WHUFC.com
Lars Jacobsen told West Ham TV the Hammers would look to bounce back at the
Reebok Stadium
05.04.2011
Lars Jacobsen is ager to put the disappointment of Saturday behind him ahead
of another potentially-pivotal Barclays Premier League fixture at Bolton
Wanderers next weekend. Although the Trotters have enjoyed a fine season
under new manager Owen Coyle, Jacobsen believes West Ham can beat a side
that has lost its last two league matches. Speaking exclusively to West Ham
TV, he said: "You have to put the Manchester United game away now and look
forward to the next game because it's going to be a battle between now and
the end of the season. "It's a real opportunity at Bolton. We all know it's
a difficult place to play but in the Premier League it's always difficult
and it's a new chance for us. "With the quality and the players we have
available at the moment that it's possible to go and get a good result at
Bolton. That's what we have to do and focus on at the moment and put this
game away."
Jacobsen admitted he and his team-mates had to take collective
responsibility for Saturday's 4-2 Barclays Premier League defeat by
Manchester United. The Hammers went in two Mark Noble penalties to the good
at half-time, only for a Wayne Rooney hat-trick and Javier Hernandez strike
to shatter Avram Grant's side at the Boleyn Ground. Jacobsen said no excuses
were being offered in the home dressing room. "We conceded four goals in the
second half and that's what went wrong, really. I thought we played a decent
first half and were leading 2-0, but the free-kick goal kicked it off for
Manchester United and they put us under great pressure at the end and scored
four fantastic goals. "Perhaps you could say that [we defended too deep in
the second half], because when you concede goals there are always reasons
for it. They scored a free-kick goal and in the first half we had a similar
chance that Thomas just missed slightly and I think that was the difference.
"I think Rooney's second goal was a superb touch and a superb finish and
sometimes you have to acknowledge that they have world-class players and I
think that's why they scored four goals. The last goal, I don't think we
would have conceded that if the game didn't develop in the way it did. "It's
not nice to concede four goals in 45 minutes so as a defender, I and my
colleagues have to ask ourselves what we could have done better."
While the Denmark right-back was honest enough to admit that West Ham's
second-half performance had fallen short of the required standard, it was
debatable whether the Red Devils should have had eleven players on the pitch
to launch their second half renaissance. Centre-back Nemanja Vidic escaped a
caution when he brought down Carlton Cole for West Ham's second penalty,
then was shown just a yellow card by referee Lee Mason when he hauled back
Demba Ba when the Senegal striker appeared to be clean through on goal. The
Serb then escaped further punishment when he felled Ba with a sliding
challenge early in the second half with the Hammers still leading 2-0,
leaving Jacobsen somewhat confused. "I was surprised that he wasn't sent-off
[for the first Ba challenge] but obviously I'm not standing in line with the
situation so I can't see if he's the last man, but if he's the last man then
it's a 100 per cent red card. "But we can't blame it on that. We just put
that away and look forward and say nothing about red cards or not - we
shouldn't have conceded four goals anyway."
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Ladies regain top spot
WHUFC.com
A 3-0 victory at QPR put the Ladies back on top of FA Tesco Women's Premier
League South
05.04.2011
West Ham United Ladies returned to the top of the FA Tesco Women's Premier
League South with a comprehensive 3-0 victory at Queens Park Rangers. After
suffering back-to-back defeats for just the second time this season in their
previous two matches - losing top spot in the league and being knocked out
of the FA Women's Cup in the process - Julia Setford's side returned to
winning ways in convincing fashion. Carly Roache opened the scoring,
collecting a Gemma Shepherd (pictured) pass before curling a low shot into
the bottom right-hand corner from 16 yards. West Ham continued to dominate
and twice hit the woodwork before being awarded a penalty for a push on Nina
Downham. Shepherd stepped up confidently to sidefoot the ball inside the
right-hand post and beyond the dive of goalkeeper Emily Bourne. The scoring
was completed ten minutes into the second half when Jess Barling swung a
left-footed corner into the goal-mouth. Bourne looked to have made the
catch, only to drop the ball into the net. The Hammers could have added a
fourth with ten minutes remaining when Downham was again challenged unfairly
inside the QPR penalty area, only for Jo Wosahlo to shoot wide of the post
from 12 yards. Manager Setford was pleased with both the result and the
strong all-round performance put in by her players as they continue their
quest for a first-ever FA Tesco Women's Premier League South title. "It was
brilliant," she said. "We went at them from the start and didn't let up from
the first muinute of the game. We closed every ball down and worked hard.
That was a great team performance. Everyone worked hard for each other.
"That was a first-class performance. If we play like that week-in week-out,
I don't see what we have to worry about. "The girls know what is in sight.
There is a big prize up for grabs and these girls have been waiting a very
long time to get their hands on it. They are focused. "Each week, we tell
them what to do and they do it. They really put it in and in every game they
are working hard because they want that league title so much."
West Ham take a break from league action on Thursday evening, when they face
Hutton in the Essex FA County Cup final at AFC Hornchurch, with kick-off at
7.45pm.
Following that engagement at Bridge Avenue, the Hammers go to second-placed
Charlton on Sunday for a match that could go a long way towards deciding the
destiny of the league title.
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U18s head for Norwich
WHUFC.com
Academy Director Tony Carr's youth team will travel to Norwich City on
Wednesday afternoon
05.04.2011
West Ham United U18s will be in midweek FA Premier Academy League action
when they head for Norwich City on Wednesday afternoon. The Hammers travel
to Norfolk having won each of their previous two league matches at Little
Heath, defeating Bristol City 4-0 before overcoming Charlton Athletic 2-1 on
Saturday. Those victories lifted Academy Director Tony Carr's side up to
fourth in the Group A table, six points behind leaders Southampton with four
matches remaining. While the title may be beyond his players, Carr is keen
to end the season on a high: "We have got four games left plus a couple of
friendly matches and all I want is for them to keep playing well and winning
games."
Meanwhile, Sebastian Lletget and his United States team-mates will go for
World Cup glory on Wednesday evening. West Ham United Academy midfielder
Lletget and his international colleagues take on hosts Guatemala in the
quarter-finals of the CONCACAF U20 Championship, with the winner guaranteed
a place at the FIFA U20 World Cup in Colombia later this year. The
18-year-old has played an influential role in the Americans' progress so
far, recording an assist in each of his country's Group B victories over
Suriname (4-0) and Panama (2-0). Lletget and his colleagues will face
Guatemala in the last-eight in Guatemala City, with head coach Thomas Rongen
confident that the US can defeat their hosts and qualify for the
semi-finals. "The team knows that, individually and collectively we have to
play better in that third game and we will. I'm very confident of that. We
feel good where we are, great about what we've accomplished and I feel good
that we haven't given up any goals."
Costa Rica face Cuba, Mexico take on Canada and Honduras tackle Panama in
the other quarter-finals. The semi-finals will take place on Friday 8 April,
with the final and third-placed match scheduled for Sunday 10 April.
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West Ham's Obinna denies family were racially abused
BBC.co.uk
By Oluwashina Okeleji
BBC Sport, Lagos
West Ham striker Victor Obinna has rejected reports that his family were
subjected to racist abuse by fans last Saturday. The Premier League club
announced an investigation into the claims following the 4-2 defeat by
Manchester United. But the player told BBC Sport he was shocked to hear
about an incident that never occurred. "Nothing happened - I do not have any
of my family members in England," Obinna told BBC Sport on Tuesday. "There
is no point asking me to confirm or verify an incident that never happened -
I was in total shock when I heard and read about it in the papers. "I didn't
have any of my relatives at the game and I do not know anyone who complained
of any racial incident at the game."
Reports also suggested that the family of fellow West Ham striker Frederic
Piquionne had been abused but Obinna did not know anything about those
claims. Both players came on as substitutes in the match against United,
which the visitors won 4-2 to extend their lead at the top of the Premier
League table.
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"Racism" Mystery Deepens
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 5th April 2011
By: Staff Writer No. 2
Victor Obinna has denied that members of his family suffered racial abuse
during Saturday's defeat to Manchester United. The club confirmed that they
are investigating an alleged incident in which relatives of Obinna and
striker Frederic Piquionne are alleged to have suffered abuse at the hands
of some (as yet unidentified) members of the crowd during the second half of
Saturday's match. However, in a new twist to the affair, the on-loan Obinna
expressed his bemusement at reports that members of his family were amongst
those alleged to have suffered.
Speaking today Obinna claimed: "Nothing happened - I do not have any of my
family members in England. There is no point asking me to confirm or verify
an incident that never happened - I was in total shock when I heard and read
about it in the papers. I didn't have any of my relatives at the game and I
do not know anyone who complained of any racial incident at the game."
We'll have more on this story as it develops.
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Parker Honoured
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 5th April 2011
By: Staff Writer No. 2
Scott Parker has been nominated on the shortlist for the PFA Player of the
Year award. The nomination comes towards the end of a fine season in claret
and blue for the midfielder,whose performances have also seen him make a
deserved return to the England set-up. A win for Parker would mean another
PFA Trophy to add to the Young Player of the Year award that he won in
2003/04. No Hammer has ever won the main award, though both Mervyn Day
(1974/75) and Tony Cottee (1985/86) have both won the Young Player trophy.
The award winner will be announced on Sunday April 17. The other nominations
are:
Charlie Adam - Blackpool
Gareth Bale - Tottenham Hotspur
Samir Nasri - Arsenal
Carlos Tevez - ex West Ham United
Nemanja Vidic - Manchester United
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Obinna baffled by racism reports
Forward claims that he does not have any relatives in England
Last Updated: April 5, 2011 8:12pm
SSN
West Ham forward Victor Obinna has revealed that he was in 'total shock' at
reports of racist abuse against his family, because he does not have any
relatives in England. The Hammers confirmed on Monday that they were
investigating claims that the families of Obinna and club-mate Frederic
Piquionne were racially abused by spectators during Saturday's defeat to
Manchester United at Upton Park. Reports emerged that guests of the two
strikers were involved in a confrontation with a small group of fans, but
Nigeria international Obinna has categorically denied those claims. "Nothing
happened - I do not have any of my family members in England," he said.
"There is no point asking me to confirm or verify an incident that never
happened - I was in total shock when I heard and read about it in the
papers. "I didn't have any of my relatives at the game and I do not know
anyone who complained of any racial incident at the game."
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Adam and Parker make PFA Player of the Year shortlist - report
Published 15:16 05/04/11 By MirrorFootball
The Mirror
Charlie Adam and Scott Parker have made the six-man shortlist for the PFA
Player of the Year award, according to reports on Tuesday. They are joined
by Manchester United's Nemanja Vidic and Manchester City's Carlos Tevez on
the shortlist for the senior award, while Tottenham's Gareth Bale and
Arsenal's Samir Nasri have reportedly been nominated for both the PFA Player
of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards. Blackpool skipper Adam has
been inspirational as he has spearheaded the Seasiders bid to avoid
relegation in their first season in the Premier League. The club rejected
bids from Liverpool and Tottenham for the Scottish international in the
January transfer window and will likely have a difficult time keeping their
star man this summer. Scott Parker has played a similar role for West Ham in
their bid to avoid the drop and he has also forced his way into the England
team. Carlos Tevez flies the flag for Manchester City while Nemanja Vidic
carries Manchester United's hopes of making it five wins on the trot for the
Red Devils as he aims to follow in the footsteps of previous winners
Cristiano Ronaldo (2007 and 2008), Ryan Giggs (2009) and Wayne Rooney last
year.
Meanwhile Bale and Nasri are each in with a chance of becoming only the
third man to win both the senior and the Young Player of the Year awards in
the same year, after Ronaldo (2007) and Andy Gray (1977). The winner will
be announced at a ceremony on Sunday, April 17.
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CHELSEA GO FOR AVRAM GRANT
Wednesday April 6,2011
By Mick Dennis
Daily Express
AVRAM GRANT is close to a sensational return to Chelsea. He was manager
three seasons ago when Chelsea lost in the Champions League final to
Manchester United, whom they meet at Stamford Bridge tonight in the same
competition. Grant is currently West Ham manager but has been in talks
recently with Chelsea, who want him back in the summer to succeed director
of football Frank Arnesen. Another former manager, Guus Hiddink, was lined
up to follow Arnesen but now could stay with Turkey, whose Euro 2012 hopes
are still alive following a win over Austria. It all adds to doubts about
the future of current Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti. He wants a contract
extension but could be sacked if Chelsea do not win the Champions League.
Grant has three years remaining on his West Ham deal but almost lost his job
there earlier this season. After West Ham's worst start to a Premier League
campaign they were set to bring in Martin O'Neill to replace Grant, but when
O'Neill cooled on the idea, Grant was allowed to continue. Avram Grant is
currently West Ham manager but has been in talks recently with Chelsea The
West Ham board were split over Grant, with co-chairman David Sullivan
championing his cause and arguing that sacking managers does not guarantee a
change of fortunes.
But now, with West Ham back in the bottom three, West Ham would probably
welcome the chance to replace Grant and receive compensation from Chelsea.
Amid all the names, two more are key; Roman Abramovich, Chelsea's
billionaire owner, and Pini Zahavi, the super-agent. Grant is close friends
with them both.
Zahavi brokered Abramovich's purchase of Chelsea in 2003 and Grant's arrival
in English football as director of football at Portsmouth in 2006.
Grant moved to Chelsea as director of football in July 2007, a switch that
unsettled Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho. And when Mourinho left two months
later, Grant became the manager. He lost the League Cup final to Spurs and
finished Premier League runners-up to Manchester United but became the only
Chelsea manager so far to reach the Champions League final, beating
Liverpool in the semi-final. United, though, won the final in Moscow on
penalties and Chelsea terminated Grant's contract three days later. Grant
was bitter but subsequently repaired his friendship with Abramovich. Grant
returned to English football 17 months later for a second stint as director
of football at Portsmouth, and a month later replaced Paul Hart as manager.
Although they went into administration and were relegated from the Premier
League, Grant's Portsmouth reached the FA Cup final - only to lose to
Chelsea.
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