Noble enjoying central role
WHUFC.com
Mark Noble has relished his important role at the hub of West Ham United's 4-6-0 formation
24.10.2013
Mark Noble is enjoying his central role in West Ham United's Barclays Premier League season. The No16 has been deployed as a deep-lying midfielder in Sam Allardyce's new 4-6-0 formation, helping the Hammers to halt the opposition and launch dangerous counter-attacks. The system appears to have got the best out of Noble, who was outstanding in the 3-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur and voted Man of the Match in Saturday's 3-1 home defeat by Manchester City. "I am over the moon really with the way things are going for me," he told West Ham TV. "I just love going out there and playing. "Obviously it is always a little bit special against the top teams because you want to show how good you are and compete and I feel like I have been doing that and I am just enjoying playing football at the minute."
Unfortunately, despite Noble's best efforts, West Ham have lost their last three home league matches and need to make up those points on their travels - starting at Swansea City on Sunday. The Swans host Russian Premier League side Kuban Krasnodar on Thursday evening and the Hammers will hope their UEFA Europa League exploits leave them vulnerable - just as Spurs appeared following a mid-week trip to Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala a three weekends ago. "Yes [our home form hasn't been great], but hopefully we can now win a few more away games and even it out like that," said the Canning Town native.
"We lost against Everton, I got sent-off and [Leighton] Baines put two into the top corner and that doesn't happen every week, against Stoke we were poor but probably should have got a point, but [Jermaine] Pennant bends one in the top corner. "We came off the back off a great result against Spurs and though we lost to City, we can still go into the Swansea game confident. We have been playing well in all the games this season apart from Stoke where we wasn't good.
"We are going to go in all week and train like we always do. We have got a great bunch of lads who enjoy each other's company and we will all work hard for each other and try to get three points on Sunday."
Looking further into the future, Noble was also asked about his own international ambitions. With journalists, pundits and supporters already picking their England squads for 2014 FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil, the likes of Ravel Morrison and Andy Carroll have seen their names crop up. However, former England U21 captain Noble is still hopeful he can make a case for his own inclusion in Roy Hodgson's 23-man group. "I'm not going around shouting that I should be in the squad and all that because I am not that sort of person," he said. "I have obviously played in the Premier League week-in, week-out, since I was about 19 and played at a good level. If it happens, it happens, but I am just going to keep on enjoying my football, getting on the ball, enjoying passing and creating stuff and if it happens, it happens."
"I believe I am good enough. I have seen the players we have had here who have been in the England set-up and I believe that if I made that step up, I would be able to mentally and physically cope with it."
Mark Noble
Mark Noble has been a consistent performer for West Ham United this season and it came as little surprise to see the 26-year-old awarded a WhoScored.com rating of 8 in the weekend meeting with Manchester City. That figure was the highest for the Hammers at the Boleyn Ground, Noble has started every Premier League game for Sam Allardyce's side this season and continues to provide the passionate displays that supporters have grown to expect. In the heart of the midfield, Noble was charged with breaking up the play and disrupting the rhythm of the City attack, evidenced in that he made the most tackles (5) in the encounter. This facet of his game is what he is known for, further reinforced in his statistically calculated WhoScored.com strength of 'tackling'.
Only Mohamed Diamé (25) has made more tackles for the Hammers over the course of the season than Noble (21), who is performing in a deep-lying midfield role, securing an average WhoScored.com rating of 7.33 after eight games; only Winston Reid (7.48) has scored higher of every West Ham player thus far.
His reading of the game is also what stands him in high stead for the club and this aspect was noticeable at the weekend, making four interceptions in the encounter; only Reid and Diamé (5) made more than the tough tackling midfielder. Tasked with stifling the City midfield, Noble clearly performed in the middle of the park as his defensive stats suggest, while looking to drive the team on having completed four successful dribbles.
As the season wears on, Noble will be crucial to the Hammers building on their tenth-place finish from last season. His defensive ability will allow the more attack-minded players in the West Ham squad to push on and hurt the opposition, much like they did in the 3-0 win at Tottenham earlier this month.
WhoScored.com is a website and one of the fastest growing in the sports industry, specialising in the in-depth analysis of detailed football data. Follow @WhoScored on Twitter.
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Spence loaned to MK Dons
WHUFC.com
Jordan Spence has joined Sky Bet League One side MK Dons on loan until Saturday 23 November
24.10.2013
Jordan Spence has joined Sky Bet League One side Milton Keynes Dons on a month-long emergency loan. The West Ham United defender will remain with Karl Robinson's Play-Off challengers until Saturday 23 November. Spence, 23, recently returned from a loan spell at Championship club Sheffield Wednesday, where he made four league appearances. The versatile right-back or centre-back could make his MK Dons debut at Tranmere Rovers on Saturday, with the visitors hoping to improve on a run of three defeats in their last four league matches. Spence could also feature in home games against Walsall and Bradford City and an away fixture at Oldham Athletic, where he could face fellow Academy graduate and Latics forward Cristian Montano. The defender will join former Hammers winger Luke Chadwick in the squad at MK Dons, where the first-choice goalkeeper is David Martin, son of West Ham great Alvin Martin. The one-time Chigwell School pupil has totalled 68 first-team appearances for West Ham, Leyton Orient, Scunthorpe United and Bristol City, including ten for the Hammers. Spence is one of several West Ham players out on loan alongside Jack Collison and Stephen Henderson (both AFC Bournemouth), Elliot Lee (Colchester United) and Paul McCallum (Torquay United).
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Local doctor a cheap ticket recipient
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 24th October 2013
By: Staff Writer
It has been revealed that at least one of the local residents to benefit from West Ham United's £5 ticket offer was a full-time doctor.
The Club came under fire earlier this week after it was confirmed they had distributed several hundred cheap tickets to local community groups, despite thousands of long-term supporters having been priced out of attending in recent seasons.
However that mild annoyance turned to anger for some after it was revealed that several of those to receive the cheap tickets were fully employed adults - few, if any of whom support West Ham United.
One such beneficiary was a local doctor known only as Aamir, who was visiting the Boleyn Ground for the first time ever last weekend. "I share the fans' frustration [about ticket pricing]," he said. "I did not ask for tickets at that reduced rate, it simply was too good to turn down.
"I am sorry that I only paid £5 [for a ticket], and many did not.
"I would love to sit down, have a civil chat, and explain that I was there to support West Ham and did not expect any favours because I am Muslim. Dialogue is important. I hope it brings understanding."
West Ham United are understood to be reviewing their ticketing policy in the wake of Saturday evening's problems. The Club have already committed to give away up to 100,000 tickets per season to local residents when moving to the Olympic Stadium in 2016.
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Oops! Redknapp Q&A goes wrong
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 24th October 2013
By: Staff Writer
A live Twitter Q&A by Harry Redknapp went catastrophically wrong as the QPR manager was forced to faced a barrage of criticism on the social network.
Twitter users were asked to submit questions to Redknapp using the #askharry hashtag this afternoon. However there were red faces all round as instead of being flooded by questions on the Championship club, Rangers' Twitter team were largely inundated instead with comments criticising the former West Ham boss.
Whilst some were witty - as in the punter who asked Redknapp: "How crushing is it to know that Hodgson got the England job as he was the younger, more photogenic candidate?" - others referred to Redknapp's recent acquittal from his tax trial, such as the wag who asked: "Please can you help train my dog? I can't get him to sit, or beg, yet you got yours to open an off-shore bank account."
Meanwhile many more criticised Redknapp over his recently-published comments on Billy Bonds, which the West Ham legend dismissed as "nonsense" in an exclusive KUMB.com podcast earlier his week.
Read on to see the best - and the worst of the #askharry entries... To view the latest entries, which are still coming in, visit Twitter.
Whose idea was it to #AskHarry?
PK @khakipillowslip: How does your dog remember it's PIN?
Paul Taylor @nottmtails: I've dropped a load of pins. I don't want to tread on them. Can I ask about tacks avoidance?
Paul Browne @Brownosleftfoot: Have you ever told the truth? Even once?
Mike Oxbig @oxbig80: Would you ever sign someone who was none of the following: T'riffic lad; top, top player; real family man; a fantastic professional?
Disco Stu 68 @Discostu68: Do you think Pompey will ever get out of the mess they've been in since you left?
cheese mouse @_cheesemouse_: Is it coincidence the building you owned in Southsea burnt down after you were denied planning permission to turn it into luxury flats?
Peter Rainey @Raineyballs: How can you relegate three different clubs from the Premier League and still be classed as a good manager?
Christopher Dalton @CDalton2012: Was this Q&A session a better or worse idea than paying 12million for Chris Samba?
Alex J Beekmeyer @Alexjbeekmeyer: Can you explain the difference between tax evasion and tax avoidance?
©@®L @pSyLOnsBoy: Is it true you've done more damage on the south coast than Hitler ever could?
Andy @dddyhx: My mate constantly refers to you as a "Wheeler Dealer". What does he mean by that?
Jon Giles @JonnyGilesFav: Have you sacked your public relations officer yet?
On Billy Bonds
upthehammers @reid7919: Why did you stab Billy Bonds in the back? #BackStabber
Allan Van Leer ⚒ @vanman0: How does it feel to be publicly bitch slapped by West Ham legend & ex-mate Billy Bonds?
Charlie @CharlieSteelWHU: Are you scared that one day Billy Bonds is gonna turn up to your gaff and just give you the one bang?
Michael @SantoDomingos86: Are you gonna set your dogs on to Billy Bonds?
Chris Jose @CJv3: I need a good instrument to cut a steak. Can you recommend a good knife, like, where did you buy the one you stabbed Bonzo with?
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West Ham midfielder Mark Noble targets England World Cup squad
Last Updated: October 24, 2013 2:57pm
SSN
West Ham United midfielder Mark Noble believes he can break into Roy Hodgson's England World Cup squad. Noble, who captained the Under-21 side, has yet to win a senior cap but is refusing to give up hope of gatecrashing Hodgson's party for next summer's finals in Brazil. The 26-year-old has been a consistent performer for West Ham and he believes he could make the step up for England if he got a call. "I believe I am good enough," Noble told the London Evening Standard. "I have seen the players we have had here who have been in the England set-up and I believe that if I made that step up, I would be able to mentally and physically cope with it. "I'm not going around shouting that I should be in the squad and all that because I am not that sort of person. "I have obviously played in the Premier League week in, week out, since I was about 19 and played at a good level. "If it happens, it happens, but I am just going to keep on enjoying my football, getting on the ball, enjoying passing and creating stuff and if it happens, it happens."
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THE TRUTH ABOUT THE WEST HAM COMMUNITY DISCOUNT TICKET OFFER
By Sean Whetstone 24 Oct 2013 at 08:00
West Ham Till I Die
There has been much coverage of the discounted local community tickets at the West ham v Man City match last.It has also brought some unwelcome press in the Daily Express, Star and Mail.
I understand there is much mis-information on this subject.
The first thing to explain is this discounting of tickets for the local community is nothing new for West Ham. The discounted community trust offer started at Wigan home match last season and was featured on BBC Match of the Day. I understand around 400 tickets were discounted during that first match.
There was another community discount ticket offer at the Stoke home match for another 80 people from one particular community project.
There have been allegations that between 2,000 and 2,500 discounted tickets were sold. I understand the true number to be around 1,500.
West Ham say they have nothing to hide and are proud of their close links the Community. The West Ham United Community Sports Trust website clearly states that affordable match day tickets are available for pupils in Schools in East London and Essex are priced at £5, Tickets for Junior Football clubs with accompanying parents are available for £5 for the child with the adult going free of charge and Tickets for Troops can bought tickets for £10 www.community.whufc.com/
Possibly the biggest difference for this match was it was category A match and every previous community related match had been category B.
I understand the community partners can request discounted tickets for any match. It just so happens there were tickets left for the Man City match and the decision was made to extend this offer to the Man City category A game as the match was unlikely to sell out. This fact appears to have been confirmed by Jack Sullivan when he tweeted "The 5 pound ticket were [Sic] a one off to the local community to fill empty seats for a TV game"
Stories that locals were given free tickets or that 2,500 tickets were given to Newham council to distribute are wide of the mark.
The main community partners for this match were: Premier League Kicks, Premier League 4 Sport and the Tower Hamlets' Stifford Centre
West Ham confirmed on Monday in a WHUFC.com article that "As per the terms of the contracts with said partners, the tickets were offered at a discounted rate, but absolutely no tickets were provided free of charge and fans from all locations, background, race and religion were included"
Although the media have highlighted a facebook video of a small number of members of the local community praying just before half time I understand no complaints of racism or harassment was made to the club by these local community members. The media seem to going for sensational headlines without any real substance.
I am sure the club has learnt from this experience and need to be much more transparent and up front about these community offers to dispel any ill feeling from season ticket holders/supporters and negative headlines.
There were also reports that members of the local community celebrated Man City goals. I was sitting in the Sir Trevor Brooking lower close to where these tickets were situated and didn't see that happening. I also know no-one else who did. Many of the local community who came to West ham for the first time were wearing West Ham tops so that accusation doesn't hold much water for me.
Many of us live and/or work in one of most of the diverse City's in the world and we are one West Ham Family.
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