Daily WHUFC News - 22nd October 2012

Chambers thankful for first-team chance
WHUFC.com
Leo Chambers is grateful for the role the Academy of Football has played in
his development as a player
21.10.2012

Leo Chambers has praised West Ham United's Academy for helping him to record
his maiden appearance in a first-team squad. The defender, who was an unused
substitute for Saturday's 4-1 Barclays Premier League victory over
Southampton at the Boleyn Ground, thanked Academy Director Tony Carr and his
staff for giving him a top-class football education since he joined the club
a decade ago. The England Under-18 international has been an ever-present
for the table-topping Development Squad this season, despite only
celebrating his 17th birthday in August. He is hoping to help Ian Hendon's
side collect another three Barclays U21 Premier League points when they
travel to Bolton Wanderers on Monday evening. "The same kind of coaching you
receive starts from as low as the Under-9s and continues until you reach the
Development Squad," he told West Ham TV. "You start training in the way we
do very young so it helps you when you reach higher levels."

Chambers confirmed that learning the West Ham way and the development of
technical ability is central to the way young players are coached at Little
Heath. He believes that approach will stand the club in superb stead over
the next few years. "When I was coming through, we began learning the
technical side of the game at around the Under-12 level and now it is
starting with the Under-9s. The programme we have got here at the club is
very good and the next generation coming through should be out of this
world."

With Chambers rock steady at centre-back alongside Academy graduate and
friend Jordan Spence, the Development Squad scored a fine 2-0 win at
Blackburn Rovers last time out. The 17-year-old is confident of scoring
another victory in Lancashire on Monday. The Brixton-born player said morale
among the Hammers' youngsters was at an all-time high as they look to extend
their advantage at the top of Group 1. Should West Ham stay at the summit,
they will qualify for the post-Christmas Elite League, where they will take
on the top sides from all three Groups. "We have had some good training
sessions this past week and the team spirit has been very high so hopefully
another win is on the cards. As a squad our target is to get into the Elite
League and we are top of the league at the moment but, short-term, our aim
is to win the next game."

Chambers is also hopeful that continued impressive performances for the
Development Squad will push himself and others into Big Sam's plans on a
regular basis. "Long-term, our aims are to push into the first-team and make
progress within the club. Playing in the Elite League will definitely help
because we will be playing against better teams and that will challenge us
individually and as a group." Academy graduates Rob Hall, Dan Potts,
Matthias Fanimo and George Moncur have all featured in the first team
already this season, providing an incentive for Chambers and his fellow
scholars to follow in their footsteps. "Knowing that players in the
first-team squad have come through the club gives you a great belief in the
club and in yourself. They have come through the club, which means that
there are opportunities for young players, which is good for us, them and
West Ham United."

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Noble happy with Saints victory
WHUFc.com
An ecstatic Mark Noble was quick to share the praise after his two goals
inspired the Hammers to victory
21.10.2012

Mark Noble has praised West Ham United's team spirit, mentality and quality
after putting in a Man of the Match performance against Southampton. Noble
scored twice - the first via a long-range free-kick and the second from the
penalty spot - as the Hammers scored four second half goals to ensure
victory over the Saints. Man of the Match Noble praised his side's attitude
after a testing first-half which provided few chances for either side and
saw the Hammers struggle to find any sort of energy and fluency in their
game. "We all said at half-time that we have been very good at home but we
cannot play like we have every game," he told West Ham TV. "You have to give
credit to Southampton because they closed us down and made it very difficult
for us. "We defended very well and at 0-0 we were still massively in the
game and knew we had a chance to go on and win it which thankfully we did."

Despite his two goals, Noble was quick to shun all of the plaudits,
insisting that every member of the team had played their part in a fantastic
second-half performance. "To get four against Southampton was fantastic but
that is what can happen when you have quality players like Yossi Benayoun,
big Andy Carroll and Nobby (Kevin Nolan). "Matt Jarvis also had a very good
game and Tonks (James Tomkins) did a fantastic job playing at right-back,
despite having not played two months. It was great for the lads".

The Boleyn Ground once again provided an electric backdrop to proceedings
and Noble praised the crowd's patience and reaction following a
disappointing first half. "We are together as a group and we said to each
other at half-time that we cannot go 3-0 up early on every week [like we did
against Fulham]. "The fans clapped us off at half-time which is what we
always need. We came out for the second half, played a lot better and we won
the game four-one."

Noble opened the scoring less than a minute after the break from a free-kick
from 40 yards that bounced into the top corner after James Collins had
wrong-footed goalkeeper Artur Boruc by missing with his attempted flick. The
Hammer of the Year said the goal might have looked lucky, but it was
anything but.
"We practice set-pieces in training to make sure we get the ball in the
right area and it is about time I scored from one because I have taken about
a thousand and none have gone straight in! His second goal from the penalty
spot came after Adam Lallana's goal had put the home fans on edge by halving
Southampton's deficit. However, while the supporters might have been in
doubt that Noble would convert from 12 yards after Jose Fonte's handball,
the midfielder was supremely confident. "I don't want to talk about
penalties because I do not want to jinx it, but I know I am going to take
them and luckily it went in!"

The Hammers travel to the DW Stadium next weekend to face Wigan Athletic and
Noble is confident of another impressive showing both on and off the pitch.
"We set a target for ourselves at the start of the season and we have met
it. We are enjoying everything at the minute, especially at home, and like I
said the fans have been fantastic. "They were behind us all the way as they
were against Arsenal even though we lost 3-1. We have got a good team spirit
at the moment and we conduct ourselves brilliantly every game."

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Allardyce on... Southampton
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 21st October 2012
By: Staff Writer

Sam Allardyce was delighted with an emphatic victory against an impotent
Southampton side - but admitted that backsides needed to be kicked before
the three points were secured. Big Sam's full press conference entirely in
full exclusively here for you on KUMB.com...

You must be on a high, Sam, after a win like that?

I'm surprised that we won 4-1 if you look at what we did in the fist half.
The good thing for me is the professionalism of the players who took a bit
of criticism at half time for what was a bit of a lacklustre performance.

The only good thing we did was that we didn't really allow Southampton any
chances in the first half. We just weren't playing well enough and if were
to overcome them we would have to play a lot better. We had to do that by
upping the tempo and showing the sort of desire that we showed against
Arsenal, Fulham, Sunderland and Aston Villa.

We did that in the second half, giving that type of performance and scoring
the goals. The timing was brilliant; we went out, got right at them and
scored two very quick goals and, in the end, [secured] a fantastic 4-1
victory. So we can forget the first half now, enjoy the victory and focus on
the positives of how we turned the game around when we looked like we were
struggling.

In fact we didn't just look like it, we were struggling - but then we came
out in the second half and put it right - and not only put it right by
winning the game but by winning the game comfortably. Scoring four goals
against any side in the Premier League is no mean feat and 4-1 is a
brilliant result for us.

You said the players took a bit of criticism at half time. Is that
management speak for you gave them an old-fashioned [bollocking]?

We had to look at ourselves and say "we're just not doing our job properly"
- apart from our defending which was ok. We weren't passing it well enough,
we weren't mixing our play up enough, we weren't giving the right sort of
quality to the front lads and we weren't sustaining any pressure on the
opposition.

I told them that if they could do that, Southampton are struggling
confidence-wise as they've only picked up four points. They've scored plenty
of goals but they'd conceded 20 so if we put pressure on the back four they
will make mistakes. They did that and we capitalised on it.

I'm really pleased about the last goal - the quality of it first and
foremost and also for Maribo scoring it. He scored in the international
break [for Mali] again, he scored against Wigan in the Capital One Cup and
he's scored a fabulous goal here today which gives him a huge amount of
confidence.

We had six senior players injured today, three kids on the bench and players
- like James Tomkins at right back - playing out of position. We also had
squad players coming in and doing a great job - Yossi Benayoun for the
second goal particularly - and in the end, it's just a fantastic victory.

The first goal was perhaps fortunate with the manner in which it went in?

You can say it's slightly fortunate because it goes straight in without a
touch on it, but it's a quality ball. Because of the quality of the delivery
it gets you a goal. We always practice to hit the target when we get those
free-kicks, on that basis.

When the goalkeeper's faced with up to ten players running at him - five of
theirs and five of ours trying to get on the end of it - by the time the
ball goes over every player's head they are only about six yards out. If
nobody touches it it goes straight in the far post; there's nothing the
goalkeeper can do.

You couldn't criticise the 'keeper at all for that. But the quality of the
ball got the goal. Yes, it was slightly fortunate because nobody got a touch
but things like that turn games - and it turned the game in our favour.

Andy Carroll was involved heavily; he won the free-kick for the first goal
plus the hand-ball for the penalty?

When you constantly put central defenders under pressure they crack in the
end, don't they? Andy was an asbolute pain in the backside for the two
centre halfs all day and they've ended up fighting him and fouling him to
try and contain him - and we capitalised on that.

He got hit in the first half by Jose Fonte; did you see that? The elbow?

I saw it, but the referee didn't.

What did you make of it?

Well he led with the arm; whether it was intentional or not I don't know.
I'm more disappointed that the referee didn't even give a free kick.

But like I said, in the end we've come out with a great result and,
importantly, without any more injuries. We've already got six senior players
out. Eight games and 14 points is a massive total for a newly-promoted team
and represents a brilliant start to the season for the lads. I know we've
only played Arsenal of the top eight, but you've still got to win them.

That brings you to the next run of fixtures - I think it's seven against the
top 10?

We're focused on Wigan away now. We'll say to the players that our last away
game was at Queens Park Rangers and it was a terrific performance and a
well-deserved victory. Can we go and produce our first back-to-back wins in
the Premier League?

When you've won a game, to go and win the next one is a massive ask. If you
can do it, it makes a huge amount of difference. So we're going to try and
go back-to-back for the first time, that's our aim. Wigan, I don't think
have won at home this season so there might be a little bit of a lack of
confidence in their team. If we go and perform like we know we can that
might give us the chance to get back-to-back wins.

One of your lads chose not to wear a Kick It Out t-shirt today?

Yeah - because we ran out of t-shirts.

Why was that then?

We didn't have enough. We had to give them to the referees because they
didn't bring theirs.

I'm just keen to know whether the lad decided to make a stand?

Not as far as I'm aware. Let's talk about football, eh?

But after the week football has had there's some black players who want to
make a statement.

I can understand that but at the end of the day we've got to move on, play
the game, enjoy what we do and what we're paid to do and entertain people.
We can't keep going on about it. The statements have been made, let's move
on. Let's hope it's worked and it continues to get better.

James Tomkins - did he catch himself on the pitch?

Cramp - because he hasn't played that much and you can lose your match
fitness. Towards the end of the game you feel the pace that little bit more
than the lads who play on a regular basis. His muscles cramped up so we
whipped him straight off and put young Jordan [Spence] on. So no more
serious injuries, which is extremely important for us based on the six
injuries we've got at the moment.

Is it too early to start setting a target for your team?

We've achieved our first target with the considerable amount of points we've
achieved in the first eight games from a group of fixtures that were not
easy, but easier that what is coming up. We only had Arsenal [of the big
teams] in the first eight and all the other games were against teams who
will probably be in and around where we are this season.

We've done the job properly and accumulated 14 points from those eight
games, so that gives us a huge gap between the bottom six and where we are.
We know there's a very difficult period coming up where we may play eight
games and not even get eight points, with the size of the teams that we're
coming across, but the confidence that this start has given us means we may
hopefully take a point or two out of those big boys.

Manchester United; Man City; Chelsea; Liverpool; Tottenham; it's frightening
me already... [laughs]

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Adkins on.....West Ham
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 21st October 2012
By: Staff Writer No.2

A subdued Southampton boss Nigel Adkins contemplates the aftermath of his
side's capitulation at the Boleyn....

How do you assess that then Nigel?

Very quickly after the game, I thought we did alright in the first half.
Coming away from home we know the threats of the West Ham side. I thought we
coped with that very well. We kept good possession though I would have liked
us to have passed it a bit quicker. You go in at half time 0-0 then you go
out for the second half and within a couple of minutes you're 2-0 down. That
changes the complexion of the game. I thought we got ourselves back into the
game by passing and Adam Lalana scores a good goal and at 2-1 you're
thinking "come on, game on we've got a chance here". The introduction of
Lambert and Mayuka to come as well, which we've gone and done and then the
killer blow comes with the penalty. That gives them the advantage again and
after that we were disappointing.

In all honesty Nigel, without wishing to be cruel, some of that defending
was woeful

We've obviously conceded some poor goals.

There was Rickie Lambert on the bench at the beginning which a lot of people
will be talking about. What was the thoughts behind that?

I thought Jay Rodriguez did very well in the first half. We've got Jay
Rodriguez, we've got Emmanuel Mayuka, we've got Rickie Lambert, we've got
several players at the football club and for me as manager it's my
responsibility with the group we've got to select from. Every will have a
different opinion, everyone will pick a different team. Whether I start
Ricky Lambert whether I bring Ricky Lambert off whatever team is selecte
there will always be a decision about it. Ultimately it's my decision as
manager to pick a team and the buck stops with me.

Artur Boruc made his debut. How did you assess that?

Well I thought he's come and caught a very good cross in the first half.
I've put him in for his experience. He's been with us for just under a month
now and he's been training very well. Coming to West Ham from the atmosphere
we had last season we knew that it's a difficult place to come to. I must
say that I thought we did well when we kept the crowd quiet. Artur's come
and caught a very good cross. We knew that the ball would be put into the
penalty area I must admit on the few occasions that that happened Artur's
come and took it well. We defended a good high line. You talk about our
defending - in the first half we kept a good high line and nullified their
threat of putting the ball into the penalty area and kept good possession of
the ball.

Nigel. you said after the first game of the season that it's a sharp
learning curve for everybody at the club. Without being cruel, how long do
you think you'll get to keep learning and teaching?"

Honest Answer? That's football. I'm being brutally honest with you. There's
a vision at the football club to play a certain brand of football by passing
the ball. There needs to be stability at any football club, that's
important. I'm not too naive to realise that's football. Football's a
results driven industry, We've got a process in place that we're doing our
best to adhere to but you've gotta win games of football. You've gotta
keep'em out at one end and stick 'em in at the other. On too many occasions
this year in the Barclays Premier League we've not kept us out of our
league.

Is it particularly frustrating for you given that you got yourselves right
back in it there - at 2-1 you had the initiative didn't you?

Yeah, In your words we had the initiative at 2-1. We brought Lambert and
Mayuka on as well. We had good possession of the football as well and you
think "come on keep doing what you're doing and the opportunities will come
as the game unfolds. Unfortunately the penalty changed the complexion of the
game again. Goals change games and that's what's happened today.

Your defence has been highlighted time and time again this season. With the
players you've got do you think you're fighting a losing battle in trying to
keep the goals out?

Well we'll remain positive in what we do. We'll work hard on the training
ground. Again the first half we did very well. Let's remember we defend as a
team. Let's not highlight any individual. It's my responsibility and if
anyone wants to point a finger just point it at me. At the end of the day we
defend as a team and we attack as a team.

Did you have any complaints over the penalty decision?

I didn't see it where I was - obviously the ball was in the penalty area and
I've not seen any video footage. The fereree's given it. When you look at
the first goal on the big screen and it's gone straight in without anyone
touching it. I would assume then that it must have been a direct free kick.
Listen, referees give the decisions, we just have to abide by them whether
we like it or not. That's the way football is.

(From a Japanese journalist)May I ask about Maya [Yoshida]. He played on the
left today but he's been playing on the right. How did you assess him?

He did very well didn't he. Danny Fox was injured today so we played Maya in
the left back position and he did very well for us. I thought he
demonstrated again the versatility he's got not only to defend but also to
go forward with the football.

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Upstairs downstairs: West Ham comfortable at top table, Saints look lower
class
The Mirror
21 Oct 2012 22:30

Even with the Holy Goalie between the sticks, the Saints do not have a
prayer of staying up this season defending like this. But West Ham can truly
start to believe they are worthy of the Premier League on the strength of
this 4-1 victory at Upton Park. Last season Southampton completed
back-to-back promotions playing their breezy brand of football – and
finished two points ahead of the Hammers. Back in March, Sam Allardyce even
lamented his side would have won the title if they'd had a goalscorer like
Rickie Lambert. But in the harsh reality of the top flight, the experienced
Allardyce has added steel and style – and Andy Carroll – to a side which now
sits level on points with Tottenham. By contrast, Nigel Adkins' open side
has conceded 24 goals in their first eight games – the most in Premier
League history – to slip into the bottom three. Even a debut for Artur
Boruc, the Pole who became famous for blessing himself before games during
his colourful Celtic career, could not save them. Southampton are pleasing
to watch and Adam Lallana's talent was rewarded with a cracking goal at
Upton Park. But the only consolation for them on Saturday night was that
Alan Hansen was not on the Match of the Day panel to pick apart their
rearguard.
"We're going to play a certain way, but we've got to keep the ball out of
the back of the net," admitted the admirable Adkins. "Defensive mistakes
have cost us. Whichever way you want to look at it you can't afford to
concede the amount of goals we've gone and done. "It's a collective thing.
We're as strong as our weakest link as they say. Individually some players
are maybe getting found out a little bit, but it's a collective thing at the
football club. We've all got to stick together and we've all got to work
hard. That's the important thing. "It's a simple game. You keep it out one
end and you stick it in at the other. There's a brand of ­football the
football club wants to play, but you've got to win."

Saints matched the Hammers in the dreary first half before ­carelessly
conceding two goals in two minutes after the break. First Mark Noble's
free-kick bounced in the box and went straight in and then Yossi Benayoun
robbed Maya Yoshida to set up Kevin Nolan. Lallana's 63rd-minute goal
threatened a Saints comeback before Carroll's physical presence caused Jose
Fonte to handle in the box for Noble to score the penalty. Modibo Maiga then
netted his first Premier League goal. "I honestly don't know what changed
from the first half but lack of concentration comes to mind," said Lallana.
"Three minutes into the second half and two goals down, you just can't do it
at this level away from home."

Adkins left Lambert on the bench and only brought him on after 65 minutes.
"You live and die by your decisions," he said. "Everyone would pick a
different team and different formation." Allardyce, who admitted his side
have benefited from a kind fixture list, said: "We couldn't get anywhere
near Southampton last year, we couldn't get level with them, we couldn't get
above them, we couldn't beat them. "They deserved to do back to back
promotions but second half, the difference between us and them shows how far
we've come."

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WEST HAM 4 - SOUTHAMPTON 1: ANDY CARROLL SO HANDY FOR HAMMERS POWER PLAY
Daily Express
Monday October 22,2012
By Colin Bateman

ANDY CARROLL spent as much time on his backside as his feet. He complained
all afternoon to the referee, never looked like scoring and was substituted
before the end. Yet such is the uncompromising, uncomplicated nature of
Premier League football that West Ham's one-man battering ram epitomised the
difference between these two sides who were promoted last season. As West
Ham manager Sam Allardyce put it, his team could not beat nor get near
Southampton in the Championship last year. But this season the Hammers are
10 points and 11 places better off than the sorrowful Saints. While
Southampton idealistically stick to their passing principles, the season is
already slipping away. The worst defence in the division has conceded 24
goals in eight matches and their brittleness was exposed by a West Ham side
who were outplayed in the first half. The Hammers will not get a softer
three points all season. The signing of Carroll on loan from Liverpool is
proving a masterstroke by Allardyce the pragmatist, who said of
Southampton's plight: "It is not for me to say how Nigel Adkins does or
doesn't play. Every manager chooses what they want to do. What is important
at the end of every game is getting the result.

Carroll's contribu-tion was not pretty. In four matches for West Ham he has
yet to score, but his 6ft 3in presence panics defenders, even two as strong
as Southampton's Jose Fonte and Jos Hooiveld. Carroll won the free-kick that
led to West Ham's first goal just after half-time and the penalty that
settled matters.
For such a big man, Carroll does go down remarkably easily and West Ham,
orchestrated by Kevin Nolan, are very good at getting in the referee's ear
every time his ponytail flops on to the grass.

West Ham know that set-pieces bring goals and in Mark Noble they have a
player with the craft to take advantage, as he did in scoring twice. Noble
acknowledged Carroll's groundwork in setting up his goals and said: "Andy's
a big man and if he doesn't go down he won't win any free-kicks, because the
refs think that's he's too big to get a free-kick. But some of the
challenges and elbows he put up with today were unbelievable. He got an
elbow in the first half which went unpunished. "Don't get me wrong, when
you've got somebody as big as Andy in the box he's going to cause havoc.
Centre-halves will be so desperate to win the ball that they'll do
anything."

Carroll's limited ability with the ball at his feet makes him surplus to
requirements at Liverpool, a state of affairs Allardyce hopes will not
change in January when he could be recalled from the loan. "I don't know
what will happen," said Allardyce. "He is still only a young man and he has
a lot of improving to do. But he is such an important player for us already.
We have got off to this start and everybody has played their part but, as
the old saying goes, if the front man plays well, the team plays well."

Southampton are facing a test of nerve after one win in eight. Adkins has
won them back-to-back promotions, but that will buy him only a certain
amount of grace if results do not improve. The best player on the pitch was
Southampton captain Adam Lallana, who struggled to explain why such a
controlled first-half performance became a nightmare after the interval. "If
I knew the answer I'd tell you," he said. "But lack of concentration comes
to mind. Three minutes into the second half and two goals down, you just
can't do it at this level away from home. "We've got to get together on the
training pitch and stamp out these errors as a team. There's 30 games left,
but we need to start getting points on the board."

West Ham (4-3-2-1): Jaaskelainen 7; Tomkins 6 (Spence 88), Collins 7, Reid
6, McCartney 6; Noble 8, Nolan 6, Diame 6 (O'Neil 68, 6); Jarvis 7, Benayoun
7; Carroll 5 (Maiga 82, 7). Goals: Noble 46, 72 pen, Nolan 48, Maiga 87.
Southampton (4-2-3-1): Boruc 5; Clyne 5, Fonte 6, Hooiveld 5, Yoshida 5; S
Davis 6 (Ward-Prowse 89), Schneiderlin 7; Puncheon 6 (Mayuka 65, 6), Lallana
8, Do Prado 6; Rodriguez 7 (Lambert 65, 6). Booked: Hooiveld, Schneiderlin.
Goal: Lallana 63.
Referee: N Swarbrick (Lancashire).

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Allardyce's smart summer buys put the extravagance of Adkins to shame
West Ham 4 Southampton 1
NICK SZCZEPANIK MONDAY 22 OCTOBER 2012
The Independent

In the claret-and-blue corner at Upton Park on Saturday, Sam Allardyce,
vastly experienced in top-flight management over around 500 matches in
charge of Bolton Wanderers, Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers. In the
red corner, Nigel Adkins, who had never managed in the Premier League before
this season. It was no contest.

Last season, Adkins's Southampton took four points from Allardyce's West Ham
as both battled for promotion from the Championship; but things look very
different now, and it is in player recruitment that the gap is clearest.
Southampton are reported to have been the seventh-highest spenders in Europe
over the summer, with an outlay of over £30m, but their most obvious needs
after promotion – in central defence and defensive midfield – were not
addressed. Nor do any of the newcomers have Premier League experience.

Allardyce, in contrast, has added top flight know-how in defender James
Collins and midfield man Mohamed Diamé – players who would have helped in
Saints' problem positions – as well as strengthening in most other areas,
for considerably less.

"We couldn't get anywhere near Southampton last year," Allardyce said. "We
couldn't get level with them, we couldn't get above them, we couldn't beat
them. But in the second half today the difference between us and them shows
how far we have come, I think. The players we have brought in and added to
the squad have delivered again."

Adkins knows that back-to-back promotions in the past two seasons will not
save his job if matters do not improve. But if the only alternative to José
Fonte and Jos Hooiveld in defence is Maya Yoshida, who was bullied off the
ball by Yossi Benayoun on Saturday, it is hard to see how they can.

In a pre-season interview, Adkins told The Independent: "You know you are
going to play against teams and players who are better, so you have to be as
smart as you can to deal with that, try to play the game on your terms and
not theirs."

But while his continued commitment to an attacking, passing game has brought
13 goals in eight matches, Saints are fighting a losing battle with an
accident-prone rearguard that has conceded 24.

Yet even though Adkins (right) did not radiate his usual assurance after
Saturday's second-half collapse, his beliefs appear unwavering. "You've got
to stick to your principles," he said.

"Individually some players are maybe getting found out a little bit, but
it's a collective thing at this club. We've all got to stick together and
we've all got to work hard. That's the important thing. You've got to keep a
resolve and a belief because when your mistakes get highlighted you start to
lose a bit of confidence. We've got to keep the players believing in
themselves."

Laudable, no doubt, but will it prevent the individual errors that were so
costly on Saturday?

Allardyce was criticised by purist sections of the West Ham support last
season for putting pragmatism above style, but they would surely not trade
the club's present seventh place for Southampton's residency in the bottom
three.

"It is not for me to say how Nigel does or doesn't play," Allardyce said.
"Every manager chooses what they want to do with the team that they have
got. But you can't keep not winning – you have got to win at some stage no
matter what. He has got some really good players but they are not firing
like they did last year – because it is that much harder in the Premier
League."

Match facts

West Ham: JAASKELAINEN 6/10, TOMKINS 5, REID 7, COLLINS 7, McCARTNEY 6,
NOBLE 8, NOLAN 7, DIAME 6, BENAYOUN 7, CARROLL 6, JARVIS 6

Southampton: BORUC 4, YOSHIDA 3, HOOIVELD 4, FONTE 3, CLYNE 5, DOPRADO 4, S
DAVIS 5, LALLANA 7, SCHNEIDERLIN 5, PUNCHEON 5, RODRIGUEZ 6

Goals: WH Noble 46, pen 72, Nolan 48, Maiga 87. Southampton Lallana 63.
Subs: WH O'Neil 6 (Diame, 68), Maiga (Carroll, 82), Spence (Tomkin, 88).
So'ton Lambert 6 (Rodriguez, 63), Mayuka 5 (Puncheon, 63), Ward- Prowse (S
Davis, 89). Booked: So'ton Hooiveld, Schneiderlin. Man of match Noble. Match
rating 6/10. Poss: WH 47%. So'ton 53%. Attempts on target: WH 8. So'ton 4.
Referee N Swarbrick (Lancs). Att 34,925

Good summer? Allardyce or Adkins

* Southampton summer signings

G Ramirez (signed from: Bologna) £12m
N Clyne (Crystal Palace) £2.5m
J Rodriguez (Burnley) £8m
M Yoshida (Venlo) £2.5m
E Mayuka (Young Boys) £4m
S Davis (Rangers) Free
P Gazzaniga (Gillingham) £2m
A Boruc (Celtic) Free

Total spent: £31m

* West Ham summer signings

A Carroll (Liverpool) Loan
M Jarvis (Wolves) £7.5m
M Diamé (Wigan) Free
G McCartney (Sunderland) Free
J Jaaskelainen (Bolton) Free
J Collins (Aston Villa) £2.5m
M Maiga (Sochaux) £4.7m
A Diarra (Marseilles) £2m
Total spent: £16.7m

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Noble defends Carroll from Southampton diving accusations
The West Ham vice-captain has refuted Saints' claims that the on-loan
Liverpool striker goes to ground too easily after fouls on him led to two
Hammers' goals in their 4-1 victory
Goal.com
21 Oct 2012 23:30:00
By Adam Mazrani

Mark Noble has leapt to the defence of team-mate Andy Carroll after the West
Ham striker was accused of going to ground a little too easily during the
Hammers' 4-1 win over Southampton on Saturday. Saints' midfielder Adam
Lallana accused the on-loan Liverpool man of being "clever" in the way he
would draw "soft fouls" during the newly promoted side's heavy defeat at
Upton Park. However, Noble argues that were Carroll, who drew a league high
of five fouls during the game, to stay on his feet then referees would be
unwilling to give the striker a decision. "Andy's a big man and if he
doesn't go down he won't win any free-kicks because the refs think that he's
too big to get a free kick," Noble told reports. "When you've got somebody
as big as Andy in the box he's going to cause havoc. Centre-halves will be
so desperate to win the ball that they'll do anything." "He got an elbow in
the first half which went unpunished," continued Noble. "But he can put up
with it." Noble was one of the main beneficiaries of Carroll's success at
winning free kicks; first scoring from a set-piece effort before making the
points safe by tucking home a penalty after the striker was hauled down by
Jose Fonte.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Southampton start to crumble as West Ham feast on defensive blunders
• Defeat by West Ham most damaging of season to date
• General level of defending not up to level required
Guarian.co.uk
Paul Doyle at Upton Park
The Guardian, Sunday 21 October 2012 23.00 BST

A clumsy handball by the Southampton centre-back José Fonte, right, led to a
penalty and West Ham's third goal. Photograph: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
Seldom have promoted teams entered the Premier League with as much
confidence as Southampton did this year. Two successive promotions under
Nigel Adkins, a healthy transfer fund and the fact that Norwich, Swansea and
Queens Park Rangers all avoided relegation last season led to declarations
from St Mary's that they would seek to take the top flight by storm rather
than just cling on for survival.

So far they have been true to their word and scored a lot of goals – but
amassed few points. Confidence is starting to crumble. Saints' noble
ambitions are being undermined by grubby defending and unless that changes
they will not emulate last season's promoted trio but re-enact the
entertaining but brief visit of Ian Holloway's Blackpool to the Premier
League two years ago.

This heavy defeat by West Ham United is the most damaging of the campaign to
date. Most of the previous ones were dished out by the established powers
but this one came against a club that finished below them in the
Championship last season. And it was deserved, not because West Ham were
excellent – far from it – but because Southampton's blundering was basic.

After a goalless first half Mark Noble opened the scoring with a 40-yard
freekick that bounced into the net and the midfielder struck again from a
penalty after a clumsy handball by José Fonte; Kevin Nolan and Modibo Maiga
scored after defenders were outmuscled embarrassingly. Adam Lallana's fine
strike for Southampton, and some tidy midfield play by the visitors, counted
for nothing.

"We couldn't get anywhere near Southampton last year … but the difference
between us and them in the second half shows how far we've come," said the
West Ham manager, Sam Allardyce, who could also have suggested that it shows
how far Southampton have failed to come. "I think the players we have
brought in and added to the squad have delivered."

Southampton's recruitment has been more questionable. They spent most of
their summer budget on attacking players, including £12m on the winger
Gastón Ramírez and £6m on the striker Jay Rodriguez. In comparison they
skimped on defenders. The new right-back Nathaniel Clyne has done well,
although most of his best work is going forward, but no one else has
consistently defended to the level required.

Adkins has tinkered with the make-up of his back four – partially because of
injuries – but all permutations have proved porous. The centre-backs Fonte
and Jos Hooiveld were shaky against West Ham, while Maya Yoshida was as
flimsy at left-back as he was at centre-back during the 6-1 defeat at
Arsenal. Adkins has also tried three different goalkeepers – with Artur
Boruc, signed as a free agent a month ago, making his debut here. The
manager has also adjusted his formation in a bid to provide extra security
to his rearguard – switching from the 4-4-2 he used over the last two season
to a 4-3-3 for this one.

Lallana and Morgan Schneiderlin have made more interceptions than anyone in
the division and Schneiderlin is only behind Noble in terms of the amount of
tackles made – but that has still not been enough to prevent Saints from
self-destructing. "Individually some players are maybe getting found out a
little bit, but it's a collective thing at the football club," said Adkins.
"We've all got to stick together and we've all got to work hard."

That work does not entail changing philosophy, said Adkins, just applying
the current one better. "There's a principle on how the football club wants
to go," he said. "Who's to say looking at alternatives is going to more
beneficial for us? Our style of play dictates we're scoring goals. But we're
not keeping the ball out of the back of the net. We've got to sit down,
analyse and look at what's going wrong." It may simply be that the defenders
are not good enough.

Man of the match Mark Noble (West Ham).

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Andy's not soft! Noble says if West Ham team-mate Carroll never went to
ground he wouldn't win any fouls
By LAURIE WHITWELL
PUBLISHED: 22:28, 21 October 2012 | UPDATED: 22:28, 21 October 2012
Telegraph.co.uk

Mark Noble has defended Andy Carroll from accusations he goes to ground too
easily by arguing if the 6ft 3in England striker does not fall down he will
never win fouls. The West Ham midfielder responded to claims from
Southampton's Adam Lallana that Carroll won a succession of 'soft'
free-kicks at Upton Park, two of which led to goals in the hosts' 4-1
victory. Carroll won five fouls in the match – the joint-most in the league
with three others – and often struck an exasperated figure towards referee
Neil Swarbrick at his perceived mistreatment.

But Lallana, who scored his first Premier League goal on Saturday, said:
'Players are clever nowadays. You kind of draw fouls and it's up to the
referee whether he sees it as a foul, or whether he sees it as a player
being soft. 'Obviously they got a lot of free-kicks and put the ball in our
area. But it's not just down to that. We dealt with it fine first half, but
obviously not the second.' Noble, who scored directly from one set piece and
earned a penalty when centre-back Jose Fonte handled another lofted ball,
countered: 'Andy's a big man and if he doesn't go down he won't win any
free-kicks because the refs think that's he's too big to get a free-kick.
'When you've got somebody as big as Andy in the box he's going to cause
havoc. Centre-halves will be so desperate to win the ball that they'll do
anything. 'He got an elbow in the first half which went unpunished. But he
can put up with it.'

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Birmingham City midfielder Ravel Morrison shines in draw against Leicester
City at St Andrew's
Like a bogus Brazilian, Ravel Morrison insists on not having his surname
printed on the back of his shirt.
Telegraph.co.uk
By Si Hughes11:00PM BST 21 Oct 2012

Seemingly, such is his self-regard, that it needs to read only "Ravel". In
Birmingham's 1-1 draw at home to Leicester, he was also the only player
wearing gloves for part of the game on a clement October afternoon. In the
opening exchanges, the Mancunian resembled a teenager coveting the days when
snoods were allowed.

Yet as the game grew old, Morrison's influence became clear. He displayed a
range of passing that sometimes was too clever even for his team-mates.
This was the first time Lee Clark had selected Morrison since the opening
day of the season. The manager should feel his decision was vindicated. It
followed what he described as a watershed moment two weeks ago when several
senior players questioned Morrison's attitude in training. Similarly
unimpressed, Clark considered terminating the player's loan contract from
West Ham.

However, having been encouraged by Morrison's improved behaviour as well as
a mature performance for Birmingham's under-21 side in midweek, Clark
decided to give him a chance in central midfield. "He's had publicity before
he's come here away from the pitch but I've never seen any of that," Clark
said in reference to the numerous misdemeanours that led to Morrison being
jettisoned from Manchester United in January.

"There hasn't been a minute's problem. Sometimes when he gets disappointed
if he's not in the starting XI, it affects his training performances. But I
think he's shown people what he's about. I can comment because I was around
Paul Gascoigne at the same age. They have the same natural ability. He just
goes past s­people with ease; as if they're not there. He sees a pass
quickly and he can deliver the pass.

"Paul only had his problems later in life when he picked up the injuries.
But he's so much like Rav – they're at their happiest when they're on the
football pitch. They love it in a genuine way and not because of the
trappings that come with it." After taking the lead shortly before half-time
through Peter Lovenkrands, Birmingham surrendered the victory late on when
Ben Marshall's shot careered in off a post from 25 yards. Leicester were the
more enterprising team throughout but found Jack Butland in the kind of form
that has led to suggestions that, one day, he could provide competition for
Joe Hart as England's No1.
Afterwards, Butland said this was the best performance of his career but
admitted that he has suffered from expectation after being selected for the
European Championship last summer, aged only 19. "I felt confident. I was
positive and I was coming for crosses," he said. "At the start of the season
I was a ­little nervous and holding back and not doing that because I was
frightened to make a mistake. You have to shut things out. Joe [Hart] is
fantastic at it."

Match details
Birmingham City (4-4-2): Butland; Hurst (Fahey 76), Davies, Caldwell,
Murphy; Burke (Elliott 56), Spector, Morrison, Redmond; Lovenkrands (Lita
63), King.
Subs: Doyle, Mullins, Packwood, Robinson.
Goal: Lovenkrands 45.
Leicester City (4-4-2): Schmeichel; De Laet, Morgan, Whitbread, Konchesky;
Knockaert (Futacs 80), Drinkwater, King, Dyer (Marshall 72); Nugent, Waghorn
(Vardy 72).
Subs: Logan, James, Schlupp, Moore.
Goal: Marshall 86.
Referee T Bates (Staffordshire).

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