WHUFC.com
England U21 winger Junior Stanislas came off the bench to secure a precious
point at Blackburn
19.12.2010
Junior Stanislas underlined Avram Grant's faith in him with a priceless
contribution away to Blackburn Rovers. The 21-year-old winger was
electrifying off the bench and changed the match back in the Hammers' favour
with a well-taken first goal of the season in the 78th minute. It was an
equalising strike but the visitors to Ewood Park felt they could have taken
more than a 1-1 draw back to east London, a claim underlined by Stanislas.
"The manager just said go on and try and make an impact," he said. "I come
on and thankfully I got the goal and we got the point. We are a bit
disappointed not to get all three, because it was an open game and we had a
few chances ourselves."
Those chances included Matthew Upson hitting a post, Frederic Piquionne
heading over from close range and Luis Boa Morte producing a smart stop from
Paul Robinson. Hammers debutant Ruud Boffin was more than unlucky with the
scrambled Rovers opener from Ryan Nelsen six minutes after the interval -
and he was certainly the less busier of the two keepers. Stanislas said the
team would regroup to go again at Fulham next Sunday and take heart from
their fightback. "To come away from home to Ewood Park is difficult. We have
got something from the game but obviously ideally the three points would
have been nice. We will move on to Fulham and try and get them there."
When asked he was certain that the squad and the staff were united for the
task ahead. "Everyone is fully behind the manager. People might think
because we are bottom of the league the team spirit is not the best but
everyone has been pulling together. "We are just trying to stick together
and get out of it."It doesn't sound good to be bottom of the league at
Christmas. But the belief has to be there and it is there. If we want to get
out of it we have to pull together in one direction and that is what we are
going to do to get out of it."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Avram thanks the fans
WHUFC.com
Avram Grant has paid tribute to the committed supporters who made the long
trip north to Ewood Park
18.12.2010
Avram Grant has paid tribute to the supporters who braved sub-zero
conditions to cheer West Ham United on to a 1-1 Barclays Premier League draw
at Blackburn Rovers. While every other top-flight game bar Sunderland versus
Bolton Wanderers fell victim to the snow and ice over the weekend, Ewood
Park was passed fit following a Saturday morning inspection. Around 1,500
Hammers fans ignored the elements to make the 500-mile round-trip to
Lancashire and were rewarded when Junior Stanislas equalised Ryan Nelsen's
opener with just 12 minutes remaining. "It's a good point," said Grant, who
lost Zavon Hines (knee) and Valon Behrami (hip) to injury just before
kick-off, having seen Robert Green and the ill Radoslav Kovac withdraw from
the squad on Friday. It's a draw away from home. We deserved more than this
but we had to come back from one-nil down. I'm happy with a point. "I'm very
impressed with the supporters. If I could give them something I would give
them the point and they could take it home with them! They were behind us
and their support when we were 1-0 down was superb. They respected the
effort that we gave and we also respect their effort and if I could give
them the point I would because they deserve it. "I think the last two weeks
have been the worst weather since I arrived in England five years ago."
Grant was pleased with his players' efforts in battling back from a goal
down to snatch just their fourth away point of the campaign. The Israeli
also lauded the impact made by substitutes Stanislas and Carlton Cole, who
both made a positive impressive after arriving from the bench moments after
Nelsen's 51st-minute opener. The manager had needed to think again about his
attacking options, with Victor Obinna not travelling because of a leg
injury. "The spirit was very good and I was very impressed with this. A lot
of the players have given everything even when things were not going well at
the beginning of the season. The substitutes did well, too."
While his replacements did well, Grant was also pleased - but not surprised
- by the performance of debutant goalkeeper Ruud Boffin. The Belgian was
drafted in for his maiden appearance in English football after Robert Green,
who should be back on Boxing Day after only just failing to recover in time
from minor surgery, and Marek Stech were ruled out through injury. The
23-year-old responded with an encouraging display. Indeed, he was hugely
unlucky to concede a goal to Nelsen, making a miraculous save, only for the
New Zealand defender to divert the rebound into the net with his knee.
"It was a good performance and the save before the goal was a good save. We
know from the training that he is a good goalkeeper."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Blackburn 1 - 1 West Ham
BBC.co.uk
By Ian Hughes
Junior Stanislas scored late in the second half to rescue a point for West
Ham against Blackburn at Ewood Park. Early on, Morten Gamst Pedersen's
free-kick was the best Rovers managed, while Paul Robinson denied Luis Boa
Morte. Ryan Nelsen nudged the opener with his knee, beating Hammers debutant
keeper Ruud Boffin at the second attempt. West Ham were denied an equaliser
when Matthew Upson's shot hit the post but Stanislas curled in a low effort
to earn his side a reprieve. Both teams came into the game off the back of a
destabilising week. Hammers boss Avram Grant had been reportedly told he
must win one of his side's next three games to avoid being sacked, while
Rovers dismissed manager Sam Allardyce on Monday and put Steve Kean in
temporary charge.
Ironically, there have been suggestions that Allardyce is waiting in the
wings to replace Grant - but on the evidence of the Hammers' performance at
Ewood Park, the job may not become available for a while. The Londoners
fought back gamely late on and with better delivery in the final third they
might have even sneaked a win, which would have been their first on the road
since August 2009. But in a game largely short on action to help excite and
warm the freezing crowd, a draw seemed a fair result. It was understandable
that the visitors would concentrate on defence and on protecting their
fourth-choice keeper Boffin, who had previously played only three times for
the reserves. The Londoners also suffered a blow before kick-off when Valon
Behrami injured himself in the warm-up.
However, the lack of ambition shown in the first half by a side desperate to
lift themselves off the foot of the table did not bode well. With only one
other fixture surviving the weather, West Ham could have leapfrogged Wolves
with a win - and possibly helped Grant save his job in the process. They
managed to fashion two chances of any note, but Frederic Piquionne fired
into the side netting and Boa Morte's low shot was kept out at the near post
by Robinson's legs. Rovers fared no better, with only a curling Pedersen
free-kick testing the inexperienced Boffin, who was able to enjoy a
pressure-free opening 45 minutes. But after the break the young Belgian was
soon picking the ball out of the net, though he will feel a little
unfortunate not to have kept a clean sheet. His point-blank save to keep out
Nelsen's shot deserved better than for the ball to find its way past him via
the knee of the Rovers defender as he swung his leg in hope. The goal seemed
to stir the visitors into action and for the first time in the match they
began to dictate the play.
And they came agonisingly close to an equaliser when Upson's low shot,
following Stanislas's cross, cannoned off the foot of the post. Soon after
they deservedly restored parity when Scott Parker embarked on a mazy run and
Stanislas finished off the move with a curling shot into the bottom corner.
It was a blow for Blackburn, who had lost Jason Roberts to a hamstring
injury early on and then saw Christopher Samba and his replacement Phil
Jones also go off injured, but they would have restored their lead had
Nelsen not been penalised for a foul in the box before David Dunn's flick
in. West Ham also pushed for a winner but let themselves down with poor
crossing when they had players well placed. The result means West Ham pick
up their 13th point of the season - but Grant may now have only two games
left to save himself.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Players backing Grant - Stanislas
BBC.co.uk
West Ham midfielder Junior Stanislas insists under-pressure boss Avram Grant
has the full support of the players. Grant was reportedly told this week he
had to win one of his next three games to avoid the sack before the new
year. "Everyone's fully behind him," said Stanislas, who grabbed West Ham's
late equaliser in Saturday's 1-1 draw against Blackburn at Ewood Park.
"Everyone's been pulling together. We're just trying to stick together and
get out of it. The belief is there."
Stanislas's 78th-minute leveller was no more than West Ham deserved for a
spirited, if unspectacular, display against a Blackburn side led by
caretaker manager Steve Kean for the first time following Sam Allardyce's
dismissal on Monday. The draw left West Ham three points adrift of safety at
the bottom of the table having played a game more Wigan and Wolves, who
occupy the other two relegation places. It means Grant's side will be bottom
of the table over Christmas, a position from which only one club in the last
18 seasons has escaped relegation - West Brom in 2005. "People might think
that because we're bottom of the league it's not the best," added Stanislas.
"It doesn't sound good [to be bottom of the table at Christmas] but
obviously the belief has to be there and it is there.
"If we want to get out of it we've got to all pull together in one direction
and that's what we're looking to do to get out of it." Meanwhile Grant
sought solace in the positives from his side's Ewood Park display, saying:
"I think we deserved three points today. We created chances, we created
half-chances, we hit the post. I was very impressed by the spirit of the
boys. They gave everything. "With all the problems, needing to change the
team at the last moment, we fought and we almost won. We were the better
side and I liked it very much because I know top teams who miss two or three
players and they have a problem."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Blackburn Rovers 1 West Ham Utd 1
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 18th December 2010
By: Staff Writer
Supersub Junior Stanislas' second half strike earned what could be a
precious point for West Ham on a bitterly cold afternoon in the North West.
Stanislas - on as a 57th minute substitute for the disappointing Pablo
Barrera - took advantage of a loose ball inside the penalty area to fire
home a 78th minute equaliser for Avram Grant's side, who had fallen behind
to Ryan Nelson's opener at the beginning of the second half.
The game itself was anything but a classic but that will be of little
concern to Avram Grant who, despite failing to lead the Hammers to their
first away win in the league since the opening day of last season, has cause
to be reasonably pleased with his team's reluctance to roll over having gone
behind.
United - already missing first team regulars such as Rob Green, Lars
Jacobsen, Mark Noble and Victor Obinna - also lost Valon Behrami to injury
during the pre-match warm-up, meaning a late call to Jon Spector who
replaced the unfortunate and perenially-injured Swiss midfielder.
In an error-strewn first half in which both sides were equally poor, West
Ham's only efforts of the opening 35 minutes came from Spector and Frederic
Piquionne - both of which ended up nearer to Row Z than Paul Robinson's
goal.
Instead it was Luis Boa Morte, one of few to put in a decent first half
shift who went closest to breaking the deadlock a minute ahead of the break
when he forced a good stop from the former England 'keeper, having been sent
through clear on goal.
In recent weeks it has become the norm for West Ham to perform better in the
second half than the first. However it was to be the home side who drew
first blood when Ryan Nelson gave Rovers a somewhat fortuitous lead just six
minutes after the restart.
Ruud Boffin, who had had little to do until that point pulled off a
tremendous save - from point blank range - from Nelson after the New
Zealander had reacted first to a loose ball that emanated from an uncleared
cross.
However there was little the 6'5" stopper could do to prevent the rebound
from falling somewhat comically over the line after Nelson had sent it
goalbound once again via his thigh. Quite where Boffin's defence was was
anyone's guess.
Undeterred, West Ham pushed on and began to take control of the game -
despite Blackburn threatening to put the game beyond United by constantly
looking dangerous on the counter. But the introduction of Stanislas and
Carlton Cole (for the disappointing Barrera and Spector) gave the United
effort added impetus - and it wasn't long before an equaliser began to look
inevitable.
Carlton Cole stated West Ham's intent by firing narrowly wide after some
good work by Dyer and Parker on the right flank. Matthew Upson then went
agonisingly close when some quick thinking saw him hit the post with a
reflex effort from close range with a left-foot flick. Freddie Piquionne,
involved heavily but not having one of his better days then nodded a Dyer
corner over the bar - despite being entirely unmarked.
Then, with just 12 minutes of normal time remaining Junior Stanislas finally
notched the goal that the Irons' second half effort had deserved. Scott
Parker almost impossibly weaved his way through a wary Rovers defence before
being halted by the last man, eight yards from goal. The ball spun out of
the tackle into the path of Stanislas, perfectly poised, who fired expertly
across the face of Robinson into the 'keeper's far corner.
Sadly, despite having wounded their opponents the Hammers failed to go for
the kill and one wasted Piquionne chance was the sum of United's goalbound
efforts thereafter. Blackburn threatened most from the feet of Pedersen who
saw two free kicks flash narrowly wide of Boffin's goal but all in all a
draw was perhaps a fair result - and one that Avram Grant will no doubt be
the more pleased with as far as the two managers are concerned.
So a decent point on the road, but due to West Ham's awful first half of the
2010/11 Premier League season it's games like these that United will have to
start winning if they are to avoid relegation come next May.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers scramble point
Stanislas earns bottom club late point at Ewood Park
Last updated: 18th December 2010
SSN
Man of the match: Scotty Parker was irresistible in the middle of the park
and it was his pass which set up the equaliser.
Sub of the match: Junior Stanislas rescued a point for Avram Grant's side
with a superbly taken strike after coming on for Pablo Barrera just before
the hour mark.
Moment of the match: Ryan Nelsen shoved Carlton Cole into the snow behind
Paul Robinson's goal and the striker responded with a wry smile.
Save of the match: Fourth choice Hammers goalkeeper Ruud Boffin, deputising
for the unavailable Robert Green, proved he could cope with the big game
atmosphere by making a string of fine saves.
Talking point: Will Grant stick with the 4-4-2 formation which many Hammers
fans have been desperate for? Is Steve Kean the right man for Rovers?
West Ham salvaged a 1-1 draw at Ewood Park to deny Blackburn caretaker boss
Steve Kean a win in his first game in charge. After a week of confusion,
contradictions and complication, the first half was lacking in spark. The
visitors went closest to a goal in the final five minutes of the half, with
Frederic Piquionnefiring his shot into the side-netting before Luis Boa
Morte was denied by the legs of Paul Robinson. Kean, who was taking charge
of his first Rovers game on a caretaker basis following the shock sacking of
Sam Allardyce on Monday, saw his side take the lead against
relegation-threatened West Ham six minutes into the second half. Rovers
defender Ryan Nelsen's initial close-range strike was superbly parried by
fourth-choice Hammers keeper Ruud Boffin but the defender bundled home the
loose ball with his knee to give the hosts the lead. Rovers were looking to
make it four home league victories in a row against the league's bottom
club, who had not won away all season. Hammers boss Avram Grant, who had
faced another week of speculation about his future at Upton Park, was
rewarded for a change in tactics with the equaliser after Matthew Upson had
struck the post. However, Junior Stanislas earned the visitors a priceless
point with 12 minutes of the match remaining. The inspirational Scott Parker
deflected pass fell into the path of Stanislas who found the bottom corner
with a calm but ruthless finish for a share of the points. The point was not
enough to lift West Ham off the bottom of the table but they did close to
within two points of Wolves.
Reward
Staff at Ewood Park had spent all morning clearing the pitch, stands and
surrounding areas of snow and their efforts were rewarded as the match was
the only one of the scheduled 3pm kick-offs in the Premier League to go
ahead. Grant was forced into a change in goal after Robert Green underwent a
minor operation to remove a cyst earlier this week, meaning a West Ham debut
for 23-year-old Belgian Boffin. It was the first time Green had failed to
start a league game for the Hammers for almost four years, and Grant's
problems continued to mount before kick-off as Valon Behrami, who had been a
doubt, was replaced by Jonathan Spector at the 11th hour. The first half was
a poor spectacle, with Blackburn's bright start petering out and West Ham
managing only sporadic bursts forward. The first decent opening did not
arrive until the 41st minute as Boa Morte played in Piquionne on the left of
the area but the striker fired his effort towards the near post and into the
side-netting.
West Ham were by then looking quite dangerous and moments later it was Boa
Morte on the end of a through-ball. This time he did find the target,
forcing Robinson into a good block. Half-time came at the right time for
Rovers, who had a new energy about them in the second half and soon gained
the lead.
A shot from the lively Mame Biram Diouf was deflected behind by James
Tomkins and, from the resulting corner, the ball was cleared to Brett
Emerton wide on the right. The Australian did brilliantly to work space for
a cross, which caused havoc in the West Ham penalty area. Poor defending saw
the ball drop to Benjani Mwaruwari three yards out only for the striker to
completely miss his kick. Waiting was Nelsen, though, and, after his first
effort was superbly saved by Boffin, the Rovers captain forced the ball
inside the right post off his thigh. It was tough luck on the rookie
goalkeeper, who did all he could but was let down by the men in front of
him. Grant responded by bringing on Carlton Cole and Stanislas for Pablo
Barrera and Spector, while for Rovers injury saw Christopher Samba replaced
by Phil Jones. Cole was immediately involved, appealing unsuccessfully for a
penalty after a challenge by Gael Givet and then poking his shot wide under
pressure from Jones following good work by Kieron Dyer. That proved to be
the last involvement for Jones, though, as he limped off barely 10 minutes
after coming on, with teenager Grant Hanley given his chance by Kean.
Wrath
Blackburn and referee Mike Dean earned the wrath of the West Ham fans when
they failed to put the ball out after Upson went down clutching his face,
and in the 71st minute the Hammers defender almost took revenge in the best
possible way. This time it was the Rovers defence that did not deal with a
cross but Upson curled his shot against the outside of a post. The Hammers
created another decent opening moments later, Piquionne heading Stanislas'
corner over the bar. They certainly deserved an equaliser, and 12 minutes
from time they got one. Parker, so often at the heart of West Ham's best
moments, drove into the box and Givet could only divert the ball into the
path of Stanislas, who smashed his shot into the far right corner. Blackburn
had been poor but they upped their level again and thought they had gone
straight back in front only for David Dunn to be denied by an offside flag.
Both sides pushed for a winner and Morten Gamst Pedersen almost caught out
Boffin with an audacious 40-yard free-kick, while the Norwegian had the
final chance with another set-piece from the edge of the area but sent his
shot just the wrong side of the far left post.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Grant hails Hammers spirit
Boss pleased after injury-hit Hammers battle back to earn point
By Steve Pass Last updated: 18th December 2010
SSN
West Ham boss Avram Grant hailed the spirit of his side after they battled
back to earn a point at Ewood Park. Blackburn took the lead via Ryan Nelsen
on 51 minutes but Junior Stanislas came off the bench to score and earn a
point for the Hammers. Grant was pleased with the way his rock-bottom side
coped after falling behind at Ewood Park, especially given the injuries
affecting his side. His usual keeper Robert Green underwent a minor
operation to remove a cyst earlier this week, meaning a West Ham debut for
23-year-old Belgian Ruud Boffin, while Grant's problems continued to mount
before kick-off as Valon Behrami, who had been a doubt, was replaced by
Jonathan Spector at the 11th hour.
Taken more
The Hammers boss told Sky Sports: "I think we could have taken more (than a
draw) because our performance deserved more. "We created chances, we created
half-chances, we had many things happening in the box but our
decision-making was not so good. "But I'm very impressed with the spirit of
the boys. I know other teams with a problem like this - missing players at
the last moment after preparing with others - and they can give up. "You saw
the boys today - they didn't give up, they fought in an impressive way and I
am very pleased about this."
Created problems
Grant believed the injuries had created problems for his side, adding:
"There is problems, it is not so easy. I know it better than anybody but
there is two ways - I am choosing the way to find a solution and not give up
and I'm very pleased that the boys did it very well today." There has been
more speculation concerning Grant's position at Upton Park this week but the
West Ham boss insisted it had not affected the players on the pitch. "You
saw the players today - I know other teams that miss two or three players
and they don't perform well, including teams in the top that have a big, big
squad," he said. "And I think the best answer was on the pitch - the spirit
was great, the players gave everything and the only answer that we can give
is on the pitch."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham keeper Boffin has the answers as reserve comes into the equation
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER Last updated at 12:21 AM on 19th December 2010
Daily Mail
Ruud Boffin, the goalkeeper with a crazy name, finally made his West Ham
debut at Blackburn, three months after joining from Maastricht. The
23-year-old deadline-day signing had to play after injuries to No 1 Rob
Green and his deputy, Czech Marek Stech. It was lucky that Boffin didn't
get injured himself as on the bench was Jake Larkins, a 16-year-old, fresh
out of the club's Academy and without a start in the reserves. Boffin was
unlucky not to mark his debut with a clean sheet. The Belgian enjoyed a
pressure-free first half and when he was called into action at the start of
the second period he pulled off a superb, point-blank save from Ryan Nelsen,
only to see the defender grab the opener off his knee, following the
rebound.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Stanislas saves the day for Grant
Blackburn Rovers 1 West Ham United 1: Hammers manager forced to settle for a
point as Blackburn make an uninspiring start under caretaker Kean
Independent.co.uk
By Phil Shaw at Ewood Park
Sunday, 19 December 2010
The cathedral choir sang carols at half-time and the snow lay all around,
deep and crisp and even. Tidings of comfort and joy were thinner on the
ground, with Sam Allardyce's stand-in as Blackburn manager, Steve Kean, and
his West Ham counterpart, Avram Grant, each failing to secure the win that
would have enhanced one's prospects of landing the job and the other's hopes
of keeping his.
If Blackburn's new Indian owners, the Venky's poultry company, had
anticipated an instant transformation after the stunning sacking of
Allardyce five days earlier, they were swiftly disabused of their naivety.
Kean, a 43-year-old Scot, was unfortunate in that his side lost Jason
Roberts and Phil Jones to injury during the match – Jones will undergo a
knee operation and could miss the rest of the season – but after three
consecutive home wins, failing to beat the bottom club at home was an
anticlimax.
Similarly, if this really was the first of three matches in which Grant must
secure a victory to survive – which he again denied afterwards – his players
initially had a funny way of showing it. True, they responded positively to
Ryan Nelsen's goal for Blackburn after the break and deserved the late
equaliser secured by the substitute Junior Stanislas. However, they are
still without an away win since August last year and rode their luck when
David Dunn's 82nd-minute "winner" was disallowed for innocuous contact by
Brett Emerton on Danny Gabbidon.
Kean admitted he was "slightly disappointed", yet the caretaker manager
added: "With the amount of injuries we picked up, a point isn't too bad."
Had it sharpened his appetite for the job? "Yes. I wouldn't say I enjoyed it
because we didn't win, but I'm looking forward to the coming games."
Grant lost Valon Behrami to injury during the warm-up and was already
without his goalkeeper Robert Green, who is recovering from a minor
operation. "I think we deserved three points," the West Ham manager said.
"After all the problems we had with having to change the team, I was
impressed by the spirit. I don't like to play sides who have just changed
their manager – we lost at Aston Villa [after Martin O'Neill's departure] –
because players want to impress. But we did well in the second half and
there's a long way to go this season." The pristine pitch was a tribute to
the efforts of the groundstaff, who began clearing it at 5.30am. Grant may
have wished they had not striven so hard, having been forced by Green's
indisposition to give a debut to Ruud Boffin, a 6ft 5in, 23-year-old Belgian
signed from Dutch football last summer. Boffin could scarcely have had a
gentler introduction, being untroubled until a free-kick by Morten Gamst
Pedersen allowed him to make a showboating mid-air catch 12 minutes before
the break. With West Ham using Frédéric Piquionne as a lone striker and
creating just one clear-cut opportunity, when Paul Robinson blocked Luis Boa
Morte's shot with a foot, the first half was about as eventful as the
promised demonstration against Blackburn's owners. And that had amounted to
little more than a chorus of "There's only one Jack Walker" just before the
start.
The Venky's group, seeking to justify Allardyce's dismissal, had demanded
entertaining, exciting football, and the way Blackburn began the second half
suggested Kean had reminded his charges of this. Within six minutes they had
scored a goal. Boffin saved brilliantly from Nelsen's well-struck shot, only
for the ball to strike the New Zealander on the thigh and creep across the
line.
Grant brought on Stanislas and Carlton Cole, and as the contest become more
stretched, West Ham at last performed as if they might want to save their
manager's skin. Matt Upson's volley clipped the outside of the post, but
when the inspirational Scott Parker drove at the heart of the Rovers
rearguard, the ball broke off Gaël Givet to enable Stanislas to level with
an angled shot.
Attendance: 21,934
Referee: Mike Dean
Man of the match: Parker
Match rating: 4/10
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Avram Grant insists he can defy history and keep West Ham up
Manager remains upbeat after snatching a point at Blackburn
Only four teams on 13 points at Christmas have survived
Richard Gibson at Ewood Park
guardian.co.uk, Saturday 18 December 2010 19.46 GMT
Blackburn Rovers' caretaker manager Steve Kean, left, greets the West Ham
manager Avram Grant prior to kick-off. Photograph: Neal Simpson/Empics
Only one team in Premier League history have survived with fewer points than
the 13 that Avram Grant's West Ham will boast on Christmas Day. Yet that,
combined with the misfortune bestowed on his team in the build-up to the 1-1
draw at Blackburn, failed to quell Grant's belief that his rock-bottom side
can still avoid the Premier League trapdoor.
For the record, West Brom are the greatest escapees but four others have had
a baker's dozen when the presents are unwrapped, and stayed up. "We can do
it, of course," insisted Grant, after his team came from behind at Ewood
Park. "As long as we show this spirit I am sure we can stay in this league.
I am not interested in statistics and history."
They had to shrug off the loss of their goalkeeper Robert Green, who was not
deemed sufficiently fit following an operation to remove a cyst, and missed
his first league game since February 2007, the injury victim Victor Obinna
and even had to reorganise at kick-off after Valon Behrami injured a hip in
the warm-up. Yet Green's understudy, the Belgian debutant Ruud Boffin, was
rarely tested by managerless Rovers and it was West Ham who appeared the
more likely to steal victory in an end-to-end second period.
"We deserved three points," claimed Grant, who continues to rail against
suggestions he must win a game before 2011 or face the boot. "I was very
impressed by the spirit of the boys because we needed to change the team at
the last minute. It's not an easy place to come to when you are losing. But
in the second half we played well and created chances. We were the better
side."
While West Ham's problems were stockpiled before the start, their hosts were
soon playing catch-up in the misfortune stakes in their first game since Sam
Allardyce's sacking. The biggest to hit them was the loss of the teenage
substitute Phil Jones, who incurred suspected meniscus damage to his knee
just 10 minutes after coming on and is expected to be out for four to five
months. "It's a nasty injury and it looks like he will have to undergo an
operation," confirmed the caretaker manager Steve Kean.
Jason Roberts and Christopher Samba also succumbed to injuries – hamstring
and knee respectively – on the most bitter of December afternoons. Yet
Blackburn appeared on course for their fourth consecutive home win when Ryan
Nelsen bundled in shortly after half-time, only for Junior Stanislas to
emerge from the bench to level.
All in all it proved an eventful introduction to management for Kean,
following his promotion from first-team coach. "I have enjoyed the last few
days, working on the pitch, speaking to the players in the team meeting,
making the substitutions. But I wouldn't say I enjoyed the game because we
didn't win," he said.
"We are slightly disappointed. We got in front and scored the first goal and
thought we would go on to get two or three. We feel it's points dropped,
rather than a point won. Having said that, with the amount of injuries we've
picked up in the games it's understandable."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Grant: We deserved all three points
West Ham boss Avram Grant felt his side deserve all three points after they
fought back to draw 1-1 at Blackburn.
By PA 6:40PM GMT 18 Dec 2010
Telegraph.co.uk
Junior Stanislas struck 13 minutes from time to cancel out Ryan Nelson's
goal but the point still leaves the Hammers bottom of the Barclays Premier
League table. But Grant was encouraged by his side's performance, especially
after he was forced to give Belgian keeper Ruud Boffin his debut after
Robert Green failed to recover in time from a minor operation to remove a
cyst, then Valon Behrami aggravated a hip problem in the warm-up.
Grant said: "I think we deserved three points. We created chances, we
created half-chances, we hit the post. The positives are I was very
impressed by the spirit of the boys. They gave everything. "With all the
problems, needing to change the team at the last moment, we fought and we
almost won. We were the better side and I liked it very much because I know
top teams who miss two or three players and they have a problem." Grant is
now hoping Green will have recovered for the Boxing Day trip to Fulham.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Posts
