WHUFC.com
Valon Behrami insists West Ham United must travel to Chelsea with victory in
mind this weekend
09.03.2010
Valon Behrami has challenged his West Ham United team-mates to "do something
special" by winning at Chelsea on Saturday. The Switzerland midfielder was
part of the Hammers team that drew 1-1 at Stamford Bridge last season - and
the No21 is desperate to go one better by securing a victory over Carlo
Ancelotti's team. To do so, West Ham will have to secure their first away
success in 14 matches, having not won on their travels since beating
Wolverhampton Wanderers on the opening day of the Barclays Premier League
season. However, Chelsea were beaten on their own patch in their last home
league fixture - going down 4-2 to Manchester City - and Behrami has called
on his colleagues to be at their very best, both mentally and physically,
this weekend. "The approach has got to be different from the last game [a
2-1 defeat by Bolton Wanderers]. Already, when you play teams like this
[Chelsea] it's going to be different, but after Saturday we need to do
something special like go away and win the games. "We can do something
special, I think, but we all have to be at 100 per cent and be at 100 per
cent mentally and physically. That is not so easy, because if anybody
doesn't give 100 per cent, we can't win the games. "We have time. Every
time, you have time, but we have had a lot of chances to get out of this
situation and we didn't do it, so now the time is shorter. We have a few
other home games and that's where we have to change our mentality."
Behrami believes West Ham must go to Chelsea believing they can beat them,
insisting that a positive mindset is vital to achieving a positive result.
"For me, I think it's going to be mentally hard. Physically, I'm sure the
statistics will show that we ran more than the other team, but really the
big thing is the mentality. With this team last year, without three or four
players, we would go and play and play very well and get some good results.
It's now just in our minds, as our attitude can change everything."
Looking back on Saturday's defeat by Bolton, Behrami echoed the sentiments
of manager Gianfranco Zola that a slow start - Kevin Davies and Jack
Wilshere put the Trotters 2-0 up within 16 minutes - had scuppered the
Hammers' hopes. "It was a big disappointment for us because we didn't expect
this performance. We didn't prepare for the game like this and it was one of
the worst games we have played under Mister these last two years. I'm very
disappointed because we've lost a big chance and now it's going to be hard.
"The way we started, the mentality how we started was poor I think, compared
to the Hull City game when we started very well. When you start in the
Premier League like we did in the opening 20 minutes, every single mistake
will be punished. "We are really disappointed and now it will be very hard.
It was already hard and it will be harder now."
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Gabbidon back in action
WHUFC.com
A practice game on Monday afternoon saw Danny Gabbidon get more than an hour
under his belt
08.03.2010
Danny Gabbidon made a welcome return to action and Kieron Dyer continued his
comeback as a West Ham United XI lost out 2-0 to Major League Soccer side
San Jose Earthquakes in a specially-arranged friendly. San Jose, whose new
season begins on 27 March, have been training at Tottenham Hotspur's
training ground since last Friday and looked sharp on a chilly afternoon at
the Boleyn Ground. Gabbidon and Dyer both played for just over an hour while
there were also run-outs for Manuel da Costa, Fabio Daprela, Ilan and Mido.
The second half saw several changes for the Hammers, with Terry Dixon
getting the final 25 minutes of the game after appearing for Republic of
Ireland Under-21s last week. San Jose, in contrast, made just one
substitution as manager Frank Yallop focused on his first-choice XI for the
new MLS season. Among the visitors lineup was Bobby Convey, the former
Reading left-winger.
West Ham United: Kurucz, N'Gala, Da Costa (Moncur 68), Gabbidon (Sanchez
67), Daprela (Zola 68), Dyer (Dixon 65), Spence, Payne, Edgar, Ilan (Lee
46), Mido (Brookes 74)
Sub unused: Stech
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Dyer desperate to shine
WHUFC.com
Kieron Dyer has told WHUTV he is eager to make up for lost time and excel
for West Ham United
08.03.2010
Kieron Dyer has told WHUTV he is desperate to prove he can be a valuable
member of the West Ham United squad. The 31-year-old has endured a hugely
frustrating and painful time since joining the Hammers from Newcastle United
in July 2007. Dyer's West Ham career was just 193 minutes old when his left
leg was shattered in a challenge by Bristol Rovers defender Joe Jacobsen in
a League Cup tie on 28 August 2007. The injury - a compound fracture of the
tibia and fibula - required four operations to put his leg back together,
ruling the No7 out until January 2009. Since then, Dyer has been blighted by
a series of hamstring injuries, and the player is understandably fed up of
being confined to the treatment table rather than the dressing room. "All I
keep saying is that people forget that my leg was broken just as badly as
Aaron Ramsey's. I've had four operations just to fix it, I give 110 per cent
in rehab every time. "The fittest I've been since I became a West Ham player
was at Wolverhampton on the first day of the season and I showed in that 70
minutes that I was on the pitch what I can do. I'm confident that, when I
get match-fit, I'm going to be an asset to this club. Dyer made his second
consecutive first-team appearance in Saturday's 2-1 Barclays Premier League
defeat by Bolton Wanderers, playing for 43 minutes, and he hopes to be
involved from the start in a practice game this week. "I'm still nowhere
near match-fitness. I've got another game for the reserves and hopefully I
can play my first full 90 minutes for a number of years. Hopefully that will
put me in good stead for getting to full fitness."
While he admits he is nowhere near full match-fitness, Dyer impressed with
his strong running in Saturday's loss to Bolton. However, he was as
disappointed as anyone with the final result. "It was a frustrating
afternoon, but full credit to Bolton, because they thoroughly deserved the
three points. They had a flier out of the traps, maybe there was a bit of
complacency on our part because we've had a couple of great results at home
of late, and all in all it was a very frustrating day. "To win football
matches, you need eight or nine players to be on top of their games. You can
afford one or two players to have an off-day, but it was one of those days
where, for the whole 90 minutes, we were not at our best and that's why we
lost the game. "Bolton created a lot more chances than us, so all in all it
was a disappointing day and one we need to get over very quickly."
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Manager on Monday
WHUFC.com
After the Bolton setback, the manager is thinking only of making up for it
as soon as possible
08.03.2010
Gianfranco Zola is determined to see a reaction from his players when they
go to Chelsea this weekend looking to prove a point. Last season, the
manager's men went to Stamford Bridge and more than held their own against
their hosts. In the end, they had to be content with a 1-1 draw but, with a
bit of fortune on their side, could have secured a famous victory. After the
disappointment of the 2-1 weekend reverse against Bolton Wanderers, Zola is
eager to see his team bounce back. He is waiting for news on knocks for
Julien Faubert and Junior Stanislas, while Manuel da Costa is banned for the
next three matches after his reserves red card last month. "We have to pick
ourselves up and go again this week as we have a massive game to come at
Chelsea," Zola said. "I told the players that we lost three points that we
should have won and we need to get them back as soon as possible. I don't
care that we are playing Chelsea next Saturday or Arsenal after that. We are
going to go to Stamford Bridge and fight for our lives. I have no doubt
about that. "We have to remember that we did well and drew at Chelsea and
Arsenal last season. Actually we could have got more than a point at
Stamford Bridge when we were in a similar situation. I know my players will
be determined to make up for the frustration. I am not going to go there
already beaten because I know football can surprise you. "
Zola will also be grateful for the chance to work all week with his players
having only had one day's full preparation for Bolton. He is under no
illusions though about the challenge ahead and stressed the club cannot rely
just on getting enough points from the five fixtures to come at the Boleyn.
"You can think that you can leave the away games - but, by doing that, you
are putting pressure on yourself for the home games. So you need to get some
points away and we are going to be working on that. "We are thinking that
the relegation safety mark is 37, 38 points. It is difficult for everybody,
not only us, to get points so we'll see what happens. We think that 37
should be enough."
The slow start at the weekend cannot be repeated. "It doesn't help. It's
been a season when we haven't got going as well as we would have wanted.
That is the thing that frustrates me most. We have to understand that this
will be a tough season until the end so our focus has to be 100 per cent.
"When we tried to play, we caused [Bolton] problems. We didn't create
anything when we just kicked the ball into the strikers. "The goal we scored
through Alessandro Diamanti was because we changed the ball from right to
left. The other opportunities were created like that. When you are behind,
you have to create different situations and hope that the ball goes in
instead of hitting the crossbar. "There is not much more to say, the players
know exactly what happened and why we lost. This is a lesson that we cannot
repeat. It is a big lesson and we will respond next time."
Zola will have an opportunity to run the rule over some of his squad
including the returning Kieron Dyer with practice-match run-outs this week
while Scott Parker will be available against his former club this weekend
because he avoided picking up a tenth yellow card on Saturday.
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Behrami : It's just too bad by us
The Sun
By PAT SHEEHAN
Published: Today
VALON BEHRAMI reckons West Ham produced their worst display in TWO YEARS at
home to fellow strugglers Bolton. The Hammers midfielder pulled no punches
after Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Upton Park. And he believes the team's task
in beating the drop just got tougher for manager Gianfranco Zola. Behrami,
24, insisted: "It was one of our worst games with Mr Zola in the last two
years. "We lost a big chance and now it will be very, very tough. It was
already hard - and now it will be harder still." West Ham are back in deep
trouble, sitting three points off the bottom three with 10 games to go.
Swiss international Behrami added: "Every player will have to give 100 per
cent both mentally and physically." Hammers defender Danny Gabbidon is
hoping to make his long-awaited comeback away to Chelsea on Saturday. The
full-back, 30, has been plagued by injuries for three years but is back in
full training.
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Lletget rapidly progressing at West HamEmail Print Comments
22Share40retweet7By Justin Rodriguez
Special to ESPN.com
Sebastian Lletget figured the scout was at camp to run the team through some
drills. Sebastian Lletget has made rapid progress in West Ham's academy
system.And this wasn't any scout. This was Mike Leigh of famed West Ham
United. As it turns out, Leigh hadn't traveled to Santa Clara Sporting to
run a few one-on-one drills and tell the charges some stories about the
English Premier League. The Hammers sent Leigh all the way to northern
California in June 2006 to check out Lletget -- 13 at the time -- after
hearing about him from Santa Clara Sporting coach Carlos Brasil. "I was in
shock when [Leigh] came up to me and started talking to me about Sebastian,"
says Lletget's father, Francisco. "I used to be a player, but I didn't have
Sebastian's skills. To be honest, to hear that, this was a like dream come
true."
Or, at the very least, the beginning of an American soccer dream.
Fast-forward almost four years later and Sebastian Lletget is now an
attacking midfielder for West Ham's U-18 team. He routinely works out with
the reserve and full teams at Upton Park. "I'm giving myself a chance to be
with the full team by the end of this year," says Lletget, who turned 18 in
September. "I want to play for the first team and I think I can do it. The
way I'm playing, I can see it, and that would be really big for me. That's
the way I feel."
And as for Lletget thinking he can play for West Ham's full team this
season? "I made this statement to his father last year: If he keeps going
like he is, he could play for the full team in a year," says Leigh. "The
first thing you notice about Sebastian is that he just has such great ball
control. He's a great passer and he's always one play ahead of the game. I
think the only thing he needs to do now is shoot more, which he's working
on."
Adds Leigh: "I think if an opportunity arises, I think [Lletget] could make
a start this year. If not, definitely next year. [West Ham manager]
Giancarlo Zola likes him." According to Leigh, West Ham super scout Jimmy
Hampson once told him that Lletget is the best 14-year-old to ever play for
the famed club. Keep in mind, West Ham has developed, among others, Frank
Lampard and Joe Cole. As long as Lletget's game keeps developing, he's
likely to make the grade for West Ham. He received his European Union
passport -- his grandfather is from Italy -- last spring. Leigh adds that
Lletget earned his work permit in December. Lletget's run to EPL glory began
when he just a young boy. His father brought him to Brisbane Park in south
San Francisco with a soccer ball as soon as he could walk. Back in June
2006, when the younger Lletget learned that Leigh's eyes were fixated on
him, he lit up a U-14 tournament in Sacramento, with the scout on the
sideline; Lletget recalls scoring at least 10 goals in six games. By July
2006, Lletget was at West Ham on a two-week trial. Only 13, Lletget was
assigned to the club's U-18s, because the Hammers didn't have any younger
squads. Even if it was just training, Lletget remembers the experience well.
Here he was, an American kid, unknown at this big-time academy across the
pond. Lletget gathered the ball on the run for the first time at the 18. He
beat a defender and then the keeper far post. "Within 10 minutes of seeing
[Lletget], Tony Carr [West Ham's director of youth development] said that
the kid is special," Leigh says. "He thought Sebastian was fantastic; he
just blew Tony away."
After lighting up Upton Park in the summer of '06, Lletget made return trips
to train with West Ham during breaks with the U.S. U-17 residency team.
Lletget left the U-17 program in May 2009 when he signed a two-year youth
academy contract with The Hammers. "I love being here; I love taking my
game to the next level," says Lletget, being mentored by West Ham's American
defender Jonathan Spector, who often takes the up-and-comer to dinner. "I'm
tested every day, especially because I'm American. At first, the coaches
wouldn't even shake my hand; they just had to see me play. I just had to
earn everyone's respect."
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Valon Behrami says West Ham need to change their attitude
Evening Standard
09.03.10
Valon Behrami insists West Ham will have to sort their heads out if they are
to stand any chance of avoiding relegation. West Ham slipped closer to the
danger zone on Saturday after a 2-1 home defeat to fellow strugglers Bolton.
Behrami described the Hammers' performance as one of the poorest he can
recall since Gianfranco Zola took over as manager. To make matters worse,
West Ham now have back-to-back away games at Chelsea and then Arsenal.
Behrami maintained the Hammers are capable of producing "something special"
to avoid the drop - but he demanded a change of attitude. "It was deeply
disappointing for us (against Bolton). It was one of our worst games with Mr
Zola in the last two years. We lost a big chance," said Behrami. "If you
look at the statistics, we run more than other teams - but the big thing is
our mentality. So it is on our mind and our attitude. "When you make
technical mistakes you can work on them. Easy. You just keep working hard.
"But the problem is bigger when it is mental. It is very difficult to work
on that. Time is running short. We have to change something as the situation
now is not good for us. "We can do something special but we have to all play
100%. Every player needs to give 100% mentally and physically. That is not
so easy. If only one player gives 80% we can't win the game." It was already
hard and now it will be harder still."
The statistics back up Behrami's point about a side lacking mental
toughness. West Ham have not won a Barclays Premier League match all season
in which they have conceded the first goal. West Ham's best performance in
that situation was rallying from 2-0 down to draw with Arsenal but they have
now lost the other 12. At the weekend, Bolton were 2-0 up inside 16 minutes
and Zola knows the Hammers cannot afford to make another sluggish start at
Stamford Bridge. "It's been a season when we haven't got going as well as we
would have wanted. That is the thing that frustrates me most," said Zola.
"The Bolton game is going to be a big lesson for everybody in that respect.
We need to get some points away from home."
Zola agreed with Behrami that West Ham will not head into their successive
London derbies without any hope at all. "They are big, big teams and big
games. No-one is expecting anything from us but football is strange," said
Zola. "Last year, we got a point in both games so I am not going to go there
already beaten because I know football can have surprises."
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Earthquakes knock off EPL side West Ham United 2-0
Johnson finds net for San Jose as Quakes win first match in London
03/08/2010 1:07 PM
Mlsnet.com
LONDON -- The San Jose Earthquakes defeated Barclays Premier League side
West Ham United 2-0 on Monday at Upton Park in London. The Earthquakes
benefited from an own goal by Jordan Spence and a goal on their own by Ryan
Johnson. San Jose took the lead at Upton Park in the 8th minute, on an own
goal by Jordan Spence. Bobby Convey whipped a low cross off of a free kick
to the near post, and Spence had it graze off his head and past the keeper,
Peter Kurucz. The initial foul was drawn by Ryan Johnson, who was brought
down near the corner flag.
San Jose possessed the ball very well throughout the 90 minutes, holding a
good portion of possession in the match. The Quakes saw another scoring
opportunity materialize in the first half, as Convey and Arturo Alvarez
combined, which sent Convey through on goal, but Kurucz came out with a
sliding stop. Once the second half began, San Jose was at it again, and in
the 50th minute, Johnson was played in by Joey Gjertsen, who intercepted
possession near midfield. Johnson fought through a few challenges and
finished into the bottom corner of the far post to double the tally for the
Quakes.
San Jose nearly added a third in the 61st minute when Alvarez weaved through
the West Ham defense and broke through on goal, but Kurucz was equal to the
task, parrying Alvarezs drive over the bar for a corner. West Ham looked to
draw one back in the 85th minute as Josh Payne had an opportunity from about
25 yards out, but his shot was hit just wide. San Jose beat a West Ham side
with 10 players who have played at some point with the first team and held
them scoreless behind some very solid defense. West Ham did not register a
shot on target during the full 90 minutes.
The Earthquakes continue their string of matches this week in London with
Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday at Spurs Lodge. Spurs are said to be playing
some regulars in that match as well. Friday, San Jose takes on the Colorado
Rapids at Spurs Lodge as well to round out the set of three games. Check out
the Earthquakes new YouTube page for the game recap.
San Jose Earthquakes vs. West Ham United
March 8, 2010 Upton Park
Scoring Summary: SJ Jordan Spence (Own Goal) 8
SJ Ryan Johnson (Arturo Alvarez) 50
Misconduct Summary:
None
San Jose Earthquakes: Joe Cannon, Chris Leitch, Ike Opara, Jason Hernandez,
Ramiro Corrales (Steven Beitashour 81), Joey Gjertsen, Brad Ring, Javier
Robles, Bobby Convey, Ryan Johnson, Arturo Alvarez.
West Ham United: Peter Kurucz, Bondz NGala, Manuel da Costa (George Moncur
68), Danny Gabbidon (Sergio Sanchez 67), Fabio Daprela (Andrea Zola 68),
Kieron Dyer (Terry Dixon 65), Jordan Spence, Josh Payne, Anthony Edgar, Ilan
(Olly Lee 45), Mido .
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Danny Gabbidon on stand-by after Tomkins tonking
Ken Dyer
08.03.10
Evening Standard
Danny Gabbidon could make a surprise return for West Ham at Chelsea on
Saturday, as Gianfranco Zola looks to take young defender James Tomkins out
of the firing line.
England Under-21 international Tomkins endured a nightmare afternoon in the
2-1 defeat by Bolton at the weekend and Zola is considering resting him.
Wales international Gabbidon, who has been plagued by injury for the last
two seasons, last played against Chelsea just before Christmas but is back
in full training. Zola's other central defensive option, Manuel Da Costa, is
suspended, while Zola will also be without full-back Julien Faubert, who has
a hamstring injury. Tomkins was at fault for both Bolton goals in the
first half and Zola said: "He will have to work a lot, he knows that. It
wasn't James's best game." Jack Collison should be back in contention for
the game with Chelsea, while Mark Noble, who fractured a bone in his arm
against Manchester United, could soon return with a lightweight protective
cast.
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Scott Parker tells West Ham fans: Your anger made it more difficult for us
against Bolton
By Arindam Rej
Last updated at 10:58 AM on 08th March 2010
Daily Mail
West Ham midfielder Scott Parker says the Upton Park crowd made life even
more difficult for the team during Saturday's 2-1 defeat against Bolton. The
tough-tackling star also admitted that 'individual errors' were to blame for
the disappointing defeat, which allowed fellow relegation battlers Bolton to
leapfrog the Hammers in the Barclays Premier League table. Gianfranco Zola's
side were 2-0 down within 16 minutes. First Julien Faubert and James Tomkins
allowed Kevin Davies to get in between them and head in the opener. Then
Tomkins allowed Davies to barge past him and put in a cross that West Ham's
other defenders made a mess of clearing, allowing Jack Wilshere to score.
That awful start ensured the locals were agitated throughout. Parker said:
'I just felt that the crowd were a little bit restless and rightly so,
because we didn't really give them anything to go on. 'When you're out
there, it's always difficult, and when you feel the edginess of the fans -
which was rightly so - it was always going to be hard. After a little while,
although we kept digging in, it became increasingly difficult. 'It was a
very frustrating afternoon. It was a poor result and a poor start from us.
We didn't come out of the blocks at all, started the game really badly and a
couple of individual errors cost us. 'When you're 2-0 down within 15
minutes, it is always going to be tough. We got a goal back late on and, to
be honest, we didn't deserve anything out of the game, the way we played.
Having said that, we did have some good chances, but we didn't have a
cutting edge.'
Things get even tougher for the Hammers, who take on Chelsea and Arsenal
next. Speaking about the Chelsea match on Saturday, Parker said: 'It's
going to be a tough game. We'd like to have come out of this game (against
Bolton) with three points or at least one. Having said that, we went there
last year and got something. 'The one thing we need to do at Stamford Bridge
is to start the game right and, if we do, and we get the fundamentals right,
then we have a chance. When you go to Chelsea, you're always going to be up
against a good, good team, so it's going to be difficult.'
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Zola's position in the spotlight
Harry Harris
March 8, 2010
ESPN
Gianfranco Zola is under pressure after defeat to Bolton © Getty
ImagesGianfranco Zola's future is on the line at West Ham following the
shock home defeat to Bolton and the return of a genuine threat of
relegation.
If Zola does go in the summer, there would be a massive overhaul of the
playing staff should a new manager move in, with Mark Hughes and Slaven
Bilic the favourites to succeed him. And it is not just Zola's future that
is on the line - it could be that half of the current squad might follow him
out of the Upton Park door.
There are already murmurings within Upton Park that Zola is under enormous
pressure and that he is feeling the strain of the club's demanding new
owners David Gold and David Sullivan, and the indications are that few would
be surprised to see Zola simply walk away at the end of the season.
Zola is wealthy in his own right after an illustrious career in Italy and
England, as a legend with Chelsea and Napoli, where he played with Diego
Maradona, though he has steadfastly insisted that he has a mission to
complete at the club and wishes to see it through.
But much depends on the next few games, and whether West Ham can escape
relegation and ideally avoid spending the rest of the season looking over
their shoulder in fear of the drop.
While there is uncertainty about Zola's future, the players, some of them
Zola's choices, will discover that several will follow the manager out of
the door if the Italian does leave in the summer. The arrival of Hughes or
Croatia coach and Hammers icon Bilic would result in the break-up of the
current team, meaning many Hammers players may now be playing for their
futures.
Zola has made no secret of his unease at the way Gold and Sullivan have
taken over the club with a demanding attitude. In the past Zola has had a
free rein while the banks were trying to sort out the financial mess but he
is now answerable to Karren Brady, the troubleshooter brought in by Gold and
Sullivan due to her vast experience at Birmingham City.
With the team's form dipping ahead of the match with Birmingham recently,
Sullivan said that the players at Upton Park are vastly over paid. Zola hit
back in a public manner, criticising Sullivan for making openly provocative
remarks on the eve of such a big game, but it worked, and seemed to motivate
the players, who wanted to win for their manager and pulled off the desired
result.
Those players will need to remind themselves of what is at stake, and what
the future may hold, if they let down their manager again, as they did
against Bolton on Saturday.
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West Ham ready to revise contract plans to secure Green
08.03.10 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United hope to hang onto goalkeeper Robert Green. The Mirror says
David Sullivan and David Gold took charge at Upton Park in January with a
vow to retain the club's biggest stars until this summer at least. But
Sullivan was aware when he arrived that keeper Green, who has nine caps
after starting against Egypt, was looking to leave after a contract wrangle.
Green, 30, is unhappy he remains relatively low paid compared to his
team-mates like Kieron Dyer, who earn £65,000-a-week. Sullivan is now
willing to review the club's decision should they retain their top-flight
status. And he is hopeful Green will agree fresh terms after receiving
initial positive feedback about the star staying.
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