WHUFC.com
Martyn Margetson has been delighted with the form of West Ham United No1
Robert Green
25.09.2011
Robert Green has been hailed for another top-class performance in the West
Ham United goal. The England keeper has been at his best this season, with
Saturday's 1-0 win against Peterborough United his fourth clean sheet in
eight matches. Goalkeeping coach Martyn Margetson is more than pleased with
the No1's form. "I have been absolutely thrilled with Rob from the moment
I've set foot in the football club," he told whufc.com. "His attitude and
professionalism has been first class. It is eight games now and four clean
sheets, I am really delighted. "A big part of goalkeeping is the mental side
and from the moment you get into the ground you need to start switching on.
The mental side of it is a big part of Rob's game and I feel as though we
have struck a chord together. Hopefully we can keep it going."
Green needed to be alert as early as the first minute against The Posh, when
Tommy Rowe was allowed a clpse-range effort on goal from a Grant McCann
corner that was not defended. "The first minute one was important but I also
look at the one that he saved from McCann in the second half, maybe not a
lot of people realise how difficult a save that was because when McCann
struck it that ball was up, down, left and right. "Rob dealt with it and
held it. Those saves are so difficult to make when the ball is moving all
over the place. It is credit to the hard work he puts in Monday to Friday."
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Ferguson on... West Ham United
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 25th September 2011
By: Staff Writer
Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson insisted that his side could have taken
something from yesterday's game - if only they had a little more
self-belief...
Darren: there didn't seem to be too much between the two sides on the day.
Disappointed therefore to lose by just that one goal?
I didn't think there would be. I thought we could come here and win it, I
really did. I wish my players had have, because we just lacked that belief
first half. Second half we got a bit about us and we came into the game more
but we just lacked a little bit of belief really I felt, first half. I don't
know why because we spoke all week and worked all week on how we wanted to
play. So disappointing; another lost opportunity I feel to get something out
of the game.
The change at half time made the difference; not just the change of
personnel but a change in shape as well?
We didn't change our shape, we played the same way with the diamond. First
half, George [Boyd] played off Emile (Sinclair]. I took Ryan [Tunnicliffe]
off; he was a little bit unlucky but I wanted to keep the balance on the
left and I felt we had some opportunities as I felt we would have in the
game. We wanted to keep the ball and frustrate them but it was a lost
opportunity.
The players have got to believe, it's their decision as to what sort of
season we have. We can have a really good one or we can have a mediocre one
- but I've got to give them a bit more belief.
Was it a penalty?
No idea. Quick to give it, don't know if we'd have got it at the other end.
The lad on the radio says it might have been outside the box. It's wrong of
me to comment without seeing it again, but he's given it.
The defence played ever so well last week against Burnley and again today.
Paul Jones had so few saves to make? The first one was...
76 minutes. Yeah. But I really feel it was a lost opportunity to get
something out of the game. We've had too many now and it's getting quite
annoying. When is it going to sink in that we could have a really good
season? We are a good team and I'm getting fed up with people saying 'well
played' and 'unlucky', I'm only interested in winning games. We've got to
have that mentality from the start so that was the most disappointing thing;
probably the only disappointing thing apart from the result.
Tomlins' injury in the second half, how serious is that?
Well it's swollen up straight away so that suggests it's ligaments, that's
normally the case when swelling comes so quickly. I fear the worse for the
boy, I think it could be a bad one. But you never know, we'll scan him
tomorrow and if that's the case then it's disappointing for the lad.
A big occasion for so many players to play on a ground like this before
almost 30,000 spectators; just disappointing from your point of view that
perhaps they didn't do themselves justice?
Yeah. I mean they were hanging on a little bit at the end, keeping the ball
in the corner and what have you. It's a fantastic club, West Ham, they've
got a very good manager and you'd expect them to be there or thereabouts. It
doesn't say in any rule book that Peterborough can' be there or thereabouts,
just because it's Peterborough. Sometimes maybe the players think that, but
that'll change.
You wouldn't really expect West Ham, in the position that they're in and
such a great club, to be playing the way they did in those last few nervy
minutes, would you?
They get nervous, they've lost late goals here. They get nervous at home,
they do. The expectations are huge - probably most people coming here today
would have thought 'it's Peterborough, comfortable game'.
I always knew we'd have a chance because we've got a team that can pass the
ball and overload areas. We did it quite well, it was just the second half
the tempo went up and then the last third. It was too slow first half. You
know, I don't want to repeat myself but it was a lost opportunity, I think.
What can you do to give them a bit of belief as a manager?
I do it all the time; it's one thing I do, keep the belief. I just felt it
looked to me as if we lacked a bit of it in the first half. I said to the
players, "if we score early in the second half, do you think we'll win?" And
every one of them said, "yes".
Why? Because we've got the belief, but they should have had it from the
start of the game because they're good players.
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Win or lose, here come the boos
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 25th September 2011
By: Daniel Nussbaum
It was far from pleasant on Saturday as West Ham played host to newly
promoted Peterbrough.
Undefeated in six, Sam Allardyce wanted to make it seven by any means
necessary, which he did. The Hammers picked up all three points thanks to a
well taken penalty by Mark Noble. A 1-0 win which felt like a loss,
according to many supporters. Why is that?
Boring, long ball, unimaginative, ugly and route one. These are just some of
the adjectives used to describe the football at The Boleyn ground this
season under big Sam Allardyce. The same can be said about the last two
seasons, except for one little difference; West Ham are unbeatean in seven
games this season.
Some results have been ground out, other games won by a fair margin. The
simple fact is that in a result driven business, big Sam is on course to
lead the club to automatic promotion.
The main crticism thrown at Allardyce's team is its inability to play 'the
West Ham way'. For those unfamiliar with our traditions, it refers to free
flowing, attack-minded football and plenty of short passing. It has also
been many years since we have last seen a West Ham side play such football.
A sign of the times, perhaps, or a lack of adequate options? The sad truth
is, we may not see it for a long time.
So what do we have to look forward to? With no free flowing football, how do
the owners get the supporters to keep buying tickets?
First off, we are supporters. Which means we should support the club through
thick and thin, immaterial of who is at the helm. You can dislike certain
players, coaches and even managers, but the club is what we support. If it's
entertainment you're looking for, the owners cannot guarantee it.
Now that's out of the way, I hope you're still here. If you are, you may
want to sit down for what I'm about to tell you. Earth-shattering as it may
be, under Sam Allardyce you will always get an organised unit. Commited,
no-nonsense, match fit and tactically aware players, who work as a team and
get results. As the season advances, the fitness levels will rise and the
manager's imprint on his team will become more evident.
But we don't like giving managers time, do we? It's always here and now, and
when they do deliver it's not quite the way we wanted it to look. So in
reality, my choice of title is wrong, because Sam cannot win with the crowd.
A case of damned if he does, damned if he doesn't. His biggest downfall is
his perception going all the way back to his Bolton days, which reflects
upon his signings and vice versa.
You may recall my article on the importance of a leader in this team. Well,
Sam's choice seems to be raising crticism from the same voices who have it
in for the manager. Kevin Nolan has been dubbed an unfit, immobile luxury
and limited player, who offers little in footballing terms. His leadership
skills have been underrated, much like those of his manager. I still
maintain both are irreplaceable this season, and shouldn't be judged on how
the other is perceived.
The team's mindset is a very important aspect. Two consecutive relegation
battles have taken their toll, and confidence levels reached an all time low
following our recent relegation. Players like Faubert, Tomkins, Green, Noble
et al have adopted a losing mentality over the years, one which has held
them back and made them look like poor footballers. This issue has been
criminally overlooked for the past few seasons and is seemingly being taken
lightly by supporters who fail to give Allardyce credit for the turn around
in that area.
I can only speak for myself, but I used to dread going into match days last
season. I suppose I've adopted the same losing mentality as some of our
players, but I can wholeheartedly state that Sam Allardyce has helped me
shake it off as well. I am no longer afraid of playing away from home, nor
am I worried about a massive defeat at the hands of anyone. That's because I
know that no matter how much abuse I utter under my breath when the players
under perform, we finally have a manager who will let them know.
As you have probably realised, I have plenty of time for, and faith in,
Allardyce. Not only do I trust him to guide us to promotion, but I also
think he will improve our standard of football as well. With more resources
and less pressure next season, he will have us playing attacking football
while still being solid at the back.
Only one small problem, though; we need to support our club and our manager
this season. That's the only way we can improve and achieve the level of
football we all know and love.
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Big Sam to stand and deliver
Hammers boss admits owners won't rest until real success arrives
Last Updated: September 25, 2011 12:21pm
SSN
Sam Allardyce has revealed if he fails to take West Ham back into the
Premier League, then he will be happy to resign as manager. The Hammers
boss, who took over at Upton Park during the summer as successor to Avram
Grant after the club were relegated from the top flight, admits he was
brought in to take the club straight back up at the first time of asking.
And the former Bolton and Blackburn manager accepts the challenge is
something he will thrive on because he enjoys pressure situations.
Deliver
He told the Sunday Mirror: "I thrive under pressure and I said when I came
here if I don't deliver promotion in two seasons I expect to get sacked. "In
fact, co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold won't have to sack me because
I'd tender my resignation and say it's right to part company anyway. "If I
don't deliver on what I said, it's only right I go. I think it puts
everything into perspective when you have a club the size of West Ham in the
Championship, a club with more support than a great deal of Premier League
clubs. "So it's sobering when you walk out into an empty press conference
and there is little or no coverage in the media. "It's just a further
demonstration of the wealth and immense power of the Premier League. It's as
if life doesn't exist outside the top-flight. "A normal Premier League press
conference will last nearly an hour and a half. Here it's over in ten
minutes. "But that's all the more reason why you want to get back into the
Premier League."
Allardyce, who has attracted players such as Abdoulaye Faye, Kevin Nolan,
Matt Taylor and Joey O'Brien to Upton Park, feels he is building a squad
which has a chance of promotion. He added: "The opportunity to succeed at
West Ham is far greater than what would have been on offer from a Premier
League club. The sad thing is people think I'm a good lad to take on to save
a football club from relegation, not to build a club to be successful. "But
I have that here. I have the owners in David Sullivan and David Gold who
won't rest until real success arrives at this club and are confident I'm the
man to deliver it."
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The Positive and Negative Thread - Peterborough
Pee Wee 6:13 Sat Sep 24
West Ham Online
West Ham look to get their second home win in as many games and the general
feeling amongst fans before the game was that we'd see just that as pre
season relegation favourites Peterborough made their way to East London.
As we have seen too many times already this season pre match optimism proved
unrealistic as The Boleyn faithful were left frustrated and bored with
another dire performance. As ever there were good and bad points to take
from the game.
Positives:
Defensively we looked sound as the visitors hardly had a chance on goal.
Partly that was down to the low standard of opposition - by far the weakest
team to come to Upton Park so far this season but also due to our solid
pairing at the back.
Reid and Faye looked good and strong, Faye particularly looked solid. Backed
up with our decent full backs I think our defence has been a massive plus
point this year.
Noble once again looked good, made a couple of great passes one of which
split the 'boro defence in two. A great penalty taker too. Second goal in as
many home games.
When we played the ball on the floor we looked really good and opened them
up brilliantly a couple of times. Sadly it was only a couple of times we
tried to play football, but shows we have the quality there should we decide
to try and play decent football any time soon.
3 points! I heard a few people say 'we won, that's the main thing' and I
know many agree with this. Personally I don't, I think the way we play is as
important and as proved by the times we did play decent stuff it was
effective - but 3 points is a positive.
Negatives:
The 'boro fans summed it with their chants of 'boring boring West Ham'. It
the first time I have ever heard that chant and don't ever want to hear it
again. They were right though, one dimensional, predictable and anti
football. Keeping the ball in the corner is not what I want to see from my
team - but it was something Sam was shouting for them to do.
Nolan was as ineffectual as he has been all season and it seems the games
just pass him by. The only thing I really remember him doing was trying to
win a penalty instead of shooting when he was clean through. The game was
crying out for Baldock to play and Nolan would have been the perfect man to
bring off - he is the managers favourite though and it seems his place is
untouchable.
As much as I praised Cole against Portsmouth for his work rate, his attitude
his skill, I didn't fool myself into thinking he'd changed into a good
player and therefore didn't fall of my chair in shock at his awful
performance today. To an extent I feel sorry for him being made to play in
the formation we do but he was poor today so much so he made his replacement
Carew look good.
Carew came on for Cole and although was able to hold the ball up better
having him on the pitch makes us play a cartain way, a way that is easy to
defend. In fact so easy was it to defend when played long to him we started
playing it into the channels for him. Carew is a lot of things but someone
to run the channels is not one of them. Patheic tactics that he tried to
make the best of but as exxpected were ineffectual.
Summary: As expected under Sam Allardyce we win more than we lose and we
bore anyone unfortunate enough to watch the game in process. Sam will see
today as a success and I imagine many fans will too and for that reason I
can't see things changing anytime soon. 3 points and bored to tears - expect
to see that a few more times this season.
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