Tonka makes case for the defence
WHUFC.com
James Tomkins played his part in a fourth clean sheet in the last seven
outings on Saturday
04.11.2013
James Tomkins is making the most of his first-team opportunity. After having
to watch on for the first five Barclays Premier League games of the season,
the 24-year-old has re-established himself in Sam Allardyce's team with a
string of commanding performances. The Hammers have kept four clean sheets
in the seven games Tomkins has played, and he was happy with another solid
performance against Aston Villa on Saturday. "It's always nice to test
yourselves against players like that and come out on top," he said. "They
hit the bar, but overall we defended well again and kept a clean sheet, so
we were happy with that side of things. "I'm enjoying playing my football -
it's nice to come into the side and hit the ground running. "Now we just
need to get some wins in the bag. We've kept a lot of clean sheets and you
need just one goal to change the game - we're looking for that one goal to
set the season off."
One moment which had Hammers hearts in mouths on Saturday was when Andreas
Weimann went to ground as he threatened to burst clear from Ravel Morrison
in the opening period. Had referee Howard Webb awarded a foul, a red card
for Morrison could well have followed, but Tomkins believed the official to
have made the correct decision. He explained: "I was looking at it from a
distance and couldn't really see it too clearly. I think it was a bit of a
50-50 tussle and Rav showed a bit of strength."
Next up for West Ham is a trip to Norwich City, who will be smarting from
conceding eleven goals to the two Manchester clubs in the past week. Despite
those porous performances, Tomkins is still wary of their threat. He added:
"Man City are a difficult team to play against, they came here the other
week and played really well. "Norwich will be wanting to bounce back
straight away from that, but it's important for us to get the three points
so that will be our focus next week."
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Fanimo left with déjà vu
WHUFC.com
Matthias Fanimo had a familiar feeling after a late goal denied them victory
over Chelsea
04.11.2013
Matthias Fanimo was left with a sense of déjà vu after Chelsea equalised in
the last minute to deny the Hammers all three points in the Barclays
Under-21 Premier League on Friday. West Ham were the visitors to Aldershot's
EBB Stadium but received great backing from a large crowd as they built up a
two-goal cushion in the space of three first half minutes. Pelly Ruddock
slotted home the first after 25 minutes before Fanimo scored a screamer just
three minutes later, rounding off a brisk counter-attack with a thunderous
strike. Blair Turgott also got on the scoresheet with a long-range goal of
his own to put the Hammers 3-2 up with ten minutes to play but they couldn't
hold on, leaving Fanimo with the feeling he'd seen it all before. Watch the
Dev Squad take on Luton Town at Kenilworth Road on Tuesday night. Kick-off
is at 7pm and admission is priced at £5 adults and £2 concessions He told
West Ham TV: "It was very disappointing; we worked really hard throughout
the whole game and deserved to win the match. "I've got a feeling of déjà vu
as the same thing happened a few years ago in the FA Youth Cup so it's very
unlucky for us."
The game the wide man was referring to was an FA Youth Cup defeat for West
Ham United U18s against the Blues when the game again ended in a 3-3 draw,
with Nathaniel Chalobah scoring a last minute equaliser as Chelsea went onto
win 5-4 on penalties. Fanimo, whose goal was his first of the season,
believed the Hammers should have also been awarded a penalty moments before
Nathan Ake struck the 94th minute equaliser. Dylan Tombides was through on
goal when a Chelsea defender clearly clipped his heels and sent the striker
tumbling. The referee waved play on, despite the protestations of the
visitors, and moments later Chelsea had the ball in the back of Raphael
Spiegel's net. "Definitely, it was 100 per cent a definite penalty. He
clipped him on the way past and there's no doubt about that. "We deserved to
be in front, their goal wasn't one of their best goals and we were playing
very well at the time so it was important for us to stay in front."
Nick Haycock made five changes as he showed the strength in depth of his
squad which included a league debut for Under-18s centre-back Reece Burke,
and midfield trio Josh Cullen, Moses Makasi and Amos Nasha. Fanimo was
delighted with the impact the young quartet made in the absence of regular
starters Sebastian Lletget, George Moncur and Elliot Lee. He said: "All
three of them [Lletget, Moncur and Lee] were our main starters. They always
bought something to the team every week and tried really hard so they were
definitely missed but the boys who played tonight were excellent. "The young
lads did really well, especially Reece Burke at the back. I thought he dealt
with all their threat really well for a young centre-back and he's doing
really well at the moment."
Whilst Fanimo's stunning strike left most people short of words, the man
himself had two to describe it when asked what he made of his goal. "Wonder
goal" he exclaimed, with the beaming smile of a player who is getting back
to his best after injury delayed his start to the season.
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Lee nets first senior goal
WHUFC.com
Elliot Lee scored a dramatic late equaliser for Colchester United on
Saturday
04.11.2013
West Ham United youngster Elliot Lee notched his first senior goal in
dramatic circumstances for his loan club Colchester United on Saturday.
Trailing 2-1 to Rotherham United at the New York Stadium as the game reached
the fifth minute of stoppage time, Lee crashed a header against the
underside of the crossbar and in, to rescue a point for the Sky Bet League
One side. Eighteen-year-old striker Lee has notched five goals for the
Development Squad in the Barclays U21 Premier League this term and made his
top-flight debut when he was introduced as a substitute against Stoke City
in August. Now he has taken his goalscoring talents to senior level, with
his goal keeping Colchester 14th in the table.
Also on target at the weekend was Paul McCallum, who notched the first two
goals of his loan spell at Torquay United as Alan Knill's men triumphed 3-1
at Bury in League Two. The Gulls took an early lead at Gigg Lane through
Aaron Downes, but Nathan Cameron soon equalised for the hosts. However,
McCallum then struck twice, heading home from a corner for his first, before
slamming into the net following an Elliot Benyon cut back to seal the three
points. See Elliot Lee's Developement Squad goals on West Ham TV here
Meanwhile, Jordan Spence played the 90 minutes for Milton Keynes Dons as
they recorded a 1-0 win over Walsall in League One. The Dons currently sit
just outside the play-off spots, a point and two positions below Bradford
City in sixth.
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Andy Carroll may need shock therapy
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 4th November 2013
By: David Meagher
As Hammers fans wait patiently for the Andy Carroll return, we decided to
get down with the medical evidence and examine what his injury really means
in terms of prognosis for the future. So what exactly is Plantar Fasciitis,
and what does it really mean for our current predicament?
Of course, many fans are worried that we may be dealing with another cruel
Dean Ashton-like injury. In addition, folk are keen to know if this is
likely to be a recurring problem – fans leaving Upton Park yesterday after
another goalless performance by the Hammers will be wanting us to make sure
we have other options from the blunt 4-6-0 formation we have had to endure
in Carroll's absence!
First up, we know that he is suffering from a condition called plantar
fasciitis – an annoying problem that affects as much as 10 per cent of the
population but especially those who engage in activities that place strain
upon the sole of the foot – runners, ballet dancers, basketball players as
well as the overweight and the elderly.
The plantar fascia is a fibrous band that runs along the base of the foot
from the back of the heel to the ball of the foot that serves to provide
stability and support for the arches. Plantar fasciitis classically refers
to inflammation of the band that can involve small 'micro' tears. However,
other studies have highlighted that it is also an overuse injury and
reflects wear of the band that is significant as it is thus likely to pose
recurring problems. Hmmm.
So the condition presents with pain (especially at the heel) and with
problems weight bearing on the arches. This is because the band is at its
thinnest as it passes over the heel and especially prone to wear and tear at
that point. Sufferers typically complain of intense pain through the heel
after periods of rest (e.g. first steps of the day) as well as with
activities that require landing on one's feet - such as jumping for a header
in football.
The prognosis for plantar fasciitis is disturbingly variable – although most
sufferers recover over 6-12 months, with the condition disappearing as
mysteriously as it appeared, a significant number experience chronic
problems. However, perhaps the most worrying aspect is that in addition to
this unpredictability, the evidence for effective treatments is poor.
There is anecdotal evidence for short-term relief from rest, ice, heat, and
massage but these seem best for temporary relief and have clearly not worked
for our Andy. Anti-inflammatory drugs (such as Ibuprofen) can provide some
temporary symptom relief but do not affect the longer term course of the
condition. There is slightly better evidence to support the use of
strengthening exercises with foot orthotics that provide foot support as
well as night splints that stretch the band by pulling the big toe upwards.
A variety of injectable remedies exist ranging from anaesthetic agents,
blood products and botox, but these are experimental and the best evidence
is for steroid injections as a short to medium term remedy but these can
also aggravate the condition and actually weaken the band.
For cases that prove resistant to the above treatments, typically after six
months the options of shock wave therapy (to stimulate blood flow to the
area) or fasciotomy (surgically remove the band) are considered. The former
is still experimental but evidence is encouraging while the latter more
extreme intervention is very effective in relieving pain but can affect the
stability of the foot in the long term and is not readily reversible.
Andy spent much of September and October in the care of Lieven Maesschalck,
director of the Move to Cure clinic in Antwerp, Belgium - a physical
therapist who specialises in this type of injury. The subsequent utterances
from the Boleyn have been cautiously optimistic in suggesting that Andy can
return to action in the near future but without any clear date (read: he's
still having symptoms!)
Unfortunately, the medical evidence is far from reassuring and although this
is entirely different circumstance from the horrific traumatic injury that
Dean Ashton experienced, it clearly is a problem that may pose a recurring
challenge for the Hammers squad to work around and we cannot presume upon
Andy's consistent availability. Sadly, the £15million outlay is not looking
such a wise move at this stage as even if he recovers we find ourselves
having to work around an unpredictable injury.
In addition to being a Hammers fanatic, David Meagher is a doctor and
provides occasional medical cover for Limerick FC in the League of Ireland.
He is patiently waiting for the call up from the medical team at the Boleyn!
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Spurs' Jermain Defoe: West Ham fans call me a Judas but I still love that
club
4 Nov 2013 22:30
The Mirror
Jermain Defoe says he still loves West Ham – just eight weeks before the
opening of the January transfer window. The Tottenham striker is desperate
to make the England World Cup squad next summer but has started only one
Premier League game for the north Londoners this season. And the Hammers
will be seeking reinforcements with Andy Carroll out injured. Defoe grew up
not far from Upton Park, in Stratford, and was adored by the Hammers
faithful until he asked for a transfer less than 24 hours after they went
down in 2003. But he admits: "It was a massive mistake. I didn't really want
to do it. "We're talking about leaving the club I was in love with at the
time because I came through the youth system with my friends, the fans loved
me there. They were brilliant - every game they sang my name. "The person
who represented me at the time said, 'You need to hand in a transfer request
and get in early because all the lads are going to leave.'
"I remember going in and I was so nervous. It was (then Hammers chief
executive) Paul Aldridge and I gave him the letter and he said, 'What's
this?' And I said, 'It's a transfer request'. "And he looked at me as if to
say, 'Are you kidding?' "The backlash was crazy. I felt like I was on my own
and people were absolutely abusing me. "To this day I can imagine West Ham
fans look at me and think, 'Who does he think he is? How can you do that?
You're a Judas'. And it's quite sad really because I can honestly say I
still love that club."
The Spurs favourite had posters of Ian Wright in an Arsenal shirt on his
bedroom wall. And he also hero-worshipped Paolo Di Canio. Defoe recalls in
Sports Life Stories on ITV4: "The first thing I noticed about Paolo was how
tight his shorts were. "I am not lying – he had size small. If you go to the
West Ham shop, it is the kiddies' size. "I said, 'Paolo, why is your kit so
tight?' He said it was because when his kit is tight and he gets in certain
situations in the game and players try to pull his shirt, because it is so
tight to him, they cannot pull it and he can get away from people.
"Unbelievable player. Someone who always looked after himself. Always
tanned. Legs always smooth. "Genius. Every game, he was the best player on
the pitch. I am not going to lie. I ordered small shorts."
Defoe was eventually sold to Tottenham in January 2004, then moved on to
Portsmouth in January 2008 so was cup-tied for Pompey's FA Cup triumph – and
missed Spurs winning the League Cup. He has still to win a major trophy, and
reckons his career will be a failure if that does not change. "Yeah, because
I think especially playing for a top club, a club where you should win
trophies it would be disappointing," he admitted. "At the end of your career
you want to sit back and say I won this or I won that because that's what
it's all about. You want to win things and you want to be the best. "Spurs
is a great club with a great history. That is why this year is a big year. I
believe we can win something and I believe that once the first one comes,
more come after that."
Defoe's brother Gavin died in 2009 and last year he lost his father Jimmy to
cancer while his cousin Hannah died in an accident. The tragedy moved him to
set up the Jermain Defoe Foundation to help children back on his
grandparents' island of St Lucia. He admitted: "I'm sitting there thinking,
'am I dreaming? This can't be happening, not again. Is there a jinx on the
family. It doesn't make any sense burying my younger cousin weeks after
burying my dad.' "It changes your mentality completely. The things you think
are important are not. The things you make a big deal about you shouldn't.
You can only play football for so long and I believe there is more to me
than that. "
Defoe at West Ham and Spurs
West Ham Tottenham
Appearances 74 269
Starts 43 180
Subs on 31 89
Subs off 5 69
Minutes played 4450 16922
Goals 18 90
Minutes per goal 247.22 188.02
Yellow cards 3 25
Red cards 0 2
Defoe on... his love life
Jermain Defoe has claimed no-one would bother about his eventful love life
if he worked in Nando's. The England star has been dubbed a love rat after
his romantic liaisons with X Factor winner Alexandra Burke, Celebrity Big
Brother winner Chantelle Houghton and models Danielle Lloyd, Imogen Thomas,
Charlotte Mears and Laura Brown. But Defoe, 31, said: "I know in my heart
I'm not a bad person. I know my family love me. If you go on Google and see
pictures of course you're going to read (things) into pictures. "But at the
same time if I worked in Nando's and I went out with those same girls, for
one, it wouldn't be on Google, and for two, it wouldn't matter because
no-one cares. "You're young, you're successful, you earn a lot of money, you
attract girls. Your life changes. "If someone says they don't like the
attention they're lying. How can you not like the attention from girls? It's
normal. I am a young boy. I'm only human. "I am still the same person who
grew up in East London with his family. If you show me love, I will show
love back."
Defoe on... his debt to mum Sandra
Without the strict upbringing from his mother Sandra, Jermain Defoe reckons
he would never have become a professional footballer. The Tottenham star,
who still goes home for Sunday dinner every week, said: "My mum used to
stress the importance of not being on the streets. Not doing things my mates
were doing really – partying, drinking, smoking. "I was at home in bed, it
is as simple as that. Of course I was tempted to join in – I was a lively
character. There were times when I didn't understand but I trusted my mum
and listened to her and she was right. "If you want to do something special
in life, you can't be doing things like that. You can't be drinking or
smoking at a young age."
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