Nolan delighted to open account
WHUFC.com
Kevin Nolan was thrilled to play his part in West Ham United's 2-1 win at West Brom on Tuesday
03.12.2014
Kevin Nolan returned to the West Ham United starting line-up with a bang on Tuesday night, nodding home the equaliser as Sam Allardyce's men came from behind to defeat West Bromwich Albion 2-1. The skipper reacted well to the disappointment of missing out on selection for Saturday's victory over his former side Newcastle United, by playing a full role from the start as the Hammers made it six points from six. He was thrilled to get on the scoresheet for the first time this season and hopes to repeat the feat when the Hammers take on Swansea City at home on Sunday afternoon. "I'm delighted to be in a team that's won," he smiled. "In my third start I got there in the end! Saying that, I thought we deserved something at Everton and we definitely deserved to beat Tottenham on the first day of the season. "It's nice [to win] and I'm delighted to get another goal. It's my first of the season and hopefully the first of many. I felt good before the game, I've been training hard and just waiting for my chance. "Obviously it was just dropping for me nicely. I'm disappointed I didn't put the one away with the overhead - it's a great save and I probably hit it too well. But I'll take one goal for the night."
West Brom came back strongly at the Hammers after the break and Victor Anichebe was only denied a late equaliser by a fine save from Adrian, but Nolan felt his team showed good resilience to repel the Baggies' threat. "You expect their response," he explained. "They're struggling for points and we're 2-1 up away from home. The Gaffer's decided to go with five at the back, soak up the pressure and see if we can hit them on the break with Enner's pace. "I thought we did pretty well. It was fantastic to make sure they didn't score and we had to rely on Adrian on a couple of occasions, but all in all I thought the lads were brilliant. We've had a fantastic start, and [it's great] to get another win after three points on Saturday. We didn't play too well against Newcastle, but still getting the win shows you're a good side."
Looking ahead to Sunday and the prospect of recording a third straight Barclays Premier League win, Nolan says he hopes to add to his goal tally as soon as possible, especially as he is now just one away from the milestone of 100 league goals. He added: "I've got a goal and I'm looking forward to another game against Swansea. I've got quite a good record against them from last season and I'm feeling good so hopefully I'll get my chance and score another couple."
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Etherington hangs up his boots
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 3rd December 2014
By: Staff Writer
Matthew Etherington has retired from football following a long battle with injury, it has been announced. The former Hammers winger has hung up his boots at the age of only 33, having failed to beat a persistent back problem. Etherington, who spent six seasons at West Ham between 2003 and 2009 was released by Stoke City at the end of the 2013/14 campaign. Having failed to secure a deal elsewhere - including Millwall, with whom he spent a week on trial during the summer - he decided to call it a day after 17 years as a pro. West Ham signed the Truro-born winger from Tottenham in 2003 as a makeweight in the deal that saw Freddie Kanoute go the other way. A key member of Alan Pardew's Championship side, Etherington remained with the club for four seasons following promotion back to the top flight before joining the Potters.
During that time he represented the club at Cardiff in two play off Finals and an FA Cup Final. He was also part of the squad that took part in the club's most recent European campaign - a short-lived run in the 2007 UEFA Cup which began - and ended - in Palermo. In all, he featured 195 times for West Ham during his spell at the Boleyn scoring 18 goals, out of a career total of 493 appearances.
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West Ham's Mark Noble says he is happy to train on Christmas Day
Last Updated: 01/12/14 11:53pm
SSN
Mark Noble accepts that training on Christmas Day is part and parcel of being a professional footballer and the West Ham midfielder would not have it any other way. Yet again, at this time of year, many managers - including Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal - are expressing their dismay at the hectic festive schedule but Noble accepts 'it is a privilege' to be a Premier League player. The 27-year-old has made more than 200 league appearances for the Hammers and regarding the forthcoming series of fixtures later this month, Noble said: "It is hard if you have got family and kids and you have to leave them on Christmas Day to go and train but listen, we are a small minority of lucky players. "We have a good life and playing football over Christmas is not the worst thing in the world." Mark Noble
"We have obviously worked hard for this but we are lucky enough to have the ability to play in the Premier League, so you have to take the good with the bad and if you have to play over Christmas, then you have to. "We have a good life and playing football over Christmas is not the worst thing in the world. "You think about soldiers out in Afghanistan or Iraq, and they are not with their families and they are getting bullets fired at them whereas we are playing in the Premier League, so you have got to put it in perspective really."
However, he understands that clubs need large squads to cope with the fixture list, by adding: "The Christmas period is so demanding and you need a big squad for that because people do pick up injuries. "We have four games in eight days and you need the squad to be able to deal with that. I think we have that this year." And his manager Sam Allardyce believes Noble is happy with his current form by saying: "Now he is coming into the peak of his career and we are moving forward pretty well at the moment, so I think he's enjoying himself better than ever before. "Mark has seen a lot of turmoil (at West Ham), a lot of change, with a lot of players coming in and out, lots of change of ownership and change of managers - but he has still always been there."
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THREE INTO TWO WON'T GO
By Iain Dale 3 Dec 2014 at 13:01
West Ham till I Die
Rumour is that Diafra Sakho will be fit and available for selection on Sunday for the home match against Swansea City. I'd imagine he will be on the bench and given fifteen or twenty minutes at the end of the game. However, if Sam thinks he is ready, he could go straight into the first eleven. But what happens then to Andy Carroll or Enner Valencia? Three into two doesn't go. Or does it? Is it possible to play all three in the same team, with Carroll playing through the middle and the other two either side? I doubt it very much, unless Stewart Downing is injured or rested. So assuming that doesn't happen, which two of the three do you play?
Our record so far would suggest that Sakho and Valencia have proved themselves and should be starting whenever they are available, but things are never quite that simple. Andy Carroll hasn't scored in the three games he has played, but he has been hugely influential, and looks sharper with every minute he plays. He's someone who needs minutes on the pitch to regain his match fitness.
Personally, I'd love to see him and Valencia playing together, with Enner cottoning on to his knockdowns. I think they could be a really powerful partnership, and that's what I'd expect to see against Swansea, with Sakho coming off the bench.
In the longer term, I'd imagine that Valencia will be the automatic start with Carroll or Sakho coming on as an impact substitute relatively early in the second half.
There's still no word on how far Alex Song is away from fitness. When he's back, we have an incredibly strong automatic first eleven…
Adrian, Cresswell, Jenkinson, Reid, Tomkins, Kouyate, Song, Noble, Downing, Valencia, Sakho/Carroll.
Anyone disagree with that as a starting first eleven ?
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est Ham keep moving with West Brom win - but can the bubble stop itself bursting?
Dec 03, 2014 11:59
OPINION BY STEVESTAMMERS
Sam Allardyce's men marched into fifth with a come-from-behind win against West Brom on Tuesday night as their revival continues
The Mirror
There is something about the area for away fans at The Hawthorns that attracts the disaffected. Last Saturday, a huge banner was unfurled suggesting it was time for Arsene Wenger to go. Arsenal won 1-0. Rewind to last season and from almost the same spot, up went a message to Sam Allardyce accusing him of killing West Ham. Allardyce is still at the club, West Ham won there 2-1 last night and are now fifth – yes fifth – in the Premier League. So Wenger need not be too alarmed at Saturday's message. It is becoming an encouraging omen rather than one of impending doom. A season on and it is evident there is a steel about West Ham. There was a time when, if the Hammers went a goal down away from home in December, it was a prompt to look at the watch and make plans for an early exit to beat the traffic. Not now. Call it what you will but there is a resolve about West Ham these days. The win last night was a perfect example of the tough streak in the squad these days.
Time was when a team struggling and desperate for a result would view the visit of West Ham as a match to revive their season. Times change. Without the talismanic Mark Noble and leading scorer Diafra Sahko, West Ham secured three points to stay among the pacesetters without reaching the heights that saw off Liverpool and Manchester City earlier in the campaign. And enormous credit must go to the board of Davids Gold and Sullivan and Karren Brady. It would have been easy to point an Apprentice-like finger at Allardyce at the end of last season and say: "You're Fired !" But they stuck by him, launched an impressive summer recruitment campaign that brought the likes of Sakho, Cheikhou Kouyate and the ever-improving Aaron Cresswell to Upton Park. Now they are reaping the rewards. Of course West Ham would not be West Ham if there was not the occasional drama and disappointment. The club's anthem says it all – dreams fade and die.
So the next battle concerns Winston Reid. His contract is up at the end of the season and despite the offer of a lucrative four-year extension, the versatile New Zealander has yet to commit himself to the club. A free transfer in June or a bargain £7million move next month are on the horizon. Arsenal are monitoring the scenario closely. Then there is the future of Allardyce. From an East End hate figure, he has become a man who has won over the vast majority of a once sceptical support. His contract ends at the end of the season and those who once could not wait to direct him to the A13 and all points North would be more than happy for him to extend his stay. A change – and a dramatic one – from last season and THAT banner at The Hawthorns. Arsene Wenger, for one, will take heart.
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WEST HAM THE NEXT CLUB IN THE FRAME FOR DAVID ACCAM TRANSFER
News.ladbrokes.com
Reports are gathering pace that West Ham have become the latest Premier League club to join the race for Helsingborg's highly-rated winger David Accam. Despite the fact that the Hammers have had no trouble in giving opposition defences something to think about, it is rumoured that Sam Allardyce is still in the market for another attacking player to boost his squad's depth. If he is to capture this signing though, he may have to move quickly. Leicester City and West Brom are also looking into the possibility of signing the Ghana international, and would probably be in a better position to offer the 24-year-old first team football. The Swedish outfit are seeking at least £2.5m for the player they paid Ostersunds €235k for back in 2012. Since arriving at the club, Accam has taken the Allsvenskan by storm, netting 38 goals in 68 appearances for Henrik Larsson's side, including 17 in 23 this season, and has established himself as a vital member of their squad.
But with the allure of the Premier League sure to be telling, the man who began his career in the English non-league with Ledbury Town and Evesham could be vocal in his wish to push through a move. The winger is known for his electric pace that is sure to trouble all but the quickest of defenders, an attribute that would be very helpful at the Boelyn. Where he would fit in, in terms of breaking into the starting XI, remains to be seen, with the east Londoners already possessing a number of attacking midfielders and front men. His arrival in the East End could spell the end for fringe players such as Ricardo Vaz Te and Ravel Morrison, but time will tell on that. Following their come-from-behind win at the Hawthorns, Allardyce's side sit fifth in the table, and will be looking for maximum points when Swansea visit the capital on Sunday, with a win for the hosts priced up at 11/8.
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Teenage West Ham talent says he 'wants to be like' Arsenal legend
HITC
Mathew Nash
Jahmal Hector-Ingram has high hopes for his future, hoping to follow in the footsteps of idol Thierry Henry. England under-17s have been in action this week, taking part in the Nike International Tournament in Sarasota, Florida, USA. Yesterday they defeated Australia 2-1, thanks to a goal from a promising member of the West Ham academy. Jahmal Hector-Ingram came off the bench to score the winner and cause a buzz among followers of West Ham's infamous youth scheme. He shined for the under-16s at the Montaigu Tournament in the summer and there is every hope he can go on to become a regular in the West Ham team an international set-ups going forward. But speaking after the game he made it clear that his hero is in fact an Arsenal great. Thierry Henry is currently in the news himself. His contract at the New York Red Bulls is up and he has been linked with a return to Arsenal this winter. Henry, Arsenal's record goal-scorer, certainly inspires a certain generation. Hector-Ingram is part of that.
Speaking to the FA.com the West Ham talent said: "I want to be like Thierry Henry. I study him, and before every game I play I watch a good 15 minute clip of him. "I try some of the things he does out on the pitch, and try to add a bit of my own style as well. Why not?
"That finish was my own style – but it did remind me a bit of Henry." West Ham fans he goes on to become their very own Thierry Henry in years to come.
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Irons await as FA Cup fever builds
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 3, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Sam Allardyce may have a better chance of keeping his squad happier after the weekend when the FA Cup excitement will kick up a level.
The second round proper matches get underway on Friday night when Harlepool take on Blyth Spartans whilst among the teams fighting for a chance of meeting the big boys on Saturday and Sunday are Cambridge United, Maidstone, Warrington, Worcester City, Dartford, Telford and Southport. The third round match will give the Irons boss an opportunity of introducing one or two players who are in need of match time.
However, he can't relax too much in his selection with David Sullivan and David Gold making a decent cup run a priority. Gold said: "We have a powerful squad and we are looking forward to the competition very much. The FA cup remains a fantastic competition and it could be an exciting year for us."
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DG on mend and back in the box
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 3, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
ClaretandHugh was delighted to learn this afternoon that DG is very much on the mend after a suffering from a nasty midwinter bug. After a couple of absences from the director's box over recent weeks we caught up with our co-chairman a few minutes ago and gave him "get well soon" messages from the site and all our followers. And the boss was in great form saying: "Yes, I've been a little poorly with a midwinter bug but I spoke to my consultant this morning and all things being equal I'll be back in the box for Swansea. I'll try to remember to give you all a wave. He caught the match last night at home and after those last 2o minutes decided that he had better have his blood pressure checked at the same time on his morning appointment with the doc. And he said: "Amazingly he told me it was normal. Incredible because like most I really struggled through that West Brom blitz."
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Irons get major boost for Swans clash
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 3, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Alex Song and Mark Noble are 80 per cent certain to make their return to the Hammers side on Sunday against Swansea. The club hierachy left the Hawthorns last night very relieved men and good sources told us this morning that both the key players should be back for the match against the men from Wales. Song, in particular, was badly missed last night at West Brom as the players showed dreadful nerves throughout the second half and notably towards the end. A top source told ClaretandHugh: "That wouldn't have been the case with Alex around – he is the leader and knows how to close games out in front of the defence. He and Noble are 80 per cent certain to be back.
"With both of them we'll look different again although the Swans will represent a real test. No one is taking that much lightly.and there are some tired legs. "We are still hopeful that Sakho will be back. There are some very tired legs around – that West Brom match really was as tense as it gets or the players and the rest of us."
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The Big Question: Will Carroll remain happy?
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 3, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Slowly it's becoming clearer why Brendan Rodgers had problems fitting Andy Carroll into his Liverpool team. And as mentioned by a correspondent to the ClaretandHugh forum, that represents a hell of a compliment to Sam Allardyce. Had you told me this time last year I would have written these words I would have been looking for the blokes in white coats to come and take you away. But – and I'm aware he's still not 100 per cent and was clearly tiring – when the manager hauled Andy off for Enner Valencia when all the smart money would have been on Mauro Zarate walking to the dug-out, I remained very surprised indeed. Ok, Zarate came off shortly afterwards as the team lost its way, but that AC was the first to feel the 'hook' made it clear a megashift has taken place in West Ham thinking. It now seems a given from manager down to the lowliest fan that one-up is not the West Ham way these days if you will allow me to use that sensitive expression..
Getting in behind defences and making things happen through the middle is what we have been screaming out for and that now looks to be Plan A. Andy's role will be as an impact sub but for how long he will find that acceptable is now the big question, just as it was under Rodgers. Ok, it's all gone more than a bit wrong for Liverpool in the early stages this season but the manager will not desert his system – the same system as it appears Sam is now adopting. So with Diafra Sakho apparently ready to return and Valencia with valuable minutes under his belt, Sunday's team selection will be interesting although given neither of the front two fully fit, maybe AC will start. But from then on – all the while the duo are fit – AC may well have a problem. Yes we want to keep him but how will he react when discovering that he is no longer the main man. Mauro Zarate has faced a test of character and still is doing – AC may be about to find himself in the same situation.
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