Hammers secure Marathonbet Cup
WHUFC.com
Seventeen-year-old Reece Burke's later winner secured the inaugural Marathonbet Cup for West Ham United
09.08.2014
West Ham United 3-2 UC Sampdoria
Marathonbet Cup
Boleyn Ground, Saturday 9 August 2014
Seventeen-year-old Reece Burke netted a last-gasp winner as West Ham United edged a thrilling game to lift the inaugural Marathonbet Cup at the Boleyn Ground. The centre-back was an unlikely hero as he popped up in the UC Sampdoria penalty area in the final minute of normal time to tap home fellow Academy starlet Elliot Lee's accurate low cross. Burke's winner completed a rollercoaster game which had twice seen the Italian Serie A side take the lead through Stefan Okaka and Eder, before Mark Noble's penalty and Mohamed Diame's individual special levelled matters.
Earlier, manager Sam Allardyce handed Boleyn Ground debuts to three of his summer signings, with Aaron Cresswell, Cheikhou Kouyate and Mauro Zarate each included in a new 3-5-2 formation. And the Hammers began fluently in their new set-up, anchored by a back three of James Tomkins, James Collins and Winston Reid, while Carlton Cole and Zarate looked to fashion openings at the other end. Visiting stopper Junior Da Costa was called into action inside just three minutes, as he shovelled Kevin Nolan's overhead around the post.
The hosts continued to boss proceedings, with right wing-back Stewart Downing looking particularly dangerous, and yet it was the Italians who hit the front after 16 minutes. Eder's measured through ball picked out the run of Okaka, who shrugged off Collins' challenge to slot tidily into the far corner.
A heavy collision between Kouyate and Bartosz Salamon prompted a lengthy stoppage shortly afterwards and seemingly put paid to both sides' early rhythm. It became rather stop-start thereafter, with Sampdoria almost making the most of the lull. Lorenzo De Silvestri found Eder in space in the box, who might have done better as he scuffed an effort wide of Adrian's right-hand upright.
At the other end, Zarate's free-kick dropped kindly to Kouyate on the edge of the box, but his drive was comfortably fielded by Da Costa. The Hammers, however, restored parity from the spot in first-half stoppage time, after substitute Dan Potts had been felled by De Silvestri. Noble stepped up and promptly sent Da Costa the wrong way, placing his spot-kick to the 'keepers' left.
Ricardo Vaz Te replaced new boy Zarate at the interval, with West Ham reverting back to a more familiar 4-3-3 system. And the Hammers were soon back on the front foot, as Nolan's cute lay-off handed Kouyate a sight of goal, whose shot flashed wickedly across the face of goal and just beyond a stretching Cole.
But, against the run of play, the Serie A side were back in front just after the hour mark. Soriano's pass beat West Ham's backline, allowing Eder to race free and slide past Adrian. The Hammers' response was almost immediate, but Collins' near-post header from a Noble dead ball drifted the wrong side of the post.
Diame then took matters into his own hands, notching a fine individual goal with 13 minutes left to play. The Senegal skipper cut in off the right flank, drove into the box and finally dispatched a left-footed effort inside the near post.
The goal sparked a Hammers onslaught and Allardyce's men twice went close to snatching it, with Vaz Te involved on both occasions. It was his cross that Downing headed against the bar, before Potts volleyed over on the rebound. Before Vaz Te himself then tried his luck from the edge of box, watching his firm drive flash wide of the upright.
And snatch it they did, when 19-year-old Lee raced clear down the right and, having weighed up his options, squared for none other than Burke to slot into an empty net from six yards.
West Ham United: Adrian, Tomkins, Collins (Burke 76), Reid, Downing, Cresswell (Potts 33), Nolan (c), Kouyate (Diame 57), Noble (Poyet 85), Zarate (Vaz Te 46), Cole (Lee 76)
Subs not used: Jaaskelainen, Cullen
Goals: Noble 45+1, Diame 77, Burke 90
UC Sampdoria: Da Costa, Okaka (Bergessio 68), Krsticic (Obiang 46), Gabbiadini (Rizzo 83), Palombo (Campana 83), Soriano (Fedato 83), Eder (Sansone 68), Salamon, Gastaldello (c) (Costa 73), De Silvestri, Cacciatore
Subs not used: Massolo, Duncan, Fornasier, Wszolek
Goals: Okaka 16, Eder 61
Referee: Robert Madley
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Macca pleased with Samp victory
WHUFC.com
Assistant boss Neil McDonald was happy with the performance in victory over Sampdoria on Saturday
09.08.2014
Neil McDonald was delighted to end pre-season on a high as his West Ham United team twice came from behind to defeat UC Sampdoria in the Marathonbet Cup on Saturday. Mark Noble, Mohamed Diame and Reece Burke were all on target for the Hammers to cancel out goals from Stefan Okaka and Eder and claim their first victory over 90 minutes this summer. Assistant boss McDonald was pleased with the performance, particularly in the opening period, and says the Hammers will be ready for their season opener against Tottenham Hotspur next Saturday. "It was a fantastic game," the assistant manager said. "The first half was probably the best we've passed and moved the ball in pre-season. "Unfortunately we gave the goal away, not defending as well as we could have, and that was the only disappointment of the first half. "In the second half they had a little more possession, but we kept our shape. We've then given a sloppy pass away and they've clinically put the ball in the back of the net. "Our heads didn't go down, which is great, we tried to play the football and move it - we got the individual goal from Mo [Diame] and finished with the two young lads, Elliot Lee making the pass for Reece Burke to score. "We're really pleased with a lot of the aspects of the game, but there's still work to do for Spurs next week."
West Ham operated with two formations against Sampdoria, 3-5-2 before the break and 4-3-3 after, and McDonald was pleased with the effectiveness of both.
He continued: "Sometimes personnel available dictates what formation you take. We only had 14 senior professionals fit for Saturday and it's a fantastic experience for the young kids to come on in the second half. "They experienced a home crowd getting behind the team, which was really good, and we thoroughly deserved the victory. "We played with a three at the back and five in midfield, then we went to 4-3-3 with the personnel in the second half. "Two formations which we've worked on in training and two formations which I think has worked. "We were very fluid in the first half, found the spare man in the hole between the lines and got at them. We got the ball wide and in the box - I think the ball into the box could be a little better. "We passed it, everybody wanted the ball, which was great and we created a tempo which was the best we've had in pre-season."
New boys Aaron Cresswell, Cheikhou Kouyate, Mauro Zarate and Diego Poyet all got their first taste of the Boleyn Ground on Saturday, which McDonald says will set them up well for the season ahead. McDonald said: "All the new lads have settled in well. We took Aaron off as a precaution, as he had a little knock to the knee so we wanted to make sure he was ok. "Diego came on to get his foot in and pass the ball, and Cheik was all-action, driving forward with the ball and trying to win it back. "We've been working on the tactical and technical side as well as the fitness, and it's a good time to get a victory leading into the Spurs game. "That'll give everybody confidence and get them on the front foot raring to go for next week."
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'That's what you dream of'
WHUFC.com
Teenager Reece Burke opened his senior account in dramatic fashion at the Boleyn Ground on Saturday
09.08.2014
As a first senior outing at the Boleyn Ground goes, 17-year-old Reece Burke could hardly have dreamt of better, as he bagged a dramatic late winner in Saturday's 3-2 Marathonbet Cup triumph. Having started and finished West Ham United's 2-0 reverse against Malaga in Germany, the teenage centre-half joined the fray with quarter-of-an-hour to go in this one and visiting UC Sampdoria 2-1 to the good. Ample time to make a spectacular impression, as it proved. Once Mohamed Diame's leveller had set up a grandstand finish, Burke started and finished a flowing move in the final minute to cap an outstanding pre-season for the young man. Reflecting on his extraordinary afternoon, the teenager confirmed: "It doesn't get much better than that. As a young kid that's what you dream of, to score my first goal for the first team is really good and that's something that's going to help me, I feel, with my confidence to carry on."
Reece Burke v UC Sampdoria Though the goal was ultimately a simple tap-in from six yards, what preceded it was anything but. "I intercepted the pass and Pottsy [Dan Potts] said they might have been in. But I followed it out, played in Mo Diame and thought I'd just carry on running," he explained. "I got myself in the box. El [Elliot Lee] had the ball, crossed it and I was there for the finish. I just didn't want to miss. I was literally right there and I just wanted to make sure that I scored really. I didn't want to miss. "It was an unbelievable feeling, I didn't know what to do, to celebrate or to run. I don't score many to be fair, but that's one of my targets, to score more goals as a centre-back."
All in all, Burke can look back on a fantastic pre-season and one that he expects will serve him very well in the coming weeks and months. "That was my first time playing for the first team at the Boleyn Ground, it was a great experience for me to come on and obviously to score is great. "I'm enjoying pre-season very much. Germany was a great experience for me, playing a full 90 out there as well. Unfortunately we lost 2-0 [against Malaga] but that's part of my development. It's an honour to play with top players who have played against some of the best players in the world."
Ironically, Burke's first taste of senior football ended in a demoralising 5-0 FA Cup reverse at Nottingham Forest back in January. But far from dwelling on any negatives, Burke has gone from strength to strength ever since and reckons it marked a turning point in his young career. He added: "Forest was an eye opener for me, I didn't know what it was really like. But from there it's just really helped me. "I came on and conceded quite a few goals. As a centre-half people are going to look at the defence, so I was sort of picked out. It was hard after the game, but you still get confidence from it and you can either go a good way or a bad way and for me it's been good. "Sometimes you need to fail to succeed and I think that's one of the highlights of my career so far."
Delighted with his recent progress, the 17-year-old is now hoping to focus on establishing himself in Nick Haycock's U21 side and, perhaps, beyond. "I believe I'm doing quite well, I've sat down with the coaches and spoken about what I need to improve on and I'm just going to keep improving from there. "My target for this season was to be a regular for the 21s, that was original target. Hopefully I can do that and if I can we'll go from there and maybe get in the squad for the first team."
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U18s rally to Brentford victory
WHUFC.com
Jordan Brown scored twice as West Ham United U18s came from a goal down to defeat Brentford
09.08.2014
West Ham United U18s closed their pre-season schedule with a 3-1 win over Brentford at Little Heath on Saturday morning. The Hammers went behind early when Jeremiah Kamanzi fired in from the edge of the box, before a double from Jordan Brown turned the game on its head. Substitute Fatia Adebayo then scored with his first touch to seal the victory. There was one negative from the game, however, as midfielder Matt Carter was stretchered off during the first half after suffering a suspected broken arm in a collision with a visiting player. With a number of the regulars featuring for the Hammers first team or Development Squad and manager Steve Potts away completing a coaching qualification, assistant manager Mark Phillips named an extremely young team, including a number of U16 players. Phillips named a back four of Joe Linley, Declan Rice, Tunji Akinola and Vashon Neufville, along with Carter, Grady Diangana and Decarrey Sheriff further forward. The home side were always likely to be in for a tough test playing against a near full-strength U18s side in Brentford, but their task was made harder early on when Kamanzi received the ball on the edge of the penalty area and fired past Tim Brown. Brentford took inspiration from their goal and immediately pushed forward again, but the home side held strong to deny the Bees a second goal. Before long, West Ham came back into the game and launched several attacking moves of their own, although the end result was never enough to beat the Brentford goalkeeper. The unfortunate Carter then suffered his injury. After chasing the ball out to the touchline and leaning back using his arms to support himself, one of the visiting players accidently clipped his arm when walking past.
While the home players were naturally rocked by Carter's injury, the Hammers grew with confidence as they began picking up more possession and taking more shots on goal. Brown, Djair Parfitt-Williams and a trialist all had chances to equalise early in the second half, but passed up their opportunities. It did not take much longer for the Hammers to finally break down their Professional Development League 2 South Division opposition, as Brown retrieved the ball from Alex Pike's thrown in, held off and turned his marker and firied a shot with power into the back of the net. With that goal bringing the teams level, West Ham pushed themselves in front shortly after when Brown struck again. This time, he ran onto a lobbed pass from Parfitt-Williams to smash an unstoppable half volley past the helpless goalkeeper. The result was sealed minutes later when substitute Adebayo got onto the end of a Parfitt-Williams cross into the box to flick home the Hammers' third. With their pre-season preparations now complete, the Hammers open their Barclays U18 Premier League campaign away at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday 16 August at midday.
U18s: T Brown, Linley (Pike), Neufville, Carter (Sylvestri), Akinola, Rice (Browne), Amoo (Adebayo), Diangana, J Brown, Parfitt-Williams, Sheriff (Trialist)
Subs not used: Boness, Martins
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West Ham beat Sampdoria 3-2 in an entertaining pre-season clash
Last Updated: 09/08/14 8:06pm
SSN
Youngster Reece Burke scored a last-minute winner as West Ham beat Sampdoria 3-2 at Upton Park to claim the inaugural Marathonbet Cup. Mo Diame and Mark Noble were also on target in an entertaining contest and the Hammers gave themselves a welcome lift ahead of next week's Premier League opener against Tottenham. The hosts began brightly but then found themselves behind after 15 minutes when Stefan Okaka held off James Collins and shot past Adrian. New boy Cheikhou Kouyate was impressive for the Hammers, who had a Carlton Cole goal disallowed for offside. And the hosts levelled in first-half injury-time, Noble sending the goalkeeper the wrong way from the spot after Dan Potts was tripped in the box by Lorenzo De Silvestri. However, the Italian visitors reclaimed the lead just after the hour-mark as Citadin Eder received from Roberto Soriano and then beat Adrian with a low shot. But Diame (77) produced a moment of magic to bring West Ham level again, cutting inside from the right and beating a pair of defenders as he went, before finding the corner of the net. West Ham pressed for a winner but Stuart Downing hit the crossbar and Potts put the rebound over the top. And a penalty shoot-out appeared to be on the cards, only for the hosts to snatch it in the last minute, Elliot Lee doing really well to wait for his moment and then slip a perfect pass into the box, leaving Burke to side-foot the ball into the net from close range.
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West Ham agree to sign Morgan Amalfitano from Marseille
Last Updated: 09/08/14 2:07pm
SSN
West Ham have agreed a deal to sign Morgan Amalfitano from Marseille on a free transfer, according to Sky sources. The 29-year-old midfielder moved on loan from the Ligue 1 club to West Brom last September, and scored four goals in 30 outings. Amalfitano started his career in France with Sedan before moving to Lorient for three season in 2008. West Ham, have been linked with a number of players in the past week as manager Sam Allardyce looks to strengthen his squad further before the start of the season. The Hammers have already signed Enner Valencia, Cheikhou Kouyate, Mauro Zarate, Aaron Cresswell and Diego Poyet on permanent deals, while Carl Jenkinson has joined on loan from Arsenal.
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INTRODUCING ALEX PIKE
By ExWHUemployee 9 Aug 2014 at 21:30
West Ham Till I Die
In true West Ham tradition the academy sides did well last year with a number of players standing out during the campaign. The season looked like it was going to be a tough one for Alex Pike however as he picked up a nasty injury in pre-season that ruled him out until just after Christmas. Alex showed great character and determination to get back in to the side upon his return to fitness. He went into the campaign as a recognised midfielder but deputised at right back and impressed and made the position his own. The under 18s then proceeded to reach the play offs having finished second in the southern academy section behind Spurs. The side unfortunately replicated the first team and lost in the semi-finals to Manchester City but it still goes down as an excellent season. Alex was one of the stand out players for the side and the club have high hopes for the player. I was fortunate to have the chance to interview Alex, thanks to the Pike family for giving me the time to find out a bit about the latest academy prospect.
The first thing I wanted to know before I proceeded with the interview was whether he was related to the West Ham midfielder from the 70s and 80s with the same surname. It turns out that Alex is not related to Geoff so the similarities stop with the surname.
What position do you play and have you always played there?
I started off as an attacking player and then became more defensive and played in central midfield as I progressed through the age groups. Half way through last season I filled in at right back and showed potential and since then have continued to play there and develop in that position.
What type of player are you?
Personally I would describe myself as a hard-working defender. I perform my defensive duties well but I am still capable of going forward and helping the team out in attack with good pace and taking advantage of space on the right side.
How did you get spotted by West Ham?
I was spotted by Dave Hunt in the Echo Premier League playing for Buckhurst Hill FC.
Have any of your family been involved in professional football?
None of my family have ever been involved in professional football however I have quite an athletic and sporty family.
Which players do you look up to at West Ham?
I look up to all the players for the simple fact that they have made it into the West Ham first team which is what I am aspiring to do. It is hard to single out any individuals within that team however if I had to choose one I would probably say Mark Noble. This is because he has had a very successful career at the club and has remained loyal. I would want to follow in similar footsteps.
Who has influenced you the most during your career?
Throughout my career I have had various influences that have helped me to get to the stage that I am at. My biggest influence would have to be my parents as they have helped me with everything and continue to do so. I know that they are there throughout all the ups and downs that are inevitable in a football career.
What are your future ambitions for this coming season and beyond?
My aims for this season are to have another good season with the Under 18's. I am hopeful of success both in the league and the FA Youth Cup. I would also like to aspire to play in the Under 21's and get some experience in that team after having had a little taste of it in pre-season matches.
How do you feel about the more to the Olympic Stadium?
I think the move to the Olympic Stadium is important for West Ham's future prosperity and the board have done an excellent job in securing the site for the longer term. Hopefully I will be one of the players lucky enough to play there.
How do you think the first team will do this season?
I think the first team will have a good season this year. They have the potential to do well and have made some good signings this summer which will help strengthen what was already a very good squad. Hopefully they can reach the top half of the table this year after not being too far off last season.
Do you have any interests outside of football?
My main interest outside of football would be tennis. I enjoy playing it in my summer break as it is nice to take part in other sports.
I am sure we will see another big season from Alex and hopefully he will go on to have a very successful career with us.
This interview was organised by James Hampson of Skillequal Ltd and I would like to thank him for that. Skillequal Ltd "http://www.skillequal.co.uk/index-football.php" are a Sports Management company who currently work with a number of professional footballers including many ex and current academy players and are based in the West Ham territory of Harold Wood.
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HAS MAIGA REJECTED AN OFFER TO PAY-OFF HIS CONTRACT?
By S J Chandos 9 Aug 2014 at 09:30
West Ham Till I Die
It was interesting that Claret & Hugh yesterday reported that Modibo Maiga has allegedly rejected the offer of a seven figure pay-off to terminate his contract. If true, it confirms that the club have given up on recouping any of the original c.£5m investment in the former Sochaux striker. One would have thought that Maiga would have jumped at the offer of a lucrative pay-off and the opportunity to negotiate a Bosman move to another club. Financially, it would be a clear case of win-win! And in footballing terms, surely it is far better to draw a line under his Hammers Odyssey and get his career back on some sort of track.
My assessment of Modibo Maiga is that he posseses good technical ability (which he has only shown in flashes at West Ham), but this is negated by his inability to cope with the frenetic and physical nature of the English PL. And that is why it was a bad idea for him to go on loan to club in the even more physically demanding Championship, as confirmed by last season's abortive stint at QPR. Furthermore, Sam Allardyce has played Maiga almost exclusively as a lone striker. This is a role for which he is clearly physically and technically unsuited. He might very well have performed better playing as a second striker or wide of a centre forward, as part of a front three, in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-1-3 formation. Regardless, Maiga is now way down the striker pecking order, with the signing of Zarates and Valencia, and the current frantic hunt of another striker would seem to confirm that he is completely out of the frame next season.
If he stays, could he force his way back in to contention at West Ham? That is a big ask at this stage and the answer is almost certainly not. It is probably better for both parties to call it a day and just move on. Perhaps it is only professional pride keeping Maiga at the club? If so, he needs to 'let it go,' bank his pay-off (if it is actually on offer?) and find another club and/or league better suited to his playing style. And that probably means a move back to what he knows best, French football. Otherwise, Maiga could find himself even further in the cold at West Ham, consigned to U-21 football and with a rapidly stagnating career. That is not an appealing prospect for any professional footballer, is it?
SJ. Chandos.
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Brown scores two past Brentford
Posted by Sean Whetstone on August 9, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham Academy Under 18 side finished their pre-season campaign with a deserved 3-1 win over Brentford at Little Heath on Saturday morning with Jordon Brown scoring two of them. Brown who left Arsenal to sign for the Hammers in 2013 is tipped as a West Ham star striker of the future.
The 17-year-old scored regularly in Arsenal's youth set-up and was promoted into Arsenal's Under-18 side in 2012. On signing for West Ham Brown last year said "I'd been at Arsenal at eight years and they wanted to keep me, but I sat down with my parents and my agents and we thought it was a better decision to come to West Ham. The opportunities are here and I thought, at Arsenal, maybe I could have faded away because I've seen it happen before.I thought, the opportunity was there for me at West Ham and it has the attributes for me to be what I want to be in football. I'm a No9 and my objective in a game is to score goals, I want to help the team out and to lead from the front. I'm quick and strong and I think I can run with the ball as well. I'm an attacker.My plan is to go in hard at the start of pre-season and really just try to impress people from there.I've obviously got to score goals whenever I can because I'm a striker, whichever age-group I am put into. Whether it's Under-18s or Under-21s, I've just got to do my best."
With performances like today Brown should be moving up to the U21′s and from there the first team in the not too distant future.
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George scores on debut
Posted by Sean Whetstone on August 9, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Hammers Academy midfielder George Moncur completed his much anticipated loan move from West Ham on Thursday afternoon, signing for Colchester United on a six-month deal until January 11th next year.
In an interview after the news was announced Moncur said "I'm delighted to sign. I'm over the moon,I've signed for six months. I hope to do myself justice during this time, and help out the team. And if everything goes to plan, I might even end up signing for longer.It's a big step up for me, and I am ready to take my chance.I've been playing under-21 football with West Ham, but this is an opportunity to play at a higher level and to really challenge myself. I've been on loan before, at AFC Wimbledon, but that was in League Two, and again last season I had a spell in Scotland (with Partick Thistle).But now I have a chance to show what I can do in League One, playing for a team that likes to get the ball down and play.Colchester United's style of football should suit mine, down to the ground.I've really loved playing in pre-season with the lads, and it has helped me having got to know the players over the last few weeks, rather than just signing out of the blue.There are some really good players at the club, and of course I know all about Freddie Sears "It's a good set-up, and it will help my game to play in a passing team, and for a manager who likes to play that style of football.I want to improve my own game, over the next six months. It's great that I have this long to establish myself, rather than just signing for the odd month.I'm very excited about the season ahead, and I'd love to make my debut this weekend," said Moncur
Well George's wish came true as he came on as a 32nd minute substitute this afternoon in the Colchester United match against Oldham Athletic and he managed to score on his debut with help from former Hammer Freddie Sears. Sears fired a shot which hit the post. Moncur met the rebound and hit a high first time shot into the corner and out the goal keeper's reach in the 56th minute to earn Colchester a draw in their first game of the season.
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Hero Burke shoots down Sampdoria
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 9, 2014 in Whispers
By Staff Reporter
Claret & Hugh
Exciting youngsters Elliot Lee and Reece Burke combined at the death to give the Irons a last gasp win over the Italians. It took 38 minutes for the team's new attacking brand of football to register a shot on target and it came from the standout performer Cheikou Kayoute. We lined up – amazingly with a 3-5-2 formation for the first time this pre-season and started well with Stewart Downing and Aaron Cresswell on the flanks with James Collins, Winston Reid and James Tomkins at the back. Kouyate took the place normally filled by his Senegalese pal Mohamed Diame, slotting in alongside Mark Noble with Kevin Nolan and Mauro Zarate playing off Carlton Cole. But for all the majority possession, the Irons were exposed by a counter attack on 16 minutes when Stefan Okaka slotted past Adrian. Cole's "reply " was ruled out four minutes later. Koutaye was the driving force with his energetic bursts and quick feet. There were concerns after he was floored in a nasty collision but was soon back in the thick of the action a few minutes later. Cresswell though hobbled off but replacement Dan Potts made an instant impact. His inside run into the box was rewarded with a penalty when a Samp defender brought him down and Noble obliged from the spot.
It was all very encouraging but after the break Zarate was withdrawn and Vaz Te went on wide to leave Cole in the one up role. Kouyate received a great ovation when replaced by Diame on 57 minutes and three minutes later we were behind when Eder gets into space between Collins and Tomkins and shot past Adrian. However Diame scored a monster goal midway through the half when he stormed his way past a defender and fired home left footed. Lee and Burke appeared for Cole and Collins in the 75th minute and a quarter of an hour later combined to win it for the Irons. Bang on 90 minutes Lee was sent into space is sent into space before threading a pass into the path of 17 year old Reece Burke to sidefoot home.
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Cardiff "Ravel informal offer means nothing"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 9, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Reports today that Cardiff City are interested in buying Ravel Morrison have their roots in a passing comment from several weeks ago made by manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær made to the player's agent. Solskjær knows the player from his days at Manchester United and is a big admirer like so many others. ClaretandHugh learned at the time that words had been exchanged but that it amounted to no more than a "we could be interested." Today, however, a national newspaper, has reported that the club has made an informal offer which we were told means "nothing." We were told: "There's been interest from Cardiff in him but he's just one of many and there is nothing on the table and until there is there's nothing to discuss anyway. What exactly is an informal offer?
"Those close to Ravel have known that Cardiff, Liverpool, Newcastle, and Manchester City have all expressed their admiration for the player but that in itself means absolutely nothing. No offers have been received. "Nobody should take this too seriously particularly given Ravel's current situation!"
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Irons hope for two more by Tuesday!
Posted by Sean Whetstone on August 9, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham's negotiations with Metz striker Diafra Sakho (right) are still "up in the air" and the same is true of a reported £2.5m euros move for Marselle's Morgan Amalfitano. Both players were being reported as being close to of having agreed a move to the Boleyn in the French and English media this morning.
But ClaretandHugh has learned that although nothing has been nailed down it's likely that final outcomes will be agreed by Tuesday on both deals. A source told us exclsuively: Sakho might be a loan with option to buy. Both should be resolved by Tuesday. The Mail also claims that Harry Redknapp is considering topping the Hammers bid for attacking midfielder Amalfitano. The player has yet to discuss personal terms with West Ham but has been left out of Marseille's squad for this weekend whilst the Metz president has claimed Sakho is on his way to a Hammers medical. Amalfitano has made 58 appearances scoring two goals for Marseille since joining in 2011 from Lorient on a free transfer. The 29 year old spent last season on loan to West Bromwich Albion.
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