Big Sam rues defensive lapses
WHUFC.com
The manager admitted individual mistakes had cost his West Ham United team
dear at Swansea City
25.08.2012
Sam Allardyce admitted mistakes had cost his West Ham United team dear in
Saturday's 3-0 Barclays Premier League defeat at Swansea City. Individual
errors cost the Hammers dear at the Liberty Stadium as uncharacteristic
slips from Jussi Jaaskelainen and James Collins gifted the Swans a 2-0 lead.
West Ham created enough opportunities to get themselves back in the game
before half-time, only to be denied by a succession of blocks and saves.
Swansea then put the game to bed with a third goal midway through the second
period. Big Sam conceded that his players had given themselves too much to
do by shooting themselves in the foot after making a bright start in south
Wales. "There is nothing you can do or say to defend the players who made
those mistakes because they were such major errors in terms of what we were
trying to do at that time in the game," said the manager. "We started the
game very, very well and were looking very dangerous and very solid and
sound at the back and unfortunately the goalkeeper has made a mistake on the
first real attempt by Swansea to get into our box and they went 1-0 up.
"If one mistake is not bad enough, to make two like the one made by James
Collins - which was very unusual for him - then you've got no chance. We
were away from home and we tried to get back but it was too difficult and in
the end we have thrown the game away by our individual errors getting
punished.
"We had enough opportunities to get ourselves back into the game when we
were 2-0 down but we didn't get one and that made the second half much more
difficult for us. Swansea are very good at keeping the ball and they didn't
have to try to score any more. They just had to keep the ball and play the
game out, which they did very well."
What made the Hammers' defensive meltdown all the more surprising and
frustrating was the fact that they were mistakes by two vastly-experienced
players that led to the club's first away defeat since 31 January. "These
were two of our new players. Of course I have known Jussi a long time and he
has a huge amount of Premier League experience so I didn't expect him to
make that error. "It was the same with James. He's been in the Premier
League a long time and he knows what it's all about, but players make
mistakes and unfortunately two came within a short space of time that put
the game beyond us and that's the disappointing thing for me. "Having a
good, solid defensive unit last week, I didn't expect to see those type of
errors but they've happened. We've been severely punished and we must take
it on the chin and bounce back immediately, starting with the cup game
against Crewe."
With the Capital One Cup second-round visit of Crewe Alexandra on Tuesday
and a Barclays Premier League date with Fulham at the Boleyn Ground on
Saturday, Big Sam said the Hammers had no time to dwell on their defeat in
south Wales. The managed hinted that the likes of new boys Alou Diarra and
Modibo Maiga, as well as James Tomkins, Matt Taylor and Nicky Maynard, would
all be given opportunities to stake their claims for a regular starting
place in the midweek cup tie.
"We've still got to come to terms with the Barclays Premier League. We've
got new players who need to feel their way in and that does take some time.
In the midst of that, we've got to make sure we get results while they
settle in - particularly the lads from abroad who are getting to know each
other. "We'll get better as time goes on but it's very important that we try
to get results from the very start and this was a big setback for us. While
we know Swansea was going to be a very difficult game and they are very good
at home, the way we started this game and the way we gifted it to them was a
big let-down for me and the lads. "We've got players like Alou Diarra, who
we gave a taste of what the Premier League is all about, who will come into
the frame for Tuesday. James Tomkins needs to catch up on games because he
didn't get them at the Olympics. "Gary O'Neil, Joey O'Brien, Nicky Maynard
and Matt Taylor are among the players who will play with a huge amount of
first-team experience. We'll only give one or two of the younger ones a
game, but not too many. "We're going to field a team that is good enough for
me to beat Crewe Alexandra and then we'll move on to Fulham and try to put
this one behind us with two positive results at home in the next week."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Spiegel hoping to beat the Blues
WHUFC.com
Raphael Spiegel is hoping the Development Squad can pick up where they left
off against Everton on Sunday
24.08.2012
Raphael Spiegel revealed his delight at the Development Squad's winning
start against Reading and is targeting another thee points against Everton.
Looking ahead to Sunday's clash at Finch Farm, Spiegel is confident that the
continuation of hard work will earn the Development Squad further reward. "I
hope we go into every game with the attitude we did last weekend and
obviously come away with a lot of wins and finish as high up the league as
possible. "I am very much looking forward to playing again against Everton
and I hope we can get a win."
The new signing also believes that the newly-launched Barclays Under21
Premier League well bring huge positives to young, developing players like
himself.
"I think that playing regularly in a high quality league like ours will
bring huge positives to my own and my team-mate's development," said
Spiegel. 'I am already very happy at West Ham United and I hope we can
continue to perform well by winning a lot more games."
The 19-year-old was rarely troubled by Reading but when he was called upon,
he was equal to everything thrown at him. "I am very happy with the win, my
performance and the performance of the team against Reading, we did very
well. I believe that being able to stay at the club and play regular,
competitive football will help me and the other players improve."
The Switzerland Under-19 international also spoke highly of the club's
welcoming atmosphere, stating that he feels settled already. "I am enjoying
West Ham United very much, I have worked very hard so far and my aim is to
continue to do the same and make my time here become better and better."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Swansea 3 West Ham 0
25 August 2012
Last updated at 15:58
By Aled Williams
BBC Sport Wales
Swansea maintained their 100% start to the Premier League season after
capitalising on West Ham errors to secure an impressive win. Angel Rangel
opened the scoring when his shot squirmed under the body of goalkeeper Jussi
Jaaskelainen. James Collins gifted Swansea a second when his back pass fell
short and let in Michu to score. West Ham offered little and Danny Graham
finished off a fine move with a third in the second half. Michael Laudrup's
side were well worth their victory, which took them to the top of the
Premier League having scored eight goals in their opening two games.
Unsurprisingly Laudrup named the same team which thrashed QPR 5-0 on the
opening day of the season. Scott Sinclair was not in the matchday squad with
Swansea reported to have accepted a bid from Manchester City for the winger.
Record signing Ki Sung-Yueng was not eligible for the game but the South
Korean international was introduced to the Liberty Stadium crowd before
kick-off. West Ham started with new £10m recruit Matt Jarvis, one of two
changes, along with James Tomkins, to the side that defeated Aston Villa
last weekend. Jarvis was prominent as the visitors started well, but captain
Kevin Nolan failed to get on the end of the former Wolves winger's inviting
cross with barely two minutes gone.
But the home side slowly got to grips with the game and they went ahead on
20 minutes through Rangel. Nathan Dyer found the full-back in the penalty
area and the Spaniard's low drive across the face of goal squirmed under the
body of Jaaskelainen and into the net. Nine minutes later Swansea doubled
their lead following another West Ham mistake. Wales defender Collins's
backpass to his goalkeeper fell short and striker Michu capitalised and
applied the simplest of touches for his third goal of the season. West Ham
had offered little, but debutant Jarvis went close for the visitors when his
volley on the turn was well saved by Michel Vorm.
Swansea were playing with belief and continued to push forward with
left-back Neil Taylor forcing a finger tip save from Jaaskelainen after a
marauding run upfield.
West Ham finished a poor first half strongly and Carlton Cole, who had been
largely isolated up front, had a header cleared off the line in stoppage
time. Swansea's pace continued to cause problems in the second half and
Graham flashed an effort wide of Jaaskelainen's left hand post after being
played in by Dyer. A ferocious Jonathan de Guzman free-kick flashed across
the face of the West Ham goal before Swansea scored a third on 64 minutes.
Graham atoned for his earlier miss when he finished off a fine Swansea move
by scoring from close range from Wayne Routledge's low cross. Home
goalkeeper Vorm was rarely troubled and he comfortably dealt with substitute
Ricardo Vaz Te's low free-kick. But the Hammers could do little to stop a
Swansea side who have shown their early season intent under new manager
Laudrup.
Swansea manager Michael Laudrup: "It was a fantastic result. The first half
we scored two goals but we suffered from West Ham's set-pieces as they have
some very big guys. Second half, I think we controlled everything. "The fans
always enjoy it when you win, but we have a creative style here that we have
continued with some small tactical changes. We want to play like Swansea did
in the last four or five years. "The situation with Scott Sinclair is that
last week he came on and scored a goal, in the last two or three days there
have been a few offers, and I spoke to Scott and we agreed it was better to
not play. Let us see what happens in the next four or five days."
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce: "The first half performance was looking
very, very good and we were looking comfortable, but we have had two
disastrous mistakes, and when you make those sort of errors, particularly
away from home, it is going to be difficult to come back. "We gifted the
opposition the goals and it is difficult to comeback. They have effectively
won the game, and can then keep the ball. We have only ourselves to blame.
"We are not negotiating to sign anybody at the moment."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Swansea 3 West Ham Utd 0
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 25th August 2012
By: Staff Writer
West Ham suffered their first Premier League defeat since returning to the
top flight - thanks to a pair of calamitous individual errors. With Sam
Allardyce having adopted a defensive approach, bringing in James Tomkins to
play in front of a flat back four, United were cruising along nicely until
two errors in the space of ten first-half minutes proved to be their
undoing. First to embarrass himself was goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen who
somehow managed to turn Angel Rangel's 20th-minute cross into his own net
after George McCartney was left flat-footed on the left side. And just nine
minutes later it was the turn of fellow new boy James Collins to hang his
head in shame after his dreadful back pass allowed Swansea's Spanish striker
Michu to nip in and slot the ball beyond a stranded Jaaskelainen.
Oddly enough it was West Ham - who looked a constant threat from set pieces
in the first half- who had created the game's better chances up until that
point.
And even after the Swans had surged into a two-goal lead West Ham forced the
home side to clear the ball off the line twice as they attempted, ultimately
in vain, to reduce the deficit ahead of the half-time whistle. Unfortunately
West Ham found goalkeeper Michel Vorm in the very best of form on the day -
as new signing Matt Jarvis, making his first appearance for the Irons since
his £10.75million switch from Wolves, discovered to his chagrin. Just five
minutes after Swansea has taken a two-goal lead Vorm produced a stunning
save from Matt Jarvis' point blank volley when the winger looked odds-on to
score.
Alas, for all of their first half pressure the Hammers were unable to find a
way back into the game. That appeared to take its toll and in the second
half there was only one team in it as Swansea threatened to rack up a
cricket score. Somehow, despite a plethora of chances they only managed to
score once in the second half; that coming in the 64th minute when Danny
Graham broke West Ham's ineffective offside trap - and not for the first
time - before bundling the ball over the line.
However it was a harsh lesson for West Ham - who won 15 times away from the
Boleyn ground last season - who will need to eradicate the silly mistakes if
they are to enjoy a successful season back in the Premier League.
Swansea 3 West Ham Utd 0: match facts
West Ham Utd: Jaaskelainen, Demel, Collins, Reid, McCartney, Tomkins (Vaz Te
46), Noble, Nolan, Diame (Diarra 69), Jarvis, Cole (Maiga 62).
Subs not used: Henderson, O'Brien, Taylor, Maynard.
Booked: Cole (38), Nolan (53), Collins (58), Reid (83).
Possession: 46%.
Shots on/off target: 6/1 (7).
Corners: 4.
Fouls committed: 17.
Swansea City: Vorm, Rangel, Taylor (Davies 84), Chico, Williams, Routledge
(Moore 81), De Guzman (Agustien 75), Britton, Dyer, Michu, Graham.
Subs not used: Tremmel, Tate, Dobbie, Gower.
Goals: Rangel (20), Michu (29), Graham (64).
Booked: Rangel (31), Chico (68).
Possession: 54%.
Shots on/off target: 7/3 (10).
Corners: 5.
Fouls committed: 13.
Referee: Martin Atkinson.
Attendance: 20,424
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Allardyce - Mistakes were dear
Hammers boss rues Jaaskelainen and Collins errors in Swansea defeat
Last Updated: August 25, 2012 4:36pm
SSN
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce rued the two defensive mistakes which helped
Swansea cruise to a comfortable 3-0 victory against his newly-promoted
Premier League side. The Swans went ahead when experienced Hammers
goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen allowed Angel Rangel's low cross to slip
underneath him. And moments later Michu doubled the Welsh side's lead when
he seized upon centre-back James Collins' mis-kicked backpass. It was a
disappointing afternoon for Allardyce and his troops, who marked their
top-flight return with a 1-0 home win against Aston Villa on the opening
day.
Punished
"We made two very poor mistakes by our two most experienced players on the
field which cost us dearly," said Allardyce. "These mistakes were punished
by Swansea. "I'm disappointed because we got a good solid base last week and
it looked apparent to me we were in control again. "We were under no
pressure but to make those mistakes, at this level, is unbelievable. "We
made things hard for ourselves. Our performance overall in the first half,
apart from those two mistakes, was very good."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Vinny's Swansea Report
Vinny 11:59 Sat Aug 25
West Ham Online
Swansea City 3 West Ham United 0
West Ham were brushed aside by a good Swansea side in the 12.45 kick off as
two disastrous errors in the first half gifted the host's two goals. The
score line perhaps doesn't tell the entire story but Swansea were good value
for their win but from our perspective the goals we gave away were simply
not acceptable.
I am not sure this game tells us too much about how good or bad we might be
because the mistakes made by Jaaskelainen and then Collins are not something
we can legislate for. I would actually go as far to say that before the
first goal we were doing well enough and Swansea had offered very little.
In fact during the first half those two gifted goals were all that Swansea
had produced and it was ourselves who were getting the ball into the area
and we should have got a goal back just before half time which would have
made it a totally different game.
The second half started well enough with the introduction of Vaz Te giving
us a little bit more going forward but this soon died and our energy levels
looked as though they had run out. The way Swansea play caused us to be
chasing shadows for most of the second period as they closed the game out
and added another goal to their tally.
Was this really any different to the way we played away from home last
season? Not by much I suspect and those two terrible errors cost us and
ruined what had been a decent physical performance up until that point.
There is of course the fundamental argument about the way we as a team now
play but that has been the same since Sam Allardyce too took over and whilst
it is lazy (and untrue) to say we just lump the ball long, we do have a
negative style that we set out with and find it very difficult to play
another way when we are chasing a game.
From an attacking perspective we do seem to lack a certain something.
Carlton Cole plugged away up front on his own with little service and when
he did see the ball he looked slow and not as sharp as I believe he should
have been. Unless we can bring in a better quality central striker then we
are going to need to try and get him into the game more because the aimless
passes into space for him to run on to are going to bring nothing but
frustration.
The mistake from James Collins which led to the second goal was atrocious
and his all-round performance was pretty dire. Tomkins in the midfield was
clearly a failure and it was no surprise to see him come off at half time.
The fan reaction to this loss I can only put down to having forgotten what
it is like to lose given that it has been many months since this actually
happened to us. People need to understand that we will lose games this
season and remember which team they are actually supporting. I know
expectations are high amongst West Ham supporters but to think we won't lose
quite a few games throughout the season is daft.
The Team
Sam Allardyce made two changes to the side who beat Aston Villa last
weekend.
Starting in West Ham colours for the first time was Matt Jarvis who has
recently signed from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a fee believed to be in
excess of £10 million. This signing was a good one for the club and a
statement of intent in my opinion.
People may say Jarvis was overpriced (which he was) but then the same was
said about Dean Ashton.
Jarvis replaced Matthew Taylor on the left side of midfield with Taylor
dropping to the substitute's bench.
The other change also came in midfield with James Tomkins replacing Ricardo
Vaz Te. This saw Kevin Nolan take up the right wing position which seemed
odd at the time and unsurprisingly it didn't work well.
In the Swansea first team was Leon Britton who was on the books at West Ham
from 1998 until 2003 but he never played a game for the club.
The referee was Martin Atkinson.
First Half
Swansea began the game, shooting towards the end which housed the travelling
West Ham fans who were in good voice if not big numbers for this 12.45 kick
off in South Wales.
It was almost a perfect start after just two minutes as an excellent cross
from Matt Jarvis from the left hand side (with his right boot) saw Kevin
Nolan come inches away from getting his head on the ball but it just evaded
the skipper.
We had begun in a very energetic manner, pushing high up and forcing our way
through with our packed midfield. I was pleased that we were attempting to
get in their faces and put some crunching tackles in as they are known for
their possession football and we needed to make sure they did not get the
time to string something together.
Swansea won their first corner on the ten minute mark when McCartney charged
down a shot from Dyer but the resulting ball into the area was head clear by
Cole.
After a slow start from the home side it was clear that they were now
beginning to get their passing game in order and we were looking a little
bit more worried as the half was wearing on.
Swansea found some space with their attack and the ball came out to the left
back Neil Taylor who hit a speculative effort which went into the path of
James Collins but his wild clearance actually ended up going behind for a
corner.
The corner was put into our area but again Carlton Cole met the ball with a
header and a clearance away.
Although we were relatively comfortable we found ourselves behind on 20
minutes out of nothing. Nobody tracked the run of the right back Rangel and
he got into area behind the defence, took a soft shot which Jaaskelainen
dived onto but he let it go underneath him and this movement took the ball
into the back of the net. I'm not sure the shot from Rangel was even going
to hit the target so this has to go down as a Jussi Jaaskelainen own goal.
There had been debate before the season had started about the quality of
Jaaskelainen, given that he had been dropped from the starting line up at
Bolton Wanderers and that was a team who were eventually relegated. This
mistake did not serve to allay any of these concerns.
Two minutes after conceding we came close to scoring ourselves as a free
kick was won wide on the left and Noble delivered an excellent ball into the
area which saw Reid come close to getting on the end of but he ended up
clattering their keeper Vorm.
Cole was fouled by Swansea defender Chico and this resulting set piece saw
Collins win the header but the ball dropped for a Swansea defender and was
cleared. We had many moments like this in the first half where the ball
would rarely fall to a West Ham player and luck deserted us on many an
occasion.
If the first goal conceded as a bad mistake the goal we conceded on the 27th
minute was an unmitigated disaster.
Collins collected a pass from Noble and just needed to play the ball back to
Jaaskelainen but he made a complete hash of the simplest of passes and Michu
nipped in to get to the ball before Jaaskelainen and stab past him to make
it 2-0.
Talk about gifting teams goals, this was a soft as you are likely to see and
for us to make two appalling errors in one game was really taking the piss.
We needed to go into this game and be solid and try to attempt to make
Swansea really work for their goals. Instead we had just given them not one
but two and really made it difficult for ourselves.
On 34 minutes it looked as though we were going to find a way back into the
game but as the ball came into the area from a free kick Reid flicked it on
for Matt Jarvis to turn and hit on the volley but Vorm made a terrific save
to deny him and got down quickly before Nolan could finish from the rebound.
Swansea moved forward down the left and an eventual shot from Taylor was
tipped over the bar by Jaaskelainen. The resulting corner was for the third
time cleared by Carlton Cole.
Cole was involved again moments later as he found himself in the book after
going up with an arm on Chico who writhed around on the floor as if he had
been shot.
Three minutes of stoppage time were awarded by Martin Atkinson and we would
have three corners in this time which so very nearly saw us get back into
the game.
The first corner from Jarvis was deep and saw Nolan get on the end of it but
it was put out for another corner kick. Tomkins won the header this time but
Swansea managed to scramble the ball out for what was another corner.
From this one Cole met the ball with a header which was cleared off the line
by Britton in a frustrating few moments. It was clear that their weakness
was from set pieces as this is the only way we had looked like scoring all
day.
Alas there was to be no goal to get us back into the game in this first half
we went in at half time 2-0 down with a mountain to climb.
Second Half
Sam Allardyce made one change at half time with Ricardo Vaz Te coming on for
James Tomkins. This saw Vaz Te play wide on the left with Matt Jarvis wide
on the right hand side.
We started the half quite well and it looked as though this could be the way
we were going to apply ourselves throughout the half as we got the ball wide
to Jarvis who beat his man and put in a good cross into the area where Vaz
Te was poised to strike the ball with an overhead kick but the defender got
a good header out.
The impressive Wayne Routledge got a shot off which Jaaskelainen made a bit
of a meal of as he pushed the ball away for a corner.
Vaz Te was on the ball again at the other end as his intital cross was cut
out but he put the ball back into the area on the second attempt for Nolan
to head down for Cole but his attempted overhead kick saw little connection
with the ball.
Despite a decent enough opening ten minutes of the half in which we looked
sharper going forward it all really died from here on out.
Swansea were keeping the ball well and when had it in our possession we
couldn't do anything with in and gave the ball back to them too many times.
We lost our way and defensively we seemed to lose the plot playing this
silly high line which was begging to be exploited.
Swansea should have been out of sight on 56 minutes when Danny Graham broke
the offside trap and was clear through on goal but his curling finish (which
seemed to take an age to find its destination) curled agonisingly wide.
Routledge got down the right hand side only to be felled by a poor tackle
from James Collins who was having a torrid time at the back and being
ridiculed by the Swansea support for his connections to Cardiff City.
Collins was deservedly booked for his foul.
Maiga replaced Cole after 62 minutes in our second change of the game.
Swansea would score two minutes later and it was a well worked goal as
Britton slid the ball through for Routledge who cut the ball back for Danny
Graham to finish from close range.
The last 25 minutes were quite painful as watching your side being beaten
3-0 away from home and being passed off the pitch is as demoralising a
feeling you will get when watching football.
Alou Diarra was given his debut as he replaced Mohammed Diame on 69 minutes.
Collins was caught in possession by Dyer but the Swansea man could only put
his shot over the bar.
There is really little else to comment on regarding the remainder of the
game apart from Winston Reid being booked for deliberate hand ball. Even
Matt Jarvis who had enjoyed a good first half performance had gone missing
and it was easy to forget that he was still on the pitch.
I still stand by the view that this game doesn't really give us too much
real judgement on the quality of the side simply on the basis of those two
mistakes which cost us dearly.
I am aware that a 3-0 loss is never going to be brushed aside by the West
Ham supporters and I just hope we can get the anger (which sometimes boils
over to hate) out of our system as we move onto the next game.
Player Reviews
Jussi Jaaskelainen
When a goal keeper makes a mistake it is always going to be highlighted as
they usually lead directly to goals. The way he let he ball squirm under him
was very poor from an experience keeper and he looked unsure for the
remainder of the game. Hopefully this will be the last mistake of this kind
that we see from him. 4
Guy Demel
Not the worst display from Demel who did get stuck in, especially in the
first half where he linked up well down the right hand side showing some
decent skill. Of the back four he was probably the best of them. 6
James Collins
A mistake ridden performance and one where his frailties were exposed. Last
week against Villa he was excellent but lack of concentration caused his
poor pass back. He made some poor challenges, and was caught a couple of
times attempting to play the offside trap. A very poor display and our worst
player. 4
Winston Reid
Not a bad display from Reid although his distribution was not of a very high
standard. He didn't really do a long wrong in all honesty. 6
George McCartney
Looked slow and really never got going. They played a lot of football down
his side and when Jarvis went to the right of midfield he found himself
under further pressure and looked a little flustered. 5
James Tomkins
I think we were all surprised at his inclusion after hearing Collins and
Reid were starting. I never really saw the point of playing him in midfield
last season and I can't say I've been won over by the idea now. He isn't a
midfielder and really has no technique on the ball. His position in this
game was redundant and he was rightly taken off at half time. 5
Mark Noble
Noble didn't do anything wrong but he didn't really do anything at all. He
never got into the game, never really got his passing game going and in the
second half he was sat so deep he was hardly worth having on the pitch at
all. He needs to get involved a lot more than this. If Noble played for
Swansea, he would be a star player. 6
Mohammed Diame
His first half display was following on from last week's man of the match
performance but he faded badly and disappeared. He cut a frustrated figure
at times as he really did cover a lot of ground but without any joy. 6
Kevin Nolan
I actually thought he had a good first half. A number of times the ball was
played into the area he was there or thereabouts. He covered on the right
hand side well and Neil Taylor never once attempted to go outside him during
that first period. Like the rest of the side it all got worse as it went on.
6
Matt Jarvis
Making his debut you couldn't help but be impressed with elements of his
play. He clearly has more about him than the average player and his
willingness to beat his man and cross with either foot is surely going to
see him be a big hit at the club. He disappeared from the second half and
had much more joy on the left hand side where he gave the right back a tough
time which saw him booked. I think we are going to like him. 6
Carlton Cole
Isolated was the first word which came into my head when thinking of his
performance. If you are a racist on Twitter you might have thought of
another one. Cole will always cause much debate amongst the West Ham fans
but this performance saw him given nothing to go on but hopeful balls that
most of the time were not even directly to him. He is best when the ball is
played into his feet. Cole is Cole and always has been, he will frustrate
but get some balls into the area for him and he will get on the end of
something. I felt he wasn't sharp enough at times and he needs to
concentrate a lot more to give himself an advantage. 5
Subs Used
Ricardo Vaz Te (on for Tomkins 45 mins)
Whilst his performance in the second half didn't exactly set the game alight
he was still positive when in possession and I really feel that without him
in the side we lack one of our most important goal scoring threats. 6
Modibo Maiga (on for Cole 62 mins)
We were poor with Cole on the pitch. We were worse when Maiga came on and
though he too suffered with the lack of service, as a central striker up
front on his own in the system that we currently employ I do not believe he
is strong enough to be that man. I may be wrong there but I believe we need
to change the way we set ourselves up in order to accommodate him. (ie; Two
up front)
Alou Diarra (on for Diame 69 mins)
Did not really notice him. I don't think he saw a lot of the ball and made a
few over hit passes when he did.
Subs Not Used: Henderson, Taylor, Maynard, O'Brien
Bookings: Swansea – Chico, Rangel. West Ham – Reid, Collins, Nolan, Cole
Goals: Jaaskelainen OG (20), Michu (29) Graham (64)
Swansea City – Vorm, Rangel, Taylor, Chico, Williams, Routledge, De Guzman,
Britton, Dyer, Michu, Graham
Subs: Tremmel, Tate, Dobbie, Moore, Agustien, Gower, Davies
Ref : Martin Atkinson, 7
Attendance: 20,424
Overall
We expect teams managed by Sam Allardyce to be solid so to see us concede
such soft goals was certainly not expected.
I don't believe we set out to win the game and with the inclusion of Tomkins
we looked as though we were there for the point and anything else would have
been a bonus. We did this a lot last season but often had more quality in
our side than some of the Championship sides.
Any mistake we made at the back last season was not necessarily punished but
in this division you don't tend to get many favours.
I need to see more from us when we go a goal behind. We can't look as
clueless as we did at times in this game especially in the second half which
was incredibly disappointing considering how we ended the first half. We
were forcing corners and getting the ball into the area but in the second
half none of this was produced and I don't know why we dropped off like we
did.
Swansea were weak from set pieces and in that second half we did not exploit
it despite knowing full well that we had the beating of them there. In
fairness to the Welsh side they passed the ball well and do not get me
wrong, they fully deserved all three points.
Next Game – Crewe Alexandra (h) – League Cup 2nd Round, Tues 28th August,
7.45pm Kick Off
Last season Sam Allardyce treated the cup competitions with contempt
basically implying that you cannot get automatic promotion and have a cup
run. Well we didn't get automatic promotion so that puts that argument to
bed and similarly you CAN have a cup run and still stay up. It is media myth
that this is not possible.
The League Cup represents one of only two realistic opportunities for West
Ham to win a cup. If you are not in football to win things then what is the
point of it all?
Last season we went up against Aldershot with a much changed side and put in
a poor display which Allardyce really wasn't very bothered about. This time
around against a better side in Crewe we still need to retain the nucleus of
a strong side.
The media might have ruined the League Cup, Sky might pay no attention to
it, clubs in the Premiership might laugh at it, West Ham fans might think
they are above it – but having a cup run or perhaps even winning the League
Cup would mean more to me than just about anything when it comes to West
Ham.
The View From Allardyce
"There is nothing you can do or say to defend the players who made those
mistakes because they were such major errors in terms of what we were trying
to do at that time in the game,"
"We started the game very, very well and were looking very dangerous and
very solid and sound at the back and unfortunately the goalkeeper has made a
mistake on the first real attempt by Swansea to get into our box and they
went 1-0 up.
"If one mistake is not bad enough, to make two like the one made by James
Collins - which was very unusual for him - then you've got no chance. We
were away from home and we tried to get back but it was too difficult and in
the end we have thrown the game away by our individual errors getting
punished.
"We had enough opportunities to get ourselves back into the game when we
were 2-0 down but we didn't get one and that made the second half much more
difficult for us. Swansea are very good at keeping the ball and they didn't
have to try to score any more. They just had to keep the ball and play the
game out, which they did very well."
"These were two of our new players. Of course I have known Jussi a long time
and he has a huge amount of Premier League experience so I didn't expect him
to make that error.
"It was the same with James. He's been in the Premier League a long time and
he knows what it's all about, but players make mistakes and unfortunately
two came within a short space of time that put the game beyond us and that's
the disappointing thing for me.
"Having a good, solid defensive unit last week, I didn't expect to see those
type of errors but they've happened. We've been severely punished and we
must take it on the chin and bounce back immediately, starting with the cup
game against Crewe."
"We've still got to come to terms with the Barclays Premier League. We've
got new players who need to feel their way in and that does take some time.
In the midst of that, we've got to make sure we get results while they
settle in - particularly the lads from abroad who are getting to know each
other.
"We'll get better as time goes on but it's very important that we try to get
results from the very start and this was a big setback for us. While we know
Swansea was going to be a very difficult game and they are very good at
home, the way we started this game and the way we gifted it to them was a
big let-down for me and the lads.
"We've got players like Alou Diarra, who we gave a taste of what the Premier
League is all about, who will come into the frame for Tuesday. James Tomkins
needs to catch up on games because he didn't get them at the Olympics.
"Gary O'Neil, Joey O'Brien, Nicky Maynard and Matt Taylor are among the
players who will play with a huge amount of first-team experience. We'll
only give one or two of the younger ones a game, but not too many.
"We're going to field a team that is good enough for me to beat Crewe
Alexandra and then we'll move on to Fulham and try to put this one behind us
with two positive results at home in the next week."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Match Report: Swansea Takes Liberties Over Abject West Ham
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die
Just like the bad old days, wasn't it? And if any of us took a little secret
delight at Rob Green's howler last week at QPR, we should have known better.
If you hand a side like Swansea a two goal start, don't expect to find it
easy to get back into it. The trouble was, we never really tried. And in a
formation like this, it's difficult to anything other than Keep Buggering
On, as Churchill might have said. James Tomkins is not a midfielder and I
just cannot understand why that isn't clear to Sam Allardyce. He had a
player who could perform that role in Alou Diarra, but he started on the
bench. At no stage of the game did West Ham ever threaten to take control.
Indeed, at no stage did we really threaten anything. There were a couple of
half chances where, if the ball had fallen differently, it might have
resulted in something, but you make your own luck i this game, and we didn't
really put in the effort today which deserved any luck at all.
Many of us have worried about Jaaskelainen. We saw today why he lost his
place at Oldham last season. It was a terrible mistake to make and he can
have no excuses. Perhaps West Ham should sign Cesar the Brazilian keeper who
QPR seem to be after. He's available at £3 million.
Defensively we were all over the place for most of the game. The world class
performance from James Collins last week turned into one which would have
embarrassed a 16 year old in the youth team. McCartney and Reid were also
below par, with Demel the only one looking at all totally on his game. But
even he disappeared from view after half time.
In midfield Noble and Nolan showed some commitment in the first half but I
don't recall either of them doing anything constructive in the second half.
Diame was a shadow of the player he looked last week, and poor old Carlton
was more or less invisible. Nothing dropped for him at all and he got very
little service from either the midfield or the flanks.
So to Matt Jarvis. In the first half he delivered a few half decent crosses,
but I was disappointed that he didn't try to skin a Swansea defender when he
had the chance. He does like to drift infield a lot, which I suppose might
be a good thing when we're playing one up front. It was a reasonable debut
but no more than that.
And the subs? Vaz Te and Madiba looked better than those they replaced by
Diarra was largely anonymous, and once gave the ball away ridiculously easy
on the edge of the area.
All in all, very disappointing, Perhaps Sam Allardyce needs to revisit his
stance of having completed his transfer window business. On this showing,
that was a very rash statement to make.
Jaaskelainen 3
Reid 5
Collins 3
McCartney 5
Demel 6
Nolan 6
Noble 6
Diame 5
Jarvis 7
Cole 5
Tomkins 4
Vaz Te 6
Madiba 6
Diarra 4
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Sunday, August 26
Saturday, August 25
Daily WHUFC News - 25th August 2012
Swansea City match preview
WHUFC.com
All the background and team news ahead of Saturday's first-ever trip to the
Liberty Stadium
24.08.2012
SWANSEA CITY v WEST HAM UNITED
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
SATURDAY 25 AUGUST 2012
KICK-OFF: 3PM
REFEREE: MARTIN ATKINSON
FULL AUDIO AND TEXT COMMENTARY - WEST HAM TV
iPHONE APP I TWITTER I FACEBOOK I PODCAST
Introduction
• West Ham United travel to Wales to face Swansea on Saturday hoping to
follow up an opening-day Barclays Premier League win over Aston Villa with
another three points.
• The Hammers have never visited the Liberty Stadium before, and haven't
played the Swans for over 13 years.
• Last week saw Mohamed Diame and Jussi Jaaskelainen make their debuts for
the club and, following an impressive cameo against Villa, Modibo Maiga
could be next in line to make his first start for the club.
• Alou Diarra is also pushing for a place in the starting XI. The Frenchman
is yet to make an appearance in claret and blue after joining from Olympique
Marseille following the conclusion of the Hammers pre-season.
• Matt Jarvis could also feature having completed his move from
Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday. The England international will travel
with Big Sam's side to Wales and could potentially start the Hammers' second
game of the season.
• The Hammers clash with Swansea City is one of eight games taking place in
the Barclays Premier League on Saturday. The following games will also take
place; Aston Villa v Everton, Manchester United v Fulham, Norwich City v
QPR, Southampton Wigan Athletic, Sunderland v Reading, Tottenham Hotspur v
West Bromwich Albion and Chelsea v Newcastle United the late kick-off at
5.30pm.
Last time out
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 18 August 2012
West Ham United 1-0 Aston Villa
West Ham United: Jaaskelainen, Reid, McCartney (O'Brien 71), Collins, Demel,
Nolan (Tomkins 73), Taylor, Noble, Diame, Cole (Maiga 81), Vaz Te.
Subs not used: Henderson, Diarra, O'Neill, Maynard.
Goals: Nolan 40
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 18 August 2012
QPR 0-5 Swansea City
Swansea City: Vorm, Taylor, Chico, Williams, Rangel, Britton, Michu (Gower
84), Dyer (Sinclair 77), Routledge, De Guzman (Agustien 70), Graham.
Subs not used: Tremmel, Tate, Richards, Moore.
Goals: Michu 8, 53, Dyer 63, 71, Sinclair 81
Previous meeting
• Saturday's trip to the Liberty Stadium will be the first time West Ham
United have visited the ground which opened in 2005. They will, however, be
hoping for more luck than the last time they faced the Swans. In January
1999, the Division Three club shocked the Premier League Hammers in the FA
Cup third round. After a 1-1 draw at the Boleyn Ground, the likes of Anton
Ferdinand, Frank Lampard and Joe Cole travelled to Vetch Field, where a
Martin Thomas strike gave the Welsh club a 1-0 win.
Swansea City: Roger Freestone, Steve Jones, Jason Smith, Matt Bound, Mike
Howard, Nick Cusack, Stewart Roberts, Martin Thomas, Jonathan Coates, Steve
Watkin, Julian Alsop
Goals: Martin Thomas 29
West Ham United: Shaka Hislop, Tim Breacker (Richard Hall 72), Julian Dicks,
Rio Ferdinand, Neil Ruddock, Steve Lomas, Trevor Sinclair, Frank Lampard,
Manny Omoyinmi (Eyal Berkovic 46), Stan Lazaridis, John Hartson
Background
• West Ham United and Swansea City have met 51 times over a period of 90
years, the Hammers have won 23, Swansea have won 16 and 12 have ended in a
draw.
• The first meeting between the two sides came on 7 January 1922 in the FA
Cup and ended in a 0-0 draw. The replay on 11 January also ended 0-0, and
the two sides met for the third time in nine days on 16 January when Swansea
won 1-0 to progress.
• West Ham visited Wales twice last season, beating Cardiff City 2-1 in the
npower Championship in March before winning 2-0 in the Play-Off semi-final.
Last six meetings
(Premier League unless stated)
13 Jan 1999 Swansea City v West Ham United L 1-0 (FA Cup third-round replay)
02 Jan 1999 West Ham United v Swansea City D 1-1 (FA Cup third round)
07 Oct 1985 Swansea City v West Ham United W 2-3 (Milk Cup)
24 Sep 1985 West Ham United v Swansea City W 3-0 (Milk Cup)
05 Apr 1983 Swansea City v West Ham United W 1-5 (Division One)
27 Dec 1982 West Ham United v Swansea City W 3-2 (Division One)
Overall record v Swansea City (all competitions) W 23 D 12 L 16
Ten-year record
West Ham United
2011/12 Championship 3rd (86 points - promoted via Play-Offs)
2010/11 Premier League 20th (33 points)
2009/10 Premier League 17th (35 points)
2008/09 Premier League 9th (51 points)
2007/08 Premier League 10th (49 points)
2006/07 Premier League 15th (41 points)
2005/06 Premier League 9th (55 points)
2004/05 Championship 6th (73 points - promoted via Play-Offs)
2003/04 Championship 4th (74 points)
2002/03 Premier League 18th (42 points - relegated to Championship)
2001/02 Premier League 7th (53 points)
Swansea City
2011/12 Premier League 11th (47 points)
2010/11 Championship 3rd (80 points)
2009/10 Championship 7th (69 points)
2008/09 Championship 8th (68 points)
2007/08 League One 1st (92 points)
2006/07 League One 7th (72 points)
2005/06 League One 6th (71 points)
2004/05 League Two 3rd (80 points)
2003/04 League Two 10th (59 points)
2002/03 League Two 21st (49 points)
2001/02 League Two 20th (51 points)
Referee
• The match referee will be Martin Atkinson.
• A referee since the age of 16, Atkinson was promoted to the Football
League list of assistant referees in 1998. In 2000, Atkinson was promoted to
the Select Group of assistant referees, allowing him to run the line in
Premier League matches.
• Atkinson joined the National List of referees for the Football League at
the start of the 2003/04 season before taking charge of his first Premier
League fixture on 20 April 2005 when Manchester City entertained Birmingham
City.
• Atkinson was the man in the middle at the 2006 FA Community Shield between
Chelsea and Liverpool at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. He also took
charge of the 2008 FA Trophy final between Ebbsfleet United and Torquay
United at Wembley Stadium.
• Atkinson refereed one West Ham game last season - the 2-1 home defeat to
Burnley on 3 December 2011.
Team news
• Matt Jarvis and Modibo Maiga are both pushing for starting places in what
is expected to be a three pronged Hammers attack. Ricardo Vaz Te and Carlton
Cole are likely to start but one spot could be up for grabs.
• Jack Collison is unlikely to play after missing the start of the season as
he continues to manage his long-term knee issues.
• France midfielder Alou Diarra is yet to make an appearance for the
Hammers, having signed on the day of the final pre-season game in Braga.
Diarra also did not feature in last week's win over Aston Villa but could
make his debut in Wales.
Old boys
• The only player to have had an affiliation with both clubs who could take
part on Saturday is Swansea's Leon Britton. The London-born midfielder
joined West Ham United in 1998 for a fee of £400,000, a record fee for a
16-year-old at the time. He didn't however make a single appearance for the
Hammers and left the club to join Swansea in 2003 after a successful loan
spell.
General Information
• Limited tickets remain for tomorrow's game and no tickets will be
available on the day so fans should click here to order.
• The weather forecast for Saturday is for sunny spells with a maximum
temperature of 19C.
• There are no planned engineering works on the London Underground this
weekend, and national rail services from London terminals to Swansea should
be running smoothly.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Jarvis joins Hammers
WHUFC.com
West Ham United have signed Matt Jarvis from Wolverhampton Wanderers for an
undisclosed fee
24.08.2012
West Ham United are delighted to announce the signing of England
international winger Matt Jarvis from Wolverhampton Wanderers for an
undisclosed fee. Jarvis becomes West Ham's club-record signing after
agreeing a contract until 2017 - with an option for a further year - and
could be in line to make his first appearance in claret and blue in
Saturday's game at Swansea City. The 26-year-old leaves Wolves after five
successful years that saw him earn his first England cap and be named
Wolves' Player of the Year in 2011. Jarvis' career began at Gillingham,
where he made his debut in 2003 at the age of 17. He went on to make over
100 appearances for the Gills and he was named in the League One Team of the
Year in 2006/07. He moved to Wolves in June 2007 for an undisclosed fee and
helped the club to gain promotion to the Premier League the following
season. Jarvis' first game in England's top-flight was against the Hammers
and he quickly made his mark in the Premier League with a number of
eye-catching displays. Jarvis, a quick and tricky winger capable of
operating on either flank, continued to excel and in the 2010/11 season he
was named Wolves' Supporters' Player of the Season and Players' Player of
the Season. It was in March 2011 that Jarvis made his first appearance for
England in a 1-1 draw with Ghana at Wembley after being called up by
then-manager Fabio Capello. Last season, Jarvis was the most prolific and
accurate crosser in the top flight, firing over 218 and finding a team-mate
56 times. He also scored eight goals - his highest single-season tally.
Jarvis, who will wear the No7 shirt, is happy to have finally joined West
Ham after being courted by a number of top-flight teams this summer. He
said: "I'm delighted to have signed. It's a fantastic club and I'm pleased
to be here. It's a great club and it's got great history and tradition. I
know about Bobby Moore and the history and tradition that go with that.
"I'll be playing with some fantastic players and it'll be great to get into
training and I'm looking forward to playing with them. Hopefully I will add
a bit of pace, crossing and deliveries that will provide some assists."
Jarvis is set to join up with his new team-mates at Chadwell Heath on Friday
morning before travelling to Wales ahead of Saturday's mouth-watering clash.
"I've been told about how good the fans are hopefully they'll get behind me
and I can show them what I can do. "It'll be straight in and hit the ground
running. There's no time to think about it, you've just got to get on with
it, which is good. I hope to train with the team today and then travel up to
Swansea."
Jarvis' new manager Sam Allardyce was understandably pleased to have secured
the services of the wideman. He said. "From my point of view it is a big
piece of business for a terrific young man who will add a lot of quality to
our team. "Certainly from an attacking sense he is one of the best
final-third crossers in the Premier League and his stats were very good at
Wolverhampton Wanderers. He delivers in the business end of the field and
creates a lot of chances and is a player that can give opposition defences
an awful lot of trouble. We are hoping he will produce that for us."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Big Sam welcomes Matt
WHUFC.com
Sam Allardyce was delighted to snap up winger Matt Jarvis ahead of
Saturday's trip to Swansea City
24.08.2012
Sam Allardyce believes new signing Matt Jarvis can have a huge impact on
West Ham United's bid to establish themselves in the Barclays Premier
League. Big Sam has long been an admirer of the England winger and spoke of
his delight after securing his signature, thanking Joint-Chairmen David
Sullivan and David Gold on sealing the deal. Speaking after Jarvis completed
his undisclosed club-record move from Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday
morning, the manager also looked ahead to Saturday's lunchtime kick-off with
Swansea City.
Do you think Matt Jarvis is a very important signing for the club?
SA - "Absolutely. From my point of view it is a big piece of business for a
terrific young man who will add a lot of quality to our team. Certainly from
an attacking sense he is one of the best final-third crossers in the Premier
League and his stats were very good at Wolverhampton Wanderers. He delivers
at the business end of the field and creates a lot of chances. He is a
player who can give opposition defences an awful lot of trouble and we are
hoping he will produce that for us."
How did the deal to sign Jarvis come about?
SA - "I asked the Joint-Chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold to try and
secure the signing of this player and make sure that if it was financially
possible to bring him here, we should do it. They have done that and we are
extremely pleased that we have secured what we consider a high-quality
player for our team."
Will he travel to Swansea City with the team and could he play a part this
weekend?
SA - "Of course. This is not a player who has come in from abroad, but this
is a player who has a full pre-season behind him and who has played as
recently as Tuesday night. I watched him against Leeds on Saturday before we
played Aston Villa and I was obviously thoroughly impressed again. He has
been a huge success at Wolves since moving from Gillingham and we hope that
he can be as successful for West Ham United. He is fit, eager and raring to
go.
You had to wait a while to get your man. Was that frustrating?
SA - "I think for every manager the summer months are very frustrating.
There is a constant stream of information that comes in. There is a constant
need for negotiating on a day to day basis and I think that your success
rate is always limited based on what, who and when you are in those
negotiations with. Getting a deal done is not as easy as everyone thinks, as
most of the time the deal breaks down for one reason or another. The fee
might not be agreed, the player may not want to come, other clubs may become
interested and a lot of other factors have to be satisfied. If these demands
can be met you are delighted because you end up with a player who you hope
can do well for your team. We have managed our budget very well and I have
had great support from the Joint-Chairmen, who I believe have spent their
money wisely."
There are eight days left in the transfer window, have you got any further
deals in the pipeline?
SA: "No, not at the moment. We had a couple of players lined up from abroad
in case we couldn't get Matt, but they have now been put to bed. We will
wait and see as always for the mayhem next week and see what it holds. Of
course many things in the final week of the window tend to emerge and if
that is the case then we may be able to do something. It will probably be on
loan if we do. But if we only finish with Matt and nobody else I will be
very happy with the business we have done. Whilst the squad is not as big as
I would like it to be, it is full of quality and we have added a lot of
quality to it that will stand us in good stead for the season. We are at a
stage now where we are not desperate to bring in any more players.
Will Swansea City and Michael Laudrup be on a high following their 5-0 win
over QPR?
SA: "We clearly didn't reach the dazzling heights that Swansea City did on
the opening day but we did secure a fantastic 1-0 win over Aston Villa. I am
sure that winning 5-0 against QPR was a dream come true for Swansea, Michael
and the fans. January was the first time Swansea won away from home last
season so to start the season with a 5-0 win away from home was fantastic.
It gives them a lot of confidence going into what is already a fantastic
home record in the Premier League. It will be very very tough, and perhaps a
little tougher because they will be on a high following a terrific result.
Is it a challenge preparing for a match against a team with a new manager?
SA: "At this stage of the season you get limited knowledge on what you can
talk to your players about. As the season goes on you find out more and more
about the other teams because you can see their form and see how new players
have settled in. There are a considerable amount of managerial changes in
the Premier League, probably more than most, but we will have to make what
we have got and we can learn from watching pre-season games. That said they
are not what a manager is about, they play different players and systems so
we can only go on the basic information from the QPR game and take it from
there.
It is Michael Laudrup's first season in the Premier League, you are very
well experienced, what are your first thoughts on him as a manager?
SA: Getting a new manager without Premier League experience puts fear into a
lot of people. The players and the fans had such a terrific year last season
under Brendan Rogers and they didn't want to lose him. Everybody would have
been a little apprehensive when bringing in a new manager and would have
wanted to know if he would have been able to carry on the good work that has
been going on at Swansea for many years now. Their transition of managers
has been fantastic and I'm sure Michael Laudrup will carry on doing well.
How important was it for you to get off to a solid, winning start?
SA: "It was hugely important for us. Winning at the start of the Premier
League allows you to pick up points very early and alleviates any pressure
on the team which means they perform to a higher standard. It calms them.
In contrast if you get off to a bad start it does the opposite as the
players are labelled relegation fodder after two or three games.
How much of a role does your team physiologist play and how much emphasis do
you put on the mental preparation of the players?
SA: "I have said many times before our club physiologist doesn't work with
the players he works with the backroom staff. A huge amount of work goes
into working with the staff because we work with the players on a day-to-day
basis. We all go down the route of seeing our targets, our goals and how we
can achieve them. The better we prepare the better they handle the pressure
and the better they perform. "I have always said a player who plays in the
Premier League plays there because of their intelligence not their ability.
It is how his brain tells him how to use his ability and that can only come
naturally, it is very easy to make a player stronger, fitter and improve
their motor skills but it is not as easy to talk about the physiological
side of the game."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
O'Brien called-up
WHUFC.com
Joey O'Brien has been called-up by Republic of Ireland for their opening
2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier
24.08.2012
Joey O'Brien has been selected for the Republic of Ireland squad for the
forthcoming 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan. The West Ham
United player will travel to Astana for Ireland's opening qualifying match
on Friday 7 September, while he will also be involved in the friendly
international with Oman at Fulham's Craven Cottage on Tuesday 11 September.
O'Brien made his return to international football after a five-year absence
earlier this month when he earned his fourth senior cap in the goalless
friendly draw in Serbia.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham complete Jarvis signing
By Ben Smith
BBC Sport
West Ham have completed the signing of Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Matt
Jarvis in a deal worth up to £10.75m. The fee was settled between the clubs
late on Wednesday night and the 26-year-old England international has now
signed a five-year deal. West Ham will pay £7.5m up front with add-ons
taking the deal beyond £10m. Jarvis said: "I'm delighted to have signed.
Hopefully I will add a bit of pace, crossing and deliveries that will
provide some assists." He added: "I'll be playing with some fantastic
players and it'll be great to get into training. "It'll be straight in and
hit the ground running. There's no time to think about it: you've got to get
on with it. I hope to train with the team today and then travel up to
Swansea."
Sunderland were also understood to be interested in Jarvis, but Allardyce
had been tracking the winger all summer. And the former Blackburn and Bolton
manager believes it is value for money. "His stats are extremely good and he
delivers in the business end of the field," added Allardyce. "From an
attacking sense he is one of the best final-third crossers. "When you are
trying to create in the Premier League and score goals, he is one of those
players who can certainly give defences a really hard time and that is what
we are hoping he can do for us." Jarvis, who has made one international
appearance for England, played for Wolves in Tuesday's 3-1 win over
Barnsley, after which manager Stale Solbakken said the club would "do the
best for Wolverhampton".
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Jarvis on West Ham
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 24th August 2012
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United's new record signing Matt Jarvis says that he is "delighted"
to have joined the club. The 26-year-old, whose move from Wolverhampton
Wanderers was completed yesterday afternoon told whufc.com that he cannot
wait to put on the claret and blue shirt for the first time. "I'm delighted
to have signed," he said. "It's a fantastic club and I'm pleased to be here.
It's a great club and it's got great history and tradition. "I'll be playing
with some fantastic players, it'll be great to get into training and I'm
looking forward to playing with them. Hopefully I will add a bit of pace,
crossing and deliveries that will provide some assists. "I've been told
about how good the fans are; hopefully they'll get behind me and I can show
them what I can do. "It'll be straight in and hit the ground running.
There's no time to think about it, you've just got to get on with it, which
is good. I hope to train with the team today and then travel up to Swansea."
Jarvis, who is eligible to feature against Swansea tomorrow lunchtime is
reported to have cost West Ham £7.75million up front - a figure that exceeds
the club's previous record transfer fee (paid to Liverpool for Craig
Bellamy) by £250,000.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Swansea v West Ham United
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 24th August 2012
By: Preview Percy
We were going to ask Preview Percy to hold off writing this week's copy
until the Matt Jarvis deal was done. However, when we arrived at the Avram
Grant Rest Home for the Bewildered we were greeted by a dishevelled looking
nurse who told us he was having his afternoon nap. We're not sure that was a
real nurse's uniform you know. Here's what the old fool wrote before nodding
off. Statistics from John Northcutt as ever...
Our next fixture is an international event as we cross the River Severn
where our hosts will be Swansea City. This'll be our first visit to the
Liberty Stadium which replaced the Vetch Field a few years back.
The match kicks off at 12.45pm for the benefit of space television, which
will mean an early start for those going. No engineering works are planned,
either on the tube or on Mr Brunel's steam railway system so it should be
fairly plain sailing as long as you remember your passports.
For the second week running we face a team who changed manager in the close
season. Brendan Rogers decided to take a step down in the world by joining
Liverpool – and we think he's done a fine job so far. He was replaced by
Michael Laudrup who is one of the famous Danish Laudrup brothers.
Multi-talented to the extreme, Brian & Michael had a hit single in 1978 with
"Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs" before eventually winning
tournament honours as part of the Danish side who were the surprise package
of Euro '92.
Swansea have gained plaudits for their style of play in recent years as part
of a project started by Roberto Martinez who ended up slumming it at Wigan,
whose chairman was once adamant that he would never employ a foreigner as
manager. The good work was carried on by the aforementioned Rogers.
Their start to the season, a 5-0 drubbing of QPR at Loftus Road, suggests
that the new manager has been brought in with a brief of "more of the same
please" though hopefully for his own sake Laudrup's eventual departure will
involve better relocation prospects than those afforded to his two immediate
predecessors.
Received wisdom has it that our hosts are destined to suffer from "second
season syndrome". Lazy twaddle that this generalisation often is, one can,
however, see why on the surface of it one might think that things might be a
bit tougher this time round.
The manager that gave them such a successful start to their Premier League
career is gone, as are a number of the players that did so well for them
last term. Midfielder Joe Allen, a Welshman despite his apparent promotion
to "English" in the Olympic football programme (no it wasn't me that did the
research for that) joined his old boss at relegation-haunted Liverpool,
whilst Gylfi Sigurdsson, who had been on loan from Hoffenheim ended up going
to Tottenham, poor sod.
The next on the list to go is likely to be Scott Sinclair, who has indicated
that he will not be signing a new deal when his current contract expires at
the end of this season. Thus the perennial dilemma in such cases raises its
head: do you simply hold on to the player and get one last decent season out
of him before he goes for nothing, or do you cash in? At time of writing it
looks like the latter option is more likely, with Manchester City apparently
in talks as we speak.
I may have to delay the writing of this preview for a bit as Sinclair is
high up the list of those who would be included in the "Danger Man" section.
Sinclair's attitude behind the scenes has, we are told, been exemplary and,
from what I saw of the highlights of the QPR match, there was certainly no
obvious sign of the sulky "wantaway" attitude that can be prevalent in the
modern game.
For example, contrast Sinclair with Clint Dempsey who is refusing to play
for Fulham and is probably holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy as we speak.
Laudrup didn't hang about in bringing players in. Midfielder Michu arrived
for £2.2m from Rayo Vallecano. The Spaniard played just behind the top man
on Saturday and helped himself to a brace. Though former Hammer Rob Green
made a right pig's ear of the first, his second was a beaut of a curler and
he also set up Sinclair for the fifth. (Incidentally, the other two goals
came from Nathan Dyer, possibly the only time that that particular surname
will appear on the scorers' list at Loftus Road this season).
The other new signing to make an impression on Saturday was centre-half
Flores. Flores arrived for a similar fee to Michu from Genoa (tip for
Swansea – when you sign someone from an Italian club make sure they pay you
up front!) and rejoices in the name of Chico.
Thankfully he appears to have nothing to do with the similarly-named
imbecile that occasionally infects our TV screens pointing at his watch and
grinning inanely in the false assumption that anyone knows who he is or what
he is supposed to be famous for. Chico (the footballer not the idiot) was
described in many of the papers this weekend as "elegant" which sounds like
a bit of a challenge to Carlton Cole to me.
There's an ex-Hammer in the ranks in the form of Leon Britton. Britton
arrived at the Boleyn from Arsenal at the age of 16 for a reported £400,000
but never made the breakthrough expected of him. He ended up at Swansea who,
after a successful loan period, signed him on a permanent basis when we
released him in 2003.
He had a bit of a mental aberration in 2010 when he signed for Sheffield
United, possibly confused by their insistence that they were really a
Premier League club. However, 26 games later he realised the error of his
ways and returned to Wales. He's represented Swansea in all four divisions
and was Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in the Conservative
government of the 1980's under Margaret Thatcher, famously resigning over
the Westland affair.
Another notable name in midfield is Wayne Routledge. I say notable more in
the sense of his never quite having lived up to some of the early promise
shown when he first arrived on the scene at Palace. With Tottenham sniffing
around – no doubt without having had any unauthorised contact with either
the player or his representatives – Routledge turned down a new contract
with the Glaziers and joined Spurs where he disappeared into football's
equivalent of the Bermuda Triangle.
He resurfaced in some loan spells with Pompey and Fulham but in 2008 he made
a permanent move to Villa. "Left Palace too Early" was the general
consensus, a sentiment echoed by then Palace chairman Simon Jordan who
gloated "he got greedy and left. Now he'll be at Villa not getting in the
team like he didn't get in the team at Spurs, Fulham or Portsmouth". Jordan
was right as Routledge managed only a handful of appearances before turning
up in Wales for the first time at Cardiff City.
Although a permanent deal looked on the cards it was to QPR he moved, his
£600,000 fee representing a 50 per cent loss on the player for Villa. Then
Newcastle got involved (I hope you're paying attention – there may be
questions later).
After a bright start he lost his place and went back to QPR on loan. Towards
the end of 2010/11 according to some reports Newcastle terminated the
player's contract "by mutual agreement" but this was never confirmed.
Swansea picked him up in August 2011 making that a cool nine different clubs
represented in ten years. He's been with Swansea for about a year now which
probably means he'll have gone by time I finish this paragraph.
As mentioned, Nathan Dyer was amongst the goals on Saturday. He started out
at Southampton where, alongside Bradley Wright-Phillips, he picked up a
conviction for theft from a bar in Southsea. CCTV picked them up relieving
owners of their mobile phones and wallets.
Pleading guilty, Dyer picked up 60 hours of community service for his
trouble, part of which appears to have been served on loan to Sheffield
United. Dyer signed for Swansea in 2009 and was accused last season by
Arsene Wenger of diving in Swansea's 3-2 win at the Liberty. I suppose if
anyone would know a diver it's Wenger with him having encouraged so many
over the years.
Up front they are usually led by Danny Graham. Graham arrived from Watford
for £3.5m last season having been awarded the golden whatever it is you get
for being the Championship's top scorer for 2010/11 having picked up 24
goals, which is not a bad return for a player in a team not really
challenging at the top end of the table. He managed a creditable 14 in his
first top-flight season.
Our turn now. There was something satisfying about last week's win. Yes the
opposition left a lot to be desired but you can only play what's put in
front of you and to keep their principal goalscorer to a reported three
touches of the ball said a lot. I thought that we played some good stuff in
the second half as we settled into the game and I'll be damned if I can
remember the last time I saw us look fitter than the opposition on the
opening day of the season.
Since then, of course, we've said "ta ta" to Sam Baldock despite his
promising pre-season. Conveniently his destination is Bristol City so the
fee will probably be taken off anything we still owe for Maynard.
It seems we've been able to agree a fee with Wolves for Matt Jarvis, and, at
the time of writing, he appears to be undergoing a medical in the Shaun
Wright-Phillips wing of the Kieron Dyer Memorial Medical Centre. Given the
lateness of the hour and the early kick-off in Wales it would be a surprise
if he were to feature in this match, even if signatures are placed on the
dotted line in time.
Team news is that, by and large we have the same squad to choose from as we
did last weekend. We're bottom of the injury list table which shows Jack
Collison as our only current casualty with an ominous "no return date" shown
against his name. My preference would be for an unchanged starting XI to
take the field, though I reckon that, with this being an away match, Mr A
may try to beef up the defensive quality in the midfield, which may,
perhaps, see Matt Taylor drop to the bench. Or possibly not.
Our hosts are similarly blessed on the injury front with only skipper Gary
Monk "hors de combat", with an unspecified back injury cited as the problem.
Interestingly, if irrelevantly, it amuses me that amongst all the detailed
injury descriptions listed on the physioroom.com league table (hamstring,
the infamous "Gilmore's Groin" etc) a number of Premier League players are
listed as being doubtful with "a knock". Ok not that interestingly then.
So predictions then. Well trying to gauge a season from the opening match is
(to paraphrase the late, great Douglas Adams) a bit like trying to establish
the complete history of the East India Company from a single tea leaf.
Obviously I'd be quite happy for our season to be peppered with comfortable
victories (and for Spurs, Liverpool and Man Utd to lose every week), but
realistically it ain't gonna happen.
Similarly, for them whilst they'll be cock-a-hoop at the size and manner of
their victory last weekend, the realists amongst them will be enjoying it
while it lasts. This match will represent a much sterner test for both teams
– neither of us is likely to be as woeful as were Villa and QPR last week -
so I'm going to put the contents of the Rest Home's charity box (£2.50 –
chosen charity Guide Dogs For Referees) on a draw. Let's call it 2-2 shall
we.
Enjoy the game!
When Last We Met: January 1999. Lost 0-1 (FA Cup 3rd round replay). We went
down to a Martin Thomas goal on the half hour in a match notable for marking
the final 1st XI appearance (of 7) of Richard Hall who came on as a 72nd
minute sub for Tim Breacker. Hall had signed from Southampton in 1996 but
picked up a serious foot injury in pre-season. His 3 years at the club were
blighted by injury and he was forced to retire at the end of 1998/99 aged
only 27. Our last league visit (to the Vetch Field) was in 1983 and ended up
5-1 in our favour (Dickens 2, Pike 2, Devonshire).
Referee: Martin Atkinson. Not one to dirty his hands outside the top flight,
he was last seen in the FA Cup in January 2011 when he took charge of our
5-1 win over Burnley. In an eventful season last term, he allowed a Mata
goal for Chelsea (a bad thing) against Spurs (a good thing) in the FA Cup
semi-final, ignoring the usual convention of having the ball cross the line
first. This was the reverse of his decision the previous month to not allow
QPR's Clint Hill's header against Bolton to stand, despite the ball clearly
crossing the line by several feet. When does that goal-line technology come
in again?
Danger Man: I'll plump for Michu on the strength of his two goals last
weekend ahead of Sinclair because:
1). Sinclair was only a sub last weekend;
2). By the time you read this Sinclair might not even be with the club; and
3). Last week's danger man (Darren Bent) managed the grand total of three
touches of the ball during the game – despite being on the pitch for the
full 90 minutes. I'm hoping for a similar result this week.
Daft fact of the week: Leon Britton once featured in a Walkers Crisp ad with
jug-eared BBC Olympic weak link Gary Lineker. As a kid he also starred as a
young Ryan Giggs in a road safety advert. Sadly, history does not recall who
played Giggs' brother or the woman who...
(We apologise for the loss of your Daft Fact Of the Week, the remainder of
which has been cancelled following legal advice. We may have a similar
problem with Fayed next weekend).
Stat man John: Northcutt's corner
Head to Head
Pld 51; West Ham Utd 23, Swansea 16, Draws 12.
Biggest Win
18th January 1958: West Ham Utd 6-2 Swansea (Boleyn Ground, Division Two)
Heaviest Defeat
21st August 1954: Swansea 5-2 West Ham Utd (Vetch Field, Division Two)
First Meeting
7th January 1922: Swansea 0-0 West Ham Utd (Vetch Field, FA Cup)
Last Five Meetings
13th January 1999: Swansea 1-0 West Ham Utd (Vetch Field, FA Cup)
2nd January 1999: West Ham Utd 1-1 Swansea (Boleyn Ground, FA Cup)
8th October 1985: Swansea 2-3 West Ham Utd (Vetch Field, League Cup)
24th September 1985: West Ham Utd 3-0 Swansea (Boleyn Ground, League Cup)
5th April 1985: Swansea 1-5 West Ham Utd (Vetch Field, Division One)
Memorable Match
16th February 1980: West Ham Utd 2-0 Swansea (Boleyn Ground, FA Cup 5th
Round)
A tight, tense FA Cup fifth round match was finally decided in the last five
minutes of normal time - but not before the visitors, managed by John
Toshack (the football league's youngest manager at just 30) had seen two
'goals' somewhat dubiously ruled out for offside.
With Lady Luck clearly on their side, West Ham - a division below the Swans
at the time - took advantage of their opponents' misfortune and won the game
with two goals inside 90 seconds. 17-year-old Paul Allen pounced to open the
scoring after 'keeper Glan Letheran dropped the ball before David Cross made
sure of the win a minute later. It was the first time in history that the
Hammers had reached the quarter-final stages of both domestic cups in the
same season - and all whilst a Division Two side.
They Played For Both
Harry Lewis; Noel Dwyer; Tudor Martin; Frank Lampard; Leon Britton.
And Finally...
Between 1920 and 1926, "Bubbles" was regularly sung on the Swansea terraces
and as West Ham played them three times in the FA Cup in 1922, it may well
be the case that we got our song from them. Last season in their programme,
Cardiff also claimed to be the first to sing "Bubbles" at their games in the
1920s.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sam on Jarvis
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 24th August 2012
By: Staff Writer
Sam Allardyce says that he is delighted to have finally captured winger Matt
Jarvis from Wolverhampton Wanderers. The 26-year-old joined West Ham
yesterday in a deal worth £10.75million overall - a new club record fee that
eclipsed the £7.5million paid to Liverpool for Craig Bellamy five years ago.
And Allardyce, who has now managed to bring in nine new faces since West
Ham's return to the Premier League was confirmed on 19th May admitted that
he was delighted to bring the once-capped England international to Upton
Park. "I'm grateful that co-chairman David Sullivan decided to really push
the boat out and lump the money available on Matt," he told the Standard.
"He is a player who has proved he can deliver in the final third on a
regular basis and that will be a key element to us scoring and creating
goals. "Matt has the ability to receive the ball, often deep in his own
half, take it right up field — sometimes on his own and deliver the ball
into the penalty area with either foot. I believe he will considerably
improve our attacking ability this season, create chances and help us score
the goals we need to do well."
Allardyce also believes that Jarvis, who started his career at Millwall will
prove to be a huge fans' favourite at the Boleyn Ground - even if he felt
that he was slightly overpriced. "I know the Wolves' fans loved Matt and I
am sure the West Ham fans will feel the same way about him," he added. "It
is his ambition to return to the Premier League which has helped to bring
him to us now. "Matt has pace and a lot of different ways of beating
defenders, and he's not one-dimensional. At the end of the day, we would
have liked to have paid less money but if the player is the one you want and
you can meet the demand, then it works for both parties. "
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
High and dry
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 24th August 2012
By: Staff Writer
Former West Ham United captain Nigel Reo-Coker is still unemployed - despite
both the Football League and Premier League seasons having already started.
28-year-old Reo-Coker was the youngest West Ham captain ever to lead the
club in an FA Cup Final when he led Alan Pardew's team out against Liverpool
in 2006.
But just six years later, when he should be in his prime, he finds himself
without a club having walked out of Bolton following their relegation from
the Premier League at the end of the 2011/12 campaign. Reo-Coker activated a
clause in his contract allowing him to leave the Trotters in the event of
their relegation. However since then he has been unable to find a new club,
having failed to receive a single offer from a top flight club. "There are a
lot of top players still out there without a football team," he told a TV
sports network. "It's the situation out there for a lot of players. That's
the environment football is in at the moment. "It's a new situation for me
to be in but the season is only one week old. All I can do is keep my
professional head on and continue to maintain my fitness levels and work
hard. "I still see myself as good enough for the Premier League; I'm a
Premier League player. I've enjoyed every year I've played in the Premier
League and made the most of it. "I've been lucky enough to play there for so
long now with a lot of games under my belt and a lot of experiences against
the best players in the world. It's just the professionalism of keeping fit
and making sure I'm ready for whatever will happen."
Reo-Coker left West Ham in 2007 after claiming that he had been "victimised"
and been "hung out to dry" having learned that the club had dismissed an
enquiry from Arsenal during the previous transfer window. He was sold to
Aston Villa during the summer for £8.5million but just two years into his
contract was involved in a training ground dispute with manager Martin
O'Neill that saw him ostracised by the club. Having made just a further 40
appearances for Villa during the next two seasons he was allowed to leave
the club on a free transfer at the end of his contract, following which he
joined Bolton on a two-year deal. But just half way through that deal he
walked out on the club with the intention of remaining in the Premier
League; a desire that remains unfulfilled despite the 2012/13 campaign
having already started.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Jarvis completes Hammers move
I'm delighted to have signed for a fantastic club, says winger
Last Updated: August 24, 2012 11:17am
SSN
West Ham have confirmed the signing of Matt Jarvis from Wolves for a club
record fee. The 26-year-old winger has completed the move for a transfer fee
believed to be in the region of £10.75million and will be available for
Saturday's trip to Swansea. The England international has signed a five-year
contract at Upton Park and becomes the Hammers' all-time most expensive
acquisition, eclipsing the £9m paid for Savio Nsereko in 2009. Jarvis was
part of the Wolves side that was relegated from the Premier League last
season but enjoyed an impressive individual campaign, scoring eight goals.
He has featured in Wolves' first two Championship games of the season -
playing the full 90 minutes against Barnsley on Tuesday - and will be in
contention for a start on Saturday.
Tradition
He told West Ham's official website: "I'm delighted to have signed. It's a
fantastic club and I'm pleased to be here. "It's a great club and it's got
great tradition and history. I know about Bobby Moore and the tradition and
history that go with that. "I'll be playing with some fantastic players and
it'll be great to get into training and I'm looking forward to playing with
them. "Hopefully I'll add a bit of pace, crossing and deliveries that will
provide some assists." Jarvis will wear the No.7 shirt for the Hammers.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Swansea v West Ham preview
Two teams with contrasting styles look to build on opening day wins
Last Updated: August 24, 2012 12:07pm
SSN
Both Swansea and West Ham picked up victories on the opening day of the
Premier League season but something will have to give on Saturday. There is
real optimism at the Liberty Stadium despite the exits of manager Brendan
Rodgers and key midfielder Joe Allen to Liverpool in the summer. A big part
of that has been the arrival of Rodgers' replacement Michael Laudrup and his
contacts in Spain. The Danish coach has been busy in the transfer market
and if Michu's brace in the 5-0 thrashing of QPR is anything to go by then
the Swans could enjoy another impressive season.
While Sam Allardyce likes his teams to take a different approach to the
Swansea passing game, the experienced manager has produced some effective
sides at Premier League level. The newly-promoted Hammers picked up three
points against Aston Villa last weekend and in Carlton Cole and Kevin Nolan
they have some robust players capable of causing problems. The addition of
Matt Jarvis, who completed his £10.75million deal from Wolves on Friday,
should provide the crosses for West Ham's big men to find the net and this
could be an intriguing clash of styles in Wales in the early kick-off.
Swansea
Last 6
0-5
3-3
4-2
2-2
0-5
Laudrup would no doubt be content to name the same team that punished QPR
last weekend but may be forced into a change. New arrival Chico Flores is a
fitness doubt and will have a late test before officially ruling him out of
a first home start. Another new signing, Kyle Bartley, may be drafted in to
replace Chico but experienced duo Alan Tate and Garry Monk could also come
into contention. Club record signing Ki Sung-Yueng will not be included in
the squad but Manchester City target Scott Sinclair is set to be involved
again.
West Ham
Last 6
1-0
1-1
3-1
2-2
1-2
3-1
Although Allardyce may be tempted to name an unchanged line-up, he does have
new signings he can introduce. Summer arrivals Alou Diarra and Modibo Maiga
have not had a full pre-season and are likely to have to settle for a place
on the bench. But Jarvis played the full 90 minutes for Wolves on Tuesday
against Barnsley and his record deal was done in time for the winger to
feature against the Swans. Jack Collison remains unavailable due to a knee
injury.
Opta Facts
West Ham have won five and lost none of the last six league meetings with
the Swans.
Swansea's 5-0 win over QPR was their biggest ever in the top flight of
English football.
The Hammers have kept just one clean sheet in their last 27 Premier League
away games.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sam doubts further signings
But Hammers boss refuses to rule out 'mayhem' move
Last Updated: August 24, 2012 5:31pm
SSN
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce believes the club-record £10.75m signing of
Wolves winger Matt Jarvis will be his final piece of business during the
summer transfer window. England cap Jarvis finally completed his move back
to the Premier League by joining the Hammers on Friday and is available for
Saturday's trip to Swansea. Allardyce, who says he would have pursued a
number of foreign targets had Jarvis's move collapsed, doubts whether any
further signings will be agreed before next Friday's deadline. But he admits
nothing can be ruled out in a hectic week when plenty of last-minute deals
are struck.
Mayhem
"I don't expect any more signings at this moment in time," said Allardyce.
"We had a couple of players lined up that were from abroad in case the Matt
transfer didn't come off. We have obviously now said 'thanks but we can't go
in that area any more'. "We wait and see as always going into the mayhem of
next week what might turn up of course."
Newly-promoted West Ham marked their top-flight return with a 1-0 victory
against Aston Villa on the opening day of the new season. But Allardyce
realises leaving Swansea with all three points will be a difficult
proposition.
Over-confidence
The Swans thumped QPR 5-0 at Loftus Road in their first fixture as new boss
Michael Laudrup enjoyed the perfect start. "I don't know if they will suffer
from over-confidence," said Allardyce. "I hope so because if there is we may
be able to take advantage of that. But I don't think there will be.
"Everybody found it a hugely difficult task to beat them at their ground. On
the back of them trying to continue that, and their magnificent result
against QPR, it will be a tough, tough match."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Match Preview: Swansea City v West Ham
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die
Nothing like getting off to a good start, and if we think West Ham got off
to a good start, just imagine that last Saturday you were a Swansea
supporter. A 5-0 away win - yes, away win - against QPR. OK, QPR didn't
really have anyone in goal (sorry, Rob!), but Michael Laudrup must have
thought all his Christmases had come at once. Anyway, enough of them, what
about us?
Looking at the likely team I can only really imagine one change being made -
Matt Taylor giving way to our new record signing, Matt Jarvis. He's match
fit and by all accounts in form. James Tomkins will be none too pleased to
be a benchwarmer for a second match, but Reid and Collins performed so well
last week that there can surely be no case for replacing either of them. The
great thing is that we now have real competition for places in virtually
every position - McCartney & Taylor at left back, Demel & O'Brien at right
back, Cole & Maiga up front.
We've never played at the Liberty Stadium before, and it's 12 years since we
last played Swansea. This was our lineup in a third round FA Cup replay at
The Vetch Field, which we lost 1-0! Shaka Hislop, Tim Breacker (Richard Hall
72), Julian Dicks, Rio Ferdinand, Neil Ruddock, Steve Lomas, Trevor
Sinclair, Frank Lampard, Manny Omoyinmi (Eyal Berkovic 46), Stan Lazaridis,
John Hartson.
If we get a point out of this match, I think we ought to be pleased, but I
hope we play for a win. Whatever happens, I foresee an entertaining matches
with a few goals. Let's hope they go in the right net.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
We Now Need a Big Striker, a Central Defender & a Right Winger
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die
With confirmation of the signing of Matt Jarvis, for a record West Ham
transfer fee, at long last we can rest easy in the knowledge that we have a
pacey winger - something we haven't had since the days of Matty Etherington.
The team seems to be taking shape now, although I think there are still a
few gaps to fill. The two priorities would seem to be another central
defender and a big, powerfully built striker to play up front as an
alternative to Carlton Cole. I also think we could so with another wide
player to play on the right if Vaz Te gets injured or loses form. Stephane
Mbia would be a massive buy for us if we can get him, and Royston Drenthe
too, although I think the Togolese winger from Rennes,, Boukaris, is more
likely.
It will be interesting to see if Jarvis goes straight into the team against
Swansea. A midfield of Jarvis, Vaz Te, Noble, Diame and Nolan sounds pretty
tasty to me.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Karren Brady's football diary
The Sun
By KARREN BRADY
Published: 24th August 2012
Saturday, August 18
WHO says it is a man's world? Olympic boxing gold medallist Nicola Adams
shows me how to deliver an uppercut as it might be useful in a meeting with
agents one day. On the field below, West Ham are beating Aston Villa,
erasing one of my worst experiences at a football match. Two years ago, when
my team were managed by Avram Grant, we were thrashed 3-0 at Villa Park and
even on the first day of the season I knew we were in relegation trouble. My
last sighting of Avram was at the women's Olympic beach volleyball. We also
invited rower Mark Hunter as a guest to Upton Park and he is still
disappointed at his failure to win a gold medal. He brings along his silver
AND the gold he won in Beijing, just to prove he's got one. Good man.
Sunday, August 19
AMONG the Sunday newspaper bits and pieces, I read Mario Balotelli has
turned down an invitation to speak to the Cambridge Union — presumably in
English.
I guess there'd have been checks to see whether he was carrying fireworks.
But I don't blame Manchester City's Italian striker at all. How could I?
Like him, I said 'no' to the students as I have to TV requests to dance,
skate and — only today — to spend too long in a jungle. They're just not my
thing and never will be. All too intellectual or energetic for me.
Monday, August 20
EVERTON chairman Bill Kenwright texts to say: "Home. I didn't need a car...
did cartwheels down the motorway." That's what beating Manchester United
does to a fan. I watched most of it on TV and a man from Mars would have
wondered who United were playing going on the commentary alone. From endless
talk about Robin van Persie to the 'world-class' football United were
employing to try to get a draw, Everton were only there as a sort of
measuring stick for Sir Alex's chances of unseating Man City. Thank you,
then, Marouane Fellaini for the winning goal.
Tuesday, August 21
AFTER 13 months and two judgments (both in my favour), it looks as if I am
going to be paid by Brescia for the sale of Alessandro Diamanti last year
(£1.7m plus interest). So my trip to Switzerland via a plane, a train and
two automobiles — before arriving in the early hours to a hotel so bad that
I decided it was better to sleep in a bus station — seems to have paid off.
The hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport was the most interesting
I've been to. The right outcome was achieved but I'm still nervous I'll
collect!
Wednesday, August 22
IN 20 years of the Premier League, wages have increased by 1,508 per cent,
according to a new report. The average for the rest of us is 186 per cent.
Clubs now pay 70 per cent of turnover to players. Can it last? It seems to
be doing fine right now, partly because it is subsidised by rich foreigners
who own 11 of the 20 PL clubs. You've heard of 'trophy' wives. We're
becoming a trophy league, only the sex is more interesting!
Thursday, August 23
AFTER four attempts we buy winger Matt Jarvis from Wolves for a record fee.
Just in case Wolves didn't budge we had an alternative, who flew to London
despite orders not to. He got to St Pancras station only for us to say the
move was off. Life is tough.
Friday, August 24
I LIKE a bit of cheek and Newcastle's offer to pay half of Andy Carroll's
wage, said to be £80,000 a week, for a season-long loan must have been that.
Newcastle add that they will eventually pay a £12million fee — a
considerable drop from the £35m they took from Liverpool in January last
year. A nice newspaper like The Sun can't print the expletives used by a top
Reds executive on the phone today to describe the offer to me. I almost
blushed.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Big Sam wants to cure travel sickness
The Sun
By JAMES CLARKE
Published: 24th August 2012
SAM ALLARDYCE hopes West Ham do not fall back into their old Premier League
habits of being soft touches on the road. Big Sam's Hammers had the best
away record in the Championship last season. But West Ham traditionally are
everyone's favourite home fixture — as they are usually a home banker. But
Allardyce takes his team to Swansea, along with new record £10.75million man
Matt Jarvis today. And he said: "We've got a different mentality on how to
play away from home and win and that is critical for every club because
winning is the name of the game. Even more so this year. "You want to go on
and hopefully take the euphoria of getting promoted into the early stages of
the Premier League and redeliver away performances like we did at the end of
last season. "Our last away performance, at Cardiff, was immaculate and if
we take that performance into Swansea they're going to find it hard to beat
us and we're going to have a chance of winning. "We didn't have to change
too much last season because we were better than most. This season we've got
to adapt."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sam hopes for cocky Swans
The Sun
Published: 24th August 2012
SAM ALLARDYCE is banking on Swansea getting cocky. The Swans are flying high
after their stunning 5-0 win at QPR last week. Allardyce's Hammers take on
the Welsh outfit at the Liberty Stadium tomorrow. And Big Sam is praying his
hosts take their eye of the ball. He said: "I don't know [if they will
suffer from over-confidence] — I hope so because if there is we may be able
to take advantage of that. "But somehow I don't think there will be.
"Everybody found it a hugely difficult task to beat them at their ground.
"On the back of them trying to continue that, and their magnificent result
against QPR, it will be a tough, tough match."
Allardyce last night broke West Ham's transfer record by signing Matt Jarvis
for £10million from Wolves. And the Upton Park chief says he is now putting
away his chequebook. Asked if any more players were on his radar, Allardyce
added: "Not at this moment in time. "We had a couple of players lined up
that were from abroad in case the Matt transfer didn't come off. "We have
obviously now said 'thanks but we can't go in that area any more'. "We wait
and see as always going into the mayhem of next week what might turn up, of
course."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
I'll make Moore history at West Ham
The Sun
Published: 24th August 2012
MATT JARVIS admits he is excited to join West Ham because of the history of
the club. The England winger, who will wear the No7 shirt at Upton Park, has
signed from Wolves in a £10.75million deal. He said: "I'm delighted to have
signed. It's a fantastic club and I'm pleased to be here. "It's a great club
and it's got great history and tradition. I know about Bobby Moore and the
history and tradition that go with that. "I'll be playing with some
fantastic players and it'll be great to get into training and I'm looking
forward to playing with them. "Hopefully I will add a bit of pace, crossing
and deliveries that will provide some assists."
Jarvis hopes the West Ham faithful get behind him following the big-money
move. He added: "I've been told about how good the fans are hopefully
they'll get behind me and I can show them what I can do. "It'll be straight
in and hit the ground running. There's no time to think about it, you've
just got to get on with it, which is good. "I hope to train with the team
today and then travel up to Swansea."
Hammers boss Sam Allardyce said. "From my point of view it is a big piece of
business for a terrific young man who will add a lot of quality to our team.
"Certainly from an attacking sense he is one of the best final-third
crossers in the Premier League and his stats were very good at Wolverhampton
Wanderers. "He delivers in the business end of the field and creates a lot
of chances and is a player that can give opposition defences an awful lot of
trouble. We are hoping he will produce that for us." Jarvis will go straight
into Allardyce's squad for the match at Swansea. Midfielder Jack Collison
remains sidelined with a knee injury while Alou Diarra and Modibo Maiga are
in contention to break into starting XI.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Royals appointment? West Ham's Cole wanted in £5m Reading swoop
The Mirror
Reading are preparing to move for West Ham striker Carlton Cole in what
would be one of their most-expensive transfers ever. Brian McDermott's
Royals have opened talks to land the England target man, who is available
from Sam Allardyce's club following their own summer spending spree. The
Russian-backed Premier League new boys will pay a fee rising to £5million
for Cole, as well as picking up his salary – which is close to another£3m a
season. It is a major break from the policy of sensible signings in
Reading's recent past, but there is enough cash for a dip into the market
that could make them fortunes if they survive in the top flight until next
term, when a massive new TV deal kicks in. Cole has had fitness problems and
the fee will include staged payments, but there is a good chance that the
full value will be achieved if he is a Royals regular. The 28-year-old
forward has been available for weeks as part of the Irons' busy wheeling and
dealing. Cole was in and out of the Hammers' promotion-winning Championship
side last term. And Reading will try and finalise a deal this weekend, ahead
of the transfer window shutting.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Swansea v West Ham team news: Chico could miss Hammers clash where Jarvis
will make debut
The Mirror
Centre-half Chico Flores has a groin problem and is a fitness doubt for
Swansea's Liberty Stadium clash with West Ham. Alan Tate, Garry Monk and
Kyle Bartley are all potential replacements if he is unavailable. Striker
Itay Shechter will miss out as Swansea are still awaiting the completion of
the paperwork for his loan move from Kaiserslautern. South Korea
international Ki Sung-yeung is set to join for a club record fee today but
will not be included in the squad, but Scott Sinclair will feature again
despite electing not to sign a new contract with the south Wales club.
Provisional squad: Vorm, Taylor, Flores, Tate, Williams, Britton, Orlandi,
Michu, Graham, Sinclair, Dyer, Routledge, Monk, Lita, Moore, De Guzman,
Rangel, Tremmel, Agustien, Gower, Richards, Bartley, Davies.
Jarvis arrival strengthens Hammers
Matt Jarvis will go straight into Sam Allardyce's squad for the match at
Swansea in the only change from last weekend's win over Aston Villa. Jarvis,
26, signed just over 24 hours before the Hammers kick-off at Swansea but
Allardyce confirmed on Thursday he has no concerns about throwing the
ex-Wolves player into his side.
Midfielder Jack Collison (knee) remains sidelined while Alou Diarra and
Modibo Maiga are in contention to break into starting XI.
Provisional squad: Jaaskelainen, Henderson, Demel, Tomkins, Collins, Reid,
McCartney, O'Brien, Potts, Spence, Diarra, Diame, Noble, Taylor, O'Neil,
Nolan, Jarvis, Vaz Te, Maiga, Maynard, Cole.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
All the background and team news ahead of Saturday's first-ever trip to the
Liberty Stadium
24.08.2012
SWANSEA CITY v WEST HAM UNITED
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
SATURDAY 25 AUGUST 2012
KICK-OFF: 3PM
REFEREE: MARTIN ATKINSON
FULL AUDIO AND TEXT COMMENTARY - WEST HAM TV
iPHONE APP I TWITTER I FACEBOOK I PODCAST
Introduction
• West Ham United travel to Wales to face Swansea on Saturday hoping to
follow up an opening-day Barclays Premier League win over Aston Villa with
another three points.
• The Hammers have never visited the Liberty Stadium before, and haven't
played the Swans for over 13 years.
• Last week saw Mohamed Diame and Jussi Jaaskelainen make their debuts for
the club and, following an impressive cameo against Villa, Modibo Maiga
could be next in line to make his first start for the club.
• Alou Diarra is also pushing for a place in the starting XI. The Frenchman
is yet to make an appearance in claret and blue after joining from Olympique
Marseille following the conclusion of the Hammers pre-season.
• Matt Jarvis could also feature having completed his move from
Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday. The England international will travel
with Big Sam's side to Wales and could potentially start the Hammers' second
game of the season.
• The Hammers clash with Swansea City is one of eight games taking place in
the Barclays Premier League on Saturday. The following games will also take
place; Aston Villa v Everton, Manchester United v Fulham, Norwich City v
QPR, Southampton Wigan Athletic, Sunderland v Reading, Tottenham Hotspur v
West Bromwich Albion and Chelsea v Newcastle United the late kick-off at
5.30pm.
Last time out
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 18 August 2012
West Ham United 1-0 Aston Villa
West Ham United: Jaaskelainen, Reid, McCartney (O'Brien 71), Collins, Demel,
Nolan (Tomkins 73), Taylor, Noble, Diame, Cole (Maiga 81), Vaz Te.
Subs not used: Henderson, Diarra, O'Neill, Maynard.
Goals: Nolan 40
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 18 August 2012
QPR 0-5 Swansea City
Swansea City: Vorm, Taylor, Chico, Williams, Rangel, Britton, Michu (Gower
84), Dyer (Sinclair 77), Routledge, De Guzman (Agustien 70), Graham.
Subs not used: Tremmel, Tate, Richards, Moore.
Goals: Michu 8, 53, Dyer 63, 71, Sinclair 81
Previous meeting
• Saturday's trip to the Liberty Stadium will be the first time West Ham
United have visited the ground which opened in 2005. They will, however, be
hoping for more luck than the last time they faced the Swans. In January
1999, the Division Three club shocked the Premier League Hammers in the FA
Cup third round. After a 1-1 draw at the Boleyn Ground, the likes of Anton
Ferdinand, Frank Lampard and Joe Cole travelled to Vetch Field, where a
Martin Thomas strike gave the Welsh club a 1-0 win.
Swansea City: Roger Freestone, Steve Jones, Jason Smith, Matt Bound, Mike
Howard, Nick Cusack, Stewart Roberts, Martin Thomas, Jonathan Coates, Steve
Watkin, Julian Alsop
Goals: Martin Thomas 29
West Ham United: Shaka Hislop, Tim Breacker (Richard Hall 72), Julian Dicks,
Rio Ferdinand, Neil Ruddock, Steve Lomas, Trevor Sinclair, Frank Lampard,
Manny Omoyinmi (Eyal Berkovic 46), Stan Lazaridis, John Hartson
Background
• West Ham United and Swansea City have met 51 times over a period of 90
years, the Hammers have won 23, Swansea have won 16 and 12 have ended in a
draw.
• The first meeting between the two sides came on 7 January 1922 in the FA
Cup and ended in a 0-0 draw. The replay on 11 January also ended 0-0, and
the two sides met for the third time in nine days on 16 January when Swansea
won 1-0 to progress.
• West Ham visited Wales twice last season, beating Cardiff City 2-1 in the
npower Championship in March before winning 2-0 in the Play-Off semi-final.
Last six meetings
(Premier League unless stated)
13 Jan 1999 Swansea City v West Ham United L 1-0 (FA Cup third-round replay)
02 Jan 1999 West Ham United v Swansea City D 1-1 (FA Cup third round)
07 Oct 1985 Swansea City v West Ham United W 2-3 (Milk Cup)
24 Sep 1985 West Ham United v Swansea City W 3-0 (Milk Cup)
05 Apr 1983 Swansea City v West Ham United W 1-5 (Division One)
27 Dec 1982 West Ham United v Swansea City W 3-2 (Division One)
Overall record v Swansea City (all competitions) W 23 D 12 L 16
Ten-year record
West Ham United
2011/12 Championship 3rd (86 points - promoted via Play-Offs)
2010/11 Premier League 20th (33 points)
2009/10 Premier League 17th (35 points)
2008/09 Premier League 9th (51 points)
2007/08 Premier League 10th (49 points)
2006/07 Premier League 15th (41 points)
2005/06 Premier League 9th (55 points)
2004/05 Championship 6th (73 points - promoted via Play-Offs)
2003/04 Championship 4th (74 points)
2002/03 Premier League 18th (42 points - relegated to Championship)
2001/02 Premier League 7th (53 points)
Swansea City
2011/12 Premier League 11th (47 points)
2010/11 Championship 3rd (80 points)
2009/10 Championship 7th (69 points)
2008/09 Championship 8th (68 points)
2007/08 League One 1st (92 points)
2006/07 League One 7th (72 points)
2005/06 League One 6th (71 points)
2004/05 League Two 3rd (80 points)
2003/04 League Two 10th (59 points)
2002/03 League Two 21st (49 points)
2001/02 League Two 20th (51 points)
Referee
• The match referee will be Martin Atkinson.
• A referee since the age of 16, Atkinson was promoted to the Football
League list of assistant referees in 1998. In 2000, Atkinson was promoted to
the Select Group of assistant referees, allowing him to run the line in
Premier League matches.
• Atkinson joined the National List of referees for the Football League at
the start of the 2003/04 season before taking charge of his first Premier
League fixture on 20 April 2005 when Manchester City entertained Birmingham
City.
• Atkinson was the man in the middle at the 2006 FA Community Shield between
Chelsea and Liverpool at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. He also took
charge of the 2008 FA Trophy final between Ebbsfleet United and Torquay
United at Wembley Stadium.
• Atkinson refereed one West Ham game last season - the 2-1 home defeat to
Burnley on 3 December 2011.
Team news
• Matt Jarvis and Modibo Maiga are both pushing for starting places in what
is expected to be a three pronged Hammers attack. Ricardo Vaz Te and Carlton
Cole are likely to start but one spot could be up for grabs.
• Jack Collison is unlikely to play after missing the start of the season as
he continues to manage his long-term knee issues.
• France midfielder Alou Diarra is yet to make an appearance for the
Hammers, having signed on the day of the final pre-season game in Braga.
Diarra also did not feature in last week's win over Aston Villa but could
make his debut in Wales.
Old boys
• The only player to have had an affiliation with both clubs who could take
part on Saturday is Swansea's Leon Britton. The London-born midfielder
joined West Ham United in 1998 for a fee of £400,000, a record fee for a
16-year-old at the time. He didn't however make a single appearance for the
Hammers and left the club to join Swansea in 2003 after a successful loan
spell.
General Information
• Limited tickets remain for tomorrow's game and no tickets will be
available on the day so fans should click here to order.
• The weather forecast for Saturday is for sunny spells with a maximum
temperature of 19C.
• There are no planned engineering works on the London Underground this
weekend, and national rail services from London terminals to Swansea should
be running smoothly.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Jarvis joins Hammers
WHUFC.com
West Ham United have signed Matt Jarvis from Wolverhampton Wanderers for an
undisclosed fee
24.08.2012
West Ham United are delighted to announce the signing of England
international winger Matt Jarvis from Wolverhampton Wanderers for an
undisclosed fee. Jarvis becomes West Ham's club-record signing after
agreeing a contract until 2017 - with an option for a further year - and
could be in line to make his first appearance in claret and blue in
Saturday's game at Swansea City. The 26-year-old leaves Wolves after five
successful years that saw him earn his first England cap and be named
Wolves' Player of the Year in 2011. Jarvis' career began at Gillingham,
where he made his debut in 2003 at the age of 17. He went on to make over
100 appearances for the Gills and he was named in the League One Team of the
Year in 2006/07. He moved to Wolves in June 2007 for an undisclosed fee and
helped the club to gain promotion to the Premier League the following
season. Jarvis' first game in England's top-flight was against the Hammers
and he quickly made his mark in the Premier League with a number of
eye-catching displays. Jarvis, a quick and tricky winger capable of
operating on either flank, continued to excel and in the 2010/11 season he
was named Wolves' Supporters' Player of the Season and Players' Player of
the Season. It was in March 2011 that Jarvis made his first appearance for
England in a 1-1 draw with Ghana at Wembley after being called up by
then-manager Fabio Capello. Last season, Jarvis was the most prolific and
accurate crosser in the top flight, firing over 218 and finding a team-mate
56 times. He also scored eight goals - his highest single-season tally.
Jarvis, who will wear the No7 shirt, is happy to have finally joined West
Ham after being courted by a number of top-flight teams this summer. He
said: "I'm delighted to have signed. It's a fantastic club and I'm pleased
to be here. It's a great club and it's got great history and tradition. I
know about Bobby Moore and the history and tradition that go with that.
"I'll be playing with some fantastic players and it'll be great to get into
training and I'm looking forward to playing with them. Hopefully I will add
a bit of pace, crossing and deliveries that will provide some assists."
Jarvis is set to join up with his new team-mates at Chadwell Heath on Friday
morning before travelling to Wales ahead of Saturday's mouth-watering clash.
"I've been told about how good the fans are hopefully they'll get behind me
and I can show them what I can do. "It'll be straight in and hit the ground
running. There's no time to think about it, you've just got to get on with
it, which is good. I hope to train with the team today and then travel up to
Swansea."
Jarvis' new manager Sam Allardyce was understandably pleased to have secured
the services of the wideman. He said. "From my point of view it is a big
piece of business for a terrific young man who will add a lot of quality to
our team. "Certainly from an attacking sense he is one of the best
final-third crossers in the Premier League and his stats were very good at
Wolverhampton Wanderers. He delivers in the business end of the field and
creates a lot of chances and is a player that can give opposition defences
an awful lot of trouble. We are hoping he will produce that for us."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Big Sam welcomes Matt
WHUFC.com
Sam Allardyce was delighted to snap up winger Matt Jarvis ahead of
Saturday's trip to Swansea City
24.08.2012
Sam Allardyce believes new signing Matt Jarvis can have a huge impact on
West Ham United's bid to establish themselves in the Barclays Premier
League. Big Sam has long been an admirer of the England winger and spoke of
his delight after securing his signature, thanking Joint-Chairmen David
Sullivan and David Gold on sealing the deal. Speaking after Jarvis completed
his undisclosed club-record move from Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday
morning, the manager also looked ahead to Saturday's lunchtime kick-off with
Swansea City.
Do you think Matt Jarvis is a very important signing for the club?
SA - "Absolutely. From my point of view it is a big piece of business for a
terrific young man who will add a lot of quality to our team. Certainly from
an attacking sense he is one of the best final-third crossers in the Premier
League and his stats were very good at Wolverhampton Wanderers. He delivers
at the business end of the field and creates a lot of chances. He is a
player who can give opposition defences an awful lot of trouble and we are
hoping he will produce that for us."
How did the deal to sign Jarvis come about?
SA - "I asked the Joint-Chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold to try and
secure the signing of this player and make sure that if it was financially
possible to bring him here, we should do it. They have done that and we are
extremely pleased that we have secured what we consider a high-quality
player for our team."
Will he travel to Swansea City with the team and could he play a part this
weekend?
SA - "Of course. This is not a player who has come in from abroad, but this
is a player who has a full pre-season behind him and who has played as
recently as Tuesday night. I watched him against Leeds on Saturday before we
played Aston Villa and I was obviously thoroughly impressed again. He has
been a huge success at Wolves since moving from Gillingham and we hope that
he can be as successful for West Ham United. He is fit, eager and raring to
go.
You had to wait a while to get your man. Was that frustrating?
SA - "I think for every manager the summer months are very frustrating.
There is a constant stream of information that comes in. There is a constant
need for negotiating on a day to day basis and I think that your success
rate is always limited based on what, who and when you are in those
negotiations with. Getting a deal done is not as easy as everyone thinks, as
most of the time the deal breaks down for one reason or another. The fee
might not be agreed, the player may not want to come, other clubs may become
interested and a lot of other factors have to be satisfied. If these demands
can be met you are delighted because you end up with a player who you hope
can do well for your team. We have managed our budget very well and I have
had great support from the Joint-Chairmen, who I believe have spent their
money wisely."
There are eight days left in the transfer window, have you got any further
deals in the pipeline?
SA: "No, not at the moment. We had a couple of players lined up from abroad
in case we couldn't get Matt, but they have now been put to bed. We will
wait and see as always for the mayhem next week and see what it holds. Of
course many things in the final week of the window tend to emerge and if
that is the case then we may be able to do something. It will probably be on
loan if we do. But if we only finish with Matt and nobody else I will be
very happy with the business we have done. Whilst the squad is not as big as
I would like it to be, it is full of quality and we have added a lot of
quality to it that will stand us in good stead for the season. We are at a
stage now where we are not desperate to bring in any more players.
Will Swansea City and Michael Laudrup be on a high following their 5-0 win
over QPR?
SA: "We clearly didn't reach the dazzling heights that Swansea City did on
the opening day but we did secure a fantastic 1-0 win over Aston Villa. I am
sure that winning 5-0 against QPR was a dream come true for Swansea, Michael
and the fans. January was the first time Swansea won away from home last
season so to start the season with a 5-0 win away from home was fantastic.
It gives them a lot of confidence going into what is already a fantastic
home record in the Premier League. It will be very very tough, and perhaps a
little tougher because they will be on a high following a terrific result.
Is it a challenge preparing for a match against a team with a new manager?
SA: "At this stage of the season you get limited knowledge on what you can
talk to your players about. As the season goes on you find out more and more
about the other teams because you can see their form and see how new players
have settled in. There are a considerable amount of managerial changes in
the Premier League, probably more than most, but we will have to make what
we have got and we can learn from watching pre-season games. That said they
are not what a manager is about, they play different players and systems so
we can only go on the basic information from the QPR game and take it from
there.
It is Michael Laudrup's first season in the Premier League, you are very
well experienced, what are your first thoughts on him as a manager?
SA: Getting a new manager without Premier League experience puts fear into a
lot of people. The players and the fans had such a terrific year last season
under Brendan Rogers and they didn't want to lose him. Everybody would have
been a little apprehensive when bringing in a new manager and would have
wanted to know if he would have been able to carry on the good work that has
been going on at Swansea for many years now. Their transition of managers
has been fantastic and I'm sure Michael Laudrup will carry on doing well.
How important was it for you to get off to a solid, winning start?
SA: "It was hugely important for us. Winning at the start of the Premier
League allows you to pick up points very early and alleviates any pressure
on the team which means they perform to a higher standard. It calms them.
In contrast if you get off to a bad start it does the opposite as the
players are labelled relegation fodder after two or three games.
How much of a role does your team physiologist play and how much emphasis do
you put on the mental preparation of the players?
SA: "I have said many times before our club physiologist doesn't work with
the players he works with the backroom staff. A huge amount of work goes
into working with the staff because we work with the players on a day-to-day
basis. We all go down the route of seeing our targets, our goals and how we
can achieve them. The better we prepare the better they handle the pressure
and the better they perform. "I have always said a player who plays in the
Premier League plays there because of their intelligence not their ability.
It is how his brain tells him how to use his ability and that can only come
naturally, it is very easy to make a player stronger, fitter and improve
their motor skills but it is not as easy to talk about the physiological
side of the game."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
O'Brien called-up
WHUFC.com
Joey O'Brien has been called-up by Republic of Ireland for their opening
2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier
24.08.2012
Joey O'Brien has been selected for the Republic of Ireland squad for the
forthcoming 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan. The West Ham
United player will travel to Astana for Ireland's opening qualifying match
on Friday 7 September, while he will also be involved in the friendly
international with Oman at Fulham's Craven Cottage on Tuesday 11 September.
O'Brien made his return to international football after a five-year absence
earlier this month when he earned his fourth senior cap in the goalless
friendly draw in Serbia.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham complete Jarvis signing
By Ben Smith
BBC Sport
West Ham have completed the signing of Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Matt
Jarvis in a deal worth up to £10.75m. The fee was settled between the clubs
late on Wednesday night and the 26-year-old England international has now
signed a five-year deal. West Ham will pay £7.5m up front with add-ons
taking the deal beyond £10m. Jarvis said: "I'm delighted to have signed.
Hopefully I will add a bit of pace, crossing and deliveries that will
provide some assists." He added: "I'll be playing with some fantastic
players and it'll be great to get into training. "It'll be straight in and
hit the ground running. There's no time to think about it: you've got to get
on with it. I hope to train with the team today and then travel up to
Swansea."
Sunderland were also understood to be interested in Jarvis, but Allardyce
had been tracking the winger all summer. And the former Blackburn and Bolton
manager believes it is value for money. "His stats are extremely good and he
delivers in the business end of the field," added Allardyce. "From an
attacking sense he is one of the best final-third crossers. "When you are
trying to create in the Premier League and score goals, he is one of those
players who can certainly give defences a really hard time and that is what
we are hoping he can do for us." Jarvis, who has made one international
appearance for England, played for Wolves in Tuesday's 3-1 win over
Barnsley, after which manager Stale Solbakken said the club would "do the
best for Wolverhampton".
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Jarvis on West Ham
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 24th August 2012
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United's new record signing Matt Jarvis says that he is "delighted"
to have joined the club. The 26-year-old, whose move from Wolverhampton
Wanderers was completed yesterday afternoon told whufc.com that he cannot
wait to put on the claret and blue shirt for the first time. "I'm delighted
to have signed," he said. "It's a fantastic club and I'm pleased to be here.
It's a great club and it's got great history and tradition. "I'll be playing
with some fantastic players, it'll be great to get into training and I'm
looking forward to playing with them. Hopefully I will add a bit of pace,
crossing and deliveries that will provide some assists. "I've been told
about how good the fans are; hopefully they'll get behind me and I can show
them what I can do. "It'll be straight in and hit the ground running.
There's no time to think about it, you've just got to get on with it, which
is good. I hope to train with the team today and then travel up to Swansea."
Jarvis, who is eligible to feature against Swansea tomorrow lunchtime is
reported to have cost West Ham £7.75million up front - a figure that exceeds
the club's previous record transfer fee (paid to Liverpool for Craig
Bellamy) by £250,000.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Swansea v West Ham United
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 24th August 2012
By: Preview Percy
We were going to ask Preview Percy to hold off writing this week's copy
until the Matt Jarvis deal was done. However, when we arrived at the Avram
Grant Rest Home for the Bewildered we were greeted by a dishevelled looking
nurse who told us he was having his afternoon nap. We're not sure that was a
real nurse's uniform you know. Here's what the old fool wrote before nodding
off. Statistics from John Northcutt as ever...
Our next fixture is an international event as we cross the River Severn
where our hosts will be Swansea City. This'll be our first visit to the
Liberty Stadium which replaced the Vetch Field a few years back.
The match kicks off at 12.45pm for the benefit of space television, which
will mean an early start for those going. No engineering works are planned,
either on the tube or on Mr Brunel's steam railway system so it should be
fairly plain sailing as long as you remember your passports.
For the second week running we face a team who changed manager in the close
season. Brendan Rogers decided to take a step down in the world by joining
Liverpool – and we think he's done a fine job so far. He was replaced by
Michael Laudrup who is one of the famous Danish Laudrup brothers.
Multi-talented to the extreme, Brian & Michael had a hit single in 1978 with
"Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs" before eventually winning
tournament honours as part of the Danish side who were the surprise package
of Euro '92.
Swansea have gained plaudits for their style of play in recent years as part
of a project started by Roberto Martinez who ended up slumming it at Wigan,
whose chairman was once adamant that he would never employ a foreigner as
manager. The good work was carried on by the aforementioned Rogers.
Their start to the season, a 5-0 drubbing of QPR at Loftus Road, suggests
that the new manager has been brought in with a brief of "more of the same
please" though hopefully for his own sake Laudrup's eventual departure will
involve better relocation prospects than those afforded to his two immediate
predecessors.
Received wisdom has it that our hosts are destined to suffer from "second
season syndrome". Lazy twaddle that this generalisation often is, one can,
however, see why on the surface of it one might think that things might be a
bit tougher this time round.
The manager that gave them such a successful start to their Premier League
career is gone, as are a number of the players that did so well for them
last term. Midfielder Joe Allen, a Welshman despite his apparent promotion
to "English" in the Olympic football programme (no it wasn't me that did the
research for that) joined his old boss at relegation-haunted Liverpool,
whilst Gylfi Sigurdsson, who had been on loan from Hoffenheim ended up going
to Tottenham, poor sod.
The next on the list to go is likely to be Scott Sinclair, who has indicated
that he will not be signing a new deal when his current contract expires at
the end of this season. Thus the perennial dilemma in such cases raises its
head: do you simply hold on to the player and get one last decent season out
of him before he goes for nothing, or do you cash in? At time of writing it
looks like the latter option is more likely, with Manchester City apparently
in talks as we speak.
I may have to delay the writing of this preview for a bit as Sinclair is
high up the list of those who would be included in the "Danger Man" section.
Sinclair's attitude behind the scenes has, we are told, been exemplary and,
from what I saw of the highlights of the QPR match, there was certainly no
obvious sign of the sulky "wantaway" attitude that can be prevalent in the
modern game.
For example, contrast Sinclair with Clint Dempsey who is refusing to play
for Fulham and is probably holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy as we speak.
Laudrup didn't hang about in bringing players in. Midfielder Michu arrived
for £2.2m from Rayo Vallecano. The Spaniard played just behind the top man
on Saturday and helped himself to a brace. Though former Hammer Rob Green
made a right pig's ear of the first, his second was a beaut of a curler and
he also set up Sinclair for the fifth. (Incidentally, the other two goals
came from Nathan Dyer, possibly the only time that that particular surname
will appear on the scorers' list at Loftus Road this season).
The other new signing to make an impression on Saturday was centre-half
Flores. Flores arrived for a similar fee to Michu from Genoa (tip for
Swansea – when you sign someone from an Italian club make sure they pay you
up front!) and rejoices in the name of Chico.
Thankfully he appears to have nothing to do with the similarly-named
imbecile that occasionally infects our TV screens pointing at his watch and
grinning inanely in the false assumption that anyone knows who he is or what
he is supposed to be famous for. Chico (the footballer not the idiot) was
described in many of the papers this weekend as "elegant" which sounds like
a bit of a challenge to Carlton Cole to me.
There's an ex-Hammer in the ranks in the form of Leon Britton. Britton
arrived at the Boleyn from Arsenal at the age of 16 for a reported £400,000
but never made the breakthrough expected of him. He ended up at Swansea who,
after a successful loan period, signed him on a permanent basis when we
released him in 2003.
He had a bit of a mental aberration in 2010 when he signed for Sheffield
United, possibly confused by their insistence that they were really a
Premier League club. However, 26 games later he realised the error of his
ways and returned to Wales. He's represented Swansea in all four divisions
and was Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in the Conservative
government of the 1980's under Margaret Thatcher, famously resigning over
the Westland affair.
Another notable name in midfield is Wayne Routledge. I say notable more in
the sense of his never quite having lived up to some of the early promise
shown when he first arrived on the scene at Palace. With Tottenham sniffing
around – no doubt without having had any unauthorised contact with either
the player or his representatives – Routledge turned down a new contract
with the Glaziers and joined Spurs where he disappeared into football's
equivalent of the Bermuda Triangle.
He resurfaced in some loan spells with Pompey and Fulham but in 2008 he made
a permanent move to Villa. "Left Palace too Early" was the general
consensus, a sentiment echoed by then Palace chairman Simon Jordan who
gloated "he got greedy and left. Now he'll be at Villa not getting in the
team like he didn't get in the team at Spurs, Fulham or Portsmouth". Jordan
was right as Routledge managed only a handful of appearances before turning
up in Wales for the first time at Cardiff City.
Although a permanent deal looked on the cards it was to QPR he moved, his
£600,000 fee representing a 50 per cent loss on the player for Villa. Then
Newcastle got involved (I hope you're paying attention – there may be
questions later).
After a bright start he lost his place and went back to QPR on loan. Towards
the end of 2010/11 according to some reports Newcastle terminated the
player's contract "by mutual agreement" but this was never confirmed.
Swansea picked him up in August 2011 making that a cool nine different clubs
represented in ten years. He's been with Swansea for about a year now which
probably means he'll have gone by time I finish this paragraph.
As mentioned, Nathan Dyer was amongst the goals on Saturday. He started out
at Southampton where, alongside Bradley Wright-Phillips, he picked up a
conviction for theft from a bar in Southsea. CCTV picked them up relieving
owners of their mobile phones and wallets.
Pleading guilty, Dyer picked up 60 hours of community service for his
trouble, part of which appears to have been served on loan to Sheffield
United. Dyer signed for Swansea in 2009 and was accused last season by
Arsene Wenger of diving in Swansea's 3-2 win at the Liberty. I suppose if
anyone would know a diver it's Wenger with him having encouraged so many
over the years.
Up front they are usually led by Danny Graham. Graham arrived from Watford
for £3.5m last season having been awarded the golden whatever it is you get
for being the Championship's top scorer for 2010/11 having picked up 24
goals, which is not a bad return for a player in a team not really
challenging at the top end of the table. He managed a creditable 14 in his
first top-flight season.
Our turn now. There was something satisfying about last week's win. Yes the
opposition left a lot to be desired but you can only play what's put in
front of you and to keep their principal goalscorer to a reported three
touches of the ball said a lot. I thought that we played some good stuff in
the second half as we settled into the game and I'll be damned if I can
remember the last time I saw us look fitter than the opposition on the
opening day of the season.
Since then, of course, we've said "ta ta" to Sam Baldock despite his
promising pre-season. Conveniently his destination is Bristol City so the
fee will probably be taken off anything we still owe for Maynard.
It seems we've been able to agree a fee with Wolves for Matt Jarvis, and, at
the time of writing, he appears to be undergoing a medical in the Shaun
Wright-Phillips wing of the Kieron Dyer Memorial Medical Centre. Given the
lateness of the hour and the early kick-off in Wales it would be a surprise
if he were to feature in this match, even if signatures are placed on the
dotted line in time.
Team news is that, by and large we have the same squad to choose from as we
did last weekend. We're bottom of the injury list table which shows Jack
Collison as our only current casualty with an ominous "no return date" shown
against his name. My preference would be for an unchanged starting XI to
take the field, though I reckon that, with this being an away match, Mr A
may try to beef up the defensive quality in the midfield, which may,
perhaps, see Matt Taylor drop to the bench. Or possibly not.
Our hosts are similarly blessed on the injury front with only skipper Gary
Monk "hors de combat", with an unspecified back injury cited as the problem.
Interestingly, if irrelevantly, it amuses me that amongst all the detailed
injury descriptions listed on the physioroom.com league table (hamstring,
the infamous "Gilmore's Groin" etc) a number of Premier League players are
listed as being doubtful with "a knock". Ok not that interestingly then.
So predictions then. Well trying to gauge a season from the opening match is
(to paraphrase the late, great Douglas Adams) a bit like trying to establish
the complete history of the East India Company from a single tea leaf.
Obviously I'd be quite happy for our season to be peppered with comfortable
victories (and for Spurs, Liverpool and Man Utd to lose every week), but
realistically it ain't gonna happen.
Similarly, for them whilst they'll be cock-a-hoop at the size and manner of
their victory last weekend, the realists amongst them will be enjoying it
while it lasts. This match will represent a much sterner test for both teams
– neither of us is likely to be as woeful as were Villa and QPR last week -
so I'm going to put the contents of the Rest Home's charity box (£2.50 –
chosen charity Guide Dogs For Referees) on a draw. Let's call it 2-2 shall
we.
Enjoy the game!
When Last We Met: January 1999. Lost 0-1 (FA Cup 3rd round replay). We went
down to a Martin Thomas goal on the half hour in a match notable for marking
the final 1st XI appearance (of 7) of Richard Hall who came on as a 72nd
minute sub for Tim Breacker. Hall had signed from Southampton in 1996 but
picked up a serious foot injury in pre-season. His 3 years at the club were
blighted by injury and he was forced to retire at the end of 1998/99 aged
only 27. Our last league visit (to the Vetch Field) was in 1983 and ended up
5-1 in our favour (Dickens 2, Pike 2, Devonshire).
Referee: Martin Atkinson. Not one to dirty his hands outside the top flight,
he was last seen in the FA Cup in January 2011 when he took charge of our
5-1 win over Burnley. In an eventful season last term, he allowed a Mata
goal for Chelsea (a bad thing) against Spurs (a good thing) in the FA Cup
semi-final, ignoring the usual convention of having the ball cross the line
first. This was the reverse of his decision the previous month to not allow
QPR's Clint Hill's header against Bolton to stand, despite the ball clearly
crossing the line by several feet. When does that goal-line technology come
in again?
Danger Man: I'll plump for Michu on the strength of his two goals last
weekend ahead of Sinclair because:
1). Sinclair was only a sub last weekend;
2). By the time you read this Sinclair might not even be with the club; and
3). Last week's danger man (Darren Bent) managed the grand total of three
touches of the ball during the game – despite being on the pitch for the
full 90 minutes. I'm hoping for a similar result this week.
Daft fact of the week: Leon Britton once featured in a Walkers Crisp ad with
jug-eared BBC Olympic weak link Gary Lineker. As a kid he also starred as a
young Ryan Giggs in a road safety advert. Sadly, history does not recall who
played Giggs' brother or the woman who...
(We apologise for the loss of your Daft Fact Of the Week, the remainder of
which has been cancelled following legal advice. We may have a similar
problem with Fayed next weekend).
Stat man John: Northcutt's corner
Head to Head
Pld 51; West Ham Utd 23, Swansea 16, Draws 12.
Biggest Win
18th January 1958: West Ham Utd 6-2 Swansea (Boleyn Ground, Division Two)
Heaviest Defeat
21st August 1954: Swansea 5-2 West Ham Utd (Vetch Field, Division Two)
First Meeting
7th January 1922: Swansea 0-0 West Ham Utd (Vetch Field, FA Cup)
Last Five Meetings
13th January 1999: Swansea 1-0 West Ham Utd (Vetch Field, FA Cup)
2nd January 1999: West Ham Utd 1-1 Swansea (Boleyn Ground, FA Cup)
8th October 1985: Swansea 2-3 West Ham Utd (Vetch Field, League Cup)
24th September 1985: West Ham Utd 3-0 Swansea (Boleyn Ground, League Cup)
5th April 1985: Swansea 1-5 West Ham Utd (Vetch Field, Division One)
Memorable Match
16th February 1980: West Ham Utd 2-0 Swansea (Boleyn Ground, FA Cup 5th
Round)
A tight, tense FA Cup fifth round match was finally decided in the last five
minutes of normal time - but not before the visitors, managed by John
Toshack (the football league's youngest manager at just 30) had seen two
'goals' somewhat dubiously ruled out for offside.
With Lady Luck clearly on their side, West Ham - a division below the Swans
at the time - took advantage of their opponents' misfortune and won the game
with two goals inside 90 seconds. 17-year-old Paul Allen pounced to open the
scoring after 'keeper Glan Letheran dropped the ball before David Cross made
sure of the win a minute later. It was the first time in history that the
Hammers had reached the quarter-final stages of both domestic cups in the
same season - and all whilst a Division Two side.
They Played For Both
Harry Lewis; Noel Dwyer; Tudor Martin; Frank Lampard; Leon Britton.
And Finally...
Between 1920 and 1926, "Bubbles" was regularly sung on the Swansea terraces
and as West Ham played them three times in the FA Cup in 1922, it may well
be the case that we got our song from them. Last season in their programme,
Cardiff also claimed to be the first to sing "Bubbles" at their games in the
1920s.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sam on Jarvis
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 24th August 2012
By: Staff Writer
Sam Allardyce says that he is delighted to have finally captured winger Matt
Jarvis from Wolverhampton Wanderers. The 26-year-old joined West Ham
yesterday in a deal worth £10.75million overall - a new club record fee that
eclipsed the £7.5million paid to Liverpool for Craig Bellamy five years ago.
And Allardyce, who has now managed to bring in nine new faces since West
Ham's return to the Premier League was confirmed on 19th May admitted that
he was delighted to bring the once-capped England international to Upton
Park. "I'm grateful that co-chairman David Sullivan decided to really push
the boat out and lump the money available on Matt," he told the Standard.
"He is a player who has proved he can deliver in the final third on a
regular basis and that will be a key element to us scoring and creating
goals. "Matt has the ability to receive the ball, often deep in his own
half, take it right up field — sometimes on his own and deliver the ball
into the penalty area with either foot. I believe he will considerably
improve our attacking ability this season, create chances and help us score
the goals we need to do well."
Allardyce also believes that Jarvis, who started his career at Millwall will
prove to be a huge fans' favourite at the Boleyn Ground - even if he felt
that he was slightly overpriced. "I know the Wolves' fans loved Matt and I
am sure the West Ham fans will feel the same way about him," he added. "It
is his ambition to return to the Premier League which has helped to bring
him to us now. "Matt has pace and a lot of different ways of beating
defenders, and he's not one-dimensional. At the end of the day, we would
have liked to have paid less money but if the player is the one you want and
you can meet the demand, then it works for both parties. "
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
High and dry
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 24th August 2012
By: Staff Writer
Former West Ham United captain Nigel Reo-Coker is still unemployed - despite
both the Football League and Premier League seasons having already started.
28-year-old Reo-Coker was the youngest West Ham captain ever to lead the
club in an FA Cup Final when he led Alan Pardew's team out against Liverpool
in 2006.
But just six years later, when he should be in his prime, he finds himself
without a club having walked out of Bolton following their relegation from
the Premier League at the end of the 2011/12 campaign. Reo-Coker activated a
clause in his contract allowing him to leave the Trotters in the event of
their relegation. However since then he has been unable to find a new club,
having failed to receive a single offer from a top flight club. "There are a
lot of top players still out there without a football team," he told a TV
sports network. "It's the situation out there for a lot of players. That's
the environment football is in at the moment. "It's a new situation for me
to be in but the season is only one week old. All I can do is keep my
professional head on and continue to maintain my fitness levels and work
hard. "I still see myself as good enough for the Premier League; I'm a
Premier League player. I've enjoyed every year I've played in the Premier
League and made the most of it. "I've been lucky enough to play there for so
long now with a lot of games under my belt and a lot of experiences against
the best players in the world. It's just the professionalism of keeping fit
and making sure I'm ready for whatever will happen."
Reo-Coker left West Ham in 2007 after claiming that he had been "victimised"
and been "hung out to dry" having learned that the club had dismissed an
enquiry from Arsenal during the previous transfer window. He was sold to
Aston Villa during the summer for £8.5million but just two years into his
contract was involved in a training ground dispute with manager Martin
O'Neill that saw him ostracised by the club. Having made just a further 40
appearances for Villa during the next two seasons he was allowed to leave
the club on a free transfer at the end of his contract, following which he
joined Bolton on a two-year deal. But just half way through that deal he
walked out on the club with the intention of remaining in the Premier
League; a desire that remains unfulfilled despite the 2012/13 campaign
having already started.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Jarvis completes Hammers move
I'm delighted to have signed for a fantastic club, says winger
Last Updated: August 24, 2012 11:17am
SSN
West Ham have confirmed the signing of Matt Jarvis from Wolves for a club
record fee. The 26-year-old winger has completed the move for a transfer fee
believed to be in the region of £10.75million and will be available for
Saturday's trip to Swansea. The England international has signed a five-year
contract at Upton Park and becomes the Hammers' all-time most expensive
acquisition, eclipsing the £9m paid for Savio Nsereko in 2009. Jarvis was
part of the Wolves side that was relegated from the Premier League last
season but enjoyed an impressive individual campaign, scoring eight goals.
He has featured in Wolves' first two Championship games of the season -
playing the full 90 minutes against Barnsley on Tuesday - and will be in
contention for a start on Saturday.
Tradition
He told West Ham's official website: "I'm delighted to have signed. It's a
fantastic club and I'm pleased to be here. "It's a great club and it's got
great tradition and history. I know about Bobby Moore and the tradition and
history that go with that. "I'll be playing with some fantastic players and
it'll be great to get into training and I'm looking forward to playing with
them. "Hopefully I'll add a bit of pace, crossing and deliveries that will
provide some assists." Jarvis will wear the No.7 shirt for the Hammers.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Swansea v West Ham preview
Two teams with contrasting styles look to build on opening day wins
Last Updated: August 24, 2012 12:07pm
SSN
Both Swansea and West Ham picked up victories on the opening day of the
Premier League season but something will have to give on Saturday. There is
real optimism at the Liberty Stadium despite the exits of manager Brendan
Rodgers and key midfielder Joe Allen to Liverpool in the summer. A big part
of that has been the arrival of Rodgers' replacement Michael Laudrup and his
contacts in Spain. The Danish coach has been busy in the transfer market
and if Michu's brace in the 5-0 thrashing of QPR is anything to go by then
the Swans could enjoy another impressive season.
While Sam Allardyce likes his teams to take a different approach to the
Swansea passing game, the experienced manager has produced some effective
sides at Premier League level. The newly-promoted Hammers picked up three
points against Aston Villa last weekend and in Carlton Cole and Kevin Nolan
they have some robust players capable of causing problems. The addition of
Matt Jarvis, who completed his £10.75million deal from Wolves on Friday,
should provide the crosses for West Ham's big men to find the net and this
could be an intriguing clash of styles in Wales in the early kick-off.
Swansea
Last 6
0-5
3-3
4-2
2-2
0-5
Laudrup would no doubt be content to name the same team that punished QPR
last weekend but may be forced into a change. New arrival Chico Flores is a
fitness doubt and will have a late test before officially ruling him out of
a first home start. Another new signing, Kyle Bartley, may be drafted in to
replace Chico but experienced duo Alan Tate and Garry Monk could also come
into contention. Club record signing Ki Sung-Yueng will not be included in
the squad but Manchester City target Scott Sinclair is set to be involved
again.
West Ham
Last 6
1-0
1-1
3-1
2-2
1-2
3-1
Although Allardyce may be tempted to name an unchanged line-up, he does have
new signings he can introduce. Summer arrivals Alou Diarra and Modibo Maiga
have not had a full pre-season and are likely to have to settle for a place
on the bench. But Jarvis played the full 90 minutes for Wolves on Tuesday
against Barnsley and his record deal was done in time for the winger to
feature against the Swans. Jack Collison remains unavailable due to a knee
injury.
Opta Facts
West Ham have won five and lost none of the last six league meetings with
the Swans.
Swansea's 5-0 win over QPR was their biggest ever in the top flight of
English football.
The Hammers have kept just one clean sheet in their last 27 Premier League
away games.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sam doubts further signings
But Hammers boss refuses to rule out 'mayhem' move
Last Updated: August 24, 2012 5:31pm
SSN
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce believes the club-record £10.75m signing of
Wolves winger Matt Jarvis will be his final piece of business during the
summer transfer window. England cap Jarvis finally completed his move back
to the Premier League by joining the Hammers on Friday and is available for
Saturday's trip to Swansea. Allardyce, who says he would have pursued a
number of foreign targets had Jarvis's move collapsed, doubts whether any
further signings will be agreed before next Friday's deadline. But he admits
nothing can be ruled out in a hectic week when plenty of last-minute deals
are struck.
Mayhem
"I don't expect any more signings at this moment in time," said Allardyce.
"We had a couple of players lined up that were from abroad in case the Matt
transfer didn't come off. We have obviously now said 'thanks but we can't go
in that area any more'. "We wait and see as always going into the mayhem of
next week what might turn up of course."
Newly-promoted West Ham marked their top-flight return with a 1-0 victory
against Aston Villa on the opening day of the new season. But Allardyce
realises leaving Swansea with all three points will be a difficult
proposition.
Over-confidence
The Swans thumped QPR 5-0 at Loftus Road in their first fixture as new boss
Michael Laudrup enjoyed the perfect start. "I don't know if they will suffer
from over-confidence," said Allardyce. "I hope so because if there is we may
be able to take advantage of that. But I don't think there will be.
"Everybody found it a hugely difficult task to beat them at their ground. On
the back of them trying to continue that, and their magnificent result
against QPR, it will be a tough, tough match."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Match Preview: Swansea City v West Ham
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die
Nothing like getting off to a good start, and if we think West Ham got off
to a good start, just imagine that last Saturday you were a Swansea
supporter. A 5-0 away win - yes, away win - against QPR. OK, QPR didn't
really have anyone in goal (sorry, Rob!), but Michael Laudrup must have
thought all his Christmases had come at once. Anyway, enough of them, what
about us?
Looking at the likely team I can only really imagine one change being made -
Matt Taylor giving way to our new record signing, Matt Jarvis. He's match
fit and by all accounts in form. James Tomkins will be none too pleased to
be a benchwarmer for a second match, but Reid and Collins performed so well
last week that there can surely be no case for replacing either of them. The
great thing is that we now have real competition for places in virtually
every position - McCartney & Taylor at left back, Demel & O'Brien at right
back, Cole & Maiga up front.
We've never played at the Liberty Stadium before, and it's 12 years since we
last played Swansea. This was our lineup in a third round FA Cup replay at
The Vetch Field, which we lost 1-0! Shaka Hislop, Tim Breacker (Richard Hall
72), Julian Dicks, Rio Ferdinand, Neil Ruddock, Steve Lomas, Trevor
Sinclair, Frank Lampard, Manny Omoyinmi (Eyal Berkovic 46), Stan Lazaridis,
John Hartson.
If we get a point out of this match, I think we ought to be pleased, but I
hope we play for a win. Whatever happens, I foresee an entertaining matches
with a few goals. Let's hope they go in the right net.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
We Now Need a Big Striker, a Central Defender & a Right Winger
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die
With confirmation of the signing of Matt Jarvis, for a record West Ham
transfer fee, at long last we can rest easy in the knowledge that we have a
pacey winger - something we haven't had since the days of Matty Etherington.
The team seems to be taking shape now, although I think there are still a
few gaps to fill. The two priorities would seem to be another central
defender and a big, powerfully built striker to play up front as an
alternative to Carlton Cole. I also think we could so with another wide
player to play on the right if Vaz Te gets injured or loses form. Stephane
Mbia would be a massive buy for us if we can get him, and Royston Drenthe
too, although I think the Togolese winger from Rennes,, Boukaris, is more
likely.
It will be interesting to see if Jarvis goes straight into the team against
Swansea. A midfield of Jarvis, Vaz Te, Noble, Diame and Nolan sounds pretty
tasty to me.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Karren Brady's football diary
The Sun
By KARREN BRADY
Published: 24th August 2012
Saturday, August 18
WHO says it is a man's world? Olympic boxing gold medallist Nicola Adams
shows me how to deliver an uppercut as it might be useful in a meeting with
agents one day. On the field below, West Ham are beating Aston Villa,
erasing one of my worst experiences at a football match. Two years ago, when
my team were managed by Avram Grant, we were thrashed 3-0 at Villa Park and
even on the first day of the season I knew we were in relegation trouble. My
last sighting of Avram was at the women's Olympic beach volleyball. We also
invited rower Mark Hunter as a guest to Upton Park and he is still
disappointed at his failure to win a gold medal. He brings along his silver
AND the gold he won in Beijing, just to prove he's got one. Good man.
Sunday, August 19
AMONG the Sunday newspaper bits and pieces, I read Mario Balotelli has
turned down an invitation to speak to the Cambridge Union — presumably in
English.
I guess there'd have been checks to see whether he was carrying fireworks.
But I don't blame Manchester City's Italian striker at all. How could I?
Like him, I said 'no' to the students as I have to TV requests to dance,
skate and — only today — to spend too long in a jungle. They're just not my
thing and never will be. All too intellectual or energetic for me.
Monday, August 20
EVERTON chairman Bill Kenwright texts to say: "Home. I didn't need a car...
did cartwheels down the motorway." That's what beating Manchester United
does to a fan. I watched most of it on TV and a man from Mars would have
wondered who United were playing going on the commentary alone. From endless
talk about Robin van Persie to the 'world-class' football United were
employing to try to get a draw, Everton were only there as a sort of
measuring stick for Sir Alex's chances of unseating Man City. Thank you,
then, Marouane Fellaini for the winning goal.
Tuesday, August 21
AFTER 13 months and two judgments (both in my favour), it looks as if I am
going to be paid by Brescia for the sale of Alessandro Diamanti last year
(£1.7m plus interest). So my trip to Switzerland via a plane, a train and
two automobiles — before arriving in the early hours to a hotel so bad that
I decided it was better to sleep in a bus station — seems to have paid off.
The hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport was the most interesting
I've been to. The right outcome was achieved but I'm still nervous I'll
collect!
Wednesday, August 22
IN 20 years of the Premier League, wages have increased by 1,508 per cent,
according to a new report. The average for the rest of us is 186 per cent.
Clubs now pay 70 per cent of turnover to players. Can it last? It seems to
be doing fine right now, partly because it is subsidised by rich foreigners
who own 11 of the 20 PL clubs. You've heard of 'trophy' wives. We're
becoming a trophy league, only the sex is more interesting!
Thursday, August 23
AFTER four attempts we buy winger Matt Jarvis from Wolves for a record fee.
Just in case Wolves didn't budge we had an alternative, who flew to London
despite orders not to. He got to St Pancras station only for us to say the
move was off. Life is tough.
Friday, August 24
I LIKE a bit of cheek and Newcastle's offer to pay half of Andy Carroll's
wage, said to be £80,000 a week, for a season-long loan must have been that.
Newcastle add that they will eventually pay a £12million fee — a
considerable drop from the £35m they took from Liverpool in January last
year. A nice newspaper like The Sun can't print the expletives used by a top
Reds executive on the phone today to describe the offer to me. I almost
blushed.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Big Sam wants to cure travel sickness
The Sun
By JAMES CLARKE
Published: 24th August 2012
SAM ALLARDYCE hopes West Ham do not fall back into their old Premier League
habits of being soft touches on the road. Big Sam's Hammers had the best
away record in the Championship last season. But West Ham traditionally are
everyone's favourite home fixture — as they are usually a home banker. But
Allardyce takes his team to Swansea, along with new record £10.75million man
Matt Jarvis today. And he said: "We've got a different mentality on how to
play away from home and win and that is critical for every club because
winning is the name of the game. Even more so this year. "You want to go on
and hopefully take the euphoria of getting promoted into the early stages of
the Premier League and redeliver away performances like we did at the end of
last season. "Our last away performance, at Cardiff, was immaculate and if
we take that performance into Swansea they're going to find it hard to beat
us and we're going to have a chance of winning. "We didn't have to change
too much last season because we were better than most. This season we've got
to adapt."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sam hopes for cocky Swans
The Sun
Published: 24th August 2012
SAM ALLARDYCE is banking on Swansea getting cocky. The Swans are flying high
after their stunning 5-0 win at QPR last week. Allardyce's Hammers take on
the Welsh outfit at the Liberty Stadium tomorrow. And Big Sam is praying his
hosts take their eye of the ball. He said: "I don't know [if they will
suffer from over-confidence] — I hope so because if there is we may be able
to take advantage of that. "But somehow I don't think there will be.
"Everybody found it a hugely difficult task to beat them at their ground.
"On the back of them trying to continue that, and their magnificent result
against QPR, it will be a tough, tough match."
Allardyce last night broke West Ham's transfer record by signing Matt Jarvis
for £10million from Wolves. And the Upton Park chief says he is now putting
away his chequebook. Asked if any more players were on his radar, Allardyce
added: "Not at this moment in time. "We had a couple of players lined up
that were from abroad in case the Matt transfer didn't come off. "We have
obviously now said 'thanks but we can't go in that area any more'. "We wait
and see as always going into the mayhem of next week what might turn up, of
course."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
I'll make Moore history at West Ham
The Sun
Published: 24th August 2012
MATT JARVIS admits he is excited to join West Ham because of the history of
the club. The England winger, who will wear the No7 shirt at Upton Park, has
signed from Wolves in a £10.75million deal. He said: "I'm delighted to have
signed. It's a fantastic club and I'm pleased to be here. "It's a great club
and it's got great history and tradition. I know about Bobby Moore and the
history and tradition that go with that. "I'll be playing with some
fantastic players and it'll be great to get into training and I'm looking
forward to playing with them. "Hopefully I will add a bit of pace, crossing
and deliveries that will provide some assists."
Jarvis hopes the West Ham faithful get behind him following the big-money
move. He added: "I've been told about how good the fans are hopefully
they'll get behind me and I can show them what I can do. "It'll be straight
in and hit the ground running. There's no time to think about it, you've
just got to get on with it, which is good. "I hope to train with the team
today and then travel up to Swansea."
Hammers boss Sam Allardyce said. "From my point of view it is a big piece of
business for a terrific young man who will add a lot of quality to our team.
"Certainly from an attacking sense he is one of the best final-third
crossers in the Premier League and his stats were very good at Wolverhampton
Wanderers. "He delivers in the business end of the field and creates a lot
of chances and is a player that can give opposition defences an awful lot of
trouble. We are hoping he will produce that for us." Jarvis will go straight
into Allardyce's squad for the match at Swansea. Midfielder Jack Collison
remains sidelined with a knee injury while Alou Diarra and Modibo Maiga are
in contention to break into starting XI.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Royals appointment? West Ham's Cole wanted in £5m Reading swoop
The Mirror
Reading are preparing to move for West Ham striker Carlton Cole in what
would be one of their most-expensive transfers ever. Brian McDermott's
Royals have opened talks to land the England target man, who is available
from Sam Allardyce's club following their own summer spending spree. The
Russian-backed Premier League new boys will pay a fee rising to £5million
for Cole, as well as picking up his salary – which is close to another£3m a
season. It is a major break from the policy of sensible signings in
Reading's recent past, but there is enough cash for a dip into the market
that could make them fortunes if they survive in the top flight until next
term, when a massive new TV deal kicks in. Cole has had fitness problems and
the fee will include staged payments, but there is a good chance that the
full value will be achieved if he is a Royals regular. The 28-year-old
forward has been available for weeks as part of the Irons' busy wheeling and
dealing. Cole was in and out of the Hammers' promotion-winning Championship
side last term. And Reading will try and finalise a deal this weekend, ahead
of the transfer window shutting.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Swansea v West Ham team news: Chico could miss Hammers clash where Jarvis
will make debut
The Mirror
Centre-half Chico Flores has a groin problem and is a fitness doubt for
Swansea's Liberty Stadium clash with West Ham. Alan Tate, Garry Monk and
Kyle Bartley are all potential replacements if he is unavailable. Striker
Itay Shechter will miss out as Swansea are still awaiting the completion of
the paperwork for his loan move from Kaiserslautern. South Korea
international Ki Sung-yeung is set to join for a club record fee today but
will not be included in the squad, but Scott Sinclair will feature again
despite electing not to sign a new contract with the south Wales club.
Provisional squad: Vorm, Taylor, Flores, Tate, Williams, Britton, Orlandi,
Michu, Graham, Sinclair, Dyer, Routledge, Monk, Lita, Moore, De Guzman,
Rangel, Tremmel, Agustien, Gower, Richards, Bartley, Davies.
Jarvis arrival strengthens Hammers
Matt Jarvis will go straight into Sam Allardyce's squad for the match at
Swansea in the only change from last weekend's win over Aston Villa. Jarvis,
26, signed just over 24 hours before the Hammers kick-off at Swansea but
Allardyce confirmed on Thursday he has no concerns about throwing the
ex-Wolves player into his side.
Midfielder Jack Collison (knee) remains sidelined while Alou Diarra and
Modibo Maiga are in contention to break into starting XI.
Provisional squad: Jaaskelainen, Henderson, Demel, Tomkins, Collins, Reid,
McCartney, O'Brien, Potts, Spence, Diarra, Diame, Noble, Taylor, O'Neil,
Nolan, Jarvis, Vaz Te, Maiga, Maynard, Cole.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
