Swansea City match preview
WHUFC.com
All the background and team news ahead of Saturday's first-ever trip to the
Liberty Stadium
24.08.2012
SWANSEA CITY v WEST HAM UNITED
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
SATURDAY 25 AUGUST 2012
KICK-OFF: 3PM
REFEREE: MARTIN ATKINSON
FULL AUDIO AND TEXT COMMENTARY - WEST HAM TV
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Introduction
• West Ham United travel to Wales to face Swansea on Saturday hoping to
follow up an opening-day Barclays Premier League win over Aston Villa with
another three points.
• The Hammers have never visited the Liberty Stadium before, and haven't
played the Swans for over 13 years.
• Last week saw Mohamed Diame and Jussi Jaaskelainen make their debuts for
the club and, following an impressive cameo against Villa, Modibo Maiga
could be next in line to make his first start for the club.
• Alou Diarra is also pushing for a place in the starting XI. The Frenchman
is yet to make an appearance in claret and blue after joining from Olympique
Marseille following the conclusion of the Hammers pre-season.
• Matt Jarvis could also feature having completed his move from
Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday. The England international will travel
with Big Sam's side to Wales and could potentially start the Hammers' second
game of the season.
• The Hammers clash with Swansea City is one of eight games taking place in
the Barclays Premier League on Saturday. The following games will also take
place; Aston Villa v Everton, Manchester United v Fulham, Norwich City v
QPR, Southampton Wigan Athletic, Sunderland v Reading, Tottenham Hotspur v
West Bromwich Albion and Chelsea v Newcastle United the late kick-off at
5.30pm.
Last time out
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 18 August 2012
West Ham United 1-0 Aston Villa
West Ham United: Jaaskelainen, Reid, McCartney (O'Brien 71), Collins, Demel,
Nolan (Tomkins 73), Taylor, Noble, Diame, Cole (Maiga 81), Vaz Te.
Subs not used: Henderson, Diarra, O'Neill, Maynard.
Goals: Nolan 40
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 18 August 2012
QPR 0-5 Swansea City
Swansea City: Vorm, Taylor, Chico, Williams, Rangel, Britton, Michu (Gower
84), Dyer (Sinclair 77), Routledge, De Guzman (Agustien 70), Graham.
Subs not used: Tremmel, Tate, Richards, Moore.
Goals: Michu 8, 53, Dyer 63, 71, Sinclair 81
Previous meeting
• Saturday's trip to the Liberty Stadium will be the first time West Ham
United have visited the ground which opened in 2005. They will, however, be
hoping for more luck than the last time they faced the Swans. In January
1999, the Division Three club shocked the Premier League Hammers in the FA
Cup third round. After a 1-1 draw at the Boleyn Ground, the likes of Anton
Ferdinand, Frank Lampard and Joe Cole travelled to Vetch Field, where a
Martin Thomas strike gave the Welsh club a 1-0 win.
Swansea City: Roger Freestone, Steve Jones, Jason Smith, Matt Bound, Mike
Howard, Nick Cusack, Stewart Roberts, Martin Thomas, Jonathan Coates, Steve
Watkin, Julian Alsop
Goals: Martin Thomas 29
West Ham United: Shaka Hislop, Tim Breacker (Richard Hall 72), Julian Dicks,
Rio Ferdinand, Neil Ruddock, Steve Lomas, Trevor Sinclair, Frank Lampard,
Manny Omoyinmi (Eyal Berkovic 46), Stan Lazaridis, John Hartson
Background
• West Ham United and Swansea City have met 51 times over a period of 90
years, the Hammers have won 23, Swansea have won 16 and 12 have ended in a
draw.
• The first meeting between the two sides came on 7 January 1922 in the FA
Cup and ended in a 0-0 draw. The replay on 11 January also ended 0-0, and
the two sides met for the third time in nine days on 16 January when Swansea
won 1-0 to progress.
• West Ham visited Wales twice last season, beating Cardiff City 2-1 in the
npower Championship in March before winning 2-0 in the Play-Off semi-final.
Last six meetings
(Premier League unless stated)
13 Jan 1999 Swansea City v West Ham United L 1-0 (FA Cup third-round replay)
02 Jan 1999 West Ham United v Swansea City D 1-1 (FA Cup third round)
07 Oct 1985 Swansea City v West Ham United W 2-3 (Milk Cup)
24 Sep 1985 West Ham United v Swansea City W 3-0 (Milk Cup)
05 Apr 1983 Swansea City v West Ham United W 1-5 (Division One)
27 Dec 1982 West Ham United v Swansea City W 3-2 (Division One)
Overall record v Swansea City (all competitions) W 23 D 12 L 16
Ten-year record
West Ham United
2011/12 Championship 3rd (86 points - promoted via Play-Offs)
2010/11 Premier League 20th (33 points)
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 via Play-Offs)
2003/04 Championship 4th (74 points)
2002/03 Premier League 18th (42 points - relegated to Championship)
2001/02 Premier League 7th (53 points)
Swansea City
2011/12 Premier League 11th (47 points)
2010/11 Championship 3rd (80 points)
2009/10 Championship 7th (69 points)
2008/09 Championship 8th (68 points)
2007/08 League One 1st (92 points)
2006/07 League One 7th (72 points)
2005/06 League One 6th (71 points)
2004/05 League Two 3rd (80 points)
2003/04 League Two 10th (59 points)
2002/03 League Two 21st (49 points)
2001/02 League Two 20th (51 points)
Referee
• The match referee will be Martin Atkinson.
• A referee since the age of 16, Atkinson was promoted to the Football
League list of assistant referees in 1998. In 2000, Atkinson was promoted to
the Select Group of assistant referees, allowing him to run the line in
Premier League matches.
• Atkinson joined the National List of referees for the Football League at
the start of the 2003/04 season before taking charge of his first Premier
League fixture on 20 April 2005 when Manchester City entertained Birmingham
City.
• Atkinson was the man in the middle at the 2006 FA Community Shield between
Chelsea and Liverpool at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. He also took
charge of the 2008 FA Trophy final between Ebbsfleet United and Torquay
United at Wembley Stadium.
• Atkinson refereed one West Ham game last season - the 2-1 home defeat to
Burnley on 3 December 2011.
Team news
• Matt Jarvis and Modibo Maiga are both pushing for starting places in what
is expected to be a three pronged Hammers attack. Ricardo Vaz Te and Carlton
Cole are likely to start but one spot could be up for grabs.
• Jack Collison is unlikely to play after missing the start of the season as
he continues to manage his long-term knee issues.
• France midfielder Alou Diarra is yet to make an appearance for the
Hammers, having signed on the day of the final pre-season game in Braga.
Diarra also did not feature in last week's win over Aston Villa but could
make his debut in Wales.
Old boys
• The only player to have had an affiliation with both clubs who could take
part on Saturday is Swansea's Leon Britton. The London-born midfielder
joined West Ham United in 1998 for a fee of £400,000, a record fee for a
16-year-old at the time. He didn't however make a single appearance for the
Hammers and left the club to join Swansea in 2003 after a successful loan
spell.
General Information
• Limited tickets remain for tomorrow's game and no tickets will be
available on the day so fans should click here to order.
• The weather forecast for Saturday is for sunny spells with a maximum
temperature of 19C.
• There are no planned engineering works on the London Underground this
weekend, and national rail services from London terminals to Swansea should
be running smoothly.
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Jarvis joins Hammers
WHUFC.com
West Ham United have signed Matt Jarvis from Wolverhampton Wanderers for an
undisclosed fee
24.08.2012
West Ham United are delighted to announce the signing of England
international winger Matt Jarvis from Wolverhampton Wanderers for an
undisclosed fee. Jarvis becomes West Ham's club-record signing after
agreeing a contract until 2017 - with an option for a further year - and
could be in line to make his first appearance in claret and blue in
Saturday's game at Swansea City. The 26-year-old leaves Wolves after five
successful years that saw him earn his first England cap and be named
Wolves' Player of the Year in 2011. Jarvis' career began at Gillingham,
where he made his debut in 2003 at the age of 17. He went on to make over
100 appearances for the Gills and he was named in the League One Team of the
Year in 2006/07. He moved to Wolves in June 2007 for an undisclosed fee and
helped the club to gain promotion to the Premier League the following
season. Jarvis' first game in England's top-flight was against the Hammers
and he quickly made his mark in the Premier League with a number of
eye-catching displays. Jarvis, a quick and tricky winger capable of
operating on either flank, continued to excel and in the 2010/11 season he
was named Wolves' Supporters' Player of the Season and Players' Player of
the Season. It was in March 2011 that Jarvis made his first appearance for
England in a 1-1 draw with Ghana at Wembley after being called up by
then-manager Fabio Capello. Last season, Jarvis was the most prolific and
accurate crosser in the top flight, firing over 218 and finding a team-mate
56 times. He also scored eight goals - his highest single-season tally.
Jarvis, who will wear the No7 shirt, is happy to have finally joined West
Ham after being courted by a number of top-flight teams this summer. He
said: "I'm delighted to have signed. It's a fantastic club and I'm pleased
to be here. It's a great club and it's got great history and tradition. I
know about Bobby Moore and the history and tradition that go with that.
"I'll be playing with some fantastic players and it'll be great to get into
training and I'm looking forward to playing with them. Hopefully I will add
a bit of pace, crossing and deliveries that will provide some assists."
Jarvis is set to join up with his new team-mates at Chadwell Heath on Friday
morning before travelling to Wales ahead of Saturday's mouth-watering clash.
"I've been told about how good the fans are hopefully they'll get behind me
and I can show them what I can do. "It'll be straight in and hit the ground
running. There's no time to think about it, you've just got to get on with
it, which is good. I hope to train with the team today and then travel up to
Swansea."
Jarvis' new manager Sam Allardyce was understandably pleased to have secured
the services of the wideman. He said. "From my point of view it is a big
piece of business for a terrific young man who will add a lot of quality to
our team. "Certainly from an attacking sense he is one of the best
final-third crossers in the Premier League and his stats were very good at
Wolverhampton Wanderers. He delivers in the business end of the field and
creates a lot of chances and is a player that can give opposition defences
an awful lot of trouble. We are hoping he will produce that for us."
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Big Sam welcomes Matt
WHUFC.com
Sam Allardyce was delighted to snap up winger Matt Jarvis ahead of
Saturday's trip to Swansea City
24.08.2012
Sam Allardyce believes new signing Matt Jarvis can have a huge impact on
West Ham United's bid to establish themselves in the Barclays Premier
League. Big Sam has long been an admirer of the England winger and spoke of
his delight after securing his signature, thanking Joint-Chairmen David
Sullivan and David Gold on sealing the deal. Speaking after Jarvis completed
his undisclosed club-record move from Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday
morning, the manager also looked ahead to Saturday's lunchtime kick-off with
Swansea City.
Do you think Matt Jarvis is a very important signing for the club?
SA - "Absolutely. From my point of view it is a big piece of business for a
terrific young man who will add a lot of quality to our team. Certainly from
an attacking sense he is one of the best final-third crossers in the Premier
League and his stats were very good at Wolverhampton Wanderers. He delivers
at the business end of the field and creates a lot of chances. He is a
player who can give opposition defences an awful lot of trouble and we are
hoping he will produce that for us."
How did the deal to sign Jarvis come about?
SA - "I asked the Joint-Chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold to try and
secure the signing of this player and make sure that if it was financially
possible to bring him here, we should do it. They have done that and we are
extremely pleased that we have secured what we consider a high-quality
player for our team."
Will he travel to Swansea City with the team and could he play a part this
weekend?
SA - "Of course. This is not a player who has come in from abroad, but this
is a player who has a full pre-season behind him and who has played as
recently as Tuesday night. I watched him against Leeds on Saturday before we
played Aston Villa and I was obviously thoroughly impressed again. He has
been a huge success at Wolves since moving from Gillingham and we hope that
he can be as successful for West Ham United. He is fit, eager and raring to
go.
You had to wait a while to get your man. Was that frustrating?
SA - "I think for every manager the summer months are very frustrating.
There is a constant stream of information that comes in. There is a constant
need for negotiating on a day to day basis and I think that your success
rate is always limited based on what, who and when you are in those
negotiations with. Getting a deal done is not as easy as everyone thinks, as
most of the time the deal breaks down for one reason or another. The fee
might not be agreed, the player may not want to come, other clubs may become
interested and a lot of other factors have to be satisfied. If these demands
can be met you are delighted because you end up with a player who you hope
can do well for your team. We have managed our budget very well and I have
had great support from the Joint-Chairmen, who I believe have spent their
money wisely."
There are eight days left in the transfer window, have you got any further
deals in the pipeline?
SA: "No, not at the moment. We had a couple of players lined up from abroad
in case we couldn't get Matt, but they have now been put to bed. We will
wait and see as always for the mayhem next week and see what it holds. Of
course many things in the final week of the window tend to emerge and if
that is the case then we may be able to do something. It will probably be on
loan if we do. But if we only finish with Matt and nobody else I will be
very happy with the business we have done. Whilst the squad is not as big as
I would like it to be, it is full of quality and we have added a lot of
quality to it that will stand us in good stead for the season. We are at a
stage now where we are not desperate to bring in any more players.
Will Swansea City and Michael Laudrup be on a high following their 5-0 win
over QPR?
SA: "We clearly didn't reach the dazzling heights that Swansea City did on
the opening day but we did secure a fantastic 1-0 win over Aston Villa. I am
sure that winning 5-0 against QPR was a dream come true for Swansea, Michael
and the fans. January was the first time Swansea won away from home last
season so to start the season with a 5-0 win away from home was fantastic.
It gives them a lot of confidence going into what is already a fantastic
home record in the Premier League. It will be very very tough, and perhaps a
little tougher because they will be on a high following a terrific result.
Is it a challenge preparing for a match against a team with a new manager?
SA: "At this stage of the season you get limited knowledge on what you can
talk to your players about. As the season goes on you find out more and more
about the other teams because you can see their form and see how new players
have settled in. There are a considerable amount of managerial changes in
the Premier League, probably more than most, but we will have to make what
we have got and we can learn from watching pre-season games. That said they
are not what a manager is about, they play different players and systems so
we can only go on the basic information from the QPR game and take it from
there.
It is Michael Laudrup's first season in the Premier League, you are very
well experienced, what are your first thoughts on him as a manager?
SA: Getting a new manager without Premier League experience puts fear into a
lot of people. The players and the fans had such a terrific year last season
under Brendan Rogers and they didn't want to lose him. Everybody would have
been a little apprehensive when bringing in a new manager and would have
wanted to know if he would have been able to carry on the good work that has
been going on at Swansea for many years now. Their transition of managers
has been fantastic and I'm sure Michael Laudrup will carry on doing well.
How important was it for you to get off to a solid, winning start?
SA: "It was hugely important for us. Winning at the start of the Premier
League allows you to pick up points very early and alleviates any pressure
on the team which means they perform to a higher standard. It calms them.
In contrast if you get off to a bad start it does the opposite as the
players are labelled relegation fodder after two or three games.
How much of a role does your team physiologist play and how much emphasis do
you put on the mental preparation of the players?
SA: "I have said many times before our club physiologist doesn't work with
the players he works with the backroom staff. A huge amount of work goes
into working with the staff because we work with the players on a day-to-day
basis. We all go down the route of seeing our targets, our goals and how we
can achieve them. The better we prepare the better they handle the pressure
and the better they perform. "I have always said a player who plays in the
Premier League plays there because of their intelligence not their ability.
It is how his brain tells him how to use his ability and that can only come
naturally, it is very easy to make a player stronger, fitter and improve
their motor skills but it is not as easy to talk about the physiological
side of the game."
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O'Brien called-up
WHUFC.com
Joey O'Brien has been called-up by Republic of Ireland for their opening
2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier
24.08.2012
Joey O'Brien has been selected for the Republic of Ireland squad for the
forthcoming 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan. The West Ham
United player will travel to Astana for Ireland's opening qualifying match
on Friday 7 September, while he will also be involved in the friendly
international with Oman at Fulham's Craven Cottage on Tuesday 11 September.
O'Brien made his return to international football after a five-year absence
earlier this month when he earned his fourth senior cap in the goalless
friendly draw in Serbia.
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West Ham complete Jarvis signing
By Ben Smith
BBC Sport
West Ham have completed the signing of Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Matt
Jarvis in a deal worth up to £10.75m. The fee was settled between the clubs
late on Wednesday night and the 26-year-old England international has now
signed a five-year deal. West Ham will pay £7.5m up front with add-ons
taking the deal beyond £10m. Jarvis said: "I'm delighted to have signed.
Hopefully I will add a bit of pace, crossing and deliveries that will
provide some assists." He added: "I'll be playing with some fantastic
players and it'll be great to get into training. "It'll be straight in and
hit the ground running. There's no time to think about it: you've got to get
on with it. I hope to train with the team today and then travel up to
Swansea."
Sunderland were also understood to be interested in Jarvis, but Allardyce
had been tracking the winger all summer. And the former Blackburn and Bolton
manager believes it is value for money. "His stats are extremely good and he
delivers in the business end of the field," added Allardyce. "From an
attacking sense he is one of the best final-third crossers. "When you are
trying to create in the Premier League and score goals, he is one of those
players who can certainly give defences a really hard time and that is what
we are hoping he can do for us." Jarvis, who has made one international
appearance for England, played for Wolves in Tuesday's 3-1 win over
Barnsley, after which manager Stale Solbakken said the club would "do the
best for Wolverhampton".
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Jarvis on West Ham
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 24th August 2012
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United's new record signing Matt Jarvis says that he is "delighted"
to have joined the club. The 26-year-old, whose move from Wolverhampton
Wanderers was completed yesterday afternoon told whufc.com that he cannot
wait to put on the claret and blue shirt for the first time. "I'm delighted
to have signed," he said. "It's a fantastic club and I'm pleased to be here.
It's a great club and it's got great history and tradition. "I'll be playing
with some fantastic players, it'll be great to get into training and I'm
looking forward to playing with them. Hopefully I will add a bit of pace,
crossing and deliveries that will provide some assists. "I've been told
about how good the fans are; hopefully they'll get behind me and I can show
them what I can do. "It'll be straight in and hit the ground running.
There's no time to think about it, you've just got to get on with it, which
is good. I hope to train with the team today and then travel up to Swansea."
Jarvis, who is eligible to feature against Swansea tomorrow lunchtime is
reported to have cost West Ham £7.75million up front - a figure that exceeds
the club's previous record transfer fee (paid to Liverpool for Craig
Bellamy) by £250,000.
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Swansea v West Ham United
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 24th August 2012
By: Preview Percy
We were going to ask Preview Percy to hold off writing this week's copy
until the Matt Jarvis deal was done. However, when we arrived at the Avram
Grant Rest Home for the Bewildered we were greeted by a dishevelled looking
nurse who told us he was having his afternoon nap. We're not sure that was a
real nurse's uniform you know. Here's what the old fool wrote before nodding
off. Statistics from John Northcutt as ever...
Our next fixture is an international event as we cross the River Severn
where our hosts will be Swansea City. This'll be our first visit to the
Liberty Stadium which replaced the Vetch Field a few years back.
The match kicks off at 12.45pm for the benefit of space television, which
will mean an early start for those going. No engineering works are planned,
either on the tube or on Mr Brunel's steam railway system so it should be
fairly plain sailing as long as you remember your passports.
For the second week running we face a team who changed manager in the close
season. Brendan Rogers decided to take a step down in the world by joining
Liverpool – and we think he's done a fine job so far. He was replaced by
Michael Laudrup who is one of the famous Danish Laudrup brothers.
Multi-talented to the extreme, Brian & Michael had a hit single in 1978 with
"Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs" before eventually winning
tournament honours as part of the Danish side who were the surprise package
of Euro '92.
Swansea have gained plaudits for their style of play in recent years as part
of a project started by Roberto Martinez who ended up slumming it at Wigan,
whose chairman was once adamant that he would never employ a foreigner as
manager. The good work was carried on by the aforementioned Rogers.
Their start to the season, a 5-0 drubbing of QPR at Loftus Road, suggests
that the new manager has been brought in with a brief of "more of the same
please" though hopefully for his own sake Laudrup's eventual departure will
involve better relocation prospects than those afforded to his two immediate
predecessors.
Received wisdom has it that our hosts are destined to suffer from "second
season syndrome". Lazy twaddle that this generalisation often is, one can,
however, see why on the surface of it one might think that things might be a
bit tougher this time round.
The manager that gave them such a successful start to their Premier League
career is gone, as are a number of the players that did so well for them
last term. Midfielder Joe Allen, a Welshman despite his apparent promotion
to "English" in the Olympic football programme (no it wasn't me that did the
research for that) joined his old boss at relegation-haunted Liverpool,
whilst Gylfi Sigurdsson, who had been on loan from Hoffenheim ended up going
to Tottenham, poor sod.
The next on the list to go is likely to be Scott Sinclair, who has indicated
that he will not be signing a new deal when his current contract expires at
the end of this season. Thus the perennial dilemma in such cases raises its
head: do you simply hold on to the player and get one last decent season out
of him before he goes for nothing, or do you cash in? At time of writing it
looks like the latter option is more likely, with Manchester City apparently
in talks as we speak.
I may have to delay the writing of this preview for a bit as Sinclair is
high up the list of those who would be included in the "Danger Man" section.
Sinclair's attitude behind the scenes has, we are told, been exemplary and,
from what I saw of the highlights of the QPR match, there was certainly no
obvious sign of the sulky "wantaway" attitude that can be prevalent in the
modern game.
For example, contrast Sinclair with Clint Dempsey who is refusing to play
for Fulham and is probably holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy as we speak.
Laudrup didn't hang about in bringing players in. Midfielder Michu arrived
for £2.2m from Rayo Vallecano. The Spaniard played just behind the top man
on Saturday and helped himself to a brace. Though former Hammer Rob Green
made a right pig's ear of the first, his second was a beaut of a curler and
he also set up Sinclair for the fifth. (Incidentally, the other two goals
came from Nathan Dyer, possibly the only time that that particular surname
will appear on the scorers' list at Loftus Road this season).
The other new signing to make an impression on Saturday was centre-half
Flores. Flores arrived for a similar fee to Michu from Genoa (tip for
Swansea – when you sign someone from an Italian club make sure they pay you
up front!) and rejoices in the name of Chico.
Thankfully he appears to have nothing to do with the similarly-named
imbecile that occasionally infects our TV screens pointing at his watch and
grinning inanely in the false assumption that anyone knows who he is or what
he is supposed to be famous for. Chico (the footballer not the idiot) was
described in many of the papers this weekend as "elegant" which sounds like
a bit of a challenge to Carlton Cole to me.
There's an ex-Hammer in the ranks in the form of Leon Britton. Britton
arrived at the Boleyn from Arsenal at the age of 16 for a reported £400,000
but never made the breakthrough expected of him. He ended up at Swansea who,
after a successful loan period, signed him on a permanent basis when we
released him in 2003.
He had a bit of a mental aberration in 2010 when he signed for Sheffield
United, possibly confused by their insistence that they were really a
Premier League club. However, 26 games later he realised the error of his
ways and returned to Wales. He's represented Swansea in all four divisions
and was Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in the Conservative
government of the 1980's under Margaret Thatcher, famously resigning over
the Westland affair.
Another notable name in midfield is Wayne Routledge. I say notable more in
the sense of his never quite having lived up to some of the early promise
shown when he first arrived on the scene at Palace. With Tottenham sniffing
around – no doubt without having had any unauthorised contact with either
the player or his representatives – Routledge turned down a new contract
with the Glaziers and joined Spurs where he disappeared into football's
equivalent of the Bermuda Triangle.
He resurfaced in some loan spells with Pompey and Fulham but in 2008 he made
a permanent move to Villa. "Left Palace too Early" was the general
consensus, a sentiment echoed by then Palace chairman Simon Jordan who
gloated "he got greedy and left. Now he'll be at Villa not getting in the
team like he didn't get in the team at Spurs, Fulham or Portsmouth". Jordan
was right as Routledge managed only a handful of appearances before turning
up in Wales for the first time at Cardiff City.
Although a permanent deal looked on the cards it was to QPR he moved, his
£600,000 fee representing a 50 per cent loss on the player for Villa. Then
Newcastle got involved (I hope you're paying attention – there may be
questions later).
After a bright start he lost his place and went back to QPR on loan. Towards
the end of 2010/11 according to some reports Newcastle terminated the
player's contract "by mutual agreement" but this was never confirmed.
Swansea picked him up in August 2011 making that a cool nine different clubs
represented in ten years. He's been with Swansea for about a year now which
probably means he'll have gone by time I finish this paragraph.
As mentioned, Nathan Dyer was amongst the goals on Saturday. He started out
at Southampton where, alongside Bradley Wright-Phillips, he picked up a
conviction for theft from a bar in Southsea. CCTV picked them up relieving
owners of their mobile phones and wallets.
Pleading guilty, Dyer picked up 60 hours of community service for his
trouble, part of which appears to have been served on loan to Sheffield
United. Dyer signed for Swansea in 2009 and was accused last season by
Arsene Wenger of diving in Swansea's 3-2 win at the Liberty. I suppose if
anyone would know a diver it's Wenger with him having encouraged so many
over the years.
Up front they are usually led by Danny Graham. Graham arrived from Watford
for £3.5m last season having been awarded the golden whatever it is you get
for being the Championship's top scorer for 2010/11 having picked up 24
goals, which is not a bad return for a player in a team not really
challenging at the top end of the table. He managed a creditable 14 in his
first top-flight season.
Our turn now. There was something satisfying about last week's win. Yes the
opposition left a lot to be desired but you can only play what's put in
front of you and to keep their principal goalscorer to a reported three
touches of the ball said a lot. I thought that we played some good stuff in
the second half as we settled into the game and I'll be damned if I can
remember the last time I saw us look fitter than the opposition on the
opening day of the season.
Since then, of course, we've said "ta ta" to Sam Baldock despite his
promising pre-season. Conveniently his destination is Bristol City so the
fee will probably be taken off anything we still owe for Maynard.
It seems we've been able to agree a fee with Wolves for Matt Jarvis, and, at
the time of writing, he appears to be undergoing a medical in the Shaun
Wright-Phillips wing of the Kieron Dyer Memorial Medical Centre. Given the
lateness of the hour and the early kick-off in Wales it would be a surprise
if he were to feature in this match, even if signatures are placed on the
dotted line in time.
Team news is that, by and large we have the same squad to choose from as we
did last weekend. We're bottom of the injury list table which shows Jack
Collison as our only current casualty with an ominous "no return date" shown
against his name. My preference would be for an unchanged starting XI to
take the field, though I reckon that, with this being an away match, Mr A
may try to beef up the defensive quality in the midfield, which may,
perhaps, see Matt Taylor drop to the bench. Or possibly not.
Our hosts are similarly blessed on the injury front with only skipper Gary
Monk "hors de combat", with an unspecified back injury cited as the problem.
Interestingly, if irrelevantly, it amuses me that amongst all the detailed
injury descriptions listed on the physioroom.com league table (hamstring,
the infamous "Gilmore's Groin" etc) a number of Premier League players are
listed as being doubtful with "a knock". Ok not that interestingly then.
So predictions then. Well trying to gauge a season from the opening match is
(to paraphrase the late, great Douglas Adams) a bit like trying to establish
the complete history of the East India Company from a single tea leaf.
Obviously I'd be quite happy for our season to be peppered with comfortable
victories (and for Spurs, Liverpool and Man Utd to lose every week), but
realistically it ain't gonna happen.
Similarly, for them whilst they'll be cock-a-hoop at the size and manner of
their victory last weekend, the realists amongst them will be enjoying it
while it lasts. This match will represent a much sterner test for both teams
– neither of us is likely to be as woeful as were Villa and QPR last week -
so I'm going to put the contents of the Rest Home's charity box (£2.50 –
chosen charity Guide Dogs For Referees) on a draw. Let's call it 2-2 shall
we.
Enjoy the game!
When Last We Met: January 1999. Lost 0-1 (FA Cup 3rd round replay). We went
down to a Martin Thomas goal on the half hour in a match notable for marking
the final 1st XI appearance (of 7) of Richard Hall who came on as a 72nd
minute sub for Tim Breacker. Hall had signed from Southampton in 1996 but
picked up a serious foot injury in pre-season. His 3 years at the club were
blighted by injury and he was forced to retire at the end of 1998/99 aged
only 27. Our last league visit (to the Vetch Field) was in 1983 and ended up
5-1 in our favour (Dickens 2, Pike 2, Devonshire).
Referee: Martin Atkinson. Not one to dirty his hands outside the top flight,
he was last seen in the FA Cup in January 2011 when he took charge of our
5-1 win over Burnley. In an eventful season last term, he allowed a Mata
goal for Chelsea (a bad thing) against Spurs (a good thing) in the FA Cup
semi-final, ignoring the usual convention of having the ball cross the line
first. This was the reverse of his decision the previous month to not allow
QPR's Clint Hill's header against Bolton to stand, despite the ball clearly
crossing the line by several feet. When does that goal-line technology come
in again?
Danger Man: I'll plump for Michu on the strength of his two goals last
weekend ahead of Sinclair because:
1). Sinclair was only a sub last weekend;
2). By the time you read this Sinclair might not even be with the club; and
3). Last week's danger man (Darren Bent) managed the grand total of three
touches of the ball during the game – despite being on the pitch for the
full 90 minutes. I'm hoping for a similar result this week.
Daft fact of the week: Leon Britton once featured in a Walkers Crisp ad with
jug-eared BBC Olympic weak link Gary Lineker. As a kid he also starred as a
young Ryan Giggs in a road safety advert. Sadly, history does not recall who
played Giggs' brother or the woman who...
(We apologise for the loss of your Daft Fact Of the Week, the remainder of
which has been cancelled following legal advice. We may have a similar
problem with Fayed next weekend).
Stat man John: Northcutt's corner
Head to Head
Pld 51; West Ham Utd 23, Swansea 16, Draws 12.
Biggest Win
18th January 1958: West Ham Utd 6-2 Swansea (Boleyn Ground, Division Two)
Heaviest Defeat
21st August 1954: Swansea 5-2 West Ham Utd (Vetch Field, Division Two)
First Meeting
7th January 1922: Swansea 0-0 West Ham Utd (Vetch Field, FA Cup)
Last Five Meetings
13th January 1999: Swansea 1-0 West Ham Utd (Vetch Field, FA Cup)
2nd January 1999: West Ham Utd 1-1 Swansea (Boleyn Ground, FA Cup)
8th October 1985: Swansea 2-3 West Ham Utd (Vetch Field, League Cup)
24th September 1985: West Ham Utd 3-0 Swansea (Boleyn Ground, League Cup)
5th April 1985: Swansea 1-5 West Ham Utd (Vetch Field, Division One)
Memorable Match
16th February 1980: West Ham Utd 2-0 Swansea (Boleyn Ground, FA Cup 5th
Round)
A tight, tense FA Cup fifth round match was finally decided in the last five
minutes of normal time - but not before the visitors, managed by John
Toshack (the football league's youngest manager at just 30) had seen two
'goals' somewhat dubiously ruled out for offside.
With Lady Luck clearly on their side, West Ham - a division below the Swans
at the time - took advantage of their opponents' misfortune and won the game
with two goals inside 90 seconds. 17-year-old Paul Allen pounced to open the
scoring after 'keeper Glan Letheran dropped the ball before David Cross made
sure of the win a minute later. It was the first time in history that the
Hammers had reached the quarter-final stages of both domestic cups in the
same season - and all whilst a Division Two side.
They Played For Both
Harry Lewis; Noel Dwyer; Tudor Martin; Frank Lampard; Leon Britton.
And Finally...
Between 1920 and 1926, "Bubbles" was regularly sung on the Swansea terraces
and as West Ham played them three times in the FA Cup in 1922, it may well
be the case that we got our song from them. Last season in their programme,
Cardiff also claimed to be the first to sing "Bubbles" at their games in the
1920s.
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Sam on Jarvis
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 24th August 2012
By: Staff Writer
Sam Allardyce says that he is delighted to have finally captured winger Matt
Jarvis from Wolverhampton Wanderers. The 26-year-old joined West Ham
yesterday in a deal worth £10.75million overall - a new club record fee that
eclipsed the £7.5million paid to Liverpool for Craig Bellamy five years ago.
And Allardyce, who has now managed to bring in nine new faces since West
Ham's return to the Premier League was confirmed on 19th May admitted that
he was delighted to bring the once-capped England international to Upton
Park. "I'm grateful that co-chairman David Sullivan decided to really push
the boat out and lump the money available on Matt," he told the Standard.
"He is a player who has proved he can deliver in the final third on a
regular basis and that will be a key element to us scoring and creating
goals. "Matt has the ability to receive the ball, often deep in his own
half, take it right up field — sometimes on his own and deliver the ball
into the penalty area with either foot. I believe he will considerably
improve our attacking ability this season, create chances and help us score
the goals we need to do well."
Allardyce also believes that Jarvis, who started his career at Millwall will
prove to be a huge fans' favourite at the Boleyn Ground - even if he felt
that he was slightly overpriced. "I know the Wolves' fans loved Matt and I
am sure the West Ham fans will feel the same way about him," he added. "It
is his ambition to return to the Premier League which has helped to bring
him to us now. "Matt has pace and a lot of different ways of beating
defenders, and he's not one-dimensional. At the end of the day, we would
have liked to have paid less money but if the player is the one you want and
you can meet the demand, then it works for both parties. "
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High and dry
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 24th August 2012
By: Staff Writer
Former West Ham United captain Nigel Reo-Coker is still unemployed - despite
both the Football League and Premier League seasons having already started.
28-year-old Reo-Coker was the youngest West Ham captain ever to lead the
club in an FA Cup Final when he led Alan Pardew's team out against Liverpool
in 2006.
But just six years later, when he should be in his prime, he finds himself
without a club having walked out of Bolton following their relegation from
the Premier League at the end of the 2011/12 campaign. Reo-Coker activated a
clause in his contract allowing him to leave the Trotters in the event of
their relegation. However since then he has been unable to find a new club,
having failed to receive a single offer from a top flight club. "There are a
lot of top players still out there without a football team," he told a TV
sports network. "It's the situation out there for a lot of players. That's
the environment football is in at the moment. "It's a new situation for me
to be in but the season is only one week old. All I can do is keep my
professional head on and continue to maintain my fitness levels and work
hard. "I still see myself as good enough for the Premier League; I'm a
Premier League player. I've enjoyed every year I've played in the Premier
League and made the most of it. "I've been lucky enough to play there for so
long now with a lot of games under my belt and a lot of experiences against
the best players in the world. It's just the professionalism of keeping fit
and making sure I'm ready for whatever will happen."
Reo-Coker left West Ham in 2007 after claiming that he had been "victimised"
and been "hung out to dry" having learned that the club had dismissed an
enquiry from Arsenal during the previous transfer window. He was sold to
Aston Villa during the summer for £8.5million but just two years into his
contract was involved in a training ground dispute with manager Martin
O'Neill that saw him ostracised by the club. Having made just a further 40
appearances for Villa during the next two seasons he was allowed to leave
the club on a free transfer at the end of his contract, following which he
joined Bolton on a two-year deal. But just half way through that deal he
walked out on the club with the intention of remaining in the Premier
League; a desire that remains unfulfilled despite the 2012/13 campaign
having already started.
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Jarvis completes Hammers move
I'm delighted to have signed for a fantastic club, says winger
Last Updated: August 24, 2012 11:17am
SSN
West Ham have confirmed the signing of Matt Jarvis from Wolves for a club
record fee. The 26-year-old winger has completed the move for a transfer fee
believed to be in the region of £10.75million and will be available for
Saturday's trip to Swansea. The England international has signed a five-year
contract at Upton Park and becomes the Hammers' all-time most expensive
acquisition, eclipsing the £9m paid for Savio Nsereko in 2009. Jarvis was
part of the Wolves side that was relegated from the Premier League last
season but enjoyed an impressive individual campaign, scoring eight goals.
He has featured in Wolves' first two Championship games of the season -
playing the full 90 minutes against Barnsley on Tuesday - and will be in
contention for a start on Saturday.
Tradition
He told West Ham's official website: "I'm delighted to have signed. It's a
fantastic club and I'm pleased to be here. "It's a great club and it's got
great tradition and history. I know about Bobby Moore and the tradition and
history that go with that. "I'll be playing with some fantastic players and
it'll be great to get into training and I'm looking forward to playing with
them. "Hopefully I'll add a bit of pace, crossing and deliveries that will
provide some assists." Jarvis will wear the No.7 shirt for the Hammers.
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Swansea v West Ham preview
Two teams with contrasting styles look to build on opening day wins
Last Updated: August 24, 2012 12:07pm
SSN
Both Swansea and West Ham picked up victories on the opening day of the
Premier League season but something will have to give on Saturday. There is
real optimism at the Liberty Stadium despite the exits of manager Brendan
Rodgers and key midfielder Joe Allen to Liverpool in the summer. A big part
of that has been the arrival of Rodgers' replacement Michael Laudrup and his
contacts in Spain. The Danish coach has been busy in the transfer market
and if Michu's brace in the 5-0 thrashing of QPR is anything to go by then
the Swans could enjoy another impressive season.
While Sam Allardyce likes his teams to take a different approach to the
Swansea passing game, the experienced manager has produced some effective
sides at Premier League level. The newly-promoted Hammers picked up three
points against Aston Villa last weekend and in Carlton Cole and Kevin Nolan
they have some robust players capable of causing problems. The addition of
Matt Jarvis, who completed his £10.75million deal from Wolves on Friday,
should provide the crosses for West Ham's big men to find the net and this
could be an intriguing clash of styles in Wales in the early kick-off.
Swansea
Last 6
0-5
3-3
4-2
2-2
0-5
Laudrup would no doubt be content to name the same team that punished QPR
last weekend but may be forced into a change. New arrival Chico Flores is a
fitness doubt and will have a late test before officially ruling him out of
a first home start. Another new signing, Kyle Bartley, may be drafted in to
replace Chico but experienced duo Alan Tate and Garry Monk could also come
into contention. Club record signing Ki Sung-Yueng will not be included in
the squad but Manchester City target Scott Sinclair is set to be involved
again.
West Ham
Last 6
1-0
1-1
3-1
2-2
1-2
3-1
Although Allardyce may be tempted to name an unchanged line-up, he does have
new signings he can introduce. Summer arrivals Alou Diarra and Modibo Maiga
have not had a full pre-season and are likely to have to settle for a place
on the bench. But Jarvis played the full 90 minutes for Wolves on Tuesday
against Barnsley and his record deal was done in time for the winger to
feature against the Swans. Jack Collison remains unavailable due to a knee
injury.
Opta Facts
West Ham have won five and lost none of the last six league meetings with
the Swans.
Swansea's 5-0 win over QPR was their biggest ever in the top flight of
English football.
The Hammers have kept just one clean sheet in their last 27 Premier League
away games.
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Sam doubts further signings
But Hammers boss refuses to rule out 'mayhem' move
Last Updated: August 24, 2012 5:31pm
SSN
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce believes the club-record £10.75m signing of
Wolves winger Matt Jarvis will be his final piece of business during the
summer transfer window. England cap Jarvis finally completed his move back
to the Premier League by joining the Hammers on Friday and is available for
Saturday's trip to Swansea. Allardyce, who says he would have pursued a
number of foreign targets had Jarvis's move collapsed, doubts whether any
further signings will be agreed before next Friday's deadline. But he admits
nothing can be ruled out in a hectic week when plenty of last-minute deals
are struck.
Mayhem
"I don't expect any more signings at this moment in time," said Allardyce.
"We had a couple of players lined up that were from abroad in case the Matt
transfer didn't come off. We have obviously now said 'thanks but we can't go
in that area any more'. "We wait and see as always going into the mayhem of
next week what might turn up of course."
Newly-promoted West Ham marked their top-flight return with a 1-0 victory
against Aston Villa on the opening day of the new season. But Allardyce
realises leaving Swansea with all three points will be a difficult
proposition.
Over-confidence
The Swans thumped QPR 5-0 at Loftus Road in their first fixture as new boss
Michael Laudrup enjoyed the perfect start. "I don't know if they will suffer
from over-confidence," said Allardyce. "I hope so because if there is we may
be able to take advantage of that. But I don't think there will be.
"Everybody found it a hugely difficult task to beat them at their ground. On
the back of them trying to continue that, and their magnificent result
against QPR, it will be a tough, tough match."
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Match Preview: Swansea City v West Ham
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die
Nothing like getting off to a good start, and if we think West Ham got off
to a good start, just imagine that last Saturday you were a Swansea
supporter. A 5-0 away win - yes, away win - against QPR. OK, QPR didn't
really have anyone in goal (sorry, Rob!), but Michael Laudrup must have
thought all his Christmases had come at once. Anyway, enough of them, what
about us?
Looking at the likely team I can only really imagine one change being made -
Matt Taylor giving way to our new record signing, Matt Jarvis. He's match
fit and by all accounts in form. James Tomkins will be none too pleased to
be a benchwarmer for a second match, but Reid and Collins performed so well
last week that there can surely be no case for replacing either of them. The
great thing is that we now have real competition for places in virtually
every position - McCartney & Taylor at left back, Demel & O'Brien at right
back, Cole & Maiga up front.
We've never played at the Liberty Stadium before, and it's 12 years since we
last played Swansea. This was our lineup in a third round FA Cup replay at
The Vetch Field, which we lost 1-0! Shaka Hislop, Tim Breacker (Richard Hall
72), Julian Dicks, Rio Ferdinand, Neil Ruddock, Steve Lomas, Trevor
Sinclair, Frank Lampard, Manny Omoyinmi (Eyal Berkovic 46), Stan Lazaridis,
John Hartson.
If we get a point out of this match, I think we ought to be pleased, but I
hope we play for a win. Whatever happens, I foresee an entertaining matches
with a few goals. Let's hope they go in the right net.
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We Now Need a Big Striker, a Central Defender & a Right Winger
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die
With confirmation of the signing of Matt Jarvis, for a record West Ham
transfer fee, at long last we can rest easy in the knowledge that we have a
pacey winger - something we haven't had since the days of Matty Etherington.
The team seems to be taking shape now, although I think there are still a
few gaps to fill. The two priorities would seem to be another central
defender and a big, powerfully built striker to play up front as an
alternative to Carlton Cole. I also think we could so with another wide
player to play on the right if Vaz Te gets injured or loses form. Stephane
Mbia would be a massive buy for us if we can get him, and Royston Drenthe
too, although I think the Togolese winger from Rennes,, Boukaris, is more
likely.
It will be interesting to see if Jarvis goes straight into the team against
Swansea. A midfield of Jarvis, Vaz Te, Noble, Diame and Nolan sounds pretty
tasty to me.
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Karren Brady's football diary
The Sun
By KARREN BRADY
Published: 24th August 2012
Saturday, August 18
WHO says it is a man's world? Olympic boxing gold medallist Nicola Adams
shows me how to deliver an uppercut as it might be useful in a meeting with
agents one day. On the field below, West Ham are beating Aston Villa,
erasing one of my worst experiences at a football match. Two years ago, when
my team were managed by Avram Grant, we were thrashed 3-0 at Villa Park and
even on the first day of the season I knew we were in relegation trouble. My
last sighting of Avram was at the women's Olympic beach volleyball. We also
invited rower Mark Hunter as a guest to Upton Park and he is still
disappointed at his failure to win a gold medal. He brings along his silver
AND the gold he won in Beijing, just to prove he's got one. Good man.
Sunday, August 19
AMONG the Sunday newspaper bits and pieces, I read Mario Balotelli has
turned down an invitation to speak to the Cambridge Union — presumably in
English.
I guess there'd have been checks to see whether he was carrying fireworks.
But I don't blame Manchester City's Italian striker at all. How could I?
Like him, I said 'no' to the students as I have to TV requests to dance,
skate and — only today — to spend too long in a jungle. They're just not my
thing and never will be. All too intellectual or energetic for me.
Monday, August 20
EVERTON chairman Bill Kenwright texts to say: "Home. I didn't need a car...
did cartwheels down the motorway." That's what beating Manchester United
does to a fan. I watched most of it on TV and a man from Mars would have
wondered who United were playing going on the commentary alone. From endless
talk about Robin van Persie to the 'world-class' football United were
employing to try to get a draw, Everton were only there as a sort of
measuring stick for Sir Alex's chances of unseating Man City. Thank you,
then, Marouane Fellaini for the winning goal.
Tuesday, August 21
AFTER 13 months and two judgments (both in my favour), it looks as if I am
going to be paid by Brescia for the sale of Alessandro Diamanti last year
(£1.7m plus interest). So my trip to Switzerland via a plane, a train and
two automobiles — before arriving in the early hours to a hotel so bad that
I decided it was better to sleep in a bus station — seems to have paid off.
The hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport was the most interesting
I've been to. The right outcome was achieved but I'm still nervous I'll
collect!
Wednesday, August 22
IN 20 years of the Premier League, wages have increased by 1,508 per cent,
according to a new report. The average for the rest of us is 186 per cent.
Clubs now pay 70 per cent of turnover to players. Can it last? It seems to
be doing fine right now, partly because it is subsidised by rich foreigners
who own 11 of the 20 PL clubs. You've heard of 'trophy' wives. We're
becoming a trophy league, only the sex is more interesting!
Thursday, August 23
AFTER four attempts we buy winger Matt Jarvis from Wolves for a record fee.
Just in case Wolves didn't budge we had an alternative, who flew to London
despite orders not to. He got to St Pancras station only for us to say the
move was off. Life is tough.
Friday, August 24
I LIKE a bit of cheek and Newcastle's offer to pay half of Andy Carroll's
wage, said to be £80,000 a week, for a season-long loan must have been that.
Newcastle add that they will eventually pay a £12million fee — a
considerable drop from the £35m they took from Liverpool in January last
year. A nice newspaper like The Sun can't print the expletives used by a top
Reds executive on the phone today to describe the offer to me. I almost
blushed.
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Big Sam wants to cure travel sickness
The Sun
By JAMES CLARKE
Published: 24th August 2012
SAM ALLARDYCE hopes West Ham do not fall back into their old Premier League
habits of being soft touches on the road. Big Sam's Hammers had the best
away record in the Championship last season. But West Ham traditionally are
everyone's favourite home fixture — as they are usually a home banker. But
Allardyce takes his team to Swansea, along with new record £10.75million man
Matt Jarvis today. And he said: "We've got a different mentality on how to
play away from home and win and that is critical for every club because
winning is the name of the game. Even more so this year. "You want to go on
and hopefully take the euphoria of getting promoted into the early stages of
the Premier League and redeliver away performances like we did at the end of
last season. "Our last away performance, at Cardiff, was immaculate and if
we take that performance into Swansea they're going to find it hard to beat
us and we're going to have a chance of winning. "We didn't have to change
too much last season because we were better than most. This season we've got
to adapt."
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Sam hopes for cocky Swans
The Sun
Published: 24th August 2012
SAM ALLARDYCE is banking on Swansea getting cocky. The Swans are flying high
after their stunning 5-0 win at QPR last week. Allardyce's Hammers take on
the Welsh outfit at the Liberty Stadium tomorrow. And Big Sam is praying his
hosts take their eye of the ball. He said: "I don't know [if they will
suffer from over-confidence] — I hope so because if there is we may be able
to take advantage of that. "But somehow I don't think there will be.
"Everybody found it a hugely difficult task to beat them at their ground.
"On the back of them trying to continue that, and their magnificent result
against QPR, it will be a tough, tough match."
Allardyce last night broke West Ham's transfer record by signing Matt Jarvis
for £10million from Wolves. And the Upton Park chief says he is now putting
away his chequebook. Asked if any more players were on his radar, Allardyce
added: "Not at this moment in time. "We had a couple of players lined up
that were from abroad in case the Matt transfer didn't come off. "We have
obviously now said 'thanks but we can't go in that area any more'. "We wait
and see as always going into the mayhem of next week what might turn up, of
course."
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I'll make Moore history at West Ham
The Sun
Published: 24th August 2012
MATT JARVIS admits he is excited to join West Ham because of the history of
the club. The England winger, who will wear the No7 shirt at Upton Park, has
signed from Wolves in a £10.75million deal. He said: "I'm delighted to have
signed. It's a fantastic club and I'm pleased to be here. "It's a great club
and it's got great history and tradition. I know about Bobby Moore and the
history and tradition that go with that. "I'll be playing with some
fantastic players and it'll be great to get into training and I'm looking
forward to playing with them. "Hopefully I will add a bit of pace, crossing
and deliveries that will provide some assists."
Jarvis hopes the West Ham faithful get behind him following the big-money
move. He added: "I've been told about how good the fans are hopefully
they'll get behind me and I can show them what I can do. "It'll be straight
in and hit the ground running. There's no time to think about it, you've
just got to get on with it, which is good. "I hope to train with the team
today and then travel up to Swansea."
Hammers boss Sam Allardyce said. "From my point of view it is a big piece of
business for a terrific young man who will add a lot of quality to our team.
"Certainly from an attacking sense he is one of the best final-third
crossers in the Premier League and his stats were very good at Wolverhampton
Wanderers. "He delivers in the business end of the field and creates a lot
of chances and is a player that can give opposition defences an awful lot of
trouble. We are hoping he will produce that for us." Jarvis will go straight
into Allardyce's squad for the match at Swansea. Midfielder Jack Collison
remains sidelined with a knee injury while Alou Diarra and Modibo Maiga are
in contention to break into starting XI.
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Royals appointment? West Ham's Cole wanted in £5m Reading swoop
The Mirror
Reading are preparing to move for West Ham striker Carlton Cole in what
would be one of their most-expensive transfers ever. Brian McDermott's
Royals have opened talks to land the England target man, who is available
from Sam Allardyce's club following their own summer spending spree. The
Russian-backed Premier League new boys will pay a fee rising to £5million
for Cole, as well as picking up his salary – which is close to another£3m a
season. It is a major break from the policy of sensible signings in
Reading's recent past, but there is enough cash for a dip into the market
that could make them fortunes if they survive in the top flight until next
term, when a massive new TV deal kicks in. Cole has had fitness problems and
the fee will include staged payments, but there is a good chance that the
full value will be achieved if he is a Royals regular. The 28-year-old
forward has been available for weeks as part of the Irons' busy wheeling and
dealing. Cole was in and out of the Hammers' promotion-winning Championship
side last term. And Reading will try and finalise a deal this weekend, ahead
of the transfer window shutting.
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Swansea v West Ham team news: Chico could miss Hammers clash where Jarvis
will make debut
The Mirror
Centre-half Chico Flores has a groin problem and is a fitness doubt for
Swansea's Liberty Stadium clash with West Ham. Alan Tate, Garry Monk and
Kyle Bartley are all potential replacements if he is unavailable. Striker
Itay Shechter will miss out as Swansea are still awaiting the completion of
the paperwork for his loan move from Kaiserslautern. South Korea
international Ki Sung-yeung is set to join for a club record fee today but
will not be included in the squad, but Scott Sinclair will feature again
despite electing not to sign a new contract with the south Wales club.
Provisional squad: Vorm, Taylor, Flores, Tate, Williams, Britton, Orlandi,
Michu, Graham, Sinclair, Dyer, Routledge, Monk, Lita, Moore, De Guzman,
Rangel, Tremmel, Agustien, Gower, Richards, Bartley, Davies.
Jarvis arrival strengthens Hammers
Matt Jarvis will go straight into Sam Allardyce's squad for the match at
Swansea in the only change from last weekend's win over Aston Villa. Jarvis,
26, signed just over 24 hours before the Hammers kick-off at Swansea but
Allardyce confirmed on Thursday he has no concerns about throwing the
ex-Wolves player into his side.
Midfielder Jack Collison (knee) remains sidelined while Alou Diarra and
Modibo Maiga are in contention to break into starting XI.
Provisional squad: Jaaskelainen, Henderson, Demel, Tomkins, Collins, Reid,
McCartney, O'Brien, Potts, Spence, Diarra, Diame, Noble, Taylor, O'Neil,
Nolan, Jarvis, Vaz Te, Maiga, Maynard, Cole.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Saturday, August 25
Friday, August 24
Daily WHUFC News - 24th August 2012
Captain's Blog
WHUFC.com
Kevin Nolan is looking to build on the Hammers' fine away form last season
23.08.2012
Welcome back everyone for the new season - it's great to be back in the
Barclays Premier League. Since we all returned for pre-season we have been
waiting for the first game, like I am sure all of you were, and it was great
to get the new campaign off to a winning start. First of all, I would just
like to say a big thank-you for the magnificent support that greeted us as
we walked out on to the pitch at home to Aston Villa. There was a fantastic
buzz around the stadium and all of you our fans were in great voice again.
It took me back to the Play-Off final with the noise you were all making and
it was absolutely brilliant for us to get the win and for me to be able to
pop up with the goal. The packed house we had and the atmosphere you all
made meant it was even more special. A win breeds confidence and there have
been smiles on the faces around the training ground this week. We have to
take that and the work we have been doing this week into the game at Swansea
this weekend.
It will be a tough game, they also had a fantastic result of their own on
the first day and deservedly so, so we under no illusions about what we are
facing. But if we can get on top of them and give a 110 per cent, we will
certainly be giving it a go. This season will be all about giving everything
for you all, playing good football along the way and I think you saw both of
those things against Aston Villa on Saturday. We will be working hard and
pushing each other. As we all know, it will be tough at times. No games in
this league are going to be easy - away games especially - so your support
will be a big factor for us again this year and we don't take it for
granted. I'd like to say a big thanks to all of you travelling to see us at
Swansea and if anyone else fancies coming I've heard there are still a few
tickets left.
I would like to welcome the new lads who have joined us this season so far
and I thought they were brilliant on Saturday. If Ginge keeps to that level
of performance throughout the season he will be top notch for us. Mo Maiga
came on was very close to marking his debut with a goal, but I am sure he's
going to pop up with some lovely goals for us this season.
Momo Diame has been doing what you saw him doing on Saturday for Wigan for
years. His work rate is boss, he is good on the ball and he has great
awareness. It was nice to have him and Nobes beside me helping me out! The
new lads seemed to have settled in well. Something I have always believed in
massively is to have good spirit and togetherness in the dressing room,
especially if you want to go far, and I think we gained from that last year.
It gives the new boys a sense of security early on and they can just
concentrate on their football. We are a family here and we make sure we
stick together when there are rough patches, but by sticking together we
will have more good times than bad. The gaffer and the club are still
working hard to bring some more new lads in to strengthen us and so that
will be good for us as we go forward.
With the injury I picked up in pre-season, I have not been training fully
and have mostly been in the gym and getting my fitness up for the past three
weeks. To have got 70 minutes under my belt against Villa was great and full
marks go to our backroom staff of Andy Rolls, Eamon Swift, Monte Colombo,
Taka Yamamoto and Will Storey. I don't think I could have done it without
them and the care and that they gave me was fantastic. We are a Premier
League club again and it feels good pulling on the shirt with the Premier
League patches on and playing the other clubs in this league. What we have
to try and do this year is prove we should be here and remain in this
league, I feel we can do that and then look to keep going for the future and
have the club where we want it to be in this league.
Off the pitch, there has been some house-moving this summer for the Nolan
family. I have my wife and children down here with me now, so it is really
nice and great to have them with me again. We are looking forward to
enjoying our life here. It has been a good week of training and we will take
this hard work into our game at Swansea and then into the Capital One Cup
game on Tuesday against Crewe Alexandra. It's been a busy week and one which
is not easy, but with hard work and effort, hopefully we can do the
business.
Come on you Irons!
Kevin Nolan
Captain
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Fulham now Kids for a Quid!
WHUFC.com
The 1 September home match with Fulham is now Kids for a Quid!
22.08.2012
West Ham United's next home Barclays Premier League match with Fulham on
Saturday 1 September has been designated Kids for a Quid. The superb offer
from the Board as part of their 'affordable football for all' campaign means
any number of Under-16s pay just £1 when accompanied by a full paying adult.
That means any attending adult can buy multiple Under-16 tickets for £1 and
it is not limited to one child per adult. Please note that Under-16s are not
permitted to attend unaccompanied by an adult.
Adult tickets start at just £36 for Academy Members and £39 for non-Academy
Members. And if the ticket price was not enough of a draw, a packed Boleyn
Ground can expect a thrilling contest with both sides getting off to winning
starts in the opening weekend. West Ham United were worthy 1-0 winners
against Aston Villa on Saturday thanks to Kevin Nolan's close-range stike,
while Fulham put five goals past Norwich City.
If recent form is anything to go by then it could be a good afternoon for
Big Sam's side. They are unbeaten in six at home to the Cottagers and have
lost just once in the last 12 meetings between the two clubs. There could
also be a new signing or two on display so make sure you secure seat today
to avoid missing out
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Academy Ace - Gines Guzman Rosique
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's new young Spanish goalkeeper is hoping to achieve big
things
23.08.2012
Having finally secured his dream move to England, new Under-18s goalkeeper
Gines Guzman Rosique is hoping to achieve big things in the footballing
world.
Born in the Spanish city of Murcia, Guzman Rosique has been seeking a move
to England for more than a year and, after complications involving a
possible switch to Peterbrough United, he joined West Ham United earlier
this summer. Still only 17, he is now setting his sights on climbing the
goalkeeping ladder with the Hammers. "I started playing five-a-side with my
local team Ranero FC and after we won the cup I was scouted and moved to
seven-a-side," said Guzman, who learned English while studying alongside
expatriate youngsters at school. "From there I moved up to eleven-a-side and
played for another local team called Baniajan FC until two or three years
ago. "I appeared in the Peterborough squad last year and they offered me a
contract but one of my old teams couldn't agree compensation and it all
stopped. "My father told me 'One door closes and another opens', and after
returning to Spain for a year here I am."
While Spain has a fantastic reputation for producing young talent, Guzman
Rosique explained that he feels he has a greater chance of progressing in
England.
"People always talk about how clubs like Barcelona bring through world-class
talent but in reality it is not that simple. "Teams in Spain have ten youth
teams and ten reserve teams, so the chances of you getting through are
impossible, but here it is one youth, one reserve then the first team."
While he has left his homeland to pursue his dream, the teenager still looks
back to Spain for inspiration - most notably from Barcelona stopper Valdes.
"My dream would be to receive a professional contract, and I would love that
to be here at West Ham. Then I ultimately hope to return to Spain and play
for one of the big teams in La Liga. "I want to start here, build my
experience, develop and then in the future we will see. "Victor Valdes
provides great inspiration for me. The way he moves, reacts, and the way he
plays with the ball at his feet are something I really feel I can learn
from."
While he recognises Valdes' strengths, Guzman Rosique is not so keen to
discuss his own abilities. "I am very quick, but it's hard to say what I
like about myself and I would rather let others watch me and make up their
own minds. "I want to improve everything. I feel my main quality is that I
want to learn and will work hard to do so. It is a different game over here
- more physical - so I need to make sure I adapt. "Not many people back in
Spain have the opportunity I have and even though my parents were worried
and wanted me to study, they understood this was an opportunity I couldn't
turn down."
Having been brave enough to move to England, everyone at the club is backing
Guzman Rosique to make the most of his opportunity.
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Swansea v West Ham
BBC.co.uk
KO 12:45
23 August 2012
By Dan O'Hagan
MOTD commentator
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: Liberty Stadium Date: Saturday, 25 August
New Swansea signing Kyle Bartley was not considered for selection last
weekend, but may make his debut against West Ham. He could replace injury
doubt Chico Flores, who will have a late fitness test.
West Ham are set to be without Jack Collison, who missed the start of the
season because of a knee injury. Summer signings Alou Diarra and Modibo
Maiga lack match fitness and may again have to settle for places on the
bench.
MATCH PREVIEW
I'm a massive fan of clubs making left-field, innovative managerial
appointments. It would have been very easy for Swansea to replace Brendan
Rodgers with a predictable name from the perennial list of jobbing Premier
League managers. That they didn't shows a maverick bravery which has thus
far been rewarded in both Michael Laudrup's transfer market nous and, of
course, last weekend's bolt-from-the-blue thumping of QPR. It was the club's
record top-flight win, home or away.
Swansea's summer signings
Michu (Rayo Vallecano)
Chico Flores (Genoa)
Jonathan de Guzman (Villarreal)
Itay Shechter (Kaiserslautern)
Kyle Bartley (Arsenal)
Scott Tancock (Cardiff)
Jamie Proctor (Preston)
The quality Swansea have added is impressive. Michu grabbed the headlines,
but Jonathan de Guzman should prove an excellent driving force in midfield,
alongside the imminent addition of Ki Sung-Yueng. It's a measure of how far
the club has come in just two years that the potential departure of Scott
Sinclair to Manchester City would cause neither significant disruption nor
weakening.
In preparing for a commentary I hand-write both squads side-by-side on a
sheet of A4. Swansea's list is markedly longer than West Ham's - and that's
with a number of junior players too. West Ham's lack of bodies might not be
a problem in August, but the race is on to add depth for battles further
down the line.
Matt Jarvis will do for starters. I've watched him develop from his
beginnings at Gillingham into a full international at Wolves. If that deal
is completed the Hammers will have bought wisely, even if the Molineux
bosses quite rightly drove a hard bargain.
A home game with a transitional Aston Villa was probably the perfect opener
for West Ham. Newly-promoted sides need to get points on the board early -
remember the seasons Norwich (2004-05), Sunderland (2005-06) and Derby
(2007-08) suffered after slow starts?
Like Swansea, West Ham won on the opening day, and are also still in the
process of strengthening by signing Matt Jarvis from Wolves. The Hammers are
difficult to play against and difficult to beat. The win against Villa
continues last year's momentum, and perhaps lifts the pressure for the trip
to the Liberty Stadium, with their points tally already in credit. And
speaking of points, I love a good stat, and my interest was piqued by this
one, which is that Sam Allardyce is just a single point away from 1,000 of
them as a manager. Given Swansea's blistering start at Loftus Road, I'm sure
the Hammers would happily take that single point back along the M4 with them
come the end of Saturday's encounter, while the Swans will fancy themselves
in Laudrup's first competitive home match.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
It is 32 years since Swansea's last league win against West Ham, a 2-1
victory in Division Two on 29 March 1980.
The Hammers are unbeaten in their last six league games against the Swans, a
run which includes all four previous top-flight encounters.
The last competitive meeting came in an FA Cup third-round replay in January
1999. Swansea (then playing in the fourth tier of English football) beat
Premier League West Ham 1-0 through a Martin Thomas goal.
This fixture has not produced a goalless draw since 1937.
Swansea
According to Opta, the Swans scored with five of their six shots on target
against QPR.
Last season it took the Welsh side until October to score five Premier
League goals.
The 5-0 victory at Loftus Road was the Swans' biggest win in the top flight.
West Ham
Sam Allardyce's men have won their last six competitive games (including
last season's play-offs), and are unbeaten in 10. Their last defeat was a
4-2 home loss by Reading on 31 March.
The Hammers won more away games (13) than home games (11) in last season's
Championship.
They have lost their last four Premier League away matches. Their most
recent away win in the top flight was a 3-1 victory at Blackpool on 2
February 2011.
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Allardyce still keen on Carroll
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 23rd August 2012
By: Staff Writer
Sam Allardyce has revealed that he is still hopeful of doing a deal with
Liverpool for Andy Carroll. The Hammers broke their transfer record earlier
today when agreeing to pay £7.5million + add-ons to Wolves for the services
of winger Matt Jarvis - a deal expected to be confirmed by the club tomorrow
(Friday) morning.
However they could yet eclipse that should Liverpool manager Brendean
Rodgers agree to allow the 23-year-old striker to leave Anfield - despite
having admitted earlier in the week that he would be 'crazy' to do so.
Allardyce, who has been chasing the England international all summer
appeared to have given up the ghost at the end of July after Carroll
rejected the chance to move south to London, despite Liverpool having
accepted West Ham's £2million season-long loan offer.
However having bagged the 26-year-old Jarvis, he insisted tonight that all
may not be quite as done and dusted as previously thought. "Many things in
the final week of the transfer window emerge and should it be the case that
we would be able to do something then I think it would probably only be a
loan," he told a TV sports channel. "My problem is there may not be funds
available for Andy now. But If Andy became available or anybody became
available and they wanted to join West Ham, I would ask the owners. At the
moment that is not the case and we just have to wait and see if and when
that situation arises. We would see if we could pursue it and clinch it, but
if we only finish with Matt and nobody else I would be happy with the squad
I've got. "While it is not quite as big as I'd like it to be, I think it
has got a lot of quality. What isn't there is a proven Premier League
goalscorer, apart from Carlton Cole who can get 10 or 11 goals a season."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Jarvis close to Hammers move
Wolves winger set to complete Premier League return
Last Updated: August 24, 2012 12:03am
Sam Allardyce has described Matt Jarvis as one of the best creative players
in the Premier League after confirming the winger is undergoing a medical
with West Ham. Allardyce made Jarvis his top transfer target this summer
after impressing with Wolves last season, despite their relegation from the
top flight. And Allardyce's pursuit has paid off as the West Ham boss has
confirmed that Jarvis, who earned an England cap last year, is having a
medical at Upton Park as revealed by Sky Sports. The deal could be completed
on Thursday evening and would make Jarvis the most expensive signing in the
Hammers ' history at a reported £10.75million. But Allardyce is confident
the 26-year-old will provide the cutting edge West Ham need to re-establish
themselves in the top flight following promotion last term. "From my point
of view it is a big piece of business," he said. "I think a quality young
man who has got a lot of qualities that will add to the team we have already
got. "When you are trying to create in the Premier League and score goals,
he is one of those players who can certainly give defences a really hard
time and that is what we are hoping he can do for us."
Should Jarvis be registered in time then Allardyce has no qualms about
throwing him straight into his starting line-up for Saturday's trip to
Swansea. "This is not a player that is coming in from abroad or coming from
a foreign club," he said. "He had a full pre-season at Wolves, he played on
Tuesday night for Wolves and I watched him play against Leeds sat in my
office waiting for our first game last week, and was obviously thoroughly
impressed with him again. "He has been a huge success at Wolverhampton
Wanderers since his move from Gillingham and we hope he will be as big a
success for us as he was for them. He is fit, he is eager and he is ready to
go."
Backing
The fee is set to eclipse the £9m West Ham paid for Savio Nsereko in January
2009 and although Allardyce was reluctant to name the exact figure, he
praised the club's owners for their support. "All I know is it is me asking
the co-chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold to try and secure this player
- to make sure that if we can do it financially, let's do it," he said.
"They have done that and we are extremely pleased to sign what we consider
to be a high-quality player for our team."
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Hammers not giving up on Carroll
But Hammers boss doubts he has the funds to sign striker
Last Updated: August 23, 2012 11:47pm
SSN
West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce has not ended his interest in
Liverpool striker Andy Carroll but fears he would not have the money for a
permanent deal.
The Hammers have throughout the summer been linked with the England
international, who missed his club's Europa League win over Hearts on
Thursday due to a hamstring injury. It is thought Carroll does not feature
in the future plans of Brendan Rodgers but the Anfield manager is adamant he
would not loan the £35million to any other club. Liverpool are also
determined to recoup as much as possible of the record-breaking fee they
paid Newcastle United just over 18 months ago, while Carroll is understood
to only be interested in joining a club who play in Europe. And with
Allardyce on the brink of spending a reported £10.75m on Matt Jarvis, the
West Ham boss does not think he would be able to afford anything other than
a loan. But he does remain hopeful, as he said: "Many things in the final
week of the transfer window emerge and should it be the case that we would
be able to do something then I think it would probably only be a loan.
Quality
"We would see if we could pursue it and clinch it, but if we only finish
with Matt and nobody else I would be happy with the squad I've got. "While
it is not quite as big as I'd like it to be, I think it has got a lot of
quality. "My problem is there may not be funds available for Andy now. "If
Andy became available or anybody became available and they wanted to join
West Ham, I would ask the owners. At the moment that is not the case and we
just have to wait and see if and when that situation arises."
The former Newcastle boss added: "If we play Carlton Cole, Nicky Maynard,
Ricardo Vaz Te,(Modibo) Maiga - they are all players that play in the front
three wide positions. "What isn't there is a proven Premier League
goalscorer, apart from Carlton Cole who can get 10 or 11 goals a season.
"Nicky, Ricardo and Maiga are not proven so you hope it will be all right,
but you cannot tell until you get eight or 10 games in."
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West Ham Sign Matt Jarvis!
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
News reports this morning have confirmed that Wolves have accepted West
Ham's latest offer of £7m, plus £3m of appearance related payments, for the
services of winger Matt Jarvis. The player has supposedly had a medical and
could be available for selection for Saturday's match at Swansea.
If true, it is the end of a long running saga, which has seen Wolves reject
three previous West Ham offers for Jarvis. It's a ambitious move for an
English winger of great ability, with even further potential for
development. Also, encouragingly, from reports, it would appear that Matt
Jarvis actually wants to play for West Ham, which is always a positive! This
would be a important addition to the squad that provides pace and excellent
delivery of the final ball from the left flank. Hopefully, the player will
also be able to work on his finishing at West Ham and score his quota of
goals per season. Some will no doubt express reservations about the eventual
£10m fee, but quality costs and Jarvis would definitely add that to the
squad in my book, in a position where we have had a lack for some
considerable time. So, once officially confirmed, we can only say well done
to the board for committing the resources to land a very good player.
The question now, is what will happen with the potential deal for Boukari
from Rennes and Drenthe's Bosman move from Real Madrid. Will the club sign
both players to give us added strength in depth on the flanks? If so, it
seems that wingers are like London buses at West Ham, none for ages and then
three come along together! It could happen if the club can secure both
players on the right terms. Drenthe can cover for Jarvis on the left flank
and can also play at left-back, while Boukaris is right sided and offers
balance. We shall have to see what happens on those deals.
Elsewhere, Sam Allardyce will want to complete the summer's main transfer
business with the acquisition of another striker and a centre-back. Today's
Daily Star suggests that West Ham might make a move for WBA's Peter
Odemwingie. Not too sure whether that one is a runner? Have the club given
up on acquiring the impressive young Senegalese centre forward, Konate and
is the Carroll loan deal absolutely dead? How about a cheeky move for
Dempsey from Fulham or Sturridge from Chelski? At centre-back, West Ham are
said to be interested in Marseille's Stephane Mbia, who is one of a number
of stars currently available from the financially squeezed French club.
Could he join former team mate, Alou Diarra, at West Ham? Mbia was said to
be in London earlier this week, but all has gone quiet on that front. The
other possible London destination for Mbia was said to be QPR, but they
appear to have since secured other central defensive targets, so we need to
keep an eye on that potential deal. Another possible deal recently mooted,
is the acquisition of free agent Tal Ben Haim after his release from
Portsmouth. Ben Haim is a Bolton 'old boy' and has the added attraction of
being able to play right across the back line if needed. Personally, I am
not sure whether this is a deal that we should pursue.
Finally, it will also be intriguing to see if we bring in any loan signings
at the last knockings of the transfer window, to for instance, provide extra
options at right-back. Although Allardyce has expressed satisfaction with
his current options at full-back, so who knows? Anyway, it should be an
interesting run in to the closure of the transfer window on 31 August 2012.
Sam Allardyce has slowly secured his targets and another good result at
Swansea, plus the new additions arriving should set us up for a good season.
Least ways, lets hope so!
SJ. Chandos.
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Sam: I've a gem in Jarvis
By VIC HOLLY
Last Updated: 24th August 2012
The Sun
SAM ALLARDYCE hailed record signing Matt Jarvis and admitted: "It's a new
dimension for us." The Hammers boss paid a club record £10.75million to
Wolves for the winger. And Allardyce said: "It's a new dimension for us
because this is a player of dribbling skills, pace and trickery. "He's a
player that not only provides chances but also relieves pressure off your
defence. "When he takes the ball he will keep hold of it and can take it
from one end of the field to the other and then produce a cross." Allardyce
was so keen on the England player he made FOUR bids before finally getting
his man. And he even watched Jarvis play for Wolves on a TV in his office
only hours before West Ham took on Aston Villa last Saturday. Allardyce also
hinted that another approach could be made to Liverpool for Andy Carroll. He
said: "If Andy became available or anybody became available and they wanted
to join West Ham I would ask the owners." Hammers' John Carew, who scored
just twice in 19 games, is set to rejoin Norwegian club Valerenga.
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League of his own: Jarvis could be the Prem's No.1 winger beams Big Sam
The Mirror
Sam Allardyce believes he has bagged one of the best wingers in the Premier
League after securing Wolves' Matt Jarvis in a club-record £10.75million
deal.
West Ham boss Allardyce finally got his man after seeing two bids turned
down for the England winger during the summer. And there could be even more
big names to arrive at Upton Park after Allardyce refused to rule out
another loan move for Liverpool forward Andy Carroll before the transfer
window closes at the end of August. Allardyce has nothing but praise for the
way his co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan kept backing him in pushing
through a deal to secure the signing of Jarvis after it seemed a move had
fallen through last week. The 26-year-old had the best record for crossing a
ball in the Premier League last season and Allardyce believes that will be
crucial as his side look to push for a top half finish. Allardyce said:
"From my point of view, it is a big piece of business. He has got a lot of
qualities that will add to the team we have already got. "Certainly from an
attacking sense this is one of the best final-third crossers in the Premier
League. His stats are extremely good and he delivers in the business end of
the field. "When you are trying to create in the Premier League and score
goals he is one of those players who can certainly give defences a really
hard time and that is what we are hoping he can do for us. "I watched him
play against Leeds in my office waiting for our first game last week and was
obviously thoroughly impressed with him again. "It's a new dimension for us
because this is a player of dribbling skills, pace, trickery. A player that
not only provides chances but also relieves pressure off your defence. "He
will go up the pitch and take the opposition back into their own box and
that's a critical part of being successful in this league, a player of his
calibre and capabilities and it's something we don't have at this moment in
time.
"We've paid really good money for Matt but it's thanks to David Gold and
David Sullivan for doing it and he gives us something that we haven't got
already and you have to pay for that. "You have to pay for the quality that
you need in the Premier League and I believe that he has the quality."
Allardyce may have spent a large part of his transfer kitty to secure the
signing of Jarvis, but he is still keeping his options open - and will not
rule out making another move to sign Carroll from Liverpool. With Liverpool
wanting to take Clint Dempsey from Fulham, Carroll's days look to be
numbered at Anfield. Reds manager Brendan Rodgers has been extremely
dismissive of the possibility of Carroll returning to former club Newcastle,
but he could still opt for a move to Upton Park. The West Ham boss would
love the chance to team Jarvis up with Carroll and is preparing himself for
a crazy final week in the transfer window.
Allardyce added: "If Andy became available, or anybody became available and
they wanted to join West Ham, I would ask the owners what the financial
position would be and see if we could move forward if that is the case. "If
we play Carlton Cole, Nicky Maynard, Ricardo Vaz Te, Modibo Maiga - they are
all players that play in the front three wide positions. "What isn't there
is a proven Premier League goal-scorer, apart from Carlton, who can get 10
or 11 goals a season. "Many things in the final week of the transfer window
emerge and if that be the case that we would be able to do something then I
think it would probably only be a loan."
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Tony Cottee Column: West Ham can finish in the top 10
Tony Cottee , London24 West Ham Columnist
Thursday, August 23, 2012
11:24 PM
James Collins said that West Ham can realistically chase a top-10 finish in
their first campaign back in the Premier League – and I make him right. I
know some people will think we're getting carried away after just a one-goal
victory against Aston Villa on Saturday. But let's be realistic – James
didn't say the Hammers were going to challenge for a European place, simply
a top-half place and that includes eighth, ninth and tenth positions, which
I think are attainable. Outside the top seven teams, there are plenty of
clubs that can talk about getting into the top half of the table and West
Ham are one of them. James is quite right to say that is what we should be
aiming for and I'd much rather hear that than that they would be happy just
to avoid relegation. The Hammers finished ninth under Alan Pardew in 2006
after getting promoted via the play-offs, so I certainly wouldn't say it was
an impossible task. Collins performed so well against Villa on his second
debut for the club that it was as if he'd never been away. To be honest, I
don't think he should have left West Ham in the first place. Finances
dictated that he had to go in 2009, but I was disappointed because we
struggled to replace him. I'm delighted that James has returned to the club
because he's a good central defender and a great lad. Hopefully we can get
James Tomkins in the team as well and the pair of them can develop a really
good partnership together.
I've got to say that I think the win against Villa was a fantastic result.
It wasn't necessarily the most exciting game in the world but it was so
important for the team to get a first win under their belts. You don't want
to be in a situation whereby you've played three, four or five games and
still looking for victory. It puts everybody under so much pressure, whereas
a first-day win serves as a massive confidence booster. Villa didn't have a
good time last season but it was always going to be a very difficult match
for us. People might say it was a good time to play them because it was Paul
Lambert's first game as Villa boss, but I think that only made it tougher
for West Ham.
If anything, players are trying even harder to impress their new manager, so
I don't think that helped West Ham at all. Obviously, Villa's players
weren't happy to see Kevin Nolan's goal stand after the linesman raised his
flag for offside, but the referee was spot on in giving it. Mike Dean can be
appear a bit over-officious at times, but I like him and think he's one of
the better referees in the Premier League. He was very certain about the
Villa defender heading the ball on and quickly made it clear what had
happened. I think many refs would have simply trusted the linesman's word,
so let's give Mike some credit for getting it right.
West Ham face a difficult first away game of the season when they head to
Swansea on Saturday. Swansea played some wonderful football last season and
appear to have hit the ground running under new boss Michael Laudrup with
their 5-0 win at QPR. I'd like to see us squeeze up as a team and put
pressure on Swansea rather than sitting back – and then hopefully they'll
come home with a result. There's been a lot of talk about West Ham's style
of football under manager Sam Allardyce. But in the situation we are at the
moment, we need to get the result first.
Would West Ham fans have preferred to see us play dazzling football against
Villa and lose 5-4 or be solid and win 1-0? To be fair to Sam, I thought we
did play some good stuff last season – and I'm sure we will this term.
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Revealed: Kenny's cruel phone rant mocking fellow keeper Green over QPR
defeat
By NEIL ASHTON
PUBLISHED: 22:56, 23 August 2012 | UPDATED: 00:30, 24 August 2012
Daily Mail
Sportsmail can reveal goalkeeper Paddy Kenny's amazing voicemail rant to a
member of QPR's coaching staff, attacking the decision to replace him with
Robert Green. The message was left on Sunday at 1.30am. It mocks former
England keeper Green's performance during the 5-0 opening day home defeat
by Swansea.
In the message, Kenny, who appears to have been celebrating Leeds's victory
over Wolves on Saturday lunchtime, says: 'It's Rob Green's agent here, I
just wondered, er, how you got on today. I didn't really see the f******
score but I heard it didn't go too well. 'But, never mind, Robbo's a good
keeper. Don't you worry about that, he's a good keeper.' Kenny then hung up.
The content of the voicemail was disclosed to Sportsmail by a QPR source. It
has been obtained with the full consent and knowledge of the club official
concerned and was one of a number of abusive messages left by the Leeds
keeper that night. He bombarded Rangers owner Tony Fernandes and another
member of QPR's coaching staff with text messages and voicemails.
The member of Mark Hughes' technical team was out of the country at the time
and had his alarm set for 4am in order to catch a flight back to London. He
was disturbed on Saturday evening by a number of phone calls and text
messages poking fun at the decision to replace him with the former England
No 1. Green, his country's first-choice keeper for the opening game of the
2010 World Cup against the USA, had a difficult Rangers debut. The former
West Ham man failed to stop Swansea striker Michu's speculative 25-yard
effort in the eighth minute and conceded another four goals.
Kenny clearly enjoyed the moment after linking up with Warnock at Elland
Road in the summer for £900,000. QPR lodged a formal complaint with Leeds in
an email sent to Elland Road on Sunday and want the FA to step in. Kenny was
asked for his version of events at the training ground on Monday and has
denied any wrongdoing. Leeds chief Warnock, preparing for Saturday's
Championship clash against Peterborough, refused to comment. The former
Rangers manager, sacked last season after winning promotion to the Premier
League, is conducting his own investigation. Green is known to be furious
about another keeper making fun of him.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Kevin Nolan is looking to build on the Hammers' fine away form last season
23.08.2012
Welcome back everyone for the new season - it's great to be back in the
Barclays Premier League. Since we all returned for pre-season we have been
waiting for the first game, like I am sure all of you were, and it was great
to get the new campaign off to a winning start. First of all, I would just
like to say a big thank-you for the magnificent support that greeted us as
we walked out on to the pitch at home to Aston Villa. There was a fantastic
buzz around the stadium and all of you our fans were in great voice again.
It took me back to the Play-Off final with the noise you were all making and
it was absolutely brilliant for us to get the win and for me to be able to
pop up with the goal. The packed house we had and the atmosphere you all
made meant it was even more special. A win breeds confidence and there have
been smiles on the faces around the training ground this week. We have to
take that and the work we have been doing this week into the game at Swansea
this weekend.
It will be a tough game, they also had a fantastic result of their own on
the first day and deservedly so, so we under no illusions about what we are
facing. But if we can get on top of them and give a 110 per cent, we will
certainly be giving it a go. This season will be all about giving everything
for you all, playing good football along the way and I think you saw both of
those things against Aston Villa on Saturday. We will be working hard and
pushing each other. As we all know, it will be tough at times. No games in
this league are going to be easy - away games especially - so your support
will be a big factor for us again this year and we don't take it for
granted. I'd like to say a big thanks to all of you travelling to see us at
Swansea and if anyone else fancies coming I've heard there are still a few
tickets left.
I would like to welcome the new lads who have joined us this season so far
and I thought they were brilliant on Saturday. If Ginge keeps to that level
of performance throughout the season he will be top notch for us. Mo Maiga
came on was very close to marking his debut with a goal, but I am sure he's
going to pop up with some lovely goals for us this season.
Momo Diame has been doing what you saw him doing on Saturday for Wigan for
years. His work rate is boss, he is good on the ball and he has great
awareness. It was nice to have him and Nobes beside me helping me out! The
new lads seemed to have settled in well. Something I have always believed in
massively is to have good spirit and togetherness in the dressing room,
especially if you want to go far, and I think we gained from that last year.
It gives the new boys a sense of security early on and they can just
concentrate on their football. We are a family here and we make sure we
stick together when there are rough patches, but by sticking together we
will have more good times than bad. The gaffer and the club are still
working hard to bring some more new lads in to strengthen us and so that
will be good for us as we go forward.
With the injury I picked up in pre-season, I have not been training fully
and have mostly been in the gym and getting my fitness up for the past three
weeks. To have got 70 minutes under my belt against Villa was great and full
marks go to our backroom staff of Andy Rolls, Eamon Swift, Monte Colombo,
Taka Yamamoto and Will Storey. I don't think I could have done it without
them and the care and that they gave me was fantastic. We are a Premier
League club again and it feels good pulling on the shirt with the Premier
League patches on and playing the other clubs in this league. What we have
to try and do this year is prove we should be here and remain in this
league, I feel we can do that and then look to keep going for the future and
have the club where we want it to be in this league.
Off the pitch, there has been some house-moving this summer for the Nolan
family. I have my wife and children down here with me now, so it is really
nice and great to have them with me again. We are looking forward to
enjoying our life here. It has been a good week of training and we will take
this hard work into our game at Swansea and then into the Capital One Cup
game on Tuesday against Crewe Alexandra. It's been a busy week and one which
is not easy, but with hard work and effort, hopefully we can do the
business.
Come on you Irons!
Kevin Nolan
Captain
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Fulham now Kids for a Quid!
WHUFC.com
The 1 September home match with Fulham is now Kids for a Quid!
22.08.2012
West Ham United's next home Barclays Premier League match with Fulham on
Saturday 1 September has been designated Kids for a Quid. The superb offer
from the Board as part of their 'affordable football for all' campaign means
any number of Under-16s pay just £1 when accompanied by a full paying adult.
That means any attending adult can buy multiple Under-16 tickets for £1 and
it is not limited to one child per adult. Please note that Under-16s are not
permitted to attend unaccompanied by an adult.
Adult tickets start at just £36 for Academy Members and £39 for non-Academy
Members. And if the ticket price was not enough of a draw, a packed Boleyn
Ground can expect a thrilling contest with both sides getting off to winning
starts in the opening weekend. West Ham United were worthy 1-0 winners
against Aston Villa on Saturday thanks to Kevin Nolan's close-range stike,
while Fulham put five goals past Norwich City.
If recent form is anything to go by then it could be a good afternoon for
Big Sam's side. They are unbeaten in six at home to the Cottagers and have
lost just once in the last 12 meetings between the two clubs. There could
also be a new signing or two on display so make sure you secure seat today
to avoid missing out
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Academy Ace - Gines Guzman Rosique
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's new young Spanish goalkeeper is hoping to achieve big
things
23.08.2012
Having finally secured his dream move to England, new Under-18s goalkeeper
Gines Guzman Rosique is hoping to achieve big things in the footballing
world.
Born in the Spanish city of Murcia, Guzman Rosique has been seeking a move
to England for more than a year and, after complications involving a
possible switch to Peterbrough United, he joined West Ham United earlier
this summer. Still only 17, he is now setting his sights on climbing the
goalkeeping ladder with the Hammers. "I started playing five-a-side with my
local team Ranero FC and after we won the cup I was scouted and moved to
seven-a-side," said Guzman, who learned English while studying alongside
expatriate youngsters at school. "From there I moved up to eleven-a-side and
played for another local team called Baniajan FC until two or three years
ago. "I appeared in the Peterborough squad last year and they offered me a
contract but one of my old teams couldn't agree compensation and it all
stopped. "My father told me 'One door closes and another opens', and after
returning to Spain for a year here I am."
While Spain has a fantastic reputation for producing young talent, Guzman
Rosique explained that he feels he has a greater chance of progressing in
England.
"People always talk about how clubs like Barcelona bring through world-class
talent but in reality it is not that simple. "Teams in Spain have ten youth
teams and ten reserve teams, so the chances of you getting through are
impossible, but here it is one youth, one reserve then the first team."
While he has left his homeland to pursue his dream, the teenager still looks
back to Spain for inspiration - most notably from Barcelona stopper Valdes.
"My dream would be to receive a professional contract, and I would love that
to be here at West Ham. Then I ultimately hope to return to Spain and play
for one of the big teams in La Liga. "I want to start here, build my
experience, develop and then in the future we will see. "Victor Valdes
provides great inspiration for me. The way he moves, reacts, and the way he
plays with the ball at his feet are something I really feel I can learn
from."
While he recognises Valdes' strengths, Guzman Rosique is not so keen to
discuss his own abilities. "I am very quick, but it's hard to say what I
like about myself and I would rather let others watch me and make up their
own minds. "I want to improve everything. I feel my main quality is that I
want to learn and will work hard to do so. It is a different game over here
- more physical - so I need to make sure I adapt. "Not many people back in
Spain have the opportunity I have and even though my parents were worried
and wanted me to study, they understood this was an opportunity I couldn't
turn down."
Having been brave enough to move to England, everyone at the club is backing
Guzman Rosique to make the most of his opportunity.
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Swansea v West Ham
BBC.co.uk
KO 12:45
23 August 2012
By Dan O'Hagan
MOTD commentator
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: Liberty Stadium Date: Saturday, 25 August
New Swansea signing Kyle Bartley was not considered for selection last
weekend, but may make his debut against West Ham. He could replace injury
doubt Chico Flores, who will have a late fitness test.
West Ham are set to be without Jack Collison, who missed the start of the
season because of a knee injury. Summer signings Alou Diarra and Modibo
Maiga lack match fitness and may again have to settle for places on the
bench.
MATCH PREVIEW
I'm a massive fan of clubs making left-field, innovative managerial
appointments. It would have been very easy for Swansea to replace Brendan
Rodgers with a predictable name from the perennial list of jobbing Premier
League managers. That they didn't shows a maverick bravery which has thus
far been rewarded in both Michael Laudrup's transfer market nous and, of
course, last weekend's bolt-from-the-blue thumping of QPR. It was the club's
record top-flight win, home or away.
Swansea's summer signings
Michu (Rayo Vallecano)
Chico Flores (Genoa)
Jonathan de Guzman (Villarreal)
Itay Shechter (Kaiserslautern)
Kyle Bartley (Arsenal)
Scott Tancock (Cardiff)
Jamie Proctor (Preston)
The quality Swansea have added is impressive. Michu grabbed the headlines,
but Jonathan de Guzman should prove an excellent driving force in midfield,
alongside the imminent addition of Ki Sung-Yueng. It's a measure of how far
the club has come in just two years that the potential departure of Scott
Sinclair to Manchester City would cause neither significant disruption nor
weakening.
In preparing for a commentary I hand-write both squads side-by-side on a
sheet of A4. Swansea's list is markedly longer than West Ham's - and that's
with a number of junior players too. West Ham's lack of bodies might not be
a problem in August, but the race is on to add depth for battles further
down the line.
Matt Jarvis will do for starters. I've watched him develop from his
beginnings at Gillingham into a full international at Wolves. If that deal
is completed the Hammers will have bought wisely, even if the Molineux
bosses quite rightly drove a hard bargain.
A home game with a transitional Aston Villa was probably the perfect opener
for West Ham. Newly-promoted sides need to get points on the board early -
remember the seasons Norwich (2004-05), Sunderland (2005-06) and Derby
(2007-08) suffered after slow starts?
Like Swansea, West Ham won on the opening day, and are also still in the
process of strengthening by signing Matt Jarvis from Wolves. The Hammers are
difficult to play against and difficult to beat. The win against Villa
continues last year's momentum, and perhaps lifts the pressure for the trip
to the Liberty Stadium, with their points tally already in credit. And
speaking of points, I love a good stat, and my interest was piqued by this
one, which is that Sam Allardyce is just a single point away from 1,000 of
them as a manager. Given Swansea's blistering start at Loftus Road, I'm sure
the Hammers would happily take that single point back along the M4 with them
come the end of Saturday's encounter, while the Swans will fancy themselves
in Laudrup's first competitive home match.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
It is 32 years since Swansea's last league win against West Ham, a 2-1
victory in Division Two on 29 March 1980.
The Hammers are unbeaten in their last six league games against the Swans, a
run which includes all four previous top-flight encounters.
The last competitive meeting came in an FA Cup third-round replay in January
1999. Swansea (then playing in the fourth tier of English football) beat
Premier League West Ham 1-0 through a Martin Thomas goal.
This fixture has not produced a goalless draw since 1937.
Swansea
According to Opta, the Swans scored with five of their six shots on target
against QPR.
Last season it took the Welsh side until October to score five Premier
League goals.
The 5-0 victory at Loftus Road was the Swans' biggest win in the top flight.
West Ham
Sam Allardyce's men have won their last six competitive games (including
last season's play-offs), and are unbeaten in 10. Their last defeat was a
4-2 home loss by Reading on 31 March.
The Hammers won more away games (13) than home games (11) in last season's
Championship.
They have lost their last four Premier League away matches. Their most
recent away win in the top flight was a 3-1 victory at Blackpool on 2
February 2011.
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Allardyce still keen on Carroll
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 23rd August 2012
By: Staff Writer
Sam Allardyce has revealed that he is still hopeful of doing a deal with
Liverpool for Andy Carroll. The Hammers broke their transfer record earlier
today when agreeing to pay £7.5million + add-ons to Wolves for the services
of winger Matt Jarvis - a deal expected to be confirmed by the club tomorrow
(Friday) morning.
However they could yet eclipse that should Liverpool manager Brendean
Rodgers agree to allow the 23-year-old striker to leave Anfield - despite
having admitted earlier in the week that he would be 'crazy' to do so.
Allardyce, who has been chasing the England international all summer
appeared to have given up the ghost at the end of July after Carroll
rejected the chance to move south to London, despite Liverpool having
accepted West Ham's £2million season-long loan offer.
However having bagged the 26-year-old Jarvis, he insisted tonight that all
may not be quite as done and dusted as previously thought. "Many things in
the final week of the transfer window emerge and should it be the case that
we would be able to do something then I think it would probably only be a
loan," he told a TV sports channel. "My problem is there may not be funds
available for Andy now. But If Andy became available or anybody became
available and they wanted to join West Ham, I would ask the owners. At the
moment that is not the case and we just have to wait and see if and when
that situation arises. We would see if we could pursue it and clinch it, but
if we only finish with Matt and nobody else I would be happy with the squad
I've got. "While it is not quite as big as I'd like it to be, I think it
has got a lot of quality. What isn't there is a proven Premier League
goalscorer, apart from Carlton Cole who can get 10 or 11 goals a season."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Jarvis close to Hammers move
Wolves winger set to complete Premier League return
Last Updated: August 24, 2012 12:03am
Sam Allardyce has described Matt Jarvis as one of the best creative players
in the Premier League after confirming the winger is undergoing a medical
with West Ham. Allardyce made Jarvis his top transfer target this summer
after impressing with Wolves last season, despite their relegation from the
top flight. And Allardyce's pursuit has paid off as the West Ham boss has
confirmed that Jarvis, who earned an England cap last year, is having a
medical at Upton Park as revealed by Sky Sports. The deal could be completed
on Thursday evening and would make Jarvis the most expensive signing in the
Hammers ' history at a reported £10.75million. But Allardyce is confident
the 26-year-old will provide the cutting edge West Ham need to re-establish
themselves in the top flight following promotion last term. "From my point
of view it is a big piece of business," he said. "I think a quality young
man who has got a lot of qualities that will add to the team we have already
got. "When you are trying to create in the Premier League and score goals,
he is one of those players who can certainly give defences a really hard
time and that is what we are hoping he can do for us."
Should Jarvis be registered in time then Allardyce has no qualms about
throwing him straight into his starting line-up for Saturday's trip to
Swansea. "This is not a player that is coming in from abroad or coming from
a foreign club," he said. "He had a full pre-season at Wolves, he played on
Tuesday night for Wolves and I watched him play against Leeds sat in my
office waiting for our first game last week, and was obviously thoroughly
impressed with him again. "He has been a huge success at Wolverhampton
Wanderers since his move from Gillingham and we hope he will be as big a
success for us as he was for them. He is fit, he is eager and he is ready to
go."
Backing
The fee is set to eclipse the £9m West Ham paid for Savio Nsereko in January
2009 and although Allardyce was reluctant to name the exact figure, he
praised the club's owners for their support. "All I know is it is me asking
the co-chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold to try and secure this player
- to make sure that if we can do it financially, let's do it," he said.
"They have done that and we are extremely pleased to sign what we consider
to be a high-quality player for our team."
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Hammers not giving up on Carroll
But Hammers boss doubts he has the funds to sign striker
Last Updated: August 23, 2012 11:47pm
SSN
West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce has not ended his interest in
Liverpool striker Andy Carroll but fears he would not have the money for a
permanent deal.
The Hammers have throughout the summer been linked with the England
international, who missed his club's Europa League win over Hearts on
Thursday due to a hamstring injury. It is thought Carroll does not feature
in the future plans of Brendan Rodgers but the Anfield manager is adamant he
would not loan the £35million to any other club. Liverpool are also
determined to recoup as much as possible of the record-breaking fee they
paid Newcastle United just over 18 months ago, while Carroll is understood
to only be interested in joining a club who play in Europe. And with
Allardyce on the brink of spending a reported £10.75m on Matt Jarvis, the
West Ham boss does not think he would be able to afford anything other than
a loan. But he does remain hopeful, as he said: "Many things in the final
week of the transfer window emerge and should it be the case that we would
be able to do something then I think it would probably only be a loan.
Quality
"We would see if we could pursue it and clinch it, but if we only finish
with Matt and nobody else I would be happy with the squad I've got. "While
it is not quite as big as I'd like it to be, I think it has got a lot of
quality. "My problem is there may not be funds available for Andy now. "If
Andy became available or anybody became available and they wanted to join
West Ham, I would ask the owners. At the moment that is not the case and we
just have to wait and see if and when that situation arises."
The former Newcastle boss added: "If we play Carlton Cole, Nicky Maynard,
Ricardo Vaz Te,(Modibo) Maiga - they are all players that play in the front
three wide positions. "What isn't there is a proven Premier League
goalscorer, apart from Carlton Cole who can get 10 or 11 goals a season.
"Nicky, Ricardo and Maiga are not proven so you hope it will be all right,
but you cannot tell until you get eight or 10 games in."
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West Ham Sign Matt Jarvis!
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
News reports this morning have confirmed that Wolves have accepted West
Ham's latest offer of £7m, plus £3m of appearance related payments, for the
services of winger Matt Jarvis. The player has supposedly had a medical and
could be available for selection for Saturday's match at Swansea.
If true, it is the end of a long running saga, which has seen Wolves reject
three previous West Ham offers for Jarvis. It's a ambitious move for an
English winger of great ability, with even further potential for
development. Also, encouragingly, from reports, it would appear that Matt
Jarvis actually wants to play for West Ham, which is always a positive! This
would be a important addition to the squad that provides pace and excellent
delivery of the final ball from the left flank. Hopefully, the player will
also be able to work on his finishing at West Ham and score his quota of
goals per season. Some will no doubt express reservations about the eventual
£10m fee, but quality costs and Jarvis would definitely add that to the
squad in my book, in a position where we have had a lack for some
considerable time. So, once officially confirmed, we can only say well done
to the board for committing the resources to land a very good player.
The question now, is what will happen with the potential deal for Boukari
from Rennes and Drenthe's Bosman move from Real Madrid. Will the club sign
both players to give us added strength in depth on the flanks? If so, it
seems that wingers are like London buses at West Ham, none for ages and then
three come along together! It could happen if the club can secure both
players on the right terms. Drenthe can cover for Jarvis on the left flank
and can also play at left-back, while Boukaris is right sided and offers
balance. We shall have to see what happens on those deals.
Elsewhere, Sam Allardyce will want to complete the summer's main transfer
business with the acquisition of another striker and a centre-back. Today's
Daily Star suggests that West Ham might make a move for WBA's Peter
Odemwingie. Not too sure whether that one is a runner? Have the club given
up on acquiring the impressive young Senegalese centre forward, Konate and
is the Carroll loan deal absolutely dead? How about a cheeky move for
Dempsey from Fulham or Sturridge from Chelski? At centre-back, West Ham are
said to be interested in Marseille's Stephane Mbia, who is one of a number
of stars currently available from the financially squeezed French club.
Could he join former team mate, Alou Diarra, at West Ham? Mbia was said to
be in London earlier this week, but all has gone quiet on that front. The
other possible London destination for Mbia was said to be QPR, but they
appear to have since secured other central defensive targets, so we need to
keep an eye on that potential deal. Another possible deal recently mooted,
is the acquisition of free agent Tal Ben Haim after his release from
Portsmouth. Ben Haim is a Bolton 'old boy' and has the added attraction of
being able to play right across the back line if needed. Personally, I am
not sure whether this is a deal that we should pursue.
Finally, it will also be intriguing to see if we bring in any loan signings
at the last knockings of the transfer window, to for instance, provide extra
options at right-back. Although Allardyce has expressed satisfaction with
his current options at full-back, so who knows? Anyway, it should be an
interesting run in to the closure of the transfer window on 31 August 2012.
Sam Allardyce has slowly secured his targets and another good result at
Swansea, plus the new additions arriving should set us up for a good season.
Least ways, lets hope so!
SJ. Chandos.
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Sam: I've a gem in Jarvis
By VIC HOLLY
Last Updated: 24th August 2012
The Sun
SAM ALLARDYCE hailed record signing Matt Jarvis and admitted: "It's a new
dimension for us." The Hammers boss paid a club record £10.75million to
Wolves for the winger. And Allardyce said: "It's a new dimension for us
because this is a player of dribbling skills, pace and trickery. "He's a
player that not only provides chances but also relieves pressure off your
defence. "When he takes the ball he will keep hold of it and can take it
from one end of the field to the other and then produce a cross." Allardyce
was so keen on the England player he made FOUR bids before finally getting
his man. And he even watched Jarvis play for Wolves on a TV in his office
only hours before West Ham took on Aston Villa last Saturday. Allardyce also
hinted that another approach could be made to Liverpool for Andy Carroll. He
said: "If Andy became available or anybody became available and they wanted
to join West Ham I would ask the owners." Hammers' John Carew, who scored
just twice in 19 games, is set to rejoin Norwegian club Valerenga.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
League of his own: Jarvis could be the Prem's No.1 winger beams Big Sam
The Mirror
Sam Allardyce believes he has bagged one of the best wingers in the Premier
League after securing Wolves' Matt Jarvis in a club-record £10.75million
deal.
West Ham boss Allardyce finally got his man after seeing two bids turned
down for the England winger during the summer. And there could be even more
big names to arrive at Upton Park after Allardyce refused to rule out
another loan move for Liverpool forward Andy Carroll before the transfer
window closes at the end of August. Allardyce has nothing but praise for the
way his co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan kept backing him in pushing
through a deal to secure the signing of Jarvis after it seemed a move had
fallen through last week. The 26-year-old had the best record for crossing a
ball in the Premier League last season and Allardyce believes that will be
crucial as his side look to push for a top half finish. Allardyce said:
"From my point of view, it is a big piece of business. He has got a lot of
qualities that will add to the team we have already got. "Certainly from an
attacking sense this is one of the best final-third crossers in the Premier
League. His stats are extremely good and he delivers in the business end of
the field. "When you are trying to create in the Premier League and score
goals he is one of those players who can certainly give defences a really
hard time and that is what we are hoping he can do for us. "I watched him
play against Leeds in my office waiting for our first game last week and was
obviously thoroughly impressed with him again. "It's a new dimension for us
because this is a player of dribbling skills, pace, trickery. A player that
not only provides chances but also relieves pressure off your defence. "He
will go up the pitch and take the opposition back into their own box and
that's a critical part of being successful in this league, a player of his
calibre and capabilities and it's something we don't have at this moment in
time.
"We've paid really good money for Matt but it's thanks to David Gold and
David Sullivan for doing it and he gives us something that we haven't got
already and you have to pay for that. "You have to pay for the quality that
you need in the Premier League and I believe that he has the quality."
Allardyce may have spent a large part of his transfer kitty to secure the
signing of Jarvis, but he is still keeping his options open - and will not
rule out making another move to sign Carroll from Liverpool. With Liverpool
wanting to take Clint Dempsey from Fulham, Carroll's days look to be
numbered at Anfield. Reds manager Brendan Rodgers has been extremely
dismissive of the possibility of Carroll returning to former club Newcastle,
but he could still opt for a move to Upton Park. The West Ham boss would
love the chance to team Jarvis up with Carroll and is preparing himself for
a crazy final week in the transfer window.
Allardyce added: "If Andy became available, or anybody became available and
they wanted to join West Ham, I would ask the owners what the financial
position would be and see if we could move forward if that is the case. "If
we play Carlton Cole, Nicky Maynard, Ricardo Vaz Te, Modibo Maiga - they are
all players that play in the front three wide positions. "What isn't there
is a proven Premier League goal-scorer, apart from Carlton, who can get 10
or 11 goals a season. "Many things in the final week of the transfer window
emerge and if that be the case that we would be able to do something then I
think it would probably only be a loan."
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Tony Cottee Column: West Ham can finish in the top 10
Tony Cottee , London24 West Ham Columnist
Thursday, August 23, 2012
11:24 PM
James Collins said that West Ham can realistically chase a top-10 finish in
their first campaign back in the Premier League – and I make him right. I
know some people will think we're getting carried away after just a one-goal
victory against Aston Villa on Saturday. But let's be realistic – James
didn't say the Hammers were going to challenge for a European place, simply
a top-half place and that includes eighth, ninth and tenth positions, which
I think are attainable. Outside the top seven teams, there are plenty of
clubs that can talk about getting into the top half of the table and West
Ham are one of them. James is quite right to say that is what we should be
aiming for and I'd much rather hear that than that they would be happy just
to avoid relegation. The Hammers finished ninth under Alan Pardew in 2006
after getting promoted via the play-offs, so I certainly wouldn't say it was
an impossible task. Collins performed so well against Villa on his second
debut for the club that it was as if he'd never been away. To be honest, I
don't think he should have left West Ham in the first place. Finances
dictated that he had to go in 2009, but I was disappointed because we
struggled to replace him. I'm delighted that James has returned to the club
because he's a good central defender and a great lad. Hopefully we can get
James Tomkins in the team as well and the pair of them can develop a really
good partnership together.
I've got to say that I think the win against Villa was a fantastic result.
It wasn't necessarily the most exciting game in the world but it was so
important for the team to get a first win under their belts. You don't want
to be in a situation whereby you've played three, four or five games and
still looking for victory. It puts everybody under so much pressure, whereas
a first-day win serves as a massive confidence booster. Villa didn't have a
good time last season but it was always going to be a very difficult match
for us. People might say it was a good time to play them because it was Paul
Lambert's first game as Villa boss, but I think that only made it tougher
for West Ham.
If anything, players are trying even harder to impress their new manager, so
I don't think that helped West Ham at all. Obviously, Villa's players
weren't happy to see Kevin Nolan's goal stand after the linesman raised his
flag for offside, but the referee was spot on in giving it. Mike Dean can be
appear a bit over-officious at times, but I like him and think he's one of
the better referees in the Premier League. He was very certain about the
Villa defender heading the ball on and quickly made it clear what had
happened. I think many refs would have simply trusted the linesman's word,
so let's give Mike some credit for getting it right.
West Ham face a difficult first away game of the season when they head to
Swansea on Saturday. Swansea played some wonderful football last season and
appear to have hit the ground running under new boss Michael Laudrup with
their 5-0 win at QPR. I'd like to see us squeeze up as a team and put
pressure on Swansea rather than sitting back – and then hopefully they'll
come home with a result. There's been a lot of talk about West Ham's style
of football under manager Sam Allardyce. But in the situation we are at the
moment, we need to get the result first.
Would West Ham fans have preferred to see us play dazzling football against
Villa and lose 5-4 or be solid and win 1-0? To be fair to Sam, I thought we
did play some good stuff last season – and I'm sure we will this term.
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Revealed: Kenny's cruel phone rant mocking fellow keeper Green over QPR
defeat
By NEIL ASHTON
PUBLISHED: 22:56, 23 August 2012 | UPDATED: 00:30, 24 August 2012
Daily Mail
Sportsmail can reveal goalkeeper Paddy Kenny's amazing voicemail rant to a
member of QPR's coaching staff, attacking the decision to replace him with
Robert Green. The message was left on Sunday at 1.30am. It mocks former
England keeper Green's performance during the 5-0 opening day home defeat
by Swansea.
In the message, Kenny, who appears to have been celebrating Leeds's victory
over Wolves on Saturday lunchtime, says: 'It's Rob Green's agent here, I
just wondered, er, how you got on today. I didn't really see the f******
score but I heard it didn't go too well. 'But, never mind, Robbo's a good
keeper. Don't you worry about that, he's a good keeper.' Kenny then hung up.
The content of the voicemail was disclosed to Sportsmail by a QPR source. It
has been obtained with the full consent and knowledge of the club official
concerned and was one of a number of abusive messages left by the Leeds
keeper that night. He bombarded Rangers owner Tony Fernandes and another
member of QPR's coaching staff with text messages and voicemails.
The member of Mark Hughes' technical team was out of the country at the time
and had his alarm set for 4am in order to catch a flight back to London. He
was disturbed on Saturday evening by a number of phone calls and text
messages poking fun at the decision to replace him with the former England
No 1. Green, his country's first-choice keeper for the opening game of the
2010 World Cup against the USA, had a difficult Rangers debut. The former
West Ham man failed to stop Swansea striker Michu's speculative 25-yard
effort in the eighth minute and conceded another four goals.
Kenny clearly enjoyed the moment after linking up with Warnock at Elland
Road in the summer for £900,000. QPR lodged a formal complaint with Leeds in
an email sent to Elland Road on Sunday and want the FA to step in. Kenny was
asked for his version of events at the training ground on Monday and has
denied any wrongdoing. Leeds chief Warnock, preparing for Saturday's
Championship clash against Peterborough, refused to comment. The former
Rangers manager, sacked last season after winning promotion to the Premier
League, is conducting his own investigation. Green is known to be furious
about another keeper making fun of him.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Thursday, August 23
Daily WHUFC News - Jarvis KUMB
Jarvis is a Hammer
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 23rd August 2012
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United have completed the transfer of Matt Jarvis from
Wolverhampton Wanderers. The 26-year-old winger, for whom a bid just shy of
£11million was accepted by the Championship club late last night becomes Sam
Allardyce's ninth signing of the summer. Having completed a medical and
agreed personal terms, the once-capped England winger put pen to paper this
afternoon and should now be available for this weekend's trip to Swansea.
26-year-old Jarvis, who started his career at Millwall before being released
has spent the last five years at Molineux and was part of the Wolves squad
relegated from the Premier League last season. Wanderers paid Gillingham
£600,000 for Jarvis back in the summer of 2007; ironically he made his
Premier League debut against the Hammers back in 2009 following Wolves'
promotion to the top flight. Thus far he has made one appearance for
England, coming on as a substitute against Ghana in a 2011 friendly.
The news is expected to be confirmed by the club shortly.
Sam's summer signings: the story so far
May
21st: Stephen Henderson (Portsmouth, nominal fee)
June
14th: Jussi Jaaskelainen (Bolton, nominal fee)
20th: Momo Diame (Wigan, free transfer)
July
1st: George McCartney (Sunderland, nominal fee)
18th: Modibo Maiga (Sochaux, £4.5million)
23rd: Raphael Spiegler (Grasshoppers, nominal fee)
August
1st: James Collins (Aston Villa, £2million)
10th: Alou Diarra (Marseille, £2million)
23rd: Matt Jarvis (Wolves, £10.75million)
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 23rd August 2012
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United have completed the transfer of Matt Jarvis from
Wolverhampton Wanderers. The 26-year-old winger, for whom a bid just shy of
£11million was accepted by the Championship club late last night becomes Sam
Allardyce's ninth signing of the summer. Having completed a medical and
agreed personal terms, the once-capped England winger put pen to paper this
afternoon and should now be available for this weekend's trip to Swansea.
26-year-old Jarvis, who started his career at Millwall before being released
has spent the last five years at Molineux and was part of the Wolves squad
relegated from the Premier League last season. Wanderers paid Gillingham
£600,000 for Jarvis back in the summer of 2007; ironically he made his
Premier League debut against the Hammers back in 2009 following Wolves'
promotion to the top flight. Thus far he has made one appearance for
England, coming on as a substitute against Ghana in a 2011 friendly.
The news is expected to be confirmed by the club shortly.
Sam's summer signings: the story so far
May
21st: Stephen Henderson (Portsmouth, nominal fee)
June
14th: Jussi Jaaskelainen (Bolton, nominal fee)
20th: Momo Diame (Wigan, free transfer)
July
1st: George McCartney (Sunderland, nominal fee)
18th: Modibo Maiga (Sochaux, £4.5million)
23rd: Raphael Spiegler (Grasshoppers, nominal fee)
August
1st: James Collins (Aston Villa, £2million)
10th: Alou Diarra (Marseille, £2million)
23rd: Matt Jarvis (Wolves, £10.75million)
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Daily WHUFC News - Jarvis
West Ham agree £10.75m deal for Wolves winger Matt Jarvis
By Ben Smith
BBC Sport
West Ham have agreed a deal worth a potential £10.75m for Wolverhampton
Wanderers winger Matt Jarvis. The fee was settled between the clubs late on
Wednesday night and the 26-year-old England international will now travel to
London to discuss personal terms ahead of a proposed medical. West Ham' will
pay £7.5m up front with add-ons taking the deal beyond £10m. Sunderland are
also understood to be interested in Jarvis, but have yet to make an official
bid for the player.
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has been tracking Jarvis, 26, all summer and
is now hopeful of completing a deal before Saturday's trip to Swansea City.
Jarvis, who has made one international appearance for England, played for
Wolves in Tuesday's 3-1 win over Barnsley, after which manager Stale
Solbakken gave his thoughts on the player's future. "It's on the top
political level now because every player has a valuation and if that
valuation is matched I'm in the discussion," said the Norwegian, who is
attempting to guide Wolves back to the Premier League following their
relegation last season. "It's not my money so someone will make a final
decision. I don't know if the two clubs are still talking. I've had my say
and the final call will be taken. We do it together and we'll do the best
for Wolverhampton."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
By Ben Smith
BBC Sport
West Ham have agreed a deal worth a potential £10.75m for Wolverhampton
Wanderers winger Matt Jarvis. The fee was settled between the clubs late on
Wednesday night and the 26-year-old England international will now travel to
London to discuss personal terms ahead of a proposed medical. West Ham' will
pay £7.5m up front with add-ons taking the deal beyond £10m. Sunderland are
also understood to be interested in Jarvis, but have yet to make an official
bid for the player.
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has been tracking Jarvis, 26, all summer and
is now hopeful of completing a deal before Saturday's trip to Swansea City.
Jarvis, who has made one international appearance for England, played for
Wolves in Tuesday's 3-1 win over Barnsley, after which manager Stale
Solbakken gave his thoughts on the player's future. "It's on the top
political level now because every player has a valuation and if that
valuation is matched I'm in the discussion," said the Norwegian, who is
attempting to guide Wolves back to the Premier League following their
relegation last season. "It's not my money so someone will make a final
decision. I don't know if the two clubs are still talking. I've had my say
and the final call will be taken. We do it together and we'll do the best
for Wolverhampton."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Daily WHUFC News - 23rd August 2012
Motty voices cause for optimism
WHUFC.com
John Motson is expecting West Ham United to make an impression on the
Premier League this season
22.08.2012
Legendary commentator John Motson believes West Ham United are well equipped
for Barclays Premier League survival and has predicted a bright future for
the club. Motty, who attended Saturday's opening-day win over Aston Villa,
is confident that with the signings made and the experience of Big Sam, the
Hammers will impress this season. Consolidation is always the primary aim
for every newly promoted club, but Motty feels that a club of West Ham
United's stature should aim higher on their return to the top tier. "I think
when you come up now consolidation is the main aim." Motson told West Ham
TV. "That said the three clubs proved it last season that it is possible to
come up and do better. Swansea and Norwich did very well, although QPR were
run fairly close. "I think if you asked most West Ham United supporters they
would say they belong in the Premier League, but they would also agree that
they have to prove that this season but hopefully finishing in a comfortable
position."
Motty also spoke of his excitement ahead of every new season and revealed he
simply cannot wait to see what the Hammers' new players have to offer over
the course of the campaign. "I always look forward to seeing the new
players. The club have re-signed James Collins and George McCartney, the two
old favourites, who are just two of the new faces Sam has brought in. "I
think it will help, it is always good to see fresh faces and I particularly
think Mohamed Diame is an excellent signing. "And the two lads from France
might not be instant starters but they will have a big role to play during
the season, fans expect a certain brand of football and with these players
on offer they will get to see a lot of skill this year."
In a bumper year for sport one could hardly complain if Motty rewarded
himself with a few days off, but the voice of football revealed he was
delighted to be back.
"I am very excited to be back, and we have of course kicked off the season
in the shadow of the magnificent Olympic Stadium. "I think it is very
fitting that I started here."
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Potts and Turgott called up
WHUFC.com
Danny Potts and Blair Turgott have been called up to the England Under-19
squad
22.08.2012
Danny Potts and Blair Turgott have both been named in the England Under-19
squad for the first time as Head Coach Noel Blake assembles his side for a
friendly with Germany next month. Both Academy graduates have enjoyed a
productive pre-season and featured regularly for the Hammers first-team on
the pre-season tours of Austria and Germany. The duo are likely to be key
players for Ian Hendon's Under-21 side this season, although Potts was named
on the bench for Saturday's first-team game with Aston Villa. Potts has
played once for England already, when he featured in a victory against
Poland at Under-18 level back in March. Turgott has been something more of a
regular on the international scene for the Three Lions, playing a total of
23 times at Under-16, Under-17 and Under-18 level and scoring seven goals.
The game in Hamburg on Thursday 6 September is likely to provide a tough
test for the Young lions ahead of their first qualifying round for the UEFA
2013 European Championships in October.
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Hendon focused on challenge ahead
WHUFC.com
Development Squad manager Ian Hendon is hoping his side can continue their
winning form on Sunday
22.08.2012
A brilliant start to the season from the Development Squad saw them beat
Reading 3-1, but manager Ian Hendon is already focussed on the challenges
ahead.
This weekend will see Hendon's young side travel to Liverpool where they
will face Everton at their Finch Farm training complex. And Hendon believes
his side simply need to produce more of the same if they are to extend their
winning run. "Now it will be a case of continuing on from what we did
against Reading on Friday, nobody is going to get carried away and we will
keep working hard. "We were back on the training ground on Monday where and
we focused our attentions on what will be another tough game."
Blair Turgott and Paul McCallum were both replaced on Friday night after
playing a pivotal role in the 3-1, with Hendon keen to make sure all of
young stars stay fresh for the long season ahead. "Blair and Paul are both
okay, Blair knew I wanted to get a look at the new boy Abiola Baditou and it
was him who replaced him with, he understands that. "Paul, like a few of the
lads, is still coming back from an injury and after scoring twice and
assisting with another I think he just about earned a rest," joked Hendon.
"All the lads have played well, they are all still fit and they will be
ready for next weekend.
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West Ham offer Wolves £10m for winger Matt Jarvis
By Ben Smith
BBC Sport
West Ham have made a fourth bid, worth a potential £10m, for Wolves winger
Matt Jarvis. The Championship club have turned down three previous bids from
the Hammers, but are considering the latest offer, which would give them £7m
up front. Further add-ons would take the package beyond their £10m asking
price.
Matt Jarvis facts & figures
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has been tracking Jarvis, 26, all summer and
is now hopeful of completing a deal before Saturday's trip to Swansea City.
Jarvis, who has made one international appearance for England, played for
Wolves in Tuesday's 3-1 win over Barnsley, after which manager Stale
Solbakken gave his thoughts on the player's future. "It's on the top
political level now because every player has a valuation and if that
valuation is matched I'm in the discussion," said the Norwegian, who is
attempting to guide Wolves back to the Premier League following their
relegation last season. "It's not my money so someone will make a final
decision. I don't know if the two clubs are still talking. I've had my say
and the final call will be taken. We do it together and we'll do the best
for Wolverhampton."
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Wolves accept Jarvis offer
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 23rd August 2012
By: Staff Writer
Matt Jarvis is on his way to West Ham after Wolves accepted West Ham
United's latest offer for the winger. United, who had already seen two
previous bids turned down have finally got their man after the Championship
club accepted a deal that rates the once-capped England international at
around the £10million mark.
Even though around £3million of that figure is dependent on
appearance-related clauses the sum represents the highest transfer fee paid
by the club in five years.
Jarvis' move to West Ham will earn former club Gillingham - for whom the
26-year-old twice played against the Hammers back in 2004 - around £1million
due to a sell-on clause when they sold him to Wolves. Wanderers paid
Gillingham £600,000 for the left winger's services back in 2007; ironically
he made his Premier League debut against the Hammers two years later
following Wolves' promotion to the top flight. The impending arrival of
Jarvis - who is understood to have had a medical last night - could signal
the end of West Ham's plans to sign Togo winger Razak Boukari on loan from
Rennes for the rest of the season.
The Jarvis saga: how it unfolded
10th August: West Ham's opening bid of £9million is rejected by Wolves
12th August: Jarvis hands a in transfer request
14th August: West Ham make a second, slightly improved offer
20th August: Jarvis deal on ice as Razak Boukari agrees season-long loan
deal
21st August: West Ham make third and final £10million bid to land their
target
22nd August: Wolves accept West Ham's offer
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Gus: no Piquionne deal
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 22nd August 2012
By: Staff Writer
Brighton & Hove Albion manager Gus Poyet has refuted suggestions that he is
set to tie up a deal for West Ham outcast Freddie Piquionne. 33-year-old
Piquionne, who has spent pre-season featuring for the development squad at
luxurious venues such as Grays and Thurrock having been dropped from the
first team picture has been linked with a string of Championship clubs in
recent weeks. Brighton were one of those strongly linked with a move for the
former French international. But Poyet dismissed reports that a deal had
been struck with the Hammers when questioned following last night's goalless
draw against Cardiff City. "I need a striker; I've been asking for the
person that is going to put the ball in the net when you have got the
chance," he said. "But we are not close enough to getting one.
"I keep seeing clubs buying strikers and bringing players from the
Premiership and paying fortunes but we are at another level - that is clear.
We will try to do our best, but quality is expensive. "The loans we want to
bring in are Premiership loans but they are too expensive. I have been in
touch with many clubs but I accept the situation and the budget we've got."
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Wolves weighing up Jarvis bid
Hammers looking to land winger, as Fletcher saga drags on
Last Updated: August 22, 2012 12:01pm
SSN
Sky Sports understands that West Ham have lodged a take-it-or-leave-it
£10million bid for Matt Jarvis, but Wolves are refusing to discuss the
matter. The Hammers have already seen two approaches for the England
international knocked back, but are refusing to give up in their efforts to
lure the winger to Upton Park. They have, however, made it clear that they
will turn their attention elsewhere if their latest offer is rebuffed. It is
believed that the package put to Wolves includes £7m up front and £3m in
add-ons, for a man who has handed in a transfer request. Wolves are
understandably reluctant to let Jarvis leave, with it their intention to
keep their top talents on board for a Championship promotion push.
Busy
They have spent much of the summer fending off interest from Sunderland in
Steven Fletcher, with several bids rejected. It remains to be seen whether
they can hang on to Fletcher and Jarvis, with manager Stale Solbakken aware
that he will need to rebuild if two key men are allowed to move on. "It's
going to be a busy time before September 1," he said in the Express & Star.
"If we lose Fletcher and Jarvis, we have a job to do. "You can't replace
them at this level - if the ideal line-up included Kightly, Fletcher and
Jarvis and it ends up without those three, we need to rebuild it, which can
take time. "I'm sure players will go and come in - maybe even before the
Derby game."
Valuation
Asked if Sunderland had been back in touch regarding Fletcher, Solbakken
said: "If valuations are matched, something can happen. "I don't know if the
clubs are still talking." Solbakken has also sought to play down reports
suggesting Connor Wickham could be included in part of a deal to take
Fletcher to Sunderland. He said: "I've been in no contact whatsoever with
this player. "I want the transfer window closed now - can we do it at 12
o'clock?"
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Wednesday Transfer Rumour Mill
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die
Just a quick one, as Julian Assange might (or might not) say...
* West Ham have tabled a final bid of £10 million including add ons to tempt
Wolves to sell Matt Jarvis. It's a take it or leave it offer, as Sam
Allardyce wants Jarvis to be in the squad for Swansea on Saturday.
* Sources (and I don't mean on Twitter) suggest that we are also about to
sign Rennes winger Razak Boukari on loan for the season and negotiations are
being held with Royston Drenthe. So that's three wingers. I can't really
believe we'll try to sign all three, but that is what my sources are telling
me.
* Congratulations to Blair Turgott and Daniel Potts who have received
England call ups for the first time. They are in the England Under 19 squad
to play Germany on 6 September. Both are very good prospects and it would be
good to see them get a few first team games under their respective belts
this season.
* Rumours persist that West Ham are trying to sign Marseilles central
defender Sebastian M'Bia. He's in town today, supposedly for talks with QPR.
We'll see.
* According to BBC Sport: "Robert Green's career as QPR's number one
goalkeeper could be under threat after just one game, as Hoops manager Mark
Hughes seems keen on bringing in 32-year-old former Celtic keeper and
current free agent Artur Boruc." Oh dear.
* Sunderland left winger and West Ham fan Kieron Richardson has issued a
'come and get me' plea to West Ham. But he's likely to be too expensive
compared to others. But if the Jarvis deal fails? Who knows.
You would hope by this time tomorrow that at least one, if not two, signings
have been confirmed.
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Wolves net £24m as Steven Fletcher and Matt Jarvis bid farewell
By GRAEME BRYCE Published: 22nd August 2012
The Sun
WOLVES have landed a £24million windfall after Steven Fletcher and Matt
Jarvis finally bid farewell to Molineux. West Ham boss Sam Allardyce's
perseverance paid off last night when the Hammers sealed a £10million deal
to take former England winger Matt Jarvis to Upton Park. Wolves played
hardball and it took the Hammers four bids before meeting their valuation.
Allardyce believes Jarvis, 26, can rediscover the form which saw him win an
England cap against Ghana last year and become a huge favourite at Upton
Park. The deal will also hand his former club Gillingham an unexpected £1.4m
from his move in 2007. Striker Fletcher, 25, was on Wearside yesterday,
tying up personal terms with Sunderland after a £14m fee was agreed.
Fletcher's talent has never been in question but his temperament has been
suspect and he is currently frozen out at international level after falling
out with Scotland boss Craig Levein.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Wing nuts: West Ham target Odemwingie now the Carroll deal is dead
The Mirror
West Ham and Sunderland are set to go head-to-head in the race to sign West
Brom's Peter Odemwingie. Hammers are also believed to have finally agreed a
£10million fee for Wolves and England winger Matt Jarvis, although personal
terms are still to be settled. Nigeria international Odemwingie has
impressed during his two years at The Hawthorns, cementing his position as
the club's main striker with 26 Premier League goals. Odemwingie was the
subject of a bid from Qatari club Al-Gharrafa earlier this summer, which was
rejected by the Premier League club. The Baggies are adamant that their
valuation of the player will be met before he is allowed to depart.
West Ham have been tracking Odemwingie for most of the summer and he has now
emerged as a leading candidate after their deal for Liverpool's Andy Carroll
hit the buffers. Manager Sam Allardyce is keen to recruit a proven Premier
League striker who can supply the goals that will maintain their top-flight
status after last season's promotion back to the top flight. However, he
will face competition from the Black Cats, who are in the process of
assembling a new-look strike-force after agreeing a fee for Wolves' Steven
Fletcher. The sale of Asamoah Gyan and the return of Nicklas Bendtner to
parent club Arsenal after his loan spell has left Martin O'Neill eager to
replenish his striking options at the Stadium of Light.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
SUNDERLAND AND WEST HAM BATTLE TO SIGN WEST BROM STAR PETER ODEMWINGIE
The Star
23rd August 2012 By Tim Gray
SUNDERLAND and West Ham are ready to lock horns over Peter Odemwingie after
both clubs expressed an interest in the striker. The 31-year-old has
plundered 25 goals in the last two seasons for the Baggies and was again on
target in their opening day win over Liverpool. Odemwingie was the subject
of a bid from Qatari club Al-Gharafa earlier this summer, which was rejected
by the Premier League club. The Baggies are adamant their valuation will
have to be met before the striker is allowed to leave.
West Ham have been tracking Odemwingie and he has emerged as a leading
target after their deal for Andy Carroll hit the buffers. Sam Allardyce
wants a proven Premier League striker who can supply the goals that will
ensure their top-flight status. However, he will face competition from the
Black Cats, who are assembling a new-look strike force. Steven Fletcher has
arrived but Asamoah Gyan has been sold and Nicklas Bendtner is back at
Arsenal – although he could move to Inter Milan.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Baldock has unfinished business
Wednesday 22nd August 2012 17:07
TeamTalk
Former West Ham striker Sam Baldock is hoping to play more regularly after
completing a move to Bristol City. Baldock revealed he could not force his
way back into Sam Allardyce's team last season following a small knock and
now wants to establish himself at Ashton Gate. He told Bristol City Player:
"It was very frustrating for me last season. I had a good spell at the start
but then got injured. I was only out a couple of games but I wasn't given
the chance to get back into the team. "The lads at the time were on a good
run so it was hard for the manager. But I'm a footballer and I like to play
football. Hopefully coming here has increased my chances of playing
regularly."
The 23-year-old also refuted claims he has taken a step back in his career
by leaving Premier League new-boys West Ham. "I've not stepped down to the
Championship because I didn't actually play in the Premier League," he said.
"Last season was the right time for me to take the step up from League One.
But I didn't play as many games as I would have liked and it is only right I
continue my progression here."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
John Motson is expecting West Ham United to make an impression on the
Premier League this season
22.08.2012
Legendary commentator John Motson believes West Ham United are well equipped
for Barclays Premier League survival and has predicted a bright future for
the club. Motty, who attended Saturday's opening-day win over Aston Villa,
is confident that with the signings made and the experience of Big Sam, the
Hammers will impress this season. Consolidation is always the primary aim
for every newly promoted club, but Motty feels that a club of West Ham
United's stature should aim higher on their return to the top tier. "I think
when you come up now consolidation is the main aim." Motson told West Ham
TV. "That said the three clubs proved it last season that it is possible to
come up and do better. Swansea and Norwich did very well, although QPR were
run fairly close. "I think if you asked most West Ham United supporters they
would say they belong in the Premier League, but they would also agree that
they have to prove that this season but hopefully finishing in a comfortable
position."
Motty also spoke of his excitement ahead of every new season and revealed he
simply cannot wait to see what the Hammers' new players have to offer over
the course of the campaign. "I always look forward to seeing the new
players. The club have re-signed James Collins and George McCartney, the two
old favourites, who are just two of the new faces Sam has brought in. "I
think it will help, it is always good to see fresh faces and I particularly
think Mohamed Diame is an excellent signing. "And the two lads from France
might not be instant starters but they will have a big role to play during
the season, fans expect a certain brand of football and with these players
on offer they will get to see a lot of skill this year."
In a bumper year for sport one could hardly complain if Motty rewarded
himself with a few days off, but the voice of football revealed he was
delighted to be back.
"I am very excited to be back, and we have of course kicked off the season
in the shadow of the magnificent Olympic Stadium. "I think it is very
fitting that I started here."
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Potts and Turgott called up
WHUFC.com
Danny Potts and Blair Turgott have been called up to the England Under-19
squad
22.08.2012
Danny Potts and Blair Turgott have both been named in the England Under-19
squad for the first time as Head Coach Noel Blake assembles his side for a
friendly with Germany next month. Both Academy graduates have enjoyed a
productive pre-season and featured regularly for the Hammers first-team on
the pre-season tours of Austria and Germany. The duo are likely to be key
players for Ian Hendon's Under-21 side this season, although Potts was named
on the bench for Saturday's first-team game with Aston Villa. Potts has
played once for England already, when he featured in a victory against
Poland at Under-18 level back in March. Turgott has been something more of a
regular on the international scene for the Three Lions, playing a total of
23 times at Under-16, Under-17 and Under-18 level and scoring seven goals.
The game in Hamburg on Thursday 6 September is likely to provide a tough
test for the Young lions ahead of their first qualifying round for the UEFA
2013 European Championships in October.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hendon focused on challenge ahead
WHUFC.com
Development Squad manager Ian Hendon is hoping his side can continue their
winning form on Sunday
22.08.2012
A brilliant start to the season from the Development Squad saw them beat
Reading 3-1, but manager Ian Hendon is already focussed on the challenges
ahead.
This weekend will see Hendon's young side travel to Liverpool where they
will face Everton at their Finch Farm training complex. And Hendon believes
his side simply need to produce more of the same if they are to extend their
winning run. "Now it will be a case of continuing on from what we did
against Reading on Friday, nobody is going to get carried away and we will
keep working hard. "We were back on the training ground on Monday where and
we focused our attentions on what will be another tough game."
Blair Turgott and Paul McCallum were both replaced on Friday night after
playing a pivotal role in the 3-1, with Hendon keen to make sure all of
young stars stay fresh for the long season ahead. "Blair and Paul are both
okay, Blair knew I wanted to get a look at the new boy Abiola Baditou and it
was him who replaced him with, he understands that. "Paul, like a few of the
lads, is still coming back from an injury and after scoring twice and
assisting with another I think he just about earned a rest," joked Hendon.
"All the lads have played well, they are all still fit and they will be
ready for next weekend.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham offer Wolves £10m for winger Matt Jarvis
By Ben Smith
BBC Sport
West Ham have made a fourth bid, worth a potential £10m, for Wolves winger
Matt Jarvis. The Championship club have turned down three previous bids from
the Hammers, but are considering the latest offer, which would give them £7m
up front. Further add-ons would take the package beyond their £10m asking
price.
Matt Jarvis facts & figures
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has been tracking Jarvis, 26, all summer and
is now hopeful of completing a deal before Saturday's trip to Swansea City.
Jarvis, who has made one international appearance for England, played for
Wolves in Tuesday's 3-1 win over Barnsley, after which manager Stale
Solbakken gave his thoughts on the player's future. "It's on the top
political level now because every player has a valuation and if that
valuation is matched I'm in the discussion," said the Norwegian, who is
attempting to guide Wolves back to the Premier League following their
relegation last season. "It's not my money so someone will make a final
decision. I don't know if the two clubs are still talking. I've had my say
and the final call will be taken. We do it together and we'll do the best
for Wolverhampton."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Wolves accept Jarvis offer
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 23rd August 2012
By: Staff Writer
Matt Jarvis is on his way to West Ham after Wolves accepted West Ham
United's latest offer for the winger. United, who had already seen two
previous bids turned down have finally got their man after the Championship
club accepted a deal that rates the once-capped England international at
around the £10million mark.
Even though around £3million of that figure is dependent on
appearance-related clauses the sum represents the highest transfer fee paid
by the club in five years.
Jarvis' move to West Ham will earn former club Gillingham - for whom the
26-year-old twice played against the Hammers back in 2004 - around £1million
due to a sell-on clause when they sold him to Wolves. Wanderers paid
Gillingham £600,000 for the left winger's services back in 2007; ironically
he made his Premier League debut against the Hammers two years later
following Wolves' promotion to the top flight. The impending arrival of
Jarvis - who is understood to have had a medical last night - could signal
the end of West Ham's plans to sign Togo winger Razak Boukari on loan from
Rennes for the rest of the season.
The Jarvis saga: how it unfolded
10th August: West Ham's opening bid of £9million is rejected by Wolves
12th August: Jarvis hands a in transfer request
14th August: West Ham make a second, slightly improved offer
20th August: Jarvis deal on ice as Razak Boukari agrees season-long loan
deal
21st August: West Ham make third and final £10million bid to land their
target
22nd August: Wolves accept West Ham's offer
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Gus: no Piquionne deal
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 22nd August 2012
By: Staff Writer
Brighton & Hove Albion manager Gus Poyet has refuted suggestions that he is
set to tie up a deal for West Ham outcast Freddie Piquionne. 33-year-old
Piquionne, who has spent pre-season featuring for the development squad at
luxurious venues such as Grays and Thurrock having been dropped from the
first team picture has been linked with a string of Championship clubs in
recent weeks. Brighton were one of those strongly linked with a move for the
former French international. But Poyet dismissed reports that a deal had
been struck with the Hammers when questioned following last night's goalless
draw against Cardiff City. "I need a striker; I've been asking for the
person that is going to put the ball in the net when you have got the
chance," he said. "But we are not close enough to getting one.
"I keep seeing clubs buying strikers and bringing players from the
Premiership and paying fortunes but we are at another level - that is clear.
We will try to do our best, but quality is expensive. "The loans we want to
bring in are Premiership loans but they are too expensive. I have been in
touch with many clubs but I accept the situation and the budget we've got."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Wolves weighing up Jarvis bid
Hammers looking to land winger, as Fletcher saga drags on
Last Updated: August 22, 2012 12:01pm
SSN
Sky Sports understands that West Ham have lodged a take-it-or-leave-it
£10million bid for Matt Jarvis, but Wolves are refusing to discuss the
matter. The Hammers have already seen two approaches for the England
international knocked back, but are refusing to give up in their efforts to
lure the winger to Upton Park. They have, however, made it clear that they
will turn their attention elsewhere if their latest offer is rebuffed. It is
believed that the package put to Wolves includes £7m up front and £3m in
add-ons, for a man who has handed in a transfer request. Wolves are
understandably reluctant to let Jarvis leave, with it their intention to
keep their top talents on board for a Championship promotion push.
Busy
They have spent much of the summer fending off interest from Sunderland in
Steven Fletcher, with several bids rejected. It remains to be seen whether
they can hang on to Fletcher and Jarvis, with manager Stale Solbakken aware
that he will need to rebuild if two key men are allowed to move on. "It's
going to be a busy time before September 1," he said in the Express & Star.
"If we lose Fletcher and Jarvis, we have a job to do. "You can't replace
them at this level - if the ideal line-up included Kightly, Fletcher and
Jarvis and it ends up without those three, we need to rebuild it, which can
take time. "I'm sure players will go and come in - maybe even before the
Derby game."
Valuation
Asked if Sunderland had been back in touch regarding Fletcher, Solbakken
said: "If valuations are matched, something can happen. "I don't know if the
clubs are still talking." Solbakken has also sought to play down reports
suggesting Connor Wickham could be included in part of a deal to take
Fletcher to Sunderland. He said: "I've been in no contact whatsoever with
this player. "I want the transfer window closed now - can we do it at 12
o'clock?"
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Wednesday Transfer Rumour Mill
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die
Just a quick one, as Julian Assange might (or might not) say...
* West Ham have tabled a final bid of £10 million including add ons to tempt
Wolves to sell Matt Jarvis. It's a take it or leave it offer, as Sam
Allardyce wants Jarvis to be in the squad for Swansea on Saturday.
* Sources (and I don't mean on Twitter) suggest that we are also about to
sign Rennes winger Razak Boukari on loan for the season and negotiations are
being held with Royston Drenthe. So that's three wingers. I can't really
believe we'll try to sign all three, but that is what my sources are telling
me.
* Congratulations to Blair Turgott and Daniel Potts who have received
England call ups for the first time. They are in the England Under 19 squad
to play Germany on 6 September. Both are very good prospects and it would be
good to see them get a few first team games under their respective belts
this season.
* Rumours persist that West Ham are trying to sign Marseilles central
defender Sebastian M'Bia. He's in town today, supposedly for talks with QPR.
We'll see.
* According to BBC Sport: "Robert Green's career as QPR's number one
goalkeeper could be under threat after just one game, as Hoops manager Mark
Hughes seems keen on bringing in 32-year-old former Celtic keeper and
current free agent Artur Boruc." Oh dear.
* Sunderland left winger and West Ham fan Kieron Richardson has issued a
'come and get me' plea to West Ham. But he's likely to be too expensive
compared to others. But if the Jarvis deal fails? Who knows.
You would hope by this time tomorrow that at least one, if not two, signings
have been confirmed.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Wolves net £24m as Steven Fletcher and Matt Jarvis bid farewell
By GRAEME BRYCE Published: 22nd August 2012
The Sun
WOLVES have landed a £24million windfall after Steven Fletcher and Matt
Jarvis finally bid farewell to Molineux. West Ham boss Sam Allardyce's
perseverance paid off last night when the Hammers sealed a £10million deal
to take former England winger Matt Jarvis to Upton Park. Wolves played
hardball and it took the Hammers four bids before meeting their valuation.
Allardyce believes Jarvis, 26, can rediscover the form which saw him win an
England cap against Ghana last year and become a huge favourite at Upton
Park. The deal will also hand his former club Gillingham an unexpected £1.4m
from his move in 2007. Striker Fletcher, 25, was on Wearside yesterday,
tying up personal terms with Sunderland after a £14m fee was agreed.
Fletcher's talent has never been in question but his temperament has been
suspect and he is currently frozen out at international level after falling
out with Scotland boss Craig Levein.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Wing nuts: West Ham target Odemwingie now the Carroll deal is dead
The Mirror
West Ham and Sunderland are set to go head-to-head in the race to sign West
Brom's Peter Odemwingie. Hammers are also believed to have finally agreed a
£10million fee for Wolves and England winger Matt Jarvis, although personal
terms are still to be settled. Nigeria international Odemwingie has
impressed during his two years at The Hawthorns, cementing his position as
the club's main striker with 26 Premier League goals. Odemwingie was the
subject of a bid from Qatari club Al-Gharrafa earlier this summer, which was
rejected by the Premier League club. The Baggies are adamant that their
valuation of the player will be met before he is allowed to depart.
West Ham have been tracking Odemwingie for most of the summer and he has now
emerged as a leading candidate after their deal for Liverpool's Andy Carroll
hit the buffers. Manager Sam Allardyce is keen to recruit a proven Premier
League striker who can supply the goals that will maintain their top-flight
status after last season's promotion back to the top flight. However, he
will face competition from the Black Cats, who are in the process of
assembling a new-look strike-force after agreeing a fee for Wolves' Steven
Fletcher. The sale of Asamoah Gyan and the return of Nicklas Bendtner to
parent club Arsenal after his loan spell has left Martin O'Neill eager to
replenish his striking options at the Stadium of Light.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
SUNDERLAND AND WEST HAM BATTLE TO SIGN WEST BROM STAR PETER ODEMWINGIE
The Star
23rd August 2012 By Tim Gray
SUNDERLAND and West Ham are ready to lock horns over Peter Odemwingie after
both clubs expressed an interest in the striker. The 31-year-old has
plundered 25 goals in the last two seasons for the Baggies and was again on
target in their opening day win over Liverpool. Odemwingie was the subject
of a bid from Qatari club Al-Gharafa earlier this summer, which was rejected
by the Premier League club. The Baggies are adamant their valuation will
have to be met before the striker is allowed to leave.
West Ham have been tracking Odemwingie and he has emerged as a leading
target after their deal for Andy Carroll hit the buffers. Sam Allardyce
wants a proven Premier League striker who can supply the goals that will
ensure their top-flight status. However, he will face competition from the
Black Cats, who are assembling a new-look strike force. Steven Fletcher has
arrived but Asamoah Gyan has been sold and Nicklas Bendtner is back at
Arsenal – although he could move to Inter Milan.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Baldock has unfinished business
Wednesday 22nd August 2012 17:07
TeamTalk
Former West Ham striker Sam Baldock is hoping to play more regularly after
completing a move to Bristol City. Baldock revealed he could not force his
way back into Sam Allardyce's team last season following a small knock and
now wants to establish himself at Ashton Gate. He told Bristol City Player:
"It was very frustrating for me last season. I had a good spell at the start
but then got injured. I was only out a couple of games but I wasn't given
the chance to get back into the team. "The lads at the time were on a good
run so it was hard for the manager. But I'm a footballer and I like to play
football. Hopefully coming here has increased my chances of playing
regularly."
The 23-year-old also refuted claims he has taken a step back in his career
by leaving Premier League new-boys West Ham. "I've not stepped down to the
Championship because I didn't actually play in the Premier League," he said.
"Last season was the right time for me to take the step up from League One.
But I didn't play as many games as I would have liked and it is only right I
continue my progression here."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Wednesday, August 22
Daily WHUFC News - 22nd August 2012
Baldock departs
WHUFC.com
West Ham United can confirm that Sam Baldock has joined npower Championship
club Bristol City
21.08.2012
West Ham United can confirm that Sam Baldock has joined npower Championship
club Bristol City. The 23-year-old striker has linked up with the Robins on
a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee. Baldock, who joined the
Hammers from MK Dons in August 2011 and made a total of 22 first-team
appearances and scored five goals for the club, has thanked West Ham fans
for their support during his year-long stay at the Boleyn Ground. "I would
like to thank the fans for always supporting and encouraging me," he said.
"The fans are what make the club so special and are the driving force behind
its success. "There are some really great people involved in the football
club who I wish every success for, and I also wish the team every success in
the future." West Ham United would like to thank Sam for his efforts and
wish him well for the future.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
The Big Interview - Jussi Jaaskelainen
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's new goalkeeper was delighted to keep a clean sheet on his
competitive debut
21.08.2012
Jussi Jasskelainen believes West Ham United have given themselves the
perfect platform to make a strong start to the 2012/13 Barclays Premier
League season.
The Hammers' new No22 is confident that if the team continue to work as hard
as they did in Saturday's 1-0 home triumph over Aston Villa, then more
victories will follow. Having kept a deserved clean sheet on his West Ham
debut, the Finn is in positive mood ahead of the weekend trip to Swansea
City.
Jussi, for a goalkeeper and the whole team I suppose Saturday was the
perfect start to the season?
JJ - "It was a great start to the season. A 1-0 win is always a tight one
but it also shows that the team played very well defensively. We could have
had a little more creativity from the set pieces we won but overall It was a
good win."
You were not involved in the game too much, but what you had to do you did
very well. You must have been pleased with your second-half saves from
Stephen Ireland and Ron Vlaar, in particular?
JJ - "That is what goalkeeping is all about - you have to be ready, prepared
and focused. The quality of the Premier League means that more often than
not the forwards will take the opportunities they get so it helps that the
defence played very well."
You have been there and done it, making more than 500 club appearances, but
did you still get butterfliesplaying in front of 34,000 people on the
opening day of the Barclays Premier League season?
JJ - "Of course. It is fantastic to play at this level and it is a great
opportunity for me to play for West Ham United. I have worked with the
gaffer before and I like the way he looks after his players. I am delighted
with Saturday's result and I thought the fans were fantastic. Hopefully we
can stay unbeaten at home for as long as possible."
How important was it to close out Saturday's game against Aston Villa in
terms of the team's confidence?
JJ - "One-nil victories tell you all you need to know about a team because
usually when you are winning you tend to sit back and invite pressure onto
yourself. We didn't do that, we continued to play our own game and it was a
very solid performance. We now have to build on this and hopefully we can
carry our winning form into next weekend."
James Collins and Winston Reid were fantastic at the back. How much of a
help was it to have them in front of you?
JJ - "Of course it is a massive help. They are two very good players and it
makes my job a lot easier. It is great to play behind them."
Next up is our first ever trip to the Liberty Stadium to face Swansea City.
They scored five goals last weekend so it should be another easy afternoon!?
JJ - "I'm not sure easy is the right word! When you play away from home you
have to keep it very tight. Teams improve year upon year in the Premier
League and
every away game is tough. But if we are solid and keep the ball like we did
against Aston Villa, then we have every chance of coming away with a
positive result."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sam Baldock leaves West Ham United for Bristol City
BBC.co.uk
Bristol City have signed West Ham striker Sam Baldock on a three-year deal
for an undisclosed fee. The 23-year-old left MK Dons to join the Hammers
last summer, agreeing a four-year contract at Upton Park. Baldock scored 11
goals in his first 15 games for the Championship club, but he lost his place
in the side following injury problems. Manager Derek McInnes told the club
website: "I'm over the moon that we've managed to sign Sam." The Scotsman
continued: "He gives us real threat to stretch defences and is as good a
natural finisher as anyone in the division.
BALDOCK FACTFILE
Born 15 March, 1989
Became first player to graduate from MK Dons youth team into the senior side
Made his league debut in February 2007 in 1-1 draw with Mansfield
Has scored 48 goals in 148 games, 56 of his appearances coming as a sub
"He'll really complement the strikers we already have at the club, as well
as [be] a different type of option for our play in general. "I'd like to
thank the board and our owner for really pushing to get this deal done.
"He's a striker we've targeted and worked extremely hard to get. I've no
doubts all the effort and commitment will prove dividends."
McInnes had made no secret of his intention to strengthen his forward line
following Nicky Maynard's departure to the Hammers in January. And his
patience over the summer appears to have paid off after capturing both
Baldock and Steven Davies, who was brought in on a three-year deal from
Derby on Monday. Baldock is a product of Wimbledon's youth system and
followed the club when they moved to Milton Keynes in 2003. His breakthrough
season at MK Dons came in 2008-09, when he scored 13 goals in 44 games. He
caught the eye of teams higher up the league hierarchy when he netted 14
goals in 34 appearances the following year, and eventually secured a move to
West Ham in the summer of 2011. The forward made a blistering start his his
Hammers tenure - scoring six goals in his first six games - but injury
curtailed his form and he fell out of favour with manager Sam Allardyce.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
So long, little Sam
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 21st August 2012
By: Staff Writer
Sam Baldock has completed a permanent transfer to Championship club Bristol
City. The former MK Dons striker spent just one season at the Boleyn Ground
having moved to East London in a £2million deal last autumn. Despite scoring
more goals than any other first team striker during pre-season, the
23-year-old was deemed surplus to requirments by Sam Allardyce. And it was
confirmed tonight that he has completed his move to the South West club.
KUMB.com exclusively revealed last month that West Ham had accepted City's
offer for the young forward; the deal is thought to be worth in the region
of £1.5million plus add-ons, depending on certain clauses being met. Having
started his career at West Ham in promising fashion - Baldock scored five
times in his first nine appearances for the club having joined in September
- the goals dried up and the former number seven failed to find the back of
the net after November of last year. That lack of goals - plus the arrival
of players such as Ricardo Vaz Te and Modibo Maiga - left Baldock well down
the pecking order at Upton Park and it was therefore no surprise that the
club decided to cash in ahead of the transfer deadline in ten days' time.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Out of Africa
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 21st August 2012
By: Staff Writer
West Ham are one of several clubs being linked with a move for Cameroon
international defender Stephane Mbia this morning. Mbia, who currently plays
for Olympique Marseille is said to be just one of a number of players made
available for transfer by the financially-stricken French club, from whom
West Ham signed Alou Diarra only last week. The 6'3" centre half made his
name in France with Rennes before siging for Marseille in 2009 in a
£10million move. According to L'Equipe, West Ham have made enquiries into
his availability. Queens Park Rangers and Sunderland are also said to be
keeping an eye of the 26-year-old. In other news, forogtten striker Freddy
Piquionne is said to be the subject of interest from Championship club
Brighton & Hove Albion. The former French international was heavily linked
with a move to Leeds United last week although nothing has materialised on
that front as of yet.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Why there's reason to be a happy Hammer
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 21st August 2012
By: Tom Kilbey
With usual hyperbole, the media are talking about our club being at a
crucial crossroad. That our next year or two could determine our future, and
we are in transition into a big club to challenge the best clubs in Europe
(wince here).
Our Chairmen are talking as if the announcement of an imminent move to a new
stadium will automatically transform us into a club that can target the
upper echelons of the league (wince again). History has shown that saying
rash things like that can prove very foolish (look at Blackburn's five-year
plan). In fact, lets looks closer to home. Anyone else remember Eggert
Magnusson boldly claiming we'll be a European force within two (yes, two)
years?
I know I do, and now I find its easier to laugh off such claims. Indeed,
David Gold's suggestion that we are currently a top half team was enough for
me to smile wryly. But amongst the ridiculous exaggeration and apparent
complacent over-confidence, I genuinely believe there is reason to be
optimistic about both our short, and long term future.
Short Term
Anyone who read my very first article on KUMB.com will know that I had some
concerns about our squad. Certainly, these have not disintegrated after one
game, but Saturday's performance gave reason to be optimistic.
Aston Villa were awful, lacking penetration, width and creativity, but take
nothing away from the performance of our defenders. James Collins showed
early signs of the dominance that made me believe his departure from the
club was an extremely poor decision. Winston Reid was also excellent, making
several timely interceptions. Compare his performance on Saturday, to the
opening game of the 2010/11 season, his debut, and its hard to believe you
are watching the same player.
Even at full back, the position where I expressed my biggest concern, we
looked more than comfortable. Guy Demel looked fitter and stronger and
showed he wasn't afraid to get forward to support Ricardo Vaz Te. George
McCartney ran himself into the ground and put in a performance which made me
appreciate why so many members here at KUMB hold him in high regard.
Further forward, our midfield looked good. We were dominated in possession
for large parts, but still looked comfortable. The usual suspects performed
and Diame looked superb. I've heard great things about him, but his
technical ability surprised me. He showed that he can pass the ball and has
great feet as well as his physical attributes that he is more known for.
We still look a bit short up top, but it's encouraging to see our attentions
focussed solely on this position now. The names of the moment are Moussa
Konate and, more recently, Rennes winger Razak Boukari who impressed on
trial.
The brief cameo performance from Modibo Maiga was also promising. He looks
physical, with an extra yard of pace over our other strikers and looked
composed when presented with the one-on-one chance that was cleared off the
line.
But more than this, Saturday proved that we have what it takes to compete
with the Premier League clubs. The desire was back and it was clear that
every player on that pitch worked incredibly hard. The fans were fantastic
and drove the players on late in the game. It was a mature performance; one
highlighting the fact we have pedigree and top flight experience in the
squad.
Maybe top half is still over-optimistic – I'm sure every fan will breathe a
sigh of relief when we reach 40 points – but we showed that we can hold our
own in the top division, especially in the capable hands of Sam Allardyce.
Long Term
Although I don't like to speculate too much, I think we can make a few
predictions. Firstly, although the saga regarding our Olympic Stadium bid
rambles on, most people associated with the club are either excited – or
resigned, depending on your opinion – that the stadium will eventually be
ours. I've changed my mind more times than Robbie Keane has changed his
childhood club.
With David Gold's strange cryptic tweets (which seem to get weirder on a
daily basis), I get the impression that we will include retractable seating
in the stadium which is enough for me to support the bid. There's not one
important person in the media who thinks anyone else is a suitable tenant. I
included the word 'important' so I didn't have to talk about that comical
waste of space who is still kicking up a fuss. You know exactly who I mean.
Gold has also talked about potential investment that will come as a result
of this. Not for a second am I suggesting that we could become as big as
Manchester City, but there's no reason that moving to a bigger stadium
couldn't provide some form of cash injection, just as they received four
years ago. But even in the likely case that this doesn't happen, Gold and
Sullivan aren't too afraid to splash the cash themselves.
I never believed that Andy Carroll, Adam Johnson or Kaka were realistic
transfer targets, but the fact the board are showing ambition and coughing
up the money is promising in itself. Gold and Sullivan are hardly the most
popular people in football, but they certainly have the club in their best
interests and with Karren Brady working behind the scenes, we have a good
set up which is something we have lacked for a few years.
Also, unlike some of the teams around us, we seem to be looking to the
future. We have a great blend of youngsters and experience, and have added a
mix of fresh talent and seasoned campaigners. Looking into the slightly
longer term, players like Collison, Maiga, Reid and Tomkins will only
continue to improve as they move into their mid twenties.
Younger still, we have the likes of Morrison who will hopefully begin to
mature given the responsibility of first team football and academy graduates
such as Rob Hall and Dan Potts, who will hope to capitalise on chances in
the inaugural Under-21 Premier League.
Of course, our main target this season is to ensure our Premier League
status is maintained. With an excellent first win in the bag and hopes of
signing players in areas we are still lacking will only strengthen our push
for a respectable league position.
Looking past this season, who know what will happen? It's terribly clichéd,
but we've had our fair share of false dawns in the past ten years. But
maybe, just maybe, we are turning the corner on our awful last three years
and can begin to look towards a brighter future for our great club.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
And so it Came to Pass .........
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
After much rumour and conjecture, it has been confirmed that Sam Baldock has
been sold to Bristol City!
Many fans will lament his departure, emphasising his potential as a pacy
goal scorer. Indeed, if you look at some of the old MK Dons u-tube footage
of Baldock, you will notice that he scored many of his goals from balls
played in to space for him to run on to and outpace opposition defenders.
Did we ever use him like that? Not really if my recollection is correct.
Indeed, watching that footage reminded me a bit of the type of goals that
McAvennie and Cottee used to score under John Lyall's management. Perhaps
Sam Allardyce was not the best manager to exploit Baldock's strengths.
Alternatively, maybe Allardyce has it right and he is too lightweight and
lacking at PL level? As with most things, time will tell.
It has been reported that the fee is £1.5m with the add ons taking it up to
£2m. Lets hope that they have also included some sort of sell-on/buy back
clause as part of the the deal, just in case he does blossoms in to a new
Cottee or Owen. Regardless, one would have thought that if they were intent
upon selling Baldock, they would have done it more creatively, using him as
a makeweight to bring in a player like Matt Jarvis from Wolves, Andy King
from Leicester City or Wlfred Zaha from Palace. But no, apparently not.
Perhaps none of those clubs were interested in him (which I doubt) or West
Ham do not fancy a part-exchange deal? More on an alleged Baldock-Jarvis
transfer connection later.
Anyway, the management obviously sees Nicky Maynard as a better PL prospect.
So be it, much as some supporters might disagree, the management are paid to
take these difficult decisions and are ultimately accounable if they get it
wrong. Although that will not be much of a comfort if a nascent Cottee or
Owen has prematurely been shipped out. The thought of Baldock scoring goals
for fun in a Man Utd or Arsenal shirt, (to pinch a classic West Ham related
media cliche) its the stuff of a 'Ammers house of horrors.'
On another subject, what is the situation with Jack Collison's injury? The
football he played at the conclusion of last season seems to have
aggreviated his former knee injury. Indeed, Sam Allardyce has stated that he
has not played nor trained since the play-off Final victory back in May.
Putting aside obvious concerns about the actual injury, this means that
Collison has had no pre-season and, even when fully physically fit, will not
be match fit for a further considerable period. The probable absence of Jack
Collison arguably conspires to weaken our attacking midfield options. Does
that mean that this will necessitate the addition of a similiar type of
midfielder on loan? Could that lead us to go back in for Henri Lansbury or
another such option?
Finally, the rumours about signing Bouraki and Drenthe continue to
circulate. Yet, some media sources have suggested that West Ham will still
make another bid of £10m for Matt Jarvis, with the monies received for Sam
Baldock allegedly topping-up the up front fee and thereby facilitating the
deal. The suggestion is that it is a take it or leave £10m package, with £7m
up front and £3m worth of add-on payments. It Wolves reject that then West
Ham will not increase their offer. Arguably, if they reject that sort of
money they must really see Mat Javis as a crucial part of their promotion
campaign! Much as it is disappointing for us, you cannot blame them for
wanting to retain their best players if they can afford to do so! After all,
it was only 12 months ago that we were urging our management/board to do
likewise in an identical situation.
SJ. Chandos.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Allardyce tables take-it-or-leave-it offer of £10m for Wolves winger Jarvis
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 22:30, 21 August 2012 | UPDATED: 22:30, 21 August 2012
Daily Mail
West Ham have launched a final £10million bid for Wolves winger Matt Jarvis.
Wolves have so far rejected two bids with the last consisting of £6.5m up
front and £3m in add-ons. Jarvis, 26, has put in a transfer request but
played against Leeds on Saturday and against Barnsley on Tuesday night.
Manager Sam Allardyce is eager to add pace to his side but is reluctant to
go above £10m overall for the England international and is considering other
options but are unlikely to go for Tottenham's David Bentley who is
available on a free transfer. West Ham's bargaining position may be eased
slightly by the pending departure of Sam Baldock to Bristol City, despite
late interest from Charlton. The 23-year-old was signed last summer from MK
Dons. Rennes winger Razak Boukari, 25, is expected to sign a season-long
loan deal with West Ham on Wednesday while free agent Royston Drenthe's
representatives have also discussed a possible deal.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Brighton close to signing Piquionne
Chichester.co.uk
Published on Tuesday 21 August 2012 16:27
Frederic Piquionne could be the new striker Gus Poyet has been searching for
after it emerged the Albion are in contract talks with the West Ham forward.
Sources in the national press claim the French attacker, who counts
Portsmouth and Monaco among his former clubs, is close to signing for the
Seagulls, although Poyet may face some last minute competition from
Championship rivals Leeds United. Piquionne has been deemed surplus to
requirements at the Premier League newcomers and appears to fit the bill as
the sort of centre forward Brighton have spent all summer trying to sign. He
has one France cap and scored two goals in eight loan appearances at
Doncaster Rovers last season.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Where next for Adam Johnson - Liverpool, Arsenal, Sunderland or West Ham?
Would you take Adam Johnson at your club?
By talkSPORT magazine | Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Roberto Mancini's post-Southampton admission that Adam Johnson is free to
leave Man City has alerted potential suitors across the Premier League.
Johnson is a deadly attacking winger but finds himself devoid of first-team
opportunities at a club boasting an embarrassment of riches in attack.
Impressive for England against Italy last week, Mancini admits letting
Johnson leave will be difficult: "Adam can have a future here but you should
also understand when you are 23 or 24 years old, you want to play," said
Mancini. "If you are at a top team, you can't always do that, so I agree, if
he wants to, he has to leave." "But if that happens I will be so sorry
because Adam is a good guy... he is a different player to other strikers and
wingers and maybe he could be important for us."
The case for Liverpool
Dirk Kuyt has left, Maxi is gone, Craig Bellamy's at Cardiff and Joe Cole
hardly inspires confidence, so although Brendan Rodgers has swooped to sign
Moroccan international Oussama Assaidi, he could yet move for Adam Johnson
if Man City beat the Reds to Scott Sinclair's signature and Clint Dempsey's
move fails to materialise. The only worry is that Rodgers likes outfield
players to work tirelessly on ball retention, so the nippy winger will need
to work much harder defensively if he was to fit in at Anfield.
Arsenal
We've lost count of how many players Roberto Mancini has nabbed from the
Gunners, so how about reversing that trend, Arsene? If Theo Walcott fails to
agree terms on a new Emirates deal the Gunners could do a lot worse than
luring a forward-thinking wide man who would suit their speed on the break.
Walcott has failed to realise his full potential, while Johnson has yet to
be offered a regular starting role at one of England's big clubs. It's not
like Arsenal don't have a spare £39m in the bank.
Sunderland
Martin O'Neill is said to be leading the chase for Johnson's signature with
an opening bid of £10m. The Black Cats frustrated Arsenal at the weekend
without threatening too much on the break and, should they capture Steven
Fletcher from Wolves this week, then Johnson - who was born in Sunderland -
seems like the next piece in the jigsaw for Martin O'Neill. Life at
Sunderland may not seem as glamorous as other options, but could guarantee
Johnson the first team football he craves.
West Ham
Sam Allardyce loves to play direct and Adam Johnson is a player capable of
providing the service for someone like Carlton Cole in the middle. West Ham
may have got their Premier League campaign off to a satisfying start with
victory against Aston Villa, but they'll face much stiffer opposition and
Johnson represents a quality option they are short of at present. Would the
board stump up £12m? We shall see...
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
West Ham United can confirm that Sam Baldock has joined npower Championship
club Bristol City
21.08.2012
West Ham United can confirm that Sam Baldock has joined npower Championship
club Bristol City. The 23-year-old striker has linked up with the Robins on
a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee. Baldock, who joined the
Hammers from MK Dons in August 2011 and made a total of 22 first-team
appearances and scored five goals for the club, has thanked West Ham fans
for their support during his year-long stay at the Boleyn Ground. "I would
like to thank the fans for always supporting and encouraging me," he said.
"The fans are what make the club so special and are the driving force behind
its success. "There are some really great people involved in the football
club who I wish every success for, and I also wish the team every success in
the future." West Ham United would like to thank Sam for his efforts and
wish him well for the future.
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The Big Interview - Jussi Jaaskelainen
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's new goalkeeper was delighted to keep a clean sheet on his
competitive debut
21.08.2012
Jussi Jasskelainen believes West Ham United have given themselves the
perfect platform to make a strong start to the 2012/13 Barclays Premier
League season.
The Hammers' new No22 is confident that if the team continue to work as hard
as they did in Saturday's 1-0 home triumph over Aston Villa, then more
victories will follow. Having kept a deserved clean sheet on his West Ham
debut, the Finn is in positive mood ahead of the weekend trip to Swansea
City.
Jussi, for a goalkeeper and the whole team I suppose Saturday was the
perfect start to the season?
JJ - "It was a great start to the season. A 1-0 win is always a tight one
but it also shows that the team played very well defensively. We could have
had a little more creativity from the set pieces we won but overall It was a
good win."
You were not involved in the game too much, but what you had to do you did
very well. You must have been pleased with your second-half saves from
Stephen Ireland and Ron Vlaar, in particular?
JJ - "That is what goalkeeping is all about - you have to be ready, prepared
and focused. The quality of the Premier League means that more often than
not the forwards will take the opportunities they get so it helps that the
defence played very well."
You have been there and done it, making more than 500 club appearances, but
did you still get butterfliesplaying in front of 34,000 people on the
opening day of the Barclays Premier League season?
JJ - "Of course. It is fantastic to play at this level and it is a great
opportunity for me to play for West Ham United. I have worked with the
gaffer before and I like the way he looks after his players. I am delighted
with Saturday's result and I thought the fans were fantastic. Hopefully we
can stay unbeaten at home for as long as possible."
How important was it to close out Saturday's game against Aston Villa in
terms of the team's confidence?
JJ - "One-nil victories tell you all you need to know about a team because
usually when you are winning you tend to sit back and invite pressure onto
yourself. We didn't do that, we continued to play our own game and it was a
very solid performance. We now have to build on this and hopefully we can
carry our winning form into next weekend."
James Collins and Winston Reid were fantastic at the back. How much of a
help was it to have them in front of you?
JJ - "Of course it is a massive help. They are two very good players and it
makes my job a lot easier. It is great to play behind them."
Next up is our first ever trip to the Liberty Stadium to face Swansea City.
They scored five goals last weekend so it should be another easy afternoon!?
JJ - "I'm not sure easy is the right word! When you play away from home you
have to keep it very tight. Teams improve year upon year in the Premier
League and
every away game is tough. But if we are solid and keep the ball like we did
against Aston Villa, then we have every chance of coming away with a
positive result."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sam Baldock leaves West Ham United for Bristol City
BBC.co.uk
Bristol City have signed West Ham striker Sam Baldock on a three-year deal
for an undisclosed fee. The 23-year-old left MK Dons to join the Hammers
last summer, agreeing a four-year contract at Upton Park. Baldock scored 11
goals in his first 15 games for the Championship club, but he lost his place
in the side following injury problems. Manager Derek McInnes told the club
website: "I'm over the moon that we've managed to sign Sam." The Scotsman
continued: "He gives us real threat to stretch defences and is as good a
natural finisher as anyone in the division.
BALDOCK FACTFILE
Born 15 March, 1989
Became first player to graduate from MK Dons youth team into the senior side
Made his league debut in February 2007 in 1-1 draw with Mansfield
Has scored 48 goals in 148 games, 56 of his appearances coming as a sub
"He'll really complement the strikers we already have at the club, as well
as [be] a different type of option for our play in general. "I'd like to
thank the board and our owner for really pushing to get this deal done.
"He's a striker we've targeted and worked extremely hard to get. I've no
doubts all the effort and commitment will prove dividends."
McInnes had made no secret of his intention to strengthen his forward line
following Nicky Maynard's departure to the Hammers in January. And his
patience over the summer appears to have paid off after capturing both
Baldock and Steven Davies, who was brought in on a three-year deal from
Derby on Monday. Baldock is a product of Wimbledon's youth system and
followed the club when they moved to Milton Keynes in 2003. His breakthrough
season at MK Dons came in 2008-09, when he scored 13 goals in 44 games. He
caught the eye of teams higher up the league hierarchy when he netted 14
goals in 34 appearances the following year, and eventually secured a move to
West Ham in the summer of 2011. The forward made a blistering start his his
Hammers tenure - scoring six goals in his first six games - but injury
curtailed his form and he fell out of favour with manager Sam Allardyce.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
So long, little Sam
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 21st August 2012
By: Staff Writer
Sam Baldock has completed a permanent transfer to Championship club Bristol
City. The former MK Dons striker spent just one season at the Boleyn Ground
having moved to East London in a £2million deal last autumn. Despite scoring
more goals than any other first team striker during pre-season, the
23-year-old was deemed surplus to requirments by Sam Allardyce. And it was
confirmed tonight that he has completed his move to the South West club.
KUMB.com exclusively revealed last month that West Ham had accepted City's
offer for the young forward; the deal is thought to be worth in the region
of £1.5million plus add-ons, depending on certain clauses being met. Having
started his career at West Ham in promising fashion - Baldock scored five
times in his first nine appearances for the club having joined in September
- the goals dried up and the former number seven failed to find the back of
the net after November of last year. That lack of goals - plus the arrival
of players such as Ricardo Vaz Te and Modibo Maiga - left Baldock well down
the pecking order at Upton Park and it was therefore no surprise that the
club decided to cash in ahead of the transfer deadline in ten days' time.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Out of Africa
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 21st August 2012
By: Staff Writer
West Ham are one of several clubs being linked with a move for Cameroon
international defender Stephane Mbia this morning. Mbia, who currently plays
for Olympique Marseille is said to be just one of a number of players made
available for transfer by the financially-stricken French club, from whom
West Ham signed Alou Diarra only last week. The 6'3" centre half made his
name in France with Rennes before siging for Marseille in 2009 in a
£10million move. According to L'Equipe, West Ham have made enquiries into
his availability. Queens Park Rangers and Sunderland are also said to be
keeping an eye of the 26-year-old. In other news, forogtten striker Freddy
Piquionne is said to be the subject of interest from Championship club
Brighton & Hove Albion. The former French international was heavily linked
with a move to Leeds United last week although nothing has materialised on
that front as of yet.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Why there's reason to be a happy Hammer
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 21st August 2012
By: Tom Kilbey
With usual hyperbole, the media are talking about our club being at a
crucial crossroad. That our next year or two could determine our future, and
we are in transition into a big club to challenge the best clubs in Europe
(wince here).
Our Chairmen are talking as if the announcement of an imminent move to a new
stadium will automatically transform us into a club that can target the
upper echelons of the league (wince again). History has shown that saying
rash things like that can prove very foolish (look at Blackburn's five-year
plan). In fact, lets looks closer to home. Anyone else remember Eggert
Magnusson boldly claiming we'll be a European force within two (yes, two)
years?
I know I do, and now I find its easier to laugh off such claims. Indeed,
David Gold's suggestion that we are currently a top half team was enough for
me to smile wryly. But amongst the ridiculous exaggeration and apparent
complacent over-confidence, I genuinely believe there is reason to be
optimistic about both our short, and long term future.
Short Term
Anyone who read my very first article on KUMB.com will know that I had some
concerns about our squad. Certainly, these have not disintegrated after one
game, but Saturday's performance gave reason to be optimistic.
Aston Villa were awful, lacking penetration, width and creativity, but take
nothing away from the performance of our defenders. James Collins showed
early signs of the dominance that made me believe his departure from the
club was an extremely poor decision. Winston Reid was also excellent, making
several timely interceptions. Compare his performance on Saturday, to the
opening game of the 2010/11 season, his debut, and its hard to believe you
are watching the same player.
Even at full back, the position where I expressed my biggest concern, we
looked more than comfortable. Guy Demel looked fitter and stronger and
showed he wasn't afraid to get forward to support Ricardo Vaz Te. George
McCartney ran himself into the ground and put in a performance which made me
appreciate why so many members here at KUMB hold him in high regard.
Further forward, our midfield looked good. We were dominated in possession
for large parts, but still looked comfortable. The usual suspects performed
and Diame looked superb. I've heard great things about him, but his
technical ability surprised me. He showed that he can pass the ball and has
great feet as well as his physical attributes that he is more known for.
We still look a bit short up top, but it's encouraging to see our attentions
focussed solely on this position now. The names of the moment are Moussa
Konate and, more recently, Rennes winger Razak Boukari who impressed on
trial.
The brief cameo performance from Modibo Maiga was also promising. He looks
physical, with an extra yard of pace over our other strikers and looked
composed when presented with the one-on-one chance that was cleared off the
line.
But more than this, Saturday proved that we have what it takes to compete
with the Premier League clubs. The desire was back and it was clear that
every player on that pitch worked incredibly hard. The fans were fantastic
and drove the players on late in the game. It was a mature performance; one
highlighting the fact we have pedigree and top flight experience in the
squad.
Maybe top half is still over-optimistic – I'm sure every fan will breathe a
sigh of relief when we reach 40 points – but we showed that we can hold our
own in the top division, especially in the capable hands of Sam Allardyce.
Long Term
Although I don't like to speculate too much, I think we can make a few
predictions. Firstly, although the saga regarding our Olympic Stadium bid
rambles on, most people associated with the club are either excited – or
resigned, depending on your opinion – that the stadium will eventually be
ours. I've changed my mind more times than Robbie Keane has changed his
childhood club.
With David Gold's strange cryptic tweets (which seem to get weirder on a
daily basis), I get the impression that we will include retractable seating
in the stadium which is enough for me to support the bid. There's not one
important person in the media who thinks anyone else is a suitable tenant. I
included the word 'important' so I didn't have to talk about that comical
waste of space who is still kicking up a fuss. You know exactly who I mean.
Gold has also talked about potential investment that will come as a result
of this. Not for a second am I suggesting that we could become as big as
Manchester City, but there's no reason that moving to a bigger stadium
couldn't provide some form of cash injection, just as they received four
years ago. But even in the likely case that this doesn't happen, Gold and
Sullivan aren't too afraid to splash the cash themselves.
I never believed that Andy Carroll, Adam Johnson or Kaka were realistic
transfer targets, but the fact the board are showing ambition and coughing
up the money is promising in itself. Gold and Sullivan are hardly the most
popular people in football, but they certainly have the club in their best
interests and with Karren Brady working behind the scenes, we have a good
set up which is something we have lacked for a few years.
Also, unlike some of the teams around us, we seem to be looking to the
future. We have a great blend of youngsters and experience, and have added a
mix of fresh talent and seasoned campaigners. Looking into the slightly
longer term, players like Collison, Maiga, Reid and Tomkins will only
continue to improve as they move into their mid twenties.
Younger still, we have the likes of Morrison who will hopefully begin to
mature given the responsibility of first team football and academy graduates
such as Rob Hall and Dan Potts, who will hope to capitalise on chances in
the inaugural Under-21 Premier League.
Of course, our main target this season is to ensure our Premier League
status is maintained. With an excellent first win in the bag and hopes of
signing players in areas we are still lacking will only strengthen our push
for a respectable league position.
Looking past this season, who know what will happen? It's terribly clichéd,
but we've had our fair share of false dawns in the past ten years. But
maybe, just maybe, we are turning the corner on our awful last three years
and can begin to look towards a brighter future for our great club.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
And so it Came to Pass .........
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
After much rumour and conjecture, it has been confirmed that Sam Baldock has
been sold to Bristol City!
Many fans will lament his departure, emphasising his potential as a pacy
goal scorer. Indeed, if you look at some of the old MK Dons u-tube footage
of Baldock, you will notice that he scored many of his goals from balls
played in to space for him to run on to and outpace opposition defenders.
Did we ever use him like that? Not really if my recollection is correct.
Indeed, watching that footage reminded me a bit of the type of goals that
McAvennie and Cottee used to score under John Lyall's management. Perhaps
Sam Allardyce was not the best manager to exploit Baldock's strengths.
Alternatively, maybe Allardyce has it right and he is too lightweight and
lacking at PL level? As with most things, time will tell.
It has been reported that the fee is £1.5m with the add ons taking it up to
£2m. Lets hope that they have also included some sort of sell-on/buy back
clause as part of the the deal, just in case he does blossoms in to a new
Cottee or Owen. Regardless, one would have thought that if they were intent
upon selling Baldock, they would have done it more creatively, using him as
a makeweight to bring in a player like Matt Jarvis from Wolves, Andy King
from Leicester City or Wlfred Zaha from Palace. But no, apparently not.
Perhaps none of those clubs were interested in him (which I doubt) or West
Ham do not fancy a part-exchange deal? More on an alleged Baldock-Jarvis
transfer connection later.
Anyway, the management obviously sees Nicky Maynard as a better PL prospect.
So be it, much as some supporters might disagree, the management are paid to
take these difficult decisions and are ultimately accounable if they get it
wrong. Although that will not be much of a comfort if a nascent Cottee or
Owen has prematurely been shipped out. The thought of Baldock scoring goals
for fun in a Man Utd or Arsenal shirt, (to pinch a classic West Ham related
media cliche) its the stuff of a 'Ammers house of horrors.'
On another subject, what is the situation with Jack Collison's injury? The
football he played at the conclusion of last season seems to have
aggreviated his former knee injury. Indeed, Sam Allardyce has stated that he
has not played nor trained since the play-off Final victory back in May.
Putting aside obvious concerns about the actual injury, this means that
Collison has had no pre-season and, even when fully physically fit, will not
be match fit for a further considerable period. The probable absence of Jack
Collison arguably conspires to weaken our attacking midfield options. Does
that mean that this will necessitate the addition of a similiar type of
midfielder on loan? Could that lead us to go back in for Henri Lansbury or
another such option?
Finally, the rumours about signing Bouraki and Drenthe continue to
circulate. Yet, some media sources have suggested that West Ham will still
make another bid of £10m for Matt Jarvis, with the monies received for Sam
Baldock allegedly topping-up the up front fee and thereby facilitating the
deal. The suggestion is that it is a take it or leave £10m package, with £7m
up front and £3m worth of add-on payments. It Wolves reject that then West
Ham will not increase their offer. Arguably, if they reject that sort of
money they must really see Mat Javis as a crucial part of their promotion
campaign! Much as it is disappointing for us, you cannot blame them for
wanting to retain their best players if they can afford to do so! After all,
it was only 12 months ago that we were urging our management/board to do
likewise in an identical situation.
SJ. Chandos.
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Allardyce tables take-it-or-leave-it offer of £10m for Wolves winger Jarvis
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 22:30, 21 August 2012 | UPDATED: 22:30, 21 August 2012
Daily Mail
West Ham have launched a final £10million bid for Wolves winger Matt Jarvis.
Wolves have so far rejected two bids with the last consisting of £6.5m up
front and £3m in add-ons. Jarvis, 26, has put in a transfer request but
played against Leeds on Saturday and against Barnsley on Tuesday night.
Manager Sam Allardyce is eager to add pace to his side but is reluctant to
go above £10m overall for the England international and is considering other
options but are unlikely to go for Tottenham's David Bentley who is
available on a free transfer. West Ham's bargaining position may be eased
slightly by the pending departure of Sam Baldock to Bristol City, despite
late interest from Charlton. The 23-year-old was signed last summer from MK
Dons. Rennes winger Razak Boukari, 25, is expected to sign a season-long
loan deal with West Ham on Wednesday while free agent Royston Drenthe's
representatives have also discussed a possible deal.
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Brighton close to signing Piquionne
Chichester.co.uk
Published on Tuesday 21 August 2012 16:27
Frederic Piquionne could be the new striker Gus Poyet has been searching for
after it emerged the Albion are in contract talks with the West Ham forward.
Sources in the national press claim the French attacker, who counts
Portsmouth and Monaco among his former clubs, is close to signing for the
Seagulls, although Poyet may face some last minute competition from
Championship rivals Leeds United. Piquionne has been deemed surplus to
requirements at the Premier League newcomers and appears to fit the bill as
the sort of centre forward Brighton have spent all summer trying to sign. He
has one France cap and scored two goals in eight loan appearances at
Doncaster Rovers last season.
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Where next for Adam Johnson - Liverpool, Arsenal, Sunderland or West Ham?
Would you take Adam Johnson at your club?
By talkSPORT magazine | Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Roberto Mancini's post-Southampton admission that Adam Johnson is free to
leave Man City has alerted potential suitors across the Premier League.
Johnson is a deadly attacking winger but finds himself devoid of first-team
opportunities at a club boasting an embarrassment of riches in attack.
Impressive for England against Italy last week, Mancini admits letting
Johnson leave will be difficult: "Adam can have a future here but you should
also understand when you are 23 or 24 years old, you want to play," said
Mancini. "If you are at a top team, you can't always do that, so I agree, if
he wants to, he has to leave." "But if that happens I will be so sorry
because Adam is a good guy... he is a different player to other strikers and
wingers and maybe he could be important for us."
The case for Liverpool
Dirk Kuyt has left, Maxi is gone, Craig Bellamy's at Cardiff and Joe Cole
hardly inspires confidence, so although Brendan Rodgers has swooped to sign
Moroccan international Oussama Assaidi, he could yet move for Adam Johnson
if Man City beat the Reds to Scott Sinclair's signature and Clint Dempsey's
move fails to materialise. The only worry is that Rodgers likes outfield
players to work tirelessly on ball retention, so the nippy winger will need
to work much harder defensively if he was to fit in at Anfield.
Arsenal
We've lost count of how many players Roberto Mancini has nabbed from the
Gunners, so how about reversing that trend, Arsene? If Theo Walcott fails to
agree terms on a new Emirates deal the Gunners could do a lot worse than
luring a forward-thinking wide man who would suit their speed on the break.
Walcott has failed to realise his full potential, while Johnson has yet to
be offered a regular starting role at one of England's big clubs. It's not
like Arsenal don't have a spare £39m in the bank.
Sunderland
Martin O'Neill is said to be leading the chase for Johnson's signature with
an opening bid of £10m. The Black Cats frustrated Arsenal at the weekend
without threatening too much on the break and, should they capture Steven
Fletcher from Wolves this week, then Johnson - who was born in Sunderland -
seems like the next piece in the jigsaw for Martin O'Neill. Life at
Sunderland may not seem as glamorous as other options, but could guarantee
Johnson the first team football he craves.
West Ham
Sam Allardyce loves to play direct and Adam Johnson is a player capable of
providing the service for someone like Carlton Cole in the middle. West Ham
may have got their Premier League campaign off to a satisfying start with
victory against Aston Villa, but they'll face much stiffer opposition and
Johnson represents a quality option they are short of at present. Would the
board stump up £12m? We shall see...
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