Daily WHUFC News - 17th December 2012

Ginge hails defensive display
WHUFC.com
James Collins was delighted to be part of a resolute performance in Sunday's
goalless draw at West Brom
16.12.2012

James Collins hailed West Ham United's resilience and spirit after a heroic
defensive display earned a deserved goalless Barclays Premier League draw at
West Bromwich Albion. The Hammers travelled to The Hawthorns having conceded
three goals at home to Liverpool last weekend and without a clean sheet in
their previous five league matches. West Ham also arrived in the West
Midlands with just 17 fit senior players, having added George McCartney to a
daunting-looking injury list in midweek. However, led by the outstanding
Collins and man of the match Winston Reid - and aided by the frame of the
goal on three occasions - Sam Allardyce's team picked up a point against the
fifth-place Baggies.

"We worked very hard," the Wales international told West Ham TV. "Coming
away from home, especially to a place like West Brom where they have a great
home record this season, was never going to be easy but we did work hard and
we got a point. "We could have nicked a victory. Winston has had a good
chance in the first half when I nodded one down to him. Away from home
you've got to have a bit of luck to get something and they have hit the post
and the bar twice but all in all we defended very well. "These are the most
satisfying games to play in as a centre-back. To get a clean sheet,
especially away from home, is vital and after conceding three at home to
Liverpool last week we needed to stop conceding and we were delighted to get
the clean sheet."

The No19 said the clean sheet gained at The Hawthorns was a mark of belief
within the squad. Collins also said the goalless draw showed that last
week's Liverpool defeat had not adversely affected the players. "I don't
think we were a team that deserved to concede three goals last weekend. It
was a little bit harsh, especially my own-goal at the end where I had to go
in and make the tackle, but we bounced straight back with a very solid
defensive performance.
"We have got a few injuries, but that happens all the time, especially
around Christmas. It's a busy period but everybody knows the spirit in our
dressing room is unbelievable and whoever is asked to come in and play will
do a decent job."

West Ham's gameplan at The Hawthorns was clearly to sit deep and let West
Brom have possession - a tactical approach confirmed by Collins. The
approach reduced the hosts to putting in hopeful crosses and shooting from
outside the penalty area, rather than getting in behind the Hammers and
peppering Jussi Jaaskelainen's goal with shots on target. "That was the
plan. Fair play to the gaffer because he said they like to keep the ball so
if we sat back and tried to hit them on the break, we could get a positive
result and that's how it panned out."

Looking forward, West Ham end their complement of home fixtures for 2012
with the visit of another of the Barclays Premier League's top six in
Everton. David Moyes' side go into next weekend on a five-match unbeaten run
and Collins knows they will be no pushover at the Boleyn Ground. "It will be
tough. They have done very well. They usually start off slow and come good
at the end of the season but they have had a great start and we're expecting
a tough game. If we can perform how we did at West Brom then I'm sure we can
get three points."

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Lee learning fast
WHUFC.com
Elliot Lee is hoping to make another goalscoring impact for the Development
Squad on Monday
16.12.2012

Elliot Lee is hoping to cement his place in the Development Squad in 2013
after another impressive showing in the 3-1 FA Youth Cup win against
Aldershot Town. Lee, who has already scored once for the Hammers second
string this season, scored two goals in Hampshire on Monday night and is now
likely called back to the Development Squad when they face Norwich City on
Monday night. It will be Nick Haycock's first game in charge of the
Development Squad following his promotion and Lee hopes to give his old
coach a fresh reminder of his undoubted ability in the 1pm kick-off at
Norwich's Colney training centre.
"We have got the last Development Squad game on Monday against Norwich City
which I will hopefully be starting in," Lee said. "I feel I have done okay
so far so hopefully I can push on and cement my place within the Development
Squad after Christmas."

A number of youngsters that featured in the win against Aldershot are likely
to be called up by Haycock with the majority of Development Squad regulars
either out on loan or away with the first team. Jordan Spence, George Moncur
and Sebastian Lletget were all on the bench for Sam Allardyce's side at West
Bromwich Albion on Sunday and may be given some valuable game time. "It was
a good feeling to score two goals against Aldershot, it was a difficult game
but after we got the first goal it allowed the lads to relax a little bit.
"We then got another which made things even better but when they got one
back with 15 minutes to go it made things harder so it was great to get the
third goal that ensured we progressed to the next round. "No disrespect to
Aldershot Town but when you come down to these lower league clubs they are
always going to fight you but Nick [Haycock] warned me before the game. "He
said they would try and get into my head but I stayed strong, got my two
goals and I am very happy with my performance."

Both of Lee's goals were smart finishes with the striker once again showing
his poaching prowess to ease the pressure on Nick Haycock's side at crucial
times in the contest. "I was in the right place at the right time but as a
forward that is where you have to be - I am happy to score those goals all
day long. "For the second, I saw the ball bounce so I put pressure on the
defender, luckily it broke for me and I managed to squeeze it in the bottom
corner."

Lee's brother, and former Hammers midfielder, Olly Lee is now plying his
trade at Barnet alongside Edgar Davids and his younger brother revealed he
is making good progress. "He is really enjoying his time at Barnet, he is
starting games now and playing well so hopefully he can carry on doing it
and push his way back up the ladder. "There are a few former West Ham
players there and they are all enjoying it, they are not in the best
position at the minute but hopefully they will come together and turn it
round."

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Jack's back!
WHUFC.com
Jack Collison is set to make his long-awaited return from injury for the
Development Squad on Monday
16.12.2012

Sam Allardyce confirmed Jack Collison is set to provide a perfect tonic to
West Ham United's injury concerns with a run out for the Development Squad
in Monday's game at Norwich City. The popular homegrown Hammer has not
featured for the first team since his stunning contribution in the Play-Offs
at the end of last season. Collison scored both goals in the away game of
the semi-final as the Hammers overcame Cardiff City 5-0 on aggregate to
reach the Wembley final. He is now set to take his first step back to
first-team action with an appearance in Nick Hancock's first outing as
Development Squad manager at Norwich City's Colney training ground. Fellow
absentees Ricardo Vaz Te and Yossi Benayou are also edging closer to a
return but are unlikely to make the 1pm kick-off with the Canaries.
"Collison plays his first game of the season since the play-off final on
Monday with the Development Squad," Allardyce confirmed. "Ricardo Vaz Te is
probably another couple of weeks before he's training and that will be 12
weeks he's been out. We hope Yossi Benayoun will be back with us this week
as he's being treated at Chelsea at the moment."

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West Brom 0 West Ham 0
16 December 2012
Last updated at 18:15
By Mandeep Sanghera
BBC Sport

An uninspiring match between West Brom and West Ham ended with both earning
a point from a goalless draw. Hammers defender Winston Reid fired a
close-range shot over the bar in a rare first-half chance before the game
improved after the break. James Morrison flicked a shot onto the West Ham
crossbar, while Gary O'Neil curled an effort wide for the Hammers. Morrison
was again denied by the woodwork when he headed a corner against the
crossbar late on. Both sides might be happy with a point after recent
stutters in form but the game made for a disappointing spectacle compared
with the sparkling starts to the season both clubs had enjoyed. West Brom
ended a run of three straight defeats to remain sixth, while 11th-placed
West Ham, who had lost four of their preceding five league games, earned
their point despite the depleted squad at manager Sam Allardyce's disposal.
The Hammers boss's predicament meant he only named six substitutes rather
than the permitted seven. That did not appear to bode well against a Baggies
side whose tally of home points this season was the third highest in the
division, behind only Manchester United and Manchester City. But West Brom
struggled to show that form early on as the visitors comfortably kept their
hosts at arm's length, with central defensive duo James Collins and Reid, in
particular, proving a stubborn barrier. West Ham keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen
was given a rare scare when Baggies striker Shane Long cut inside from the
right, only for his left-footed shot to trickle a couple of yards wide. "I'm
sure West Ham manager Sam Allardyce would have settled for a point with all
his absentees. West Brom were frustrated on an afternoon of few
opportunities when the Hammers probably did enough to earn a point."

Albion's lack of invention or intensity, allied to West Ham's solidity, was
making for a dour affair, and it was the visitors who came closet to opening
the scoring in the first half. Collins sent a header back across West Brom's
goal where Reid shot over from six yards, before Baggies keeper Boaz Myhill
fended away a fierce Carlton Cole strike. The match livened up after the
break and the home side went close when Zoltan Gera sent a corner back
across West Ham's goal where Morrison flicked a shot onto the top of the
crossbar. The home side had their own escape, with O'Neil curling a shot
narrowly the wrong side of the post.
West Brom began to show more urgency and Jaaskelainen had to parry a
swerving Gera strike before catching the looped follow-up effort from Long.
O'Brien volleyed a Mark Noble free-kick over for West Ham as they almost
stole a goal from a set-piece before Morrison again struck the frame of the
goal after rising highest to meet Chris Brunt's corner.

West Brom manager Steve Clarke: "If you look at the season as a whole we
have done OK. Sometimes you have to draw games. Today there were not many
chances. "Both sides huffed and puffed a little bit. If you assess the game
properly then I think a draw was a fair result. "I don't think either
ourselves or West Ham played as well as we can. We knew today we had to stop
a run of three defeats."

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce: "Today we were a very well organised, solid and
hardworking team who have shown very good defensive qualities. "Even though
West Brom had a lot of territorial advantage we have come off with Jussi
only having to have made a couple of saves. "It is a really good result for
us. Under the circumstances with our injury list, we are very pleased. When
you pick up a point with seven of your first team missing that is very
pleasing. The lads who went out there did us proud and picked up a precious
point."

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West Brom 0-0 West Ham Utd
KUMb.com
Filed: Sunday, 16th December 2012
By: Staff Writer

A strong defensive performance was the basis for Sam Allardyce's side
earning another valuable point away from home at The Hawthorns this
afternoon.
West Ham's eighth away fixture of the 2012/13 campaign ended in stalemate as
the home side, who have enjoyed a superb first half of the campaign were
frustrated in their attempts to break down a resolute Hammers defence that
coped with almost everything thrown at them. Rendered virtually impotent by
a resolute rearguard action, the Albion attack failed to seriously trouble
United number one Jussi Jaaskelainen who barely had a save of note to make -
although there was little he could do about the sole effort from James
Morrison that beat him, but not his crossbar. Indeed, it was West Ham who
created the better chances - especially in the opening half - and Winston
Reid, for one, should have been celebrating adidng another goal to his
career tally tonight instead of reflecting upon a wasted opportunity when he
blasted over from just four yards having been set up by central defensive
partner James Collins.

Additionally, Matt Taylor gave the home side a scare with just five minutes
on the clock when his header from a Carlton Cole cross landed on the roof of
the net - and Cole himself stung the hands of Albion goalkeeper Boaz Myhill
nine minutes ahead of the break when he won the ball in midfield before
firing from long range.

In the second period Cole, who performed superbly again as the sole striker
forced a great save from Myhill before being penalised for a non-existent
foul. Joey O'Brien, who was picked out at the far post by Mark Noble could
perhaps have done better with an effort he sliced back across goal whilst
captain Kevin Nolan unusually squandered his best chance of the game early
on in the second half.

West Brom, whose sparking early season form has deserted them somewhat of
late never really looked like sparking their season back into life with a
win today but even still, Zoltan Gera should have done better with a free
header from a corner midway through the second period whilst.

The Hungarian also stung Jaaskelainen's palms on the hour mark but
fortunately the rebound fell kindly for West Ham. But it was Morrison's 74th
minute header from Chirs Brunt's inswinging corner that crashed against the
woodwork which almost won the game for Albion - a win that they would have
barely deserved.

The Baggies went into today's game five places ahead of injury-hit West Ham,
who both started and ended the day in 11th place in the Premier League.
Irons boss Sam Allardyce, whose side was missing the likes of Mo Diame,
George McCartney, Ricardo Vaz Te and Andy Carroll will no doubt be delighted
with the outcome - a third clean sheet away from home this season and an
eighth point from eight games. Next up for Big Sam and his boys are
high-flying Everton, who visit the Boleyn Ground in six days time.

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Sam Allardyce adamant Mohamed Diame won't leave West Ham in January
Last Updated: December 16, 2012 12:10pm
SSN

Sam Allardyce is adamant Mohamed Diame 'won't go anywhere' in January and
believes that West Ham United could have a 'really top player' on their
hands.
Diame has impressed since joining West Ham on a three-year contract from
Wigan Athletic in the summer, although he does have a release clause in his
deal.
The 25-year-old's performances have seen Arsenal linked with a bid and
reports in Sunday's papers claimed West Ham are ready to offer Diame a
'double-your-money' contract to scare off interest. But Allardyce is
confident that Diame, who is facing a few weeks on the sidelines after
picking up a hamstring injury against Liverpool last weekend, will stay at
Upton Park. "He has similar capabilities to Yaya Toure though, unbelievably,
Manchester City don't seem to be using those capabilities at the moment."
"[His improvement] is down to the challenge he's taken on. The size of a
club demands a certain size of performance and we're a sell-out club, with
35,000 people, great tradition. He's responded. "We changed his role. The
ability he has to break through the opposition's midfield is rare. Other
players have to pass their way through. "He has similar capabilities to Yaya
Toure though, unbelievably, Manchester City don't seem to be using those
capabilities at the moment. "That's why West Ham fans love him, those long,
penetrating, weavey runs. He gets into the positions so often that if we can
work on the finishing and final pass we could be talking about a really top
player."

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West Brom and West Ham play out a goalless draw at The Hawthorns
Last Updated: December 16, 2012 8:31pm
SSN

West Brom and West Ham have not been in the best of form of late, so it came
as little surprise to see them cancel each other out in a 0-0 draw at The
Hawthorns. The best of the chances during the first half fell to Winston
Reid, but he volleyed over the top from close range.

Best of the match

Man of the match: Winston Reid. Came close to forcing a breakthrough and
stood firm at the heart of West Ham's back four under mounting pressure in
the second half.
Effort of the match: James Morrison came as close as anyone to finding the
target, with his header coming back off the outside of the crossbar.
Moment of the match: Morrison also hit the woodwork with a hooked effort in
the second half, with it clear that it was not going to be a day for goals.
Talking point: Can West Brom get going again after ending their losing
sequence? Will West Ham be happy with a point on the road given how many
injuries they have?

The tempo was raised slightly after the interval, but West Brom saw their
scoreless run stretched to three games - with two efforts from James
Morrison which cannoned back off the crossbar as close as they came to
forcing a breakthrough. Albion made a promising start but the first
semblance of a chance fell to the visitors, with Mark Noble heading a deep
cross from Carlton Cole over the bar. West Brom striker Peter Odemwingie was
on target with a low 25-yard drive, although Jussi Jaaskelainen got his body
behind the ball. But there was little goalmouth action in the opening
quarter of the game as both sides struggled to find a creative spark,
although Morrison ventured forward to fire a low shot past the post. Chris
Brunt drilled a long-range attempt into the hands of Jaaskelainen before
Reid spurned a gilt-edged chance for West Ham. Cole stung the palms of
Albion keeper Boaz Myhill with a 30-yard drive but it was Albion who started
the second period on the offensive and Morrison's hooked volley struck the
top of the bar. Then the Scottish international sliced his shot wide after
Gareth McAuley had headed a fourth successive corner from Brunt into his
path. Reid produced a vital clearance to turn a low Odemwingie centre over
his own bar under pressure from Long. But West Ham looked dangerous on the
counter-attack and Joey O'Brien volleyed over at full stretch from a deep
Noble free-kick.
Morrison struck the bar for the second time with 17 minutes remaining with a
header from Brunt's corner. Cole nearly made the breakthrough in the final
seconds when his snap shot had Myhill scrambling across his line to save at
the foot of a post but a draw was a fair outcome.

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West Ham boss Sam Allardyce satisfied with 0-0 draw at West Brom as injuries
bite
Last Updated: December 16, 2012 8:23pm
SSN

Sam Allardyce described himself "well satisfied" with a point after his
injury-hit West Ham side took a point home from West Brom. Excitement was in
scant supply during a match between two sides stuttering in the league after
fine starts but Allardyce was content to see a gritty defensive display from
a side missing six regulars. "We defended really well all the way through,"
he told Sky Sports. "Apart from a couple of shots from outside the box,
which Jussi (Jaaskelainen) has dealt with well, I can't think he's had to
make a save. "On the set plays, particularly in the second half, West Brom
had a lot of pressure, put in a lot of good balls, but there was some great
defending from our lads. "We broke well into the final third but didn't find
enough quality. When we did, we created a couple of half-chances - I thought
Gary O'Neil's effort was in just after half-time - but I'm well satisfied
with a 0-0. It's a great point for us under the circumstances. "(Peter)
Odemwingie, (Shane) Long, (Romelu) Lukaku have been very dangerous for West
Brom this year and we kept them very quiet; those players haven't had a shot
from inside the box. "It's been a while since we've had a clean sheet and
we've had a habit of conceding the first goal in the first half. We've cut
that out today, we've tried to win it and it's a tough place to come. "We've
six first-team players out injured so we're down to the bare bones. It was a
real good, honest, solid performance from the players."

Allardyce admitted he hopes he will have the chance to strengthen in
January. He added: "We want to push on, we don't want to slip down the
league and to do that we'll either have to do a bit in the window or
certainly get the players who are injured fit. "Two or three (injuries),
that happens, but six is too many. We coped well today but I'm not sure how
long we will cope if we have them out too long."

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Collins & Reid Key To WBA Away Point
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die

An away point is always something to be pleased about, and on this occasion
it is worth celebrating, because how we kept WBA at bay in the second half,
I just do not know. It was a constant barrage, and totally relentless, but
try as they might, the Baggies just couldn't get the ball in the net. And
that is down in large part to two men - Winston Reid and James Collins. They
had the games of their lives, and they needed to. Both won crucial tackles
and headers and looked as safe as houses. And Winston Reid could have had a
couple of goals too. James Tomkins is going to find it very difficult to get
his place back in central defence.

Elsewhere we really missed Diame. Gary O'Neil is, I am sorry to say, a very
inadequate replacement. I can't fault his effort, but you have to ask to
what effect it was. He did harry the West Brom players, but too often gave
away free kicks in dangerous places and failed to create anything positive.
Nolan and Noble did well enough, but you could sense they missed Diame and
his positive influence. Demel was a real weak link in the second half,
giving Odumwinge acres of space down the left. It was little surprise he was
replaced by James Tomkins.

Carlton Cole looked very much alone and although he put in his usual ball
holding performance, with a couple of chances, he didn't have lady luck on
his side. Maiga came on for the last 15 minutes and looked bright, but never
threatened their goal. Yet again, Matt Jarvis was largely anonymous.

This was a Sam Allardyce inspired performance. We ground out the result. I
doubt that would have happened under any of his immediate predecessors. He
had a game plan, the team stuck to it and it worked. On to Everton.

Jussi 6
Reid 8
Collins 8
O'Brien 7
Demel 5
Tomkins 6
Noble 6
Nolan 6
Jarvis 5
Cole 6
Maiga 6
O'Neil 5
Taylor 5

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West Brom 0 West Ham 0
The Sun
By GRAEME BRYCE
Last Updated: 17th December 2012

CHRISTMAS turkey anyone? Well West Brom and West Ham served up a festive
offering that was about as appetising as a bowl of soggy Brussels sprouts.
In the end, a draw was not just predictable but also a fair result as
neither side showed enough quality to deserve all three points. Steve
Clarke's Baggies will point to a couple of James Morrison efforts that
bounced off the bar. And Sam Allardyce's visitors will claim they went close
when Joey O'Brien flashed a shot wide and that Winston Reid should have
buried a great first-half chance. But, overall, this was such poor fare that
it made Christmas shopping with the missus seem a pleasurable experience.
Albion managed to halt their recent mini-slump by taking a point after three
straight defeats. The Hammers, too, earned a useful away point. But, apart
from those small crumbs of comfort, there was little pleasure to be drawn
from the whole 90 minutes. The last three meetings between the sides had all
ended in draws and there were ominous signs early on that another stalemate
was on the cards. In fact, after 15 minutes, you kind of knew this was going
to be a bad day at the office. Both teams were high on energy but low on
quality as they struggled to make any inroads on the other's no-nonsense
defence.

But do not let anyone fool you, even the defenders were not on their game -
and there was no need to be. Passes went astray with a monotonous regularity
while players often ran down blind alleys. If there was a flash of
brilliance anywhere during the worst first half I've seen this season, then
I must have blinked and missed it. Before kick-off, the biggest talking
point had been Allardyce's failure to fill his bench. The tittle-tattle in
the Press box suggested it was a bold message to club owners David Gold and
David Sullivan that he urgently required reinforcements during the January
transfer window. Or perhaps Big Sam simply could not find seven players
willing to sit and watch this rubbish. Baggies quickly lost their patience
and started banging hopeful efforts at Hammers keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen
from long range - in fact any range.

At least Nigeria striker Peter Odemwingie managed to keep his shot on target
when he rifled in a fierce 25-yarder on 15 minutes. It skipped nastily off
the wet turf just in front of the Finn but he managed to gather it with the
minimum of fuss nonetheless. But enough of the good stuff. Morrison, Shane
Long twice and Chris Brunt all tried their luck from distance as they queued
up like kids at a coconut shy to have a go at the goalie. But there was
never any likelihood of Jaaskelainen handing out any prizes as most of their
efforts flew off target. West Ham fans need not snigger, though, as their
charges were not much better.
The visitors launched a number of booming diagonals up to Matty Taylor at
the Baggies' back post in order to test out Goran Popov's aerial prowess. It
worked on a couple of occasions - up to a point. Five minutes in Carlton
Cole's expertly delivered cross picked out Taylor, who headed over. Then,
after 29 minutes, Taylor nodded across the face of goal but there were no
takers apart from Baggies goalie Boaz Myhill. West Brom probably should have
fallen behind on 32 minutes when James Collins nodded Mark Noble's corner
down to Reid. But the New Zealand defender blazed over from eight yards with
the goal at his mercy.
The only real piece of quality came nine minutes before the break. Baggies
ace Youssouf Mulumbu lost possession in midfield, Cole pounced and then
smashed a ferocious right-footed shot which Myhill was relieved to beat out.
The second half had to be better than this because, quite frankly, things
could not get much worse.

The early signs were certainly promising as the game finally flickered into
life. Brunt's deep corner three minutes after the restart was knocked back
across goal by Jonas Olsson and Morrison's attempt bounced off the top of
the bar. To the Hammers' fury, referee Phil Dowd awarded a corner as he
wrongly assumed Reid had headed off the goal-line. West Brom tried a similar
ploy as Olsson again got on the end of Brunt's corner but, this time,
Morrison's shot flew well wide. The game was opening up and Hammers winger
Matt Jarvis came close with a curling shot which had Myhill scrambling as it
scraped past his far post. Zoltan Gera then had Jaaskelainen worried with a
dipping long-range effort that the Hammers keeper spilled. But Albion
striker Long could not get any power on the rebound and Jaaskelainen
recovered. Reid then denied Long with a perfectly timed tackle as the
Republic of Ireland frontman threatened to convert Gera's cross. As the
teams traded chances near the end, O'Brien flashed a shot narrowly wide.
Then Morrison soared to head a Brunt corner off the bar. Albion boss Clarke
moved Brunt to a holding role and released Morrison further forward. Both
managers made a couple of changes and there were late bookings for Billy
Jones, Kevin Nolan, Mulumbu and James Tomkins. Cole even tried an
injury-time snapshot but Myhill flopped on it - and that was that.
Mercifully.

STAR MAN - COLLINS (West Ham)
WEST BROM: Myhill 6, Jones 6, McAuley 7, Olsson 7, Popov 7, Brunt 5,
Morrison 6, Mulumbu 6, Gera 5 (Lukaku 5), Odemwingie 6, Long 6 (Rosenberg
5). Subs not used: Daniels, Dorrans, Dawson, Tamas, Fortune. Booked: Jones,
Mulumbu, Olsson.
WEST HAM: Jaaskelainen 6, Demel 6 (Tomkins 6), Reid 7, Collins 8, O'Brien 7,
Noble 6, O'Neil 6, Jarvis 5 (Maiga 5), Nolan 5, Taylor 6, Cole 6. Subs not
used: Spiegel, Spence, Moncur, Lletget. Booked: O'Brien, Nolan, Tomkins.
REF: P Dowd 6

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Window of opportunity
Sam in cash plea
The Sun
By GRAHAM HILL
Published: 6 hrs ago

SAM ALLARDYCE made a plea for fresh faces in the transfer window - after
naming just SIX subs at West Brom. Allardyce's West Ham battled to a point
in a goalless draw yesterday. But Big Sam admitted he is down to the bare
bones because of the size of his injury list - and issued a cry for help in
the January transfer window. Allardyce would be happy enough with his squad
if they were fit - but they are some way from that. He said: "We always need
a bit of help. We're never going to turn one down are we? Or two! "If
there's anybody there who can enhance the team then we'd like to go for
them. "Whether that's short-term, long-term, it depends when the window
opens who is actually available and who we can get to come in. "But the main
priority for us is to get the injured players back. "Look at how many we're
missing - Yossi Benayoun, Andy Carroll, Vaz Te, Jack Collison, Mo Diame, all
flair players. "They are our players who, in possession, can create lots and
lots of problems. "You could probably say seven injuries because we haven't
seen Alou Diarra since he joined us because he tore a thigh muscle. "Vaz Te
is probably another couple of weeks before he's training and that will be 12
weeks he's been out. With Benayoun, we hope he will be back with us this
week. He's being treated at Chelsea at the moment. "Collison plays his first
game of the season since the play-off final on Monday with the development
squad. "Diame has injured a hamstring. And then lo and behold just when you
didn't want it George McCartney did his knee ligaments in a training
session. "So I'm relieved we got a point. You know when you've got that many
injuries you're always worried as a manager because you wonder whether your
team's going to be capable of holding out." Albion boss Steve Clarke
admitted he made a mistake with his first-half tactics. Clarke was pleased
his side ended a run of three defeats, but said: "Maybe it was my fault in
the first half, we went 4-4-2 and it didn't quite click. "But we looked a
bit more lively when we went to a more normal set-up in the second half. I
can't say I'm disappointed, I thought a draw was probably just about the
right result.
"We didn't quite do enough to get the three points. As the home team, the
onus was on us to try and win it. "We tried to, but nothing really fell for
us."

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