Monday, February 28

Daily WHUFC News - 28th February 2011

Avram hails his Hammers
WHUFC.com
The manager was delighted at the way his players rose to the challenge at a packed Boleyn
27.02.2011

Avram Grant was full of praise after his side recorded a tremendous 3-1 victory against Liverpool on Sunday. The manager was elated after Scott Parker, Demba Ba and Carlton Cole struck at a packed Boleyn Ground - with "three great finishes" - to move the club to within a goal of moving out of the Barclays Premier League drop zone. The performance was all the more striking given the Reds' recent resurgence. However, Grant was keen to stress first of all that his thoughts were with the Chairman David Gold, who was unable to attend the match. He is being treated in hospital for a stomach condition - cholangitis - as well as septicaemia, and missed his first match at Upton Park since 'coming home' to the club in January 2010. The manager said: "First, I want you to know that our chairman is not feeling so well. I wish him all the best and hope he gets well soon. He's a good guy, and I'm sure he enjoyed the game today. "He's such a positive and nice guy. I know that he saw the game and I've a feeling that he liked it. The game was good, we played well, scored three and could have scored more. I'm happy."

The manager said a stronger squad was beginning to pay dividends, while he also had words of praise for the likes of Matthew Upson and Scott Parker in showing great determination to play. "Now there's more competition for places, and it's easier for us. [Before now] we missed Hitzlsperger. He was my first signing and, with all the power and intensity of football these days, our midfield is more complete with him in the side. Injuries are part of the game, but four days before the season started...it's amazing."

On Parker's pledge to play despite suffering with a shoulder problem from training on Saturday, the manager was full of superlatives. "We thought he couldn't play. But Scott is a special guy. The spirit he showed was great. "Three hours before the game, we thought there was no way he would play. He did it five minutes before the end of training. But we didn't want to lose him. One of the things that happened with this team, despite the problems we've had, is that the spirit has been high. "Scott is the best example of this. It was a bad, bad injury. He couldn't walk or move his arms. The medical department were sure he couldn't play, but they did a good job and gave him 24 hours of treatment. "I prepared the game without him. He needed more than an injection, but the medical department did brilliantly with him. He's the type of player I like: he always gives 100%, is always positive."

With Stoke City visiting the Boleyn on Saturday, the manager is eager for back-to-back league wins to really underline his team's survival hopes. "This result shows the players what quality we have. We have that quality. We're not a team that should be down the bottom. "Circumstances cause us to be there, but look at our football. We played football as if we weren't at the bottom. The players see that, when we do the right things, we're not easy to beat. "We are coming now to the last ten games of the season. I don't remember a situation where the team who are bottom could still end up tenth. It's so tight. It's important that we win games to take us forward. It's not easy sometimes, but that's what we need to do."

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Chairman wished well
WHUFC.com
Everyone at West Ham United has sent 'get well soon' messages to co-owner David Gold
27.02.2011

Scott Parker and Avram Grant both sent personal messages to the Chairman David Gold on Sunday after it was revealed he was in hospital being treated for cholangitis and septicaemia. Parker and Grant took time to send their best wishes when talking to the media after the 3-1 win against Liverpool. The Board and all at the club have also sent their very best wishes to the Chairman, who was first taken ill on Wednesday evening. Speaking earlier on Sunday, his daughter Jacqueline Gold said: "I saw my dad this morning and he is very poorly with cholangitis and septicaemia. He is on powerful antibiotics and we hope to see an improvement in the next few days. "He asked me to be at the Liverpool game today on his behalf and is absolutely devastated he could not be there himself." She added that he had wished the team and the manager well before the game. Opening goalscorer and man of the match, Parker said: "We heard just before kick-off that the Chairman's not too well. So obviously our thoughts are with him. Hopefully, that result's made it a little bit better for him."

The manager added: "I want to wish David Gold well, he is a great guy. We missed him, especially me because I always speak to him before the game when he comes to my office. This win is for him. He comes every Friday to the training ground. He is always positive, always smiling. We missed him today."

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West Ham 3 - 1 Liverpool
BBC.co.uk
By Mandeep Sanghera

Scott Parker inspired West Ham to a win over Liverpool at Upton Park that lifted the east London side off the bottom of the Premier League table. Parker produced a lovely dinked effort into the far bottom corner after 22 minutes to give the Hammers the lead. Demba Ba's guided header into the top corner then left the Reds reeling. Liverpool's late rally resulted in Glen Johnson tapping in after 84 minutes but Carlton Cole drove in a shot to secure a valuable win for the home side. In their last league outing, Parker's half-time words had helped rouse the Hammers to fight back from 3-0 to draw 3-3 at West Brom and the central midfielder was again the driving force for his side. Playing through the pain of a shoulder injury, he led from the front and his team-mates followed his example to produce a performance of grit and guile for only their sixth league win of the season.

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish was left shaking his head from the touchline at times and, despite his side's goal, they raised their game too late as any lingering hopes the Anfield outfit had of launching an assault on a top-four spot lay in tatters. The Hammers went into the game having again dropped to the bottom of the table after Wolves beat Blackpool 4-0 on Saturday, and there may have been a degree of trepidation as they faced opponents who were unbeaten in their eight previous games in all competitions. But, despite having the worst home record in the top-flight so far this season, West Ham upped their game after a slow start to help raise the volume inside the ground by showing the type of qualities they will need to beat the drop. There was character and composure as they neatly passed the ball about, while smothering any threat the Merseysiders tried to conjure up, with the dynamism of central midfield duo Parker and Thomas Hitzlsperger unsettling the visitors. German Hitzlsperger, nicknamed "Der Hammer", is renowned for his powerful left-foot strikes and he twice produced well-struck long-range efforts which might have tested Reds goalkeeper Pepe Reina more had they not been straight at him. Parker is known for his combative style but showed he also has a delicate touch to his game after playing a one-two with Hitzlsperger and finishing with finesse as he put a strike out of the reach of Reina's despairing dive. Dirk Kuyt sent a powerful strike into the side-netting and Luis Suarez had a dubious shout for a penalty after a James Tomkins tackle as Liverpool responded, although the 3-5-2 formation which has helped improve their form under Dalglish was having little impact.

And, after former Upton Park favourite Joe Cole came on for the visitors when wing-back Martin Kelly was forced off with a hamstring injury, the Hammers extended their lead. Ba beat Danny Wilson, making his Liverpool debut in the Premier League, to a long goal-kick and, after glancing the ball to Gary O'Neil, ran into the area to head home his team-mate's clipped cross on the stroke of half-time. The home side's keeper Robert Green was a virtual spectator until the hour mark. A Steven Gerrard ball around the corner released the previously anonymous Reds striker Suarez and his shot across goal was brilliantly palmed wide by Green. A 3-0 win would have taken West Ham above Wolves and out of the bottom three, and Frederic Piquionne should have put that within reach but glanced a Mark Noble corner wide. The miss might have proved crucial after Suarez produced some skilful play before firing a low cross from which Johnson tapped in to set up an anxious finale for the home side. But substitute Cole shrugged off Martin Skrtel in injury time and raced through to drive in a left-foot shot which beat Reina at his near post and eased the nerves of Hammers fans.

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West Ham's Avram Grant impressed by Scott Parker spirit
BBC.co.uk

West Ham boss Avram Grant hailed Scott Parker after the midfielder defied injury to help the Hammers beat Liverpool 3-1 at Upton Park. Parker injured his shoulder in training on Saturday and Grant did not expect him to play against the Reds. "Scott is a special guy," said Grant. "The spirit he showed was great. "Three hours before the game, we thought there was no way he would play. It was a bad, bad injury. He couldn't walk or move his arms." He added: "The medical department were sure he couldn't play, but they did a good job and gave him 24 hours of treatment. "He needed more than an injection, but the medical department did brilliantly with him."

Goals from Parker and Demba Ba put West Ham ahead against Liverpool and, despite Glen Johnson pulling one back for the visitors, Carlton Cole struck a third to confirm victory for the Hammers. "He's [Parker] the type of player I like - he always gives 100%, is always positive," said Grant. "I like some of the things from old-fashioned play. That's what they did in the olden days. They gave everything."

The victory moved West Ham off the foot of the Premier League table but they are still third from bottom and in the drop zone. However, the win will have been welcomed by 74-year-old West Ham co-owner David Gold, who is unwell and was in hospital on Sunday being treated for cholangitis and septicaemia. "I want to wish him all the best and to get well," said Grant. "He's a good guy, and I'm sure he enjoyed the game. "The game was good, we played well, scored three and could have scored more. I'm happy. "This result shows the players what quality we have. We're not a team that should be down the bottom. Circumstances cause us to be there, but look at our football." He added: "We are coming now to the last 10 games of the season. "I don't remember a situation where the team who are bottom could still end up 10th. It's so tight."

The defeat ended Liverpool's unbeaten run of eight games and boss Kenny Dalglish also suffered the blow of Martin Kelly and Raul Meireles having to go off injured during the game. "We never passed it as well as we can or took the opportunities that came our way," said Dalglish. "The last 20 or 25 minutes, we started to play a wee bit like we can. We got the goal near the end and we thought we might steal a point. "There were a couple of shouts for a penalty, things that are outside our control that you can't manage, but we'll try to correct the mistakes we made."

Kelly pulled up with a hamstring injury and Meireles took a knock to the knee but Dalglish refused to rule either player out of the club's next league game against Manchester United at Anfield on 6 March. "Martin's more serious," said Dalglish. "Raul we don't know. But I wouldn't take it as a given that Martin's out yet."

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Grant on... Liverpool
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 27th February 2011
By: Staff Writer

Avram Grant was naturally happy following a most impressive performance - and reveals just how close the sponsor's Man of the Match, Scott Parker, came to missing the game...

Avram: superb today?

Yes. But first I want to [say] our Chairman, David Gold, is not feeling so well so we want to wish him all the best, to feel well. He's a good guy and I'm sure that he enjoyed the game today.

The game was good, we played well and scored three goals - and could even have scored more. I'm happy.

A great finish by Parker for the first goal?

Oh, it was. All the three goals were good finishing - by Parker, a great finish by Demba and Coley scored a fantastic goal. I think that now there's more competition [for places] it's easier for us.

Hitzlsperger has made an immediate impact on the team this week?

Yes, we've missed him, he was my first signing here. I believe that football today - with all the power, the energy and the intensity - needs intelligent players. You see with him our midfield is more complete - we are passing the ball more quickly and it's good to see him back.

Also the other signing [Ba] did well and it's good. Injuries are part of the game but this season has been amazing. All these before the start of the season, Hitzlsperger, others. A few of them are coming back and it's better for us.

How close did Scott [Parker] come to not playing today?

Very close. Last night we thought that he couldn't play, we didn't know whether to give him treatment or not. But Scott is a special guy, he showed great spirit. I can tell you today that even three hours before the game we thought he couldn't, there was no way that he could play.

Did he do it in trianing?

It was in training, five minutes before the end of training. To be fair we're used to it this season but we didn't want to lose him.

What does this say...

[press conference interrupted by match referee Mark Halsey who greets Avram Grant warmly before wishing him well for the rest of the season. Grant insists Liverpool's goal was offside, Halsey's reply we cannot possibly publish but it's LOLs all round the press room]

Avram, what does it say about his character that he'd carry on with an injury like that, that he still wanted to play?

One of the things I'm very happy with in this team is that despite the problems that we've had the spirit has been very high - and Scotty is the best example of this. You didn't see training yesterday, it was a bad, bad injury. He couldn't walk, he couldn't move his arm, his shoulder.

The medical department said that he couldn't play - but I must also say that the medical department did a good job, they've treated him for 24 hours since then and he played today. It's amazing. I'd prepared a team without him.

How did he suffer it, in training?

He made a turn and our pitch is not so good so he slipped and turned his shoulder.

Did he need some sort of injection to play?

Yes. He needed more than an injection - as I said, the medical department did a great job with him but he is the person who decided to play.

You've been in the game a long time; have you ever known a player like Scott?

I don't like to compare but he's the type of player that I like. Always gives 100 per cent, always positive. We live in the modern world and we see a lot of modern things but I like the old-fashioned player who gave everything. It doesn't matter how much money they earn, it doesn't matter of the girlfriend was good for them or not - or something like this!

Today it's a different life - my son is like this and he's a great guy - but the old-fashioned traditional players gave everything because they like the game like it is. A game of passion. I've been his manager for less than a year but I like him very much, he's the type of player that I wish I could have at any place that I will go [to]. But I don't intend to go yet!

When it went 2-1 most managers would have brought on a midfielder or a defender to close up shop. Was that a stroke of genius on your part to bring on Carlton Cole?

No, [but] you need to win games sometimes. I didn't think that he could score but I thought he could keep the ball for us because there were a few minutes left. I thought that he could do the job that we needed him to do but we benefitted because he scored the goal.

But I don't think you can say 'the team is leading, we can make a defensive substitution' - we need to win the game. Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

You're coming in to a difficult sequence of games now; what does this result do?

I think it showed the quality of the players. We have the quality, I keep saying this. We are not a team for the bottom, circumstances cause us to be there. But despite all of this we've kept [playing] our football. We were bottom of the league before the game and we played football like we're not. So the players see when we're doing the right things we're not an easy team to beat.

How important is it to beat Stoke then? If you beat them you can drag them into that relegation scrap.

We are coming now to the last ten games of the season. I've followed, for more than forty years the Premier League and before it was the Premier League. I don't remember a situation where ten games before the end of the season a team that is bottom of the league could finish in tenth place. So I think for you it's good, for us it's different!

Every win can take you forward, you saw Wolves yesterday - they won and they're out of the relegation [zone]. It's very, very important now to win games because it can take us forward which sometimes is not easy - but that's what we need to do.

How serious is the Chairman's condition?

[press officer interjects] We put out a statement today. That's something I can update on tomorrow.

Just such a positive and nice guy, I hope he will feel good [soon]. I'm sure.

Did he see the game? Does he know the score?

I know that he saw the game, he told me that he saw the game. I have a feeling that he liked it!

Without trying to take anything away from your victory today...

You can try... [laughs]

...you've not managed to win two games in a row, back-to-back. Clearly at this stage of the season draws are no good to you; do you think you can go on a run and win two or three games in a row?

We want to do it, we wanted to do it before. We had a few games that we won, we started against Tottenham and the others but always the game after we didn't pick [up] a result. Even if we'd played well, the game after.

I think now, because we have more competition and we have more players that can play it's [better]. I think we can do it and that's what we want to do, but the next game is against Stoke and everybody knows that they are a difficult team. But this is our target.

Demba Ba - three goals now in two league games; you can't ask for more than that, can you?

No. He and HItzlsperger are players that I've followed for a long time. We were lucky to take these two players; the others are on loans and other things but these players belong to us. He's a good player. I can also say about Thomas and Demba that they can play better, but they are good players, of course. I t was a fantastic goal and I think every game both of them will get better.

Do you feel now - also with Robbie Keane away - that you've got a real selection dilemma when he gets fit? Do you know what your best side is?

I think today, footballers cannot stick in one system; I don't think it's good. The style of the team needs to be style. Our style? Everybody knows we're not playing long balls, we're trying to pass the ball, we're trying to build from the midfield again and we change the system sometimes, sometimes the players.

But Robbie Keane is a very good player. Even though he's played for such a short while he did very well because he's an intelligent player and we need these kind of players. Also Obinna didn't play today and other players that are good for us. So when you win without them, competition becomes bigger and I believe that competition can take you forward.

Sometimes there are players that it's not good for - but for me, they are not very professional.

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Grant dedicates win to Gold
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 27th February 2011
By: Staff Writer

Avram Grant has dedicated today's 3-1 over Liverpool to West Ham co-chairman David Gold. The 74-year-old was taken to hospital on Wednesday after being diagnosed with Septicemia (blood poisoning), KUMB.com can reveal. Although Gold remains hospitalised he still managed to watch United's impressive 3-1 win which came courtesy of goals from Scott Parker, Demba Ba and Carlton Cole. "Our Chairman David Gold is not so well," Grant told the post-match press conference. "So I want to wish him all the best. He's a good guy and I'm sure he enjoyed the game today."

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Gold hospitalised with illnesses
Hammers co-owner hit with double illness
Last updated: 27th February 2011
SSN

West Ham has confirmed co-owner David Gold is being treated for cholangitis and septicaemia. The 74-year-old fell ill on Wednesday and his illness meant that he was absent from seeing his team beat Liverpool 3-1 on Sunday. His daughter, Jacqueline, went to the game in his place after he requested her to attend his behalf.

Poorly

"I saw my dad this morning and he is very poorly with cholangitis (inflammation of the bile duct) and septicaemia," she said. "He is on powerful antibiotics and we hope to see an improvement in the next few days. "He asked me to be at the Liverpool game today on his behalf and is absolutely devastated he could not be there himself."

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Parker inspires happy Hammers
Only goal difference keeps Grant's men in the drop zone
Last updated: 27th February 2011
SSN

Man of the match: Scott Parker gave everything for West Ham and his opening goal was a superbly improvised finish. Thomas Hitzlsperger and Mark Noble were also excellent.

Goal of the match: Parker's opener in the 22nd minute was a brilliantly deft finish after a give-and-go with Hitzlsperger.

Save of the match: If Rob Green had not prevented Luis Suarez's effort from flashing in at the far post in the second half, West Ham's nerves might have come in to play.

Talking point: Can West Ham escape relegation? Are Liverpool's UEFA Champions League hopes well and truly over?

A typically heroic display from Scott Parker gave West Ham hope of escaping Premier League relegation after a deserved 3-1 victory over Liverpool. The England midfielder opened the scoring in the first half at Upton Park and also produced a non-stop performance to inspire his team to the three points which mean it is only goal difference keeping Avram Grant's side in the drop zone. Demba Ba added West Ham's second goal before half-time and substitute Carlton Colenetted a third in injury time before the final whistle, after Glen Johnson had offered Liverpool some hope. Kenny Dalglish's team were poor as they lost their first match since mid-January and their Sunday afternoon was made worse by injuries to Martin Kelly and Raul Meireles.
The defeat left Liverpool eight points behind fourth-placed Tottenham having played a game more, while Grant was able to celebrate a result that moved the Hammers level on points with fourth-from-bottom Wolves. West Ham certainly did not lack for confidence in the opening moments, the excellent Thomas Hitzlsperger - making his Premier League debut for the club - unleashing an outrageous 40-yard volley that flew into the arms of Jose Reina.

A minute later, Meireles looped a header wide from the fit-again Steven Gerrard's pinpoint 50-yard ball before Martin Skrtel was booked for tripping Frederic Piquionne in full flight. Meireles also fired straight at Robert Green, Gary O'Neil's shot hit a Liverpool defender and Johnson saw a header from a corner blocked before the game settled down.

Rocket

A Hitzlsperger rocket was again too close to Reina before Parker showed the kind of precision his team-mate had been lacking to give West Ham a 22nd minute lead. He and Hitzlsperger played a neat one-two on the edge of the box and Parker floated a delightful finish right into the far corner with the outside of his foot. Dirk Kuyt hit the side netting from 20 yards following a lightning Liverpool break when team-mates were arguably better placed. The recalled Piquionne then sent a wicked ball across the six-yard box, which just evaded Ba. Liverpool struggled to respond, Luis Suarez repeatedly coming off second best in his personal battle with the impressive James Tomkins. Right-back Kelly's low drive was too close to Green as the interval approached, while Mark Noble, who dovetailed brilliantly with Parker and Hitzlsperger in a midfield trio, curled a free-kick wide at the other end. Liverpool suffered another blow when Kelly pulled a hamstring and was replaced by Joe Cole, Dalglish switching his formation from 5-3-2 to 4-4-2 shortly before half-time.
That was not the end of their woes, with the unmarked Ba powering home a header on the stroke of half-time from O'Neil's cross. Liverpool began the second half on top, but nevertheless made a quick change when David Ngog came on for Meireles, who reportedly had a knee problem which was sustained in a challenge with Parker in the first half.

Howler
With Wolves having won 4-0 on Saturday, West Ham needed another goal to climb out of the drop zone and Ba almost provided it when he drilled inches wide from 25 yards. Tomkins, Piquionne and Ba were all close to connecting with a corner as the home side hit back. But they had Green to thank for preserving their two-goal lead when Suarez finally beat Tomkins with a quick turn and unleashed a rising drive which the goalkeeper tipped behind.
Piquionne missed a glorious chance to kill the game when he glanced Noble's corner wide midway through the half, but West Ham's commitment was summed up when Parker threw himself in front of a goalbound Gerrard shot. Gerrard was making his presence felt and Green tipped a dipping volley over the bar from the England star. Reina had to be equally alert to beat Ba to the ball from a Hammers break, but he almost produced an absolute howler when he spilt Piquionne's shot goalwards before recovering. Grant withdrew Piquionne for Jonathan Spector after Joe Cole had mishit a volley for the visitors. The Reds' pressure paid off six minutes from time when Suarez crossed for Johnson to tap into an unguarded net.

West Ham ran down the clock by bringing on Carlton Cole for Ba - although time-wasting was the last thing on the substitute's mind as he left Skrtel in a heap and drilled home at Reina's near post in stoppage-time. There was still time for Suarez to test Green again but the points had already been lost.

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Grant - Parker is a special guy
Midfielder hailed for heroics against Liverpool
Last updated: 27th February 2011
SSN

West Ham manager Avram Grant described Scott Parker as a 'special guy' after he produced another superstar performance to defeat Liverpool, despite being unable to walk before kick-off. Grant had been resigned to being without the relegation-threatened Hammers' talismanic midfielder for Sunday afternoon's 3-1 win after the England international fell on his shoulder five minutes before the end of Friday's training. But intense treatment from the club's medical staff, including a pain-killing injection, allowed Parker to take to the field at Upton Park. The intervention paid off as 30-year-old Parker opened the scoring with a brilliant goal to set West Ham on their way to a crucial victory. Grant said: "Scott is a special guy. The spirit he showed was great. Three hours before the game, we thought there was no way he would play. "It was a bad, bad injury. He couldn't walk or move his arms. "The medical department were sure he couldn't play, but they did a good job and gave him 24 hours of treatment. "He needed more than an injection, but the medical department did brilliantly with him.

Old-fashioned play

"He's the type of player I like. He always gives 100 per cent, is always positive. "I like some of the things from old-fashioned play. That's what they did in the olden days. They gave everything." West Ham co-owner David Gold is also unwell and was in hospital on Sunday being treated for cholangitis and septicaemia. "Hopefully, that result's made it a little bit better for him," said Parker. Grant added: "I want to wish him all the best and to get well. He's a good guy, and I'm sure he enjoyed the game today. "The game was good, we played well, scored three and could have scored more. I'm happy. "This result shows the players what quality we have. We're not a team that should be down the bottom. Circumstances cause us to be there, but look at our football." The result lifted the Hammers level on points with fourth-from-bottom Wolves. Grant added: "We are coming now to the last 10 games of the season." "I don't remember a situation where the team who are bottom could still end up 10th. It's so tight."

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Parker revels in victory
West Ham hero now wants to build on success over Liverpool
Last updated: 27th February 2011
SSN

Scott Parker believes that the victory over Liverpool is among West Ham's best performances of the season. Despite requiring a pain-killing injection to overcome a shoulder injury and play, the England international was an architect in the 3-1 win at Upton Park as he opened the scoring and produced a sensational man of the match performance. Avram Grant's West Ham climbed off the foot of the Premier League as a result of the three points and are now only in the drop zone due to goal difference. Parker was delighted with the display and thinks that what was only a fourth home league win was among the best of the current campaign. "I think you can definitely put it up there," the midfielder told Sky Sports when asked if the win rated as the leading performance of the season. Parker, who combined brilliantly in midfield with Thomas Hitzlsperger and Mark Noble throughout the match, put West Ham in front in the 22nd minute before Demba Ba added a second on the stroke of half-time.

Anxious

Glen Johnson looked to have set up a nervy finish when he gave Liverpool hope in the 84th minute, but Grant's substitute, Carlton Cole, made sure of the points in injury time. Asked whether West Ham would have been anxious if told Liverpool would make it 2-1, Parker said: "Definitely. "I think that is a massive positive for us because our season has gone a little bit like that. "We let in a goal and, obviously the position we are in the league, it gets a bit tense. "But we have held out today and that is a massive three points for us and we need to push on."

Next on the agenda for West Ham in the league is another home match against Stoke and Parker is aware of the need to build on the victory over Kenny Dalglish's Liverpool. "There is no doubting we have been playing some nice stuff and we believe we shouldn't be where we are," he said. "But the (league) position doesn't lie and we haven't performed at times and, it is the last bit of the season now, we need to dig in, push on and get ourselves out of the mess we have put ourselves in."

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West Ham 3 Liverpool 1
The Sun
By MARK IRWIN
Published: 27 Feb 2011

IT'S not easy to make Avram Grant look like one of the Chuckle Brothers - but Kenny Dalglish managed it yesterday. The Liverpool manager was a picture of pure misery as the stark reality of his new job finally hit home. Exactly 50 days since his return to the Reds, Dalglish finally understands just how far his beloved club have fallen. For this was just the sort of performance which had the Liverpool supporters calling for Roy Hodgson's head not so long ago.
Disorganised at the back, lacking inspiration in midfield and toothless up front, the visitors were comprehensively dismantled by a West Ham team who started the day bottom of the Premier League. It was only three weeks ago that an impressive win at Chelsea sparked dreams of a late challenge for Champions League qualification. But since then Liverpool have been held at home by Wigan, scraped past Sparta Prague by a single goal over two legs and now lost heavily to West Ham.

And, on the evidence of this game, a more realistic target for Dalglish would be to just hang on to their Europa League place. For with the obvious exception of record £35million signing Andy Carroll, this was just about the strongest side Dalglish could put out. Yet even the return of skipper Steven Gerrard from injury failed to galvanise a team who look to have used up the adrenalin burst provided by Dalglish's return. Gerrard was swallowed up by midfield terriers Scott Parker and Mark Noble as West Ham took the fight to Liverpool from the off. But it was Thomas Hitzlsperger who controlled the midfield with his calm assurance on the ball and willingness to shoot on sight. This was the German international's 100th Premier League appearance... almost six years since his last one for Aston Villa.

Sidelined by a thigh injury ever since his summer signing from Lazio, Hitzlsperger's long-awaited return to action could yet prove the turning point in West Ham's long and arduous fight for survival. It was his clever return ball which teed-up Parker to stab a clever shot beyond Pepe Reina for his team's opener midway through the first half. And once they had their noses in front, West Ham rarely looked like surrendering the lead to their strangely subdued opponents. Dalglish's 3-5-2 formation had been far from convincing even before wing-back Martin Kelly limped off with a pulled hamstring just before the break. Seconds later, with Liverpool still reorganising at the back, Gary O'Neil's cross from the right was met by a magnificent flying header from Demba Ba. The Senegalese striker has now scored three times in three games since his £6m transfer-deadline signing from Hoffenheim. He could prove to be one of the buys of the year if he keeps his new club up against all the odds. Liverpool, inevitably, improved after the break. It would have been tough for them to be much worse.

Gerrard came to life as Hitzlsperger ran out of steam while £23m Luis Suarez gave up trying to win cheap free-kicks and finally started doing the job he was signed for. The Uruguayan gave Liverpool a glimmer of hope when he turned sharply in the box to tee-up West Ham old boy Glen Johnson from close range in the 84th minute. That should have been the start of an anxious final few minutes for a West Ham team who have thrown away more points than they care to remember this season. But there was to be no late collapse this time as sub Carlton Cole muscled Martin Skrtel off the ball before smashing a powerful shot inside Reina's near post.

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Demba is the best Ba none
The Sun
By ANDREW DILLON
Published: Today

WEST HAM'S new hotshot reckons he can raise the Ba even further. Demba Ba scored his third goal in as many starts for his new club to give the Hammers a huge boost in their relegation fight. The Senegalese striker headed home the second goal as Liverpool were stunned 3-1 at Upton Park and roared: "I can get even better. "I train hard and try to get the best out of Turn to myself. That's why I came here to West Ham." Ba, who joined the Hammers from Hoffenheim last month, said: "We are very happy. Liverpool are not a team that give away points and we had a good game. "If you look at the league table it says three points but for the confidence it is a very good win. "All the games are very important, like the Liverpool game. "So we are going to focus on the next training session and the Stoke match on Saturday and work hard to get three points next week. I haven't been here the whole season but from what I've seen we're playing well." Delighted Hammers boss Avram Grant hailed his battlers as they brought a rejuvenated Liverpool side crashing down to earth. He said: "All three goals were great finishes. Now there's more competition for places. "The game was good, we played well, scored three and could have scored more. I'm happy." Scott Parker, who gave West Ham the lead, said: "We stayed strong and it's a massive relief we got the three points."

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Scott's the daddy for Hammers
The Sun
By ANDREW DILLON
Published: Today

SCOTT PARKER dedicated his West Ham wonder goal to his poorly dad. The Hammers midfielder's father Mick is recovering from major surgery. But he was still at Upton Park to see his son set up a thumping win over Liverpool with a blistering 22nd-minute strike. Man of the Match Parker also shrugged off his own injury problems by having a painkilling injection in a shoulder three hours before kick-off so he could play. The England star said: "My dad has not been well for a while. "I don't want to make a big thing out of it. My goal celebration was obviously partly to do with that but it was a good victory. "It was our best performance of the season. We came out and dominated the first half. "It got a bit jittery when they got a goal back but Carlton came on and earned us the victory. I had a bit of treatment on my shoulder. It's nothing really. Anyone else would have done the same. "We need to push on now. Every one of us believes we shouldn't be where we are in the league."

West Ham are still in the bottom three but just one goal from safety behind Wolves. Patched-up Parker struck a curling shot with the outside of his foot to put West Ham ahead before Demba Ba and Carlton Cole finished the job. Hammers old boy Glen Johnson set up a frantic finish with a goal seven minutes from time but Avram Grant's strugglers held on. Parker added: "I came inside as that was my only real angle to shoot and it's gone in. I was buzzing. We have given ourselves a chance of staying up."

The result would also have been a tonic for West Ham co-owner David Gold, currently in hospital suffering blood poisoning from a gall bladder condition.
Hammers chief Avram Grant said: "Scott is a special guy. "The spirit he showed was great. Three hours before the game, we thought there was no way he would play. "He couldn't walk or move his arms."

Liverpool's run of eight games without defeat came to a juddering halt and still they wait for new £35million striker Andy Carroll to make his debut because of a thigh injury. Boss Kenny Dalgish admitted: "We're disappointed with the way we played. I don't know if it was an aftermath of playing in Europe on Thursday night but we didn't seem as good as we have been. "We're analysing Andy every day. As soon as he is OK, he'll be involved."

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West Ham 3-1 Liverpool: Daily Mirror match report
Published 23:00 27/02/11 By Mike Walters
The Mirror

Kenny Dalglish turns 60 on Friday - but he must feel 90 after Liverpool's flashback to the Woy they were. As West Ham climbed out of Boot Hill and into the Premier League foothills with a vibrant performance, Liverpool returned to the slovenly plodding which earned poor old 'Woy' Hodgson the sack. And if Dalglish, who joins Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, Harry Redknapp, Gerard Houllier and Hodgson in the Darby and Joan club, thought his eight-match unbeaten run was too good to last, he was right. Help the aged? At Upton Park, Liverpool - so revitalised since King Kenny's second coming in the dugout - were more pedestrian and ponderous than your granny crossing the road. Age concern? Even approaching his three-score, Dalglish still looks as fresh-faced as the genius who migrated south from Celtic 34 years ago, but here was a performance to make him reach for the blue-rinse and bingo card.

The Hammers we can deal with in short measure. If they can play with such verve and mobility, they have been stringing us along all season. And if they go down now, it will be a monumental feat of swinging the lead, managerial incompetence or short-changing the fans. Goals from Scott Parker, Demba Ba and substitute Carlton Cole did not flatter them in the slightest. One more would have lifted them above the dotted line, but for co-chairman David Gold - seriously ill in hospital with septicaemia - the result helped the medicine slip down easier on matron's evening rounds. But Liverpool deserve more critical scrutiny because Dalglish's hand is still short of trump cards. We shall only be able to measure their true firepower when £35 million Andy Carroll - who could yet make his debut against Manchester United next Sunday at Anfield - is unleashed. Sadly for the travelling missionaries from Merseyside, the swishing ponytail warming up along the touchline yesterday only belonged to Sotirios Kyrgiakos, a Greek defender of no fixed popularity. Asked if this knees-up Mother Brown in the east end was a reality check, Dalglish shrugged: "I don't know what you would call it, but it's much more enjoyable when you are sitting here after you've won. "It's been fantastic up to now, but there was always going to be some time when we lost - and unfortunately it was today. "The boys have fully deserved the run they have had, but if they are honest with themselves they will admit they got what they deserved here - which was nothing."

In truth, Dalglish was not blameless. He revisited the system which confounded Chelsea three weeks earlier on the Kop's last excursion to the capital, stringing three centre-halves across the back, but formations don't win football matches - it's the players. Even when the noise is enough to make your false teeth chatter, they won't beat United if it takes them 70 minutes work up a head of steam. This was not quite as impoverished as the barren scuffling of a £50m show pony going through the motions under Hodgson. And losing full-back Martin Kelly (hamstring) and midfielder Raul Meireles (knee) inside the first 50 minutes did not help. But West Ham had already been the more threatening side when Parker exchanged passes with the exemplary Thomas Hitzlsperger and beat Pepe Reina from 20 yards with the outside of his right boot. Parker's shot carried negligible power, and barely crept inside Reina's right-hand post, so it hardly warranted Hammers MC Jeremy Nicholas announcing it as "goal of the season."

Nothing wrong with it, though - and Wet Ham's second, on the stroke of half-time, wasn't the shabbiest, either. Liverpool were still trying to reorganise, after Kelly's departure, when Ba met Gary O'Neil's right-wing cross with a flying header at the near post. Even when Dalglish's men finally stirred from their torpor, Robert Green made excellent saves to deny Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard. And although the kittens were running amok in the cat litter when Glen Johnson turned a Suarez cross home from point-blank range with six minutes left, West Ham refused doggedly to comply with the bottlers' script. In stoppage time, Cole brushed off Martin Skrtel's feeble challenge and beat Reina at his near post to end all arguments, leaving Dalglish to contemplate imminent free bus passes and discounted heating bills. Will they still meet him, will they still greet him, when he's 64? Of course they will - because he's still the King.

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Goal hero Parker couldn't walk THREE hours before Liverpool game
Published 23:00 27/02/11 By Darren Lewis
The Mirror

Selfless Scott Parker dedicated his West Ham goal wonder-goal to his poorly dad. The midfielder's father Mick is recovering from major surgery and was Upton Park yesterday to see his son spark the win that ended Liverpool's eight-match unbeaten run. Parker said later: "My dad's not been well for a while. The celebration was obviously partly to do with that but it was a good victory." Parker, who kissed a TV camera, was himself hailed as a hero by boss Avram Grant after playing through an horrific shoulder injury to help West Ham win. Strikes from Demba Ba and sub Carlton Cole sealed the win that lifted the club off the bottom. But Grant said afterwards: "Scott was very close to not playing. Very close. It was a bad, bad injury. He couldn't walk or move his arms. "Three hours before the game, we thought there was no way he would play. But Scott is a special guy. The spirit he showed was great. "He did it five minutes before the end of training yesterday. "But one of the things that happened with this team, despite the problems we've had, is that the spirit has been high. Scott is the best example of this. "The medical department were sure he couldn't play, but they did a good job and gave him 24 hours of treatment. "I prepared the game without him. He'd turned and slipped - our training pitch is not so good - but fell over. "He needed more than an injection, but the medical department did brilliantly with him. He's the type of player I like. He always gives 100%, is always positive. "I like some of the things from the old fashioned players. It doesn't matter how much they earn, or whether the girlfriend is good for him or not. They gave everything. I'm Scott's manager for under a year, but I like him very much."

Grant also sent his best wishes to joint-chairman David Gold, who saw the game in hospital with septicaemia and an inflammation of the bile duct. The Israeli said: "I want to wish him all the best and to get well. He's a good guy, and I'm sure he enjoyed the game today. The game was good, we played well, scored three and could have scored more. I'm happy." Hammers old boy Glen Johnson grabbed a consolation for Liverpool who suffered their first defeat in eight league and cup matches. Reds boss Kenny Dalglish also suffered a further blow with midfielder Raul Meireles and right-back Martin Kelly both limping off injured. Dalglish said later: ""Kelly's a hamstring, and Raul took a kick on his knee. Martin's more serious. "We're disappointed with the way we played. There was nothing that West Ham did that surprised us. They're fighting for survival at the wrong end of the table, but they got a lot of belief after they scored. "We never passed it as well as we can, or took the opportunities that came our way."

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Hammers co-owner 'very poorly' in hospital
Published 14:35 27/02/11 By MirrorFootball
The Mirror

West Ham co-owner David Gold was "very poorly" in hospital on Sunday, with the 74-year-old being treated for cholangitis and septicaemia. Gold missed the Hammers' game against Liverpool and daughter Jacqueline, said: He is very poorly. "He is on powerful antibiotics and we hope to see an improvement in the next few days. "He asked me to be at the Liverpool game today on his behalf and is absolutely devastated he could not be there himself." Both conditions cause potentially serious inflammation, with cholangitis attacking the bile duct.

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Vinny's Liverpool Report
Vinny 27 Feb 2011
West Ham Online

West Ham United 3 Liverpool 1

Three fantastic finishes gave West Ham a vital three points against Liverpool in a thoroughly entertaining encounter at Upton Park. With the weekends results not exactly going our way it was imperative that we picked up a win. It was a good win too with some good football being played and every player putting in a shift to be proud of. We have bemoaned the lack fight from our team over the last few months but judging on this display there is a hunger and quality within the side to get ourselves out of trouble. This was an entertaining game which stirred up many emotions throughout the 90 minutes but getting the three points was the most important thing and that we did in some style.

It was never an easy game although we looked comfortable for large periods, especially in the first half where Liverpool offered very little. We still needed to work hard and spurred on by the incredible Scott Parker assisted by some top defending by the centre halves and great finishing from the forwards we put in an all round top performance which is arguably our best League display of the season.

When Liverpool managed to get a goal back with a few minutes of added time to go there was a lot of anxious faces around the ground and I was certainly concerned that we were going to throw it all away and leave the ground in another depressive state but the huge relief when Carlton Cole scored the third goal sent every West Ham supporter crazy.

There were some great scenes at the end and it was great to see a happy Upton Park with fans leaving in a good mood for a change given the amount of sh*t we have had to put up with this season.

So to the team and there were a few changes to the side who destroyed Burnley 5-1 last Monday night in the FA Cup Fifth Round. In defence Matthew Upson returned despite apparently being ruled out by the newspapers for the rest of the season. He came into the side replacing Winston Reid. In midfield Freddie Sears was unlucky not to even be on the bench as he was replaced by Gary O'Neil. Summer signing Thomas Hitzlsperger made his league debut starting in the midfield with Parker and Noble. Up front was the most interesting selected with Carlton Cole dropped to the bench despite scoring two goals in that game against Burnley (and one previously away at West Brom) with Frederique Piquionne coming in to the team alongside Demba Ba.

Starting for Liverpool was former West Ham player Glen Johnson and on the bench was another former Hammer and 2002/03 Player of the Season Joe Cole.

Having seen us play so badly at Anfield earlier in the season the players did owe the fans a good performance over the scousers. That game at Liverpool for me was the beginning of the fans turning on Avram Grant as they went out and put in one of the most spineless West Ham displays (and we have seen a few) that I have seen.

It seemed from the opening stages of the game that Piquionne was starting on the left hand side instead of as an out and out striker but we would seem him drift for much of the first half. The opening twenty minutes of the first half were evenly contested with both sides seeing a lot of the ball but failing to do much with it. I thought we were looking decent going forward without creating any clear cut chances with only Hitzlsperger having a couple of long range efforts saved by the Liverpool keeper Reina.

Some good play from Hitzlsperger saw the ball played to Parker who in turn played the ball through to Piquionne but he seemed to have given up on trying to make it to the ball from the moment it was played and it went out harmlessly for a goal kick. But two minutes later we would take the lead and in some fashion.

Most reports and review on West Ham games seem to always point out that Scott Parker is the West Ham captain. It seems that only the West Ham fans know that the official captain is in fact Matthew Upson but what West Ham fans also know is that the player driving this struggling team on for the past couple of season is Scott Parker. A good passage of play saw Scott Parker at the heart of it all as he exchanged passes with Jacobsen and played the ball inside to Hitzlsperger who got the ball back to him and some how Parker toe poked the ball around the keeper scoring a quite remarkable goal. Until you see the goal I cannot really do it justice in words but I will say that it was a fantastic strike from a player who is for the second season running attempting to drag this club from the jaws of relegation.

With a full house inside the Boleyn the place was rocking and with such a great goal to put us in the lead it was not hard to see why. I don't know if it is just me who has noticed this but whenever we score a goal at home for the next couple of minute we turn utter dogsh*t, allowing the other team to attack us unopposed and usually come close to scoring.

This was no exception as Liverpool burst forward with Dirk Kuyt who hit a powerful shot at goal from 25 yards out which hit the side netting. From when I sit at the opposite end I have to say I thought it had gone in and was relieved to find that it had gone just wide.

We came so close to scoring a second goal when another good move saw Piquionne played in down the right and hit a powerful cross low across the six yard box with Demba Ba sliding in to get there but the ball just evaded it him. A penalty shout from Demba Ba came on the 34 minute mark when he went down under the challenge of Jamie Carragher but referee Mark Halsey waved away the appeal. From where I was I thought that it was a bit of a dive from dear Demba.

Another penalty shout came minutes later when Piquionne went down under a challenge but Halsey ended up giving handball against Piquionne much to the annoyance of the West Ham fans. But annoyance would turn to sheer joy as just before the half time whistle was to blow we scored a second goal and it was another brilliant move and finish.

The counter attack was on and the ball was played to Gary O'Neill down the right who had the time to pick out Demba Ba with his cross and the striker guided his powerful header past a stranded Reina to make it 2-0. It really was a fine goal and the quality of the finish was a real joy to watch.

So half time. 2-0 up and looking comfortable against a side who in all honestly had offered nothing to trouble us but a couple of long range efforts which were easily saved by Robert Green.

We were looking strong but in a season where every team seems to be losing leads too easily we could take nothing for granted and had to keep working.

During the half time interval there was a live interview with former Hammer 'Mad Dog' Martin Allen who seemed a little off his trolley as match day announcer Jeremy Nicholas attempted to ask him a few questions. It is a shame there is no recording of this as it was quite hilarious to watch especially when Allen asked Nicholas 'Are you Tottenham' when being asked why he was called Mad Dog. So to the second half much like our thinking at West Brom a few weeks ago, the early goal was something we must make sure we do not concede.

We seemed to change our formation early on with Piquionne and O'Neill switching sides. This did not really suit Piquionne who struggled to make much impact on the ball. Demba Ba came very close to scoring his second goal as he burst through the middle and hit a strong left foot shot which flew just past the post.

Although I had expected Liverpool to really come at us in the opening stages we still looked the more likely to get another goals and Hitzlsperger got himself into the space and hit a shot with his weaker right foot which took a deflection and went away for a corner. From the corner the ball found the head of Piquionne but the ball was cleared off the line by the Liverpool defender.

Liverpool were starting to get on the ball and the transfer window signing Suarez was seeing more of the ball at his feet. In the air Upson was dominating everything and he winning every header he challenged for. The away side nearly found a way back into the game when the ball was rolled into Suarez who turned his marker and hit a goal bound left foot shot which was brilliantly saved by Robert Green as he tipped it away for a corner.

A good counter attack involving Piquionne saw his cross cleared only as far as Gary O'Neil who hit a good shot which was deflected off Carragher and away for a corner. We were not afraid to have a shot at goal and even Lars Jacobsen was willing to have a go hitting a right foot effort just over the bar.

The points should have been wrapped up when a corner won by Wayne Bridge was swung in by Noble for Piquionne to meet the ball totally unmarked but from just a few yards out he put his header wide. For me it should have been a goal and it was a poor miss from Piquionne.

Robert Green had to make another great save when Steven Gerrard found space and hit a left foot strike from 25 yards out which Green tipped over the bar. We went through our worst period of the game at the point as we just couldn't get the ball back off Liverpool. We were dropping deeper and deeper and although I thought we needed a change I was disappointed to see Piquionne come off with Jonathan Spector coming on as this just invited Liverpool on to us even further.

On 84 minutes we conceded a goal we really should never have conceded. Considering how well we had defended throughout the game just a moments hesitation in the area set up what looked like a nervy last few minutes. As Joe Cole crossed into the area the ball looped into the air with Lars Jacobsen and James Tomkins both looking at the ball and letting it bounce. It was Jacobsen's ball but for me Tomkins as the centre half should have been on that ball before anyone. As the ball came down Suarez showed some excellent skill and crossed the ball for Glen Johnson to tap in and get Liverpool back into the game.

Robert Green was incensed as the goal was scored and was quite clearly extremely angry at the manner of how this was conceded - as were most of the West Ham fans. Avram Grant made a change at this point with Demba Ba coming off and Carlton Cole replacing him. Cole had only been on the field for two minutes when he wrapped up the points and saved us from the last few minutes of sever nail biting. The ball was played high and long by Hitzlsperger towards Carlton Cole and the striker shrugged of Skrtel, burst forward and hit a excellent left foot shot past Reina to send Upton Park into raptures. It was a great moment in a season which has had too few.

As the final whistle went and 'Bubbles' rang out at full time it was moment which will get me through my week I am sure.

Player Reviews

Robert Green
When called upon he did not let us down and made a few fantastic saves especially the one from Suarez in the second half which was superb.

Lars Jacobsen
Apart from his part in the mix up for their goal I thought he put in a really good display. He was defensively solid and got forward whenever he could.

Matthew Upson
It seemed only a week ago that Upson would never play for the club again with injury keeping him out of the remainder of the season so it was a surprise when he was named in the starting line up. But I am certainly glad he was because he was immense at the back. He was dominating in the air and won just about every header.

James Tomkins
Another top performance from Tomkins who has got better and better as the season has gone on. His performance I cannot rate highly enough because some of his last ditch challenges and interceptions kept us from conceding. A brave and commanding performance from Tomkins.

Wayne Bridge
Saw a lot of the ball and was put under pressure especially in the second half but dealt with this well. When he gets some room he gets forward every well and is almost like an attacking right winger. Having a quality full back is starting to prove useful.

Gary O'Neill
A lively performance from a player who has played well in his few games at the club so far. He works hard and he battles and when you are down the bottom you need players like him. His cross for the second goal was precise and this was a good showing from O'Neill.

Mark Noble
Worked his b*llocks off as you would expect and although he looks knackered around the hour mark in most games he kept going. Made some good passes and interceptions and part of a strong midfield at the moment.

Thomas Hitzlsperger
Making his league debut there was no doubt that Hitzlsperger makes a difference to our midfield. The quality jump from Kovac and Boa Morte is quite startling and even though he is quite clearly not 100% fit you can already see what a difference he makes to our midfield and what we have been missing.

Scott Parker
Stunning goal, remarkable player, becoming a West Ham great (if not there already).

Frederique Piquionne
Maybe I am being a bit harsh but I really didn't think he did enough today. He had a few chances but I am always left thinking he has more to offer and gears to change into but he rarely wants to push himself.

Demba Ba
His movement was really top quality and his finish for his goal was magnificent. Many of us thought it would be Robbie Keane who would be the signing to save our season yet it seems at this stage that it is Demba Ba (my lord) who has stepped up and with three goals in two league starts I just hope it continues.

Subs Used

Jonathan Spector (on for Piquionne 82 mins)
Hardly saw the ball and made very little impact.

Carlton Cole (on for Ba 88 mins)
Held the ball up well, looked as though he really wanted it and scored a terrific goal taking his tally to 11 goals this season and making him our top scorer. He has actually scored more goals in all competitions than he did last season.

Subs Not Used: Boffin, Boa Morte, Hines, Reid, Da Costa

Bookings: None

Man Of The Match : Scott Parker

Liverpool:
Reina, Kelly (Cole 43), Johnson, Skrtel, Carragher, Wilson, Leiva, Meireles (Ngog 49), Gerrard, Kuyt, Suarez
Subs: Gulacsi, Kyrgiakos. Spearing, Poulsen, Maxi

Attendance: 34, 941

Overall

A excellent performance and an important three points really is what we needed given other recent results for the teams who are around us in the league. If we keep winning games then it will not matter what the others do and the way we won this game can only give the team confidence going in to Stoke next weekend. Whilst we of course just want to see us win games it is always nice to do it well and some of our play was very encouraging and we took our goals extremely well. The team that started was as strong as we have been able to put for quite some time and as I said a while ago if Avram Grant cannot keep this team in this division then you cannot say he didn't have the players at his disposal.

Next Game - Stoke City (h)

It seems like an age since we last played a home game in the league kicking off at 3pm (December I think) and this will be the first of two games against Stoke with us playing them the week after in the FA Cup Quarter final. But first and foremost this league game is another massive game and a loss would ruin the momentum we have coming off the back of this Liverpool result. We have seen so many times this season so called turning points so forgive me for not thinking we have turned the corner just yet. But the way we applied ourselves is exactly how we need to do in every game from now until the end of the season. Stoke will battle and bully and make life difficult with their ugly but effective brand of football. We need to match them in effort and beat them with quality - which in Hitzlsperger, Parker and Ba we do posess.

The View From Avram

"First, I want you to know that our chairman is not feeling so well. I wish him all the best and hope he gets well soon. He's a good guy, and I'm sure he enjoyed the game today. "He's such a positive and nice guy. I know that he saw the game and I've a feeling that he liked it. The game was good, we played well, scored three and could have scored more. I'm happy."

"Now there's more competition for places, and it's easier for us. [Before now] we missed Hitzlsperger. He was my first signing and, with all the power and intensity of football these days, our midfield is more complete with him in the side. Injuries are part of the game, but four days before the season started...it's amazing."

"Three hours before the game, we thought there was no way Parker would play. He did it five minutes before the end of training. But we didn't want to lose him. One of the things that happened with this team, despite the problems we've had, is that the spirit has been high. "Scott is the best example of this. It was a bad, bad injury. He couldn't walk or move his arms. The medical department were sure he couldn't play, but they did a good job and gave him 24 hours of treatment. "I prepared the game without him. He needed more than an injection, but the medical department did brilliantly with him. He's the type of player I like: he always gives 100%, is always positive."

"This result shows the players what quality we have. We have that quality. We're not a team that should be down the bottom. "Circumstances cause us to be there, but look at our football. We played football as if we weren't at the bottom. The players see that, when we do the right things, we're not easy to beat. "We are coming now to the last ten games of the season. I don't remember a situation where the team who are bottom could still end up tenth. It's so tight. It's important that we win games to take us forward. It's not easy sometimes, but that's what we need to do."

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West Ham 3 Liverpool 1: Dalglish's bubble is burst by Parker
By MATT BARLOW
Last updated at 2:58 AM on 28th February 2011
Daily Mail

West Ham sang of bursting bubbles as they climbed off the foot of the Barclays Premier League but Liverpool were left to wonder if the Kenny Dalglish adrenaline shot is starting to fade. Dalglish's team were flat as they lost for the first time in eight, with a performance well short of the win at Chelsea on their last trip to London. Next up are Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday and bullish talk of a late dash for the Champions League places seems far-fetched. Birmingham's Carling Cup win also means one fewer Europa League spots next season, making it even harder to qualify for Europe. Liverpool were out-passed and out-fought by the Hammers for all but a late 20-minute spell, a frantic comeback ended by Carlton Cole.

'The players have done fantastic and there was always going to be a time when they lost,' said Dalglish. 'Unfortunately this was it. They've deserved the credit they've had but they'll stand up and say they got what they deserved here and that's nothing.' Defeat is a reality check for Liverpool, who were dominated for most of the game despite the return of captain Steven Gerrard from injury. Not for the first time, Parker was outstanding, playing with a painkilling injection in a shoulder injured in training on Saturday. 'We thought he had no chance,' said boss Avram Grant. 'I prepared without him. Then he said he wanted to play. The medical team gave him 24 hours of treatment. 'I don't know if many players would have done so. It was a bad injury. He turned and slipped in training - our training pitch is not so good. He couldn't walk or move his arms.' Disciplined as ever in defence, Parker also opened the scoring with his first goal since November. Collecting the ball from Lars Jacobsen, he traded passes with Thomas Hitzlsperger and surprised Pepe Reina by taking his shot early with the outside of his right boot, curling it inside the far post from the edge of the area. It was a goal of beauty and he dedicated it to his father, Mick. 'My Dad's not been well for a while and the celebration was partly to do with that.' If West Ham stay up, it is largely thanks to Parker and he must be a Footballer of the Year contender.

Liverpool's three-man defence, so solid at Chelsea, struggled to contain Ba. Jamie Carragher was less comfortable in the centre than he was on the right and Danny Wilson was visibly nervous on his Premier League debut. A hamstring injury to Martin Kelly made matters worse. As Dalglish sent on Joe Cole and reshuffled, his team conceded the second. Ba beat Wilson in the air to a long kick from Robert Green, glancing his header wide to Gary O'Neil. No one tracked the Senegal striker's run into the penalty box, where he threw himself at the cross to score. Joe Cole, back where his career started, looked generally unhappy. No ping in his passes and no zip in his legs, he looked sluggish. Ba and Frederic Piquionne squandered decent chances before Liverpool finally stirred. Gerrard got hold of midfield, David Ngog injected some pace and Luis Suarez, non-existent in the first half, suddenly appeared interested.
Green denied Suarez with his fingertips, turned over a fierce volley from Gerrard and was finally beaten by Johnson in the 85th minute. Jacobsen dithered over a high ball, allowing Ngog to sweep in, and Suarez set-up the England full back against one of his former clubs. Dalglish detected a stolen point but Carlton Cole had the final word, powering past Martin Skrtel and scoring at Reina's near post. West Ham remain in the drop zone but the bottom half is congested - six points cover 11 teams from Everton in 10th down to Wigan.

This win, encouraging performances from recruits Ba and O'Neil plus Hitzlsperger provide hope for Grant with 10 games to go, and a tonic for co-chairman David Gold, who is ill in hospital. Gold, 74, missed his first game at Upton Park since arriving at the club last year. 'Our chairman is not doing so good, so I wish him all the best and get well soon,' said Grant. 'I know he saw the game on TV and I've a feeling he would have liked that. 'We want to win a few games in a row. We should not be at the bottom. Circumstances have caused us to be there but look at our football. We played football as if we weren't at the bottom. When we do the right things, we're not easy to beat.'

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Parker is West Ham's talisman as slack Liverpool are punished
West Ham United 3 Liverpool 1
Independent
By Conrad Leach at Upton Park
Monday, 28 February 2011

There was a time when the announcement of stoppage time would put fear in West Ham's hearts when they played Liverpool. That all stems from when the east London club were about to claim the 2006 FA Cup, before Steven Gerrard struck from 30 yards at Wembley. Yesterday afternoon, however, it was the Hammers' turn. When stoppage time was shown, Carlton Cole was on the ball. His persistence took him past Martin Skrtel and his slash at the ball beat Pepe Reina at his near post to confirm a victory that should have been assured long before.

It pushed Avram Grant's side off the bottom of the Premier League and they are in the relegation zone only because their goal difference is one goal worse than Wolves. It was also their second win in a week, after they thrashed Burnley in the Cup.

Where Liverpool have Gerrard, West Ham have Scott Parker, whose feats of derring-do inspired fulsome praise from his last manager, Gianfranco Zola, and now from Grant. Yet Parker, who scored the opening goal, shouldn't even have been on the pitch.

Grant said: "Scott came very close to not playing. He is a special guy, he showed great spirit. Today until three hours before the game we didn't think he could play. He hurt himself five minutes before the end of training. It was a bad, bad injury, he couldn't walk or move his arm.

"He had 24 hours' treatment and I had prepared the team without him. He needed an injection and more. He is the person who decided to play. Scott is the type of player I like."

Whether this is the start of the Hammers' late escape from the threat of relegation is too early to tell, but the arrival of Thomas Hitzlsperger, whose "massive experience" was acknowledged by Parker, and the signing of Demba Ba have added depth and ability to their first team. Hitzlsperger played a vital role in the first goal while Ba's second, on the stroke of half-time, appeared to discourage Liverpool until their inevitable late surge.

The win was entirely merited, something Kenny Dalglish acknowledged: "We got what we deserved, nothing," he said. It also brought to an end Liverpool's run of eight games without defeat, an impressive-sounding sequence that has possibly papered over some cracks. They only squeezed past Sparta Prague in the Europa League on Thursday.

That competition can be more a curse than a blessing when you have to play three days later and the visitors were slack in their passing and speed to the ball. When Hitzlsperger dispossessed Gerrard, back for his first game in three weeks, it showed how the game was going. By then, Parker had put the Hammers ahead.

Dribbling in from the wing, Parker found Hitzlsperger. As the Liverpool defence pondered and wondered if the German would use his potent left foot, the former Lazio player instead laid the ball off. Parker got as much as he could on his shot, which wasn't much, with the outside of his right foot. It was enough, however, to curl beyond Reina's dive and inside the far post for his fifth league goal of the season.

There was no disguising West Ham's superiority, as they tore into tackles on Raul Meireles and Luis Suarez, and it was confirmed just before the break. Liverpool had already lost Martin Kelly to a hamstring injury but it was from the opposite flank that the second goal came. Ba headed on Robert Green's clearance to Gary O'Neil and the former Middlesbrough midfielder crossed for the Senegal forward, who was unmarked, to head past Reina.

Ba signed last month from Hoffenheim in Germany and Hitzlsperger recovered from injury only last week. Grant is reaping the benefits. He said: "Now it seems when there's more competition it's easier for us. Hitzlsperger is intelligent and with him our midfield is more complete. When we are doing the right thing we are not an easy team to beat."

Dalglish was given some late hope when Glen Johnson tapped in from two yards, but the Liverpool manager said: "We were disappointed with the way we played. There was nothing West Ham did that surprised us because they are fighting for survival. But we never played as well as we are capable of. When we scored I thought we might steal a point. We'll try and correct the mistakes we made." Next Sunday will demonstrate whether he has done that. Their opposition at Anfield? Manchester United.

* Avram Grant dedicated this win to David Gold last night. The West Ham chairman and co-owner is in hospital and Grant said: "Our chairman David Gold is not feeling so well. I want to wish him all the best, he's a good guy and I'm sure he enjoyed the game. I know he watched it."

Booked: Liverpool Skrtel.

Man of the match Parker

Referee M Halsey (Herts)

Att 34,941

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WEST HAM 3 LIVERPOOL 1: PEERLESS PARKER'S A PAIN IN SIDE FOR DALGLISH
Daily Express
Monday February 28,2011
By Mick Dennis

SCOTT Parker's one-man crusade to keep West Ham in the Premier League continued yesterday when he confounded medical opinion. Before helping lift his club off the bottom of the league table, he had to haul himself off the treatment table. Parker, 30 , always plays with the pugnacious strut of someone who believes in the cause for which he is fighting, but 24 hours before yesterday's Upton Park showdown with Liverpool, he could not walk at all. Yet he recovered sufficiently to score the first goal, which he dedicated to his father who had recently undergone major surgery but was still at the match. Manager Avram Grant said: "He hurt his shoulder five minutes before the end of training and it was a bad injury. He couldn't walk. He couldn't move his arm. The medical people said he could not play today. "But he has great spirit and determination and he continued to have treatment and today, three hours before the game, he decided he could play."

West Ham have other serious medical fears. Joint-owner David Gold is in hospital with blood poisoning after being admitted with a gall-bladder condition.
Grant said: "He knows the result and I hope it helped him." Parker's bravura performance was bad news for Kenny Dalglish. He will be 60 on Friday and there have been suggestions that the club's American owners wanted to give him the gift of a two-year contract and provide a rousing gesture ahead of next Sunday's Anfield fixture against Manchester United.

But Dalglish scoffed at the very notion of contract talks and was given a pointed reminder that the job is no sinecure. After losing the first two games of his caretaker reign, Liverpool had constructed an eight-game unbeaten sequence, but they looked weary yesterday after their European exertions on Thursday. Dalglish said: "It wasn't just losing that was disappointing; it was the way we played as well. Once they had scored, West Ham had something to hold on to." That goal, scored after 21 minutes, was toe-poked in by Parker after swapping passes with Thomas Hitzlsperger. After signing in the summer, the German international was injured for eight months. But he announced his delayed arrival with a thunderous drive to score against Burnley in the FA Cup and Grant said: "He was my first signing and we are a better team with him in the midfield."

Another who is endearing himself to West Ham fans is French-born Senegalese international Demba Ba. He scored twice in a remarkable comeback at West Brom in West Ham's last Premier League fixture, when the club were inspired by Parker's half-time team-talk. Ba's contribution yesterday was a goal scored with a well-executed header, a minute before half-time. For most of the second half, Liverpool offered only the familiar enthusiasm of Steven Gerrard and West Ham had the measure of £23 million Uruguayan Luis Suarez. He had precious little help and looked increasingly forlorn. But to his credit, Suarez kept soldiering on and his enterprise and ability bore fruit seven minutes from time when he squirted a low ball across the six-yard box for Glen Johnson to tap in. Liverpool's fans urged their team on. But instead of plundering an equaliser, they were cut apart by a counter-attack in added time. Jonathan Spector's pass released substitute Carlton Cole, whose muscular shot should not have beaten Pepe Reina.

West Ham (4-1-3-2): Green 8; Jacobsen 7, Tomkins 9, Upson 8, Bridge 7; Parker 9; O'Neil 8, Noble 8, Hitzlsperger 8; Piquionne 6 (Spector 82, 6), Ba 7 (Cole 88, 7). Goals: Parker 21, Ba 44, Cole 90.

Liverpool (3-1-4-2): Reina 6; Skrtel 7, Carragher 8, Wilson 7; Lucas 6; Kelly 7 (Cole 43, 7), Gerrard 8, Meireles 7 (Ngog 49, 7), Johnson 7; Kuyt 6, Suarez 7. Booked: Skrtel. Goal: Johnson 83.

Referee: M Halsey (Cheshire)

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http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Sunday, February 27

Daily WHUFC News - 27th February 2011

Liverpool match preview
WHUFC.com
All the early team news and background from Sunday's match against Liverpool
25.02.2011

WEST HAM UNITED v LIVERPOOL
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
SUNDAY 27 FEBRUARY 2011
KICK-OFF: 1.30PM

• West Ham United, who start the weekend in 19th place, welcome Liverpool to
the Boleyn Ground knowing a win would be a major boost to their survival
hopes with ten more matches after that in the 2010/11 Barclays Premier
League season. They will also be hoping to avenge a 3-0 defeat at Anfield on
20 November but face a resurgent Reds side who are up to sixth under Kenny
Dalglish.
• West Ham have not won at Anfield in 47 years but have had better luck at
home, most recently winning 1-0 on 30 January 2008. However, Liverpool have
won on their last two trips to east London.
• The Hammers have lost their last four matches against Liverpool with the
Reds scoring three goals in each of those contests.
• Liverpool are unbeaten in eight matches in all competitions and have only
conceded three goals in that period.
• This is the 107th league meeting between the two sides. Liverpool have won
57, West Ham have won 21 and there have been 29 draws.
• The Hammers have scored at least three goals in four of their last five
matches but have not kept a clean sheet in nine.
• The Reds only defeat in the last 17 meetings was that loss thanks to Mark
Noble's last-gasp penalty in January 2008.

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Last time out
Monday 21 February 2011
FA Cup fifth round
West Ham United 5-1 Burnley
West Ham: Green, Jacobsen, Bridge, Reid, Tomkins, Parker, Noble,
Hitzlsperger, Barrera 67), Cole (Spector 73), Ba (Piquionne 82), Sears
Subs not used: Boffin, Hines, Da Costa, Boa Morte
Goals: Hitzlsperger 23, Cole 48, 50, Reid 58, Sears 90

Thursday 24 February 2011
UEFA Europa League last-32 second leg
Liverpool 1-0 AC Sparta Praha
Liverpool: Reina, Agger (Skrtel 85), Krygiakos, Wilson, Kelly (Carragher
46), Meireles, Cole, Lucas, Poulsen (Spearing 65), Kuyt, Ngog
Subs not used: Gulacsi, Maxi, Pacheco, Jovanovic
Goal: Kuyt 86

Previous meeting
The last meeting came at Anfield back on 20 November when the Reds were
rampant. Glen Johnson, a Dirk Kuyt penalty and a Maxi Rodriguez all scored
before half-time to leave the Hammers in deep trouble at the bottom of the
league - five points from safety

Liverpool: Reina, Konchesky, Carragher, Skrtel, Johnson, Maxi Rodriguez,
Raul Meireles (Shelvey 83), Kuyt, Poulsen, Torres (Babel 85), Ngog (Aurelio
74)
Subs not used: Jones, Kyrgiakos, Eccleston, Kelly

West Ham United: Green, Gabbidon, Jacobsen, Upson, Ilunga (Tomkins 76),
Kovac, Noble, Boa Morte, Piquionne, Cole (McCarthy 69), Obinna (Barrera 45)
Subs not used: Stech, Reid, Spector, Nouble

Background
• Thomas Hitzlsperger is in line for his 100th Premier League appearance -
on his top-flight debut for the Hammers.
• Carlton Cole is the Hammers' top scorer with ten goals in 32 matches in
all competitions. Steven Gerrard is Liverpool's top marksman with eight,
although Andy Carroll hit eleven for Newcastle United before his £35m
January transfer to Anfield.
• Two Liverpool players, Jamie Carragher and Dirk Kuyt, made their debuts
against West Ham. Carragher's first appearance came at Anfield in January
1997, while Kuyt's came at Anfield in August 2006.
• Raul Meireles has scored five goals in his last six matches, after 17
games without registering.

Last six meetings (Premier League unless stated)
20 November 2010 - Liverpool 3-0 West Ham United
19 April 2010 Liverpool 3-0 West Ham United
19 September 2010 West Ham United 2-3 Liverpool
9 May 2009 West Ham United 0-3 Liverpool
1 December 2008 Liverpool 0-0 West Ham United
5 March 2008 Liverpool 4-0 West Ham United
Overall record v Liverpool (all competitions) W 23 D 34 L 64

Ten-year records
West Ham United
2009/10 Premier League 17th (35 points)
2008/09 Premier League 9th (51 points)
2007/08 Premier League 10th (49 points)
2006/07 Premier League 15th (41 points)
2005/06 Premier League 9th (55 points)
2004/05 Championship 6th (73 points - promoted to Premier League via
play-offs)
2003/04 Championship 4th (74 points)
2002/03 Premier League 18th (42 points - relegated to Championship)
2001/02 Premier League 7th (53 points)
2000/01 Premier League 15th (42 points)

Liverpool
2009/10 Premier League 7th (63 points)
2008/09 Premier League 2nd (86 points)
2007/08 Premier League 4th (76 points)
2006/07 Premier League 3rd (68 points)
2005/06 Premier League 3rd (82 points)
2004/05 Premier League 5th (58 points)
2003/04 Premier League 4th (60 points)
2002/03 Premier League 5th (64 points)
2001/02 Premier League 2nd (80 points)
2000/01 Premier League 3rd (69 points)

Team news
• All members of the first-team squad - including Matthew Upson - trained
on Friday except for Victor Obinna (foot), Kieron Dyer (thigh), Robbie Keane
(calf) and Junior Stanislas (hernia). Jack Collison is doing light training
work at Chadwell Heath after nearly a year out with a knee injury.
• Dyer could return to training next week while Keane is out for another
month.
• Junior Stanislas is still recovering from surgery on an abdominal hernia
while Victor Obinna's sore foot that kept him out of the West Brom trip and
Burnley game are still proving troublesome.
• Avram Grant has been keeping a close eye on Australia U17 striker Dylan
Tombides, after his recent impressive form for the reserves. The tall
Academy product was on target in the 1-1 draw against West Bromwich Albion
on 2 February.
• Liverpool could welcome back captain Steven Gerrard from a groin injury.
The No8 missed the UEFA Europa League victory over Sparta Prague on Thursday
evening.
• Denmark defender Daniel Agger and England pair Glen Johnson (achilles) and
Andy Carroll (thigh) are all doubts, while young full-back Martin Kelly is
hoping to return from a thigh problem.

Referee
• Sunday's referee will be Mark Halsey
• He played semi-professional football for Barnet and St Albans City in the
1980s before becoming a referee in the early 1990s. At the time, he would
continue to train with Barnet and later Potters Bar in order to maintain his
fitness.
• Halsey was the referee for the 2007 Community Shield between Chelsea and
Manchester United and the 2008 Carling Cup final contested by Chelsea and
Tottenham Hotspur.

Old boys
• Glen Johnson, 25, came through the ranks at West Ham, making 15 league
appearances in the 2002/03 season. He was transferred to Chelsea for £6m in
summer 2003 and subsequently moved on to Portsmouth before Liverpool snapped
him up in June 2009.
• Joe Cole played 149 games in all competitions, scoring 13 goals, before
his switch to Chelsea in August 2003.
• Among the other players who have represented both clubs are Craig Bellamy,
Yossi Benayoun, Tom Bradshaw, David Burrows, Titi Camara, Charles Cotton,
Julian Dicks, Ray Houghton, Don Hutchison, Paul Ince, David James, Rob
Jones, George Kay, Paul Konchesky, Mike Marsh, Neil Mellor, Neil Ruddock,
Danny Shone, Rigobert Song and Thomas Stanley.
• Liverpool coach Steve Clarke was assistant manager to Gianfranco Zola at
West Ham between September 2008 and June 2010

General information
• For ticket information, click here. For details on getting to the Boleyn
Ground, click here.

Weather

• The forecast is for a clear day with temperatures peaking around 9C

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Avram on Friday
WHUFC.com
The manager revealed Matthew Upson has been back in training as he looked
foward to Sunday
25.02.2011

Avram Grant was relishing a meeting with Kenny Dalglish when he faced the
press on Friday afternoon before Sunday's showdown with Liverpool. The
manager also spoke about Matthew Upson's return to training.

Avram on injury news...
"Robbie Keane is out for a few weeks more. We will see on Victor Obinna on
Saturday. Jack Collison is out for a few weeks more but he has been out for
a long time. We don't know on Matthew Upson. He trained today but it was not
training with pressure so we will wait and see. Kieron Dyer is not fit. I
think it will be two weeks more until he will be fit. "It's important to get
them back when you get to the last few games. It's important all the time
but coming to the end of the season you want competition between the
players. "It's not a secret that part of our problem this season has been
injuries at the wrong time. All the players you mentioned were good before
they got injured so it hasn't been easy. It's not been easy but we decided
to concentrate on what we have, not what we can change.

Avram on Thomas Hitzlsperger...

"He played very well [against Burnley] given it was his first match after
eight months so for me he did well. He cannot be in his best after one game
but it's good to see him back because he's an important player for us and he
was part of our plan to be one of the leaders.

Avram on Liverpool...

"A lot of things have things changed since Anfield [in November]. When we
played there we went with a lot of injuries but without speaking about this,
we didn't do well in any aspect of the game and they played well. "There are
good things we learned from this. From this game on we have played different
and better. Even in this game. It was good for us to learn from this game
and not repeat it.

Avram on Kenny Dalglish...

"The results are better. I dont know what happened but the results are
better. They are playing with more confidence. Of course with a team like
Liverpool there is always inspiration to finish in the top four or top three
or two. "They are playing good football now and getting results. Liverpool
is always Liverpool for me. It's a top team and top club. "Kenny was a great
player. I was the first time I came here the headlines were in 1977 that
Liverpool bought Kenny Dalgish for £440k. It was 'Why do we spend this
money? Now you cannot buy the kitman with this money so he was great. He
came to Liverpool and made them better. He was great player. "I wish we
could have a few of him here today in English football and he was also a
great manager. He achieved a lot. It's good to see people like Kenny
Dalglish back.

Avram on the importance of Sunday...

"Every game is important for us because we didn't start well this season so
we need these points. To play Liverpool is not easy but our target is that
we will not be hard to beat for the other teams. It's a big challenge and we
need the points and will do everything to get them. "We have improved a lot
in the last few weeks. We have scored many goals and our game is better and
more efficient and we hope to continue this."

Avram on the amount of points needed to stay up...

"In the last three years it was 35 and before it was 38. In 2002/03, it was
more than 40 when unfortunately West Ham got relegated but it depends. The
teams need to play each other and the top teams. I don't know but for sure
it will not be 35. It will be more."

Avram on Winston Reid being affected by the New Zealand earthquake...

"I spoke with him. His family is not from that area but of course when
something like this happens in your country, you can't be relaxed. In the
training he was OK. He was in contact with New Zealand all the time.
Everybody is sad to see what has happened."

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Winston staying focused
WHUFC.com
Young defender Winston Reid knows he has a job to do on Sunday despite a
hugely difficult week
27.02.2011

Winston Reid is the latest Hammers star to be featured exclusively on West
Ham TV. Every day brings fantastic new content from behind the scenes at the
Boleyn, as well as all the very best match coverage from the U18s, reserves
and first team. This week has seen the likes of Matthew Upson, Thomas
Hitzlsperger and Carlton Cole all featured along with plenty of other famous
Irons faces. All the best action and reaction follows every single game
played.
Reid spoke to the West Ham TV cameras about the big Sunday showdown with
Liverpool, including being reunited with Martin Skrtel, the Slovakia
centre-back he beat to score a crucial FIFA World Cup goal for New Zealand
last summer, and also his sombre thoughts on the tragedy back home in New
Zealand. The 22-year-old is rightly planning to do his bit to help the
disaster relief cause but knows he will have to set aside what happened for
90 minutes should he be selected to start against the Reds. He is certainly
not expecting an easy ride, even without the departed Fernando Torres. "They
have just bought two other strikers for I don't know how much," he said. "I
don't think they are too bad. When you play in the Premier League there are
always good strikers. I haven't played against Luis Suarez but I have
watched him in the Dutch league , he is a good goalscorer."

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Barnes hails Parker
WHUFC.com
Liverpool legend John Barnes has heaped praise on former team-mate and
Hammers hero Scott Parker
25.02.2011

Liverpool and England legend John Barnes has hailed the impact made by West
Ham United talisman Scott Parker ahead of Sunday's Barclays Premier League
clash between the Hammers and the Reds. Barnes, who now works as a
television pundit, played alongside Parker at Charlton Athletic for a short
period in 1999, when West Ham's No8 was an aspiring teenager. More than a
decade later, Parker has followed Barnes into the senior England side and
the former Reds winger believes his former team-mate is more than worthy of
his place in Fabio Capello's squad. The 47-year-old has been impressed with
the way Parker has added characteristics to his game that were not so
readily apparent during the pair's time together at The Valley. "He deserves
his call-up I know Scotty very well, I was at Charlton with him. My last
year playing football I was at Charlton, Scotty was just getting in the
first team, he was known as an attacking midfield player and now he's an
all-action midfield player. He can defend, he can attack, he can do
everything. "I really thought he would just be an attacking midfielder when
I saw him at Charlton, that's what he did, but he's matured to realise
responsibility for the team, so now he plays as an holding midfielder
sometimes, but he's fantastic and he's well worth his place in the England
squad."

To read more from Barnes, supporters should grab a copy of Sunday's matchday
programme, which will be on sale in and around the Boleyn Ground priced
£3.50.

Alongside an interview with the 79-times capped wideman, there are also
exclusive and insightful features including Wayne Bridge, Gary O'Neil, Lars
Jacobsen and Thomas Hitzlsperger.

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West Ham v Liverpool
BBC.co.uk
Barclays Premier League
Venue: Upton Park Date: Sunday, 27 February Kick-off: 1330 GMT
Coverage: Watch live on Sky Sports 1 and highlights on Match of the Day 2;
listen on BBC Radio 5 live, local radio and Absolute Radio; text commentary
on BBC Sport website and mobiles

TEAM NEWS
Thomas Hitzlsperger will make his first league appearance for West Ham,
having scored on his debut in Monday's FA Cup win over Burnley. Matthew
Upson (Achilles) is unlikely to feature, and Victor Obinna might miss out
with a foot problem.

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has played down suggestions that Andy
Carroll will be fit to make his debut. Steven Gerrard could return from a
groin injury, but Daniel Agger, Glen Johnson and Martin Kelly are doubts.

West Ham
Doubtful: Obinna (foot)
Injured: Collison & Kurucz (both knee), Dyer (thigh), Keane (calf),
Stanislas (hernia), Upson (Achilles)

Liverpool
Doubtful: Agger (unknown), Carroll (thigh), Gerrard (groin), Johnson
(Achilles), Kelly (groin/thigh)
Injured: Aurelio (thigh), Shelvey (knee)

MATCH PREVIEW
Sweat and tears provided the catalyst for West Ham's unprecedented comeback
at West Brom, and the Hammers must sustain that Olympian effort in their
quest for survival. The pressure to remain in the top flight is intensified
by their proposed move to Stratford after the 2012 London Games. It looked
as if West Ham would fold under the strain when they trailed 3-0 at fellow
strugglers West Brom, but a heartfelt half-time rallying cry by captain
Scott Parker inspired the team to claw back the deficit and move off the
foot of the table.

While Parker could yet prove to be West Ham's miracle worker, Liverpool have
most certainly found their own. They are unbeaten in their last eight
matches under Kenny Dalglish, and European qualification is now an
achievable prospect. Nonetheless, Liverpool still have to play four of the
sides above them. It's a tough-looking run of games for West Ham too - five
of their next eight league fixtures are against teams currently in the top
six.

MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• Liverpool have won their last four matches against West Ham, scoring three
goals on each occasion.
• Their only defeat in the last 17 meetings was 1-0 at Upton Park in January
2008. West Ham have lost five of the last six clashes in east London.
West Ham
• The Hammers have only won one of their last six league matches, picking up
five points out of a possible 18.
• The 3-3 draw at West Brom represented the first time in the Premier League
that they have come back from a 3-0 deficit to gain a point; they had lost
on the previous 56 occasions.
• They have the worst home record in the top flight, averaging a point a
game from their 13 matches.
• Avram Grant's side have also picked up fewer points (4) against top-half
opposition than any other Premier League team.
• Thomas Hitzlsperger is poised for his 100th Premier League appearance,
having made 99 for Aston Villa.
Liverpool
• They are unbeaten in their last eight league and cup matches (W5, D3).
They have only conceded three goals in that time.
• The Reds have dropped 19 points from winning positions this season - only
Sunderland (20) have fared worse.
• This is Kenny Dalglish's 450th league match as a manager (W248, D113,
L88).
• Raul Meireles has scored five goals in his last six league matches after
failing to find the net in his first 17.

LEADING GOALSCORERS

West Ham
Cole: 10 goals (4 league); Piquionne: 8 goals (6 league);
Obinna: 8 goals (3 league)

Liverpool
Gerrard: 8 goals (4 league); Ngog: 8 goals (2 league)
NB. Carroll has scored 11 goals (11 league) for Newcastle; Torres scored 9
goals (9 league) for Liverpool before joining Chelsea.

MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Mark Halsey
Assistant referees: Simon Long & Martin Yerby
Fourth official: Phil Crossley

LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS
West Ham (D3-3 v West Brom, a): Green; Jacobsen, Reid, da Costa, Bridge,
O'Neil (Spector 78), Parker, Noble, Boa Morte (Piquionne 57), Cole, Ba. Subs
not used: Boffin, Hitzlsperger, Kovac, Faubert, Hines.
Liverpool (D1-1 v Wigan, h): Reina; Kelly, Carragher, Skrtel, Johnson, Maxi,
Lucas, Meireles (Ngog 54), Aurelio, Suarez, Kuyt (Jovanovic 73). Subs not
used: Gulacsi, Pacheco, Kyrgiakos, Wilson, Poulsen.

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Upson back in training
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 25th February 2011
By: Staff Writer

Matthew Upson has recommenced training once again following his recent inury
- although it remains unknown how much longer he will be out for.
The West Ham captain limped off during the recent 1-0 home defeat to
Birmingham which led the Daily Mail to claim that he would miss the rest of
the season. That particular suggestion was refuted the following day by
Upson himself, although he admitted that he could be out of action for some
weeks.
Despite returning to training this week that remains the case, according to
Avram Grant this lunchtime. "We don't know how long Matthew Upson will be
out for," he admitted. "He trained today but it was not training with
pressure so we will wait and see. "It's important when you get to the last
few games that you have all your players available. We need them back to
create competition within the squad. It's no secret that part of our problem
this season has been injuries at the wrong time."

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West Ham United v Liverpool - Match Preview
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 26th February 2011
By: Preview Percy

Preview Percy's taken time out from giving the staff at his old folk's home
a hard time over the lack of Werther's Originals to pen a few words about
this weekend's fixture against Liverpool....

Next up we play host to Liverpool in a 1.30pm kick off which is live on Sky.
Bits of the District Line are closed so, if your journey includes bits of
the District Line you'll need to leave about five minutes ago.

I'll declare an interest at this point. I dislike this week's opponents.
Partly because pound for pound, historically they're probably one of the
most corrupt clubs in football – easily giving Arsenal a run for their money
– but mostly for the fact that the British Broadcasting Corporation seems to
consider itself to be their in-house tv and radio station. Right back to the
1970's when the chances of seeing your club on MOTD depended largely upon
whether you were playing Liverpool, right through to the current day, when
their half time coverage of our League Cup semi-final consisted of ten
minutes of talking about, er, Liverpool. I have written to the management
committee of my nursing home suggesting that they don't pay the home's tv
licence fee in protest but I'm not holding out much hope – the warden is a
scouser which means that a) probably approves of the BBC's fascination with
his rotten club, and b) he almost certainly hasn't paid it anyway.

The visitors come on the back of some improved form following the
appointment of Kenny Dalglish after Roy Hodgson was sacked. They've won four
and drawn two of their last six which leaves them in 6th place which would
see them back in the Europa League. They qualified for last 200 or so the
other night, with a 1-0 win over Sparta Prague that was as dull as it
sounds. At this rate if they make the final it's due to be held in 2014. The
whole Europa League thing is a bit bloated – it seems to have taken
Cricket's World Cup format as a template where every team plays each other
200 times just so that Kenya and Canada can be eliminated.

They had an interesting transfer window. The hand-wringing that accompanied
the departure of Fernando Torres was hilarious. John Aldridge's comments
that Torres had "spat in the face" of the club's supporters was a gift from
heaven to hypocrisy spotters worldwide. Let's face it Torres was going
nowhere fast at Anfield and, given the option to go to a better team he was
going to take it, especially since his spell at Anfield had seen him drop
down the pecking order at international level.

If anyone's supporters had had their faces spat in it might well have been
Newcastle's having seen Andy Carroll go for a ridiculous fee. Carroll moved
to Merseyside and immediately immersed himself in the local culture by going
straight "on the sick". Presumably he will be looking at some stage to take
advantage of the legal loophole that applies to Liverpool players when out
for a drink. Apparently you can go out mob handed up there and beat up a DJ
and claim self defence – a defence sadly not available to the other five
people in your party. Given Carroll's regular visits to the beak in the
past, the "get out of jail free" card may well come in useful. There were
rumblings that Carroll may be fit to make his debut for this one earlier
this week. Dalglish played those rumours down without actually denying that
the player would be available for selection which probably means that his
claim for Incapacity Benefit (or whatever it's called this week) is about to
run out. Either way it would not be the biggest of surprise if he played.
Look out for a no.9 shirt with the word "Roll" on the back (they won't want
to risk the Car being nicked).

It looked like defender Daniel Agger might be on his way to Italy during the
window when his agent was alleged to have been in negotiations with Milan.
However, nothing came of the move. Those aren't the only rumours about the
Danish defender that have been doing the rounds but I'm sure that those are
merely scurrilous and that all his injuries over the past few years have
been genuine.

Another possibly coming back from injury is old foe Steve Gerrard. The home
support claim that he is the one player that epitomises Liverpool and over
the years that's a fair comment given that he's a diving cheat with a nasty
line in two-footed tackles and elbows to the face. I've lost count of the
times that he's scored from dubiously-won free-kicks. Curiously MOTD always
elect to show the free-kick rather than the dive that preceded it. He's been
suffering from a groin strain, a perennial problem that he might alleviate
by staying on his feet a bit more. Perhaps our wonderful officials might
assist in that regard.

If the oh so witty visiting supporters start up the "let your country down"
chant at Rob Green you could do worse than point out the sight of Jamie
Carragher amongst the opposition ranks. Having ruled himself out of all
those tedious qualifying and friendly matches, he bravely and selflessly
made himself available for the World Cup in South Africa whereupon he went
on to prove why he should never have been selected in the first place.

The other big arrival during the window was Uruguayan World Cup star Luis
Suarez. Suarez gained notoriety in South Africa with his handball on the
line that denied Ghana a semi-final place. His history also includes a
seven-match suspension last year gained as a result of biting an opponent,
his defence that his actions were a tribute to his fellow countrymen as
featured in the book and film "Alive" was not accepted.

There are a number of ex-Hammers on the books. Paul Konchesky seems to have
played his last game for the club after his Mum apparently upset the
Liverpool support by pointing out a few home truths about their loyalty.
He's been shipped out to Notts County and is probably regretting moving from
Fulham. Still in the current squad are Glen Johnson and Joe Cole. Cole
featured in the win over Sparta Prague (who featured T Repka esq) and it's
good to see the player fit again after injury, though you can't help but
feel that his undoubted talents deserve a better stage than his current
club. Johnson has made the England right back berth his own though Dalglish
has used him on the left hand side. Johnson has been involved in a bit of
unseemly contretemps with tv pundit Paul Merson. Merson suggested that
Johnson had been responsible for costing former boss Hodgson his job.
Johnson's commented on twitter that he wasn't going to worry about comments
from "alcoholic drug abusers" Which begs the question: what on earth is
twitter?

Well what of us? Our last league outing saw the ultimate in games of two
halves when Scott Parker's half time team talk inspired Carlton Cole so much
that 45 minutes later he'd forgotten what it was. Cole of course picked up a
brace in the 5-1 win over Burnley on Monday, his first adding another to the
collection of comedy clips in which the player has been involved. The second
was a decent finish though. We're currently going through yet another injury
crisis – of course. Upson apparently risked training yesterday though
there's no sign of a return as yet. Tomkins is doubtful, which will probably
see some involvement for the unconvincing Reid. Gabbidon is another who may
come into contention having apparently recovered from his latest hamstring
problem.

Keane will be absent for a week or two more and I can only assume that Dyer
was sent to Libya for his last spot of treatment. Obinna may be available
which would give us a full attacking set to pick from. The best news is that
Hitzlsperger is likely to make his first league appearance of the season
having come through a large chunk of the cup win without further damage. Der
Hammer (which is German for "The Hammer") scored a fine opener. Just as
impressive was his command of the English language in the post-match
interview one heard on the wireless, something that put his English
colleagues to shame.

We need to show the sort of fight we did in the second half at the Hawthorns
to get something out of this one. That said there's always the danger of
giving the opponents too much respect. Despite all the hype from their pals
at Broadcasting House they are just another club and should be treated as
such. We were certainly guilty of giving them far too much leeway up at
Anfield in the reverse fixture in which we all but invited them to take the
points.

This match requires a no nonsense sleeves rolled up out and out battle. I'm
sure that Parker and "Der Hammer" will be keen to stop Gerrard taking
liberties and, assuming the gangster's apologist, plays, that'll be the key
area. A clean sheet is highly unlikely of course but I'm hopeful that Grant
will concentrate on scarf-wearing and leave the pre-match gee-up to Parker
and, assuming Cole can remember it, I'll go for a 1-1 (though a possibly
cheeky 2-1 win should not entirely be ruled out!)

Enjoy the game!

Last season: Lost 2-3 The cynical treatment of Zavon Hines went unpunished
as defensive lapses cost us the points.

Danger man: Steve Gerrard – con man extraordinaire is always worth a few
free kicks in dangerous positions.

Referee: Mark Halsey second visit to the Boleyn of the season for the
official who took charge of the 3-1 win against Wigan. He was also in the
middle for the 3-1 away trip to Fulham. One of the more honest refs in the
game, he'll need to be able to cop a deaf one at the constant whingeing he's
likely to face.

Daft fact of the week: Former Liverpool hard man Tommy Smith once ended up
before a DSS tribunal having taken a penalty in a charity shoot out at
Wembley. Smith, who, unusually for someone from that part of the world, was
on some sort of incapacity benefits, joked that he'd been shopped by an
Evertonian, something that has gone down into local folklore despite the
fact that the DSS employee concerned was actually a Rugby League fan with no
football allegiance whatsoever.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Uncertainty surrounds Upson
Grant forced to 'wait and see' regarding star defender's fitness
Last updated: 25th February 2011
SSN

LIVE ON SKY SPORTS
West Ham v Liverpool
1pm, Sun, Sky Sports HD1, Sky Sports 1 and online with Sky Player

Relegation-threatened West Ham manager Avram Grant confesses that he does
not know how long it will be before Matthew Upson returns to the first team.
The centre-back has not played since he aggravated an Achilles injury during
the 1-0 defeat to Birmingham on 6th February. Reports have suggested that
Upson's season has been prematurely concluded as a result of the problem,
although assistant boss Wally Downes has dismissed the speculation. The
England international underwent a low intensity training session on Friday
ahead of Sunday lunchtime's Premier League match against Liverpool, but
Grant is not sure when his star defender will be match-fit. "We don't know
how long Matthew Upson will be out for," said the West Ham manager, who is
also without the injured Robbie Keane, Jack Collison and Kieron Dyer.

No secret

"He trained today but it was not training with pressure so we will wait and
see. "It's important when you get to the last few games that you have all
your players available. "We need them back to create competition within the
squad. "It's no secret that part of our problem this season has been
injuries at the wrong time. "All the players we have out were good before
they got injured so it hasn't been easy."

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West Ham v Liverpool preview
Upson and Keane missing for Hammers; Gerrard set to start
Last updated: 26th February 2011
SSN

Form guide:
West Ham: LDWLD
Liverpool: WWWWD

Injuries:
West Ham: Upson, Keane
Liverpool: Aurelio, Carroll, Kelly, Agger, Johnson

Sky Bet odds: West Ham 11/4 Draw 12/5 Liverpool Evens

Sky Bet Tip:Jamie Redknapp reckons both teams will score - 10/11

Opta stat: Rob Green has made nine errors leading to goals in the Premier
League since the start of last season and five this term alone; more than
any other player.

West Ham will continue their increasingly anxious fight against Premier
League relegation when they host a Liverpool side which could feature Steven
Gerrard. Avram Grant's side have spent almost the entire season in the drop
zone, but are still only eight points adrift of 10th-placed Stoke. The fact
that safety has remained tantalisingly within reach therefore provides
reason for West Ham to be optimistic, but also frustrated that they have
been unable to find any form of consistency. Liverpool's season has been
equally confusing as in the first half of the campaign they produced
dreadfully uninspiring form for Roy Hodgson,but they have now gone eight
games in all competitions without defeat under Kenny Dalglish. That form has
propelled the Anfield club into the top six and they are just eight points
adrift of Tottenham, who sit in fourth place and crucially occupy the last
UEFA Champions League position.
Liverpool, who defeated Sparta Prague on Thursday night to reach the last 16
of the Europa League, have refused to get carried away by talk of the top
four, but there cause could be boosted by the return of captain Gerrard from
his groin injury.

Injury news

The England international has missed the last three games and watched the
win over Sparta from the stands, but is expected to feature at Upton Park.
There is less positive injury news for West Ham as they will again be
without Matthew Upson due to an Achilles injury. On-loan striker Robbie
Keane, who spent an unhappy 18 months with Liverpool earlier in his career,
will not face his former club as he remains absent with a calf strain.
German midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger is expected to make his Premier League
debut for West Ham after overcoming injury to feature in Monday's FA Cup
demolition of Burnley. Liverpool will check on Martin Kelly and Daniel
Agger, who were both forced off against Sparta, and Glen Johnson (Achilles).
Fabio Aurelio (adductor) is out and Andy Carroll (thigh) is still unlikely
to make his debut, but Luis Suarez returns after being ineligible for the
recent European games.

Possible starting XIs:
West Ham: Green, Reid, Tomkins, Jacobsen, Bridge, Sears, Parker, Noble,
Hitzlsperger, Cole, Ba.

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Skrtel ,Carragher, Kelly, Lucas, Gerrard, Maxi,
Meireles, Kuyt, Suarez.

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Collison eager to return soon
Welshman could be back in action next month
By Hayley Paterson - Follow me on Twitter @HayleyP_11 Last updated: 26th
February 2011
SSN

Jack Collison is desperate to get back on the pitch and play his part in
rescuing West Ham from relegation after almost a year out with a knee
injury.
The 22-year-old is close to making a return to action since he suffered
cartilage damage in Wales' 1-0 defeat to Sweden last March. The midfielder
has set his sights on a return some time next month and is keen to play a
vital role in making sure West Ham are not playing Championship football
next season.
"I'm getting much closer now," said the Welshman. "I should be back in with
the team over the next few weeks and picking up training. "It's just a
matter of trying to find my feet and getting a few games under my belt.

Tough

"Fingers crossed, I'll be back playing before too long and doing my bit to
help us out of the situation we're in. I want to do my bit this season if
and when I can." Having played a regular part in Gianfranco Zola's starting
11 last season, Collison admits it has been tough watching his club from the
sidelines under the new leadership of Avram Grant and not being able to
feature. "I just love being out there playing football and it has been tough
at times not to be able to do what I love - I haven't been able to kick a
ball out in my garden with my little brother and have a kick-about," he
added.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sullivan retains optimism
West Ham co-owner admits struggle to stay up but retains hope
Last updated: 26th February 2011
SSN

David Sullivan is remaining optimistic regarding West Ham's chances of
beating the drop despite admitting they face a 'huge struggle' to stay up.
Sullivan took over at Upton Park last term along with fellow co-owner David
Gold and saw Gianfranco Zola keep the Hammers up. But the team have again
struggled this term under new boss Avram Grant, currently sitting second
from bottom of the table, three points from safety with 11 games remaining.
The Hammers still have to play five of the top six in that sequence and
Sullivan believes it will be a tough ask to stay up but he remains hopeful.
The West Ham co-owner told The Guardian: "We've got a tough run-in. But
we've underperformed all season and we're now paying the price. "I think,
being realistic, (the chance of surviving) is less than 50-50. I actually
think a lot of the fans are almost accepting we're going to be relegated.
That's the case with the supporters I speak to, unfortunately. "I say to
people we're a long way from being relegated, but we have to do better. It's
going to be a huge, huge struggle. "But strange things happen in football.
West Brom were 25-1 on to be relegated one year and got out of it and Fulham
were almost gone one year (and survived)."

No excuse

While the Hammers have been hit by injuries this term, including to Thomas
Hitzlsperger, he accepts this can not be used as an excuse. He added: "I
think all the players would admit we didn't anticipate being where we are.
"Not having people like Hitzlsperger has been a terrible blow. He was our
marquee summer signing, and to get him injured three days before the start
of the season playing for Germany was real bad luck. But you can't just put
it down to that. "I think, basically, we haven't risen to the occasion when
we've needed to and defensively we've been fragile."

Sullivan and Gold have reduced the club's debt from £110m to the "low
eighties" and he admits it will be a real financial blow if the Hammers drop
to the Championship. He added: "We love the club and we'll keep it in
business but it's very frightening what we've inherited, and we could just
do without relegation. "There is probably a £12m-15m hole in the Premier
League and a £40m hole in the Championship - that's a real figure. "Either
way, we'll plug the holes, but the problem in the Championship is that
you've got to plug the hole and keep enough of a side together to get you
back up, which is very difficult to do."

Player exodus
Sullivan admits certain players will want to leave the club if they go down.
For example, fit again Hitzlsperger has an exit-clause in his contract. He
added: "I don't wish to discuss individuals but you must accept there will
be certain players that don't want to play in the Championship and you've
got to respect that. "You can't have players that don't want to play for you
and if you get a satisfactory offer, they'll have to be sold. If you don't,
they won't. We're not going to be skinned alive by teams."

But Sullivan retains hope they can stay up. "We have got a decent team at
the moment, probably the best team we've had all season," he said. "(Recent
signing Demba) Ba is a good striker, (Robbie) Keane is injured,
unfortunately, but Thomas will make a huge difference. "If he had scored
five or six long-distance goals up until now, which he would have done if he
had been playing, we would be in a completely different position."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hitzlsperger relishing return
Midfield ace enjoying life at Upton Park
Last updated: 26th February 2011
SSN

West Ham midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger admits he finds more enjoyment in
the English game than the German. The ex-Aston Villa man announced his debut
for the Hammers in style on Monday night when he fired home a trademark
left-footed wonder-strike in their 5-1 FA Cup thrashing of Burnley.
Germany international Hitzlsperger, who spent five years with Bundesliga
club Stuttgart, was making his much-anticipated first outing at Upton Park
after injury kept him sidelined for the first six months of his West Ham
career. And the 28-year-old, who could make his Premier League debut for the
Hammers at home to Liverpool on Sunday, says he is relishing his return to
English football.

Enjoyable

"Although it has been great most of the time in Germany I have felt that
football is more enjoyable for me in the Premiership," Hitzlsperger told The
Independent. "Of course, you cannot say it is the best league in the world.
You never really know. Just being in the Premier League I have had more joy
playing than in the Bundesliga. "They [Germany] have got a lot of good young
players coming through, the national team has played ever so well in the
World Cup and the years before that. "You can see the progression in German
football but [in England] it all comes together: the physical side, the pace
of the game, the passion from the fans. "The people show you a lot of
respect. Sometimes people in Germany are very critical. "It is easier to
make them [fans] happier over here. A good pass, a good tackle, people stand
up and cheer. Whereas in Germany I often felt that you have a good game and
ten bad minutes, they remember the ten bad minutes."

Hitzlsperger, who shares a nickname with his current club having been
labelled 'Der Hammer' by English fans during his time at Villa Park,says
scoring on his debut for the East Londoners was a good feeling.

Rewarding
He added: "The gaffer asked me before the game, 'Are you fit to start?' I
said I felt good and I could definitely play for an hour. "As the game went
on I didn't want to come off. I have been known for those kind of shots and
to score a goal like that in my first game ... it is nice. "People recognise
you quite easily, the nickname as well, it all fits together."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Faubert wants Hammers exit
French full-back fuming
By Graeme Bailey - Follow me on Twitter @graemebailey Last updated: 26th
February 2011
SSN

Julien Faubert has revealed his unhappiness at West Ham and has stated he
wants to leave the club in the summer. The versatile French full-back has
not featured for The Hammers since their Carling Cup semi-final defeat to
Birmingham at the end of January. The 27-year-old who was loaned to Real
Madrid two-years ago, is now adamant that his time at West Ham is coming to
an end. "My story with West Ham is at an end," he told the Daily Mirror. "I
worked flat out for them, even when my mother died, and I have never created
any problems. "If they told me I'm not playing because I am no good I would
understand, but that is not the case. I am in good shape and just want to
play, but I don't expect anything more here. "My future lies elsewhere and I
hope they will not try to prevent me leaving."

Confusion

Faubert, who has a year left on his contract, also explained the situation
which saw him fail to turn up for a game against Birmingham earlier this
month.
"At the time of the Birmingham game, my newly-born son was ill and in
hospital. I spent the Friday and Saturday with him and could not go to
training," he explained. "My bosses knew the situation. On the eve of the
match they told me I was in the reserve squad, but when I turned up on the
Sunday the assistant manager told me the first team needed me as a player
was injured. "So I jumped in my car, rushed home and then on to Upton Park -
but when I got there surprise, surprise - nobody was injured and I was not
in the squad. "I left the ground, as players do in these situations, and
went to see my son as he had suffered a relapse. The hospital was an hour's
drive away. "On my way I got a phone call saying that a lad (James Tomkins)
had got injured five minutes before the kick-off, and that I had to come
back to replace him - but that was impossible. "Afterwards the bosses said I
had not wanted to return, and that I lacked respect for them. They made me
out to be a mercenary. "West Ham were simply looking for excuses after their
defeat against Birmingham. This chapter is now closed - but so is mine at
the club."

Hammers manager Avram Grant insisted that there is no issue with the player,
saying: "If there was a problem with Faubert, he would not have been on the
bench in the next game. The other matter is internal."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Grant gives Cole backing
Hammers boss admits deal would have been out of club's reach
Last updated: 25th February 2011
SSN

Avram Grant admits it would have cost West Ham United 'big money' to re-sign
Joe Cole and is confident the midfielder will be a hit at Liverpool. Cole
joined Liverpool on a free transfer last summer after leaving Chelsea, but
he has struggled to make an impact at Anfield. The England international has
started only eight Premier League games for the Reds and has been unable to
show the Merseyside faithful his best form. He will return to first club
West Ham on Sunday and Upton Park boss Grant expects Liverpool to eventually
see the best of Cole's ability.

Good spirit

"Joe is a very good player, a very, very nice player. He has a good spirit
and is good to any team on and off the pitch," said Grant. "I think he
started well, then he had an injury, and then it was not so good for him.
"Sometimes when you are injured it's not easy to come back and it was a
little bit difficult for them but I am sure he will be very good for
Liverpool. If not, then they can bring him to me."

The Hammers were interested in signing the 29-year-old before he joined
Liverpool and were also keen on the playmaker in the January transfer
window.
Grant would relish the chance to call on Cole, but acknowledged the player's
wages proved to be out of West Ham's reach. He added: "I will always want a
player who plays so good. "He belongs to Liverpool but I will always be
happy if a player like this was in my team. "But everyone knows the
situation in our club. We had the opportunity to take him but for West Ham
it was big money."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
I'm finished with Hammers
The Sun
By MARK IRWIN
Published: 26 Feb 2011

ANGRY Julien Faubert last night accused West Ham of trashing his reputation
and does not expect to play for them again. The French full-back claims boss
Avram Grant does not even talk to him and he is being frozen out of Upton
Park. SunSport revealed how Faubert REFUSED to be a sub against Birmingham.
He said: "I've two months of my deal left but they'll not ask me to play as
I've no future at West Ham. "Physically I'm well and all I want is to play.
But I'm not expecting it to happen. If only they told me 'you're no good,
you don't play', I'd understand. But even that's not the case. There's no
communication. "And yet I've given so much to this club. I've never created
waves or problems. Even when I lost my mother, I still gave everything. "My
future lies elsewhere. They've managed to turn out almost everyone from the
Zola era. I hope they don't wreck everything when I'm gone."

Faubert, 27, accuses the club of making him a scapegoat for that home loss
by Birmingham three weeks ago while his baby son was ill in hospital. He
said: "My new-born son was sick and I stayed with him in hospital on the
Friday and Saturday before the Birmingham game and could not go training.
"My bosses were informed but on the morning of the game I was told they
needed me as someone was injured. So I went home from the hospital, got my
car and sped to the stadium. And then, surprise, when I arrived I wasn't in
the squad. "So, as players usually do, I left and went to see my son as he'd
had a relapse. The hospital was an hour away and when I arrived I got a call
from the club saying they needed me for the bench as one of the players had
been injured. But it was impossible. "They said I didn't want to come back
and I disrespected the club. They wanted to tarnish my name, make me look a
mercenary. "But the club was looking for excuses after the defeat by
Birmingham." Faubert said: "I've been contacted by many European clubs but
my wife wants to stay in England."

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Matt's back on the Up
The Sun
Published: 25 Feb 2011

WEST HAM boss Avram Grant insists Matthew Upson will be available soon after
he came through a light training session. Upson aggravated an Achilles
injury during the Hammers' 1-0 defeat to Birmingham three weeks ago and it
had been feared he would be crocked for the rest of the season. The club
have received several different diagnoses on their captain's injury and it
is still unclear when he will be fit to play again. However, Grant has
received some encouraging news when Upson came through a light workout with
the squad at Upton Park ahead of Sunday's home match against Liverpool.
Upson is unlikely to be considered this weekend but Grant is hoping his star
defender, and his other sidelined players like Robbie Keane, Jack Collison
and Kieron Dyer, will be fit soon. Boss Grant said: "We don't know how long
Matthew Upson will be out for. "He trained today but it was not training
with pressure so we will wait and see. "It's important when you get to the
last few games that you have all your players available. "We need them back
to create competition within the squad. "It's no secret that part of our
problem this season has been injuries at the wrong time. "All the players we
have out were good before they got injured so it hasn't been easy."

The last time Liverpool and West Ham met the game was a disaster for the
Hammers as they lost 3-0 to an out-of-form team under Roy Hodgson.
West Ham were left rooted to the foot of the table following the November
defeat, five points from safety, but they could move out of the bottom three
with a win over Kenny Dalglish's side on Sunday. Grant believes the loss at
Anfield was an important moment in the club's season. The Hammers boss said:
"When we played there we had a lot of injuries but we still played poorly in
every aspect of the game and Liverpool played well. "There are good things
we learned from this. From this game we played different and better. "We
have not played like we did there since." Grant will give midfield ace
Thomas Hitzlsperger his first league start and is expected to continue with
Winston Reid at centre-half if Upson does not recover in time.

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West Ham chairman David Sullivan plans a Real cracker for opening game at
Olympic Stadium
Feb 20 2011 by Dean Jones, The People

WEST HAM fancy a sensational Olympic Stadium unveiling, with a clash against
Barcelona or Real Madrid. The Hammers expect to move in for the 2014-15
season, and intend to mark the switch across London with a prestigious
pre-season opener. They will look into exact details once the 2012 Olympic
Games are over – but provisional prospects include flying one of La Liga's
top sides over to kick off with a bang. Owner David Sullivan told
Confidential: "It will be special whoever we play, but we might try to bring
in Barcelona or Real Madrid."

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Faubert rocks West Ham with exit demand
Published 23:59 25/02/11 By Mike Walters
The Mirror

Julien Faubert has rocked West Ham by announcing he wants to quit Upton Park
in the summer. The Hammers defender claims he was made a scapegoat for the
1-0 home defeat by Birmingham three weeks ago which left them deep in the
Premier League relegation quicksand. And although manager Avram Grant last
night insisted he had "no problem" with the French defender who was good
enough to go on loan to Real Madrid two years ago, Faubert says his
differences with the club are irreconcilable. For Grant, who has 11 games to
save the Hammers from the trapdoor, Faubert's strop is an unhelpful prelude
to tomorrow's big home game with resurgent Liverpool. The £5 million signing
from Bordeaux was accused of walking out in a huff when he failed to answer
a late call-up to the bench for the game with Brum on February 6. But
Faubert, 27, insisted he was attending to a family crisis after his baby son
had been admitted to hospital and raged: "My story with West Ham is at an
end. "I worked flat out for them, even when my mother died, and I have never
created any problems. If they told me I'm not playing because I am no good I
would understand, but that is not the case. I am in good shape and just want
to play, but I don't expect anything more here. "My future lies elsewhere
and I hope they will not try to prevent me leaving."

Faubert, who has a year left on his contract, added in France Football
magazine: "At the time of the Birmingham game, my newly-born son was ill and
in hospital. I spent the Friday and Saturday with him and could not go to
training. "My bosses knew the situation. On the eve of the match they told
me I was in the reserve squad, but when I turned up on the Sunday the
assistant manager told me the first team needed me as a player was injured.
"So I jumped in my car, rushed home and then on to Upton Park - but when I
got there surprise, surprise - nobody was injured and I was not in the
squad. "I left the ground, as players do in these situations, and went to
see my son as he had suffered a relapse. The hospital was an hour's drive
away. "On my way I got a phone call saying that a lad (James Tomkins) had
got injured five minutes before the kick-off, and that I had to come back to
replace him - but that was impossible. "Afterwards the bosses said I had not
wanted to return, and that I lacked respect for them. They made me out to be
a mercenary. "West Ham were simply looking for excuses after their defeat
against Birmingham. This chapter is now closed - but so is mine at the
club."

Manager Grant insisted last night: "If there was a problem with Faubert, he
would not have been on the bench in the next game. The other matter is
internal." Faubert's ill-timed outburst, when the Hammers are fighting to
stay afloat, will not go down well with the hierarchy - although Grant's
admission that he would like to repatriate Joe Cole in the east end will be
a vote-winner.

Grant last night admitted he tried to sign West Ham's former prodigy when
his Cole's contract expired at Chelsea last summer, but they could not match
Liverpool's £90,000-a-week offer. He said: "I would always want a player who
performs so well in my team - when I was at Chelsea, he had a very good
season, but since then he has had a bad injury and it is not always easy to
come back. "I'm sure he will still be very good for Liverpool - if, then you
can bring him to me. Of course he is not my player at the moment, but I will
always be happy if a player like this is in my team. "We had the opportunity
to sign him last summer, but he was too cheap! But seriously, you know the
situation - you need to play top players the top wages, and we cannot do
that at the moment. "But I think in the next few years players will follow
the project that we want to do here."

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WINSTON REID: DANES HAVE DESERTED KENNY
27th February 2011 By Adrian Stiles
Daily Star

WEST HAM star Winston Reid has told Liverpool: You're no longer a big team
where I come from. Defender Reid, 22, spent his teenage years in Denmark – a
Liverpool-mad nation when Kenny Dalglish was in his prime on the pitch. But
there aren't many Danes who will be getting worked up about the Scot taking
his team to Upton Park today. Reid said: "Liverpool have got two Danish
internationals, Daniel Agger and Christian Poulsen, so there is still a
Liverpool following over there. "But most people in Denmark ­support
Manchester United these days. Recently Chelsea have become more popular and
now Manchester City are getting up there. "United were the team I followed,
I thought they were a good team. "I always thought Agger was a good player
but I didn't exactly look up to him. "And I haven't seen much of Liverpool
lately so it's hard to say if they've improved much."

Reid may have learned the game in Denmark but he plays for New Zealand, the
country he left as a 10-year-old. And that nation is still reeling from the
earthquake that hit the city of Christchurch and killed more than 100
people. He said: "Most of my family still live there so it was unsettling.
"It was a case of getting on the phone and making sure everyone was all
right. "Luckily they were all okay but there are still a lot of people who
have died over there. It's very ­unfortunate."

Reid is keen to do all he can to help the relief efforts. He said: "New
Zealand will be playing games against Japan and China as fundraisers. "I'm
trying to sort some stuff out for the people back home. "I'll be auctioning
some jerseys, boots and some other signed items. There might be a few things
from the World Cup that I can spare too."

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