Loanee round-up
WHUFC.com
Dan Potts and Paul McCallum were in action for their loan clubs in Sky Bet
League Two at the weekend
25.11.2013
Paul McCallum, Dan Potts and Jordan Spence were all in Sky Bet Football
League action for their loan clubs this weekend. All three played the full
90 minutes but were unable to prevent their respective clubs from slipping
to defeats. Potts, who was making his debut for Portsmouth after joining on
a one-month loan deal, played at left-back throughout and he saw his team
surrender a one goal lead as they slipped to a 2-1 defeat against Scunthorpe
at Fratton Park. Tom Craddock had given the south coast side the lead after
36 minutes but a double from Tom Syers, one either side of half-time, won it
for the visitors. McCallum was also on the wrong end of a 2-1 defeat despite
getting on the scoresheet himself. The big striker opened the scoring with a
superb right-footed half-volley from just inside the box as he gave the
Gulls the lead. Kai Naismith pulled one back three minutes before half-time
before consigning McCallum and Torquay to defeat with 16 minutes left.
Spence's Milton Keynes Dones, meanwhile, were edged out 3-2 by Bradford City
in League One. Patrick Bamford and Shaun Williams were on target for the
Dons, but Nakhi Wells, former Hammer Kyel Reid and Jason Kennedy scored to
win it for Bradford. Spence has extended his loan with Karl Robinson's side
until January 4, but McCallum will now return to the Boleyn Ground having
scored three goals in six games for the Gulls.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
'It's the story of our season'
WHUFC.com
Joey O'Brien says basic errors are hurting West Ham United at present
25.11.2013
Joey O'Brien says West Ham United are taking collective responsibility for
their current poor run of form. Sam Allardyce's men fell to a 3-0 defeat to
Chelsea on Saturday, the visitors taking the lead by seizing upon a Guy
Demel error which led to Jussi Jaaskelainen giving away a penalty. It was
the second spot-kick conceded by the Hammers in as many Barclays Premier
League games, and O'Brien feels too many mistakes are being made at crucial
times throughout the team - including on his own part. "The penalty on
Saturday was a massive moment and probably the story of the season for us,
with individual errors costing us," he said. "We've made a few of them - I
made one at Hull to give away a penalty there, Guy's a top player and will
come back from it. "Chelsea are a smashing team with some good players, but
I'm more concerned with how we're doing. We're confident we can turn it
around. We have some top players and proved that last year. "Hopefully that
little bit of luck will go our way and kick-start our season."
Having lost just four Barclays Premier League home games over the course of
last season, the Hammers have now matched that total already this term by
losing four of their opening six fixtures at the Boleyn Ground. The No17 is
well aware of the importance of next week's home clash with Fulham as the
Hammers look to put that right, both against the Cottagers and on the road
at Crystal Palace next Tuesday evening. He added: "The home form is a
concern for us, particularly not scoring goals. That's the main issue, and
the next two games are massive. "We find ourselves in a fight and we need
six points. Both ourselves and Fulham are in need of the three points next
week and we'll be doing our best for them."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Downing laments Hammers' generosity
WHUFC.com
Stewart Downing felt the Hammers had themselves to blame for getting Chelsea
started on Saturday
25.11.2013
Stewart Downing felt West Ham United only had themselves to blame as they
slumped to a 3-0 defeat to Chelsea on Saturday. The Hammers were giving as
good as they got until they conceded a needless penalty to their visitors 21
minutes in. Frank Lampard converted from the spot and Chelsea never looked
back from there, soon doubling their advantage through Oscar before Lampard
sealed the points late on. The defeat left the Hammers without a home win in
the Barclays Premier League since the opening day of the season and Downing
knows an improvement is necessary. "We gave Chelsea a goal start, and I
thought it was quite even up until then," he said. "They got the penalty,
Lampard rarely misses and from then on it was hard for us because they keep
the ball and have players who can hurt you."
Downing does not point the finger at a lack of chance creation for the
Hammers' current woes, more their deficiencies in taking those opportunities
at present.
"We've played ever so well in a lot of games but the problem is that we've
missed chances at important times," he added. "With the crosses we put in, I
remember Kevin Nolan got on the end of one and got it back for a half-chance
for Joe Cole, so even though we're not playing with a striker, we're still
getting people into the box. "It's people's jobs to make the runs, we don't
all sit behind the ball and cross to nobody. "We've got Fulham and Palace in
the next two games - two big games and we need the points."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Phillips proud of U18s run
WHUFC.com
Assistant manager Mark Phillips saw West Ham United U18s go nine games
unbeaten by defeating leaders Fulham
25.11.2013
West Ham United U18s assistant manager Mark Phillips hailed the Hammers
following Saturday's 3-1 win over Barclays U18 Premier League leaders
Fulham.
After playing out a goalless first half at Little Heath on Saturday, striker
Jordan Brown and captain Kieran Bywater put the Hammers on track to victory.
George Williams halved the deficit from the penalty spot after a foul by
Hammers defender Jamie Harney. It was to be West Ham's day though when the
Hammers won a penalty of their own, which was coolly dispatched by Bywater
for his second of the game and his 13th goal in 15 games. Phillips was
naturally delighted as West Ham extended their unbeaten run to nine league
matches. "I don't want to be quoting clichés but I thought it was a game of
two halves," said Phillips. "In the first half, Fulham were on top but we
were definitely the better team in the second half. "We prepared for Fulham
the same way that we prepared for the Tottenham and Aston Villa games
because they are both up there in the top three with Fulham and we have
beaten both of them. "We obviously gave them respect for where they are in
the league, but made sure that we didn't over-respect them because we are
confident in what our team can do. I got a good feeling from training all
week and we went out and showed just how good we are."
Despite the result, Phillips believes that it was nowhere near a perfect
performance from the Hammers, but that the game came down to which team look
their chances in front of goal. "I wouldn't say it was a perfect game
because in the first half, Fulham were the better team. Steve Potts and I
identified a few things at half-time where we could negate their attack and
then it was about us taking our chances, which we did."
The game saw both sides being awarded controversial penalties, with Phillips
claiming Harney had been wrongly penalised for Fulham's spot-kick. "I didn't
think either was a penalty to be perfectly honest. For their penalty, I just
thought Jamie won the header, slightly aggressively, but he had to be to win
the header." The win stretches the Hammers' unbeaten run to nine games ahead
of home games with Arsenal and Leicester City to round out the pre-Christmas
league fixture list. West Ham will also travel to Accrington Stanley in the
FA Youth Cup third round before the festive season. "Hopefully the run can
continue till sometime in May!" Phillips continued. "The more we play and
pick up results, winning becomes a habit and we start expecting to beat
teams, no matter who we are playing against. "I thought that when we beat
Tottenham and Aston Villa. There is a good vibe around the Academy at the
moment. Togetherness is one of the main attributes that this team has got.
They are very close both on and off the pitch. Steve has got the team in a
very good place at the moment. "The results haven't always shown what the
performances have deserved. For example, we drew 1-1 with Southampton here
at Little Heath earlier in the season and we should have won that and drew
with Newcastle when they had ten men so we should have won that too.
Overall, we have played quite well this season."
This season is the first that Potts, Phillips and Academy director Tony Carr
MBE have worked together with the U18s. The trio have proved to be a
successful combination so far. "It's been very good working with both Steve
and Tony this season. Tony's experience is unquestionable and second to
none. He has been doing youth football for years and knows everything about
it. "I've recently come up from the U16s to be Steve's assistant so you then
have my enthusiasm. Steve is the cool head that tops it off and makes sure
we work well together."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
It's a bit Chile!
WHUFC.com
British Ambassador to Chile Jon Benjamin is following the West Ham Way in
South America
25.11.2013
West Ham United supporters can famously be found all over the world. One,
British Ambassador to Chile Jon Benjamin, has been supporting the Hammers
from postings on five different continents! After graduating with a degree
in Languages (German and Swedish) and International Relations, the
50-year-old joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1986. Since then
Benjamin, whose four-year stay in Santiago will end in March 2014, has
worked in Australia, Indonesia, Turkey, the United States and Chile during
his 27-year career in the diplomatic service. During his time in South
America, he has made some fantastic friends, including one of the 33 Chilean
miners freed after 69 days trapped underground and former West Ham defender
Javier Margas! The Ambassador began by explaining that claret and blue has
long run through the veins of the Benjamin family - Jewish immigrants who
settled in the East End.
You can follow Jon Benjamin on twitter @JonBenjamin19 "My Mum was born in
Mile End and my Dad in Stepney," he said. "Their house took a direct hit in
the Blitz and they had to move out to near Windsor. In fact, the whole
street he lived in - Skidmore Street - was so badly damaged that it doesn't
even exist anymore. "My Dad sadly passed away last year, aged 93. When I was
back in the UK a few months before, we took him on a very happy day trip to
all his old haunts in the East End, standing where we were pretty sure
Skidmore Street used to be - that will stay with me forever."
Benjamin's late father took him to the Boleyn Ground for the first time in
1974, at the age of eleven, for a 'thrilling' 4-3 win over Everton. Having
seen Clyde Best, Billy Bonds and Trevor Brooking in the flesh, he was
hooked. "From the age of 16 onwards, I went to every home game and, for two
seasons, every away game, including getting up at 4am to travel to places
like Sunderland - before I went to university. Ever since, whenever I'm
posted back in London for a couple of years, I get a Season Ticket again."
Benjamin, who names Alan Devonshire as his favourite all-time Hammer, has
attended some memorable matches down the years, enjoying the rollercoaster
of emotions that come with being a West Ham fan, "I always remember that
great Alf Garnett quote: 'Supporting West Ham is like life itself: there's
the odd moment of joy down the years, but most of it is bloody misery!'.
"But I do have some terrific memories of games I was at - the 1980 FA Cup
final against Arsenal where we won 1-0 against the odds; the Championship
Play-Off final in Cardiff against Preston where the seven minutes of
added-time almost finished me off!; that incredible 1-1 draw at home to
Manchester United [in May 1995] which prevented them winning the title. "Of
course, I don't like dwelling on defeats but I do remember seeing us lose
4-1 at home to Dinamo Tbilisi in 1981 in the European Cup Winners' Cup -
probably the most complete footballing performance I've ever seen. "Many
years later, in 1996, I got to visit Dinamo Tbilisi's home stadium in the
Republic of Georgia to see England win a World Cup qualifier, in which Teddy
Sheringham and Les Ferdinand scored, so revenge of a sort!"
Georgia is just one of the dozens of countries Benjamin has visited during a
career he planned to follow even as a child. "I never really wanted to do
anything else. When I was six, I wrote in that typical first primary school
essay 'What I want to be when I grow up' that I wanted to be an ambassador,
even though I spelt it all wrong. Well, it just took another 40 years to get
that title! "It's been a great and very varied ride, each posting highly
memorable in its own right, with a couple of postings back in London in
between, including three years as head of the Foreign Office's human rights
department which included some unforgettable trips, above all a week in
North Korea in 2004."
Since arriving in Chile, Benjamin has collected some 'fantastic memories',
met his partner Carolina and celebrated the birth of son Louis. "I've
travelling all over, including to remote and amazing Easter Island and spent
the night in the lighthouse on Cape Horn island. "My first full year here,
2010, was the most eventful: there was the world's fifth-largest earthquake
in February, where I thought my house was about to collapse and then, of
course, the famous rescue of the 33 trapped miners, one of whom has become a
very good friend since. "But, much more importantly than all that, in Chile
I've finally, aged 50, started a family. Louis, now just over one, is
naturally a big Hammers fan of the future. He's already seen a few games
live here on Chilean TV, though he did fall sound asleep during the West Ham
v Stoke game."
Father and son settle down in front of the television to watch live matches
and highlights whenever possible, while Benjamin himself has also gained an
affiliation with the Chilean national team. "I have seen a few World Cup
qualifiers in a great atmosphere in the national stadium. Chile will be in
the World Cup next year, which is fantastic for the team and for the
country." Benjamin plans to return to the Boleyn Ground early next year,
when he hopes to see a fit-again Andy Carroll banging in the goals. Whether
he is overseas or at the Boleyn Ground, West Ham are never far from his
thoughts. "Through thick and thin, I will always be a Hammer and, of course,
my little son, Louis, will, I hope, take the torch and hand it on in due
course to more generations of the Benjamin family down the years!"
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham midfielder Mark Noble ready for two vital Premier League games
Last Updated: November 25, 2013 4:38pm
SSN
Mark Noble has called on West Ham United to 'stand up and be counted' ahead
of two 'vital' games in the Premier League. West Ham have won just once in
the league since the opening day of the season and were comfortably beaten
3-0 at home by Chelsea at the weekend. That result left Sam Allardyce's side
outside the relegation zone on goal difference and West Ham's next game is
at home to 18th-placed Fulham. The Hammers then travel to 19th-placed
Crystal Palace and Noble is looking forward to facing two teams who are also
fighting at the wrong end of the table. The midfielder is also waiting to
see if Allardyce continues with the 4-6-0 formation that has been used in
recent weeks after striker Modibo Maiga was brought on as a substitute just
before half-time against Chelsea. "It's up to gaffer what he does, but in
the second half we had more of a focal point and it looked a bit more
balanced," said Noble in the Evening Standard about whether a striker will
start against Fulham. "It seemed to work a bit better but Chelsea were 2-0
up by then and probably took their foot off the gas a little. "I just can't
believe the way it's going at the minute. We were holding Chelsea OK and
then we give away another unbelievable goal. "After the way things have been
going this season, giving penalties away and the opposition scoring from
free-kicks, this was another kick in the nether regions. "The next two
games, against Fulham and Crystal Palace, are vital for us now and we have
to stand up and be counted. They will be tough but I'm looking forward to
them."
West Ham have scored just five goals in six home games this season and
full-back Joey O'Brien acknowledged their form at Upton Park is a worry.
O'Brien told the club's official website: "The home form is a concern for
us, particularly not scoring goals. That's the main issue, and the next two
games are massive. "We find ourselves in a fight and we need six points.
Both ourselves and Fulham are in need of the three points next week and
we'll be doing our best for them."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sam Alladyce says West Ham fans entitled to boo team
Last Updated: November 25, 2013 7:45am
SSN
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce says he understands why he and the team were
jeered off on Saturday. The Hammers were beaten 3-0 at home to London rivals
Chelsea, and were booed off at half-time and full-time by the home support.
The Hammers have two wins all season - on the opening day against Cardiff
and, memorably, at Tottenham. The defeat by Chelsea was their fourth at home
this season - the same number as the whole of last season and Allardyce
admits he understands the increasing frustration in the stands and puts
recent performances down to 'fear' in the team. "If they (the supporters)
don't see the sort of determination and passion and desire they think they
should get they show their disapproval," Allardyce said. "I thought the
players tried as hard as they can, but they're playing with a bit of fear at
the minute. And that makes them look like they're not playing with the
passion that is normally seen."
West Ham have two more derbies coming up, and Allardyce says they need to
turn things around quickly. "When people say there's a pressure game at the
top - Manchester United versus Arsenal or Chelsea versus Manchester United
or Manchester City - it's not as big a pressure as when you're in the bottom
three or four," Allardyce added. "It's much greater pressure because it's
all about 'relegation this', 'relegation threatened that', all the money you
lose. "That becomes a constant flea in the players' ear. They've got to
dismiss all that, keep a clear mind, keep a clear head and focus on playing
how they know they can play. "It's my job to pick the players up and remind
them about previous performances we've had home and away this year, make
sure we get to that level and stop those fears creeping in."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Spence extends Dons stay
Last Updated: November 25, 2013 6:09pm
SSN
MK Dons have extended the loan spell of West Ham defender Jordan Spence
until January 4, 2014. Spence, 23, whose initial month-long stay with the
Sky Bet League One club ended after their 3-2 home defeat to Bradford on
Saturday, has played every minute of every game since joining Karl
Robinson's side.
The former England Under-21 international will now be available for the
Dons' league fixtures against Colchester, on Tuesday night, Coventry,
Wolves, Port Vale, Crawley, Brentford and finally Colchester and Crewe in
the new year. Spence will also be eligible for Dons' FA Cup second-round tie
against Dover Athletic next month. Robinson said: "First of all we're
thankful to West Ham United and their manager Sam Allardyce for allowing us
to keep him until the new year. "He's done wonderfully well since signing
for us and we're very fortunate to have him until January. He is a typical
MK Dons centre-back and they are hard to find. "This now gives us
consistency in the back four and it's important over the forthcoming weeks
and months while Antony Kay is out, that he'll be there to fill that void."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
BIG SHAM SHOULD LOOK IN THE MIRROR
By Tony McDonald 25 Nov 2013 at 15:10
West Ham Till I Die
IF Sam Allardyce really wants to know the answer to West Ham's current
problems, he need only look in the mirror.
Instead of publicly blaming his players for failing to take chances (sorry,
did I miss something in the Chelsea game?), he must shoulder full
responsibility for the mess we are now in.
I know I sound like a broken record and, in truth, I might as well just cut
and paste my last two pieces (from Sept and Oct) up here and be done with
it. The all-our-eggs-in-one-basket approach to the ludicrous signing of an
injury-prone forward for vast sums that must make us the laughing stock of
football; the failure to sign another striker in the summer and then wasting
another £5m of the non-scoring Downing; the embarrassment of recalling
Carlton Cole (and, worse, not even playing him) . . . I stand by every word.
Nothing has changed since my last gripes about Allardyce, except relegation
is becoming a more realistic and worrying prospect with each passing game.
Depression deepens.
When Carlton Cole looked at the team-sheet at Norwich and saw he wasn't
starting against a poor team who had been smashed 7-0 at Manchester City the
previous weekend, I wonder if he contemplated collecting his boots and
selling them on eBay. He might as well give up.
Yeah, yeah, yeah . . . "we'd be mid-table now and chasing a European place
if only Carroll had been available," the sadly delusional pro-Allardyce
brigade will try and argue. Give over.
His unavailability should have come as a shock to no-one. As I keep banging
on, Carroll has a record of injuries worthy of a walk-on part in Casualty.
He was injured when we handed over that £17.5m gift to Liverpool, so to
lavish most of his summer budget on the big man was a very risky and
miscalculated gamble by BS that could yet have dire consequences.
Still, in accordance with modern speak, we can at least take the 'positives'
from this diabolical, shameful situation: Big Sham is another step closer to
the exit door and, for me, that glorious day cannot come quick enough if
West Ham United is ever to go forward as a club again.
BS swears by his stats, so here's one for him to ponder: Our first shot on
goal v Chelsea was recorded in the 93rd minute.
And another for him to mull over: The day after the Chelsea fiasco, Cardiff
City had 14 shots against Manchester United and were rewarded for their
enterprise with a 2-2 draw against the reigning champions. Allardyce should
have looked at that performance and the ambitious tactics employed by
Cardiff's ex-manager Malky MacKay and been squirming with embarrassment.
It's not rocket science, is it? You play a forward (or two), go at the other
team, put them under a bit of pressure and, hey presto, you bag yourself two
goals.
Chelsea are not in the form of Barcelona, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich. They
are a team who, until last Saturday night, had been underperforming, winning
just one of their previous five away league games and were very fortunate
not to have lost their last home match to West Brom.
Yet compare Malky Mackay's refreshing attitude to Allardyce's 'game plan'
for the Chelsea match.
*Start the game with NO strikers.
*See your team go 0-2 down.
*Make two substitutions in the 39th minute and put on a (useless) striker.
This man's a tactical genius!
It must have been John Terry's easiest game since he was playing for Senrab
on Wanstead Flats.
Of course, it's not results against top teams that will determine the fate
of clubs scrapping at the wrong end of the table. It's what we do against
fellow strugglers which matters most. In this respect, the 3-1 defeat at
Norwich (having taken the lead) was even more criminal and, ultimately, may
prove much more costly.
The forthcoming 'P45 Derby' with Martin Jol's faltering Fulham and the
'Neckbrace Derby' against Crystal Palace could have a huge bearing on West
Ham's season and the future of the manager himself. (Christ, the bloke at
Sky who had the bright idea of showing the Palace game live next Tuesday
should be shot, or forced to buy a season ticket at either Selhurst Park or
Upton Park. He must be some kind of a masochist, especially now that the
other anti-football merchant Tony Pulis has been inflicted on those poor
people of South London. Still, the good news is Pulis is no longer a
candidate to replace BS.)
It remains to be seen if the team will respond in the right manner but
reading critical quotes in the media from their beleaguered manager is not
normally conducive to a rallying effort in the face of adversity. To "waste
chances", as BS puts it, you first have to create them. And how the manager
sets his team up inevitably affects their ability to create or otherwise. I
shouldn't think Joe Cole, for one, was over the moon about being yanked off
before half-time, having been marooned on the right where he was never going
to be at his most effective. Jack Collison was also humiliated in front of
his home fans.
I fear, too, that Ravel Morrison, by far and away our best future prospect,
will quickly reach the conclusion (if he hasn't already) that he will never
fulfil his obvious talent playing for a manager as negative as BS. How
Mourinho and the Chelsea players must have relished seeing Morrison asked to
play a role alien to him – backtracking and desperately trying to pick up
advancing Chelsea runners, when he should have been running with the ball
towards their goal.
In the last couple of days there is a growing change of mood among even BS's
biggest disciples. More and more sheep are removing their heads from the
sand and waking up to reality. About time.
It's one thing getting criticised by fans but if Allardyce loses the
dressing room, then he will become a dead man walking.
So who would we replace him with? There are options out there: Di Matteo (a
mate of Zola's, so it's doubtful that he would want to work for our board);
Hoddle (England's best coach, tactically clued up and puts out attacking
sides, but is prone to paranoia and not popular with the media); Di Canio
(fruitcake), Holloway (another fruitcake and his teams can't defend),
McLeish (no thanks), Curbs (no thanks), Coleman (just signed a new deal with
Wales).
Whoever it is, the appointment should not be based on a quick fix, but one
that will restore the club's ethos and best traditions for playing
entertaining, attacking football, while at the same time laying a structured
foundation for the future. As at Barca and Arsenal and most other clubs, all
the club's teams beneath the first team should all be playing in
fundamentally the same basic style, whilst allowing for tweaks to formations
depending on the opponents and circumstances. How else can you expect
continuity and progression of young players through the ranks? West Ham's
academy teams don't hoof the ball.
Alan Devonshire has proved himself over many years in non-league football,
so he would have to be a strong candidate. No experience above the
Conference? So what.
Perhaps give him a go alongside a younger coach – Julian Dicks? – as his
assistant. This way, Dicksy could seamlessly succeed Dev as No.1 when the
time is right. And how about Alvin Martin as defensive coach and Tony Cottee
to work specifically with the strikers?
These men have been there and done it for West Ham; they understand the
history of the club and what it stands for (or used to). They know what most
supporters expect for their heard-earned money.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham should not get rid of Big Sam yet, but his next three games are
crucial
25 Nov 2013 09:22
The Mirror
Resident Hammer Dan Silver is none too pleased with Allardyce, who could
face the chop if this gets much worse
There's no shame in losing to Jose Mourinho's star-studded Chelsea side , of
course. Even at home. But there was plenty of shame to be had from West
Ham's performance during their 3-0 defeat on Saturday. Actually, it was
worse than that: it was embarrassing. Chelsea's performance was calm, cool
and clinical, yes. But I've also rarely seen a team have to work less for a
3-0 win away from home. Sam Allardyce bemoaned individual errors and poor
finishing for the Hammers' latest home hammering. And, yes, Guy Demel's
disastrous back pass that led to the visitors' opening penalty was
compounded by a miserable miss from Modibo Maiga in the second half that
could have halved the deficit to 2-1.
But the problems at Upton Park run far deeper than scapegoats, and it's time
the manager looked a little closer to home. Way back before the season had
even started in August I wrote that the manager's reliance on Andy Carroll's
fitness could be the difference between West Ham finishing 8th and 18th, and
was told on Twitter that I didn't know what I was talking about. Then,
following a fruitless transfer deadline day in which West Ham failed to
secure a striker on loan to cover for the crocked Carroll, I wrote another
piece criticising the rank mismanagement at the club.
Again, I was slammed on social media. Carroll would be back within weeks, I
was told in no uncertain terms. One Twitter user memorably told me that
youngster Elliot Lee would score the goals West Ham needed. He's just
returned from a League One loan spell at Colchester (Lee, that is, not the
Tweeter).
And so, with almost a third of the season gone, West Ham find themselves out
of the relegation zone on goal difference alone, having won just two games
from what many considered to be an opening fixture list that bordered on the
generous.
Big Sam, as he's affectionately known, has never enjoyed the West Ham fans'
affection. The respect he rightfully accrued for securing promotion to the
Premier League at the first attempt and keeping the side there last season
has been gradually eroded by workmanlike performances that must be endured
rather than enjoyed.
Sam's self-aggrandisement has grated, too. He revelled in the 3-0 win at
White Hart Lane , proclaiming his own tactical acumen and preparation in
producing a striker-less formation that bamboozled Andre Villas-Boas.
His obdurate decision to turn a surprise tactic into a predictable one
resulted in subsequent defeats to Manchester City and Norwich and two
goalless draws with Swansea and Aston Villa before Saturday's reverse to
Chelsea.
The striker-less formation returned two goals in five games. You wouldn't
have needed Nostradamus levels of foresight to see that coming, but the
results are now apparently the fault of the players' performances rather
than the manager's strategy.
Allardyce will point to his lack of options up front, of course, but as
manager he has to take a significant share of the blame for this. His
insistence on signing Stewart Downing in the summer to supply the crosses
for Carroll was a classic case of putting all your eggs in one basket. Now
West Ham don't even have a basket.
Whispers around Upton Park suggest members of the board wanted to spend the
Downing cash on Juventus hitman Fabio Quagliarella but eventually decided to
back their manager instead. Cynics might suggest they were merely giving
Allardyce enough rope to hang himself should the need arise.
And now many West Ham fans have come to the conclusion it has. Calls for
Allardyce's head are being taken up across the internet, with everything
from his negative tactics to his obdurate faith in woefully out of form
captain Kevin Nolan being used as sticks to beat him with.
For many, the very public humiliation of Joe Cole and Jack Collison - both
hauled off during the 40th minute of the Chelsea defeat rather than at
half-time, has proved the final straw.
There's no question that relegation would be a disaster for West Ham -
something reinforced by the photo op of builders starting work on the club's
new Olympic Stadium home staged last week. And despite David Sullivan and
David Gold's reputation for not firing managers, they've already dismissed
two since their arrival at Upton Park four years ago.
I would be astonished if they sacked Sam, though, Especially given that
three of West Ham's next four fixtures are against fellow strugglers Fulham,
Crystal Palace and Sunderland.
Changing managers mid-season is by no means a sure way of changing fortunes.
For every Southampton - and there must be many chairmen casting envious
glances at the way Mauricio Pochettino has turned that club around - there
are many more Readings and Hulls that remind us that the tactic is very much
a gamble.
Yes, a new manager might well shake things up ahead of those crucial
six-pointers but equally he could further disrupt a dressing room filled by
many of Sam's signings.
Then there's the question of who West Ham could bring in. As Crystal Palace
have found, there aren't many top managers around Europe enthralled with the
prospect of a Premier League relegation scrap.
Former Hammers hero Paolo Di Canio is out of work , of course, but surely
that would be a step too far even for owners as much in love of a futile
populist gesture as Sullivan and Gold.
Talking of which, only fans with amnesia would sanction an audacious move
for Harry Redknapp ahead of a transfer window.
Even if by default, Sam Allardyce deserves his chance to rectify his recent
shortcomings and salvage West Ham's season, securing much-needed points to
provide a platform from which he can sign his way out of trouble in January.
Fail to get anything out of those upcoming fixtures, however, and it could
well be a different story.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham: Allardyce defends substitution of Cole
By Rob Virtue on November 25, 2013 1:21 AM
Wharf.co.uk
Sam Allardyce defended his decision to take off Joe Cole during the
first-half of the side's 3-0 defeat to Chelsea on Saturday. The former
England international, along with Jack Collison, was substituted on 40
minutes after the second goal went in and stormed off straight to the
dressing room. When asked about the decision to take Cole off, Big Sam said
"the change was needed". "I can't help the team playing like that, and since
the two goals went in I had to change something," he said. "Somebody has to
come off. You look at the team and see who we're going to bring off and how
we're going to play. "Are we going to bring a lot more energy, a bit more
pace with Maiga and Diame? But if (Cole's) frustrated, then the next time he
plays, he's going to play so well that I am not going to substitute him, and
that's up to him."
Allardyce said Jose Mourinho's game plan was spot on, but he was
disappointed with how his team performed on the day. "I think we allowed
them to be good after the goal," said the West Ham manager. "In all
fairness, Jose's blocked the midfield with a bit more than he normally does,
and they haven't had the best two results of late. "When we saw Ramires,
Lampard and Mikel in midfield, you know they've come here to be a bit more
defensive, but it was our defensive frailties that broke first, not there's.
"Gifting them the penalty gave them a massive lift, and we couldn't really
get out of our own half."
A Frank Lampard brace and a goal from Oscar ensured a classy Chelsea side
ran riot against a struggling West Ham at Upton Park in the late kick-off on
Saturday. The first goal of the game came from the penalty spot, after right
back Guy Demel's lacklustre back-pass towards veteran shot stopper Jussi
Jaaskelainen was pounced on by Oscar, who was bought down by the former
Finnish international. Lampard dispatched the spot kick in a comfortable
fashion to end his 10 league game goal drought. Thirteen minutes later,
Chelsea doubled their lead, as a quick interchange of passing between man of
the match, Eden Hazard and Oscar, saw the Brazilian international burst
towards the Hammers backline, and his shot trickled past Jaaskelainen. With
no real threat from West Ham, who are now winless in their last five Premier
League games and have only scored two goals since then, Chelsea put the game
to bed in the 83rd minute when the Hammers defence failed to properly clear
Branislav Ivanovic driven cross, which fell to Lampard who has now scored
five goals in his last five appearances against his old side.
West Ham next have a 'relegation six pointer double' when they play host to
Fulham next Saturday, before a midweek game away at Crystal Palace.
Jack Pinnock
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Storm clouds gather over Allardyce
Posted by Peter Thorne
ESPN
Should he fail to pick up some results in the next few weeks, Sam
Allardyce's West Ham future could turn very grim. The forums on the
unofficial blog sites are not the place for a faint-hearted West Ham
supporter currently. The vitriolic abuse for Sam Allardyce -- always
bubbling below the surface since his appointment -- has emerged with a
vengeance, as most knew it would if results started to go against him.
Allardyce was never a popular appointment, and the type of football favoured
by the ex-Bolton boss has never found favour with the Claret and Blue
faithful brought up -- many by memory alone -- on Academy football, the
legendary triumvirate and the glowing legacy of the Greenwood and Lyall
years. The bemused Allardyce, like many who aren't supporters of the east
London side, questioned the validity of this supposed legacy and asked --
not unreasonably, it has to be said -- what success it had brought the club
since the mid-80's. Unfortunately, driving a coach and four through the
myths and legends of your new club is not really a good starting point for
any boss and Allardyce has been walking on thin ice ever since.
In 21st Century football though, results are all and while Allardyce eked
out dull draws away from home and smothered opposing sides at home, then
fans were prepared to -- if not exactly bite their tongue -- at least wear a
rictus smile. Once the wheel turned though, everyone knew the Dudley-born
ex-central defender, with his brusque and obdurate manner that sometimes
appears to border on the arrogant, would struggle to align himself with the
cockney and Essex based fan base. Dudley may only be in the West Midlands,
but this is a North v South argument that has been waiting to explode for
the past two years.
Inevitably, once the rumbling starts then whispered rumours and internet
scaremongering become cast-iron facts. At the weekend, when I was
questioning if all the blame for the situation that forces the Hammers to
play without a striker can be laid at the door of the manager, I was told
quite categorically that the West Ham board had wanted to sign Juventus
forward Fabio Quagliarella, but had been persuaded to back Allardyce who
wanted to spend the money on winger Stewart Downing instead. I have no idea
if that is the case -- I'd read Juventus decided not to release the player
and Quagliarella wouldn't have wanted West Ham anyway, but who is to know
the truth in the land of liniment and horse oils?
What is without doubt now, though, is that someone who knows someone who
knows David Gold's sister-in-law, is stating as a fact that Allardyce will
only save his job if he is successful in the three upcoming games against
Crystal Palace, Sunderland and Fulham. As these are fenced in with further
matches involving Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool, Allardyce's
options aren't great and not helped when he says things like "we need six
points from those games". We know what he means, but supporters are looking
for a more bullish response.
Further rumours that state that at least one of the executive board has
never been too impressed with Allardyce and is just itching to pull the
trigger may be the usual type of gossip you get when Christmas is
approaching and the team is staying out of the bottom three only on goal
difference.
It's a balancing act and -- scathing though I am about those who run
football clubs nowadays -- I don't envy the Board their options. Because for
every Nigel Adkins-Mauricio Pochettino scenario, there's a Reading or QPR
situation waiting to occur; indeed, Hammers supporters don't even need to
look that far, when they recall the patience shown to Avram Grant when
Martin O'Neill was an option. Amusingly, Big Sam himself, showing the type
of self-confidence that seems to aggravate as much as impress, has often
said that every time he has been sacked, the club he left has then gone
down.
Perhaps Allardyce could just do himself a big favour though and leave
captain Kevin Nolan on the bench for once, and try and play one player up
front -- whoever he is. It may not work, but it would at least look as if he
could see some of the shortcomings the fans are seeing. Losing at home to a
rampant Chelsea side doesn't really mean that much, but confidence looked
low on Saturday once the Hammers went behind and the idea of losing points
to teams in the bottom three could have a disastrous effect on team morale.
Sam Allardyce is going to have to prove there is some substance to his
bombast – although, even then, it might not be enough.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
---
This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.
http://www.avast.com
Tuesday, November 26
Monday, November 25
Daily WHUFC News - 25th November 2013
Manager on Monday
WHUFC.com
The manager West Ham United is determined to put things right against Fulham
on Saturday
24.11.2013
Sam Allardyce has stated his focus this week will be on making sure his West
Ham United side come out all guns blazing for Saturday's London derby with
Fulham. The West Ham United manager watched on last Saturday as his side
were beaten 3-0 by high-flying Chelsea. A visit of 18th-placed Fulham on
Saturday offers the Hammers an opportunity to get back to winning ways at
home and set themselves up nicely for the third game in a hat-trick of
consecutive London derbies at Crystal Palace three days later. "I've got to
keep instilling the confidence in the players," Allardyce said. "I saw a
little ebb of a lack of confidence when the first goal went in against
Chelsea, which I haven't seen this season. We've always been very positive
and always given our all even though we've failed to turn lots of good
performances into wins. "It's my job to pick the players up and remind them
of the previous performances we've had home and away and make sure we get to
that level and stop those fears creeping in against a Fulham side, which
will offer us the chance to get three points.
"We must keep a clear head and focus on playing on how I know they can play.
I'm in charge and my results aren't going well at the moment and so I am
going to what I can do to put it right."
With rumours abounding over which players Big Sam and the Board may be
targeting in the January sales, the manager has stressed those stories are
of no significance to him at present, with eight crucial matches to play
before the window opens on 1 January. Seven of those fixtures are in the
Barclays Premier League, with a Capital One Cup quarter-final trip to
Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday 18 December thrown in as an early Christmas
gift. "It's alright saying we're going into the market in January but there
are too many games between now and January that we've got to make sure we
get points from. It's tough going at the minute for us and it's my
responsibility to keep their heads up, pick them up and keep telling them
how well I know they can play. "I've said to the players that because you've
thrown away the wins you know you should have had you're putting yourself
under so much pressure now you'll find it tough to play football as easy as
it was a few weeks ago. "Take that little bit of time over a pass and you
could end up passing it to the opposition and make those basic errors more
you than usually did. So we've got to dismiss all of those negatives and get
back to a positive attitude."
Big Sam also took time to praise the 'electric' Hammers fans for their
support since he guide the team back to the Premier League at the first time
of asking. He understands their frustrations that results are not going as
planned as present and vowed to get them roaring with approval again as soon
as possible.
"We've been in the Premier League for 18 months and I've had nothing to
criticise the fans for. I don't criticise them booing on Saturday because
they expected a better show against the opposition than they saw. "They
would have not booed us if we'd given a better show than we did against
Manchester City. They pay their money and if they don't see the sort of
passion, determination and desire they think they should then they'll show
their disapproval. "You've got to give them something to shout about. We
can't expect them to cheer to get a goal unless we're giving them something
to cheer. They're electric and they help us an enormous amount. "I didn't
ever think I would be sat here now when we've lost four games at home
already. Last season we only lost four at home all season and now we've lost
four in 12 so I've got a massive dilemma on how to turn that back around
again."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
'We need to up our game'
WHUFC.com
James Collins demanded more from the Hammers after Saturday's below-par
showing against Chelsea
24.11.2013
James Collins issued a rallying cry in the wake of West Ham United's 3-0
Barclays Premier League defeat at home to Chelsea, insisting the time is now
for the Hammers to turn their season around. A Frank Lampard double, either
side of Oscar's first-half strike, consigned Sam Allardyce's men to a fourth
home loss of the campaign and a second successive league reverse.
Reflecting on a disappointing evening at the Boleyn Ground, centre-half
Collins conceded that West Ham are paying a heavy price for uncharacteristic
mistakes just now. He told West Ham TV: "We knew it was going to be tough,
but the same as the last couple of games, we're not really helping ourselves
at the minute. Individual mistakes leading to goals, which are costing us.
Unfortunately we couldn't get back in the game. "It has been happening a bit
too often, individual mistakes, myself included, as well as everyone. It's
something we've got to look at, we've got to stop the rot somewhere and it
doesn't come any bigger than next Saturday. "We had a couple of chances
but again, couldn't score, and obviously we're conceding goals which we
weren't doing at the start of the season. We've got to stop conceding and
start scoring! Rapidly."
Chelsea's superlative display came as no suprise to Collins, though he
acknowledged that the visitors were given far too easy a ride in east
London, thanks largely to an avoidable 21st-minute penalty award. That said,
the 30-year-old remains defiant in defeat, calling on his colleagues to come
back even stronger.
"They were good, you know what you're going to get from a Chelsea team," he
continued. "They pass it well, move around the pitch, create chances and
that's what they did. We made it too easy for them. "Before the penalty we
were quite comfortable. I don't think they had a shot on target before the
penalty. As at Norwich, it deflates you a little bit and that can't happen.
The gaffer has just said, we need to up our game if anything, not go into
our shells, which looked like we did a bit on Saturday. That's got to stop."
Collins knows only too well that a West Ham revival must start next week at
home to Martin Jol's Fulham, who currently sit directly beneath the Hammers
in 18th spot. A trip to Crystal Palace follows just three days later,
presenting the perfect opportunity to make amends, so says the Wales
international. "Fulham's a big game, every game's big now. We've got
off to probably the worst start we could have thought of. Especially after
last year, we wanted to try and match that or even better it and
unfortunately that hasn't happened. Every game's massive now. "We haven't
gone back to back wins all of last year and certainly this year, if ever
there was a time to do it to get our season back on track, it's the next two
games. It's up to us to put it right, to get the fans behind us again and
hopefully we can do that starting Saturday. "It's not happening at both ends
and all we can do is work hard on the training pitch, stay together, keep as
a tight unit and hopefully the wins will come."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
HOW DO YOU SOLVE A PROBLEM LIKE BIG SAM?
By Sean Whetstone 24 Nov 2013 at 21:45
West Ham Till I Die
First of all let me start by saying I have the up-most respect for Big Sam.
I have met him three times since he took over West ham and have always found
him intelligent, witty and highly entertaining in person. I first met him at
The London Business Forum in November 2011 and one of the first things he
told an audience of business men was the average life of a premier league
manager was 1 year 8 months with a championship manager life span just 1
year 2 months.
He survived his time as a Championship manager by getting us promoted at the
first attempt of asking.Technically I guess he became a Premier league
manager again on 19th May 2012 when we won the play off final at Wembley.
We finished a surprising 10th place last season but the second season
syndrome has started to kick in and the West Ham natives are getting
restless. Last Tuesday made it 1 year 6 months in charge so January 19th
next year will make it the dreaded 1 year 8 months anniversary of a Premier
League manager. Will he survive until then? David Gold seems re-markedly
quiet on twitter lately but I am sure Mr Allardyce has the full confidence
of the board!
Some West Ham fans didn't like Big Sam from day one, they complained about
his direct football and pointed out he scraped Premier league promotion via
the play offs. Even when we came 10th last season they complained the
football wasn't attractive enough and he doesn't play the West Ham way.I
have backed Sam since the beginning at West Ham and have always believed his
organisation skills is just what the doctor ordered for the rebuilding of
West Ham. Only a few weeks ago Sam was hailed as a tactical genius for the
'false nine' tactic that beat Spurs 3-0. My mantra on the West Ham podcast I
co-host and my brief appearance on Talk Sport radio is "Sam's teams do not
go down!"
There has been a lot of water under the bridge since that brief moment of
glory and the tactic of playing no striker is wearing very thin and expected
by every team we play .
What was the point of signing Mladen Petric and Carlton Cole if we aren't
going to play a striker?
The news on Andy Carroll doesn't seem not good either. It appears he has
moved from his hotel & clinic in Antwerp, Belgium to Amsterdam. One can only
imagine the club weren't happy with the treatment in Antwerp and have moved
clinics. I can't see any way we can be insured for his continued injury as
it was a pre existing condition when we signed him. That's £80,000 plus out
of the club each and every week.
In the pre-match interview Sam said "We are trying to get a date out of the
guys over in Amsterdam but they are reluctant to give us any clear
indication of when he's going to be able to join us back here and start
training with the squad and getting back into the team," In the same
interview he went on to be-moan that West Ham tried and failed to sign four
strikers in the Summer but no-one would come to us. He seems oblivious that
the main reason was no world class striker wants to play second fiddle to
Andy Carroll.
However the water shed moment for me came on Saturday after the double
substitution of Joe Cole and Jack Collison for Momo Diame and Miaga to
background of the crowd chanting "You don't know what your doing!" Later on
came more disquiet from the fans which I won't repeat suggesting a reason
why Kevin Nolan was still on the pitch. When Kevin did finally get pulled
off he was booed by many in the angry crowd. I briefly joined in the knee
jerk reaction after yesterday's match by agreeing that it was time for Sam's
time to come to an end but in the cold light of day I asked myself who would
want to take over the job? The whole team is set-up for Andy Carroll with no
sign of Andy Carroll. any new manager would have to carry on with the cards
dealt to us.
In Nov 2011 at the event where I first met him he was asked the question:
What 3 things make a great Football manager?
His answers then were:
1) Ambition: He claimed his ambition is greater than any club he has
managed.
2) Job Satisfaction: A team that delivers what has been targeted by owners
and fans.
3) Publicity: Someone who feels comfortable in the lime light and media
pressure.
So what do we do with a problem like Big Sam? In the short term we back him
and hope our fortunes turn very soon.
I will be going to the Season Ticket Fans Forum on 10th December to meet Mr
Allardyce for a fourth time along with 400 fellow season ticket holders. I
think Big Sam and Kevin Nolan will be in for a hard time on the 10th unless
we beat both Fulham and Palace and give a go at winning at Anfield.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
BIG SAM HAS US BAFFLED
By Tony Hanna 24 Nov 2013 at 11:09
West Ham Till I Die
One of the most baffling decisions during our loss to Chelsea was that Big
Sam did not utilise Carlton Cole at any point during the game. Iain's game
summary on the 4/6/0 formation backed up my theory two weeks ago that the
system is not a workable one to use when playing at home. We need to play a
minimum of one up top and with Carroll, Vaz Te and Petric injured that only
leaves Maiga, Carlton Cole and Lee to choose from? Enough has been seen of
Maiga already to realise he is way out of his depth so to bring him on after
40 minutes was baffling. Lee has returned from his loan deal at Colchester
and to be honest I haven't seen enough of him to make an appraisal. The few
minutes he played on debut at Old Trafford earlier this year at least gave
the impression he is not a target man. So that leaves Carlton Cole, after
all, isn't that why we gave him a short term contract until the end of the
year – despite not being fully match fit. I was never a Carlton Cole fan but
the move to get him back was based on the fact we could not get anyone else.
However, Big Sam keeps on saying he is not match fit – so why not give him
half an hour or more against Chelsea when the match result had slipped away
from us? Why, with ten minutes to go did he bring on Matty Jarvis instead of
Carlton? How is Carlton going to get match fit when he can't even get a run
under Saturday's circumstances? That's three questions in a row and whilst
we might like to try and answer some of them, I really think Sam should be
answering them for us.
It has been suggested that bringing Carlton back to the club was not what
Sam wanted and it was David Sullivan's choice. If that is the case it is an
even sadder decision not to be playing him. Any truth in that scenario
suggests that cracks will be widening in the relationship between owners and
manager. The other tactic Sam has tried is playing Kevin Nolan for brief
spells leading the line. Again, playing with your back to goal is not
something you want to start doing at the end of your career, and to be fair
to Kevin, it is something that is hardly going to work for him or anyone
else who is not used to it.
So, in a nutshell, for the interim Sam has to play Carlton – like him or
not. Many things are drifting away from Sam at the moment which is a shame.
He has had two very good years at the club. If Andy Carroll was available at
present I am sure we would not be in this predicament. However, the past few
weeks have seen a number of players starting to drop their heads and just as
importantly, the crowd is now starting to vent their frustrations at
matches. I have been a fan of Big Sam at West Ham and I hope he pulls it all
together. We shall see?
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sam Allardyce orders in West Ham flops for extra training as Andy Carroll
absence continues
24 Nov 2013 22:30
The Mirror
Sam Allardyce ordered his West Ham stars in for extra training yesterday
after they were crushed by Chelsea . The fuming Upton Park boss acted after
Saturday's bloodless win for Jose Mourinho's men left the Hammers above the
relegation zone on goal difference. West Ham's players were due to have
yesterday as a day off. But Allardyce, who hauled off Joe Cole and Jack
Collison before half time on Saturday, told his men to scrap their plans.
Allardyce has nominated the next two matches - against Fulham and Crystal
Palace - as must-win games. He is counting the cost, however, of bringing in
winger Stewart Downing in the summer for £5million instead of another
striker with Andy Carroll nowhere near fit. West Ham joint-chairman David
Gold wrote on Twitter yesterday: "I spoke to Andy C yesterday, he looked fit
and strong and is desperate to rejoin the first team squad. Hopefully this
will happen soon."
Privately, however, it is understood Carroll will not be available to the
east Londoners before the New Year. Saturday's defeat means West Ham have
managed just one Premier League win in their last seven matches. They have
also scored only one goal in their last four top-flight games.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sam Allardyce concedes fear factor is getting to West Ham players as
relegation battle looms
24 Nov 2013 22:30
The Mirror
Sam Allardyce admits his West Ham side are playing with fear as they face a
relegation battle. They have not won at Upton Park since the opening day of
the season and were taken to the cleaners 3-0 by Chelsea. The Hammers boss
accepted that their fans had the right to jeer his players, saying: "They
pay their money and if they don't see the determination, passion and desire
they think they should get, then they show their disapproval. "The players
tried as hard as they can but I think they're playing with a bit of fear.
That makes it look as if they don't have the passion the fans normally see.
"It's always dangerous when you see that body language. People say there's
pressure games at the top but it's not as big a pressure as when you're in
the bottom three or four. "It's all about 'you're relegation this, you're
relegation that' and the money you'll lose here." Stewart Downing admitted
the boos, directed at Modibo Maiga and Kevin Nolan, were taking their toll.
"It's not nice to hear it for one of your team-mates," said the former
England midfielder. "You need the fans behind you. But as players you just
have to be strong."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
---
This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.
http://www.avast.com
WHUFC.com
The manager West Ham United is determined to put things right against Fulham
on Saturday
24.11.2013
Sam Allardyce has stated his focus this week will be on making sure his West
Ham United side come out all guns blazing for Saturday's London derby with
Fulham. The West Ham United manager watched on last Saturday as his side
were beaten 3-0 by high-flying Chelsea. A visit of 18th-placed Fulham on
Saturday offers the Hammers an opportunity to get back to winning ways at
home and set themselves up nicely for the third game in a hat-trick of
consecutive London derbies at Crystal Palace three days later. "I've got to
keep instilling the confidence in the players," Allardyce said. "I saw a
little ebb of a lack of confidence when the first goal went in against
Chelsea, which I haven't seen this season. We've always been very positive
and always given our all even though we've failed to turn lots of good
performances into wins. "It's my job to pick the players up and remind them
of the previous performances we've had home and away and make sure we get to
that level and stop those fears creeping in against a Fulham side, which
will offer us the chance to get three points.
"We must keep a clear head and focus on playing on how I know they can play.
I'm in charge and my results aren't going well at the moment and so I am
going to what I can do to put it right."
With rumours abounding over which players Big Sam and the Board may be
targeting in the January sales, the manager has stressed those stories are
of no significance to him at present, with eight crucial matches to play
before the window opens on 1 January. Seven of those fixtures are in the
Barclays Premier League, with a Capital One Cup quarter-final trip to
Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday 18 December thrown in as an early Christmas
gift. "It's alright saying we're going into the market in January but there
are too many games between now and January that we've got to make sure we
get points from. It's tough going at the minute for us and it's my
responsibility to keep their heads up, pick them up and keep telling them
how well I know they can play. "I've said to the players that because you've
thrown away the wins you know you should have had you're putting yourself
under so much pressure now you'll find it tough to play football as easy as
it was a few weeks ago. "Take that little bit of time over a pass and you
could end up passing it to the opposition and make those basic errors more
you than usually did. So we've got to dismiss all of those negatives and get
back to a positive attitude."
Big Sam also took time to praise the 'electric' Hammers fans for their
support since he guide the team back to the Premier League at the first time
of asking. He understands their frustrations that results are not going as
planned as present and vowed to get them roaring with approval again as soon
as possible.
"We've been in the Premier League for 18 months and I've had nothing to
criticise the fans for. I don't criticise them booing on Saturday because
they expected a better show against the opposition than they saw. "They
would have not booed us if we'd given a better show than we did against
Manchester City. They pay their money and if they don't see the sort of
passion, determination and desire they think they should then they'll show
their disapproval. "You've got to give them something to shout about. We
can't expect them to cheer to get a goal unless we're giving them something
to cheer. They're electric and they help us an enormous amount. "I didn't
ever think I would be sat here now when we've lost four games at home
already. Last season we only lost four at home all season and now we've lost
four in 12 so I've got a massive dilemma on how to turn that back around
again."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
'We need to up our game'
WHUFC.com
James Collins demanded more from the Hammers after Saturday's below-par
showing against Chelsea
24.11.2013
James Collins issued a rallying cry in the wake of West Ham United's 3-0
Barclays Premier League defeat at home to Chelsea, insisting the time is now
for the Hammers to turn their season around. A Frank Lampard double, either
side of Oscar's first-half strike, consigned Sam Allardyce's men to a fourth
home loss of the campaign and a second successive league reverse.
Reflecting on a disappointing evening at the Boleyn Ground, centre-half
Collins conceded that West Ham are paying a heavy price for uncharacteristic
mistakes just now. He told West Ham TV: "We knew it was going to be tough,
but the same as the last couple of games, we're not really helping ourselves
at the minute. Individual mistakes leading to goals, which are costing us.
Unfortunately we couldn't get back in the game. "It has been happening a bit
too often, individual mistakes, myself included, as well as everyone. It's
something we've got to look at, we've got to stop the rot somewhere and it
doesn't come any bigger than next Saturday. "We had a couple of chances
but again, couldn't score, and obviously we're conceding goals which we
weren't doing at the start of the season. We've got to stop conceding and
start scoring! Rapidly."
Chelsea's superlative display came as no suprise to Collins, though he
acknowledged that the visitors were given far too easy a ride in east
London, thanks largely to an avoidable 21st-minute penalty award. That said,
the 30-year-old remains defiant in defeat, calling on his colleagues to come
back even stronger.
"They were good, you know what you're going to get from a Chelsea team," he
continued. "They pass it well, move around the pitch, create chances and
that's what they did. We made it too easy for them. "Before the penalty we
were quite comfortable. I don't think they had a shot on target before the
penalty. As at Norwich, it deflates you a little bit and that can't happen.
The gaffer has just said, we need to up our game if anything, not go into
our shells, which looked like we did a bit on Saturday. That's got to stop."
Collins knows only too well that a West Ham revival must start next week at
home to Martin Jol's Fulham, who currently sit directly beneath the Hammers
in 18th spot. A trip to Crystal Palace follows just three days later,
presenting the perfect opportunity to make amends, so says the Wales
international. "Fulham's a big game, every game's big now. We've got
off to probably the worst start we could have thought of. Especially after
last year, we wanted to try and match that or even better it and
unfortunately that hasn't happened. Every game's massive now. "We haven't
gone back to back wins all of last year and certainly this year, if ever
there was a time to do it to get our season back on track, it's the next two
games. It's up to us to put it right, to get the fans behind us again and
hopefully we can do that starting Saturday. "It's not happening at both ends
and all we can do is work hard on the training pitch, stay together, keep as
a tight unit and hopefully the wins will come."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
HOW DO YOU SOLVE A PROBLEM LIKE BIG SAM?
By Sean Whetstone 24 Nov 2013 at 21:45
West Ham Till I Die
First of all let me start by saying I have the up-most respect for Big Sam.
I have met him three times since he took over West ham and have always found
him intelligent, witty and highly entertaining in person. I first met him at
The London Business Forum in November 2011 and one of the first things he
told an audience of business men was the average life of a premier league
manager was 1 year 8 months with a championship manager life span just 1
year 2 months.
He survived his time as a Championship manager by getting us promoted at the
first attempt of asking.Technically I guess he became a Premier league
manager again on 19th May 2012 when we won the play off final at Wembley.
We finished a surprising 10th place last season but the second season
syndrome has started to kick in and the West Ham natives are getting
restless. Last Tuesday made it 1 year 6 months in charge so January 19th
next year will make it the dreaded 1 year 8 months anniversary of a Premier
League manager. Will he survive until then? David Gold seems re-markedly
quiet on twitter lately but I am sure Mr Allardyce has the full confidence
of the board!
Some West Ham fans didn't like Big Sam from day one, they complained about
his direct football and pointed out he scraped Premier league promotion via
the play offs. Even when we came 10th last season they complained the
football wasn't attractive enough and he doesn't play the West Ham way.I
have backed Sam since the beginning at West Ham and have always believed his
organisation skills is just what the doctor ordered for the rebuilding of
West Ham. Only a few weeks ago Sam was hailed as a tactical genius for the
'false nine' tactic that beat Spurs 3-0. My mantra on the West Ham podcast I
co-host and my brief appearance on Talk Sport radio is "Sam's teams do not
go down!"
There has been a lot of water under the bridge since that brief moment of
glory and the tactic of playing no striker is wearing very thin and expected
by every team we play .
What was the point of signing Mladen Petric and Carlton Cole if we aren't
going to play a striker?
The news on Andy Carroll doesn't seem not good either. It appears he has
moved from his hotel & clinic in Antwerp, Belgium to Amsterdam. One can only
imagine the club weren't happy with the treatment in Antwerp and have moved
clinics. I can't see any way we can be insured for his continued injury as
it was a pre existing condition when we signed him. That's £80,000 plus out
of the club each and every week.
In the pre-match interview Sam said "We are trying to get a date out of the
guys over in Amsterdam but they are reluctant to give us any clear
indication of when he's going to be able to join us back here and start
training with the squad and getting back into the team," In the same
interview he went on to be-moan that West Ham tried and failed to sign four
strikers in the Summer but no-one would come to us. He seems oblivious that
the main reason was no world class striker wants to play second fiddle to
Andy Carroll.
However the water shed moment for me came on Saturday after the double
substitution of Joe Cole and Jack Collison for Momo Diame and Miaga to
background of the crowd chanting "You don't know what your doing!" Later on
came more disquiet from the fans which I won't repeat suggesting a reason
why Kevin Nolan was still on the pitch. When Kevin did finally get pulled
off he was booed by many in the angry crowd. I briefly joined in the knee
jerk reaction after yesterday's match by agreeing that it was time for Sam's
time to come to an end but in the cold light of day I asked myself who would
want to take over the job? The whole team is set-up for Andy Carroll with no
sign of Andy Carroll. any new manager would have to carry on with the cards
dealt to us.
In Nov 2011 at the event where I first met him he was asked the question:
What 3 things make a great Football manager?
His answers then were:
1) Ambition: He claimed his ambition is greater than any club he has
managed.
2) Job Satisfaction: A team that delivers what has been targeted by owners
and fans.
3) Publicity: Someone who feels comfortable in the lime light and media
pressure.
So what do we do with a problem like Big Sam? In the short term we back him
and hope our fortunes turn very soon.
I will be going to the Season Ticket Fans Forum on 10th December to meet Mr
Allardyce for a fourth time along with 400 fellow season ticket holders. I
think Big Sam and Kevin Nolan will be in for a hard time on the 10th unless
we beat both Fulham and Palace and give a go at winning at Anfield.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
BIG SAM HAS US BAFFLED
By Tony Hanna 24 Nov 2013 at 11:09
West Ham Till I Die
One of the most baffling decisions during our loss to Chelsea was that Big
Sam did not utilise Carlton Cole at any point during the game. Iain's game
summary on the 4/6/0 formation backed up my theory two weeks ago that the
system is not a workable one to use when playing at home. We need to play a
minimum of one up top and with Carroll, Vaz Te and Petric injured that only
leaves Maiga, Carlton Cole and Lee to choose from? Enough has been seen of
Maiga already to realise he is way out of his depth so to bring him on after
40 minutes was baffling. Lee has returned from his loan deal at Colchester
and to be honest I haven't seen enough of him to make an appraisal. The few
minutes he played on debut at Old Trafford earlier this year at least gave
the impression he is not a target man. So that leaves Carlton Cole, after
all, isn't that why we gave him a short term contract until the end of the
year – despite not being fully match fit. I was never a Carlton Cole fan but
the move to get him back was based on the fact we could not get anyone else.
However, Big Sam keeps on saying he is not match fit – so why not give him
half an hour or more against Chelsea when the match result had slipped away
from us? Why, with ten minutes to go did he bring on Matty Jarvis instead of
Carlton? How is Carlton going to get match fit when he can't even get a run
under Saturday's circumstances? That's three questions in a row and whilst
we might like to try and answer some of them, I really think Sam should be
answering them for us.
It has been suggested that bringing Carlton back to the club was not what
Sam wanted and it was David Sullivan's choice. If that is the case it is an
even sadder decision not to be playing him. Any truth in that scenario
suggests that cracks will be widening in the relationship between owners and
manager. The other tactic Sam has tried is playing Kevin Nolan for brief
spells leading the line. Again, playing with your back to goal is not
something you want to start doing at the end of your career, and to be fair
to Kevin, it is something that is hardly going to work for him or anyone
else who is not used to it.
So, in a nutshell, for the interim Sam has to play Carlton – like him or
not. Many things are drifting away from Sam at the moment which is a shame.
He has had two very good years at the club. If Andy Carroll was available at
present I am sure we would not be in this predicament. However, the past few
weeks have seen a number of players starting to drop their heads and just as
importantly, the crowd is now starting to vent their frustrations at
matches. I have been a fan of Big Sam at West Ham and I hope he pulls it all
together. We shall see?
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sam Allardyce orders in West Ham flops for extra training as Andy Carroll
absence continues
24 Nov 2013 22:30
The Mirror
Sam Allardyce ordered his West Ham stars in for extra training yesterday
after they were crushed by Chelsea . The fuming Upton Park boss acted after
Saturday's bloodless win for Jose Mourinho's men left the Hammers above the
relegation zone on goal difference. West Ham's players were due to have
yesterday as a day off. But Allardyce, who hauled off Joe Cole and Jack
Collison before half time on Saturday, told his men to scrap their plans.
Allardyce has nominated the next two matches - against Fulham and Crystal
Palace - as must-win games. He is counting the cost, however, of bringing in
winger Stewart Downing in the summer for £5million instead of another
striker with Andy Carroll nowhere near fit. West Ham joint-chairman David
Gold wrote on Twitter yesterday: "I spoke to Andy C yesterday, he looked fit
and strong and is desperate to rejoin the first team squad. Hopefully this
will happen soon."
Privately, however, it is understood Carroll will not be available to the
east Londoners before the New Year. Saturday's defeat means West Ham have
managed just one Premier League win in their last seven matches. They have
also scored only one goal in their last four top-flight games.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sam Allardyce concedes fear factor is getting to West Ham players as
relegation battle looms
24 Nov 2013 22:30
The Mirror
Sam Allardyce admits his West Ham side are playing with fear as they face a
relegation battle. They have not won at Upton Park since the opening day of
the season and were taken to the cleaners 3-0 by Chelsea. The Hammers boss
accepted that their fans had the right to jeer his players, saying: "They
pay their money and if they don't see the determination, passion and desire
they think they should get, then they show their disapproval. "The players
tried as hard as they can but I think they're playing with a bit of fear.
That makes it look as if they don't have the passion the fans normally see.
"It's always dangerous when you see that body language. People say there's
pressure games at the top but it's not as big a pressure as when you're in
the bottom three or four. "It's all about 'you're relegation this, you're
relegation that' and the money you'll lose here." Stewart Downing admitted
the boos, directed at Modibo Maiga and Kevin Nolan, were taking their toll.
"It's not nice to hear it for one of your team-mates," said the former
England midfielder. "You need the fans behind you. But as players you just
have to be strong."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
---
This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.
http://www.avast.com
Sunday, November 24
Daily WHUFC News - 24th November 2013
Big Sam concerned by mistakes
WHUFC.com
Sam Allardyce admitted errors cost his West Ham United side dear in their
3-0 home defeat by Chelsea
23.11.2013
Sam Allardyce pulled no punches in his assessment of West Ham United's 3-0
Barclays Premier League defeat by Chelsea. The Hammers manager admitted
individual mistakes had cost his team dear for the second game in
succession, leading to costly defeats at Norwich City and at home to the
Blues. On Saturday, Guy Demel's poor backpass led to Jussi Jaaskelainen
fouling Oscar and Frank Lampard firing the visitors ahead from the penalty
spot. Oscar himself added a second before half-time before Lampard completed
a miserable afternoon with a late third. "I am disappointed and the fact of
the matter is that, because we didn't win the games we should have done at
the start of the season, we not only had to play against a big team like
Chelsea but we also had to fight the demons that our in our minds at the
moment," admitted Big Sam. "The difference between what we were doing prior
to Norwich and what we're doing now is that individual errors are making so
much of a difference to us. We hadn't seen that before, but it happened in
the second half at Norwich and it happened again on Saturday. "In the 17 or
so minutes before they got the penalty, there was little between the two
sides and I think we then had a few moments, but none better than the one
that fell to Joe Cole that was blocked by Petr Cech. Then, within the space
of a few minutes, we made a big error and it cost us a penalty. "We had to
come back from that. While we were trying to change it and get a couple of
subs because I didn't think we had overcome the manner of conceding the
first goal, Oscar scored the second. "After half-time we got a little better
and were more resilient and had to be patient to create a chance. The big
chance fell to Modibo Maiga, and if he had scored it would have rallied the
crowd and given them something to get on the edge of their seats about. It
might have helped us go on to get a draw, who knows? "That didn't happen and
we had to take more and more chances and risks and it left us open. It
generally happens that, if you don't get your goal, the opposition get one
and that's what they did."
The manager pointed to the mistakes made in the last two fixtures as
something his players simply have to cut out if they are to arrest their
recent slide.
"That's what has disappointed me against Norwich and again on Saturday
because they haven't really earned the right to beat us. We've beaten
ourselves. That is what is worrying me at the moment, because we hadn't seen
that up to then. "We had six clean sheets in ten matches going into the last
two games, which is a resilient football team which gives you the chance to
win matches. We can't lose that. We know we're struggling to score goals,
but in most of the games we're creating 15 or more chances at goal, even if
we didn't do that against Chelsea. "We can't lose that resilience or else
life will become very difficult indeed. We know, as a team, at the moment we
are a 1-0 team if we are going to win because we're not scoring more than
one very often. Too many times, we're not scoring at all, so we've got to
make sure we know what we are until we score more goals."
Big Sam did take some encouragement from the Hammers' second-half display,
which included an improved performance from central striker Maiga on his
return to first-team duty. While Maiga did miss his one clear chance, the
Mali forward led the line well and won a succession of aerial battles with
John Terry and Gary Cahill. However, the manager refused to blame the
forward-less 4-6-0 formation that has been employed in recent weeks for the
downturn in results.
"It did give me a bit of heart, yes," he said. "That said, we have had games
where we've had more attempts at goal when we didn't play with a front man.
If you don't play with anyone up front and you win, it's brilliant. If you
lose, it's because you haven't got anyone up front, but that's not true. "If
the system is played right and the players play to their strengths, you can
win football matches, as we proved at Tottenham. At the moment, it's not so
much about the system but about us being resilient and creating chances and
most importantly, taking them. "It's now a big concern to me, because these
players proved they can score goals in the Premier League last season, but
they are not doing it this season."
Looking forward at the fixture list, Fulham, Crystal Palace and Sunderland
are all on the agenda within the next four matches. Big Sam did not need to
be told of the importance of those games. "Fulham, Crystal Palace and then
Sunderland are going to determine our season now. The pressure is on the
players, myself and the staff to make sure we prepare to go into those three
games and come out with a minimum of six points. That's got to be our
minimum target now or else we're going to be battling in the bottom three or
four beyond Christmas. "We've got to try to avert that in the next two
games, which are local derbies. Fulham can kick-start us into a good run of
results by beating them and then we'll take the confidence on to face Fulham
and then Sunderland."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Lampard double defeats Hammers
WHUFC.com
Frank Lampard was on target twice as Chelsea defeated West Ham 3-0 on
Saturday
23.11.2013
West Ham United 0-3 Chelsea
Barclays Premier League
Frank Lampard returned to haunt his former employers once again on Saturday
as his double helped Chelsea to a 3-0 win over West Ham United at the Boleyn
Ground. Lampard struck from the spot midway through the first half to give
the Blues a lead they never looked like relinquishing, particularly once
Oscar quickly doubled the advantage. The Hammers were never able to impose
themselves on the contest and Lampard deepened their woes with a clinical
finish eight minutes from time. The defeat leaves West Ham fourth from
bottom of the Barclays Premier League table with crucial fixtures against
Fulham and Crystal Palace next on the horizon. The opening exchanges were
fairly even and West Ham almost found a route to goal on 18 minutes when Guy
Demel stepped in to win possession on halfway and send the ball out to
Stewart Downing. The winger's cross was instant and directed towards Kevin
Nolan, whose header back was blocked, and Joe Cole's shot on the rebound was
also snuffed out. Three minutes later and Chelsea were in the lead thanks to
a goal of the Hammers' own making. Guy Demel was left with his head in his
hands after attempting to guide the ball back to Jussi Jaaskelainen with his
thigh. The pass was underhit and Oscar nipped in to draw a foul from the
goalkeeper. Lampard stepped up and smashed his spot kick high into the roof
of the net to set his side on their way.
A minute later the former Hammer could have made it two when Joey O'Brien
was caught in possession and Oscar passed square for Lampard, whose swept
shot was gathered by Jaaskelainen.
There was no such let off with 34 minutes on the clock though, as Chelsea
showed great incisiveness to double the advantage. James Collins was
attracted to the ball as it was passed into Eden Hazard's feet, leaving
Oscar to pick up from his teammate's flick, make his way to the edge of the
box and slot the ball into the bottom left corner. Hammers boss Sam
Allardyce responded by introducing Mo Diame and Modibo Maiga from the bench,
but still Chelsea found space to hurt the hosts and Samuel Eto'o brought a
flying one-handed save from Jaaskelainen with an angled shot which was
headed for the top right hand corner.
The second period started in much the same vein and Chelsea were so close to
a third on 58 when Lampard's header was met by a Gary Cahill header which
Mark Noble cleared off the line.
Moments later the visitors countered with devastating pace, with left-back
Cesar Azpilicueta bombing on down his flank to cross for Oscar, who should
have done better with his shot at the far post, which flew wide. For all
Chelsea's dominance, the Hammers still had a golden chance to get themselves
back in the contest on 65 minutes when Demel somehow wriggled clear of the
attentions of two defenders in the corner and cut back for Maiga, whose left
footed touch sent the ball wide when a more solid connection would surely
have seen the net bulge. Chelsea made use of their let-off by finally
sealing the points eight minutes from the end when Lampard drilled home from
the edge of the box after Hazard's blocked shot fell perfectly for his
right-footed effort.
West Ham United: Jaaskelainen; Demel, Collins, Tomkins, O'Brien; Morrison,
Noble, Collison (Maiga 40); J.Cole (Diame 40), Noble (Jarvis 76), Downing
Subs: Adrian, McCartney, Taylor, C.Cole
Chelsea: Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Mikel, Lampard;
Ramires, Oscar (Schurrle 83), Hazard (Essien 84); Eto'o (Ba 79)
Subs: Schwarzer, A.Cole, Mata, Willian
Goals: Lampard pen 21, Oscar 34, Lampard 82
Referee: Chris Foy
Attendance: 34,977
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
U18s down leaders Fulham
WHUFC.com
West Ham United Under-18s continued their outstanding form with a 3-1 home
win over Fulham
23.11.2013
West Ham United Under-18s stretched their impressive unbeaten run to nine
games with a 3-1 victory over league leaders Fulham at Little Heath on
Saturday.
After a quiet first period, striker Jordan Brown put the Hammers ahead by
tapping in Kieran Bywater's cross, before Bywater turned from provider to
scorer to bag his twelfth of the season. Though Fulham halved the deficit
through George Williams' well-taken penalty, Bywater grabbed his second of
the day to restore the Hammers two-goal lead and secure all three points.
U18s manager Steve Potts again named Djair Parfitt-Williams in the starting
line-up, after the 17-year-old Bermuda-born forward returned from injury to
score a hat-trick in last weekend's 3-1 win at Reading. Captain Bywater,
meanwhile, looking to add to his eleven goals in 14 appearances, lined up in
midfield alongside Josh Cullen, Ben Marlow and Amos Nasha. The Hammers
started the livelier of the sides and within the first two minutes Bywater
collected possession 30 yards out and smashed an effort towards the top
corner, forcing a smart save from Fulham 'keeper Marek Rodak. West Ham then
went close once more when a goal-mouth scramble caused chaos in the
visitors' box, but having cleared the initial danger, Marlow attempted a lob
from the edge of the box, which flew high over the bar. Fulham, meanwhile,
had the ball in the back of the West Ham net, though the celebrations were
short-lived, with Williams' effort being chalked off for offside. At the
other end, Bywater's free-kick flew narrowly over the bar.
West Ham were much improved after the interval and took the lead when
Bywater's low centre found Jordan Brown at the near post, who fired home.
Then, seven minutes later in almost identical fashion but from the other
side, Bywater was perfectly positioned to double the Hammers' advantage from
Lewis Page's precise left-footed cross. The second goal seemed to spur the
Cottagers into life, who halved the deficit thanks to a controversial
penalty award. A West Ham centre-half rose highest in the box to clear with
his head, but the referee pointed to the spot, allowing Williams to reduce
the visitors' arrears.
There was similar controversy in the Fulham box soon after, as a second
penalty was awarded, this time for an apparent hand ball. It was up to
Bywater to step up and secure the points, which he duly did, taking his
tally for the season to 13 goals in 15 games. Saturday's result takes the
Hammers' unbeaten run to nine games and within just four points of leaders
Fulham, who remained top on goal difference, after Tottenham Hotspur's
youngsters saw off Arsenal. Potts' men are back in action on Saturday 7
December, when they entertain Arsenal at Little Heath. Kick-off is set for
11am, while parking and admission are both free of charge.
West Ham Under-18s: Howes, Knoyle, Burke, Harney, Page, Marlow, Cullen,
Nasha (Makasi), Brown (Mavila), Bywater, Parfitt-Williams. Subs not used:
Brown, Onariase, Amoo.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham 0 Chelsea 3
23 November 2013
By Chris Bevan
BBC Sport
Frank Lampard scored twice against his former club as Chelsea moved up to
third in the Premier League table with a convincing victory over West Ham.
Lampard put the Blues ahead from the penalty spot after Guy Demel's poor
back-pass allowed Oscar to nip in, and he was felled by Jussi Jaaskelainen.
Oscar made it 2-0 when he drilled the ball home from the edge of the area.
West Ham improved after the break and Modibo Maiga went close, but Lampard
sealed victory with a confident finish. Chelsea had travelled across London
having won only one of their five previous away league games this season but
West Ham rarely looked like adding to the Blues' problems on the road. The
Hammers began the match with the same formation that served them so well in
their 3-0 win against Tottenham last month - playing without a recognised
striker, they pushed Kevin Nolan furthest forward and tried to get players
up to support him.
This time, it was nowhere near as successful. Stewart Downing did deliver
some dangerous crosses from the left but, otherwise, the home side's
attacking threat was non-existent.
West Ham's defending hardly helped their cause either. Demel's woeful
attempt to find Jaaskelainen with his thigh back-fired and, once Lampard had
fired home the resulting penalty, the Blues did not look back. The passing
and movement of Oscar and Eden Hazard was too quick and too slick for the
Hammers and, when Chelsea's second goal arrived after 34 minutes, it was all
too easy. This was the third game in a row that Frank Lampard had scored
against his former club West Ham, and ended his run of 10 Premier League
matches without a goal, his longest since joining Chelsea from the Hammers
in 2001.
James Collins rashly dashed in to challenge Hazard and try to stop a long
series of passes, but left a big gap behind him. Hazard's flick found Oscar
who advanced unchallenged to the edge of the area and fizzed a low shot into
the bottom corner. Five minutes before half-time, Hammers boss Sam Allardyce
had seen enough and made a double switch, introducing Maiga to belatedly
offer a permanent presence up front and Mohamed Diame to plug the gaps that
Jose Mourinho's men were exploiting in midfield. West Ham did, at least,
make more of a game of it in the second half although, if Mark Noble had not
cleared Gary Cahill's header off the line, Chelsea would have been out of
sight by the 53rd minute. Instead, the Hammers retained faint hope. They
should have pulled a goal back when Demel's extraordinarily mazy run took
him past three defenders but Maiga wastefully fired wide after meeting his
cross at the far post.
If that chance, after 65 minutes, had been converted then Chelsea might have
faced an anxious finish to the game. Instead, they were relatively
untroubled as they saw out their win, seemingly happy to concede territory
and possession to their hosts while remaining dangerous on the break.
Lampard's second goal of the evening arrived through that avenue after 82
minutes and made sure the three points would be theirs. Hazard saw his shot
blocked from Branislav Ivanovic's cross but the ball fell to Lampard to
sweep it home from the edge of the area. After that, the only question left
was the margin of Chelsea's victory and another former Hammer, Demba Ba, had
a late strike ruled out for a marginal offside. West Ham took until the 93rd
minute to register an effort on target, when Joey O'Brien's header at last
brought a save out of Petr Cech.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho: "Our second half against Tottenham was also
brilliant, but today was a 90-minute performance. We looked very solid from
the first minute. "The points are important, and the way we played. We are
right in there, we are not leaders, but we are right behind. "For me,
everybody did a fantastic job for me. The team was really good."
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce: "If you make the sort of mistakes that we made
against a team like Chelsea, then we can only expect to lose. We made too
many big mistakes and gifted them the first goal. "We had a golden chance to
get back into the game at 2-0. Not many golden chances are coming our way at
the moment and that has to go in the back of the net if we are going to get
back into the game. "If that had gone in, it might have lifted the crowd and
we might have got something out of the game, but for us it was a
disappointing afternoon."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Jaanai Gordon: Peterborough United reject West Ham United bid
BBC.co.uk
Peterborough United have turned down a bid for 17-year-old striker Jaanai
Gordon from Premier League West Ham. Gordon, has made three first-team
appearances for Posh this season, but has spent the past three weeks
training with the Hammers. West Ham made a bid for the teenager on Friday
but director of football Barry Fry confirmed it had been rejected. Gordon
will return to London Road and will be available for the FA Youth Cup tie at
Wolves on Tuesday, 3 December.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Mourinho on....West Ham United
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 23rd November 2013
By: Staff Writer no.2
The so-called "Special One" moans about the lack of a red card as a
sycophantic press corps strangely forgets to ask why one of his players
cheated to get a penalty for the second match running....
You couldn't ask for a better way to get your away form back on track?
Yes the game was good for us. It became very comfortable. I don't say
everything was under control - at 2-1 with 15-20 minutes to go that could
happen. They had a chance for that. They gave us a difficult game in the end
so I can't say it was completely under control. But we became very
comfortable very solid. The 3-0 could happen before and everyone in the
stadium would agree.
Are you expecting a phone call from Mike Riley in the morning?
I spoke with Chris Foy and he told me it isn't a red card. He was 10 metres
away, I was 50 metres away. I think the referee was very good today. The
linesmen too. Possible red card - if Chris Foy says no, then no.
Was there any other explanation other than "no"?
It was the middle of the pitch. There wasn't the time or conditions to give
me a full explanation.
Frank Lampard had gone ten games without a goal but he showed today that he
still knows where the goal is?
He played very well. He was another one who was very comfortable on the
pitch. He played differently from what he did before. He had the protection
of Jon Obi Mikel to let him go a bit more. Mikel is good in the air for the
first ball in front of the defenders. Lamps felt a bit more freedom to go
and to support and to arrive in shooting areas. He played well but to be
fair when the team plays so well it is easier for players to have good
performances.
Was that overall your best performance this season?
I think we had a few matches where we played very well. Away in the Premier
League we need to be most solid and consistent. We had a good second half
against Tottenham but we didn't play well in the first half. We had some
good moments against Norwich but not the complete game. Today from the start
we looked very solid very stable. Everybody was committed to the clean
sheet. They had one chance in the first half and I don't know who but at the
far post in the second half they almost scored. We were committed to the
clean sheet against a difficult opponent. Every set piece is a threat and
they can be quite physical. We were both things at the same time. We coped
with their style and when we had the ball we played to our qualities.
What about Oscar? Does he make a difference?
I think you think the same thing as I think! The question comes because you
know he played fantastic. It doesn't matter where. In the middle, on the
sides. He works hard he covers, he presses high, he gives a difficult time
to opponents. He's a young kid and i's not easy to succeed in football in
this country. The talent he has is not physical - he's a fragile boy, his
talent is amazing and can only improve.
He and Hazard seem to have a bit of telepathy when they're given space?
We played in a way where we felt very comfortable Hazard today doesn't need
to defend. We organised the team in a way where he was protected behind him.
He just got the ball to turn into counter attack. It was frustrating that we
didn't get the third goal sooner. When you are 2-0 against West Ham 2-0
isn't enough. They score in minute 89 then in the last minutes of extra time
you are in danger.
So everything ends well. The victory was important after the last defeat.
Did Oscar get a injury?
No, he's ok.
Are you happy with Eto'o?
He's an attacking plus. He doesn't lose the ball. He holds the ball he waits
for support. He's not the kind of striker who is obsessed with scoring
goals. He's more obsessed with playing football. For hazard. Oscar and
Lampard it's good to have him.They play the ball he can hold or touch and
play in behind.Without being the fast player that he once was five years ago
the quality's there.
In the last game against West Brom you said you made 14 mistakes. Where
there any today?
What mistakes? Against West Bromwich? I was joking.
David Moyes has said he hasn't given up hope of getting Ronaldo back. What
do you think the chances are that that will happen?
No idea.
Would you give them a run for their money if he wanted to return to the
Premier League?
[Shrugs shoulders and smiles]
Ten games without a goal is unusual for Lampard. How much will getting two
here do for him or is he so experienced it's like water off a duck's back?
He has nothing to prove to you, to me, to the fans. He just has to enjoy the
last years of his career, to play the maximum he can. To score is part of
his DNA as a player. I think I've come to him at the right time of his
career. I was his manager in the best period of his career probably. And now
I come back to enjoy with him the last art of his career. When he has good
relations with his manager he is able to enjoy himself.
How long can he go on now? He's 35...
No idea!
Does he surprise you?
They stop when they want. You have to enjoy it and when they feel they don't
enjoy it so much they stop.
Thank you.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Allardyce on... Chelsea
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 23rd November 2013
By: Staff Writer
Sam Allardyce kept the press waiting for well over an hour tonight before
delivering an honest assessment of a disappointing performance against
Chelsea. Read his full post-match thoughts here...
They were good, weren't they Sam - but again, the first goal came from a
silly mistake?
I think we allowed them to be good after the [first] goal. You're playing
against a Chelsea side where Jose's blocked the midfield up a bit more than
he normally does because they haven't had the best of results either
recently, have they?
When we saw Ramirez, Mikel and Lampard in midfield we thought they'd come
here to be a little more solid defensively. Sadly it was our defensive
frailties that showed first, not theirs - and by an individual error that as
a manager you can't allocate for.
You don't expect it to happen, but when it happens you don't want it to
happen to any of your players. In this game, at that particular time, we
gifted Chelsea the penalty that gave them the lift they were looking for.
Everybody takes confidence out of scoring goals and with the talent they've
got it was always difficult for us from there on.
I was just about to change it. After that goal we really couldn't get out of
our own half, we lifted them so much by gifting them the goal. So we were
going to change it and as we were just about to, they scored a second.
It got a bit better in the second half. We tried to create an opening, to
try to rally ourselves and the fans. When that chance came we missed it
again, which was Modibo [Maiga]'s - a side foot in the box. It should go in
the back of the net but he sidefoots it wide. So we're suffering in front of
goal and now we're suffering defensively with defensive errors.
We've got to stop that first and foremost and continue to try and make sure
we win a football match when we're on top. We weren't on top much today and
today's game is one that Chelsea deserved to win, but there's far too many
games where we've been on top and haven't won which is why we've got the
problem we've got now.
Is it hard to make a double substitution in the first half? I guess it's
something you don't have to do too often as a manager?
I think I can count the times I've done it in the last 12 years in the
Premier League on one hand, but it needed to be done for me. We got kicked
in the teeth by giving the penalty away and then we were having to contain
Chelsea too much, which I thought was going to lead to another goal. So I
made the decision, tried to get them on and unfortunately it went in again.
We play with a front man, we don't play with a front man; we play with two
front men, we don't play with two front men. At the moment it doesn't matter
what we play with in terms of a system, we're creating chances but not
scoring. We didn't create too many chances today to be honest with you, but
we did create a chance to get us back in the game. Whether we deserved it or
not who knows, but you should take it.
Joe Cole seemed quite frustrated when he came off. Was that the case?
I can't help the team play in terms of the way it did once the two goals had
gone in and I had to change something, so somebody had to come off. Then you
look at the team and ask who we're going to bring off and how we're going to
play.
Are we going to bring on a bit more energy, maybe a bit more pace? With
Maiga on that side and Mo Diame up front to get a little bit more [ball]
than we were getting before? That's why we made the substitutions.
It's frustrating, every player's frustrated because all every player does is
think about himself. You have to think about the bigger picture. If he's
frustrated that's fine; next time he gets a chance he's going to play so
well for me the last thing I can do is substitute him. That's up to him next
time he gets a chance.
If he doesn't play quite as well or I think I need to change it and Joe
Cole's the one to bring off, I'll bring him off. I brought my captain off in
the end because I didn't think he was as good as he can be, I didn't think
he drove the team on as well as he normally does.
So he comes off and we put another attacking player on in the hope that that
will get us back into the game, but you're going to open yourself up then.
When you open yourself up against a Chelsea side with their
counter-attacking skills you either get the goal to get back in it or the
opposition scores against you and finish the game off.
Do you think you need to strengthen in the next [transfer] window?
The way we're going at the moment the answer to that is "yes", but saying
that we will be better with Winston Reid and Andy Carroll back. Razvan Rat
was injured as well, he's done well since he's come in. If you can
strengthen, particularly on the front line we'd like to strengthen.
But, we can't do that until January and for me January's a long way off with
the amount of games we've got in December; six games, as well as the one
next week. We've got a lot of points at stake that we must get. The big time
for me is Fulham here and Crystal Palace on the Tuesday night. That's got to
be four points, minimum. Then the next game after that try to make an
unbeaten run with two wins and a draw.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce wants wins after losing 3-0 to Chelsea at Upton
Park
Last Updated: November 23, 2013 10:22pm
SSN
Sam Allardyce wants West Ham United to go 'all out' for wins against Fulham
and Crystal Palace following the 3-0 defeat by Chelsea. West Ham remain
outside the relegation zone on goal difference after Saturday's loss and
have won just once in the Premier League since the opening day of the
season. Frank Lampard's brace against his old club helped Chelsea to
victory, but it is not the games against title contenders that Allardyce
views as decisive. Instead, the West Ham boss is targeting points against
those clubs who are also in the ongoing battle to preserve their Premier
League status. West Ham host 18th-placed Fulham next weekend before tackling
19th-placed Crystal Palace in their next game, and Allardyce wants positive
results from both fixtures. "The ultimate of any season in the Premier
League is how well you do against the teams that, if you're in the bottom
when you play them, or even if you're not in the bottom when you play them,
it's how well you do against them," Allardyce told Sky Sports. "I think that
we've got two games in four days against Fulham and Crystal Palace, and
we've got to go all out to get as many points as we possibly can. "We're
getting to the stage where we've got to be winning now rather than drawing."
The strikerless Hammers, who have now failed to score in seven of their 11
league matches this season, were booed at half-time and the conclusion.
Allardyce said: "I don't see why they shouldn't boo when they're not
satisfied with what they're seeing. I wasn't satisfied with what I saw."
Allardyce made a double substitution five minutes prior to the interval,
with Joe Cole marching down the tunnel after being taken off. "Somebody has
to come off," Allardyce said. "It's frustrating, every player's frustrated,
because all every player ever does is think about themselves. I have to
think about the bigger picture. "If he's frustrated, that's fine. Next time
he gets the chance, he's going to play so well for me that the last thing I
could do is substitute him. "I brought the captain (Kevin Nolan) off in the
end, because I didn't think he drove the team on as much as he normally
does."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham's Joe Cole hungry for trophies and lauds 'remarkable' Sam Allardyce
Last Updated: November 23, 2013 4:42pm
SSN
Joe Cole is determined to help West Ham United claim some silverware and has
praised Sam Allardyce for doing a remarkable job at Upton Park. Cole has won
trophies in his career during his time at Chelsea but is still hungry for
success and admits it would particularly special to get a medal with the
Hammers. The former England midfielder came up through the ranks at West Ham
and returned to the club in January after two-and-a-half years at Liverpool.
"There will always be the street footballer inside of me," he said. "But you
want to do something more than that in the game.
Player Profile
Joe Cole
Appearances 5 (3)
Goals 1
Assists 0
Yellows 1
Reds 0
"You want substance and impact. I got that at Chelsea. That is why it would
be so special to win some silverware with West Ham. "I'm lucky enough to
know what it feels like. And I saw the fans at the 2006 FA Cup final, when
they came so close. "To win something with a group of supporters who keep
the faith like that even though they have been starved of success would be
so amazing. "I hope I can give the fans some big moments here yet."
Cole will come up against his former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho when West
Ham host the Blues on Saturday. He appreciates that he owes a lot to the
Portuguese, but has also paid tribute to current boss Allardyce for the way
he has transformed West Ham's fortunes over the past couple of years. "I've
got a lot of time for Sam," said Cole. "He has turned West Ham around.
Although you can't really compare West Ham and Chelsea and the money, the
job that Sam has done is just as remarkable as Jose did at Chelsea. "He knew
what to say to players at the right time. It wasn't always what I wanted to
hear, but it was what I needed to hear. I was a decent player before I went
there. He definitely made me better, whatever the perception people have.
"He got my mentality right. He saw something in me that maybe I hadn't. He
changed me from playing central midfield to playing wide and playing a bit
higher up the pitch. I became more effective at both ends of the pitch. "I
can see his impact already now he is back at Chelsea. With him they are a
better side already than last season. They look more solid, more together."
Cole is confident that West Ham can push on and improve on last season's
tenth-placed finish, whilst also challenging in the cups. He said: "I'm
still hungry for more. At West Ham we want to be finishing like we did last
year and have a go in the cups. "In many ways it is still the same club, but
now there is a feeling something is building. The new stadium gives us a
chance to grow because it will get harder and harder to keep up with the big
boys. "It's been a struggle at home this season, especially after we started
so well. But we've just got find a way to get goals." 'I hope I can give the
fans big moments'."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
LET'S END THIS 4-6-0 FARCE NOW!
By Iain Dale 23 Nov 2013 at 19:20
West Ham Till I Die
I hate it when I have to miss a home game, but boy am I glad I missed this
one. I suspect I would have been done for speeding on the way home, as I
would have taken out my frustration on my car's accelerator. Think back a
year to when we beat Chelsea an dhow proud we were of our team and compare
that to the misery we feel this evening. No pride, no passion, precious
little skill from a team shackled by a formation which just doesn't work.
And it needs to stop. If we don't play with a striker the number of goals we
will score will very limited. Kevin Nolan is not a striker. He was an
embarrassment today. Quite why Maiga was then preferred to Carlton Cole only
Sam Allardyce can fathom. He makes Iain Dowie look prolific.
The only two bright spots today were Stewart Downing and Ravel Morrison. The
driving run Morrison made at the beginning of the second half was a joy to
watch. Like Gazza in his prime. Downing was the only other persistent
threat.
So what now? What do we do to beat Fulham. I'll tell you what we do. We play
4-4-2 with Carlton Cole up front and Ravel Morrison playing off him. Diame
and Noble play in central midfield with Jarvis and Downing on the wings. It
certainly can't be any worse than what we witnessed today.
Can it?
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
---
This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.
http://www.avast.com
WHUFC.com
Sam Allardyce admitted errors cost his West Ham United side dear in their
3-0 home defeat by Chelsea
23.11.2013
Sam Allardyce pulled no punches in his assessment of West Ham United's 3-0
Barclays Premier League defeat by Chelsea. The Hammers manager admitted
individual mistakes had cost his team dear for the second game in
succession, leading to costly defeats at Norwich City and at home to the
Blues. On Saturday, Guy Demel's poor backpass led to Jussi Jaaskelainen
fouling Oscar and Frank Lampard firing the visitors ahead from the penalty
spot. Oscar himself added a second before half-time before Lampard completed
a miserable afternoon with a late third. "I am disappointed and the fact of
the matter is that, because we didn't win the games we should have done at
the start of the season, we not only had to play against a big team like
Chelsea but we also had to fight the demons that our in our minds at the
moment," admitted Big Sam. "The difference between what we were doing prior
to Norwich and what we're doing now is that individual errors are making so
much of a difference to us. We hadn't seen that before, but it happened in
the second half at Norwich and it happened again on Saturday. "In the 17 or
so minutes before they got the penalty, there was little between the two
sides and I think we then had a few moments, but none better than the one
that fell to Joe Cole that was blocked by Petr Cech. Then, within the space
of a few minutes, we made a big error and it cost us a penalty. "We had to
come back from that. While we were trying to change it and get a couple of
subs because I didn't think we had overcome the manner of conceding the
first goal, Oscar scored the second. "After half-time we got a little better
and were more resilient and had to be patient to create a chance. The big
chance fell to Modibo Maiga, and if he had scored it would have rallied the
crowd and given them something to get on the edge of their seats about. It
might have helped us go on to get a draw, who knows? "That didn't happen and
we had to take more and more chances and risks and it left us open. It
generally happens that, if you don't get your goal, the opposition get one
and that's what they did."
The manager pointed to the mistakes made in the last two fixtures as
something his players simply have to cut out if they are to arrest their
recent slide.
"That's what has disappointed me against Norwich and again on Saturday
because they haven't really earned the right to beat us. We've beaten
ourselves. That is what is worrying me at the moment, because we hadn't seen
that up to then. "We had six clean sheets in ten matches going into the last
two games, which is a resilient football team which gives you the chance to
win matches. We can't lose that. We know we're struggling to score goals,
but in most of the games we're creating 15 or more chances at goal, even if
we didn't do that against Chelsea. "We can't lose that resilience or else
life will become very difficult indeed. We know, as a team, at the moment we
are a 1-0 team if we are going to win because we're not scoring more than
one very often. Too many times, we're not scoring at all, so we've got to
make sure we know what we are until we score more goals."
Big Sam did take some encouragement from the Hammers' second-half display,
which included an improved performance from central striker Maiga on his
return to first-team duty. While Maiga did miss his one clear chance, the
Mali forward led the line well and won a succession of aerial battles with
John Terry and Gary Cahill. However, the manager refused to blame the
forward-less 4-6-0 formation that has been employed in recent weeks for the
downturn in results.
"It did give me a bit of heart, yes," he said. "That said, we have had games
where we've had more attempts at goal when we didn't play with a front man.
If you don't play with anyone up front and you win, it's brilliant. If you
lose, it's because you haven't got anyone up front, but that's not true. "If
the system is played right and the players play to their strengths, you can
win football matches, as we proved at Tottenham. At the moment, it's not so
much about the system but about us being resilient and creating chances and
most importantly, taking them. "It's now a big concern to me, because these
players proved they can score goals in the Premier League last season, but
they are not doing it this season."
Looking forward at the fixture list, Fulham, Crystal Palace and Sunderland
are all on the agenda within the next four matches. Big Sam did not need to
be told of the importance of those games. "Fulham, Crystal Palace and then
Sunderland are going to determine our season now. The pressure is on the
players, myself and the staff to make sure we prepare to go into those three
games and come out with a minimum of six points. That's got to be our
minimum target now or else we're going to be battling in the bottom three or
four beyond Christmas. "We've got to try to avert that in the next two
games, which are local derbies. Fulham can kick-start us into a good run of
results by beating them and then we'll take the confidence on to face Fulham
and then Sunderland."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Lampard double defeats Hammers
WHUFC.com
Frank Lampard was on target twice as Chelsea defeated West Ham 3-0 on
Saturday
23.11.2013
West Ham United 0-3 Chelsea
Barclays Premier League
Frank Lampard returned to haunt his former employers once again on Saturday
as his double helped Chelsea to a 3-0 win over West Ham United at the Boleyn
Ground. Lampard struck from the spot midway through the first half to give
the Blues a lead they never looked like relinquishing, particularly once
Oscar quickly doubled the advantage. The Hammers were never able to impose
themselves on the contest and Lampard deepened their woes with a clinical
finish eight minutes from time. The defeat leaves West Ham fourth from
bottom of the Barclays Premier League table with crucial fixtures against
Fulham and Crystal Palace next on the horizon. The opening exchanges were
fairly even and West Ham almost found a route to goal on 18 minutes when Guy
Demel stepped in to win possession on halfway and send the ball out to
Stewart Downing. The winger's cross was instant and directed towards Kevin
Nolan, whose header back was blocked, and Joe Cole's shot on the rebound was
also snuffed out. Three minutes later and Chelsea were in the lead thanks to
a goal of the Hammers' own making. Guy Demel was left with his head in his
hands after attempting to guide the ball back to Jussi Jaaskelainen with his
thigh. The pass was underhit and Oscar nipped in to draw a foul from the
goalkeeper. Lampard stepped up and smashed his spot kick high into the roof
of the net to set his side on their way.
A minute later the former Hammer could have made it two when Joey O'Brien
was caught in possession and Oscar passed square for Lampard, whose swept
shot was gathered by Jaaskelainen.
There was no such let off with 34 minutes on the clock though, as Chelsea
showed great incisiveness to double the advantage. James Collins was
attracted to the ball as it was passed into Eden Hazard's feet, leaving
Oscar to pick up from his teammate's flick, make his way to the edge of the
box and slot the ball into the bottom left corner. Hammers boss Sam
Allardyce responded by introducing Mo Diame and Modibo Maiga from the bench,
but still Chelsea found space to hurt the hosts and Samuel Eto'o brought a
flying one-handed save from Jaaskelainen with an angled shot which was
headed for the top right hand corner.
The second period started in much the same vein and Chelsea were so close to
a third on 58 when Lampard's header was met by a Gary Cahill header which
Mark Noble cleared off the line.
Moments later the visitors countered with devastating pace, with left-back
Cesar Azpilicueta bombing on down his flank to cross for Oscar, who should
have done better with his shot at the far post, which flew wide. For all
Chelsea's dominance, the Hammers still had a golden chance to get themselves
back in the contest on 65 minutes when Demel somehow wriggled clear of the
attentions of two defenders in the corner and cut back for Maiga, whose left
footed touch sent the ball wide when a more solid connection would surely
have seen the net bulge. Chelsea made use of their let-off by finally
sealing the points eight minutes from the end when Lampard drilled home from
the edge of the box after Hazard's blocked shot fell perfectly for his
right-footed effort.
West Ham United: Jaaskelainen; Demel, Collins, Tomkins, O'Brien; Morrison,
Noble, Collison (Maiga 40); J.Cole (Diame 40), Noble (Jarvis 76), Downing
Subs: Adrian, McCartney, Taylor, C.Cole
Chelsea: Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Mikel, Lampard;
Ramires, Oscar (Schurrle 83), Hazard (Essien 84); Eto'o (Ba 79)
Subs: Schwarzer, A.Cole, Mata, Willian
Goals: Lampard pen 21, Oscar 34, Lampard 82
Referee: Chris Foy
Attendance: 34,977
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
U18s down leaders Fulham
WHUFC.com
West Ham United Under-18s continued their outstanding form with a 3-1 home
win over Fulham
23.11.2013
West Ham United Under-18s stretched their impressive unbeaten run to nine
games with a 3-1 victory over league leaders Fulham at Little Heath on
Saturday.
After a quiet first period, striker Jordan Brown put the Hammers ahead by
tapping in Kieran Bywater's cross, before Bywater turned from provider to
scorer to bag his twelfth of the season. Though Fulham halved the deficit
through George Williams' well-taken penalty, Bywater grabbed his second of
the day to restore the Hammers two-goal lead and secure all three points.
U18s manager Steve Potts again named Djair Parfitt-Williams in the starting
line-up, after the 17-year-old Bermuda-born forward returned from injury to
score a hat-trick in last weekend's 3-1 win at Reading. Captain Bywater,
meanwhile, looking to add to his eleven goals in 14 appearances, lined up in
midfield alongside Josh Cullen, Ben Marlow and Amos Nasha. The Hammers
started the livelier of the sides and within the first two minutes Bywater
collected possession 30 yards out and smashed an effort towards the top
corner, forcing a smart save from Fulham 'keeper Marek Rodak. West Ham then
went close once more when a goal-mouth scramble caused chaos in the
visitors' box, but having cleared the initial danger, Marlow attempted a lob
from the edge of the box, which flew high over the bar. Fulham, meanwhile,
had the ball in the back of the West Ham net, though the celebrations were
short-lived, with Williams' effort being chalked off for offside. At the
other end, Bywater's free-kick flew narrowly over the bar.
West Ham were much improved after the interval and took the lead when
Bywater's low centre found Jordan Brown at the near post, who fired home.
Then, seven minutes later in almost identical fashion but from the other
side, Bywater was perfectly positioned to double the Hammers' advantage from
Lewis Page's precise left-footed cross. The second goal seemed to spur the
Cottagers into life, who halved the deficit thanks to a controversial
penalty award. A West Ham centre-half rose highest in the box to clear with
his head, but the referee pointed to the spot, allowing Williams to reduce
the visitors' arrears.
There was similar controversy in the Fulham box soon after, as a second
penalty was awarded, this time for an apparent hand ball. It was up to
Bywater to step up and secure the points, which he duly did, taking his
tally for the season to 13 goals in 15 games. Saturday's result takes the
Hammers' unbeaten run to nine games and within just four points of leaders
Fulham, who remained top on goal difference, after Tottenham Hotspur's
youngsters saw off Arsenal. Potts' men are back in action on Saturday 7
December, when they entertain Arsenal at Little Heath. Kick-off is set for
11am, while parking and admission are both free of charge.
West Ham Under-18s: Howes, Knoyle, Burke, Harney, Page, Marlow, Cullen,
Nasha (Makasi), Brown (Mavila), Bywater, Parfitt-Williams. Subs not used:
Brown, Onariase, Amoo.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham 0 Chelsea 3
23 November 2013
By Chris Bevan
BBC Sport
Frank Lampard scored twice against his former club as Chelsea moved up to
third in the Premier League table with a convincing victory over West Ham.
Lampard put the Blues ahead from the penalty spot after Guy Demel's poor
back-pass allowed Oscar to nip in, and he was felled by Jussi Jaaskelainen.
Oscar made it 2-0 when he drilled the ball home from the edge of the area.
West Ham improved after the break and Modibo Maiga went close, but Lampard
sealed victory with a confident finish. Chelsea had travelled across London
having won only one of their five previous away league games this season but
West Ham rarely looked like adding to the Blues' problems on the road. The
Hammers began the match with the same formation that served them so well in
their 3-0 win against Tottenham last month - playing without a recognised
striker, they pushed Kevin Nolan furthest forward and tried to get players
up to support him.
This time, it was nowhere near as successful. Stewart Downing did deliver
some dangerous crosses from the left but, otherwise, the home side's
attacking threat was non-existent.
West Ham's defending hardly helped their cause either. Demel's woeful
attempt to find Jaaskelainen with his thigh back-fired and, once Lampard had
fired home the resulting penalty, the Blues did not look back. The passing
and movement of Oscar and Eden Hazard was too quick and too slick for the
Hammers and, when Chelsea's second goal arrived after 34 minutes, it was all
too easy. This was the third game in a row that Frank Lampard had scored
against his former club West Ham, and ended his run of 10 Premier League
matches without a goal, his longest since joining Chelsea from the Hammers
in 2001.
James Collins rashly dashed in to challenge Hazard and try to stop a long
series of passes, but left a big gap behind him. Hazard's flick found Oscar
who advanced unchallenged to the edge of the area and fizzed a low shot into
the bottom corner. Five minutes before half-time, Hammers boss Sam Allardyce
had seen enough and made a double switch, introducing Maiga to belatedly
offer a permanent presence up front and Mohamed Diame to plug the gaps that
Jose Mourinho's men were exploiting in midfield. West Ham did, at least,
make more of a game of it in the second half although, if Mark Noble had not
cleared Gary Cahill's header off the line, Chelsea would have been out of
sight by the 53rd minute. Instead, the Hammers retained faint hope. They
should have pulled a goal back when Demel's extraordinarily mazy run took
him past three defenders but Maiga wastefully fired wide after meeting his
cross at the far post.
If that chance, after 65 minutes, had been converted then Chelsea might have
faced an anxious finish to the game. Instead, they were relatively
untroubled as they saw out their win, seemingly happy to concede territory
and possession to their hosts while remaining dangerous on the break.
Lampard's second goal of the evening arrived through that avenue after 82
minutes and made sure the three points would be theirs. Hazard saw his shot
blocked from Branislav Ivanovic's cross but the ball fell to Lampard to
sweep it home from the edge of the area. After that, the only question left
was the margin of Chelsea's victory and another former Hammer, Demba Ba, had
a late strike ruled out for a marginal offside. West Ham took until the 93rd
minute to register an effort on target, when Joey O'Brien's header at last
brought a save out of Petr Cech.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho: "Our second half against Tottenham was also
brilliant, but today was a 90-minute performance. We looked very solid from
the first minute. "The points are important, and the way we played. We are
right in there, we are not leaders, but we are right behind. "For me,
everybody did a fantastic job for me. The team was really good."
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce: "If you make the sort of mistakes that we made
against a team like Chelsea, then we can only expect to lose. We made too
many big mistakes and gifted them the first goal. "We had a golden chance to
get back into the game at 2-0. Not many golden chances are coming our way at
the moment and that has to go in the back of the net if we are going to get
back into the game. "If that had gone in, it might have lifted the crowd and
we might have got something out of the game, but for us it was a
disappointing afternoon."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Jaanai Gordon: Peterborough United reject West Ham United bid
BBC.co.uk
Peterborough United have turned down a bid for 17-year-old striker Jaanai
Gordon from Premier League West Ham. Gordon, has made three first-team
appearances for Posh this season, but has spent the past three weeks
training with the Hammers. West Ham made a bid for the teenager on Friday
but director of football Barry Fry confirmed it had been rejected. Gordon
will return to London Road and will be available for the FA Youth Cup tie at
Wolves on Tuesday, 3 December.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Mourinho on....West Ham United
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 23rd November 2013
By: Staff Writer no.2
The so-called "Special One" moans about the lack of a red card as a
sycophantic press corps strangely forgets to ask why one of his players
cheated to get a penalty for the second match running....
You couldn't ask for a better way to get your away form back on track?
Yes the game was good for us. It became very comfortable. I don't say
everything was under control - at 2-1 with 15-20 minutes to go that could
happen. They had a chance for that. They gave us a difficult game in the end
so I can't say it was completely under control. But we became very
comfortable very solid. The 3-0 could happen before and everyone in the
stadium would agree.
Are you expecting a phone call from Mike Riley in the morning?
I spoke with Chris Foy and he told me it isn't a red card. He was 10 metres
away, I was 50 metres away. I think the referee was very good today. The
linesmen too. Possible red card - if Chris Foy says no, then no.
Was there any other explanation other than "no"?
It was the middle of the pitch. There wasn't the time or conditions to give
me a full explanation.
Frank Lampard had gone ten games without a goal but he showed today that he
still knows where the goal is?
He played very well. He was another one who was very comfortable on the
pitch. He played differently from what he did before. He had the protection
of Jon Obi Mikel to let him go a bit more. Mikel is good in the air for the
first ball in front of the defenders. Lamps felt a bit more freedom to go
and to support and to arrive in shooting areas. He played well but to be
fair when the team plays so well it is easier for players to have good
performances.
Was that overall your best performance this season?
I think we had a few matches where we played very well. Away in the Premier
League we need to be most solid and consistent. We had a good second half
against Tottenham but we didn't play well in the first half. We had some
good moments against Norwich but not the complete game. Today from the start
we looked very solid very stable. Everybody was committed to the clean
sheet. They had one chance in the first half and I don't know who but at the
far post in the second half they almost scored. We were committed to the
clean sheet against a difficult opponent. Every set piece is a threat and
they can be quite physical. We were both things at the same time. We coped
with their style and when we had the ball we played to our qualities.
What about Oscar? Does he make a difference?
I think you think the same thing as I think! The question comes because you
know he played fantastic. It doesn't matter where. In the middle, on the
sides. He works hard he covers, he presses high, he gives a difficult time
to opponents. He's a young kid and i's not easy to succeed in football in
this country. The talent he has is not physical - he's a fragile boy, his
talent is amazing and can only improve.
He and Hazard seem to have a bit of telepathy when they're given space?
We played in a way where we felt very comfortable Hazard today doesn't need
to defend. We organised the team in a way where he was protected behind him.
He just got the ball to turn into counter attack. It was frustrating that we
didn't get the third goal sooner. When you are 2-0 against West Ham 2-0
isn't enough. They score in minute 89 then in the last minutes of extra time
you are in danger.
So everything ends well. The victory was important after the last defeat.
Did Oscar get a injury?
No, he's ok.
Are you happy with Eto'o?
He's an attacking plus. He doesn't lose the ball. He holds the ball he waits
for support. He's not the kind of striker who is obsessed with scoring
goals. He's more obsessed with playing football. For hazard. Oscar and
Lampard it's good to have him.They play the ball he can hold or touch and
play in behind.Without being the fast player that he once was five years ago
the quality's there.
In the last game against West Brom you said you made 14 mistakes. Where
there any today?
What mistakes? Against West Bromwich? I was joking.
David Moyes has said he hasn't given up hope of getting Ronaldo back. What
do you think the chances are that that will happen?
No idea.
Would you give them a run for their money if he wanted to return to the
Premier League?
[Shrugs shoulders and smiles]
Ten games without a goal is unusual for Lampard. How much will getting two
here do for him or is he so experienced it's like water off a duck's back?
He has nothing to prove to you, to me, to the fans. He just has to enjoy the
last years of his career, to play the maximum he can. To score is part of
his DNA as a player. I think I've come to him at the right time of his
career. I was his manager in the best period of his career probably. And now
I come back to enjoy with him the last art of his career. When he has good
relations with his manager he is able to enjoy himself.
How long can he go on now? He's 35...
No idea!
Does he surprise you?
They stop when they want. You have to enjoy it and when they feel they don't
enjoy it so much they stop.
Thank you.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Allardyce on... Chelsea
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 23rd November 2013
By: Staff Writer
Sam Allardyce kept the press waiting for well over an hour tonight before
delivering an honest assessment of a disappointing performance against
Chelsea. Read his full post-match thoughts here...
They were good, weren't they Sam - but again, the first goal came from a
silly mistake?
I think we allowed them to be good after the [first] goal. You're playing
against a Chelsea side where Jose's blocked the midfield up a bit more than
he normally does because they haven't had the best of results either
recently, have they?
When we saw Ramirez, Mikel and Lampard in midfield we thought they'd come
here to be a little more solid defensively. Sadly it was our defensive
frailties that showed first, not theirs - and by an individual error that as
a manager you can't allocate for.
You don't expect it to happen, but when it happens you don't want it to
happen to any of your players. In this game, at that particular time, we
gifted Chelsea the penalty that gave them the lift they were looking for.
Everybody takes confidence out of scoring goals and with the talent they've
got it was always difficult for us from there on.
I was just about to change it. After that goal we really couldn't get out of
our own half, we lifted them so much by gifting them the goal. So we were
going to change it and as we were just about to, they scored a second.
It got a bit better in the second half. We tried to create an opening, to
try to rally ourselves and the fans. When that chance came we missed it
again, which was Modibo [Maiga]'s - a side foot in the box. It should go in
the back of the net but he sidefoots it wide. So we're suffering in front of
goal and now we're suffering defensively with defensive errors.
We've got to stop that first and foremost and continue to try and make sure
we win a football match when we're on top. We weren't on top much today and
today's game is one that Chelsea deserved to win, but there's far too many
games where we've been on top and haven't won which is why we've got the
problem we've got now.
Is it hard to make a double substitution in the first half? I guess it's
something you don't have to do too often as a manager?
I think I can count the times I've done it in the last 12 years in the
Premier League on one hand, but it needed to be done for me. We got kicked
in the teeth by giving the penalty away and then we were having to contain
Chelsea too much, which I thought was going to lead to another goal. So I
made the decision, tried to get them on and unfortunately it went in again.
We play with a front man, we don't play with a front man; we play with two
front men, we don't play with two front men. At the moment it doesn't matter
what we play with in terms of a system, we're creating chances but not
scoring. We didn't create too many chances today to be honest with you, but
we did create a chance to get us back in the game. Whether we deserved it or
not who knows, but you should take it.
Joe Cole seemed quite frustrated when he came off. Was that the case?
I can't help the team play in terms of the way it did once the two goals had
gone in and I had to change something, so somebody had to come off. Then you
look at the team and ask who we're going to bring off and how we're going to
play.
Are we going to bring on a bit more energy, maybe a bit more pace? With
Maiga on that side and Mo Diame up front to get a little bit more [ball]
than we were getting before? That's why we made the substitutions.
It's frustrating, every player's frustrated because all every player does is
think about himself. You have to think about the bigger picture. If he's
frustrated that's fine; next time he gets a chance he's going to play so
well for me the last thing I can do is substitute him. That's up to him next
time he gets a chance.
If he doesn't play quite as well or I think I need to change it and Joe
Cole's the one to bring off, I'll bring him off. I brought my captain off in
the end because I didn't think he was as good as he can be, I didn't think
he drove the team on as well as he normally does.
So he comes off and we put another attacking player on in the hope that that
will get us back into the game, but you're going to open yourself up then.
When you open yourself up against a Chelsea side with their
counter-attacking skills you either get the goal to get back in it or the
opposition scores against you and finish the game off.
Do you think you need to strengthen in the next [transfer] window?
The way we're going at the moment the answer to that is "yes", but saying
that we will be better with Winston Reid and Andy Carroll back. Razvan Rat
was injured as well, he's done well since he's come in. If you can
strengthen, particularly on the front line we'd like to strengthen.
But, we can't do that until January and for me January's a long way off with
the amount of games we've got in December; six games, as well as the one
next week. We've got a lot of points at stake that we must get. The big time
for me is Fulham here and Crystal Palace on the Tuesday night. That's got to
be four points, minimum. Then the next game after that try to make an
unbeaten run with two wins and a draw.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce wants wins after losing 3-0 to Chelsea at Upton
Park
Last Updated: November 23, 2013 10:22pm
SSN
Sam Allardyce wants West Ham United to go 'all out' for wins against Fulham
and Crystal Palace following the 3-0 defeat by Chelsea. West Ham remain
outside the relegation zone on goal difference after Saturday's loss and
have won just once in the Premier League since the opening day of the
season. Frank Lampard's brace against his old club helped Chelsea to
victory, but it is not the games against title contenders that Allardyce
views as decisive. Instead, the West Ham boss is targeting points against
those clubs who are also in the ongoing battle to preserve their Premier
League status. West Ham host 18th-placed Fulham next weekend before tackling
19th-placed Crystal Palace in their next game, and Allardyce wants positive
results from both fixtures. "The ultimate of any season in the Premier
League is how well you do against the teams that, if you're in the bottom
when you play them, or even if you're not in the bottom when you play them,
it's how well you do against them," Allardyce told Sky Sports. "I think that
we've got two games in four days against Fulham and Crystal Palace, and
we've got to go all out to get as many points as we possibly can. "We're
getting to the stage where we've got to be winning now rather than drawing."
The strikerless Hammers, who have now failed to score in seven of their 11
league matches this season, were booed at half-time and the conclusion.
Allardyce said: "I don't see why they shouldn't boo when they're not
satisfied with what they're seeing. I wasn't satisfied with what I saw."
Allardyce made a double substitution five minutes prior to the interval,
with Joe Cole marching down the tunnel after being taken off. "Somebody has
to come off," Allardyce said. "It's frustrating, every player's frustrated,
because all every player ever does is think about themselves. I have to
think about the bigger picture. "If he's frustrated, that's fine. Next time
he gets the chance, he's going to play so well for me that the last thing I
could do is substitute him. "I brought the captain (Kevin Nolan) off in the
end, because I didn't think he drove the team on as much as he normally
does."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham's Joe Cole hungry for trophies and lauds 'remarkable' Sam Allardyce
Last Updated: November 23, 2013 4:42pm
SSN
Joe Cole is determined to help West Ham United claim some silverware and has
praised Sam Allardyce for doing a remarkable job at Upton Park. Cole has won
trophies in his career during his time at Chelsea but is still hungry for
success and admits it would particularly special to get a medal with the
Hammers. The former England midfielder came up through the ranks at West Ham
and returned to the club in January after two-and-a-half years at Liverpool.
"There will always be the street footballer inside of me," he said. "But you
want to do something more than that in the game.
Player Profile
Joe Cole
Appearances 5 (3)
Goals 1
Assists 0
Yellows 1
Reds 0
"You want substance and impact. I got that at Chelsea. That is why it would
be so special to win some silverware with West Ham. "I'm lucky enough to
know what it feels like. And I saw the fans at the 2006 FA Cup final, when
they came so close. "To win something with a group of supporters who keep
the faith like that even though they have been starved of success would be
so amazing. "I hope I can give the fans some big moments here yet."
Cole will come up against his former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho when West
Ham host the Blues on Saturday. He appreciates that he owes a lot to the
Portuguese, but has also paid tribute to current boss Allardyce for the way
he has transformed West Ham's fortunes over the past couple of years. "I've
got a lot of time for Sam," said Cole. "He has turned West Ham around.
Although you can't really compare West Ham and Chelsea and the money, the
job that Sam has done is just as remarkable as Jose did at Chelsea. "He knew
what to say to players at the right time. It wasn't always what I wanted to
hear, but it was what I needed to hear. I was a decent player before I went
there. He definitely made me better, whatever the perception people have.
"He got my mentality right. He saw something in me that maybe I hadn't. He
changed me from playing central midfield to playing wide and playing a bit
higher up the pitch. I became more effective at both ends of the pitch. "I
can see his impact already now he is back at Chelsea. With him they are a
better side already than last season. They look more solid, more together."
Cole is confident that West Ham can push on and improve on last season's
tenth-placed finish, whilst also challenging in the cups. He said: "I'm
still hungry for more. At West Ham we want to be finishing like we did last
year and have a go in the cups. "In many ways it is still the same club, but
now there is a feeling something is building. The new stadium gives us a
chance to grow because it will get harder and harder to keep up with the big
boys. "It's been a struggle at home this season, especially after we started
so well. But we've just got find a way to get goals." 'I hope I can give the
fans big moments'."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
LET'S END THIS 4-6-0 FARCE NOW!
By Iain Dale 23 Nov 2013 at 19:20
West Ham Till I Die
I hate it when I have to miss a home game, but boy am I glad I missed this
one. I suspect I would have been done for speeding on the way home, as I
would have taken out my frustration on my car's accelerator. Think back a
year to when we beat Chelsea an dhow proud we were of our team and compare
that to the misery we feel this evening. No pride, no passion, precious
little skill from a team shackled by a formation which just doesn't work.
And it needs to stop. If we don't play with a striker the number of goals we
will score will very limited. Kevin Nolan is not a striker. He was an
embarrassment today. Quite why Maiga was then preferred to Carlton Cole only
Sam Allardyce can fathom. He makes Iain Dowie look prolific.
The only two bright spots today were Stewart Downing and Ravel Morrison. The
driving run Morrison made at the beginning of the second half was a joy to
watch. Like Gazza in his prime. Downing was the only other persistent
threat.
So what now? What do we do to beat Fulham. I'll tell you what we do. We play
4-4-2 with Carlton Cole up front and Ravel Morrison playing off him. Diame
and Noble play in central midfield with Jarvis and Downing on the wings. It
certainly can't be any worse than what we witnessed today.
Can it?
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
---
This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.
http://www.avast.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
