 2007 - West Ham United 0-2 Manchester City

Overall record v Manchester City (all competitions) W 35 D 14 L 39

West Ham United

• West Ham United manager Gianfranco Zola said: "I have a lot of admiration
for them. They have a lot of talent and they are working very hard to be a
team too. The results have been very good so I have a lot of respect for
them."

• Robert Green has played 93 consecutive Barclays Premier League games -
more than any other player in the top-flight currently. All being well, he
will reach his unbroken century away to Hull City on Saturday 21 November.

• Four players - Mark Noble, Matthew Upson, Alessandro Diamanti and Carlton
Cole (twice) - have got on the league scoresheet for the Hammers so far this
season.

• Cole has had more shots (17) than any other West Ham player this season,
with nine of them on target.

• Noble leads the way in the assists chart, with two to his name.

• Scott Parker has won more free-kicks than any other Hammers player (13)

• Cole has also done his bit at the back with more defensive clearances (5)
than anyone else.

• Cole led the way in the scoring charts last season as well with ten
Premier League goals, one in the FA Cup and one in the League Cup.

• The Hammers finished last season in ninth in the Barclays Premier League
with 51 points, a place and two points higher than they managed in the
previous season.

• West Ham have recorded exactly 700 Premier League points so far, with the
0-0 draw at Ewood Park taking them to that milestone.

• Diamanti's appearance as a substitute at the DW Stadium two weeks ago saw
him become the 800th player to represent West Ham.

• West Ham are next in action on Sunday 4 October when they play host to
Fulham in the Barclays Premier League.

Manchester City

• Speaking about why Craig Bellamy played in Manchester City's midweek
Carling Cup win over Fulham, manager Mark Hughes said: "My only concern is
that given Craig's injury history I am reluctant to play him in three games
in a week. It is the only the fact we are playing on Monday that I was able
to play him. We hope everyone recovers by then and the two extra days makes
all the difference."

• Man City saw their 100 per cent record in the league this season halted in
the Manchester derby at Old Trafford last weekend as a Michael Owen strike
six minutes into injury time gave United a 4-3 victory.

• Mark Hughes' team have shipped six goals in their last two games against
United and Arsenal.

• However, they are unbeaten at home and have managed to keep clean sheets
in all their other league games this term.

• City's leading goalscorer this season is Emanuel Adebayor with four league
goals. Bellamy has three to his name after his brace at Old Trafford.

• Carlos Tevez has had the most shots on goal (10) and has the most assists
(3) out of any City player.

• New recruit Joleon Lescott has made more defensive clearances (15) than
any other player.

• It is 50 league games since City were last involved in a goalless draw.

• Manchester City are unbeaten at home in the league to West Ham since April
2003, winning three of four matches.

• City are next in action seven days after the West Ham game when they play
Aston Villa at Villa Park, also on ESPN.

Team news

• With the game not until Monday evening, both managers still have two full
days of training ahead of them to finalise their plans for the game.

• One player expected to return is Chilean forward Luis Jimenez, who has
recovered from a muscle injury and has returned to full training.

• Guillermo Franco could be in line to make his debut, but will have some
tough competition for a place in the shape of the in-form Cole and Zavon
Hines.

• Valon Behrami continues to edge closer to fitness after his slight muscle
injury, although a decision will not be taken on his selection until Sunday.

• Manchester City will definitely be without Emmanuel Adebayor, who is
serving the last game of a three-match suspension.

• Stephen Ireland is doubtful after being concussed in the Carling Cup match
with Fulham.

• Robinho and Vincent Kompany remain sidelined.

General information

• For ticket information, click here. For details of getting to the City of
Manchester Stadium, click here.

• The weather forecast is for light rain with a top temperature of around
18C.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
TC hopeful for Hines
WHUFC.com
Tony Cottee believes there could be a good season ahead for young striker
Zavon Hines
25.09.2009

Former Hammers hero Tony Cottee has been keeping a close eye on fellow
striker Zavon Hines as he has turned in some impressive displays this
season. Hines has caught the eye after starting West Ham United's last three
games, having earned his call-up following a goalscoring appearance in the
second round of the Carling Cup and a hat-trick for the reserves. Cottee was
at the Boleyn Ground to watch the 20-year-old bag his treble against
Birmingham City and was instantly impressed by what he saw. "Looking back to
that reserve game [a 6-0 win against Birmingham City] everyone was talking
about [Alessandro] Diamanti and the return of [Valon] Behrami but I left the
ground that night very excited about what I had seen from Zavon. "He had
already scored the goal against Millwall, which I thought was a really good
finish. You could see the confidence that came after scoring that goal. I
think the challenge then for Zavon was to get into the team and to stay in
the team."

Hines soon cleared that first hurdle as he was given his full Barclays
Premier League debut at Wigan Athletic on 12 September. Two more appearances
against Liverpool and Bolton Wanderers have followed and Cottee believes
Hines has done enough so far to retain his place at Manchester City on
Monday. "Although I wasn't at the Wigan game, I spoke to Tony Gale and he
said that he had done really well for a full debut in the Premier League.
Although it was a disappointing result, he was one of our best players. "I
was at the Liverpool game and I thought he was our best player. He gave Glen
Johnson a tough time and looked dangerous with some of his skills. He did
everything right in the first couple of minutes apart from putting his
chance it in the net. It might well have changed the game. "And then, by all
accounts, he did well at Bolton the other night. I felt that the challenge
that lay ahead for him was to get in the team and stay in the team and I am
really thrilled for the lad that he's got in there and he's taken his
chance. He looks like a real prospect."

As with any of the Academy youngsters making their bow in the first team,
there is always a certain air of uncertainty about how they will adapt to
the jump to top-flight football. Cottee believes Hines has shown enough so
far to indicate he wil not look too far out of place in the Barclays Premier
League. "I do get a bit frustrated when people say 'I didn't realise how
good he was going to be' or 'I wasn't expecting him to do that'. You can
watch a kid in the youth team or the reserve team but you just don't know
how they are going to do until they get that chance. "The real positive for
me about Gianfranco Zola's first year in charge is that he has given the
kids a chance. They have had the opportunity to get into the team and
express themselves and, when they have done well, they have stayed in the
team and that's the real positive. I think it's great the kids from our
wonderful Academy are being given a chance."

Like Cottee, Hines has progressed through the youth ranks at Little Heath
under the watchful eye of Academy Director Tony Carr. Now, the seven-times
capped England international believes that Hines may benefit from being
nurtured in the same way he was during his formative years under John Lyall.
"Zavon has done really well. It's early days yet but he's made a fantastic
start to his career. From his performances it looks like mentally he is
right to stay in the team but it may be similar to what John Lyall did with
me. "When I got in the team as a 17-year-old and then as an 18-year-old the
following season, John seemed to play me for six to ten games and then
perhaps I got a bit tired and it didn't quite go for me so he took me out
for three or four games and then put me back in the team. "He did that for
my first 18 months of my career and then at the start of what was my third
season, I started every game. I know it's different now and it's a squad
game but at the moment you can't put the reigns on him. You've got to say
'Off you go' and let him carry on with what he's doing."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
U18s defeated
WHUFC.com
West Ham United Under-18s lost 2-0 to Ipswich Town on Saturday
26.09.2009

Ipswich Town U18s 2-0 West Ham United U18s

West Ham United Under-18s went down 2-0 at Ipswich Town on Saturday.

They will feel unlucky to have not taken anything from the game after
hitting the woodwork twice and being denied by two outstanding saves from
the Ipswich goalkeeper with the score at 0-0.

Ipswich took the lead in the 25th minute with their first attack of the game
and it stayed that way until half time. In the second half Cristian Montano
was denied in a one-on-one by another superb save from the Ipswich stopper.
Moments later, the hosts got the killer second after the West Ham defence's
offside trap was broken to leave their striker with a simple finish.

The Under-18s will be looking to return to winning ways when they play host
to Southampton at Little Heath next weekend.

West Ham United Under-18s: Mehmet, Modelski, Brown, Lampe, Sanchez, Moncur
(Driver 65), Barrett (Smith 70), Wearen (Werndly 65), Subuola, Montano,
Abdulla

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Zola shares his views
WHUFC.com
The League Managers Association invited Gianfranco Zola to take part in a
special conference
25.09.2009

Gianfranco Zola was a special guest at the League Managers Association
annual management conference at the Emirates Stadium. The event featured
fellow Premier League managers Arsene Wenger and David Moyes, as well as a
host of industry leaders. It was chaired by former BBC director general Greg
Dyke and included a series of keynote addresses from the business and
football worlds. Standing out was a debate featuring former Hammers defender
and current England Under-21 manager Stuart Pearce that also included
British Airways chairman Martin Broughton talking about talent spotting and
internal communication. The final event of the day was a question and answer
session featuring Zola and Moyes with broadcaster, and West Ham fan, Matt
Lorenzo.

One of the subjects discussed was how managers can bring the best out of
players with Zola telling the conference that it was important to work
closely with the squad but that also the player's own attitude was equally
significant - as in the case of Carlton Cole. "Carlton is very humble and
sometimes he's too quiet," the manager said. "He just needed to realise how
good he was - perhaps he didn't know. He didn't realise what he was capable
of and so we try to speak to him every week showing what he was doing and
what he was good at. "We try to look after him in every aspect of his game
and his mental approach. People try to give me credit but actually it's all
down to him."

Richard Bevan, LMA chief executive, said: "Our event reinforced the
similarities between management at the top level of football and business.
Arsene Wenger, David Moyes, Gianfranco Zola and the other LMA members who
spoke gave an incredible insight into their roles, demonstrating that they
are outstanding strategists, talent managers and leaders. "It is right that
they should share a stage with some of the most talented leaders from UK
industry and deliver such as successful event."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham & Millwall charged by FA
BBC.co.uk
By Frank Keogh

West Ham and Millwall have been hit with several Football Association
charges after the crowd trouble which marred their Carling Cup match. They
are expected to contest the accusations of failing to control their fans at
the match on 25 August. Both clubs are alleged to have taken insufficient
action to stop missile throwing and violent, threatening and racist
behaviour at Upton Park. The Hammers face four charges, while Millwall must
answer three. A Millwall supporter was stabbed as fans clashed outside the
east London ground and pitch invasions by West Ham fans followed each of
their side's goals in the 3-1 extra-time win. West Ham's Carlton Cole and
Millwall's Jason Price also alleged they were racially abused by supporters.
A total of 200 seats and a toilet block in the visiting supporters' section
of the ground are understood to have been damaged.

An FA statement alleges the clubs did not ensure their supporters conducted
themselves in an orderly fashion "in and around the ground". Both West Ham
and Millwall face charges of failing to ensure their fans refrained from:
- Violent, threatening, obscene and provocative behaviour
- Racist behaviour
- Throwing missiles, harmful or dangerous objects onto the pitch

West Ham are also charged with failing to ensure their supporters did not
enter the field of play. The FA has liaised with the Metropolitan Police and
received reports from both clubs, who have 14 days to respond to the
charges. Fans identified as troublemakers will face lifetime bans, the FA
has said. Details of possible sanctions if the clubs are found guilty have
not been revealed, although it appears heavy fines are an option, with West
Ham facing the biggest punishment. Previous records of dealing with crowd
behaviour will also be taken into account, while footage from 47 closed
circuit television cameras inside Upton Park is being examined as police
inquiries continue. West Ham, who were knocked out of the competition by
Bolton Wanderers after extra-time last Tuesday, have received information
from fans after photos from the night were published on their website and in
a match programme. The club have already issued 10 lifetime banning orders,
including a number to supporters who identified themselves as pitch
invaders.
Both teams have held reputations in the past for attracting a hooligan
following, and Millwall have particularly sought to change the club's image
which has been blighted by violence. The club complained before the match
when their ticket allocation was halved to 1,500 following a police request.
Hundreds of supporters were thought to have turned up for the game without
tickets.

It was the first time the east London rivals had played each other since
April 2005. Eyewitness reports suggested opposing fans threw bottles and
bricks at each other and started small fires as police moved in to try and
quell the disturbances outside the ground. Inside the stadium, police and
stewards battled to remove fans from the pitch throughout the match.

West Ham are likely to tell the FA they complied with requests made by the
police-led safety advisory group, which met twice before the match, and
point to the fact there were no direct clashes between the opposing
supporters inside the ground. At the time Hammers boss Gianfranco Zola said
he was "shocked" by the crowd trouble, adding he had not seen anything like
it in seven years as a player in England. Sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe
labelled the incidents " a disgrace to football" while former West Ham
manager Harry Redknapp said the sides should not be allowed to meet again.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Man City v West Ham
BBC.co.uk
Monday, 28 September 2009

Premier League
Venue: City of Manchester Stadium Date: Monday, 28 September 2009
Kick-off: 2000 BST
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 Live, local radio, Final Score &
highlights on Match of the Day

TEAM NEWS
Carlos Tevez and Craig Bellamy look set to lead the City line against their
former club in the continued absence of Emmanuel Adebayor and Roque Santa
Cruz. Stephen Ireland is doubtful after being concussed in the League Cup.
Robinho and Vincent Kompany remain sidelined.

Gianfranco Zola may be forced to play the same side who lost to Bolton in
the League Cup. Matthew Upson and Jack Collison both have calf injuries
while Luis Jimenez is still nursing a groin problem.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

Manchester City

Suspended: Adebayor (3 of 3 matches)

Doubtful: Richards (shoulder), Ireland (concussion)

Injured: Onuoha (thigh), Robinho (ankle), Benjani (hip), Johnson (groin),
Santa Cruz (knee), Kompany (ankle)

West Ham

Suspended: None

Doubtful: Upson & Collison (both calf), Jiminez (groin)

Injured: Ashton (ankle), Boa Morte (knee)


MATCH PREVIEW
Manchester City blew away a few of their post derby-day cobwebs with an
extra-time Carling Cup victory over Fulham on Wednesday night. That win
followed their first defeat of the season at neighbours Manchester United
which came after a faultless start in their opening five games in all
competitions.

606: DEBATE
Have your say on the match
Defeat to neighbours Manchester United may have left City fans feeling blue,
but owner Sheikh Mansour responded to the loss by splashing more cash,
buying the remaining 10% of shares from former owner Thaksin Shinawatra.

Craig Bellamy is free to play after Greater Manchester Police revealed that
no complaint had been made against the Welsh international after he pushed a
fan in the face at Old Trafford last Sunday. Both the FA and Manchester City
had already revealed they will not be taking any further action regarding
the matter.

West Ham are winless in three trips to the North West in all competitions so
far this season. Despite their spluttering start Hammers boss Gianfranco
Zola insists West Ham can emulate last season's eigth place finish and
claims his players are up for the challenge.


I think we're getting above ourselves, thinking we're better than we are at
the moment

Robert Green, West Ham goalkeeper
However, goalkeeper Robert Green launched a stinging attack on his teammates
after their Carling Cup defeat at Bolton. The current England number one
went as far as to suggest his club colleagues have an inflated view of
themselves.


MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head

• Manchester City are unbeaten at home in the league to West Ham since April
2003, winning three of four matches.

• Two thirds of Premier League games between the two sides have been won by
the home side - 12 of 18 matches.

• Manchester City and West Ham are the only two sides in this season's
Premier League yet to be behind at half-time.

Manchester City

• City have won each of their last five home league games, since a 3-1
defeat at Eastlands last April.

• 50 league games have passed since City were last involved in a goalless
draw.

• Craig Bellamy has scored six goals in 13 Premier League appearances
against his former clubs - including five in his last nine games. He is two
goals short of 100 league goals.

West Ham

• West Ham are in danger of losing three successive league games for only
the second time under Gianfranco Zola. They lost four in a row in October
last year just a month after the Italian took charge.

• The Hammers have accrued just four points from their opening five games,
their lowest tally since the 2002/03 season which ultimately resulted in
relegation.

• Zola's side are yet to beat a side from the top half of the table this
season, after losing at home to both Tottenham and Liverpool.


LEADING GOALSCORERS


Manchester City

Adebayor: 4 goals (4 league); Bellamy: 3 goals (3 league)

West Ham

Cole & Stanislas: 2 goals (2 league)

MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Chris Foy
Assistant referees: Trevor Massey & Bob Pollock
Fourth official: Mike Jones

LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS
Manchester City (L3-4 v Man United, a): Given, Richards, Lescott, Toure,
Bridge, Wright-Phillips, Barry, De Jong (Petrov 83), Ireland, Bellamy,
Tevez. Subs Not Used: Taylor, Zabaleta, Garrido, Weiss, Ball, Sylvinho.

West Ham (L2-3 v Liverpool, h): Green, Faubert, Tomkins, Upson (Gabbidon
25), Ilunga, Behrami (Kovac 27), Parker, Noble, Diamanti (Dyer 65), Cole,
Hines. Subs Not Used: Kurucz, Spector, Nouble, Payne.


MOST RECENT MEETING

West Ham 1-0 Man City (1 March 2009)

West Ham scorer: Collison 71

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Double dip
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 25th September 2009
By: Staff Writer

It has been claimed this morning that CEO Scott Duxbury and Technical
Director Gianluca Nani were forced to dip into their own finances to secure
the capture of striker Guille Franco. The 32-year-old Mexican international
announced that he would be moving to West Ham on September 10th - although
it was not until the 17th that the news was eventually confirmed by the club
on whufc.com. According to the story in today's Evening Standard, the
reasons for that delay were purely financial, specifically with regard to
agents and player fees - and only resolved once Duxbury and Nani apparently
agreed to fund the deal. CB Holdings - who refused to sanction Franco's move
- are said to have informed the club that, following the arrival of
Alessandro Diamanti, no more forwards were required. The news - which
follows West Ham's poor start to the season - further highlights the extent
of the gulf that exists between the club's owners and Duxbury's team. The
CEO - who is thought to be becoming increasingly frustrated at the lack of
financial backing - has also had to fend off the clubs bankers, who are
thought to have been responsible for the sale of James Collins to Aston
Villa on transfer deadline day.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Clubs face FA punishment
Duo charged in the aftermath of ugly Upton Park scenes
Last updated: 28th September 2009
SSN

West Ham and Millwall face the prospect of severe punishment by the Football
Association after being charged with several offences - including racist
behaviour by both sets of fans - following the shocking crowd violence in
August. The FA have issued four charges against West Ham and three against
Millwall after an investigation into the serious disturbances in and around
Upton Park on August 25. A full range of sanctions are available including
the clubs being made to play matches behind closed doors.
An FA statement said each club faces charges of:
:: Failure to ensure their supporters refrained from violent, threatening,
obscene and provocative behaviour.
:: Failure to ensure their supporters refrained from racist behaviour.
:: Failure to ensure their supporters did not throw missiles, harmful or
dangerous objects onto the pitch.

West Ham have also been charged with failure to ensure their supporters did
not enter the field of play - there were three pitch invasions during the
Carling Cup second round tie. West Ham striker Carlton Cole and Millwall's
Jason Price both suffered racist abuse during the match, which the home side
won 3-1. During the evening, one 44-year-old man was taken to hospital with
stab wounds and several others were injured. The FA's statement added: "The
FA has liaised closely with all relevant authorities including the
Metropolitan Police during the course of its investigations and has been in
constant dialogue with both clubs during this time. "Both clubs now have a
period of 14 days to respond to the charges."
After the match, sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe backed the FA's call for
life bans for those fans found to have been involved and described the
scenes as "a disgrace to football".

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Zola - I am under pressure
Hammers boss insists he has it tough
Last updated: 27th September 2009
SSN

Gianfranco Zola insists he is under just as much pressure as Manchester City
boss Mark Hughes. The West Ham chief comes up against Hughes' City on
Monday. And Zola is looking forward to clashing with his former Chelsea
team-mate. "Both of us are under pressure for different reasons. He knows
with the budget and the team he has got he has to produce results," said
Zola. "But I have to produce solutions and that is a pressure as well. "I am
coping with the job and the situation is making me more creative, more
responsible. It is a good challenge. A positive pressure. "I like to work
with the players and make them improve. And to build a team. I wouldn't mind
some money to spend on a good player. "It would make the process a little
quicker. But I don't mind, I like what I am doing and this team has got a
future."
Zola admits that he never thought that he and Hughes would one day be
meeting on the sidelines after playing together. "It was difficult for me to
imagine myself as a football manager. Mark was unbelievable on the pitch in
those days," he said. "It was my fortune as a footballer to have him on my
side. "On the training ground he was the worst training mate I have ever had
in my career. "But he is doing very well in his job. He did well at
Blackburn and when he was with Wales. I have only admiration for him as a
footballer and a manager."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Zola - Bellamy improved me
Bellamy bother helped improve Italian as Hammers boss
By Elliot Ball Last updated: 27th September 2009
SSN

Gianfranco Zola has revealed the confrontational personality of former West
Ham striker Craig Bellamy made him a better manager. The Hammers boss will
be trying to counter the Welsh international's pace when Manchester City
welcome Zola's side to Eastlands on Monday night. And the Italian tactician
has admitted managing Bellamy was a steep learning curve in his career as a
Premier League boss after wrestling with the feisty personality of the
controversial 30-year-old marksman. "I loved working with him because he
tested me a lot," said Zola. "He has such a fire inside and it can be hard,
but if you approach him in the right way he can give you a lot of
satisfaction.
Bellamy is bang in form after netting a brace in City's 4-3 derby defeat to
Manchester United in their last league outing and will be keen to put on
another good show according to his former boss. Zola said of West Ham's
official website: "I think (Monday's game) will be massive as he has done
very well. "When he left, for the supporters he left on strange terms so he
will be up for it. We are going to find a way to look after him. It is not
going to be easy as he is a very good player but we will try."
Bellamy joined the City revolution last January, signing for his former
international coach and Blackburn boss Mark Hughes. Zola has struggled to
replace his pace and verve and could hand 32-year-old Mexican striker
Guillermo Franco his Hammers debut against City in a bid to kick-start a
season which has struggled to ignite since they beat Wolves at Molineux on
the first day of the season. While West Ham have gleaned just four points
from five matches and been knocked out of the Carling Cup by Bolton, Zola
believes he is building a side capable of qualifying for a European place.
"I am getting close to getting the right combination," added the Italian.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Zola open minded over Sol
Hammers could move for Campbell if he needs experience
Last updated: 25th September 2009
SSN

West Ham United boss Gianfranco Zola admits he would consider signing Sol
Campbell if he needed to add an experienced defender to his squad. Campbell
quit Notts County earlier this week just a month after agreeing a five-year
contract with the ambitious League Two outfit. The 35-year-old is not
allowed to join a new club until January, but his former Portsmouth boss
Harry Redknapp believes the centre-half can still perform in the Premier
League. Fulham and Wolves were among the clubs to pass up the chance to land
Campbell in the summer, but Zola concedes he could move for the ex-England
international depending on the circumstances. "It would depend on whether
you needed him, but he's a good player with experience and he's got
everything," said Zola. "If I was in need of an experienced player, I would
think of him."
Meanwhile, the Hammers head to Manchester City on Monday night having failed
to win in the Premier League since the opening day of the season. But, after
recently bringing in Guillermo Franco on a free transfer, Zola insists he is
not jealous of the seemingly unlimited millions available to City boss Mark
Hughes. Zola said: "I don't envy anybody. We are not a club who can spend
£20million on a player, but we are solid. We have stability and can look
forward with a positive attitude. "Franco is going to be important for us.
He has got experience and presence on the pitch. He will be a very good buy
for us." He added: "We know we are not getting the points we should, but we
are playing well and improving. I'm the first to say that points-wise we are
not doing great, but I am not working just on three points. "I am working on
a project. I see the big picture. It is just a matter of time before we
start picking up points with consistency."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Zola hopes for positive outcome
Hammers boss insists club have co-operated fully
Last updated: 25th September 2009
SSN

Gianfranco Zola hopes West Ham are not punished by the Football Association
after ugly scenes marred their Carling Cup clash with Millwall last month.
One man was stabbed as fans clashed outside Upton Park and there were three
pitch invasions during the game, prompting an investigation. The Hammers
have co-operated fully with the authorities and the talented Italian manager
hopes their actions help towards the overall verdict. The FA will announce
their findings next week and Zola, who is currently preparing his team to
face Manchester City, hopes for a positive outcome. "I don't know what is
going to come out," Zola told Sky Sports News. "I believe they listened to
us. I believe we've done everything possible to help the FA to find the
truth. "We're waiting and we have faith in the people that are deciding.
"We'll see. As a club we've done everything possible to collaborate to find
a good solution."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
View from the Opposition - Manchester City FC
One McAvennieeeeee - Wed Sep 23 2009
West Ham Online

After the bitterly dissapointing result last night, we're back to the league
this weekend, well Monday night, and we make the long journey up to
Eastlands to play one of the wealthiest clubs in Word Football, Manchester
City.

The performance last week has had some mixed reviews. Some stating we didn't
deserve to lose and some saying we didn't do enough to try and win the game.
I'm siding towards the latter. We never really got out of our half in the
second period when the game looked to be there for the taking. Saying that
though, there's no disgrace to losing to Liverpool when a player like Torres
is on fire.

As for last night, well we were beaten by a better side. I think Rob Green
summed it up perfectly when he basically said we need to buck our ideas up.
Let's hope the Management team have taken notice.

Man City have had a decent start to the season and really do look the real
deal for a top 4 finish. They were desperately unlucky in the derby game
last week but they will be looking at this as an easy 3 points, and I can't
see many going against that.

This week, we have Paul Gallagher answering our questions. For those of you
that don't know, Paul is the 'Other brother' of Liam and Noel of Oasis.


Q. For City it was a busy transfer window – how did it go in your opinion?

A. I think we have brought in decent players for the positions we needed to
strengthen, tho we still have some way to go before we are all happy with
the squad.We are still light in some positions, especially in the creative
middle..Any injury to Stephen Ireland or Shaun Wright Phillips will be
massively felt.

Q. Is your squad good enough to finish in the top 4 this season?

A. I have backed us to win the title.Now whether that happens is open to a
whole list of things.. Form, Injuries and Suspensions. I always felt if we
hit the ground running we could get a flying start. The Adebayor ban took
the shine off that slightly, and the Derby left a bitter taste. But we have
proved in the first half a dozen games, that we'll have a major say on who
will win the title. Chelsea are the team to beat for me..and we'll be there
or thereabouts.

Q. New players you'd like to see come in January?

A. A new left back , right back.. these positions are our weakest. For me
Micah Richards hasn't been right since he became an England player, i know
he isn't anymore. He bulked up, lost his pace, his positioning is erratic..
a classic case of too much too young.. He will be replaced by Zabeleta as
the season progresses.Also Wayne Bridge..mister one foot. He looks good in
cameos.. but to win titles, you need to be solid, and he ain't really, he's
no Ashley Cole, he gets caught out so many times.As for new names.. Riquelme
in the midfield, Yaya Toure, Messi. ( only joking)

Q. Doubtless it's been a bit of a Blur but sum up your feelings after the
first half dozen games?

A. Going great guns.. shows the benefit of building a squad..i think when
the defence settles we'll have a great season. the midfield and attack has
gelled instantly, its the defence that's let us down in the past two games,
lapses of concentration, players knowing their jobs, not everyone can be an
attacker.Barry should be captain, Toure, im not convinced he's the right man
for the job., saying all this we have 4 clean sheets out of 6..

Q. Time has come to see a decent team with good support get the opportunity
to compete against the best – with the best currently being your closest
neighbours, What has been the general reaction in Manchester (or should I
say Surrey) about your good fortune?

A. United fans are bitter towards city.. they can see us coming,. and they
don't like it, not one little bit. But hey.. United didn't invent football,
the premiership, trophies.. I seem to remember they went 26yrs without a
title win before 1991..nor does the media want change.. there's a growing
resentment towards us..keep the SKY 4 at all costs?

Q. History has giving us a number of good games - What is your best memory
of City v West Ham?

A. In the past 3 or 4 years we have had the indian sign over you at
Eastlands..and you have tended to have the upper hand at Upton Park
historically.
And we have shared some brilliant and not so brilliant players.. Ian Bishop,
Paolo Wanchope to name but two..The 3-0 home win for us .. a couple of
seasons back.. Elano's 2 well taken goals and Daniel Sturridge cool finish
before he believed his own hype and drove himself down to Chelsea's bench.
Svens debut away win at Upton Park is another highlight.. prob due to the
fact we were in Christian Dailly's box and we took a nice 0-2 score back to
Manchester. happy days..


Q. Emmanuelle Adebayor – Ban for the stamp fair? And what is your view on
his actions towards the Arsenal fans?

A. As a City fan you want to see your players.. play fair.. was it a stamp,
a flick, an accident, only Adebayor really knows what went on.The 3 match
ban was the best you could hope for.. though I didn't like the way the FA
rushed thru the hearing, after all the other incidents in the past weeks
have not even being heard as yet..half of me thinks it was influenced by
United to rush it through..( they have people in the FA ya know)

As for Arsenal fans, they have history with the player. I didn't like the
way they through bananas at Adebayor, which was an oversight in the media (
obv to protect the olympic bid), knocking out stewards, come on Arsenal
fans, you're all supposed to be graphic designers who are basically the Man
U of the South, when did you turn into Millwall..

Arsenal fans are obviously frustrated.. they have now become a selling
team..Wenger doesn't seem to want to part with anything above £10m, and they
are playing prudently, getting by, which is why Arsenal fan's are
frustrated.

As for Adebayor.. yeah stupid thing to do.. but we'd all do it.. given the
chance.. to score.. and then race towards the people that have been giving
me hell for 80 mins..and say.. take that..

Q. How was the Derby weekend last week from a fans perspective?

A. For me..Terrible to watch.. When Rooney scored after 2 Min's.. I feared
the worst. What you need at Old Trafford is a solid start, don't give
anything away in the first 15 mins, then build..but to be fair to us, we
never gave up, we got the 1-1, brilliant chasing by Tevez, nice and calm by
Barry. Then Tevez had the chance for 1-2 before half time, that was the
turning point cos United came out in the 2nd half and pummelled us.. but we
hung in there.. fantastic saves by Shay kept us in the game and great goals
by Bellamy for 2-2 and 3-3. then the extras..that got me i must admit. 7
mins of injury time in a game with no injuries, it was hard to take.

Q. I think when you see quality players playing attractive football all over
the park life doesn't get much better – with a number of good players who is
the fans favourite now?

A.Usually its the home grown players. the ones that have come thru the
ranks. City like West Ham, love their own blossoming. SWP, Ireland, Onuoha,
Weiss ( one for the future), as for the big money buys.. Given,
Barry,Bellamy, Adebayor, Kompany..Robinho needs to put some sweat on the
shirt to be accepted..

Q. Do you think West Ham will do any good this season?

A. 9th-10th..I think you'll do OK in the FA Cup.. Zola is a decent manager ,
or he will be.. Great pedigree, great player in his time

Q. Describing us, Noel once said we are a bunch of thugs – what is your view
of our fans?

A. West Ham have been like City in many ways.. they like to play football on
the deck, they like to pass the ball, the fans are used to the glory days of
the past, and cry out for modern footballers to emulate this.I don't mind
West Ham fans, they ain't the worst, they support their team.

Q. Eastlands is like many grounds now as far as the quiet home support goes,
but what is your favourite song 2 opposing fans – what is the best you've
heard coming back at you?

A. I don't think opposing fans of the bigger clubs give their teams that
much vocal support anymore.They don't get behind the side the way they used
too. Society has changed so much. What was acceptable in days gone by.. is
outlawed now..Even some of our songs are embarrassing.. "invisible man" song
being one..
Spurs away last season..I never knew spurs fans had "humour" in them..
singing to Liam.. " yer just a shit chas and dave,, made me chuckle..

Q. Now Diving has had a lot of publicity recently – In your view Is it
acceptable from your own players even if there's no other way of scoring?

A. Diving should never be accepted..I'm from the old school.. stay on your
feet at all times.The British game was always a fair game, nowadays, players
just get touched and go to ground.. I know all the arguments for being
tripped at pace, but come on, some of the diving is outrageous..Drogba being
a prime example.. that fella is what.. 6"2.. and for him to go to ground on
the slightest of contact is out of order,Eduardo the same.. It should be
eradicated from the game otherwise its gonna be danicng on ice in 10yrs
time..

Q. By and large the Universal thinking seems to be that Mark Hughes isn't
going to be up to the task of looking after these big name players – I
personally disagree, what are your thoughts?

A. It depends.. Football fans on a whole expect miracles... Managers can
only manage when the players are gonna take on board whats being said to
them. Mark Hughes has no more of a difficult job than say Alex Ferguson.
He's a winner. His playing career was a testament to this.. Barcelona,
United, etc etc. And given time..he will be a top class manager..Though some
of his substitutions or lack of them leave me fuming, I would hope that
Hughes would become a legendary manager at Manchester City. We have to
emulate our past teams. Joe Mercer + Malcolm Allison.. the 60s was so long
ago. Put it this way. He has the best chance of any Manchester City manager
in the past 40yrs to create a dynasty, if our owners stay interested.. which
I'm sure they will.. we could be the team to beat for the next 20 years or
so

Q. Likelihood is you have a choice where to see games - Where do you prefer
to watch them, in an executive box (like your brothers) with no atmosphere,
or down with the Eastland fans..... also with no atmosphere?

A. I prefer away games..Most new stadia is so new that the atmosphere that
was built up in an old creaky grounds took 50yrs+ to bear fruit. I'm not
saying wait this long, but it will take some stadiums 10yrs+ to try and
replicate what we had at Maine Road, and will it ever be the same as society
has changed, plus all seating stadia hasnt helped..I would have liked to
follow the German route, where they still have a standing section.

I don't care where I sit..out in the open, in an Exec Box, its all much of a
muchness..I just wanna see City perform, put in a shift and WIN..

Q. Unless the memories are too traumatic, Tell us your favourite memories as
a kid of going to City games with your brothers?

A. I never went to the games with Liam, as he was too young... back in the
day, the 1980s.. we'd go in a gang.. Myself , Noel, and a few others..
Memories.. hahaha.. too many too mention.. Sheff United away.. boring 0-0
draw..riots..Notts C away pitch invasions at half time, coach leaving us in
Nottingham, arriving back in Manchester penniless at 2 the next
morning..lost..Barnsley away.. Lost.. Lincoln away.. Lost.. you get the
picture?
Quality football was a blur back in the yo yo 80s..Thankfully the way we are
going now.. I will finally have some joy in watching city..1999 and that
final was enough for ONE heart to take, though its 20 years ago today that
we murdered UNITED 5-1..I remember it well..

Q. Recently they were both spotted at opposite ends of the ground - Do you
go and watch with them now, if so whose box do you choose?

A. For starters.. neither of them have a box..For the Wolves game I was with
Liam in Stephen Ireland's box.. and Noel was with Umbro in theirs.Its no
biggie you know..Noel has his pals, Liam has his, I have mine.. Sometimes we
get together, and sometimes we don't, we are all together in one thing...
supporting CITY..

Q. Tell us about Craig Bellamy, although being a completely charmless man he
has been missed at Upton Park, on the pitch at least. How has he settled in?

A. Charmless?? I think he's one of the last breed of millionaire UK
footballers that has the desire to win every game, he will fight ( OK some
of it not legit), and he has pace to burn. How many times do we see talented
footballers, just walking around the pitch not putting a shift in. Bellamy
gives 100%, or he has been doing since he came to us. His problem seems to
be keeping fit, but when he is.. what a player. I just think he needs to
feel the love, to be made feel wanted. And with Mark Hughes and Mark Bowen,
he has people there that understand him, understand what he gives the team.

Q. If you could implement one rule change what would it be?

A. Technology.. the time has come to take some of the key decisions away
from the referees and linesmen.
Don't they have enough to do without the extra time, penalty decisions,
offsides, etc etc..look at other sports.. rugby being one.. I'd like to see
the sin bin brought in.. instead of sendings off.. which ruin the game.

Q. Tell us which of our players you most like in your squad?

A. Shay Given without doubt the best goalkeeper in the league,solid, and
unbeatable most of the time.Stephen Ireland for his work rate and vision,
SWP for his ability to bounce back from being attacked every game, Craig
Bellamy for his sheer determination and will to win and Gareth Barry for his
100% every game.

****Paul miss-read this question and sends his apologies. The correct answer
is Mark Noble****

Q. Loads of new players in, but which of your players would you happily see
leave the club?

A. Robinho for me..That may sound mad..£32m footballer..for City to be the
best, we cant afford passengers. With what he gives us with his tricks- he
loses in every game, doesnt track back, leaves SWP exposed every time.
West Ham away last season summed it up. We may as well have turned up with 9
men as him and Elano were pedestrian. He'll be gone in January maybe with
Micah Richards.

Q. Every interviewee gets asked this one for some reason – what's your
favourite flavour crisp?

A. Crisps.. If i do eat them which is rarely.. Salt and Black Pepper.

Q. So that just leaves your Match Prediction?

A. 3-1 to us..We're pretty solid at home,if we score in the first 15 Min's..
its a tough 75mins+ for the opposition.

Many thanks to Paul for taking the time out to answer these questions.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Manchester City v West Ham United
ESPN
Updated: September 27, 2009, 1:16 PM UK

Roque Santa Cruz could make his Manchester City debut in Monday's encounter
with West Ham at Eastlands. The Paraguay international has been consigned to
the sidelines since his £17million summer move from Blackburn after a knee
operation. However, he came through a reserve team encounter with Wrexham
unscathed on Wednesday and should be on the bench for the Blues. Michael
Johnson played in the same game and is also available after abdominal
trouble, while Stephen Ireland will be assessed by City's medical staff
after he was released from hospital on Friday morning after being admitted
complaining of dizziness. Emmanuel Adebayor sits completes the final game of
a three-match suspension picked up for his facial attack on Arsenal`s Robin
van Persie. Mark Hughes is not too worried about being without Adebayor
because his City players need to get used to it. The disciplinary problems
are not over for the £25million striker either given he is still to face an
improper conduct charge brought by the FA following the former Arsenal man's
controversial goal celebration against his old club. Yet Hughes is looking
much further forward, to the African Cup of Nations in January. If Togo
demand Adebayor's release as soon as FIFA statutes allow and then go on to
be successful in the competition, which will be played in Angola, the
25-year-old could be missing for an entire month. "Ade has been a big part
of the start that we have been able to achieve,'' said the City boss. "But
at times during the season, certainly when he is on international duty next
year, we will have to go into games without him. "We may as well get used to
being without him and making sure we understand what we have to do when he
is not around.''

Striker Guillermo Franco could make his debut for West Ham. West Ham boss
Gianfranco Zola is hopeful that England defender Matthew Upson will have
recovered from a calf injury while Luis Jimenez is also back in training
after nursing a thigh strain. Midfielder Valon Behrami, however, is doubtful
with a back injury he suffered in last week's defeat against Liverpool. Zola
believes confronting the fire of former West Ham striker Craig Bellamy made
him a better manager. The Hammers boss must find a way to counter the pace
of Bellamy when his side meet Manchester City at Eastlands. While Zola
admits managing Bellamy was not the easiest task of his year-long career so
far as a Premier League boss he admits grappling with the feisty personality
of the controversial Welsh striker was a steep learning curve. Zola said: "I
loved working with him because he tested me a lot. He has such a fire inside
and it can be hard, but if you approach him in the right way he can give you
a lot of satisfaction. "He is a person you have to listen to for the second
thing he says, because the first thing sometimes can be hard. "He is honest
and is not worried about telling somebody they are doing something wrong.
Even to the manager.''

Zola admits they did have one altercation when they fronted up to each other
following West Ham's defeat at Hull last season. Zola learned that Bellamy
had been harsh in his criticism of some of West Ham's players in the
dressing room and warned him not to do so again. "He said 'Are you
threatening me?' recalls Zola. "And I said 'No I'm not threatening you.'
"From then it was the break point. After that we respected each other and
everything went well. I always listened to his opinion and he always
listened to my advice.''

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Roque Santa Cruz prepared for Manchester City debut at last
The Times
James Ducker

Twenty-one months after Manchester City began their torturous pursuit of
Roque Santa Cruz, the club's supporters may finally get their first glimpse
of the Paraguay striker as he prepares to make a long overdue debut at home
to West Ham United in the Barclays Premier League this evening.

City's interest in Santa Cruz pre-dates Mark Hughes's arrival as manager at
the club in the summer of last year, but despite finally getting their man
after what amounted to a seventh bid was accepted by Blackburn Rovers in
June, the agonising wait to blood him continued as he was sidelined by a
troubling knee injury.

Having spent the past three months recuperating, however, Santa Cruz is
expected to be given a chance against West Ham to show why City persevered
for so long trying to sign him.

"We could have brought him back sooner but given the fact that we had good
options up front, we had no need to rush him back," Hughes said. "We had a
game behind closed doors against Wrexham last week and he looked in good
fettle. It is good to see him on the training ground, playing in games and
looking in good nick."

With Carlos Tévez and Craig Bellamy expected to lead City's attack once
again, Santa Cruz may have to settle for a place on the substitutes' bench,
but he will be involved at some point.

Quite where Santa Cruz will figure in City's plans once Robinho, the Brazil
forward who is injured, and Emmanuel Adebayor, the Togo striker who
completes his three-match ban for violent conduct, return remains to be
seen.

With Bellamy impossible to drop at the moment and Tévez the fans' favourite,
it would appear to be a straight choice for Hughes between his two big men
up front — Adebayor and Santa Cruz — but while the African's form so far has
made him indispensable when available, Hughes is a big admirer of the
Paraguayan. So what does £18 million buy you?

"He is a big guy, his physical presence is important for us and he is quick,
strong, brave and good in the air," Hughes said. "Technically, he is good
enough and he is a great character and that is part and parcel of what I am
looking to bring to the club."

Unfazed by Santa Cruz's history of injury problems, Hughes paid Bayern
Munich £3.3 million to bring the striker to Blackburn in July 2007, a
decision that paid handsome dividends as the player plundered 23 goals in
his first season with the club.

"I will always remember the first training session he had at Blackburn and
the reaction the other players showed when they saw what he had produced,"
Hughes said. "He has the ability to make people sit up and take notice.

"He has been at the biggest club in Germany so he is used to performing
under pressure and at a club with a big profile. He has the mentality I
need. I blew all of my budget on him when I was at Blackburn so that shows
you what I thought of him. If he can replicate even half of what he did
there, then he will be good value."

Team line-ups

Manchester City (probable; 4-2-3-1): S Given — P Zabaleta, K Touré, J
Lescott, W Bridge — N De Jong, G Barry — S Wright-Phillips, S Ireland, C
Bellamy — C Tévez.

West Ham United (probable; 4-3-2-1): R Green — J Faubert, J Tompkins, M
Upson, H Ilunga — V Behrami, M Noble, S Parker — Z Hines, A Diamanti — C
Cole.

Referee: C Foy Television: Live on ESPN from 7pm (kick-off 8pm)

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Hammers Facing Shutdown
The Sun
By PAUL JIGGINS
Published: Today

WEST HAM face a shutdown for their night of shame. The FA will today hit the
Hammers and Millwall with charges of failing to control their fans after
last month's Carling Cup tie between the clubs was marred by serious crowd
trouble. If found guilty the Premier League outfit could be forced to play a
game behind closed doors at Upton Park. Both clubs will be hauled in the
dock for "failure to ensure their supporters refrained from violent,
threatening, obscene and provocative behaviour."
They will also be charged with "failure to ensure their supporters refrained
from racist behaviour" and "failure to ensure their supporters didn't throw
missiles, harmful or dangerous objects on to the pitch." In addition, West
Ham must also answer a charge of "failure to ensure their supporters didn't
enter the field of play." The charges follow the FA's probe into the trouble
at the clubs' second-round tie on August 25. Hundreds of fans were involved
in violent scenes before, during and after the powderkeg encounter. Millwall
insisted last night they were not to blame. Chief executive Andy Ambler
said: "It was widely acknowledged that none of our supporters came on to the
pitch, and the behaviour and forbearance of our fans brought praise from
observers."

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Neill's English house 'robbed'
28 September 2009 | 13:50 - AAP
Worldgame.sbs.con.au

Socceroos defender Lucas Neill has apparently become the latest English
Premier League star to fall victim to thieves. Neill was at home when
intruders entered his house and took items including his car keys before
stealing the car, which was later recovered by police, News Limited
reported. Neill has only just signed for Premier League club Everton after
leaving West Ham in the off-season after his contract with the Hammers
expired. The Australian captain is the latest English-based star to suffer
such a crime, with Socceroos team-mate Vince Grella one of the 30 reported
victims after thieves stole cash and jewellery before taking off his BMW.
Other players to have endured a home invasion this year include Liverpool
stars Steven Gerrard, Dirk Kuyt and Pepe Reina, Manchester City striker
Roque Santa Cruz, Manchester United star Darren Fletcher and Aston Villa's
Emile Heskey. Most of the thefts have occurred in the north-west region of
England in the Liverpool and Manchester area, although a dozen have also
happened in London and Essex.

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