The Hammers can certainly use the international break to good effect.
Knowing that he has a couple of weeks before the next game means that Curbs
can think about how to build on this result rather than have any negatives
to try and work out. Just as importantly, it is also a great opportunity to
get some more bodies back. Players such as Scott Parker have more time to
work on his recovery without worrying if he is missing games. Dean Ashton
had the chance to play in the reserves this week, which will help him
continue his fitness, and the likes of Freddie Ljungberg and Bobby Zamora
can also get over their injuries without it affecting matches. The morale
will have been good this week with a few smiles on faces after the win and
it makes for a good platform for the next game coming up. Against Reading we
put in a terrific performance and one of the main things to stand out for me
was the way we looked like we could go and score at any moment, even when
Reading had the ball. They lost possession a lot and our boys, especially
Lee Bowyer and Matty Etherington, were in there straight away to nick the
ball off them with the likes of Craig Bellamy ready and waiting to take it
forward again. The Reading team was having kittens about him! All the goals
were great but even before Matty made it 3-0 we had around 10 opportunities
to score.
On the back of that great performance, we can look to build on being even
more clinical. We are certainly capable. Reading, like Birmingham a few
weeks before, couldn't live with us but we know we have got to try and do
this at home as well. We hit teams on the break so well away from home at
the moment and it's a case of us trying to stop teams doing that to us at
Upton Park without losing what we can do. Goals from the midfield are always
very important for any team. Matty scored a couple, Lee Bowyer got himself
into decent situations and it was a good sign of hopefully what can be
achieved this season. Reading are a team that holds a high line, but Matty
and Lee were able to get in behind the back four at nearly every
opportunity. Another good thing was seeing Deano play 75 minutes. He can
only get better as each match comes on. He played some good flick-ons and
linked up well with Craig, Carlton Cole came on and we have Bobby and now
Henri Camara in the background, so it is a good mix. Camara has bags of pace
and I think he was a good bit of business for us right on the deadline. As
for Nolberto Solano, he's a very experienced player who can play right of
midfield and in a more defensive role.
He is a great crosser of the ball and is terrific on set-pieces. The boys
who played with him at Newcastle will have told Curbs a lot about him and I
think he will be a great addition. I just wanted to save the last word for
Kieron Dyer. It was a sickening injury. I watched it played back afterwards
and it was not nice.
I do think the tackle the lad made was more clumsy than anything, but it was
horrible all the same. I, along with everyone connected to West Ham, wish
Kieron a speedy recovery.
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Hammers in 'more than 90 seconds on MOTD' shocker - KUMB
Filed: Wednesday, 5th September 2007
By: Matthew O'Greel
West Ham United's fixture at Aston Villa on October 6th has caused something
of a furore. That's because for the first time ever West Ham's visit to
Villa Park will be the only top flight fixture kicking off at the
traditional 3pm Saturday afternoon slot, due to the involvement of several
clubs in European action the preceeding week. The only other Saturday game
that day features Manchester United and Wigan - but that kicks off at
12.45pm. The remaining Premier League fixtures that weekend all take place
the following day - Sunday 7th October.
So whilst it may be bad news for football in general, and those who prefer
to watch their football on a Saturday afternoon, it's good news for any
Hammers fans who will be tuning into Match of the Day that Saturday evening.
So far this season, West Ham have featured at the tail end of the three MOTD
programmes broadcast, with no more than two or three minutes action shown
from each game.
United's 3-0 win at Reading last weekend didn't even merit a single comment
according to the BBC, who instead continue to concentrate on action from
games involving the 'big four' - ironically the main criticism of supporters
when ITV held the highlights franchise prior to it returning to the BBC two
years ago.
Premier League fixture list - weekend of Oct 6/7
Saturday, 6th October
Man Utd v Wigan (12:45pm)
Aston Villa v West Ham (3pm)
Sunday, 7th October
Arsenal v Sunderland (12pm)
Reading v Derby (2pm)
Blackburn v Birmingham; Bolton v Chelsea; Liverpool v Tottenham; Man City v
Middlesbrough; Newcastle v Everton (3pm)
Fulham v Portsmouth (4.10pm)
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Solano ready for Peru duty - SSN
West Ham midfielder set to make Peru return
By Steven Morrison Last updated: 6th September 2007
Nolberto Solano is set to return to the Peru national side after a two-year
absence and has said that he does not mind who is chosen as the new national
team captain. The 32-year-old midfielder has not played for his country
since launching a verbal attack on Peru's football federation in 2005.
However, new coach Jose Del Solar has re-called the West Ham playmaker and
is set to name the new skipper for his side. "The coach is going to decide
who the captain will be and we all must respect his decision," said Solano.
"We all must have the commitment for winning all of our games and for that
we need 11 leaders on the pitch." The Peruvian has also hinted that he will
retire from international football after the 2010 World Cup. "This is my
last chance to play in a World Cup because this is the last time I will play
the qualifiers," he said. Solano is more than willing to make his mark for
his country in the games against Colombia and Bolivia this month and will
play anywhere the coach asks him to. "I still don't know which position I'll
be playing, but I am ready to play anywhere that the coach needs. "I will
work very seriously to be able to do what he wants," he added.
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Things aren't too Dyer for Kieron - TeamTalk
West Ham are optimistic crocked midfielder Kieron Dyer will not be sidelined
with a broken leg for as long as initially feared. Dyer suffered a double
fracture of his lower right leg while playing in West Ham's recent Carling
Cup tie against Bristol Rovers. The England man, who was making only his
second appearance for the Hammers following a £6million move from Newcastle,
was expected to be out of action for a considerable amount of time. However,
West Ham's head of physiotherapy George Cooper is hopeful Dyer - who was
released from hospital on Monday having undergone surgery - will make a
speedy recovery. "The club doctor and myself watched the surgery being
carried out," Cooper told West Ham's official website. "Kieron had a pin and
screws put in the leg and already we know there is an excellent fixation in
the leg. That means the prognosis is very positive for a quicker recovery.
"He is resting up now, but will be off the crutches in around two weeks'
time, when we aim to have him up and walking."
Cooper has also revealed that Scott Parker, who has been suffering from a
medial knee ligament strain, and Freddie Ljungberg (thigh) are both close to
returning. "Scott is in week seven of this [six to eight week recovery time]
and is on course with all that he is doing," Cooper added. "We're looking to
see Freddie back in training around the middle of next week."
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Hammers eye swift Dyer return - SSN
Midfielder recovering from broken leg
By Peter Fraser Last updated: 6th September 2007
West Ham are optimistic Kieron Dyer will not be sidelined with a broken leg
for as long as initially feared. Dyer suffered a double fracture of his
lower right leg while playing in West Ham's recent Carling Cup tie against
Bristol Rovers. The England midfielder, who was making only his third
appearance for the Hammers following a £6million move from Newcastle, was
expected to be out of action for a considerable amount of time. However,
West Ham's head of physiotherapy George Cooper is hopeful Dyer - who was
released from hospital on Monday having undergone surgery - will make a
speedy recovery. "The club doctor and myself watched the surgery being
carried out," Cooper told West Ham's official website. "Kieron had a pin and
screws put in the leg and already we know there is an excellent fixation in
the leg. That means the prognosis is very positive for a quicker recovery.
"He is resting up now, but will be off the crutches in around two weeks'
time, when we aim to have him up and walking."
Cooper has also revealed that Scott Parker, who has been suffering from a
medial knee ligament strain, and Freddie Ljungberg (thigh) are both close to
returning. "Scott is in week seven of this [six to eight week recovery time]
and is on course with all that he is doing," Cooper added. "We're looking to
see Freddie back in training around the middle of next week."
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Shorey cagey over Reading future - BBC
Left-back Nicky Shorey has not ruled out a move from the Reading during the
January transfer window. The 26-year-old, who has two years left on his
contract, was subject of a £4m bid from West Ham that was rejected and
branded "derisory" by the Royals. "It would be daft for a player to say
where they will be next year," Shorey told the Evening Standard. "All I know
is I will continue to work as hard as I can and give my all to Reading this
season." But the Premier League side have revealed they may be forced to
sell Shorey after he refused to sign an extension to his current deal.
Reading's director of football Nicky Hammond said: "We offered him an
exceptionally good contract that takes into account that this is an England
international. "It is just an issue of him wanting to take time and look at
his options. You have to respect that. "I would certainly hope to keep him
here beyond January, but you can never say never in this game. "Whether he
wants to leave, you would have to ask him that, but he's a good boy, he has
been here a long time. Sometimes opportunities arise and players may want to
move on."
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Villa's Reo-Coker: Quitting West Ham best thing for me
tribalfooball.com - September 06, 2007
Nigel Reo-Coker admits quitting West Ham and moving north to Aston Villa has
been a huge boost to his career. The midfielder told Villa's website: "It
was just an easy decision for me to move to Villa. It is great for any young
player to get an opportunity like this and it is really nice to get away
from London if you do take your football seriously. "I had to get away. Some
young players might need their family and friends around them to support
them - they might need family ten or 15 minutes away, but I think I am a
little bit more mature than that and realise the world is my oyster. "My
family are still only an hour-and-a-half away and they still support me, but
they also know this is my occupation. It is what I want to do and what I
love. It has been a breath of fresh air coming up here; I can come to Villa
Park, do my work, train hard and then go home and just rest. "Being here it
is all about football. There are fewer distractions here, fewer friends
calling on me and suggesting we go out or do this and that. It is an
individual thing whether players prefer London or Birmingham, but for me it
is all about being a professional - a professional footballer. For me the
move to Birmingham was an opportunity I couldn't turn down. "In London there
are a lot of events and a lot of promotions - a lot of things happening. It
has been great for me to get out of the media's eye. "I read stories that
apparently this player has been at this nightclub and apparently done this
or that. There is always stuff plastered on internet gossip columns. "Of
course some people will read that story and believe everything they read
without knowing the facts or the truth. I am happy now just to be focussing
on the football and I am enjoying it. "Coming to such a big club with such a
great heritage and to play for one of the best managers in Europe, someone
who is so well respected in the game was an easy choice. "I have always been
a football fan, so I always had a good idea about Villa. I have always known
they are a big club and I have always been a big fan of Martin O'Neill."
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Triple boost for Hammers - Daily Mail
Last updated at 16:55pm on 6th September 2007
West Ham boss Alan Curbishley has received a major boost after learning
Scott Parker, Freddie Ljungberg and Bobby Zamora could all be back in
training next week. Parker has yet to feature for his new side following his
£7million move from Newcastle during the summer after he suffered a knee
injury during pre-season. Fellow summer signing Ljungberg has only played
one game after he picked up a thigh injury during his debut against
Manchester City on the opening day of the season. And to make matters worse
for Curbishley, Zamora picked up a knee injury which forced him to miss the
3-0 win over Reading last week. But all three players are making a speedy
recovery and Curbishley is hopeful they could be fit to return to action in
the next two weeks. West Ham physio George Cooper said: "Scott is in week
seven of his recovery and is on course with all what he is doing. "Bobby
should be back in full training by the start of next week. We're looking to
see Freddie back in training around the middle of next week."
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Shorey's Irons in the fire - The Mirror
07/09/2007
Nicky Shorey has hinted he wants to quit Reading to join boyhood heroes West
Ham when the transfer window reopens. The England defender, 26, had a
£4million Hammers move collapse last week. And Shorey said: "It would be
difficult for any player to say they will be here this time next year."
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Mascherano Relives West Ham Nightmare, Thanks Benitez - Goal.com
Javier Mascherano believes he is indebted to Rafa Benitez and Liverpool for
rescuing his career from the doldrums. A high profile move to West Ham last
summer was followed by a collapse, as much in Javier Mascherano's as the
club's fortunes. Sensing a chance to land the midfielder without having to
pay up, Liverpool agreed an 18-month loan deal for the Argentine, who has
been impressing since. "I think this is because the manager has confidence
in me - it is very important," he explained. "Rafa has helped me a lot. "I
was not playing at West Ham, but he came to London and he told me I could
play for Liverpool - told me I could play in a good team. "He said he needed
me. When you are not getting a game for West Ham and the Liverpool manager
is talking about you, you can't believe it. "It is for this reason I am
very happy here. "I arrived at West Ham and was in another country with
another language and a different culture. I couldn't believe what was
happening. "In six months at West Ham I'd played five or six games. "It
was very difficult for me to even go to training everyday, because I knew no
matter what I would never play. The situation was very difficult. "Then
when I arrived here I still thought it was going to be very difficult for me
to play, because Liverpool were one of the biggest clubs in the world and
they already had Momo Sissoko, Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso in the
midfield. "When I got my opportunity, all I could do was try to do my best,
but it was easier because I knew the people here rated me. "It's a lot
easier here because the manager is Spanish. I can talk with him, though not
a lot because he likes to speak English."
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Shorey in Royals pledge - The Sun
By MIKE ANSTEAD
September 06, 2007
NICKY SHOREY insists he will give his all for Reading - but left the door
open for a future move to West Ham. The England international saw his
proposed switch to Upton Park collapse on deadline day after the Hammers
failed to match his £8million valuation. Shorey was disappointed to miss out
on the move and hopes a deal can be resurrected in the January transfer
window. But in the meantime, the Reading left-back will continue to give his
all for the club.
Shorey, 26, said: "It would be daft for any player to say they would be here
or there this time next year. "All I know is I will continue to work as
hard as I can and give my all to Reading. "I am fully committed to the club
now as I have been over the last six years I have been here. "All the
speculation is fine – it's just part of football now. Things like that
happen all the time, especially when the window is coming up, because it's
exciting for people. "But I will just focus on playing football and try and
continue to do the right things for Reading."
Reading have offered to make Shorey the highest paid player in the club's
history with their latest contract offer. Director of football Nick Hammond
said: "We have offered him an exceptionally good contract that takes into
account that this is an England international. "It's just an issue of him
wanting to take time and look at his options. You have to respect that. "He
has done a fantastic job for us and will continue to do that. I would
certainly hope to keep him here beyond January, but you can never say never
in this game. "Whether he wants to leave you would have to ask him that, but
he's a good boy, he's been here a long time. Sometimes opportunities arise
and players may want to move on. "But he's also a very sensible player and
he knows the market place and I would expect him to carry on performing in
the manner he always has."
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