Tomkins, O'Brien, Cole and Parker all hit the net as the Hammers win
convincingly at Vicarage Road
16.08.2011
WATFORD v WEST HAM UNITED
npower CHAMPIONSHIP
TUESDAY 16 AUGUST 2011
KICK-OFF: 7.45PM
Final score - Watford 0-4 West Ham United
94 mins - That's it. West Ham have won on the road for the second time in
four days. That was a fine performance from the Hammers at both the front
and the back. They thoroughly deserved their win and scored some fine goals.
Big Sam will want more, but as things stand West Ham are up to third in the
table ahead of Wednesday's matches. Don't forget to visit whufc.com and
watch West Ham TV for exclusive post-match reaction and highlights. It's
Leeds next on Sunday - get your tickets here.
93 mins - In all the excitement, I missed how many added minutes we're
having. West Ham and their fans are loving this stuff, with the latter
singing '4-0 to the Cockney boys'. They look superb, almost filling the
stand to my right - all 3,736 of them in a crowd of 14,747!
91 mins - GOAL! PARKER! Just into added-time and O'Brien's pass picks out
Piquionne. He feeds Faubert, who feeds Parker. He takes a touch, looks up
and curls a low shot into the bottom corner with his left foot. That's a
collector's item!
90 mins - Sordell is a good player, but he won't get his goal tonight. A
cross is too strong and O'Brien picks up possession...
90 mins - Watford have a corner. Don't make me look an idiot, please! Taylor
wins it and Green holds safely above his head.
88 mins - And finally, the last time West Ham kept two clean sheets in
successive away league games was at Sunderland and Liverpool in
November/December 2008. So there.
87 mins - Stat-time again. The last time West Ham kept two clean sheets in
successive away games was at Hartlepool United and Arsenal in January 2009.
86 mins - Nolan is booked for a foul on halfway.
85 mins - Nolan holds his head in disbelief. Piquionne's cross is headed by
Taylor and hits a Watford player before dropping to Nolan six yards out. He
shoots on the turn, but screws his shot over the top.
85 mins - West Ham last kept two clean sheets in the league in succession in
March 2009, when they kept three in-a-row against Manchester City, Wigan
Athletic and West Bromwich Albion.
84 mins - Parker nearly puts the icing on the cherry on the cake, or
whatever the saying is! He shoots from 35 yards and the ball clears the bar
by inches and thuds into the pole holding up the net.
81 mins - Piquionne races down the left and is unceremoniously taken out by
Eustace, who is booked. Loach claims Faubert's high free-kick.
78 mins - Deeney is wearing some rather flash yellow boots. Nice. Meanwhile,
the away fans call for a wave from Big Sam and the manager obliges. It's
been a good few days to be a West Ham supporter. Victory tonight would be
back-to-back away wins for the first time since December 2007, and the
biggest away win since a 5-0 success at Derby County the preceding month.
75 mins - Collison is off and Faubert is on.
74 mins - A change from Big Sam - Cole off and Piquionne off. Watford
replace Yeates with Troy Deeney.
73 mins - Allardyce celebrated that goal with proper gusto, pumping both
fists on the touchline and roaring like a lion! Get in there! Meanwhile,
Sordell shoots low and Green is there with an easy save.
70 mins - GOAL! That should be that. Nolan slides to shoot and the ball hits
a defender and runs into the path of the on-rushing Ilunga. He cuts it back
and Cole is there to tap in from six yards.
69 mins - The Hornets are carrying more of a threat as I said, but they
can't find a clear chance. Forsyth comes in off the left flank to try to get
something going. He shoots but it's weak and easy for Green low down.
68 mins - Tomkins is coming off. He is limping slightly as he makes his way
to the touchline to be replaced by Abdoulaye Faye. This is Faye's debut, of
course!
67 mins - West Ham have just lost their way a little bit here and Watford
have got a bit of a head of steam up. A cross from the right is headed clear
by Tomkins from inside his own six-yard box. The Hammers need a spell of
possession inside their opponent's half.
62 mins - Watford have not created much in the last few minutes. Doyley
lifts a high diagonal ball into the box, it is headed down but Green is
quick off his line to claim.
59 mins - West Ham are playing the better football here and the away fans
are enjoying it. A few 'Oles' from the travelling supporters as Noble,
Parker and Tomkins combine to get the ball safely back to Green.
56 mins - Chris Iwelumo is replaced by No27 Gavin Massey.
55 mins - Taylor lets out a cry of frustration. He had got in behind Doyley
but his cross for Collison is too close to Loach, who catches in front of
his face. West Ham looking strong here and are pushing for a third goal.
53 mins - Cole does well wide left before Ilunga finds Taylor. He looks up,
but his cross for Collison hits Doyley and goes behind. Taylor crosses and
the ball hits Tomkins on the head and nearly falls for Reid, but Watford
scramble it away.
51 mins - West Ham come forward through Parker but his pass for Cole is cut
out. Parker wins it back and Noble works it wide left to Ilunga, but his
stabbed cross flicks off the head of Mariappa into the arms of Loach.
49 mins - The crowd is announced as 14,747. Among them are an outstanding
3,736 West Ham fans. Superb following. The dangerous Sordell nearly silences
the travelling hordes by shooting low and hard. Green gets his body in the
way and the ball spins behind for a corner. The delivery comes over from the
Watford left and Nolan clears.
46 mins - Tomkins concedes a throw, Dickinson hurls it in and O'Brien clears
for another throw. The left-back hurls it over again but the ball hits a
Watford player and rolls harmlessly behind for a goal kick.
46 mins - Taylor and Parker get the game back up and running and a suddenly
fairly dark Vicarage Road.
That's Joey O'Brien's first goal since he netted for Sheffield Wednesday
against Swindon in League One on 8 January 2005!! He was 18 then, and he's
now 25! It's also the third of his senior career as he also netted for the
Owls against Hull on 8 December 2004.
Half-time score - Watford 0-2 West Ham United
48 mins - After about 30 seconds more, referee Mr Whitestone blows for
half-time. Well, 2-0 to the good and two fantastic goals. I doubt Sam
Allardyce would ask for more than this, but then again he is a hard
task-master and he will demand more from his players after the break.
47 mins - GOAL! WHAT A GOAL! Joey O'Brien picks up the ball on halfway and
runs at the Watford defence, taking on about five defenders before slotting
the ball into the bottom right-hand corner with his left foot.
46 mins - Into the one minute of added-time... Taylor crosses and Iwelumo
heads clear.
45 mins - Noble breaks up a Watford attack before Parker slides in Cole.
Taylor sticks with him and Loach comes out to make a great save low to his
left. Corner.
44 mins - Cole is penalised and Parker picks the ball up. Forsyth doesn't
like it and the two have a bit of a disagreement before the referee and
Nolan split it up. Referee Dean Whitestone has a word with both players.
43 mins - Collison wins a corner down the right off Dickinson. Taylor can
deliver with pace and quality. Can Tomkins net another one? He can't, but
Collison could have done, but his header from Parker's cross loops high and
lands on top of the net.
41 mins - That is fantastic football - perhaps the best spell of the season.
Nolan, Collison and O'Brien are involved before Noble curls over a cross
that is just too high for Cole.
38 mins - Nolan and Taylor combine superbly down the left and the latter is
away. He sends a deep cross over the head of Dickinson, but Collison chooses
to shoot first-time from a ridiculous angle. The ball flies well over the
top and behind for a goal kick.
34 mins - Watford have another corner - their fourth - as Ilunga slices the
ball behind. The corner comes into the near post where Iwelumo and Cole dive
for the ball. Iwelumo wins it, but his header is kept out by Green low down.
Cole needs the physio on after that one.
32 mins - Watford are certainly looking threatening here themselves. West
Ham are struggling to keep possession for long periods. Ilunga has to be
alert to block Sordell's shot behind. Cole heads the corner clear, but the
Hornets pick up the ball again. Sordell is there again, cutting in from the
right and shooting, but his low effort is easy for Green diving low to his
left.
29 mins - Sordell shows some serious pace to leave Parker behind and then
drives past Tomkins before cutting the ball back - behind Iwelumo! Ilunga
clears his lines. Watford come again, but O'Brien is in the right place to
volley powerfully upfield.
28 mins - The visiting supporters are making plenty of noise. Meanwhile,
Faye and Piquionne are out for a stretch on the touchline in front of us.
25 mins - Green's long pass causes havoc and Cole forces a corner. Tomkins
wins it, then Nolan hooks the ball back into the box, Cole flicks on and
Reid should score, but his effort slides wide of the post. Massive 'Ooooh'
from the away fans.
24 mins - Yeates is a tricky customer and the former Colchester and
Middlesbrough man loses Noble before crossing from the left, but Green is
there again to claim the high ball.
22 mins - Cristian Montano makes his first league start for Notts County
tonight, but the Magpies are 1-0 down at home to Tranmere Rovers in League
One. Olly Lee is also in action for Dagenham & Redbridge at home to Paolo Di
Canio's Swindon Town. That one is goalless.
20 mins - Faubert and Barrera are out to warm-up on the touchline as Tomkins
deals with two high balls into the penalty area. He has been imperious so
far tonight.
19 mins - Watford are looking dangerous here. A through ball threatens to
embarrass Tomkins and Green, but it spins forward just enough for the
goalkeeper to claim right on the edge of his box.
16 mins - The first corner is initially cleared before O'Brien scrambles the
ball behind again. The second delivery is met flush by Eustace and hits
Sordell. The ball bounces back to Jenkins, but he can't control his volley
from eight yards and the ball flies high over the top.
15 mins - Green might get his name sung too after that save! Yeates loses
his marker and picks out Sordell. The No20 turns and loses Tomkins before
curling a shot towards the top corner that the goalkeeper does well to palm
over the top at full-stretch.
15 mins - The travelling fans are going through their full repertoire of
hits. Cole, Nolan and Parker have all had their names sung already!
14 mins - Watford are struggling to contain Cole. He is fouled again 25
yards out. Taylor curls his shot over the wall after 30 seconds of build-up,
but it's wide.
12 mins - Tomkins makes a bit of a hash of a bouncing ball and Sordell picks
up possession. He runs inside and then tries a reverse pass for Iwelumo, but
the Scot doesn't read it and the ball rolls slowly through to Green,
shepherded by three West Ham defenders!
11 mins - Noble tries to pick out Taylor with a long diagonal pass. It looks
inch-perfect, but Doyley does well against the No14 and nips in to clear the
danger. He tries to pick out Sordell himself, but Reid and Parker are there
to deal with it.
10 mins - The Hammers win another corner... Taylor delivers and Mariappa
heads powerfully clear at the near post.
9 mins - A deep cross comes over from the Watford left and Forsyth times his
jump well to get above O'Brien, but his header flies well over the top. West
Ham break and Cole's header leads to Doyley sending a horrifc back-pass that
Loach can only slice out for a throw.
7 mins - That's only Tomkins' second senior goal following the one he got in
a 2-0 Premier League win over Sunderland at the Boleyn Ground on 4 April
2009! That too was a towering header.
6 mins - It's been a breathless start here at Vicarage Road. Sordell has a
low and speculative shot from the corner of the box but it's weak and an
easy catch for Green in front of his goal.
4 mins - Watford try an audacious shot from the kick-off but it flies well
over Green's goal. Moments later, the Hornets come again but O'Brien and
then Parker and Reid deal with the danger.
3 mins - GOAL! TOMKINS! Taylor sends the corner over from the West Ham right
and Tomkins rises high and mighty and powers a downward header past Loach.
Fantastic start again for the Hammers.
2 mins - Cole wins a free-kick about 40 yards out and Taylor tries his luck,
sending a low shot towards the bottom right-hand corner. Loach somehow
pushes it around the post. Corner.
1 min - The long throw is only half-cleared to Yeates 25 yards out. He
drives the ball low through a crowd and Green holds the ball at the second
attempt.
7.48pm - Watford kick-off and quickly win a throw deep inside West Ham's
half.
7.47pm - A bit of Blur as Watford have a huddle. They break away and we're
nearly ready to go...
7.46pm - We're going to kick-off a bit late. This is one of seven npower
Championship fixtures being played tonight. Should West Ham win and a few
other teams fail to pick up three points, the Hammers could climb well
inside the top-ten. Meanwhile, the sun has mercifully disappeared behind the
stand.
7.44pm - Watford use Z-Cars as their entry theme, just like Everton. It's no
'Bubbles' but it is a decent tune! For those of you too young to be aware of
Z-Cars, it was a British TV series that ran between 1962 and 1978 starring
Gerald Blake. It was a police drama. Don't you just love the internet!
7.43pm - Here come the two teams, led by captains and respective No4s John
Eustace and Kevin Nolan...
7.38pm - The sun is really low in the sky to my right, meaning I can't
actually see the goal at that end of the ground! However, I shall soldier on
and do my best... Anyway, West Ham's players have returned to their dressing
room as kick-off rapidly approaches. There is just one survivor from West
Ham's most-recent visit to Vicarage Road for a Carling Cup tie in September
2008 - Mark Noble. Julien Faubert started that day, but is on the bench
tonight, while 2008 substitutes Robert Green, Herita Ilunga and Jack
Collison all start tonight.
7.35pm - Meanwhile, the away end is filling up rapidly ahead of kick-off -
this photo was taken at about 7.15pm and it's a lot fuller now!
7.30pm - Among the West Ham fans here tonight is 12-year-old Joe Waterman
from Wanstead, who also happens to be the Hammers' mascot!
7.10pm - Chairman David Gold and manager Sam Allardyce enjoy a quiet moment
at the mouth of the tunnel. The sun is shining brightly here at Vicarage
Road, with the first of the 4,000-odd West Ham fans attending tonight's game
starting to congregate in the stand to my right. Walking through the town
centre earlier this evening, there are Hammers EVERYWHERE!
7pm - Watford are unchanged from Saturday's 1-0 home defeat by Derby County.
The Hornets line up as follows -
Watford: Loach, Dickinson, Mariappa, Taylor, Doyley, Yeates, Eustace,
Jenkins, Forsyth, Sordell, Iwelumo
Subs: Gilmartin, Deeney, Bennett, Mirfin, Massey
6.45pm - West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce has made just one change from
the side that defeated Doncaster Rovers 1-0 on Saturday - Carlton Cole
replacing Frederic Piquionne in attack. On the bench, Pablo Barrera and
Julien Faubert come in for Freddie Sears and Junior Stanislas.
West Ham United: Green, O'Brien, Ilunga, Tomkins, Reid, Noble, Parker,
Nolan, Collison, Taylor, Cole
Subs: Boffin, Faye, Barrera, Faubert, Piquionne
Good evening and welcome to Vicarage Road for tonight's npower Championship
fixture between Watford and West Ham United. The Hammers are seeking back to
back away league victories for the first time since December 2007, when Alan
Curbishley's side won at Blackburn Rovers and Middlesbrough. Nearly four
years on, new boss Sam Allardyce led his side to their maiden win of the
2011/12 season courtesy of a 1-0 success at Doncaster Rovers on Saturday.
Watford, meanwhile, have yet to record a win this term, having drawn at
Burnley and lost at home to Derby County in their opening two league
fixtures. Both clubs saw their Carling Cup first-round ties postponed due to
a lack of police resources following the civil unrest across the country
earlier this month. Tonight's match represents West Ham's first visit to the
Hornets' nest since Watford scored a 1-0 Carling Cup victory on 23 September
2008. West Ham's most-recent victory at Vicarage Road came in the shape of a
2-1 Championship success on 8 May 2005 - three weeks before the Hammers
gained promotion to the Premier League via the Play-Offs.
Watford finished 14th in the Championship last term, but have lost manager
Malky Mackay - replaced by Sean Dyche - winger Will Buckey (to Brighton &
Hove Albion for £1m), striker Nathan Ellington (to Ipswich Town on a free
transfer), winger Don Cowie (to Cardiff CIty for free) and highly-rated
striker Danny Graham (to Swansea City for £3.5m). Dyche has brought in some
new faces, including centre-back David Mirfin from Scunthorpe United,
full-back Carl Dickinson from Stoke CIty, midfielder Craig Forsyth from
Dundee, winger Mark Yeates from Sheffield United and Scotland striker Chris
Iwelumo from Burnley.
Team news-wise, West Ham have Julien Faubert back from a hamstring problem
suffered against Real Zaragoza on 30 July. John Carew and George McCartney
have not been considered for selection. For Watford, only long-term knee
injury victim Stephen McGinn is unavailable. The two starting XIs should be
made available at around 6.45pm and will be announced first here on
whufc.com and on the club's official twitter feed here.
Watford: Loach, Dickinson, Mariappa, Taylor, Doyley, Yeates (Deeney 73),
Eustace, Jenkins, Forsyth, Sordell, Iwelumo (Massey 56)
Subs: Gilmartin, Bennett, Mirfin
West Ham United: Green, O'Brien, Ilunga, Tomkins (Faye 68), Reid, Noble,
Parker, Nolan, Collison (Faubert 75), Taylor, Cole (Piquionne 74)
Subs not used: Boffin, Barrera
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
'It doesn't get much better'
WHUFC.com
The manager was full of superlatives after a superb away showing at Watford
on Tuesday
16.08.2011
Sam Allardyce was full of praise for an "outstanding" team display as the
Hammers racked up a 4-0 win away at Watford on Tuesday night. Well-taken
goals from James Tomkins, Joey O'Brien, Carlton Cole and Scott Parker saw
off the Hornets at Vicarage Road and made it back to back away wins for the
first time since December 2007. It was the perfect follow-up to the 1-0
weekend win at Doncaster Rovers and witnessed by a travelling army of nearly
4,000 supporters. Once Tomkins scored with a towering header on three
minutes, the visitors never looked back but Allardyce was keen to stress his
players had to win the battle before they could switch on the cruise
control. "If you have got good footballers you play good football, don't
you," he said, when asked about the way his team dominated the contest. "If
you have got good footballers, we need to let them show their attributes,
after they have earned the right to play. Once you get that right then you
can go and play the kind of football we played in the second half."
The three points took the Hammers up to third in the fledgling npower
Championship table, but more than the points on the board and the excitement
building for Sunday's visit of Leeds United, the performance was what most
energised the manager. "It doesn't get much better than that. The pleasing
thing for me is how we have won the game. There is no doubt that the quality
of our goals, all four goals, was something to be admired. We withstood the
early pressure from Watford and obviously the goal helped, but it was how we
defended. We never let Watford get a sniff tonight."
Allardyce admitted that after the first couple of games he had wondered
about his team's firepower, but he was left in no uncertain terms as the
shots rained in, particularly after the break and it could have been more.
That said, Robert Green was singled out for special mention for a key save
from the lively Marvin Sordell when the Hammers held only a one-nil lead.
"We have seen some outstanding finishing tonight which we didn't see against
Cardiff. We then had Kevin Nolan's goal against Doncaster but we had some
sloppy finishing after that. We have got everything tonight. It is not often
you see all the team playing at their best. I hope it can get better but i
wouldn't have thought they can get much better."
The manager was also keen to afford a word or two for O'Brien, who surged
forward from right-back to strike the "killer blow" on the stroke of
half-time. "It was a wonderful run from a lad I have known for many years
who everyone else has forgotten about. He has come to West Ham and that goal
will do him the world of good, as it has for us. "He is finally coming to
terms with the fact he can be a top grade footballer again. Six months or 12
months ago, he thought his career was finished. He thought it was over
before it had even started. Now look at him. He is so glad to be back,
playing football and that is a great reward for all the effort he put in
over pre-season."
There was also mention for Cole, who slid in the third after an unselfish
pass from Herita Ilunga to mark his first start of the season in style. "I
was very pleased with Carlton. I got performance in possession and I got
good movement. A lot of our midfield play could go forward then off Carlton
and then come back and go into wide areas. And then start creating and
sliding little balls down the side."
Parker wrapped things up with a superb left-footed strike in added time,
with an assist for Julien Faubert on his own first run-out of the campaign
after a hamstring problem. The manager tipped all his men to build on the
performance when they welcome Leeds, who themselves won 4-1 on Tuesday night
against Hull City, on Sunday. "For us to win two games on the trot is
obviously thrilling and now the pressure comes on the players not to waste
that effort they have put in and ability to gain six points away from home.
To slip up again now against Leeds as we did against Cardiff [on the opening
day] is something we do not want to do. "We have really got to work on being
patient and as skilful and as clinical as we were tonight. If we can do that
against Leeds we are going to cause them lots of problems."
It remain to be seen if, by the weekend, the majestic Tomkins can overcome
the hamstring niggle he suffered that led to Abdoulaye Faye's debut off the
bench but the manager preferred to finish on the positives rather than the
negatives. "When you do what you do tonight confidence floods back and it
flows into the players. They play football to win football matches and when
they do that they are happy ... if you breed confidence, you breed a winning
mentality. At this early stage of the season , I hope that has started
already and that it continues."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Watford 0 - 4 West Ham
BBC.co.uk
West Ham recorded back-to-back away wins for the first time since December
2007 by thrashing Watford. James Tomkins opened the scoring for the Hammers
with a powerful back-post header from Matt Taylor's corner. Joey O'Brien
prodded home after bustling his way into the penalty area, before Carlton
Cole slotted home Herita Ilunga's low cross. And Scott Parker added the
fourth late on to leave Sean Dyche still searching for his first win as
Watford boss.
The Hornets almost went ahead in the first minute when Robert Green fumbled
John Eustace's long-range drive, but the England keeper recovered to beat
Marvin Sordell to the rebound. The visitors soon took the lead when Taylor's
corner, which he had earned when his sweetly struck 30-yard free-kick was
deflected around the post, was met by the head of Tomkins at the back post
and found its way to the opposite corner of the net. Watford crafted chances
of their own, Mark Yeates' through ball released Sordell, whose goalbound
effort produced a fine reflex save from Green and Eustace kept the Hammers
keeper working with his stooping header from a Yeates corner. But the
visitors continued to be a threat, with Winston Reid and Cole going close
before Jack Collison and O'Brien combined well for West Ham's second. It
looked like the chance had passed when Collison was closed down while
cutting in across the penalty area, but the ball broke nicely for him and he
placed the ball past Loach. Watford started the second period brightly with
Green fumbling a Sordell drive around the post, but the Hammers struck back
when Kevin Nolan, playing in a forward role, was able to find Ilunga, who
fizzed in a low cross which Cole converted to notch his first goal of the
campaign. And Parker, who had given a warning of what was to come with an
off-target effort, completed the rout in injury time with a tidy finish from
the edge of the area.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Tomkins faces anxious wait
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 17th August 2011
By: Staff Writer
James Tomkins will undergo tests today to determine the extent of the damage
caused by the injury sustained against Watford. The 21-year-old defender,
who has enjoyed a storming start to the 2011/12 campaign limped off after 68
minutes of last night's 4-0 win at Vicarage Road - a win that catapulted the
Hammers into the top three of the Championship. And speaking after the
game, manager Sam Allardyce admitted that he could be set to lose the
England under 21 defender for an as-yet-unknown length of time. "The only
downside [to the game] is it's looking like a hamstring injury for James
Tomkins," he revealed. "He's been outstanding since I've been here. "But of
course Abdoulaye Faye stepped in and got a little taste of what's to come -
and he did very well."
Although some hamstring injuries can heal within a fortnight, a worst-case
scenario could see Tomkins benched for up to six weeks - a period that
covers at least six matches, including potentially both the first and second
rounds of the Carling Cup. Yet despite the potential loss of the
Basildon-born youngster, Allardyce is clearly confident that the former
Senegalese international - with whom he worked with at both Bolton and
Newcastle before both arrived in east London during the summer - can step up
to the plate.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Allardyce on... Watford
KUMb.com
Filed: Tuesday, 16th August 2011
By: Staff Writer
Sam Allardyce revealed that he was delighted with his team's comprehensive
defeat of Watford - albeit at a cost. West Ham's 4-0 win at Vicarage Road -
coupled with the 1-0 victory aaginst Doncaster at the Keepmoat Stadium 48
hours previously - ensured United were celebrating back-to-back away wins
for the first time since 2007. And a jubilant Allardyce admitted that he
couldn't fault any of his players on a great night for West Ham - and one
that sent out a warning to the rest of the division. "I'm absolutely
delighted. Not only with the result but with the performance that went with
it," he told the BBC. "We mastered the opposition in the early stages by the
way that they challenged us aerially, by the balls that they put in our box.
In the early stages of the game we had to defend extremely well. "But of
course when you get your first corner and James Tomkins scores with a
fantastic header, it settles everybody down a little bit - and then they're
prepared to put up with the pressure that Watford put on us. "So, we had a
terrific performance from every man today at a level I will be encouraging
[them] to try and maintain for as long as we possibly can."
Allardyce also hailed his team's second goal of the night - a special one
for his new right back and one that the boss felt proved to be the main
turning point of the game. "It wasn't just a great goal for us but a great
goal for Joey O'Brien," he affirmed. "Somebody who's been injured for
two-and-a-half years and runs from one end of the the pitch to the other and
puts the ball in the bottom of the net for two-nil. "That was a really
important goal at that particular time and really knocked the stuffing out
of Watford. It gave us the opportunity then to go out and play in the second
half that little bit more with the ball and work the spaces a little bit
more - then just wait for the opportunity to open them up again. "Of course
we've done that magnificently well in two different ways from the first two
goals by passing and moving and creating spaces, nice little balls in the
right areas. It's two great goals probably, four very very good goals
tonight. "
Although Allardyce was pleased with the performance of his entire team, he
singled out goalkeeper Rob Green for an early save that had perhaps gone
unnoticed as a result of the goal glut that followed it. "I'd have to say
there was one really good save from Robert Green at one-nil after about ten
minutes," he said. "The importance of that has given us the capability to
win 4-0 today. Let it get to 1-1 and the pressure comes on us again. "He
didn't allow them to do that - and that's the sign of the the importance of
a quality goalkeeper."
Sadly, the win came at a cost as Allardyce revealed that the scorer of
tonight's first goal had sustained a suspected thigh strain - an injury that
could potentially keep him out of action for up to six weeks. "The only
downside is a hamstring injury, it's looking like, for James Tomkins," he
revealed. "He's been outstanding since I've been here. But of course
Abdoulaye Faye steps in and gets a little taste of what's to come - and did
very well."
The win, combined with results elsewhere tonight sends the Hammers shooting
up the fledgling Championship table from 14th to third place. It is a
position Allardyce intends to hold on to. "I think we've earned the victory
and we've probably made our mark today; where we want to be and what
standard we want to reach," he declared. "I thought we reached a very good
standard today - and this early on in my reign. "I'm absolutely delighted
for the players and the fans of course - 4,000 in that end today who will go
home very happy. They've experienced two back-to-back away wins for the
first time for a long time."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Watford 0 West Ham Utd 4
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 16th August 2011
By: Staff Writer
West Ham breezed to victory with a thoroughly professional performance
against Watford at Vicarage Road tonight. Sam Allardyce's United, who
enjoyed a first win of the season at Doncaster on Sunday secured the club's
first back-to-back away wins since 2007 against a disappointing Hornets side
in tonight's Championship clash.
The writing was on the wall for the home side as early as the third minute
when centre-half James Tomkins pounced on Matt Taylor's corner to direct a
powerful header beyond Watford goalkeeper Scott Loach. The second goal
arrived with the half time whistle rapidly approaching; full-back O'Brien
burst past half the Watford team before firing beyond Loach at the second
attempt after the 'keeper had palmed away his initial effort. Carlton Cole
added the third of the night when he converted a Herita Ilunga cutback from
close range with 20 minutes remaining. Finally, Scott Parker wrapped up a
comprehensive win for the Hammers with a neat finish having combined well
with sub Julien Faubert to send the Hammers into third place in the
fledgling Championship table. Sam Allardyce began the game with just one
change from the team that won at Doncaster 48 hours ago. Carlton Cole came
in for Frederic Piquionne, whilst Herita Ilunga kept his place in the
starting XI despite having been tipped to be dropped after a disappointing
start to the season.
Overall it was a comfortable evening for the Irons, although there were one
or two scary moments in the first half. Robert Green was at full stretch to
deny Sordell hitting the target with a curling 16th minute effort before
Carlton Cole was forced to hack one effort of the line. Had either of those
chances been converted it could have been a quite different game. However
O'Brien's goal - his first for West Ham and only the third of his career -
effectively ended the game as a contest and West Ham strolled to victory
thereafter. Whilst tougher challenges than that presented by the Hornets
tonight will inevitably follow, the win will be a huge confidence booster
ahead of this weekend's clash with Leeds United.
Watford 0 West Ham Utd 4: match facts
West Ham Utd: Green, O'Brien, Ilunga, Tomkins (Faye 68), Reid, Noble,
Parker, Nolan, Collison (Faubert 75), Taylor, Cole (Piquionne 74).
Subs not used: Boffin, Barrera.
Goals: Tomkins (3), O'Brien (45+2), Cole (70), Parker (90+1).
Watford: Loach, Dickinson, Mariappa, Taylor, Doyley, Yeates (Deeney 74),
Eustace, Jenkins, Forsyth, Sordell, Iwelumo (Massey 56).
Subs not used: Gilmartin, Bennett, Mirfin.
Referee: Dean Whitestone.
Attendance: 14,747.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Big Sam's boys Hammer Hornets
Last updated: 16th August 2011
SSN
Carlton Cole and Scott Parker were on target to help West Ham to a 4-0
victory at Watford and make it back-to-back wins in the Championship. Sam
Allardyce gave Cole his first start of the season on Tuesday night and the
striker, who is still expected to leave before the end of the month, grabbed
his first goal since February.
England midfielder Parker, another player whose future remains uncertain,
put the seal on a convincing display late on. The unlikely figures of
defenders James Tomkins and Joey O'Brien had put West Ham two up at
half-time. The relegated Hammers won only two away games all last season,
but they have matched that tally after just two road trips this term. They
beat Doncaster with a fifth-minute goal on Saturday, and opened their
account even earlier at Vicarage Road. Matt Taylor's free-kick was turned
behind at full stretch by Hornets goalkeeper Scott Loach, and when Taylor
swung in the corner Tomkins planted a firm header inside the far post after
two minutes. Former Bolton midfielder Taylor was inches away from doubling
the lead when he curled a free-kick over the wall and inches wide. But
Watford looked dangerous themselves early on and Marvin Sordell's turn and
shot forced a fine save from Hammers keeper Robert Green. Hornets skipper
John Eustace then shot straight at Green from close range following a
corner, and Chris Iwelumo put the rebound over the top. West Ham should have
gone further ahead on the half hour when Mark Noble played Taylor's corner
back across goal and centre-half Winston Reid, from all of three yards out,
poked the ball wide. The visitors got stronger as the first half drew to a
close strongly with Noble fizzing a cross narrowly out of the reach of Kevin
Nolan, Jack Collison heading Parker's cross over and Loach denying Cole. And
their pressure told in added time when O'Brien, another of Allardyce's
ex-Bolton brigade, burst forward from the halfway line, reached the penalty
area and drilled a low shot across Loach and into the far corner. Watford
are still looking for their first win of the season, but there was no way
back for the hosts after Cole tucked in number three in the 70th minute.
Left-back Herita Illunga crossed and Cole was on hand to sweep the ball past
Loach. Parker wrapped up the victory with a classy finish from 20 yards in
stoppage time as the duo sent a timely reminder to one or two top-flight
clubs with the transfer window closing in a fortnight.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Allardyce lauds Hammers
Dyche disappointed by manner in which Hornets conceded
Last Updated: August 16, 2011 11:29pm
SSN
Sam Allardyce heaped praise on West Ham after their 4-0 win over Watford to
underline their billing as Championship favourites. James Tomkins put them
ahead early on before Joey O'Brien doubled their advantage in first-half
stoppage time. After the interval, England internationals Carlton Cole and
Scott Parker further extended their lead as they strolled to victory.
Allardyce said: "The pleasing thing for me is how we've won this game. The
quality of our goals was something to be admired.
"After we withstood the early pressure from Watford, and obviously the early
goal helped, it was how we defended as well, how we never let Watford get a
sniff.
Manager
"As a manager, you look at both sides of it and two clean sheets on the trot
away from home is something I always drive into the players and on the back
of that we've gone and then played some great football, particularly in the
second half, because we've earned the right to play that type of football.
"That's the most pleasing thing for me - seeing the opposition's threat off
early doors, punishing them to the hilt in the end by picking out the right
passes in the right places and what I thought might have been an Achilles
heel, we've seen some outstanding and quality finishing tonight. "We've got
everything right tonight and for me it's not often you see all your team
play what probably is the best they can play and I hope it can get better,
but I wouldn't have thought they could get much better than they got
tonight."
While West Ham are looking upwards, this was a second successive home defeat
for the Hornets - and a second successive game without scoring - to leave
them in the early-season bottom three.
Parts
Watford boss Sean Dyche said: "In parts of the game we played very well,
particularly in the first half. We gave away a set-piece goal which, from
our point of view, is disappointing. "The second goal is very disappointing
from us. It's a very poor goal, especially at that late stage of the half.
"I read the other day that one of their players earns our total wage bill so
that's kind of where it's at and usually if you're going to spend that
enormous amount of money you're going to get quality - and the defining
moments of the game came due to their quality."
Asked about the timing of the second goal, Dyche said: "I'll check the
statistics but I'm pretty sure Scott Loach hardly had a save to make in the
first half and I thought we'd worked their keeper well. "We had one cleared
off the line and then we gave away a soft goal. We have been guilty of that
and it's something we're addressing.
"After that they become more clinical. They got the third and then all of a
sudden they can look like the team that they probably are, which is full of
Premiership-style players."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Watford 0
West Ham 4
By VIKKI ORVICE
Published: Today
The Sun
JOEY O'BRIEN struck a debut goal as West Ham recorded their first
back-to-back wins away since 2007. And boss Sam Allardyce says they will not
improve on last night's display. He said: "It doesn't get much better than
this. All four goals were something to be admired. "It's not often you see
all the team play the best they can. I wouldn't have thought this can be
improved on. "When you play like this the confidence floods back. We've also
kept two clean sheets." After winning at Doncaster on Saturday with a goal
inside five minutes, the Hammers were flying early again. Centre-back James
Tomkins headed West Ham into a third-minute lead from a Matthew Taylor
corner. O'Brien, signed from Bolton this summer, fired a stunning second,
beating three Hornets defenders to fire home. And the game was in the bag
when Carlton Cole tapped home No 3 from Herita Ilunga's 71st-minute pass.
Scott Parker lashed home a 20-yarder in injury-time for a fourth. Hornets
boss Sean Dyche said: "They're a Premier League team."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
EXCLUSIVE: West Ham back in for Barton
Published 23:01 16/08/11 By Darren Lewis
The Mirror
West Ham are set to reignite their interest in Joey Barton. The East
Londoners are monitoring the situation regarding the controversial
midfielder, who has yet to sign a new contract at Newcastle. The
Championship side discussed a move for Barton earlier this month, when the
Magpies first made it clear earlier that they had made him available on a
free transfer. At the time, the Hammers' interest in the player is said to
have been described as "lukewarm". Now, however, they are waiting to see if
a club in the Premier League's top four moves for Barton, or whether he
would be up for the challenge of dropping down a division again. A move to
Upton Park would see his midfielder reunited with his former Newcastle
team-mate Kevin Nolan and Sam Allardyce, the manager who brought him to the
Toon from Manchester City. In West Ham's eyes, Barton's considerable baggage
is offset by his ability and the success of his relationship with Nolan,
which helped Newcastle gain promotion from the Championship two seasons ago.
When Nolan - on a four-year deal worth £55,000-a-week - was sold by the
Geordies, Barton tweeted: "'Great player, leader, captain, person, trainer
and mostly a friend for life." Barton has big fans within the boardroom at
Upton Park, but would have to accept a massive cut in wages currently said
to be in the region of £80,000-a-week. The star has a house in Newmarket, a
Suffolk town that is less than an hour's drive from the Hammers' training
ground. But any West Ham move for him could hinge on whether Scott Parker
remains at the club. Stoke, Aston Villa, Spurs, Chelsea and Arsenal have all
been linked with England midfielder Parker, last season's Footballer of the
Year. But no club has yet matched West Ham's £8million valuation of a player
who has three years left on his current contract.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Watford 0-4 West Ham: Parker nets in Hammers' rout
Published 22:23 16/08/11 By Darren Lewis
The Mirror
Organised, efficient and the complete opposite of the shambles they were
last year. West Ham eased to a second straight away win here to continue
pumping pride back into the shirt so sullied by relegation back in May. The
significance of this thumping Vicarage Road victory was that it was the
first time they had won successive games on the road for FOUR YEARS,
stretching back to December 2007. It was also the second clean sheet in a
row from a team that leaked goals last season like a sieve. Under Avram
Grant they were a travelling circus, lurching from crisis to crisis before
the Israeli was put out of his footballing misery within hours of their exit
from the Premier League. Under Sam Allardyce the Hammers have a real chance
of fulfilling their status as bookies' favourites to return at the first
attempt. Owners David Gold and David Sullivan were forced to take the flak
as Grant quickly turned out to be completely the wrong appointment last
season. Now they must take the credit with Allardyce the man whose plan
appears to be progressing very much along the right lines. No wonder Big Sam
milked the applause on the pitch at the end as Hammers fans hailed him.
Allardyce said afterwards: "The pleasing thing for me is that there was no
doubt about the quality of all four of our goals today. "They were something
to be admired. After we withstood the early pressure we defended well and we
never gave Watford a sniff. "As a manager, two clean sheets on the trot away
from home is something I like to drive home to the players that can do a lot
for confidence. "We've earned the right to play that kind of football and
that is the most pleasing thing for me."
Asked whether last night's display would go some way to healing the scars of
last season, Allardyce added: "When you do what they did against Watford
confidence flows back. "Winning games the way we did can do a lot to that
winning mentality." Young defender James Tomkins handed the Irons a dream
start when he turned in Matt Taylor's low centre just three minutes in.
Watford's lack of cutting edge meant that although their approach play was
sound enough they could never really land a serious blow on the east
Londoners. So when new boy Joey O'Brien speared home a second on the stroke
of half time, that was pretty much that. While Watford huffed and puffed
after the break, West Ham re-emerged to continue their domination,
confidently stroking the ball around the Vicarage Road pitch to pull their
opponents out of position.
The Hornets had gone into last night's contest without having beaten West
Ham at Vicarage Road in League and Cup for 26 years. Since then the
Hertfordshire side have picked up just three points out of a possible 30 at
home against the east Londoners. And Sean Dyche's men were completely
outmanouevred last night. Victory for Allardyce, meanwhile, extended the
feelgood factor West Ham fans enjoyed the feeling once more of being a team
on the up. Whatever happened to all those fears from Hammers fans that
Allardyce would besmirch the great traditions of the club and turn them into
a long-ball team? Big Sam smiled afterwards: "If you've got good footballers
you play good football. We need to let them play good football - after
they've earned the right to play."
West Ham played some decent stuff as they outclassed Watford. The travelling
faithful revelled in these better times as they teased their hosts with
chants of "How **** must you be? We're winning away!" But the truth is West
Ham looked quite good. The widely-held belief was that Gold and Sullivan had
to get the appointment of Grant's successor right. The future of the club
depended on it with so many big teams having failed to go back up at the
first attempt and now stranded in the Championship. In Allardyce they have
the right man. The confidence is back, the feelgood factor is back - and so
is the winning habit.
Watford Loach 4, Doyley 4, Taylor 4, Mariappa 5, Dickinson 5, Eustace 6,
Yeates 5 (Deeney 74), Forsyth 5, Jenkins 5, Iwelumo 5 (Massey 56, 5),
Sordell 6.
West Ham Green 7, O'Brien 8, Reid 7, Tomkins 8(Faye 67, 7), Ilunga 7, Nolan
7, Parker 9, Collison 7 (Faubert 75, 6), Taylor 7, Noble 7, Cole 8
(Piquionne 74, 6).
Man of the Match: Parker. Great passing. Deserved his goal.
Villain of the Match: Taylor. Uncertain throughout.
Att: 14,747
Ref: Dean Whitestone (Northamptonshire).
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
WATFORD 0 WEST HAM 4: COLE GIVES IS WHAT FOR
17th August 2011 By Mike McGrath
WATFORD 0 -- WEST HAM 4
The Star
CARLTON COLE made up for lost time by making sure of another away win for
West Ham. The Hammers were given a boost before kick-off when Cole was
passed fit to start after two matches coming off the bench. The England
striker was behind the rest of the squad in pre-season training but he was
ready to replace Fred Piquionne up front. It was James Tomkins who got West
Ham off to a flier at Vicarage Road last night. The Hammers were looking
for their first back-to-back wins on the road since 2007 and Tomkins got
them off to the perfect start.
Joey O'Brien added a second on the stroke of half-time after Watford had
threatened to level in a cracking first half. The goals put Sam Allardyce
within sight of getting one over Avram Grant at this early stage of his
career. Grant could only manage two league wins away from Upton Park last
year but Allardyce looks like giving away fans more to cheer in the
Championship. Centre-back Tomkins opened the scoring after three minutes
with Matt Taylor having already gone close with a free-kick. Taylor swung
over the resulting corner and Tomkins headed firmly into the bottom corner
for his third senior goal. It should have been the signal for West Ham to
run riot with their powerful midfield of Scott Parker, Kevin Nolan and Mark
Noble. But Watford showed plenty of guts and have a real talent in pacy
forward Marvin Sordell. He forced Robert Green to tip over the crossbar with
a terrific save after cutting inside O'Brien and unleashing a shot. John
Eustace also went close and Chris Iwelumo had the ball nicked off him in the
six-yard box when he was ready to pull the trigger. West Ham took full
advantage when the hosts failed to take their chances. Cole had an effort
saved by Scott Loach when Sordell lost the ball and Parker raced forward to
set up his team-mate. Jack Collison headed just over the bar but O'Brien
doubled the lead before the break when he exchanged passes with Collison and
surged towards the box. His first shot was blocked but he rammed the rebound
in the bottom corner. There were less chances in the second half. Green
almost spilled a Sordell shot into his own net but then West Ham turned the
screw.
Cole got the third after 71 minutes when set up by Herita Ilunga and Parker
completed the rout in injury time with a low shot.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Cole delivers quick-fire result first time up for West Ham
Watford 0 West Ham United 4
The Independent
By Arindam Rej at Vicarage Road
Wednesday, 17 August 2011
A first start for Carlton Cole and a first thrashing administered by West
Ham in the Championship. A coincidence? Almost certainly not, considering
how influential he was - on the ball, in the air and with his movement.
Then again, for all the debate about who should be leading West Ham's line
up front, it was two goal-shy defenders who sent them on their way to
victory. James Tomkins scored his first since April 2009 then – even more
unusually – Joey O'Brien produced a solo effort to net for the first time
since January 2005. Those two first-half goals deflated a dangerous-looking
Watford side, before Cole killed them off and Scott Parker rounded off the
rout.
It is short-sighted to trot out stats about West Ham having shaken off their
away woes – considering the difference in standard of opposition – but at
least they had the rare feeling of back-to-back away wins. Manager Sam
Allardyce said: "The quality of all four goals was something to be admired.
It's how we defended as well. I wouldn't have thought the players can get
much better than they were tonight."
Cole had got the nod ahead of Frédéric Piquionne. Interestingly, Allardyce
brought Piquionne on for Cole almost as soon as the England striker had
scored. Cole insists he is staying at the club though. John Carew – not fit
enough yet – is eyeing his place, too.
Cole won the free-kick that led to West Ham's opener. Matt Taylor struck it
well, but it was pushed out by Watford goalkeeper Scott Loach. Taylor took
the corner and Tomkins scored with a firm, back-post header.
Watford battled on, in an open and fast-paced start, with Marvin Sordell
forcing an excellent finger-tip save from Robert Green – a pivotal moment.
Discussing Green's future, Allardyce said: "It's obviously a very delicate
situation as we're in the Championship and there's only a certain length we
can go."
Shortly before half-time, O'Brien dashed down the right, cut inside and
across the box, then eventually squeezed a low shot into the far corner.
With West Ham looking increasingly comfortable, Herita Ilunga cut the ball
back from the left for Cole to tap home in the 70th minute. Parker fired in
the fourth late on with a curling shot from Julien Faubert's pass.
The Watford manager Sean Dyche said: "For parts of the game, we played very
well. The reality is that they've got one player who earns our total wage
bill."
Watford (4-4-2): Loach; Doyley, Mariappa, Taylor, Dickinson; Yeates (Deeney,
74), Eustace, Jenkins, Forsyth; Sordell, Iwelumo (Massey, 56). Substitutes
not used Gilmartin (gk), Bennett, Mirfin.
West Ham United (4-5-1): Green; O'Brien, Tomkins (Faye, 67), Reid, Ilunga;
Collison (Faubert, 75), Nolan, Parker, Noble, Taylor; Cole (Piquionne, 74).
Substitutes not used Boffin (gk), Barrera.
Referee D Whitestone (Northamptonshire).
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Watford 0 West Ham United 4: match report
Telegraph.co.uk
By Jonathan Liew, Vicarage Road10:42PM BST 16 Aug 2011
It may be to damn them with faint praise, but West Ham finally look as
though they have arrived in this division. The early-season rust is
clearing; new faces are becoming accustomed to their surroundings;
disappointment is gradually morphing into determination. Here, they
despatched a limited but experienced Watford side despite barely getting out
of second gear, emerging with four goals, three points and barely a bubble
pricked. Their escape route from the Championship will be paved with games
such as these.
Little by little, West Ham are responding to Sam Allardyce's ideas.
Allardyce is nothing if not a fast learner, and having met a striker
shortage by signing John Carew from Aston Villa, he has given his side more
attacking impetus by pushing Kevin Nolan further forward, into a role more
akin to that he played for Newcastle last season.
As against Doncaster on Saturday, Nolan orchestrated affairs and worked
harder than anyone else when West Ham lost the ball. And as against
Doncaster, West Ham took an early lead. Watford failed to pick up James
Tomkins's run to the far post, and as Matt Taylor swung in a corner from the
right, the centre-half rose unchallenged to head back across Scott Loach and
into the far corner. It was four minutes against Doncaster on Saturday; here
the clock stopped on barely three.
But urged on by an irrepressible home crowd, Watford responded, and for all
West Ham's big-name talent, they had one of the best players on the pitch.
Marvin Sordell, their 20-year-old striker, was causing the visitors a
multitude of problems with his strength and movement. One searing run down
the left culminated in a fine cut-back that was only just behind the
onrushing Chris Iwelumo.
No matter. In the second of one scheduled minute of injury time, Joey
O'Brien ventured out of his right-back position, found his path largely
clear and continued into the 18-yard box. After his pass to Carlton Cole was
deflected back to him, he curled a measured shot past Loach. It was his
first goal in over six years, but given his attacking importance in a team
not blessed with natural wingers, he should get more chances this season.
West Ham looked a lot happier after that. They were rarely threatened in the
second half, and managed to take advantage of a flagging Watford to double
their winning margin. Nineteen minutes from time, Nolan released Herita
Ilunga on the left byline and his low cross was bundled in by Cole from
around 18 inches.
In the first minute of injury time, Scott Parker scored his first goal of
the season, tiptoeing to the edge of the area and placing his left-footed
shot low into the corner. Still seeking a move to the Premier League, Parker
knows that every game he plays for West Ham now could be his last. The fans
knew it too, and chanted his name heartily until the final whistle.
Match details
Watford (4-4-2): Loach; Doyley, Mariappa, Taylor, Dickinson; Yeates (Deeney
74), Jenkins, Eustace, Forsyth; Iwelumo (Massey 56), Sordell.
Subs: Gilmartin, Bennett, Mirfin.
Booked: Eustace, Sordell.
West Ham: (4-2-3-1): Green; O'Brien, Tomkins (Faye 67), Reid, Ilunga; Noble,
Parker; Collison (Faubert 75), Nolan, Taylor; Cole (Piquionne 74).
Subs: Boffin, Barrera.
Booked: Noble.
Referee: D Whitestone (Northamptonshire).
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Watford boss highlights 'one of West Ham United's players earns the same as
our whole squad'
11:06pm Tuesday 16th August 2011
By Frank Smith »
Watford Observer
Sean Dyche was obviously unhappy with his side's 4-0 defeat to West Ham
United but highlighted the fact one of the Hammers' players was earning as
much money as the whole of his squad put together – and with that kind of
spending, comes quality. Watford conceded the opener from James Tomkins in
just the third minute but responded excellently and were arguably the better
side in the opening 45 minutes, even though Joey O'Brien added a second in
injury time. The second half was the complete opposite though, as the
Hornets lacked creativity, imagination and most importantly, a goal threat –
with Carlton Cole and Scott Parker rounding off the 4-0 win. "For parts of
the game we played very well, particularly first half," Dyche said. "We gave
away a set piece goal which from our point of view is always disappointing
but from their point of view was a good goal – excellent cross and a great
header. "The second goal is a very poor goal, especially at that stage of
the half. "But the reality is that I read the other day that one of their
players earns the same as the total of our wage bill, so that is kind of
where it is at. "Usually when you spend that enormous amount of money then
you are going to get quality and the defining moments of the game came due
to their quality."
Dyche said there were some good individual performances tonight but accepted
it doesn't get away from the fact they were not clinical enough at either
end. The Hornets were causing the Hammers problems in the first half despite
conceeding the early goal and the second from O'Brien proved to be a huge
blow to Watford – and a real boost for the visitors. Dyche said: "It was a
strange one – I will check the statistics – but I am pretty sure Scott Loach
hardly had a save to make in the first half and we worked their keeper well
but then we gave away a soft goal. "We have been guilty of that and it is
something we are addressing. After that they became more clinical, they get
the third and then all of a sudden they look like the team they probably
are, which is a team full of Premier League players. "I watched both their
games and they could have done that to Cardiff and they could have done that
to Doncaster Rovers, it is just unfortunate for us they were clinical
tonight."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
WE GOT EVERYTHING RIGHT - ALLARDYCE
Sporting Life
West Ham underlined their billing as one of the favourites for promotion
from the npower Championship with a 4-0 win at Watford to leave manager Sam
Allardyce eulogising over the quality of the performance. The Hammers were
quickly on track to follow up Saturday's 1-0 triumph at Doncaster when James
Tomkins headed them into an early lead. Watford pushed for the equaliser -
and but for a wonderful save from Robert Green to deny Marvin Sordell they
would have got it - but Joey O'Brien's second in first-half stoppage time
gave Allardyce's side a firm cushion. The visitors cantered through the
second half without extending themselves, seemingly able to up their game at
will and they added to their tally through Carlton Cole and Scott Parker.
Allardyce said: "The pleasing thing for me is how we've won this game. The
quality of our goals was something to be admired. "After we withstood the
early pressure from Watford, and obviously the early goal helped, it was how
we defended as well, how we never let Watford get a sniff tonight.
"As a manager, you look at both sides of it and two clean sheets on the trot
away from home is something I always drive into the players and on the back
of that we've gone and then played some great football, particularly in the
second half, because we've earned the right to play that type of football.
"That's the most pleasing thing for me - seeing the opposition's threat off
early doors, punishing them to the hilt in the end by picking out the right
passes in the right places and what I thought might have been an Achilles
heel, we've seen some outstanding and quality finishing tonight. "We've got
everything right tonight and for me it's not often you see all your team
play what probably is the best they can play and I hope it can get better,
but I wouldn't have thought they could get much better than they got
tonight."
While West Ham are looking upwards, this was a second successive home defeat
for the Hornets - and a second successive game without scoring - to leave
them in the early-season bottom three. Watford boss Sean Dyche said: "In
parts of the game we played very well, particularly in the first half. We
gave away a set-piece goal which, from our point of view, is disappointing.
"The second goal is very disappointing from us. It's a very poor goal,
especially at that late stage of the half. "I read the other day that one of
their players earns our total wage bill so that's kind of where it's at and
usually if you're going to spend that enormous amount of money you're going
to get quality - and the defining moments of the game came due to their
quality."
Asked about the timing of the second goal, Dyche said: "I'll check the
statistics but I'm pretty sure Scott Loach hardly had a save to make in the
first half and I thought we'd worked their keeper well. We had one cleared
off the line and then we gave away a soft goal. We have been guilty of that
and it's something we're addressing.
"After that they become more clinical. They got the third and then all of a
sudden they can look like the team that they probably are, which is full of
Premiership-style players."
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Watford 0 West Ham 4: Happy Hammers get the travel bug
By Laura Williamson
Last updated at 12:03 AM on 17th August 2011
Daily Mail
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce called it 'earning the right to play'. And
his side certainly did that as they ran amok at Vicarage Road. An opening
goal inside three minutes helped, but West Ham were controlled and
disciplined in the first half and then turned on the style in the second.
The quality of the finishing from James Tomkins, Joey O'Brien, Carlton Cole
and Scott Parker was excellent - and a far cry from the impotence that
characterised the side relegated from the Barclays Premier League last
season. West Ham have not won back-to-back away matches since December
2007, but Allardyce has got them smiling again on their travels, with two
consecutive clean sheets to boot. He said: 'The pleasing thing is how we
won - the quality of our goals was something to be admired. We played some
great football. If you've got good footballers you play good football, and
we've got good footballers, so you need to let them play good football -
once they've earned the right to play.' Watford provided a stiff test in
the first half, particularly when attacking through the lively Marvin
Sordell, but West Ham's quality soon began to show.
The midfield trio of Parker, Mark Noble and Kevin Nolan looked less
cluttered than in their first outing against Cardiff City, with Parker and
Noble sitting slightly deeper.
Parker reacted smartly to Craig Forsyth's attempts to snatch the ball from
his hands in the first half, then smacked a fierce right-foot shot just over
the bar from 25 yards, before making it 4-0 with a cool right-foot finish in
stoppage time. Tomkins had started the rout, heading in Matt Taylor's
corner at the far post. The central defender was excellent, but limped off
after 76 minutes with a hamstring problem, making him a doubt for Sunday's
home match against Leeds United. Robert Green kept West Ham ahead after 15
minutes. Mark Yeates scooped a beautiful ball over the top and the
goalkeeper tipped away Sordell's curling right-foot shot. O'Brien doubled
the visitors' lead just before the break. The right back charged into the
penalty box, ran into three Watford defenders but kept the ball and slotted
it home for his first West Ham goal.
Cole, starting his first league game under Allardyce, made it 3-0 after 70
minutes. Noble set Herita Ilunga free and the left back delivered a cross
from the byline for Cole to tap in. Watford boss Sean Dyche said: 'For
parts of the game, particularly in the first half, we played very well. But
I read the other day that one of their players earns our total wage bill,
and you're going to get that quality with that sort of money.'
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England duo on target as Hornets hammered
ESPN
Carlton Cole and Scott Parker were on target to help West Ham to a 4-0
victory at Watford and make it back-to-back wins in the npower Championship.
Sam Allardyce gave Cole his first start of the season and the striker, who
is still expected to leave before the end of the month, grabbed his first
goal since February. England midfielder Parker, another player whose future
remains uncertain, put the seal on a convincing display late on. The
unlikely figures of defenders James Tomkins and Joey O'Brien had put West
Ham two up at half-time. The relegated Hammers won only two away games all
last season, but they have matched that tally after just two road trips this
term. They beat Doncaster with a fifth-minute goal on Saturday, and opened
their account even earlier at Vicarage Road. Matt Taylor's free-kick was
turned behind at full stretch by Hornets goalkeeper Scott Loach, and when
Taylor swung in the corner Tomkins planted a firm header inside the far post
after two minutes. Former Bolton midfielder Taylor was inches away from
doubling the lead when he curled a free-kick over the wall and inches wide.
But Watford looked dangerous themselves early on and Marvin Sordell's turn
and shot forced a fine save from Hammers keeper Robert Green. Hornets
skipper John Eustace then shot straight at Green from close range following
a corner, and Chris Iwelumo put the rebound over the top. West Ham should
have gone further ahead on the half hour when Mark Noble played Taylor's
corner back across goal and centre-half Winston Reid, from all of three
yards out, poked the ball wide. The visitors got stronger as the first half
drew to a close strongly with Noble fizzing a cross narrowly out of the
reach of Kevin Nolan, Jack Collison heading Parker's cross over and Loach
denying Cole. And their pressure told in added time when O'Brien, another of
Allardyce's ex-Bolton brigade, burst forward from the halfway line, reached
the penalty area and drilled a low shot across Loach and into the far
corner. Watford are still looking for their first win of the season, but
there was no way back for the hosts after Cole tucked in number three in the
70th minute. Left-back Herita Illunga crossed and Cole was on hand to sweep
the ball past Loach. Parker wrapped up the victory with a classy finish from
20 yards in stoppage time as the duo sent a timely reminder to one or two
top-flight clubs with the transfer window closing in a fortnight.
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James Tomkins's early strike sets West Ham off to easy win at Watford
Guardian report
Watford 0 West Ham United 4
Tomkins 3, O'Brien 47, Carlton Cole 71, Parker 91
Simon Burnton at Vicarage Road
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 16 August 2011 22.16 BST
After this ultimately easy victory, Sam Allardyce has achieved within his
first three games what West Ham's two previous full-time managers never did:
masterminding consecutive away wins. The visitors pierced Watford's fragile
confidence with a goal early in the first half and destroyed it with another
at its end, leaving the second period to be little more than a procession,
one which they decorated with some excellent football and two further goals.
"The quality of all four goals was something to be admired," said Allardyce.
"We've got everything right. It's not often you see all your team playing
what you think is the best they can play. I wouldn't have thought they can
get much better than they were tonight."
It is not as if West Ham were never tested, Watford contributing fully to a
bright opening period. Sean Dyche's team were over-reliant on the tactic of
looping balls over the visiting defence for the impressive Marvin Sordell to
run on to, and it nearly brought them a goal in the 15th minute, only for
Robert Green to flick out an arm to nudge a curling shot past the post. The
home side's threat, though, could not be sustained.
"I read the other day that one of their players earns our total wage bill,"
said Dyche. "If you spend that kind of money you're going to get quality,
and the defining moments of the game came from that quality. In the second
half they looked like the team they are, which is a team full of Premier
League star players."
It is scarcely possible for a goal scored in the third minute to come
against the run of play, but the Hornets had at least managed to squeeze in
an attack before falling behind, Green gathering John Eustace's shot at the
second attempt. But Carlton Cole was fouled as he contested his goalkeeper's
clearance, Matt Taylor's free-kick from 35 yards was tipped round a post and
Tomkins headed in the resulting corner. The teams traded chances thereafter
until, in first-half stoppage time, Joey O'Brien advanced from right-back
and, as Watford's defenders scattered to cover more obvious attacking
threats, ran straight through the gap in the middle and, at the second
attempt, poked in his first goal in over six years.
Watford's fans only cheered once in the second half and even then they were
being ironic, as the already unpopular summer signing, Chris Iwelumo, was
replaced. When Dyche decided to buy a target man, abuse from his own fans
was hardly what he had in mind. The change hardly helped, and Cole tapped in
Hérita Ilunga's pull-back with 20 minutes remaining before, in the final
minute, Scott Parker collected a pass from Julien Faubert – making his first
appearance since January – and side-footed the ball past Scott Loach
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West Ham ease to win over Watford
Steve Blowers Tuesday, August 16, 2011
9:51 PM
London 24
Watford 0 West Ham 4
Three games into the campaign, Sam Allardyce has got West Ham United firing
on all cylinders writes STEVE BLOWERS. After seeing his side bag their first
points of the season at Doncaster Rovers on Saturday, Big Sam saw James
Tomkins, Joey O'Brien, Carlton Cole and Scott Parker secure another valuable
victory at Vicarage Road. In August 2006, the Hammers had seen Bobby
Zamora's equaliser at Watford secure a brief overnight stay at the very top
of the Premier League. Never mind the summit, five years on, West Ham would
be grateful just to be in that top-flight but if they carry on stinging
teams like they did the Hornets, then an instant return to the big-time
simply looks odds-on. Allardyce had made just one tactical change from the
side that had won at the Keepmoat Stadium as Cole was called up for his
first start of the season in place of substitute Frederic Piquionne. And
having fine-tuned the East Enders' engine, the Hammers boss did not have to
wait long for his team to purr into the lead. With just two minutes on the
clock, Matt Taylor saw his 25-yard free-kick palmed aside at full stretch by
Scott Loach but when the West Ham wide-boy floated over the consequent
corner, the England U-21 keeper was given no protection by his defence, who
allowed an unmarked Tomkins to powerfully nod home at the far post.
Curling just a whisker wide, Taylor then deposited another long-range
free-kick into 3,736 happy Hammers fans packed behind Loach's goal, before
Marvin Sordell gave the visitors their first real scare of the evening with
an angled bender that Robert Green brilliantly pawed over the angle, on the
quarter-hour mark. Midway through the half, the advancing Winston Reid was
only a stud away from sliding West Ham into a two-goal lead and, after the
gallant Green denied Chris Iwelumo from point-blank range, Jack Collison
nodded onto the roof of the net before the escaping Cole was denied by legs
of Loach. But the visitors were destined to have the last word of an
absorbing first period thanks to the tenacity of O'Brien, who having seen
his barnstorming run into the heart of the Hornets' defence thwarted by a
pack of yellow shirts, then proved to be the Joey on the spot, as he reacted
first to prod the loose ball home from 12 yards.
Unchanged following their defeat against Derby County on Saturday, Watford
had it all to do after the break if they were to avoid successive home
defeats against a West Ham side looking for their first back-to-back awayday
victories since December 2007. Within seconds of the restart, however,
Sordell's speculative 18-yarder was scurried behind by the grateful Green
and with the hosts having more of a say in the second period, Gavin Massey
then replaced Iwelumo. But having failed to turn possession into goals,
Watford were made to pay the price by Cole, who was presented with the
simplest of tap-ins by an overlapping Herita Ilunga after Kevin Nolan and
Mark Noble combined to send the DR Congo defender deep in Watford territory,
with 20 minutes remaining. Then, as stoppage time approached, Parker had the
final word of the night, when he collected from substitute Julien Faubert
before curling a lovely, low 18-yarder beyond Loach's outstretched right
glove to seal an impresssive win.
HORNETS: Loach, Doyley, Dickinson, Taylor, Mariappa, Yeates (Deeney 74),
Forsyth, Jenkins, Eustace, Iwelumo (Massey 56), Sordell. Unused: Gilmartin,
Bennett, Mirfin.
HAMMERS: Green, O'Brien, Ilunga, Reid, Tomkins (Faye 67), Parker, Noble,
Nolan, Collison (Faubert 75), Taylor, Cole (Piquionne 74). Unused: Boffin,
Barrera.
Referee: Dean Whitestone
Attendance: 14,747.
Booked: Sordell (45), Eustace (82). Noble (86).
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