Ladies win thriller
WHUFC.com
West Ham United Ladies' first game in three weeks saw them beat Cardiff City
3-2
23.11.2009
West Ham United Ladies won a thriller at Thurrock to overcome both the
elements and a determined Cardiff City side in an FA Tesco Women's Premier
League encounter that ended 3-2 to the Hammers.
The Hammers got off to a flying start and within minutes took the lead as
Gemma Shepherd ran through from the halfway line before beating both a
puddle and the Cardiff goalkeeper with a low drive. The hosts looked to
build on their perfect start and kept the Cardiff No1 busy - the best save
denying Carly Roache at the near post. However, from the resulting corner
the lead was doubled when Becky Merritt rose unchallenged to head in off the
post. Two up midway through the half the Hammers should have been able to
put the game beyond their visitors as Clare Rogers swept past several
tackles to burst along the by-line but elected to shoot for goal and the
chance went begging.
Any thoughts of a cruise to victory for the Hammers were shattered five
minutes after the restart when the visitors were awarded a spot-kick, which
despite keeper Toni Anne Wayne clawing a hand at was powerful enough to, hit
the back of the net.
The goal spurred West Ham back into life and having sent a free-kick over
the bar, they restored their two goal advantage when Shepherd cut into the
left hand side of the area and after her powerful shot was saved, Rogers
pounced to rifle the rebound home.
With the wind swirling again the Hammers were once again unable to build on
the two goal cushion and a misplaced clearance allowed Cardiff to pull a
goal back as the ball was fired home from 25 yards.
The visitors threw players forward in search of an equaliser but safe
handling from Wayne and determined tackling from the Hammers back four saw
them withstand the onslaught and take the three points.
West Ham United return to action on Sunday with a London derby at Crystal
Palace.
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Manager on Monday
WHUFC.com
Gianfranco Zola is pleased with Guille Franco and Danny Gabbidon, but admits
there is work to be done
23.11.2009
Gianfranco Zola has hailed Guille Franco and Danny Gabbidon for their
impressive performances as he looks ahead to a big week that will culminate
in Saturday's visit of Burnley to the Boleyn Ground.
Mexico forward Franco showed his international class last Saturday in the
3-3 Barclays Premier League draw at Hull City by scoring one goal and
setting up another, while Wales defender Gabbidon produced a resolute
display on his return to the starting XI following a two-month absence. The
point proved enough to lift the team out of the relegation zone and three
more this weekend could put the club in striking distance of mid-table, such
is the closeness of the league table.
Zola was understandably pleased, but not surprised, by the experienced pair,
who have amassed 56 senior caps between them. "Guillermo Franco was
outstanding. Both Danny Gabbidon and him came in and did very well," said
the Hammers manager.
Zola admitted he had been surprised when Spanish side Villarreal CF allowed
Franco to run down his contract and leave on a free transfer in the summer.
Despite turning 33 earlier this month, the Argentina-born striker has kept
himself in superb physical condition, and the manager believes he has plenty
left to offer.
New to the English game and with the 2010 FIFA World Cup also on the
horizon, Franco has great incentive to show what he can do over the coming
six months. He arrived in east London on the back of a strong run of goals
for his country and played a pivotal role in their qualification for South
Africa in the summer.
"Franco has been very good for me. I was certainly surprised that Villarreal
didn't give him a contract but maybe there was something else there. He's
proving to be a very good player for us. He's been a very good gain for West
Ham United.
"He is an excellent guy, he works very hard and, above all, he's a very
intelligent player. He does that right things for the team and I'm really
impressed with him."
While Franco found the scoresheet at the KC Stadium, England striker Carlton
Cole was unable to add to his tally of six league goals this season. Zola
explained the 26-year-old was still working his way back to full
match-fitness after suffering a hamstring injury in the 2-1 victory over
Aston Villa on 4 November.
"Carlton has been out for a while with an injury. It's not easy to come back
and pick up straight away. He couldn't train properly because of his injury
but I'm not worried about him because he's going to be there when we need
him."
While Franco, Cole and their team-mates are not struggling to score goals,
conceding them at the other end remains a concern for Zola and his players.
A 2-0 lead disappeared against the Tigers, the fifth time this season West
Ham have failed to win a match after taking the lead - Tottenham Hotspur,
Fulham, Sunderland and the Carling Cup fourth-round tie at Bolton Wanderers
being the previous four.
A Cole own-goal, Kamil Zayatte volley and Jimmy Bullard penalty saw Hull
storm back before Manuel da Costa levelled matters midway through the second
half.
"Sometimes, we are handling the game a little bit bad, when we are in
control of it. Sunderland was different because the guy [Andy Reid] put
their free-kick in the top-corner, but it was different because a deflection
sent it into the top-corner.
"We know that we have to handle these things better and that's one of the
things we're going to be talking about during the week."
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Nouble hopeful for reserves
WHUFC.com
The reserves will play their first home match since September when they play
host to Stoke City
23.11.2009
West Ham United reserves play their first home game in more than two months
on Tuesday when Stoke City visit Bishop's Stortford.
Alex Dyer's side have enjoyed an encouraging upturn in performances of late
with creditable draws against vastly more experienced sides in the shape of
Polish side Arka and Fulham, before going down to a single goal in a
friendly with a strong Norwich City last week.
As has become custom in recent times, the Hammers are expected to name a
youthful side for the Potters' visit. While Josh Payne may be back from his
loan spell, the physical threat of Frank Nouble is expected to be added
following his recovery from an ankle knock that sidelined him for a few days
before he returned to England U19 duty last week.
"The football is coming along really well now," Nouble said. "What we're
doing in training is starting to show in the matches. We've lost one or two
senior players so the younger players are opening up a bit more. Hopefully
we can carry that good play on for the reserves."
Nouble's fledging strike pairing with Terry Dixon showed plenty of early
promise at Fulham before the injury laid him low. The 18-year-old will be
hoping to bring the experience gained during his trip with the first team to
Hull City at the weekend to the rest of the reserve squad.
"It was good to come away with the first team. I think we should have won
but it was a good experience to watch.
"The reserves will be training a couple of days before the game. We'll have
time to get our points across and then go into the game. Every game that
comes along I am happy as I can play a game every two or three weeks so
hopefully I can get some form for the reserves."
Nouble is familiar with Stoke City midfielder Nathaniel Wedderburn from his
recent U19 trips, and is confident the Hammers are prepared for what their
visitors will throw at them.
"I know one of the players from England. They will be physical like their
first team so we know what to expect."
Reserve-team manager Dyer wants his players to make sure they continue to
build on their recent encouraging performances. He said: "It would be great
to carry this into that game. We might have a couple of first-team players
with us, plus Frank Nouble and Fabio Daprela, who have been regulars for me
this season.
"We've been putting in some good performances starting with the Poland trip,
through the Fulham league game and up to Norwich. I want the games to keep
coming for us and keep the boys ticking over and in that frame of mind."
As usual, whufc.com will have live text updates from Bishop's Stortford,
where kick-off is at 7pm.
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Duo slam referee
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 22nd November 2009
By: Staff Writer
Both Gianfranco Zola and Phil Brown were left disappointed by refereeing
decisions following Saturday's 3-3 draw at the KC Stadium.
Zola, who saw his side chuck away a two-goal lead for the second successive
away game criticised calamity ref Mark Clattenburg for decision that led to
two of Hull's three goals - whilst Brown was equally critical over the
failure to award a late penalty against Matthew Upson.
"The first goal was a little bit fortunate and maybe the third goal wasn't a
goal as I didn't see it as a penalty," moaned Zola. "But it was a very
entertaining game and I think it's down to the two teams playing an open
game.
"I think we played a little bit too open after we went 2-0 ahead. We are
scoring a lot of goals - we just need to focus and defend our goal a little
bit better."
Brown, whose side played for much of the second half with ten men following
the dismissal of Bernard Mendy was equally unhappy with Clattenburg's
failure to award a late penalty for Matthew Upson's untidy challenge on Jan
Vennegoor of Hesselink .
"If the first one's a penalty the second one, without a shadow of doubt,
is," he said. "If you watch it you'll see, it's a blatant shout for a
penalty as the centre-half is all over him.
"It was a spirited performance to be able to come back from two goals down
to go in at half time 3-2 - but they showed enough spirit to grind a point
out when we were down to ten men.
We ground out a point in the end and you've got to be grateful for a point
in the Premier League. It was decent opposition today, Gianfranco's got him
team playing the right way. They scored three goals but I'm disappointed
that we've dropped two points."
Despite the point, West Ham remain in deep trouble at the bottom of the
Premier League. For Zola, an immediate change is fortune is essential.
"Certain things are not working very well," he admitted. "We need to focus
and make them right. We need to improve in those situations because at the
moment we're not doing very well. We're going to be talking and trying to do
something about this situation.
"It's all down to us. Sometimes you play a team that's not a bottom three
team but if you're there they you're doing something wrong. It's up to us to
change this, to do the right things."
We'll have more from Gianfranco Zola shortly.
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Zola on ... Hull
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 23rd November 2009
By: Staff Writer
Gianfranco Zola relflects on a quite extraordinary afternoon on
Humberside...
"It was a crazy game. At 2-0 up, I couldn't see them coming back at all
because we looked in control. Then, they got their first goal that was a
deflection to send the ball into the top-corner and, maybe, we should have
done better with the second goal. And the third goal certainly wasn't a
penalty at all. That was the story of today.
After that, it was tough to come to back but the reaction from the team was
excellent and I'm delighted for them. At the end of the day we got a point
but we could've had even more because we had a couple of chances and
could've got another goal.
It was a strange game. Maybe we could've handled it better, when we were 2-0
up but I must say that Hull City came back well and they played a good game.
They did very well.
I'm not sure about that [penalty]. I haven't seen it to be honest, but I'm
definitely sure that it wasn't a penalty but referees are there and
sometimes they make mistakes and we can't do anything about that. The good
thing for me was the reaction, which I'm delighted about.
Certainly, I'm not pleased that this is the second successive away game
where we've given away a two-goal lead but we've scored a lot of goals this
year. I know that we need to focus on defending a little bit better. I'm
aware of that.
I think it was a foul for the sending off. It was a clear goalscoring
occasion and the referee was even closer than me. I think that our players
were confident that it would be a goal. I think we would have scored, too,
because I know how good we are in front of goal! I'm sure that Scott Parker
would've got a goal.
Obviously we are not in a position where we can say that we're going for a
place in the Champions League but it's still early days. I accept that the
club is not in a very good position, but we're aware of that and there's a
long way to go. What I can see is a team playing well and we're not very far
from picking up victories rather than draws or defeats.
I remain confident because we've got good players in this squad. We're going
to be all right."
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ByeQ
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 22nd November 2009
By: Staff Writer
Nigel Quashie looks set to leave West Ham later this week to join MK Dons.
The League One side, currently managed by former Hammer Paul Ince will take
Quashie on loan for the rest of the season - but, according to reports, will
pay just a tiny percentage of the midfielder's £20k+ per week wages.
Quashie, who joined West Ham in January 2007 has made just a handful of
appearances for the club due to a string of injuries. Signed from West Brom
for £1.5million, he played in eight games between January and March before
sustaining an injury that kept him out for nearly 18 months, since when he
has failed t ofeature for the club. Since returning from injury at the
beginning of last season Quashie has spent time on loan at both Birmingham
and Wolves, but failed to secure a permanent move.
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Dons bag Quashie
Ince completes move for midfielder
Last updated: 23rd November 2009
SSN
Skysports.com understands Milton Keynes Dons have completed the loan signing
of West Ham's Nigel Quashie. The experienced midfielder is yet to play for
The Hammers this season under manager Gianfranco Zola and wanted to leave
in search of first-team football. As revealed by skysports.comearlier on
Monday the former Birmingham and Wolves man had been tipped to join the
League One outfit. Paul Ince is now believed to have wrapped up the loan
move for the remainder of the year. Quashie could now make his Dons debut
against Carlisle United on Tuesday night, although Ince will to first need
assess his fitness levels.
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Hammers' penalty confusion
Green felt Tigers were attempting to do an Henry and Pires
By Richard Bailey Last updated: 23rd November 2009
SSN
Danny Gabbidon revealed West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green was unsure whether
Jimmy Bullard or Bernard Mendy was going to take the penalty for Hull.
In the end Bullard smashed home from the spot after referee Mark
Clattenburg had awarded the Tigers what looked to be a very dubious penalty
when Julien Faubert was adjudged to have pushed Craig Fagan. However
Gabbidon highlighted that Green thought Mendy and Bullard were trying to
replicate a move attempted by Thierry Henry and Robert Pires for Arsenal
against Manchester City in 2005 which was first seen when Johann Cruyff
passed to Ajax team-mate Jesper Olsen from the spot in 1982. The Welsh
defender started just his second Premier League game of the season at the KC
Stadium but felt the penalty should have been retaken for encroachment. "Rob
says he wasn't sure who was going to take the penalty," he told The Sun. "It
was a good pen from Bullard but Mendy was running behind him. Usually that
gets pulled up for encroachment. "Rob was worried they were going to do a
Henry and Pires. I didn't know who would take the kick."
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Vinny's Hull Report
Vinny - Sun Nov 22 2009
West Ham Online
Hull City 3 West Ham United 3
There seems to be no end in sight to the poor form and poor results as West
Ham squandered another two goal lead against Hull at the KC Stadium but did
manage to scrape a draw which does little for either team.
Gianfranco Zola said he was 'delighted' with the point. I can tell you now
that I am not as happy as Mr Zola and have come out of the game as if it was
a defeat. Before the game nothing but a win would satisfy me against whom I
still consider the worst team in the Premiership.
But what transpired only left me even more frustrated as we got ourselves
two goals up but still managed to mess things up. Even in the second half
when Hull went down to ten men we still had 37 minutes left to play but
could only force the equaliser which I believe is not good enough.
I was told before the game that I have turned into a very pessimistic and
depressive supporter, which may well be true but this game did nothing to
help me get over it. In fact I think it made things worse because the way I
look at it is that we are still in a shit position just like we were in
August. Whilst it may have been too early to press the panic button then we
are nearly into December and things have not really improved.
Goal scoring (contrary to what many people think) is obviously not our
problem. Conceding silly and soft goals is what we are failing with. Of
course you can argue that the ref made a bad decision (which he did) and
their first goal was very fluky (which it was), but how many more times can
we come away from games bemoaning this fact? Is there not a point where you
sit back and think 'hang on, things are getting no better'?
No, I am going to keep my pessimism until I see a major improvement which
only an incredible run of victories are going to give me. With Manchester
United, Chelsea and Tottenham all coming up next month I think I'll be
living with my pessimism for a little while longer.
After a number of drinks in the working men's club which had been taken over
by West Ham fans (the owners even got 'Bubbles' played on the sound system)
we went into the ground to see that Zola had made a few changes to the side
who were beaten by Everton a couple of weeks ago.
In defence with Ilunga presumably still not 100% fit (he was on the bench)
it was the turn of Danny Gabbidon to have a go at left back. Upson and Da
Costa continued in the centre with Faubert at right back.
In midfield Luis Jimenez was dropped to the bench and in came Junior
Stanislas. This saw Stanislas go to the left wing with Collison on the
right. Behrami and Parker were in the middle.
Up front Carlton Cole returned in place of Zavon Hines who dropped to the
bench and was along side Franco.
We could not have asked for a better start to the game as we approached it
in attacking style and totally overran Hull who looked lost.
There seemed to be so much room for us to move into and having Stanislas on
the pitch gave us that width that we are often lacking.
Our first chance of the game fell to Behrami who saw his shot straight at
Hull keeper Matt Duke. But it wouldn't be long after until we got ourselves
in front.
The goal came from a corner which had been won after a good move involving
Stanislas and eventually goal who saw his goal bound shot cannon off a
defender and away for the corner kick.
It was swung in by Stanislas and met by the head of Franco who scored his
second goal for the club. From a Hull perspective it was a terrible goal to
conceded as it was so very simple but of course we will take them any way
they come and the joy coming from Franco was there for all to see as he
celebrated as if he had scored the most important goal in his career. I
think it was great to see.
Whilst getting an early goal in a game is considered a great start, things
just got even better just a few minutes later after we had survived a minor
scare in our own area as a free kick from Bullard had caused a bit of a
scramble in the area.
The goal came from a counter attack which saw Franco deliver an exquisite
ball in to the area for Jack Collison to somehow beat the defender and loop
his header over the poorly positioned goal keeper for 2-0. Again it was a
very soft goal but Hull were looking all over the place and we were taking
full advantage.
At this point I was reminded of a trip to Pride Park a few seasons ago when
we stuffed Derby County by five goals to nil. I was obviously off my nut to
consider such a score line in this one but anyone who was there will know
that Hull looked so bad that more goals had to come.
Well as we know now they certainly came but not in the way we would have
hoped.
What was frustrating (I'm using that word a lot) was that it was not as
though Hull had made a great improvement. They had been playing the same way
since the beginning and would get back into the game via a very lucky goal.
The goal came from a free kick and we give away plenty of those in and
around the area. The kick was taken by Bullard who smashed into Parker and
it hit off him and then Carlton Cole only to loop over Robert Green to bring
Hull back into the game.
I felt we should have been awarded a penalty when Scott Parker was
deliberately blocked off by the defender. The ref Mark Clattenburg turned
the appeal down to the anger of Parker.
With the half time interval looming Hull won another free kick after a lazy
foul from Stanislas who was correctly booked.
Again it was Bullard (who was pulling all the strings for the home side) who
played it into the area and no one had gone with Zayatte who had the easiest
of finishes from just a few yards out.
We had thrown away a two goal lead with in the space of a half hour. It was
shocking to watch us do this once again like up at Sunderland but what
happened just a couple of minutes later did make me wonder if everything was
against us this season.
A long ball forward saw the Hull man Craig Fagan back into Faubert only to
down as if he had been pushed. The ref pointed to the penalty spot as
everything began to crumble around us.
Jimmy Bullard stepped up to take the penalty and the former West Ham youth
product smashed the ball past Robert Green to complete a remarkable
turnaround for Hull City.
The Hull fans taunted us with chants of "2-0 and you fucked it up", and they
took the words right out of my mouth.
The West Ham fans and players looked shell shocked as Clattenburg blew for
half time and I slumped to my seat trying to make sense of what I had just
seen.
We knew what we had to do in the second half and it was simply to find two
goals to win this game. No draw would do, no more goals conceded, just a win
against a poor Hull side.
Things looked to be going our way as Scott Parker raced through on goal only
to be taken out by Bernard Mendy. The ref correctly gave him a red card
although there could really be no argument as Parker was clear through.
From the resulting free kick Stanislas hit his shot wide to the delight of
the Hull fans who knew that hanging on would be the task they must fulfil.
Possession wise we took over the game and I did always feel that we could
get at least a goal but the longer it took the less time there would be for
us to get our winner which is all that mattered. To have been leading 2-0
meant that only a win would do and nothing else would be good enough.
With fifteen minutes having passed and still no sign of a goal Zola made his
first change with the removal of Behrami for Zavon Hines. Behrami had not
really got into the game and we needed another attacking option as we went
to three up front.
Franco was shown a yellow card for tugging back Stephen Hunt and then lunged
in with a late tackle on Altidore which somehow the ref let him off without
the second yellow as Clattenburg continued his inconsistent performance.
The goal did finally come and again it was from another corner. Stanislas
put the ball into the area and it ended up falling kindly to Manual Da Costa
who smashed the ball home from close range to score his first goal for the
club and set up what would hopefully be a dramatic finale.
Franco was removed straight after that goal for Jimenez which I thought was
the wrong decision as Jimenez is not a striker.
But it was the Chilean midfielder who would have that golden chance to win
us the game when he was played in by Parker but his shot hit the side
netting. It was a great chance and the player whom are "going to base our
team around this season" should have done a lot better.
At the other end Hull should have been awarded a penalty when Upson climbed
all over Vennegoor of Hesselink. Clattenburg turned the appeals down but it
was more of a penalty shout than the one he gave in the first half.
Clattenburg was pretty dreadful throughout the game. There was one moment
when Hines had quite clearly won a throw in our way which the linesman who
was standing right in front of the incident duly gave to us. But the ref
decided to over rule him which made no sense as Clattenburg could not have
been in a better position than the linesman.
In games where you are chasing the goal you always get that one great chance
to win the game and it did come about when a cross from Faubert found
Stanislas who was standing in the centre of the area but his header was into
the ground and it went over. It should have been a goal.
Jack Collison did connect with a header in the dying moments but it was
pushed away by Matt Duke as Hull hung on for a point and we go away once
again with the wrong result.
Player Reviews
Robert Green
It is strange for a keeper to have conceded three goals but not had much
else to do. Green was not really at fault for any of the goal and hardly had
to make any other save in the game.
Julien Faubert
Thought he was weak in the tackle and Stephen Hunt had the better of him for
most of the first half. In the second period he had more space to get
forward and did his usual thing of putting in five or six crosses with maybe
one or two actually being any good. But of course attacking is not his
quality hence why he was moved to right back.
Matthew Upson
If the ref had been stronger he would have awarded Hull a second penalty for
the foul by Upson on Vennegoor of Hesselink. Lucky for us that he wasn't.
Overall Upson was ok, but you would never guess he was our captain.
Manuel Da Costa
Poor distribtion of the ball was my main critcism of Da Costa who seemed to
favour the old boot up the pitch which is not the way we like to play. He
did well enough but in a defence which conceded three goals something has
got to be wrong somewhere. Scored his first goal for the club with a good
finish but I'd rather see Gabbidon at centre half.
Danny Gabbidon
With no Ilunga and Spector not very good at left back it was the turn of
Danny Gabbidon to have a go at left back. I thought he actually did quite
well despite looking a little awkward at times. Some of his passing was a
little off but he is a very difficult defender to beat and if we have no
Ilunga we may as well stick with Gabbidon for the time being.
Junior Stanislas
A very good display from Stanislas who was a constant threat to the Hull
back line. He ran at them and pressed them back and his corners led to two
of the goals. He should have scored the winning goal near the end but that
would not deter me from keeping him in the side for the next game.
Valon Behrami
I don't know if it is match fitness or what but he is still looking very
sluggish. Not pressing forward as often as I would like and it was no real
surprise to see him come off as the game seemed to be passing him by
Scott Parker
Tenacious as always when off the ball but felt his passing and overall
distribution of the ball was poor. Too many passes went astray for my liking
but I was pleased with his captains performance as he tried to get players
going and worked as hard as anyone.
Jack Collison
I talk about Parker trying to lift the players but Collison was doing it for
most of the game. He was often trying to get everyone to keep their heads up
and keep everyone going. He played very well, got a goal, was good in
possession, very difficult to get off the ball and this was arguably his
best performance of the season.
Guillermo Franco
Having had my reservations about Franco (which was purely based on knowing
nothing about him) I have learnt much more about him as a player after
watching this game. He was very clever on the ball and is a player who is
always looking to drive forward. He makes things happen and to have scored
one and made one is a good day for a striker.
Carlton Cole
No goal for Cole but he still put himself about and looked sharp despite
coming back from injury. Won most things in the air but will be gutted that
the chance for Stanislas at the end did not fall to him.
Subs Used
Zavon Hines (on for Behrami 60 mins)
He was brought on to try and cause Hull more problems and his work rate did
achieve that to some extent. He was always looking to be a nuisance and was
often kicking at the heels of the defenders.
Luis Jimenez (on for Franco 70 mins)
Still am yet to see anything from him that suggests that he is going to be
the play we base our team around. He is lightweight and doesn't do enough to
warrant a place in the first team. I would rather Hunt or Bullard. We need
more from Jimenez. A lot more.
Subs Not Used: Kurucz, Spector, Ilunga, Nouble, Kovac
Bookings: Stanislas(1st) , Franco (2nd), Hines (3rd)
Man Of The Match: Guillermo Franco
Attendance: 24,909
Overall
Before the game we all knew that this was one of our more 'winnable'
fixtures with Hull being around the same place in the league we are and that
they have a poor team. So if you had said to me before the game we were
going to draw 3-3 I would have been unhappy.
But I am even more frustrated given that we were 2-0 up and then even at 3-2
to Hull we had an extra man for over half an hour.
We can say all we like about luck but at some point we all need to
acknowledge that we are in trouble and this season is fast becoming a write
off. I can't see us being too much further up the league come the end of
December simply because of the fixtures we have got.
I just hope we can find some unbelievable form from somewhere and go on a
wonderful run which sees us climb up the table and we push for a top ten
finish throughout the second half of the campaign.
I guess I can live in hope.
Next Game - Burnley (h)
Last time we played Burnley at Upton Park Adam Nowland was scoring the
winner in a 1-0 victory. How time has chanced with Nowland now playing for
non league club AFC Fylde. This is a game where we would all look at as a
must win three pointer.
Given how bad our home form is and how well Burnley have been playing this
season this is no longer a forgone conclusion.
We have simply got to win this game.
No more excuses.
Zola's Delighted With It All
"It was a crazy game. At 2-0 up, I couldn't see them coming back at all
because we looked in control. Then, they got their first goal that was a
deflection to send the ball into the top-corner and, maybe, we should then
have done better with the second goal. And the third goal certainly wasn't a
penalty at all. That was the story of today.
"After that, it was tough to come to back but the reaction from the team was
excellent and I'm delighted. At the end of the day we got a point but we
could've had even more because we had a couple of chances and could've got
another goal.
"It was a strange game. Maybe we could've handled it better, when we were
2-0 up but I must say that Hull City came back well and they played a good
game. They did very well.
"Certainly, I'm not pleased that this is the second successive away game
where we've given away a two-goal lead but we've scored a lot of goals this
year. We need to focus on defending a little bit better. I'm aware of that."
"I'm definitely sure that it wasn't a penalty but referees are there and
sometimes they make mistakes and we can't do anything about that. The good
thing for me was our reaction, which I'm delighted about."
"I think it was a foul for the sending off. It was a clear goal-scoring
occasion and the referee was even closer than me. I think that our players
were confident that it would be a goal. I think we would have scored, too,
because I know how good we are in front of goal! I'm sure that Scott Parker
would've scored."
"Obviously we are not in a position where we can say that we're going for a
place in the Champions League but it's still early days. I accept that the
club is not in a very good position, but we're aware of that and there's a
long way to go. What I can see is a team playing well and we're not very far
from picking up victories rather than draws or defeats.
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#5 Things Could Have Been So Very Different!
West Ham Till I Die
West Ham Utd FC have a unique history. We Hammers can be rightly proud of
the club's contribution to English football. This includes the world famous
youth academy, the innovative coaching and tactics under Greenwood and
Lyall, the contribution to the 1966 World Cup victory and long admired style
of flowing, attacking football.
Other clubs may point to their greater success in terms of titles and cup
victories, but we like to comfort ourselves that the Hammers legacy is more
special than that! However, with greater investment and ambition at board
room level, it is likely that we could have been far more successful in
winning the glittering prizes.
The logic being that West Ham have frequently had the basis of a very
successful team, but have invariably fell short in terms of realising their
full potential. The fault for that invariably lay with the refusal of past
Boards to sanction the expenditure to secure the additional class that would
have augmented the existing quality of the squad.
Is that view correct? Lets look at the evidence.
In 1957-58 West Ham barnstormed their way out of the old 2nd Division,
scoring over 100 goals and playing a brand of football that was to become
our trademark over subsequent decades. That team had realquality, with the
likes of Gregory, Bond, Cantwell, Brown, Malcolm, Grice, Musgrove, Smith,
Dick and Keeble. Incidentally, we were promoted ahead of Liverpool that
year (they finished 4th), who remained in the second tier for another
season. Our quality saw us finish 6th in the first season back in the top
flight, taking the scalps of first division giants Manchester Utd and Wolves
along the way.
However, a lack of investment undermined that bright promise. Starlet John
Smith was sold to Spurs and, one of the kingpins of the side, Vic Keeble,
was forced in to premature retirement through injury. They were not
adequately replaced and the impetus was gradually lost. It was the absence
of investment that reinforced Ted Fenton's belief in the importance of the
youth system and producing the quality of player that we could not hope to
purchase in the transfer market. In that respect, 'Project Football' is not
entirely new, it can be seen as a continuation of previous club policy!
And of course it was the Academy system that produced the success of the
mid-1960s. Our Academy produced Kirkup, Burkett, Bovington, Peters, Moore,
Tony Scott, Boyce, Dear, Hurst and Sissonsamongst others. With the
acquisition of Byrne and Bradbrook, Ron Greenwood forged a formidible team
that brought unprecedented glory and prestige to the club. We beat
Liverpool 1-2 at Anfield (our last victory there) in 1963-64 and afterwards
Shankley shamelessly copied Greenwood's tactics, set plays and coaching
methods!
It is often forgotten today just how universally celebrated was West Ham's
winning performance in the 1965 ECWC and how rich was the club's promise for
the future. Yet in 1965-66, on the cusp of greatness the club failed to
invest further in the playing staff to finance a genuine championship
challenge. The board seemed to settle for investing just enough to
maintain their place in the top tier, whilst hoping to nick the
occasionalcupvictory. Thus, the potentialof a West Ham team with three
world cup winners andatleast five or six other players of undoubted
internationalclass was sacrificed on the alter of financial expendiency and
lowly ambition.
The youth system still kept producing the goods. The likes of Brooking,
Lampard Snr, Holland, Day, Lock, McDowell, Pike, Allen, Ince, Dickens and
Cottee all rolled off the production line. We won two more FA Cups and
appeared in another ECWC Final, but each peak of success was followed by a
slump and between 1978-92 we suffered four relegations! During this time,
Liverpool established themselves as the most successful club in the history
of English football, with sustained domestic and European success. So much
for our head start in 1957-58 and our brief ascendency of the mid-1960s!
In 1985-86 the distant dream of a Championship win materialised into an
unexpected reality. However, we faltered and our more successful 'other'
at Liverpool FC won their last 16 league matches to pip us at the post.
During that campaign we were amazingly lucky with injuries and had a very
settled team. However, no attempt was made during that season to strength
the team and refresh the championship bid. In 1986-87 we all expected more
of the same, but we failed to reproduce our form of the previous season.
Stewart Robson replaced Neil Orr, but apart from it was the same team. By
1988-89 we were relegated, repeating the criminal and complacent lack of
investment in 1977-78.
In the 1990s Harry Redknapp revamped the famous Hammers Academy. Under Tony
Carr's leadership we produced the best and brightest youthproductsin the
country. Rio Ferdinand, Cole, Lampard Jnr, Carrick, Defoe andJohnson went
on to form the backbone of the England Team andenjoy great club success.
The only problem is that it was with other clubs!
We lost Rio and Lampard Jnr first and suffered, as a secession of bargain
basement buys failed to provide the necessary quality to supplement our
other outstanding youthproducts. In 2002-03 we suffered the most avoidable
relegation in the history of English football. With Kanute and Di Canio
injured, the team struggled to score goals and enormous pressure was put on
our youngsters.
In particular Defoe suffered, as he took on the heavy responsibility of
leading the attack. Attempts to bring in quality and experience were
rejected and the board allegedly refused to sanction a £1m bid for Matt
Upsonfrom Arsenal! Under caretaker manager Trevor Brooking we nearly saved
ourselves, but we were tragically relegated on a record 42 points. The
change in management came too late, but the real cause of the disaster was
a lack of investment in the playing staff, even in January when the
relegation writing was clearly on the wall.
As with our previous four relegations since 1977-78, we bounced back and
regained our PL status. However, the cost of relegation was the loss of our
golden generation of young stars. But the brilliant Academy production line
cames to our rescue yet again!
Today, we are once again a club with a potentially bright future based on
youth. The likes of Noble, Tomkins, Collison, Stanislas, Hines, Sears,
Nouble, et al promise much for the future of the club. While in Green,
Illunga, Upson, Berhami, Parker, Diamanti and Cole we have a core group of
quality, experienced players. We currently have a squad of ability and
potential. Regardless of our current position, we have a first choice XI
that can thrive in the PL. The question mark is over if we have sufficient
strengthin depth? Whether there is too much inexperience covering key
positions and we are also in danger of putting too much pressure, to early,
on our young prospects?
We all thought that this history of under-investment in the playing staff
was finally over with the Icelandic takeover in 2006. Yet, it proved
instead to be a brief interlude before the continuation of more of the
same! Now here we are again with C&B Holdings, looking at a sceneriowhere
arguably a lack of investment in the playing staff is placing a further
fetter upon the potential of the club and its playing squad.
It does bring to mind the old proverb, 'the more things change, the more
they stay the same!'
But lets not be fatalistic, 'things could have been so very different' and
they still can be. West Ham now more than ever needs a owner/consortium of
vision and ambition, who can finally realise our club's potential to the
fullest degree. It's far too long overdue!
SJ Chandos.
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WEST HAM TALK: Sears could make Palace switch permanent
1:32pm Monday 23rd November 2009
Guardian Series
WEST HAM striker Freddie Sears could make his loan move to Crystal Palace
permanent, according to reports. The News of the World claims Palace boss
Neil Warnock is keen to tie up a deal for the 19-year-old after impressing
during his time at Selhurst Park. Sears made the season-long loan switch to
Palace in the summer and was at the centre of the phantom goal against
Bristol City earlier this season, when his shot found the net, only to
rebound out and be chalked off by the officials. Sears made a lightning
start to his West Ham career, scoring in his first game for the club against
Blackburn Rovers two seasons ago. However, he has since failed to establish
himself in Gianfranco Zola's plans and has fallen behind the likes of
Carlton Cole, Guillermo Franco, Zavon Hines and Alessandro Diamanti in the
pecking order.
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