WHUFC.com
Matt Taylor says West Ham United's one-for-all approach will stand them in
good stead at Millwall
14.09.2011
If West Ham United are to achieve their goal of winning promotion from the
npower Championship this season, then Matt Taylor believes team spirit will
play a massive part. The Hammers No14 has been an ever-present so far,
chalking up four assists in five league matches and also netting his first
goal for the club in Saturday's 4-3 home victory over Portsmouth. The
29-year-old has also brought experience and hard work to the left side of
midfield, showing exactly why Sam Allardyce brought him to the club from
Bolton Wanderers in July. "I think my form has been all right to be honest.
When you break it down, I've made a few goals and got one of my own now, but
the main thing is to win football matches as a team. "Obviously it's great
individually to play well, but to help the team is the most important
thing."
Concentrating on his maiden strike in claret and blue - a trademark 25-yard
free-kick to equalise just moments after Portsmouth had gone ahead through
Carlton Cole's own-goal - Taylor was delighted to get off the mark. The goal
was just one of a host of important moments that combined to see West Ham
record their first home win of the 2011/12 campaign. "My thinking was to
stick it in the back of the net and thankfully it went in! No, I was just
happy to see it to go in to be honest.
"The win was a bit overdue but we haven't waited that long - it was only our
third home league game if you look at it that way, but if you look at the
timing through the season it was obviously important for us to get that win
and get a few people talking about something else. "It can be difficult to
play here sometimes because the fans are so passionate. It's fantastic and
I'm so pleased we have won for them more than anything else."
Portsmouth proved to be tricky opponents, closing their hosts down and
snapping away at their heels - an approach that saw Pompey have three
players shown yellow cards and captain Liam Lawrence sent-off for two
bookable offences. "It was a niggly game. You've got to remember that we're
one of the biggest fish in this league and people are going to want to
frustrate us when they come here because I believe we've got a lot of
quality. "Portsmouth tried to frustrate us and I think they did it well, to
be honest. They had a gameplan and stuck to it, but fortunately we've
managed to win the game."
West Ham's approach at Millwall this coming Saturday is likely to be very
different. Having recorded three wins from three away games this season and
scored nine goals in the process, Taylor expects the Hammers to go on the
front foot from the start at The Den. The presence of new signings Henri
Lansbury and David Bentley - both of whom made positive debuts against
Portsmouth - will undoubtedly boost their chances of picking up another
three points. "I think we'll go and play our normal game. When we play away
from home, we seem to play with freedom so I expect we will play well and if
we do so, we'll get a positive result. "The new boys were very good. When I
look at the squad, I feel we've got a heck of a lot of quality. I would
suggest that there are a few teams in the Premier League who would like our
squad. "We've only got ourselves to blame if we don't have a good season.
We've definitely got the squad to do well in this league and hopefully, if
we continue playing like we have done in the last three or four games and go
on an unbeaten run, we should do well."
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Fan Forum on Thursday
WHUFC.com
Supporters can still apply to attend a Fan Forum at the Boleyn Ground this
week
14.09.2011
Limited places are available for Joint-Chairman David Gold's Fan Forum at
the Boleyn Ground on Thursday evening. The event will start in the Legends
Lounge from 6pm on 15 September and is primarily open to season ticket
holders or members with a valid client reference numbers. The Joint-Chairman
will discuss a wide range of topics and share insights from behind the
scenes at the Boleyn Ground. Because of high demand and the desire to ensure
a wide cross-section of supporters are represented, the club is operating a
first come, first-served system with anyone interested required to email a
short sentence or two stating why they want to be involved to
fanforum@westhamunited.co.uk Entry is strictly by invitation only, which
will be issued by return email to those successful. The Fan Forum is part of
the ongoing commitment at the club to ensure fan feedback is at the heart of
all decisions at West Ham United. The successful Supporters Advisory Board
which launched in the summer with Joint-Chairman David Sullivan and
Vice-Chairman Karren Brady is going from strength to strength and is already
having a significant impact.
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Champions League? You're having a laugh
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 14th September 2011
By: Staff Writer
West Ham's Championship fixture against Portsmouth last weekend managed to
draw a greater crowd than half of last night's Champions' League fixtures. A
grand total of 33,465 packed into the Boleyn Ground on Saturday afternoon to
witness United's thrilling 4-3 win over Pompey - just 2,000 less than the
Upton Park-based ground's capacity.
Meanwhile, in last night's Champions League fixtures, four of the eight
games had lower attendances whilst at only two - Barcelona and Dortmund -
were considerably larger gates recorded. Elsehwere Porto and Chelsea managed
to attract roughly the same number; the Blues recording a crowd of 33,820 -
just 355 more supporters than at the Boleyn last weekend - for their 2-0
Group E win over Bayer Leverkusen.
The four clubs to draw lower gates were Olympiakos, Genk, Apoel FC and
Viktoria Plzen.
Kings of Europe? Last night's Champions' League attendance figures
(including, for the first time ever, WHUFC)
96,641: Barcelona 2-2 AC Milan
75,000: Dortmund 1-1 Arsenal
36,612: Porto 2-1 Shaktar Donetsk
33,820: Chelsea 2-0 Leverkusen
33,465: West Ham Utd v Portsmouth (Championship)
33,300: Olympiakos 0-1 Marseille
22,000: Genk 0-0 Valencia
21,000: Apoel FC 2-1 Zenit St Petersburg
20,801: Viktoria Plzen 1-1 Bate Borisov
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A Bridge Too Far, as Henri Needs to Beware!
September 14th, 2011 - 2:22 pm by S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
Sam Allardyce has been reported as stating that he was happy with the
quality and depth-in-strength of the West Ham squad and, as such, will not
be pursuing a loan deal for Wayne Bridge from Man City. However, he did not
confirm whether that included or effectively excluded the addition of
current, free agent, trialists David Carney and Juca? Personally, I feel
that it may indicate that David Carney will be offered a contract, as he
gives Allardyce cover both at left-back and wide left. As for Juca, a lot
will depend on his performance in training and assessments of his
contribution in the Developmental Squad match against Spurs yesterday? From
reports of the Spurs game, Juca put in a strong display in a defensive
midfield role, in front of BP. Diop, who played at centre-back.
Elsewhere, Stech's proposed loan to Ipswich Town appears to have fallen
through, due to the fact that they were not guaranteeing playing time.
However, other short-term loan options are actively being sought, so that
Stech can add to his competitive experience. It has also been announced that
Robert Hall has gone on a short-term loan to Oxford Utd. Hopefully that
will assist his development and a possible first team debut this season.
Hall is a superb prospect and it was always likely, all things being equal,
that he would be one of those exceptional players who debut early in their
careers. Lets hope that he makes sufficient progress to ensure that he makes
a break through at some point this season. Just think what a lively and
exciting combination Robert Hall and Sam Baldock would be in a future West
Ham forward line!
Elsewhere it has been announced that Henri Lansbury has signed a contract
extension at Arsenal. This is presumably in response to the player's public
statement that he may need to seek a permanent move to secure first team
football? It is typical of the position of English prospects, at clubs like
Arsenal and Chelski, that Lansbury has only been given limited first team
opportunities since 2007. These type of clubs will always bring in
expensive imports, rather than show faith in domestic players coming through
their Academy. The result is that they stagnate in the reserves or end up
perpetually on loan. West Ham have benefited from that situation this
season, with the aquisition of Lansbury, but it is not good for the long
term future of the English national team.
As such, Henri Lansbury should beware of signing too long a contract
extension at the Emirates. If he has a good season at West Ham, he
definitely needs to follow it up with regular PL fooball. Of course we do
not know Lansbury's contractual situation, it may be that he is in the final
year-18 months of his current deal and the extension is partly about
ensuring that he does not walk away without a fee being paid? Certainly,
the reports do not confirm the length of the contract extension that he has
signed? Anyway, the extension does not necessarily mean that he will not
exit the Emirates next summer. If he does there will probably be no
shortage of interested clubs, but West Ham are currently in pole position!
In the meantime this season, lets just enjoy his displays in a West Ham
shirt, alongside home grown players like Tomkins, Noble, Collison and,
hopefully, Brown, Montano and Hall.
One thing is certain, there is definitely life after Scott Parker!
SJ. Chandos.
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Tony Cottee Column: Relief after West Ham put Upton Park hoodoo behind them
Tony Cottee , London24, West Ham columnist
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
12:30 PM
It was great to see West Ham finally get that important home win in a game
that had a bit of everything at the weekend. There were red cards,
penalties, deflected goals, well-worked goals - the game was a great advert
for the Championship and I am sure that it was a great match to watch as a
neutral. What is important though, is that the Hammers got the result that
they wanted, which was a win. I know that the lads would have got back into
the changing room after the game and be relieved to have finally got that
win.
I said last week that I would have settled for a 1-0 win before kick-off but
it was great to see West Ham scoring four goals once again, although this
time it was in front of the home fans. We didn't get off to the best of
starts by going 1-0 down, but the team showed good character to pull a goal
back almost immediately and then build from there. I enjoy seeing West Ham
score goals for fun - we are the joint top-scorers in the Championship
alongside Southampton and long may it continue. By scoring goals we are
showing that the team is creating and more importantly taking chances, which
is a real positive for me. The only downside is that we conceded three goals
in the process, but I feel that even when the Hammers do concede, they have
more than enough firepower to outscore any team in the Championship.
Another positive note was the inclusion of Henri Lansbury. I saw a lot of
him last year when I was working at Championship games and I liked what I
saw. We now have a wonderfully talented midfield that is good enough for the
Premier League, let alone the Championship and it is a pleasure to watch. I
was also pleased to see Carlton Cole back on the scoresheet yet again. That
is now four goals in as many games for him and he is showing just how
dangerous he can be at this level. I have always been a big fan of Carlton's
and I know that he is a very good striker. He will be the first to admit
that he didn't have the best of seasons last year, but as a frontman, you
are only as good as your service. Last season that service was non-existant.
This season with the likes of Matty Taylor, Julien Faubert and now David
Bentley, the service is there and Carlton is scoring.
I was surprised not to see Baldock involved on Saturday, but maybe he isn't
ready yet. Allardyce will know when to include him and I am excited about
what Baldock can do, but it is a big step up from League One to the
Championship. Baldock needs to be ready for that and if he is patient I am
sure he will get his chance.
Tony Cottee was talking to Nathaniel John
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West Ham Noble's secret to penalty taking
London 24
Dave Evans, West Ham Correspondent
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
8:30 AM
Hammers midfielder Mark Noble has a tried and trusted formula from the spot
which worked a treat against Portsmouth on Saturday. Mark Noble has a secret
which he doesn't mind sharing. The 24-year-old Hammer placed the ball on the
penalty spot on Saturday with the score delicately poised at 2-2 and 34,000
fans watching him holding their breath. Just how do you keep your cool in a
situation like that? Noble has a tried and tested method. "You sort of have
to blank out the crowd and pretend you are back over the park with your
mates," revealed West Ham's longest serving player who was given the tough
task of trying to fire the Hammers back in front against Portsmouth at Upton
Park on Saturday. "You are thinking about where you are going to put it and
luckily enough the keeper went the wrong way and I managed to score it."
It was one of the turning points of Saturday's match. Just five minutes
after Pompey captain Liam Lawrence had been sent off for a second bookable
offence, Jason Pearce handled just inside the box and West Ham got
themselves in front again from the spot. It was not the end of the story,
but the Hammers did manage to grab their first home win of the season and
for Noble it was a great relief. "We need to get that hoodoo off our backs,"
said Noble, who has now made 177 appearances in claret and blue, scoring 19
goals along the way. "The last couple of games we have put in decent
performances, but let in late goals, so it's good that we have actually done
it this time round."
Noble's performances so far this season have left him vulnerable in the West
Ham midfield, though Saturday's display and goal will certainly give him
some renewed confidence. "With the new boys coming in, you have to be at
your best of course," said the Canning Town-born midfielder. "Jack Collison
played midweek (for Wales) so I think he was rested today, but Henri
Lansbury has come in and done brilliantly for us and David Bentley has come
on and shown little glimpses of what he is about. "We just need to keep
winning. If we can get on a roll of win, win, win, then it makes everything
a little bit easier." It certainly does.
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Hammers consider double signing
West Ham - David Carney and Juca have trials with club
By Will Haine September 14, 2011
GiveMeFootball
Sam Allardyce is considering offering contracts to David Carney and Juca,
after the unattached pair were given trials by the West Ham boss. Australian
winger Carney, 27, has been training with the east London club having been
released by Blackpool at the end of the last campaign. Juca, meanwhile, is
an experienced defensive midfielder, and the 31-year-old is available on a
free transfer having left Spanish outfit Deportivo La Coruna. Both players
were handed opportunities to prove themselves on Monday as the Hammers'
development squad took on a Tottenham XI in a behind closed doors friendly.
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Hammer blow for Allardyce in midfielder pursuit
West Ham - Henri Lansbury signs contract extension with Arsenal
By Will Haine September 14, 2011
GieMeFootball.com
Arsenal appear to have put paid to suggestions that Henri Lansbury could
join West Ham on a permanent basis after the midfielder signed a contact
extension with the north London club. The 20-year-old midfielder is
currently on a season long loan with the Hammers, and had claimed he would
consider joining the club on a full-time basis should opportunities at the
Emirates Stadium no longer present themselves. However, Lansbury has put pen
to paper on a deal he initially signed in 2009 to further extend his stay at
Arsenal. The England under-21 international has been with Arsenal since the
age of eight, and has steadily worked his way up through the ranks.
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