Daily WHUFC News - 4th November 2013

Manager on Monday
WHUFC.com
Big Sam discusses his attacking options ahead of Saturday's trip to Norwich
City
04.11.2013

Sam Allardyce is busy pondering his attacking options ahead of this
Saturday's teatime trip to Norwich City. The West Ham United manager saw his
side register their second consecutive 0-0 draw in the Barclays Premier
League against Aston Villa on Saturday, a result that provided an impressive
sixth clean sheet in ten league games at one end, but also one that
frustrated at times at the other. Norwich go into this Saturday's game on
the back of a heavy 7-0 defeat at Manchester City at the weekend and Big Sam
will undoubtedly be hoping to put those striking concerns to bed in the
5.30pm kick-off at Carrow Road.
"We've stopped a three home defeats on the trot run, so we've picked up a
point, we're playing well enough and we've got to believe, like we did last
weekend at Swansea, that we can go and play like that, and make the chances
we made at Swansea and this time score one," Big Sam said. "You've just got
to be composed and clinical when it comes to whoever the chance falls to.
Whether it be Reidy's header, Tomkins' header, Ravel Morrison outside the
box, Mark Noble, Joe Cole coming in off the line, or Stewart Downing.
"They've got to try and make one count and we couldn't get any out of the
players we used on Saturday, so it's ended up with a frustrating 0-0."

Allardyce opted to play his captain Kevin Nolan in the most advanced role
against the Villains and the move bore some fruit through his tenacity and
hard work. Although he too could not find the finishing touch when well
placed in the 72nd minute, his ten goals last season mean his manager is
happy for him help cover for the injured Andy Carroll. "Kevin can hold it
up, he can bring other people into play. We haven't got anybody that can
play up front at the moment that can start a game of football, until we get
them fitter. "In that case, when you've delivered as many opportunities as
we delivered, it's about people getting on the end of it. "Kevin scored a
good goal against Cardiff. In the end, like I said, it's not just about
Kevin, or Andy, it's about all the others taking responsibility to score as
we set out at the start of the season. "If a player scored one last season,
try to score at least one this year and then try to better it. Get the one
as quick as you can and then try to make it two. If you do all that then
instead of finishing tenth, you end up finishing above tenth."

Carlton Cole continued his build-up to full fitness with another lively
substitute display when he came on for Jack Collison in the 62nd minute. The
England international added some extra presence to the Hammers' attack but
sadly no clear-cut chances fell his way. "Carlton Cole got on on Saturday,
and he's played in the Premier League many, many times. Unfortunately, he
couldn't get a chance to score a goal. "Joe Cole got in a couple of good
positions, Kevin got in a couple of good positions on the edge of the box.
Unfortunately, when we hit a shot, or had a header, either the keeper saves
it, it was blocked, or we're just putting it wide at the minute. "At the
moment we're way down on our goal-scoring averages compared to what we
achieved last season. That's why we've only got ten points, instead of at
this stage last season, after eleven games we'd got probably 16 points."

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Cole keen to make an impression
WHUFC.com
Carlton Cole is hoping to offer the Hammers some much-needed firepower in
the coming weeks
03.11.2013

Goalless draws are hardly the currency that Carlton Cole is keen to deal in,
but the fit-again frontman reckons West Ham United are very close to
rediscovering their goalscoring touch. As he did at Swansea City's Liberty
Stadium six days earlier, Cole joined the fray shortly after the hour mark
against Aston Villa on Saturday, with the Hammers drawing a blank for a
second successive Barclays Premier League outing. On reflection, Cole
conceded the stalemate was probably about fair on the day, while insisting
that it is up to him and his colleagues to make more of their possession in
the final third. Read Big Sam's take on Saturday's draw here He told West
Ham TV: "We had so many crosses in the box, we just need a little bit of
presence in there to make things happen. It wasn't to be in the first half,
I think we got something like 18 crosses in the box, a crazy statistic. Then
in the second we had 20, so we're disappointed that we couldn't get the
bodies in the box to finish off the chances or cause a little bit of mayhem.
"The gaffer has addressed that with us, not just blaming those not getting
in the box, but the quality of crosses as well. It goes both ways, but at
least we're overloading those positions and hopefully we can push on from
there. As soon as we notch one or two we'll be alright, because we're
getting in the right positions and doing the right things. It's just about
the quality in the final third, that's all it is. "[Christian] Benteke had a
great, great chance which could have buried us and all our efforts, but we
did OK to hang in there. But we did more than hang in there, because we had
most of the ball, I think. Next time we've just got to finish off the
chances that are presented to us. I didn't see any clear-cut chances against
Villa anyway, so that's why it was a stalemate. I think a draw's a fair
result."

Saturday's appearance from the bench was, curiously, his first at the Boleyn
Ground since 19 January 2013 and Cole was thrilled with his rapturous
reception from the Hammers faithful. "I was buzzing when I came on," he
confirmed. "The fans showed me a lot of love, which I always appreciate. I
just want to reward them and try my best for them to get us higher up the
league as much as possible."

As for his own contribution, the 30-year-old is pragmatic in his assessment
of things, acknowledging that his return has to be carefully managed. Having
missed the entirety of pre-season, Cole is quickly finding his feet once
more, with 120 minutes in his legs in the last week alone. He continued:
"I'm fit now, I think. It's just up to the manager to make a decision. I've
obviously had to do a fast-track training [programme] to get up to match
speed. I'm nearly there now and it's up to the manager to put me in when he
wants. I'm a fit lad anyway, so I adapted quite quickly. I'm raring to go
now. I want to get my head down, progress and get even fitter. "He [Sam
Allardyce] knows his own mind and he thinks I need a little bit more. I've
never really had a hamstring injury or a pull before and I don't want to
start now. You've got to manage your body. The medical team obviously know
me very well, having been here for almost eight years. So they know exactly
how to manage me."

Cole will likely have a part to play at Carrow Road next Saturday, where the
Hammers, ironically, were held to a goalless draw last season. The West Ham
No24 is desperate to buck that trend, not least to reward the Hammers'
outstanding defensive efforts. Norwich City, meanwhile, were on the
receiving end of a 7-0 thumping at Manchester City on Saturday and Cole
wants West Ham to exploit those deficiencies in next weekend's teatime
kick-off. It's six clean sheets in ten, so imagine if we'd just scored one
goal in each of those! We'd be way up the table, but that's how it goes.
Hopefully next time we can do more to just get that one goal and then we can
build from there. "Last year, when we went there, [to Norwich], we played
quite well. Hopefully we can try to take advantage of what Manchester City
have done to them on Saturday and we'll see what happens."

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Lambert on.....West Ham United
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 3rd November 2013
By: Staff Writer No. 2

Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert is happy with his side's point. Here's his
thoughts from the post-match press conference in full.....

You probably had the best two chances of the game?

Yeah I thought so. Andy [Weimann]in the first half the goalkeeper made a
good save. Christian [Benteke]'s header and shot in the second half they're
the three best chances of the game. Another day they go in.

Is it a worry that you've gone so long without a goal?

No no. I can't be too hard. We're creating chances. If we weren't creating
them maybe. Benteke's always been a threat. So has Weimann. To be fair
Jaaskalainen's made a terrific save from that one. On clear-cut chances -
it's a difficult place to come to at the best of times. I've got no worries
about us not taking chances.

The formation they went out with - the 4-6-0 - is that difficult to play
against?

We just play our own way. We have our own philosophy. We set up with a back
three. We went to win the game with two up top. You can't get over-worried
about someone else's way they play. You respect Sam's way of playing. From
our own point of view we went out to win the game.

From your own point of view you're happy that the you're creating chances
despite the lack of goals?

Yeah no worries. None whatsoever.

Was that a sending off in the first half?

I spoke to Howard [Webb]. I respect his view and see where he's coming from.
I just think it's a difficult ball to win if it's safe side. I respect his
decision and the way that he saw it. From my point of view I just thought it
might have been. What he's said to me I have to respect that answer. I've
just aired my view. That's the game - sometimes you get them sometimes you
don't.

You now haven't conceded in your last three away games. Do you draw some
encouragement from that?

Oh no doubt. It was a big performance because we lost a couple of big
players for us during the week. I don't think West Ham had any chances. The
lads at the back put their heads in when it mattered. They blocked things
when it mattered. Along with Brad [Guzan] I thought they were excellent.

This is the sort of game you might not have got something out of last year.
Can you see the progression?

Oh yes absolutely. Huge. The resiliance is a lot stronger. This is a game we
lost last year - we could still be playing that one and not look like
scoring. This year we certainly looked a threat

Thank you.

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Hoffenheim's new signing Jiloan Hamad claims talks with Sunderland and West
Ham
By Kent Hedlundh | Last Updated: November 3, 2013 9:53pm
SSN

Sweden international Jiloan Hamad claims he attracted interest from
Sunderland and West Ham United before agreeing to join Hoffenheim.
Bundesliga club Hoffenheim confirmed earlier this week that winger Hamad
will join the club from Malmo during the winter break. The 22-year-old had
been linked with several clubs across Europe, but he is confident he has
made the right decision to sign for Hoffenheim. "Everything felt right
immediately," Hamad told Fotbollskanalen.se regarding his deal with
Hoffenheim. "It was Hoffenheim who contacted us. They have scouted me
thoroughly, and their coach and sporting director have got big confidence in
me. That feels good. "I have been negotiating with many clubs from Russia,
Italy, France and England. West Ham and Sunderland were among them, but none
of them felt as good as Hoffenheim when their sporting director came. "It
was not a difficult choice, and my agents Nenad and Ferhat have done a
fantastic job."

Hamad is confident he will be suited by Hoffenheim's style of play and he
aims to be a first-team regular before the end of the season. He added: "I
will get the chance when I am ready. "The team plays in a 4-2-3-1 formation,
it is an offensive set-up where they want to recover the ball quickly. That
suits me well and the club also think that. "The target is to be a regular
starter by the summer, if not earlier. "I want to move on in my career, play
for a better team where I get to play tougher and tougher matches at a
higher pace."

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http://vyperz.blogspot.com



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