Daily WHUFC News II - 12th February 2015

Big Sam on Saints stalemate
WHUFC.com
Sam Allardyce felt pride and frustration after Wednesday's goalless draw at
Southampton
11.02.2015

Sam Allardyce felt a mixture of pride and frustration after seeing his
depleted West Ham United side earn a hard-fought 0-0 Barclays Premier League
draw at Southampton. The Hammers, who went into the game without
half-a-dozen first-teamers through injury, lost Adrian to a 61st-minute red
card for handling outside the box, then played out the final 20 minutes with
Andy Carroll rendered immobile by a knee problem. Big Sam claimed his
goalkeeper should not have been sent-off, but praised his replacement Jussi
Jaaskelainen and his outfield players for resiliently playing out time
against a Saints outfit who started the day in third place. "The game was
exactly what we didn't want in terms of how it panned out, but not in terms
of how we played or the football that we tried to play or the effort that we
gave," he began. "The decisions went against us, particularly the
sending-off which was not a sending-off. "From there, having used all our
substitutes, Andy Carroll re-injured the same knee, but I was absolutely
delighted for the players who stopped a Southampton side who have been very
good here this season and got us a very precious point. "It almost feels
like a win after the things we had to endure tonight, so against all the
odds we got a draw. This was a nine-man team that hasn't lost."

To start with the positives, Big Sam was rightly proud of his team's ability
to restrict Southampton to shots from the edge of the penalty area - both
before and after Adrian's dismissal. "It is a feather in our cap and we know
Southampton have been very good here, even though they haven't been as
free-scoring as they were at the start of the season - a bit like ourselves.
"We knew that to get anything out of this game we'd have to get a clean
sheet because Southampton would look at their record, which was eight clean
sheets before tonight and now nine. "We had to get our own defensive play
right and then we started to probe more and more. We knew we'd get some
tired legs late on, as we'd played 4pm on Sunday, so we made the substitutes
accordingly, and then unfortunately the big decision hit us with the goalie
being sent-off and Andy getting injured. "We've still managed to secure a
point, but my fear is unfortunately that the extra effort we have put in
with nine men will maybe take its toll when we play Saturday at 12.45pm in
the FA Cup at West Brom."

One man who will likely feature at The Hawthorns is veteran goalkeeper
Jaaskelainen, who impressed hugely on his first Premier League appearance
since New Year's Day 2014. "He is quality and this is the point of keeping a
man like Jussi, who keeps himself super-fit for his age. He is turning 40
soon, but trains every day and loves training. "He has been frustrated
because he loves to play if he can, but he understands the position and the
form of Adrian this year. This is why you don't throw a man like Jussi away.
You keep him, because he has used every ounce of his experience to make
sure, in the end, he was a key element in us winning a point. "His saves
near the end, his kicking, his handling and his composure were massive in
terms of helping us win a point."

In closing, the manager was asked if any of the injured or, in Mark Noble's
case ill, absentees would be available to play on Saturday at West Brom.
Meanwhile, Big Sam also confirmed that the Club will not be signing France
midfielder Lassana Diarra due to administrative issues. "We are going to
have to if we're going to try to get through to the next round. Andy is out
and there were some real tired legs out there and I saw Cheikhou limping off
at the end after another terrific performance. "I can only hope that Kevin
and Mark are fit. I think it will come just too soon for James Collins and
Reidy, so we'll just have to assess and hope that nothing untoward has
happened when they come in on Thursday. A little strain on a Wednesday night
will keep them out on Saturday. "I have to say [with regard to Diarra] we
have waited and we have negotiated for weeks to get the right deal and now
we've got it, we find we can't get the right paperwork and the right
clearance, so we have wasted his time and our time. "On the basis of the
situation we're in right now, he would have been a very crucial player for
us between now and the end of the season."

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Jussi's patience rewarded at St Mary's
WHUFC.com
Jussi Jaaskelainen stepped into the breach to help the Hammers to a 0-0 draw
at Southampton
12.02.2015

When West Ham United visited Southampton last season, Jussi Jaaskelainen
gave a Man of the Match performance to help his side gain a 0-0 draw. That
St Mary's clash came back in September 2013, and after playing just 14
Barclays Premier League games in the intervening 17 months, he was called
upon again to shine on the South Coast on Wednesday. A red card for Adrian
29 minutes from time gave the 39-year-old his first top flight opportunity
this season and he was only too glad to take it. "It's a case of working
hard in training, keeping yourself fit as you can [and being ready]," he
said. "I played the League Cup game earlier in the season and then I was a
bit disappointed that the Gaffer didn't choose me in the FA Cup, but it was
one of those things. "I just wanted to keep going because you never know
what's going to happen, and on Wednesday it happened."

Jaaskelainen had to draw on all his experience to be ready to enter the fray
after Adrian saw red for handling outside his penalty area - especially as
it was just the second time in his lengthy career he had been pressed into
action in that manner. "That's just the second time in my career I've come
on from the bench!" he revealed. "You just need to keep focused on the bench
and it did come as a surprise on Wednesday because you never expect that to
happen. "I was surprised with the experience I have that I was nervous for
the first couple of minutes. But that got better later in the game. "As a
goalkeeper it's always better to start the game and do the warm ups and
preparation that way."

Jaaskelainen needed to make sharp saves to deny Jose Fonte and Dusan Tadic
in stoppage time and now he is keen to help the team again at West Bromwich
Albion on Saturday. "That's what you need to do when you play at this level,
to be ready at any time," he explained.
"It was a great performance. I don't think we had a clean sheet away from
home before Wednesday this season, so we did well. "There's a Cup game
coming up on Saturday so now we need to prepare for that game. I'm excited
for it."

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Andy Carroll: West Ham striker injured against Southampton
BBC.co.uk

West Ham's Andy Carroll faces several weeks out after leaving Wednesday's
draw at Southampton on crutches. The 26-year-old striker was playing for the
first time since picking up a knee injury on 31 January, but suffered a
recurrence against the Saints. "He got kicked in the back of the knee and
felt something wrong," said Hammers boss Sam Allardyce. "It's going to take
longer (to get fit) this time because it's the same injury (he suffered
against Liverpool)." Carroll was forced to continue playing in the 0-0 draw
at St Mary's, with West Ham down to 10 men after goalkeeper Adrian was sent
off and with all three substitutions made - the former Newcastle and
Liverpool striker being one of those introduced. "He stayed up and was a
nuisance," added Allardyce. "I just hope that staying on hasn't done any
more damage." It completed a frustrating day f or Allardyce, who revealed he
is unable to sign former Real Madrid midfielder Lassana Diarra as a free
agent because of "Fifa regulations".

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West Ham to appeal Adrian red card, says Allardyce
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 12th February 2015
By: Staff Writer

Craig Pawson's decision to dismiss Adrian for hand ball against Southampton
last night will be contested, according to Sam Allardyce.
Speaking minutes after the final whistle had blown at St Mary's, Allardyce
confirmed that he would be appealing against the decision - one that, as it
stands, rules the Spanish goalkeeper out of Saturday lunchtime's FA Cup 5th
Round tie at the Hawthorns. "It was a foul on the goalkeeper before he
handled the ball," insisted Big Sam. "Mane has his hands all over Adrian.
"He should have kicked it out [first], but Mane had two hands on his back.
We will appeal. I will be very disappointed if we don't get it rescinded."
Despite Adrian's 61st minute dismissal, a ten-men Hammers held out for a
point against high-flying Southampton - albeit with considerable assistance
from his replacement Jussi Jaaskelainen, who made two excellent saves in the
closing moments to deny the Saints all three points.

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