Daily WHUFC News - 7th February 2015

Dev Squad 2-1 Fulham U21
WHUFC.com
The Dev Squad win 2-1 after putting in their best performance of the season
06.02.2015

DEVELOPMENT SQUAD v FULHAM U21
BARCLAYS U21 PREMIER LEAGUE
RUSH GREEN STADIUM
FRIDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2015
KICK-OFF: 7.00 PM
REFEREE: IAN RATHBONE

FT: Dev Squad 2-1 Fulham U21

A superb, deserved win for the Dev Squad as they beat Fulham 2-1. To a man,
the Dev Squad put in a performance full of creativity, graft and hard work.

95: More superb hold up play from Brown, definitely one of his best
performances for the U21s.

94: Final few seconds here surely...Fulham are pressing with everything
they've got left to force an equaliser. They have the ball in the back of
the net but the linesman had flagged for offside.

92: Spiegel rises high to claim a cross, the big Swiss goalie has been solid
all night.

90: Jordan Brown is on the end of a heavy challenge from Baba and is
receiving treatment. Last few minutes.

88: Corner to Fulham after Joe Powell gets across to block the cross. A man
in white gets his head to it but Spiegel is equal to it.

85: The Hammers monumental effort continues as they press and harry every
ball. It is working well for them as they win the ball high up and the
field.

82: The young left back Vashon Neufville is having an excellent debut for
the U21s tonight. Solid in defence, tough tackling and a great outlet going
forward, looking forward to seeing more of him in the near future.

79: Brilliant hold up play by Jordan Brown in the corner as he fends off two
men and buys a throw in.

76: Goal saving tackle from Manny Onariase! De La Torre was through on goal
and about to pull the trigger only for the big centre back to come out of
nowhere and make an inch perfect tackle. Superb defending.

73: A brief break in play as Tunji Akinola and Alex Pike are both receiving
treatment for cramp.

70: Some tired legs beginning to show such is the effort been put in by both
sides. Fulham playing on Monday night may also be starting to take it's
toll.

67: Another wonderful move from the Hammers. It starts with Spiegel and
works its way through the team via several one-twos to Brown on the six yard
box who's shot is blocked. What a move that was, great invention from a very
young line up, think Argentina in the 2006 World Cup sort of vibe.

64: Josh Cullen gets a ticking off from the referee for one too many fouls.
The central midfielder has been superb tonight, leading by example and
showing his credentials as captain.

61: Another good move from the Hammers as they press high up the pitch and
retain possession. Nasha flicks on to Joe Powell who wins a corner. The
resulting delivery causes all sorts of problems but the Cottagers clear
their lines eventually.

59: Stoppage in play as Jordan Evans receives some treatment after being
left in a heap.

56: Fulham's Ange-Freddy Plumain tries his luck from distance but it goes
harmlessly wide.

53: Good move from the Hammers sees Josh Cullen shoot from the edge of the
box. His effort is blocked seconds before Parfitt-Williams is tackled well
by Noe Baba as he burst into the box. The central defender had to get that
right otherwise it would have been a penalty.

50: Fulham make all three substitutes as they look to turn this game around.
Ryan Williams, Noe Baba and Luca De La Torre are all on.

47: The Dev Squad have the ball in the back of the net almost immediately as
Pafitt-Williams taps in Brown's cross-cum-shot however he is flagged for
offside and it will not count.

46: We're back under way here at Rush Green and here's hoping for more of
the same!

HT: Dev Squad 2-1 Fulham U21. Undoubtedly one of the halfs of the season
from the Dev Squad, to a man they are pulling their weight and then some.

42: Close! Fulham could hardly get any closer to an equaliser as Pike's
scuffed clearance canons off the crossbar before the rebound hits the post
too. A real let off for the Hammers.

39: Jordan Brown rounds the keeper following another sloppy backpass before
he shoots from an incredibly tight angle. Fulham's Jordan Evans recovers
just in time to make a goaline clearance. So unlucky, the big No9 did
everything right.

37: Alex Pike tries his luck from the edge of the box but it fires just
wide. Worth an effort from the right back, who is having a superb game.

35: This game really is being played at a hundred miles an hour. Nasha is
fouled on the half way line which allows both sides a short breather.
Captain Cullen is doing a fantastic job of directing the midfield battle,
both win the ball and verbally so far.

32: Fulham are growing into the game and enjoying more possession. They
don't have anything to show for their efforts but are building the pressure
gradually.

30: Superb defending by Vashon Neufville who was beaten once, but sprints 30
yards and recovers well. Fulham win a corner which forces Spiegel into a
fantastic save, low to his right.

26: Great defence-splitting pass from the youngster Neufville as he searches
for Parfitt-Williams. Norman has to come rushing off his line to clear the
danger. Excellent vision from the left back.

24: Superb one-two between Parfitt-Williams and Jordan Brown sets the free
from the defender. The ball unfortunately just gets caught between his feet
which allows the Fulham defence to regroup.

22: Again Fulham go close as Taggart throws himself at Tue Na's drilled
cross from the left wing. He connects well but it falls just wide of
Spiegel's far post.

20: Fulham go close to an equaliser following a goal mouth scramble after an
inswinging corner. The Dev Squad eventually clear their lines. End to end
stuff here at Rush Green!

17: Yet again the Hammers are finding a lot of joy down the right wing. This
time Alex Pike gets forward and finds Powell on the edge of the box. He tees
himself up before unleashing a vicious shot which goalkeeper Magnus Norman
just gets behind.

14: GOAL! Jordan Brown restores the Hammers' lead with an almost identical
goal to Cullen's. Again, Powell puts a great ball across the six yard box
which Brown heads intside the far post.

11: Goal! Equaliser for Fulham as the visitors respond almost immediately.
No9 Adam Taggart is on hand to slot home coolly past Spiegel after running
on to long ball. All square.

9: GOAL! 1-0 to the Dev Squad. Joe Powell puts in a fantastic cross which
Josh Cullen runs onto at the back post, an excellent goal.

6: Another opportunity for the Hammers after a short goal kick goes straight
to Parfitt-Williams, he turns and feeds Brown on the edge of the area who
unselfishly passes into Powell instead of shooting. The Fulham defence just
manage to scramble it away.

5: Free kick for the Hammers out on the right wing. Powell floats a good
ball into the back post but Fulham's height advantage helps them to clear it
away.

3: Good intensity frm the Hammers. Amos Nasha, Joe Powell and Josh Cullen
all going in strongly trying to win the ball back.

2: Bright start from the Hammers as they look to go on the offensive
immediately. First Djair Parfitt-Williams and then Jordan Brown have a go at
running at the back four.

1: Tonight's captain Josh Cullen has won the toss and chosen to kick off.
Game on!

Both teams are out on the pitch, prematch handshakes are concluded and we're
all set! The Hammers, in their traditional claret and blue strip are kicking
left to right, the Cottagers are in their customary white and back strip.

Just five minutes until kick off! An excellent game in prospect tonight, one
which both teams will be going all out to win.

Little under half an hour to go until kick off and the fans are beginning to
stream in. There's a great atmosphere building up inside Rush Green, superb
set list from the stadium DJ too.

Both teams, under the lights, are out on the Rush Green Stadium pitch.
They'll need an extra vigorous warm up tonight as it is seriously chilly.

Tonight's teams have already played each other twice this season. In the
reverse fixture the Hammers came away from Motspur Park with a 1-1 draw,
while the Cottagers won 3-2 in the Barclays U21 Premier League International
Cup fixture back in December.

Just under an hour until kick off here at a very chilly Rush Green. The
Hammers are looking for their first win in five games as they look to get
off the foot of the table while the Cottagers go into tonight's game off the
back of an impressive 2-1 win away at Manchester United.

West Ham United: Spiegel, Pike, Neufville, Nasha, Onariase, Akinola, Powell,
Makasi, Brown, Cullen (c), Parfitt-Williams
Subs: Diangana, Bogard (GK), Borg, Carter, Hector-Ingram

Fulham: Norman, Voser, Evans, Hoogland, Buatu, Amorebieta, Tue Na, Della
Verde, Taggart, Plumain, Richards
Subs: Barnes, Baba, Williams, De La Torre

Tonight's teams are in...

Hello and welcome to tonight's coverage as the West Ham Unitd Development
Squad take on Fulham U21 in tonight's Barclays U21 Premier League match.

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'We're not afraid of anyone'
WHUFC.com
Mark Noble is confident of recording another big home win when Manchester
United come to visit
06.02.2015

Mark Noble says West Ham United have nothing to fear from an in-form
Manchester United. While the Red Devils have lost just once since early
November, the Hammers have enjoyed some fantastic results on home turf this
season and go into Sunday's game sitting eighth in the Barclays Premier
League. Having already beaten last season's champions and runners-up, Noble
insists West Ham can complete a Boleyn Ground hat-trick of victories by
defeating Louis van Gaal's side. "It's a different kettle of fish when it's
at our place," said Noble. "Man United have probably flown a little bit
under the radar with the results they've been having, as they just seem to
keep nicking wins and I expect them to be up there at the end of the season.
"But our place is a bit of a fortress now and everyone is looking forward to
it. Look at the teams we've beaten at home already - Man City and Liverpool
- and we gave Arsenal a really good go. "We're not afraid of any of the big
teams and we know if we play to how we can play, we have every chance of
winning the game on Sunday. It's a long way away from last season when we
went into these games in the bottom three and a little bit worried about
what the score was going to be. "We can enjoy these games now with the
points we've got and try and go for the three points. Man to man it's not
much of a gulf these days compared to a couple of years ago. "Hopefully
we'll get our players back out on the pitch and ready to go and we can go
out and give them a proper go. If we get them out there then we've beat a
lot of big teams at our place and there is no reason we can't do Man U as
well."

One player who will be important to the Hammers' hopes on Sunday is Aaron
Cresswelll, the left-back who has impressed so much since his summer switch
from Ipswich Town. Noble is in no doubt that the No3 - an ever-present this
term - has been one of West Ham's standout performers all season long. "Do
you know what, he is one of the best signings I've seen come to the Club
since I've been here," the midfielder purred. "A lot of clubs delve into the
foreign market and don't dip into the Championship any more, but we've
signed a fantastic player in Cress. "Not only is he a good player but he's
great around the squad. He's a great lad and when you get someone like that
who comes in and plays so well, you're really happy for them. "When he first
came, he was a little bit quiet but he has settled down now. Our dressing
room has got a lot of good characters who welcome players and help them to
settle in and that spirit helped us to stay up last year. "A lesser team
probably would have been relegated, but because we've got such a strong
squad and a good bunch of boys we stayed up. We've brought the new boys into
the fold I'm sure if you spoke to Cress he'd tell you he is thoroughly
enjoying it."

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Potts delighted with performance
WHUFC.com
U21 coach Steve Potts was delighted with the Dev Squad's performance against
Fulham
06.02.2015

West Ham United U21 coach Steve Potts was delighted with the Development
Squad's 2-1 win over Fulham at Rush Green on Friday 6 February.
The Hammers, who fielded another young side, took an early lead as captain
Josh Cullen headed home Joe Powell's cross into the net.
Cullen's opener sparked a frantic five minutes as Adam Taggart equalised a
minute later, only for striker Jordan Brown to restore the Hammers' lead
with a similar header at the back post. The win was only the Hammers third
in the league this season as they hope to beat the drop. Speaking after the
game, Potts said: "I was really pleased with the performance. Obviously I'm
very pleased to win, but the way we went about it was very, very good. "We
started on the front foot from the first minute and pushed on from there. We
wanted to take the game to Fulham and ask them a few questions. We did that,
we went 1-0 up but was then very naïve and all of a sudden it was 1-1.
"Sometimes that can cause you to doubt yourself but we stood firm and
refocused. Went 2-1 up and then it was a case of keeping it going."
The starting eleven included a number of younger players including Vashon
Neufville who made his first start for the U21s as well as Tunji Akinola,
making only second U21 appearance. Potts continued to praise the efforts of
the youngsters: "The younger lads were excellent, we had three school boys
playing out there tonight. It was a risk but certainly one worth taking and
they showed that tonight. The whole team was pretty young and they did very
well collectively and individually. I couldn't fault any of them. "It can
help them to improve as players. We could've faced sharper players, stronger
maybe but they'll learn quickly from tonight."

The Dev Squad's next home game is against Manchester City at the Boleyn
Ground on Friday 13 March, kick off 7pm.

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Hammers announce Betway sponsorship
WHUFC.com
Long-term partnership marks Betway's first foray into football sponsorship
06.02.2015

West Ham United are delighted to announce a new long-term partnership that
will see leading online gaming platform Betway become the Club's new
principal sponsor. The deal, the biggest in the Club's history, will see the
Betway logo feature on the front of all of the Club's senior teams' playing
shirts and trainingwear, starting with Sunday's first-team fixture with
Manchester United, along with naming rights to the Boleyn Ground's West
Stand. The new partnership will cover an incredibly exciting period for West
Ham, who start their final season at the Boleyn Ground in August before
moving to a state-of-the-art new home in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park the
following summer. Betway's Executive Director Bob Dutnall said: "West Ham
United are a club with a rich history and passionate supporters and we're
thrilled to have secured this sponsorship at a time when the team are
performing so well. "The Barclays Premier League is the world's most popular
football competition and the sport is synonymous with excitement and
betting, making it a perfect fit for our growing brand.
"We are looking forward to supporting the Hammers on the pitch and rewarding
their fans off it with innovative Betway offers and special markets."

West Ham United Vice-Chairman Karren Brady said: "We are pleased to welcome
Betway to the Club as our new principal sponsor, in what is our biggest-ever
commercial deal. "Like us, Betway are an ambitious, forward-thinking company
and the size of the agreement reflects our status as one of the fastest
growing brands in world football. "Betway join us at one of the most
exciting periods in our history and we will be working closely with them as
we prepare to bid an emotional farewell to our home of more than 110 years
before moving into our stunning new Stadium in 2016."

Betway deliver world-class sports betting, casino and poker to nearly two
million customers globally. This is the brand's first venture into football
and the next step in a sponsorship strategy that has already seen the
sportsbook invest heavily in darts as the Premier League sponsors and UK
horseracing, penning deals to lend their name to the Queen Mother Champion
Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and four major races throughout the 2015
Flat season. The Club will be making a further statement next week on how
supporters can update their 2014/15 replica shirts to include the Betway
logo. The official Club stores and the online store will also be stocking
the newly branded shirts - more information on this will follow next week.

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Chadwell Chatter
WHUFC.com
Adrian blogs for whufc.com ahead of Sunday's Barclays Premier League visit
of Manchester United
05.02.2015

Hola everyone!

Sunday is a big game for us and a tough one also. We're playing at home
though, in front of our fans and on our pitch. We have a strong squad and I
think it's a good moment for us to try and get three points again. It might
be a busy game for me with all the top class attacking players they have but
in the Premier League, you never have an easy game. I just want to help my
teammates and we'll be focused and going for the victory. Nobody has scored
a goal against me from as far out as Wayne Rooney last year, so I need to be
careful. It was an amazing goal for him, and you need to be wary of that
kind of skill. I work every day at the training ground to improve and it's
my job to make saves. I enjoy it every time when I help my teammates.
Overall we need to be strong to finish off our season well over the next few
months ands get as many wins as we can. Back to Sunday's game and Manchester
United have two fantastic Spanish goalkeepers, David de Gea and Victor
Valdes. I know them both and they are great people and great keepers. Valdes
was amazing at Barcelona for the last few years and de Gea has given good
performances for his team as well. It'll be a good Spanish battle in the
goal!

See you at the Boleyn Ground!
Adrian

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West Ham v Man Utd
KO 16:15
Last updated at 12:57
By Steve Bower
BBC Match of the Day commentator

BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: Upton Park Date: Sunday, 8 February

TEAM NEWS

West Ham central defenders James Collins and Winston Reid are out with
hamstring injuries suffered last week. Andy Carroll may not be risked after
hurting his ankle, but Diafra Sakho returns after a row over his withdrawal
from international duty was resolved. Manchester United are again without
injured midfielder Michael Carrick. Radamel Falcao will hope for a recall,
while Ashley Young is in contention after recovering from a hamstring strain
suffered on New Year's Day.

MATCH PREVIEW

When Manchester United's season so far is the topic of conversation, an
opinion you often hear is that they are not playing particularly well.
That always sparks a good debate, but the cold facts are that they begin the
weekend in the top three, five points behind reigning champions Manchester
City and with just one defeat in 16 league and cup matches. They have won
nine of their last 13 Premier League games and yet does Louis van Gaal know
his best team? Has he been able to name it yet? The United boss has had to
assess players and systems as he's gone along since the start of the season.
The fact that he has used 31 players in the campaign so far tells you
everything. He's used the transfer window to try to trim the squad and will
hope the injuries are kinder to him in the remaining months of the season
and he can find some consistency in his team selection. They haven't lost on
the road since the Manchester derby in November and have only been beaten
twice away in the league all season. However, their task of achieving a
league double over West Ham will be a challenging one.

"West Ham have only won one of their last six Premier League games but I
think they will give Manchester United some problems defensively. The pitch
is so tight at Upton Park and the Hammers will load the ball in to Andy
Carroll, presuming he is fit."
The Hammers have been excellent at home - only Arsenal have won at Upton
Park in the last 10 league games, during which they have picked up 23 points
from a possible 30. Sam Allardyce, who hasn't beaten United as West Ham
manager, was left frustrated in his attempts to conclude some ins and outs
at the end of the transfer window. However, his squad has enough depth to
continue to make this a positive season. This fixture has always had
intensity about it - last season's meeting saw Wayne Rooney score from the
halfway line - and the East End will expect drama once again.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head
Manchester United are unbeaten in their last 12 top-flight games against
West Ham, winning 11 of those matches.
West Ham's last win came on 29 December 2007 when Anton Ferdinand and
Matthew Upson scored late goals after Cristiano Ronaldo gave United an early
lead -but then missed a penalty.
West Ham United
The Hammers have 17 more points than at this stage last season - despite
having half as many clean sheets (five instead of 10).
They have scored a league-high 14 headed goals in the Premier League this
season.
Only Chelsea (8) have scored more Premier League goals from corners than
West Ham (7) in 2014-15.
West Ham's next defeat will be their 300th in the Premier League.
Manchester United
The Red Devils are unbeaten in their last six Premier League away matches
(W3, D3).
United could keep back-to-back clean sheets in Premier League away matches
for the first time this season.
Wayne Rooney has 10 goals in his last nine Premier League games against West
Ham, while Robin van Persie has netted six times in his last five top-flight
appearances against them.
Radamel Falcao has been involved in seven goals in nine league starts for
Manchester United (four goals and three assists).

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Sam Allardyce: Emmanuel Adebayor deal collapse 'frustrating'
BBC.co.uk

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce says the collapse of Emmanuel Adebayor's loan
deal was "frustrating". The Tottenham forward's move was blocked by Spurs
chairman Daniel Levy. Allardyce said: "A lot of moves were blocked for
various reasons so I'm not that bothered. From our point of view it left us
a bit frustrated. "It didn't look like we were going to be active until the
very end, but then we picked up five injuries and now we are very short."

On the Hammers injury list:

"It's particularly worrying at the moment, I've had to bring a list of the
injuries with me. James Collins, Winston Reid, Guy Demel, Diego Poyet,
Doneil Henry and Andy Carroll lie in our medical room at the moment. "We're
not sure how many of those will make it for Sunday. With such a big week
coming, three games in a week, there'll be very few risks taken, unless
they're 100% fit. If we play them it may exacerbate the injuries so we will
go to battle with what we've got."

On Diafra Sakho replacing Andy Carroll:

"Maybe, we'll have to wait and see." The Hammers were fined £71,000 by Fifa
following Senegalese striker Sakho's match-winning appearance against
Bristol City in the FA Cup, despite missing the African Cup of Nations with
a back injury.

On injury problems in defence:

"We went all out for a defender in the window after the Liverpool game.
However, it didn't work out, we were only in a position to get someone in on
a loan but we couldn't pull it off. "Everyone that wanted to come, wanted a
permanent deal, which we couldn't do at that time, so that's the position
we're in. Someone will have to fill in at the back and maybe stay there for
a while."

On using their 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford earlier in the season as
motivation:

"We certainly took some positives from the game as we almost came away with
a result. Had it not been for a poor decision to rule out Kevin Nolan's
equaliser we would have done. That would have been a great boost for us at
the time.
"On Sunday, it's about us keeping a clean sheet, the longer we do that the
more we will frustrate them and the better chance we have of winning."

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Betway confirmed as new principal sponsor
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 6th February 2015
By: Staff Writer

West Ham United have confirmed that gambling firm Betway will be the club's
new long-term sponsor. The Hammers were left without a principal sponsor
after former associate Alpari went into liquidation following a run on the
Swiss France recently. And this morning the club confirmed a brand new
partneship with Betway, which will result in the company's logo replacing
Alpari's on the clubs shirt with immediate effecte.

Additionally, the Boleyn Ground's West Stand will also be known as the
Betway Stand in any future club literature. Karren Brady, West Ham's part
time vice chair told whufc.com: " We are pleased to welcome Betway to the
Club as our new principal sponsor, in what is our biggest-ever commercial
deal. "Like us, Betway are an ambitious, forward-thinking company and the
size of the agreement reflects our status as one of the fastest growing
brands in world football. "Betway join us at one of the most exciting
periods in our history and we will be working closely with them as we
prepare to bid an emotional farewell to our home of more than 110 years
before moving into our stunning new Stadium in 2016."

Betway's Executive Director Bob Dutnall added: "West Ham United are a club
with a rich history and passionate supporters and we're thrilled to have
secured this sponsorship at a time when the team are performing so well.
"The Barclays Premier League is the world's most popular football
competition and the sport is synonymous with excitement and betting, making
it a perfect fit for our growing brand.
"We are looking forward to supporting the Hammers on the pitch and rewarding
their fans off it with innovative Betway offers and special markets."

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Allardyce on the defensive
KUMb.com
Filed: Friday, 6th February 2015
By: Staff Writer

Sam Allardyce is delighted to welcome Diafra Sakho back into his team - but
admits he is struggling to field a defence against Manchester United this
Sunday. The Hammers boss could be without several first team players when
West Ham host the Red Devils on Sunday afternoon, including Winston Reid,
James Collins, Guy Demel, Diego Poyet and Andy Carroll. Additionally, his
only other first team central defender - James Tomkins - is also struggling
for fitness following recent injury - and that has given Allardyce a major
selection headache ahead of this weekend's big game. "The injuries are
worrying," he said. "I've brought my list with me - Reid, Collins, Demel,
Henry, Carroll and Poyet are all doubtful and lie in our medical room at the
moment. "We are not sure how many if any of those will make Sunday's game.
Obviously, with a very busy week, very few risks will be taken. Unless they
are 100 percent fit, they won't be playing. "With such a big week coming -
three games in a week - there'll be very few risks taken unless they're 100%
fit. If we play them it may exacerbate the injuries, so we will go to battle
with what we've got." West Ham will be attempting to beat Man U for the
first time since goals from Carlton Cole and Jonathan Spector gave West Ham
a 4-0 Carling Cup win in the snow, back in November 2010. Since then the two
sides have met on eight occasions, with the Hammers drawing two and losing
six.

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West Ham battling long injury list ahead of Manchester United clash
Last Updated: 06/02/15 1:04pm
SSN

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has bemoaned a lengthy list of injuries ahead
of Sunday's clash with Manchester United. The Hammers welcome Louis van
Gaal's side to Upton Park with several key men unavailable - and Allardyce
is frustrated he was unable to bring in more personnel before the transfer
deadline. "(The injury list) is particularly worrying at the moment," said
Allardyce. "I've had to bring a list of the injuries with me. James Collins,
Winston Reid, Guy Demel, Diego Poyet, Doneil Henry and Andy Carroll lie in
our medical room at the moment. "We're not sure how many of those will make
it for Sunday. With such a big week coming, three games in a week, there'll
be very few risks taken, unless they're 100 per cent fit. If we play them it
may exacerbate the injuries so we will go to battle with what we've got. "It
is why we went all out for a defender in the window after the Liverpool
game. However it didn't work out, we were only in a position to get someone
in on a loan but we couldn't pull it off. "Everyone that wanted to come
wanted a permanent deal, which we couldn't do at that time, so that's the
position we're in. Someone will have to fill in at the back and maybe stay
there for a while."

When asked about the rumoured failed move for Tottenham striker Emmanuel
Adebayor, Alladyce added: "A lot of moves were blocked for various different
reasons, so I'm not that bothered. "From our point of view it left us a bit
frustrated, and especially Carlton Cole on the basis that he would've moved
had Adebayor joined, as it happened we couldn't afford to let him go. "It
was a frustrating day, originally it didn't look like we were going to be
active until the very end, but then we picked up five injuries and now we
are very short. We don't have a problem with (Tottenham), it is their
decision. If anything that was the only loan available, it just didn't work
out at the end."

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West Ham host Manchester United in part three of Super Sunday triple-header
Last Updated: 06/02/15 10:06pm
SSN

West Ham host Manchester United on Super Sunday looking to revive their
stuttering drive for a top-four finish. Just a point and a place separated
the two sides before the Christmas interval as the Hammers went five games
unbeaten in the league to strengthen their Champions League credentials. But
Sam Allardyce's side have faltered of late, picking up just five points from
their last six league outings and now sit in eighth position, seven points
adrift of Sunday's opponents. United, who have lost just one game in 16,
travel to east London having booked their place in the fifth round of the FA
Cup with a 3-0 win over Cambridge United on Tuesday. Louis van Gaal's side
have lost just one of their last 20 trips to the capital, a run the club
will be keen to extend as they look to pull away from the sides jostling for
European football.

West Ham are facing a defensive injury crisis ahead of the game, with
Allardyce likely to have just one fit centre-back as both Winston Reid and
James Collins are ruled out with hamstring injuries. Cheikhou Kouyate could
be called upon to provide defensive cover having recovered from an ankle
problem. Andy Carroll picked up an ankle injury in the defeat at Liverpool
and may not be risked whilst Diego Poyet and Doneil Henry are also missing
with unspecified knocks.

United will be missing midfielder Michael Carrick with a calf strain, but
that is their own injury worry, with both Radamel Falcao and Ashley Young
back in contention.

Opta stats

The Hammers have scored the most headed goals in the Premier League this
season (14).
Manchester United have won 11 and lost none of their last 12 Premier League
matches against West Ham.
Wayne Rooney has scored 10 goals in his last nine Premier League games
against West Ham.
Robin van Persie has scored in each of his last five Premier League games
against the Hammers, netting a total of six goals in that run.
Manchester United are unbeaten in their last six Premier league away games
(W3 D3).
Sam Allardyce's side have lost just one of their last 10 Premier League
games at the Boleyn Ground (W7 D2 L1).

Merson's prediction

Home win. I'm not convinced by Man United, I don't think they're playing
well enough, and sooner or later they'll lose again. They beat Leicester
last week, had three shots and scored three goals, but I just wouldn't be
shocked if West Ham won. Would you? It's a hard place to go. Even though the
Hammers were poor at Liverpool last week, I think they have got a really
good chance of winning this game.
Van Gaal is a good talker, that's why he's not getting a hard time, and to
be fair they're in the top four. That's what they were looking for this
season, a bit of stability - but this game is not a foregone conclusion.

PAUL PREDICTS: 2-1 (Sky Bet odds 11/1)

Betting

United are marginally odds-on at 10/11 to see off West Ham on Super Sunday,
with the Hammers up against odds of 14/5 to win and 13/5 to secure a draw.

Van Persie heads the first goalscorer market at 9/2, but is closely followed
by Falcao (5/1) and Rooney (6/1), while Carroll and Diafra Sahko are
considered the biggest threats from Allardyce's side at 7/1 apiece.

Jamie Redknapp is backing Carroll to break the deadlock in his Red Hot Tips
and is expecting a close encounter at Upton Park, going for a 1-1 draw at
11/2.

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West Ham confirm record shirt sponsorship deal with Betway
Last Updated: 06/02/15 12:52pm
SSN

West Ham United have confirmed a new record shirt sponsorship deal with
online bookmakers Betway. Betway will take over from Alpari, who went into
liquidation last month, and they will have their logo on the club's shirts
starting on Sunday against Manchester United.
The previous deal was worth £3m but Sky sources understand the new contract
is worth significantly more. The club's official Twitter account posted: "We
are delighted to announce Betway as our new principal partner. Our new
shirts are ready for Sunday #COYI." Betway confirmed the deal would be a
'long-term partnership' with the East London club. Currency broker Alpari
closed in mid-January after turmoil in the currency markets and has been in
administration since.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
£20 MILLION RECORD DEAL FOR HAMMERS
By Sean Whetstone 6 Feb 2015 at 17:02
West Ham till I Die

West Ham's commercial department pulled off a master stroke by negotiating a
principal sponsor half way through the season for almost twice that of the
previous sponsor Alpari FX Trading who went into administration in mid
January.

Online betting company Betway has signed a three and a half year sponsorship
deal worth over £20m valuing each season at over £5.75m per season. This
dwarfs the former Alpari deal worth £9m over three years. It appears the
Hammers have actually profited from the sad demise of the foreign currency
trading company.

West Ham commercial director Felicity Croft who joined us Arsenal is thought
to have been instrumental in landing the deal.


The new logo will be worn on first team players shirts on Sunday against
Manchester United and the re-branding of the Boleyn ground will begin
including the renaming of the West stand to the Betway stand. The deal
includes the lucrative first two years at the Olympic Stadium.

While there has been some criticism from some fans about the white
background on the Betway logo for this season it is understood the logo will
be redesigned to fit with next year's Umbro shirt. The white patch is
thought to have been designed to cover up existing Adidas manufactured
shirts with the Alpari logo on them.

Karren Brady said: "We are pleased to welcome Betway to the Club as our new
principal sponsor, in what is our biggest-ever commercial deal. Like us,
Betway are an ambitious, forward-thinking company and the size of the
agreement reflects our status as one of the fastest growing brands in world
football. Betway join us at one of the most exciting periods in our history
and we will be working closely with them as we prepare to bid an emotional
farewell to our home of more than 110 years before moving into our stunning
new Stadium in 2016."

The Club say they will be making a further statement next week on how
supporters can update their 2014/15 replica shirts to include the Betway
logo. The official Club stores and the online store will also be stocking
the newly branded shirts.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
COLE - ALWAYS BELIEVE IN YOUR SOUL
By Iain Dale 6 Feb 2015 at 10:00
West Ham Till I Die

Guest Post by Neil Clack

No doubt all this Sakho business will end up in the High Court, where a
combination of random has-been 1980s coaches like Peter Shreeves and Graham
Taylor, accompanied by Henry Winter of the Daily Telegraph, will convince
some geriatric judge with a rugby-background that Senegal would have won the
African Nations Cup hands down if Sakho had played in it. We'll have to pay
£30 million to Senegal in compensation, as well as the £20 million to
Bristol City who would have gone on to win the FA Cup had Sakho not come on
and scored against them.

Well, after sitting through last week's annual non-event at Anfield, things
have certainly been a lot more interesting off the pitch than on it over the
last seven days. It all began to look a bit ominous when the team was
announced at Liverpool. Many fans around me, in the Essex pub I frequent to
watch the away games live, asked the obvious question,"If we've got such a
cast-iron case, as Sam had claimed in the papers the day before, why isn't
Sakho on the team-sheet?"

Another thing I don't really get either is that, considering how many West
Ham fans all over the forums knew the FIFA rules, even before the match at
Bristol City, how come the club didn't?

Or did West Ham know the rules, but just decided to chance their luck?
'We're West Ham and we do what we want, so up-yours FIFA!'.

Now the Bristol City forums are baying for blood. And cash. "What about the
money from the replay at Upton Park that would have happened had Sakho not
come on and scored?",they rage. And if they'd won the replay, "what about
the money from the 5th round match at West Brom". The Bristol City board
probably feels obliged to react to fan sentiment and this could escalate,
ending up with Henry Winter, Bobby Gould and Ron Atkinson explaining to
Judge know-nothing about football how Bristol City would have gone on to win
back to back promotions to the Premier League if only Sakho had not come on.

The disappointment experienced by 13.5m Senegalese nationals will need to be
compensated too.

It does take an almost inconceivable level of institutional incompetence to
do this three times, and with a different spin on each. Omoyimni was cup
tied, Tevez was owned by a third party and Sakho was barred due to
international rules.

And what's this bit all about? From the Guardian, "The club, who omitted the
forward for Saturday's 2-0 Premier League defeat at Liverpool having been
made aware of the Fifa investigation, had been so unnerved by the
controversy that they had attempted to placate Senegal via an intermediary".

It's at times like this that we have to look on the lighter side of West
Ham, and the good news for all Carlton Cole fans like me is that he's still
here; his move to WBA having broken down at the last moment. For one
horrible hour or so on Monday night, even I really did start to consider
that an era may be coming to an end, but I should have known better – it was
just another one of those ruses from Carlton that he likes to tease us with
every now and then. Finally, as always, he stayed, this time due to
Tottenham Chairman David Levy putting a block on Adebayour's loan deal (Levy
can't seriously see us rival top 4 challengers, surely? – it looked more
like spitefulness over the Olympic Stadium if you ask me?).

Whatever, Carlton's here to stay. And we can now tick off the name of Mauro
Zarate on that long list of strikers that he's seen off in the last 9 years.
(see here for the definitive list – 4th paragraph down)

If Andy Carroll's previous injury history is anything to go, his reckless
Gazza-type lunge that only served to injure himself at Liverpool, will
probably keep him out for the rest of the season now, and with Sakho's
life-time ban from all football imminent, and Valencia's lack of interest
now that his head's been turned by Chelsea, it all leads to one thing –
Carlton rising once again to become our number 1 striker.

So once again, I urge you to get behind our cult-hero, the man who is
destined to wear the West Ham shirt forever and ever. Let's hear it sung
with gusto on Sunday, 'Cole – always believe in your soul'.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Man United boss Van Gaal putting a cork in traditional post-game tipple
makes West Ham's Allardyce whine
22:30, 6 February 2015 By Adrian Kajumba
Hammers manager was not invited for a drink and chat by opposite number at
Old Trafford in September but says HIS office door will be open on Sunday
The Mirror

Sam Allardyce claims managers such as Louis van Gaal are helping ruin one of
English football's great traditions. The West Ham boss fears the ritual of
managers sharing a private post-match drink and a chat will soon become a
thing of the past. Big Sam has not forgotten the lack of an invitation from
Van Gaal after Manchester United's 2-1 win over the Hammers in September. He
said at the time: "I was told it didn't happen any more, so I said 'Fair
enough' and left." But he has vowed to try to keep the tradition alive by
leaving his door open, despite being snubbed by Van Gaal. Allardyce, used to
sharing a glass of wine with former United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, said: "I
did miss the red wine. My office door is always open, but the sad thing is
that lots of managers don't even bother any more, not just the foreign
managers, but the Brits as well. "It's another tradition gone out of the
window. I can understand it because there is so much media we have to do
after a game. It's a chance to talk, isn't it? It's not very long these
days, maybe five or 10 minutes, but it is a chance to chat that you don't
often get. "Managers don't get that much time, there is only our managers
association do at the end of the season where most of the managers turn up
and then a few regional meetings. "But I don't think somebody like Louis van
Gaal will turn up to one of those. He may do one day when he settles in. But
yes, it's a shame it's slipping away."

While there's little chance of a drink, Allardyce has a huge headache ahead
of United's visit because of injuries. Defenders Winston Reid, James
Collins, Guy Demel, Doneil Henry, midfielder Diego Poyet and striker Andy
Carroll were named as injury doubts by Allardyce who feared they may all
miss out. That could leave him with no option but to pick a makeshift
defence to face United's star-studded attack. Having failed to land a
defender on deadline day – Tottenham's Younes Kaboul and Everton's Sylvain
Distin were among those targeted – midfielders Cheikhou Kouyate or Alex Song
could be pressed into emergency centre-back duty. Allardyce said: "Someone
will now have to fit in at central defender and maybe stay there for a
while."

Carroll's ankle injury, meanwhile, could open the door for 10-goal top
scorer Diafra Sakho to return. He missed West Ham's 2-0 defeat at Liverpool
last Saturday due to the club vs country row between the Irons and Senegal.
The Hammers were fined £71,000 after playing Sakho, who scored the winner,
in the FA Cup victory against Bristol City after he was declared unfit for
Senegal's Africa Cup of Nations campaign. Asked if Sakho will replace
Carroll if the Geordie is ruled out, Allardyce smiled and said: "You will
have to wait and see."

Even though his side are almost certain to be depleted, Allardyce is
nevertheless eyeing another big-name scalp. The Hammers manager added: "In
many ways, this is a bonus game, one where the expectations are not so
great. But we have done it twice this year at home, against Liverpool and
Man City, where nobody expected us to win that game, yet we won. "Can we do
another one at home against the big boys?"

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sam Allardyce admits West Ham face an injury crisis ahead of Manchester
United clash on Sunday
13:48, 6 February 2015 By Adrian Kajumba
Six of Allardyce's regular first team players are in line to miss the clash
at Upton Park after missing out on transfer targets on deadline day
The Mirror

Sam Allardyce has a huge injury crisis on his hands ahead of West Ham's
clash with Manchester United. Allardyce revealed Winston Reid, James
Collins, Guy Demel, Andy Carroll, Doneil Henry and Diego Poyet could all
miss Sunday's Upton Park showdown. The Hammers boss said: "It's obviously
particularly worrying at the moment. I've got that many players injured I
brought my list in to read out. "Reid, Collins, Demel, Henry, Poyet and
Carroll lie in our medical room at the moment so we are not so sure how many
of those are going to make Sundays game. "Could they all be out?
Definitely." But with trips to Southampton in the league and West Brom in
the FA Cup to come next week after they host United Allardyce insists he
won't gamble on any player not 100 per cent fit. He said: "With such a big
week as well, three games in the week there will be very few risks taken on
players unless they are 100 per cent fit. "If I risk anyone on Sunday, that
may increase the length of the injury so we will go to battle with what we
have got, but players who are 100 per cent fit on Sunday, and hopefully some
of these lads will get fit next week and into the week after."

Allardyce's biggest headache could be fielding a defence against Louis Van
Gaal's men. And his concerns about the fitness of Reid, Collins, Demel and
Canadian January signing Henry explain why he was so desperate to try and
bring in a central defender on deadline day.
Tottenham's Younes Kaboul and Everton's Sylvain Distin were among the
defenders Allardyce's tried to sign before the window slammed shut on
Monday. He said: "That's why we went all out from the game finishing against
Liverpool to try and secure a central defender to fill that gap that was
going to be left with the injuries but unfortunately however hard we tried
in terms of a loan deal we could not pull it off. "Everybody who wanted to
come wanted a permanent deal and we weren't in a position to do a permanent
deal so unfortunately we didn't get anyone in. "That is particularly
worrying as someone will have to fill in as a central defender and stay
there perhaps and hopefully no other players pick up any more injuries at
this stage."

Striker Diafra Sakho is back in contention after being left out of the 2-0
defeat at Liverpool last week due to the club v country row between West Ham
and Senegal. Allardyce stayed tight-lipped on FIFA's decision to fine the
Hammers £71,000 for playing him in last month's FA Cup tie against Bristol
City, in which he scored the winner, just 18 days after he was ruled out of
the Africa Cup of Nations with a back injury. Asked if he would start
against Manchester United if Carroll was ruled out, Allardyce smiled: "You
have to wait and see."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Biggest deal in Hammers history
Posted by Sean Whetstone on February 6, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

Claret and Hugh can reveal that West Ham United have landed the biggest
financial sponsorship deal in it's 120 year history. Betway have been
announced as principle sponsors of West Ham this morning in a long term deal
lasting three and a half years. The sponsorship deal is worth just over £20m
over three and a half years making each season worth around £5.75m. This
dwarfs the previous deal with Alpari worth £9m deal over three years. It
understood that Chairman David Sullivan, along with Managing Director Angus
Kinear and Commercial Director Felicity Croft trashed out the record deal
with Betway. The Betway logo will be worn on Hammers shirts this Sunday
against Manchester United and the West stand will be renamed the Betway
stand as part of the deal.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Nolan future under review
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on February 6, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

West Ham look ready to allow Kevin Nolan to move on from the club in the
summer. The Irons captain hits his 33rd birthday in June and with a year
left on the five year deal he signed in 2011 the club are ready to allow him
a move if they receive a suitable offer.
Nolan's position in the team has been the subject of long term controversy
but at 33 the club believe this is the time to reward his loyalty by
allowing him the chance of making a lucrative move if they receive the right
offer.

Nolan arrived from Newcastle on a five year deal worth a reported £50,000 a
week which over five years would have grossed him £12 million. The transfer
fee involved was £4 million. However, a well placed Hammers source said: "We
are looking to the future and will be looking to sign young energetic
players. "Kevin has been a great player for the club but the summer will be
a critical time for various members of the squad – nothing is for ever!"

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http://vyperz.blogspot.com



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