WHUFC.com
As debuts go, they don't come much better than Thomas Hitzlsperger's against
Burnley
22.02.2011
Thomas Hitzlsperger could not hide his delight after "a special day" at the
Boleyn. The Germany midfielder shone on his Hammers debut, scoring the first
goal in a 5-1 defeat of Burnley that took the club through to a
quarter-final date at Stoke City. More importantly, is the 28-year-old's
presence for the big Barclays Premier League run-in - having been kept on
the sidelines with a thigh injury since August. "It couldn't have gone much
better," he said, reflecting on his 24th-minute piledriver from 25 yards. "I
didn't know what to expect after such a long time out. I am just delighted
to start with a goal and such an important win for us. Hopefully that gets
us going now, brings some confidence back to the camp and we have got some
big games ahead of us."
Der Hammer knew that Burnley would always be a tough test, especially with
the FA Cup always capable of throwing up an upset. "They are in good form in
the Championship. We had to be careful. They were playing well but the goal
came at the right time. It all came together on a special day for me.
"I wasn't really frustrated. It has been tough when I found out how long it
would take. I have been looked after very well by the physios. It has been
excellent. I have done my best to be fit and I am looking forward to the
next few games."
Liverpool lie in wait next with the date with the Reds on Sunday something
that will not faze the 52-times capped international - especially with
strong backing from the home crowd. "We have some really good teams to face.
We need confidence, we need structure and we must not make many mistakes. I
am sure we will get out of the relegation zone. "I thought the fans must
have forgotten about me but they hadn't. It was an exceptional reception."
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Grant buoyant after Burnley
WHUFC.com
The manager had plenty of superlatives for his men after a strong showing in
the FA Cup
22.02.2011
Avram Grant hailed his team as they set up the prospect of an FA Cup
quarter-final with Stoke City with Wembley as the prize for the winners. The
manager was delighted with the 5-1 fifth-round success against a resurgent
Burnley side who are pushing hard for promotion back to the Barclays Premier
League. Grant knew the expectation was on his men to come out on top but
also that the job would be a difficult one. "We were the Premier League team
and people would expect us to win. But we knew it would be difficult, they
are in a good moment. They have been playing well and they are good
tactically. We did very well and made it hard for them."
The manager identified that the key was stretching the Clarets back-line in
the second half, after the precious lead given to them by Thomas
Hitzlsperger on his long-awaited debut. "We spoke about it at half-time. The
line of the defence was sometimes too high. We had passed the ball well in
the first half but not as many times forward as we needed to. We did that in
the second half and it worked."
A quickfire double from Carlton Cole put paid to the visitors' dreams before
Winston Reid's first Hammers goal and a late strike from Freddie Sears
wrapped up an excellent night's work. The manager conceded that his team
would be considered as contenders to go all the way to the final, but
stressed there was a bigger priority for the season. "Stay up and win the
cup is a scenario I would buy now. This is our target. Our first priority in
the league but it is good to be in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. We are
coming to every game knowing that we want to win. We had a good run in the
Carling Cup. We want the same in the cup as we know we are one game from
Wembley now."
Key to those hopes could be Hitzlsperger's return after missing the whole
season to date with a thigh injury suffered on Germany duty. "It is very
important to have Thomas back. If you saw how he did in the pre-season you
can understand why he is such a good player. "He can score from anywhere, he
has good movement, he has good passing. He is a very intelligent player. We
have been waiting for him. He will improve as well as he gets fitter. "We
wanted to play with three midfielders who can go forward, pass the ball and
this is our way. The forwards also did well for us and their movement was
good in the second half."
With Liverpool arriving for a major league battle on Sunday, the manager
said an improving injury situation - Matthew Upson is still being assessed
over his achilles injury, contrary to some reports - would help the survival
fight. The Stoke cup challenge will then follow on the weekend of 12/13
March.
"It has not been an easy season for us but it is a good challenge. We can do
it, of course we can. We are more efficient, more stable and have fewer
injuries even if we missed Matthew Upson. Players like Thomas and others
coming back will make it easier. "When everyone is fit, we have a good
team."
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McCallum set for reserve bow
WHUFC.com
Paul McCallum could make his reserve debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers
on Tuesday
22.02.2011
January signing Paul McCallum could make his reserve-team debut in Tuesday's
meeting with Wolverhampton Wanderers. West Ham United's second-string host
Wolves at Bishop's Stortford FC, with kick-off at 2pm, with former Dulwich
Hamlet starlet McCallum, 17, in line to appear after scoring for the
Under-18s in their 3-2 win at Norwich City on 12 February. McCallum is one
of a host of scholars who could line-up in the Barclays Premier Reserve
League clash, with Sergio Sanchez, Robert Hall, Deniz Mehmet, Sebastian
Lletget, George Moncur and Callum Driver also named in the West Ham squad.
With the schools being on their February half-term holiday, children can
gain admission to Woodside Park for just £1 by downloading a special voucher
here. West Ham will be seeking to bounce back to winning ways after being
edged out 4-3 at Chelsea last week, while Wolves have failed to record a
victory in any of their previous four previous reserve-team fixtures.
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Thomas Hitzlsperger hopes win boosts West Ham chances
BBC.co.uk
West Ham's Thomas Hitzlsperger believes the FA Cup victory over Burnley can
give his team the confidence to avoid relegation from the Premier League.
The German midfielder made his Hammers debut after a six-month injury
absence and scored first in the 5-1 win as they booked a quarter-final
against Stoke. "It's going to bring some confidence back to the camp,"
Hitzlsperger said. "This is what we needed, I think, especially to win by
such a great margin, 5-1 is a good win for us."
But despite reaching the last eight of the Cup, Avram Grant's side are still
in the league's bottom three. West Ham face Liverpool, Stoke, Tottenham and
Manchester United in their next four league games as they battle to retain
their Premier League status. Hitzlsperger added: "With the games we have
coming up, we're playing some really good teams so we need confidence and
structure in our game. "We can't make any mistakes because we need to climb
up the table."
The 28-year-old's fine performance and goal at Upton Park on Monday ended an
arduous period for the player who joined the Hammers from Lazio in June. He
initially injured his thigh playing for his country in August and then had a
setback which kept him out for a further four months. "I have been looking
forward to this for a long time," the former Aston Villa player said. "The
reception I got was fantastic. I didn't expect it because I thought the fans
had forgotten about me. "The manager was speaking to me before the game
about whether I would play 30 minutes or start, but I'm delighted to start
with a goal and an important win for us."
West Ham boss Grant praised Hitzlsperger's display and promised more to come
from the German. "It's very important that Thomas is back, he can score from
everywhere, he is an important player to us and we were waiting for him,"
Grant said. "He was one of our best players in the preparation for the
season and we have missed him so much because he got injured only a few days
before the league started. "He is a very good player and with the system we
play, he will be important. "He can do many things. He knows how to defend
and score, like you have seen tonight. "But what you have seen tonight is
not half of what he can do."
Grant, whose side are second from bottom in the table, admitted he would
happily take three points over a cup win, but he is content to continue a
confidence-boosting run. "Our target and first priority is the league, but
it's always good to reach the quarter-finals of the cup," he said. "We want
to win every game. We know in the cup you lose one game and you are out, but
in the league there is always the next game to make things better."
Burnley boss Eddie Howe felt his side performed well in the early stages,
but once they were 2-0 down, they let the game get away from them.
"I thought it could have been very different," he said. "In the first half
we had our moments, we had our chances and could have scored more than one.
"West Ham are dangerous in attack with the pace they have and they caught us
out a couple of times. "The goal straight after half-time hurt us, then
we're chasing the game and they caught us on the break a couple of times."
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West Ham 5 - 1 Burnley
BBC.co.uk
By Michael Da Silva
West Ham strolled into an FA Cup sixth-round tie at Stoke with a
comprehensive win over Championship outfit Burnley. Thomas Hitzlsperger,
making his long-awaited Hammers debut, opened the scoring with a trademark
thunderbolt. Carlton Cole looked to be offside and to have handled the ball
when he slotted home before his classy lob over Clarets keeper Lee Grant
made it 3-0. In between Winston Reid's header and Freddie Sears' fine high
finish, Jay Rodriguez was gifted a consolation. While Burnley had chances to
exploit the home side's shaky defence, the cups continue to liberate the
east Londoners, who have recorded three more wins in knockout competitions
than in the Premier League this season. But, despite the crushing scoreline,
it was the visitors who made the more promising start and Rodriguez should
have punished the hesitant Reid after only 13 minutes but the Clarets
striker spurned the opportunity with a tame shot. Moments later West Ham
goalkeeper Robert Green spared his side's blushes when he parried Ross
Wallace's fizzing shot from the edge of the penalty area, before making a
brilliant reaction save as Rodriguez tried to steer in the rebound from
close-range. After failing to take their opportunities, Burnley were on the
back foot as the Hammers finally found some rhythm. The midfield trio of
Scott Parker, Mark Noble and Hitzlsperger, who was making his first
competitive start since being sidelined with a thigh injury in pre-season
training, worked well as the visitors struggled to impose themselves.
The hosts' superiority was rewarded in the 23rd minute in stunning fashion.
Cutting in from the right, Hitzlsperger exploited a gap in front of the
Burnley defence before unleashing a venomous dipping drive with his left
foot from all of 25 yards. While Hitzlsperger's strike was a flash of
brilliance, the kind of moment all too rare in West Ham's season, the
Clarets paid the price for affording the German the time to align his shot -
with Grant failing to at least get his fingertips to the ball. With the
Upton Park faithful finding its voice after the deadlock was broken, the
visitors came under increasing pressure but managed to hold firm and even
forced Green into action when Chris Eagles had a low shot after a neat flick
from Rodriguez. Tyrone Mears almost found a way behind the Hammers defence,
outpacing Wayne Bridge down the flank to collect Wallace's threaded pass,
only for James Tomkins to thwart the attack with a timely interception of
the cut-back to Rodriguez. Burnley proved themselves capable of playing
attractive football throughout the contest, but it was West Ham who were the
more efficient in possession, and it was a neat build-up that led to Cole's
controversial strike which doubled the home side's lead barely three minutes
after the restart.
Cole, picked out by an exquisite pass from the outside of Mark Noble's right
boot, mis-controlled the ball with his second touch but as Grant had
appeared to have smothered the shot, the England striker's persistence paid
off as he picked himself up to scramble the ball home from close-range.
However, on closer-inspection, the ball clearly struck the forward's arm as
he adjusted his body to shoot. The visitors were enraged that the goal was
allowed to stand, especially given that Cole also appeared to be offside as
Noble played him in. With Burnley still rocking, Cole doubled his personal
tally a minute later, but there was no doubt about this one. Picking up
another defence-splitting pass from Noble, the Hammers striker this time
took an excellent touch after exploiting the Burnley offside trap, before
stroking the ball over Grant and into the roof of the net. As the Clarets
went into damage-limitation mode, Reid made it 4-0 with a glancing header at
the near post, having found space at Hitzlsperger's corner to score his
first goal for the men from Upton Park. The lively Rodriguez missed the
opportunity to restore some pride for the visitors, blazing over from 20
yards, but he was rewarded for a decent personal display moments later.
Rather than clearing his lines, Wayne Bridge's ill-advised back pass to
Green gave the England goalkeeper very little time to clear.
As a result Green's clearance ricocheted off the back of the charging Mears
and the ball popped up for Rodriguez to nod into an empty net. Burnley
deserved something from the game, but West Ham manager Avram Grant will be
disappointed that his side surrendered their clean sheet in such farcical
circumstances. Freddie Sears then wrapped up the win in injury time,
slotting home from 15 yards after the ball broke to him following Burnley's
failure to clear.
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Ein besonderer tag
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 22nd February 2011
By: Staff Writer
Thomas Hitzlsperger has described his West Ham debut as a 'special day' in
his career. The German international, sidelined through injury for over
seven months marked his first competitive appearance for the club with a
goal of the season contender just 23 minutes into tonight's 5-1 FA Cup fifth
round win over Burnley. And talking to ESPN after the game, Der Hammer
admitted that he was both surprised and delighted with the welcome he
received from the fans. "I didn't know what to expect after such a long
time out," he said. "The manager was speaking to me before the game about
whether to let me play for 30 minutes or give me a start - and I'm just
delighted to start off with a goal and a good win, an important win for us.
Hopefully it gets us going and brings some confidence back to the camp as
we've got some important games ahead of us. "That [his reception] was
fantastic - I didn't expect it really because I thought the fans must have
forgotten about me but no, they didn't. When I came on to the pitch the
reception was exceptional; it was a special day."
Hitzlsperger played for 67 minutes before being replaced by Pablo Barrera
yet despite the difference in class between the two teams, he insisted that
he and his team mates had survived a tough test - whilst he was naturally
delighted with his goal. "They are in good form in the Championship so we
were well aware of that, we had to be very careful," he admitted. "They
played well at some stages but it was probably the right time for my goal.
The fact that I scored it, it just all came together on this special day for
me really. It's been a tough time but I've been looking forward to this day
and it's been fantastic.
"That's what we needed, I think, especially [by] such a large margin.
Five-one is a good win for us and is just what we need in terms of the games
coming up. We've got some really good teams that we are playing against now
so we need confidence, we need structure in our game. We must not make many
mistakes because we're down the table and we need to climb out of [the]
relegation [zone] soon - and I'm sure we'll get out of there."
Match fit once again, Hitzlsperger's performance tonight has placed him
firmly in contention for a starting spot against Liverpool this weekend.
Having refused to allow himself to become despondent during his time on the
sidelines, Der Hammer insists that he can't wait to help fire the team out
of the Premier League danger zone. "I wasn't really frustrated because I've
always said if you're frustrated it takes you longer to recover," he added.
"But it's been tough, [especially] in the first place when I found out how
long it would take. But the physios at the club and the surgeon in Germany
have been excellent so that's why I came back right on time. "I've done my
best to be fit for the day when it really matters and that's what I've
showed today mostly - so I'm looking forward to the next few games."
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West Ham Utd 5 Burnley 1
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 21st February 2011
By: Staff Writer
Can we play you every week... West Ham are through to the FA Cup quarter
finals after recording their first five-goal haul since beating tonight's
opponents at the Boleyn back in 2009.
That 5-3 win went some way to restoring confidence in a side bereft of it at
a delicate stage of a troubled campaign. Although there were no Premier
League points up for grabs tonight, it will be hoped that a similar effect
is felt following a thoroughly encouraging performance. Or perhaps that
should be thoroughly encouraging second half performance, for as ruthless as
United were after the break they were equally toothless during the first 45
minutes; that inconsistency being the case for much of the season thus far.
West Ham's only effort on goal in the opening half was, rather fortuitously,
an absolute screamer from Thomas Hitzlsperger, finally making his debut
seven months after joining the club. The German international picked up the
ball 30 yards from goal before unleashing a vicious, swerving drive that
completely fooled Burnley 'keeper Lee Grant to give West Ham a 23rd minute
lead. Bar that the Hammers failed to register a single effort on goal prior
to the break - unlike the visitors who tested Robert Green on a number of
occasions, most notably when the England 'keeper was forced to make a
stunning 15th minute double-save to prevent the Clarets from taking the
lead.
The match sprung into life after the break as the Hammers struck three times
within 11 minutes to put the game well beyond reach - even with Burnley's
mini-comeback from five behind last season still fresh in mind. Carlton
Cole, that reknowned purveyor of the finest comedy goals added another
contender tonight four minutes after the break. Having been sent clear
through on goal by a precision pass from Mark Noble the striker's heavy
touch initially drew a gasp of despair from the crowd as goalkeeper Grant
appeared favourite to reach the ball first. That was until Cole executed a
perfect sliding tackle on the bemused Grant, sending the ball into the net.
And just exactly why Cole continues to divide opinion amongst supporters was
perfectly encapsulated within two minutes when latching on to another
pinpoint through ball from Noble, he instinctively fired a dipping volley
over the head of Grant and into the roof of the Burnley net. It's often
been said that given time to think, Cole is a lesser threat in front of
goal. Although tonight failed miserably to dispel that particular theory
with his tally for the season now into double figures, his importance to a
struggling West Ham is without question. The goal-fest continued a minute
ahead of the hour mark when like the impressive Hitzlsperger, Winston Reid
recorded his first goal for the club when nodding home a corner delivered by
the German. Despite looking shaky defensively at times, the 90 minutes'
experience will prove invaluable to the young New Zealander as he continues
to adapt to life in the Premier League.
Demba Ba - who was perhaps most deserving of a goal for his efforts - and
captain Scott Parker both went close to adding a fifth before Burnley gave
their fans something to cheer about when Jay Rodriguez took advantage of
some all-too-familiar hapless defending to notch a consolation goal from two
yards.
Wayne Bridge, in possession of the ball on the touchline but facing Rob
Green's goal bizarrely elected to pass three feet back towards Green instead
of sending it out for a corner. Green's panicked clearance rebounded off an
opponent before looping up perfectly for the awaiting Rodriguez, who nodded
home into an empty net.
It was the only sour note of a good night for the Hammers, but typical of
the kind of neglectful defending that has left Avram Grant's side in such a
precarious position in the Premier League.
Undeterred, the Irons pressed on and both Ba and Parker were again denied
before Winston Reid atoned for his earlier headers with a miraculous goal
line clearance two minutes into injury time. Substitute Chris Iwelumo's far
post header was goalbound before Reid, facing goalwards, dived to flick the
Burnley striker's effort onto the bar - then the post, and finally to a
grateful Green.
Less than 30 seconds later West Ham made it 5-1, when it could so easily
have been 4-2 but for Reid's timely intervention moments earlier. Freddie
Sears was the grateful recipient of a flowing counter attack and doubled his
account for the season with a well placed effort, aiming his shot above the
advancing Grant.
So all in all, a great night for the Hammers who can now look forward to a
trip to Stoke in the quarter finals. Although doubts still remain over the
team's ability to defend adequately, that shouldn't detract from an
all-round excellent performance - and one that sets up this weekend's visit
of a reinvigorated Liverpool side perfectly.
West Ham Utd 5 Burnley 1: match facts
West Ham Utd: Green, Reid, Tomkins, Jacobsen, Bridge, Sears, Parker, Noble,
Hitzlsperger (Barrera 67), Cole (Spector 73), Ba (Piquionne 82).
Subs not used: Boffin, Da Costa, Boa Morte, Hines.
Goals: Hitzlsperger (23), Cole (48, 50), Reid (69), Sears (90+2).
Burnley: Grant, Mears, Duff, Carlisle, Fox, Elliott, Cork, Eagles (Thompson
84), Marney (Alexander 72), Wallace (Iwelumo 73), Rodriguez.
Subs not used: Jensen, Edgar, Bikey, Easton.
Goals: Rodriguez (73).
Booked: Rodriguez, Elliott.
Referee: Martin Atkinson.
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Upson: game on
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 21st February 2011
By: Staff Writer
Matthew Upson has refuted reports that he is out for the rest of the season
with an achilles problem. The Daily Mail claimed this morning that Upson was
set to miss the rest of the season after sustaining the injury during the
1-0 defeat against Birmingham. However the Hammers captain insisted tonight
that his injury was not ad bad as first thought - adding that he hopes to
return to action within the next few weeks. Speaking to whufc.com, he said:
"My mum rang me this morning and said she'd read in the papers that I was
out for the season. I said 'that's news to me'. I've had a problem and it's
been a bit complicated. "I've had several different diagnoses which is
always frustrating because, as an athlete, you have to choose what is right
and wrong which is not easy. We're in the process of sorting it out and I
personally feel like I could be training very soon - possibly the end of the
week. That's a lot different to being out for the rest of the season."
First team coach Wally Downes also dismissed the rumours prior to tonight's
FA Cup tie with Burnley when he claimed that Upson could be back within a
fortnight.
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Upson dismisses injury reports
Hammers defender insists his season is not over
By Chris Burton Last updated: 21st February 2011
SSN
Matthew Upson has played down reports suggesting an Achilles injury has
ended his season. It had been claimed that the West Ham defender was set to
sit out the remainder of the 2010/11 campaign after being laid low. Such
news would have come as a major blow to the Hammers, as they battle to
preserve their Premier League status. Upson, though, insists the rumours are
the wide of the mark, with the England international hoping to return to
training later in the week.
Complicated
"My mum rang me this morning [Monday] and said 'Thanks for telling me you're
out' and said she'd read in the papers that I was out for the season," he
told the club's official website. "I said 'that's news to me'. I've had a
problem and it's been a bit complicated. "I've had several different
diagnoses which is always frustrating because, as an athlete, you have to
choose what is right and wrong which is not easy. "We're in the process of
sorting it out and I personally feel like I could be training very soon -
possibly the end of the week. That's a lot different to being out for the
rest of the season."
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Hitz heroics lift Hammers
Cole nets double after debutant inspires Hammers triumph
Last updated: 21st February 2011
SSN
Thomas Hitzlsperger enjoyed a dream debut for West Ham as they decisively
booked their spot in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup with a 5-1 thrashing
of Burnley on Monday night. The Hammers shelved their Premier League woes
for the evening to romp to a resounding victory at Upton Park, ending their
Championship opponents' cup ambitions in the process. German midfielder
Hitzlsperger, making his long-awaited first appearance for the Hammers after
a thigh injury kept him out for six months, hit home with a stunning strike
from 25 yards to get things rolling for the hosts. Carlton Cole then
stretched West Ham's lead with two goals in as many minutes before defender
Winston Reid hit home with his first strike for the club after Hitzlsperger
produced some more good work with the assist. Beleaguered Burnley managed to
pull one back through Jay Rodriguez late on after some sloppy defending from
Wayne Bridge, but it was nothing more than a consolation strike as Freddie
Sears sealed the Hammers' resounding victory in the final minute of stoppage
time. The commanding win sees Avram Grant's men advance to the final eight
of the tournament, where a trip to Premier League rivals Stoke awaits them.
Chance
For Grant, the match represented a chance to deflect attention from his
side's lowly league position and make up in some part for his team's failure
to make it to Wembley in the Carling Cup. The Israeli was boosted by
Hitzlsperger's return and he also handed starts to Freddie Sears and James
Tomkins, who came in for Achilles injury victim Matthew Upson. It had been
reported that Upson would be out for the rest of the season but the Hammers
captain allayed those fears by saying before kick-off that he expected to be
back in training "very soon". Burnley boss Eddie Howe brought in Wade
Elliott for Chris Iwelumo. Cole, who scored the equaliser in West Ham's
six-goal thriller at West Brom last week, threatened early, racing onto
Demba Ba's through-ball but Lee Grant came out to pick up the ball just in
time. Ross Wallace then whipped a beautiful ball over the top that set
Rodriguez free. The England Under-21 man lifted the ball over the onrushing
Green but Reid came to the stopper's rescue with a crucial clearance. Green
quickly made amends by superbly tipping over Rodriguez's lob. The home crowd
were beginning to get anxious as Burnley stroked the ball around the park
with ease. Their nerves were settled, however, when Hitzlsperger charged at
the away defence and paused before unleashing a blistering 25-yard strike
that flew past Grant to give the Hammers the lead. Grant should have done
more to keep it out but the midfielder did not care, running to the corner
flag to celebrate with his team-mates.
The Hammers looked settled by the opener but the visitors soon reminded the
Premier League side of their attacking threat when Green saved well down to
his right from Chris Eagles' 25-yard drive. Howe's team pressured the West
Ham defence with a number of attempts as the half drew to a close but the
Hammers defence stood strong, with Reid in particular doing well to stifle
the pacy threat of Rodriguez. Burnley came out after the break looking for
an early equaliser but they were shocked by Cole's two strikes in the first
five minutes of the second period. Mark Noble threaded Cole through with a
brilliant ball but the England striker dithered allowing Grant to come out
and attempt to dive for the ball. Cole was given a second chance though as
the ball spun free and the 27-year-old swung his leg out to somehow stab
home whilst still laying on the floor. Cole's first goal may have partly
been down to luck, but there was nothing fortuitous about his second. Noble
played a long raking ball over the stationary Clarets back four, Cole raced
on and dispatched a beautiful half-volley into the top left-hand corner of
Grant's goal to make it 3-0 with 55 minutes on the clock. Grant, who had
remained sullen throughout the first half, afforded a smile as he watched
his team look for a fourth goal and it soon came through Reid just before
the hour. The New Zealand defender rose to head home a six-yard header from
Hitzlsperger's corner. Rodriguez was booked for a late challenge on Freddie
Sears before Hitzlsperger departed to a rousing reception to be replaced by
Pablo Barrera. The away side pulled one back 12 minutes later when Green's
careless clearance hit Tyrone Mears on the head inside the six-yard box and
the ball fell to Rodriguez who nodded home into an empty net.
Replaced
Cole was not given a chance to seal his hat-trick as he was replaced by
Jonathan Spector with 15 minutes left. Grant then had to be at his best to
tip over Ba's fizzing 25-yard volley 10 minutes from the end. That was the
Senegalese's last contribution as he was replaced by Frederic Piquionne with
eight minutes remaining. The Frenchman ballooned a 30-yard effort over the
Burnley goal near the death as the Hammers looked for a fifth. Reid then
pulled off a fantastic goal-line clearance at the other end before Sears
wrapped the win up with a 15-yard strike in the dying seconds.
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Grant hails Hammers result
Manager happy to see some good form from Hammers
Last updated: 21st February 2011
SSN
Avram Grant was pleased to see his side earn some relief from their Premier
League woes with a 5-1 FA Cup victory over Burnley. The Hammers, currently
second-bottom of the league table, romped to a decisive win over their
Championship opponents at Upton Park to reach the quarter-finals of the cup,
where a trip to Stoke awaits. And manager Grant, who has now guided three
sides to the final eight of the tournament after previously reaching the
same stage with Chelsea and Portsmouth, was happy to see his team show some
good form. He said: "We are the Premier League team so normally we need to
win these games, but they are difficult because they are playing well and
tactically they are very good. "But we played well in the second half and it
was difficult for them."
Punish
West Ham were able to spring the offside trap several times and punish
Burnley. We spoke about this at half-time because the line of the defence
was too high," added the manager. "We passed the ball better in the second
half and scored the goals." While Grant admits the league is his priority,
the manager was pleased to continue a morale-lifting run amounting to just
one defeat in their last five games in all competitions. "Our target and
first priority is the league, but it's always good to come into the
quarter-finals of the cup," he said. "We want to win every game. We know in
the cup you lose one game and you're out, but in the league there is always
the next game to make things better."
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Hitz a happy return for Thomas
The Sun
By VIKKI ORVICE
Published: Today
THOMAS HITZLSPERGER smashed a West Ham debut goal - then admitted he thought
the fans had forgotten him. The German midfielder, 28, was Avram Grant's
first signing at Upton Park last summer, only to suffer a thigh injury days
before the season began. But Hitzlsperger, aptly nicknamed The Hammer,
roared back in super style with a screamer last night to book his team an FA
Cup quarter-final trip to Stoke. Two goals from Carlton Cole, a Winston Reid
header and a stoppage-time effort from Freddie Sears completed the rout.
Hitzlsperger said: "The reception I got was fantastic. I didn't expect it
because I thought the fans had forgotten about me! The manager wasn't sure
before the game whether to play me for just 30 minutes or give me a start.
"So I'm just delighted to start off with a goal in an important win for us.
It's been a tough time, especially when I first found out how long it would
take to recover. "But I've been looked after by the club and a surgeon in
Germany and that's why I came back on time. I was determined to be fit for
when it mattered." Hammers boss Avram Grant said: "He was one of our best
players in pre-season and we have missed him in the Premier League."
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West Ham 5 Burnley 1
The Sun
By VIKKI ORVICE
Published: Today
IF only West Ham could play like this in the Premier League. Having
struggled to find goals for much of the season in the top-flight, Avram
Grant has seen his cup success continue. And aptly he was helped into an FA
Cup quarter-final clash at Stoke by a man whose nickname is The Hammer.
Thomas Hitzlsperger was Grant's first signing when he arrived at Upton Park
last summer, joining on a free transfer from Lazio. But just days before the
start of the Premier League season, the German international midfielder
suffered a thigh injury in a friendly against Denmark, forcing him to miss
much of the Hammers' beleaguered campaign. He wasted their first chance in
the seventh minute. Carlton Cole supplied the ball but the German's shot
from his weaker right-foot lacked power. Then in the 23rd minute he showed
the sort of skill that first attracted Grant - and earned him his moniker.
Weaving past Jack Cork, the unmarked Hitzlsperger found space to unleash a
25-yard left-foot drive that had Burnley keeper Lee Grant beaten all the
way. Now Grant must hope his man can help Hammers win their battle for
Premier League survival. Grant had taken his players go-karting last week as
team-bonding exercise.
And, having watched them throw a two-goal lead in the semi-finals of the
Carling Cup against Birmingham last month, he was determined the wheels
would not come off this time around with a trip to Wembley now one game
away.
The Hammers were without centre-back Matthew Upson, missing with tendinitis,
though assistant manager Wally Downes last night rubbished reports that the
centre-back would be out for the rest of the season. Championship outfit
Burnley started the brighter, their young star Jay Rodriguez dancing around
Rob Green early before failing to finish. Minutes later Rodriguez, watched
by England Under-21 boss Stuart Pearce who handed him his first cap earlier
this month, came even closer when he latched on to a nifty chip from Chris
Eagles. Green was forced into action in the 37th minute, saving a powerful
low shot from Eagles after Rodriguez linked with Danny Fox. And just before
half-time Ross Wallace threaded a pass to Tyrone Mears, only for his sliding
cross to be blocked by the West Ham defence. Hammers came out of the blocks
quicker after the re-start with two quick goals. On 48 minutes Mark Noble
set up Cole but his awful touch allowed the ball to fall to keeper Grant. In
farcical scenes Cole then fell on the shot-stopper before hooking the ball
into the back of the net after what looked suspiciously like a handball. Two
minutes later Cole managed to get it right first time, trapping a pass from
Noble before curling the ball past Grant.
Winston Reid made it four, heading the ball into the back of the net from a
Hitzlsperger corner on the 59th minute, with Freddie Sears firing the fifth
deep in stoppage time, after sub Jonathan Spector chested the ball down.
Burnley had by then pulled back a deserved consolation goal. Wayne Bridge
played the ball back to Green on the goalline only for the keeper's
clearance to hit Mears in the face before falling to Rodriguez who headed
home. But Hitzlsperger was star of the show, getting a standing ovation from
the Upton Park crowd when he was replaced by Pablo Barrera in the 67th
minute. Grant has a magic wand in the Cup, having taken unfancied
Portsmouth to the final last season. His record in the competition is just
two defeats in 14 matches. But after suffering relegation with Pompey from
the Prem as well last term, he must hope history does not repeat itself.
DREAM TEAM
STAR MAN - THOMAS HITZLSPERGER (WEST HAM)
WEST HAM: Green 6, Reid 7, Tomkins 6, Jacobsen 6, Bridge 6, Sears 7, Parker
7, Noble 8, Hitzlsperger 8, Cole 8, Ba 6. Subs: Barrera (Hitzlsperger 67) 5,
Spector (Cole 73) 6, Piquionne (Ba 82) 5. Not used: Boffin, Boa Morte, Da
Costa, Hines.
BURNLEY: Grant 6, Mears 7, Duff 6, Carlisle 6, Fox 6, Elliott 6, Cork 6,
Eagles 7, Marney 6, Wallace 7, Rodriguez 8. Subs: Alexander (Marney 72) 5,
Iwelumo (Wallace 73) 5, Thompson (Eagles 84) 5. Not used: Jensen, Edgar,
Bikey, Easton. Booked: Rodriguez, Elliott.
REF: M Atkinson 6
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West Ham 5-1 Burnley: Daily Mirror match report
Published 22:23 21/02/11 By Mike Walters
The Mirror
Der Hammer has landed with a bang at Upton Park. And it was worth the wait.
Six months late, out of character by German standards of punctuality, Thomas
Hitzlsperger announced himself to West Ham with a signature rocket to book
the Hammers an FA Cup quarter-final date with those football purists, Stoke
City. He opened the scoring with a thunderous shot, provided the assist for
the fourth goal and Eastenders took to his Vorsprung durch Technik like pies
to mash. For the first time, the Hammers were able to field their holy
trinity in midfield – Hitzlsperger, Scott Parker and Mark Noble.
And in their first home game since being made preferred bidders in the race
to occupy the Olympic stadium after 2012, they discovered how difficult it
will be to fill a 60,000-seater ground with measurable gaps between 35,000
seats. Ramping it up in his programme notes, West Ham co-chairman David
Sullivan enthused: "A full house at Upton Park creates an atmosphere to
rival any in the country."
And so say all of us, Dave. So why are you moving to an athletics track next
door to Leyton Orient?
Sullivan's rallying call was entirely in keeping with the contradictory
smoke signals of West Ham's blighted season. At times, manager Avram Grant's
"lucky" scarf has looked more like a noose. And we have yet to discover why
it took skipper Scott Parker to deliver the half-time oration at West
Bromwich Albion which turned certain defeat into a point from 3-0 down,
instead of eternal optimist Grant's sunny disposition. On the evidence of a
fitful opening 20 minutes, the Hammers did not appear to have been fired up
last night, either. But from their first shot, Hitzlsperger put them in
front against the run of play with a strike fit to illuminate any debut.
When he was at Aston Villa, Hitzlsperger was christened 'Der Hammer' by fans
appreciative of his left foot. And after a serious thigh injury kept him
waiting six months to make his debut in a different brand of claret and
blue, he took just 23 minutes for the Hammers to take Der Hammer to their
hearts. Cutting inside marker Jack Cork 25 yards out, he unleashed a shot of
such ferocity and swerve that Clarets keeper Lee Grant could only wave it
high into the net. That's not just a left foot Thomas der Tank Engine has
got there – it's a lethal weapon. His wonder strike should have given West
Ham the confidence to prove emphatically that the jellied eel is mightier
than the black pudding. But the Eastenders were indebted to Robert Green's
reflexes, which denied Jay Rodrigues, Chris Eagles and Ross Wallace, for
their undeserved half-time lead.
Green's safe hands – three consecutive words you did not read in South
Africa last summer – contrasted favourably with Grant's flap at
Hitzlsperger's rocket. But Grant was left high and dry twice within five
minutes of the restart. In the first instance, Carlton Cole was marginally
offside when Mark Noble sent him clear, and the England striker finished at
the second attempt. Just 90 seconds later, the game was up for Burnley as
the same pair combined and this time Cole's finish was top corner and top
drawer. And by the time Winston Reid met Hitzlsperger's corner with a firm
header after 59 minutes, the Clarets were longing for the dark, satanic
mills of Lancashire. They could barely muster a smile when Jay Rodriguez
managed a token response after a slapstick mix-up between Green and Wayne
Bridge. And in added time, Freddie Sears rounded off the win, firing home
from 12 yards.
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Tommy 'the Hammer' happy to nail Burnley
Published 22:40 21/02/11 By MirrorFootball
The Mirror
Thomas Hitzlsperger hailed a fantastic night for himself and West Ham after
helping fire them to a 5-1 FA Cup win over Burnley on his debut. The Germany
midfielder signed for the Hammers in the summer, but injury has kept him
sidelined until tonight, when he started the fifth round tie at Upton Park.
Hitzlsperger grabbed the first goal with a trademark left-footed thunderbolt
from the edge of the area and the Barclays Premier League strugglers went on
to enjoy a confidence boosting win. I didn't know what to expect after such
a long time out," Hitzlsperger told ESPN. "The manager was speaking to me
before the game about whether I would play 30 minutes or start, but I'm
delighted to start with a goal and an important win for us. "It's going to
bring some confidence back to the camp and that's important with the games
ahead of us."
Burnley had more than held their own before the German's 23rd minute strike.
"We knew that they're in good form in the Championship and we were well
aware they would put pressure on us," Hitzlsperger added. "They played well
at stages but it was good timing for the goal and the fact I scored, it came
together on a special day for me. It's been a tough time but I've been
looking forward to this day and it was fantastic."
The Hammers will face Stoke in the next round, but Hitzlsperger also hopes
the win can spur them on in the league, as they remain 19th in the table.
"This is what we needed, I think, especially by such a great margin," he
said. "5-1 is a good win for us. With the games we have coming up, we're
playing some really good teams so we need confidence and structure in our
game. "We can't make any mistakes because we need to climb up the table."
Manager Avram Grant was happy to see his team show some good form. "We are
the Premier League team so normally we need to win these games, but they are
difficult because they are playing well and tactically they are very good,"
he said. "But we played well in the second half and it was difficult for
them."
West Ham were able to spring the offside trap several times and punish
Burnley. "We spoke about this at half-time because the line of the defence
was too high," Grant said. "We passed the ball better in the second half and
scored the goals." Grant admitted he would happily take three points over a
cup win, but he is happy to continue a confidence-boosting run. "Our target
and first priority is the league, but it's always good to come into the
quarter-finals of the cup," he said. "We want to win every game. We know in
the cup you lose one game and you're out, but in the league there is always
the next game to make things better."
Burnley boss Eddie Howe felt his side gave a good account of themselves
early on, but once they were 2-0 down, they let the game get away from them.
"I though it could have been very different," he said. "In the first half we
had our moments, we had our chances and could have scored more than one.
"West Ham are dangerous up front with the pace they have and they caught us
a couple of times. "The goal straight after half-time hurt us and then we're
chasing the game and they caught us on the break a couple of times."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hitzlsperger's debut strike sets West Ham on path to Cup rout
West Ham United 5 Burnley 1
Independent.co.uk
By Arindam Rej at Upton Park
Tuesday, 22 February 2011
Even if you are one of those famously self-assured Germany midfielders, it
can be a nervous time waiting to make your debut. Thomas Hitzlsperger had to
hang around six months before finally making his first West Ham appearance
last night, having suffered a thigh injury while playing for Germany against
Denmark in August.
But good things do indeed come to those who wait. The midfielder took less
than 25 minutes of his West Ham debut to conjure a 30-yard wonder goal. It
sent the London club on their way to an FA Cup quarter-final place against
Stoke.
Hitzlsperger's strike quietened critics who feel he might prove an
unfortunately injudicious signing because of his injury problems. The
28-year-old even added an assist, supplying Winston Reid for West Ham's
fourth goal. That margin gave West Ham manager Avram Grant the luxury of
substituting the German midway through the second half and the player left
to a well-deserved ovation.
"I thought the fans might have forgotten about me," joked Hitzlsperger
afterwards. "But they didn't."
Carlton Cole had taken the game out of the Championship side's reach with
two goals in the space of a minute early in the second half, making it 3-0.
However, it was still Hitzlsperger's night.
He will be an important figure in West Ham's Premier League run-in. "He was
one of our best players in pre-season," said Grant. "What you saw here is
not even half of what he can do."
Before kick-off, club sources rubbished reports that West Ham will be
without injured centre-back Matthew Upson for the rest of the season. That
was encouraging for the home side as their defence looked uneasy early on.
Burnley made a positive start but they were deflated when Hitzlsperger
produced his powerful, swerving, long-range strike in the 23rd minute. That
breakthrough allowed West Ham to rediscover some swagger, but Burnley had
still been competitive and, at half-time, looked capable of a comeback.
Then the two Cole goals changed the game. "The result could have been very
different," said Burnley's manager Eddie Howe. "We had a bad start to the
half, looking shaky and West Ham took advantage."
Within three minutes of the re-start, Mark Noble created Cole's first. He
lofted the ball over the top of Burnley's defence to his team-mate on the
edge of the 18-yard box. Cole's first shot was blocked by goalkeeper Lee
Grant but he let the ball slip out of his fingertips, allowing the West Ham
striker to steer it in at the second attempt.
The game was effectively over when Cole added his second. The England
striker had been lucky with his opening goal, as his first touch was not
ideal, but there were no such problems this time. He sent in a powerful,
long-range effort out of Grant's reach.
Then it was just a question of how many West Ham would score. The fourth
came in the 59th minute when Reid took advantage of some slack marking to
head in from Hitzlsperger's corner.
Grant's pleasure was temporarily tainted by a terrible mix-up between Wayne
Bridge and Green. Bridge sloppily rolled the ball back for Green, whose poor
clearance struck Tyrone Mears and then reached Jay Rodriguez, who headed in
a 71st-minute consolation.
West Ham had the final say, though. In injury-time, Jonathan Spector chested
the ball down on the edge of the box, allowing Freddie Sears to latch on to
it and score with a powerful finish.
West Ham United (4-4-2): Green; Jacobsen, Reid, Tomkins, Bridge; Sears,
Parker, Noble, Hitzlsperger (Barrera, 67); Cole (Spector, 73), Ba
(Piquionne, 82). Substitutes not used Boffin (gk), Boa Morte, Da Costa,
Hines.
Burnley (4-3-3): Grant; Mears, Duff, Carlisle, Fox; Marney (Alexander, 72),
Cork, Elliott; Rodriguez, Wallace (Iwelumo, 73), Eagles (Thompson, 84).
Substitutes not used Jensen (gk), Edgar, Bikey, Easton.
Referee M Atkinson (West Yorkshire).
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