Daily WHUFC News - 6th October 2012

Arsenal match preview
WHUFC.com
All the team news, statistics and records ahead of Saturday's London derby
with the Gunners
05.10.2012

WEST HAM UNITED V ARSENAL
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
SATURDAY 6 OCTOBER 2012
KICK-OFF: 5.30pm
REFEREE: PHIL DOWD

FULL AUDIO AND TEXT COMMENTARY - WEST HAM TV
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John Bond
• There will be a minute's applause prior to kick-off in memory of West Ham
United legend John Bond. The full-back passed away on 25 September at the
age of 79. Born and raised just a few hundred yards from the Boleyn Ground,
Bond played 444 games for the Hammers, scoring 37 times. He won the Division
Two title in 1958 and lifted the FA Cup in 1964 before embarking on a
successful career in management.
Important travel information
• Supporters attending the game are reminded that due to engineering work
there is no direct c2c train service between Upminster and Barking on
Saturday. The London Underground District line will be restricted to
operating between Barking and West Ham between 2pm and 11pm only.
• Supporters travelling from Upminster will need to use the half-hourly c2c
shuttle service between Upminster and Grays, changing at Grays for trains to
Barking and West Ham
• Supporters from Basildon, Laindon and West Horndon should travel to Pitsea
and change for trains via Barking and West Ham.
• The District line is closed between Aldgate to Upminster all weekend (in
addition to the Hammersmith and City line being closed between King's Cross
to Barking). However, the District line closure will be reduced between 2pm
and 11pm (Aldgate East to West Ham) to allow West Ham and Arsenal supporters
to travel to Upton Park station. This means the line is operational through
West Ham between West Ham and Barking between 2pm and 11pm. Those
supporters travelling from Central London should use the Jubilee line to
West Ham and change for the District line.
• For the latest London Underground, DLR and bus travel updates and news
click here.
Introduction

• West Ham United host Arsenal still unbeaten at home in the Barclays
Premier League and on the back of their first away win of the season at
Queens Park Rangers on Monday night.
• Andy Carroll is expected to feature after returning from injury in that
2-1 win at Loftus Road. Yossi Benayoun could also feature against the club
where he spent last season on loan from Chelsea.
• The last meeting between the two sides came at the Boleyn Ground, but the
Hammers will be hoping for more luck this time out after suffering a 3-0
defeat in the 2010/11 season.
• West Ham United's last win over Arsenal came in the Premier League on 7
April 2007, Bobby Zamora scored on the stroke of half-time to give the
Hammers all three points as they became the first away team to win at the
Emirates Stadium. There have been nine meetings since then, with the Gunners
emerging victories on seven occasions and the other two ending in draws.
• Last time out at the Boleyn Ground in the Barclays Premier League it was
drama at the death as captain Kevin Nolan volleyed home a 90th-minute
equaliser against Sunderland. The Black Cates had gone in front after nine
minutes through Scotland striker Steven Fletcher.
• Arsenal suffered their first Barclays Premier League defeat at home to
Chelsea last weekend, losing 2-1.
• West Ham United v Arsenal is one of six Barclays Premier League matches
taking place on Saturday, the others being: (kick-off 3pm unless stated)
Chelsea v Norwich City, Manchester City v Sunderland (12.45pm), Swansea City
v Reading, West Bromwich Albion v Queens Park Rangers and Wigan Athletic v
Everton.

Last time out

Monday 1 October 2012
Barclays Premier League
Queens Park Rangers 1-2 West Ham United
West Ham United: Jaaskelainen, Demel, Collins, Reid (Tomkins 23), O'Brien
(McCartney 35), Noble, Diame, Nolan, Vaz Te, Jarvis, Cole (Carroll 72)
Subs not used: Henderson, Benayoun, O'Neil, Maiga
Goals: Jarvis 3, Vaz Te 35

Wednesday 3 October 2012
UEFA Champions League
Arsenal 3-1 Olympiakos
Arsenal: Mannone; Jenkinson, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Gibbs; Arteta, Santi
Cazorla, Coquelin; Oxlade-Chamberlain (Walcott 70), Gervinho (Giroud 79),
Podolski (Ramsey 79)
Subs not used: Shea, Santos, Djourou, Arshavin
Goals: Podolski 42, Gervinho 56, Ramsey 90


Previous meetings

• West Ham United's previous encounter with Arsenal came on Saturday 15
January 2011 and ended in a 3-0 defeat at the Boleyn Ground.
• Robin van Persie put in an outstanding performance, scoring two goals with
Theo Walcott adding another in between the Dutchman's brace. The first came
after 13 minutes when van Persie rifled in from Walcott's cross and the
combination switched one minute before the break as Arsenal took a 2-0 lead.
The Hammers continued to struggle with the attacking duo and Wayne Bridge
allowed Van Persie to complete the scoring from the spot after bringing down
Walcott in the box.
• The teams that day were:

West Ham United: Green, Tomkins, Upson, Spector, Faubert, Bridge (Nouble
89), Kovac, Noble (Boa Morte 20), Cole, Sears (Barrera 64), Hines

Arsenal: Szczesny, Koscielny, Djourou, Clichy, Eboue, Fabregas (Denilson
81), Nasri (Arshavin 88), Walcott (Gibbs 88), Song, Wilshere, Van Persie.


Background

• West Ham United have faced Arsenal 125 times in Premier League, Football
League and the domestic knockout competitions. The Hammers have won 33, the
Gunners have won 54 and there have been 38 draws.
• West Ham United's biggest win over Arsenal came on 7 March 1927 when a Vic
Watson hat-trick helped secure a 7-0 win for the Hammers at the Boleyn
Ground.
• West Ham United defeated Arsenal 8-2 in the first meeting between the two
clubs on Christmas Day 1915. Syd Puddefoot scored five times in the fixture,
which was played in the war-time London Combination principal tournament.
• Including war-time competitions, the Hammers have met the Gunners a
staggering 162 times, with West Ham United winning 48, Arsenal winning 71
and there being 43 draws.
• The third and most-recent time that West Ham United won the FA Cup was
against Arsenal, with the Hammers winning 1-0 at Wembley on 10 May 1980. The
1980 final is also the last time a team outside the top-flight has won the
competition.
• Five of West Ham United's first eight games against Arsenal were in the FA
Cup, with just three of the encounters coming in the league.
• The Hammers have won just once in their last ten meetings with the
Gunners, but prior this recent downturn in form they had won four in a row.
• The Hammers are still unbeaten at home in the Barclays Premier League,
having beaten Aston Villa (1-0) and Fulham (3-0) before drawing 1-1 with
Sunderland last time out at the Boleyn Ground.
• Arsenal have beaten West Ham United 4-0 three times at the Boleyn Ground
in the league - in Division One on 5 October 1925 and 2 March 1963 and in
the Premier League on 6 February 1999.
• West Ham United became the final visiting team to win at Arsenal's old
Highbury home when they chalked up a 3-2 Premier League success on 1
February 2006.
• The Hammers then became the first away side to win to win at Emirates
Stadium, recording a memorable 1-0 Premier League win on 7 April 2007.
• West Ham United midfielder Mohamed Diame and Arsenal midfielder Abou Diaby
were team-mates at the famous Clairefontaine Academy near Paris as
youngsters.
• A number of West Ham United and Arsenal players have appeared together for
other clubs, including Modibo Maiga and Gervinho (Le Mans), Guy Demel and
Tomas Rosicky (Borussia Dortmund) and Alou Diarra and Marouane Chamakh
(Girondins de Bordeaux).
• Former West Ham United winger Pat Holland was appointed as head coach of
Arsenal's Under-18 side in the summer of 2012.
• Twenty players have made their West Ham United debuts against Arsenal.
Harry Hodges was the first in a 4-1 Division One defeat at Highbury on 10
September 1923, with Wayne Bridge the most recent in a 3-0 home Barclays
Premier League defeat on 15 January 2011.
• Ron Cater, Almeric Hall and Ken Bainbridge all made their Hammers' bows in
a 6-0 FA Cup third-round first-leg victory over Arsenal at the Boleyn Ground
on 5 January 1946. Hall scored twice and Bainbridge once.
• Ray Houghton made his one and only West Ham United appearance as a
substitute in a 2-0 Division One defeat at Arsenal on 1 May 1982.
• Steve Jones made his second West Ham United 'debut' in a 2-0 Premier
League defeat at Arsenal on 17 August 1996.
• The other players to have made their West Ham United debuts against
Arsenal include John Morton (March 1932), Phil Woosnam (November 1958), Pat
Holland (April 1969), Clyde Best (August 1969), Bobby Gould (November 1973),
Danny Williamson (April 1994), Les Sealey (September 1995), Bernard Lama
(March 1998), Gary Breen (August 2002), Dean Ashton (February 2006), Jack
Collison (January 2008), Fabio Daprela and Anthony Edgar (both January
2010).

Last six meetings
(Premier League unless stated)

15 January 2011: West Ham United 0-3 Arsenal
30 October 2010: Arsenal 1-0 West Ham United
20 March 2010: Arsenal 2-0 West Ham United
3 January 2010 West Ham United 1-2 Arsenal (FA Cup third round)
25 October 2009: West Ham United 2-2 Arsenal
31 January 2009: Arsenal 0-0 West Ham United

Overall record v Arsenal (all competitions) W 33 D38 L 54

Ten-year record

West Ham United
2011/12 Championship 3rd (86 points - promoted to Premier League via
Play-Offs)
2010/11 Premier League 20th (33 points - relegated to Championship)
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 Division One 4th (74 points)
2002/03 Premier League 18th (42 points - relegated to Division One)

Arsenal
2011/12 Premier League 3rd (70 points)
2010/11 Premier League 4th (68 points)
2009/10 Premier League 3rd (75 points)
2008/09 Premier League 4th72 points)
2007/08 Premier League 3rd (83 points)
2006/07 Premier League 4th ­(68 points)
2005/06 Premier League 4th (67 points)
2004/05 Premier League 2nd (83 points)
2003/04 Premier League 1st (90 points)
2002/03 Premier League 2nd (78 points)


Referee
• Saturday's referee will be Phil Dowd.
• Phil Dowd is in his 12th season as a Select Group official, having
initially been promoted to the Barclays Premier League list of referees in
2001.
• Dowd began refereeing in local leagues in 1984, officiating in the
Staffordshire Senior League and Midland Football Alliance. He was appointed
to the Football League list of assistant referees in 1992, before joining
the League's full list of referees in 1997, aged 34.
• The 49-year-old is commonly considered to be one of England's best match
officials, an opinion backed by his appointments as the referee for the 2012
FA Cup and 2010 Football League Cup finals.
• Previously, Dowd was the fourth official at the 2006 FA Cup final between
West Ham United and Liverpool at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.
• Dowd has refereed 19 West Ham fixtures in total, the most-recent being a
3-0 Premier League defeat at Chelsea on 23 April 2011. He has taken charge
of 24 Arsenal matches, but none so far this season.
• He will be assisted by Scott Ledger and Michael McDonough, while the
fourth official will be Andre Marriner

Team news

• Jack Collison is unlikely to play after missing the start of the season as
he continues to manage his long-term knee issues.
• Andy Carroll is pushing for a start after returning from a month out with
a hamstring injury in Monday's 2-1 victory at Queens Park Rangers.
• Winston Reid is expected to be fit after recovering from the head injury
he picked up playing against QPR. Fellow defender Joey O'Brien faces a race
to be fit after also going off injured on Monday with a hamstring strain.
• Matt Taylor has returned to full training after missing Monday's win with
a calf injury suffered in the Capital One Cup third-round defeat by Wigan
Athletic on 25 September.
Old boys
• Yossi Benayoun spent two years with West Ham United between 2005 and 2007,
appearing in the 2006 FA Cup final defeat by Liverpool, before joining
Liverpool. After moving to Chelsea on a permanent deal in 2010, the Israel
captain joined Arsenal on loan last season, scoring eight goals in 25
appearances.
• Guy Demel spent a season with Arsenal as a youngster, joining the Gunners
as a 19-year-old in 2000. However, the right-back did not make a first-team
appearance for Arsenal and joined German club Borussia Dortmund the
following summer.
• Among the players who have represented both clubs are Jeremie Aliadiere,
James Bigden, Jimmy Bloomfield, Luis Boa Morte, Liam Brady, George Burgess,
Dick Curtis, Kaba Diawara, Ted Drake, Stan Earle, Bert Fletcher, Ron
Greenwood, Eddie Hapgood, John Hartson, Les Henley, Fergie Hunt, James
Jackson, Bernard Joy, Fred Kemp, Henri Lansbury, Tom Lee, Harry Lewis,
William Linwood, Freddie Ljungberg, Roddy MacEachrane, Jimmy Marshall, David
Noble, John Radford, Stewart Robson, Charles Satterthwaite, Laurie Scott,
Rami Shaaban, Bill Sidley, Bob Stevenson, Davor Suker, Matthew Upson,
Charlie Walker, Nigel Winterburn, Ian Wright, Richard Wright, Bobby Gould,
Seve Walford, Lee Chapman, Manuel Almunia and Clive Allen.
General Information
• Tickets for Saturday's game are SOLD OUT.
• The weather forecast for the game is for a chilly and misty day with a
maximum temperature of 13C (56F).

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Guy going for glory
BBC.co.uk
Guy Demel is aiming to enjoy a successful few weeks with club and country
05.10.2012

Guy Demel has already achieved a lot during his career, but West Ham
United's right-back is eyeing another successful season in 2012/13. The No20
won the Bundesliga title with German giants Borussia Dortmund and appeared
for Ivory Coast at two FIFA World Cup finals. Now firing on all cylinders
after an injury-affected first season with the Hammers, Demel is looking
forward to achieving great things with club and country over the next few
months. The 31-year-old, who spent a year with Arsenal as a teenager, is
aiming to get one over his old employers on Saturday before turning his
attention to international matters. Ivory Coast hold a 4-2 advantage over
Senegal after the first leg of their CAF Cup of Nations final-round
qualifier, with the return game set for 13 October in Dakar. He may have
already been there and done it in a footballing sense, but Demel is hungry
to enjoy more success. "I don't know if we can talk already about making a
great start at West Ham but we are following the process to meet our goals
and right now everything is good," he told West Ham TV. "We're happy with
the situation. "I try to give my best in every game and every day in
training. The most important thing for me is to stay fit because when you
are fit you can compete and you can play and help your team. I'm really
happy to be part of things. "We worked hard during the pre-season and I feel
there is a really good spirit in the team. I think it is more about the work
we have done off the pitch that has helped me to understand my team-mates
better. We have a good atmosphere and that makes things easier."

Demel conceded that it would be fair to assess West Ham's Barclays Premier
League start as 'great' should they beat Arsenal on Saturday. "It won't be
easy to beat Arsenal because they are a good team and they are doing well at
the moment. We know they can keep the ball so we're going to try to play our
best and we're going to try to win the points. "We are not going out to lose
the game. It's going to be hard but it's all about football. We have our
goals and we're playing at home, so with the support of the fans I think it
is possible to do something."

For Demel, Saturday will see him reunited with a number of familiar faces -
most notably his one-time Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, former Dortmund
team-mate Tomas Rosicky and compatriot Gervinho. "I know Gervinho well and I
played with Tomas as well so I know some of their guys. It's always great
and that's why I came here - to play against so many good teams and to
compete and play against this kind of team. "I think they are not happy to
be playing against us right now because we are in a good position, so it
will be nice to meet them but better to beat them!"

Demel might have spent just one season - 2000/01 - with Arsenal, but he was
at the club long enough to see why Wenger has been able to spot, bring in
and develop so many players like him from all over the world. "I think it is
because of the structure and organisation that Arsenal has and the scouting
that they have all around Europe and beyond. They have people all over and
they really understand what Arsene Wenger wants, so most of the time they
don't make mistakes when they see young players. "There is also the quality
of the training ground and the way they train, as well as the philosophy.
Even if they haven't won many trophies for the last few years, you can see
that they stick with their philosophy and it can bring them success again."

Success is something Demel experienced at Dortmund - a club that has come to
the fore recently following two consecutive Bundesliga title wins and a
midweek UEFA Champions League masterclass at Manchester City. The defender
has not been surprised by their success. "I played four years in Dortmund
and was a champion with them as well in 2002. We talked about philosophy and
Dortmund have changed their philosophy and are now like Arsenal in that they
bring through a lot of young players and try to move the ball quickly on the
floor. "It is a good team and is really a good club. They won the Champions
League a long time ago [in 1997] and I follow them as well."

Finally, Demel is also preparing for a game that is sure to capture the
imagination of the whole of African football. Ivory Coast and Senegal are
two of the continent's powerhouse nations, but both have been starved of Cup
of Nations success in recent years - the Ivorians won the competition in
1992 and Senegal have never won the trophy. With that in mind, both are
desperate to reach the 2013 finals in South African next January. "It's
going to be a really hard game because we won 4-2 at home but to play
against Senegal in Dakar is difficult because they have a really good team.
They have good players like Mo Diame, of course, and it won't be easy for
us. "We have to go to the Cup of Nations so we have to deal with them and
for us it is really important to be in the finals in January. For our
generation, this will the last tournament. "We have been twice in the final
and once in the semi-final in the previous four tournaments so we hope this
will be our one to win."

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West Ham v Arsenal
KO 17:30
5 October 2012
Last updated at 12:38
By John Motson
BBC Match of the Day commentator
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: Upton Park Date: Saturday, 6 October

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce could bring Andy Carroll back into the starting
line-up after his return from injury as a substitute against QPR. Winston
Reid should be available despite being knocked out at Loftus Road, but Joey
O'Brien is a doubt. Arsenal could welcome back central defender Per
Mertesacker after he recovered from a virus. But first-choice keeper
Wojciech Szczesny (ankle) and midfielder Abou Diaby (thigh) both remain
unavailable.

MATCH PREVIEW

It's been a good week for West Ham. Victory at QPR left them seventh in the
table and that's better than they would have anticipated at this stage of
the season following promotion. Andy Carroll's sooner-than-expected return
from injury was another piece of good news for the Hammers and he did enough
during a short cameo at Loftus Road to force his way back into the England
squad. Sam Allardyce could well be tempted to start Carroll against Arsenal
who will offer his side their biggest test of the campaign so far.

The Gunners have a great record against their east London rivals, but
Carroll's inclusion would certainly give them something to think about.
Arsenal have looked a little susceptible to crosses into their box -
something the Hammers will undoubtedly try to exploit, particularly if
Carroll is included. However, in general the Gunners have been pretty solid
at the back, a point underlined by Kieran Gibbs's inclusion in the England
squad and Roy Hodgson's assertion that Carl Jenkinson is an England
full-back of the future. And if the Gunners can deal with the threat into
their area then they have plenty in attack to cause West Ham concern. After
a quiet start to his career in England last season, Gervinho now offers a
real threat. Lukas Podolski is also showing the qualities that have made him
such a fine player and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is building on his early
promise. Along with Gibbs and Theo Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain is also in
the England squad - a strong Gunners' contingent underlining the quality at
Arsene Wenger's disposal. In midfield Santi Cazorla looks a really
high-class player and is Arsenal's biggest creative threat. I expect the
Hammers will use Mark Noble to try to shut him out of the game. It will
undoubtedly be a fantastic atmosphere at Upton Park and there's every chance
of this being a gripping London derby. As in any derby no-one will shirk
from a challenge, meaning referee Phil Dowd will need to keep his wits about
him.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

Arsenal are unbeaten in their last eight Premier League games against West
Ham (W6 D2).
West Ham have not scored in their last three Premier League meetings with
Arsenal.

West Ham
The Hammers are unbeaten at Upton Park in the Premier League this season (W2
D1) and have lost just one of their last 16 home league matches.
They have conceded just one goal in three home games this season - only West
Brom (0) have a better home defensive record.
Victory for West Ham would give them their best ever start to a Premier
League season after seven games and their best in the top flight since they
had 18 points from seven games in 1983-84.
West Ham became the first team in Premier League history to have eight
players booked in the same game during Monday's 2-1 win at Loftus Road. They
have also committed 97 fouls in league action this season, the most in the
top flight.

Arsenal
Arsenal have lost just one of their last 11 Premier League away games (W6 D4
L1) and are unbeaten away from the Emirates in the division this season.
Only Chelsea (3) have conceded fewer goals in the Premier League this season
than Arsenal (4).
Gervinho has scored more goals for Arsenal this season (5) in seven games
than he did in the whole of 2011-12 in 37 games (all comps).
Victory would be Arsene Wenger's 350th in the Premier League.

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New TV dates for your diary
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 5th October 2012
By: Staff Writer

Three new live West Ham fixtures have been confirmed this morning.
Supporters will once again have to rearrange their diaries following today's
announcement that the Hammers are to be broadcast live on TV three times in
December. Chelsea's much-anticipated visit to the Boleyn Ground on Saturday,
1st December has been brought forward to 12.45pm. Meanwhile West Ham's
fixture to Liverpool, also at Upton Park has been put back to Sunday, 9th
December at 4pm. Finally, West Ham's trip to West Bromwich Albion, currently
managed by Gianfranco's former number two Steve Clarke - a match originally
scheduled for Saturday, 15th December - has also been put back 24 hours.

The match now takes place on Sunday, 16th December at 4pm kick off. All
games are to be shown on subscription-only satellite TV.

Current live schedule

Arsenal (h): October 6th, 5.30pm
Man City (h): November 3rd, 5.30pm
Stoke (h): November 19th, 8pm
Chelsea (h): 1st December, 12.45pm
Liverpol (h): 9th December, 4pm
West Bromwich Albion (a): 15th December, 4pm

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West Ham v Arsenal preview
Gunners need win to leapfrog Hammers in Premier League table
Last Updated: October 5, 2012 11:45am
SSN

Arsenal suffered their first defeat of the season against Chelsea last
weekend and will need to be wary once again when they face West Ham at Upton
Park.
The Hammers have been in fine form in front of their own fans, winning two
and drawing one of their three Premier League games at the Boleyn Ground
this season. And Sam Allardyce will be relishing the chance to pit his wits
against Arsene Wenger - a manager he has a winning record against in
top-flight home games. The Arsenal coach will certainly need to tighten up
defensively if his side are to claim the three points needed to overtake
West Ham in the table.
The Gunners, and new assistant Steve Bould, were widely praised for their
improved defensive work in the early stages of this campaign but have now
conceded three goals in their last two league games from set-pieces. That
will encourage a West Ham side bolstered by the return from injury of
England international target-man Andy Carroll.

West Ham
Last 6
1-2
1-4
1-1
0-0
3-0
2-0

Allardyce will consider handing a start to Carroll after he returned to
action as a substitute against QPR but may want to ease the forward back to
full fitness.
Winston Reid has also recovered from a head injury at Loftus Road but
left-back Joey O'Brien is expected to miss out. Jack Collison and Alou
Diarra remain long-term absentees for the Hammers.

Arsenal
Last 6
3-1
1-2
6-1
1-1
1-2
6-1

Jack Wilshere made his long-awaited comeback against West Brom in a reserve
game earlier this week but is not in contention for a first-team place just
yet.
But centre-back Per Mertesacker has recovered from a virus so Wenger will
have a decision to make in defence. Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny and
midfielder Abou Diaby remain on the sidelines with ankle and thigh
complaints respectively.

Opta Facts

Arsenal have won six and lost none of the last eight Premier League
encounters with West Ham.
Arsene Wenger has won just two of his nine away games as a coach in Premier
League head to head meetings with Sam Allardyce (W2 D3 L4), the first one v
Bolton in April 2002 and the last one v Blackburn in August 2010.
West Ham scored the most goals from set plays in the 2011-12 Championship,
while the last three league goals Arsenal have conceded have come from dead
ball situations.

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Sam Allardyce warns West Ham they face their biggest test yet when they host
Arsenal
Last Updated: October 5, 2012 4:52pm
SSN

Sam Allardyce has warned his West Ham players that they face the biggest
test of their season so far when they host Arsenal on Saturday. The Premier
League new boys have made an impressive start to the campaign and sit
seventh in the league after three wins and two draws from their opening six
matches. But with the Hammers preparing to meet all of last season's top six
clubs within the next two months, starting with the Gunners, Allardyce is
well aware of the challenge that lies ahead. "We have 11 points from six
games so we are delighted that our start has been as fruitful as it has
been," said Allardyce. "They (Arsenal) are a top four side. This is a big
test for the players and whether they can master the quality of opposition.
"Can they understand what they need to do or change their game slightly to
get best chance of a result? "Arsenal are so good at keeping the ball. We
will need to concentrate that they don't get behind us. That is a key area.
"We need to accept that we won't see the ball as much as other home games,
Villa, Fulham and particularly Sunderland."

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My heroes
West Ham United midfielder Matt Taylor speaks to Sky Sports and looks back
through the years to pick his favourite footballers
Last Updated: October 5, 2012 3:51pm
SSN

Paul Gascoigne

As a kid, I used to go to a lot of Tottenham Hotspur games with my dad.
Watching Gascoigne play for Tottenham and England, he was fantastic. I,
along with a lot of people, do not tire of watching Gascoigne's games. He
saw things other people did not, like picking a pass. One of the biggest
things was the emotion he showed on and off the pitch. He was a wonderful
footballer. Being a Tottenham fan as a kid, he was someone I definitely
looked up to.

Chris Waddle

He was a fantastic, jinking winger. You never really knew if he was going to
cross the ball or not. He had so many tricks in his locker and a lot of
feints. He was great to watch, really pleasing on the eye and, at the time,
there were not too many players who were similar to him. He put great balls
in the box for assists and also scored some wonderful goals.

Gary Lineker

There is a bit of a common theme, because I used to watch Tottenham.
Obviously not just when he was at Tottenham, when he was at Barcelona as
well, Lineker was a fantastic finisher. If he was playing now, he would be a
modern day poacher. He was always in the right place at the right time. His
finishing was second to none and he rightly got a lot of caps for England
and also a lot of goals for club and country.

Glenn Hoddle

He was fantastic in the middle of the pitch, fantastic on the ball and had
great energy as well. He seemed to make time and space, when mere mortals
like me might not have as much. He picked a pass and scored some wonderful
goals. I cannot remember who it was against but I remember going to White
Hart Lane and seeing him smash one in the top corner. That is my lasting
memory. I think he has had a distinguished coaching career as well.

John Barnes

I am going away from the Tottenham theme. For Liverpool and England, he was
left-footed and so was I as a kid. I looked up to him. He was a proper
No.10. He got the ball and made things happen. He was a captain as well so
was really good. I had a bit of a soft spot for Liverpool as well when I was
a kid.

West Ham United star Matt Taylor officially opened PlayFootball's latest
5-a-side centre in Romford, Essex. PlayFootball is one of the UK's leading
5-a-side centres. Get involved and log on to playfootball.net for more
information

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Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has no special plans to deal with Andy Carroll
Last Updated: October 5, 2012 2:45pm
SSN

Arsene Wenger has revealed his admiration for Andy Carroll as he prepares
his Arsenal side to cope with the physical threat of the West Ham striker.
The on-loan Liverpool forward appears to have rediscovered some of the form
that deserted him following his high-profile move from Newcastle to Anfield.
Wenger says he never questioned the quality of the 23-year-old but is not
surprised that his career faltered at Liverpool given the weight of
expectation that accompanied his £35m price-tag. However, he insists there
will be no special plan to stop Carroll at Upton Park as the Gunners attempt
to bounce back after losing their unbeaten league record to Chelsea last
time out. "Carroll has the quality and that will come out with time. We
expect Carroll to be at his best - it is down to us to deal with that," said
Wenger. "We can only focus on our own performance and be at our best. "He
started very well, then he had to deal with a high level of expectation with
a massive transfer on his shoulders going to an historic club where a lot
was expected of him. Maybe it was a bit too early for him. "Since I have
seen him at West Ham, he looks back to the Carroll we have seen at
Newcastle, that means with less pressure."

Efficient

Wenger, however, insists the Hammers are anything but a long ball side under
Sam Allardyce, who guided them back up through the play-offs and to a solid
start this season. "West Ham have a good balance, they are efficient, they
are a good mixture I must say between direct play and playing on the
ground," he said. "Technically they are quite sound in midfield, they have
Carroll and (Carlton) Cole up front who can go for high balls. "We know we
will have a big challenge there, we know we will only get away with the
points if we perform at our best." Wenger added: "Allardyce has again a very
good team and you have to give him credit for that. "He has built a good
team, well balanced, always efficient and he is a good manager because he
lasts."

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Match Preview: West Ham v Arsenal
West Ham Till I Die

I always look forward to matches against Arsenal. They are invariably
entertaining and you never quite know what will happen. We have had some
famous victories over them in the last ten years. I'll always remember that
Zamora goal, when we became the first team to beat Arsenal at The Emirates.

Arsenal strike me as quite a vulnerable team at the moment, going through
something of a transition. We certainly have no reason to fear them or feel
inferior. Our start to the season and the fact that we have more points than
them says it all. That's not meant to sound arrogant. It's just that
sometimes teams act as if they're already a goal down when they play teams
like Arsenal. If you don't go out onto the pitch with a positive mental
attitude, then you're already beaten before you cross the white line.

It will be a full house tomorrow and I hope there's a lot of noise. In fact,
i don't think I have looked forward to a match for so long for ages.

I doubt whether there will be many changes to the starting eleven beyond
George McCartney coming in for Joey O'Brien. Winston Reid has recovered from
his injury and I imagine will regain his place, even though James Tomkins
played very well at QPR. I'm so pleased Vaz Te came up trumps at QPR - he's
a real confidence player and wouldn't it be great to see him in top form
against Arsenal. I'm sure we all want to see Andy Carroll play from the
start, but I imagine Sam Allardyce will want to wrap him up in cotton wool
for a little while longer. Expect him to play much of the second half.

Just think. If we win, that's 14 points from 7 games. A third of the way to
safety! And if we continue in this vein, we're heading for 76 points. Lol.
Yes I know I am getting carried away. But who'd have thought we'd have had
this kind of start?

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Karren Brady's football diary
By KARREN BRADY
Last Updated: 06th October 2012
The Sun

SATURDAY, SEPT 29

HE can't say I didn't warn him! I've told a married PL director, short man,
big chest, so many times that he really must stop with the one-night stands.
He tells me that every day his London office is receiving flowers, cards,
cuddly toys and today a copy of Fifty Shades of Grey from a lady who is
looking for a repeat performance. The staff take home the flowers and the
toys go in the bin, although he made no mention of what he did with the
book. His club is north of Watford, but everything arrives with a Spurs logo
on, and he has no idea why, as he can't remember what he told the lady in
question on the night in question!
As the man involved particularly dislikes Spurs, I do not know whether his
present angst is caused more by the extra revenue he's generated into Spurs
coffers than the personal embarrassment he's now suffering as a result of
his dalliance!

SUNDAY, SEPT 30

IN England, Luis Suarez, it is known as poetic justice. Ask Brendan Rodgers
and he will explain what that means. When a footballer goes tumbling without
contact around the penalty areas of the Premier League, referees —
particularly those who have been made to look like chumps — are bound to be
suspicious next time they are asked to judge whether he was fouled or
tripped by fresh air. He may think that Suarez's 'previous' is against him
and choose to give the tackler the benefit of the doubt. We may think it
serves him right. Diving in my book is the third worst offence in football.

MONDAY, OCT 1

WITH his array of helpers — from his management company, from the Ryder Cup
team assistants, from friends, probably a few Romans and countrymen — Rory
McIlroy was within a few minutes of missing his starting time. Only one man
to blame, though. Rory himself. On the odd occasion, Brian Clough used to
tell his players to find their own way to a match, just to keep them honest.
Earlier, in his time as a player, that was the form — by train and bus to an
away game, at home by foot to the players' entrance. This didn't always
work. I know of one player who left for a home match and did not turn up for
three days. When he did, he was still in his slippers and was carrying a
half-empty bottle of gin. He worked for me — for a very short time!

TUESDAY, OCT 2

A FANTASTIC win last night for West Ham against QPR. But this morning I am
informed that we are to be fined £25,000 for the record number of bookings,
we received during the game. Maybe ref Mark Clattenburg was right about all
eight, maybe not. As a club we will examine video evidence. Anyway, I'm not
going to argue although I might not have been so cheery about it had we
lost. However, I do think the number of cards and the offences for which
they are given is out of control. It has reached the point where bosses such
as City's Roberto Mancini are demanding cards for opposing players from the
touchline.

WEDNESDAY, OCT 3

SHOULD Roy Keane take up an offer to manage in Turkey, it'd be impossible to
forecast a long and successful career. Short and explosive, more like.
Keane, one of my greatest footballing heroes, seems to think he has the
makings of a top-class manager while the evidence suggests otherwise. The
intensity he possessed as a player used to fire his team. As a manager it
scalds them. As an ex-pat manager in Turkey, it could cause mayhem in the
bazaar. Blackburn would be a doddle by comparison.

THURSDAY, OCT 4

OUR England manager is alleged to make an off-the-cuff remark about a great
player. Neither of them will be happy about the report of it. I can tell you
only this. Roy is everything an England manager should be — keen, bright and
dedicated. In my 20-years plus in this industry I have never known an
England manager, when on a Premier League visit, to stay and watch the whole
game. Instead, they normally arrive five minutes before the start of the
match, with instructions that they are not to be approached in the
boardroom, and then leave 15 minutes before the end. I guess for
£5million-a-year you can't expect much more! On Monday night we played
against QPR at Loftus Road. Roy was there well before the kick-off and was
still there well after the end, with a smile on his face that beamed pride
in the job and gave me hope. It's no surprise he has picked Andy Caroll but
I did expect Mark Noble to also get a call-up.

FRIDAY, OCT 5

EVEN for as slippery a customer as Peter Ridsdale, there can be no return to
football now. He was only an acquaintance of mine and most people would very
quickly put him in the column marked 'watch out'. The 60-year-old former
Leeds, Barnsley and Cardiff chairman has been barred from all company
directorship until 2020. And the only question that remains is how did he
manage to creep into positions of great responsibility with such ease. It
shows another weakness in our game's financial structuring.

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Big Sam braced
By ANDY BAKER
Published: 05th October 2012
The Sun

SAM ALLARDYCE has told his happy Hammers: Brace yourselves. West Ham sit
seventh in the table on their return to the Premier League, with just one
defeat in six games this term. But boss Allardyce knows today's home clash
with Arsenal will see an end to the honeymoon period. Big Sam said: "We have
11 points from six games so we are delighted that our start has been as
fruitful as it has been. "Arsenal are a top four side. This is a big test
for the players and whether they can master the quality of opposition. "Can
they understand what they need to do to get the best chance of a result? "We
will have our game plan and hopefully that will get us a result but that
means every player playing at their best. "Even then, it may not be good
enough." We're pants — Goals P3

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Sam on pants watch
The Sun
By ANDREW DILLON
Published: 05th October 2012

SAM ALLARDYCE believes the key to West Ham's revival is clean sheets, clean
pants and clean plates. The Hammers are looking down on tonight's opponents
Arsenal from seventh place in the Premier League after an impressive start
to the season following promotion. And boss Big Sam has imposed a few
housekeeping rules for his stars to keep them grounded and get them pulling
in the same direction — up the table. He said: "It is about making the
surroundings that you are in comfortable and players feeling wanted and
feeling like they are well looked after. "They should enjoy coming into
training and it is not too serious. "It has got its own discipline, of
course. You cannot come in late and if you do you get fined. "You have got
to turn out for training on time and look after your own kit. "Not leave it
lying on the training ground if you take it off. "Put dirty kit in the
baskets that are provided. "They also must put their plates away when
they've finished eating, or if there's food left put your plate on the top.
"Now, if one player doesn't do these things the others say 'oh look, you've
not done this again'. "It creates a family atmosphere and gets a bit of
spirit going. "It is about people getting on well together and having a good
team spirit."

Many of the squad chose extra training on Thursday instead of clocking off.
And new man Andy Carroll, on loan from Liverpool, was among them as West Ham
prepare for the biggest test of their Premier League potential. Allardyce
said: "If they are not looking forward to coming into training they will go
straight home as quick as they can. "This week, they all went off and did
their own stuff, including Andy. "That is a great indicator for me because
it tells me they enjoy being here. "It sends the sports scientists mad
because they worry the boys are doing too much. "I just tell them to shut
up."

Allardyce, who took over in June last year, added: "That is a nice feeling
for me when all of a sudden the players want to stay on the training pitch
when you have blown the whistle. "It was not like that when I first came.
The players wanted to get straight off and get out of here."

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Hammers 'n' tongs: Allardyce ready to fight to protect West Ham's feel-good
factor
The Mirror
Jamie McDonald / Getty

Sam Allardyce is convinced he has made West Ham into happy Hammers once more
- and is ready to have a ruck with his own back-room staff to ensure it
stays that way. The east London club has been transformed since Allardyce
was appointed in June 2011 to such an extent that players are now WANTING to
stay behind after training to do extra work - a contrast to when Avram Grant
was in charge. West Ham have enjoyed a superb start to life back in the top
flight after last season's promotion via the play-offs, winning three of
their opening six league games. Confidence within the squad is sky high as
they prepare to entertain Arsenal in Saturday's televised tea-time game.
Allardyce has revealed how most of his players are refusing to leave the
training field when his sessions end and that he is at loggerheads with his
sports science team, who worry over the amount of work the players are doing
on a daily basis. "That is a nice feeling for me, when all of a sudden the
players want to stay on the training pitch when you have blown the whistle,"
said Allardyce. "It was not like that when I first came - the players wanted
to get straight off and get out of here. "That is a great indicator for me,
because it tels me they enjoy being here.
"Sports Science [staff] will run up to you and say, 'Gaffer, get them off'
and 'They are doing too much.' I just say, 'Shut up.' "They always do that,
but I say if they want to do something on their own, just leave them to it.
If they carry on too long, we will keep an eye on them. "The sports science
[staff] and coaches will tell me what they think we should do but, at the
end of the day, I will make the final decisions. "Sometimes when they don't
like it they have to lump it. "It is about making the surroundings that you
are in comfortable and players feeling wanted and feeling like they are well
looked after. "It has got its own discipline. You cannot come in late. If
you do you get fined. "You have got to turn out for training on time and
look after your own kit. You have got to turn up for certain places and do
what you have to do."

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Arsenal bring Per Mertesacker back for likely aerial duel with Andy Carroll
Arsène Wenger expects giant centre-half to be fit and in the trenches for
West Ham bombardment
JACK PITT-BROOKE SATURDAY 06 OCTOBER 2012
The Independent

Arsène Wenger hopes he has Per Mertesacker ready for the aerial challenge of
West Ham United this evening. Arsenal travel to Upton Park where they are
likely to face a returning Andy Carroll.

Mertesacker has started the season well before suffering from a virus which
has afflicted the Arsenal squad. His heading ability would certainly be
useful if he recovers.

"He has made a big leap," Wenger said of Mertesacker's form this season,
"and he came back very fit and has improved his fitness a lot. His mobility.
He looks very sharp on the first day that he came back. He lost some weight.
And that helps of course."

The Arsenal manager is an admirer of Carroll, who should make his second
West Ham start today. "I rate him, and don't l think we have seen the best
of him until now," Wenger said. "Since I have seen him at West Ham, he looks
back to the Carroll we have seen at Newcastle, that means with less
pressure."

Wenger does not believe that today's threat is purely aerial, though. "West
Ham have a good mixture," he said. "They can come from midfield. [Mohamed]
Diame can make a difference. [Kevin] Nolan is always dangerous on the second
ball. And [Matt] Jarvis is a technical player."

"You know your players need to be 100 per cent focused. One mistake - you
can have a virtual domination and lose the game. It's a concentration
challenge as well." As well as a late decision at centre-back, Wenger is
still searching for his favoured centre-forward. While no-one has taken over
Robin van Persie's role, Wenger said the newly collegial approach to
goal-scoring was a good thing.

Van Persie last season scored 30 of Arsenal's 74 Premier League goals. This
year the burden is being shared, after his move to Manchester United. "We
have no choice," explained Wenger, "as we had one that scored so many."
Losing Van Persie meant losing Van Persie-dependence too and Wenger said
that this was healthier for the team, revealing just how desperate his
players were last year to be led out by their captain, the talismanic Dutch
striker.

"Because when Van Persie was injured of course it is not only that you
cannot score goals any more," Wenger said. "It is the psychological
consequences on the morale of the team. 'Does Van Persie play on Saturday?'
Players ask you already, does Van Persie play on Saturday or not, when he
has two or three days out."

Wenger signed two strikers from the continent in the hope of replacing Van
Persie's 30 goals, but admitted they might not quite make up the required
numbers. "We bought Lukas Podolski [who had scored] 20 [league goals last
season] and [Olivier] Giroud 20, that is 40," Wenger said. "But it
unfortunately has not worked out like that."

Giroud is yet to score in the Premier League, with Gervinho rather
surprisingly becoming the main centre-forward so far. Wenger hopes that the
other wide and creative players will help to contribute. "We hope always
that [Theo] Walcott can improve his number of goals. Gervinho as well," he
said "[Santi] Cazorla will get a few. He gets in good positions and does not
always finish. But he looks like he can score goals."

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