Daily WHUFC News - 21st April 2013

Big Sam basks in Wigan victory
WHUFC.com
Manager Sam Allardyce hailed his ruthless Hammers after a 2-0 win over
struggling Wigan
20.04.2013

Sam Allardyce was left revelling in his side's newfound clinical edge, after
battling to a 2-0 Barclays Premier League victory over Wigan Athletic.
Though the Hammers had to be patient against a Latics side renowned for
their possession football, Matt Jarvis' 21st minute opener and Kevin Nolan's
late second proved plenty to earn Big Sam's men yet another home win.
Perhaps not the prettiest, the three points were still hugely satisfying for
the Hammers boss, who insists his team are learning how to win, even when
they're not at their fluent best. He told West Ham TV: "I've been talking
about that need for clinical finishing for a number of weeks prior to this
run we've been on. I think that the quality of our finishing has gone up to
such a level now, that we've become a team that can play well and win, and
play not so well and still win. "We didn't play well, particularly in
possession, against Wigan but we've won the game 2-0. Wigan kept the ball an
awful lot, so we knew we'd have to defend deep and in numbers, because
they're very adventurous in what they do. "But what it did do is leave them
so weak defensively and my disappointment is that had we passed the ball a
little better in a counter-attacking situation, we'd have created a lot more
than we actually did, but we've created enough because we won 2-0."

It was Jarvis who got the ball rolling with only his second West Ham goal
and Big Sam was in no doubt whatesover of the critical part that the winger
plays.
"Matt has been outstanding. He has the best crossing stats in the Premier
League and not in just terms of quantity but the regular quality. So it
shows what a valuable player he has been for us this season. It was a
massive move for him, because it was a reasonable size fee for him, not a
big one. He has to live with that a little bit and find his way in and now
he has come to life for me. "The good thing is that Matt Jarvis gives our
players a rest, because when he gets it, he's going to turn and run at
opposition defenders. He's going to run to the opposition's box, do his
tricks and nine times out of ten he's going to produce a cross. It's a huge,
huge asset for us, when you've got a player who can hang onto the ball as
long as he can."

It was left to skipper Kevin Nolan to make it safe with a spectacular
volley, one that chalked up his 100th career goal and seventh of the
campaign. "What a blistering start Kevin had to this season. In goal terms
he scored five in the first ten. He scored at Fulham which put him on 99 and
he has had to wait until now to get his 100th, which has preyed on his mind
a little bit, which has been a shame for him and us. Because of that start,
I'd have expected him to get about 12 for us this season. He has got that
one out the way now and let's hope he can bag a few more in the last four.
"He reads and feeds off Andy Carroll brilliantly. He gets on the move and
anticipates where Andy might actually drop the ball, which he did, and then
the technique is there for all to see. It was outstanding technique in front
of goal, which is the hardest place to produce technique, in the
opposition's penalty area. Great finish."

The three points takes the Hammers to 42, and, just as importantly, up to
tenth in the Barclays Premier League and Big Sam sees no reason why his side
can't continue in this vein until the season's end. "We've got to make sure
we continue this fantastic run of performances and results at home. In
actual fact, this was one of our worst performances at home all season, but
we've still won 2-0. That says something about the character. We've only
lost four in the entire season at home. The fans have got to remember that
this is our first season back in the Barclays Premier League."

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Nolan's delight at ton up
WHUFC.com
West Ham United skipper thrilled with three points and 100th career goal in
Wigan win
20.04.2013

Not only did the Hammers claim three vital points on Saturday, but skipper
Kevin Nolan also reached a major landmark with his 100th career goal. The
30-year-old made the points safe for the Hammers with his fine finish on the
turn with ten minutes remaining, as Sam Allardyce's men registered a 2-0
victory over struggling Wigan Athletic. West Ham moved back into the top
half of the Barclays Premier League with the triumph, and Nolan was thrilled
with the twin delight of breaching the 40-point barrier and reaching his
personal milestone. "I'm absolutely delighted," he beamed. "To get to 42
points and to reach 100 goals too was nice. "I was able to celebrate it and
dedicate it to the memory of two people who were close to my family - my
friend Peter and my auntie who have passed away in the last couple of weeks.
"100 goals from anyone is a good turnout from anyone's career so I'm really
delighted to get there. Hopefully I'm not finished yet, I'm looking for 101
now and that's the main thing. It won't hit me for a few days, but I'll be
able to look back, really enjoy it and savour the moment."

Nolan's goal came following an acrobatic assist from Andy Carroll and the
Geordie has proved a fruitful playing partner for Nolan both at the Boleyn
Ground and from their time together at Newcastle United. He continued: "We
have combined for quite a few goals - he keeps reminding me and saying that
it's never the other way around! The big man's been fantastic since he's
come back into the team. "He's looking really sharp and fit - he had another
couple of good chances on Saturday. We seem to get on really well on and off
the pitch, we just click and that's helped us with our games. "You only have
to look at how many games we've played and how many goals we've scored to
see that. We feel we can score against anyone and cause anyone problems. I'm
delighted that he's here and I'm hoping he will be for as long as I'm here."

Having passed the 40-point mark that boss Allardyce believes will secure
Premier League football for another season, Nolan is looking forward to
attempting to nail down the Hammers' position in the top ten over the final
four matches of the campaign. He added: "We can enjoy it but you have to
remember we still have games in the Premier League to play. We're five
unbeaten and we want to carry that on until the end of the season. "When we
looked at each other as a squad in the pre-season, we thought we would be
very worthy of being in and around that top ten. "We're doing fantastically
well - there was a little blip in the middle, but that was only due to
injuries and the fact that we were still growing as a team. "Although we've
got a lot of experienced individuals, you still have to grow as a team and
that's what we've been doing. We've worked really hard to make sure we can
do that, we want to stay where we are now because that would be a very good
start to life back in the Premier League."

Of Saturday's success, Nolan felt the Hammers had to show a grittier side to
their game to overcome the challenge of Wigan. He explained: "We're
resilient and that's the mark of a good team. You've got to be resilient
sometimes. When Chelsea won the league and they had all those points, I
remember playing against them and they were like robots. "If you were on top
of them they were resilient and wouldn't give you the space. That's what
we've got to learn - we can't be brilliant every week and all on top of our
game, so when we're not and when it's not going quite right for us we've got
to be dogged and determined.
"There's not a lot of things more satisfying than walking off that pitch
with no goals conceded. Another clean sheet is brilliant, the back four were
fantastic with us in front working our socks off. "That's the quality you
need to be successful in the Premier League because you're going to get
those days when you can go and play well, like we did on Wednesday night.
Against Wigan, we were dogged and determined and got two fantastic goals.
The second one settled us down and I thought we saw the game out really
well."

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Wigan win sends Hammers tenth
WHUFC.com
West Ham United stretched their unbeaten run to five with a 2-0 win over
Wigan Athletic
20.04.2013

West Ham United climbed into the top ten of the Barclays Premier League
thanks to a hard-fought 2-0 win over relegation-threatened Wigan Athletic.
Goals in either half courtesy of Matt Jarvis and Kevin Nolan helped the
Hammers to an eighth home win of the campaign, while taking their tally
beyond the magical 40-point mark to 42. Though Sam Allardyce's side by no
means had it all their own way against a fluent, if wasteful Wigan outfit,
the three points were just reward for another first-class defensive showing.
In typical Wigan style, the visitors were soon into their silky stride, with
Antolin Alcaraz the first to try his luck, shooting straight at Jussi
Jaaskelainen from 20 yards. At the other end, Gary O'Neil's right-wing
corner was flicked on at the near post by James Collins, though skipper
Kevin Nolan could only balloon his header over the bar. Seconds later, Shaun
Maloney raced onto Callum McManaman's inch-perfect through ball, but slammed
straight at the Hammers' Finnish stopper. It very nearly proved costly, as
Nolan forced a smart one-handed stop from Joel, firing goal-ward on the turn
from O'Neil's cute free-kick.

With little more than quarter-of-an-hour played, Roberto Martinez was forced
into an early change, when the injured Alcaraz made way for Jean Beausejour.
But the early reshuffle didn't appear to do the hosts a great deal of harm,
as they twice went close in the next couple of minutes. Firstly, Maloney's
free-kick rippled the netting atop Jaaskelainen's goal, before Arouna Kone
skipped past a flimsy challenge or two, before lashing over. Stung into
action, Sam Allardyce's men drew first blood in the 21st minute, courtesy of
record-signing Matt Jarvis' first goal at the Boleyn Ground. The Hammers No7
cut inside onto his right foot, whipping in a centre that evaded Mo Diame,
Nolan and then, crucially, Wigan 'keeper Joel, before nestling in the far
corner. The game's first goal seemed to suck the life out of the struggling
Latics and the Hammers might well have doubled their lead prior to the
interval. The best chance fell to Ricardo Vaz Te, but his near-post header
from O'Neil's cross flew high and wide.

An untidy start to the second half saw Wigan make all the running and after
Jordi Gomez had driven straight at Jaaskelainen, Kone's 20-yarder sped
ominously goalward but narrowly missed the angle of post and bar. The
Latics' quick start prompted Allardyce to introduce Mark Noble for O'Neil.
It did the trick, as West Ham, for the most part, managed to stem the tide.
In fact, the hosts nearly got the all-important second in the 57th minute,
when Nolan ran across Diame's curler, but failed to apply the telling touch,
allowing Joel to gather. Back came Wigan, this time through Emmerson Boyce,
who, having stooped to head Maynor Figueroa's cross, was again foiled by
Jaaskelainen. The Latics continued to pour forward in search of the leveller
and came uncomfortably close with 72 minutes on the clock. The ever-bright
Maloney's cut-back picked out McArthur, whose side-foot looked destined for
the bottom corner, but for Jaaskelainen's intervention. Not able to gather,
however, the ball squirmed away, somehow eluding the waiting Kone. Eight
minutes later and West Ham settled it, thanks to Nolan's stunning acrobatic
effort. The Hammers' skipper reacted quickest to Carroll's flick, before
taking to the air to volley into the far corner and notch his 100th career
goal. Though it mattered not, Carroll might have made it three late on, but
fired wide of the near post with only Joel to beat.

West Ham United: Jaaskelainen, Demel, Collins, Reid, O'Brien, O'Neil (Noble
52), Vaz Te (J Cole 62), Nolan, Diame (Collison 75), Jarvis, Carroll
Subs: Henderson, C Cole, Taylor, Pogatetz
Goals: Jarvis 21, Nolan 80
Booked: Carroll, J Cole

Wigan Athletic: Joel, Alcaraz (Beausejour 16), Caldwell, Boyce, Figueroa,
McCarthy, Maloney, Gomez (Di Santo 86), Scharner, Kone, McManaman (McArthur
46)
Subs: Al-Habsi, Henriquez, Espinoza, Stam
Booked: Caldwell

Referee: Neil Swarbrick
Attendance: 34,544

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Spirited Dev Squad delight Haycock
WHUFC.com
Haycock saluted the influence of frontman Sean Maguire as he notched his
first West Ham goal
20.04.2013

Nick Haycock hailed the impact of Irish centre-forward Sean Maguire, as the
18-year-old marked his maiden start with a first goal, to help the
Development Squad get back to winning ways in a 3-2 success over
Wolverhampton Wanderers. After Maguire's 11th-minute opener, Elliot Lee
struck within just 18 seconds of the second half to seemingly put the
Hammers on course for a first victory since 8 February. But it was not to
prove plain sailing thereafter, as the visitors rallied, netting twice in
the space of 12 second half minutes, courtesy of Sam Winnall and then Lee
Evans' deflected leveller. Nervy though it was, a spirited West Ham were not
to be denied, bagging the winner with just nine minutes to play, when
Sebastian Lletget slid home George Moncur's cut-back. Haycock subsequently
admitted it could easily have gone either way, but was nevertheless
impressed with the character on display. He told West Ham TV: "The last 20
minutes became a battle. In the end it's a game we've won but we could
equally have lost it at that stage. It was great character, because we've
got a young side out there, with as many as nine youth team players involved
in the squad. "To be fair to Wolves they played Monday night and with our
game unfortunately being called off due to Jake Larkin's accident, I felt
we'd be a little fresher. The game plan was to get out the traps quickly,
shut them down from the front and play the game in their half. "In fairness,
I normally like my teams to build the ball from the back, wherever we
possibly can, because we're trying to develop quality players to play in the
Premier League. "But on a night like this and with the surface the way it
is, I just told them to play the game in the opposition half. We played two
up front with that in mind. We fed the ball to the front players, worked the
ball into wide areas and got into good goal-scoring positions. "At times
they had to dig in there but it's a great learning curve. To have the
character to come back and win the game, I'm delighted for them because
they're a great group of lads to work with."

Haycock was similarly effusive in his praise of young forward Maguire, who
has had to bide his time since joining from Waterford United at the turn of
the year. "To be fair to Sean, he has been patient and he has listened,"
Haycock added. "He has come over from Ireland as a part-time player and it
has taken him a while to adapt to the intensity we work at. We work the boys
hard during the week and it ended with him cramping up towards the end of
the game. "He's had a couple of games with Ireland and the manager saw
something in him when he came over on trial. You can see he's lively in and
around the edge of the box. It's not a surprise to me, because I've seen it
in training. But he jumps, he runs, he goes up against people, he runs off
players, and in between players.
"I think him and Elliot could develop a decent relationship up there. I'm
delighted for him because he's a fantastic young man as well."

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Olympic Stadium Q&A - Part 4
WHUFC.com
The Board answer another set of supporters' questions about the Olympic
Stadium move
18.04.2013

THE email address yourosquestions@westhamunited.co.uk has been set up to
enable you to ask any question you wish in relation to the West Ham United's
historic move to the Olympic Stadium. We know how important it is that you
are given the opportunity to have your questions answered. Every single
question is read by the Vice-Chairman personally as well as members of our
executive team. As you will appreciate, many of the most pertinent and
frequently asked questions are shared by a large number of you and we are
working through them all, starting with the most popular and topical. We
greatly appreciate the quality of your questions and please appreciate that
sometimes they are so detailed that they require us to seek further
information from the LLDC or other third parties but rest assured we are
holding nothing back. We are sharing all the information we have with you as
we get it. Due to the sheer volume and duplication of questions we cannot
send personal replies but are publishing the answers on whufc.com on a
weekly basis.

What will happen to the Supporters' Club?

The E20 LLP (a joint venture between the LLDC and Newham Council) will be
tasked with the letting of other concessions in the Stadium and the LLDC
will also be tasked with the letting of units in and round the Queen
Elizabeth Olympic Park. It is our understanding that while some of these
units will be let by, for example, the catering partner, that consideration
is being given to ensuring that there are both small local business and
community uses. The Club has met with members of the Supporters' Club and
has championed their case to the relevant members of the E20 LLP. Club
officials have met with key officials from the committee and discussions
regarding how the Club can further support the Supporters' Club are ongoing.

Will the stadium naming rights be sold?

Yes, it is the intention that the stadium naming rights will be sold. This
is fast becoming the expectation of any big club with a stadium of the
stature that would attract a naming rights partner. It is apparent from
those Premier League elite clubs that already have a stadium with a naming
rights partner that it does not in any way adversely impact upon the Club's
ability to retain its sense of identity.

Are matchday travel discounts a possibility?
It has always been our vision that the Club will play its part in ensuring
that the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park becomes a day-out 'destination' to the
benefit of its visitors and most importantly for our supporters. This was a
key feature of West Ham United's bid. Discussions are underway with the
area's key stakeholders to fully explore the cross-marketing possibilities
with the Park's stakeholders to ensure it becomes a thriving success and its
regular visitors can benefit.

If the Club get relegated, will the Olympic Stadium tenancy agreement impact
on the Club financially?

The core focus of our Board strategy is to ensure West Ham United remains a
Premier League club. As a Board we acknowledge that the Stadium must have a
team that befits it. We have extensive business experience and are
absolutely astute when it comes to managing the Club's finances both as its
custodians and to create the revenue required to pay down the debt and
invest in the squad and its development. We take our responsibility very
seriously.
The Club's turnover has grown year on year since 2010. By the time we play
our first match turnover is forecast to have doubled since 2010.
The Club will ALWAYS be able to afford its annual rent. Whilst we do not
intend to focus on relegation, the deal is structured in such a way that the
annual usage fee is reduced should the Club be relegated.

Where will the away supporters sit?

While we have identified some options for the away supporters' area, this is
one of the key areas that we want to consult with our supporters about.
The areas identified will of course be as a result of operational
considerations, such as segregation and access. We have already received
some fantastic suggestions. Our priority must be our own home supporters and
their matchday experience. We are aware that the atmosphere at the stadium
will form a key part of their enjoyment of the matchday experience. We are
also keen to create a ground that visiting supporters want to travel to for
us to proudly host them and to enhance the overall atmosphere.

Will there be better facilities such as WCs etc than at present?

Categorically yes. Many of the issues experienced at the Boleyn Ground due
to the infrastructure and age of the stadium will be resolved by the stadium
move. The ability to offer a world-class modern football stadium with all
the associated amenities for our supporters was a key driver for the move
due to the restrictions in developing the current stadium. The Boleyn Ground
has 283 WCs while the Olympic Stadium will have 995. It will also have more
than double the number of food and catering units than at the Boleyn Ground.

Will there be an opportunity to honour legends such as Billy Bonds and Geoff
Hurst?

Absolutely, and this is an essential part of our plans to make the stadium
our home. We have already confirmed that we will once again be able to name
a stand after our legends Bobby Moore and Sir Trevor Brooking and there are
also other exciting tributes for former players that will be announced soon.
This again is the kind of consultation that we intend to have with
supporters once we have gauged their overall feelings towards the move - who
would they like to see honoured and how?

Will the Club offices be there?

Yes, the Club offices will of course need to move to the Stadium to offer a
year-round location from which to run the Club and service our supporters.

Does the Club lose out commercially by being a tenant?

No, one of the main benefits of the move is that that Club will have a
platform from which, with our sustained hard work and commitment, we are
able to grow our revenue. This will be without having to carry the burden of
further debt which would follow if we were to the make the initial
significant outlay for a new stadium. For West Ham United this opportunity
would simply have not been possible any other way. Not only do we have a
unique opportunity to continue paying down our debt but with attendances
which could regularly top 50,000 and a further 1,000 hospitality places, the
Club has a real opportunity to grow.
The Club also retains all commercial control and revenue from its own assets
such as shirt sponsorship, retail and ticketing. It will also take a share
of catering income and naming rights. The hard work we have put in to grow
our business year on year as we have since 2010 will need to continue, but
the move presents a real platform for us to move the Club to new levels.
This revenue would be re-invested in the squad, youth development and
facilities to achieve our footballing ambitions.

Will local businesses such as pie and mash shops be able to move?

This will be down to the individual businesses. They are all privately owned
so they will need to decide whether they want to relocate with the Club or
not.
There are numerous retail and catering opportunities available in and around
the park and the Club would encourage any local business that wants to move
with the Club to explore those options. As above the E20 LLP (a joint
venture between the LLDC and Newham Council) will be tasked with the letting
of other concessions in the Stadium and the LLDC will also be tasked with
the letting of units in and round the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. It is
our understanding that while some of these units will be let by, for
example, the catering partner that consideration is being given to a
strategy that ensures there are both small local business and community
uses.

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West Ham 2 Wigan 0
20 April 2013
Last updated at 17:22
By Alistair Magowan
BBC Sport

West Ham's clinical victory over Wigan appeared to end any lingering worries
they had about relegation but caused further anxiety for the Latics. The
irrepressible Shaun Maloney had an effort stopped by Jussi Jaaskelainen
before Matt Jarvis was fortunate to find the bottom corner from his cross.
Wigan had a host of chances after the break with James McArthur closest.
Kevin Nolan's late volley then came against the run of play, keeping Wigan
in the Premier League's bottom three.

Wigan's Premier League run-in
27 April: Tottenham (h)
4 May: West Brom (a)
7 May: Swansea (h)
14 May: Arsenal (a)
19 May: Aston Villa (h)

Andy Carroll fired wide with a late effort after latching onto a long ball
from the back, for what would have been a truly unrepresentative scoreline.
But Wigan will feel frustrated by their inability to make their second-half
dominance count, wasting a chance to close in on relegation rivals Aston
Villa who play Manchester United on Monday. Villa sit three points above
Wigan, but with Stoke and Sunderland both winning, it was a poor day for
Latics boss Roberto Martinez who last weekend watched his side secure a
place in the FA Cup final. Thoughts about that occasion must now be put to
one side as the Spaniard aims to secure his team's Premier League safety,
starting with the visit of Tottenham next Saturday. His position is far
different from West Ham boss Sam Allardyce, whose team are now five league
games unbeaten and sit 11 points above the relegation zone with four games
left. In what turned out to be a reflection of the game, Wigan enjoyed a
dominant spell of possession in the first 20 minutes. Maloney began brightly
and had the the visitors' best chance to open the scoring when he was
slipped through the middle by Callum McManaman, but Jaaskelainen was quick
to come off his line and save the Scot's effort. West Ham appeared content
to remain compact rather than chase the ball and before the goal they were
limited in their attacking forays. Andy Carroll has been involved in five
goals (three goals, two assists) in his last four Premier League
appearances. In contrast to Wigan's short-sharp passing, Carroll was eager
to profit from any set-pieces and he went into the book early on for what
looked like a petty reaction to Gary Caldwell's attentions. That was soon
forgotten, though, when the Hammers took the lead as Jarvis advanced down
the left, cut back, and his cross carried all the way into the bottom corner
as Mohamed Diame attempted to poke it in against his former club. The goal
gave the hosts an instant boost and Carroll increased his influence while
Nolan had a penalty appeal waved away by referee Neil Swarbrick.
Wigan recovered after the break when Martinez's decision to replace
McManaman with McArthur allowed Jordi Gomez to play further forward and the
Spanish midfielder tested Jaaskelainen. Efforts from Emmerson Boyce,
McArthur and Jean Beausejour were all then saved by West Ham's Finnish
goalkeeper, with another to deny McArthur following Maloney's cut-back the
best of the bunch. Maloney was a menace in the second half and Allardyce's
team struggled to get out of their own half, much to the home supporters'
frustration. But they were soon singing their famous 'I'm forever blowing
bubbles' song when from a long-free-kick, Carroll chested the ball down,
hooked it over his head and Nolan stole in to volley his 100th career goal.

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce: "While it wasn't the best performance, the
bottom line is, if you score your goals and take your chances, you win
football matches. "Their possession was better than ours but the chances
they had they either missed or Jussi Jaaskelainen saved them. We knew Wigan
would push forward which left them defensively weakened and we exposed
them."

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Allardyce on... Wigan Athletic
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 20th April 2013
By: Staff Writer

A jovial Sam Allardyce looks back at a game in which his team may have been
second best, but still produced a win...

Sam: Not the best of performances today, but you got the right result with
some clinical finishing by Nolan?

There's no doubt that if you can win a game in the Premier League and not be
playing your best, it's a measure of your determination and capabilities
when things aren't quite going your way. We stayed in the game until we got
the opportunity to finish them off, which is exactly what we did.

It ended up being a far more difficult game than Manchester United was on
Wednesday, but I think that's because of the effort by the players on
Wednesday; it took its toll a little bit today. I thought we looked fatigued
going into the last half-an-hour of the game, didn't pass the ball very well
and made life very difficult for ourselves.

But in all fairness, the game's about two things - what you do with the ball
and how good you are when you haven't got it. When we didn't have it - which
was for long periods - we were excellent, defensively, today. Very resilient
and very dogged. Our quality of finishing has won us the game 2-0 in the end
and we're absolutely delighted to be on 42 points with four games to play.

You said in your programme notes today that a win would make you safe; is
that mission accomplished?

I think so. Mathematically we're not safe and everybody wants to be that. We
have 42 points now and I can't see us not getting any more than that. I know
we've got difficult games away at Man City and Everton, but we've got
Newcastle - who are still down around there [the relegation zone] - and
Reading at home. So I can see us picking more points up between now and the
end of the season.

Are you safe enough for you to sign your new contract yet?

I don't know whether the owners want me to be mathematically safe...
[laughs]

Is the contract sorted? It is sorted.

Have you signed it though?

I will.

When are you going to sign that then?

Probably when we're mathematically safe! [laughs]

Andy [Carroll] has been involved in five goals in his last four games. Is
this the most confident you've seen him?

He didn't score today but I thought he was very good even with the limited
supply that we gave him. There's times when he's had a bit of a tussle with
the opposition sticking a man in front of him, fouling him, and the referee
not giving him the right protection. Then all of a sudden Andy gets booked
instead of the opposition player getting booked or conceding a foul.
Obviously it's a tactic used by the opposition to try and stop Andy and his
aerial prowess.

His movement today - and especially his movement off the ball - was very
good. I thought he was going to score right at the end when Matt Jarvis
stood that one up for him, I thought he was going to smash it in the back of
the net.

I'm pleased for Kevin more than anybody else. The 99 goals must have been
playing on his mind subconsciously because he's waited so long to get the
hundredth. Now he's got it with a great clinical finish. Jussi Jasskelainen
and the back four, they were brilliant today. They've played against a team
that's kept possession brilliantly and they've defended very well today, to
keep Wigan out.

Does each impressive performance by Andy improve or lessen your chances of
keeping him?

I think it improves it. Whether it can be done at the end of the season or
not we'll have to wait and see, but it proves we're buying a player who we
might have in our camp that's critical to our moving forward in terms of our
development programme.

We have to be better next season than this season so first and foremost, if
we haven't got Andy Carroll next year then we have to go out and produce a
big money signing to get somebody with his quality.

Thank you.

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Martinez on....West Ham United
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 20th April 2013
By: Staff Writer No.2

Wigan boss Roberto Martinez reflects on his side's 2-0 defeat at the Boleyn
in the post-match press conference which we bring you, as ever, exclusively
in full here on kumb.com.....

Roberto, in the wake of other results elsewhere in the country could today
have gone any worse for you?

No. The way that we are in the season it's not about the other results. It's
about affecting our points tally. We're disappointed that we didn't get any
points today because we're obviously getting to that critical moment of the
season. We've still got a game in hand on everyone else. The negative today
was the injury today to Antolin Alcaraz which changed the way we wanted to
play, the way we prepared the game. After 15 minutes that's a
disappointment. We were very soft in terms of keeping that clean sheet. We
knew what West Ham can do and the goalscoring ability that they have and I
don't think that we were strong enough to keep that. Apart from that we beat
West Ham in every single department.

I enjoyed the second half performance. I thought that was as dominant as
you're going to see an away team. [The] two teams were a little bit tired
because both played on Wednesday but we had to be the one that was getting
on the ball and wasting energy and being creative. But I felt proud of the
way the players adjusted in the second half and dominated the game. I won't
be able to explain how we lost!

We need to make sure that we regenerate, that we recover quickly and get
ready for Saturday. It's been a very demanding period for us - four away
games in different competitions probably took their toll on us a little bit
but I was very proud in the way we were the better side today against such a
club with such an incredible football tradition.

James McArthur came on today and Ali Al-Habsi is usually your starting
'keeper. Are they being rested with a view to the Cup Final?

[Laughs] I don't think we can rest anyone! We've got a healthy squad, good
numbers. Three games in a week is a huge task. We went to the Etihad against
the Champions and physically that's going to be demanding so we have to
share the demands. Ali and Joel [Robles] have been phenomenal all season. At
the moment Joel is playing in the league and Ali played in the Cup. Earlier
in the season it's been the other way round. Everything is up for grabs on a
game by game basis.

Do you think that your experience in this kind of scenario - it seems to be
annual - do you think that it will be an asset to you in weeks to come, with
other teams not used to it?

It's not the other teams. Internally as a club we know how to cope with it.
As you could see today the team needs a little bit of TLC, a little bit of
warmth and we're looking forward to seeing our fans at the stadium. We know
what to expect. There is no margin of error. We've got five games - we need
to get something like, probably, three wins I would say and that's something
we can achieve. If you look at our performance today we were the better side
over the 90 minutes. Yes we need to address not conceding goals as cheaply
as we have done today but every other department with a little bit of luck
it should have been an easy and comfortable away win. Funnily enough it was
exactly the same against Manchester City at their place. I am very happy
with the attitude of the players, the workrate, the mentality and it's an
exciting challenge for us.

You must be very happy with Shaun Maloney - man of the match on a losing
side for me

Shaun is a special footballer. He's one of those footballers who relies on
his natural talent. I think technically he gave a lesson to any young
players watching the game in how to receive the ball be aware around you and
how you turn. He's a phenomenal footballer. It was a shame that he got in a
great position one v one with Jaaskalainen - and he was superb today. Shaun
Maloney is one of those players you'd pay big money to watch on a regular
basis and we're very fortunate to have him.

That chance could have changed the game..

Yeah clearly. Remember the first goal today was going to dictate a lot. The
grass was very long - I don't know if there was a problem with the machines
[laughter] and after playing on Wednesday the team that had to come out and
be creative and expose was going to find it difficult. From us nearly
scoring a goal to West Ham scoring a goal it changed the roles in the game.
But I was very proud at the way in the second half we applied ourselves. The
crowd was phenomenal - very supportive of the home team - but I never saw
such a dominant display from a team away from home in the Premier League for
a long time.

How is Antolin [Alcaraz]

It's a soft tissue injury. His left hamstring. Probably an accumulation of
games more than anything. Nothing serious but with soft tissue injuries
you're probably talking about anything from 7-10 days. We'll see how it is
tomorrow.

Thank you!

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Hammers to face Teutonic test
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 20th April 2013
By: Staff Writer

West Ham are set to face Bundesliga club SV Hamburg in a pre-season friendly
this July. The Hammers will face HSV, one of Germany's oldest and most
famous clubs as part of a five-day pre-season training programme that will
see them visit the country from 19th-24th of July. One of a select few never
to have been relegated from the top tier of German fooball - and the only
team never to have been relegated from the Bundesliga since its inception in
1963 - HSV have won the German title six times, but not since 1983. Prior to
the 2011/12 campaign, the club had finished in the Bundesliga's top ten on
each of the nine preceeding seasons. Eighth in the current standings with 44
points from 30 games, HSV are on course to complete a top ten finish once
again. The game between HSV and West Ham is set to be played in the
Flensburg Stadium, which is situated around 100 miles north of Hamburg on
the German and Danish border.

We'll have more details and ticket news for you once details have been
confirmed.

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West Ham see off relegation-haunted Wigan at Upton Park
Last Updated: April 20, 2013 6:41pm
SSN

Kevin Nolan netted his 100th career goal as West Ham United pushed Wigan
Athletic a little deeper into the relegation mire with a 2-0 victory at
Upton Park.
A cross from Matt Jarvis which was allowed to slip past a clutch of bodies
in a crowded penalty area and into the bottom corner opened the scoring
during a tight first half.

Best of the match...

Man of the match: James Collins. Put himself in the way of everything as
West Ham were forced to defend for long periods.
Goal of the match: Kevin Nolan did really well to turn an acrobatic volley
into the corner after Andy Carroll had flicked on.
Save of the match: Jussi Jasskelainen produced a brilliant stop to deny
James McArthur when the Hammers were only 1-0 in front.
Moment of the match: Shaun Maloney squandered an early opportunity for
Wigan, and they were made to pay.
Talking point: Can West Ham now finish in the top-half after ending any
relegation fears? Have Wigan got enough left in the tank to steer a course
to safety?

The Hammers netted their second of the afternoon 10 minutes from time when
Nolan turned an acrobatic volley into the back of the net - and they are now
through the 40-point mark for the season while the Latics continue to
languish in the bottom three. Wigan started brightly and were the first side
to create an opening as Antolin Alcaraz - who was replaced after 15 minutes
due to injury - fired a low shot straight at Jussi Jaaskelainen. Hammers
skipper Nolan had found the net just once since the turn of the year before
the clash with Wigan, but he had two half chances to open the scoring as the
hosts came back into the game. Firstly he could not rise high enough to make
meaningful contact with a Gary O'Neil corner that had been flicked into his
path by James Collins before latching onto a free-kick and seeing his volley
pushed clear by Wigan goalkeeper Joel Robles. Dead-ball specialist Shaun
Maloney put a 22-yard free-kick just over Jaaskelainen's bar with both sides
still in search of the opening goal.

It came just four minutes later when Jarvis' cross from the left flank
evaded both Mohamed Diame and Nolan before sneaking inside Robles' far post.
West Ham then had strong claims for a penalty following an exchange of
passes between Ricardo Vaz Te and Nolan, with James McCarthy appearing to
trip Nolan as he prepared to shoot. Roberto Martinez made his second change
at half-time as he introduced James McArthur in place of Callum McManaman.
The visitors came out attacking with both Jordi Gomez and Arouna Kone having
strikes at Jaaskelainen's goal within two minutes of the re-start. Wigan
finally created a decent opportunity as Maynor Figueroa lofted a ball over
the West Ham defence and Emmerson Boyce's diving header was kept out by
Jaaskelainen. That effort seemed to galvanise Martinez's side and they
dominated for the next 15 minutes, culminating with substitute James
McArthur forcing a smart save out of the Finnish goalkeeper with 20 minutes
remaining. Paul Scharner then headed straight at Jaaskelainen when free
inside the area with the home fans starting to show their tension as their
fragile lead continued to be threatened. But those worries were put to bed
with a little over 10 minutes remaining as Nolan latched on to Carroll's
pass to volley West Ham into a two-goal lead and score his seventh goal of
the season. Carroll should have added a third himself after bursting into
the area but he put his shot wide.

Roberto Martinez claimed afterwards that luck had deserted Wigan once again,
but is confident they can steer clear of trouble if they maintain their
current performance level. He told Sky Sports: "The two goals that we
conceded are a little bit soft, but if you look at the overall balance of
play and the amount of chances that we created, we deserved to get much more
than what we got today. "Sometimes you have moments like that in a season
when you play very well and luck doesn't allow you to collect the rewards
that you deserve. If we keep performing like that, we will get the points
that we need."

Sam Allardyce believes West Ham are now safe and is looking for them to keep
their foot on the gas and wrap up a top-half finish. He told Sky Sports:
"It's our first season back in the big league and if we can finish around
this position, this was our maximum finish for us this season. We felt that
our absolute maximum would be around tenth, if we could get there. "I know
mathematically we are still not safe and people will say I shouldn't say
this, but it's been a long, long time since someone went down with 42
points."

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Sam Allardyce is looking for West Ham to maintain their top-half standing
Last Updated: April 20, 2013 8:46pm
SSN

Sam Allardyce is looking for West Ham United to cling on to their lofty
perch after rising into the top half of the Premier League table. The
Hammers made their way into 10th place on Saturday on the back of a 2-0
victory over Wigan Athletic. Allardyce's side have found form at just the
right time, with a five-match unbeaten run taking them through the 40-point
barrier and ending any lingering relegation fears. The target now is to
maintain those standards and end the campaign inside the top 10. Allardyce
told Sky Sports: "Very pleased, and tenth in the Premier League. It's our
first season back in the big league and if we can finish around this
position, this was our maximum finish for us this season. We felt that our
absolute maximum would be around tenth, if we could get there.
"It's our first season back in the big league and if we can finish around
this position, this was our maximum finish for us this season." "We have
had a really good run, I think in the last 10 games we have lost only three
of those 10, won four and drawn three. "We have put a really good stint in
at the end of the season after a difficult time with all the injuries we had
in December. We have really stepped up to the mark again and we have done a
clinical job today, a professional job. "We made life very difficult for
Wigan, even with all the possession they had to create open and clear cut
chances. At the other end, we showed that we have become more clinical in
our finishing over the last few weeks, and that's why we are picking up wins
instead of the losses through December. "The clinical finishing today -
Matt Jarvis' cross-cum-goal and Kevin Nolan's finish for his 100th goal -
edged us just ahead of Wigan and got us a very valuable three points to take
us to 42. "I know mathematically we are still not safe and people will say I
shouldn't say this, but it's been a long, long time since someone went down
with 42 points."

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