WHUFC.com
All the early team news ahead of Tuesday Carling Cup third-round trip to
Bolton Wanderers
21.09.2009
Carling Cup third round
Bolton Wanderers v West Ham United
Reebok Stadium
Tuesday 22 September 2009
8pm
Referee: Howard Webb
• West Ham United travel to meet Gary Megson's Bolton Wanderers for the
fifth League Cup meeting between the two clubs.
• Gianfranco Zola said: "It's very important and we take it very seriously.
We want to go ahead in that competition so we will try to win the game."
• Bolton Wanderers manager Gary Megson said: "Since I have been here, I have
changed teams for cup ties and each and every time the players that tell me
they should be in the first team don't deliver when they are in. I'm not
sure exactly what team will be put out, so we'll have a look to see what
knocks we have picked up on Monday."
• West Ham go into Tuesday's game looking for their first victory since
knocking Millwall out in the second round on Tuesday 25 August. Since then,
the Hammers have drawn 0-0 at Blackburn Rovers and lost out narrowly to
Wigan Athletic (0-1) and Liverpool (2-3).
• This is the fifth League Cup meeting between the two clubs since the
competition began in season 1960/61. Both sides have progressed to the next
round on two occasions. West Ham won a third-round tie 4-1 in October 1967
and a second-round tie 7-2 in September 1968, both at the Boleyn Ground.
Bolton hit back by winning a fourth-round tie 3-1 in east London in November
1994, before scoring a 1-0 victory in the third round in October 2005.
• West Ham and Bolton also met in the 1923 FA Cup final, the first final
played at Wembley. Bolton ran out 2-0 winners in front of an estimated crowd
of 200,000.
• West Ham have reached the League Cup final twice in their history, losing
out on both occasions. West Bromwich Albion ran out 5-3 aggregate winners in
1965/66, while Liverpool earned a 2-1 replay victory at Villa Park in
1980/81 after the initial game at finished 1-1 at Wembley.
• Bolton have also finished as League Cup runners-up twice, losing out 2-1
to Liverpool in 1995 and 2-1 to Middlesbrough in 2004.
Last time out
Saturday 19 September 2009
Barclays Premier League
West Ham United 2-3 Liverpool
West Ham United: Green, Faubert, Tomkins, Upson, Ilunga, Parker, Noble,
Behrami, Diamanti, Hines, Cole
Subs not used: Kurucz, Spector, Payne, Nouble
Booked: Parker, Faubert, Cole
Goals: Diamanti 29 (pen), Cole 45
Saturday 19 September 2009
Barclays Premier League
Bolton Wanderers 1-1 Stoke City
Bolton Wanderers: Jaaskelainen, Samuel, Cahill, Knight, Steinsson (Klasnic
46), Ricketts, Muamba (Gardner 46), Taylor, McCann, Cohen, Davies
Subs not used: Al Habsi, O'Brien, Davis, Lee, Elmander
Booked: Samuel, Davies
Goal: Taylor 89 (pen)
West Ham United
• West Ham United will be eager to reach the fourth round of the Carling Cup
for the second time in three seasons at the Reebok Stadium. In 2007/08, the
Hammers reached the quarter-finals before going down 2-1 at home to Everton.
• The Hammers have won one, drawn one and lost one of the three away
Barclays Premier League matches they have contested this season.
• West Ham have never won at the Reebok Stadium in nine attempts. Since
Bolton moved to their new home in 1998, the Hammers have drawn twice and
lost seven times at the Reebok.
• The pair met at the Reebok in a League Cup third-round tie on 26 October
2005. Mexico striker Jared Borgetti scored the only goal of the game after
64 minutes in front of a crowd of just 10,927.
• The same season, West Ham returned to Bolton for an FA Cup fifth-round tie
on 18 February 2006. The game ended goalless, with the Hammers going on to
win the replay 2-1 at the Boleyn Ground on the way to Wembley.
• West Ham's last away win at Bolton came in the shape of a 3-0 victory at
Burnden Park on 18 November 1995. West Ham's goals that day came courtesy of
Ian Bishop, Tony Cottee and Danny Williamson.
Bolton Wanderers
• Bolton go into Tuesday's tie on a season-high two-match unbeaten run,
having followed up a 3-2 Barclays Premier League victory at Portsmouth with
a 1-1 home draw with Stoke City on Saturday.
• Bolton were the first team to hand Gianfranco Zola a defeat as West Ham
manager. The Trotters left the Boleyn Ground with a 3-1 victory on Sunday 5
October thanks to goals from Kevin Davies, Gary Cahill and Matthew Taylor.
• Bolton reached the Carling Cup third round courtesy of a 1-0 second-round
victory at League One outfit Tranmere Rovers. Mark Davies scored his first
goal for the club after 41 minutes at Prenton Park.
• The Trotters sit one place behind West Ham in the Barclays Premier League
table in 17th position. Bolton have gained four points from five matches,
but have a worse goal difference (-2) than the Hammers (-1).
• Midfielder Matt Taylor and Israel international Tamir Cohen are Bolton's
joint top-scorers so far this season with two goals apiece.
• Bolton brought in a number of new players during the summer.
Well-travelled midfielder Sean Davis joined on a free transfer after his
contract at Portsmouth expired; full-back Sam Ricketts arrived from Hull
City; experienced left-back Paul Robinson was signed on a season-long loan
from West Bromwich Albion; central defender Zat Knight was snapped up from
Aston Villa; South Korea international forward Lee Chung-Yong arrived from
FC Seoul; Croatia striker Ivan Klasnic was brought in on loan from German
side Werder Bremen.
Team news
• Gianfranco Zola looks set to name a strong squad for the trip to Bolton,
with the likes of Guillermo Franco, Radoslav Kovac, Manuel Da Costa, Kieron
Dyer and Jonathan Spector all pushing for places at the Reebok Stadium.
• Czech Republic midfielder Kovac could replace Valon Behrami, who was
withdrawn as a precautionary measure during Saturday's match and could be
rested on Tuesday evening.
• Jamaican-born forward Zavon Hines, who is eligible to play for England as
he holds a British passport, and Alessandro Diamanti could both keep their
places after impressing against Liverpool, but Mexico striker Guillermo
Franco is also set to be in the squad for the first time and could be handed
his Hammers debut.
• It remains to be seen whether Tuesday's match has come too soon for
Matthew Upson, who was taken off with a minor calf injury during Saturday's
defeat. Chile forward Luis Jimenez and England Under-21 winger Junior
Stanislas have both returned to training and all three look set to be fit
for next Monday's Barclays Premier League trip to Manchester City.
• England midfielder Dyer and United States defender Spector could both be
pushing for a starting place, while the likes of central defender Da Costa,
midfielder Josh Payne and forward Frank Nouble could all be involved.
• Bolton could hand a start to Jamaica international Ricardo Gardner after
the left-winger came through 45 minutes against Stoke on Saturday. The
30-year-old had suffered a hamstring problem in pre-season.
• Sean Davis and central defender Andy O'Brien were both named on the
substitutes' bench against Stoke on Saturday after recovering from knee and
groin injuries respectively.
• Portuguese forward Ricardo Vaz Te could also feature after recovering from
injury and taking part in training last week.
• Right-back Joey O'Brien will be sidelined for around four months with a
serious knee injury.
Referee
• Tuesday's referee will be Howard Webb.
• Webb began officiating in Yorkshire in 1989, moving on to the Northern
Counties East League four years later.
• Webb was appointed as a Football League assistant referee in 1996,
fulfilling the same role in the Barclays Premier League in 1998.
• The 38-year-old took charge of his first Barclays Premier League match as
a referee in October 2003, and has since been the man-in-the-middle for a
host of high-profile fixtures.
• Webb refereed the 2005 FA Community Shield, 2006 FA Trophy final and 2006
UEFA European Under-21 Championship, as well as taking charge of his first
UEFA Champions League match in 2006.
• The former police officer was referee for the 2007 Carling Cup final and
was selected as England's representative at Euro 2008, taking charge of the
first match of the tournament between Austria and Poland and the Group D
fixture between Greece and eventual champions Spain.
• Last season, Webb was in charge of three West Ham United matches, the 3-0
loss at Manchester City in August, the 2-0 home win over Hull City in late
January, and the 2-1 final-day victory over Middlesbrough in May.
• Webb took charge of the 2009 FA Cup final at Wembley and is on the
provisional list of referees for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
Last meeting
• The teams met at the Reebok Stadium on 21 February this year, with Bolton
running out 2-1 winners. West Ham fell two goals down early on through
Matthew Taylor and Kevin Davies before losing James Collins to injury.
Despite those setbacks, the Hammers launched a stirring second-half
fightback and reduced their arrears through Scott Parker, but an equaliser
proved to be elusive.
• The lineups were:
West Ham United: Green, Spector (Sears 85), Collins (Tomkins 16), Upson,
Ilunga, Behrami, Parker, Noble, Collison (Savio 62), Cole, Di Michele
Subs not used: Lastuvka, Lopez, Kovac, Tristan
Booked: Upson, Noble
Goal: Parker 66
Bolton Wanderers: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, Puygrenier (A.O'Brien
73), Samuel, K.Davies, M.Davies, McCann, Gardner, Taylor, Elmander (Muamba
76)
Subs not used: Al Habsi, Smolarek, Makukula, Shittu, Basham
Goals: Taylor 10, K.Davies 11
Attendance: 21,245
Old boys
• Among those players who have represented both clubs are Frank Costello,
George Eccles, Thomas Kinsell and William Yenson.
Head to head
Last six meetings (Premier League unless stated)
21 February 2009 - Bolton Wanderers 2-1 West Ham United
5 October 2008 - West Ham United 1-3 Bolton Wanderers
12 April 2008 - Bolton Wanderers 1-0 West Ham United
4 November 2007 - West Ham United 1-1 Bolton Wanderers
5 May 2007 - West Ham United 3-1 Bolton Wanderers
9 December 2006 - Bolton Wanderers 4-0 West Ham United
Overall record v Bolton Wanderers (all competitions) W 22 D 10 L 30
Next up
• West Ham United will travel to Manchester City for a live ESPN-televised
Barclays Premier League fixture on Monday 28 September, with kick-off at
8pm.
• Bolton Wanderers will travel to Birmingham City for a Barclays Premier
League fixture on Saturday 26 September, with kick-off at 3pm.
General information
• Supporters should note that tickets will be available to purchase on the
night at the Reebok Stadium, priced at £12 adults and £5 for over-65 and
under-21s. Fans wishing to buy concession tickets should take identification
with them to the game.
• For directions to the Reebok Stadium, click here.
• Tuesday's weather forecast is for light rain, with a maximum daytime
temperature of 17C.
• The draw for the Carling Cup fourth round will be held on Saturday 26
September. The fourth round ties will be played during week commencing 26
October.
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Cole on WHUTV
WHUFC.com
Carlton Cole spoke to WHUTV after his powerful display against Liverpool on
Saturday
21.09.2009
Carlton Cole has told WHUTV that he had mixed emotions after scoring a
superb header in Saturday's thrilling 3-2 Barclays Premier League defeat by
Liverpool. The 25-year-old was at his best, giving Reds central defenders
Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel untold problems with his power and
movement. The England striker capped his display by glancing Mark Noble's
left-wing corner past Pepe Reina to level the score at 2-2 moments before
half-time, only for Fernando Torres to secure all three points for the
visitors with his own header 15 minutes from time. "I was disappointed that
we didn't get the result," Cole told WHUTV. "It was a real improvement from
the last game at Wigan when everyone wasn't quite on song. I thought we did
really well to match them and it was just the finer details that killed us
off. "These things happen. I'm playing well against top-class defenders and
that's the only bonus I can take out of this game."
Cole's frustration at seeing what was a good team performance count for
nothing got the better of him in added time, when he was booked for dissent
after disputing a decision made by referee Andre Marriner. In a move typical
of his friendly, approachable manner, Cole said 'Sorry' to the official for
his outburst shortly after the final whistle, while also vowing to keep his
mouth shut in future matches. "You could see at the end that I got
frustrated with the referee and I apologised to him. I can't really be doing
that again because that yellow card he gave me might cost me later on in the
season. "Overall, I thought we played well as a team and came back from a
one-goal deficit twice. I've got so much admiration for all our players at
the moment and the spirit we've got at this club."
Cole went on to praise fellow south Londoner Zavon Hines, who produced an
all-action display, winning a first-half penalty and forcing no fewer than
three Liverpool players to commit fouls on them that led to bookings.
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Manager on Monday
WHUFC.com
Another hectic few days lie ahead but Gianfranco Zola thinks the signs are
there for good times
21.09.2009
Gianfranco Zola is heading into a busy week that features two away trips
back to back in a positive frame of mind - despite the weekend defeat by
Liverpool.
The manager was pleased with the way his team held their own against the
title-contenders with only the world-class talent of Fernando Torres proving
the difference in a 3-2 win for the Reds. To make things harder, Zola had
lost captain Matthew Upson with a calf complaint - although it is thought
not to be too serious.
Zola believed his team should have had more than four points from their
first five outings - with the Liverpool match having echoes of the 2-1 loss
against Tottenham Hotspur last month. This weekend also marked a new look
for the manager, as he donned a suit rather than his usual training wear -
"with a tracksuit it looks like I want to go on the pitch with the fans a
little bit," he explained.
It could get its next airing for Tuesday's Carling Cup date at Bolton
Wanderers before the league trip to Manchester City next Monday. As usual, a
strong travelling band of fans is expected and the manager also paid tribute
to those who roared on the team at the weekend.
"The fans were terrific," he said. "They deserved a game like this and I
promise that soon they will see the team getting more points. For me, it is
important how the team plays and how they look on the pitch. I was very
satisfied. Soon it will be a different story in terms of points."
Zavon Hines also earned praise for his exciting play on the left-hand side
of his attack - not least in hitting the post in the opening stages and then
winning a penalty. "He has done very well. He was terrific. He worked a lot
offensively. He was dangerous all the time.
"He was also helping the team defensively. It is very good, the boy is
making himself more and more important for the team. Zavon has been
terrific. I was really impressed with him."
While Hines may not have scored, the manager was pleased to see his side
register twice with home debutant Alessandro Diamanti converting from the
spot and Carlton Cole heading in his second goal of the season. Both
forwards felt the effects of a physical contest but are thought to have no
lingering problems.
With Luis Jimenez and Junior Stanislas set to be part of the attacking
options for the week ahead along with new recruit Guillermo Franco, the
manager said he expected to see more goals flying in. "Franco might help,
Diamanti also will make a difference with goalscoring. We posed a threat all
the time to Liverpool. I believe we are improving on this.
"I normally like to play with one striker and two small ones behind him. I
am looking forward to having a little bit of consistency so I can put my
ideas a bit more. From now on, I know who I am working with. I can start
shaping the team and am looking forward to that a little bit more.
"There is a lot of positive things from this match. We gave everything, we
gave a lot. In the end it was very tiring. The players are on the right way
and as a team we are growing up a lot.
"Soon we will have all our best players present which will make a
difference. Torres made the difference but I think my team did well and I am
confident that if we keep playing this way we are going to get better.
"We were holding up very well but unfortunately in the end it didn't work.
There are a lot of positives to take out and the next game will be better
for us. I think it was a good performance and we also played well against
Tottenham. What can I say, we are willing. These are games that give us a
lot to work on."
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Ladies still unbeaten
WHUFC.com
West Ham United Ladies beat Reading 3-1 on Sunday to retain their unbeaten
start
21.09.2009
West Ham United Ladies picked up an impressive 3-1 FA Tesco Women's Premier
League win over promotion-chasing Reading at Thurrock on Sunday.
Two goals from top scorer Gemma Shepherd and one from Tracey Duxbury saw the
Hammers send the visitors, who had gone into the game sitting second in the
table, back to Berkshire defeated.
Tony Marshall's side had gone into the game on a high after a creditable
draw with National Division side Millwall in the League Cup the previous
week. Reading were expected to give the Hammers another stern test after
they had won four of their first give games this season.
The home side started brightly and took the lead on 12 minutes when Shepherd
flicked the ball to Tracey Duxbury. The midfielder cut the ball back to
Griffin, who forced the ball home. The visitors tried to hit back soon after
and only a magnificent save from Toni-Anne Wayne kept her side ahead. The
West Ham United goalkeeper was forced into a full-stretch stop to tip a
25-yard drive onto the post.
The second half got underway with the visitors throwing everything they had
towards the hosts' penalty area, but some excellent defending, particularly
from Rosey Sullivan and Alex Keown, prevented them from getting back into
the game.
West Ham soon re-found their feet through some quick and incisive passing,
but it was a long free-kick from Toni-Anne Wayne that saw them double their
lead. The stopper's long ball forward created havoc in the Reading penalty
box and Shepherd was on hand to prod the ball home.
Reading got one back, however, when a free-kick from the halfway line was
launched into the West Ham box and their striker climbed highest to head
home.
West Ham made two changes on 70 minutes as Clare Rogers came on for the
injured Zoe Marshall and Megan Jiggins replaced Jess Barling. And within a
minute the Hammers had killed the game off with their third. A great run by
Carly Roache saw her lay the ball off to Shepherd, who turned her marker and
played a ball in to Griffin, who slotted home from 12 yards.
After the game manager Tony was full of praise for his side's display. He
said: "It was a great team performance which will fill the girls with
confidence against one of the favourites for promotion.
"Special mention must go to the back five, who not only defended well but
were involved in so much of the forward play. There was some real leadership
from Captain Carly Roache and Striker Gemma Shepherd.
West Ham United Ladies: Toni-Anne Wayne, Nat Grafton, Rosey Sullivan, Jess
Barling (Megan Jiggins 72), Tracey Duxbury, Zoe Marshall (Clare Rogers 70)
Carly Roache (c), Kayleigh Xidhus, Gemma Shepherd, Holly Griffin
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Diamanti on the spot
WHUFC.com
A promising start to life in the Premier League has left Alessandro Diamanti
wanting more
21.09.2009
Alessandro Diamanti has spoken of the "great emotion" he felt to find the
net in his first senior match at home for West Ham United. The Italian
attacker kept his nerve to score from a penalty on 29 minutes. It was by no
means a straightforward spot-kick as he admitted he slipped as he
deliberately looped the ball into the centre of the net. That made it 1-1
but the sides would trade another goal apiece before Fernando Torres headed
a cruel late winner. "Obviously I'm happy for the goal but I'm sorry for the
result as well," said Diamanti, who was making his first top-flight start
since a 23 August fixture in Serie A with previous club AS Livorno Calcio.
Gianfranco Zola confirmed that the 26-year-old was given the penalty-taking
duties before the match. "We knew it would be a tough match, Liverpool are
one of the best clubs in the Premier League. But I think we have been quite
unlucky because we played very well and we deserved more. Liverpool were not
better than us. "It's been a great emotion to score in my first match at
home. I think I played well, especially in the first half," added Diamanti,
who was not alone in tiring after the interval in what was a whirlwind
introduction to life in the English top flight. "I tried to be focused and
do what the coach asked me before the match. It's a pity we lost because we
wanted to give joy to our fans."
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Bolton v West Ham
BBC.co.uk
Tuesday, 22 September 2009
Carling Cup
Venue: Reebok Stadium Date: Tuesday, 22 September Kick-off: 2000 BST
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 live, BBC local radio & highlights
on The League Cup Show
TEAM NEWS
Bolton manager Gary Megson has promised to field a strong side for the
Carling Cup match at the Reebok Stadium. Ricardo Gardner and Croatian
striker Ivan Klasnic are pushing for places in the starting line-up, but
Sean Davies is a doubt with a knee injury.
West Ham are expected to be without Mathew Upson and Valon Behrami, who both
limped off against Liverpool. Luis Jimenez and youngster Junior Stanislas,
who did not feature in that game, are in line for a return.
MATCH PREVIEW
A cup run might ease some of the pressure on Bolton manager Gary Megson, who
remains under fire from fans following a poor start to their Premier League
season. It took a late equaliser from Matt Taylor against Stoke on Saturday
to prevent Wanderers dropping into the bottom three, and Megson's side have
yet to win at home this season.
West Ham are just one place above them and have lost three of their last
four games. The Hammers have not won since beating Millwall in the previous
round of the Carling Cup and the club have not managed to beat a top-flight
team in this competition since 1997, when they knocked out Aston Villa.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• These clubs have met 62 times. Bolton have won 30 of the matches and West
Ham 22, with 10 drawn.
• Bolton have won their last three matches against the Hammers.
Bolton
• Bolton, the 1995 and 2004 runners-up, have failed to reach this round of
this competition just once in the last six years.
• If he plays, Zat Knight will be making his 250th club career appearance.
West Ham
• West Ham have appeared in the third round in each of the last seven years,
but have only progressed beyond it once - when they reached the
quarter-finals in 2007/08.
• Manager Gianfranco Zola won the League Cup as a player with Chelsea in
1998.
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Injury latest
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 21st September 2009
By: Staff Writer
Gianfranco Zola's injury worries are set to be eased somewhat by the return
of Luis Jimenez. Zola - who lost both Matthew Upson and Valon Behrami during
the first half of Saturday's 3-2 defeat to Liverpool - has already seen his
small squad stretched to its limits despite the Premier League campaign
being just five games old. In addition to Dean Ashton - who appears to be
no nearer to returning from a longstanding ankle problem - and Luis Boa
Morte, the Hammers have also been without Jack Collison and new signing Luis
Jimenez who has featured three times since joining United on loan from
Inter. However the Chilean winger - who has been out with a 'minor muscle
issue' - is set to boost Zola's options for this weekend's trip to
Manchester City by returning to action this week.
Also back in contention for the trip to the City of Manchester Stadium is
Junior Stanislas, who, like Jimenez, was forced to sit our Saturday's clash
with Liverpool. Both have an outside chance of featuring at Bolton in
tomorrow night's Carling Cup clash.
Elsewhere the news regarding England centre half Matthew Upson is positive,
with the Hammers captain reporting no further problems having been
substituted as a precautionary measure early on during Saturday's game.
Valon Behrami, who was making his first start following a lengthy lay-off
will however undergo further tests to ascertain the exact nature of his
problem Despite the injury worries Zola remains optimistic that he will soon
have a full squad to choose from once again; talking to whufc.com, he said:
"I am looking forward to having a little bit of consistency so I can put my
ideas a bit more. From now on, I know who I am working with. I can start
shaping the team and am looking forward to that a little bit more."
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Attacking options excite Zola
Hammers boss starting to shape team
Last updated: 21st September 2009
SSN
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola is looking forward to working with his
front players after completing his transfer business. Mexico international
Guillermo Franco arrived on a free transfer last week and could make his
debut in the Carling Cup game against Bolton on Tuesday. Alessandro Diamanti
is another new recruit, meaning Zola now has more options in attack after
Carlton Cole shouldered much of the responsibility during the early part of
the season. Zavon Hines, Junior Stanislas, Luis Jimenez and Kieron Dyer are
also competing for places and Zola hopes the forwards will start to fire on
a regular basis. "I normally like to play with one striker and two small
ones behind him," he said. "I am looking forward to having a little bit of
consistency so I can put my ideas a bit more. "From now on, I know who I am
working with. I can start shaping the team and am looking forward to that a
little bit more." Zola is looking forward to the clash with Bolton and has
targeted the Carling Cup as a great chance for some silverware in his first
full season in charge at Upton Park. "It is very important to us," he said.
"We take it very seriously and we want to go further in this competition so
we are going to try to win the game."
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Hammers and Millwall to face heavy penalty
By Harry Harris
September 21, 2009
ESPN
Soccernet has learned that both West Ham and Millwall will be charged on
Wednesday with a series of hard-hitting offences for the violence and pitch
invasions that marred the Hammers' 3-1 defeat of their London rivals last
month. I understand that the FA plan to get tough and the severity of the
charges might come as a surprise to those thinking the FA would take the
usual line and dish out only fines. The charges will be issued on Wednesday,
after West Ham's Tuesday night Carling Cup tie at Bolton, and the
consequences of any repeat of football violence will make both clubs shudder
with the severity of their suspended sentences - anything else will be
viewed as the soft option. But I believe the FA are in the mood to take a
stand against football violence with their World Cup 2018 bid at stake. The
wording of their charges will be an indicator to the FA Commission that the
FA are seeking tough measures as a deterrent. I believe that West Ham will
face the threat of being forced to play a game behind closed doors as
punishment for rioting and specifically for the pitch invasions. Although
West Ham and Millwall will be charged, the home side face heavier
punishment. But both clubs also face suspended sentences that could mean
being banned from the Carling Cup should any such scenes be repeated. There
will also be heavy fines for both clubs. The FA have studied footage from 47
cameras inside Upton Park and have now concluded their investigations and
are preparing to announce the range of charges. The two clubs will not
contest the charges but will ask for mitigating circumstances to be taken
into account. Fights broke out 90 minutes before kick-off and raged for five
hours on the streets surrounding Upton Park; while West Ham fans invaded the
pitch three times during the game. After the match hundreds of hooligans
bombarded police with bottles and crates and one man was stabbed, with
dozens more injured. Both West Ham and Millwall have cooperated with the
FA's investigations, and the Hammers published photographs of perceived
culprits in their matchday programme for the game against Liverpool in an
attempt to aid the identification process. Some of the 200 riot police
outside the stadium had to be re-deployed as it became clear the stewards
could not cope with the invasions. West Ham will have to give guarantees
about future stewarding. And the FA are also keen to help the police
identify ringleaders of the violence in the surrounding areas. As well as
facing police charges, any culprits will face a banning order from every
football stadium in the country. There were also allegations of racism from
West Ham's Carlton Cole and Millwall's Jason Price, who claimed they had
been targeted for abuse by supporters.
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Bolton Wanderers v West Ham United
ESPN
Updated: September 21, 2009, 3:49 PM UK
Bolton manager Gary Megson has welcomed the return of Ricardo Gardner and
hopes the long-serving midfielder can stay injury free. Gardner is expected
to get another run-out on Tuesday night against West Ham in the Carling Cup
at the Reebok Stadium. The Jamaican gave a dynamic performance in the second
half of the 1-1 draw with Stoke following his recovery from a hamstring
problem that saw him sidelined for six weeks. Megson said: "We were
disappointed when he was injured in training before the season started
because you saw what he gives us. "He has fantastic ability on the ball,
great pace and he works hard. He has also added a little bit more to his
game in terms of scoring goals and creating goals. "When I arrived he was
playing left back. I think he is better playing further forward. The quality
he has got can cause a bit more damage to the opposition. " On-loan Croatian
striker Ivan Klasnic, who has arrived from Nantes, could also feature in the
third round match. Like Gardner he made an impact when he came off the bench
and Megson said: "He is a good lad, a confident lad. "He has settled in well
both on and off the field. I am hopeful he will go on and do well for us.''
Bolton defeated League One Tranmere in the last round and Megson believes
their squad is stronger than last season when they were defeated by
Northampton in the competition. But he added: "It is difficult for all of
us. We would like a Cup run but not at the expense of what happens in the
Premier League, which is our priority. "You have got to have a squad capable
of coping with all the demands and our numbers are higher this year. We will
certainly name a strong side against West Ham.'' Meanwhile midfielder Sean
Davis may need surgery to cure a knee injury. Davis was on the bench at the
weekend but seems certain to miss the date with the Hammers. Megson added:
"We will speak to the doctor and the physio and decide what is best for
Sean.'' Bolton have reduced prices for season ticket holders in a bid to
attract a decent crowd with some seats going for £10.
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola is hoping to unleash new signing Guillermo
Franco against the Trotters. The Mexican striker signed for the Hammers last
week after scoring four goals in his last six internationals. And Zola
believes Franco will prove to be the final piece in his jigsaw after he
spent the summer strengthening West Ham's strikeforce.
Zola, who picked up Franco as a free agent after his Villarreal deal came to
an end, said: "He is a main striker, he is very good at holding the ball and
very good with his feet.
"He likes to play off the other strikers so he can make a difference for
us.''
Zola signed Alessandro Diamanti and Luis Jiminez from Serie A to support
England international Carlton Cole, who has carried the responsibility of
being West Ham's only real attacking outlet for much of the last year. Both
Diamanti and Cole scored against Liverpool on Saturday while Franco, Zavon
Hines, Junior Stanislas and Kieron Dyer now provide Zola with a spread of
offensive options. "I normally like to play with one striker and two small
ones behind him,'' said Zola. "I am looking forward to having a little bit
of consistency so I can put my ideas a bit more. "From now on, I know who I
am working with. I can start shaping the team and am looking forward to that
a little bit more.''
Jiminez is available against missing Saturday's 3-2 defeat, when Hines shone
for the Hammers. Liverpool defenders Jamie Carragher and Glenn Johnson found
themselves tied in knots trying to cope with Hines' raw pace. The
20-year-old won the penalty for Diamanti and could have marked the occasion
with a goal after striking the inside of the post. Despite their promising
performance, West Ham lost to Liverpool and their only victory since the
opening day of the season has been an extra-time triumph against Millwall in
the last round of the Carling Cup. Zola is targeting the tournament as a
great chance to win silverware in his first full season in charge at Upton
Park. "It is very important to us. We take it very seriously and we want to
go further in this competition so we are going to try to win the game,''
said Zola. While West Ham's attacking options have been bolstered, Zola is
set to be without captain and England centre-back Matthew Upson, who injured
a calf against Liverpool.
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Franco ready for Hammers start
The Sun
Published: 21 Sep 2009
WEST HAM boss Gianfranco Zola is considering giving a debut to new striker
Guillermo Franco in the Carling Cup clash at Bolton. The Mexico striker, 32,
signed for the Hammers on a free transfer last week after leaving Spanish
club Villarreal in the summer. And he could find himself rushed into action
as Zola's men look for a decent cup run to compensate for a disappointing
start to the Premier League season. Looking ahead to Tuesday's cup tie, Zola
said: "Obviously he [Franco] only arrived the other day, but this could give
us a good chance to assess him and have an idea what he can give to us.
"He's a main striker, very good at holding the ball. "He likes to play off
others so he's a player who could make a difference for us." Luis Jiminez
and Junior Stanislas should be fit for consideration after missing the 3-2
defeat by Liverpool at the weekend.
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Is Respect a One Way Street?
West Ham Till I Die
No, of course not!
It should be a two way street in which ideally it is given, received and
returned in kind. Moreover, respect also has to be earned and given
freely, if you are moved to demand it from others then you are plainly
fighting a lost cause!
On Saturday we had yet another ex-player allegedly demanding respect from us
fans. This time it was Yossi Benayoun reported as stating that we should
all be in awe of the contribution he made to the club before his departure
to Liverpool. It's been a reoccurring theme in recent years with
controversial ex-players making similar demands for our respect as their
right!
Yet the fact is that West Ham fans, contrary to their media reputation, are
amongst some of the most respectful in the PL league. Bobby Charlton
praised us for our positive response to the minutes applause for Georgie
Best at Upton Park and Sir Alex was similarly full of praise for our
standing ovation for Tevez on his Man Utd return to Upton Park. Ex-players
like Rio Ferdinand, Glen Johnson, Micheal Carrick and Joe Cole have always
been well received on their return. This exposes the lie constantly peddled
by the tabloids that Hammers fans barrack ex-players out of hubris merely
because they left us for other clubs.
The truth is that problems have occurred not because they left the club, but
rather the circumstances in which they left and (in some cases) their
subsequent comments. Hammers fan are not fools and they do not easily
forgive insults to their club! They don't appreciate players posing in
opposition shirts whilst still registered with the club; selfishly handing
in transfer requests the day after the club's relegation; publishing books
and making media statements that display spite towards the club that
nurtured them; sulking on the pitch and not giving 100% because they want to
engineer a move away; nor players agreeing new contract terms with the club,
stalling on signing the contract and then reneging when their agent secures
a better deal elsewhere.
Respect was what greats like Moore, Hurst, Bonds and Brooking received from
the fans. They got it freely because of their skill. commitment and
dedication to the Hammers cause. Could you imagine Bonds ever having to
come out and demand that the fans gave him respect!! A man like Bobby
Moore knew that he was in a privileged position as a professional footballer
and that with those privileges came great personal responsibility and the
need to set an example both on and off the pitch.
Obviously standards across the board have declined markedly since Moore's
day and the modern footballer is just one high profile example of
'possessive individualism' in the contemporary me, me, me society. We lost
something precious in the 1980s, when greed and selfishness were promoted,
over personal responsibility and duty to others, to become the depressing
anti-social norm. Football was not exempt from these wider societal changes
and assimilated them in the form of ever growing player power over football
clubs and the game's lifeblood, the fans.
And in a nut shell that is what I think the average modern player either
does not understand or care about. The fact that with his privileged
lifestyle, wealth and celebrity comes a personal responsibility to conduct
himself with dignity, treats fans with respect and set an example. There's
a novel idea, perhaps if players showed more respect towards fans then they
might in turn be more likely to give it back! How many of these crowd
vendettas could have been avoided for the want of a bit of humility,
generousity and self-discipline on the part of ex-players?
The press have regularly vilified Hammers supporters for their barracking of
certain ex-players, whilst failing to acknowledge the role and
responsibility of the players themselves. That is far too easy and too
convenient. It needed to change and the signs are that it is about to
happen. With the recent Adebayor incident the papers are starting to
question the actions of players and discuss issues of personal
responsibility. Similarly, this weekend's incidents involving Diouf and
Bellamy have further highlighted the alleged poor behaviour of players and
its implications.
The spotlight is at long last moving to the player and hopefully there will
be greater emphasize upon them to maintain acceptable minimum standards of
conduct both on and off the pitch. Perhaps then this modern phenomenon of
player-supporter angst will abate and respect in the game will once again
start to become what it was in Bobby Moore's day, a two way street!
SJ Chandos
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Franco set for Hammers bow
22 September 2009 | 08:12 - PA Sport
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola is hoping to unleash new signing Guillermo
Franco in Wednesday's (AEST) Carling Cup tie against Bolton. The Mexican
striker signed for the Hammers last week after scoring four goals in his
last six internationals. And Zola believes Franco will prove to be the final
piece in his jigsaw after he spent the norther summer strengthening West
Ham's strikeforce. Zola, who picked up Franco as a free agent after his
Villarreal deal came to an end, said: "He is a main striker, he is very good
at holding the ball and very good with his feet. "He likes to play off the
other strikers so he can make a difference for us."
Zola signed Alessandro Diamanti and Luis Jiminez from Serie A to support
England international Carlton Cole, who has carried the responsibility of
being West Ham's only real attacking outlet for much of the last year. Both
Diamanti and Cole scored against Liverpool at the weekend while Franco,
Zavon Hines, Junior Stanislas and Kieron Dyer now provide Zola with a spread
of offensive options. "I normally like to play with one striker and two
small ones behind him," said Zola. "I am looking forward to having a little
bit of consistency so I can put my ideas a bit more. "From now on, I know
who I am working with. I can start shaping the team and am looking forward
to that a little bit more."
Jiminez is available against missing Sunday's (AEST) 3-2 defeat, when Hines
shone for the Hammers. Liverpool defenders Jamie Carragher and Glenn Johnson
found themselves tied in knots trying to cope with Hines' raw pace. The
20-year-old won the penalty for Diamanti and could have marked the occasion
with a goal after striking the inside of the post. Despite their promising
performance, West Ham lost to Liverpool and their only victory since the
opening day of the season has been an extra-time triumph against Millwall in
the last round of the Carling Cup. Zola is targeting the tournament as a
great chance to win silverware in his first full season in charge at Upton
Park. "It is very important to us. We take it very seriously and we want to
go further in this competition so we are going to try to win the game," said
Zola. While West Ham's attacking options have been bolstered, Zola is set to
be without captain and England centre-back Matthew Upson, who injured a calf
against Liverpool.
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