Late show secures Ladies victory
WHUFC.com
West Ham United Ladies ended an unbeaten week by picking up a late 1-0
victory at home to Cardiff City Ladies on Sunday. After grabbing a last
minute winner against the Bluebirds just a week ago on Easter Sunday, Julian
Dicks' side followed it up with a 0-0 draw at home to high-scoring Charlton
Athletic on Tuesday evening ahead of Sunday's reverse fixture against the
Welsh side. After a game full of opportunities at both ends, the Hammers
launched a late attack that saw winger Kelley Blanchflower wriggle away
behind the Cardiff back line, before squaring for Vicky Kinsman to finish.
Manager Dicks had an almost full squad available for the first time in
months on Sunday. Kat Clifton was the only change to the starting line-up,
replacing Kayleigh Xidhas, who dropped to the bench. Adele Sale also took a
place on the bench after returning to the squad after a break, while Jade
Smith again looked to make an impact after pushing up from the Development
Squad. In the opening ten minutes, midfielder April Bowers failed to shrug
off an injury that she picked up over the past few days, meaning Dicks was
forced into an early change. Striker Emma Sherwood dropped into the middle
of the midfield alongside Clifton, with Lily Mellors pushed up front,
allowing Smith to come off the bench and cover out wide. The windy
conditions caused several problems for the Hammers throughout the first
half, helping the visitors to create several chances on goal. Cardiff had
the best opportunity of the opening half when a long-range strike was tipped
over the bar by a fantastic save from Hammers goalkeeper Nikki Duncan.
Just before the break, the Hammers had two chances of their own to break the
deadlock. Firstly, a foul inside the Cardiff penalty area meant that
Clifton's goal was ruled out, before Mellors fired high over the bar from
the edge of the box.
During the second half, both sides were looking for the all-important goal
to split the sides. Smith continued to pressure the visitors down the wing,
while the speed of Mellors caused Cardiff all sorts of problems. With 15
minutes left, Dicks made his next two changes as he looked to secure a
second victory of the week. Xidhas was introduced in place of Mellors, while
Sale replaced Clifton in the middle for the last few minutes of the game.
The winning goal came two minutes into added-time when Blanchflower's
determination saw her get past the last defender on the halfway line, before
driving towards goal and squaring for Kinsman to smash past Laura
O'Sullivan.
West Ham now have just three league fixtures remaining this season, with
their next game being at home to Lewes Ladies on Sunday 19 April 2015 at
2pm. This recently rearranged fixture is yet to have an assigned a ground,
with information being announced on the Ladies Official Twitter account at
@westhamladies when decided.
Ladies: Duncan, Stimson, Revell, Little (c), Bottom, Bowers (Smith), Clifton
(Sale), Blanchflower, Mellors (Xidhas), Sherwood, Kinsman
Sub not used: King
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Sakho out for three weeks - at least
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 11th April 2015
By: Staff Writer #2
Sam Allardyce has confirmed that West Ham striker Diafra Sakho will be
sidelined until May - at the earliest. The Senegal international was
replaced midway through the second half of this afternoon's 1-1 draw with
Stoke after sustaining a knock. More on this story as it happens...
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Chelsea eye transfer of West Ham's Aaron Cresswell as they try to make the
squad more home-grown
22:30, 11 April 2015 By Dean Jones
The Hammers want the defender to sign a new deal, but Chelsea consider him a
potential replacement for Felipe Luis with Man City also interested
The Mirror
Aaron Cresswell will be rewarded with a new deal at West Ham as bigger clubs
continue to track him. Manchester City were first to be linked with a move
for the former Ipswich defender Cresswell, but it has emerged that Chelsea
have also been taking note of his impressive performances. Both clubs need
to add more home-grown talent to their squads - and Jose Mourinho is
considering him in case full-back Felipe Luis moves on, a year after joining
from Atletico Madrid. But it is understood the Hammers want to ward off any
interest and will make it a priority to offer 25-year-old Cresswell an
improved deal soon. Cresswell has become an established regular at Upton
Park following his move from Ipswich last summer, and scored in Saturday's
1-1 draw with Stoke.
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Bonds reckons Sam and board have had "dialogue"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on April 12, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Sam Allardyce's uncertain position has raised suggestions that the board
may, or should, make an announcement as to where the manager stands..
There's a belief among some the situation may be affecting the form of the
players and that such a move would be helpful.
However, former manager and recipient of the first ever Lifetime award Billy
Bonds said he would be very surprised if there hadn't already been talks
between the two sides. But he warned the fans that it was unlikely they
would be made aware of private conversations at this point were that to have
been the case. He said: " I really can't believe there hasn't been a
dialogue between them by now. They aren't gonna tell the fans absolutely
everything are they? There's no reason why they should."
And the Upton Park legend declared that he personally couldn't get excited
about the situation one way or the other. He said: "Managers come and go all
the time. Look at Newcastle, they had nine in seven years - one of which was
Sam himself. Managers and jobs is just a total merry-go-round. "They come
and go. It's a board decision but there's no reason why they should make
every move they make and every conversation they hold public."
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Allardyce paints gloomy Sakho picture
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on April 12, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Gloomy Sam Allardyce was quick to explain Diafra Sakho could be out for the
rest of the season after he hobbled off against Stoke yesterday afternoon.
Whilst the club is hoping the striker will miss only two or three weeks, the
manager immediately pointed to a depressing long term scenario, As is the
case with all such injuries Diafra will be scanned and Allardyce pointed out
that the hoped for two to three weeks could be longer if the problem proves
serious. He said: "If it is a grade one off the scan, then it could be two
to three weeks, if it is more, then you would be lucky to see him again this
season, which is a massive blow but we have to deal with it.
The Hammers are already without Andy Carroll, while there are also
suggestions Enner Valencia was carrying a knock when he was substituted for
Morgan Amalfitano. On the latebn goal which deprived the team of a much
needed three points, the manager said: "We cant find the right key elements
to see the game out and leave ourselves on a nervous edge by having a little
bit of panic in what we are trying to do which is coping with the opposition
when they have to take more risks, playing more direct."
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Not my cup of tea.but I'm no Sam "HATER"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on April 11, 2015 in Whispers
Claret 7 Hugh
I've needed to write this piece for a long time and although like all of our
fans I feel angry, let down and seriously frustrated tonight I'm gonna make
sure things are clear on the Sam Allardyce front.
I've become heartily fed up with the word "hate" whether it's applied to Sam
or anybody else. If I've been called an "Allardyce hater" once, I've been
called it a million times.
I'm not because the simple truth is I don't hate anyone - there's far too
much of that stuff around - so let me make my position on the West Ham
manager as clear as I possibly can once and for all.
I have always felt that he is a person who has to be judged as at two
levels:
1/ Obviously, as a football club manager
2/ As a person, because he has a habit of turning up in virtually any media
outlet that asks for an interview and often turns the conversation to
himself and his own abilities.
The result of that is that he becomes his own worst enemy because it forces
people into making judgments about him and the opinions he appears to hold
about himself.
So let's examine Sam the manager first of all. He has been quoted as saying
that he wants to win things and that he is now a little fed up with being
praised as a good coach without having any trophies in his cupboard.
His survival record is 100 per cent and his achievement in bringing us back
from the Championship to establish us as and stabilising us as a middle-ish
PL club is fine. I thank him for it. But more, much more is now required.
I've never been a fan of his more direct style of play which I believe he
instinctly favours and which ensured Andy Carroll came to the club.
I'm not a fan - in Carroll's absence - of the weekly default decision of
using Cole as a sub whilst ignoring Nene.
Amalfatino appears to have become a full time sub and given both him and the
Brazilian are the more creative type of players the distinct impression
remains that skill and invention is not a priority.
Thus - as one who watched the free flowing, if sometimes losing football of
West Ham teams past - he's never going to be my cup of tea.
Yes the game has changed and not necessarily for the better. Yes, we have to
have a harder edge but beyond the odd run from Valencia, when played,
there's little of the skill and invention which saw me become an Iron in the
first place.
Having said all of that, in bringing us out of the Championship - and not
knowing how we could possibly replace Scotty Parker - he brought in Kevin
Nolan who did a great job. That should be remembered.
Since then he has brought us Adrian - so credit where it's due.
Now to Sam the man and this won't take so long. My view is that with London
Evening Standard column, regular appearances on Sky Sports, BT Sport and a
variety of newspaper interviews he's always in danger of saying far too
much.
We had the infamous 'Allerdici' quote, how he wouldn't be out of place at
Juventus and the like, interviews in The Newcastle Journal speaking of how
he could have gone onto a great club had Freddie Shepherd not left, plus all
the England references.
At the end of a desperate last season we were were more or less being told
that our survival was something to be celebrated. Celebrate survival? Nah I
don't think so.
Ahead of Leicester City we were regaled with stories of how they had to be
given respect because they were desperate when I really wanted to read:
"They had better watch out - the Irons are coming to get 'em."
We hear refereeing decisions being blamed, injury problems cited as the
reason for a poor performance or ten but all of this goes with the territory
in this game of ours.Err, it's NORMAL!
It's all too dour, too predictable and too boring Sam! Today when we had
virtually everybody back and a goal was ruled out for STOKE yet we were
caught and came out with a draw.
The explanation he gave was: "It's bewildering." Hmmm.well thanks for that.
Sam Allardyce? No I'll never really appreciate his football and I find him
difficult to warm to as a bloke. But HATE him .not in a million years.
I have never truly seen him as a good fit for West Ham but if - as most
expect - he moves on in four or five weeks time I think it will be good for
him and us.
Nothing is forever and everything has to be freshened up. He's done a
decent job within limited ambitions.
Now - as we move into a new era - we need to start winning things and I
believe given Sam's track record we require a new manager for both that
reason and many others mentioned above.
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New Irons disaster .how much more can we take?
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on April 11, 2015 in Whispers
Irons 1 Stoke 1
Claret & Hugh
And so it came to passeth that the Red Sea again failed to open and the Red
Mist descended on Samuel Alerdici as he again failed to lead his wandering
Premier League tribe into the winning Promised Land.
I'm sorry, forgive me but if I don't laugh I'm gonna spend the rest of the
evening crying my eyes out after another late late horror show.
This time the Stoke leveller came in injury time when Marko Arnautovic slid
his angled shot past Adrian to break every West Ham heart inside and outside
Upton Park.
The Austrian finally made it pay after twice having 'goals' ruled out for
offside.
Aaron Cresswell's brilliant early free-kick had put West Ham ahead, but
Stoke dominated for much of the remainder of the match.
Mark Noble had shaped to take the free kick but ran over the ball as
Cresswell stepped forward to plant a brilliant effort into the top right
hand corner.
Cheik Kouyate saw a couple of efforts saved and fly wide but it was the
visitors who turned up the pressure with Cameron, Moses and N'Zonzi causing
problems.
Adrian was the busiest keeper but saw a shot from Adam fly over before
collecting from Walter. Reid was then in the right place to get his head in
the way of a Moses effort.
It was all hugely uncomfortable for the home supporters and Moses again had
a big chance but shot wide after being presented with a chance by Collins.
Stoke cranked up the pressure again in the second half and Arnautovic slid
home a 69th minute effort that was judged offside.
Then Diouf headed in a powerful effort which thumped the inside of Adrian's
post before rebounding to safety.
Adam then shot wide before in the 94th minute Arnautovic made one count,
passing into the bottom left corner after finding space in the box. 1-1.
It's become seriously boring to talk about heartaches and heartbreaks.it's
worse than that. We just cannot see games out. Something is wrong, badly
wrong and it has to end.
It's all well and good talking about pro and anti managerial lobbies but the
far more serious fact is that we are sliding and sliding while failing to
learn the very important lesson of how to close matches out.
If we reach deep into our hearts we know what the answer to these problems
has to be.
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