Daily WHUFC News - 26th August 2014

Manager on Monday
WHUFC.com
Sam Allardyce is hoping for big things from his new recruits after
Saturday's showing at Crystal Palace
25.08.2014

Sam Allardyce believes his new signings can continue their impressive start
to life in the Barclays Premier League when Southampton visit the Boleyn
Ground on Saturday. The West Ham United manager proudly explained that he
has never witnessed three new signings take to the UK's top flight so
quickly after watching Aaron Cresswell, Cheik Kouyate and Mauro Zarate play
an influential role in last Saturday's 3-1 win at Crystal Palace. Creswell
and Kouyate were equally impressive in the Hammers' first game against
Tottenham Hotspur and Big Sam is tipping them to take West Ham to new levels
this season. "It's the best I've seen three players adjust to the Premier
League in my eleven or 12 years in this league," Allardyce said. "All three
were good. I've seen one or two hit the ground running, but all three of
them have. It was a really good comeback from last week's loss to Spurs.
"Kouyate has got the modern-day midfield player written all over him. He's
high-energy, two-footed, great box to box, competes in the air and tackles.
It's also great to see a player who comes in with a big smile on his face
every day. He's living his dream by coming to play in the Premier League. "I
think Mauro has grown up and matured. I remember him from his spell at
Birmingham, but he's been to Italy since then and back to Argentina and
scored some goals. He looks a mature player with a lot of qualities in the
final third, something different to what we had. He's taken his opportunity
brilliantly. Hopefully he can continue to grow and improve. "The whole team
played well to start with, but with Mauro's goal, Kouyate in midfield and
Aaron, who has also just joined us, it was an all-round great performance.
It was an outstanding day for us after the bitter disappointment of last
weekend."

Like they did for much of the game against Spurs on the opening day, the
Hammers dominated their London opponents, but this time they made sure they
took their chances when presented. They could have been three up and out of
sight had James Tomkins' early first-half header hit the back of the net and
not the bar, but other than that it was a fine example of striking while the
Irons were hot. "The quality of our finishing was superb as opening the
opposition up is very difficult. You could see that by the quality of goal
we had to score to beat them. "The first one from Zarate was a fantastic
finish, and a fantastic run and finish for the second from Downing. Crystal
Palace couldn't complain."

Big Sam joked that his new attacking coach, Teddy Sheringham, would want to
take all of the credit, but added more seriously that he feels the former
England international is making a big difference on the training pitch with
his strikers. "I'm sure Teddy would say it's probably all down to him! He
can do little things in the groups but the only problem we have is the
sports scientists saying he's out there too long with them! "I don't mind
him taking all the credit for it if we continue to show the quality of
finishes we did on Saturday."

Before the Saints game at the weekend, the Hammers host Sheffield United in
an eagerly awaited Capital One Cup tie at the Boleyn Ground on Tuesday and,
given the strength in depth he currently has available, Big Sam may opt to
shuffle his pack. Aware of the importance of winning the game, though, it is
likely he will still field a strong team with the likes of Diego Poyet,
Ravel Morrison, Mo Diame, Enner Valencia and Diafra Sakho all expected to
start.

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Preview - Sheffield United
WHUFC.com
All the key information ahead of Tuesday's game against Sheffield United
25.08.2014

WEST HAM UNITED v SHEFFIELD UNITED
CAPITAL ONE CUP SECOND ROUND
BOLEYN GROUND
TUESDAY 26 AUGUST 2014
KICK-OFF: 7.45PM
REFEREE: JAMES LININGTON

In brief
West Ham United's Capital One Cup campaign gets underway on Tuesday evening
with the second round visit of Sky Bet League One side Sheffield United.
The Blades defeated Mansfield Town by a 2-1 scoreline to advance to this
stage of the competition, which the Hammers enter at Round Two. Last year,
West Ham reached the semi-finals after defeating Cheltenham Town, Cardiff
City, Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur, but came up short against eventual
champions Manchester City over two legs.

Sam Allardcye's men gained their first points of the season with a 3-1
victory at Crystal Palace on Saturday, while Sheffield United have six
points from their four games to date, and beat Crawley Town 1-0 at rhe
weekend.

Who are they?
Sheffield United were founded in 1889 as an offshoot of Sheffield United
Cricket Club and quickly enjoyed success, becoming champions of England in
1897/98 and FA Cup winners in 1899, 1902, 1915 and 1925. However, they have
not won a major trophy since that early heyday. Their darkest days came
between 1975-1981, when they fell all the way from the top flight to the
Fourth Division, although they subsequently recovered to become founder
members of the FA Premier League in 1992. Following relegation in 1994, they
have enjoyed one season at the top table since - 2006/07 - but have again
suffered recently, currently playing in the third tier. Last season did
bring a successful FA Cup run, though, as Nigel Clough's men made it to a
Wembley semi-final before losing out to Hull City.

Team news
West Ham United
Several of the Hammers' summer signings could be given their first starts
when Big Sam's men welcome Sheffield United to the Boleyn Ground. Diafra
Sakho and Enner Valencia could feature in attack, while Diego Poyet will be
hoping to be selected in midfield. James Collins returns following
suspension, but Kevin Nolan is out after suffering a shoulder injury last
week.

Sheffield United
Blades midfielder James Wallace could miss out with a groin problem, while
fellow midfielder Stefan Scougall has also been absent in recent weeks.
Sheffield United boss Nigel Clough has insisted that his team will approach
the game with all guns blazing as they look to embark on another famous cup
run.

Referee
Tuesday's referee will be James Linington. Linington was appointed to the
Select Group of assistant referees in 2006, but has yet to be promoted to
the Select Group of referees who officiate in the Barclays Premier League.
Linington has taken charge of a West Ham United first-team fixture twice
before in his career, having previously controlled the Hammers' 1-0 Carling
Cup victory over Oxford United in August 2010 and the 3-2 win over Leicester
City in the Championship in October 2011. After giving up playing football
at the age of 15, Linington moved into refereeing and originally specialised
in being an assistant referee through his career in the professional game.
After running the line in the 2006 League One play-off final at Cardiff's
Millennium Stadium, the official took charge of the 2010 League Two play-off
final between Dagenham & Redbridge and Rotherham United at Wembley in May
2010, having joined the National Group as a referee in 2008. He will be
assisted by John Busby and Ian Fissenden, while the fourth official will be
Gavin Ward.

One to watch
West Ham United
Senegalese forward Diafra Sakho could be given his first start in a Hammers
shirt when they take on the Blades at the Boleyn Ground on Tuesday. Sakho,
24, joined the Hammers on the eve of the new campaign from FC Metz in
France, where his goals helped win successive promotions to the top flight.
He came off the bench in Saturday's 3-1 win over Crystal Palace and will be
looking to maintain his fine goalscoring form from France, which brought 39
league strikes over the last two campaigns.

Sheffield United
Sheffield United's Jose Baxter scored the only goal of the game as his side
defeated Crawley Town on Saturday. 22-year-old Baxter started his career at
Everton and was capped at U17 level by England before dropping down to
Oldham Athletic in 2012 to gain more first team football. After a year at
Boundary Park, which saw him notch 15 league goals, he moved on to Sheffield
United, where eight goals in 45 games followed last term. An attacking
midfielder, Baxter clearly has an eye for goal and the Hammers will have to
wary over his talents on Tuesday.

Tickets
Tickets purchased in advance are priced at just £10 Adults and £5 Under-16s.
Tickets purchased on matchday rise in price by £5 for both categories. Buy
tickets now here.

Travel
No planned closures will affect the District, Hammersmith & City, Jubilee or
Central lines on matchday.

Weather
Another wet day is on the cards for Tuesday, although the rain is predicted
to clear up by the time the game kicks-off. Sunny intervals are forecast for
late evening, with temperatures of 16C (61F)

Last meeting
The Hammers last met Sheffield United towards the end of the 2006/07 season
with both sides fighting for Premier League survival. The Blades won
comfortably on that occasion, but it was the Hammers who celebrated come the
season's end as their great escape left Sheffield United back in the
Championship.

Sheffield United 3-0 West Ham United
14 April 2007
Sheffield United: Kenny, Geary, Jagielka, Armstrong, Davis (Morgan 56),
Gillespie, Montgomery, Tonge, Stead, Nade (Quinn 61), Kazim-Richards (Webber
83)
Subs: Kozluk, Shelton
Goals: Tonge 39, Jagielka 68, Stead 78
West Ham United: Green, Neill, Ferdinand, McCartney, Collins, Noble (Blanco
73), Reo-Coker, Etherington (Boa Morte 65), Bowyer (Mullins 65), Zamora,
Tevez
Subs: Walker, Spector

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West Ham v Sheff Utd
KO 19:45
25 August 2014
Last updated at 11:54
CAPITAL ONE CUP SECOND ROUND
Venue: Upton Park Date: Tuesday, 26 August
Coverage: Text commentary online, with highlights on The League Cup Show on
Wednesday 27 August at 23:05 BST (BBC1 and BBC1 Scotland) or 23:35 (BBC 1
Wales) or on Thursday 28 August at 00:05 BST (BBC1 Northern Ireland)

TEAM NEWS

West Ham will again be without captain Kevin Nolan, who sat out Saturday's
win at Crystal Palace because of a fractured shoulder. James Collins is back
after a ban and Matt Jarvis could return following a thigh problem but Carl
Jenkinson (hamstring) is unlikely to be risked

Sheffield United boss Nigel Clough has no new fitness concerns. He may be
tempted to rotate his squad, so Jamal-Campbell-Ryce, Mark McNulty and Bob
Harris will hope for recalls.

MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
Sheffield United have lost only one of their last five games against West
Ham in all competitions (W2, D2).
The Hammers have won the two previous League Cup meetings, in 1971 and 1991.
They scored a total of seven unanswered goals in those two cup ties.

West Ham United
The Hammers reached the final four of the League Cup last season.
However, their 9-0 aggregate defeat to Manchester City was the biggest
losing margin in a semi-final in the competition's history.
West Ham's last League Cup defeat against lower league opposition came in
August 2011, when they were beaten 2-1 by Aldershot Town in the first round.
The Hammers have won nine of their last 12 League Cup matches at home,
losing the other three.

Sheffield United
The Blades have not reached the third round of the League Cup since 2008.
Their win over Mansfield in the opening round was their first in eight
matches (D2, L5) in this competition.

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Bournemouth want Cole
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 25th August 2014
By: Staff Writer

Carlton Cole looks set to be the first casualty of West Ham's recent
recruitment programme. The 30-year-old striker scored his first goal of the
season in the 3-1 win at Crystal Palace at the weekend but could be on the
verge of leaving West Ham some eight years after moving to the club from
Chelsea. According to reports from various sources, Championship side
Bournemouth are poised to enter talks with the former England international
after a fee was agreed between the two clubs for the transfer of Cole, whose
latest deal with West Ham expires at the end of the current campaign. Eddie
Howe's side are currently 11th in the Championship with six points from
their opening four matches. Cole has made more than 250 appearances for West
Ham since Alan Pardew signed him for £2million.

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Mauro Zarate aiming to emulate Carlos Tevez at West Ham
Last Updated: 25/08/14 11:01am
SSN

Mauro Zarate is hoping to emulate fellow Argentine Carlos Tevez and become a
fans' favourite at West Ham United. Zarate has arrived at Upton Park eight
years after his countryman completed a shock switch to England and helped to
fire West Ham to Premier League survival. He lasted less than a season with
the Hammers, but did enough during his brief spell to earn cult hero status.
Zarate has some way to go before he can claim to sit alongside Tevez, but
the 27-year-old is determined to enjoy similar success. He is back in the
Premier League for a second spell, having spent time on loan at Birmingham
City in 2008, and believes he returns better equipped to handle the
challenges which lie ahead. Zarate said after netting in a 3-1 victory over
Crystal Palace on Saturday: "I don't know if I am a better player than I was
then. But I am more experienced. That is very important in football. "I
spoke with other Argentine players before I came back here. I speak with
Sergio Aguero, sometimes we have dinner together. I always wanted to come
back to England. He said West Ham was a good move for me. "Carlos Tevez is a
star. He won everything – the Champions League with Manchester United,
everything with Manchester City. Now he is with Juventus. "I am different. I
know he was very popular with West Ham fans. I hope I can have the same
impact."

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce is convinced that Zarate can make a positive
impression, with the former Lazio and Inter Milan frontman offering
something different to the other strikers on his books. He said: "He is a
different kind of player. He likes to find spaces. None of our other players
are like that. "He has some strengths that other players at our club don't
have, and he showed that. He has the quality to break down tight defences."

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Stewart Downing impressed with West Ham's signings
Last Updated: 25/08/14 4:28pm
SSN

Stewart Downing believes West Ham's new recruits have already shown that
manager Sam Allardyce has spent wisely during the summer. Aaron Cresswell,
Cheikhou Kouyate and Mauro Zarate were among seven of Allardyce's signings
and the trio played their part in Saturday's 3-1 win over Crystal Palace.
Zarate opened the scoring with a spectacular volley, while further goals
from Downing and Carlton Cole secured a first Premier League victory of the
season at Selhurst Park. A mid-season injury crisis hampered the Hammers
last season, but Downing believes there is much more strength in depth and
has been impressed by recent additions. I think all the new signings have
settled in well and those who have played have made good starts," said the
winger. "We have a bit of a stronger squad this season which I think helps
the manager. Last season the team had to literally pick itself at times
because of injuries. "We have a lot more options now and can change it
around a bit if needed."

The 30-year-old has slipped out of England contention, but gave a reminder
of his attacking threat with a curling shot past Julian Speroni in the first
half.
He admits that Allardyce has urged him to shoulder some of the goalscoring
burden during this campaign. "Obviously I am eager as is the manager for me
to get more goals this season," he said. "To get off the mark second game
in, is nice. I want to shoot more, get in the positions I need to be in.
With the goal, I had it in my head what I wanted to do and hit it where I
wanted to and it worked."

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Capital One Cup team news: West Ham v Sheff United preview
Last Updated: 25/08/14 3:48pm
SSN

West Ham will be without captain Kevin Nolan for Tuesday's Capital One Cup
second-round tie against Sheffield United. The midfielder has been ruled out
for six weeks with a fractured shoulder and manager Sam Allardyce must now
decide if Mauro Zarate will keep his place in the side after replacing Nolan
for Saturday's win at Crystal Palace. Matt Jarvis could return following a
thigh problem but Carl Jenkinson (hamstring) is unlikely to be risked. New
strikers Enner Valencia and Diafra Sakho could make their full debuts while
youngsters Dan Potts, Reece Burke, Diego Poyet and Danny Whitehead will all
hope to be involved.

Sheffield United manager Nigel Clough is expected to make one or two changes
for his side's Capital One Cup clash at West Ham. Clough, who has no new
major injury or suspension worries, could be tempted to utilise his squad
with the likes of winger Jamal Campbell-Ryce, striker Mark McNulty, defender
Bob Harris and teenage midfielder Louis Reed pushing for recalls. Striker
Michael Higdon was rested for the recent win at Peterborough and could start
on the bench again, while winger Ryan Flynn is another who could return to
the starting line-up. The Blades are chasing a third straight victory after
successive league wins.

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AFC BOURNEMOUTH WANT CARLTON COLE
By Sean Whetstone 25 Aug 2014 at 12:16
West Ham Till I Die

Carlton Cole representatives are in talks with AFC Bournemouth for a
possible move to the Championship club. Cherries Manager Eddie Howe is a big
fan of the Hammers striker and is keen to sign the player before the
transfer window finishes. Whether Carlton Cole who scored the Hammers third
goal yesterday afternoon will personal terms remains to be seen. There
remains a question whether Bournemouth can afford his wages. The Cherries
are thought to be prepared to pay West Ham a £1m transfer fee. When Enner
Valencia and Diafro Sakho are fully match fit and Andy Carroll hopefully
returns in two months time Cole must realise he is likely to drop down the
striker pecking order significantly. Carlton Cole signed a 18 month contract
with West Ham in January 2014 which will take him up to the end of this
season after he was previously released in May 2013. He is believed to have
taken a pay cut to re-join the hammers from the £30,000 per week he
previously enjoyed. Cole admitted he once took a 50% pay cut when the
Hammers dropped down the championship and has remained a loyal servant to
the club since joining from Chelsea in 2006. In 2011 West Ham agreed to sell
Cole to Stoke but Carlton failed to agree personal terms and the deal
collapsed.

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THE PRICE OF PREMIER LEAGUE SURVIVAL
By Sean Whetstone 25 Aug 2014 at 08:24
West Ham Till I Die

West Ham are believed to have paid about £24.5m in initial transfer fees
this summer transfer window for the seven signings but that amount could
rise to £37m based on certain conditions such as appearances, goals and the
Hammers final league position this season. Add to this a massive £49m wages
and national insurance we have committed to over the next four to five years
for the new recruits, agents fees are thought to add another £4m to the
total bill.

The annual budget for players wages is thought to have now reached £57m
leaving just £1m before the Premier League Financial Fair Play limit is
reached for this season.

Although West Ham received over £73m from TV income last season and are
likely to pass £110m turnover when figures are released next January for
last season there is likely to be a short fall with the recent huge
investment in signings. I wouldn't be surprised if David Sullivan and David
Gold injected more money to help balance the books this season after already
loaning £45.7m in the form of share holder loans plus another £25.5m for
shares from the Icelandics on the condition they loaned the money back to
the club.

The cost of staying in the Premier League have never be higher but the
consequences of relegation before we move to the Olympic Stadium would be
catastrophic at this stage.

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Carlos Tevez affair still cuts deep as Sheffield United face West Ham
• Mutual loathing as Bramall Lane club return in League Cup
• Relegation after Argentinian signed for West Ham still festers
John Ashdown
The Guardian, Monday 25 August 2014 19.58 BST

Carlos Tevez scored the only goal against Manchester United to relegate
Sheffield United in 2007. Carlos Tevez, who scored the only goal against
Manchester United at Old Trafford, to relegate Sheffield United in 2007.
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian The second round of the League Cup
is not usually associated with vitriol, venom and downright loathing but
there will be an abundance of all three at Upton Park on Tuesday evening
when West Ham welcome Sheffield United for the first time since the clubs
had an ever so minor disagreement over a certain Argentinian.

The memory of Carlos Tevez and the court cases that saw West Ham pay £20m in
compensation to Sheffield United remains an incendiary issue between the
clubs and one that infuses this fixture like lighter fluid. Resentment has
festered.

Tevez's arrival with Javier Mascherano at West Ham on transfer deadline day
in August 2006 sowed the seeds of a problem. The discovery of the
third-party agreements concerning the players that came to light in January
2007 provided the soil in which they could grow. The independent Premier
League commission's decision to impose a record £5.5m fine rather than a
points deduction did all the watering and weeding required for the issue to
come into full bloom. West Ham opted not to appeal. Kevin McCabe, the
Sheffield United chairman, felt the decision "invited anarchy".

On the final day of the season West Ham went to Old Trafford to face
Manchester United and got the win they needed, with, of course, Tevez
scoring the only goal of the game. At Bramall Lane Neil Warnock's side
needed only a draw to relegate their opponents Wigan Athletic, who would
then very likely have taken United's place in what was to come, but lost 2-1
thanks to a David Unsworth penalty.

United lost an initial appeal against their relegation in the summer of
2007, despite an arbitration panel admitting that it "would in all
probability have reached a different conclusion and deducted points from
West Ham". A year after relegation an independent FA tribunal found in their
favour, with the chair, Lord Griffiths, judging that: "We have no doubt that
West Ham would have secured at least three fewer points over the 2006-07
season if Carlos Tevez had not been playing for the club."

Sheffield United had wanted compensation of up to £45m in lost income but in
the end came to an out-of-court settlement with West Ham that saw the
Hammers pay almost £20m. The West Ham chief executive, Scott Duxbury, said
he was pleased to "draw a line under this whole episode", McCabe was "happy
and satisfied" with the settlement that had been reached in discussions that
were "friendly, co-operative and in the best of spirit". The final payment
was delivered in the summer of 2013. The boardrooms and moneymen may have
been able to bury the hatchet but football fans have longer memories than
those that run their clubs.

Sheffield United's trajectory since 2007 has hardly helped. Thanks to that
original £5.5m fine, the Premier League itself has been the target of much
of the supporters' ire and the club have spent the intervening years getting
as far away from it as possible. The financial boon of the final settlement
should have helped Sheffield United bounce back towards the top flight but
the parachute payments and money received from West Ham were squandered and
the club are beginning their fourth successive season in the third tier.

All but a handful of the original players in the drama have moved on – Chris
Morgan, now first-team coach, is the only member of the playing staff from
2006-07 still at Bramall Lane. Carlton Cole, James Collins and Mark Noble,
one of whom is likely to start on Tuesday evening, are the only West Ham
players at the club who were team-mates of Tevez. The No32 shirt worn by
Tevez is now on the back of 17-year-old Reece Burke, who was 10 years old
when West Ham performed their great escape at Old Trafford.

Both sets of fans seem convinced that the other is far more bothered about
the tie than they are. In truth, both desperately want a modicum of revenge.
"It's about me making sure that they [the fans] go home happy because they
feel aggrieved about what Sheffield United did," said the West Ham manager,
Sam Allardyce. "So if I can do that for them it will be great."

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Stewart Downing insists West Ham have the squad to go far in the cup AND
survive
Stewart Downing insists West Ham have a stronger squad this season
Sam Allardyce's side won their first game of the campaign against Crystal
Palace on Saturday, with Downing scoring
West Ham reached the semi-final of the Capital One Cup last season
They face Sheffield United in the second round on Tuesday evening
By MARK BRYANS, PRESS ASSOCIATION
PUBLISHED: 18:41, 25 August 2014 | UPDATED: 18:41, 25 August 2014
Daily Mail

Stewart Downing believes West Ham have a stronger squad this season as the
challenge of juggling league and cup football beckons. Sam Allardyce's side
reached the semi-finals of the Capital One Cup last season and start their
tilt at the trophy with a home game against Sheffield United on Tuesday
evening.
The Hammers were in the midst of a mid-season injury crisis as they lost 9-0
on aggregate to the eventual winners Manchester City in January - with
Barclays Premier League survival the main concern. With a number of
first-team players missing at the time, Allardyce was forced to field an
inexperienced side in both legs - but Downing, who scored his first goal of
the season in Saturday's 3-1 win at Crystal Palace, reckons the summer
recruit drive at Upton Park will help significantly on that front. 'I think
all the new signings have settled in well and those who have played have
made good starts,' said the England winger. 'We have a bit of a stronger
squad this season which I think helps the manager. Last season the team had
to literally pick itself at times because of injuries.
'We have a lot more options now and can change it around a bit if needed.'
Of the seven new acquisitions, Aaron Cresswell, Cheikhou Kouyate and Mauro
Zarate have made an instant impact - with the latter opening the scoring at
Selhurst Park with a spectacular volley.

Strikers Enner Valencia and Diafra Sakho are still working on their fitness,
while Carl Jenkinson is injured and young midfielder Diego Poyet has played
just eight minutes. With a deeper squad at his disposal, Allardyce is likely
to give Poyet - as well as Valencia and Sakho - a chance to work their way
into his thinking against the Blades. Downing will also want to be involved
against the Sky Bet League One side as he looks to add to his goal on
Saturday, which equalled the solitary strike he managed throughout the whole
of last season. 'Obviously I am eager as is the manager for me to get more
goals this season,' he added. 'To get off the mark second game in, is nice.
I want to shoot more, get in the positions I need to be in. With the goal, I
had it in my head what I wanted to do and hit it where I wanted to and it
worked.' It will be the first meeting of the two sides since West Ham agreed
an out-of-court settlement for a fee reported to be in excess of £20million
to be paid as compensation to the Blades.

The argument stemmed following Sheffield United's relegation from the
Barclays Premier League in 2007 - with West Ham surviving thanks largely to
the goals of Carlos Tevez. It was later discovered that Tevez, as well as
fellow Argentina international Javier Mascherano, were partially owned by
Media Sports Investment, a company run by Kia Joorabchian. The Premier
League fined West Ham £5.5million and, after United unsuccessfully appealed
to be reinstated to the league with West Ham relegated instead, a two-year
legal wrangle ended with the settlement. With plenty of ill-feeling between
the two sets of fans, Allardyce insisted on Saturday he would do his utmost
to appease West Ham's supporters by winning the fixture. 'I think the
reaction is to get a team out there that wins,' he said. 'I'm not so sure
how guilty Sheffield United were on it but that's nothing do with me. It's
about making sure the fans are happy when I go on Tuesday because they feel
aggrieved at what Sheffield United did and if I can do that for them, then
great.'

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Hammers agree Cole fee with Cherries
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 25, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

West Ham have agreed a fee of around £1m with Bournemouth for Carlton Cole
but the player has yet to agree to the move. The striker is currently in
talks with The Cherries and there is no problem over the fee with the
Championship outfit's owners. A well placed Irons insider told ClaretandHugh
this morning that a fee of around £1 million had been agreed between the two
clubs and that it was now down to the player . A Hammers source said: "The
fee is around that sort of figure but we are not sure whether they can
afford Carlton's wages. The ball is in his court." However, The Cherries are
well placed financially and recently landed a £5 million plus cash windfall
from the sale of Adam Lallana who was poached from their academy as a
youngster. The Cherries had a 25 per cent of any sell on clause put in which
has now given them a welcome addition to their finances. A Bournemouth
source told us: "Everybody here is hoping it happens – Carlton is exactly
what we need at the moment.

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Andy Carroll on the mend
Posted by Sean Whetstone on August 25, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

Andy Carroll had his protective boot removed last week and is now working
hard in the gym to recover from his ankle operation in an attempt to return
to the Hammers team before Christmas. Carroll had his operation by a world
specilaist in America in late July after being sent home from the New
Zealand tour early and was not expected to return until the New Year but now
it seems Christmas period is the new target. His specialist has given to
green light for him to resume strengthening and fitness work in the gym.

Whether Carroll will automatically regain his slot up front as the lone
striker will depend how Zarate, Valencia and Sakho do between now and
December. One or both of the new strikers are expected to play some part in
tomorrow's cup match against Sheffield United.

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Hammers likely line-up for Blades
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 25, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

Sam Allardyce has this evening given a very strong indication of the type of
team he will be selecting for the Second Round Capital One Cup clash against
Sheffield United. In a separate story on this site he says that he can
blood Sakho, Valencia, get Ravel [Morrison] back, Mo Diame in there, Diego
Poyet, Guy Demel and Jussi Jasskelainen. "That's the kind of side I'm going
to pick with a couple of young ones in."

Here's the team ClaretandHugh believes the manager will put out tomorrow
evening: Jaaskalainen, Demel, Collins, Burke, Potts; Sakho, Poyet, Diame,
Vaz Te, Morrison, Valencia.

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Cole deal collapses
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 25, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

Carlton Cole will be staying at Upton Park after his talks aimed at securing
a move to Bournemouth collapsed earlier this evening. Sources inside the
Boleyn were staying tight lipped over the reasons but some reports claim
that manager Sam Allardyce had a late change of heart and wants to keep the
club loyalist.
However, we understand the terms on offer from the Championship club were
also short of Cole's expectations. And it now seems possible that the Irons
will be offering the big fella a new deal at the end of his present deal. A
primary ClaretandHugh source simply said: "It's a non runner. It definitely
won't happen. Things have changed. Carlton's staying. "It looked for a long
time as though it would go through but there are good reasons why it didn't
happen."

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