Ginge happy with defensive solidity
WHUFC.com
West Ham United defender James Collins was delighted with another strong
display at the back on Saturday
06.05.2013
Hammers defender James Collins was delighted to keep another clean sheet in
Saturday's Barclays Premier League fixture against Newcastle United. Neither
team could find a way through at the Boleyn Ground, but the point gained
kept the Hammers in the top ten and Collins was happy with the defensive
element of his side's play. "It sort of had that end of season feel to it.
In the second half we were a lot better than we were in the first half and
we were unlucky not to get a goal," said Collins. "But it's another clean
sheet and a point at home."
Papiss Cisse could have handed the Geordies the lead as his shot beat Jussi
Jaaskelainen but was hooked off the line by Hammers defender Winston Reid
inside the opening 20 minutes of the first half. Despite the calls for a
goal, Collins believes the assistant referee got it right. "Sometimes they
give them and sometimes they don't. It was certainly very close, I know that
much. We're just happy that was the only real chance they had in the game.
To get through that and not concede, we're delighted."
Collins agrees the incident will spark further talk of goal-line technology.
"It's needed and I think everyone knows it's needed. It stops the maybes and
maybe nots. The sooner the better for me."
With several obvious links to the Tyneside outfit throughout the team,
Collins admitted it added somewhat of a bite to the tie. "We spoke about it
before the game. The gaffer was obviously desperate to beat them as well as
Kevin [Nolan] and Andy [Carroll]. They're a tough, physical side like
ourselves and we knew it was going to be a hard game and they certainly gave
it to us."
Looking ahead to next weekend's trip to Everton, Collins believes the Club's
recent run of form should give the boost required to ensure the team come
home with all three points. "Away from home, we've been a lot better than we
were during the first half of the season. We're full of confidence at the
moment because we've had some great results over the last six or seven weeks
so if we keep playing the way we are I am sure we can get a good result."
But at the same time the Welshman appreciates the dangers David Moyes' side
will pose on Sunday. "They've got a few. Marouane Fellaini has been doing it
for a few years, Leighton Baines at left back, Steven Pienaar. They're a
side that's full of internationals and a great squad. It will be another
tough game because they've had one of the best seasons they've had for a
long time. If we keep playing the way have then I am confident we can get a
decent result there. "The home fans have been great but the away fans
especially. We seem to be selling out everywhere we go at the minute. It
would be great to put in a good performance and get a win for them."
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Oops! Allardyce's live TV gaffe
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 6th May 2013
By: Staff Writer
Sky Sports were forced to issue an on-air apology to viewers after West Ham
boss Sam Allardyce uttered an obscenity during a live interview. Allardyce
was talking about his former job at Bolton and the potential signing of
Polish goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak, which fell through when his club
secretary failed to ensure the player signed the necessary paperwork. "The
secretary let him go without signing his contract and the next day he'd
signed for West Brom. So you can imagine the bollocking the secretary got",
laughed Sam - to the horror of studio presenter Ben Shepherd (who appears in
the latest KUMB.com podcast) but not fellow guests Chris Kamara, Ian Snodin
and Ian Rush who all saw the funny side.
Naturally Big Sam's 'foul outburst' led to the ubiquitous complaints from
outraged viewers, which resulted in the TV company issuing an on-air apology
minutes later. Shepherd had already apologised to viewers immediately after
Allardyce's gaffe. During the interview, some of which you may see here,
Allardyce also reiterated his desire to retain the services of on-loan
striker Andy Carroll.
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Joe Cole hopes West Ham can keep hold of Andy Carroll
Last Updated: May 6, 2013 4:14pm
SSN
West Ham midfielder Joe Cole admits he is keen for the club to hang on to
loan striker Andy Carroll. The towering England man has proved a handful for
Premier League defences this term having signed a season-long deal at Upton
Park - but is scheduled to return to parent club Liverpool this summer. And
Hammers team-mate Cole said: "West Ham definitely want to keep Andy Carroll.
"I don't know the ins and outs of the deal but the way he's been playing in
the last couple of weeks you can understand why Liverpool paid £35m for him
a couple of years ago. "I think all the boys want him to stay at West Ham.
He's (his own) man, though, and he has his own agenda. "I don't know what
Liverpool are thinking and I'm sure there will be be other clubs in for him.
West Ham would like to keep him, he's our top scorer. He's got to do what's
right for him, though." West Ham assistant manager Neil McDonald said on the
club's official website: "Andy Carroll is enjoying his time in London, is
enjoying playing for West Ham and is enjoying being on the training field
and trying to contribute for the team. He's scoring goals and making goals
for other people."
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Cole in tribute to late brother-in-law
The Sun
By ANDREW DILLON
Published: 06th May 2013
JOE COLE will play in an emotional charity game this Tuesday night in memory
of his brother-in-law Mitchell Cole. Fellow Hammers stars Kevin Nolan, Mark
Noble, James Collins, Matt Jarvis and on-loan Liverpool striker Andy Carroll
also feature in the benefit game at Mitchell's former club Stevenage. All
proceeds go to the Cardiomyopathy Association. Mitchell Cole was forced to
retire from the game because of a heart condition and died suddenly last
December aged 27.
The Stevenage XI v Mitchell Cole XI kicks off at 7pm.
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Liverpool Transfers: Why There's No Chance Reds Will Bring Back Andy Carroll
Bleacherreprot.com
BY KARL MATCHETT (WORLD FOOTBALL STAFF WRITER) ON MAY 6, 2013
Liverpool have already generated a lot of coverage in the global media about
their rumoured transfer-market activities this summer, on both an incoming
and outgoing basis. One of the most talked-about players currently at the
club is record signing Andy Carroll, and whether he will remain at the club
for the long term or be shipped out by Brendan Rodgers.
Carroll has spent this season out on loan at West Ham United in the Premier
League, and despite a first half of the season largely disrupted by injury,
he has found form at the back end of the campaign and now has a tally of
seven goals from 20 starts in the league, making him the Hammers' joint-top
scorer.
The former Magpie has been linked with a move back to Newcastle United (via
Mirror Football) as well as, of course, making his stay at Upton Park a more
permanent one (via Express).
However, others take the view that he could simply come back to Anfield and
play a part in the ongoing renewal of the squad under Brendan Rodgers—but
that appears to be the least attractive option to both club and player.
A Question of Fitness
Andy Carroll is a bit of a giant; at 1.91 metres tall and with a very
muscular frame, he is not an athletic specimen but rather a powerful and
strong forward. What it has translated to is that when Carroll suffers an
injury, he is not a quick healer and, more importantly, he does not quickly
regain his match fitness.
Carroll often needs a run of four or five matches to get his peak physical
condition back, and as a player who is not particularly agile or fast at the
best of times, he can seem lumbering and ungainly as he struggles to keep up
with play.
Now showing his best form for West Ham, it is no surprise that it is coming
after an injury-free run of games. In fact, Carroll has featured in the last
12 league games in a row for Newcastle, with the one exception in that run
of the match versus Liverpool which he was ineligible for. During that run
he has scored six goals and claimed two assists, proving an important part
of the West Ham attack.
Would he get that regularity of games at Liverpool?
Likely not, at least to start with. And the problem is that when Carroll
doesn't play regularly, he loses his match fitness and increased mobility.
If that happens, he becomes less of a threat—and therefore a weapon or
alternative option—when coming off the bench, or when started for one-off
matches.
Tactics and Style
The seasoned argument for letting Carroll go is that he does not fit in with
Brendan Rodgers' preferred style of play, being neither a hugely technical
passer of the ball nor a pacey, direct striker on the ground. That is all
well and good, but even the most blinkered of fans could not deny that
Liverpool have hardly been the free-flowing side that was anticipated at the
start of the season of late.
The Reds have at times shown scintillating play, yes, but on other occasions
look as though they are attacking without a clear plan, building without
direction. This has become perhaps a part of the solution for this season
rather than part of the long term plan for the Reds, until Brendan Rodgers
has enough players at his disposal to play in his own method.
The at-times direct style of attacking from Liverpool has led some to yearn
for the penalty-box presence of Carroll—but even with the former No. 9 in
the team, it is unlikely he would be a good focal point for the attack.
Liverpool rarely look to send over high crosses into the area and the
midfield runners have been restricted in their penalty area movement,
meaning the way he links up with the likes of Kevin Nolan at West Ham would
not be replicated at Anfield.
Depreciating Value of Assets
With no permanent buyer found in time for Andy Carroll last year, the Reds
ended up sending him on a year-long loan to West Ham. While there was a
possibility that a deal was put in place to include an end-of-year permanent
deal for a fixed fee, the amount of speculation appears to suggest that
there is no obligation on West Ham's part to complete the signing.
As such, the player's book value has depreciated significantly this season.
Taking into account Carroll having a contract with Liverpool up until the
end of 2015-16 season, and the fact he cost the club £35 million to sign
initially, it has effectively cost the Reds more than £6 million to lend him
to West Ham, due to amortisation occurring during the year.
Come this summer, the remaining book value of Carroll to the Reds in
accounting terms will be £19.1 million, with them having written off £15.9
million of his initial transfer fee so far.
To put this into more stark terms, Carroll has cost the club around £275,000
per competitive Liverpool appearance so far—or £1.45 million per goal.
Financial mismanagement has, for far too long, hindered the club's prospects
of competing on a more regular basis for the biggest trophies and this deal
never looked like it would have a happy ending, despite the potential that
Carroll had as a striker; the initial fee was simply too high. Liverpool
need to sell him permanently to try and clear as much of the remaining debt
on his transfer as possible, and draw a line under this deal.
Keeping him for another season would not add anything to his book value, and
only would increase his transfer value if he had a barnstorming season for
the Reds—unlikely for the reasons as detailed above.
Loaning him out for another campaign would be disastrous for both reasons,
accounting and football.
Liverpool need to invest in their playing squad this summer in a variety of
positions, and it is as yet unclear what kind of net spend will be allowed
for Brendan Rodgers.
The Reds should be able to look into the market this year and acquire a
certain amount of quality which will help them strive for the top-four
places next year, but the real money will come from player sales which could
fetch in as much as £30 or £40 million this summer.
Andy Carroll will doubtless be the most expensive sale if a permanent buyer
can be found and a deal struck which at least benefits the club to a
reasonable amount. That money can then be re-invested into the team, and if
the Reds can recoup around £14 million or so—though they will hope for a
little more—then there are several names who will be within reach for the
same amount or less, yet will bring far more to a Rodgers' team and tactical
plan.
The key for Liverpool this summer is to choose extremely wisely in the
transfer market; quite simply, Rodgers and his team have to get it right in
this window. If they do so, the top four should be within sight by the time
the Easter fixtures roll around in 2014. If not, that particular dream might
be gone even before the busy Christmas period is over and done with.
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