WHUFC.com
Big Sam is more than happy with his squad but is urging them to give even
more in the weeks to come
21.11.2011
West Ham United are heading into the "nitty-gritty" of the season with a
strong squad and winning mentality. Sam Allardyce will push his Hammers to
maintain their 'two points a game' form in the eight matches between now and
the return with Coventry City on 2 January, when the transfer window reopens
and he can plot the way forward in 2012. The first meeting with the Sky
Blues was a defining one on Saturday, with the Hammers adding the away
come-from-behind victory to their many positives of a campaign that has seen
them take a stranglehold on second spot in the npower Championship Big Sam
will certainly have selection challenges for next Saturday's huge visit of
Derby County, with Guy Demel and Matt Taylor perhaps pushing for inclusion
in the matchday 16. Both men could figure in a development squad fixture
away to Ipswich Town on Tuesday to stake their claim. Someone who has
already made his case for a date with Derby is Carlton Cole, with the
manager hinting his second successive match-winning turn off the bench would
earn him a starting berth against the Rams. Cole hit the equalising goal
before fellow sub Frederic Piquionne stumbled his way into the winning goal
in the 2-1 victory that also owed much to Abdoulaye Faye and James Tomkins'
partnership at the back. "Carlton Cole is saying 'I should be playing from
the start' with his last two appearances and playing like he did in the
second half then he deserves and warrants that he plays from the start. That
will probably be the case next week."
Big Sam's last throw of the dice in terms of squad additions, save for
loanees returning, comes with the emergency loan window shutting on
Thursday. The manager is mindful Kevin Nolan - who has played every single
league and cup minute - and Julien Faubert are both one yellow card away
from a ban. "We are running close to people getting a one-game suspension
for five yellow cards. We must keep them as fit as we possibly can. Our only
problem is that we are short of a central defender perhaps. Everywhere else
we are fine. "Matt Taylor is on the way back and Guy Demel getting into
games for the first time this season. We haven't seen anything of him."
Whether a new face comes in, or it is a player returning from injury that
makes the difference, Big Sam is backing his squad to keep up the momentum.
"We have to dig deep physically and mentally because the games will start
coming thick and fast and there won't be any more breaks. Now it is
nitty-gritty time and we have to keep going and going, and producing all the
time, game after game. "We are right on the button. Irrespective of what
Southampton are doing, we want to do better than two points a game. Then if
we have a slip up here and there we have a cushion to cover that particular
period. At the moment we are right on the nose of what we need. "Pressure
will stay with us whether we are at the top or in the second position we are
in. Everyone expects us to be there. That is the pressure we have to live
with. "We can only do what we do and that is win football matches. Whatever
anyone else does is not in our control. As long as we keep playing the way
we are playing and getting results that is all we are concerned about."
Urging the team on at home and away through the intense winter programme
will be the "tremendous fans" that dominated the Ricoh Arena on Saturday.
"It was an outstanding contribution from them," Big Sam said. "For a few
years they haven't been used to a nice journey home. They have only lost one
away this season so they feel their money is well spent at the moment and
that means there is more and more of them wanting to travel away. It made
for a terrific atmosphere."
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McCartney making an impact
WHUFC.com
Popular defender George McCartney is relishing his second spell at the
Boleyn Ground
21.11.2011
George McCartney is loving life at West Ham United all over again. The
left-back has played every minute since 24 August following his move back to
the Boleyn on a season-long loan from Sunderland. He was impressive again on
Saturday in the 2-1 win at Coventry City and looks to be a firm fixture in
Sam Allardyce's side. His performance was all the more impressive given that
he had not trained fully in the run-up to the Ricoh Stadium encounter
because of a new arrival in the McCartney household. It was the third child
born to McCartney and his wife Elaine, and things are going well on and off
the pitch. "My little boy was born last week," he told West Ham TV. "So I
haven't had much training, I was only back in on Friday. It is great to have
them here, everything went well with the birth. I am thankful all was safe."
McCartney is just the latest new dad at Chadwell Heath, with Abdoulaye Faye,
Carlton Cole and Matt Taylor as well as head of sports medicine and sport
science Andy Rolls among those celebrating a baby this season. The good
times are certainly being enjoyed football-wise as well, although McCartney
admitted to relief that he and the team had turned things around from a
losing position at Coventry. "It was a tough game. It always is when you are
playing against teams who are fighting for every point. We knew it was going
to be a hard battle. In the first half, Coventry played really well. "We
didn't really turn up. In the second half we got our game together and
passed the ball a lot better and thankfully got the three points that we
needed."
McCartney is keen to keep his second spell at Upton Park going, and would
relish a longer stay beyond this season. "It has been great. I am thankful
for the Chairmen and the manager for bringing me back here. You don't get
many second chances to come back to a club like West Ham. We are going well
in the league and hopefully I can stay in the team and keep improving."
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Update on Dylan Tombides
WHUFC.com
Young forward Dylan Tombides has been inundated with messages of support
from well-wishers
21.11.2011
Dylan Tombides has sent a 'Thank you' message to all the well-wishers
supporting him. The 17-year-old is being treated at St Bartholomew's
Hospital in London after doctors advised he needed to have a further course
of treatment. He is getting the best possible care with close support from
Academy physiotherapist Jon Urwin, as has been the case since he began
chemotherapy in July. The striker was first diagnosed with testicular cancer
while on international duty with Australia at the FIFA U17 World Cup in
June. Dylan, who was back at Chadwell Heath again last week, has been a
regular face around the club, including taking on many of his team-mates at
golf. He remains in good spirits, even with the frustration of not being
able to play football after his rapid rise through the Academy ranks. Away
from the club, he is being supported around the clock by mum Tracylee, dad
Jim and 15-year-old brother Taylor, who has just broken into the Under-18
side. There has also been the considerable boost of Hammers fans - and many
supporters of other clubs - sending him their best regards. Speaking to
whufc.com, Dylan said: "I just want to thank everyone who has been
supporting me. There have been so many people and it is hard to keep up with
all the messages but it really has meant a lot. "The club have been great. I
have to mention Jon who has been brilliant and has done so much. He comes to
the appointments with me and has sorted out everything that we have needed
to do. "All the Academy staff have been great and everyone at the training
ground has been really positive. They have just been treating me normally
but obviously they all ask me how I am getting on."
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West Ham's Frank Nouble extends Gillingham loan spell
BBC.co.uk
Gillingham have extended West Ham striker Frank Nouble's loan spell for a
third and final month. The 20-year-old scored his fifth goal in 11
appearances for the Gills in the 2-1 win at Aldershot last weekend. But West
Ham have refused permission for him to play in the FA Cup, so he will sit
out Tuesday's first round replay against Bournemouth. Nouble told BBC Radio
Kent: "I just want to keep on playing. The manager's given me a lot of
confidence." He added: "I can't play in the Cup anyway because West Ham say
I can't play, so let's carry on the way it's been going." Gillingham are the
sixth club to take Nouble on loan during his career, following spells at
West Brom, Swindon, Swansea, Barnsley and Charlton. And the extension means
he will be available for the league games against Bradford City,
Macclesfield and Bristol Rovers, the last on 17 December. "We are delighted
that Frank has agreed to stay with us for another month," manager Andy
Hessenthaler told the club's website.
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Plenty in the tank, says Frank
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 21st November 2011
By: Staff Writer
Frank Nouble is set to extend his loan spell with League Two club
Gillingham. The young striker, who was 20 in August has impressed during his
first two months at the Priestfield Stadium during which he notched five
goals from 11 appearances. And now it looks as if the former Chelsea
youngster will sign up for another month with the Gills, who are currently
on the cusp of the play-off spots having won four of their last six games
and have expressed a desire to extend the player's stay.
"I have never been on loan anywhere longer than a month and I have been here
longer than I expected," Nouble told Gillignahm's website. "I would rather
be playing under pressure than in the reserves. "It's a man's game here and
reserve team football is not the same as first- team football. At West Ham I
would be coming on in the last 10 minutes and you don't really get a run;
it's hard. I think I have learned a few basics here and that will do me well
in the future. "I am just happy that Gillingham want to keep me on for
another month and I will take it from there. I want to sign and hopefully it
will be sorted."
Nouble at Gillingham: the story so far
17 Sept - Hereford 1 Gillingham 6: Played 74 minutes, scored 1
24 Sept - Gillingham 3 Burton 1: Played 80 minutes, scored 1
1 Oct - AFC Wimbledon 3 Gillingham 1: Played 90 minutes, booked
4 Oct - Gillingham 1 Barnet 3 (JP Trophy): Played 90 minutes
8 Oct - Gillingham 1 Port Vale 1: Played 90 minutes
15 Oct - Torquay 2 Gillingham 5: Played 90 minutes, scored 1
22 Oct - Gillingham 1 Oxford 0: Played 52 minutes
25 Oct - Swindon 2 Gillingham 0: Played 90 minutes
29 Oct - Morecambe 2 Gillingham 1: Played 90 minutes, scored 1
5 Nov - Gillingham 4 Northampton 3: Played 90 minutes
19 Nov - Aldershot 1 Gillingham 2: Played 85 minutes, scored 1
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Leeds outcast on radar
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 21st November 2011
By: Staff Writer
Sam Allardyce is being linked with a move for Leeds rebel Andy O'Brien. The
former Irish international told his current club that he did not wish to be
considered for selection ahead of the Yorkshire club's weekend visit to
Burnley and has since been told that his days at the club are numbered.
O'Brien is said to have lost his patience with current Leeds boss Simon
Grayson having made only five appearances for Leeds in all competitions so
far this season. The manager responded by stating, "it came as a shock but
he won't play for this football club again as long as I am here."
And now Sam Allardyce is being linked with a move for the 32-year-old former
Newcastle and Bolton centre half who only joined Leeds in January of this
year, having initially impressed on loan. O'Brien - who, incidentally,
joined Bolton three months AFTER Allardyce left the club - is just one of a
number of players to be linked with a move to east London in the past few
days as Allardyce seeks to add to his squad, which has been hit by a series
of injuries in recent weeks.
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Cole rules out move
Hammers striker is happy where he is
Last Updated: November 21, 2011 10:10am
SSN
Carlton Cole is insistent that he wants to stay put at West Ham despite
being linked with a move away from the club in January. The former Chelsea
man scored the equaliser which helped his team defeat Coventry 2-1 last
Saturday. Marseille, among many other clubs, are supposedly interested in
the 28-year-old but he seems to have no problems staying where he is. "I
know there have been rumours about me leaving but that is all they are,"
Cole said to The Daily Telegraph
Happy
"People are trying to line themselves up for January and see what is
happening with players they might be interested in. That is normal, it
happens in every window, but I am happy at West Ham. I am good and want to
play more." Hammers boss Sam Allardyce is delighted with Cole at the moment
after making an impact every time he comes off the bench and now believes he
is worthy of making starting XI appearances. "Based on his last two
performances he warrants that he plays from the start and that will probably
be the case," said Allardyce. "We have to dig deep within ourselves,
physically and mentally, because the games will start coming thick and fast.
It is nitty, gritty time now."
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