WHUFC.com
With Spanish football on a high, RC Deportivo La Coruna are set to be a
stiff test on Saturday
03.08.2010
RC Deportivo La Coruna are gearing up for the start of the Spanish season
and an assault on the European places after three sucessive top-ten
finishes.
The Spanish side, who visit the Boleyn Ground for the high-profile SBOBET
Cup this Saturday, are tipped to be top-six contenders when La Liga starts
on 28 August with the likes of Spanish prodigy Adrian in attack and Mexico
superstar Andres Guardado on the wing.
Managed by Miguel Angel Lotina, Deportivo fans dream of emulating their
title success of 1999/00 which turned them into regular UEFA Champions
League contenders. Hammers fans will well remember Lionel Scaloni and Diego
Tristan, who both made their names with Depor before heading to the Boleyn
in the twilight of their careers.
Another name that looms large from their run of five UEFA Champions League
qualifications is Juan Carlos Valeron, a sublime passer of the ball who was
capped 45 times by Spain between 1998 and 2005. Still a major figure, he and
the rest of his Depor team-mates promise to give the Hammers their toughest
test of a pre-season which has so far produced five wins from five.
A bumper Boleyn crowd is expected on Saturday, so fans should make sure of
their seat today. With a sunny forecast for east London this weekend, it
promises to be a great day for all the family. Scott Parker, the reigning
Hammer of the Year, is expecting a challenging afternoon. "Deportivo are a
good club with good players and I am sure they will bring a very useful team
to play against us," he said. "It will be a tough game, as it is whenever
you come up with a top team from a country like Spain. They will be very
good technically and will keep the ball well, so it is going to be a good
workout for us a week ahead of the start of the new season. "A game like
this one will let us know exactly where we are at that stage and also tell
us what we need to improve on to be ready for the Premier League."
Tickets for the eagerly-awaited friendly are selling well, with advance
adult prices starting as low as £10 for season ticket holders, £13 for
Academy members and £16 for non-members. All under-16 tickets priced at just
£5.
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Noble's cause for optimism
WHUFC.com
Mark Noble is enjoying life in West Ham United's new three-man midfield
03.08.2010
Mark Noble is relishing his role at the heart of West Ham United's new
three-man midfield. The lifelong Hammers fan has lined up alongside Scott
Parker and Thomas Hitzlsperger regularly in pre-season, doing so again to
good effect in Saturday's 1-0 friendly success at Ipswich Town. That victory
made it five wins from five matches this summer for Avram Grant's squad,
with just one goal conceded. Noble told WHUTV that things are shaping up
well ahead of the 2010/11 Barclays Premier League opener at Aston Villa on
Saturday 14 August. "It's not gone too bad. We know we've got six tough
games from the start of the season and I think win five out of five in that
run then we'll all be happy. "It's good. We're on the same wavelength which
means we pass well and play a bit of football. These pre-season games are
always tough as you try to get your fitness and that, but a win is a win and
a clean sheet is a clean sheet, so we're happy."
Playing as a central striker in a three-man attack, Carlton Cole has netted
four goals in five matches in pre-season, and Noble believes his teammate
has benefitted from his summer break. "I think he's had the summer off with
not being involved with England and it's done him the world of good. He's
come back looking well and I think if we can keep him fit and keep the
others fit then I think we'll be OK."
Aside from Cole, Hitzlsperger has been in fine form since joining the club
in June, while France forward Frederic Piquionne and Mexico winger Pablo
Barrera both made encouraging debuts at Portman Road. "We've made three good
signings and we're going to need them because it is a long, tough season.
Hopefully if we can keep everyone fit and everyone fighting for their
position then it can be a good season for us."
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Southend United match preview
WHUFC.com
All the early team news and background for Tuesday evening's trip to Roots
Hall
02.08.2010
Pre-season friendly
Southend United v West Ham United
Roots Hall
Tuesday 3 August 2010
Kick-off: 7.45pm
Introduction
• West Ham United will travel to Southend United on Tuesday night for their
sixth pre-season friendly ahead of the 2010/11 Barclays Premier League
season.
• The Hammers will only have to make the short 37-mile trip along the A13 to
the south Essex seaside to face the Shrimpers, who were relegated to League
Two last season.
• West Ham will be looking to make it six wins from as many matches in
pre-season. So far, Avram Grant's men have secured victories over League One
outfit Peterborough United (2-1), German side VfL Borussia Monchengladbach
(2-0), Greek champions Panathinaikos (1-0), League One outfit MK Dons (2-0)
and Championship club Ipswich Town (1-0)
• Tuesday's fixture could see Pablo Barrera and Frederic Piquionne make
their first starts for the club after their debuts off the bench at Portman
Road against Ipswich on Saturday.
• The match will be the first of two final pre-season friendly matches
contested before the Barclays Premier League season commences with a trip to
Aston Villa on Saturday 14 August. Following Tuesday's fixture, Grant's side
conclude their preparations with the visit of Spanish Primera League club RC
Deportivo La Coruna to the Boleyn Ground on Saturday 7 August.
• The friendly will come ten days after the West Ham youth team tasted
success at the same venue, having won the Southend Youth Challenge Cup last
weekend.
• Junior Stanislas spent two months on loan at Southend on 27 November 2008.
He scored twice on his debut in a 3-1 home FA Cup second-round victory over
Luton Town on 29 November 2009. He starred for The Shrimpers in two FA Cup
third-round meetings with Chelsea and made a total of six league and three
FA Cup appearances, scoring three goals.
• Mark Noble made his first-team debut in the 2-0 home League Cup
second-round win against Southend United on 24 August 2004.
Last meeting
•The last meeting was a friendly date at Roots Hall on 28 July 2007, when
9,522 supporters saw Bobby Zamora, Craig Bellamy and Freddie Ljungberg score
in a 3-1 away victory for the Hammers.
• The lineups for that friendly were:
Southend United: Flahavan (Collis 72), Hunt, Clarke (Liptak 82), Barrett,
Gower (Lokando 88), Maher (Moussa 72), Hooper (McDonald 45), Bailey
(McCormack 61), Black (Foran), Hammell (Wilson 64), Harrold (Paynter 64)
Sub not used: Ademeno
West Ham United: Green; Neill, Ferdinand, Gabbidon, McCartney; Ljungberg
(Reid 72), Noble, Bowyer (Mullins 64), Etherington (Pantsil 78), Zamora
(Cole 59), Bellamy
Subs not used: Wright, Spector, Upson, Collins, Davenport
• The last time the two sides met in a competitive fixture saw a Marlon
Harewood brace defeat the Shrimpers 2-0 at the Boleyn Ground in the League
Cup second round in August 2004. Noble, who made his debut, is the only
player still at the club.
The West Ham United lineup was: Walker, Repka, Brevett, Harewood, Cohen,
Rebrov (Sheringham), Nowland, Reo-Coker, Ward, McClenahan, Chadwick (Noble)
Subs unused: Bywater, Blewitt, Ashikodi
Last time out
Saturday 31 July 2010
Pre-season friendly
Ipswich Town 0-1 West Ham United
West Ham United: Green, Tomkins (Stanislas 80), Da Costa (Gabbidon 62),
Upson (Noble 23), Ilunga (Daprela 73), Parker (Kovac 73), Dyer (Piquionne
62), Hitzlsperger (Barrera 73), Faubert (Spector 73), Boa Morte (Diamanti
62), Cole
Subs not used: Kurucz, Stech, McCarthy
Goal: Cole 31
Saturday 31 July 2010
Pre-season friendly
Eastbourne Borough 0-1 Southend United
Southend United: Evans, Clohessy, Barker, Grant, Coughlan, Mohsni, Soares
(Paterson 68), Easton, Howe (Crawford 64), Simpson, Spencer (Corr 53)
Subs not used: Phillips, Prosser, Morris, Herd, Zils
Goal: Mohsni 26
West Ham United
• Avram Grant's West Ham United will be aiming to continue the bright start
they have made to their pre-season schedule, which has seen them defeat
League One new boys Peterborough United (2-1) at London Road, German
Bundesliga challengers VfL Borussia Monchengladbach (2-0) in Ruhpolding,
Greek double winners Panathinaikos (1-0) in the Austrian town of Kitzbuhel,
MK Dons (2-0) at stadium:mk and Ipswich Town (1-0) at Portman Road.
• West Ham will complete their warm-up fixtures with the visit of Spanish
Primera Division club RC Deportivo La Coruna to the Boleyn Ground for the
SBOBET Cup tie on Saturday 7 August.
• Carlton Cole has been in fine form in pre-season, scoring in the victories
over Peterborough, Monchengladbach and MK Dons with just 45 minute run-outs
in each contest before adding a fourth in five games against Ipswich on
Saturday - his first 90 minutes of the summer.
• Benni McCarthy scored his first goal for the club this summer with a fine
half-volley against Monchengladbach.
• Thomas Hitzlsperger has made a bright start to his West Ham career
following his summer arrival from SS Lazio, scoring his first goal for the
club with a direct free-kick in the 1-0 victory over Panathinaikos.
• Julien Faubert is also off the mark this summer, netting the first against
MK Dons, having assisted on McCarthy's goal against Monchengladbach.
• West Ham United have gone 401 minutes without conceding this summer since
Peter Kurucz was beaten by Peterborough United's Dave Hibbert in the 49th
minute of the meeting on 14 July. Since then there have been clean sheets
against Monchengladbach, Panathinaikos, MK Dons and Ipswich.
• Grant's side will kick-off their Barclays Premier League campaign with a
trip to Aston Villa on Saturday 14 August.
Southend United
• New manager Paul Sturrock has signed two centre-backs in Mark Phillips and
Luke Prosser, who were at Brentford and Port Vale respectively last season.
They will help fill the gap by the departure of last season's Player of the
Year Simon Francis, who has signed for Charlton Athletic.
• Other new recruits this summer who have joined the Blues include Graham
Coughlin, Barry Corr, Craig Easton and Peter Gilbert - all of whom played
under Sturrock at previous clubs.
• The list of new recruits also include goalkeepers Rhys Evans and Glenn
Morris, defenders Moshni Bilel, a Tunisian who had been playing amateur
football in Paris, and Sean Clohess, midfield trio Louis Soares, Ryan Hall
and Sofiene Zaaboub plus striker Blair Sturrock.
• As well as Francis, Southend have parted company with French duo Francis
Laurent and Jean-Francois Christophe along with goalkeeper Steve Mildenhall,
midfielder Alan McCormack and defender Adam Barrett.
Team news
• West Ham United manager Avram Grant may give first starts to Pablo Barrera
and Frederic Piquionne.
• Matthew Upson was taken off as a precaution midway through the first half
on Saturday against Ipswich and it remains to be seen if he will figure.
• Freddie Sears, fresh from a four-goal haul for the reserves on Thursday,
will hope to come back into the first-team picture after missing out on
Saturday.
• Long-term injury absentees Zavon Hines and Jack Collison (both knee) will
not be available while Valon Behrami has been training but not fully after
his exertions at the FIFA World Cup.
• For Southend, Plymouth Argyle left-back Chris Barker may get another game
as a triallist, as could Peterborough United forward Rene Howe.
General information
• The weather forecast on Tuesday night is for a cloudy evening, with
temperatures at a maximum of 15C.
• Tickets for the match are priced at £10 for adults and £5 for concessions.
West Ham have been allocated 2,700 tickets, which are on general sale now.
Tickets ordered will be available from the West Stand Ticket Office until
3pm Tuesday.
• Any remaining tickets will be on sale through the North Stand turnstiles
on the night of the game. However, the club would strongly recommend
supporters purchase tickets in advance for this fixture. Please check
whufc.com on the day of the game for matchday information.
• Southend United's Commercial Department also has a number of corporate
hospitality packages available at prices to suite all budgets. For details,
call the Blues' corporate sales manager Junior Garrod on 01702 304128.
Next up
• Southend begin their Npower League Two campaign at home against Stockport
County on Saturday 7 August.
• West Ham will play host to Spanish club RC Deportivo La Coruna in SBOBET
Cup in aid of the Academy on Saturday 7 August. For details of how to
purchase tickets, click here.
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Big day for Fanimo
WHUFC.com
Homegrown Hammer Matthias Fanimo will hope to line up for England U17s on
Tuesday afternoon
03.08.2010
Matthias Fanimo will hope to line up for England Under-17s this afternoon
when they begin their Nordic Tournament campaign in Finland. The
eight-nation event has seen England drawn in Group A with the hosts, who
they play in their opening match on Tuesday, Denmark and Iceland. The
competition is seen as a warm-up for the start of qualification for the 2011
UEFA European Under-17 Championship to be played in Serbia next summer and
the FIFA U17 World Cup later next year. Fanimo, the West Ham United
attacker, has already tasted success with at Under-16 level, helping the the
Young Lions to win the Victory Shield last season. He and his team-mates in
the 18-man squad have certainly impressed coach Kenny Swain, ahead of the
Finland date with Wednesday's match with Denmark and Friday's contest
against Iceland to follow. "The training has been first class," he told
theFA.com. "We've had a few sessions since we've been here in Finland and
we've tried to maximise their understanding of what's required in such a
short space of time. ""It will be a tough opening game. I'm sure Finland
will provide stiff opposition. But I know that we are well capable of coming
out with a performance. Hopefully a good game against Finland will set us up
nicely for Denmark because the games do come round very quickly."
Depending on results, they will then face a final game against either
Sweden, Scotland, Faroe Islands or Norway on Sunday. The annual FA
International Tournament in a fortnight when Australia, Turkey and Portugal
arrive before the UEFA U17 EURO qualifying campaign begins in October, ahead
of the summer finals next year when the Young Lions will defend the title
that Robert Hall helped them to win this May.
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Boleyn bow for Barrera
WHUFC.com
The big match against RC Deportivo La Coruna will be Pablo Barrera's first
real taste of the Boleyn Ground
02.08.2010
There is less than a week to go until West Ham United welcome RC Deportivo
La Coruna to the Boleyn Ground for the SBOBET Cup. Supporters should make
sure of their seat now for the glamour match against the Spanish giants on
Saturday, which will be the first chance to see new signings such as Thomas
Hitzlsperger and Frederic Piquionne in action at home. The Hammers are on a
high with five wins from five and conceded just one goal to date this
summer.
Perhaps the most intriguing battle will be between Mexico's FIFA World Cup
wingers Pablo Barrera and Andres Guardado. Barrera - the Hammers' third new
recruit of the summer - could also make his first home appearance while
Guardado is Deportivo's star man and has just pledged his future to the
Riazor club.
Speaking exclusively to whufc.com, the 23-year-old winger said: "I am really
excited. I just want to start playing with my new team and get up to speed.
The manager wants me to keep playing as I did in the World Cup, to play out
wide and play my own game." "I'm getting there little by little. I had
two-three weeks off after the World Cup, although I did some training in
Mexico with Pumas before the move to West Ham happened."
The Depor match will be the ideal way to judge how ready Avram Grant's men
are for the new Barclays Premier League season with it all getting under way
just seven days later away to Aston Villa. With advanced ticket prices
starting at just £10 for season ticket holders, fans are advised to move
fast to make sure of their seat. Deportivo, who finshed tenth in La Liga
last term, have enjoyed an illustrious recent history, winning the Spanish
title for the first time in their history in 2000 and finishing as
runners-up in each of the following two seasons. The Galician club reached
the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in 2003/04.
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Grant won't sell Cole
Hammers boss feels new system is helping striker
Last updated: 3rd August 2010
SSN
Avram Grant insists he does not want to sell Carlton Cole and believes West
Ham United's new system will bring the best out of the striker. Cole has
been linked with a move to Premier League rivals Stoke City, although
Potters boss Tony Pulis has played down reports he is planning a bid. The
England international has impressed for the Hammers in pre-season following
new manager Grant's decision to change to a 4-3-3 formation. Grant has been
pleased with Cole's form in the build-up to the new campaign and has vowed
to keep the 26-year-old at Upton Park. "I don't want to sell Carlton," said
Grant, who is also determined to keep Scott Parker at the club. "He is
working very hard. His attitude is good. He is a good player. Against
Ipswich, he was in the right place at the right time again. "I think the new
system has helped him. We also have a team that know how to play football so
they can give him the pass at the right time. "If you look at all the goals
we have scored this summer, all the goals came from combinations between
many players in the team. Of course it is good for him."
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Pompey to deal in Ashdown
Portsmouth fend off late interest from West Ham for keeper
Last updated: 2nd August 2010
SSN
Portsmouth are poised to re-sign Jamie Ashdown to fend off late interest
from West Ham, skysports.com understands. Ashdown was released by Portsmouth
at the end of last season following the expiration of his contract. However,
he linked up with the Fratton Park club for their tour of America and he has
impressed during pre-season. With David James having left for Bristol
City,Portsmouth boss Steve Cotterill is keen to resolve the club's
goalkeeping position and he is ready to offer Ashdown a contract. Portsmouth
have moved quickly to tie down Ashdown after West Ham registered an interest
in acquiring his services. West Ham are searching for a new goalkeeper as
they look to provide cover and competition for No.1 Robert Green and they
are believed to have sounded out a move for Ashdown. However, Portsmouth are
set to secure Ashdown's future with the keeper expected to pen a two-year
deal before the start of the new Championship season this weekend.
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We Av to keep hold of Carlton
The Sun
By ADAM SIMMONS
Published: Today
AVRAM GRANT is adamant West Ham will not sell striker Carlton Cole before
the new season kicks off. Cole, 26, has been linked with a £9million move to
Stoke but new Hammers boss Grant is desperate to keep him. The ex-England
man scored the only goal in Saturday's 1-0 win at Ipswich - his fourth goal
in five pre-season games. Although West Ham have made a £13m bid for Nice
striker Loic Remy, Grant said: "I don't want to sell Carlton. He's working
very hard and his attitude is good. "The new 4-3-3 system has helped him. We
also have a team that knows how to play football, so they can pass to him at
the right time."
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Kieron Dy-ing to play anywhere
The Sun
Published: 02 Aug 2010
WEST HAM'S injury-plagued midfielder Kieron Dyer is ready to play in any
position under new boss Avram Grant if it means enjoying regular first-team
football. Dyer has been restricted to just seven Premier League starts for
the Hammers after suffering a broken leg soon after he joined from Newcastle
for £6million in 2007. But the former England international is confident of
being fit for the start of the new season, against Aston Villa on Saturday,
August 14, after coming through an hour against Ipswich on Saturday. Grant
has introduced a 4-3-3 system since his arrival at West Ham, with two wide
players supporting Carlton Cole as central striker. Dyer would suit an
attacking role in Grant's formation - but he ended up playing right back
against Ipswich. He said: "That was my fifth position in pre-season. I've
said I will play anywhere. "Obviously, I'm a versatile player and with Matty
Upson coming off early, I dropped back into right-back, and I quite enjoyed
it. "We've got another game on Tuesday and one on Saturday, so hopefully
I'll get 90 minutes in one of those games and it will set me up for Villa."
West Ham completed their fifth pre-season victory against Ipswich, and after
the game, Grant praised the influence of his England internationals Cole,
Robert Green and Scott Parker. But all three could be involved in England's
pre-season friendly against Hungary on Wednesday, August 11. Grant said: "It
is not good for the team that four days before the season starts you cannot
practice with all the players."
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Dyer ready adapt for Grant
ITV.,co.uk
Published: Tue Aug 3 2010, 7.54AM
West Ham's injury-plagued midfielder Kieron Dyer is ready to play in any
position under new boss Avram Grant if it means enjoying regular first-team
football.
Dyer has been restricted to just seven Barclays Premier League starts for
the Hammers after suffering a broken leg soon after he joined from Newcastle
for £6million in 2007. But the former England international is confident of
being fit for the start of the new season, against Aston Villa on August 14,
after coming through an hour against Ipswich. Grant has introduced a 4-3-3
system since his arrival at West Ham, with two wide players supporting
Carlton Cole as central striker. Dyer would suit an attacking role in
Grant's formation - but he ended up playing right back against Ipswich.
"That was my fifth position in pre-season," he said. "I've said I will play
anywhere and I'm obviously a versatile player and with Matty Upson coming
off early I dropped back into right-back, and I quite enjoyed it actually.
"It's been a long time since I played an hour but it's petrol in the tank,
as they say. "We've got another game on Tuesday and one on Saturday, so
hopefully I'll get 90 minutes in one of those games and it will set me up
for Villa. "I was really stiff towards the end but we've had a really
difficult training week and you could see from our performance that everyone
was very tired and nobody really had any explosive pace. Ipswich gave us a
good test.
"We're all aiming for August 14 and it's going really well."
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Hammers boss hints at more new signings
4:02pm Monday 2nd August 2010
Guardian Series
WEST Ham boss Avram Grant is happy with his squad - but it might not be
complete just yet. With just under two weeks to go before the big Premier
League kick-off, the Hammers boss said he would still like to strengthen it.
"We are happy with the squad, but we can make it stronger," he insisted. Of
course, he will certainly not want to see it weakened, with rumours still
abounding over the futures of star players Carlton Cole and Scott Parker.
But Grant is confident both will be at Upton Park next season. Following
Saturday's 1-0 friendly win over Ipswich Town at Portman Road, Grant again
spent most of the post-match press conference telling reporters that the duo
were not going anywhere. However, that has still failed to put an end to the
rumours. Of Parker, Grant said: "Of course, it's reasonable many clubs will
want a player like him, but he's great for us. I'm not encouraging any bids
for Scott. We want him . . . Scott will play a big part for us."
The win at Ipswich made it five out of five in pre-season for West Ham, an
encouraging statistic, even if results are not really important. Cole hit
the winner on the half hour, bundling the ball home from close range after
Luis Boa-Morte had seen his header saved. "Carlton is working very hard and
his attitude is good," said Grant, before confidently stating that the
striker, like Parker, would be a West Ham player when the season kicks off
for real at Aston Villa on August 14.
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