Thursday, December 8

Daily WHUFC News - 8th December 2011

Manchester's woeful Wednesday
Page last updated at 23:51 GMT, Wednesday, 7 December 2011

Manchester United and Manchester City have both crashed out of the Champions
League after a dismal night for the Premier League's top two. United
suffered a humiliating 2-1 defeat to Swiss Champions Basel, while City beat
Bayern Munich 2-0 but were ousted by Napoli's win in Villarreal. While
London clubs Arsenal and Chelsea continue to mix it with the cream of the
continent, United and City are now consigned to Thursday nights in the
Europa League. In the wake of Manchester's woeful Wednesday, former players
and pundits have been giving their reaction. Former Manchester United
midfielder and ITV summariser Roy Keane: "I think [going out] reflects what
United have done in truth - they haven't scored enough goals and they
haven't beaten Basel or Benfica.

UNITED FACTS
• Manchester United have failed to survive the group phase for only the
third time in 17 Champions Leagues
• United are the first team to fall at the first group stage after reaching
the previous season's final
• United last featured in the Europa League (or Uefa Cup as it was) in the
1995-96 season when they were knocked out by Rotor Volgograd
• The Europa League remains the only major European honour not won by Sir
Alex Ferguson
• Five of the eight goals conceded by United in the Champions League this
season were scored by Basel

"People have talked about the young players - you've had [Phil] ones,
[Chris] Smalling, [Ashley] Young coming in, everybody building them up but
they've got a lot to do, it's a reality check for some. I'd be getting hold
of some of those lads, saying 'you'd better buck up your ideas'. "I think
their best player tonight was Ryan Giggs. That sums it up - he's 37 or 38,
you can't be depending on him. United got what they deserved tonight. "It's
a reality check for the Premier League and I wouldn't look beyond the
Spanish teams Real Madrid and Barcelona this season."

Ferguson hit back when asked about Keane's comments, remarking on his former
captain's experience as a manager. "He had an opportunity to prove himself
as a manager too," Ferguson said. "It is a difficult job." BBC Radio 5 live
pundit Mark Lawrenson: "When the draw came out, we all thought Manchester
United had a bye. You have to say credit to FC Basel. They scored five goals
in two games against Manchester United and took four points off them. "I'm
not a student of FC Basel's history but I think this is probably their best
result ever. "There is a big difference between City and United. United have
been used to marrying the Premier League and the Champions League for years;
City will gain from the experience. When Real Madrid and Barcelona hear
about the Manchester United result, they will react in disbelief. "I think
we were all surprised when United did not sign a creative midfield player at
the start of the season. David De Gea is only 20 and at the beginning of the
season his mistakes were being swept under the carpet because United were
winning. "But he has continued to make mistakes."

Former Manchester City defender Danny Mills on BBC Radio 5 live: "When this
group stage came out United were a certainty to go through, but they have
got it completely wrong. Disastrous results at home have cost them dear and
I don't think they did enough here tonight to test the goalkeeper. "It was a
disappointing performance, especially in the second half when they never
really went for it."Questions have to be asked of David De Gea. Is he the
right man to replace Edwin van der Saar? I'm not so sure."

QUALIFIERS FROM EUROPA LEAGUE GROUP STAGES
• PAOK Salonika (Greece)
• Standard Liege (Belgium)
• Legia Warsaw (Poland)
• PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands)
• Sporting Lisbon (Portugal)
• Stoke City (England)
• Athletic Bilbao (Spain)
• FC Metalist (Ukraine)
• Atletico Madrid (Spain)
• Schalke (Germany)
• FC Twente (Netherlands)
• Anderlecht (Belgium)
• Lokomotiv Moscow (Russia)

Former United captain and Sky Sports summariser Gary Neville: "It will be a
low point and a huge disappointment. I was part of the last team who did not
qualify [in 2005-06] and at that point we felt we couldn't get any lower -
we hadn't won the league for three years. You have to react in the next
game. "United will be more disappointed than City. City need to improve and
progress and get used to playing in the Champions League." Basel goalkeeper
Yann Sommer: "It's incredible. A Swiss team, a little country, against
Manchester United, one of biggest teams in the world - it's crazy. But we
believed in our strength and we fought until the end, this was the key.
"Manchester are a good team, they had a lot of pressure and sometimes we
were a bit lucky not to concede, and this is a crazy night. We are through
and Manchester are out - it's super."

Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas on Twitter: "Two English teams and two
Spanish out of the Champions League. European football is very strong."
Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny on Twitter: "I don't agree with De Gea
criticism. He's potentially one of the best GK in the world but needs time
to get his confidence at Man United. You have to perform at your best every
game when you play for big clubs and when De Gea is at his best he is
unreal. Give him some time..."

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Chelsea's Nicolas Anelka in talks with Shanghai Shenhua
Page last updated at 18:34 GMT, Wednesday, 7 December 2011
By Arindam Rej

Nicolas Anelka will decide whether to join Shanghai Shenhua on a three-year
deal by the start of next week. The Chelsea striker's camp is in talks with
the Chinese Super League club, who are expected to bring former France
midfielder Jean Tigana in as manager. Neither club has revealed details
about the transfer fee but discussions taking place between the player and
the club include details on image rights. Anelka was Avram Grant's first
signing at Stamford Bridge in January 2008.

SPOTLIGHT ON SHENHUA
• Shanghai was the first football club in China that was independent from
the government
• Well-known former players from Europe include Ruben Sosa, Carsten Jancker
and Jorg Albertz
• Former Crystal Palace, Dundee and Cardiff player Fan Zhiyi began his
career there in the mid-nineties
• Their Hongkou Stadium has a capacity of 35,000 and staged the final of the
2007 FIFA Women's World Cup

The French striker, 32, joined in a £15m switch and has scored 59 goals in
185 appearances for the London club. But he has fallen out of the first-team
picture having scored only once in 15 games this season, with manager Andre
Villas-Boas favouring Didier Drogba, Daniel Sturridge and Fernando Torres.
Anelka and Chelsea team-mate Alex were told by Villas-Boas last week that
they will no longer train with the first-team squad after handing in
transfer requests. The striker would be a free agent next summer, allowing
him to sign a pre-contract agreement with a club from January. Shanghai
Shenhua club chairman Zhu Jun is quoted in Shanghai Daily, saying: "We
started to talk about every detail from the first minute of the
negotiations. The whole contract is made up of details. It's comprehensive
and complicated, involving the player's image and the commercial
cooperation."

Media officer Ma Yue has confirmed: "There'll be news very soon. In five
days, we'll definitely have news on whether it is yes or no." Regarding the
length of deal, Ma added: "In England or other European countries, his age
might be considered quite advanced. But the football level is not as high
here. We don't think it's any problem for him to play for another three
years."

ANELKA'S £86.8m TRANSFERS
• Feb 97: Arsenal (£0.5m)
• Aug 99: Real Madrid (£22.3m)
• Jul 00: PSG (£22m)
• Jun 02: Man City (£12m)
• Jan 05: Fenerbahce (£7m)
• Aug 06: Bolton (£8m)
• Jan 08: Chelsea (£15m)

He also told Shanghai Daily that the club has held "deep talks" with
Anelka's agent, his brother Claude. According to Ma, the arrival of Tigana
could be a factor in whether Anelka agrees terms. Tigana is expected in
Shanghai next week and is planning to bring his own assistants. The Chinese
club was previously called Shanghai Football Club but, in 1993, was
re-organised and became a professional football Club. Since then, they have
won two titles but finished 11th out of 16 teams last season. In May,
Chelsea hired the agency ECN Management to market high-profile players in
China and raise their global profile.

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Liverpool striker Luis Suarez charged by FA over hand gesture
Page last updated at 19:03 GMT, Wednesday, 7 December 2011

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has been charged with improper conduct by the
Football Association over an allegedly abusive hand gesture during the 1-0
defeat at Fulham on Monday. Suarez appeared to raise the middle finger of
his left hand towards the home fans as he left the pitch. Liverpool have
also been charged with failing to control their players after the dismissal
of Jay Spearing. The club said they would review the FA documentation
before making comment. Suarez and Liverpool have until 1600 GMT on Monday 12
December to respond to both charges. Uruguay star Suarez is now the subject
of two FA disciplinary cases. Last month, he was charged with racially
abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra during Liverpool's 1-1 draw
with Manchester United in October. The latest incident occurred at the end
of a damaging defeat for the Reds, during which Suarez was subjected to
chants of "cheat" from sections of the home crowd.

They barracked the player for what they saw as him going down too easily in
an attempt to win penalties and free-kicks. After the match, Reds boss Kenny
Dalglish said he had not seen the picture of the hand gesture. "If [it] is
true then I've a decision to make," the Scot added. Dalglish defended the
striker over accusations of diving and described the taunts as "scandalous".
He added: "At the end of the day, we will look after Luis the best we can
and I think it is about time he got a bit of protection from some people."
The charge against Liverpool concerns the reaction of their players to
Spearing's controversial second-half sending-off.

Five players including Spearing surrounded referee Kevin Friend after he
showed the midfielder a straight red for a foul on striker Moussa Dembele
with his follow-through after a tackle, having initially won the ball. The
dismissal came after 71 minutes, with the score at 0-0, before Clint
Dempsey's late winner sealed victory for Fulham to move them 13th in the
league. Dalglish added: "It is frustrating because nobody tells us what the
level of acceptance is. Jay had no other thought on his mind other than to
win the ball - and he did win it." Spearing will miss Liverpool's next three
matches after the Reds opted not to appeal against the sending-off.

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English clubs disadvantaged by Fair Play rules, Premier League says
page last updated at 17:19 GMT, Wednesday, 7 December 2011
By John Sinnott

The Premier League has said Financial Fair Play regulations relating to
third-party ownership of players could unfairly hamper English clubs. Some
European clubs rely on third-party deals to buy players to reduce costs. But
the Premier League, which bars such deals, has asked Uefa to look at the
rules saying they could mean that: "English clubs in European competition
[are] at a disadvantage. "Having no prohibition on [these deals] seems at
odds with FFPR principles."

THIRD-PARTY BENEFITS
• Any revenues from a club selling part of its player's economic rights to a
third-party owner
• Any reduction in transfer fee costs if it is split between the club and
third-party owners

The top-flight regulator believes that the current situation is unfair,
especially if "transparent owner equity investment" - effectively money
pumped into a club by a wealthy owner such as Manchester City's Sheikh
Mansour - is restricted. With third-party player investment prohibited in
the Premier League yet allowed under FFPR, the League has suggested the
rules could hamper its members. The practice of third-party ownership is
prevalent in South America and parts of Europe. Essentially, companies buy a
percentage of a player in the hope that, if he becomes a star in the future,
that percentage can be sold for a large profit. Some clubs have even started
selling percentages of players that they had previously owned outright. But
since the controversy that surrounded Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano
joining West Ham on third-party deals in 2006, the Premier League has banned
the practice to protect "the integrity of competition".

"It may well be for Uefa to make a decision on whether third-party ownership
revenue and cost benefits afforded to non-Premier League clubs should be
excluded at least for FFPR compliance," lawyer Daniel Geey of Field Fisher
Waterhouse told BBC Sport. "The issue for Premier League clubs wanting to
play in Uefa competitions is that they could be at a disadvantage in trying
to adhere to FFPR. "This is because non-Premier League clubs may have lower
transfer amortisation charges [the process of accounting for an asset's cost
over a number of years] as they can spread their transfer fee risk among
third-party owners."

In October, leading sports lawyer Jean-Louis Dupont told the BBC that the
Premier League's third-party ownership rules were "not legitimate".

THIRD-PARTY BUSINESS
• Benfica Stars Fund
• DIS Esporte
• Gol Football Luxembourg
• Mamers BV
• Media Sports Investments
• Pearl Design Holding Ltd
• QFI
• Sporting Portugal Fund
• Traffic Sports

Dupont suggested a legal challenge to the rule would have a "very, very good
chance" of winning. FFPR comes into force from the beginning of the 2013-14
season and requires clubs to break even, losing no more than £38m in total
over the next three seasons. Clubs that do not meet the FFPR standards but
wish to play in Europe may potentially be denied a licence and not be
allowed to take part in the Champions League or Europa League. It is also
understood that the Premier League is lobbying Uefa to consider whether the
central good cause payments the top flight makes - from broadcast and
commercial income that would otherwise be given to each of our clubs - can
be included in FFPR calculations.

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Wayne Rooney set for appeal to Uefa over Euro 2012 ban
Page last updated at 16:14 GMT, Wednesday, 7 December 2011

Wayne Rooney is to appear before a Uefa panel on Thursday to appeal against
his three-match European Championship ban. The England striker, 26, received
the punishment after being sent off for kicking Miodrag Dzudovic during the
2-2 draw with Montenegro in October. Manager Fabio Capello is expected to
join him at the hearing, which is scheduled to start in Switzerland at 0830
GMT, with a decision due later. If the ban is upheld, Rooney will miss
England's Group D matches in Ukraine. On Friday, England were drawn to face
France, Sweden and joint hosts Ukraine, with the top two sides reaching the
quarter-finals. The Manchester United forward is expected to be driven about
140 miles to Nyon for the hearing after his club's Champions League game at
Swiss side FC Basel on Wednesday night. FA communications director Adrian
Bevington, legal director Alistair MacLean, and a team of four lawyers
including Adam Lewis QC, are also due to attend the hearing.
The team is also made up of a Swiss sports lawyer, plus the FA's own
internal solicitor James Bonnington and a representative from their external
lawyers Charles Russell. "We feel we have put a very robust case together
with some evidence from Wayne, Fabio Capello, from the Montenegrin player
and also from the specialist external legal advice and our own internal
in-house lawyers that we work with as well," said Bevington.

Rooney has admitted the kick was "stupid" but maintained that the ban was "a
bit harsh". He added: "It will be a bonus if it is cut by one game." The
FA's appeal has included a written letter by Dzudovic asking that the ban be
reduced. Rooney, who has scored 28 goals in 73 appearances for England, was
not included in the 1-0 friendly wins over Spain and Sweden in November. But
Capello has said his most prolific forward will appear in subsequent
friendlies in the new year, with one organised against the Netherlands at
Wembley on 29 February.

The Italian has said he is hoping for leniency and will wait before deciding
whether to include him in the squad for the Euro 2012 finals in Poland and
Ukraine. "I hope Rooney will be there. The sentence, three games, was too
much for me and I hope the appeal will help us reduce the sentence," he
said. "I hope he'll be available for the third game. I hope they understand
our lawyer, what Rooney says and what I will say at the committee." The
appeal will be heard by three Uefa members - panel chairman Michel Wuilleret
(Switzerland), Levent Bicakci (Turkey) and Ivaylo Ivkov (Bulgaria).

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Lampard in my plans - Villas-Boas
Page last updated at 07:37 GMT, Wednesday, 7 December 2011
By Phil McNulty

Manager Andre Villas-Boas insists Frank Lampard still has a major part to
play in Chelsea's future despite being dropped for the Champions League win
against Valencia at Stamford Bridge. Lampard was an unused substitute as
Chelsea won 3-0 to reach the last 16. But Villas-Boas said the 33-year-old
England midfielder is in contention to face Manchester City on Monday.
"Frank has been fantastic. We have to select 11 and he wasn't in this 11,"
said Villas-Boas. "Important players have been left out at Chelsea, players
of immense talent."

Lampard was dropped after being substituted in the 3-0 win at Newcastle
United, with Villas-Boas opting for Raul Meireles, Ramires and Oriol Romeu
in midfield against Valencia. Villas-Boas explained: "He has been in a
fantastic moment and is sure to threaten for the starting 11 on Monday. "He
is one of the greatest players in the world but this choice was three
players in midfield because of their technical ability to keep possession
and keep it on the ground without a lot of long balls.
"We know that Frank can also do this but he was not our choice for this
game. "He will come back in the future certainly. He has been fantastic in
the way he has taken these tough decisions." Villas-Boas kept faith with
another of Chelsea's old guard Didier Drogba - and the striker rewarded him
by scoring twice and creating the other goal for Ramires. Drogba, 33, said:
"There was a lot of pressure but, when you start the group stage, you know
you have to play until the last day. "We had a chance to finish top [of the
group] and our attitude was positive. We wanted to get the result. The
pressure can sometimes be positive and it was in this game."

The Ivorian is out of contract in the summer and is believed to be holding
out for a two-year deal. But he says the crucial thing is helping Chelsea
move up from fourth in the Premier League table. He added: "My future is not
important. The most important thing is to put the team back in the position
we want to be in - at the top of the Premier League. "We are not happy
where we are now."

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Andre Villas-Boas hits back at 'persecution' of Chelsea
Page last updated at 23:18 GMT, Tuesday, 6 December 2011
By Phil McNulty
Chief football writer at Stamford Bridge

Andre Villas-Boas said Chelsea gave their critics a "slap in the face" by
reaching the Champions League knockout phase with victory over Valencia. The
Portuguese manager was speaking after the 3-0 win, claiming there had been
"persecution" of the Blues during their recent indifferent run. "My players
deserve respect they don't get," said Villas-Boas. "We've been chased by
different kinds of people and pressures. Here we have given everyone a slap
in the face." The crucial win over Valencia was only Chelsea's fifth in
their last 11 matches but it was enough to ensure the Blues topped Group E
ahead of German outfit Bayer Leverkusen, who could only draw at Genk.
And Villas-Boas took the opportunity to hit out at the media's coverage of
the London team. He feels that Premier League leaders Manchester City have
not been under the same pressure - even though they could exit the Champions
League at the group stage, having lost to Napoli. Villas-Boas said: "It [the
coverage] has been over the top. "I hope they [Manchester City] qualify for
the Champions League knockout stage but the attitude to them is; if they
qualify they qualify, if they don't they don't - we don't get that margin."

Villas-Boas was particularly unhappy at comments from former Manchester
United and England defender Gary Neville in the build-up to the match. He
added: "We see a [former] Manchester United defender [Neville] say in the
preparations for the game things like, 'I don't want to be one of the
Chelsea players today, I couldn't play this game and it is a difficult game
for them'. "This is out of this world for me, I don't believe this. This is
a continuous persecution, it is aggression towards one club.
"It is unfortunate for you guys [the media] because you have to report on a
brilliant win for Chelsea and we qualify first in the group. It is difficult
for everybody and today this is difficult for you."

Villas-Boas was elated that Chelsea not only qualified with two goals from
Didier Drogba and another from Ramires - but topped the group. "Finishing
top of the group is fantastic," he added. "It is against all odds. Nobody
would have put a bet on us finishing top but it has happened and it is very
satisfying. "The team was excellent. It was a win of human values, team
spirit, solidarity, responsibility, strength of character, resilience,
ability to take criticism." Chelsea now await the draw for the last 16 on
Friday, 16 December.

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Ukraine surprised by England 'illogical' Poland Euro 2012 base
Page last updated at 18:02 GMT, Tuesday, 6 December 2011
By Dan Roan
BBC sports news correspondent

Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister has told the BBC he is "surprised" by
England's decision to base themselves in Poland for Euro 2012, despite
playing their group matches in Ukraine. Borys Kolesnikov said it would
benefit England's opponents as the team would have to travel thousands of
miles. "We are surprised by the decision but it will be easier for us," he
said. And Ukraine's UK ambassador, Volodymyr Khandogiy, added: "From my
point of view it's not logical."

Deputy PM Kolesnikov invited England manager Fabio Capello to consider
swapping the team's planned base in Krakow for an alternative across the
border.
"The coach of the France national team Laurent Blanc is visiting Donetsk [to
find a training camp], and everyone knows our bases are among the best in
Europe," he said. However, the Football Association has insisted England
will not change their training base despite facing journeys of 930 miles to
Donetsk, twice, and 540 miles to Kiev from Krakow. If England are to win
the tournament, then it is possible that they will have to cover 10,000
miles. England open their campaign against France on 11 June at the Donbass
Arena in Donetsk before returning to Krakow. They will then make another
marathon trip to Kiev to face Sweden four days later and end the group stage
back in Donetsk against Ukraine on 19 June. "Maybe England's management
should talk to Uefa and change, because in Donetsk we have three excellent
training camps, another in Kiev, and more in Kharkiv, so maybe they should
do an exchange," said Kolesnikov. "We may be a former Soviet country, but in
terms of sports infrastructure ours is better than many in Europe."

Unlike England, who made their decision to stay in Krakow before the draw
was made, Group D rivals Sweden had two training camp options, one in Kiev
and another in Poland, which they have now cancelled. Ukraine's ambassador
to the UK, Volodymyr Khandogiy, told the BBC that England's decision made
little sense.

ENGLAND'S FIXTURES
• 11 June: France (Donetsk)
• 15 June: Sweden (Kiev)
• 19 June: Ukraine (Donetsk)

"I don't feel offended. But from the pure logical point of view, logic tells
you that you should stay in the city you're playing. "From my point of view
it's not logical. It's up to them. Sweden will stay in Kiev, France in
Donetsk. "It doesn't prevent England's fans from coming, but maybe the team
will be too tired to play in Ukraine.
"I don't think they have looked. We can guarantee them the best of
accommodation in Donetsk and Kiev. Donetsk is a football city, it has an
academy and plenty of grounds."

For England fans who base themselves in Ukraine there will still be plenty
of travelling, as Donetsk is 435 miles from Kiev. Supporters wishing to stay
in Donetsk could also face problems due to a lack of facilities in the city.
Ukraine is hoping to introduce high-speed trains in time for the tournament
that would halve the journey time between the two cities to less than five
hours. Student accommodation in Donetsk is also being refurbished and made
available to fans, with camp sites created to prepare for the influx of
supporters. "Fans will be very surprised when they arrive in Ukraine," added
Khandogiy. "We still have some time to go, and we have a very intense
reconstruction process. Those people who have tickets, we will take care of
them. "It is very European, very relaxed, very hospitable and you don't
need a visa to come. I want to rule out all the stories about something
suspicious in Kiev. We can handle this."

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Birmingham City owner Carson Yeung in Hong Kong court

Birmingham City owner Carson Yeung has appeared in court in Hong Kong
accused of money laundering. Mr Yeung, who took control of the football club
in 2009, faces five counts amounting to about £59m. The 51-year-old
attended a pre-trial hearing on Wednesday. It is thought a date will be set
for the trial in the next few days.
Police arrested the former hairstylist, who is on bail, in June. He made his
fortune investing in Macau in the 90s.

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Thursday's gossip column - transfers and rumours

TRANSFER GOSSIP

New Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill will investigate the possibility of
recalling Asamoah Gyan to boost his striking options.
Full story: Daily Mirror

Fulham are leading the chase for Bristol City winger Albert Adomah. Aston
Villa, Everton, Bolton, Sunderland and Stoke are also interested.
Full story: Daily Mail

Edin Dzeko's agent has been forced to deny reports the striker is planning
to leave the Premier League leaders. Reports in the Italian media on
Wednesday suggested that the Bosnian forward had been in contact with Juve
defender Andrea Barzagli to research the club.
Full story: Talksport

Simon Cox has conceded that he might need to move away from West Brom to
fulfil his ambitions of playing in Euro 2012. The Republic of Ireland
international has remained loyal to Albion in the past, despite being linked
with several clubs last season.
Full story: Birmingham Mail

OTHER GOSSIP

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger may need to promote 17-year-old Swiss defender
Martin Angha to the first team to face Everton on Saturday because he is so
short of recognised full-backs.
Full story: Daily Mail

Olof Mellberg hopes Wayne Rooney loses his appeal against the severity of
his Euro 2012 suspension, because he believes that it would help Sweden's
chances of progress from Group D.
Full story: the Guardian

Liverpool face being without striker Luis Suarez for most of January after
he was hit with a second FA charge.
Full story: Daily Mirror

AND FINALLY

Blackburn Rovers' famous blue and white halves will soon be dominating the
junior football scene in India - with 400 teams set to sport the club's
colours. Rovers' Indian owners Venky's are determined to help develop
football in their country and have started to introduce a Blackburn Rovers
Football Club league across the nation.
Full story: Lancashire Telegraph

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http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Daily WHUFC News - 8th December 2011

Lee-sy does it in FA Youth Cup
WHUFC.com
Elliot Lee scored twice and Kenzer Lee once as the Hammers secured an FA Youth Cup win at Wolves
07.12.2011

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS v WEST HAM UNITED
FA YOUTH CUP THIRD ROUND
WEDNESDAY 7 DECEMBER 2011
KICK-OFF: 7PM

Final score - Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-3 West Ham United

95 mins - Fanimo could make it 4-2 but his touch is just too strong from Hall's pass and Cotman plunges on the ball. It matters not, however, as referee Mr Law blows for full-time! The Hammers are through to the fourth round.
94 mins - Elliot Lee heads the free-kick clear from inside his own penalty area. Goalkeeper Cotman was up for that set piece!
93 mins - Turgott gives away a free-kick wide on the Wolves left. This could be the hosts' last chance to take us to extra time. Forde's initial deliverty is cleared but Potts fouls his player and kicks the ball away. He's booked.
91 mins - Into the first of four added minutes and Elliot Lee has a great chance to clinch the match. He gets in behind the Wolves defence and shoots low across Cotman. The ball slides a yard or two wide of the far post.
89 mins - Ismail gets the ball up and down, but it's too close to Larkins. He catches confidently. Good stuff from the No1.
89 mins - Wolves have a chance. Hall flies in and scythes down Forde. Hall is booked and Wolves have a free-kick 25 yards from goal just left of centre. Ismail to take...
87 mins - Heart in mouth time as Ismail beats about three men before finding Forde wide on the right. He has time to cross but Larkins is there to pat the ball down and collect at the second attempt.
86 mins - West Ham make a change, too. Left-back Frazer Shaw is on for Taylor Miles. Hall drops into midfield.
85 mins - Kellerman is replaced by Robbie Parry, while Whittall is off and Josh Shepherd. The attendance is 569.
83 mins - GOAL! LEE! It's Kenzer this time, though. Fanimo's corner causes havoc and drops between a sea of legs. Kenzer gets control before thumping a shot past Cotman from about 12 yards. No chance for the goalkeepr. Wild celebrations from the visitors.

82 mins - Aaaargh! Elliot Lee streaks away and is in on goal. He shoots and the ball flies past Cotman and hits the inside of the far post. Ismail puts the ball behind for a corner.
81 mins - Controversy! Ismail appears to get the better of Chambers and he is clean through. The referee blows for a foul by the Wolves No11 but I'm not sure there was much in that! West Ham break and Elliot Lee wins a free-kick from Iorfa just on the left edge of the Wolves box. Hall curls the free-kick over and Kenzer Lee heads JUST wide at the far post. Head in hands for the No5.
77 mins - Wolves attack through Ismail, who beats two men and cuts a cross behind two defenders to the unmarked Forde. Larkins is out quickly to narrow down the angle and Forde slams his shot over the top. At the break in play, Kellerman is booked for a late challenge on Powell a minute eariler.
75 mins - Elliot Lee does well to spin away from Bashford and find Turgott, who wins a corner. Powell crosses and the ball hits Kenzer Lee and rolles into the arms of Cotman. Frustration for the centre-back.
74 mins - Anxious moments as Larkins' clearance falls to Forde about 35 yards out. He beats a man shoots, but the goalkeeper makes amends with a catch low down in front of his body.
72 mins - After a fairly long stoppage, Powell lets fly with the resulting free-kick but it's narrowly wide of the left-hand post.
70 mins - Both physios are on after a coming together between Fanimo and Kostrna on the far side.
68 mins - GOAL! I spoke too soon... Ismail is now back on the left and he gets to the byline before standing a cross up for McAlinden to power a header high into the net from eight yards. We're back on level terms and heading for extra time as it stands.
67 mins - A little more than a quarter of the game to go and West Ham are standing firm. The away fans in the crowd - there are a fair few - are singing 'Bubbles' with plenty of gusto!
64 mins - Hall is OK to continue and, for now, West Ham are containing their hosts well inside their own half. Hall shows no ill-effects as he lets fly from 30 yards. Unfortunately, he hits it too well and the ball flies over the top.
62 mins - Hall needs the physio on after a challenge deep inside the Wolves half.
58 mins - Another warning for West Ham - and some. Left-back Cranston dances past Turgott and another challenge and gets deep into the box. He shoots right-footed and the ball thuds against the outside of the far post and bounces away to safety. Wolves working up a head of steam again.
56 mins - A warning that a one-goal lead is seldom enough. Forde cuts inside from the left - he and Ismail have switched flanks - and shoots low. It might be going wide, but Larkins isn't to know and pushes the ball aside. Potts clears.
55 mins - Wolves are wobbling as Elliot Lee breaks into the box and beats his man. He crosses low across the six-yard box but neither Hall nor Fanimo have gambled.
53 mins - Young blocks a clearance and Miles finds Hall with a header. He elects to shoot from 25 yards but drags a low effort a few yards wide. Goal kick.
52 mins - Well, well, well... Can the Hammers hold on to their second lead of the night? They will need to keep the ball better than they did before the break if they are to advance.
50 mins - GOAL! Out of absolutely nothing, West Ham lead. Fanimo crosses it and Bashford slices goalwards. Cotman palms the ball on to the bar and the ball drops down and bounces up for Elliot Lee to nod home from close-range.
49 mins - Potts is penalised. The free-kick comes in low and only poor control averts a shot on goal. Wolves keep possession though and have the ball in the net through McAlinden, but he's offside.
48 mins - Wolves have had the lion's share possession so far and it is they who threaten first, winning a throw down their right off Kenzer Lee.
46 mins - No changes from either manager as Wolves get the second half started...

Half-time score - Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 West Ham United

48 mins - That's the end of a frenetic half. Don't forget, if it's still level at the end of 90 minutes, we'll have extra-time...
46 mins - We'll have two added minutes, at least.
45 mins - Chambers is beaten in the air and Kempton is through but his shot is too close to Larkins. Seconds later Cranston gets down the left again and crosses low. Kempton is there again but his shot flies over the top from eight yards. Let-off after let-off at the moment.
44 mins - Young is back in play. West Ham need half-time. Chambers hacks up field from another blocked shot from Kempton and Elliot Lee wins a pressure-lifting free-kick. Potts takes but it's straight through to Cotman.
42 mins - This is getting a little bit fraught now as Chambers concedes a corner. It drops to Kempton in the box and Miles somehow clears off the line. After another blocked shot West Ham somehow clear their lines. Young needs the physio on, so we'll finally get a break in play.
41 mins - McAlinden should put Wolves ahead but instead his low shot cannons back off the face of the post. The No10 had cut inside Potts using his body well and had time to pick his spot, but he aimed just too far right of Larkins. The ball rebounds out as far as Whittall 25 yards out but his first-time effort flies wide of the other post.
38 mins - Wolves come again and Forde sees his cross blocked behind by Potts. The corner is worked to Forde and Turgott blocks with his legs. That was travelling. Wolves keep up the pressure before Ismail cuts in from the left and smashes his shot high and wide.
37 mins - Chambers and Young stand firm as first McAlinden and then Ismail threaten.
37 mins - Real desire shown there by Miles to win two challenges near the left touchline. He is a physical player for his size, is the West Ham No4.
36 mins - Finally a few moments without some goalmouth action. I have a feeling the chances will continue to flow, to be honest. It's been an open game.
32 mins - West Ham build before Chambers' pass gifts possession to Wolves. A lofted pass finds Ismail in space but Young gets back to concede the corner. Ismail himself takes and Bashford heads wide. Nervous times for West Ham.
29 mins - Larkins is out quickly to claim a through ball before firing a superb low clearance to Fanimo. He flicks it on for Hall, who finds Elliot Lee. The striker takes on Iorfa and wins a corner. Powell takes and Elliot Lee heads wide again at the far post.
28 mins - It's getting tasty out there as the home crowd shout for a foul by Powell. Mr Law gives nothing and then blows for a foul on Potts. Powell launches it long and diagonal, but there is too much pace on the ball. Goal kick.
26 mins - Wolves have their tails up now as Forde breaks away from two Hammers and crosses. Kempton flies in with Chambers and the shot flies wide.
25 mins - GOAL! Wolves are level through centre-back Bashford. The initial header from Iorfa is cleared off the line but only as far as the No5. He slams the ball in and it's deflected past Larkins.
25 mins - Now Wolves have a corner! Chambers cuts out a cross but his clearance hits Young and goes behind.
24 mins - The first corner is worked short before being cleared but West Ham pick up possession again. Miles finds Turgott wide on the right and he wins another corner. Hall takes this one high and Wolves head clear through Iorfa.
23 mins - It's all going on here, I can tell you. First, left-back Cranston bursts past Young but Kenzer Lee makes another important interception. Turgott completes the clearance and Fanimo beats two men before trying to play in Elliot Lee, who wins a corner.
22 mins - Powell's free-kick is just too high and Cotman punches clear with two hands.
21 mins - Forde takes on Potts and crosses low. Kenzer Lee slides in and concedes a corner before clapping his hands and shouting encouragement to his team-mates. They heed the advice and clear the corner. Fanimo then breaks down the left and is fouled.
18 mins - Powell gives away another free-kick and the Wolves manager Mick Halsall is not happy. Referee Mr Law responds by giving Powell a talking to. Wolves take it short and win a corner down their left. It comes over and is headed straight to the edge of the box to Kellerman, whose shot goes sideways. A follow-up shot is blocked by Miles before being slammed clear.
17 mins - Another set piece for Wolves as Miles is penalised for a shove on Ismail. It's on the Wolves right this time, about 35 yards out. Cranston the left-back takes but it's too high and Larkins makes another confident catch in front of his face.
14 mins - Another chance as Powell lifts a ball over the top for Turgott to chase. Bashford gets a toe to it, but he's out of the game as it drops to Turgott. The winger elects to shoot from the angle but his effort flashes high and wide at the near post.

13 mins - More action as Whittall shoots for Wolves and the ball is half-blocked. Larkins is out quickly again to dive on the loose ball before Kempton can pounce.
12 mins - West Ham work their socks off again and force Cotman to concede a needless corner. Powell curls the ball in and it just clears the goalkeeper. Elliot Lee is there but he is slightly surprised and can only direct his downward header wide.
11 mins - Superb stuff again from the visitors as Powell tracks back to help out Kenzer Lee. Lee wins a header and Powell hooks the ball down the line with his left foot. Turgott chases into space and lays the ball back to Fanimo. He curls in a delicious cross but Elliot Lee is offside.
10 mins - Elliot Lee chases a lost cause and forces Iorfa to pass straight to Fanimo. He looks for Hall on the edge of the penalty area, but the striker's touch is a little bit loose and the chance is lost.
9 mins - A chance for Wolves as they win a free-kick wide on their left about 40 yards from goal. Chambers clears it well and Hall is fouled. The free-kick is taken quickly by Powell but Turgott is offside. It's all-action so far!
8 mins - That goal will have really settled West Ham down. They are playing some nice stuff now. Potts wins a header and Miles spins away before finding Young. Turgott and Miles then combine before Hall is stopped on the edge of the penalty area.
6 mins - It's being played at a lightning pace is this game. Both sides are trying to move the ball quickly around the immaculate playing surface here at Molineux. Wolves attack down their right but Fanimo makes a fine sliding challenge and wins a throw.
4 mins - What a start that is from West Ham! The celebrations were massive and Nick Haycock was out quickly to calm his players down. Also out quickly is Larkins to make another confident act to stop a Wolves attack. This time he slides out to claim the ball off the toes of McAlinden as the No10 bursts into the box.
2 mins - GOAL! Elliot Lee puts the Hammers in front. A throw-in is worked to Fanimo and on to Hall, who crosses low to Lee inside the penalty area. He has far too much time and space to take a touch, turn and fire a shot into the bottom right-hand corner via Cotman's fingertips.
1 min - Only 25 seconds gone as Forde gets behind Young and crosses. Kenzer Lee heads high and behind for a corner. Ismail takes and Larkins makes a confident catch. That'll do him a power of good.

7pm - Here we go...

6.59pm - The Hammers have a huddle and break with loud shouts of encouragement. They will kick-off...

6.57pm - Here are the two teams. West Ham are in claret and blue shrits, white shorts and white socks. Wolves are in old gold shirts, black shorts and old gold socks. Captains McAlinden and Potts meet the referee Mr Law for the pre-match coin toss.

6.55pm - Both teams are back in their dressing rooms for some last-minute instructions. It actually feels like it has got a bit warmer in the last half-hour, which is a bit strange. Maybe I'm just getting used to the cold! Anyway, Wolves look to be a big, physically imposing side but if the Hammers can play their football, they will be a match for their hosts - of that there is no doubt.

6.40pm - The Wolves lineup is now published below. Jake Kempton has scored nine times for the table-topping hosts, while Liam McAlinden has got six goals to his name and Zeli Ismail and Robbie Parry five each. According to the West Ham boys, Ismail is some player. We shall see...

6.35pm - Assistant manager Neil McDonald is here to watch the youth team in action, while Wolves manager Mick McCarthy is also in attendance. The crowd may not fill Molineux tonight, but this is the biggest game of the young lives of many of the players on both teams. They will either shrink under the pressure or rise to the occasion. The Hammers were shown a motivational DVD on the coach on the way to the stadium showing all the goals they have scored this season, plus plenty of other positive images. Let's hope they do the trick!

6.30pm - The Hammers are warming up in t-shirts emblazoned with the message 'Get well soon Dyl'. The message, of course, is for their youth-team colleague Dylan Tombides, who is currently undergoing a course of treatment after being diagnosed with testicular cancer in the summer. Tombides scored at this stage of the competition against Aldershot Town last season and is an extremely popular member of the squad.

6pm - It is a bitterly cold December evening here in Wolverhampton. The floodlights are on inside Molineux and the Hammers have been out for a look at the facilities. A few of the lads have been taking photographs. Make no mistake about it, this is a big night for them. Many, of course, will have never played in a stadium of this size before.

Good evening and welcome to Molineux for tonight's FA Youth Cup third-round tie between Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United. The Hammers arrived in the Black Country earlier this afternoon and are eager to begin their road to what it is hoped will be a fourth triumph in youth football's most prestigious competition. West Ham have previously lifted the trophy in 1963, 1981 and 1999, but they will face a tough task against 1958 winners and four-times runners-up Wolves.

West Ham are boosted by the availability of England U19 forward Rob Hall, who has returned temporarily from his loan spell at League Two club Oxford United, while Academy Director Tony Carr and U18s coach Nick Haycock also have the likes of Republic of Ireland U18 midfielder Kieran Sadlier and England U18 wingers Matthias Fanimo and Blair Turgott at their disposal.

However, Wolves have won their previous seven FA Premier Academy League fixtures and sit top of a Group C table that also contains Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool and Everton. The West Ham team has been announced. I'll have the Wolves lineup for you as soon as possible.

Wolverhampton Wanderers U18s: Cotman, Kostrna, Cranston, Whittall, Bashford, Iorfa, Forde, Kellerman, Kempton, McAlinden, Ismail
Subs: Shepherd, Flatt, Parry, Ifil, Dell

West Ham United U18s: Larkins, Young, Chambers, K.Lee, Potts, Turgott, Powell, Miles, Fanimo, Hall, E.Lee
Subs: Baxter, Shaw, Siafa, Sadlier, Nasha

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Barca snatch our Euro record
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 7th December 2011
By: Staff Writer

West Ham United's 30-year-old European record was finally beaten by Spanish champions Barcelona last night. The current Champions League holders equalled West Ham's unique record of scoring in 27 consecutive European ties last month with a 3-2 win against Milan, meaning that should they score against FC BATE in the Nou Camp last night the record would be exclusively theirs. In the end it took just over half-an-hour for the Barca team, who had an average age of just 23, to score the goal (in a half-full Nou Camp) that saw them snatch United's record; Sergi Roberto grabbing the goal that ensured they have now scored in their last 28 consecutive ties.

To see highlights of the Barca/BATE game, click here. The matches that constituted West Ham's record run, as set in 1980, may be viewed below.

1964 (Cup Winners Cup)

R1L1: La Gantoise 0-1 West Ham Utd (Boyce)
R1L2: West Ham Utd 1-1 La Gantoise (Byrne)

R2L1: West Ham Utd 2-0 Spartak Prague (Bond, Sealey)
R2L2: Spartak Prague 2-1 West Ham Utd (Sissons)

1965 (Cup Winners Cup)

QFL1: Lausanne 1-2 West Ham Utd (Dear, Byrne)
QFL2: West Ham Utd 4-3 Lausanne (Dear 2, Peters, Tacchella og)

SFL1: West Ham Utd 2-1 Real Zaragoza (Dear, Byrne)
SFL2: Real Zaragoza 1-1 West Ham Utd (Sissons)

FIN: West Ham Utd 2-0 TSV Munich (Sealey 2)

R2L1: West Ham Utd 4-0 Olympiakos (Hurst 2, Byrne, Brabrook)
R2L2: Olympiakos 2-2 West Ham Utd (Peters 2)

QFL1: West Ham Utd 1-0 Magdeburg (Byrne)
QFL2: Magdeburg 1-1 West Ham Utd (Sissons)

SFL1: West Ham Utd 1-2 Borussia Dortmund (Peters)
SFL2: Borussia Dortmund 3-1 West Ham Utd (Byrne)

1975 (Cup Winners Cup)

R1L1: Lahden Reipas 2-2 West Ham Utd (Brooking, Bonds)
R1L2: West Ham Utd 3-0 Lahden Reipas (Robson, Holland, Jennings)

R2L1: Ararat Erevan 1-1 West Ham Utd (A Taylor)
R2L2: West Ham Utd 3-1 Ararat Erevan (Paddon, Robson, A Taylor)

1976 (Cup Winners Cup)

QFL1: Den Haag 4-2 West Ham Utd (Jennings 2)
QFL2: West Ham Utd 3-1 Den Haag (A Taylor, Lampard, Bonds)

SFL1: Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 West Ham Utd (Paddon)
SFL2: West Ham Utd 3-1 Eintracht Frankfurt (Brooking 2, Robson)

FIN: Anderlecht 4-2 West Ham Utd (Holland, Robson)

1980 (Cup Winners Cup)

R1L1: Castilla 3-1 West Ham Utd (Cross)
R1L2: West Ham Utd 5-1 Castilla (Cross 3, Pike, Goddard)

R2L1: West Ham Utd 4-0 Poli Timisoara (Bonds, Goddard, Stewart (p), Cross)
R2L2: Poli Timisoara 1-0 West Ham Utd

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FA Cup decision due Friday
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 7th December 2011
By: Staf

West Ham should discover on Friday when their third round FA Cup tie at Sheffield Wednesday will take place. With both Sheffield Wednesday and United drawn at home in the competition - and given the history between the two Uniteds - South Yorkshire Police and the two Sheffield clubs are currently discussing the possibility of altering kick off times. Although it is likely that at least one of the fixtures will be moved to avoid both clubs playing in the city at the same time, it is not unknown for both United and Wednesday to be playing at home on a weekend. United - who are yet to face West Ham on a football pitch since extorting some £25million out of the club as a result of the Lord Griffiths fiasco - will face the winners of the Grimsby v Salisbury second round replay, a tie that takes place next Tuesday.

Meanwhile current Wednesday boss Gary Megson - who previously managed Kevin Nolan, Joey O'Brien and Matt Taylor when manager of Bolton - admitted that he was happy to pull West Ham out of the hat, even if United's away record this season is set to give him nightmares. "It will be nice to see a few players I know," he told the Sheffield Star. "It's a good draw for us because we're at home against an attractive side. Possibly it could be more difficult because of their away record."
All third round fixtures are due to take place on the weekend of January 7th/8th.

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Hammers eye African ace
Habib Habibou training with West Ham
By Graeme Bailey - Tweet me: @skygraemebailey. Last Updated: December 7, 2011 9:41am
SSN

Skysports.com can reveal that Habib Habibou is currently training with West Ham United, with a view to sealing a January move. The Hammers tried unsuccessfully to land the 24-year-old front-man from Zulte Waregem in the summer. Habibou, who has also previously been linked with Aston Villa and Middlesbrough, emerged as a West Ham target after he hit 12 goals for Waregem. The striker, who hails from the Central African Republic, has since been in dispute with Waregem over various issues, which has seen him limited to just five appearances this season. Now the club have given him permission to train with West Ham and he has already made an immediate impression. Skysports.com understands that Habibou was the unnamed trialist that scored twice in a behind-closed-doors game with Brentford on Monday.
Habibou is desperate to seal a move across the Channel, and he will be hoping that West Ham opt to push through a deal ready for January when the transfer market reopens.

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O'Neil: I feared it was over
By ANDREW DILLON
Published: Today
The Sun

GARY O'NEIL has revealed how he feared he would never play again. The West Ham winger played his first game since April on Tuesday but admits his recovery from ankle ligament damage still has some way to go. O'Neil, 28, was injured against Aston Villa way back on April 16. But he turned out for 45 minutes in a development squad match against Brentford and admitted: "It was nerve-racking. "Training is one thing and going out and playing against opposition who don't know or care that you've been injured is different from playing against people who know you've been injured and take it easy. "A few months in I wasn't sure whether I would play again so it's been really good. "The ankle is still going to take some time to get it where I need it. "It's been hard. I've never had a long-term injury before. "I had to have my ankle up above my hip for 55 minutes of every hour for the first two-and-a-half months — I was only allowed to put it down to go to the toilet or make a cup of tea. "We've still not achieved what we want to achieve which is to get me back to where I was before the injury but we're definitely getting closer. "It was a big step and I'll go home happy."

O'Neil could be drafted back into the first team squad by the New Year to further boost West Ham's promotion push from the Championship. He added: "It's just a case of getting it strong enough and getting rid of the aches and pains. "There is another game next week that hopefully I can get involved in."

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West Ham duo are nominated for November awards
London24
Nathaniel John, West Ham correspondent
Thursday, December 8, 2011
6:00 AM

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce and striker Carlton Cole have been nominated by for the npower Championship manager and player of the month awards for November. The Hammers picked up 13 points out of a possible 15 last month, as they beat Hull City, Coventry City, Derby County and Middlesbrough, along with a goalless draw against Bristol City. Those results saw the Hammers top the Championship form table for the month, along with Cardiff City, whose manager Malky Mackay is also nominated for the award. The other two nominations for the manager prize are Derek McInnes from Bristol City and Barnsley boss Keith Hill. Cole has been nominated for the player award after he impressed on his comeback from a knee injury. The England striker scored three goals in five games last month that included just one start. Cole recorded some impressive cameo appearances, most notably at Hull and Coventry, when the introduction of the 28-year-old at half time changed the course of the matches in the Hammers' favour. The other nominations for the player prize are Peter Whittingham of Cardiff City, Doncaster Rovers' Billy Sharp, and Liam Fontaine from Bristol City.

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Tomkins: Burnley defeat was just a bad day at the office
Lon don24
Nathaniel John, West Ham correspondent
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
6:00 PM

Defender James Tomkins was disappointed after a bad day at the office saw the Hammers lose 2-1 at home to Burnley on Saturday. Sam Allardyce's side had taken the lead through captain Kevin Nolan, but the skipper's effort was then cancelled out by his opposite number Chris McCann, before Sam Vokes secured all three points for the Clarets. "Obviously, after the good run we've been on it is disappointing to end it the way we did," said Tomkins. "We created a lot of chances, but didn't put them away, and they've had two chances and scored them both. That's the way it works sometimes, but it was a slip and hopefully it will go our way next weekend."
With league leaders Southampton losing at Doncaster, the Hammers squandered a chance to go top of the Championship for the first time this season, but Tomkins believes the loss was just a blip. "We're definitely disappointed that we missed the chance to make it a nine-point week," he said. "It was a good chance for us, especially having seen the Southampton result, but we will pick ourselves up with the characters that we have in the dressing room. "Teams come here and defend for their lives and that is what Burnley did. We need to work on how to break them down better than we did. "We created chances, and as long as we are still creating chances then I am sure that we will put them away."

What disappointed the England under-21 international more was that both of Burnley's goals came from set-pieces, the first from a throw-in and the second from a corner. "We do a lot of set-pieces on the training field and we have been strong from them all year," he said. "We slipped up and it has cost us, but I'm sure that with the manager we have got, he will make sure that we defend them better in the future. "He was disappointed that we didn't get the win or even draw. "He feels it just like us or the fans, we are all going home disappointed, but it is all about next week now."

Since Winston Reid suffered a dislocated shoulder, Tomkins has been partnered by the experienced head of Abdoulaye Faye at the centre of the Hammers' defence, and the youngster is relishing the chance to learn from the Senegal international. "He is a man with a lot of experience and has played at the top level," said Tomkins. "I'm learning from him, the cool customer he is. He's giving me some of his nerves, because he doesn't have any, nothing fazes him."

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Exclusive - O'Neil: No date set for West Ham first team return
By Alex Varney
Wednesday, December 7
TalkSport

West Ham midfielder Gary O'Neil has told talkSPORT of his delight at recovering from a career-threatening injury but says no date has been set for a first team return. O'Neil was told he only had a 50/50 chance of playing again after suffering a horrific ankle injury against Aston Villa in April but, having stunned medics with his quick progress, played 45 minutes for the reserves on Tuesday night. The 28-year, however, says he will take his time before making himself available to Hammers boss Sam Allardyce. "There's no timeframe set for the first team. Playing 45 minutes against a Brentford development squad and then being trusted to go into a promotion battle is worlds apart," O'Neil said, speaking to H & J. "It's been a lot of hard work over the last seven and a half months, not just from me but from all the medical staff as well, so it was nice to finally get some reward. "Getting back to the first team and being able to compete when it really matters, and when there is lot of pressure on the line, is still a way off. We haven't really set a date for that but it was a big step yesterday just to get out and play against people who don't necessarily know you've got a bad ankle. "Doing it in training against your mates who might leave you alone a little bit because your ankle is sore is one thing, but to go out against a team that isn't too bothered about your ankle is a big step."

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Shanghai Shenhua set to Nic Anelka from under West Ham manager Allardyce's nose
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 10:57 AM on 7th December 2011
Daily Mail

Chinese Super League outfit Shanghai Shenhua are confident of beating West Ham to the signature of Nicolas Anelka. Anelka, out of contract next summer, is set to leave Chelsea in January after the club accepted transfer requests from the French striker and central defender Alex. The pair have been frozen out of the first-team squad and can leave next month. West Ham manager Sam Allardyce wants to take Anelka on loan when the window opens having worked with the 32-year-old at Bolton. But Shanghai Shenhua will table a longer deal, reportedly worth over £6million, to persuade the former Paris St Germain, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester City and Fenerbahce forward to move to Asia. Talk of the switch first surfaced in November and a club spokesman said: 'It will be a three-year contract and will involve both football and commercial cooperation.' And chairman Zhu Jun added: 'We started to talk about every detail from the first minute of the negotiations. 'The whole contract is made up of details. It's comprehensive and complicated, involving the player's image and the commercial cooperation.' As well as the riches on offer, there is the prospect of playing under former Fulham boss and fellow Frenchman Jean Tigana, who is said to be close to being confirmed as Shanghai Shenhua's new manager.

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Allardyce insists that his Hammers are on track
London24
Nathaniel John, West Ham correspondent
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
2:21 PM

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce has insisted that his side are on course for automatic promotion, despite seeing his team slip to a third home defeat of the season last weekend. The Hammers went down 2-1 to Burnley at Upton Park, but remain on their two points per game target which Allardyce has said will guarantee them a spot in the top two promotion places come the end of the season. "We are where we are because our record says two points a game," he said. "Our record says automatic promotion points in the bag based on the last five years. "This period has been better than the last. We have increased our points tally from 18 to 22 in the last 10 games. "We have caught up two points on what our first target was – 22 points out of the last 10 games is a really great achievement, considering what we have had to cope with. "All the injuries that we have had through this period mean we have never been able to pick the same team twice."

Indeed, the treatment room at the Boleyn is once again a crowded place, with up to six first-team players currently out through injury. On-loan Spurs midfielder David Bentley has returned to his parent club following surgery on his knee, while long-term absentee Gary O'Neil is still a few months from fitness. Winston Reid, Sam Baldock and Henri Lansbury are all thought to be a couple of weeks away from returning following their shoulder, hamstring and knee problems respectively, which should give the Hammers a timely boost going into the hectic Christmas period. However, another blow on Saturday was the limping off of midfielder Matt Taylor, following a recurrence of his calf injury that could see the wide man sidelined for a number of weeks. "It is a big blow to us (losing Taylor)," explained Allardyce.
"It is another calf injury and it is his third one since he arrived. He says he has never had one before and that is a real worry for us. "But I suppose every team at some stage suffers the injuries but at the moment that is a bit of a blow."

Tempted

Allardyce then went on to state that he could well be tempted to dip into the transfer market in January to boost his depleted squad. "It's not too early to be looking," he said. "We hope to get a couple of players in January. "We need them at this time of year. It's not just injuries, it's suspensions, and it's the flu season and we could lose more players. "We have to hope we don't get too affected, but we will get in the market for a couple of players."

■ One player that the Hammers have signed is 17-year-old midfielder Pelly Ruddock. The youngster joins from Blue Square Bet South side Boreham Wood after impressing in a recent trial. It is thought that the teenager will be involved in the development squad this season.

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West Ham take Habibou on trial after netting brace in friendly win over Brentford
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 10:30 PM on 7th December 2011
Daily Mail

West Ham are giving a trial to Zulte Waregem striker Habib Habibou. The 24-year-old featured in a friendly against Brentford on Monday and scored twice.
The 6ft 4in forward has spent the week training with West Ham after being given permission by his Belgian club.

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