WHUFC.com
West Ham United talisman Scott Parker carried his good form over to
international duty on Saturday
26.03.2011
Scott Parker was at his best again as he helped England to a comfortable 2-0
victory against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday afternoon. The Hammers
midfielder was named by Fabio Capello in a strong midfield alongside Frank
Lampard and Jack Wilshere and played his part in keeping the home side at
bay. Wearing the No4 shirt, Parker was most effective at keeping Wales
captain Aaron Ramsey quiet in what was a disciplined defensive performance.
Parker played 88 minutes before being replaced by Phil Jagielka in a match
that saw early goals from Frank Lampard, from the penalty spot, and Ashley
Young decide matters. Parker said: "It was a very good. First and foremost
we got three points. We came to a difficult place, the atmosphere was
intense. We quietened the crowd down and got the three points which was
crucial."
The midfielder was given a standing ovation by the travelling support when
he made way just before the end - a gesture he returned. "I just appreciate
the fans along with all of us," he added. "They have made the trek here and
supported us. They have been great supporters. That was my appreciation to
them.
"I was personally over the moon with the way I played and most of all we
won, that's the most important thing."
Robert Green was an unused substitute, as was Danny Gabbidon for Wales, but
the goalkeeper is set to start when England play Ghana in a Wembley friendly
on Tuesday night, with Capello intending to rest all of his Saturday
starters.
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Barrera on song, Specs solid
WHUFC.com
Flying winger Pablo Barrera was in devastating form for Mexico in a
keenly-fought friendly against Paraguay
27.03.2011
Pablo Barrera and Jonathan Spector were both in action on American soil this
weekend. Barrera was outstanding on the right wing for Mexico in a 3-1 win
against Paraguay in Oakland, California. The flying winger made the first
with a cross to the near post for Manchester United forwar Javier Hernandez
to head in before playing a part in the build-up for Andres Guardado to
score the second. Barrera could feature once more against Venezuela in San
Diego on Tuesday.
Spector played the first 45 minutes in front of 80,000 fans in New Jersey as
the United States drew 1-1 at home with Lionel Messi's Argentina thanks to
Juan Agedelo's equaliser on the hour after Esteban Cambiasso had opened the
scoring. The versatile Hammer was used at right-back and could play again
when the US take their turn to play Paraguay in Nashville on Tuesday.
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Keane a winner, point for Lars
WHUFC.com
There were positive results for Robbie Keane and Lars Jacobsen in UEFA EURO
2012 action on Saturday
26.03.2011
Robbie Keane scored the winner as the Republic of Ireland made a positive
step in UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying with a 2-1 home win
against FYR Macedonia. After Aiden McGeady's opener inside the first two
minutes on Saturday night, Hammers forward Keane pounced on a loose ball
from close range on 21 minutes for his 46th goal in 105 internationals. The
visitors to Dublin pulled one back just before the interval but captain
Keane led the Irish to a deserved win, made all the more sweeter by Russia's
goalless draw in Armenia. Ireland sit joint top with Russia and Slovakia at
the top of Group B with ten points
Elsewhere in the race for UEFA EURO 2012 in Poland and Ukraine, Lars
Jacobsen played 90 minutes as Denmark drew 1-1 with Norway in Oslo. The
Hammers full-back was cautioned in the 34th minute of a match that the
visitors will feel happier about although they sit three points behind their
opponents, who lead Group H.
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Ba brilliant for Senegal
WHUFC.com
In-form Hammers forward Demba Ba settled a heavyweight contest between two
of Africa's finest teams
26.03.2011
Demba Ba was the hero for Senegal as they won a tense 2012 CAF Africa Cup of
Nations qualifier against Cameroon on Saturday. The Hammers striker kept his
nerve to score with a superb strike three minutes into added time to make it
three wins from three for his country, sparking wild celebrations among the
60,000 fans gathered in the capital Dakar. Ba had only entered the fray as a
substitute for the final 15 minutes. Senegal's victory - their first in 20
years against their old rivals - moved Senegal five points clear of their
opponents in Group E with only the winners certain to qualify for the finals
in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea next year. The tournament will take place
between 21 January and 12 February 2012. Herita Ilunga's DR Congo are third
in the same group with one point from two games and have a chance to cut the
gap on Senegal when they host Mauritius in Kinshasha on Sunday. Also on
Sunday, Victor Obinna's Nigeria, second in Group B with three points from
two games, play host to Ethopia in Abuja.
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Kurucz keeping the faith
WHUFC.com
Hammers prospect Peter Kurucz has stepped up his training after a
season-ending knee injury
26.03.2011
Peter Kurucz can see the light at the end of the tunnel as he battles hard
to return after a serious knee problem. The Hammers shot-stopper is the last
long-term casualty at Chadwell Heath, with Jack Collison nearing a playing
return from his own serious ligament injury. Kurucz, 22, was hurt just
before the start of the season on 7 August and has admitted he will not play
at all this campaign, even if he is closing on a training comeback. "I'm
doing some stuff outside now, doing some basic goalkeeping, kicking and some
running," he told West Ham TV. "I think I still need four weeks to be fit
and get back to training with the first team. It has been almost six months
now, so hopefully in about a month I'll be ready to play."
The Hungarian Under-21 international admitted he has found it tough at times
to cope with the long hours in rehab work, but has never given up. "The
first few months were very hard, because I couldn't do anything outside. "I
was just working hard in the gym to build up the muscle. Then in the last
two or three months it has got a little bit better since I started to do
some work outside, so it was much better for me. In the next few weeks I'm
going to start training with [goalkeeping coach] David Coles so I'm looking
forward it."
Kurucz has received plenty of encouragement from team-mates Robert Green,
Marek Stech and Ruud Boffin - with the goalkeepers' union in full effect.
"Everyone has been looking after me every time, asking me how I am doing and
what I have been doing."
The visit of Manchester United on Saturday week reminds of Kurucz' only
first-team experience to date - a 17-minute substitute appearance against
the Red Devils on 5 December 2009 when he actually kept out Sir Alex
Ferguson's men in what was ultimately a 4-0 loss. Kurucz is hoping to be
back in contention for a second senior appearance in 2011/12. "The plan is
not to play this season, so then I can be 100 per cent for the next season.
Everyday I'm at the training ground, so I'm working hard as if I was with
the first team but doing different stuff. We have a very good physio, Tom
Smith and I really appreciate his help."
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Kurucz closing on comeback
Keeper making steady progress in rehabilitation
Last updated: 26th March 2011
SSN
West Ham goalkeeper Peter Kurucz has stepped up his recovery from a serious
knee problem, but will not figure again this season. The 22-year-old is set
to see a long-term injury rule him out for the entire 2010/11 campaign. He
picked up the knock on 7th August and has been sidelined ever since. The
Hungarian is closing on a return to training, though, and hopes to be
welcomed back into the Hammers fold by the end of April. "I'm doing some
stuff outside now, doing some basic goalkeeping, kicking and some running,"
Kurucz told the club's official website. "I think I still need four weeks to
be fit and get back to training with the first-team. It has been almost six
months now, so hopefully in about a month I'll be ready to play."
Help
Kurucz admits he will not rush his recovery and risk suffering a setback,
with being ready for the 2011/12 campaign his sole target. "The plan is not
to play this season, so then I can be 100 per cent for the next season," he
added. "Everyday I'm at the training ground, so I'm working hard as if I was
with the first-team but doing different stuff. "We have a very good physio,
Tom Smith, and I really appreciate his help."
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Wilshere praises England's newlook midfield
Published 18:43 26/03/11 By MirrorFootball
The Mirror
Jack Wilshere believes England's new look midfield is an ideal combination
as victory over Wales put their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign back on track.
Wilshere impressed on his competitive debut for his country as a Frank
Lampard penalty and a Darren Bent goal - his third in three games - secured
a 2-0 success. It means England have moved back ahead of Montenegro as group
leaders on goal difference. Wilshere looked confident alongside Lampard when
venturing forward while Scott Parker excelled in the holding role in front
of the back four. The Arsenal star said: "It was a good game to come into. A
big game, a derby game, and we won, so we are happy and the 4-3-3 system
worked well today. "We got the opening two goals and that was the idea, to
press them high, get early goals. We did that and we made it comfortable for
ourselves. "They had some chances but we felt in control of the game."
Wilshere added: "The midfield shape worked well. We play it at Arsenal and
it works better with one holding and two going forward. "Scotty was great
and so was Frank in there. It made it easy for me to play. "You have to
thank Scotty for that performance today and Frank is always great for
England and they were brilliant again today." Defender Phil Jagielka said:
"The players were at it from the world go. "We had a fantastic start to the
game and thankfully saw it out and we've got the three points to go back top
of the group. "That fast start did make a difference. It quietened the crowd
down and we were pretty much in control for the rest of the game. "Getting
back on top of the group was the whole purpose of the exercise."
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Lampard praises Capello's 'clever' tactical change
Published 20:11 26/03/11 By MirrorFootball
The Mirror
Midfielder Frank Lampard felt England were rewarded for a clever change of
tactics by manager Fabio Capello against Wales this afternoon. Lampard and
Darren Bent both scored in the first 15 minutes as England eased to a 2-0
win in their Euro 2012 qualifier at the Millennium Stadium. Capello deployed
a 4-3-3 formation with Scott Parker playing deep behind Lampard and Jack
Wilshere in midfield with Bent, Ashley Young and Wayne Rooney up front. The
victory took some of the heat off Capello after suffering heavy criticism
for the manner in which he reinstated John Terry as captain. Lampard said:
"Scotty did the stuff he's been doing brilliantly for West Ham all season,
sitting in front of the back four. "Jack's shown what he can do with Arsenal
and England now and it was nice to play with an extra body in there, to get
a bit more possession with a bit of insurance behind you. "The way we
played, with the front three breaking, I think it worked very well. "It's
the manager's prerogative to use different systems at different times and I
think he did it today cleverly, and that gave us the dominance in midfield."
England took control of the game after Young was brought down by James
Collins in the seventh minute and Lampard struck from the penalty spot. Bent
added the second with an emphatic close-range finish after more good work by
the outstanding Young. Lampard added: "We did the damage early on and made
what could have been a very difficult game quite a comfortable game. "It was
a bit more difficult in the second half, they had a bit of a go, but from
being 2-0 up it was always going to be us that won it. "These games are big
derbies, some of us played in one a few years back. "It was a tough day all
round and the only way to make that more comfortable was to start well and
take the momentum out of them. "We certainly did that. We pressed hard, won
the ball back and dominated that first half. That's what won it for us.
"Everyone expected us to come here and roll over Wales but it was a derby,
with that atmosphere, everyone here knows it's not easy. "We did a very
professional job."
Lampard's penalty was his 21st international goal - moving him level with
Mick Channon and Kevin Keegan in joint 17th place on England's all-time
scoring list - while Bent struck for the third time in three appearances.
The Chelsea player said: "It was very important - you know it could be a
long day if you miss it. "I was just pleased to get us off to a good start.
"We then established ourselves and went on to get the second." Capello is
now likely to make a number of changes as England face Ghana in a friendly
at Wembley on Tuesday. "It is another important game," said Lampard. "I
think it will be a chance for the manager to try some different things,
other players who were here but not involved so much today. "It's great to
have this win behind us going in to that game and test ourselves against the
different style the Africans will bring."
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Beating drop may not be enough to save Grant and Houllier
Published 23:00 26/03/11 By Paul Smith - EXCLUSIVE
The Mirror
Guiding their clubs to survival may not be enough to keep Avram Grant and
Gerard Houllier in jobs this summer. There is a growing belief inside West
Ham amd Aston Villa that their current bosses will get the order of the boot
- even if the dreaded drop is avoided. Despite being given a dreaded vote of
confidence by the Villa board last week with eight games remaining,
Houllier's brief and unspectacular reign at the club looks increasingly
certain come to an end. Villa's decision not to act sooner looks
questionable, as the Frenchman has lost the support of some influential
players in the dressing room. Large sections of the Villa fan base are also
disillusioned with their experienced French manager at a time when unity is
the key to survival. Houllier's appointment as the eventual successor to
Martin O'Neill, who left the club a week before the start of the campaign,
was hardly an inspired choice as far as many supporters were -concerned. The
subsequent uprising by -players, who are fed up with his training regime of
French fitness coach Robert Duverne has -inevitably led to growing
-speculation his tenure will come to an end.
Seemingly waiting in the wings are former Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce
and another former Liverpool boss, Rafa Benitez. Yet the biggest surprise
might come at in-form West Ham, who appear to have found form at the right
time to have a realistic chance of escaping the drop. Grant has been one of
the bookmakers' -favourites for the chop throughout the season. Yet just
when optimism is -arriving around Upton Park it -appears the board are not
entirely happy with Grant and are -contemplating a change whether they
survive or not.
There are already two managers being linked to the post. Former England
coach Steve -McClaren is currently unemployed after failing to -survive a
season in German -football with Wolfsburg. The other is Neil Warnock, who
looks set to lead runaway leaders QPR to -top-flight promotion from the
Championship for the first time since 1993, but may then move on.
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Rio Ferdinand hails Scott Parker and Jack Wilshere as England beat Wales
Metro.co.uk
Rio Ferdinand was full of praise for midfield duo Scott Parker and Jack
Wilshere as England coasted to a 2-0 win over Wales in Cardiff on Saturday.
England coach Fabio Capello confirmed on Friday that Arsenal teenager
Wilshere would start at the Millennium Stadium, but his decision to go with
a three-man midfield, including West Ham captain Parker, was a surprise. The
4-3-3 system worked well and the Euro 2012 qualifier was effectively over as
a contest inside 15 minutes, after a Frank Lampard penalty and a Darren Bent
tap-in put England in control. Ferdinand, who was ruled out of the game by a
calf injury, told his Twitter followers he liked England's tactics and was
impressed by the midfield. 'Scott Parker worked hard + won the ball back for
us nicely. Looked our most comfortable performance all round in a long
time,' the Manchester United defender tweeted. He had earlier said: 'Jack
Wilshere is looking comfy in a 3 man midfield....suiting him nicely!' The
former England captain, who correctly predicted the scoreline, added: 'Well
done the lads, 2-0 + was comfortable. Roll on the summer qualifiers!
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Wales v England: Impressive Scott Parker showed in Cardiff he is central to
Fabio Capello's fresh start
Telegraph.co.uk
By Henry Winter 9:55PM GMT 26 Mar 2011
It was one of the private laments of certain players at last summer's World
Cup that England were using a moribund 4-4-2 system, rather than the more
fluid 4-3-3 adopted by more cerebral footballing nations.It was also one of
the many public frustrations voiced by everyone associated with England in
South Africa that the midfield lacked a true anchorman, a player prepared to
sit and screen the back four. Yesterday, as England moved up a welcome gear
on the road to Euro 2012, they looked so much more at ease with tactics that
gave them greater strength in the centre. Scott Parker, England's most
natural defensive midfielder during the terrible injury travails of Owen
Hargreaves, patrolled the centre like a diligent sentry. Parker's presence
allowed Jack Wilshere and Frank Lampard to attack from a central station.
England looked more balanced, more potent. Substantial allowance must be
made for the poverty of the opposition.
The leek launched at Ashley Cole was one of Wales' few efforts on target.
Gary Speed's side were incredibly disappointing, surprisingly starting
without David Vaughan and defending like strangers as England took an early
2-0 lead through Lampard and Darren Bent. Apart from the tireless Craig
Bellamy, who never stopped running and ranting, Wales certainly resembled a
side ranked 116th in the world.
So some perspective is required. England have not gone from zeroes to heroes
in one afternoon by the Taff. But Fabio Capello addressed some of the
mistakes that so inhibited England last summer. Central to the 4-3-3 system
in every sense, Parker impressed until departing to sustained applause from
the 9,000 visiting fans, having completed 88 per cent of his 60 passes.
Ashley Young was voted man of the match but Parker cannot have been far
behind. Until yesterday, Capello had never been fully convinced by Parker's
ability to hold midfield, shielding a central defence that can be vulnerable
to pace. Having never given up hope of winning over Capello, Parker's
persistence was rewarded here. For all his neat distribution, it was
Parker's constant hounding of Wales players, notably captain Aaron Ramsey,
that afforded England their midfield hegemony. Poor Ramsey. Parker kept
showing the Arsenal midfielder down cul de sacs and then ambushing him.
Midway through the first half, Ramsey tried to guide his team back into the
game, but found Parker and Young harrying him until he gave up the ball. A
sound technique was constantly in evidence in Parker's heavyweight
contribution, even a touch of flair such as when spiriting the ball away
from Andrew Crofts. He also spun away from Bellamy, who responded with a
respectful tap on the head.
Parker shone during England's World Cup training camp in Austria but failed
to make the cut. Euro 2012 surely beckons. The Lam pard-Wilshere axis had
not worked in last month's friendly against Denmark in Copenhagen. Parker's
addition was key. With the West Ham captain anchoring, England's more
forward five were able to press high up the pitch, often turning over
possession. Again, some caution needs stirring into the pot of hyperbole.
Wales yielded possession easily. Against the more technical sides that lurk
in summer tournaments, such as Germany, Spain and Portugal, a breathless
pressing game could be dangerous in the heat. Parker and Wilshere will come
up against opponents who enjoy taking the ball under pressure, who can
manipulate it skilfully away from raiding parties. But 4-3-3 gives England
more insurance.
At 30, Parker is hardly the future beyond Euro 2012, although he deserves to
remain in the engine room until the campaign is complete. At 19, Wilshere is
clearly the present and future, delivering another mature performance to go
alongside his recent eye-catching displays for Arsenal against Barcelona. He
still needs to develop his shooting, missing horribly in the second half,
but he can hone that art.
There is so much to admire in Wilshere's game. The way he always shows for
the ball, even when under pressure. Then there is the way that clever left
foot guides the ball upfield, either in a surging run that carries echoes of
Paul Gascoigne or simply passing and moving. He struck up an immediate
understanding with Parker, often playing one-twos to manoeuvre the ball out
of trouble. With 11 minutes remaining, the pair combined brilliantly to work
the ball away from red shirts to Ashley Cole. When Wilshere was replaced,
even team-mates such as Michael Dawson joined in the fans' applause.
Injuries and occasional suspensions will shape Capello's plans but he must
continue with 4-3-3. Parker and particularly Wilshere must stay in the side,
leaving Capello an interesting call to make on Lampard when Steven Gerrard
regains fitness. The Chelsea man is still easing his way back to full match
sharpness, and was far from his dynamic best yet there were reminders of his
enduring qualities, not least the calm penalty swept home after seven
minutes. Yet there will inevitably be calls for Gerrard's restoration. A
Parker-Wilshere-Gerrard central triumvirate promises much.
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