Saturday could be crucial to the chances of West Ham United U18s winning
their league division
03.04.2008
West Ham United Under-18s are back in action on Saturday as they look to
consolidate their hold on first place in Group A of the Premier Academy
League and keep the pressure on favourites Arsenal.
With two games to go, Tony Carr's side are two points ahead of the Gunners
although the second-placed club have two games in hand. While United, who
have won seven of their last nine fixtures, go to Group B's third-placed
club Leicester City this weekend, Arsenal are away to Milton Keynes Dons,
who are fifth in that table. Both matches kick-off at 11am. The overall
winners of the four Premier Academy League groups will compete in
semi-finals on 26 April before the final on 3 May.
West Ham United finish their regular season campaign at home to Birmingham
City on Saturday week, Arsenal have three other away matches to conclude
their programme. They go to Millwall next Tuesday, Bristol City on 12 April
and end at Fulham a week later. "We will see what happens," said Carr. "At
the end of the day, no matter if we win our last two games they have still
got their games in hand and it is how well they do with those. We will just
have to wait and see. I am more pleased with the performance of the players
as I am with the league position."
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Bolton beamback at the Boleyn - WHUFC
Watch Alan Curbishley's men in away action from the comfort of the Boleyn
Ground on Saturday 12 April
03.04.2008
If you cannot make it to the Reebok Stadium to watch West Ham United take on
Bolton Wanderers on Saturday 12 April - come along to the Beamback, in
association with Carlsberg.
West Ham United are determined to finish as high up the league table as
possible but know that relegation-threatened Bolton are fighting to stay in
the top flight. The last time the teams met was at the Boleyn Ground on 4
November when a last-gasp Kevin Nolan goal cancelled out George McCartney's
stunning first strike for the club.
See the Premier League encounter in warmth and style with a mouth-watering
package running from 12pm to 5pm at the Boleyn Ground.
# Pie and mash, and a matchday programme in the Premier Suite (pay-bar
available). Prices are £20 for adults, £18 for senior citizens/disabled and
£15 for children under 16. For more information call 0870 112 2700 (Option
3)
Make sure you are at the Boleyn Ground to soak up the atmosphere on Saturday
12 April. The kick-off is 3pm.
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'A good test' says Keen - WHUFC
Kevin Keen said his young charges will take much from the disappointment of
a rare reserve-team loss
02.04.2008
Kevin Keen's reserve team may have seen their winning run end this week but
he was pleased with the performance against a powerful Chelsea squad.
With West Ham United fielding only Jimmy Walker and Henri Camara from the
first-team ranks they lacked experience but the 3-0 defeat proved a great
learning curve, not least for the five Under-18 players in the starting
eleven who had played for the Academy just two days before. United had gone
into the match on the back of five straight wins and were top of the
Barclays Premier Reserve League but the loss has handed the initiative to
new leaders Aston Villa.
With the likes of Serbian international defender Branislav Ivanovic and
Steve Sidwell among the home lineup it was always going to be a difficult
evening at Brentford's Griffin Park. That said, the reserve-team manager
could not fault the effort shown. He said: "The boys had a right go, I was
disappointed with the goals that were conceded, but they were much stronger
and more physical and certainly technically very, very good. It was a
difficult game."
The team, without regulars Jack Jeffery and Zavon Hines who are out on loan,
and because of Freddie Sears' recent first-team call-up, were particularly
light on strikers. "We're missing Zavon, JJ and Freddie Sears obviously and
it was a tough night for them, but we created a few chances especially in
the first half. Our boys kept going but we lacked a bit of cutting edge up
front." He was particularly pleased with the performance of Junior
Stanislas.
Keen also commended the Chelsea team - in particular Peru striker Claudio
Pizarro and Argentinian starlet Franco Di Santo - yet said there were still
positives for his men to take from the fixture, including Academy
centre-backs Jordan Spence and Bondz N'Gala who had to be on their toes all
evening. "It was a tough night for our back four, they worked hard but their
South American centre forwards are very good athletes.
"When Pizarro kept dropping off causing problems, I think it was a good
lesson for them at the back in terms of movement and strength and their
all-round game, so it was good." Summing up, Keen added: "It was a good test
for them to understand how good you have to be to get to the top level."
West Ham United reserves are next in action at home to Derby County on
Wednesday before finishing their league campaign on 21 April away to
Arsenal.
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Neill positive for Portsmouth - WHUFC
West Ham United captain Lucas Neill is raring to lead the team out again
back at the Boleyn Ground
02.04.2008
Lucas Neill is already looking forward to the Portsmouth fixture at home
next Tuesday evening after the setback at Sunderland.
The captain said: "It was very disappointing but we've got to pick our heads
up and try and keep going." Neill added that there was no reason why the
club cannot finish the remainder of the campaign strongly, having done so in
the Barclays Premier League last season. "It would be stupid just to try and
play the season out now. We've got to try and believe that we can win five
out of the last six or six out of the last six."
This prospect is helped by the fact that four of the remaining fixtures are
to be played at the Boleyn Ground, with the first of these the visit of
Harry Redknapp's men. Neill said the players still feel they can catch the
teams immediately above. "Either way it's a game at home, and we want to
win, and like I said we need to win to give ourselves any chance." Neill
also looked at the positives of the match being played just after the
visitors' Wembley date against West Bromwich Albion. "We play Portsmouth
three days after their FA Cup semi-final so obviously all their focus will
be on that game. Maybe we can catch them off guard, on an off day where
their focus is elsewhere."
At the Stadium of Light on Saturday, West Ham United saw the final minutes
of the match played out with only ten men, as Freddie Ljungberg picked up a
hamstring injury and Alan Curbishley had already made his three
substitutions. However, that could lead to more opportunities for others.
Like his manager, Neill was pleased to see James Tomkins' gain more
experience and has high hopes Freddie Sears will be fit and ready next time
around. He said: "We've got talented kids and for them it's a great
opportunity to show everyone what they've got, and for us I suppose they'll
bring energy and no fear, and a desire to want to do really well."
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Neill banking on Pompey hangover - SSN
Hammers skipper believes opponents will lose focus
By Chris Burton Last updated: 2nd April 2008
Lucas Neill is hoping that Portsmouth's FA Cup exploits will make them prime
targets for West Ham next week. Pompey take on Championship side West Brom
in the semi-finals of the cup on Saturday, before travelling to Upton Park
for a Premier League encounter the following Tuesday. The Hammers captain
believes that there will not be a better time to take on Harry Redknapp's
men, and is confident that their opponents will not be fully focused on the
task in hand when they arrive in East London. "Obviously all of their focus
will be on the FA Cup game," the Australian told the West Ham's official
website.
"Maybe we can catch them off guard, on an off day where their focus is
elsewhere. "Either way it's a game at home and we want to win."
Meanwhile, George McCartney looks unlikely to maintain his ever-present
record this season when Pompey roll into town. The full-back limped out of
the 2-1 defeat at Sunderland on Saturday and is now facing a race against
time to prove his fitness. "I've been carrying the injury for the last four
or five weeks, but things just came to a head on Saturday," said the
Northern Ireland international.
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Reid open to Eagles switch - ESS
Last Updated: Wed, 02 Apr 2008 13:05
West Ham's Kyel Reid has said he is open to a permanent move to Crystal
Palace in the summer if he is not wanted at Upton Park. The 20-year-old
midfielder has joined the Eagles on loan until the end of the season and
whilst his ultimate goal is to break into the Hammers side, if that is not
going to happen then he will be happy to move to Selhurst Park. Reid told
the Croydon Advertiser: "I will sit down with Alan Curbishley at the end of
the season and see what his plans are for me. Then I will have a chat with
my agent and see what his opinion is and what offers I have. "My ultimate
aim would be to break into the West Ham first team - but if that doesn't
work out then I'll have to look elsewhere. "If it doesn't work out for me at
West Ham then Palace would be a good move for me - I'm a south London boy so
it would be an easy transition for me."
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Rafa's Liverpool clear out: Aston Villa, West Ham and Middlesbrough want £5m
man - caughtoffside.com
April 2, 2008
Believe it or not Liverpool's somewhat faltering wide man Jermaine Pennant
has been around for almost a decade now. He arrived a fresh faced youth at
Notts County and was snapped up by well known collector of young talent,
Arsene Wenger.
However six years later he only had two Premier League starts to his name
and he was offloaded to Birmingham where his career was reignited a move to
Liverpool appeared to be the impetus for another re-birth but it hasn't
quite happened and now it appears that
Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant is a target for Premiership rivals.
Jermaine Pennant's appears to be heading for the Anfield exit with Aston
Villa, West Ham and Middlesbrough paying very close attention (Daily Mail)
Mr. Pennant has become something of a figure of fun after some well
publicised incidents and he is in danger of never really living up to his
potential. Maybe his next move will rejuvenate the 25 year old if not he
could just become a nearly man of football. Is he by any chance the player
to have played the most Under 21 England games to have never won a full
international cap? That's the question of the day, answers on a postcard or
simply in the comment box will suffice.
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Tube strike could disrupt Hammers fans - Guardian Series
By Rob Pritchard
SOUTH Essex-based West Ham supporters travelling to next Tuesday's Premier
League clash with Portsmouth could have their journeys disrupted by a
72-hour strike on the London Underground. Ironically, the match was
originally moved from its original kick-off time of 3pm on Saturday due to
engineering work being carried out on the District Line. Now, members of the
RMT union, which represents Underground drivers and other staff, have voted
to stage a three-day walkout over concerns about safety standards on the
Tube. The industrial action will mean south Essex-based fans will have to
find an alternative route to Upton Park from Barking, where many change from
the c2c service to the District Line. Basildon teenager James Tomkins, who
has featured in the Irons last two away matches, could be in line to make
his home Premier League debut against Harry Redknapp's men.
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Calf injury to rule Upson out for season? - Guardian Series
By Rob Pritchard
WEST Ham defender Matthew Upson could be ruled out for the remainder of the
season with a calf injury. The 29-year-old centre-back was hurt in last
month's 4-0 defeat at Liverpool. Upson initially expected to be sidelined
for just a week, but further scans have revealed that the injury is a
re-currence of the problem that ruled the England man out of the final three
months of last season. The £6million defender, who started Fabio Capello's
first match in charge against Switzerland in February, has seen his career
blighted by injury. However, a link-up with South African kinesiologist
Ronald Holder appeared to have ended his problems - until now. Since losing
Upson at Anfield, West Ham have conceded ten goals in their last
four-and-a-half matches. With Danny Gabbidon and James Collins also on the
treatment table, Upson's injury has handed a first team opportunity to
Basildon teenager James Tomkins.
The England Under-19 star made his debut in the 1-1 draw at Everton before
appearing as a late substitute in Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Sunderland.
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Lucas Neill keen for West Ham to blood young guns - The Mirror
3/04/2008
West Ham skipper Lucas Neill believes this is the right time for Alan
Curbishley to blood the youngsters. Curbishley faces a crippling injury list
for the final six games after Freddie Ljungberg, Matthew Etherington and
Julien Faubert were all ruled out for the rest of the season. Neill said:
"It would be stupid just to try and play the season out now. "We have
talented kids like Freddie Sears and James Tomkins and for them it's a great
opportunity to show everyone what they've got."
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'We're not on holiday yet' - McCartney - Guardian Series
By Rob Pritchard
GEORGE McCartney has denied that West Ham's players are going through the
motions. The Irons' season has hit the buffers in recent weeks, with Alan
Curbishley's men taking just eight points from their last nine Premier
League games. The run has led to suggestions that the Hammers, who are stuck
in mid-table obscurity, have begun their summer holidays early. That
criticism was strongly denied by full-back McCartney, who insisted the East
Enders were still giving 100 per cent. "We're still hoping to catch the
teams above us. We've got four games at home and that will be a big factor,"
observed the Northern Ireland international full-back. "But we've got to
play teams with something still to play for - Newcastle won't think they are
out of the relegation battle yet, and we've got Bolton aswell - so they're
going to be tough games. "If we can get a similar finish to what we had last
season, then there is no reason why we can't finish higher."
Last season, West Ham ended a horrific season by winning seven of their last
nine fixtures to escape relegation on the final day with a 1-0 victory at
Manchester United. And McCartney was adamant that, despite the stakes being
much lower, he and his colleagues were keen to put together a similar run
over their closing six games this time around. "The players are going out
every game trying to win, there's no other way to approach it," added the
26-year-old, who is battling to recover from a hamstring injury in time for
Tuesday's visit of Portsmouth. "There's probably not a lot we're playing for
in terms of Europe but if we can catch the teams above us that would be a
massive bonus going into next season. "The manager is certainly not going to
let us get complacent or cruise the last five or six matches. The effort is
going to be there. "Another couple of wins could secure a top half finish
and that would be a good improvement on last season."
2:13pm Wednesday 2nd April 2008
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West Ham's Ljungberg could miss Euros
tribalfooball.com - April 03, 2008
West Ham United midfielder Freddie Ljungberg risks missing out on Sweden's
European Championship campaign. Ljungberg, 30, faces an anxious wait to
discover the extent of the hamstring injury he picked up in the 2-1 defeat
at Sunderland on Saturday. Sweden skipper Ljungberg is undergoing intense
treatment but could miss up to six weeks. That would rule him out for the
rest of the Premier League season and leave him short of match fitness for
the Euros.
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