WHUFC.com
The manager challenged his players to get another unbeaten run going after
Tuesday night's defeat
28.09.2011
Sam Allardyce was making no excuses after what he described as the most
disappointing performance of the season to date for West Ham United.
Although the Hammers went into the Ipswich Town fixture on the back of their
best start in 28 years, they were undone by former Hammers midfielder Lee
Bowyer's driven last-gasp winner when the manager believed his team switched
off - first to a long goalkeeping clearance and then from the resulting
corner. In truth, the visitors were always the better team even with the
Hammers' improved second half.
Bowyer might also have scored in the first half when home man of the match
Robert Green tipped a curled effort on to the post, while Michael Chopra
could have registered for Ipswich in the opening minutes. The Hammers never
got as close as that to a goal themselves, and a seven-match unbeaten run
was always in peril in front of nearly 28,000 fans on a balmy September
evening at the Boleyn.
Still, with the scores level into the closing stages, Allardyce was
frustrated his team did not at least secure the draw. "We thought we had
learned our lesson and clearly we haven't done that. I keep telling the
players about respecting the point. Coming off nil-nil would have been a
good point for us because I didn't think we were at our best - particularly
in the first half.
"We can ill afford to throw points away but more importantly we can't do
that at Upton Park. We really have to eradicate that because we have to make
up those points away from home and while we have been magnificent in terms
of our results away from home we won't always keep going away from home and
winning."
The manager made two enforced changes with Matt Taylor (calf) and Winston
Reid (hamstring) missing out, while Julien Faubert dropped to the bench to
accommodate Sam Baldock's first home game as the manager went for a 4-4-2
formation. James Tomkins partnered Abdoulaye Faye at the back and David
Bentley got his maiden start on his fourth appearance in claret and blue.
There is plenty to ponder for Saturday's trip to Crystal Palace as
Allardyce's men aim to return to the form that has taken them to fourth
place in the npower Championship. Having seen his team bounce back before
after their defeat by Cardiff City on the opening day, the manager wants a
similar statement this weekend. "If we want to go where we want to go, this
isn't good enough. I know it is early doors and the team is a new team put
together but it doesn't stop you being organised and being professional in
the final minutes of a game. "Everyone in our dressing room, apart from one
or two of the younger element, are vastly experienced players and have seen
it all before at a higher level than this and that is what disappoints me.
They need to take the responsibility in the dying embers of a game to do the
right thing."
"Those small elements when you put them together ends up with Ipswich
winning a game that we shouldn't have allowed them to win although you have
to give the opposition great credit. The manager had plenty more praise for
Paul Jewell's team, who went into the match on the back of a good win
against Coventry City and draw at pace-setters Middlesbrough. He was forced
to reshuffle his plans to match them up, but even the introduction of Jack
Collison and John Carew for Henri Lansbury and Carlton Cole could not spark
a decisive reaction. "Ipswich are a very good side and we might have let a
little bit of complacency creep in which we sorted out at half-time and got
better in the second half. But then in terms of goalscoring opportunities,
that was lacking. "I changed the system because of injury and the fact the
last two games haven't produced any goals apart from a penalty.
Unfortunately the way we have played, we have gone from better to worse. "We
have really got to work at our game and put this behind us at Crystal Palace
by finishing the week off with some points."
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Marvellous Montenegro
WHUFC.com
Brian Montenegro impressed development squad coach Ian Hendon in Tuesday's
draw at Dagenham
27.09.2011
Ian Hendon was full of praise for young forward Brian Montenegro following
Tuesday's thrilling 4-4 development squad draw at Dagenham & Redbridge.
Hendon was understandably frustrated with his side's inability to hold on to
a lead at Victoria Road, where the Daggers came from a goal behind on three
occasions to snatch a share of the spoils. However, the development squad
coach was more than happy with the contribution of Paraguay Under-20
international forward Montenegro. The 18-year-old caught the eye with his
intelligent running, relentless work-rate and the smartly-taken goal he
netted to level the score at 1-1 in the first half. "I thought Brian was the
shining light with his movement. It's very difficult to communicate without
having a translator here, so we do everything visually by explaining things
using a graphic of a football pitch. "He showed that he is a good player
and, if he keeps showing that sort of form, people will take notice of him."
Tuesday's game also marked the return from injury of goalkeeper Peter Kurucz
after 14 months out with two knee injuries. The Hungary Under-21 stopper
came through 77 minutes unscathed before being replaced with the Hammers
leading 3-2. "That's the first I've seen of Peter and he said himself that
he felt a bit rusty. That's to be expected when you've been out for 14
months. It's a long road back when you're injured - I know that from being a
player - and it's a good feeling to get back on that pitch and be playing.
"This was a start for him and I'm sure he's looking forward to the next
one."
Taking the game as a whole, Hendon was unhappy that his side could not close
the game out, despite twice leading by a goal in the final ten minutes.
"Frustrated is probably an understatement. We played against a team that had
a bit of League experience but, having said that, I don't think it was down
to experience. The last two goals we conceded were schoolboy errors, I have
to say. "Their third goal was a free-kick into the near post and their
player has flicked it, pretty much unmarked. The fourth goal was just a
cross into the box and the keeper has got to do better - it's as simple as
that. He has got beaten in the air by one of their players who probably
wanted it a little bit more. "It's not the result we were looking for but on
the other hand it was a good workout."
The coach admitted the younger players in his squad would have to learn that
their defensive responsibilities were as important as their attacking
abilities - especially when trying to close a game out. "At four-each at the
end, we've still got midfield players making runs beyond the centre
forwards. Alright, I know they want to win the game but we had the
opportunity to do that when we were in front with a few minutes left on the
clock. Our naïve defending cost us. "It's all about learning, as we know.
People will say about developing the players, but they've got to learn and
develop. "I've had a little honeymoon period, but there were a few mistakes
which slipped into our performance at Dagenham which I wasn't pleased with.
That is something we will have to deal with. "I think the game was summed up
by the fact we looked good going forward. There is another aspect to forward
play and that the defensive one. "As much as we created going forward, they
created a bit too much going the other way. We know the ability these
players have got going forward and we won't be taking that out of their
game, that's for sure. "We've got to be switched on going the other way,
too."
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West Ham 0 - 1 Ipswich
BBC.co.uk
Page last updated at 21:26 GMT, Tuesday, 27 September 2011 22:26 UK
Lee Bowyer scored his first Ipswich goal a minute from time to inflict a
first defeat in seven matches on his former club West Ham. The midfielder
tapped in after Keith Andrews' header from Jimmy Bullard's corner had hit
the post. Bowyer had come close to opening the scoring when his 12-yard
effort hit a post in the first half. The closest West Ham came was when
Kevin Nolan's close-range header was cleared by Aaron Cresswell. The goal
from Bowyer, who had two spells at Upton Park, earned Ipswich a second win
in three games to hand manager Paul Jewell, who turns 47 on Wednesday, an
early birthday present. It ended the Hammers' seven-game unbeaten run in the
Championship as the hosts, who have made their best start to a league season
in 28 years, squandered the chance to move top of the table.
Ipswich made a bright start and Michael Chopra's close-range effort was
saved by Robert Green. Bowyer's shot then hit an upright before West Ham had
a chance as Henri Lansbury fired a 30-yard shot off-target. That seemed to
spark Sam Allardyce's side into life but Abdoulaye Faye could not keep his
header down from David Bentley's corner - and at the other end Green was
forced into another save when Grant Leadbitter shot from 18 yards. West Ham
made a better start to the second half and, within five minutes, Carlton
Cole tested Ipswich goalkeeper David Stockdale with an 18-yard strike.
Another long-range Leadbitter strike was easily dealt with by Green before
Cresswell's excellent block kept out Nolan's header. With eight minutes
left, Green was at full stretch to tip Cresswell's 30-yard free-kick over
the crossbar. Just as the game was seemingly heading for a goalless draw,
Bowyer popped up to stun the Hammers. Stockdale was called upon to save from
Jack Collison in injury time but Town secured a third successive clean
sheet, the first time they have achieved that feat since March 2005.
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West Ham Utd 0 Ipswich Town 1
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 27th September 2011
By: Staff Writer
It's back to the drawing board for Sam Allardyce tomorrow morning after his
side turned in another desperately disappointing display against Ipswich at
the Boleyn tonight. Having defended the use of his 433 system in recent days
following criticism of his game plan against Peterborough - who recently
thrashed tonight's opponents 7-1 - Allardyce surprised everyone by reverting
to a 442 formation, allowing recent signing Sam Baldock to make his full
debut alongside Carlton Cole.
However this proved to be as ineffective as the manager's previous set-up,
due in main to his team's insistence on pumping long balls at Cole who often
found himself with little support - even more so after Allardyce reverted to
a five-man midfield midway through the first half after his side found
themselves overrun in the middle of the park.
The only goal of the game came as the match approached injury time - the
THIRD time that has happened in the five home league games this season,
following Cardiff and Leeds. Canning Town-born Lee Bowyer - who hails from a
family of Hammers fans and spent two spells at the club in the noughties -
pounced from close range to earn the visitors all three points that, on
reflection, they probably deserved.
Deserved, as the Tractor Boys had already hit the post on two seperate
occasion prior to the goal whilst West Ham yet again failed to make an
impact in the final third of the pitch. It's now 284 minutes since the
Hammers managed to score a goal from open play, having scored fourteen goals
in their previous four outings.
Once again the opposition goalkeeper was all too rarely tested; bar a couple
of half chances for Cole and Abdoulaye Faye there was very little for the
home fans to cheer. David Bentley, playing on the left in the absence of
Matt Taylor tried his best, supplying a number of decent corners and
crosses, but all too often there was nobody to get on the end of them.
Allardyce will no doubt point to the fact that the team is still gelling
following a number of new arrivals in the summer - and he has a point.
However what is considerably harder to defend is his team's insistence on
hurling long ball after long ball towards Carlton Cole, much to the chagrin
of the home fans who are beginning to make their feelings known.
Next up for the Hammers is this weekend's short trip across London to
Crystal Palace; having dropped five points in their last three fixtures, the
pressure is back on West Ham to produce a result against a side who beat
current league leaders Brighton 3-1 on their own ground tonight.
West Ham Utd 0 Ipswich Town 1: match facts
West Ham Utd: Green, O'Brien, Tomkins, Faye, McCartney, Lansbury (Collison
64), Noble (Faubert 90), Nolan, Bentley, Baldock, Cole (Carew 64).
Subs not used: Boffin, Bouba Diop.
Booked: Lansbury (11).
Ipswich Town: Stockdale, Cresswell, Collins, Sonko, Leadbitter, Edwards,
Bowyer, Andrews, Bullard, Scotland (Ellington 85), Chopra (Delaney 90).
Subs not used: Lee-Barrett, , Ainsley, Emmanuel-Thomas.
Goals: Bowyer (89).
Booked: Bowyer (45).
Attendance: 27,709
Referee: Keith Stroud (7).
KUMB.com Man of the Match: David Bentley.
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Jewell on... West Ham United
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 28th September 2011
By: Staff Writer
Ipswich Town manager Paul Jewell was understandably delighted at his team's
smash-and-grab raid in east London tonight...
Paul: Few would argue that you deserved that win?
Yeah, but no doubt some will! First half I thought we were terrific, passed
the ball really well. Chops [Michael Chopra] had a good opportunity when he
hit the inside of the post. Obviously they were always going to be a threat
from set pieces and stuff, but I thought we passed the ball really well
first half and should have gone in [to half time] with the lead. Second half
we weren't quite as fluent but we had to dig in and be resilient.
It must be the perfect birthday present for you?
It's a great birthday present yeah. It'll make my fortieth tomorrow very
happy! [laughs]
You've had some good results here previously?
Yeah, it's quite strange; when I was manager of Wigan we used to beat West
Ham most times here and they always beat us at home so it's a bit strange.
But it's a great place to come and play football. It's a lovely stadium,
it's a passionate ground. We knew we had to do a job on the crowd first -
try and keep the ball and make them impatient. Credit to our players, first
half we were terrific.
Most of your players have played three games in eight days but they kept
going right to the end?
Yeah, three games in eight days now but it's the same squad and the same
team. Football's a funny old game as they say. The confidence is there. A
month ago we looked bereft of ideas, we looked as if we couldn't pick our
feet up. We've had a bit of a change of fortune and we've got good players,.
At the minute the players who are playing look full of confidence.
Lee Bowyer could have scored in the first half when he hit the post, but he
wasn't messing about with that finish at the end?
I think I read in the program before the game, I think it was Mark Noble
saying he has a habit of scoring against West Ham. So it was obviously a
great moment for him to get his first goal for us. The one in the first half
I was just expecting him to hit the net - even when he hit the post I
thought it might have gone in. You start to wonder if it's going to be your
night but we kept going. We created some good situations that we didn't make
the most of but fair play to the players, I thought we deserved the win
tonight.
What has he brought to you, apart from his goal tonight?
That's the first thing he's done! [laughs] I was going to ask him that
actually! Listen, he's got experience, he's been around the block and the
system we're playing at the moment seems to suit him.
That's three clean sheets in a row now, the two centre backs have really
transformed you?
Yeah. They've been terrific, [Ibrahima} Sonko and Danny Collins. You know
what you're going to get out of them - honesty. It's a tough place to come,
you know; Carlton Cole is substituted and they bring on John Carew. It's a
handful and we did really well. We're not the biggest team in the world and
we knew we had to be strong at set plays. I was pleased with that part of
our game as well.
And the full-backs were getting forward as well; fantastic, I thought?
Well they have to; if we're going to play that way they've got to be able to
get forward. First half, we put 13 crosses in? Some of them weren't of a
great quality but some great balls were going in the box. We looked full of
confidence, we looked like we had plenty of movement and plenty of options
on the ball. We played with vigour and we played with energy and the biggest
thing - as anyone will tell you - is we're playing with confidence. But we
won't get too carried away.
It's been a difficult couple of days for Carlos Edwards* as well but it
didn't seem to affect him one bit, did it?
No... [long pause, then laughs] Look, I have to be careful, whatever's gone
on is a legal case and I can't comment on it. If I knew what was going on I
couldn't tell you, but I don't know, so... But he's played his game and he
was terrific, yeah.
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Allardyce - We must learn
Hammers concede late again in home defeat to Ipswich
Last Updated: September 27, 2011 11:27pm
SSN
Sam Allardyce has urged his players to turn Upton Park into a fortress after
ex-Hammer Lee Bowyer returned to haunt his former club with a last-gasp
winner for Ipswich. The points looked certain to be shared until midfielder
Bowyer pounced with a minute left to grab his first Ipswich goal. This was
the Hammers' first defeat in eight games, since a 1-0 reverse against
Cardiff on opening day, but after seeing his side concede a fourth late goal
at home already this season, Allardyce told Sky Sports: "We thought we had
learned our lesson about conceding late goals but clearly we haven't. "I
keep telling players to respect the points and how important they are and I
think a 0-0 would have been a good point for us as we weren't at our best,
particularly in the first half. "I don't need to say it as all the fans will
be moaning 'not again', like the home games with Cardiff, Leeds and
Portsmouth and now Ipswich. "We can't afford to throw points away and more
importantly at Upton Park and that is four points we have thrown away late
at home. "This means we have to make these points up when we go away and we
won't keep winning away so we need to sort it out. If we want to get to
where we want to get to then this isn't good enough," he said.
Smash and grab
In a scrappy first half it was Ipswich who could count themselves unlucky
not to find a goal, Michael Chopra was denied at close range by Robert Green
while Bowyer hit the post. Things failed to improve after the restart but
Ipswich stole all three points in the dying minutes, Bowyer reacting
quickest to a Keith Andrews header that hit the post from a Jimmy Bullard
corner to drill home. The Tractor Boys are now unbeaten in three games,
conceding none in the process, and Paul Jewellwas full of praise for his
players despite some tired legs. "This was our third game in eight days with
pretty much the same squad and same team but I thought we deserved the win,
particularly the way we played in the first half," the Ipswich boss told Sky
Sports.
"Football is a funny old game though and we have a confidence in the team
now where a month ago we looked bereft of ideas and couldn't pick our feet
up. "But since then we have had a change of fortune, the players realise
they are good players and at the moment they are full of confidence. "It was
a great moment for Lee to get his first goal for us and he is someone who
offers us great experience the system we play clearly suits him. "But that
is now three clean sheets too and Ibrahima Sonko and Danny Collins have been
brilliant at centre back during this run and they were again against West
Ham."
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Bowyer back to haunt Hammers
Last updated: 27th September 2011
SSN
Lee Bowyer came back to haunt former club West Ham with a last-gasp winner
in a 1-0 victory for Ipswich at Upton Park. The 34-year-old midfielder, who
had two spells at Upton Park, earned Ipswich a second win in three games to
hand manager Paul Jewell,who turns 47 on Wednesday, an early birthday
present. Bowyer registered his first goal for the club, tapping into the net
after Keith Andrews had seen his header from Jimmy Bullard's corner hit the
post. It ended the Hammers' seven-game unbeaten run in the Championship as
the hosts, who have made their best start to a league season in 28 years,
also squandered the chance to move top of the table. Town made a bright
start and had an early opportunity to take the lead but Michael Chopra's
close-range effort was saved with his feet by Hammers goalkeeper Robert
Green. The home side were being pegged back by the imposing visitors and
Bowyer was inches away from celebrating a goal against his old club when his
12-yard effort hit the post. Henri Lansbury, who spent last season on loan
at Town's East Anglia rivals Norwich, was fired up for the game and, after
being booked for a foul on Carlos Edwards, he fired a 30-yard shot off
target. It seemed to spark the Hammers into life and they came close again
shortly afterwards but Abdoulaye Faye could not keep his header down from
David Bentley's corner. Ipswich responded and a Grant Leadbitter strike from
18 yards forced Green into another save. West Ham made a better start to the
second half and within five minutes Carlton Coletested Town goalkeeper David
Stockdale with an 18-yard strike before Joey O'Briencleared the crossbar
with an effort just outside the penalty area. Another long-range Leadbitter
strike was easily dealt with by Green before an excellent block by Town
defenfer Aaron Cresswell kept out a Kevin Nolan header from close range.
Play was switching from end to end and the next opening arrived for Town
striker Jason Scotland but he could not find the target with his 25-yard
strike and was again wayward moments later from similar range. With eight
minutes left, Green was at full stretch to tip Cresswell's 30-yard free-kick
over the crossbar. Just as the game was seemingly heading for a goalless
draw, Bowyer popped up to stun the Hammers. Stockdale was called upon to
save from Jack Collison in injury time but Town secured a third successive
clean sheet, the first time they have achieved that feat since March 2005.
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West Ham 0-1 Ipswich: Bowyer silences boo-boys
Published 22:01 27/09/11 By Neil McLeman
The Mirror
Lee Bowyer smashed home a late winner on his return to Upton Park to leave
Sam Allardyce accusing his side of complacency. The Canning Town-born
midfielder, who had two spells with West Ham, was booed all night by the
home fans. But the former England star responded by scoring his third goal
in as many seasons against the Hammers to give Ipswich boss Paul Jewell an
early birthday present. The Tractor Boys boss, who turns 47 on Wednesday,
saw his side dominate the first half at Upton Park but fail to score after
Bowyer hit the post and Michael Chopra and Grant Leadbitter forced saves
from Robert Green. But even though West Ham were better after the break,
they conceded another late goal to blow their chance of going top of the
table. The Irons defence failed to clear an 88th-minute corner and Bowyer
crashed the loose ball home through Green's legs. He also scored against his
old team in January for Birmingham in the Carling Cup semi-final. "I read in
the programme before the game he has a habit of scoring against West Ham,"
said Jewell. "It was a great moment for him to get his first goal for the
club. And it's a great birthday present, that makes the 40th very happy!"
Bowyer, 34, moved to Portman Road from Birmingham in the summer on a Bosman.
"It's the first thing he's done!" joked Jewell. "He's got experience, has
been around the block, and the system we have seems to suit him."
While Ipswich kept a third consecutive clean sheet, West Ham's seven-match
unbeaten run came to a shuddering halt after a terrible start and finish to
the game.
Allardyce has claimed promoted teams can only afford eight defeats during a
campaign. That is two now for the Hammers - both at home, to late goals.
"Another late goal - terrible, isn't it?" he said. "I thought we had learned
our lesson and clearly we have not done so. I try to tell our players about
respecting the point and how important it is. "Nil-nil would have been a
good result for us because I don't think we were at our best. That glitch in
our play has cropped up again after Cardiff and Leeds and we have dropped
four points. "We can ill-afford to throw points away, especially at Upton
Park. Losing two, winning two and drawing one at home is not good enough to
go where we want to go. "Give Ipswich a lot of credit but we might have let
a little bit of complacency creep in. "I didn't think we deserved to win it
but we shouldn't be losing games at that stage anymore from now on."
West Ham (4-4-2) : Green 7; O'Brien 7, Tomkins 7, Faye, McCartney 7; Bentley
5, Nolan 6, Noble 6 (Faubert, 89), Lansbury 6 (Collison, 65); Cole 5 (Carew,
64), Baldock 6.
Ipswich (4-4-2): Stockdale 7; Edwards 8, Sonko 7, Collins 6, Cresswell 6;
Andrews 7, Bullard 8, Leadbitter 8, Bowyer 7; Scotland 6 (Ellington, 86),
Chopra 7 (Delaney, 90).
Man of the match: Bowyer .
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Burnley Czech out West Ham reserve keeper
Published 20:06 27/09/11 By Jeremy Butler
The Mirror
West Ham keeper Marek Stech has been handed a trial at Burnley after being
told he can leave Upton Park. The 21-year-old played three Carling Cup games
for the Hammers this term, but is looking for more regular football. Stech,
a Czech Republic U21 international, headed to Burnley after failing to win a
deal at Ipswich recently.
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