Cardiff City match preview
WHUFC.com
A look ahead to the Barclays Premier League match against Cardiff City on Saturday
10.01.2014
CARDIFF CITY v WEST HAM UNITED
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
CARDIFF CITY STADIUM
SATURDAY 11 JANUARY 2014
KICK-OFF: 3PM
REFEREE: LEE MASON
FULL AUDIO AND TEXT COMMENTARY - WEST HAM TV
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Introduction
• West Ham United venture to the Cardiff City Stadium this Saturday as they look for a first Barclays Premier League win in seven games.
• The Hammers have also suffered defeat in their last five league matches on the road with their last away win coming against Tottenham Hotspur on 6 October 2013.
• In their last away league outing Sam Allardyce's side were defeated 2-1 by Fulham at Craven Cottage on the New Year's Day.
• The Hammers have, however, only experienced one defeat in their last ten trips to play Cardiff City.
• West Ham will be hoping another positive result at the Cardiff City stadium will lift them from their current league position of 19th.
• Saturday's opponents Cardiff are three points ahead of the Hammers in the table where they currently lie just outside the relegation zone in 17th.
• The match represents new Bluebirds boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's first Premier League game in charge.
• The Norwegian took charge of his first game in their 2-1 FA Cup with Budweiser win over Newcastle on 4 January.
• Cardiff are currently on a run of four league games without a win following a 2-0 loss to Arsenal in their last Barclays Premier League outing.
• The Welsh side are without a win in their last two home league matches, with a draw against Sunderland and defeat against Southampton to show from those games.
Team news
West Ham United
• Andy Carroll is in contention to feature in the Welsh capital after being selected in Sam Allardyce's squad.
• James Tomkins is also back in the squad after a groin injury which has kept him out of the Hammers first three games of 2014.
• Ricardo Vaz Te is back in training but will not feature against the Bluebirds while Winston Reid (ankle), James Collins (calf) and Joey O'Brien, who was injured against Manchester City, are all out of Saturday's clash.
• Kevin Nolan serves the third game of his four-match suspension on Saturday.
Cardiff City
• Magnus Wolff Eikrem could make his debut for the Welsh side after completing his transfer from Dutch side Heerenveen on Wednesday.
• Ex-Hammer Craig Bellamy could feature having recovered from a knee injury which has kept him out for several months.
Last time out
Manchester City 6-0 West Ham United
Capital One Cup
8 January 2014
West Ham United: Adrian, Demel, McCartney, Johnson, O'Brien (Rat 75), Noble (Diarra 57), Diame, Taylor, Downing, J Cole, Maiga (C Cole 45)
Subs not used: Jaaskelainen, Jarvis, Collison, Morrison
Newcastle United 1-2 Cardiff City
FA Cup with Budweiser
4 January 2014
Cardiff City: Marshall, McNaughton, John, Gunnarsson, Hudson, Turner, Cowie, Kim (Smith 79), Cornelius (Campbell 60), Odemwingie (Noone 72), Whittingham
Subs not used: Caulker, Brayford, Conway, Lewis
Goals: Noone 73, Campbell 80
Previous meeting
West Ham defeated Cardiff City for the second time in just over a month when they followed up a 2-0 Barclays Premier League win on the opening day of the season by knocking the Bluebirds out of the Capital One Cup. The Hammers made a flying start and were 2-0 up after just eight minutes with goals from Ravel Morrison and Matt Jarvis. Cardiff struck back and were level before Ricardo Vaz Te rose highest at the back post to head home Jack Collison's cross in the 88th minute.
West Ham United: Adrian, Chambers, Tomkins, Collins, McCartney (Rat), Jarvis, Morrison (Diame), Taylor, Vaz Te, Maiga (Petric), Collison
Subs not used: Nolan, Henderson, Ruddock, Moncur
Goals: Morrison 1, Jarvis 8, Vaz Te 88
Cardiff City: Lewis, Connolly, Hudson, Brayford (McNaughton), John, Odemwingie, Mutch, Cowie, Noone, Mason (Smith), Maynard (Gestede)
Subs not used: Lappin, Moore, Harris, Healey
Goals: Noone 45, Odemwingie 75
Head-to-head (last six meetings)
24 September 2013 - West Ham United 3-2 Cardiff City (League Cup)
17 August 2013 - West Ham United 2-0 Cardiff City (Premier League)
7 May 2012 - West Ham United 3-0 Cardiff City (Championship Play-Offs)
3 May 2012 - Cardiff City 0-2 West Ham United (Championship Play-Offs)
4 March 2012 - Cardiff City 0-2 West Ham United (Championship)
7 August 2011 - West Ham United 0-1 Cardiff City (Championship)
Ten-year records
West Ham United
2012/13 Premier League 10th
2011/12 Championship 3rd (promoted to Premier League via Play-Offs)
2010/11 Premier League 20th (relegated to Championship)
2009/10 Premier League 17th
2008/09 Premier League 9th
2007/08 Premier League 10th
2006/07 Premier League 15th
2005/06 Premier League 9th
2004/05 Championship 6th (promoted to Premier League via Play-Offs)
2003/04 Division One 4th
Cardiff City
2012/13 Championship 1st (promoted to Premier League)
2011/12 Championship 6th
2010/11 Championship 4th
2009/10 Championship 4th
2008/09 Championship 7th
2007/08 Championship 12th
2006/07 Championship 13th
2005/06 Championship 11th
2004/05 Championship 16th
2003/04 Division One 11th
Background
• West Ham United's first away trip to play Cardiff City took place at Ninian Park and a Southern League First Division clash ended in a 2-0 defeat.
• The Hammers first five trips to the Welsh capital passed without victory until they secured their first away win over the Bluebirds on 7 September 1925. Vic Watson scored the only goal of the game as his team finally broke their duck.
• The biggest away win West Ham have recorded against Cardiff is 5-1, which has happened twice. The first of the emphatic wins came on 24 March 1928 in the First Division. Vic Watson was again involved, scoring twice, with Stanley Earle also netting a double and Tommy Yews grabbing himself a goal.
• The most recent 5-1 win came on 2 February 1966 in the League Cup semi-final second leg. The Hammers had already beaten their opponents 5-2 in the first leg and a brace each from Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters with a goal from Dennis Burnett sealed their passage through to the final.
• More recently, the east Londoners have enjoyed a good record in Cardiff, with only one defeat in their last ten trips spread over 58 years.
• West Ham's last visit to the Cardiff City stadium came on 3 May 2012 in the npower Championship play-off semi-final first leg. The Hammers came out 2-0 winners thanks to two goals from Welsh international Jack Collison.
Old boys
• West Ham United defender James Collins started his career with Cardiff City, joining the club in 2000 and going on to make 86 appearances and score six goals before joining the Hammers in summer 2005.
• Current West Ham United goalkeeping coach Martyn Margetson spent five years with the Bluebirds making 32 appearances between 2002 and 2007. He also served as Cardiff City's goalkeeper coach.
• Cardiff City forward Craig Bellamy made 26 appearances for West Ham United between July 2007 and January 2009, scoring nine goals, while Bluebirds striker Nicky Maynard made 17 appearances for West Ham United between January and August 2012, scoring four times.
• Craig Bellamy, John Burton, Clive Charles, William Charlton, James Collins, Ian Feuer, Danny Gabbidon, Roger Johnson, Martyn Margetson, Nicky Maynard, Jobi McAnuff, Keith Robson, Trevor Sinclair and Bill Stephens have represented both clubs.
Referee
• Mason started refereeing in 1988 and in 1992 he was added to the North West Counties Football League assistant referees' list, and progressed to full referee for that competition four years later.
• He was included on the Football League list of assistant referees in 1998, and was then added to the Premier League list in 2000.
• In 2002, he was promoted to referee for the Football League and in 2003 became a 'Development Group' referee, before finally reaching the Premier League list of Select Group referees in 2006.
• His first ever match in the top tier was on 4 February 2006, when Middlesbrough lost 4-0 at home to Aston Villa.
• Mason was chosen to control the League One Play-Off final between Barnsley and Swansea on 27 May 2006.
• He refereed the Hammers' 3-2 defeat by Everton earlier this season, in which he awarded Sam Allardyce's men a second half penalty but also showed a red card to Mark Noble.
• His most recent game in charge of West Ham came in the 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park back on 3 December.
• Mason will be assisted by Peter Bankes and Ian Hussin, whilst the fourth official will be Andy Woolmer.
General information
• The weather forecast is for a sunny day in the Welsh capital, with temperatures of 7C (45F) at kick-off.
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Big Sam on: Cardiff City
Sam Allardyce has spoken to the assembled media ahead of Saturdays clash against Cardiff City
WHUFC.com
10.01.2014
Sam Allardyce has spoken to the assembled press ahead of Saturday's Barclays Premier League match against Cardiff City. The West Ham United manager was in defiant mood as he answered questions surrounding the mood at the Club, Andy Carroll's possible return and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's appointment at the Bluebirds.
Morning Sam, is Andy Carroll in the squad for Saturday?
SA: "Andy's been training okay. We've got to talk to the lads who are looking after him and see if he's ready. Obviously it's a bit of a calculated risk if that is the case. We're going to see how training goes today and then make a decision from there."
Are you tempted to put him in as it would be a boost to the team and to the fans?
SA: "If everything goes okay and according to plan then I have to make a decision based on all the information I get on whether Andy's feeling fine and training well, but he hasn't had a game since last May. There's never going to be a level of match fitness he gets to. Ideally we'd like to progress it a little slower but based on the circumstances, in terms of where we are, then it may be a calculated risk which I'm prepared to take."
So he'll be in the squad but not in the team?
SA: "Not in the team, no, but in the squad."
Can I ask you about Ishak Befodil the Inter Milan striker?
SA: "We're trying, we've been trying for several weeks. Certainly I thought I would be talking about one player today that we would have had in the country and signed or nearly signed but that fell into some paperwork problems yesterday. All the players you're talking about we are interested in but we haven't clinched any significant deals as of this moment in time."
Is the paperwork problem for Lacina Traore?
SA: "That's all about a work permit if that's to progress on the basis of in this country it would have to be a tribunal for that situation, so that's what we'll progress with as quickly as possible."
Can I ask you a little about your difficulties at the moment, has this been one of the worst weeks in your professional life?
SA: "It hasn't been the best, that's for sure. It's a number of weeks to be honest with you. Every time you don't get a result, every time you lose a football match and every time it gets more difficult. You've got to try and work your way out of it, guide the players out of it and most importantly stay strong as a manager. We've got to keep delivering to the players what we know works and continue in our ultimate goal to get results as quick as we possibly can.
"We will have James Tomkins back in the squad which is a big boost for us. James Collins is close, but not quite there and unfortunately on Wednesday night Joey O'Brien got injured so it doesn't clear our problems, it's forever continuing. We get one back and one seems to pick up another injury at the moment. It is good to have James back in the squad because central defence has been the real big issue in terms of how the results have been affected recently."
In your email to the fans you've come out fighting after the defeat to Manchester City but you haven't apologised, do you feel you should apologise?
SA: "I said before the game at Nottingham Forest that due to huge difficulties I had within the squad point of view and I would be playing a number of young players and obviously it was too much for those young players. It was to keep my squad for Manchester City as fit as we possibly could, to play against the best team in the Premier League at home. "The best team in the Premier League at home beat us 6-0, beat Norwich City 7-0, beat Arsenal 6-3, beat Manchester United 4-1, so in reality it wasn't a shock result. It's not a shock result. It's not a result you want, it's a result that comes on the back of Nottingham Forest so that built up the pressure around you. You have to accept it and move on. We did the best we possibly could and that wasn't good enough on the day because of the size and quality of an outstanding Manchester City team."
We know the injury problems you've had, but how much responsibility do you think the players take for the position the team is in?
SA: "We all have to take responsibility because we all don't want to lose the football matches that we've lost. We've always been focused on improving our goalscoring ability and increasing that in January. Since the loss of our central defensive unit, where we kept eight clean sheets in the first 14 matches, that was the basis of having the ultimate basics to get out of the situation which we are in. Since those central defensive partnerships have been lost that has caused us to lose and concede too many goals. We have to get back to that clean sheet mentality and we can do that we get the central defensive partnership back and hopefully improve on our goal scoring ability."
Are the players showing the commitment and passion that a lot of people are questioning?
SA: "Manchester City spent £200 million or more, I had nine free transfers playing at one stage or another on Wednesday night. That's the gulf. They are committed enough. You can't question their commitment. It's an easy thing to say. The other easy thing to say by people in the outside world is that you've lost the dressing room, that goes hand-in-hand. Then there's another easy thing to say that they're not fit enough and then all that rubbish gets banded about.
"They're in a lack of confidence mode at the moment, I can tell you that. They're obviously very distraught about the way things have gone but we have to lift ourselves up. The past is the past and the most important thing is the Cardiff game tomorrow. It's a massive, massive game for us, much bigger than Manchester City, as much as we'd like to try and get to a Wembley final. Cardiff is now our focus and then after that Newcastle."
Cardiff have a new manager in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, what sort of boost do you think he'll have on the club?
SA: "I'd like to first and foremost reiterate what a lot of managers have said and what a lot of people in football have said about the fantastic job that Malky Mackay did. Malky Mackay, in mine and many others opinion, did not fail at Cardiff. He did a fantastic job and it was other issues which I thought rather than what happened in terms of performance and commitment on the field from him and his players. He's a very unfortunate man to be sat where he is at this moment in time. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is an untried young manager who has got a big opportunity to try and prove and continue success which he had abroad. It'll be very interesting to see how he develops Cardiff and how he handles the situation of managing in the Barclays Premier League, something that he feels he's capable of doing and time will tell whether he's successful or whether he isn't. Good luck to him, it's a very good opportunity for him and obviously he'll want to stamp his own style on the team as quick as he possibly can."
With Cardiff having so many troubles behind the scenes, does it make you thankful that this is a more traditional club?
SA: "When I first came here the stability of David Sullivan and David Gold you can see for yourselves. They don't panic too quickly, they haven't had too many managers over a long period of running football clubs."
With this being Solskjaer's first game in the Premier League, do you think it will give you a slight advantage on Saturday?
SA: "My problem is making sure that my players try to go and believe that they can win this game. We won't have as much information as we would have if Malky had still been in charge. He may change the team that Malky was more inclined to pick, he may decide on a different system. We'll have to adapt to that. They had a very good result against Newcastle which has given them a lot of confidence and has boosted them going into this game.
"They'll know, as we know, what a massive game it is for both of us. It's the ultimate six-pointer. I would like to think we'd get some more success out of this one because in these types of games we have failed too many times. We didn't get anything against Crystal Palace, we didn't get anything against Norwich, we've failed too many times and we need to be successful in this one. We need to beat the teams in and around us and we need to start tomorrow against Cardiff."
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Ticket discounts announced
WHUFC.com
West Ham United fans can take advantage of a range of new ticket deals for upcoming games
09.01.2014
West Ham United are pleased to confirm that the Capital One Cup semi-final against Manchester City will now be a 'Kids for a Quid' fixture. The second leg of the semi-final on Tuesday 21 January has been set as a 'Kids for a Quid' game, meaning any number of Under-16s can get into the ground for just £1 when accompanied by an adult.*
To thank fans for their unwavering support in following the Hammers over land and sea, the Club will also be offering a £10 discount on match tickets for three crucial upcoming Barclays Premier League away games. Following extensive consultation with the Supporter Advisory Board, the Club will offer the discounts on the Premier League trips to Chelsea**, Stoke City and Sunderland to help soften the financial burden on those following the Hammers on their travels.
The trips to Stamford Bridge on 29 January, the Britannia Stadium on 15 March and the Stadium of Light a fortnight later will each be subject to the discount, meaning more Hammers fans should have the chance to follow the team at some of the most important remaining games.
This discount is offered as part of the Premier League's Away Fans' Fund, designed, in part, to reduce costs for away supporters. West Ham have already announced they are providing a host of offers, incentives and actions exclusively aimed at travelling supporters, including affordable tickets, reduced-price coach travel and enhanced matchday experiences.
That includes the commitment to six Kids for a Quid Premier League fixtures at the Boleyn Ground during the 2013/14 season, as well as the significant benefits of reduced booking fees, ticket prices and coach travel for Season Ticket holders and members.
An extensive rundown of all that the Club are doing in this regard can be read here.
West Ham United players and staff are hugely grateful to all those who take the time, effort and money to follow the Club away from home, even more so when the Club are experiencing tough times on the pitch. Your support, as loud and proud as ever, is invaluable, and we will continue to do all that we can to reward your loyalty wherever possible. Further details of the ticket discounts will be covered in whufc.com's ticket section in due course.
*Please note, any fan that has already purchased an Under-16 ticket for the Manchester City game will automatically have the difference refunded using their previous payment method.
**All Away Season Ticket Holders and supporters who have already purchased tickets for Chelsea will automatically receive the appropriate refund.
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Chadwell Chatter
WHUFC.com
Mark Noble reflects on a tough week and looks ahead to Saturday's trip to Cardiff
10.01.2014
Hello everyone,
I want to start by talking about you - our superb supporters.
I have been at West Ham United for so many years now and I have come to the point where I expect nothing less than the support you have given us this week, and throughout my time here - I know how good you are, as does every player at this Club. It is the same at every away game. Some of our away games feel like home games because you are so loud. We do appreciate the support you give us all over the country. We had 2,500 there at City and even more at Forest and we know it has been tough for you all. Hopefully we can change it around for you and give you all something to cheer about.
Wednesday was a painful night. In the first ten minutes or so we did OK. We knew that they were going to keep the ball and we've all seen over the past six months what they can do to teams on home soil - teams like Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham. We had three or four corners in the opening few minutes and didn't really make anything of them. Then, for all their little short passing play, Yaya Toure got it, put a long ball down the middle and Alvaro Negredo has produced a great finish. It probably shouldn't have happened. As soon as you go 1-0 down at City, it's a tough place to play. They're a top side and we got punished. They got a goal and then got a second and then, how can I say it, they go into an 'enjoyment mode'. They just enjoyed keeping the ball and playing. We tried to go and press them, but then they went bang, bang, bang and it was 3-0. From there, it was near on impossible to get back from that, especially at their stadium.
At home, City are exceptional. What they have done to teams this season has been exceptional. They've demolished teams. Norwich and Spurs went there and conceded six, Man U got beaten 4-1 and they hit six goals against Arsenal, so if it's any consolation, it's that. Still, I'm proud and don't like losing. The cup is now the least of our problems - we need to start getting points in the Premier League, starting at Cardiff on Saturday.
Obviously a lot of things have come at the wrong time. We're struggling in the league, but then we went to Forest and rested some of the senior players and got beaten in a bad way, then we went to City with a stronger team and got beaten comfortably again. We've just got to pick ourselves up and forget about those games and show a bit of pride. We need men to turn up on Saturday and get points for the Club.
Hopefully we can get some of our key players back. We've got Winston Reid out, Ginge out, Tonks out and obviously big Andy out and a few others. Hopefully we can get some of them back because we know we have got the ability to do it, but it just isn't happening at the minute. We need to address that and get some points on Saturday.
One player who has really stood up this week has been Adrian, our goalkeeper. I was looking at him in the dressing room after the City game and I felt really sorry for him, to be honest. He played at Forest and it was a tough game for him, then he went to City on Wednesday and let another six goals in, but it would have been a lot more embarrassing if it wasn't for him.
Adrian should be proud of himself. He has played his first few games in English football and I'm sure he'll be a better goalkeeper for it. While the result didn't go our way, I was pleased to be back on the pitch on Wednesday and I hope to start again on Saturday at Cardiff. I had a problem with the muscle down the side of my shin from the West Brom game and I tried to play at Fulham, but it wasn't right. I rested it for a few days and had a lot of treatment to play on Wednesday. I played for 60 minutes but once their goals went in the best bet was to bring me off and look forward to the Cardiff game. I didn't have any reaction, so I'll train on Friday and be raring to go for Saturday.
To those of you travelling to Cardiff, have a safe journey and let's all stick together, because we can turn this around.
Come on you Irons!
Mark
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Makasi eyes more wins
WHUFC.com
Moses Makasi is determined to help stretch the U18s unbeaten run to eleven games on Saturday
10.01.2014
Moses Makasi is eager to help keep the Under-18s' unbeaten run going when they play Southampton at on Saturday. Steve Potts' team have gone an incredible ten Barclays U18 Premier League games without defeat, a run which has included eight victories. The unbeaten run has catapulted the Hammers up to third in the table ahead of their trip to play the Saints and the midfielder is expecting a tough game after a 1-1 draw with the south coast side earlier in the season.
He told West Ham TV: "It's going to be another close game. The last time we played them it was a good, close game but I reckon we should have got the three points. "This time we're going to go down there with a lot of confidence and hopefully we can get the three points."
Makasi and his teammates were also boosted by their showing for the Development Squad, albeit in a losing cause, against Chelsea in the U21 Premier League Cup. A team made up entirely of the Club's U18s and U16s battled hard against an experienced Chelsea side in a 2-1 defeat and Makasi feels they did themselves justice. "We're proud of the performance. We weren't really expected to get a result when we went down to Chelsea U21s because of some of the players they have. "They've got players like Lewis Baker, Nathan Ake, who's got first team and Europa League experience, so we went down there with the mindset that it would be a good experience for us and a chance to get U21 football under our belts. "I think on the whole we stepped up and showed we were ready for the challenge."
During the match, held at Aldershot's Electrical Services Stadium, the young Hammers recovered from going a goal down after just six minutes to equalise through Jerry Amoo and then battle hard in search of a leveller. Makasi believes the team's performance showed the kind of team spirit which has helped them compile their unbeaten run. "There was a big difference. The game was a lot quicker [than U18s], the movements were a lot sharper so we had to be on our game for the team to do well. "It says a lot about the team. We're near the top of the league right now so we've developed that winning mentality and when we concede a goal we believe we can get a goal back quickly and we don't let our heads drop. "Everyone works hard for each other and if someone's out of position then there's always someone to cover them so the team spirit has been very important."
The team haven't tasted defeat in the league since September 2013 and Makasi is hoping their form can act as a springboard for greater success in 2014.
"I know that we've got a strong team and we've got a good group of coaches behind the team. We went up to play for the U21s, now that we're back in the U18s we've got to play well and who knows, we could go on and win the league."
The U18s match with Southampton will be held at the Saints' training ground, Staplewood, and kicks off at 11am.
*Goalkeeper Sam Howes has been included in the England U18 squad for an international friendly double-header with Belgium on Tuesday 28 January and Thursday 30 January at St George's Park.
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Hammers go sub-zero
WHUFC.com
West Ham United have gone sub-zero in their preparations for Saturday's trip to Cardiff City
10.01.2014
West Ham United's players have continued their preparations for Saturday's Barclays Premier League trip to Cardiff City with the use of cryotherapy. On Thursday, the first-team players visited the cryotherapy - cold therapy - chamber to help them to recover from a busy period that saw the Hammers contest seven league and cup matches in 22 days. The portable chamber, which visited Chadwell Heath, is as an alternative to jumping in an ice bath. Players spent 30 seconds in the initial chamber at minus 63C (minus 81F) and then three minutes at temperatures of minus 135C (minus 211F) in the main chamber This treatment aids recovery in the players' muscles. The Hammers have used cryotherapy regularly since manager Sam Allardyce arrived at the Club in the summer of 2011. After initially using the process to help with the rehabilitation of injured players, the chamber is now also used to help them to recover more quickly following intense periods on the fixture list.
"This is something we have used for two-and-a-half years now," confirmed head of sport science and sport medicine Andy Rolls. "With so many games in a short space of time, we have been taking the players into the chamber with the idea that the extreme cold temperature almost shocks the body and pulls the blood inwards to the vital organs and then when it comes out to the muscles it has a flushing out effect and removes any debris from the muscles left by excess work. "This has been shown to help the body to recover so, with a number of players close to making their return to first-team duty, we intend to continue using this throughout the remainder of the season, when the need arises. "Ice and cold therapy has something that has always been used to reduce swelling. We regularly use ice baths and cryotherapy has been shown to be beneficial and a number of the players believe it has really helped them. "Over a the course of a season, if you are always doing the recovery sessions on a bike or in swimming pool it is nice to do something different and this has been good for team-building. "The players have to dress up in protective clothing, including masks, hats and gloves to prevent frostbite or the sweat from burning the skin, so it's good for team spirit and morale. "It has to be taken seriously but it has a fun side as well."
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Cardiff v West Ham
KO 15:00
10 January 2014
Last updated at 11:45
By Alistair Mann
BBC Match of the Day commentator
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: Cardiff City Stadium Date: Saturday, 11 January
TEAM NEWS
Cardiff City could hand a debut to new signing Magnus Wolff Eikrem, the Norway international signed from Dutch side Heerenveen in midweek. Craig Bellamy may figure after two months out with knee and ankle trouble.
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce says he will make a "calculated" decision on whether to recall Andy Carroll after an eight-month absence with a foot injury.
Carroll, who last played in May, could join defender James Tomkins in returning to the Hammers side.
MATCH PREVIEW
In my early commentary career I recall describing a 6-0 home defeat for Burnley against Manchester City, which came three days after a 5-0 loss for the Clarets at the hands of Gillingham. Their manager Stan Ternent, who had only been appointed at the beginning of that campaign, seemed on borrowed time but the Turf Moor board kept faith despite the calamitous results. Ternent turned it around and lasted five more years. "These are tough times for Sam Allardyce and at the moment they look beaten before they even start games. They were abysmal against City on Wednesday and they are far too easy to beat. "I am sure the owners mean it when they say they are backing him but the problem Allardyce has is that, if he goes to Cardiff and gets beaten by three or four goals, then their feelings could change very quickly."
And so, as a very different City once again thumped a team famously claret in midweek, with West Ham conceding their 11th goal in just a few days, Burnley's nightmare week sprang to mind. This time, Sam Allardyce is the manager in the spotlight and, like Ternent, has received the board's backing. In truth, there's probably no greater contrast than between the two opposing managers who will come face to face at the Cardiff City Stadium this weekend. In the home dug out, a relative novice in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, presiding over his first ever Premier League game, having begun his new job with a stunning FA Cup win at Newcastle. The ovation likely to be afforded to the former Manchester United striker as he makes his home bow will only serve to highlight the uneasiness which will greet Allardyce. That said, their teams are similar, not least in terms of their stuttering form: The Bluebirds have one win in seven, the Hammers are without a league win since November. Though the hosts reside above their opponents, a West Ham win would lift them above Cardiff on goal difference. On the back of their phenomenal victory at St James' Park, the momentum is sure to be with Cardiff and, bearing in mind West Ham's continuing lengthy list of absentees, it could be another distinctly uncomfortable afternoon for Allardyce. For the record, Ternent completed his miserable week with a third straight defeat, albeit only 1-0 this time!
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
West Ham were 2-0 winners in the reverse fixture on the opening day of the season.
The Hammers have won the last four league encounters without conceding a goal, including the 2011-12 play-off semi-finals.
Cardiff were knocked out of the League Cup by West Ham in September.
Cardiff City
Cardiff have lost three of the last four matches (D1) in the league.
Their tally of 15 goals is the joint-second lowest in the division.
The Bluebirds have conceded the first goal in 12 of 20 league matches this season.
They have also failed to score in 10, the joint most in the league.
West Ham United
The Hammers have lost their last six away games, including Saturday's 5-0 defeat by Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup and 6-0 loss at Manchester City in the League Cup.
West Ham have only earned two points from their last seven league matches.
They have dropped more points from winning positions than any other Premier League team (14).
Kevin Nolan has scored in three of his last four appearances against Cardiff.
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Sam Allardyce prepared to take Andy Carroll gamble at Cardiff
BBC.co.uk
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce says he is willing to take a "calculated risk" on striker Andy Carroll for Saturday's "massive" game at Cardiff. Carroll, 25, has not played this season because of a foot injury. But with the Hammers second from bottom in the Premier League, Allardyce said Carroll could play a part. "Ideally we would like to progress it a little slower but based on where we are it may be a calculated risk we're prepared to take," he said. Carroll scored seven goals for West Ham while on loan from Liverpool last season, but has been troubled by injury problems after making a record £15m move to Upton Park in the summer. The Hammers face 17th-placed Cardiff having been thrashed 5-0 by Championship side Nottingham Forest last Sunday and 6-0 by Manchester City in their Capital One Cup semi-final first leg. And the manner of defeat led a section of supporters to voice their disapproval towards Allardyce, who has received public and private backing from co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold. Allardyce, who received an extension to his contract last summer keeping him at the club until 2015, has said he will keep on fighting as his side aim to overturn a run of one win in their last 10 games in their attempt to avoid relegation. But although he thanked Gold and Sullivan for their support, when asked if he would survive a defeat at Cardiff, he replied: "I don't know, I will talk to you about that after we have played Cardiff." Cardiff are two places above West Ham in the table but have been buoyed by a first win for new boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Newcastle in the FA Cup last Saturday.
Allardyce, who said he was trying to sign Inter Milan striker Ishak Belfodil, explained that his team's problems had come from a lack of defensive cover, revealing that full-back Joey O'Brien had joined centre-backs Winston Reid and James Collins on the injured list. But the 59-year-old said defender James Tomkins was back in the squad and he denied claims his players had not been committed in their last two games where they have conceded 11 goals. The former Newcastle, Blackburn and Bolton boss said: "[The players] are committed, you can't question the commitment. It's an easy thing to say. "The other easy thing to say by people in the outside world, is you've lost the dressing room, that goes hand in hand, then another easy thing to say is they are not fit enough. There's a lot of rubbish that gets bounded around. "They are in a lack of confidence mode at the minute, I can tell you that, they are distraught about the way things are but we have to lift ourselves up. The Cardiff game is a massive game, in many ways much bigger than the Manchester City game."
On the fans turning against him at Manchester City on Wednesday, he added: "It's always difficult. When the club isn't doing as well as they think it should they will turn and show their disapproval, that's an acceptable fact of management today." And Allardyce said of his pursuit of 21-year-old Algerian forward Belfodil. "We are trying. We have been trying for several weeks to be successful with one or two players. I thought I would be talking about one player at least today which we would have had in the country and signed but that fell into some paperwork problems."
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Striker deal hits 'paperwork' problem
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 10th January 2014
By: Staff Writer
Monaco striker Lacina Traore should be a West Ham player by next week, according to Sam Allardyce. The 6'8" hitman joined the French club from Russian outfit Anzhi last week and is set to move to West Ham on loan for the remainder of the current campaign - once certain issues with his proposed work permit have been resolved. "We're trying, we've been trying for several weeks," Allardyce told the press this morning when asked about his search for a new striker. "I thought I would be talking today about one player that we would have signed - or nearly signed - but that fell into some paperwork problems yesterday."
West Ham - who have also agreed terms with Milan striker Ishak Belfodil - should discover by next Monday whether their application for a permit for Traore has been successful. "In this country, it would have to be a tribunal for that situation so that's what we'll progress with as quickly as possible," confirmed the manager. In the meantime, Allardyce - who confirmed that "we haven't clinched any significant deals as of this moment in time" - continues to seek to address the many issues with his unbalanced squad.
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Andy Carroll in the frame for Cardiff
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 10th January 2014
By: Staff Writer
Sam Allardyce has revealed that Andy Carroll could be involved in the first team squad that travels to Cardiff this weekend. The club's record signing is yet to kick a ball in anger this season but is set to be included in the 18-man squad that travels to South Wales later today. "If everything goes according to plan then I have to make a decision based on all the information I get on whether Andy's feeling fine and training well," revealed Allardyce, speaking to the press at Chadwell Heath this morning. "Ideally we'd like to progress it a little slower but based on the circumstances, in terms of where we are, then it may be a calculated risk which I'm prepared to take. Not in the team, no, but in the squad. "We've got to talk to the lads who are looking after him and see if he's ready. Obviously it's a bit of a calculated risk if that is the case. We're going to see how training goes today and then make a decision from there."
Allardyce also revealed that James Tomkins - who was in court yesterday to face an assault charge - is back in contention having regained full fitness, although there are still one or two injury concerns with fellow members of the defensive unit. "James Collins is close, but not quite there and unfortunately on Wednesday night Joey O'Brien got injured. We get one back and one seems to pick up another injury at the moment. But it is good to have James back in the squad because central defence has been the real big issue in terms of how the results have been affected recently." Tomkins is set to partner West Ham's latest signing, Roger Johnson, in the centre of defence when they face the Bluebirds tomorrow.
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Redknapp backs Allardyce
KUMB,.com
Filed: Friday, 10th January 2014
By: Staff Writer
Former Hammers boss Harry Redknapp insists that Sam Allardyce will get it right at West Ham. The current Queens Park Rangers boss is one of several potential candidates to replace Allardyce and considered by some bookies as the favourite to replace the current incumbent, whose job is hanging by a thread following the humiliating 5-0 and 6-0 defeats at Nottingham Forest and Manchester City respectively. But speaking to the press ahead of Rangers' Championship meeting with Ipswich this weekend, Redknapp asseverated his belief that Allaryce will turn it around at West Ham. "Sam has just been so unlucky. You can't lose your central defenders and your strikers – the team's been decimated," he said. "I don't know what he can do. I look at the team and it hasn't been good enough because he's lost or four or five of his best players. You take four or five players out of any team in the country and they'll be nowhere near what they were. "When everyone's fit I think he's got a team that would finish middle of the table. There's no-one better than Sam around to get them out of the situation they're in. He just needs a bit of luck now. He needs his centre-halves and Andy Carroll to get fit. If he gets them back, Sam's your man – he's excellent at his job. "When Sam gets those players back I'm sure they'll survive. It's a great club with fantastic support and I think they've got good owners who love the club and have the right manager."
* Redknapp was manager of West Ham between 1994 and 2001. He was fired by former Chairman Terry Brown after his final season (2000/01) saw the Club finish in 16th place, narrowly avoiding relegation.
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Sam Allardyce refuses to apologise and calls on West Ham to stay strong
Last Updated: 10/01/14 11:26am
SSN
Sam Allardyce has refused to apologise for West Ham's two cup thrashings in the last week and called on everyone at the club to stay strong during their difficult run. The Hammers travel to Cardiff on Saturday on the back of a 5-0 FA Cup reverse at Nottingham Forest and 6-0 Capital One Cup capitulation at Manchester City having not won in the league since beating Fulham at the end of November. They currently sit second-bottom of the Premier League - three points behind Saturday's opponents - and when asked if he should say sorry, he replied: "For what? "I said before the Forest game that we had huge difficulties from a squad point of view and we would be playing a number of young players and obviously that was too much for those young players. "It hasn't been the best week or a number of weeks for me. Every time you lose a football match it gets more and more difficult. You have to stay strong as a manager and guide the players out of a difficult position. We all have to take responsibility for the situation because we all don't want to lose the football matches we've lost."
"The best team in the Premier League at home beat us 6-0. They beat Norwich 7-0, beat Arsenal 6-3, beat Manchester United 4-1, so in reality it is not a shock result. "It's not a result that you want, it's a result that comes on the back of the Forest result so that builds up the pressure around you. You have to accept it and move on. I'm still here and still fighting. "It hasn't been the best week or a number of weeks for me. Every time you lose a football match it gets more and more difficult. "You have to stay strong as a manager and guide the players out of a difficult position. We all have to take responsibility for the situation because we all don't want to lose the football matches we've lost."
Allardyce hopes to have Andy Carroll available in south Wales and admits he may be tempted to take a risk with the striker's fitness. "Andy is training okay and we have to talk to the lads who are looking after him on whether he's ready or not. "We'll look at him in training today and then take a decision from there. It may be a calculated risk I'm prepared to take."
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has told us he won't apologise to the fans for their two cup defeats last week. Having shipped 11 goals in their last two games, Allardyce is delighted to have James Tomkins back in the squad. "The central defensive position has been a problem recently," he added. "Since the central defensive partnerships have been lost through injury, we have lost our clean sheets, we have to get back to that. "The most important thing is Cardiff. It's a massive, massive match for us. Malky Mackay did a fantastic job at Cardiff and he is a very unfortunate man to have been sacked there. "Now Solskjaer has a great chance in the Premier League to build on his success abroad, and he'll stamp his own mark on the team."
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West Ham's move for Ishak Belfodil hits stumbling block
Last Updated: 10/01/14 1:28pm
SSN
Sky Sports understands West Ham's pursuit of Ishak Belfodil has hit a stumbling block. West Ham had agreed an initial loan deal with Inter, but Belfodil is co-owned by Parma - which is where the problems have emerged. Parma want the move to be permanent because they want their share of any potential transfer fee now. So as things stand Parma, who own 50 per cent of the player, are holding up this deal. West Ham are also trying to sign Lacina Traore, who joined Monaco from Anzhi Makhachkala earlier this month, and they will have a work-permit hearing for him next week.
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Cardiff face West Ham in crucial clash at the bottom of the table
Last Updated: 10/01/14 11:46am
SSN
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's first Premier League match in charge of Cardiff City pits him against an experienced manager under severe pressure as Sam Allardyce takes his West Ham United side to Wales for a vital encounter in the relegation battle. Both sides are battling for their top-flight survival and there are currently just three points between them, with West Ham languishing inside the bottom three and Cardiff perched precariously just above. Malky Mackay's efforts were not enough to keep him in a job at Cardiff and Solskjaer was handed the reins by owner Vincent Tan after watching their 2-0 defeat by Arsenal on New Year's Day. He made an ideal start as the Bluebirds beat Newcastle United 2-1 last weekend to progress in the FA Cup, but the Norwegian's main challenge is to keep the club up and he faces a potentially pivotal January. As well as trying to strengthen his squad, Solskjaer has trips to Manchester City and former club Manchester United to come before the end of the month, so he will be desperate to pick up three points against West Ham and end a four-match winless streak.
West Ham have had to wait even longer since their last victory, having not tasted success in the league in seven matches to plummet down the standings.
A 2-1 loss to fellow strugglers Fulham left them three points adrift of safety, and Cardiff, and a couple of cup outings have provided further misery rather than the desired respite. The Hammers were thrashed 5-0 by Championship side Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup last weekend, before going down 6-0 to a rampant Manchester City in the first leg of their Capital One Cup semi-final on Wednesday. Allardyce has vowed to battle on and has so far received the backing of his owners, and will be confident of turning the corner if key players return from injury and the right men can be signed in the transfer window.
Paul Merson's prediction
This is the biggest game of the whole season so far. Whoever loses here could be relegated. If Cardiff lose this match then West Ham will go above them on goal difference and then they are unlikely to get anything from their next two games against Man United and Man City. They could be stuck in the bottom three and that will be demoralising. However, if they win then they will be six points clear of West Ham and will most likely still be above them after those two tough games. That's why this is massive. If Sam Allardyce got the sack then any other team at the bottom would take him, but he's in a major rut with West Ham. They are missing centre-backs, which is a real problem, and they've got no centre-forward. They've had bad luck, but the way they've lost matches is really not good. They've brought in Roger Johnson, who can't get in a League One team and has been on loan at a team near the bottom of the Championship. That shows you where West Ham are at the moment and I've got to go for Cardiff.
I really hope West Ham don't go down though because their fans are a different class - just look at how many went to Nottingham Forest and Man City this week!
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-0
Cardiff
Last 6
Newcastle (a)1-2
Arsenal (a)2-0
Sunderland (h)2-2
Southampton (h)0-3
Liverpool (a)3-1
1-0
Solskjaer has confirmed that Craig Bellamy is fit and will be in the squad to face West Ham, having recovered from the knee problem that has kept him sidelined for a couple of months. New signing Magnus Wolff Eikrem is available following his arrival from Heerenveen but is unlikely to start.
West Ham
Last 6
Man City (a)6-0
5-0
Fulham (a)2-1
West Brom (h)3-3
Arsenal (h)1-3
Man Utd (a)3-1
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce has yet to decide whether to take a 'calculated risk' on Andy Carroll and put the striker in his squad for the trip to Cardiff following his return to training after a long-term heel injury. Centre-back James Tomkins is back following a groin problem but Winston Reid (ankle), and James Collins (groin) remain sidelined and captain Kevin Nolan is still suspended.
Opta facts
Cardiff have only won one of their last 10 home meetings with West Ham in all competitions (D3 L6).
The Welsh side are the only team in the Premier League yet to win a penalty this season. They are yet to concede one as well.
Of West Ham managers to take control of 5+ Premier League games, only Avram Grant (18.9%) has a lower win percentage than Sam Allardyce (25.9%).
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ANOTHER GOALSCORER SLIPS THROUGH THE WEST HAM NET
By Iain Dale 10 Jan 2014 at 14:33
West Ham Till I Die
Jermain Defoe. Toronto. WTF? Why on earth at the age of 31 would a proven Premier League goalscorer go and play for a club in a league which is equivalent to League 1? OK, OK., it's no doubt all about money.
But perhaps more pertinently, why isn't he heading back to East London? We need a goalscorer. He's a goalscorer. Was he ever approached, or were his financial demands to much? I guess we will never know, but I would have welcomed him back with open arms.
The biggest mystery is how a team which can't seem to score goals (I'm talking about Spurs!) would let him go. Bizarre.
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Robbie Savage: West Ham's Sam Allardyce should be hammered over their FOREST loss
Jan 09, 2014 22:300
West Ham are not the first London club to concede six goals at the Etihad this season. And although I doubt if it makes for a tense second leg in the Capital One Cup semi-finals, losing 6-0 away to Manchester City in Wednesday's first leg won't make a huge difference to the Hammers' season. But I am baffled - absolutely staggered - that Irons boss Sam Allardyce ran up the white flag and fielded such a weak team in getting beaten 5-0 at Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup third round last weekend. It was an insult to the competition and an insult to the West Ham fans who travelled in big numbers to the City Ground. Managers talk about their players being tired, but I'm not having that. Not in a million years. Players would much rather play three games in a week than train every day – if you're winning, it makes the weeks fly past, and if you lose, you only have to wait three days to put it right. I have never understood the mentality of clubs who treat the FA Cup as a chore or an inconvenience. No disrespect, but West Ham are not going to win the title or get in the Champions League, so the domestic cups are their only realistic chances of glory. Given Man City's impregnable form at home this season, Allardyce would have been better served by fielding his strongest possible team at Forest and then taking his chances at the Etihad. A home tie against Championship Ipswich or League One's Preston in the fourth round would have been more attractive than disgruntled fans calling for Big Sam's head. And what's left of West Ham's season now?
No chance of a trip to Wembley, just a grim relegation battle - you can almost feel the excitement in the East End.
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Sam Allardyce may be forced into ''calculated risk'' by bringing Andy Carroll back early from injury
Jan 10, 2014 11:54 By Bruce Archer 0 Comments
The Mirror
West Ham's under-fire boss Sam Allardyce has admitted he may be forced into a "calculated risk" in accelerating Andy Carroll's return to the first team as the Hammers face Cardiff this weekend. The relegation strugglers are without a Premier league win since the end of November - a 3-0 victory over Fulham - and have dropped to second bottom in the table. And speaking ahead of Saturday's game, the Hammers boss says he could rush his £15million signing back from injury - but only after consulting medical staff. He explained: "Andy is training ok and we have to talk to the lads who are looking after him on whether he's ready or not. "We'll look at him in training today and then take a decision from there. It may be a calculated risk I'm prepared to take." Allardyce was hounded by travelling fans at the Etihad on Wednesday night in the Capital One Cup tie where he saw his side beaten 6-0 by a rampant Manchester City side, following on from their 5-0 FA Cup defeat at the hands of Championship side Nottingham Forest. Carroll, Allardyce's summer signing, is yet to play this season due to a heel injury. The former Newcastle man hit seven league goals for the Hammers last season during a loan spell from Liverpool, while last season's top scorer, Kevin Nolan, has struggled and is currently suspended after his second red card in a matter of weeks. West Ham, in 19th position, head to fellow strugglers Cardiff, themselves in 17th just four points above the east London club in what will be new boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's first taste of Premier League management - having guided the Bluebirds to FA Cup victory over Newcastle United last weekend. Allardyce added: "My most important two games now are Cardiff City and Newcastle, before we get to the second leg. That is the biggest and major concern for me, getting up and getting the lads ready for that."
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Sam Allardyce right man for West Ham - Jason Roberts
By Alistair Magowan
BBC Sport
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce can lead the Hammers out of relegation trouble, according to Reading striker Jason Roberts. Roberts played under Allardyce during the manager's two years at Blackburn between 2008 and 2010. West Ham are second from bottom in the Premier League ahead of a trip to 17th-placed Cardiff on Saturday. "If the board and the fans stay supportive, I think he will turn it around," Roberts told BBC Sport. "If West Ham had another manager and found themselves in this situation, people would say you need an Allardyce-type manager to come in. "Some people might say that he has got them into this position but I would point them to the injuries he has had defensively and with Andy Carroll."
West Ham have won only one of their last 10 games and suffered a 5-0 thrashing in the FA Cup by Nottingham Forest last Sunday and were thumped 6-0 by Manchester City in the Capital One Cup last Wednesday. Allardyce, 59, was targeted by furious Hammers fans during the defeat at the Etihad Stadium, but he still retains the support of co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan. The former Blackburn boss arrived at Ewood Park in similar circumstances in 2008 after replacing sacked manager Paul Ince. Rovers were second from bottom of the Premier League and Roberts said he had a huge impact before they finished 15th that season, seven points above the relegation zone. "One of the main things he does when things are tough is to try and simplify things," said Roberts, who spent six seasons at Blackburn between 2006 and 2012. "Football can be a simple game and Sam Allardyce has a really good way of simplifying it the eighth degree. "Put the ball forward, win second balls, win free-kicks, get the ball in the box, put the opposition under pressure, I think that's what the games will be focused on. "He will also try and take the pressure off the players; he is very much into the scientific side of the game but he is also into the psychological side so he will try and relax the players, try and bring it down to the fact that is just a football match, and try to gain some camaraderie among them. "He may have a strong word for one or two that need it, but mainly make sure they are focused on the fact it is all about the 90 minutes and they can make a difference."
Roberts believes that the manner of defeat by City was uncharacteristic for Allardyce, whose sides are usually associated with a strong defence, but pointed to injured defenders James Collins and Winston Reid who will miss Saturday's trip to Cardiff. He also highlighted how West Ham have missed Carroll as a "focal point for their attack" and who could return on Saturday after a foot injury. But Roberts, who scored 28 goals for Rovers in 156 appearances, also revealed the motivating techniques Allardyce might use during a tough spell. "He understands that to be an effective manager, you need to make an impact on the players," injured forward Roberts added. "What he would do is not be around for a few days and then turn up and make an impact around the place because the manager is in the building. When you didn't see the manager for a few days and then he turned up really motivated and shouting the odds, it gives people an edge. "He also had the mentality that when things were going well, work was the best place in the world. It was very relaxed, days off for some of the guys, getting together with days out and the like. "When things weren't going well that's when it was a hard place to be. Fingers would be pointed, points would be made and he has a lot of statistics to say whether [or not] you're not doing your job." Roberts added: "He once got us in to watch a video of one of our poorer performances at 6am in the morning."
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Solskjaer gunning for Big Sam
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 10th January 2014
By: Staff Writer
New Cardiff City boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has given his backing to Sam Allardyce - but warned him to expect another beating this weekend. The former Manchester United striker has been in the job for just a matter of days having succeeded Malky Mackay, who was dismissed last month, but got off to the perfect start when he marked his debut with a 2-1 win at Newcastle United in the FA Cup last weekend. Now the man once known as "the baby-faced assassin" wants to heap further misery on West Ham and his opposite number Allardyce when he takes his first ever Premier League match this weekend, where a win is just as vital for Cardiff as it is the Hammers. "This will be my first home game and I'm looking forward to being in that dugout at Cardiff City Stadium," Solskjaer told the press this morning. "I can't wait to experience the atmosphere of playing in front of our fans. "My first Premier League game is very exciting, obviously. When you play the opposition around you in the league it is an important game. We have prepared well and we are ready. "I am in a similar position to Sam Allardyce and West Ham. We are fighting to be top of the second League in the Premier League. Sam has been around a long time and he knows what to do. "When you get into this job you know you are signing a six-game contract. Win, then great. Lose, and you could be out. I've got enough to think about my own team. Big Sam will manage his side and I will manage mine. We will both think we can win it."
Now 40, Solskjaer began his managerial career with Manchester United's reserves, who he worked with between 2008 and 2001. For the next three years he was based in his native Norway with Tippeligaen outfit Molde FK before Cardiff appointed him as their new manager on January 2.
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West Ham wouldn't be in a relegation scrap if Andy Carroll was fit, says Sam Allardcye
Jan 10, 2014 22:30 By Mirror Football 1 Comments
The Mirror
by Alec Shilton
Sam Allardyce reckons West Ham would not be battling the drop had he been able to call upon Andy Carroll this season. The West Ham manager is under intense pressure to turn things around and will rush back his £15m striker at Cardiff. Carroll has not featured since making his moving to Upton Park permanent after twice sustaining heel injuries. And despite the need to ease the forward back into the fold, Allardyce is set to name him on the bench on Saturday. "No, I don't think so," said Allardyce when asked if his team would be in such disarray with a fit and firing Carroll. "The game time on a lot of our major players is less than 50 per cent in most cases. That's difficult for a club like ours, losing the core strength from its major players. "Squads have to step in and step up to the mark, but on a long-term basis that becomes more difficult, particularly with more injuries setting in."
Allardyce emailed the club's supporters promising to "get angry and come out fighting" after the 6-0 drubbing at the hands of Manchester City. The rallying cry came in the wake of the second public backing in a week that co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan had felt the need to issue to irate supporters. The fans' frustrations are understandable with their team sat 19th in the league and with just one win in their last 13 matches. And after conceding 11 goals in two cup matches this week – including five against Nottingham Forest – Allardyce has turned to Carroll to provide him with a timely boost. "I always say that, in the end, the most important thing is that your leading front man will be 50 per cent of your team or more," he added. "If there's nothing wrong with the injury any more, it's a calculated risk with him in the squad trying to get time on the field. "It's a lack of match fitness. As long as they're saying the injury's completely healed and it's all about his match fitness, it may be a risk or a gamble worth taking. "It depends on Andy, how he feels. Certainly it's more about him being back in the squad than actually playing. "The lift of having our major investment, a fantastic centre-forward, a great target man and a really good goalscorer... that's a boost for everyone, just having him back, given where we are at the moment. "It's a boost for the fans and the players. We've waited so long and so patiently for this moment to come. "We all want him back but you can't put the player at too much risk by trying to play him when he's not ready."
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QPR lead chase for Inter striker Belfodil after West Ham drop out of running
By SIMON JONES
PUBLISHED: 22:55, 10 January 2014 | UPDATED: 22:55, 10 January 2014
Daily Mail
QPR are pressing ahead in their bid to take Ishak Belfodil on loan from Inter Milan after West Ham dropped out of the running. The deal for the Algerian is not straight forward though as Parma, who co-own the 21-year-old, want to sell him for £7m with Sassuolo in Italy willing to pay. The player wants to come to England and is interested in joining QPR on loan with a view to a permanent deal in the summer in the hope they will be promoted to the Premier League.
Manager Harry Redknapp said: 'Belfodil is a player who we are interested in. I know that there is also West Ham, but frankly I can't say more, I do not know how things are evolving. Our CEO Phil Beard has developed contacts with Inter, but I can not really say where we are.' Belfodil is expected to fly to London in the next few days for talks if agreement can be reached with Inter and Parma. West Ham have a work permit hearing for Lacina Traore on Monday but are weighing up other targets. Everton's Nikica Jelavic is keen to join them but Everton have better offers from Crystal Palace and Hull while Stoke have also shown interest. QPR are also keen on signing Livingston defender Coll Donaldson, 18. The Scotland Under-19 international enjoyed a spell on trial at QPR last month.
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Sam Allardyce has no regrets about blowing budget on Andy Carroll
• West Ham told there was only a 4% chance of injury recurring
• Striker could be on bench for dogfight at Cardiff City
Dominic Fifield
The Guardian, Friday 10 January 2014 23.00 GMT
Sam Allardyce does not regret ploughing the vast bulk of last summer's transfer budget into the pursuit of Andy Carroll, a player who has yet to kick a ball in anger this season, as West Ham United prepare to welcome the England striker back to the bench for their critical Premier League game at Cardiff.
West Ham spent a club record £15m to make Carroll's loan move from Liverpool permanent despite the 25-year-old having torn the lateral plantar fascia on the outside of his right foot during the final game of last season. According to Allardyce, West Ham were told there was a "4%" chance of a recurrence of the injury, only for the forward to rupture the medial tendon in the same foot in September. He has since spent time with a specialist in Antwerp as part of a lengthy period of rehabilitation.
Yet Carroll has trained well over the last two weeks, with the manager – desperate to improve the mood after one league win in 13 matches and successive 5-0 and 6-0 defeats in the domestic cup competitions – prepared to take the "calculated risk" to restore him to the bench at Cardiff. "If we had our time over again, would we have signed him? Yes, on the information we had," Allardyce said. "It appeared that the risk of re-injury was about 4%. Unfortunately, for us and for him, Andy became one of the 4%. I don't think we'd be in this position if we'd had him fit.
"In the end, your leading front man will (influence) 50% of your team or more. It was proven to be the case for me when I signed Nicolas Anelka for Bolton from Fenerbahce: he contributed to more than 50% of the success we gained from then on. In some cases, the squad behind Nicolas got a bit weaker than it used to be, by players getting older and retiring like Fernando Hierro, Youri Djorkaeff and Jayjay Okocha. But with Nicolas there we ended up competing for the Champions League spots and targeting the top five or six, because he scored goals for us.
Andy Carroll's foot injury has prevented him playing for West Ham since his £15m summer move from Liverpool. Photograph: Ian Walton/Getty Images
"If Manchester United's results are not going for them right now, it's because Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney haven't been there. Manchester City's whole team is brilliant but they've got so many great finishers it makes it easier for them to win matches. They put the ball in the net more than anyone else. You can't find more than one [great finisher] if you're a club like us. Even Arsenal, with Olivier Giroud, don't have too much more after that. What would Liverpool be without Luis Suárez? How difficult would it be without him? We've been without Andy all season. With him, we'd be an awful lot better."
West Ham travel to Cardiff to confront the side immediately above the cut-off with Allardyce's position effectively on the line, for all the messages of support issued this week by the co-chairmen, David Gold and David Sullivan.
The return of James Tomkins from injury has been offset by the loss of Joey O'Brien to a knock suffered at the Etihad Stadium, where the club's support made clear their desire for managerial change. The hope remains that James Collins, Ricardo Vaz Tê – who returned for the under-21s on Friday night – and Winston Reid should all be back in training before the end of the month.
There should be reinforcements by then, too, though Lacina Traoré's work permit request will go to a tribunal next week, while West Ham must still convince Parma to allow them to take Ishak Belfodil on loan from Internazionale. The former own a 50% stake in the player.
"It's been a tough few weeks but I'm still here and I'm still fighting," Allardyce said. "All I do is say why we are where we are, why results are bad. If I'd had a fully fit squad for the Christmas period and the cup games and the results had gone badly, I'd be really worried. I'm confident we'll get the players back to fitness and add to that.
"With Andy it's more about him being back in the squad than actually playing: the lift of having our major investment, a fantastic centre-forward, a great target man and a really good goalscorer … that's a boost for everyone, just having him back, given where we are at the moment. We've waited so long and so patiently for this moment to come. We've been in need of Andy for so many weeks now that the temptation is to try to rush these things, but you can't put the player at too much risk by trying to play him when he's not ready."
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Sam's house of horrors... Hammers look a million miles from a Premier League side but Carroll's return will be a major boost
West Ham lack identity, with no real spine and don't know their best 11
Sam Allardyce's rotation policy is creating instability
Their squad is too old... Roger Johnson's signing shows their desperation
Cardiff will be hard to beat... Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be ruthless
By MARTIN KEOWN - BOOT ROOM
PUBLISHED: 22:30, 10 January 2014 | UPDATED: 00:23, 11 January 2014
Daily Mail
West Ham are in crisis, with Sam Allardyce clinging to his job after losing 5-0 and 6-0 in the space of four days. I'm not surprised they are in such a mess.
I said in my first column this season that the lack of strength in their squad meant they would struggle. They look a million miles from a Premier League team, with no real identity. Could you even name their strongest team? There seems to be no real spine to the team: who is their best goalkeeper, their best centre half, their leading forward?
In their thrashings by Nottingham Forest and Manchester City, Allardyce used 24 players - what kind of message does that send out? It means there is no consistency and no chance to get used to playing together. It is unsettling for the players. Only three times this season in the Premier League has Allardyce named an unchanged team. Of course there are injuries but the number of changes for the last two games was like waving a white flag. They showed nothing.
Allardyce rested players for the FA Cup because of Saturday's crucial match at Cardiff. Tottenham, Manchester United and Arsenal have all been well beaten at Manchester City this season so that defeat alone is not a disaster. But they cannot lose on their visit to Cardiff City Stadium. I fear for West Ham. There were massive inconsistencies last season. They didn't manage back-to-back wins all campaign, Jussi Jaaskelainen had to make more saves than any other player and they won just three times away. Also, they haven't added much to their squad. How can he defend the rotation policy if they suffer another bad result? For a player, a run like this is embarrassing. I remember being at Aston Villa the season we were relegated. We worked so hard on the training ground but then all our good work was undone minutes into the match. You feel awful. The age of West Ham's squad is worrying too. Their last two line-ups in the Premier League have averaged over 30 years old - that is unusally high for the Premier League. The latest 30-year-old to join is Roger Johnson, a man who has been relegated the last three seasons and someone League One Wolves wanted out. That is how desperate West Ham are. It must be worth putting Andy Carroll on the bench at Cardiff. They desperately need points and it would give everyone a lift.
West Ham have been dragged into a relegation battle just as every team around them changed their manager. Crystal Palace, Fulham, Sunderland and Cardiff have all switched bosses and they are benefiting. It's good to see West Ham's owners standing by their man but they need results fast. Ironically, if he did go, Allardyce would be exactly the type of manager struggling teams would normally hire to get them out of trouble. So maybe they will persist. Cardiff away is a tough proposition, especially as it is Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's first home game. It is one of the most atmospheric and emotional grounds in the Premier League and the fans will be optimistic after a win over Newcastle last week. Solskjaer was ruthless as a player - you'll be surprised to know he had a bit of edge in his tackling - and I'd expect that same edge in his management.
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EXCLUSIVE: Fulham line up £7.5m double swoop for West Ham's Ravel Morrison and Mo Diame
Express.co.uk
By: Tony Banks and Nigel Clark
Published: Fri, January 10, 2014
Manager Rene Meulensteen has been given cash to strengthen his struggling team by owner Shahid Khan, and is intent on a bold raid on one of his club's main relegation rivals. Morrison knows Meulensteen from their time together at Manchester United, and Fulham have been monitoring the talented youngster for weeks. But the move for Diame is a surprise. Fulham can only afford a maximum of around £4m for Morrison, which is unlikely to be accepted by West Ham, who may consider cashing in on the England Under-21 star to bankroll moves elsewhere in the transfer window. But Fulham are still intent on testing the water with an offer. Diame has a buy-out clause of £3.5m in his contract, but the Senegalese midfielder has been unsettled at Upton Park for some time, holding out for a new contract worth around £75,000 a week. Those wages would also be a stumbling block for Fulham, but Meulensteen is hoping the prospect of a fresh start could lure Diame to west London. Diame impressed Fulham when he scored against them in West Ham's 2-1 defeat at Craven Cottage on New Year's Day, a win that contributed to a new atmosphere around the club, which Meulensteen believes will be enough to keep his team up in the Premier League.
Before Meulensteen came in to replace Martin Jol Fulham were in freefall and heading for demotion to the Championship. But ahead of today's meeting with Sunderland, the Dutchman said: "There is a buzz around the place. "Everybody has a spring in their step, everyone is polite and has a smile on their face. It is a combination of things which help, but perhaps the best medicine is results. "You can be as happy as Larry, but if you keep on losing that will affect the mood of the team." One of those to benefit from Meulensteen's lighter approach to training has been Darren Bent. When he was at Sunderland, Bent was an England player but lost his way after moving to Aston Villa. He was bought by Jol to provide goal power but has scored only four in 18 appearances at Fulham. But with a new-found confidence and belief he could still reach his target of double figures for the season. Meulensteen said: "His stats don't lie, but he is still a very good striker. The goal he scored at Norwich was fantastic for him. "He is going to be important for us. Can he get double figures now? It's not impossible."
Meulensteen is prepared to release talented Costa Rican Bryan Ruiz, who cost the club £10m. He added: "We have allowed him to talk to a number of clubs to see if something can come out of that. "Expensive mistake? He was probably the right choice for Fulham and the right investment. But I have looked at the squad and picked the team on what are the right reasons and motivations."
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Sam Allardyce and his signature style
Scott Murray
theguardian.com, Thursday 9 January 2014 16.36 GMT
SERENITY NOW
Last night didn't turn out to be the best evening for future multiple La Liga winner Sam Allardyce. There he was, standing on the touchline at the City of Manchester Stadium, trying his best to look agitated for the gallery as a shower of chancers, frauds and competition winners claiming to be West Ham United made a royal show of themselves in the League Cup semi-final, but not quite managing it. His best effort at theatrical rage was a brief frown which suggested the first rumblings of mild irk, and at one point he blew a bubble which popped in a slightly snappy manner, but other than that, nothing. Watching him, you could be forgiven for thinking he simply doesn't give a flying one any more. But that can't be the case. All very strange.
After the game – which Manchester City won 6-0, Edin Dzeko so bored we later found out he'd lost count at five – Allardyce let out an elongated yawn, in the style of someone who has just woken up from a seven-year coma and can't quite yet summon the energy to scratch their arse or get up to go potty. But listening carefully to the tape again, the reflex in fact turned out to be his post-match press conference. "What do you expect when you've got lads on free transfers playing against players that have cost hundreds and hundreds of millions of pounds?" he drawled. "We are not the first team to get beat here by many goals and we won't be the last." Fair points both, until you remember Crystal Palace managed to hold City to a single goal a fortnight ago, while League Cup semi-finals of the past have seen the likes of Bradford City win at Aston Villa, Rochdale beat Blackeye Rovers, and Walsall hold the old, good, 80s Liverpool at Anfield. In other words, there's no need to be shipping six goals in a major semi-final, at all, ever, no matter how you spin it.
West Ham fans have never been collectively convinced by Allardyce and his signature style of soccer, which might be good enough for the likes of Real Madrid but doesn't cut it at the Academy of Football. So it was little surprise that the club's travelling support, witnessing last night's debacle a mere 80 hours after watching their team get hammered by five at Nottingham Forest, broke into a chant which featured repeated uses of the word eff in a percussive style and detailed the quickest routes away from the Boleyn Ground if one is driving a removals van during rush hour. Allardyce insists he is going to dig in and fight, and he still has the backing of Gollivan, but a fourth consecutive loss on the road at Cardiff on Saturday could convince the club to let their manager go, with the odds on his being the next sacking now down to a pointless 1-5. With the big man odds-on to be back on the market very soon, poor Carlo Ancelotti will already be suffering sleepless nights.
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