WHUFC.com
The manager was pleased with how his side coped at Old Trafford until a
penalty decision went against them
29.08.2010
Avram Grant will have a fortnight now to work with his squad - save for
those on international duty - ahead of a major meeting with Chelsea at the
Boleyn Ground. The manager saw his side come up short against Manchester
United on Saturday, although the 3-0 scoreline did not tell the whole story.
The visitors showed a marked improvement from their opening-day defeat away
at Aston Villa and, until the Reds were awarded a penalty a third of the way
into the contest at Old Trafford, more than held their own. "Until the
penalty we were in the game," said Grant, of the moment when Jonathan
Spector was adjudged to have brought down Ryan Giggs. "Manchester United
were not dangerous and we played how we wanted to play. Then they got the
penalty but I'm not sure it was a penalty. "In the second half they scored
very early [through Nani] and that made it very difficult. We played against
a better team, who were at home. We were fine in the first half but it was
different after the second goal and then it became too difficult for us.
"Our first half was good but they dominated the game in the second half.
Although we were behind at half-time we were still in the game and we wanted
to continue like that."
Deserving of special praise again was Kieron Dyer, with the No7 offering
another lively performance on the wing as he continues his comeback. "Kieron
Dyer was good and I think that every game is good for players who have not
played for a long time. When we are more organised it will be easier for
those players."
With Chelsea next, Grant accepts the early season scheduling has not
favoured his team, who saw Dimitar Berbatov round out the home win with a
volleyed third. "We knew we had tough fixtures from the beginning of the
season and we knew that it would be difficult for us. "It's important that
we now have a two-week break and then we can start to pick up points."
Before the action starts again will come the end of the transfer window on
Tuesday night, with the manager expecting one or two new arrivals to add to
the half-dozen already added. "We are trying to do some business but we
cannot spend a lot of money. We are trying to bring in players like [new
forward] Victor Obinna, who want to develop both themselves and with the
team. "What we are trying to do is not easy but we are trying to bring in
two or three players. We are looking at more than one position in the team.
"We want to change things this season and we want players who can play for
us next season, too. We know that we have a tough season and we need people
to make the squad stronger."
He reiterated that Scott Parker remained integral to his thinking and looked
forward to being able to get his new signings on the pitch to complement the
Hammer of the Year. The likes of Winston Reid and Tal Ben Ham and Saturday
substitutes Frederic Piquionne and Pablo Barrera have not had
straightforward weeks on the practice pitches. "A few of the new players are
injured - Thomas Hitzlsperger, Winston Reid and Tal Ben Haim - and it's a
pity that they were not in a very good shape to train until it was too late.
"Even though we knew that this game was important, we must look to the rest
of the season and we did not want to risk them. They will play and we will
have the full team that we want and things will look better. "It will be a
tough season and our target is not only for the beginning of the season. We
have a lot of games ahead of us and if we win two games we will almost be in
the middle of the table. I believe that we can do that.
"We know that want to progress but a few of the players we prepared in
pre-season like Hitzlsperger - a key player - who we wanted to show from the
beginning of the season got injured. It's not only about the first three
games, we need longer to show the direction we want to go in."
Grant also confirmed that Robert Green - voted man of the match by the home
supporters - was due to undergo a minor procedure this week during the
international break. It is expected that he will be back in training before
the Chelsea game on 11 September.
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Hammers draw Sunderland
WHUFC.com
West Ham United have learnt their opponents for the Carling Cup third round
in late September
28.08.2010
West Ham United have been drawn at away to Barclays Premier League rivals
Sunderland in the Carling Cup third round. The Hammers won through to this
stage with Tuesday's 1-0 defeat of Oxford United at the Boleyn Ground. As
well as Avram Grant's men, the seven English clubs involved in European
competition enter at this stage along with the 25 second-round winners.
Third-round ties will be contested in the week commencing Monday 20
September 2010. West Ham and Sunderland have met twice before in the League
Cup, coming through on both occasions. Alvin Martin and David Cross scored
in a 2-1 fourth-round replay victory at the Boleyn Ground in November 1979
following a 1-1 draw at Roker Park. The two sides met in the second round in
1988/89, with the Hammers winning 5-1 on aggregate. West Ham reached this
stage of the competition last season before being knocked out by the same
scoreline over 120 minutes away to Bolton Wanderers. The 2010/11 final will
be held at Wembley Stadium on 27 February 2011. The Hammers 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. Sunderland reached the League Cup final in
1984/85, losing 1-0 to Norwich City at Wembley.
Ticket information to come on whufc.com as soon as confirmed. Click here for
all the latest ticket information.
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Fry gets a goal
WHUFC.com
On-loan defender Matthew Fry made his Charlton Athletic debut on Saturday
afternoon
28.08.2010
Matthew Fry made a goalscoring debut for Charlton Athletic on Saturday as
the League One side went down to a 3-1 away defeat at Huddersfield Town.
Fry joined Charlton just before the start of the new campaign, having spent
three months at the Valley last season. However, he has had to wait for his
debut until Saturday afternoon's contest in Yorkshire. He came on in the
89th minute and was soon celebrating when his deflected effort from the edge
of the area gave Charlton a late consolation. Charlton are eighth in the
early standings, with seven points from four games. Fry is not the only West
Ham connection at the club with Christian Dailly and Kyel Reid both in Phil
Parkinson's squad. Fry, 20 next month, is on loan at Charlton until January.
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Manchester United 3-0 West Ham
BBC.co.uk
By Nabil Hassan
Wayne Rooney scored his first goal since March as Manchester United cruised
to victory to remain two points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea.
Rooney converted a 33rd-minute penalty to end a 13-game drought after
Jonathan Spector fouled Ryan Giggs. Nani's cool finish from Rooney's neat
pass made it 2-0 while Kieron Dyer hit the post for winless West Ham.
Dimitar Berbatov capped a fine performance by volleying past Robert Green
from Nani's chipped cross. West Ham's defeat left them rooted to the foot of
the table and without a point while Manchester United remain third, level
with Arsenal.
The Hammers' task was always going to be difficult, with Avram Grant's side
without an away win in the league since the first game of last season.
But Manchester United, who had won 11 of their previous 12 league games at
Old Trafford, started sluggishly with Rooney in particular struggling for
form.
However, as the half wore on, United's veteran midfield duo of Paul Scholes
and Giggs started to impose themselves on the game with Nani - who replaced
Antonio Valencia in the starting line-up - also finding space on the right.
The Portuguese winger came closest to breaking the deadlock early on when
his fierce 25-yard shot was palmed onto the crossbar by Green. At the other
end Dyer proved a useful outlet for the Hammers, while striker Carlton Cole
was only denied a shot on goal by a last-ditch tackle from the superb
Nemanja Vidic. Dyer found the side-netting for the Hammers but Manchester
United continued to press for an opening goal and just after the half-hour
it came - albeit from the penalty spot. Scholes found Giggs on the left with
trademark vision, and after turning Spector inside out, the Welshman was
eventually brought down by the Hammers defender. It gave Rooney an
opportunity to score for the first time since 30 March and the England
striker made no mistake, finding the bottom of the net with a low penalty
that sent Green the wrong way and brought to an end the longest barren spell
of his career. Soon after, Darren Fletcher saw his curling 25-yard drive
superbly tipped round the post by Green as the Red Devils continued to
press. The hosts should have gone into the break 2-0 up but Nani wasted a
glorious opportunity on the stroke of half-time, lifting the ball over Green
but also over the bar from close range after a stunning clipped pass from
Giggs. However, Nani made amends for his miss just after the break, lashing
the ball home left-footed from the edge of the area after cutting inside his
marker following Rooney's weighted pass. Rooney himself was denied by a
last-ditch Danny Gabbidon tackle before a fine passing move from West Ham
saw Dyer crash a fierce shot against the outside of the post. Scholes then
tested Green from the edge of the area after good link-up play from Berbatov
as the game started to turn into a procession for the hosts. United soon
increased their lead and having turned provider for Scholes, it was
Berbatov's turn to be on the receiving end with Nani's clipped pass to the
back post acrobatically volleyed home by the Bulgarian. Cole and Vidic
continued their personal duel with the Serbian defender again coming out on
top as another last-ditch tackle denied the England striker a clear sight on
goal.
Hammers striker Fredric Piquionne tested keeper Edwin van der Sar late on
but the Dutchman was equal to the effort as Manchester United held on to
keep their second clean sheet of the season.
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Manchester Utd 3 Cannon Fodder 0
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 28th August 2010
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United sunk to a predictable defeat in this evening's Premier
League fixture at Old Trafford. Whilst failing to conjure a single shot on
target all afternoon the Hammers defence shipped three goals against a side
who may also play in the Premier League - but in footballing terms are
literally leagues ahead of Avram Grant's side. Wayne Rooney opened the
scoring for the home side on 33 minutes when he converted a penalty awarded
against Jonathan Spector for a desperate lunge on Ryan Giggs after the
veteran Welshmen had slipped past the American full-back in the box. That
lead was doubled four minutes after the half time break when Nani fired home
from close range. The rout was completed 21 minutes from time when Dimitar
Berbatov converted a Nani cross, as the goalscorer turned provider. West Ham
spent most of the 90 minutes encamped around their 18-yard box but did
manage to briefly scare the home side on the odd occasion - most notably so
when Kieron Dyer, making his second consecutive start for the first time in
three years, went close with an effort that left 'keeper Edwin van der Sar
grasping at air. Next up for the Hammers are the current reigning champions
Chelsea, who pitch up at the Boleyn Ground a fortnight from now following
next week's international break.
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From Wembley to West Ham
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 28th August 2010
By: Staff Writer
Eight-year-old Hammers fan Jonjo Heuerman is walking 26 miles on behalf of
charity - and needs your help. Over the weekend of 24th February 2011 young
Jonjo, a season ticket holder is planning to walk from Wembley to West Ham
United's Boleyn Ground - a distance of some 26 miles - in aid of the Bobby
Moore Fund. The young Hammers fan - who is seeking sponsorship from fellow
Hammers fans - takes up the story. "Next February [24th-26th] I will be
walking from Wembley Stadium to West Ham United to raise money for the Bobby
Moore Fund in memory of my Nanny who died of bowel cancer aged 60," he says.
"I am walking on these days because they are close to the date that both my
Nanny and Bobby died. "I am very excited and I want to raise lots of money
for the Bobby Moore Fund. I will be walking with my Mummy and Daddy and will
be collecting money along the way. "I want to finish my walk in time for
the start of the Liverpool home match on the 26th February and hope to raise
£10,000 or more - because my sister raised £9,500 last year for our local
hospice in memory of my Nanny, and I want to beat her amount."
Anyone wishing to sponsor Jonjo can contact him (via his mum Donna) at
fornannyandbobby@sky.com.
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United pile on Hammers woe
Visitors fail to score as United land Old Trafford triumph
Last updated: 28th August 2010
SSN
Man of the match: Paul Scholes excelled in the 'quarter-back role' and
distributed the ball beautifully to keep Man United moving forward.
Moment of the match: Not a moment per se, but Scholes and Ryan Giggs rolled
back the years with excellent performances.
Attempt of the match: West Ham constructed a lovely move in the 55th minute
which culminated in Carlton Cole teeing up Kieron Dyer, whose curling shot
grazed the upright.
Save of the match: In the 41st minute Rob Green made a class save - diving
full length to his left - to deny Darren Fletcher's howitzer of a shot from
outside the area.
Talking point: Wayne Rooney ended his goal drought. And even though it came
from the spot, it might be a watershed moment in his season.
West Ham's dismal start to the Premier League season continued as they
suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester United. The Hammers were
denied their first points of the campaign by the Red Devils as they
unleashed a commanding triumph in front of the Old Trafford crowd to condemn
the visitors to their third successive league loss on Saturday. The hosts
opened the scoring courtesy of a deserved Wayne Rooney penalty in the first
half following a Jonathan Spector foul on Ryan Giggs. Nani built on that
score five minutes after the break, flying into the box and dodging Hammers
stopper Danny Gabbidon before firing a terrific finish past a helpless
Robert Green. United then sealed the victory courtesy of a Dimitar Berbatov
strike with twenty minutes to go as the Bulgarian acrobatically
scissor-kicked a Nani pass into the net.
Without a point under Avram Grant's stewardship and unconvincing in Carling
Cup triumph against lowly Oxford at Upton Park on Tuesday, the Hammers are
now bottom of the table and facing a fight to preserve their top-flight
status. Fabio Capello's whistle-stop tour of the north-west had taken him to
Blackburn and Blackpool. It probably brought a black mood as well when he
discovered Frank Lampard would miss the Euro 2012 double-header against
Bulgaria and Switzerland. Whether that news is going to trigger another
attempt to lure Paul Scholes out of international retirement remains to be
seen. Capello is not the only one to admire the 35-year-old who, by this
season's standards, had one of his quieter games, even if his passing
remains sublime. Indeed, Scott Parker, a man many felt was unlucky not to
get the World Cup call last summer, possibly just edged their personal
midfield duel. The problem for West Ham was that Parker was one of only two
Hammers to impress. It could not be lost on Capello that Robert Green was
the other. The two men will forever be united in ignominy for the debacle in
South Africa, triggered as it was by the keeper's howler against the United
States in Rustenburg that cost England their flying start. Yet there was a
reason Capello trusted Green in the first place. And his excellent save to
deny Nani proved it, even if Green required the additional help of his
crossbar after the United winger had latched onto Dimitar Berbatov's lay-off
and let fly from 20 yards. It was the best of a number of Nani chances, one
of which should have provided United with some half-time daylight.
Darren Fletcher was a similar distance out when he belted a right-footed
drive that was destined for the top corner before Green pushed it away.
Capello could only wistfully wonder what might have been. At least he did
have the certain knowledge that his top striker no longer has to worry about
how long it is since he last scored. Thirteen matches for club and country
had passed since Rooney put United ahead in their Champions League
quarter-final against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena on 30th March. That
drought has been a popular debating point outside Old Trafford but Rooney
kept any anxiety he might have been feeling well hidden as he strode up to
take the penalty after Spector had been beaten by Giggs and then made a
clumsy attempt to retrieve the situation. Rooney had the confidence to
engage in a bit of kidology with Green before sending his international
team-mate the wrong way, the celebrations somewhat subdued to say the least.
Tossing away those points at Fulham will gnaw away at Ferguson for some
time. Any fear of a repeat was dispelled within five minutes of the restart
when Nani, one of the chief culprits on that occasion, profited from some
excellent approach work from Scholes and Rooney, dumped Danny Gabbidon on
his backside, then beat Green with ease.
Given West Ham's almost complete inability to create anything of their own,
it was effectively game over. Kieron Dyer wasted a decent chance when he
fired into the side-netting but on this evidence it looks like being a bleak
winter for the Londoners, especially if they fall victim to a late attempt
to prise Parker away. United duly collected a third when Berbatov propelled
a perfectly-executed airborne volley beyond Green after Nani had charged
into the box and clipped a cross to the far post. The goal heralded a triple
substitution by Ferguson, which included a debut for Chris Smalling and
standing ovation for Scholes. With at least two members of his coaching team
and FA technical director Sir Trevor Brooking all present, it was tempting
to wonder if Capello was thinking of a kidnap attempt.
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Grant - Give Hammers time
Hammers boss says team need time to make impact
Last updated: 28th August 2010
SSN
Avram Grant insists the quality of West Ham cannot be judged this early on
in the season following his side's defeat to Manchester United. The Hammers
were condemned to their third successive Premier League loss on Saturday as
they were seen off 3-0 by Sir Alex Ferguson'sside at Old Trafford. But Grant
insists his team were expecting a testing season, and is adamant their
results so far will not dictate their campaign. "We knew before it began
that it would be a tough season," said Grant. "We are trying to change some
things but it will take more than three or five games to judge us. We need a
lot more than that. "People can say what they like about this performance
but we tried our best."
Grant is hoping to further bolster his squad before the transfer window
closes on Tuesday, but insists reported Tottenham target Scott Parker will
remain at Upton Park this season. "I hope to bring another two or three
players in but Scott will stay," added Grant. "We cannot spend a lot of
money and it is not going to be easy, but we will try."
Grant also confirmed goalkeeper Robert Green will enter hospital for what
has been described as "a small procedure" to his hip this week but is
expected to be fit for the Premier League encounter with Chelsea in a
fortnight.
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Hammers swoop for Arsenal left-back
Published 23:00 28/08/10 By MirrorFootball
The Mirror
West Ham are set to swoop for Arsenal defender Armand Traore. The
20-year-old defender last week turned down a £3million move to Benfica after
the clubs had agreed a fee. Traore is believed to want to stay in England –
and West Ham are ready to give him that chance. The French youngster is
third choice left-back at The Emirates behind Gael Clichy and Kieran Gibbs.
West Ham would give the chance of regular first-team football and Traore is
likely to accept that offer. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is confident that
Mark Schwarzer will come to Arsenal ahead of Tuesday's transfer deadline.
The emergence of David Stockdale at Fulham means manager Mark Hughes has a
ready-made replacement and if Arsenal increase their offer by £500,000 to
£2.5m, Fulham look certain to relent. Schwarzer has made it clear he wants
to take the opportunity to play Champions League football so late in his
career.
His arrival will mean either Lucasz Fabianski or Manuel Alminia will be
allowed to leave Arsenal, possibly on loan.
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No chance of Hammers move for Matty Taylor
Published 23:00 28/08/10 By Michael Morgan
The Mirror
Owen Coyle has told struggling West Ham to forget about luring Matty Taylor
from Bolton. Grant is ready to tempt Wanderers with a £3million bid for
Taylor, 28, but Bolton boss Coyle insists he is going nowhere. Coyle said:
"Matty is a fantastic player. He is frustrated at the moment because he has
been on the bench and Martin Petrov is in possession of that wide-left
berth. "I can understand that, but he has a huge role to play at this club."
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Parker transfer to Tottenham could spark fire-sale at West Ham
By ALEX MONTGOMERY Last updated at 10:23 PM on 28th August 2010
Daily Mail
Scott Parker is poised for an £8million transfer to Tottenham in what is
shaping up to be a fire-sale at West Ham. While the exit of Parker would
give Upton Park boss Avram Grant the chance to compete with Fulham and Stoke
for his former Pompey defender Marc Wilson, the Israeli is unlikely to
consider that adequate compensation for the possible loss of his England
midfielder. Spurs manager Harry Redknapp is determined to sign 29-year-old
Parker before the transfer window closes on Tuesday, when he has to name his
25-man squad for the season only a few hours later. But West Ham's owners,
David Sullivan and David Gold, have stated the one player they do not want
to sell is the vastly experienced and talented Parker. With their club's
finances in a mess and time running out, however, they know that
circumstances could force them to sell their most valuable asset. It would
be a major blow for manager Grant, especially as the club rejected an £8m
bid for the player earlier in the summer. West Ham's desire to keep Parker
on the payroll is confirmed by their offering him an enhanced long-term
contract. But the problem is the player's refusal to sign it - a decision
which takes him and his club to the brink.
The Hammers are open to offers for their Mexican forward Pablo Barrera, with
an Italian club showing interest. Barrera cost £4m when he recently signed a
four-year contract, with a one-year option, but he could be sacrificed for a
club trimming their vanishing resources to more manageable levels. Carlton
Cole's immediate future could also be decided within 24 hours, with several
clubs ready to pounce, particularly for a loan deal that would take him off
the West Ham wage bill. The extent of West Ham's debt has shocked the
co-owners and, coupled with the team's poor start to the campaign, could
force them back into the market place as sellers to recover a degree of
financial stability.
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DAVID BECKHAM SNUBS POT OF GOLD IN THE NATIONAL INTEREST
Daily Express
Sunday August 29,2010
By Colin Mafham
AS one door reopens excitingly for David Beckham, another shuts
disappointingly for West Ham. Fabio Capello's olive branch leaves England's
golden boy free to follow what seemed an impossible hat-trick of dreams:
playing a part in his country's European Championship chase, captaining a
Great Britain team in the 2012 Olympics and even figuring in the 2014 World
Cup finals in Brazil at the age of 39. If anyone can do it, football's Peter
Pan can, but the fairytale prospect leaves West Ham out in the cold in their
bid to bring him back home. The Hammers hoped to lure Beckham back to his
roots to end his playing career and serve as an ambassador for their bid to
move into the Olympic Stadium once the Games are over. But with England
calling again, that is one job too many in an incredible globetrotting
schedule for a 35-year-old who played a major role in bringing the Olympics
to London and is also championing England's 2018 World Cup bid. West Ham
co-owner David Gold finally conceded defeat last night, saying: "It was a
possibility and we really did try to get him, but we have not heard back.
"It would appear he has gone on to other things and now we have to move on
too."
It's not the first time Capello has done a U-turn over Beckham. Back in
January 2007, the then Real Madrid coach vowed that Becks would never play
for the club again after revealing that he was off to LA at the end of that
season. But a month later, Capello backtracked and named Beckham to face
Real Sociedad. Goldenballs responded with a spectacular opening goal – from
a 37-yard free-kick – and Real went on to win 2-1.
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