WHUFC.com
Gianfranco Zola believes that his England hopefuls must keep performing well
for West Ham United
20.10.2009
Gianfranco Zola has backed his English players to continue their push for a
place in Fabio Capello's squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals in South
Africa through maintaining their form for West Ham United.
Robert Green, Matthew Upson and Carlton Cole have all featured regularly in
England's successful qualifying campaign but they, along with the likes of
Mark Noble and Scott Parker, will be all too aware of the fierce competition
that awaits to secure a place in Capello's final 23-man squad. Zola has
emphasised how important it is that they continue to perform well at club
level.
"They know that Capello will be looking for them in the season and the way
they perform for their clubs," Zola said. "That is a vey good point for me
as they know they have to perform well if they want to be there.
"The competition they have in front is tough but that is the good point
about that. You have to be competitive in this world and have to be focused
to do that. They know the reality is that and they are good boys and they
will fight and play their best football."
West Ham's English contingent may next get a chance to impress in an England
jersey in the slightly different setting of a friendly game with Brazil in
Qatar on 14 November. If Capello does choose to once again call on their
services, Zola believes they will be there on merit based on how they have
performed over the past 12 months.
"They are good enough - if not they wouldn't be there. This country has a
lot of people that can play in the national team. You see up front England
has got so many options and also at the back. If they are in then that means
they are good.
"They all deserve that for what they did last year and what they have been
doing so far and it is down to them to keep doing that for as long as
possible."
Like Green and Cole, Upson will have an idea of who his rivals are for a
place in the squad and he will have to overcome some serious competition
from the likes of captain John Terry and former Hammer Rio Ferdinand. But
after impressive performances in four qualifiers and three friendlies on the
way to England securing a place at the finals, Zola is certain Upson has the
all the qualities needed to win a place in the heart of the England defence.
"I think Capello knows exactly what is going on and they will choose the
best couple that will do the job. Matthew Upson has to keep performing for
West Ham as he has been for the past year. If he does well Capello will
notice that.
"I would be very happy for Upson [if he played] as he focuses a lot on the
national team and he deserves the best. It's down to the manager and I would
love to see England on a run winning games more than anything."
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Travel advice for Arsenal
WHUFC.com
Fans planning to travel to Sunday's game with Arsenal by Tube should be
aware of planned closures
20.10.2009
Fans travelling to the Boleyn Ground for this Sunday's visit of Arsenal
should note that London Underground is carrying out engineering works on
some lines.
Most notably, the Central line will be suspended between Liverpool Street
and Leytonstone, with rail replacement bus services operating instead. Upton
Park station and the District line will be operating normally except for
between West Kensington and Richmond and West Kensington and Ealing
Broadway.
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Dyer's boys dumped
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 20th October 2009
By: Staff Writer
Alex Dyer's reserves were swept aside by their Chelsea counterparts at
Brentford's Griffin Park last night. Dyer's side were comprehensively beaten
4-1 on a bad night for the Hammers, despite featuring first team squad
members Manuel Da Costa, Junior Stanislas and Luis Jimenez. The home side
took the lead after just three minutes when Brazilian international Alex,
making his return from injury, drilled a 20-yard effort beyond Hammers
'keeper Peter Kurucz. However Chelsea had to wait until the 71st minute
before doubling their lead; the goal coming from former Hammers target
Daniel Sturridge, who joined the Blues on a free transfer from Manchester
City in the summer. Seven minutes later Chelsea found themselves 3-0 up
through Fabio Borini, who doubled his tally for the night with six minutes
remaining to put Chelsea 4-0 ahead. The Hammers grabbed a late consolation
through former Chelsea youngster Frank Nouble, who scored the goal of the
night with a 25-yard screamer. The defeat leaves Dyer's reserves with just
four points from their opening five games, having lost all three away games
this season. They travel to Poland for a friendly next week before returning
to domestic action with a trip to Fulham on Tuesday, 3rd November.
West Ham Utd reserves: Kurucz, Brookes, N'Gala, Da Costa (Kearns 73),
Ferrari (Zola 76), Quashie, Payne, Stanislas, Jimenez, Montano (Dixon 68),
Nouble.
Subs not used: Stech, Grasser.
Chelsea reserves: Turnbull, Ferreira, Bruma (c), Alex (Magnay 46), Gordon,
Clifford, Sala, Matic, McEachran (Philliskirk 84); Borini (Tore 86),
Sturridge.
Subs not used: Sebek, Magnay, Ofori-Twumasi.
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Huth charged
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 20th October 2009
By: Staff Writer
Stoke City defender Robert Huth has been charged with violent conduct
following his cowardly attack on Matthew Upson last weekend. The Stoke
defender punched the West Ham captain in the face from behind at the two
teams lined up for a free kick deep in West Ham's half during the game which
Stoke won 2-1. Huth received no sanction from the referee as the incident
was not spotted at the time. A statement on the FA's website confirmed the
charge. "Stoke City defender Robert Huth has been charged with violent
conduct," it read. "The charge relates to an incident involving Huth and
West Ham defender Matthew Upson during the Premier League match on Saturday
17 October. "Huth has until 6pm on Tuesday, 20th October to respond to the
charge. A Regulatory Commission will consider the charge on Thursday, 22nd
October."
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Huth admits FA charge
Potters stopper apologises for Upson incident
Last updated: 20th October 2009
SSN
Stoke City defender Robert Huth is facing a suspension after admitting a
Football Association charge of violent conduct. Huth was charged by the FA
in relation to an incident during Saturday's 2-1 victory over West Ham
United when the German's swinging arm caught Matthew Upson. The clash was
not spotted by referee Martin Atkinson at the time, while Potters boss Tony
Pulis vowed to deal with Huth once he had reviewed the video. Huth has now
accepted the charge and Stoke have released a statement to insist the
incident was out of character for their summer signing from Middlesbrough.
The statement read: "Stoke City Football Club and Robert Huth accept the FA
charge of violent conduct and would like to apologise for the incident at
the Britannia Stadium on Saturday. "All players were briefed at the
beginning of the season about obstructing opponents at set-plays and Robert
reacted in frustration at being impeded by Matthew Upson for the second time
in the game, stopping him from marking James Tomkins at set-pieces as
instructed. "Robert Huth's actions are totally out of character for a fully
committed defender who has only received one red card - for two cautions -
in nearly eight years of playing in the Premier League."
The FA had given Huth until 6pm on Tuesday to respond to the charge, which
will be discussed at a Regulatory Commission hearing on Thursday. Huth could
face a three-match ban for the incident which would rule the versatile
defender out of Premier League games against Tottenham and Stoke, and a
Carling Cup tie with Portsmouth.
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Zola welcomes England fight
Hammers boss expecting World Cup hopefuls to perform well
Last updated: 20th October 2009
SSN
Gianfranco Zola believes West Ham will benefit from the fact that several of
their players are aiming to get into the England World Cup squad. The
Hammers have not won in the Premier League since the opening day of the
season and are currently languishing towards the bottom of the table.
Portsmouth are the only side beneath them but Zola expects his England
hopefuls to help fire the Hammers away from trouble. Goalkeeper Robert
Green, centre-back Matthew Upson and striker Carlton Cole have all been
involved with Fabio Capello's squad during the qualifying campaign. They
will be eager to impress for the remainder of the domestic season to ensure
they are on the plane to next summer's tournament in South Africa. And Zola
recognises that the fierce competition for places in the final squad will
drive his players on to produce their best form. "They know that Capello
will be looking for them in the season and the way they perform for their
clubs," Zola told the club's official website. "That is a very good point
for me as they know they have to perform well if they want to be there. "The
competition they have in front is tough, but that is the good point about
that. "You have to be competitive in this world and have to be focused to do
that. "They know the reality is that and they are good boys and they will
fight and play their best football."
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Jim Bowe makes West Ham waves
Ex-Wall Street financier in limelight over Hammers claims
Club's owners play down bid claims
Matt Scott guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 20 October 2009
Jim Bowe certainly hit the Bullseye with his claims that the Intermarket
Group is going to take West Ham United into the black and out of the red.
Bowe, a Wall Street financier turned chief executive of Intermarket, told
the News of the World he is leading a £100m bid for the troubled club. Bowe
has been with Intermarket for only a month, but what a splash he has been
determined to make in such a short time.
Intermediaries for other bidders for West Ham have never heard of him or of
Intermarket, a Canary Wharf-based financial analysis company, and were
surprised that he should blow his cover within 48 hours of making first
contact with the club's owners.
Indeed, Bowe's claims were so strong as to require some further information:
who are his investors; where do they come from; how much money will be
available? But strangely, no one at Intermarket would answer any questions
about the supposed deal yesterday. There was time only to hear a "no
comment" response before Intermarket hung up.
Without engaging in detail, a spokesman for West Ham's owner, Straumur,
hinted that there was nothing in Bowe's claims. But it certainly suits
Intermarket's two director-shareholders, David Byrne and Iain Mortley, to be
talked about as £100m bidders for a Premier League club. Their businesses
were set up less than 18 months ago each with £1,000 in share capital, but
now Bowe has ensured their name has been promoted globally.
Sadly for West Ham, Jim Bowe has only given them a look at what they could
have won. Super, lovely, smashing, great!
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Stoke's Robert Huth apologises for lashing out at Matthew Upson
Huth apologises for incident which was missed by referee
Faces probable three-match ban from Football Association
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 20 October 2009 15.28 BST
The Stoke defender Robert Huth has apologised for the incident in Saturday's
match against West Ham when he struck Matthew Upson across the face. The
German was yesterday charged with violent conduct by the Football
Association after his swinging arm was missed by the referee Martin
Atkinson. Huth and his club have accepted the player's guilt and are
awaiting his punishment – likely to be a three-match ban – from the FA.
"Stoke and Robert Huth accept the FA charge of violent conduct and would
like to apologise for the incident at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday,"
said a club statement. "All players were briefed at the beginning of the
season about obstructing opponents at set-plays and Robert reacted in
frustration at being impeded by Matthew Upson for the second time in the
game, stopping him from marking James Tomkins at set-pieces as instructed.
"Robert Huth's actions are totally out of character for a fully committed
defender who has only received one red card – for two cautions – in nearly
eight years of playing in the Premier League. "We await the FA verdict on
the incident."
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