21/08/2007 09:00
West Ham's Under-18's narrowly lost out to their London rivals Fulham on Saturday in a game which saw them unlucky not to have taken all three points themselves. A goal 12 minutes from time by the West London side broke the deadlock but on another day more deadly finishing from the young Hammers would have seen them through. Yet heads were not down after the game, as West Ham's Director of Youth Academy, Tony Carr, explained. "We just needed to be a bit more clinical in front of goal, he said. "We had chances and I thought overall we played well. So, while it was disappointing to lose, I was pleased with the attitude and the way went about the game. "If we played poorly and lost, I would have been more worried, it was simply not being able to get the ball over the line."
Hammers started well creating chances and penned in the visitors for much of the first half but it remained at 0-0 at half-time. After the break, Hammers again had the most of the opportunities to go ahead and Ben Hunt thought he had scored only to see his effort ruled out for off-side. Freddie Sears saw a chance parried by the Fulham keeper and Jack Collison agonisingly hit the post with another good effort. Anthony Edgar got away well on the left but just could not lift it over the keeper and several other chances followed, all scrambled off the line by Fulham. It was a counter-attack that caught Hammers and resulted in the visitors taking home the points. West Ham face an away trip to play Portsmouth this Saturday and Tony said there is a lot to take into this match. "The result didn't go our way but we have a lot to build on. We will work on making sure we are more clinical in front of goal but can go into the Portsmouth game with a lot of confidence."
West Ham United: Street, O'Neill, Miller, N'Gala, Blackwell, Stanislas, Collison, Harvey, Edgar, Hunt, Sears
Subs: Payne, Lee, Fry, Ashman, Kearns
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Wigan tickets available - WHUFC
21/08/2007 10:03
A small number of tickets have been returned & made available for Saturdays previously sold out fixture against Wigan Athletic on Saturday.
To purchase tickets please contact the ticket office on 0870 112 2700 and select option 1 or purchase online here .
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Tonka booked! - WHUFC
21/08/2007 15:00
Former West Ham United full-back legend Ray Stewart will be in the Stadium Store before our next home game against Wigan Athletic . . . signing copies of a brand new nostalgic book titled IN MY DAY.
Penalty king 'Tonka', who played 431 first team games for the Hammers between 1979 and 1991, is one of 26 former players interviewed exclusively in this 240-page softback (£12.99) from publishers Football World.
This lavishly illustrated book, written by EX-Hammers magazine editor Tony McDonald, features candid interviews with old Upton Park favourites from 1950s keeper Ernie Gregory, Cup-winning skipper Billy Bonds, World Cup hero Martin Peters to Italian maestro Paolo Di Canio and many others whose careers spanned five decades in the claret-and-blue.
Now living back in his native Perthshire, Scotland, Ray will be paying a rare return visit to the Boleyn, so why not pop into the Stadium Store between 12.30 and 2.30pm on August 25 and get him to sign your copy of IN MY DAY.
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West Ham duo sign new contracts - BBC
West Ham defenders Danny Gabbidon and James Collins have both signed two-year contract extensions. The Wales duo arrived from Cardiff City in July 2005 on four-year deals. Collins currently has a groin problem and Gabbidon has had to settle for a place on the bench after missing most of last season because of injury. "I am disappointed not to be in the side but at least the new contracts show that the club wants both me and James around," said Gabbidon. "We will both now work hard and fight to prove we are worthy of a place in the side." West Ham boss Alan Curbishley has started with Anton Ferdinand and Matthew Upson in the centre of defence this season.
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Appiah in town - KUMB
Filed: Tuesday, 21st August 2007
By: Matthew O'Greel
Stephen Appiah has once again been linked with a move to West Ham United. The midfielder, 28 next month, is in London today with the Ghanaian national squad as they prepare to face Senegal at Millwall's New Den stadium tonight in a friendly. And despire currently carrying an injury which should rule him out of the game, Appiah has travelled to London with the team - fuelling rumours that he is set for talks with the Hammers, with whom he was first linked at the start of the transfer window. The link resurfaced in some of this morning's papers after Appiah's proposed move from current club Fenerbahce to German outfit FC Schalke fell through at the weekend. And with the Hammers said to be monitoring the situation, some sources are suggesting that a deal may yet be struck - although the Irons are stiil to confirm any concrete interest in the player.
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Barnes deal done? - KUMB
Filed: Tuesday, 21st August 2007
By: Matthew O'Greel
Local radio in Derby is reporting that West Ham United have agreed terms with the Rams for midfielder Giles Barnes. The Hammers are reported to have finally agreed a fee for the 19-year-old nephew of former Hammer Bobby Barnes following several weeks of negotiations. The deal is said to be worth in the region of £7m; more on this as it happens.
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Hello John, got a new rota? - KUMB
Filed: Monday, 20th August 2007
By: Matthew O'Greel
West Ham United have signed Enfield goalkeeper Jerome John. The popular keeper - who started his career with the Hammers - returns to the club as understudy to head goalkeeping coach Ludo Miklosko, having coached infrequently for the Hammers in the past. The former Tonbridge Angels and Altrincham keeper had been playing for Enfield Town, whom he joined at the start of last season prior to receiving the job offer from the Hammers. He won a Ryman League championship and the FA Trophy while with Kingstonian, and has also played representative football for the FA.
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New deals for Welsh duo - KUMB
Filed: Tuesday, 21st August 2007
By: Matthew O'Greel
Danny Gabbidon and James Collins have both extended their contracts by a further two years. Gabbidon, 28, and Collins, who is 24 later this week, have both signed two-year extentions to their current deals which keep them tied to West Ham United until 2011. Although neither are currently involved in the first team both were happy to extend their stay in East London, two seasons after arriving from Cardiff City. Alan Pardbbidonew signed the pair in the summer of 2005 following promotion from the Championship. Gabbidon cost the Hammers £2m, whilst Collins - who played a major part in West Ham's 'Great Escape' last season - cost £1m. Gabbidon went on to become KUMB's Player of the Year during his first season at the club. However his outings were limited last term due to a succession of injuries.
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BREAKING NEWS: BARNES CLAIMS FIERCELY DENIED - thisisderbyshire.co.uk
The Derby Evening Telegraph has distanced itself from false claims on a website saying that Giles Barnes has signed for West Ham. According to the Knees up Mother Brown West Ham site, Derby County have reportedly agreed terms with the Hammers for the talented Rams midfielder. The website states: "The deal is worth in the region of £7m, according to Evening Telegraph reporter Steve Nicholson." But Mr Nicholson, the Evening Telegraph's chief football writer, says the claims are nonsense. "Not only am I annoyed but I'm also disgusted that my name can be used on a website without me knowing anything about it," he said, "and without me having said anything about Giles Barnes' possible move to West Ham. "I've got absolutely no idea where this has come from. If fans want to keep in touch with the Giles Barnes position with Derby, they should read the Evening Telegraph and This is Derbyshire." The website also has "local radio in Derby" as reporting the story and the claims have even made it on to online encyclopedia website Wikipedia, which now has Barnes down as a West Ham player.
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Hammers duo net extensions - The Sun
By GAVIN GLICKSMAN
August 21, 2007
DANNY GABBIDON and James Collins have signed two-year contract extensions with West Ham. The central defenders joined the Hammers from Cardiff on four-year deals in 2005.Gabbidon missed much of last season due to groin injuries and has only featured on the bench this term. But the Welshman insists he and Collins are determined to force their way ahead of Anton Ferdinand and Matthew Upson. Gabbidon said: "I am disappointed not to be in the side, but at least the new contracts show the club want me and James around. "We will both work hard and fight to prove we are worthy of a place in the side."
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West Ham close in on Appiah - Sportigo
Tue, Aug 21, 07 12:37
Mark Apostolou
West Ham are closing in on Fenerbahce midfielder Stephen Appiah. The Daily Mail says the Hammers are set to land the Ghana international sometime before the transfer window snaps shut. Class act Appiah, creative and assured, is a world-class talent and surely the kind of player who would thrive in the Premier League and assist West Ham's push to avoid another relegation battle.
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Which Club Has The Premier League's Best English Striker? Spurs? West Ham? Everton? Newcastle? Portsmouth? - caughtoffside.com
Posted on Tuesday, August 21st, 2007
Ignoring the rash of "injuries" to the squad, Daniel takes a look at who should be backing up Rooney, Owen and Crouch for England. Newcastle, Tottenham, Everton and West Ham are all represented strongly. When it was put to Steve McClaren that he faced a striker crisis with Rooney injured, Owen unfit and Crouch suspended for the next qualifier, the England boss reminded journalists: "…there is also the likes of Alan Smith, Darren Bent, Andy Johnson, Jermain Defoe and David Nugent, players like that who have played for England and have proved that they can play at this level."
Hmmmmm. Still the lack of availability of the three forwards at the front of the queue for places in the team, represents not so much a window of opportunity for English strikers to stake their international claims, but a great, yawning chasm. So who is best equipped to step into the void? Let's analyse the pros and cons of the men McClaren mentions.
Alan Smith, Newcastle
Pros: None
Cons: The Alan Smith Game Plan flow chart tells you all you need to know about why Smith should not play for England. If he's worth £6 million then even Mido must be worth…hang on…someone has paid £6 million for Mido. Oh, Gareth! I can accept arguments for any of the other strikers on this list, but not Smith. Oh no, not Smith.
Darren Bent, Tottenham
Pros: Bent has the best goal-scoring record of all the contenders. He scored approximately 1 goal for every 2 games he played at Charlton. The other strikers on McClaren's list have a roughly 1 in 3 record at the club where they last played a full season (with the exception of Smith who had slightly better than a 1 in 9 record at Man U and a 1 in 5 record in his 'glory days' at Leeds). Should McClaren decide to play a 4-3-3 formation, Bent has experience of playing in the lone striker role. And Bent is, of course, quick and uses his pace to exploit spaces.
Cons: The problem with Bent is that unless he is exploiting space that leads to a straight run on goal, he isn't particularly effective. For example, in the Everton-Spurs game last week, Bent's first bit of play involved making a burst into space on the right flank. A team-mate knocked the ball ahead of him and Bent's speed got him there first. So far, so good. But then Bent got his head down and steamed down the right wing. A defender came across and Bent realised he had run down cul-de-sac. A player who is comfortable on the ball would have got his head up, put his foot on the ball, used a bit of skill to beat the defender etc. But Bent just twatted the ball as hard as he good in the general direction of the penalty area, it cannoned off the defender and he was a bit lucky to win a throw-on. You need more than that at international level (and you should want more than that for ₤16.5 million). This lack of comfort on the ball perhaps explain why Bent has looked lost in the couple of chances he has had in the England team.
Andy Johnson, Everton
Pros: Like Bent, Johnson has played as a lone striker and his terrific work rate means he can lead the line on his own and provide his team-mates with constant movement that gives them a passing option. Johnson is also a decent finisher.
Cons: A striker need more than a high work-rate to have an impact at international level and in the games he has played for England, albeit out of position, Johnson's lack of control has been exposed.
Jermain Defoe, Tottenham
Pros: Defoe is arguably the best finisher of the candidates and his quick feet means he can get a shot off even if a defender is close to him.
Cons: Defoe is best in the penalty box, but will spend limited time there at international level. England don't bombard teams and set up lots of chances; that very rarely happens in internationals any more. Consequently, skills that are important outside the area - being able to hold the ball up, link play, dribble, make a clever run that finds some extra space – become more important and Defoe is weak in these areas. You can't see it on TV, but Spurs fans who go to matches (and there seems to be quite a few of them on COS) will tell you that Defoe usually only comes alive when he has the ball at his feet. His movement is poor and compares badly to Robbie Keane's who constantly tries to give team-mates the option to pass to him. Also, unless the Germans and future opponents are playing Nik Nak and Mini-Me in the centre of defence, crosses to Defoe are a waste of time.
David Nugent, Portsmouth
Pros: Looked skilful in the Championship, not only scoring goals (including some beauties), but setting them up too. He also has an ability to beat players, which is a great asset in internationals where you are likely to be more tightly marked.
Cons: Nugent is not proven at Premier League level, let alone international level.
He should first establish himself in the Portsmouth side and, if he's successful there, then he can be seriously considered. (He also needs to improve his heading).
Nugent is one for the future and should be given a bit more time to show what he can do against Premier League defences. Bent, Johnson and Defoe are all good Premier League strikers, but the suspicion is that they fall just short at England level. Lack of a good touch is really exposed as a forward at international level, where space is at a premium. Attacking players tend to spend less time on the ball than they do at a club level, so it is vital that they have strong positional awareness to find some room and have the ability to be effective on the ball when they do receive it. One English striker who is good at this, and who was not mentioned by Steve McClaren, is Dean Ashton. Having played as a sub in West Ham's first game this season, Ashton is available again after injury and should be match fit for next month's qualifiers.
Dean Ashton, West Ham
Pros: Ashton can drop off and link play up, aided by good control and an eye for a defence splitting pass. He can also serve as a target man because of his strength and aerial ability. In his first half a season at West Ham he scored 6 goals in 16 appearances, indicating that there would be more to come as he became more experienced at playing at a higher level. You also get a sense with Ashton that, crucially, he is comfortable playing in more important games, such as the 2006 FA Cup final, and that having a nation urging him on in a big international would see him raise his performance rather than inhibit him. The chant of "Dean-o" could be one of the most passionately used by England fans in the years to come.
Cons: They call him Mr. Glass
So if McClaren chooses one striker of the above it should be Dean Ashton. If he goes with two, then it is a close call between Defoe and Johnson for me, but I would give the nod to Defoe as he is a little more effective in tight spaces.
But what do you think? Who of these fringe strikers, should McClaren call up to the England team? Who belongs at international level?
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Newcastle Threaten To Steal West Ham's Identity - caughtoffside.com
Posted on Tuesday, August 21st, 2007
West Ham fans today woke up fearing for their current claim to fame, as it is possible that soon they will not be the only kids on the block sporting a cool, exotically named, Icelandic owner.
The Times is reporting today that Newcastle United may have some further changes ahead. They allege that Mike Ashley, who only took control two months ago, has already discussed the sale of the club to an Icelandic businessman Palmi Haraldsson. This will come as a shock to most Newcastle fans who have been pleased with the departure of Glenn Roeder and the Shepherds. The perpetually rocking boat at St James has since been calmed by Allardiye, who instituted such futuristic techniques as "defending" and "not going on the lash the night before a game".
Yesterday Haraldsson told the Icelandic hacks: Newcastle is a great club, with a great manager and I have been a fan for a long time,"
Was Ashley only in this to make a quick profit on Newcastle, or has he already decided that the club is beyond salvation? Do the Toon fans even care about more chopping and changing at the top?
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Barnes claims fiercely denied - rams.co.uk
The Derby Evening Telegraph has distanced itself from false claims on a website saying that Giles Barnes has signed for West Ham. According to the Knees up Mother Brown West Ham site, Derby County have agreed terms with the Hammers for the talented Rams midfielder. The website states: "The deal is worth in the region of £7m, according to Evening Telegraph reporter Steve Nicholson." But Mr Nicholson, the Evening Telegraph's chief football writer, says the claims are nonsense. "Not only am I annoyed but I'm also disgusted that my name can be used on a website without me knowing anything about it and without me having said anything about Giles Barnes' possible move to West Ham," he said. "I've got absolutely no idea where this has come from. If fans want to keep in touch with the Giles Barnes position with Derby, they should read the Evening Telegraph and This is Derbyshire." The website also has "local radio in Derby" as reporting the story and the claims have even made it on to online encyclopedia website Wikipedia, which now has Barnes down as a West Ham player.
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Dicks: I'll play golf the same way I played football - Daily Mail
Last updated at 12:11pm on 21st August 2007
West Ham legend Julian Dicks will play in the European Professional Development Tour next month - effectively golf's third division. He said: "I hope I can play golf the same way I played football. I don't mean booting people around the course. I mean just being positive."
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