Daily WHUFC News - 31st March 2013

Carroll brace downs Baggies
WHUFC.com
West Ham United defeated West Bromwich Albion 3-1 at the Boleyn Ground on
Saturday
30.03.2013

Andy Carroll notched a brace as West Ham United moved back towards the top
half of the Barclays Premier League with a 3-1 victory over West Bromwich
Albion at the Boleyn Ground on Saturday. Carroll's double showcased the
range of his abilities - the first a towering header, the second a stunning
volley - as West Ham found the ruthless touch manager Sam Allardyce called
for pre-match. The big Geordie's goals sandwiched a fine strike from Gary
O'Neil, meaning Graham Dorrans' late penalty for West Brom counted for
little. Youssouf Mulumbu was dismissed late on after taking the bizarre
decision to pick up the ball and smash it at Gary O'Neil, as the Baggies
left east London well beaten. The Hammers had an early scare when Gareth
McAuley forced Chris Brunt's seventh minute corner over the line, but the
visitors' centre back had clearly pushed Jussi Jaaskelainen in his efforts
to reach the ball and referee Andre Marriner chalked his effort off.
Jaaskelainen then had to make a fine save, readjusting his balance in the
blink of an eye to react to a deflection of Romelu Lukaku's free kick from
its original path and touch the ball onto the post. West Ham were also
looking lively in an open start and it was Allardyce's men who were
celebrating the opening goal with 16 minutes on the clock. Carroll was the
goalscorer, leaping imperiously above Jonas Olsson to meet Gary O'Neil's
inswinging left-wing corner with a thumping header beyond Ben Foster. The
Hammers went close to doubling their advantage twice within the next five
minutes, Mohamed Diame sending in a 20-yard drive that whistled inches over
the top, then Matt Jarvis volleyed too high from close in after Carroll
flicked James Collins' deep free kick on. The home crowd did not have to
wait long for a second West Ham goal though, with O'Neil notching his first
in more than a year 17 minutes before the interval. It was worth the wait
too, as the midfielder swept a 20-yard shot above Ben Foster and into the
left hand corner of the net after his team broke swiftly from a Baggies free
kick for Ricardo Vaz Te to lay across for O'Neil.

Jaaskelainen had to deal with a low drive from Dorrans before the break, but
the Hammers were looking in the mood and were well worthy of their half time
advantage. West Brom were an improved force in the second half, with West
Ham finding it harder to attack their visitors with such fluency. Three
minutes after the restart Lukaku ran across the face of the Hammers'
backline before unleashing a strong shot from the edge of the box which only
just cleared the crossbar. Right back Billy Jones had to be denied by
Jaaskelainen after making a piercing run towards goal, then James Collins
flew out to meet Peter Odemwingie and make a super block after the Albion
sub made his way past Joey O'Brien. But West Ham took stock and killed the
game off ten minutes from time and again it was a goal of real quality.
Carroll showed impeccable technique to watch Collins' lofted free kick drop
over his shoulder and then guide a wonderfully controlled volley past
Foster's dive. West Brom pulled one back two minutes from the end when they
were awarded a spot kick for a nudge on Lukaku by Matt Taylor and Dorrans
blasted the penalty home, The Baggies' spirits were not to be lifted though,
and their miserable afternoon was compounded in the dying seconds when
Mulumbu saw red in extraordinary circumstances, picking the ball up as it
was in play and blasting it at O'Neil from close range. Referee Marriner had
no hesitation in brandishing a red card and the Hammers saw out the
remaining time to register their tenth league win of the campaign.

West Ham United: Jaaskelainen; Demel (McCartney 79), Collins, Reid, O'Brien;
Nolan (Taylor 69), O'Neil, Diame (Collison 82); Vaz Te, Carroll, Jarvis
Subs: Henderson (GK), Tomkins, C.Cole, Chamakh
Goals: Carroll 16, O'Neil 28, Carroll 80
Booked: Reid

West Bromwich Albion: Foster; Jones, McAuley, Olsson, Ridgewell; Mulumbu,
Yacob (Odemwingie 71), Brunt; Dorrans (Fortune 88), Lukaku, Long (Rosenberg
71)
Subs: Myhill (GK), Popov, Thomas, Tamas
Goal: Dorrans pen 88
Booked: Long
Sent off: Mulumbu

Referee: Andre Marriner
Attendance: 34,966

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Jussi savours Baggies win
WHUFC.com
February's SBOBET Player of the Month revels in the Hammers' 3-1 win over
West Bromwich Albion
31.03.2013

West Ham United may have been in a position of relative comfort as they
completed a 3-1 victory over West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, but if it had
not been for an early intervention from goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen, the
outcome could have been very different. The Finnish goalkeeper made an
outstanding stop on 14 minutes with the scoresheet still blank, shifting his
weight back in the opposite direction to which he had started moving after
Romelu Lukaku's free kick took a deflection off Gary O'Neil. Jaaskelainen
managed to get down to his right and push the ball onto the post, with West
Ham making full use of his save by opening the scoring through Andy Carroll
just two minutes later. After picking up the SBOBET Player of the Month
award for February pre-match, Jaaskelainen was delighted to round off a fine
day by claiming maximum points. Speaking about his early save, he told West
Ham TV: "At the end of the day that's my job as goalkeeper, to help the team
when they need it. "It was a free kick, although I think it may have been
offside if it had gone in the net. "It's a case of trying to see the ball
and then reacting [after it takes the deflection]. You need a little bit of
luck too, but I believe that if you work hard you'll get the luck you need."

The Hammers' success came courtesy of three excellent goals, with a Carroll
brace sandwiching Gary O'Neil's first strike since March last year.
Jaaskelainen was thrilled to see the Hammers making the most of their
opportunities. He added: "They were three great finishes. You can see West
Brom are a good team, but we gave a very good performance. "The manager said
in the week that we need to be more ruthless in front of goal and we did
that on Saturday. "It's good when you go 2-0 up because it becomes easier to
control the game. Maybe we dropped a little too deep at the start of the
second half, but we created chances when we counter attacked and got the
third goal. "It was a great three points on Saturday and we can go on from
here now. We've got eight games to go and we want to finish as high as
possible."

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A message from the Vice-Chairman
WHUFc.com
Vice-Chairman Karren Brady updates supporters on West Ham United's move to
the Olympic Stadium
30.03.2013

A message from the Vice-Chairman

I have been overwhelmed by your positive response to last week's
announcement by Mayor Boris Johnson which awarded the Club the opportunity
to move to the Olympic Stadium. I would like to thank each and every one of
you who has taken the time to send the many thousands of messages of support
to the Club. I am pleased so many of you feel that your faith has been
rewarded. Knowing you are with us makes us a real force. There is a long
journey ahead, but together we stand a real chance of realising our
collective footballing ambitions for West Ham United. This move to a
world-class UEFA category 4 Stadium gives us the chance to compete with the
top teams in the world, attract and keep the highest quality players and
invest in the squad and training facilities.
We know that there are many of you who are frustrated and need to find out
more before you feel able to lend your support, but now we have reached an
agreement with the LLDC we can at last consult with you.

First of all we will be carrying out a poll which will help us to ascertain
your feelings towards the move. We hope through making more information and
educational resources available to you we will be able to address the
majority of your concerns.

In response to your feedback, we have followed a robust process and I am
pleased to confirm we have appointed an independent recognised organisation,
YouGov, to take this forward on our behalf. Cited as the most consistently
accurate pollster, YouGov will now provide their expertise to ensure we
conduct a fair and transparent consultation process. They have significant
experience in this area, having conducted more than 25 major sports-venue
projects in 15 countries across six continents, covering consultation over
national stadia, UEFA Champions League clubs and Premier League teams
including Wembley, the Maracana, Galatasaray, Inter Milan and QPR.

Their first job is to ensure that every single one of you who wishes to have
your say gets the opportunity to do so. They will now begin to undertake a
comprehensive assessment of the spectrum of opinion related to the stadium
relocation across our fan base, covering every core group that will drive
the club's attendances at the stadium.

I will be providing you with regular updates on our official club website
and via email so you are aware of the progress we are making, every step of
the way.
Each week I will aim to cover your questions and concerns as well as sharing
any additional imagery, designs and information we receive.

We have included a number of designs and drawings which have already been
seen by some fan groups and that demonstrate the more technical aspects of
the multi-million pound conversion in the matchday programme and here on
whufc.com. I am confident you will be as excited as we are when you see
them.
Again, I thank you wholeheartedly for your patience and support and I am
looking forward to continuing this historic journey with you.

Karren Brady
Vice-Chairman

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Andy at the double
WHUFC.com
Andy Carroll was all smiles after scoring twice in a 3-1 Barclays Premier
League victory over West Brom
30.03.2013

Andy Carroll could not contain his delight after scoring two outstanding
goals in West Ham United's 3-1 Barclays Premier League victory over West
Bromwich Albion on Saturday. The England centre forward was at his powerful
best against the Baggies, heading West Ham in front before the break before
netting the Hammers' third with an unstoppable first-time volley. Speaking
exclusively to West Ham TV, Carroll beamed as he celebrated scoring for the
third home game in succession. "It was a great win," he confirmed. "The lads
worked hard and I got my two goals and we got the three points, so it was a
great day. "I was putting myself about and got two goals, so that's what I
like to think I'm about. Obviously I like to score goals, so getting two
shows that I've got it. "I'm doing all right at home! I'm feeling good with
the lads and everyone is coming together and we're playing well at home, as
you can see. It's a great three points and massive for us. We've just got to
keep going now and hopefully get three points from the next game."

Asked about his two goals, Carroll was quick to praise the delivery provided
by Gary O'Neil and James Collins - the first headed in from a left-wing
corner and the second from a free-kick from halfway that the No8 expertly
diverted in with an exquisite right-foot volley. "The first one was just a
great ball in by Gaz O'Neil, who put it right where we have been practising.
I got a nice run on my marker and just put it into the back of the net. "The
second one was another one we practised putting into that position. It came
over my shoulder and I caught it well and put it into the bottom corner."

Carroll continued his fine run of form against West Brom's Sweden
international defender Jonas Olsson - the same man who was marking him when
he headed in England's opener in their 3-2 UEFA European Championship win
over the Swedes last year. "He was marking me then, too, but he's a tough
defender and it was another tough day out there. Like I said, the lads
played well and I thought we deserved the three points."

Carroll's goal capped a fine first-half display from Sam Allardyce's side,
who stroked the ball around quickly and accurately to repeatedly carve their
way through the Albion back four. However, the striker was also acutely
aware of the importance of Jussi Jaaskelainen's outstanding save to keep out
Romelu Lukaku's deflected free-kick just moments his own opening goal. "We
bopped it about and it showed with the two goals we got in the first half
that the lads were on it. Gaz's finish was a great finish and Jussi kept us
in it with the save he made from the free-kick that he pushed onto the post,
then got up and got the rebound. "All the lads played great and we deserved
it."

West Ham had to play out the final few minutes with ten men after George
McCartney was forced off with a knee injury. The shortage of manpower saw
Carroll deployed as an emergency centre-back in the closing stages - a role
he last fulfilled during his time under Big Sam at Newcastle United. "Back
at Newcastle when Big Sam was manager, he put us back as a centre-half once,
so it was nothing new to me."

Unfortunately, Carroll will be forced to watch when West Ham travel to
Liverpool next Sunday as he cannot play under the terms of his loan
agreement.
"It's a big game. Obviously I'm disappointed I can't play as it's another
two weeks off for me, but hopefully the lads will go up there and do what we
need to do."

While he has clearly impressed his club manager, Carroll is hoping his
impressive performances in claret and blue will help him to add to his nine
senior England caps in the near future. For sure, Roy Hodgson cannot help
but have been impressed by the No8's displays in recent weeks.
"I hope to play in every game for England but I've haven't been picked, so
I've just got to work hard here at West Ham and hopefully I'll be involved
next time."

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On this day - 31 March
WHUFC.com
A look back at a London derby victory over Tottenham Hotspur on this day 26
years ago
31.03.2013

Classic match
West Ham United 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Division One
31 March 1986
West Ham's Boys of '86 continued their chargs up to their eventual finishing
position of third in the top flight table with a memorable London derby
victory over Tottenham Hotspur on this day in 1986. John Lyall's side were
in the middle of their most successful league campaign and this victory over
Spurs avenged a 1-0 defeat suffered at White Hart Lane on Boxing Day. Much
of the Hammers' success was based on the goalscoring form of Frank McAvennie
and Tony Cottee and they were both on the scoresheet for this match.
McAvennie ended the season with 28 goals and Cottee was only two behind with
26 as the Hammers claimed third on 84 points, just five off champions
Liverpool.

Complete record - 31 March

2012 West Ham United 2-4 Reading (Championship)
2007 West Ham United 2-0 Middlesbrough (Premier League)
2001 West Ham United 0-1 Everton (Premier League)
1990 West Ham United 2-2 Port Vale (Division Two)
1986 West Ham United 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur (Division One)
1984 West Ham United 2-2 Queens Park Rangers (Division One)
1979 West Ham United 1-1 Leicester City (Division Two)
1973 West Ham United 2-0 Everton (Division One)
1972 West Ham United 2-2 Leeds United (Division One)
1970 West Ham United 3-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers (Division One)
1965 Aston Villa 2-3 West Ham United (Division One)
1964 Stoke City 3-0 West Ham United (Division One)
1962 West Bromwich Albion 0-1 West Ham United (Division One)
1961 West Ham United 1-0 Leicester City (Division One)
1956 Plymouth Argyle 0-1 West Ham United (Division Two)
1951 West Ham United 2-4 Manchester City (Division Two)
1934 West Ham United 5-1 Fulham (Division Two)
1928 West Ham United 4-3 Blackburn Rovers (Division One)
1923 Crystal Palace 5-1 West Ham United (Division Two)

Played 19, Won 11, Drawn 4, Lost 4, Scored 40, Conceded 28

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'It was a great day for us'
WHUFC.com
Sam Allardyce was delighted with Andy Carroll's contribution in the 3-1 win
over West Brom
30.03.2013

Hammers manager Sam Allardyce was delighted to see his side take all three
points against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday with striker Andy Carroll
twice making the scoresheet and Gary O'Neil notching his first at the Boleyn
Ground. West Brom clawed one goal back in reply through a late penalty from
Graham Dorrans, while Youssuf Mulumbu headed down the tunnel for an early
bath after being sent off deep into stoppage time. After sealing a
convincing 3-1 win for the Hammers, Allardyce hailed Carroll's performance
as his best in claret and blue. "When you look at the overall performance
and the quality of the goals, it was a great day for us," said Allardyce.
"We were glad to get out there after two weeks so they could show what they
can really do again. Last time we played here it was a fantastic game but we
ended up losing in the last minute. "This time we played a fantastic game
and scored three fantastic goals and got a thoroughly deserved win. "There
were three very different quality goals. The first showing Andy Carroll's
heading ability, Gary O'Neil with a delicate chip and of course the
outstanding volley from Andy shows it's not just about his aerial dominance,
it's about the overall ability that Andy has. "I don't think you'll see a
better volley technique than that one this season. Over the shoulder, right
foot volley - which is his weaker foot - right into the bottom corner. "Andy
put two goals on the end of a good performance. I think his good
performances have been with us before and the fans always appreciate his
ability here but he today he's shown them what he is all about. "He's shown
them his ability outside of the box and the ability he's got in the box,
along with his goalscoring ability. I hope this is kicking him on to being a
regular goal scorer for us in the next eight games or so and upping his
total as much as he can until the end of the season. "Andy is in a good
frame of mind now and finally after a long wait he has improved his match
fitness and that's why I think you're seeing the performances and goals that
you're seeing. "Finally he's there and he is enjoying himself and that is
more important than anything else. "It's a great result for us and a great
performance which of course takes us ever closer to that safety margin. Now
we're looking forward to playing Liverpool away next week."

But there was more heartache for defender George McCartney, who was
returning from a long-term absence only to suffer a recurrence of his knee
injury.
Allardyce added: "I think the only downside today was George McCartney's
injury, which was a big blow to George and to us. He's only just come back
and he's come off with the same thing he did last time which is his medial
ligaments in his knee, it's sad. "I would think that George will be out for
the rest of the season. It's a recurrence of the same injury which is a very
big disappointment for us all. "It was important that we were 3-0 up when he
had to come off because we had used all of our substitutions. What a blow it
would have been if it had been any different to that. "George has waited so
long to get back and he was so eager to get on. We thought, 'let's give him
a little run out now,' and save the legs of the lads who had done so well,
but sadly George went down with the same injury."

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West Ham 3 West Brom 1
30 March 2013
Last updated at 17:29
By Shamoon Hafez
BBC Sport

Andy Carroll scored twice to ease West Ham's fears of dropping into the
Championship with a win over West Brom. The striker's thumping header gave
the home side the lead, before Hammers goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen was
forced into action with smart saves. Gary O'Neil's sweet strike doubled the
advantage with Carroll's superb volley giving the hosts a third goal.
Baggies' Graham Dorrans scored a late penalty and Youssouf Mulumbu was sent
off for kicking the ball at O'Neil. West Ham's comfortable victory means
they are now on 36 points, six clear of the bottom three, with eight games
of the season remaining. Having suffered five defeats in their previous
seven league matches, Sam Allardyce's men were in danger of being dragged
into a relegation battle.
Allardyce stated a total of 38 points would be enough to stay in the Premier
League and said that he would only sign a new contract with the club - which
runs out at the end of the season - once they are certain of survival.
Meanwhile, his counterpart Steve Clarke is enduring a slight blip as they
missed the chance to move ahead of Liverpool into seventh spot, having
enjoyed a fine season so far. The Baggies found it difficult to deal with
Carroll's aerial presence throughout, and were afforded no time on the ball
by West Ham's pressing game with Mohamed Diame particularly imposing.

"A victory for West Ham in a match where Sam Allardyce's men scored three
excellent goals. Andy Carroll's second was absolutely superb and West Brom
offered little throughout this game. Frustration told at the end with the
dismissal of Youssouf Mulumbu." The visitors started well, having a goal
rightly disallowed before Romelu Lukaku's deflected free-kick forced
Jaaskelainen into a magnificent save low to his right-hand side. Despite
West Brom's early pressure, the home side took control and went ahead
through on-loan frontman Carroll. The Englishman rose highest to power in
his fourth goal of the season when he produced a towering header from
O'Neil's corner after 16 minutes. Minutes later, both Diame and Matt Jarvis
had opportunities to double the Hammers' advantage, but neither player could
hit the target. However, the second did arrive soon after. A quick break
from the home side allowed Ricardo Vaz Te to find O'Neil on the edge of the
area, and the midfielder curled a strike over the helpless Ben Foster.

West Brom were looking for some inspiration to get back into the match in
the second half and nearly found it through Belgian striker Lukaku, who
fired a blistering drive narrowly over the bar, before full-back Billy Jones
was thwarted by the excellent Jaaskelainen. The home side wrapped the game
up through Carroll, who allowed James Collins' free-kick to drop over his
shoulder before despatching a volley into the bottom corner. Dorrans grabbed
a consolation for West Brom from the penalty spot with three minutes
remaining, after Lukaku was fouled in the box by Matt Taylor. And there was
still time for Mulumbu's bizarre dismissal, when the Congolese midfielder
picked the ball up after being fouled and kicked it against O'Neil in
frustration.

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce: "The points are more important than anything
else but the performance along with the result and the fact that we won
comfortably shows how good we have been at home all season. "Andy Carroll
scored the goal of the season for us, it was a fantastic goal, a world class
finish. He scored two today and it was his best performance. "It was an
important win for us, putting us back in 11th spot and it is about where we
have been all season. It shows the consistency for the season."

West Brom manager Steve Clarke: "We knew it would be a difficult game, and
in the first half they were a little bit better than us. The goals ewe
conceded are not like us. "We started the game quite well, but there are
small margins in this game. After being 1-0 down, we had a difficult
afternoon. "There are not been too many times this season that we have felt
like this. We have seven game and we want to finish on a high."

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Frank McAvennie - the Team Talk XI
BBC.co.uk

Former Celtic and West Ham striker Frank McAvennie picks his Sportsound Team
Talk XI, based on his playing experiences at club and international level.

Goalkeeper - Andy Goram
I played with Andy Goram at Scotland and I rated him right up there with
Peter Schmeichel and I thought he was different class. His reflexes were
brilliant and, to be fair, he had a nightmare when he first went to Rangers.
He was superb as a keeper and, rating him up there with Schmeichel, that's
good enough to be my number one. Pat Bonner and Phil Parks - down at West
Ham - were magnificent keepers but Goram gets the nod.

Right back - Ray Stewart
Ray was different class; he was a magnificent defender and he took the
penalties. He worked really well across the back four at West Ham and was
hard in the tackle. He could hit a ball 40 or 50 yards; he could spray
passes. I couldn't really understand him! He was from up Perth way and I was
the translator for him.

Central defence - Alan Hansen & Alvin Martin
I've gone for two completely different types. One, I thought was the best
player in Europe at one point and was gutted he didn't make the Mexico 86
World Cup. I don't know why Alan wasn't included as he was so good at
Liverpool. He was probably one of the hardest players I ever played against.
Not hard as in tackling but difficult. He was so good at reading the game
and was comfortable with the ball at his feet. Alvin was my captain down at
West Ham and he was a magnificent player. He'll go that extra mile for you.
He didn't like wearing shin guards but he had to; his socks were always down
and he never pulled out of a tackle.

Left back - Julian Dicks
A hard man but also what a player. He could spray passes with his left foot
and he didn't suffer fools gladly! He would play to the fans. Me and him
were always at the back at training because we didn't like it and once
jumped on the back of a milk float when the squad were all out on a six-mile
run.

Midfield - Left Davie Cooper
Coop was magnificent: an old-fashioned winger who would get the ball down
and go past people. He was very talented but very low-key with it. He was up
there with some of the greats.

Central midfield - Graeme Souness (captain)
He could really look after himself. Every one of the players I'm picking can
play, but they can also put a tackle in. They can all roll up their sleeves
when needed. Off the park he was a lovely guy. He asked me to sign for
Rangers, which was a bit off the cuff, but I'm a Glasgow boy and my family
would've been hurt. But apart from that, I'm a Celtic supporter, why would I
want to play for Rangers?

Central midfield - Paul McStay
The Maestro was a magnificent player. If he hadn't remained at Celtic then
he would've been one of the greats and the world would've known more of Paul
McStay. He led by example on the pitch and wasn't a shouter or a screamer.
But he could put his foot in and he was silky. McStay and Souness would
complement each other.

Right midfield - Alan Devonshire
Alan at West Ham was up there with the best. He could play on the left or
right and was different class. He was out for two years and when I played
with him I honestly thought he was probably the best player I'd played with.


Forward - Kenny Dalglish
There's no way I could have two strikers without having Kenny and he was
just magnificent, world class. He was THE man up front to lead the line.

Forward - Tony Cottee
As an out and out finisher, Kenny would've supplied him with so many chances
and Tony didn't miss. He was the best out and out finisher and scored 56
goals in one season.

Manager - John Lyall
It would be a toss up between John Lyall and Billy McNeill. Billy was my
idol but I would have to go for John because he was so far ahead of his
time: diamond formation and playing in the hole; playing three at the back.
He just went against the norm.

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West Ham hopeful of retaining Andy Carroll next season
BBC.co.uk

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce is hopeful of keeping on-loan striker Andy
Carroll at Upton Park next season. The 24-year-old striker scored twice in
West Ham's win over West Brom but is due to return to Liverpool in the
summer after his season-long loan. Asked about the chances of the former
Newcastle targetman staying, Allardyce said: "There is always a possibility.
"We will look at the end of the season and we will see what negotiations can
be done." Carroll joined Liverpool for a club record £35m fee in January
2011. He was signed to replace the departing Fernando Torres following the
Spaniard's £50m move to Chelsea but failed to establish himself at Anfield
and has since lost his place in the England squad. The 6ft 3in forward
featured in only two matches under new boss Brendan Rodgers this term before
joining the Hammers in August. His brace against the Baggies took his goal
tally to five for the London club and Allardyce said: "That was the best we
have seen of him here, because he has put two goals in, on top of a good
performance. "I hope this kicks him on to being a regular scorer for us in
the next eight games. "He is in a good frame of mind now and, finally after
a long wait, his fitness is good and that's why you are seeing these
performances and the goals are coming."

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Sam Allardyce wants Andy Carroll on permanant basis
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 30th March 2013
By: Staff Writer

Sam Allardyce revealed tonight that he is keen to tie Andy Carroll to a
long-term contract - on a day that the on-loan striker hit a brace in West
Ham's 3-1 win over West Bromwich Albion. The on-loan striker scored a goal
in each half to help United move one step closer to Premier League safety as
West Brom were put to the sword at the Boleyn Ground this afternoon. Asked
in this evening's post-match press conference if there was a chance of
Carroll's loan deal being made permanant, Allardyce replied: "There's always
a possibility. "When we get down to budgeting and see what negotiations can
or can't be done, then you have a look at anything and everything that comes
your way."

And when pressed as to whether he would personally like Carroll to remain at
the Boleyn Ground beyond the end of his season-long loan, Allardyce replied:
"I think the answer to that would be yes - but there are a lot of things
that need to happen between now and then to make sure we can try and pursue
this transfer. "We will look at it at the end of the season when we're safe
and see what we need to do. "

As part of the deal that saw Carroll join West Ham from Liverpool last
August, the Hammers retain an option to make the 24-year-old England
international's deal permanent for a figure reported to be in the region of
£17million.

* We'll have Sam Allardyce's post-match press conference for you in full
shortly - plus that of West Brom manager Steve Clarke.

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West Ham United 3-1 West Bromwich Albion
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 30th March 2013
By: Staff Writer

A brace from Andy Carroll has virtually assured West Ham of Premier League
safety. The big striker, who has been the recipient of much criticism in
recent weeks for failing to score sufficient goals stepped up to the plate
today to score a goal in either half that sent United on their way to a
seventh home league win of the season. The Irons were rewarded for a
promising opening when Carroll opened the scoring on the quarter-hour mark
with a fierce header from man-of-the-match Gary O'Neil's left-sided corner.
And the lead was doubled on 28 minutes when provider turned scorer as O'Neil
grabbed his first goal of the season. Ricardo Vaz Te's fifty-yard run
culminated in a short pass to O'Neil, who sent a looping volley over Foster
into the far corner of the net. Despite a promising start to the second
period, the Baggies continued to come up short in front of goal - and paid
the price for their profligacy when Carroll added a third for West Ham with
just ten minutes left on the clock.

James Collins, fouled in the centre circle picked himself up before
flighting a deep free kick towards the Albion penalty area. Carroll,
positioned between both central defenders watched the ball drop over his
shoulder before firing a volley - with his 'wrong' foot, his right - across
Foster into the far corner of the net.
There was however to be a late consolation for West Brom, who won a late
penalty when Matt Taylor was adjudged to have backed into Roman Lukaku.
Former Hammers transfer target Graham Dorrans stepped up to fire home his
first goal of the season. However they were to finish the game with only ten
men following an incredible show of petulance by Youssouf Mulumbu, who
responded to a tug on his shirt by Gary O'Neil by picking up the ball and
kicking it at O'Neil - a reaction that saw him instantly dismissed by Andre
Marriner.

West Ham had also been forced to play the remaining ten minutes a man short
after George McCartney, on as a late replacement for Guy Demel in his first
appearance of 2013 pulled up just three minutes after coming on. The win
lifts West Ham up to 11th place in the table, 13 points clear of bottom two
Reading and Queens Park Rangers and six points clear of 18th -placed Aston
Villa. We'll have the reaction of both managers for you shortly.

West Ham Utd 3-1 West Bromwich Albion: match facts
West Ham Utd: Jaaskelainen, Demel (McCartney 79), O'Brien, Reid, Collins,
O'Neil, Diame (Collison 82), Nolan (Taylor 69), Vaz Te, Jarvis, Carroll.
Subs not used: Henderson, Tomkins, Chamakh, C.Cole.
Goals: Carroll (16, 80), O'Neil (28).
Shots on/off target: 8/8.
Booked: Reid (78).

West Bromwich Albion: Foster, Jones, McAuley, Olsson, Ridgewell, Yacob
(Odemwingie 71), Brunt, Dorrans, Mulumbu, Long (Rosenberg 71), Lukaku.
Subs not used: Myhill, Popov, Tamas, Thomas, Fortune.
Goals: Dorrans (pen 88).
Shots on/off target: 12/8.
Booked: Long (67).

Referee: Andre Marriner.
Attendance: 34,966.

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George McCartney's season over
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 30th March 2013
By: Staff Writer

West Ham left back George McCartney is almost certainly out for the rest of
the season after it was confirmed he had suffered medial ligament damage.
The Irish defender, who was making his first appearance since December 2012
lasted just three minutes on his comeback before sustaining exactly the same
injury as that which led to his recent enforced break. The bad news was
confirmed tonight by West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce. "It's a
re-occurrence of the same injury, which is a big disappointment for both him
and us," he told a press conference following this afternoon's 3-1 win over
West Bromwich Albion. "We're disappointed for George because he's waited so
long to come back. He was so eager to get on; we thought "let's give him a
little run-out now and save the lads' legs". But sadly, he goes down with
the same injury."

McCartney, who is in the second year of his second spell at the club was a
firm fixture in Allardyce's starting XI before sustaining the orginal injury
last December. The defender, who is 32 next month, has another year of his
current two-year contract, which ends in the summer of 2014, to run.

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West Ham defender George McCartney may miss rest of season with knee injury
Last Updated: March 30, 2013 7:09pm
SSN

West Ham may be without George McCartney for the season's run-in with the
defender suffering a knee injury in Saturday's 3-1 win over West Brom. It is
a massive blow for McCartney who came off the bench in the 78th minute to
make his first appearance since suffering medial ligament damage in his knee
four months ago. The full-back hobbled off in injury time after suffering
the same problem. "I would have thought he will miss the rest of the
season," Hammers boss Sam Allardyce said."It's a recurrence of the same
injury, his medial ligaments, which is a very big disappointment for him and
for us. We are disappointed for him because he has waited so long to get
back, and get on the pitch. "We thought we would give him a run out and give
the lads who had done so well a rest, but sadly he went down with the same
injury." At least the three points were some consolation as an Andy Carroll
double and Gary O'Neil's strike steered the London side up to 11th and six
points from the drop zone.

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Andy Carroll scores twice as West Ham beat West Brom 3-1
By Tim Oscroft. Last Updated: March 30, 2013 7:35pm
SSN

Two goals from Andy Carroll helped West Ham take a step towards Premier
League safety with a 3-1 win over West Brom. The on-loan striker opened the
scoring with a powerful header from a corner, with Gary O'Neil doubling the
lead inside 30 minutes. Carroll's deft finish put the Hammers clear and,
although Graeme Dorrans pulled one back, West Brom finished with 10 men when
Youssouf Mulumbu was sent off in stoppage-time.

Best of the match

Goal of the match: West Ham's first two goals caught the eye in different
ways, but the third will linger long in the memory. Andy Carroll capped an
excellent display by latching onto to a James Collins free kick with a
sublime first-time volley that gave Ben Foster no chance in the West Brom
goal.

Save of the match: Jussi Jaaskelainen, surely one of the most under-rated
keepers of recent times, flung out his right hand when wrong-footed by a
deflection on a Lukaku free kick to touch the ball onto the post. It
rebounded to safety, and within minutes West Ham were ahead and away,
putting the Finn's efforts into more context.

Man of the match: Gary O'Neil was excellent and thoroughly deserved his
goal, but Andy Carroll takes the plaudits for an all-round performance that
showed off all sides to his game - power in the air, an eye for goal at a
set-piece, good work on the ground and going for placement over power at a
crucial moment.

Talking point: Youssuf Mulumbu's dismissal did not affect the outcome, so
the talking point is Andy Carroll's performance. It feels like his season is
only just getting going after his injuries, and on this evidence he deserves
a chance with England in the summer, but it remains to be seen if he can
keep his run of form going until the end of the league campaign.

West Ham were playing on home turf for the first time since the confirmation
of their move away from the Boleyn Ground to the Olympic Stadium.
Maintaining their Premier League status between now and August 2016 is of
the utmost importance, and three of the five points Sam Allardyce had
targeted from their remaining nine games would go a long way to allaying any
nagging fears of a swift return to the Championship.

A lively start saw both sides exchange chances before Carroll did open the
scoring. Ricardo Vaz Te wasted an opening when he lashed a volley to the
right of the post, and West Brom saw a goal rightfully disallowed when
Gareth McAuley bundled the ball in at a corner, having collided with Jussi
Jaaskelainen in the process.

The home keeper then made a brilliant save that doubled in value shortly
afterwards. Romelu Lukaku's free-kick took a deflection that wrong-footed
the former Bolton veteran, but he flung out his right hand to touch the ball
onto the post and back into his hands.

When Carroll rose above the West Brom defence to head the ball past a
helpless Ben Foster, Jaaskelainen's save was put into context, and Mohamed
Diame went close to doubling the lead seconds later with a rasping shot that
tore past a static Foster to go just over the bar.

Matt Jarvis shot over from close range, but West Ham did add to their lead
on 28 minutes through a rapid counter-attack from a West Brom corner. Vaz Te
teased the West Brom defence before finding O'Neil, who looped the ball
across and beyond Foster with a sublime finish.

The hosts stayed in control until the break, but West Brom were a different
proposition afterwards. Lukaku looked more like his old forceful self, but
it was defender Billy Jones who went closest to scoring, driving into the
box and forcing Jaaskelainen to smother his poked shot just a few yards out.

The arrival of Peter Odemwingie, booed by some West Brom fans for his recent
Twitter outburst, upped the Baggies' tempo and the home fans were becoming
anxious when Carroll settled the match with a moment of outstanding skill.

James Collins' free-kick dropped over the striker's right shoulder, and as
he moved away from Jonas Olsson, Carroll volleyed the ball across and past
Foster for his fourth goal in four games.

West Brom pulled one back with two minutes to go from the penalty spot after
Lukaku had been caught by Matt Taylor and Winston Reid. Graham Dorrans fired
the ball past Jaaskelainen, but the game ended badly for West Brom when
Mulumbu lashed the ball in frustration at a West Ham player after conceding
a free-kick deep into stoppage-time.

Referee Andre Marriner showed the midfielder a straight red card, meaning he
will miss the next three games as West Brom's hopes of European football
next season receded further.

Speaking after the game, Allardyce was full of praise for Carroll and was
pleased the striker was able to demonstrate the full range of his ability.

Clarke upset with three goal defeat

Allardyce said: "He's not just strong in the air, as people perceive is his
only strength, it's the quality on the floor, the hold-up play and then the
technique on the volley, as we saw, was outstanding. It was a world-class
finish, nobody can take that away from him, it was outstanding." But
Allardyce's counterpart Steve Clarke was left to lament a performance which
he felt was unlike his West Brom team. Clarke said: "In the first half, West
Ham were better than us at the ugly side, winning the second balls and
keeping the pressure on us. "They did that well, and we didn't do it well
enough. The goals we conceded are not like us, they were three disappointing
goals to lose."

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West Ham boss Sam Allardyce praises Andy Carroll after 3-1 win over West
Brom
By Tim Oscroft. Last Updated: March 30, 2013 6:49pm
SSN

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce hailed striker Andy Carroll's "world class"
contribution to Saturday's 3-1 win over West Brom. The England
international, on loan from Liverpool, scored twice in a win that helped
allay lingering fears of a relegation battle for the Hammers. Having headed
the home side in front from a first-half corner, Carroll's second was a
sublime first-time volley having allowed the ball to drop over his shoulder
from a free-kick with 10 minutes remaining.
In Allardyce's opinion, the goals were just reward for an all-round
performance of the highest quality from the 24-year-old. "His performances
have equalled that, but he has not put the ball in the back of the net as
regularly as we would have liked," Allardyce asserted. "Getting a brace
today is fantastic for him, and today showed what he is all about. "He's not
just strong in the air, as people perceive is his only strength, it's the
quality on the floor, the hold-up play and then the technique on the volley,
as we saw, was outstanding. "It was a world-class finish, nobody can take
that away from him, it was outstanding."

Allardyce had talked before the match of a need for five points from the
remaining nine games to secure a place in the Premier League, a matter that
is of even more importance with a move to the Olympic Stadium pencilled in
for 2016. "With Wigan winning and closing the gap it was a very important
win for us today, it puts us back in 11th spot so we're moving back up the
table. We've been hovering around there all season, so it shows the
consistency," he added.
"There's a new future ahead for West Ham, and it's a focus to build for that
future. I only focus on the next game, get the club in a position to re-plan
and organise for next season. We're not quite there yet, but we're looking
very comfortable." Allardyce also confirmed that substitute George McCartney
had hobbled off late on with a recurrence of a knee injury that had kept him
out of action for four months.

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West Ham 3 West Brom 1
The Sun
By ANDREW DILLON
Last Updated: 31st March 2013

WEST HAM celebrated getting the keys to the Olympic Stadium by staging their
own version of Super Saturday. And boss Sam Allardyce wants Andy Carroll to
come with them when they move up the road to Stratford in three years' time.
Two goals from the on-loan Liverpool striker finally showed fans what he is
capable of. Big Sam's work establishing Hammers as a top-flight team
following promotion last season is almost done. But the tough task of
persuading Carroll that his future belongs in the East End and shoehorning
£17million out of the Upton Park board will go right to the summer.

WEST HAM boss praises his star striker after he scored twice in a 3-1
victory over West Brom at Upton Park It was perhaps fitting that the team
put on a show in the week after a huge 'For Sale' sign was hung on Upton
Park in preparation for uprooting. Carroll was the star attraction. Not
exactly Usain Bolt but a gold medal performance with two goals — the second
an exquisite volley to sandwich a beauty from Gary O'Neil.

WEST BROM boss believes home team were the better side and his team's
defence let them down "The last time we played at Upton Park we lost in the
last minute and we have had some good performances which have not been
rewarded with goals. "This time we saw three different types of goal, with
Andy showing his heading ability. "I hope this will kick Andy on and he can
become a regular goalscorer for the next eight games or so. His match
fitness is finally here and he is enjoying himself, that is the main thing.
"We will look at things at the end of the season. I have to say I would like
him to stay but it is also about budgeting." Hammers joint-chairman David
Sullivan admits his team needs major reconstruction to reflect its planned
move to a 54,000-seater des res in 2016.

Yesterday, their much-loved if outdated home in E13 was rocking as Carroll
not only doubled his tally for the season but also took a typical battering
in working for the team. After a few early wobbles when Jussi Jaaskelainen
fumbled Graeme Dorrans' sixth-minute shot then redeemed himself with a
superb save from Romelu Lukaku's free-kick, it was Carroll time. On 16
minutes, Carroll climbed above Baggies defender Jonas Olsson and powered
home a bullet header from an O'Neil corner. West Brom were wobbling and
caught again when Ricardo Vaz Te dashed straight down their defence's
throat, held up play, drew two defenders then squared the ball for O'Neil to
cleverly chip keeper Ben Foster.

Despite a few flurries from West Brom, it was West Ham all the way. And they
sealed victory 11 minutes from time when Carroll latched on to James
Collins' free-kick and fired a stunning right-foot volley into the net.
Dorrans netted a consolation penalty three minutes from time when Lukaku was
sandwiched in the box between Winston Reid and Matt Taylor. And both teams
ended with 10 men — West Ham when sub George McCartney had to go off with a
recurrence of his knee injury and West Brom thanks to Yousouf Mulumbu's daft
last-minute red card. Unlucky McCartney is out for the season while Mulumbu
will be banned for three games after he reacted angrily to a tug by O'Neil,
picked the ball and booted it at the Hammers man. Frustrated boss Steve
Clarke said: "We have no complaints about the result. But you have got to
learn to control your emotions. "That sending off doesn't affect today's
game but it affects the next three."

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West Ham 3-1 West Brom: Carroll brace lifts Irons away from drop zone
The Mirror
30 Mar 2013 17:40

Andy Carroll made a convincing case for his future to be part of the
long-term strategy unveiled by West Ham last week – and that is fine by Sam
Allardyce.
The club have sealed their projected move to the Olympic Stadium and a new
contract for manager Allardyce has reached the stage when only the finer
points need to be agreed. And how Allardyce would love to be able to call on
Carroll as he attempts to build on the Premier League status that is now all
but secured after a comprehensive win over a West Brom side drifting towards
a mid-table finish with pride rather than points as their only incentive.
West Ham established a first-half superiority that was never truly
challenged and at the hub of all that was Carroll. He now looks fit, sharp
and mobile – and almost unplayable in the air. The Baggies' central defence
of Jonas Olsson and Gareth McAuley never looked at ease.

Carroll is on loan from Liverpool for the season and West Ham have a
decision to make come May. An offer of about £15million is thought to be
acceptable at Anfield as the club look to cut their losses on the man who
cost more than £30m from Newcastle. That will mean the West Ham hierarchy
have to dig deep into their resources but on yesterday's evidence, it would
be a risk worth taking. Allardyce said: "Would I like him here next season?
The answer is yes. But there are a lot of things that need to do be done. We
will have to look at the end of the season when we get down to budgets. "But
Andy showed today what a threat he is."

The one disappointment for Allardyce was that defender George McCartney is
set to miss the rest of the season with a recurrence of a medial knee
ligament injury. Albion were out of it by the time Andre Marriner blew for
half-time and they could have no complaints about the outcome. Yet they
could have scored first when a free-kick from the subdued Romelu Lukakau
took a deflection off Gary O'Neil and Jussi Jaaskelainen need to change
direction to knock the ball on to a post before smothering the rebound. It
was a false dawn. After that, it became the Carroll show. In the 16th minute
he headed home a corner from O'Neil, who went on to double the advantage
with an exquisite finish 12 minutes later. Albion revived a little in the
second half but were unable to penetrate a rearguard superbly marshalled by
James Collins and Winston Reid. And in the 80th minute, the game was made
safe when Carroll volleyed in a free-kick from Collins on the turn and the
points were assured.

Albion did pull a goal back in the 88th minute from a Graham Dorrans penalty
after Lukaku was fouled by Matt Taylor but the game was gone. Indeed, there
was time for humour as the West Ham fans greeted the arrival of Albion
substitute Peter Odemwingie with the chorus: " He went to QPR and was left
there in his car", to remind the striker of his abortive attempt to move
during the transfer window. There was a flash of indiscipline from Youssouf
Mulumbu who was sent off for volleying the ball at O'Neil after a niggling
rather than violent foul. "It was frustration," said Albion manager Steve
Clarke. "But we only have a small squad and now we will be losing a player
for three matches. "Andy Carroll had a really good day and took his goals
well. But we have not had many days like this and we will dust ourselves off
and be ready for Arsenal next week."

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Summer of Sam: Tottenham and West Ham set to battle for £10m Lyon defender
Umtiti
The Mirror
30 Mar 2013 22:28
Jamie McDonald

Tottenham and West Ham are ready to move for France Under-20 ­international
Samuel ­Umtiti. The Cameroon-born ­defender is currently at ­Olympique Lyon
and is ­valued at around £10m. He came to Spurs' notice when he scored a
stunning goal for his club in the Europa League at White Hart Lane.
Lyon were eventually eliminated – but the 19-year-old impressed Spurs
manager Andre ­Villas-Boas. West Ham are also keen and the two London clubs
are set to do battle for his signature this summer. AC Milan are interested
but Umtiti may feel that he has more chance of regular first-team football
here.

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