Haycock rues small margins
WHUFC.com
Development Squad coach Nick Haycock felt the Hammers were not far away from victory against Spurs
18.08.2014
Development Squad coach Nick Haycock was left to rue the 'small margins' of football going against his side after they lost out to Tottenham Hotspur in their Barclays U21 Premier League opener on Monday night. The Hammers showed good mental fortitude to get back in the contest after Daniel Akindayini gave the hosts a first half lead. Kieran Bywater's free-kick gave West Ham the platform to try and win it themselves, but it was Spurs who took the points through Cristian Ceballos' 74th minute winner and Haycock felt his side could have been more clinical. He explained: "I thought it was a good advert for Under-21s football - there was a healthy crowd in and the game had a real good tempo to it. "I'm disappointed with the result because I thought it could have gone either way. There were moments when they could have asserted their authority and there were moments when we got back in the game. "We did excellently to get back in the game and then we had a couple of chances to go 2-1 up, so it might have been a different story. "I was pleased with the attitude of the players, but I thought we could have controlled the game a little better at 1-1. "We stepped on to them well, which was the instruction we gave at half-time, to not let the centre backs have too much controlled possession. "We created countless good areas, it was just that final pass, cross or finish that was missing. It was small margins and we don't want to keep going into the dressing room talking about small margins. "The clinical finishes Tottenham showed on Monday is the difference at any level. That's where we've been found out a little tonight."
Kieran Bywater finished as the Under-18s' top goalscorer with 18 to his name last term, and Haycock says he can aim high having made the step-up this season. He added: "Kieran has done well, he's gone back to the central midfield role he played for many seasons at the younger age groups. "He can score from there as well. He has got good delivery from set pieces, and if it is a cross to the far post it's a great area to put it in. "Shooting towards the far post means it has got a chance of going straight in as it did, or someone can get a touch."
The Hammers have a swift opportunity to put things right when they host Southampton at the Boleyn Ground on Friday evening and Haycock is looking forward to seeing how his team responds. He concluded: "I said in the dressing room that when you're in the league programme you haven't got time to be sombre about a defeat because it's about how we react. "We'll watch the clips back from the game, see the good things and bad things that we did, we'll recover with the sports science department and then we'll be back on the training field to get ready for the Southampton game."
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Reid - The new boys did well
WHUFC.com
Debutants Aaron Cresswell, Cheikhou Kouyate and Enner Valencia impressed Winston Reid
18.08.2014
Winston Reid was impressed with the contributions of debutants Aaron Cresswell, Cheikhou Kouyate and Enner Valencia as West Ham United got their 2014/15 Barclays Premier League campaign underway against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. The Hammers came up just short on the day, losing out to Eric Dier's injury time goal, but Reid took heart from the performance, not least from the new boys. Cresswell played the 90 minutes at left-back, while Kouyate found himself alongside Reid in the heart of defence for the final 27 minutes following James Collins' dismissal for collecting two yellow cards. With Enner Valencia also making his bow from the bench, Reid believes all three - and fellow new arrivals Mauro Zarate, Diafra Sakho, Carl Jenkinson and Diego Poyet - will have plenty to offer. "There were some good positives out there," he said. "The new boys did well, Aaron [Cresswell] and Cheikhou [Kouyate] from the start and Enner [Valencia] came on as well. "For the new boys it's nice to get them on the pitch early and there's still a couple of boys sitting on the bench and ready to go. The squad is looking strong and I'm sure everybody is going to be pushing for the next game to try and improve. "Cheikhou showed his versatility by moving back to centre half at the end, and I think I'm going to need to learn some French if that's going to happen again! "He did well on Saturday and you can see why he was brought to the Club."
Reflecting on Saturday's result, Reid felt the Hammers deserved more than they got. "It was cruel," he added. "That's football - we try and do our best, but unfortunately they've scored a goal at the end and that's it. "There were positives to take from the performance, the boys did pretty well out there. We couldn't get the ball in the back of the net ourselves and unfortunately they've done that. "The main lesson is to make sure we make the most of when we're on top. It was a disappointing game, it wouldn't go in and that's it."
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Squad numbers confirmed
WHUFC.com
West Ham United can confirm the Club's squad numbers for the 2014/15 season
15.08.2014
West Ham United can confirm the Club's squad numbers for the 2014/15 season. The Hammers' seven new signings have all been allocated their numbers, while a number of first-team squad members have also opted to take fresh numbers. The No1 shirt will again be vacant, with Winston Reid sticking with No2. Aaron Cresswell is the first of the new boys to feature, with the left-back taking the traditional No3 shirt.
Captain Kevin Nolan is No4, James Tomkins No5 and Matt Jarvis No7, while a second recent arrival, Senegal midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate, will wear No8.
Andy Caroll is No9, Argentine forward Mauro Zarate will wear No10, while England winger Stewart Downing has moved to No11 for the new campaign.
Wembley hero Ricardo Vaz Te is No12, goalkeeper Adrian sticks with his lucky No13 and Ravel Morrison becomes the second senior player to move, taking No14.
New boy Diafra Sakho has been allocated the No15, with Hammer of the Year Mark Noble keeping his cherished No16 shirt and Joey O'Brien remaining No17.
Loanee Carl Jenkinson takes No18, with James Collins, Guy Demel, Mohamed Diame and Jussi Jaaskelainen sticking with Nos19, 20, 21 and 22 respectively.
A sixth summer signing, midfielder Diego Poyet, takes the No23 shirt vacated by Downing, with Carlton Cole sticking with his No24.
Ecuador FIFA World Cup star Enner Valencia will wear No31, with youngsters Reece Burke and Dan Potts taking Nos32 and 33.
Of course, the No6 shirt was retired in honour of the late Bobby Moore OBE in August 2008, while the No38 was retired in memory of the late Dylan Tombides in April this year.
These squad numbers will be used in the Barclays Premier League and both domestic cup competitions.
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Sakho ready to fight for the cause
WHUFC.com
New signing Diafra Sakho plans to bring goals and a great deal more besides to the Boleyn Ground
15.08.2014
Summer signing number seven Diafra Sakho feels his five years spent with FC Metz were the perfect grounding for the challenge that awaits in the Barclays Premier League with West Ham United. Playing a pivotal part in back-to-back promotions, the 24-year-old weighed in with 39 league goals across the two campaigns and is now desperate to prove his pedigree in England. Just how soon he will first feature remains to be seen, but having long dreamt of this moment, Sakho is itching to make his mark in Claret and Blue. "I'm confident, that's for sure," he told West Ham TV. "This move has been two years in the making. English football is an altogether different story, but I'm going to try to slog it out to score goals here for West Ham as well. "I prepared for this all of last season with Metz and following that I think I'm ready. Beyond that, it's not for me to decide, but we'll see what the manager decides to do with me in the coming weeks. "I spoke to Sam last Friday. We discussed a little bit his philosophy on the game and what he expects of his players. I am going to give my all to fight for the Club until the end."
The addition of Sakho completes West Ham's triumvirate of Senegal internationals, with Mohamed Diame and Cheikhou Kouyate already among the Hammers' ranks. As he explores his new Club and gets to grips with the language, the 6' striker is glad of the familiar faces. "To have them by my side will give me an added incentive and, like them, I'm going to try to give my all for the Club," he confirmed. "In the last few weeks I've begun to discover more about the Club. I've not yet finished learning and I'll be taking English lessons too. That way it will become easier for me to express myself."
Indeed, Sakho will certainly need to to master the language if he is to see out his four-year deal and he already hopes that his east London stay will last long into West Ham's tenure at the former Olympic Stadium. "It's a project that inspires everyone," he added. "We've already spoken about it and I also hope to be here for the duration."
As for the fans, Sakho's appeal was a simple one, namely to keep doing what they've done so well for so long. He concluded: "Continue to support us as you've always done and we, for our part, will continue to give everything out on the pitch."
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Hammers undone by Spurs' late show
WHUFC.com
Eric Dier's stoppage-time strike condemns the Hammers to an opening-day defeat at the Boleyn Ground
16.08.2014
West Ham United 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur stole all three points at the Boleyn Ground on Saturday, as Spurs debutant Eric Dier popped up in the third minute of stoppage time to consign West Ham United to defeat on the opening day of the Barclays Premier League. With the game seemingly headed for a goalless draw, Dier raced onto Harry Kane's through ball before rounding Adrian and slotting into the unguarded net. Mark Noble had earlier passed up the Hammers' best chance after half an hour, firing his spot-kick wide of the post in the wake of Kyle Naughton's dismissal for handball. But Sam Allardyce's men were unable to keep their full complement either, as James Collins saw red in the 63rd minute for a second bookable offence.
In a pulsating affair, the impressive Cheikhou Kouyate was quickly in the thick of it, bursting through a flimsy challenge and sliding in Carlton Cole. West Ham's No24 shrugged off Younes Kaboul and when his square ball ricocheted back to his feet, he side-footed over from 18 yards. At the other end, Christian Eriksen was orchestrating the Spurs attack, looking for Emmanuel Adebayor, but only finding the head of Winston Reid. But it was midway through the first half that West Ham really began to make their presence felt and a flurry of chances followed. First up, Ricardo Vaz Te was unable to adjust his feet quickly enough to volley Noble's corner goalward and instead miscued back across the face.
And it was the Portuguese forward who got his head to Downing's centre, but this time Vaz Te's effort slid just past the far post. Cole then dragged an effort right across the face, forcing Danny Rose into some last-ditch defending, with Downing poised to convert. Kouyate was next to go close, as he latched on to another teasing Downing cross, only to see his glancing header go a yard wide of Hugo Lloris' right-hand upright. As it turned out, those missed chances were merely the precursor to the main event. Noble's corner was flicked on by Reid, with Nolan's snapshot effort on the turn cannoning into the arms of Naughton. Though a presumably unsighted Chris Foy was unmoved, his assistant on the far side awarded the spot-kick, prompting the referee to give Naughton his marching orders. As ever, Noble took responsibility, but despite sending Lloris the wrong way, rolled his effort wide of the left-hand post, his first miss from 12 yards since 2009.
Now a man to the good, the Hammers continued to push for the opener, with the lively Aaron Cresswell picking out Cole, whose latest effort was blocked behind. The resulting corner fell kindly to Vaz Te at the far stick, who smashed an effort right back from where it had come, but beyond the upright. Spurs, meanwhile, having adopted a 4-4-1, still posed a significant threat, with an Aaron Lennon strike fizzing narrowly over Adrian's crossbar. But West Ham should have gone in front after 42 minutes, when Vaz Te headed Joey O'Brien's centre into the ground and the grateful arms of Lloris.
Downing engineered the Hammers' first chance of note following the restart, forcing Lloris into action with a left-footed drive from 20 yards. The French stopper might have gathered, but could only parry and then had to be on his toes to tip the ball away from the feet of Noble. And the visitors had an opportunity of their own on the hour, when Rose burst clear down the left and though his cut-back was behind Adebayor, it looked destined for Lennon, but for the excellent intervention of Cresswell. Minutes later and West Ham's numerical advantage was scrubbed out. Already cautioned for a tug on Erik Lamela, Collins was adjudged to have illegally stopped Adebayor in his tracks, with Foy wasting no time in producing a second yellow card.
Unsurprisingly, the balance of power shifted. With 70 on the clock, substitute Andros Townsend twice went close in a matter of seconds. He firstly saw a long-range drive tipped over by Adrian, before his menacing angled effort was deflected beyond the far post. With the game becoming stretched, Kouyate got the better of Kaboul and set Noble away, with Lloris diving low to his right to foil West Ham's No16. Hammers new boy Enner Valencia was introduced late on, but it was Downing who went agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock. Collecting Nolan's astute flick, the West Ham winger was brilliantly foiled by Lloris from eight yards, with Etienne Capoue completing the clearance.
Though Nabil Bentaleb saw his late drive palmed away to safety, there was still time for a dramatic conclusion, as unlikely hero Dier danced through to end Tottenham's Hammers hoodoo.
West Ham United: Adrian, O'Brien (Demel 62), Reid, Collins, Cresswell, Nolan (c), Noble, Kouyate, Downing, Vaz Te (Diame 68), Cole (Valencia 81)
Subs: Jaaskelainen, Zarate, Poyet, Burke
Booked: Collins, Kouyate
Sent off: Collins
Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Rose, Kaboul (c), Lennon (Townsend), Adebayor (Kane 83), Lamela (Holtby 61), Dier, Naughton, Eriksen, Capoue, Bentaleb
Subs: Friedel, Soldado, Dawson, Davies
Goal: Dier 93
Sent off: Naughton
Referee: Chris Foy
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'We paid the ultimate price'
WHUFC.com
Sam Allardyce was left frustrated after his West Ham United side suffered a cruel late opening-day defeat
16.08.2014
Sam Allardyce was left shattered after his West Ham United team conceded a last-gasp goal to lose 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur. The Hammers looked on course to start the 2014/15 Barclays Premier League season with a point from an eventful game at the Boleyn Ground, only for a host of missed chances - including Mark Noble's first unsuccessful penalty in five years - to cost them dear. Both sides had a man sent-off - Kyle Naughton for the handball that led to Noble's missed 30th-minute spot-kick and James Collins for two bookable offences on 63 minutes - before Spurs debutant Eric Dier popped up three minutes into added time to collect Harry Kane's pass, round Adrian and silence the Claret and Blue Army.
Afterwards, Big Sam spoke to West Ham TV, admitting his frustration at his players' inability to put the ball in the back of the net.
Sam, what did you make of the game?
SA: "The length of time it went on, watching the game from sat upstairs or down on the touchline, you know that this game will sometimes bite you when you don't finish off the opposition when you've created so many chances. "We paid the ultimate price in the last minute because we didn't secure the victory well before Tottenham got their goal. When Tottenham did get their goal, it was with their last chance and probably their only clear-cut chance in the whole game.
"You've got to be two goals up because then we could have got away with it and still taken the three points. But because we've not scored the penalty, because we've had 20 attempts at goal and haven't scored and because we allowed the opposition to equal it up to ten against ten, they were the three most important factors in why we have lost this game. "It's a real shame based on the overall game and the efforts the players have given."
We had 18 shots on goal, but only four on target - was that our major issue?
SA: "Yes, that was the problem - 20-odd shots on goal but only four or five on target. Tottenham didn't have very many on target either, but in terms of ratio they have had about eight and scored one goal at the death. "It was strange that their centre-half playing right-back rounded the keeper and put it in, because you wouldn't expect a centre-back to be capable of that, but he was. "Like I said, the real problem was that we missed too many chances when it was 11v11 and we missed too many chances when it was 11v10 and missed too many chances when it was 10v10 - that's a real shame on today's performance against a side which has spent hundreds and hundreds of millions of pounds."
Were you ever tempted to change the system and put a second striker on when it was 11v10?
SA: "No, not really because we had got players who were needing to come off and players who had problems and couldn't make that change. Why make that change when you've had 20 attempts at goal? "We've had 20 attempts at goal and enough balls in the box and chances, whether we played 4-3-3, 3-5-2 or 4-6-0, we couldn't have done any better apart from being clinical and putting the ball in the back of the net. That was against a Tottenham, too.
"It wasn't just when it was 11v10, but it was before that at 11v11, when we got into the game after ten minutes. Like I said, it's a real shame we lost, but we have only ourselves to blame. "Again, the key area is that we must start scoring goals. We have to score more goals this year than last year and this is a massive indicator as to why, because we would have won three points had we been a bit more clinical."
What did you make of the performances of the new boys, Cheikhou Kouyate, Aaron Cresswell and Enner Valencia?
SA: "They are young and they've got the energy and skill. For me, Cheikh was the man of the match. He did everything a midfielder has to do and more. He outshone any of Tottenham's midfield players by a long mile. He went into centre-half when we needed him after Ginge got sent-off and he did well.
"Aaron did fine. Performance-wise, there were no problems at all, but result-wise is the ultimate so we're all very disappointed."
What is Diafra Sakho going to bring to the squad?
SA: "He is a real powerhouse. He is about 5'11 - a little bit taller than Enner - and he has got a lot of pace. He scored 20 goals last year in the Second Division in France and he got Metz into the First Division. "There is a risk factor there, because he hasn't played at this level yet, so I don't want to rely on him too much, too soon, if I can help it. The same with Enner, who has really only had eight or ten days of training and hasn't played in a game for us at all. We put him on for ten minutes to get a little feel and he did OK. "It was just that final crushing blow that has left us all so disappointed, but it shouldn't cloud the way we played. We've played very, very well and sadly for the man who is West Ham through and through and has never missed a penalty in the three years I've been here, the rest of the lads should have made sure his penalty miss didn't matter. Sadly, we didn't."
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Noble vows to put miss behind him
WHUFC.com
Mark Noble says he will not shy away from penalty duty after his spot kick woe on Saturday
18.08.2014
Mark Noble has promised to get over his penalty miss against Tottenham Hotspur by burying the next one that comes along. The Hammer of the Year has an enviable record from the spot, converting 12 times from 12 yards in the last three seasons, but he rolled wide of the mark on Saturday after sending Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris the wrong way. He has bounced back in the past after missing spot kicks against Hull City and Chelsea and intends to do so again when West Ham United win their next penalty. "I remember missing one against Chelsea, which cost us a point. Frank Lampard came up to me afterwards and said make sure you take the next one and smash it in the back of the net," he explained. "I'll never forget those words and hopefully I'll be doing that again. "I've always said to myself there will be a day when I do miss one. It's heart-aching to miss one against Spurs, but for sure I'll be stepping up for the next one we have. "I knew where I was going with this one, I was going to whip it high in that corner, but I saw Lloris going and I just thought to go safe. "It went wrong from there and it's obviously disappointing, but hopefully we don't get too down because it was a positive performance."
The Hammers' display gave Noble plenty of plus points as he looked to forget his error and he believes it bodes well for the campaign ahead. "We were stung on Saturday and it's a harsh, harsh lesson to be learned for us," he added. "At the end of the day, we lost the game and I hate losing but the positives we can take from the game are major. "We know that if we play like that we're going to win more than we lose. To lose in the last minute is devastating, but as much as we didn't get the result we know we got the performance. "The new boys all performed well. Aaron [Cresswell] and Cheikhou [Kouyate] started the game and I thought they were both brilliant. "With Cheikhou and Kev [Kevin Nolan] in there, it gives me the licence to get forward a bit more and I really enjoyed the game, apart from the penalty."
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Kouyate: 'I can still do better'
WHUFC.com
Cheikhou Kouyate insists he has more to give following Saturday's all-action display against Spurs
17.08.2014
Cheikhou Kouyate has told West Ham United supporters they can expect even more from him in the coming weeks, after impressing in Saturday's 1-0 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur at the Boleyn Ground. On his Hammers debut, the imposing Senegal midfielder wasted little time in throwing his weight around, showing all the dynamism, determination and skill that endeared him to fans of former club RSC Anderlecht. Kouyate, however, feels some way off his best just now and admits there is still plenty of work to be done on the training pitch. "I think I can still do better," he told West Ham TV. "I'm not yet at 100 per cent, so I'll be doing even more work. Now that the league's begun, I've got to work hard in training to find my rhythm. "As soon as I'm at 100 per cent I'll really be able to give more than I was able to on Saturday. Not bad, I know, but I'm certain that I can do better still."
As for Saturday's last-gasp loss, the 24-year-old admitted Eric Dier's winner was a bitter pill to swallow, particularly after watching many a West Ham chance come and go. But Kouyate has no plans to dwell on the negatives and is already contemplating making amends at Crystal Palace this weekend. He continued: "We're disappointed, as on the whole we deserved more than this defeat. We fully deserved to win but that's how football is, particularly if you don't score. We feel we had more [of the game] and had more chances. They had one chance and stuck it away. At the moment that hurts. "The manager was frustrated, he was angry, because to lose a game in that manner shouldn't happen. But what's done is done, now we have to concentrate on the next one and try to take the points that we've lost on Saturday."
Meanwhile, the mild-mannered midfielder was taken aback by the famous Boleyn Ground atmosphere on Saturday, not least when he first emerged from the tunnel prior to kick-off."The atmosphere was fantastic," he confirmed. "From the moment that I stepped out onto the pitch I had goosebumps. The atmosphere was really phenomenal and the supporters were amazing. They give us the desire to succeed and to give more for the team."
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Mediawatch - 17 August
WHUFC.com
Our daily look at West Ham United in the news
17.08.2014
Sunday's match reports from the season opening 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur lead on the fact that West Ham missed a real opportunity to make a flying start to the campaign. The Observer talk of the spurned chances, but the Independent carries quotes from manager Sam Allardyce saying he was encouraged by his team's display. Carlton Cole told Sky Sports that defeat was harsh on the Hammers, while the Evening Standard, and London 24 has further coverage of the manager's post-match press conference.
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Cresswell bemoans missed chances
WHUFC.com
Summer signing Aaron Cresswell believes the Hammers were hard done by against Spurs
16.08.2014
West Ham United debutant Aaron Cresswell felt the Hammers would likely have been comfortable victors against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, had they struck the first blow at the Boleyn Ground. Making his first appearance in the Barclays Premier League, the 24-year-old looked at home in the Hammers' back-four, one that was ultimately breached by Eric Dier in the dying seconds. While he was in no mood for personal accolades, Cresswell was voted Man of the Match by sponsor Blueprint Properties and understandably proud to have made his top-flight bow. "I had all my family here and it was a proud moment for me personally," he told West Ham TV. "But it's not about me, it's about the team and getting the three points. It's not personal, it's not about individual performances. The first thing you look at is the result and we didn't get that on Saturday, so I'm very disappointed."
In a tight affair, the first goal was always going to be all-important and Cresswell insists the Hammers should have made more of the chances that fell their way before the interval. He continued: "We had a good few chances in the first half and we had the better chances. We just needed to take one to go on and win the game. Unfortunately, in the end we got punished. We were always on the front foot in the first half and obviously when they went down to ten men, up until James Collins' sending off, we were the team to looking to score. But when we lost James it was anyone's game, it was an open game on a big pitch.
"It's a massive blow. We just needed that one goal to kick us on and I think we'd have went on to win two, or three-nil maybe. But it wasn't to be."
Looking ahead to next weekend's trip to Crystal Palace, Cresswell hopes the Hammers can learn the lessons from Saturday's loss and approach it with optimism. "We'll sit down, go over it, see what we can take out of the game and where we could have gone on to win it," he explained. "It's just about taking the positives into the next game and looking forward to it."
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Under-18s start in style
WHUFC.com
The Academy began their season in the perfect manner, defeating West Bromwich Albion 3-1
16.08.2014
West Ham United's Under-18s got their season off to a flyer by defeating West Bromwich Albion 3-1 on Saturday afternoon. Djair Parfitt-Williams, Grady Diangana and Manny Onariase were all on target to ensue Steve Potts' men would make a winning start to the Barclays Under-18 Premier League season.
They only had to wait three minutes before taking the lead, as Parfitt-Williams turned home a Diangana corner to make it 1-0. The Baggies had a chance to level eleven minutes later from a corner of their own, but Tim Brown saved the header comfortably. With 31 minutes on the clock, Diangana followed up to notch after Jordan Brown's shot was saved and the Hammers were in a strong position. Their grip on the game intensified six minutes after the interval when another set play proved profitable. Onariase was the man who made his presence felt, finishing from Diangana's free-kick delivery. Jordan Brown went close to making it four 15 minutes from the end, cutting in from the flank and shooting wide from the edge of the box. The hosts had the final word, pulling one back 13 minutes from time, but it had no impact on the result as the Hammers made the journey home from the Midlands with all three points.
West Ham United: T.Brown, Pike, Knoyle (c), Sylvestri, Akinola, Onariase, Amoo, Diangana, J.Brown, Parfitt-Williams, Sheriff
Subs:Parsons, Bailey, Browne, Adebayo, Linley
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U21s begin season at Spurs
WHUFC.com
Nick Haycock's Development Squad kick-off the 2014/15 Barclays U21 Premier League season on Monday
17.08.2014
Nick Haycock's Development Squad kick-off the 2014/15 Barclays U21 Premier League season at Tottenham Hotspur on Monday. West Ham United's young professionals make the relatively short trip up the A1 to Stevenage FC's Lamex Stadium, where a number of them featured in a first-team pre-season match in July. Monday's 7pm kick-off will give the likes of Elliot Lee, Dan Potts, Josh Cullen and Matthias Fanimo the opportunity to build on their own pre-season experiences, which saw the trio appear at home and abroad for Sam Allardyce's seniors. They will join Kieran Sadlier, Kieran Bywater and a host of other promising youngsters as the Hammers seek to build on a pre-season which has seen them travel to Germany and the Netherlands and win a four-team tournament at Cambridge United. "It will be a good game and it will be interesting to see how we go," said Haycock. "Spurs play in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday, so it will also be interesting to see what sort of players they use, but they have a big squad of seniors and young pros. "You can only control yourselves and hopefully we will have a few of the lads who have been with the first team in pre-season and will be available to play for us, so that they will be ready for the first team if and when required. "We've always had good young players at the Club and we've seen that in recent years. Those who have been with the first team in pre-season know they've got to come back to the U21s and show what they've learned and put in good performances. If they do that, it keeps them in the manager's mind for forthcoming games."
Haycock has been happy with the Development Squad's preparations for the new season, despite seeing them lose 5-0 in their final pre-season match at PSV in Eindhoven last week. "It's been a productive and positive time. We had a look at the analysis and it shows all the good things we have done in the pre-season, although the scoreline against PSV didn't show that. The stats that we have gone through - penalty area entries, shots, pass completion and possession - and we were the better team in all the categories. "We had 58 per cent of the ball in the second half, which is a very high percentage against a top European side like PSV. Obviously we had a few players missing, so the boys shouldn't be downbeat about their performance. It was just little margins and mistakes, which is a good indicator that they can't make them at this level. "We are going to go up against some powerhouses who spend a lot of money on their Academy systems, so it's going to be a tough ask for this season. It's one we are excited about and feel we can be competitive in every game. "The boys are going to be up against the best Academies in the country and it will be good for their development to see how they fare."
With the likes of Lee, Burke and Potts impressing at first-team level, Haycock is excited about the prospect of seeing them continue to develop in the Barclays U21 Premier League. Burke scored the winner in the Marathonbet Cup win over UC Sampdoria earlier this month, converting Lee's pass, while Potts has been consistently impressive over the last few weeks as he looks to cement a first-team squad place. "I was smiling because against Sampdoria Reece scored from Elliot's pass and, moments before that, Pottsy was up there in the box and having a shot too!" Haycock continued. "There will have been many people smiling when they saw that game because a lot of them have invested time and hard work in their development through the system. Everybody has had a part to play in that. "It was a pleasing thing for their families too and they will be delighted for them. It was fully deserved because they are a credit to the Club."
Kick-off at the Lamex Stadium is at 7pm, with tickets available on the night.
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Mediawatch - 18 August
WHUFC.com
Our daily look at the West Ham United stories making the news
18.08.2014
Monday's Sun (£) reports that the manager has said it will take a little time for the work he and attacking coach Teddy Sheringham are doing on the training field to have an impact. Meanwhile, the manager emphasised in this Daily Mail article the need for the Hammers to make a good start this season. He points to the start of 14 points from the first eight games two years ago acting as the launchpad for a fine campaign.
In the Telegraph, Big Sam commented that he didn't want Mark Noble to shoulder any of the blame for Saturday's defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.
Stewart Downing has said in the Daily Star that he believes the Hammers will finish in the top half if they continue to play as they did against Tottenham.
Meanwhile, Sky Sports say that Morgan Amalfitano, who spent last season on loan at West Brom from Marseille, is keen on a move to the Hammers.
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Manager on Monday
WHUFC.com
Sam Allardyce believes his players can make amends for a missed three points on Saturday
17.08.2014
Sam Allardyce was keen not to apportion any of the blame for Saturday's last-minute loss to Tottenham Hotspur on Hammer of the Year Mark Noble. The Academy graduate and normally-reliable penalty taker missed his first spot kick of Allardyce's reign when he dragged his effort from 12 yards wide on 28 minutes. Although the miss did end up proving costly with Eric Dier netting a last-minute winner for the visitors, Big Sam thought his side should have spared Noble's blushes by taking one of the many changes that followed. "I think if we'd scored the penalty we win the game," Big Sam said. "I don't think there's much doubt about that. In the end I would want the rest of the players to forgive Mark and not lie on him as a heavy burden as he doesn't deserve it as his penalty taking in the three years I've been here has been supreme. "We've got to forgive him for missing the odd one and the rest of the lads should have made up for that and when Nobes came in they should have smacked him on the back of the head and said don't worry about it we've got you out of jail as we should have won. "The Premier League will punish if you don't finish your chances and they punished us on Saturday."
Despite the disappointing end to what was an enthralling contest, Big Sam felt there were plenty of positives to be taken. Much of the talk among the media afterwards centred on the impressive debuts of Aaron Cresswell and Cheikhou Kouyate and the brief late cameo of Enner Valencia, which pointed to more exciting times to come. "When everyone is fit our squad runs at the same level as most teams around our level. We will have about 23 players and we can have 25 only so if they all get fit and we don't get as many injuries then we will be OK. We have players who are not quite ready to play as well like Valencia and [new signing Diafra] Sakho. "They have to feel their way into the Premier League so further down the line when they had the experience and the injured players come back, we will be much better in strength in depth. I think the team played exceptionally well on Saturday and should have won the game but they let it slip. "We will be working with them on the training pitch, but it is not going to be a magic potion overnight or wave a magic wand. It is about time and about talking to them and telling them about the areas of calm that you might need and positions you can get into to improve what you can already do and do better."
Looking ahead, a Premier League trip to Crystal Palace and a home match with Southampton a week later sandwich a Capital One Cup tie with Sheffield United, and the manager talked up the importance of ensuring his side chalk up some early points on the board. "Everything is the start. Everything is then a trigger to the whole season and whereabouts you are going to lay and finish. The perfect example is our first two seasons in the Premier League, where we acquired 14 points in the first eight games but only eight points from the first eight last season and we saw that last season was a struggle. "Our life is about results and it doesn't matter how well we play or compete against the opposition, the end game is winning and we haven't won so people will be disappointed.
"Nobody will be more disappointed than me or the players as we all knew we were in a great position to start the season off with a very good three points against a team that was meant to finish in the top four this season. In terms of creating changes, could we have done any more? I don't think so."
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Allardyce on... Tottenham
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 16th August 2014
By: Staff Writer
A disappointed - yet not entirely dejected - Big Sam saw enough today to believe his West Ham will fare well this season. Read his entire post-match press conference exclusively here...
Sam: you must be wondering how you didn't get a least a point out of that game?
There's three big factors today that caused us to lose this game. We create chances but haven't been clinical enough to finish them off. Then poor old Mark Noble, for the first time since I've been here - over three years - misses a penalty. Then allowing ourselves to go down to 10 v 10.
Whichever stage of the game we were at, whether it was 11 v 11, 11 v 10 or 10 v 10 we had enough chances to win this game and didn't take the chances when we created them. We paid the ultimate price on the end, which is what this league is all about. It punishes you and it punished us to the nth degree today in the last minute, sadly.
I can't complain about the performance and I can't complain about the football we played. I can't complain about how many time we opened up and create chances against Tottenham - but I can complain about the fact that we didn't finish well enough, didn't finish clinically enough and were very naive in allowing ourselves to go down to 10 v 10.
Do you think the referee was trying to even things up a bit?
I don't think so. I think it's harsh but I think that's what they're instructed to do. I don't think he's got any choice because he'll get a ticking off from his bosses when he goes back to wherever he goes for his assessment. I don't agree with it, but it's what they have to do because it's what they're told to do - and in that case, I can't complain about it.
But, if you're at risk of getting sent off don't let the lad get past you. We'd been doing that all season and I can't complain about that too much, not from the referee. It was our fault, not the referee's today.
Was the result more disappointing because of the performance from players like Cresswell and Kouyate?
Kouyate was Man of the Match for me. He's a terrific young man who's only going to get better. Aaron's feeling his way into the Premier League as well having come from the Championship. [Considering] the injury to James Tomkins and all the players who are out, I thought it was a fantastic performance by the players today. I thought they played very, very well.
I listened to the Tottenham lad who scored the goal saying we played direct football, so he must have been at a different match to the one we played or saw today. We outplayed and out-created Tottenham Hotspur who are supposed to be finishing in the top four, but didn't finish them off.
So where we had delight last year - and perhaps sometimes not playing as well as we did today yet beating them three times - today we played brilliantly and haven't got anything.
You were the bookies' favourite to go first but Tony Pulis beat you...
Well Tony didn't get sacked, did he - he walked out.
But do you think they're going to come down after this defeat and say "alright..."
Who? The owners? If they're going to do it after one game they might as well have done it at the end of last season. Why wait until now? Why go through the summer we have and crate what we've tried to create and buy the players we have under my stewardship and then do it after one game?
At the end of the day we haven't deserved to lose, we've played very well. We've got a lot of players who'll come back and make us stronger when they're fit. On that performance today I'm very confident our season's going to be a good one.
Will James Tomkins be available for next weekend?
He has a hamstring and of course, that's disappointing. Our bench was really thin today on the basis of experienced players in the Premier League because of our injuries. Him adding to that concerned me a bit in terms of tactical substitutions today. The substitutions - apart from the last one - were forced upon me by injuries in the end and the sending off.
As I said, I've got nothing to complains about, given how the lads applied themselves today. They all know they really should have won it but they haven't put the chances in the back of the net like they should have. We can't get too downhearted but we've got to keep the level of performance up and we've got to be clinical.
Are you still looking to make a move in the transfer market?
Maybe. Maybe, if there's a nice player who becomes available and we think he's going to contribute to the first team in a big way. Then yes, that might be possible.
The Chairmen said over the summer they want to see more attacking football...
They saw it today.
Do you think you've proved that today with the performance? And would you have put on another striker if you had more fit?
When you've had 20 attempts at goal and the opposition have hardly had any, why do you need another striker on? It doesn't matter what system you play; Manchester United played two strikers today up front and they lost 2-1 at home to Swansea.
It's not about the systems. I suppose having another goalscorer is the critical point; finding another goalscorer for us is a critical matter - and he must play. That's a definite now. Like I said, 20 attempts at goal, chances created but not enough quality, so we need to find somebody who's got quality better than we already have to help us along the way and score the goals we need to.
Will DIafra Sakho be ready for next week?
Possibly yes, because he's done all of his pre-season at Metz.
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Poccetino on... West Ham Utd
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 17th August 2014
By: Staff Writer
Speaking at a Premier League post-match presser entirely in English for the first time since arriving in the UK, new Spurs boss Mauricio Poccetino described his 'delight' at securing an opening day victory. His full conference exclusively here...
Mauricio: how pleased are you to start with a victory?
I'm very, very pleased for my players because of their effort and I'm pleased for the supporters because of their unbelievable support.
Did you worry when the penalty was awarded?
No, not worried - this situation happens sometimes. I think the red card was unfair but more importantly we never gave up, we kept calm and we believed in our skill. I believe in my team so we kept our offensive player, we re-organised our system and set-up and carried on. This is football and I'm very happy to get the three points today.
Why do you think it was unfair, the red card?
It was unfair for me because the ball was missing the target.
Even if it was on target do you think it's unfair for a player to be punished in that way?
No - I said the sending off was unfair; the penalty was always a penalty.
What will that victory do for the team and for Eric [Dier], who scored his first goal in England? Does he score like that in training?
[laughs] No, because he doesn't play as a centre forward! I'm very pleased for him; it was his debut and like the whole team, he gave a great performance. But this is our philosophy; believe always for 90/95 minutes in the game. This is our philosophy, to always try to win every game.
Is he a player you've been aware of and following for a long time?
Yes, always.
He's very young, do you think he's going to be a regular for you in the first team?
Yes, he's still young but he showed in the game today and against Schalke last week that he's in great form. He has quality and potential but he's still young so we have to give him the opportunity to play, but also be careful. But today I think he was the hero!
Can I be clear on that point: was he a player you wanted to sign or one of the players the club had already...
Tottenham signed Eric Dyer.
[Asst] They're asking did you want him as well?
[laughs] I am the head coach, no?
What I'm asking is was he coming to Spurs anyway or was he specifically someone you asked for?
We always decide together with the Chairman Daniel [Levy]. Before I signed my contract we talked about potential signings and Eric Dier was one on the list.
What about Andros Townsend when he came on? He really seemed to change the game for you.
Yes - but not only Eric and Andros, for me all the players are important. It's true that Andros has very good quality and is a great player but we need to manage it as we have a lot of games. It's possible that we use different players because we have quality and quantity here which is important for us.
Will that be one of your biggest challenges? Having to keep some big players on the bench and keeping everybody happy?
Yes, we always try to keep everyone happy. It's true that it's difficult to manage 25 players but we have a lot of games ahead and they'll all be important players for us.
Do you think you were fortunate today?
No, because when you believe and have a plan... In football sometimes, something happens that is difficult to manage but [it's important that] the team believes. After the sending off we kept our offensive player, we were unchanged. We said it's important to keep the result, but the opening goal was the most important thing.
I think we have a very important relationship with our supporters, because they helped us get the three points.
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Nobes: I scuffed it
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 18th August 2014
By: Staff Writer
Mark Noble has admitted that he mis-hit his missed penalty against Tottenham at the weekend. The reigning KUMB.com Player of the Year blew the opportunity to give West Ham what would have been a priceless lead against ten-men Tottenham on Saturday before the Hammers went on to lose the game in injury time thank to Eric Dier's 93rd-minute strike. Even though there has been no criticism whatsoever of Noble, who prior to Saturday had gone more than five years without missing from 12 yards, the midfielder was determined to apologise for his error - blaming himself for changing his mind about where to place his kick at the last minute. "I knew where I was going with this one," he told whufc.com. "I was going to whip it high in that corner, but I saw Lloris going and I just thought to go safe. It went wrong from there and it's obviously disappointing, but hopefully we don't get too down because it was a positive performance. "I don't think I have ever missed the target," he added. "I've had a couple saved, but never missed completely and that is a criminal offence. I scuffed it a little, to be honest. Everything went right in my mind, I knew exactly what I was going to do, but I just didn't connect with it right and that is the price you pay."
Despite having missed against Tottenham - his first failure to convert from 12 yards since a Petr Cech save earned Chelsea a 1-0 win at the Boleyn Ground back in April 2009 - Noble insists that he'll be ready to take the next penalty West Ham are awarded. "I remember missing one against Chelsea, which cost us a point. Frank Lampard came up to me afterwards and said 'make sure you take the next one and smash it in the back of the net'. I'll never forget those words and hopefully I'll be doing that again. "I've always said to myself there will be a day when I do miss one; it's heartbreaking to miss one against Spurs, but I'll be stepping up for the next one we have."
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Allardyce on Board: 'we've had our differences'
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 15th August 2014
By: Staff Writer
Sam Allardyce's relationship with his employers has often appeared to be fractious - something that even the manager himself admitted today. Writing in his weekly column for the Standard on the eve of tomorrow's opening fixture of the 2014/15 campaign - when neighbours Tottenham visit the Boleyn Ground attempting to avoid a fourth consecutive defeat against West Ham - Big Sam confessed that his relationship with David Sullivan and David Gold had often ran into difficulties. "As for my relationship with our two chairmen, we've had our differences, there's no doubt about that," he wrote. "For me and them, though, the disagreements come to a conclusion, a decision is made whatever it may be and we all wake up the next day and get on with it. "We discuss things, we agree or disagree, a decision is made and we move on — finished. Whether I agree with the decision or whether they do, we have to be decisive. We keep the communication lines open and remind ourselves we're not in this for different reasons — we're all working for the benefit of West Ham. "We're all trying to make West Ham better, to help the team produce better results and become a greater force in the Premier League."
That oft-perceived divide between the manager and his employers has appeared wider than ever this summer with David Sullivan having seemingly taken a greater interest in the club's transfer policy. New signing such as Enner Valencia and Mauro Zarate have the co-owner's influence stamped all over them, such is his penchant for signing a South American.
However regardless of the terms upon which they arrived at West Ham, Allardyce's job now is to mould those players - seven new signings, in all, following the arrival of Diafra Sakho yesterday - into a squad capable of troubling the upper half of the Premier League. And it's a challenge he continues to relish as he enters his 23rd season in management.
"I've learned a lot and I'm still learning. The day you think you know everything will be the day you should pack up," he surmised. "You do feel a difference with every successive season and the longer you're at one club, the more comfortable you become because you've had enough time to build.
"Whether you have loads of money or not so much, if you spend it wisely over five years you will end up with players who understand how you want to play and the position in which you find yourself. We're in year three now. We've picked all our players, we've recruited younger players with longevity, in contrast to the short-termism which rules football.
"A lot of our established players have valuable experience of the Premier League now. They've learned to cope with it physically and, more importantly, mentally and that will hold them in good stead in the months to come."
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Morgan Amalfitano keen on move to West Ham
Last Updated: 17/08/14 7:26pm
SSN
Sky Sports understands unsettled Marseille midfielder Morgan Amalfitano is desperate to secure a move to West Ham. The 29-year-old reportedly had a training ground bust-up with Marseille coach Marcelo Bielsa and is keen to exit the club. And Amalfitano is prepared to go on strike to ensure he returns to the Premier League with the Hammers before the closure of the transfer window at the end of this month. Amalfitano, who has one international cap for France, was on loan in England with West Brom last season. During his time at The Hawthorns, Amalfitano scored four goals in 28 appearances for Albion. Amalfitano started his career in France with Sedan and spent three years at Lorient before moving to Marseille in 2011.
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West Ham defender Aaron Cresswell admits to frustration on his debut
Last Updated: 17/08/14 3:33pm
SSN
West Ham defender Aaron Cresswell conceded his competitive debut for the club against Tottenham was a frustrating experience. Cresswell, who arrived at the Boleyn Ground this summer from Ipswich, suffered a disappointing start to his Premier League career when Eric Dier - another debutant - scored a late goal to give Tottenham a 1-0 victory. But the 24-year-old produced an impressive performance and provided a glimpse of the form that earned him a place in the Professional Footballers' Association Championship Team of the Year last season. And Cresswell is keen to put the setback behind him as West Ham prepare for another all-London clash against Crystal Palace next weekend. "I had all my family here and it was a proud moment for me personally," he said.
"But it's not about me, it's about the team and getting the three points. It's not personal, it's not about individual performances. "The first thing you look at is the result and we didn't get that on Saturday, so I'm very disappointed. "We'll sit down, go over it, see what we can take out of the game and where we could have gone on to win it. "It's just about taking the positives into the next game and looking forward to it."
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Sam Allardyce not fearful of sack after West Ham defeat
Last Updated: 16/08/14 9:05pm
SSN
Sam Allardyce has every faith West Ham's board will not make him the first managerial casualty of the new Premier League campaign. Allardyce defended his attempts to rejuvenate the Hammers' attacking style despite slipping to a frustrating 1-0 home defeat to Tottenham on Saturday. Debutant Eric Dier pounced in the 90th minute to hand new boss Mauricio Pochettino victory in his first competitive Spurs outing at Upton Park. Allardyce avoided the sack last term, but West Ham's owners ordered him to produce slicker attacking football with Teddy Sheringham joining the coaching staff. The former Bolton boss asserted his Upton Park control despite his side wasting a host of chances, rejecting any fears of the sack. "If they're going to do it after one game, they might as well have done it at the end of last season," said Allardyce in his post-match press conference, after West Ham spurned a host of half chances. "Why wait until now? Why do the whole pre-season we've done, create what we've tried to create and buy what we've tried to buy under my stewardship and then do it after one game?"
Mark Noble's missed penalty summed up a galling afternoon for Allardyce, who praised his side's attacking intent but was left to lament limp finishing. Tottenham's Kyle Naughton was sent off for the handball that led to Noble's penalty miss, while West Ham had defender James Collins dismissed after the break. Hugo Lloris saved superbly from Stewart Downing in the closing stages before Dier's late sucker punch. "I truly believe had it stayed 11 v 10, we would have eventually broken Tottenham's resilient defence down," Allardyce told Sky Sports. "I thought we played some excellent football. Their goal coming right in the last minute was a bitter blow to us."
On the missed penalty, he said: "Mark waits to see where the keeper goes, but what he hasn't done is catch it as well as he normally does. "In the three to four years I've been here, it's the first one he's missed. Had he scored the penalty, I don't think we'd have lost. "And when the golden chance pops up for us (for Downing), after all the one we missed before… although I suppose you have to give Lloris some credit, for what a good save it was." Allardyce conceded he remains in the market for a clinical, natural goalscorer. "At the end of the day, we haven't deserved to lose, we've played very, very well," said the Hammers boss. "We've got a lot of players that will come back and make us stronger when they are fit and on that performance today I'm very confident our season's going to be a good one. "We saw it today (more attacking football). "When you've had 20 attempts on goal like we've had today, why do you need another striker? "I suppose finding another goalscorer for us is the critical point, and he must play, that's a definite now. "Like I said today, 20 attempts at goal created, not enough quality, so we need to find somebody who has got that quality better than we've already got to help us along the way in scoring the goals we need."
Allardyce admitted Collins was "naive" to be dismissed for a second yellow card, fearing a defensive shortage if James Tomkins fails to beat his hamstring problem. "We were very naive allowing ourselves to go down to 10 against 10," he said. "I think it's harsh, but I think that's what referees are instructed to do.
"I don't think he's got any choice because he might get the ticking off from his bosses. "I don't agree with it, but it's what they have to do, because it's what they're told to do, so in that case I can't complain about it. "Like I say to the lads, if you're in risk of getting sent off, don't let the lad go past you. "It's more our fault than the referee's today. There are injuries, and Tomkins adding to that was not obviously helpful." West Ham return to action next Saturday, with another London derby away at Crystal Palace.
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MORE TO COME FROM 'DYNAMO' KOUYATE!
By S J Chandos 18 Aug 2014 at 12:30
West Ham Till I Die
There was almost universal acknowledgement of the quality and effectiveness of Cheikhou Kouyate's dynamic midfield display on Saturday. He ran the midfield, breaking up Spurs attacks, drove the side forward and exhibited good technical skills as well. Yet, the Sengelese international has stated, in a post-match interview on the club's offical website, that he is not even 100% fitness wise and there is more to come from him! Kouyate maintains that he will work harder in training, get his fitness levels up to maximum and make an even bigger impact in future matches.
It is really great to see a West Ham player with that type of whole hearted commitment and professionalism. Kouyate obviously sets high standards for himself and in what he endeavours to achieve for the team. It is just the type of winning mentality that West Ham need. If Saturday's fanastic, all action, performance was delivered on c.90% match fitness, I look forward to seeing what he is capable of at full fitness! It was also notable Mark Noble looked far more effective playing along side him, which is a big bonus. The two of them can form a great partnership this season, with Poyet providing cover and competition for a starting place. Add an in-form Diame and Nolan, plus the guile of Morrison and Zarate, to the mix and we could potentially have the best midfield unit that we have had for some considerable time
Can Cheikhou Kouyate really be West Ham's answer to Patrick Vieria? Naturally, it is early days, but on current evidence there appears to be every possibility.
SJ. Chandos.
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SPURS WERE VERY LUCKY TO WIN - BUT THEY SHOULD BE CONCERNED AT THE DOMINANT TREND!
By S J Chandos 18 Aug 2014 at 08:00
West Ham Till I Die
Spurs were very lucky to win! There, I have stated a fact that the majority of sports pages and non-Hammers websites have hitherto failed to admit. West Ham outplayed their north London rivals for the vast majority of the match, carving out and missing numerous opportunities. In comparison, Spurs rarely threatened and, apart from two saves and the winning goal, Adrian had very little to do. I say this honestly, and without any partisan malice, but if I was a Spurs fan I would be very concerned at the ease with which West Ham dominated Saturday's game (whether 11 vs 11, 11 vs 10 or 10 vs 10). I would also have some serious misgivings that this is the fourth match in a row that West Ham have dominated them on the field of play. Yes, Spurs were very lucky, and stole the points against the run of play, but on another day they would have been on the end of a heavy defeat. West Ham should have been 3-0 up at half-time, our domination was that comprehensive. Spurs fans may not like reading the truth, but that is exactly what it is!
I have to agree with those who argue that Sam Allardyce should have gone on the offensive when Spurs went down to 10 men. The situation was was crying out for Valencia or Zarate to be introduced from the bench. I assume that it was match fitness that restricted Valencia to 10-15 mins, in which case he should have brought on Zarate. Indeed, I feel that Zarate would have brought another dimension to our forward play and made a crucial difference. I just hope that Saturday was not early evidence of Zarate being frozen out and semi-permanently benched. Because if that is the case, it would be totally counter-productive for the team. It would also be very foolish to do that to a player who the owners obviously see as an important part of the solution to last season's attacking/goal scoring problems.
I could not hide my disappointment at learning of the West Ham forward line on Saturday. I accepted that Carlton Cole was very likely to be selected, but I also expected Downing and Zarate to play alongside him. It genuinely surprise to me when Vaz Te's selection was confirmed. He had an especially unimpressive pre-season and has never looked as convincing playing wide right, in a 4-3-3, in comparison with his former central striking role. However, the extra element of dis-belief was that Vaz Te was deployed on the left (and Downing on the right) in an inverted wide role. Now, Downing certainly has the capability to play on either flank, but is Vaz Te in all honesty the best choice to play on the left? Surely Zarate would have been a far better choice to play there? Assuming that Nolan was an automatic selection in the attacking midfield role (why would I think that?), then that would have left Zarate free to play on the left. But apparently not. And I think that the non-selection of Zarate, compounded by a failure to introduce him from the bench at the appropriate juncture, was a key factor in not turning our domination in to a win.
For me, Kouyate was the man of the match. He was a really powerful force on the pitch and continually broke up the Spurs attacks and drove us forward. This guy is a serious footballer of a type that we have been missing. I maintained prior to his signing that he would be a major acquisition for us and that is definitely the way that it is shaping up. Cresswell was also highly impressive, not only defensively, but in supporting the attack down the left. All things being equal, the early signs are Cresswell can develop in to an excellent Premier League left-back. And I am really looking forward to seeing him form a full-back pairing with Carl Jenkinson. In addition, Mark Noble had a fine game (apart from the penalty miss) and clearly benefited from having a player of Kouyate's class and power partnering him in central midfield. While, Downing really upped his game and looked the class act that we all know him to be at his best. We really do need the likes of Downing, Jarvis and Diame to improve on last season's performances and maximise their impact. Downing made a good start, in that respect, on Saturday and so did Diame, who helped tighten our grip on midfield when he was introduced. Finally, Valencia must also get a mention 'in despatches' for his promising 2nd half substitutes appearance. When he came on he looked very dangerous, with great pace, skill on the ball and a promising physicality and combativeness. He is going to be another quality addition and, potentially, the 15-20 goals a season striker that we so desperately need.
I would also like to give a brief mention to Adrian, who pulled off a couple of excellent saves, in a match where he was not unduly extended. Ideally, I would have liked to have seen us sign a good quality keeper to provide increased competition. Someone like Fraser Forster, from Celtic, would have been ideal. But, transfer budgets are finite and the club has obviously decided to stick with Adrian, Jussi and young Speigel. If so, it is vital that Adrian performs to the level required on a consistent basis. And, although he had one or two dodgy moments in pre-season, it has to be said that he looked solid on Saturday and inspired the type of confidence that we want to see from our custodian. Lets hope that Adrian continues in that manner for the rest of the season.
On the issue of playing style, it has to be said that there was no 'route one' approach on evidence. The team passed the ball well and, Downing in particular, delivered some great balls in to the Spurs box. And they most definitely were not of the 'hoof' (up and under variety), but intelligently delivered in to dangerous areas. We got off to a bit of a slow start in the first 10 minutes, but after that we achieved a good level of fluidity and expansive play. I also thought the match had a high entertainment value. So, it looks like we are making some early progress on playing style/entertainment and can hopefully look forward to that trend continuing.
There were, however, some issues exhbited in defence and up front that need to be urgently addressed. Firstly, we need to ensure that sloppy mistakes are cut out in defence. We must try to replicate the defensive solidarity and organisation achieved for much of the last campaign. If Tomkins is not fit for the Palace match, it will be interesting see how Sam Allardyce re-organises the defence. It may be necessary play Kouyate at centre half. While an understandable move, it would be a pity to lose his power and drive in midfield. Secondly, we must start converting our chances. Otherwise, we are going to continue to struggle to finish off teams. In order to augment our ability to do that, we need to select Zarate and Valencia; and hope that Nolan (assuming that he is selected) hits a run of goal scoring form.
Finally, I will be particularly interested to see the approach that we adopt for away fixtures this season. I suppose, as a general rule, we are likely to be defensively orientated against the top four teams and more open when playing away to the lower and middle order PL clubs. My hope is that we can develop a swift and efficient counter-attacking game this season on our travels. We now have the players to do it, all we need to do is set up right tactically and deploy them.
SJ. Chandos.
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NEWS ROUND-UP
By Iain Dale 17 Aug 2014 at 21:17
West Ham Till I Die
Jack Collison is training with Ipswich after QPR decided not to offer him a contract. I can't believe he hasn't got fixed up yet
Sky Sports say Morgan Amalfitano is desperate to sign for West Ham after a bustup with the coach at Marseilles.
According to Squawka Mark Noble was by far West Ham's best oplayer yesterday. They write: "Noble finished the match with a Squawka Performance Score of 64, which was nearly 30 points better than the next highest performance score for West Ham. He completed 89% of his passes as he controlled the midfield and dictating the tempo of the match and he will be keen to build on his figure of three chances created."
Iron Views report on a mystery new striker who's appeared on the club website.
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Football fan who invaded West Ham pitch and took free kick arrested
Aug 16, 2014 20:09 By Ben Burrows
The over-zealous fan ran the length of Upton Park before stealing the set piece from under Christian Eriksen's nose much to the delight of social media
The Mirror
The football fan who ran on the pitch and took a free kick during West Ham vs Tottenham has been arrested. The over-eager supporter ran some 70 yards before booting the ball towards the Hammers goal in a bizarre incident on Saturday afternoon. His shot was saved by West Ham's goalkeeper Adrian while the pitch invader was chased by a steward amid cheers from the crowd. The incident provoked amusement on social media too, with Gary Lineker saying the effort was better than Spurs star Christian Eriksen's free kick once play had resumed. He wrote on Twitter: "A fan runs on the pitch at Upton Park and takes the free kick. Made a better fist of it than Eriksen." Tonight Scotland Yard said a 22-year-old man from Kent had been arrested for suspected pitch invasion.
He is currently in custody at an east London police station, a spokesman added.
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Hammers hunt is on
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 18, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham are making quick-fire moves to find a central defender! The club have a defensive crisis on their hands after the first game of the season which demands they try to get a player in for the weekend game at Palace. With James Collins unavailable after being sent off against Spurs at the weekend and James Tomkins sidelined with a niggling problem, Sam Allardyce already has problems. He could move midfielder powerhouse Cheikou Kouyate into the back four e but such was his performance against the north Londoners in midfield that would be an option he doesn't want to take. A source told ClaretandHugh: "The hunt is on for a central defender either on a permanent or loan basis. "Losing James Collins at the weekend and having James on the sidelines we have a problem we must deal with quickly."
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Sam Allardyce desperate to sign a new centre-back
Evening Standard
KEN DYER
Published: 18 August 2014 Updated: 13:22, 18 August 2014
West Ham are trying to sign a centre‑half to solve a crisis in defence. The club have problems just one game into the season, following the last-minute 1-0 defeat to Tottenham. With James Tomkins nursing a hamstring injury and Wales international James Collins facing a one-match suspension following his red card on Saturday, Sam Allardyce is effectively down to one recognised central defender — Winston Reid — for next weekend's derby at Crystal Palace.
West Ham were hoping that the £3.5million signing of striker Diafra Sakho from French club Metz would complete their spending but they will now have to dip into the market again. The match against Spurs hinged on a first-half penalty miss from West Ham midfielder Mark Noble, the first spot-kick he has failed to convert in 10 attempts. "I knew there would be a day when I would miss one," he said. "But that's life and it's not the end of the world. "I was going to go high and whip it in the corner but I saw [Hugo] Lloris move and I just thought I would go safe. Obviously it went wrong from there. But I will definitely take the next one — one hundred per cent. "It is a harsh lesson learned and I hope the lads and the fans don't get too down because it was a positive performance."
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Hacked Hammer – an explanation
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 18, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
An eagle-eyed ClaretandHugh reader may have come up with the explanation as to why Greek striker Errikos Drampis may have been 'hacked' into the West Ham squad list. The striker's name caused much confusion when it was spotted in the Irons squad list. But top club officials last night told this site that they appear to have fallen victim to a hacking scam as we have no player of that name in our squad. The question is: Why?" Now it seems CandH follower Greg Richards via his twitter handle @Made_of-Iron may have come up with the answer. He tweeted: "I think someone is having a laugh at our expense. His name is an anagram of 'Despair and Smirk.' Good advice for us Hammers fans."
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Gold: Valencia is the man!
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 17, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham's bosses are convinced they have a "far better squad" than last season at that Enner Valencia will prove to be the icing on the cake. That the team should be without their marquee signing and Andy Carroll for the opening game – bar a fleeting appearence from the Ecuador international near the end – was unfortunate. But co chairman David Gold told ClaretandHugh he is convinced the striker will make a huge difference to the side. He said: "Don't expect to see an all action player who is running all over the place all the time. This is a player who conserves energy to produce electric pace which can l cause massive problems to any Premier League defence. "He can play through the middle or wide and with him and Andy Carroll in the team we can be a serious, serious force. In the meantime he will be a real handful on his own account."
Gold has regularly maintained the likes of Mauro Zarate, Ravel Morrison and Valencia give the manager plenty of options and game plans. He said: "We believe we have a squad that can play to various systems. We believe we have a winning squad and one that can entertain – that's what we are looking for this season."
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West Ham pitch invader gloats: "My mates think I'm a legend and 10-year ban wouldn't bother me"
Aug 18, 2014 14:08 By Mirror Football
Jordan Dunn, 22, sprinted on to the Upton Park pitch during Saturday's clash with Tottenham and was subsequently arrested before being charged
The Mirror
The football fan who invaded the pitch and took a free-kick during a Premier League game gloated about the prank today. Jordan Dunn had downed eight pints before he sprinted 80 yards across the pitch at Upton Park to hoof the ball as West Ham played Spurs on Saturday. The 22-year-old hotel receptionist managed to kick the ball before being bundled to the ground by stewards and arrested. Dunn, a West Ham fan, spent the night in a police cell before he was charged and bailed under the Football Offences Act. He said he planned to plead guilty to the offence at Thames Magistrates' Court on September 1 where he faces a fine of up to £5000 and a 10-year ban. But Dunn, of Dover, Kent, said: "I know it was a mistake, but it was definitely worth it. "My phone hasn't stopped going off and even Gary Lineker tweeted about it. My mates think I'm a legend. "I could be looking at a 10-year-ban and even a £5000 fine. The ban wouldn't bother me whatsoever but obviously the money would. "My mum's not too happy, but she had a little laugh about it." Right-footed Dunn, who plays for Dover Elms Vale, said he was forced to shoot with his left foot to avoid breaking his stride. His shot was saved by West Ham's Spanish goalkeeper Adrian.
He added: "I thought no one else was shooting, so I might as well. "I think I ran about 80 yards. I don't remember looking at any players - I only had my eyes on the ball. "If I had used my right I probably would have fallen over. It wasn't a bad strike though. "I just wish I'd used the outside of my right foot and buried it bottom corner."
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Irons decision on Amalfitano
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 18, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham are set to drop their interest in Marseilles midfielder Morgan Amalfitano as they go in pursuit of a central defender. Amalfitano has been on the Irons radar for some time although the club has worried about given the player's inconsistent season on loan at West Brom last term. The 29 year old has been reportedly desperate for a move to Upton Park after an alleged training ground row with coach Marcelo Bielsa this weekend. Sources in France insist the he is desperate for a move back to the Premier League at the Boleyn but ClaretandHugh has learned the club has all but brought its interest to an end. A source told us: "With the injury to James Tomkins, and James Collins suspended, we need a defender, probably on loan, desperately and that's where our efforts are concentrated. "We are also looking at other areas of the team we need to strengthen and in Ravel Morrison we have a player of the Amalfitano type."
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25 man squad limit explained
Posted by Sean Whetstone on August 18, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
All Premier League clubs must submit a squad of up to 25 players, by 5pm on Monday, September 1st. With 22 squad numbers already allocated and the 23rd about to allocated to Diafra Sakho, the big question will be who will fill the remaining places? Each 25-man Premier League squad must include at least eight 'home-grown' players. The 'home-grown' players do not have to be English. According to the Premier League: "A home grown player is defined as one who, irrespective of his nationality or age, has been registered with any club affiliated to the Football Association or the Welsh Football Association for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons or 36 months prior to his 21st birthday (or the end of the season during which he turns 21)." West Ham have the luxury of over half their current 22 man squad being classed under this home grown rule. Nolan, Poyet, Cresswell, O'Brien, Collins Tomkins, Jarvis, Downing, Morrison, Noble, Jenkinson, and Cole are all classed as home grown talent. In addition to the 25-man named squad, clubs can use an unlimited number of players aged 21 or under. In practice this means Reece Burke (17), Josh Cullen (18) Elliot Lee and Diego Poyet (19) plus Danny Potts, Blair Turgott, Matthias Fanimo (all 20) can be included in the squad without taking up a place in the squad of 25.
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West Ham United youngster George Moncur scored his second goal in as many games on loan at Colchester United on Saturday
6:33pm Monday 18th August 2014 in News
East London and West Essex Guardian Series
West Ham United midfielder George Moncur made it two goals in as many games as a Colchester United player on Saturday but could not prevent the U's losing 2-1 at Bristol City. The 21-year-old, who is on a six-month loan deal at the Colchester Community Stadium, netted after just nine minutes to hand the Essex side the lead at Ashton Gate, before two second-half goals from Aaron Wilbraham secured victory for the Robins. Elsewhere, fellow Hammers loanee, goalkeeper Raphael Spiegel, was an unused substitute during Crawley Town's 1-0 home win against Swindon Town, with manager John Gregory opting to play veteran Brian Jensen instead. New Crawley signing Izale McLeod scored his third goal in as many games to hand the Red Devils victory in League One.
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