Daily WHUFC News - 17th September 2013

Rat reflects on Premier League debut
WHUFC.com
Razvan Rat was pleased to perform in the Barclays Premier League for the
first time at Southampton on Sunday
16.09.2013

Razvan Rat is eyeing success for Club and country after completing an
important week of commitments with West Ham United and Romania. The
left-back made his maiden Barclays Premier League appearance for the Hammers
as a substitute in Sunday's goalless draw at Southampton. In the previous
week, he had also earned his 90th and 91st caps for Romania in two FIFA
World Cup qualifiers with Hungary and Turkey, experiencing a win and a
defeat that leave his nation's hopes of reaching Brazil 2014 in the balance.
Reflecting on those matches in an interview with West Ham TV, the No8 is now
hoping to make his maiden league start for West Ham in next Saturday's home
fixture with Everton. "I am happy that I made my debut in the Premier
League," confirmed the Romania captain. "I had to wait a long time and I now
hope to start in the next game and to play more. "Southampton were pressing
us and they had the pressure, but we did well. We kept a clean sheet and
also we had a very, very big chance through James Collins. "I told him that
I was already with my hands up [celebrating] but he didn't have a good shot.
That happens. Afterwards, it's a good away point and it's true that they had
a lot of chances and I think it was a fair result. "Jussi Jaaskelainen was
ready. We had some dangerous moments, but he made some great saves."

Rat recently spoke to the official website of his former club Shakhtar
Donetsk, the Ukrainian champions, in which he spoke of being patient and
waiting for his chance to shine. The defender also praised manager Sam
Allardyce for his honest management style and enjoyable training sessions.
"Everything I said about my feelings and emotions was true in that
interview. I said that the manager told me the Premier League is very
different so he said 'First you watch, then you play'. "I have had to wait
to play and I think this will come soon. I hope I will do well and won't
give the shirt back. I want to play regularly."

Rat's next test could come against an Everton side who beat Chelsea 1-0 at
Goodison Park on Saturday. "We saw the game and that Chelsea had a lot of
pressure on them, but Everton scored and won the game and that is all that
matters. "None of the games look like the others so they will have a hard
game at West Ham. We look forward to winning."

Concentrating on international matters, Romania's FIFA World Cup qualifying
play-off place is in the balance following a home victory over Hungary and
defeat by Turkey in recent days. Romania sit fourth in Group D with two
matches to play in Andorra and at home to Estonia. With second and
third-place Hungary and Turkey still to play runaway leaders Netherlands,
Rat knows his country still have a chance to finish as runners-up and reach
the November play-offs. "We have two games left and are in a little bit of a
difficult situation now. We need to win both games away to Andorra and home
to Estonia. "Turkey and Hungary both play against Holland, who have already
qualified, so we need them to play fair. This is the most important thing,
but if they play like they usually do then I think they will win. "I hope to
reach 100 caps at the World Cup. It's an honour to play so many times for
the national team and to be captain and I really hope to get 100 or maybe
more."

After reaching the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals in 1994 and reaching the
last eight at the 2000 UEFA European Championship finals, Romania have
qualified for just one major tournament - Euro 2008. For that reason, Rat
would love nothing more than to lead his country to Brazil. "It would mean a
lot because we weren't at a final tournament for a lot of time, so we need
to be there. "Let's get into the play-off and then the World Cup. It's true
that it's a long way, but anything is possible."

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Allardyce on... Southampton
KUMb.com
Filed: Monday, 16th September 2013
By: Staff Writer

Sam Allardyce was naturally please with another point away from home - even
if he harbours big concerns over his team's inability to put the ball in the
back the net...

"Away from home you have to be resilient and you've got to set your stall
out to stop the opposition doing what they want to do. Our plan today was to
let them play out from the back and then go and press them; certainly, that
tactic worked very well for us.

We wanted to try and win the ball back in their half. We worked it well on
occasions. We knew even when we pressed them that they'd still want to try
and play their way out so we received a number of balls in their half that
they messed up on with our pressure, but we didn't capitalise on it enough
today.

Our quality players got into the final third and put some good balls in and
some not quite so good. We didn't quite hit the traget enough to make the
'keeper work, even though we had the chances too - and we even failed to hit
the target with our golden chance that fell to Ginge just towards the end.
He's what, six or seven yards out and he's put it over the bar - and he
tells me he used to be a centre forward, by the way!

But it was a well-earned point. Jussi, when we needed him was oustanding
making three very good saves indeed. We've only conceded one goal this year
but the problem now is that we've gone three games without scoring. At the
end of the day the squad stepped up to the plate today; there was no Andy
Carroll, no Joe Cole, no Stewart Downing, Alou Diarra or George McCartney so
this squad has proved its worth today and we've gained a very valuable
point.

We can create more off Carroll, and that's no disrespect to Ricardo [Vaz Te]
and Modibo [Maiga]. Andy holds it up better and creates more problems for
the opposition's defence that the lads we've got [fit]. But they're doing
their job, they're doing the best they can and we might have nicked three
points with that chance we got at the end.

But our resiliance and organisation really made life very difficult for
Southampton today and even when they went long [ball] off Lambert, we coped
with that as well.

Jussi's played much better than that - he only had three saves to make
today! I've seen him make five or six when we weren't quite as good as we
are now, in the early days at Bolton. He's had nothing to do really in the
first three games; we've been that good he's had nothing to do. Today, when
he had something to do he was outstanding and that's why he got us a
valuable point."

* Sam Allardyce was talking to the BBC.

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West Ham skipper Kevin Nolan backs Modibo Maiga and Mladen Petric to provide
goals
Last Updated: September 16, 2013 4:02pm
SSN

Kevin Nolan has insisted that West Ham have adequate cover to produce goals
while Andy Carroll is sidelined. The 24-year-old striker has yet to make an
appearance for the Hammers since joining from Liverpool on a permanent deal
worth £17.5m in the summer, and he is likely to be out until the New Year
after a new foot injury. Modibo Maiga has come under fire for failing to
find the net in four starts this season and new signing Mladen Petric is
short of match fitness, but Nolan insists the pair will soon start to hit
the target. But following the 0-0 draw at Southampton, West Ham's third
straight game without a goal, Hammers captain Nolan said: "None of us have
criticised Maiga, that's the main thing. "I don't think anyone has really
criticised him, I think it's just the fact when you miss someone like Andy,
you're going to talk about Andy, instead of the centre-forward who's
actually playing. "If he doesn't come in and score goals then it's all 'he's
no Andy Carroll'. There's not many people like Andy Carroll, maybe Rickie
Lambert, but I think they're a bit different here and there. "Modibo Maiga's
got other strengths, he's very good in the air for such a short lad. He's
good on the floor. Very technically gifted, when he's in front of goal he's
very calm.
"We've just got to start getting him those opportunities, he's been working
so hard I'm delighted with him. I think he's been fantastic for us. He's
been thrown in at the deep end. "This boy has come over from Sochaux, he was
upset that he wasn't playing a lot, he's knuckled down over the summer and
he's getting his chance. Now it's up to him to start putting him in the back
of the net. "Petric has been training with us but obviously he is a bit
behind because he hasn't had a full pre-season. "He's in great shape coming
back, don't get me wrong, but it's just football fitness. He has got to get
used to that and hopefully we will have him there or thereabouts for
Everton, maybe to come off the bench. "It is a great acquisition for us - we
are very pleased we have got him. He brings a lot of quality and something
different. He is another one that we have got to get used to."

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West Ham hope crocked Andy Carroll won't be sick as a Poirot after Belgian
trip
16 Sep 2013 22:29
The Mirror

Andy Carroll is hoping to get the all-clear to begin a rehabilitation
programme - and avoid surgery on his heel injury. West Ham striker Carroll
has seen several specialists and is hoping to get the green light from a
Belgian expert to begin the long road back. Boss Sam Allardyce has described
it as an "unusual injury", but is hoping the Hammers can manage the problem
rather than having to put the England target-man under the knife, which
could wreck his season. Carroll clearly believes he can get back onto the
pitch with specialist help and is putting his faith in a trip to Belgium at
the end of last week to speed up his return.
Meanwhile, Kevin Nolan has admitted West Ham are missing his crocked pal
Carroll. Allardyce's side has now gone three Premier League games without a
goal following the stalemate at Southampton. Irons captain Nolan said: "Of
course, you're going to miss him, no matter what, even if you're putting
another international player in there, which Maiga Modibo is. "I don't think
anyone has really criticised him, I think it's just the fact when you miss
someone like Andy, you're going to talk about Andy, instead of the
centre-forward who's actually playing. "There's not many people like Andy
Carroll, no-one's like Andy Carroll, maybe Rickie Lambert, maybe, but I
think they're a bit different here and there."

Nolan's own on-field partnership with his friend pre-dates Carroll's arrival
at Upton Park, as they were also team-mates at Newcastle. "I have played
with Andy Carroll for a year and a half and we get goals," he added. "It is
a well-known fact in the Premier League - you only have to look at our stats
together - that's because we are a force together and no-one can stop us.
"In my eyes, when we go on the field, I always feel either one of us is
going to get a goal. It's something that I have got to learn to do with
others and I have before."

But Nolan insisted the 24-year-old can still be part of England's World Cup
squad next summer. "He's okay," said the Hammers captain. "He's disappointed
with the news and everything. We don't know quite how long he is going to be
out for - we're hoping it is sooner rather than later but one thing I would
say is that he is working his socks off in the gym because he wants to be
back quicker. "He is missing playing because that's what he loves and what
he lives for. Hopefully now he will just get his head down. We are all there
to put our arms around him if he needs it but he is a big lad with big
shoulders and hopefully we will see a lot more of him on the pitch in the
coming months. "I've not really spoken to him about England. I think it is
just all about them getting fit, getting ready and getting back for West Ham
because he I know if we get him fit, he'll score us goals. "If he goes on a
run like he did last year, he'll be in that squad."

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Kevin Nolan: Lay off Maiga, only Rickie Lambert could replace Andy Carroll
at West Ham
Express.co.uk
By: Ben JeffersonPublished: Mon, September 16, 2013

KEVIN NOLAN has leapt to the defence of Modibo Maiga and claimed that
Southampton's Rickie Lambert is the only man who could come close to
replacing Andy Carroll in the Hammers' line-up. West Ham could be without
Carroll until the New Year after the 24-year-old picked up a foot injury in
training, and that has raised concerns about where the goals will come from
for Sam Allardyce's side, who have scored just twice in four games this
season. Maiga in particular has looked impotent in front of goal, failing to
score in any of his four starts this season, but Nolan claims the Mali
international will show his worth in the rest of the team can create chances
for him. "None of us have criticised Maiga, that's the main thing," he told
Sky Sports. "I don't think anyone has really criticised him, I think it's
just the fact when you miss someone like Andy, you're going to talk about
Andy, instead of the centre-forward who's actually playing. "If he doesn't
come in and score goals then it's all 'he's no Andy Carroll'. There's not
many people like Andy Carroll, maybe Rickie Lambert, but I think they're a
bit different here and there. "Modibo Maiga's got other strengths, he's
very good in the air for such a short lad. He's good on the floor. Very
technically gifted, when he's in front of goal he's very calm. "We've just
got to start getting him those opportunities, he's been working so hard I'm
delighted with him. I think he's been fantastic for us. He's been thrown in
at the deep end. "This boy has come over from Sochaux, he was upset that he
wasn't playing a lot, he's knuckled down over the summer and he's getting
his chance. Now it's up to him to start putting him in the back of the net."

And given the lack of options up front, Nolan also claims that Mladen Petric
is an important signing for the club. "Petric has been training with us but
obviously he is a bit behind because he hasn't had a full pre-season," he
added. "He's in great shape coming back, don't get me wrong, but it's just
football fitness. He has got to get used to that and hopefully we will have
him there or thereabouts for Everton, maybe to come off the bench. "It is a
great acquisition for us - we are very pleased we have got him. He brings a
lot of quality and something different. He is another one that we have got
to get used to."

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West Ham United striker Andy Carroll to seek advice of specialist in Belgium
over heel problem
Jeremy Wilson By Jeremy Wilson8:00PM BST 16 Sep 2013
Telegraph.co.uk


Andy Carroll is to receive specialist treatment in Belgium on his foot
injury, with West Ham United still awaiting a definitive diagnosis on the
full extent of the problem. West Ham's club-record £15 million signing has
not played since picking up a heel injury in the final game of last season
but he suffered a related recurrence of the injury during training last
Monday. The problem is to his plantar fascia, a tissue that connects the
bottom of the foot to the heel, and he will now seek further expert advice
in Belgium. West Ham failing to score in each of their past three Premier
League matches. Kevin Nolan, the captain, admitted that West Ham are missing
Carroll but is urging fans to keep faith in Modibo Maiga, their Mali striker
who has scored two goals in 21 Premier League games.
Carlton Cole, who was out of contract at the end of last season, has been
back training at West Ham and is increasingly likely to be offered a new
deal. Sam Allardyce is also hoping that Mladen Petric can be part of the
squad to play Everton on Saturday following his arrival at the club last
week. "Of course, you're going to miss Andy, no matter what, even if you're
putting another international player in, which Maiga is," Nolan said. "He's
done fantastically well, let's not take it away from the boy he's come over
France, he's had a year to learn the language, he's had to bring his family,
change his whole lifestyle. "Hopefully now bit by bit he'll get it and the
goals will start coming for him because he's got some great qualities. I
think it's just the fact when you miss someone like Andy, you're going to
talk about Andy, instead of the centre forward who's actually playing. If he
doesn't come in and score goals then it's all 'he's no Andy Carroll'.
"There's not many people like Andy Carroll, no one's like Andy Carroll. We
don't know quite how long he is going to be out for. I have played with Andy
Carroll for a year and a half and we get goals. You only have to look at our
stats together - that's because we are a force together and no one can stop
us. In my eyes, when we go on the field, I always feel either one of us is
going to get a goal. It is something that I have got to learn to do with
others."

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Out of contract striker could seal West Ham move
FootballFancast
Date: 16th September 2013 at 6:35 pm
Written by Luke Greenwood |

Carlton Cole could still make a surprise return to West Ham United despite
concerns over his fitness, reports the Daily Mirror. The former Chelsea man
has been looking for a new club without success over the summer, after being
released by the Hammers at the end of the season. But it appears he may be
offered a route back at Upton Park, after the club were hit by an injury
crisis up top. Club record signing Andy Carroll has suffered another major
injury setback, whilst Modibo Maiga has struggled as the Hammers only other
out and out forward. Sam Allardyce was left frustrated in his attempts to
bring in a second striker during the summer, seeing moves for Nicklas
Bendtner, Demba Ba and Romelu Lukaku all fall through. It means the former
Bolton manager may well be forced to turn back to Cole, despite the forwards
fitness levels being some way below the required standard at present. Cole
failed a medical at Upton Park, but co-chairman David Gold has revealed the
club could yet resign the forward if he proves his fitness in the coming
weeks. Gold said: "Carlton Cole is working hard to regain his fitness with a
view to possible signing a new contract."

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