from Ipswich (SportsMail)
Kieron Dyer looks to have kicked his last ball for West Ham, ending one
of the least cost-effective transfers in the club's history.
Manager Avram Grant recalled the midfielder from a loan spell at Ipswich
this month, hoping he could play a part in the club's five-match
relegation battle.
But he limped off 20 minutes into a reserves clash with Bolton on
Tuesday with a leg injury and Sportsmail understands that the Hammers
have already written off his chances of playing again this season.
There was good news from team-mate Jack Collison, who played 90 minutes
in the reserves' 1-0 defeat as he returns from a knee injury.
'The knee has been good,' Collison said. 'To be fair the medical team
have been brilliant for me. I feel good and I'm ready and raring to go.
'Obviously it has been frustrating at times. With the team we've got we
have played some really nice stuff at times and the results just don't
seem to have come.'
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Carlton Cole hit by £20k fine for Twitter comments during England's
Ghana friendly (Mail Online)
By Laura Williamson
Carlton Cole has been fined £20,000 by the FA for his Twitter comments
during England's match against Ghana last month.
The West Ham striker admitted the charge of improper conduct but
requested a personal hearing with the FA's Regulatory Commission.
£20k fine: Cole
He was represented by the Professional Footballers' Association on
Wednesday.
Cole tweeted: 'Immigration has surrounded the Wembley premises! I knew
it was a trap! Hahahaha. The only way to get out safely is to wear an
England jersey and paint your face w/ the St. George's flag!'
He later deleted the tweet and said it was a 'joke'.
Bobby Barnes, deputy chief executive of the PFA, said: 'The commission fully
accepted the mitigation put forward on Carlton's behalf and his apology
for any offence caused, however unintentionally.
'A fine was imposed with a warning as to future conduct but no ban was
enforced. This case, along with the recent Ryan Babel case, highlights
the need for players to be vigilant when using social media.
'We would advise players not to stop tweeting but to bear in mind that
this is not an intimate private conversation.'
In January, Ryan Babel received a £10,000 fine for posting a mocked-up
picture of referee Howard Webb wearing a Manchester United shirt on
Twitter after Liverpool's 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford.
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Boris Johnson pledges his support for Tottenham stadium move (Daily
Telegraph)
Boris Johnson will continue to help Tottenham move to a new ground
despite their potential legal challenge to his endorsement of West Ham
as preferred bidder for the Olympic Stadium, the London mayor said on
Wednesday.
Johnson said he was confident the decision would withstand legal
challenge and that the choice of West Ham, made on the recommendation of
the Olympic Park Legacy Company, was "the right one for London", adding
that he was committed to helping Tottenham find an alternative.
Spurs are considering judicial review of Johnson's decision after losing
out to West Ham, and have commenced proceedings against Newham Council,
which is to borrow £40m to fund the Olympic Stadium conversion.
They are also examining how to reduce the cost of their original stadium
plan at Northumberland Park, and considering a new site at Tottenham
Hale. Neither of these schemes is likely to be financially viable for
the club without tax-breaks or other financial support however, and
chairman Daniel Levy is pressuring Johnson to help.
There are concerns that any significant delay to the stadium plan as a
result of legal challenges from Spurs or Leyton Orient, who have
launched their own actions, could jeopardise London's bid for the 2017
World Athletics Championship.
At a Champions League final event at the Guildhall yesterday, Johnson
highlighted the regeneration benefits that Wembley, the Emirates and the
Olympic Park have brought to the areas around those stadiums. He made no
mention of the potential Spurs redevelopment, but speaking afterwards
told the Daily Telegraph that he was committed to helping the club find
a solution in Haringey that would help regenerate the area.
"We will see what happens with their appeal but I am confident that
decision was taken fairly and it was the right oen for London, but
that's irrelevant. The most important thing is to make sure that we have
a fantastic future for Spurs in that part of London.
"We want to work with Spurs to get the best possible solution but the
option of Spurs going to the Olympic Park has significantly receded. We
will see what happens with their appeal but I am pretty confident that
the right decision was taken and that it was properly taken.
"I don't think there is any doubt about the way the whole thing was
conducted by the OPLC, but we will go forward with Spurs and Haringey
Council in that area. There are some fantastic opportunities to use
football to drive regeneration in that area."
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What's the Deal with Reid and Barrera? (West Ham Til I Die)
Last summer West Ham committed significant transfer funds to secure the
signings of New Zealand World Cup star, Winston Reid, and Mexican
international, Pablo Barrera. On paper both players looked good
acquisitions. Yet, neither has really made an major impact this
season. Of the two, Reid has probably had more first team playing
time. While Barrera was in and out of the team prior to January, but
has latterly fallen off the radar.
The first question that occurs is, what is Winston Reid's best
position: is it right-back or at centre half? I assume that he is a
centre half, who can also play as an auxiliary right-back? Reid seemed
to struggle with the pace and physicality of the PL, while his defensive
positional play has been questionable on occasions. Yet, in his last
couple of games, he showed signs of getting to grips with English
football. Indeed, in the FA Cup tie against Burnley he probably had his
best game in a West Ham shirt. However, since then he has not had any
further opportunities due to the return to fitness of Upson and Da Costa.
Pablo Barrera, similarly, has had a problematic time. Generally, he has
been played wide on the right or left flank. But we have not seen
anything of the powerful forwards runs and spectacular goals that are so
evident on the You-Tube clips of him in the colours of his former club
and the Mexican international side. However, do those self-same clips
provide something revealing about Barrera? There we see a player
picking up the ball in midfield and running at the centre of the
opposition's defence, with pace and skill. And most of his goals seem
to be struck from central positions, rather than wide on the right or
left. Perhaps sticking him out on the wing is not the best use of his
abilities? Perhaps we should try playing him through the middle, maybe
in a free role between the midfield and the lone or twin strikers?
Could one argue that West Ham's first choice midfield of Hitzlsperger,
Parker, Noble and ONeill consists of four players who are a mite too
similar? Might we be missing a player who provides an outlet, can run
with the ball with pace & skill and link up play with the strikers? If
so, could Barrera be that type of player?
One could reasonably argue that the Mexican football is not up to PL
standard and that forwards get less time and space on the ball here.
Perhaps that is why he has not stood out in his few first team
appearances? Yet, Barrera seems to perform well in international
football, against decent quality sides, and he looks a good talent at
that level. It is a bit of a puzzle and quite frustrating really.
There may be issues relating to language, adapting to a new country and
playing a different style of football? Some overseas stars take a
season to really get used to the different culture and the unique
demands of the PL.
Indeed, could it not be the case that both players need a period of
adaption before we are likely to see the best of them? Coming to
England and being involved in a struggling team certainly has not helped
either. Whilst supporters naturally become impatient with expensive
signings, who do not immediately meet expectations, that is perfectly
understandable. In a moderately successful team, it is not so bad, but
in a struggling one the fans are likely to be less patient and more
critical. So, can they go on to make a greater contribution or will
they move on in the summer? The jury is out on that one! But it is
possibly slightly ominous that neither player has even figured from
the substitutes bench in recent matches.
SJ. Chandos.
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Hitzlsperger hoping West Ham take advantage of Chelsea's poor form (East
London Advertiser)
Matt Diner, West Ham Correspondent Wednesday, April 20, 2011
"Of course we're going there wanting to win the game. They're not in the
greatest form at the moment and therefore we should go there and try to
win,"
Thomas Hitzlsperger is hoping West Ham can take advantage of Chelsea's
poor run of form and collect a valuable win at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
The Premier League champions are third in the table and although they
beat West Brom 3-1 last weekend, two Champions League defeats against
Manchester United and a draw against Stoke will give the Hammers hope.
Unfortunately for the east Londoners, their own form is particularly
poor and have lost their last two matches; 3-0 to Bolton and 2-1 to
Aston Villa.
They sit one off the bottom of the table, with only goal difference them
and basement boys Wolves.
However Hitzlsperger believes a victory at Stamford Bridge is not out of
the question for the struggling Hammers.
"Of course we're going there wanting to win the game. They're not in the
greatest form at the moment and therefore we should go there and try to
win," he said. "It's going to be massive for us, we have to lift
ourselves up and try our best."
It has been a disastrous season for West Ham, who have been out of the
bottom three for only three weeks of the entire season.
The constant stress of being in the drop zone has undoubtedly had an
effect on their performances and Hitzlsperger has demanded they deal
with the pressure better then they have.
"We're never really free are we? We've been in relegation fight the
whole season," he said.
"It's going into games like last Saturday knowing you have to win it.
Otherwise you're in really big trouble, like we are now. Therefore we
aren't free of the pressure, we feel it.
"But we're not the only ones, Villa came here and didn't want to lose
and they put pressure on all of us. We have to cope with it. We go to
Chelsea knowing that they're a very good side but hopefully they'll
struggle."
The situation against Villa last weekend was not helped by the absence
of Hammer of the Year elect, Scott Parker, who was missing with an
Achilles injury.
He was sorely missed in the middle of the park when the Hammers put in
an abject display against Villa.
Parker is set to miss the Chelsea game and Hitzlsperger believes too
much is made of his absence and feels it is up to the players to prove
they can perform without him there.
"Everyone's asking about Scott. He's an exceptional player and we miss
him when he doesn't play," He said.
"But we should be able to win games and not give away goals like we did
Saturday."
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