WHUFC.com
Robert Green and Guille Franco were both in impressive form as England beat
Mexico 3-1 at Wembley
24.05.2010
Robert Green and Guille Franco were two of the stars of the show as England
defeated 3-1 Mexico in a 2010 FIFA World Cup warm-up at Wembley. The West
Ham United pair were heavily involved in the match before being replaced at
half-time, but neither Matthew Upson nor Scott Parker were called into
action. Green did his chances of being named as manager Fabio Capello's No1
goalkeeper in South Africa by making two superb saves to deny Arsenal
striker Carlos Vela. However, the Hammers stopper was powerless to prevent
Franco from scoring with his final touch. The 33-year-old was in the right
place to stab the ball through the legs of Leighton Baines after the Everton
full-back had only half-cleared FC Barcelona defender Rafael Marquez's
goal-bound header. Earlier, Franco had fired one effort narrowly wide before
England took a two-goal lead through Tottenham Hotspur duo Ledley King and
Peter Crouch. King, making his first England appearance since facing Estonia
in Tallinn on 6 June 2007, nodded the ball past Oscar Perez after Crouch had
headed Steven Gerrard's left-wing corner back into the danger zone on 17
minutes. Twelve minutes later, Green was called into action for the first
time, excelling to deny Vela after Baines and King had both failed to cut
out a long ball forward. The goalkeeper was wearing an anxious look a little
more than 60 seconds when PSV Eindhoven defender Carlos Salcido's right-foot
curler clipped the outside of the far post on its way out. Within three
minutes, England were two goals up, but Crouch's goal should not have been
allowed to stand. Gerrard's cross was met by Rooney, whose header was pushed
onto the crossbar by Jaguares du Chiapas goalkeeper Perez. The ball looped
high into the air, allowing the tall striker to run in from an offside
position to divert the ball into the net from less than a yard with his
right arm. Green showed superb concentration a minute later when Vela broke
clear again, blocking the youngster's low shot with his left hand. Into
added-time and Argentine-born Franco, who had enjoyed a busy opening half,
pounced to score his seventh goal in 21 appearances for his adopted nation.
The striker was the first Hammer to appear against England at Wembley since
Slaven Bilic lined up for Croatia in a goalless draw on 24 April 1996 -
two-and-a-half months after the defender had arrived from German club
Karlsruher SC. During the half-time break Stephanie Moore, the wife of 1966
World Cup winning-captain Bobby, received a cheque for more than £29,000
from England legend Bobby Charlton for the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer
Research UK. The money was raised after £1 was donated for every official
matchday programme sold at the recent FA Cup final between Chelsea and
Portsmouth. Into the second half and an attractive friendly international
continued to produce exciting moments - none more so than Academy of
Football graduate Glen Johnson's exquisite 47th-minute goal. The Liverpool
right-back swapped passes with Theo Walcott before slaloming his way through
the Mexico defence and curling a magnificent shot into Perez's top left-hand
corner. While Green and Franco caught the eye, neither Upson nor Parker were
called to climb off the substitutes bench by Capello, who will name his
final 23-man squad following Sunday's final warm-up friendly against Japan
in Graz, Austria. Monday's match was the ninth time England had faced
Mexico, and the sixth time they had beaten the Central Americans. After
losing the pair's first meeting in Mexico City in May 1959, the Three Lions
bounced back to defeat Mexico 8-0 in May 1961. Five years later, Moore
captained a side that also included Martin Peters ad England won 2-0 at
Wembley in their second group-stage fixture at the 1966 World Cup. Moore,
Peters and Geoff Hurst all started a goalless draw at the Estadio Azteca in
Mexico City in front of 105,000 fans in June 1969. The last time the pair
met in a World Cup warm-up match was in May 1986, when England defeated the
hosts 3-0 in Los Angeles. Bobby Robson's squad went on to reach the
quarter-finals before being eliminated by Diego Maradona's Argentina, and
Capello will hope his side can improve on that showing in South Africa.
England tackle Japan on Sunday before beginning their World Cup campaign
when they face the United States in Rustenburg on 12 June. Capello's men
complete their group-stage fixtures by takingn on Algeria and Slovenia.
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Hall fires England through
WHUFC.com
Robert Hall scored the winner as England progressed to the UEFA European U17
Championship semi-finals
24.05.2010
Robert Hall fired England through to the UEFA European Under-17 Championship
semi-finals on Monday evening. The West Ham United forward was in John
Peacock's starting XI as the Young Lions roared through to the last-four
courtesy of a 2-1 win over Turkey at the Rheinpark Stadion in the
Liechtenstein capital, Vaduz. Hall was handed his first start of the
tournament after impressing hugely as a substitute in each of England's
opening two Group B victories over the Czech Republic and Greece. The
16-year-old made the most of his chance, firing a 62nd-minute penalty into
Muhammed Uysal's bottom left-hand corner after the goalkeeper had brought
down Arsenal striker Benik Afobe to ensure England topped the group. Hall's
goal was his eighth in 14 matches for England at U17 level. The teenager has
yet to end on the losing side in any of those 14 games, winning 12 and
drawing two. The goal turned out to be the winner, having been preceded by
Okan Derici's 31st-minute opener and West Bromwich Albion forward Saido
Berahino's equaliser four minutes later. England will face France in the
last-four after their old adversaries defeated Switzerland 3-1 earlier on
Monday. The French finished as runners-up to Spain, who defeated Portugal
2-0 in the Iberian derby. The Spanish will tackle Turkey after the Czechs'
goalless draw with Greece meant both nations were eliminated. The semi-final
winners will square-off in the final in Vaduz on Sunday 30 May.
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Season tickets going well
WHUFC.com
Supporters have been snapping up their seats for what promises to be an
exciting 2010/11 campaign
24.05.2010
Season ticket holders are reminded they have until 30 June 2010 to renew at
last season's prices - save for the VAT increase - and the club can confirm
sales are going well this summer. After the opening month of being
available, the club has sold nearly double the amount of the first four
weeks of sales a year ago. With optimism high for the new season after a
successful survival fight and new arrivals on the away, the club is
expecting high demand over the coming weeks. With 19 home matches and
priority booking for cup and away matches, a season ticket is the perfect
way to follow the Hammers. Once the 30 June deadline has passed, new
applicants will be able to apply for any prime seats not renewed. Prices are
frozen for all season-ticket renewals received by the club before 30 June
2010 - save for the addition of the Government's VAT rise.
A special online site has been created with all the information for anyone
wanting to renew or indeed apply. CLICK HERE for all the latest information,
including application forms and finance offers OR CALL 0871 222 2700. New
applicants can also benefit from the price freeze offered to season-ticket
holders if their application is with the club by 30 June 2010.
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International friendly called-off
WHUFC.com
The club can confirm that Sunday's proposed match between Nigeria and
Colombia has been cancelled
24.05.2010
Following discussions between West Ham United, the match agent and local
agencies on Monday morning, West Ham United can confirm that Sunday's
proposed international friendly between Nigeria and Colombia will now not be
played at the Boleyn Ground. Supporters who had pre-booked their tickets
through the West Ham United Ticket Office will be contacted by staff in the
near future. The club would like to stress that it was left with no option
but to cancel the event and wishes to apologise to fans for any
inconvenience caused.
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Disappointment for Holmar
WHUFC.com
Loanee Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson was unable to prevent KSV Roeselare from being
relegated on Sunday
24.05.2010
Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson was unable to prevent KSV Roeselare from being
relegated to the Belgian League Second Division. The Flanders-based club,
where Eyjolfsson has been on loan since January, were demoted following a
4-1 promotion/relegation play-off defeat at KVSK United Overpelt-Lommel on
Sunday. Dennis van Wijk's side needed to win to maintain their hopes of
staving off the drop following a five-year stay in the top-flight, but were
unable to secure the three points they needed. The result left Roeselare,
who finished 15th and bottom of the First Division table, unable to catch
play-off division leaders KAS Eupen. Eupen, who finished fourth in the
Second Division, have been promoted to the top-flight with a match to spare
following a 2-1 home victory over RAEC Mons. Sunday's results left Eupen on
12 points from five matches played, with Lommel on six and both Mons and
Roeselare on five. Despite the disappointment of relegation, the Iceland
Under-21 defender will hope to end his five-and-a-half month stay in Belgium
on a high note when Roeselare entertain promoted Eupen on Thursday evening.
Eyjolfsson, who turns 20 in August, has made 16 appearances for Roeselare
and has impressed the club's management and supporters with his strong
defending and mature and composed approach to the game.
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Spector a Reading Star
WHUFC.com
He may be working hard on his game with his country but Jon Spector knows
the ideal way to relax
24.05.2010
Jonathan Spector may be busy on the training pitch with the United States
ahead of their FIFA World Cup campaign but chances are a good book will not
be too far away. The American international is the club's new Reading Star,
as designated by the Premier League's Places for Players scheme. To mark
that honour, he took part in a special event at the Boleyn Ground to discuss
the importance of enjoying books with youngsters. The aim was to show the
benefit of a healthy mind and healthy body. Spector, 24, discussed
Huckleberry Finn by American author Mark Twain before enjoying sessions of
tennis and basketball - a sport played professionally by his grandfather Art
for the NBA's Boston Celtics - with the children. Reading Stars is an
educational project that harnesses the motivational power of football to
encourage families to enjoy reading. It targets those hard to reach groups
in society who may not have shown an interest in reading, but who do have a
passion for football. "Huckleberry Finn is basically a story about a young
boy who isn't quite happy with his life at home so he decides to run away,"
said Spector who picked Homer's The Odyssey along with Huckleberry Finn as
his two favourite books. The Twain classic was the one he read to the kids.
"I chose it because it is a book I used to enjoy in school. There are some
great messages in it. It is an adventure story with some morals as well
which is always important. "It was good to come out and read to the kids. If
we can get just a few of them to take up more books and reading it will be a
job well done."
Mick King, the CEO of the West Ham United Community Sports Trust, was
delighted with Spector's participation, saying: "This project uses Olympic
sports as an incentive to engage young people with reading. It is important
to educate young people holistically to enable them to grow. "Books and
sport both serve to inspire young people to develop their imagination,
understanding and confidence. Jonathan epitomises the type of role model we
want young people to aspire to emulate."
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'I am determined'
WHUFC.com
Benni McCarthy is still hopeful of proving his fitness in time for this
summer's FIFA World Cup finals
24.05.2010
Benni McCarthy is desperate to represent South Africa in his homeland at
this summer's FIFA World Cup. The Bafana Bafana all-time record goalscorer
admitted he has struggled with injury and fitness issues over the past few
months, but insisted he would be ready for action when South Africa begin
their World Cup challenge against Mexico on 11 June. McCarthy is one of 30
players eager to be selected in Carlos Alberto Parreira's final 23-man squad
for what will be a historic tournament for the South African national team.
However, the 32-year-old revealed that he has found it difficult to recover
from the groin injury he suffered on his West Ham United debut at Burnley on
6 February.
"Like every player I would like to play in the World Cup," said McCarthy. "I
struggled with my fitness when I was injured in my first game for West Ham.
I was out for eight weeks and battled to get back into the first team. "The
fact is I am fully committed to Bafana and want to play in the World Cup for
my country. I am determined to do anything to achieve this goal. Should I
not make the cut when the coach names his 23 players there will be no hard
feelings. "As a proud South African I will support Bafana Bafana if I am
dropped because they represent all of us. At the end of the day it's the
coach's decision as to who goes and who stays,"
Parreira, who visited Chadwell Heath to meet McCarthy in February, said the
striker would not be considered for Monday's friendly meeting with Bulgaria
in Johannesburg, nor for Thursday's meeting with Colombia at Soccer City.
Instead, the manager said the Hammers forward would feature in a friendly
against as-yet unspecified opposition on 31 May - the same date on which
Parreira will name his final 23-man squad. "Benni arrived last week and was
not in an ideal condition physically," said the Brazilian, who led his home
nation to World Cup glory in 1994. "We are working hard to get him fit and I
will allow him more time to get into shape and he will play on 31 May. He
has a special session with the physical trainer so as to help him get back
to full fitness."
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Plymouth Argyle sign defender Bondz N'Gala
BBC.co.uk
Plymouth Argyle have signed Bondz N'Gala on a two-year deal, after the
defender was released from his contract with West Ham. The 20-year-old, who
has joined on a free transfer, made nine appearances for the Pilgrims while
on loan at Home Park earlier this year. N'Gala's only senior game for West
Ham came in a League Cup match against Bolton at the start of the season.
The defender has also enjoyed loan spells at Weymouth and Scunthorpe.
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Parker lined up if Milner quits Villa
The Sun
Published: Today
ASTON VILLA are lining up West Ham's Scott Parker as a potential replacement
for James Milner. Villa have rejected a £25million bid for Milner from
Manchester City, who they expect to return with an increased offer. And
Parker, West Ham's player-of-the-year, is rated by Villa boss Martin O'Neill
as somebody who could fill Milner's boots. Hammers co-owner David Sullivan
has claimed Parker is not for sale - but If Parker comes to Villa then
full-back Luke Young could move in the other direction. Young is one of six
players put up for sale by Villa to raise cash for O'Neill's summer spending
who must sell before he can buy. And there is no way back for Young now
after he criticised O'Neill's selection policy over the weekend, describing
it as unfair. Nigel Reo-Coker, Steve Sidwell, Nicky Shorey, Habib Beye and
Curtis Davies can also leave.
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West Ham target Bayern star Toni
Published 13:56 24/05/10 By EuroSpy
The Mirror
West Ham target Luca Toni has revealed that his future is in limbo, as his
stint at Roma comes to an end. The Hammers are believed to be readying a
£4million-a-year contract offer for the towering striker, as his parent club
Bayern Munich are keen to slash the Italian from their wage bill this
summer. Toni said: "I am on loan at Roma until June 30th, and after that we
will see. "Right now, I don't know what my future will be. I need to unplug
and enjoy my holidays." The World Cup winner, who has been left out of
Marcello Lippi's Italian squad for South Africa, hit 5 goals in 10
appearances for Roma since January.
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Tottenham ready to offload O'Hara
By Harry Harris, Football Correspondent
ESPN
May 24, 2010
Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp has slapped an £8 million price tag
on midfielder Jamie O'Hara as he looks to kick-off his summer transfer
activity with a sale.
Redknapp is adamant that he won't sell stars such as Luka Modric or Gareth
Bale, who are both on the wanted list of the top Premier League clubs, but
O'Hara, who spent last season on loan at Portsmouth, can leave White Hart
Lane. The former Arsenal schoolboy upset Redknapp when he announced that he
hoped Spurs would lose their FA Cup semi-final against Pompey so he could
play in the final. O'Hara has been linked with a move to West Ham United,
where ex-Portsmouth boss Avram Grant is expected to take charge later this
month, but a source inside Upton Park told Soccernet: "The price being
quoted for O'Hara is crazy." The Hammers are also looking at Tal Ben Haim,
Kevin-Prince Boateng and Nadir Belhadj as the administrators of relegated
Portsmouth attempt to raise some revenue.
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Aston Villa Boss Martin O'Neill Looking To Bid £10 Million For West Ham
United Star Scott Parker - Report
The coach is thinking about a move...
May 25, 2010 12:14:00 AM
Goal.com
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill is contemplating making West Ham United a
£10 million offer for Scott Parker. With Manchester City ready to ramp up
their interest in Villa midfielder James Milner, O'Neill could look to
Parker as a replacement for the young Englishman. City are prepared to offer
£25m for Milner, and while Villa will be keen to hold onto their young star,
they might find a strong offer from the Eastlands club too tempting to
decline. Parker was one of the main reasons that West Ham was able to avoid
being relegated to the Championship this season and Hammers co-owner David
Sullivan identified the 30-year-old as the only player in the squad that is
not for sale. The former Charlton, Chelsea and Newcastle star has three
years left on his current deal and is valued at £12m, but new Hammers boss
Avram Grant will be keen to keep the midfielder.
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Player Reviews 2009/10 - Part 1
Vinny - Mon May 17 2010
Here is Part 1 of the player reviews starting with Goalkeepers and
Defenders.
If they have started a game for the club this season they will be reviewed.
westhamonline.net
Goal Keepers
Robert Green
On the face of things Robert Green can be very pleased with his season as he
was again ever present and has managed to break into the England side
cementing (sort of) his place as England's number one goal keeper and is
very likely to be starting for his country in the World Cup. This is not bad
for a player who has seen his club side struggle, finish 17th and conceded
66 goals. For me his best performance of the season came at home to Aston
Villa where he made a string of saves to keep us in the game with one of
them being quite outstanding and he also saved a penalty. I commented after
the game in my report: "A wonderful performance. Made some truly fantastic
saves and showed Capello that when he is on form there is no better English
goal keeper."
Maybe it was just me but as the season went on I couldn't help but think
Green began to look very unhappy and his body language seemed to give off
the impression that he really didn't want to be here. I suppose the way the
team were playing and the poor results may have contributed to this. There
have been of course a few mistakes none more so that away at Bolton when
after getting ourselves back into the game he inexplicably dropped the ball
after a routine save allowing Bolton to get themselves in front. Green kept
8 clean sheets throughout the season which is not too bad considering that
last season we finished 9th and he kept 10. He saved two penalties although
one of them was against Liverpool at Upton Park but despite keeping the
initial shot out the rebound was converted. The media have questioned
whether he is worthy of the England place and when it comes to shot stopping
I cannot rate him highly enough. Questions can be asked about his ability to
command his area and some of his decision-making. When I look around the
Premiership I do not see many keepers who I would consider to be far and
away better than Robert Green. He is a good goal keeper and has had on the
whole a solid season despite us having such a bad one.
I would still expect him to be here next season and I personally would be
very disappointed to see him go.
Apps: League 38 starts Cup 3 starts
Verdict: Can be fantastic at times but inconsistent on the whole. A decent
bid may see him leave.
Peter Kurucz
Over the last few seasons we seem to have a string of number two goal keeper
who would only last a season before realising Robert Green was not going to
be displaced. Last season it was Jan Luvustka, the season before it was
Richard Wright and in the summer we were looking to bring in much the same
by signing Kelvin Davis from Southampton but he opted to stay where he was.
With our pursuit of another keeper ending there it was left for young
keepers Marek Stech and Peter Kurucz to fight it out. The battle seems to be
won by Kurucz who was on the bench for 25 of our league games. He only
managed to make one brief appearance when he replaced Robert Green at home
against Manchester United after Green had to be taken off due to illness. By
that point we were already 4-0 down. I cannot say I have seen much of Kurucz
to judge whether he is worthy of being our understudy goal keeper and if a
new manager is brought in we may well see a more experienced number two
brought in.
Apps: League 1 sub
Verdict: Expect a more experienced number two brought in next season.
Defenders
Julien Faubert
Last season on WHO Faubert was voted the worst player of the season. He had
such a bad season Scott Duxbury said in the summer "I can see certain fringe
players being moved on permanently to reduce that squad. It's no secret -
we've had Faubert out at Madrid". But with Lucas Neill not signing a
contract Faubert was moved from right midfield to right back and has saved
his West Ham career when it looked dead and buried. I don't think there were
many who had any interest in seeing him back at the club considering how
poor he had been but he got his head down and worked hard. Now Faubert is a
difficult one to review because despite his vast improvement he still is
average full back. He get's caught out of position too often although this
is something he has improved on as the season developed. What I have been
delighted with is the effort he has put in. In a season where very few
players can be praised for their desire Faubert is one who can hold his head
high. He may lack quality on the ball at times but he is not afraid to get
stuck in and his tackling is always committed. His crossing will often be
subject for debate as it perfectly summed up as hit and miss. Sometimes he
will put in some outstanding balls into the area like the one for Stanislas
against Millwall or for Ilan against Faubert which was surely the best
assist in our season. Faubert scored his first goal for the club in a man of
the match performance at home to Hull City when he hit a powerful shot from
just outside the area. He had also set up Carlton Cole with a superb pass
just beforehand. A run in the side seems to have given him a lot of
confidence and he played double the amount of games than last season. Of
course if Lucas Neill had not left the club in the summer Faubert would have
probably been sold or been simply a bit part player but the opportunity was
there for him and he has taken his chance. Whilst I am full of praise for
the way he has applied himself I still think we need a new right back
because whilst I have taken to Faubert he has made a lot of goal costing
mistakes through the season (albeit fewer towards the latter stages) and we
could do better.
Apps: League 32 starts (1 sub) Cup 2 starts (1 sub)
Bookings: 6
Goals: 1
Verdict: A major improvement. Will surely here next season.
Jonathan Spector
It is amazing to see that Jonathan Spector started more games this season
than in any other season with the club. Every season we think he will get
fewer and fewer games yet our dependency on him seems to baffle the mind of
most. I am happy to have Spector as a bit part player who comes in to do a
job across the back line (or in centre midfield under Curbishley) but to
have to rely on him really hits home that we need much better quality if we
are to do anything in the league. Spector tries his heart out but is
severely lacking in quality and Zola's persistence with him at left back
considering the emergence of Daprela was something I do not think I will
ever understand. He has played most of the season at left back which is of
course his weaker side. Whenever he would receive the ball he would need to
get it on to his right foot which would allow the opposition player to close
him down and his clearance would be wayward. Spector has been favored by
three West Ham managers and with Zola having left it will be interesting to
see if yet another one calls upon Spector to play a big part in our season.
He just isn't good enough for regular top fight football. He makes too many
mistakes (one as recent as Fulham away costing us the third goal) and any
decent winger will be confident that they will be able to get past him. Even
Stuart Slater looked as though he was capable of turning him inside out
during the Tony Carr testimonial. It is surely time for Jonathan Spector to
move on. To progress we cannot rely on players such as he. Maybe I am being
harsh and again I must reiterate that he has given his all whenever he puts
on the shirt but when it comes to ability Spector is lacking and this cannot
continue.
Apps: League 22 (5), Cup 2
Bookings: 2
Verdict: Relying on Spector is asking for trouble. A reliable squad player
but we have to have more quality than this.
James Tomkins
Last season Tomkins pushed James Collins out of the team and was excellent
alongside Matthew Upson. At the start of the season he was out injured and
if this was not the case I would have expected him to have began where he
left off which was one of the first names on the team sheet. With Collins
departing Tomkins was back in the side and did well for most of the season.
January was his best month and the team kept two clean sheets in four games
with Tomkins winning the WHO Player of the month. What happened only a few
weeks later ruined his season and made a lot of people question his ability
when he was torn apart by Kevin Davies in what was surely his worst
performance of the season at home to Bolton. His display against Wolves was
nearly as bad and this saw Zola removing him at half time. Apparently he was
taken off due to injury but I suspect that wasn't the case at all and Zola
was trying to soften a harsh piece of management. Tomkins was then dropped
for the next game against Chelsea but with Gabbidon looking awful he was
re-instated for the next game away at Arsenal. But then the Wolves mistake
occurred and Tomkins did not start another game all season. I found the way
he was handled through that tough losing period was very harsh and almost
saw the blame land at his feet. Tomkins for me has actually had a decent
season and continues to develop. Lets not forget he only turned 21 in March
and is still not the finished article. Our problem was that we did not have
another Premiership experienced centre half to come in and give him a
breather from time to time only Da Costa who himself was only coming to
terms with the Premiership. I like Tomkins, I think he is a good defender
and the difficulties of this season may well have done him a lot of good and
made him tougher. I believe he can go on to be a top quality defender - he
certainly has all the attributes and in his first full season he has found
it tough but he has much more to show us.
Apps: League 22 (1) Cup 3
Verdict: Still has a lot to offer. A big talent who has had his confidence
knocked but can still be a top player.
Danny Gabbidon
It is hard to believe that in 2005/06 Danny Gabbidon was our best player and
deservedly picked up the Hammer of the Year award. Since then it has been a
string of mystery injuries which have all been long term. When he has come
back into the side he looks a shadow of the player who did so well in his
first season at the club. Last season he did not manage to play a single
game but did make a few appearances this time around, none which I would say
led me to think he should be starting. He looked unsure of his own defending
whenever he played as he backed off opposition players and was weak when
going for the ball. His first start of the season in the league came away at
Wigan where he started at left back due to injury to Ilunga. Whilst he
attempted to use his left foot more so than Spector would it was quite clear
that left back was not going to be a position he would cement over the
coming months. He started a string of games at the back end of November
through to mid December but this saw him being part of the defence which
fell apart in the second half at home to Burnley in which Gabbidon looked
lost and in the next home game Manchester United tore us apart 4-0 with
Gabbidon again looking as though he had forgotten how to play the game. With
Upson out injured Gabbidon continued to deputise but his form never picked
up and when Upson returned Gabbidon was rarely even on the bench with
Tomkins and Da Costa now ahead of him in the pecking order. For three
seasons Gabbidon has struggled with injuries and form and I think it is time
for all parties that he moves on to pastures new in order to get his
football career back on track.
Apps: League 8 (2) Cup 1
Bookings: 1
Verdict: A spent force and time to get him off the wage bill. I can never
see him finding his form at West Ham again.
Matthew Upson
With team performances declining many supporters turned on the club captain
questioning both his leadership and defensive qualities which both lack in
certain games. Looking back on the season I believe the criticism is a
little harsh and the committed displays from Scott Parker did not look good
on Upson given how the team were performing. Upson started the season really
well as the team looked defensively solid and Upson scored the second goal
in our only away win at Wolverhampton. His first really poor game of the
season came at home to Fulham where he struggled to cope with the Fulham
attackers and when under pressure his distribution of the ball became very
poor. For a player who over the season played many games for England you
would think the aspect of distribution would be a lot better. With Carlton
Cole up front it seemed to be the tactic on far too man occasions to lump
the ball forward to him from the back. I cannot believe that this was
something they had worked on in training. With his contract expiring next
summer many thought Upson would have left in the January transfer window. It
seems that so far he has been reluctant to renew and if this is the case
them getting rid of him for a fee seems to be the smart option. I still
believe Upson to be a very good defender and we will find it hard to replace
with a player of better quality.
Apps: League 33 Cup 1
Bookings: 3
Goals: 3
Verdict: Still our best defender but with his form taking a big dip and
leadership qualities called into question any sort of decent offer will see
him gone.
James Collins
Much was made of his departure despite him having lost his place to James
Tomkins last season. With Tomkins unavailable at the beginning of the season
Collins was the starter and played very well with two clean sheets being
kept in the three league games he started. Aston Villa came in with a £5
million just before the transfer window shut and with our need to sign a
striker great Collins left the club. The worst thing about the whole thing
was that we signed Alessandro Diamanti with the money and he is not a
striker.
Whilst I liked Collins I can't say that this was the reason we struggled. We
did have a replacement in Da Costa who had come in due to the Savio deal and
I feel many fans have pointed far too much at losing Collins as being an
important factor into our dismal season. A solid player no doubt but as I
have pointed out last season James Tomkins was ahead of him in the pecking
order. The last game he played for us was away at Blackburn in which I
commented: "Superb. This was a really top performance from Collins who has
been subject to much transfer speculation. If he does go he would have gone
out on a high as he showed all his qualities. Last ditch tackles, countless
blocks and read everything Blackburn tried to do."
Apps: League 3
Bookings: 1
Jordan Spence
The 19-year-old defender made only one brief appearance in the last game of
the season against Manchester City coming on as a second half substitute. He
has spent a period of the season on loan at Championship side Scunthorpe
United where he started eleven games. Judging from comments on Scunthorpe
message boards they were not too disappointed to see him leave, as his
performances were indifferent. With a clear out imminent and a new manager
it remains to be seen if his development at West Ham will continue.
Apps: League (1)
Verdict: New manager will determine if he is going to make it at the club.
Manuel Da Costa
The unknown Da Costa was brought to the club in August as a swap for Savio
who went the other way. With Collins having departed another centre half was
required and Da Costa made his full debut in a tough away game at Manchester
City. He was back on the bench for the next game but then started the
following four games scoring his first goal for the club in the process when
he scored the equalising goal at the KC Stadium in the 3-3 with Hull City.
Da Costa grew with confidence as the season went on and despite some obvious
failings with his passing and the occasion lapse in concentration he has not
done too badly in the games he has played and will be one I would think we
will see a bit more of next season. He scored his second goal of the season
in the 2-2 draw at Everton scoring a vital goal which got us back into the
game. Whilst I still believe Tomkins to be the better player Da Costa has
show good ability on the ball, his distribution is dire but he is strong in
the tackle and does not get bullied by opposition defenders due to his size
and strength.
Apps: League: 12 (3)
Goals: 2
Verdict: Improved as the season went on and expect him to be here next
season and play a big part.
Bondz N'Gala
It seemed at one point in the season that he may well get a start due to
injuries and that he was on the bench but it was only the League Cup game
away at Bolton which saw N'Gala make his only appearance thus far for the
club. Earlier in the season like Jordan Spence he was on loan at Scunthorpe
United but only managed two substitute appearances before returning to the
club. A second loan spell followed this time to Plymouth Argyle who despite
their relegation has seen N'Gala earn some rave reviews with manager Paul
Mariner commenting on one of his performances: "Bondz is a unique character,
"He didn't play like a 20-year-old. He played like a seasoned pro and it
galvanized the team because they thought this kid can be what you want" He
started 9 games for Plymouth and it is expected that he will join them this
summer.
Apps: Cup (1)
Verdict: Certain to move on this summer.
Herita Ilunga
Last season the people of WHO voted Ilunga as their player of the season yet
he would be far from the minds of many at this point having a very poor
season which was riddled with poor performances and injuries to the point
that he just seems to have disappeared altogether. It does beg questions to
whether something else has gone on as the official site have changed his
injury a few times. Ilunga's season never really got going and a nasty face
injury on the first day of the season at Wolverhampton caused him to miss
the first month. When he did return he never looked the same player who had
done so well the previous season and the theory that now he had signed a
permanent contract meant he was not working as hard seemed to have a hint of
truth. Ilunga was injured at the start of 2010 with a hamstring injury. He
returned to the bench for the game at home to Blackburn. He started two
games later at home to Birmingham but came off at half time injured. That
was on 10th February and was the last time we Ilunga started a game.
He appeared on the bench for the Arsenal away game and the official site
reported after the game that he was in contention to start against Wolves
but Ilunga was not included in another squad from then till the end of the
season. After the Wolves defeat we were told that Ilunga now had a tendon
injury and since that point we have been informed that he will be fit from
July. I believe if a decent bid came in for Ilunga he would be sold in the
summer. I still believe him to be a good player and has shown us his obvious
abilities and if he can recapture that form we will struggle to find a
better left back.
Apps: League 16 Cup 1
Bookings: 2
Verdict: After last season he has been a terrible disappointment.
Fabio Daprela
The 19 year old left back made his debut for the club in the FA Cup 3rd
Round game against Arsenal where he performed competently. I was confident
that with a run in the side he would continue to develop and in the games he
did play he never looked out of place. In fact I do not remember Daprela
having a bad game in the five he started and it struck me as odd that he was
not picked instead of Spector on the basis that he is a left back and
Spector is not. I understand that when fighting in a relegation battle
playing an inexperienced youngster may raise questions but given how badly
Spector was struggling Daprela seemed a natural choice to replace him.
Whether he will make it as a solid Premiership player we still don't know
but I would expect him to get his fair share of games next season and from
what I have seen so far I am confident he will do well.
Apps: League 4 (3) Cup 1
Bookings: 2
Verdict: Will get a few more opportunities next season
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Player Reviews 2009/10 - Part 2
Vinny - Wed May 19 2010
Part Two of the Player Review 2009/10. Next up is the midfield.
westhamonline.net
Midfielders
Valon Behrami
I believe I expected too much of Behrami following his excellent displays
last season. The injury he picked up back in March 2009 may have seen him
recover in fitness but not in form. When he plays he runs around at 100mph
and gives everything he has got. You can't criticise him for not putting in
the ground work but when he is on the ball his passing is as bad as anyone
in the squad. In fact his running around like a headless chicken with no
final ball is reminiscent of a certain Nigel Reo Coker. I had initially
overlooked his quality on the ball as I never felt he had regained full
fitness but as the season wore on he was struggling to make an impact on
games. There was one game where he ran the length of the pitch only for him
to run out of pitch and it went out of for a goal kick. There were moments
which reminded me why he had become my favourite player of 2008/09 and at
home to Hull City he scored his only goal of the season in a 3-0 win. The
issue with Behrami is where do you play him. Last season he worked well on
the right hand side as we played quick passing football which worked in the
narrow style Zola liked to play. But with opposition teams firmly on to our
game plan Behrami struggled to adapt. He is not a winger yet at the same
time I do not see him as a centre midfielder and think Noble is much more
effective. I don't think Behrami is a bad player but at the same time if a
decent bid comes in for him (eg; slightly more than what we paid) I would
take it.
Apps: League 24 (3) Cup 1
Goals: 1
Verdict: He might be a fans favourite but his impact has been minimal.
Kieron Dyer
This is the third season he has been at the club and in that time he has
started just eight games. Four of those games came this season although he
did not manage a full ninety minutes in any of them. There is no doubt that
he has been a total failure and a disaster signing. His injury problems were
well documented before he came to the club so maybe it should not come as
too much of a shock that he has been injured for so long. He played a number
of Pre Season games and the tag 'he's like a new signing' did seem to hold
some weight. In the first game of the season away at Wolves he managed 73
minutes but was out for the next game against Spurs. He returned in the
following league game away at Blackburn but was on the bench and came on for
the last 25 minutes. He did not start another game until 22nd September away
in the League Cup at Bolton but injury struck yet again. Dyer returned to
the bench for a few games and finally made his first start in the league
since august away at Bolton in the league in December. But 20 minutes into
the game he pulled up with a hamstring injury and was out for quite some
time. The next time he returned to the starting line up was in March away at
Chelsea. He was dropped away at Arsenal and was missing completely from the
squad against Wolves. He started the game against Stoke City at Upton Park
but found himself injured again and came off at half time. When he plays he
looks good and that pace on the wing is something we were crying out for all
season. I have never doubted his ability but the fact we are now three
season down the line and he still has not regained fitness for me means we
need to cut our losses and get rid of him.
Apps: League 4 (6) Cup 1
Verdict: It is never going to happen for Dyer at West Ham.
Josh Payne
Payne made his debut in the 2008/09 season and appeared to be next in the
long line of West Ham youth team members who have broken in successfully to
the side. He was in and around the team at the start of the season and was
given his first start for the club in the League Cup tie against Millwall.
Payne had always been billed as a centre midfielder so why Gianfranco Zola
decided to start him on the right wing was a mystery to me. He struggled
badly, looked way out of his depth and was hauled off at half time never to
be seen again. He had been shipped out on loan to both Colchester United and
Wycombe Wanderers. On his debut for the latter he scored in a 1-1 draw with
Southend.
At 19 he is still very young but the progress he appeared to be making seems
to have come to a halt for some reason when at the beginning of the campaign
I had thought he may well get a few games.
Apps: Cup 1
Verdict: A new manager may see his development at the club continue or this
could be his end.
Mark Noble
At just 23 years of age it is amazing that Mark Noble is our longest serving
player having made his debut in the August of 2004. Since then he has gone
on to be a near permanent fixture in the starting line up and this season
was no exception. Overall it has been a decent season for Noble who has not
reached a level some thought he should be at by now but he still displays
good technique and we have seen glimpses of his quality on the ball. Noble
is much better in a central role and when Scott Parker has been unavailable
it has been Noble who has stepped up and made himself counted. He is not
winger and Zola played him on the right hand side far too many times and in
the latter stages of the season Noble found himself on the left. He has no
pace and cannot beat players easily so this takes away the best part of his
game which is having the ball at his feet and looking for that killer pass.
He is a solid Premiership players and certainly plays his part. Goals are
something we had thought would be part of his game but is something he has
not found easy to come by. This season he scored just two goals. The first
coming on the opening day of the season away at Wolves and the next game
from the penalty spot against Aston Villa at Upton Park. With Diamanti
taking most of the penalties he did not even have this way of bumping up his
goal tally. I think Noble is a good footballer and has worked hard over the
last few seasons to really make in the Premiership. There have been rumours
of clubs looking to bid for him but unless it is a crazy offer then we would
be much better off if we kept him because he has more to offer.
Apps: League: 25 (2) Cup 1
Bookings: 5
Sent Off : 1 (vs Birmingham a)
Goals: 2
Verdict: A good footballer. Has had a tough season but not a player I want
rid of.
Radoslav Kovac
West Ham fans always seem to hate this type of player. Before Kovac it was
Mullins who was criticised for.. well .. just about everything. Kovac has
taken a lot of stick during the season which some may well be deserved but
for me I just seem a limited player who was playing a side who struggled
badly. I find it difficult to really slag Kovac because he doesn't do a
whole lot wrong, its just he doesn't do a whole lot. He is not a great
defensive midfielder, he doesn't tackle all that well, for his height he is
beaten easily in the air and he strolls around the pitch at a snails pace
putting his foot in here and there. He offers the team very little which is
the key point to reviewing Kovac. He hasn't been all bad and there were
certain games where he did a good job of breaking up play but having to rely
on players like Kovac (who played a staggering amount of games) is one of
the many reasons we found ourselves in a relegation battle. It was not made
clear how much we paid for him last summer but it is believed to be in the
region of £2million. With money at a premium his signing I found odd because
last July going into the season we had Boa Morte, Noble, Collison, Dyer,
Parker, Stanislas and Jimenez. In hindsight there we can point at injuries
proves we did need Kovac but the club were not to know that. His signing was
strange and unnecessary. I don't think we will get rid of him simply because
he is probably on a good contract and of course who would buy him? On the
plus side he did score a couple of goals (more than Behrami and as many as
Noble) with the most notable coming in the 3-2 home win against Wigan
Athletic.
Apps: League 27 (4) Cup 3
Bookings: 7
Sent Off: 1 (vs Sunderland a)
Goals: 2
Verdict: Limited player lacking quality and if he plays as many games as he
did this season we will struggle again.
Scott Parker
It is difficult to find words to praise him enough because he has been
absolutely outstanding and is mine and just about everyone's player of the
season. Has even been rewarded with a place in England Manager Capello's
provisional squad of 30 which considering he has not been involved with
England for quite some time is a great achievement. The way he had stood up
and been counted throughout the season was nothing short of miraclous. He
plays with a tenacity rarely seen by any Premiership player. He does not
care for his personal health as long as he is making a crunching tackle or
getting in the way of some powerful shot. He drove the team on at times and
showed a lot of leadership qualities. A team of Scott Parkers would have won
the league. His performances sadly highlighted the lack of fight amongst the
rest of the side. He scored two goals with both being spectacular strikes.
The first of the season came away at Chelsea when his wonderful shot caught
everyone by surprise. But his most important goal was of course the winning
goal at home in the must win game against Wigan. His shot from 25 yards sent
Upton Park wild and was a fitting moment for the best player we have.
Chairman David Sullivan has intimated that Parker is a player that we must
make sure we keep and unless there is a completely ridiculous offer for him
then I am sure he will be leading the team next season because although he
does not wear the captains armband we all know he is our captain. A great
season from Parker and fully deserved the Player Of The Season award.
Apps: League: 30 (1) Cup 2
Bookings: 8
Sent Off: 1 (vs Arsenal h)
Goals: 2
Verdict: By far the player of the season. Outstanding.
Luis Jimenez
What a sack of sh*t Jimenez turned out to be. In the summer we were told by
Scott Duxbury that Zola intended building the team around Jimenez and that
he would be a massive part of our season. It didn't take us long to find out
how shit he was and how unwilling he was to adapt to the physical nature of
the league. Jimenez criticised the English league on his departure in
January stating that the Italian league was 'more complete' What I presume
he meant is that he did not have the bottle for English game and could not
be bothered if he did not have ages on the ball. In just about every one of
his performances he was poor no more so than against Everton at home where
he was terrible throughout. His only goal for the club came in the 5-3 win
over Burnley with Jimenez being fouled in the area and converting the
penalty. Zola made plenty of excuses for him when he left but none commented
on how he just did not have the quality to adapt to Premiership football and
given how we were going to base our team around him this was a pretty
massive blow to Gianfranco Zola's game plan. Since leaving the club he has
signed for Parma and has been sent off three times in ten appearances.
Apps: League 6 (5) Cup: 1
Bookings: 3
Goals: 1
Verdict: Not good enough for the Premiership.
Jack Collison
The tragic death of his father in August must have made it very difficult
for Collison to focus and he quite clearly found it hard to perform to the
best of his ability in a tough season. He was ineffective in many of the
games he played with him looking out of place playing on the left hand side.
Like Behrami he is quite clearly not a winger and needs to be played in a
more central role to really get the best out of him. Collison scored two
goals in back to back games away at Hull City and at home to Burnley. A
persistant knee injury finally ended his season and it has been revealed by
the club that he will be out of action for 9 months. This is obviously a
major blow for Collison but hopefully he will come back stronger and
continue to develop because not so long ago Collison was looking fantastic
with his passing and ability to get into the area standing out. Hopefully by
the time he returns in the new year the team will be doing well and he will
be a player to push us on further.
Apps: League 19 (3) Cup 1
Bookings: 3
Goals: 2
Verdict: Struggled in the majority of games but is still only 21 and will
come back better than ever.
Junior Stanislas
Right footed but most of the time he was always played on the left wing,
Stanislas struggled to make much of an impact in the games he played and
always looked brighter when coming off the bench. The highlight of his
season was surely scoring that all important equaliser against Millwall
which saw Upton Park erupt. What Stanislas offers was width and was the only
natural wide man we had available due to Boa Morte being injured for most of
the campaign. When Stanislas started he was largely poor and I cannot recall
him having a good game unless he was coming off the bench. His inability to
beat his man was something noticeable time and time again and this came to a
head away at Liverpool when he was so reluctant to do this he was taken off
at half time. Whilst I have always been a fan of wingers Stanislas does not
fill me with too much optimism and I feel he has not progressed this season
and in fact I think he got more ineffective as the season wore on. I like
his attacking mentality and his willingness to always have a shot and he
scored more goals than any other midfielder this season. He is only 20 and
cannot be written off just yet.
Apps: League: 11 (15) Cup 2
Bookings: 2
Goals: 5
Verdict: Gives the side natural width but must learn to take on his man and
get some crosses in.
Anthony Edgar
He did not travel with the first team to China in the summer and instead was
part of the young reserve side who played a host of domestic Pre Season
games. I saw him against Kingstonian and thought he was one of the best
players on the pitch. Quick, skilful and able to play killer passes. He was
shipped out on loan to Bournemouth but due to their transfer embargo he was
forced to return. He made his West Ham debut against Arsenal in the FA Cup
having come on as a second half subsistute (albeit the 87th minute) for
Junior Stanislas. He didn't see much of the ball but would have been good
experience for him. Like Jordan Spence he is highly rated but the new
manager will be able to decide if he is going to get the opportunity next
season. Given that he is a midfielder I fear he may not.
Apps: Cup (1)
Verdict: Will be a big summer for him to see if he can break into the first
team.
Luis Boa Morte
Injured in Pre Season against Tottenham and only managed to make one
appearance all season at home to Manchester City in which he scored his
first goal for the club in the league since 2007 away at Wigan. Boa Morte
indicated after the game that this would be his last performance for the
club as his contract is up. He has had an odd West Ham career with the fans
slagging and booing him for the majority of his time at the club. His work
rate seemed to win over a number of supporters who saw him as a cult figure.
For me Boa Morte was always a good worker and never jumped out of a
challenge. He wound the opposition up and never turned away from a
confrontation. His quality on the ball was always his problem and his final
ball and shooting were generally awful. This is the correct time to part
company with Boa Morte,
Apps: League 1
Bookings: 1
Goals: 1
Verdict: Only the one game but a nice way to end his West Ham career.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Player Reviews 2009/10 - Part 3
Vinny - Mon May 24 2010
The final part of the player reviews focus on the forwards.
Westhamonline.net
Forwards
Alessandro Diamanti
Signed for £6m Diamanti was billed by the club as a forward. A direct quote
from Whufc.com confirms this: "The latest recruit will provide extra
firepower to the Hammers attack alongside England striker Carlton Cole." But
with Zola's persistence in playing one up front this was never likely to
happen and although Diamanti has shown quality in patches playing in
midfield have only hindered his performances. I am not sure what to make of
Diamanti just yet. I like his directness and have always enjoyed watching
skilful players but in a midfield role he has been a liability. He doesn't
track back, he doesn't get involved enough and he is too slow to be a
winger. He came to the club with a reputation of being a great free kick
taker but actually only managed to score one goal from a set piece at home
to Birmingham. From the penalty spot is generally excellent scoring a number
of his goals from this position missing just the one away at Arsenal. A
frustrating player Diamanti no doubt incorporates the flair that West Ham
fans like to see in a player but he has struggled to dominate games and stay
involved for the 90 minutes. Was he worth £6m? On this evidence then no. He
just doesn't do enough and has not got the stamina to last a full game. Can
he offer more? There are moments where you think he will take teams apart
and does have a creative spark which many of our players lack. If we manage
to bring in a couple of creative midfielders then I do not see where
Diamanti is going to fit in. Any sort of decent offer I suspect will see
Diamanti leave the club and this cannot come as much of a shock because
whoever our manager is I do not see where they will play him.
Apps: League 18 (9) Cup: 2
Bookings: 5
Goals: 7
Verdict: Lot's of skill but not consistent enough.
Zavon Hines
21 year old Hines managed to be one of very few positives to take from the
season. If it wasn't for a knee injury I would think he would have went on
to play many more games as he had just started to come into his own. His
first real impact came in the League Cup tie against Millwall where he came
on for the second half and scored the third and final goal. He began to get
playing time in the Premiership and was looking brighter with each game he
played. His first Premiership goal came at home to Aston Villa when his last
minute finish gave us all three points. When we played Liverpool at Upton
Park despite not scoring Hines was excellent and gave the Liverpool defence
a tough time with his pace and direct running. Hines is our only striker
that actually has any pace and this looked as though it was going to be
something that would give us something different but the long term injury
has kept him out. Out since December it remains to be seen if he does get
another contract and is kept on by the new manager. He surely deserves more
time as young West Ham players go he has probably been one of the best this
season.
Apps: League 5 (8) Cup 1
Bookings: 3
Goals: 2
Verdict: Would like to see more of him.
Guillermo Franco
The Mexican international was brought in on a free transfer in mid September
to bolster our flagging forward line. He didn't start a game until over a
month later but it was quickly clear that he had something about him. He may
have no pace but his control and touch are example of a very technically
gifted footballer. He scored his first goal in only his second start away
Sunderland in the 2-2 draw. With Carlton Cole out injured Franco was given
the job of leading the line on his own which he always did with maximum
effort. He is always capable of winning his fair share of headers and has
the ability to hold the ball up and play in others. Goals did dry up and he
didn't score from December till the end of March. Franco is a player who is
popular with the fans and seems to have taken to English football very well.
He will be playing in the World Cup in a few weeks time and it remains to be
see whether he will be at West Ham next season given that his contract is
soon to be up. I don't think there would be many who would object to Franco
being kept on for another year and would add depth to the squad. Many of the
signings during the Zola regime have come under scrutiny but I think we can
safely say that Franco was a solid acquisition.
Apps: League 16 (7)
Bookings: 5
Goals: 5
Verdict: Age may not be on his side but he has shown that he is a very good
player and might still be able to do job.
Frank Nouble
Signed from Chelsea in the summer, 18 year old Nouble found himself thrust
into the first team unexpectedly when our forward line disintegrated due to
injuries. In the opening month of the season Nouble found himself behind
Carlton Cole, Zavon Hines, Alessandro Diamanti and Dean Ashton. Bring Franco
into the equation and Nouble was our sixth choice striker with very little
chance of getting any playing time. Nouble was not even part of the squad
who traveled to China in Pre Season and he played for the reserve side.
Watching him against Kingstonian he looked a class above the rest of his
team mates scoring two goals on that occasion. Nouble got his first start in
the FA Cup tie at home to Arsenal. He was up front on his own and worked
hard but very little came off for him. In his first Premiership start away
at Aston Villa he was so very close to scoring what would have surely been
our goal of the season when he ran from the half way line and powered his
way through the Villa defence only to blaze his shot over the bar. With the
signings of Ilan, McCarthy and Mido he found himself back down the pecking
order and sent out on loan to West Brom where he mainly played on the wing.
He played three games scoring no goals. He came back to the club and then
was sent out on loan again to Swindon Town where he has participated in
eight games. I think Nouble showed a great level of maturity in his few
games for the club this season. He had only just turned 18 yet he led the
line well through difficult circumstances. I think it was unfair on him that
McCarthy and Mido were deemed better than him especially Mido. Do you think
we would have done any worse with Nouble up front instead of Mido? I am
convinced we will sign a couple of strikers in the summer but I do hope that
Nouble is given more time at West Ham not just to be at the club but to have
a chance to make an impact.
Apps: League 3 (5) Cup 1
Verdict: Still very young. Has something about him, was harshly treated in
January. Deserves another chance.
Benni McCarthy
It was typical of West Ham's luck that of the three strikers signed in
January the one we gave a two year contract to would be the one who would
get injured straight away and struggle with his fitness from then on. He
started his first game just after he had signed away at Burnley and should
have given us the lead when he rounded the keeper only for his shot be saved
on the line. At half time he was taken off with injury and only started one
more game from then till the end of the season at that was the terrible
performance against Wolves in which McCarthy looked out of shape and way
short of fitness. He was taken off with twenty minutes to play. His fitness
and general shape were called into question by his former club Blackburn and
they must be having a good old chuckle at how he has performed so far. As he
has signed the two year contract you have to believe that he is going to be
one of the main strikers for next season but he needs an injury free pre
season and to find some sort of fitness if he is going to be any use to us.
Apps: League 2 (3)
Verdict: So far he has been a complete waste of time.
Mido
We all wanted to like Mido. When he signed on loan from Middlesbrough it was
reported that he was only playing for a grand a week having wanted to play
for us to prove his worth as a footballer. The trouble is you know things
are bad when even £1000 a week seems as though we have been ripped off. Mido
for me just lacks the quality to be a Premiership player. I wonder how he
ever got himself in the position to play for Tottenham. I have seen nothing
at all from him that suggest that he possess any type of quality to hurt
another football team. He is slow, lacking in skill, not good in the air and
for a striker he never looks like a goal threat. Why Zola persisted in
playing Mido ahead of others was just another indication of how inept the
little Italian actually was. I don't think we will be seeing Mido again
next season and due to the fact he has given us nothing but a few poor
performances I can't say I'll be too disappointed.
Apps: League 5 (4)
Bookings: 2
Verdict: 1k a week was a rip off.
Ilan
The unknown Brazilian was brought to the club in January along with Mido and
McCarthy. Little was expected given that few had much knowledge about him
but in the end it was those four goals from Ilan which were absolutely vital
in keeping us up. He made his debut as a second half substitute away at
Burnley and it did not take him long to open his account. With Mido
preferred to him Ilan was made to wait for his first start and that came
away at Stamford Bridge where Zola decided to play him in a midfield role
where he was totally anonymous and was take off in the second half. Dropped
for the next three games he really arrived away at Goodison Park when he
scored a quite wonderful diving header to equalise in the final few minutes.
The cross from Faubert was magnificent but the header from Ilan was equally
as brilliant. With that goal he was given a place in the starting line up at
home to Sunderland where he scored the only goal of the game giving us a
vital three points and in the next home game against Wigan he open the
scoring after being set up by Carlton Cole. We haven't seen too much of him
on the ball and he drifts in and out of games but when you play him up front
as a striker and not in midfield he is a goal poacher and his goals have
proved this but Zola could not see it. Those goals he scored were so very
important and this was a very successful signing.
Apps: League 6 (5)
Goals: 4
Verdict: Vital goals at a time were we desperately needed them. Ilan did a
very important job.
Freddie Sears
It was the 15th of March 2008 as Freddie Sears came on to the pitch to make
his debut as a sub against Blackburn. He would score the winning goal and
this 18 year old would gain instant recognition. Trouble is since that day
Freddie Sears hasn't scored again. For anyone. Sent out on loan to Crystal
Palace where he will be remembered for scoring the 'goal that never was',
Sears was back at the club due to the striker injury crisis in January. He
came on as a sub for Frank Nouble in the FA Cup tie against Arsenal and then
a few weeks late he made another brief sub appearence in the league against
Blackburn. But it was clear that Sears was not going to break into the side
once again with the arrival of three strikers in the transfer window. He is
only 20 years old and of course that is too young to completely write a
player off but I just cannot see him making it in the Premiership let alone
at West Ham. Another loan spell was undertaken as he was sent to Coventry
where he started just three games and of course scoring no goals. I think it
may be time for Freddie to move on and establish himself at another club.
Apps: League (1) Cup (1)
Verdict: Doesn't look as though it is going to happen for him at West Ham.
Carlton Cole
We finish with the clubs top goalscorer for a second consecutive season
Carlton Cole who in the end has had a mixed season when he had started in
stunning form. The first few months of the season Carlton Cole was a good as
any striker in the league. He was not only scoring goals but also looking as
though he was a player intent on getting into the England squad which indeed
he did and a smart cameo against Spain made everyone take notice. For me his
goal against Tottenham in our first home game of the season was the best
goal any West Ham players has scored during this campaign. It was a
wonderful turn and shot and it was such a shame it was soured by his
dreadful pass which went straight into the path of Jermaine Defoe to score
their equaliser. But this didn't knock his confidence and goals against
Liverpool, Manchester City and Fulham kept up his good goal scoring form.
Injury at home to Burnley (another game he scored in) was the beginning of
the end to his great performances as despite coming back and playing a
number of games anyone could see that Cole wasn't right. Two consecutive
goals against Birmingham and Hull seemed to indicate that despite his
performances not being as strong the goals would still flow but goal went on
a barren run from the end of February to May where a goal against Fulham
would take him into double figures for the season. I am still of the opinion
that Carlton Cole is a very good footballer. He showed form earlier in the
season which was quite fantastic. Injury halted his progress and if had
other options up front he would not have been brought back so quickly and
would have recovered. He still gets a lot of stick from the West Ham fans
who come out with the same old sh*t about him being lazy. He isn't shit and
if we are to sell him I can't think of many players who will be willing to
come and play for West Ham who are of better or equal quality. What Carlton
Cole needs is a regular strike partner and I am positive we will see him
score even more goals. There is no way I want to sell him as I believe he
remains one of our most important assets.
Apps: League 26 (4) Cup 1 (1)
Bookings: 4
Goals: 10
Verdict: Selling him would be mistake.
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