Daily WHUFC News - 2nd February 2014

Double delight for Nolan
WHUFC.com
Kevin Nolan was thrilled to notch a brace and help the Hammers to victory
over Swansea
01.02.2014

Kevin Nolan has waited all season to feed off Andy Carroll and the pair
returned with a bang to down Swansea City on Saturday. The Hammers skipper
scored both goals in his side's first home win of 2014, latching onto two
knockdowns from the big No9 to record his third and fourth strikes of the
season. Carroll was later shown red following an aerial tussle with
Swansea's Chico Flores, and although he was disappointed to see his team
mate receive the dismissal, he still hailed a wonderful effort from the
Hammers. He said: "We're absolutely delighted, it was a great victory after
a well deserved point on Wednesday night. "It's just marred by an incident,
but hopefully that'll get overturned and we can just get on with it and look
forward to what's going to be another tough game away to Aston Villa. "Andy
was gutted because he wanted to get minutes too, which is important for him,
and he's honest enough to say it's definitely not a red. You sort of know
when someone's done something wrong and I sort of knew he hadn't. "He was
very surprised, it was difficult, but we showed tremendous character to
grind the result out."

Nolan and Carroll are well known for their understanding in forward areas
and the skipper was delighted that their hard work on the training pitch is
paying off again. He continued: "Everyone's forgotten what it's like because
we haven't been able to do it on a regular basis for a long time - we knew
that the more and more he got his fitness up, we had that in us. "We've been
working hard on the training pitch together just to make sure that we get it
right, and today we reaped the rewards. "After a left-footed goal and the
header, I was hoping for a right-footer to get the perfect hat-trick! I'm
just delighted with another clean sheet - that's the most out of all the
Premier League clubs "It shows how hard we've been working, and now we've
got all the lads in there doing their bits and bobs."

Saturday also saw the return from injury of Winston Reid, and Nolan is sure
that as the Hammers injury list continues to clear, they will climb the
Barclays Premier League table. He added: "We have just got to make sure we
keep a clean bill of health now.and if we do you'll see performances like
today's throughout the rest of the season. "Saturday proved that with a
mostly-fit squad, we will get results. Hopefully now touch wood you'll see
us moving onwards and upwards."

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'Full marks to everybody'
WHUFC.com
Sam Allardyce said his West Ham United players produced a 'magnificent
effort' to overcome Swansea City
01.02.2014

Sam Allardyce hailed West Ham United's outstanding resilience for the second
time in four days after the Hammers secured a 2-0 home Barclays Premier
League win over Swansea City. The Hammers overcame the loss of Andy Carroll
to a second half red card to chalk up their first win at the Boleyn Ground
since 30 November. Two first-half goals from Kevin Nolan - both assisted by
Carroll headers - put West Ham in control before a magnificent rearguard
action ensured a victory to follow the midweek goalless draw at Chelsea.
"That was another example of that sort of resilience, which we also showed
at Chelsea and at Cardiff, when we also went down to ten men but managed to
turn a 1-0 advantage into a 2-0 win," said the manager. "As disappointed as
I was about Andy being sent-off, it was a magnificent effort by the players
to continue on to the end of the game and not allow Swansea City to produce
a single shot on target.
"It was pretty miraculous, having to defend with ten men in the Barclays
Premier League for so long, so full marks to everybody. The fans will have
gone home very happy and feeling slightly less tension after a 2-0 win."

Both goals came courtesy of the old Nolan/Carroll double-act. The first, on
26 minutes saw Carroll nod down George McCartney's diagonal cross for the
captain, who controlled before shooting accurately into the bottom corner.
The second came after Carroll had battled to win a corner on the stroke of
half-time. The striker then craned his neck to nod back across goal for
Nolan to stretch and head down into the corner - West Ham's first headed
goal of the season.
The half-time delight turned to exasperation just after the hour-mark, when
Carroll was involved in a challenge with Chico Flores which ended with the
Spaniard on the floor. Referee Howard Webb produced the red card, but BIg
Sam said the Club would definitely be appealing the decision and looking to
have Carroll's three-match ban rescinded. "Kevin Nolan and Andy Carroll
combined for two goals, with Kevin's quality finish coming to the fore. It
was great to have them back together and the big thing now is, can we keep
them together after that unfortunate incident with Andy getting a red card?
"I don't think it's a red card, it's as simple as that. We don't want Andy
to be suspended for three games now, having not had him for so long. He's
getting fitter and fitter and it would knock us all back if we lost him on
such a trivial incident, as far as I'm concerned. "We will be appealing the
red card."

While the red card left a sour taste in the mouth for Big Sam, the manager
certainly enjoyed the taste of Nolan's two pinpoint finishes. "The header
was behind Kevin and he had to get behind the ball and guide it down into
the corner, when most players wouldn't have been able to get it on target.
He also popped up with a left-foot volley into the bottom corner. "I have
been talking to Andy and Mo Diame a lot about their recent misses, because
they want to blast them. They want to get so much force behind them that
they lose their accuracy. Kevin places them into the net and he is accurate.
He takes a bit of pace out of it and it makes it a much more accurate finish
then the ones Andy and Mo sometimes try to do."

Having picked up two wins and a draw in their last four league matches, the
manager said West Ham will now travel to Aston Villa full of confidence next
weekend. There, a victory could really give his side the impetus to end the
season strongly. "If we go across the last four games, that's seven points,
which is as good as we've achieved all season. Hopefully, that will extend
into an undefeated run. We now have a full week to recover from a horrendous
programme of playing, travelling and recovering and injuries and suspensions
and the transfer window. "We've now got the league to concentrate on and
we've got the games to focus on one by one and make sure we've got points on
the board when we finish those games."

In closing, the manager summed up a breathless transfer window that saw the
Club sign seven players, release one and allow a number to leave on loan.
"January was horrendous, and that's an understatement. It always is for
everybody. We had injury problems and had to find new players which was very
difficult. If you look across the board, every club suffered the same
problems we did with continuous knockbacks from players. "In the end, we've
achieved as much as we possibly could have achieved through damn hard work
behind the scenes - particularly David Sullivan, Karren Brady and my head of
recruitment Martyn Glover. They all did what they could with every deal
trying to get a positive result. In the end, we did and hopefully those
players will make a big difference as well."

West Ham's final signing of the transfer window was clinched on Friday, when
Colombia left-back Pablo Armero joined on loan from Italian side Napoli. Big
Sam believes the Hammers could have a gem on their hands. "If you watched
Arsenal lose 2-0 away at Napoli in the Champions League, you'll have seen an
all-action player who is at a very good age and obviously wants to come and
try his hand in the Premier League. Hopefully he'll be an exciting addition
to us, especially after Joey's injury, which could extend into an operation.
"He's going to be needed in the near future and hopefully he can hit the
ground running."

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Nolan double fires Hammers to victory
WHUFC.com
Kevin Nolan scored twice as West Ham United scored a vital 2-0 victory over
Swansea City on Saturday
01.02.2014

West Ham United 2-0 Swansea City
Barclays Premier League

Kevin Nolan and Andy Carroll rekindled their partnership to devastating
effect as West Ham United gained three precious points against Swansea City
on Saturday. Nolan scored both Hammers goals in their 2-0 victory - with
both laid on by the big Geordie - as Sam Allardyce's men ended a two-month
wait for a home win. The pair's chemistry reminded the home fans of their
telepathic understanding, with Swansea unable to cope. However, it was not
all good news for the hosts, as Carroll was later dismissed after catching
Chico Flores with an arm as he landed following an aerial challenge. Whether
there was intent from the Hammers man was debatable, but Howard Webb reached
straight for the red card. Even with that handicap, West Ham were largely
untroubled for the remaining half-hour as the Welsh side struggled to test
Adrian in goal The Hammers drafted George McCartney and Matt Jarvis into the
team to replace Joey O'Brien and Mohamed Diame, who suffered injuries in the
midweek draw at Chelsea. After a quiet opening to the game, the Hammers
burst into life with the opening goal on 26 minutes. It was a case of the
famous Carroll-Nolan one-two combo as George McCartney lifted a ball into
the box for the big No9 to knock down for his skipper to control and fire an
arrow-straight left-footed shot into the net. The lead was nearly a
short-lived one though, as nine minutes later Jonjo Shelvey clipped a pass
over the top of the Hammers defence to chase. Wilfried Bony looked to have
timed his run just right, but as he was about to pull the trigger, James
Tomkins dived in to nick the ball off hie toes. Two minutes later Shelvey
was involved again when he found space in the left channel to advance to the
edge of the box before dragging a shot wide of the mark.

Swansea may have had more of the ball, but West Ham were more forceful when
attacking and they grabbed a priceless second with the half-time whistle
about to blow. Carroll did superbly to put Ashley Williams under pressure
and win a corner down the right, which Stewart Downing delivered, Carroll
rose magnificently to head back and Nolan glanced into the back of the net.
West Ham started the second period as they ended the first, with Matt Jarvis
nipping in front of Swansea stopper Tremmel and digging out a cut back, but
Ben Davies cleared with Nolan lurking. The positive mood inside the Boleyn
Ground was checked on the hour when Carroll was dismissed after clashing
with Chico following an aerial tussle. With the Hammers now a man light,
Swansea predictably enjoyed more and more possesion, yet remained utterly
toothless in attack. That Adrian did not have a serious save to make all
game spoke again of the Hammers' impressive resilience in defence as they
secured their 11th clean sheet of the season, and more importantly, their
fifth victory.

West Ham United: Adrian; Demel, Collins, Tomkins, McCartney; Nolan (Nocerino
87), Noble, Taylor (Reid 79); Downing, Carroll, Jarvis (C.Cole 66)
Subs: Jaaskelainen, Morrison, Johnson, Borriello
Goals: Nolan 26, Nolan 45+1
Booked: Noble
Sent off: Carroll

Swansea City: Tremmel; Tiendalli, Chico, Williams, Davies; Amat (Pozuelo
62), De Guzman; Dyer (Ngog 77), Shelvey (Hernandez 70), Routledge; Bony
Subs: Cornell, Britton, Lamah, Rangel

Referee: Howard Webb
Attendance: 31,848

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West Ham 2 Swansea 0
1 February 2014
Last updated at 15:21
By Mandeep Sanghera
BBC Sport

West Ham striker Andy Carroll set up two goals for captain Kevin Nolan
before being sent off as the Hammers beat relegation rivals Swansea. First
Carroll headed a cross down for midfielder Nolan, who controlled the ball
before driving home the opener. He then nodded a corner across goal for
Nolan to guide home with his head. The England forward was harshly sent off
after appearing to catch Chico Flores accidentally with his arm on 59
minutes, but West Ham held on to win. Flores went to ground clutching his
face and the hosts thought he had over-reacted, with replays showing contact
looked unintentional as Carroll tried to untangle himself after an aerial
challenge with the centre-back. Despite their numerical disadvantage, the
Hammers defended resiliently to comfortably keep the visitors at bay and
secure just a second win from their past 11 home league games. The Hammers
remain in the Premier League's bottom three, although they moved to within
two points of Swansea, who produced a lacklustre display and have taken just
two points from their past six away matches. Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho
accused West Ham of playing "19th Century football" after a goalless draw at
Stamford Bridge in midweek, but Sam Allardyce's men showed more attacking
intent here.

It is three very big and well-deserved points for West Ham. Andy Carroll and
Kevin Nolan were unstoppable in the first half and Swansea couldn't deal
with them at all. West Ham might appeal against Carroll's red card as Chico
exaggerated any contact. And they were rewarded when they took the lead with
the game's first shot on target. From a diagonal left-wing cross, Carroll
cushioned a header down for Nolan, who controlled the ball on his thigh
before driving in a left-foot shot. And the former Newcastle team-mates
linked up to double the home side's lead just before the break. Carroll did
well to reach a Stewart Downing corner to the far post and nod the ball
across goal, where Nolan was lurking to guide in a header. The goal means
six of Carroll's past 11 assists in the Premier League have been for Nolan
goals. Swansea, for their part, are certainly in need of a greater goal
threat, and the imminent return to training of the injured Michu, their top
scorer last season, cannot come soon enough. Their main chance in the first
half came when forward Wilfried Bony raced through on goal, only to be
denied by a last-ditch James Tomkins tackle. They continued to struggle
after the break and, even when Carroll was sent off, the visitors could not
find a breakthrough as they failed to trouble Hammers keeper Adrian.

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Andy Carroll: West Ham boss Sam Allardyce angry at sending off
BBC.co.uk

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce hopes the "injustice" of Andy Carroll's red
card against Swansea is overturned. Carroll was harshly sent off after a
clash with centre-back Chico Flores during a 2-0 win for the Hammers. "The
cruellest and biggest blow that will be paid to me and West Ham is if there
is the injustice when we appeal against the red card," said Allardyce.
"There has to be somebody to look at that in the cold light of day and say
that is certainly not a red card."

West Ham were already two goals up when the incident occurred. Carroll and
Flores went up for an aerial challenge and the latter went to ground after
being caught by the former's trailing arm as the pair untangled themselves.
Flores fell clutching his face, although replays showed any contact from the
Hammers forward looked accidental. Carroll, who has only recently returned
from a lengthy injury absence, had earlier set up Kevin Nolan to score both
of West Ham's goals. "The last thing we want is to lose Andy Carroll for
three games for a nothing incident," said Allardyce. "We hope when the
appeal goes in they see it the same way. "It's a shame we cannot get through
a game without somebody getting injured or sent off.

Asked about the actions of Flores, Allardyce said: "It is for [Swansea
manager] Michael [Laudrup] to deal with. It is his player. "He's got the
responsibility to handle his players and do what he feels is necessary."

Laudrup echoed Allardyce's belief that Carroll was harshly dismissed by
referee Howard Webb. "I think the decision was a bit harsh," said the Swans
boss. "There was contact, but contact like you have a lot of times."

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Allardyce on... Swansea City
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 1st February 2014
By: Staff Writer

Naturally delighted with the victory and three points, Big Sam was rather
less effusive with his praise of a certain Spanish defender...

Sam: Did you think it was a ridiculous red card?

I don't think you can say it's ridiculous because it's the reaction of the
player that makes life extremely difficult for the referee. So while I think
it was harsh you can understand why it was given based on the fact that he
must have thought the arm has smashed him in the face - and we all know it
hasn't.

It hit him on the forehead, didn't it?

It hit him on the top of the head. I'm glad to say it hasn't cost us
anything thanks to the actions and the brilliant 21st-century defending by
the players this afternoon... [laughs]

You know, Swansea hadn't had a shot on target at that particular time - in
fact they didn't have a shot on target all game. And we got quality
finishing today, which is something that we've been striving for on a
consistent basis. Now we've crawled our way out of the bottom three. We keep
doing it the difficult way, the hard way. We finished the game without any
injuries for the first time for I don't know how many weeks - but then we
had one sent off again.

We had another one sent off at Cardiff not so long ago, so we just want to
win a game of football without getting anyone sent off or injured! That'd be
nice for a change. But it was a great result for us and one that's taken a
little bit of pressure off. We can have a better week now all the rumours
and toing-and-froing with that stupid transfer window that we have to put up
with in January is over.

We've hopefully got four very good players to contribute to our squad who
can make a difference, as well as the players we've already got now they're
back from injury.

Will you appeal against that red card?

We will appeal, yes.

Do you think Chico Flores made too much of it?

[long silence followed by laughs] Did you see our game at Swansea?

They've just played a replay [on TV]...

Did you see that? When he did it right there in front of me? He squealed as
well as held his face, you know. It's not the right reaction but he's not my
player, he's Michael's player so that's for him to sort out, not me.

I didn't think it was the right way to act but unfortunately for us, Andy's
been sent off. We hope that the appeal will work and we don't lose him. We
haven't lost anything today because of it and hopefully we don't lose Andy
for three games, because it was a straight red which is obviously a big
disappointment for us.

You were able to laugh off the incident at Swansea; what did you say to him
today?

I didn't say anything to him today. He's better off me not saying anything
or even approaching it. We don't have a player like that, you can see we
don't have a player like that. None of our players, in today's game,
attempted anything of the sort.

If anyone could have done anything remotely like Chico Flores did today it
would have been Matt Jarvis when he went round the 'keeper. He could have
left his leg hanging, like most do, let it catch the goalkeeper and dive
over. We could have got a penalty and had the 'keeper sent off but he
didn't; he stayed on his feet, went round the 'keeper and tried to score a
goal. We don't have players like that.

Even though you're appealing the reality at the moment is that you're
without him for three matches if you lose that. You've only just got him
back.

All I can hope is that in the cold light of day, the panel see it for what
it is.

But how fantastic and how effective was he for the first 60 minutes?

He's not at his best yet, either. We'll see the players start feeding Andy
Carroll with the right service as the games go on. His ability to hold the
ball up and cause problems aerially is obviously his major strength, he just
needs to start scoring a goal or two which is his next challenge - assuming
the appeal is dismissed and we don't lose him.

He's made two today for Kevin. Make another couple in the next game and
score one yourself and let's get the goals racked up. We've had 11 clean
sheets this year and nobody else is greater than us in terms of not
conceding goals. Two of those clean sheets have come with ten men so we've
got the basis of being solid and making sure that we give the opposition no
chances - or few chances - which gives us a platform to go on and win more
football matches on a regular basis now.

Have you had the chance to speak to Andy and how angry is he?

He's gutted. He's absolutely beside himself, but that aside we just have to
go through the process and see what happens in midweek. After that process
whatever decision is made we have to get on with it. Let's hope it's the
right one.

With Andy Carroll, Kevin Nolan looks a completely different player?

Well I'm surprised he didn't get Man of the Match today but I thought his
contribution, all over the pitch, was a proper captain's contribution. You
could see what it means to him to score goals and how much confidence it
gives players when they put the ball in the back of the net. We knew that
combination [with Carroll] was a very good one before they teamed up here.

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Laudrup on....West Ham United
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 1st February 2014
By: Staff Writer No.2

Michael Laudrup has the good grace to look and sound embarrassed at the
antics of one of his players in today's post-match press conference...

Firstly Michael, what did you make of the sending-off?

Well from my position – and I've only seen it once – I think there was
contact but it was a bit harsh. There's contact like we see a lot of times
in every game. The referee is an international and had no doubt it was a red
card. My personal opinion is there was contact, but not much more.

Do you think Chico Flores made too much of it?

I can't say. There's contact, yeah, so maybe he did. The referee is an
international so he must have seen an elbow that Carroll gave and judged
that he did it on purpose. It's not really a matter of how bad it was.
Sometimes the rules they say that if there is intention that is enough. It's
like when you come in for a tackle and you don't catch the player but you
could have - it could be a red card anyway. For me there was contact, but
not much more.

Have you seen a replay of the incident?

No.

It appears that Carroll's trailing arm catches Flores on the forehead but he
then goes down clutching his face?

I'll have to see that.

Is it not something that embarrasses you as a manager? It's clear that he is
trying to get Andy Carroll sent off. Do you not have a view on that as his
manager?

I don't know that he wanted to get him sent off. I'll have to talk to him as
to what his intention was. I haven't spoken to him yet.

Would you have been disappointed had it been one of your players getting
sent off like that?

I'm not judging players. I played myself once! First of all I didn't make so
many fouls as they did on me! We're all different and I must repeat I
haven't spoken to Chico yet.

Why did Swansea find Andy Carroll so difficult to contain in the first half?

We really struggled – we knew with the return of Andy Carroll it would be a
direct game. It was the same when we played here – I think it was exactly a
year ago.

We struggled in the first half. It was disappointing that the first goal
came from exactly the situation we analysed before the game. There would be
a lot of crosses if it's close to goal then there's a goal chance but if
it's not -it's the second ball. Far post, Andy Carroll heads it backwards
and we should have been there quicker.

Amat left Nolan?

We were more watching what was happening with Carroll but he can't score
from there – it's impossible. The second goal is disappointing as well.
Already this season we've had goals in injury time – in the league and at
the end in the Europa League. It's really disappointing, the first goal, how
it happened and the second. 2-0 down.

I watched the whole game at Stamford Bridge the other day and knew it would
be really difficult. West Ham would close down with nine or ten men just
outside the box. Even with Carroll sent off, though we had a lot of
possession we didn't create the big, big chances. We have to admit that.

How concerned are you about your position? You're only two points clear of
West Ham?

It was the same before the game as it was after the game. I don't let myself
get carried away when we won the other day or down now because we lost
today. I said before the Fulham game -and I've had the same opinion for
quite some time now - there are a lot of teams in there. Let's talk in a
month's time after three or four more games. See if someone has got out of
that group of eleven teams.

There will be changes from match day to match day. We will face our direct
opponents. We had Fulham, then West Ham, Cardiff, then Stoke. Then Crystal
Palace in a few weeks as well, I think. West Ham's is more or less the same.


How does it feel to be involved in a relegation fight when there are ten or
11 teams involved?

It's very level between those teams. Even last year there were a lot of
teams involved. Maybe not eleven, but seven or eight until the last five or
six games. I don't think it's special.

The difference this year is that there aren't one or two teams stuck down
there 8-10 points behind, like we saw at a certain stage last year with
Reading and QPR. It might get even more - well I don't like the word
"interesting" because we're part of it, but for the neutral it's
interesting.

Thank you.

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West Ham will appeal Andy Carroll's red card
Last Updated: 02/02/14 7:21am
SSN

Sam Allardyce says West Ham will appeal against the dismissal of Andy
Carroll in Saturday's 2-0 victory over Swansea. The England striker was
making only his third start of the season in the Premier League clash at
Upton Park. He twice provided cushioned headers for Kevin Nolan to score in
the first half, before being sent off for an altercation with Swansea
defender Chico Flores in the second. Carroll caused chaos in the visiting
defence, but on 59 minutes he received a straight red card from referee
Howard Webb after appearing to brush the defender with his elbow. "We will
appeal it, yes," said Allardyce. "We will hope that the appeal will work.
Hopefully we don't lose Andy for three games. "He's gutted. He's absolutely
beside himself. We'll just have to go through the process and see what
happens in midweek."

A three-match suspension would rule Carroll out for the rest of February and
matches with Aston Villa, Norwich and Southampton. Allardyce added: "All I
can hope is that the panel, in the cold light of day, see it for what it
is."

Sam Allardyce accused Chico Flores of getting Andy Carroll sent off and says
they will appeal against his red card. The Hammers boss blamed Flores for
the sending off, which came after Carroll and the defender had been involved
in an aerial duel. When Swansea drew 0-0 with West Ham at the Liberty
Stadium in October, Allardyce laughed in the face of Chico after the latter
had gone to ground clutching his face and moaning following a challenge from
Carlton Cole.
Allardyce said: "That was him squealing and centre-halves aren't supposed to
squeal, are they?"

Referring back to Saturday's game, he said: "If we're going to red card
people for that, then we might as well stop playing and I might as well
retire. "He (Webb) can't be absolutely certain of what's happened, except
that Chico Flores is over-exaggerating, which is generally the norm for him
unfortunately."

The win was West Ham's first at home in the Premier League since the
November 30 defeat of Fulham and came after a morale-boosting 0-0 draw at
Chelsea, after which Jose Mourinho accused Allardyce of deploying
19th-century tactics. "It (the sending off) hasn't cost us anything by the
actions and the brilliant 21st-century defending by the players," Allardyce
added. "And we got quality finishing today which is something we've been
striving for on a consistent basis.
"It's a great result for us and one that's taken a little bit of pressure
off."

Carroll's performance provided a major boost to Allardyce. "His ability to
hold the ball up and cause problems aerially is obviously his major
strength," Allardyce said. "He just needs to start scoring a goal or two,
which is now his next challenge, in the hope we don't lose him. "He's made
two today for Kevin. Make another couple the next game and score one
yourself." Allardyce reserved special praise for Nolan. "His contribution
today all over the pitch was a proper captain's contribution," Allardyce
said. Saturday's win briefly took West Ham out of the drop zone, but they
ended the day in 18th - behind West Brom on goal difference - after Stoke
beat Manchester United.

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Kevin Nolan scores twice as West Ham beat Swansea 2-0
Last Updated: 01/02/14 6:31pm
SSN

West Ham claimed three crucial Premier League points as Kevin Nolan scored
twice in a 2-0 home win over Swansea. However, the Hammers' victory at Upton
Park on Saturday was marred by the sending-off of Andy Carroll - who had set
up both of Nolan's goals - shortly before the hour mark.

Best of the match

Man of the match: Andy Carroll's red card means Kevin Nolan scoops this
accolade pretty much unchallenged after scoring the two goals which gave
West Ham this crucial victory.

Goal of the match: For the opener, Nolan skilfully controlled Carroll's
knock down before blasting an unstoppable volley into the corner of the net.

Moment of the match: The second goal highlighted the Carroll-Nolan
combination - Swansea failed to cope with Carroll's aerial domination
throughout and for the second time, it was his header that laid the killer
goal on a plate for Nolan.

Talking point: Carroll was somewhat controversially shown a straight red
card for catching Chico Flores, who went down rather theatrically to say the
least, with an arm following an aerial tussle. Right or wrong, Carroll's
absence in the next three games will be noticed greatly by the Hammers
unless of course they are successful with any potential appeal.

The hosts took the lead after 25 minutes. A long ball forward into the box
was headed down by Carroll for Nolan, who controlled on his chest before
crashing a superb volley into the net. Their second came from a Stewart
Downing corner in first-half stoppage time. The delivery towards the back
post was headed by Carroll across the face of goal for Nolan to nod home
from close range. However, West Ham were reduced to 10 men in the second
half when Carroll was sent off for what referee Howard Webb deemed to be an
aggressive elbow to the face of Chico after an aerial tussle. Replays
suggested it might be a harsh decision but unless West Ham win an appeal,
Carroll - who was making only his third start of the season - will miss
their next three games. The Hammers' victory was their first at home in the
league since November 30 and briefly took them out of the drop zone,
although they ended the day in 18th, behind West Brom on goal difference.
Swansea are 12th, just two points better off. Sam Allardyce made two
enforced changes following the 0-0 draw at Chelsea. Defender George
McCartney replaced Joey O'Brien (shoulder) and winger Matt Jarvis came in
for Mohamed Diame (knee), while defender Winston Reid was on the bench and
in line for a first appearance since November 2 following ankle surgery.
Swansea made three changes from the side which beat Fulham 2-0 in midweek,
with Dwight Tiendalli, Jordi Amat and Nathan Dyer coming in, while new
signing David Ngog was named on the bench. The first time a meaningful
string of passes was put together, there was a goal. West Ham broke from
deep and left-back McCartney drilled a cross into the area which Carroll
stretched to reach. His header found the late-arriving Nolan, who chested
the ball down before volleying into the bottom corner. It was a goal made in
Newcastle in a link-up Allardyce has been desperate to see all season.
Swansea had an opportunity to respond when Jonjo Shelvey found Wilfred Bony
with a bouncing ball.
James Tomkins, who was the last defender, had to time has challenge well and
did so as Bony was waiting for the ball to drop for a shot. Shelvey shot
wide and Ashley Williams blasted over as Swansea again failed to test Adrian
as they struggled to contain Carroll at the other end. Carroll forced the
corner which resulted in the second. Downing's inswinging cross was met at
the far post by Carroll, who craned his neck enough to direct the ball back
into the six-yard box and Nolan headed it inside the post to double his
tally for the season. Shelvey had been marking the post, but the ball beat
him. Swansea clearly had not worked out how to deal with Carroll, whose
participation came to an abrupt end. Flores was climbing all over Carroll as
they tangled in trying to meet an aerial ball near the halfway line. As the
striker threw the defender off his back, the Swansea man felt contact and
went down theatrically. Carroll was shown red by Webb, marched down the
tunnel in disgust and Allardyce exchanged words with Flores on the touchline
after the Spaniard had received treatment. Flores and Webb were roundly
booed thereafter. Reid came off the bench, with Allardyce expecting a late
onslaught from the visitors. But Bony clipped substitute Alejandro Pozuelo's
cross over and there was no late rally for Michael Laudrup's visitors as
Upton Park celebrated a rare win and ensured Flores was aware of the
scoreline.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Andy Carroll red card 'harsh', says Swansea boss Michael Laudrup
Last Updated: 02/02/14 7:22am
SSN

Swansea manager Michael Laudrup has admitted the decision to dismiss West
Ham's Andy Carroll on Saturday was "harsh". The Swans were beaten 2-0 by the
Hammers in the Premier League clash at Upton Park. For both goals, Carroll
set up Kevin Nolan to score - but referee Howard Webb sent off the England
striker in the second half after an altercation with Chico Flores. Carroll's
arm hit the Spaniard after an aerial duel, with Webb adjudging that the
action had been deliberate - something Laudrup admitted was open to dispute.
He said: "I think there was contact, but I think it was a bit harsh, contact
like we see a lot of times in every game. "The rules say if there's an
intention, it's enough. It's like if you come in for a tackle and you don't
catch the player, but you could've and it could be a red card anyway." Sam
Allardyce said afterwards that West Ham would appeal the decision and
criticised Chico. Laudrup said he was yet to speak to the centre-back about
the incident immediately after the match. The Swansea boss, whose side are
now 12th and just two points above the drop zone, lamented his side's
failure to cope with Carroll. "We really struggled with them physically,"
Laudrup added. "It's a little disappointing that the first goal came from
exactly the situation we analysed and talked about before the game. "The
second goal is disappointing as well."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
OPEN LETTER: I CANNOT BE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT WEST HAM'S FUTURE
By Iain Dale 2 Feb 2014 at 08:21
West Ham Till I Die

Dear Iain,

I have become increasingly concerned at the plight our of club, and have
written a letter detailing my concerns about our Transfer Policy. Would it
be possible for you to forward this Letter to David Sullivan?

I have been reading West Ham Till I Die for many years, although I rarely
post. I write now, as a West Ham fan of many years as I feel completely
disappointed and somewhat puzzled again at our Transfer Activity, not only
in this window, but in previous windows under the current board.

The signing of Marco Borriello, a 31 year old who has scored 1 goal this
season, to solve our goal scoring problems I find quite frankly
unbelievable. Considering our struggle to score goals stretches way back
into last season, our failure to rectify this problem again leaves me very
unoptimistic for the future. I would be surprised if this player scored even
a goal for our beloved club. What further irritates me is our failure to
land any striker we seem to go for. From quality players such as Lacina
Traore and Kostas Mitroglau this January, to Romelu Lukaku and Demba Ba in
the summer to name just a few, our club continuously loses out to others
clubs on strikers. Our board seem so desperate to pursue loan signings to
save money that we are always destined to sign players not of adequate
standard.

Whilst I totally understand that signing players is an incredibly difficult
business, it appears other clubs do not find it as difficult as we do. I
shall use Fulham as an example. Despite being below us in the Barclays
Premier League, they have managed to secure Johnny Heitinga from Everton,
who rejected us based on league position. Likewise, they have signed Kostas
Mitroglau from Olympiakos, a proven goalscorer, which proves that quality
players will join clubs in a relegation battle. Also, if our interest in the
player was genuine, why did we wait until 31st January to declare an
interest given our longstanding failure to score goals? Equally, if we were
prepared to spend £12m on this player, why could these funds not be spent
elsewhere on other players of similar quality?

I list below all the striker signed by David Sullivan and David Gold during
their time at West Ham:

1. Benni McCarthy
2. Araujo Ilan
3. Mido
4. Freddie Piquionne
5. Victor Obinna
6. Demba Ba
7. Robbie Keane
8. John Carew
9. Sam Baldock
10. Nicky Maynard
11. Modibo Maiga
12. Andy Carroll
13. Marouane Chamakh
14. Wellington Paulista
15. Mladen Petric
16. Marco Borriello

Can anyone realistically look at this list of strikers and claim any of them
have been a long-term success in terms of scoring goals? Whilst I was
delighted that we signed Andy Carroll, that signing now appears a
misjudgement, based on the large fee paid and his injury record. Based on
the above list, I would like our board to review their policy of signing
large numbers of cheap strikers, and focus on paying good money, like Fulham
have with Mitroglu, for quality players.

Whilst Pablo Armero is a player I look forward to seeing play at Upton Park,
the signing of Roger Johnson, from League One Wolves, and a player with 3
relegations on his CV leaves much to be desired. Whilst Antonio Nocerrino is
a good player, I would question his aptitude for a 15 game battle for our
Premier League lives. Indeed, I eagerly anticipate how many games he will
actually start for West Ham United. Given Sam Allardyce's continuous
selection of Kevin Nolan, I would be surprised if became a regular in our
side. This signing is yet again evidence of the short-termism that seems to
have developed at Upton Park under our current board. With the exception of
Andy Carroll, there have been little, long-term investments in our team.
Also, our reluctance to sign younger players means our long term future does
not appear bright.

Whilst I question Sam Alladyce's suitability to continue as West Ham manager
based on results this season, and the signings he has made, I also believe
the board's failure to back him with anything more than a loan signing in
this window is not only extremely disappointing for supporters, but shows a
reluctance to back the manager. Whilst of course the manager is responsible
for our failure in the transfer market, demonstrated again by Razvan Rat's
release just 6 months after signing, the limited finance he has had
available, means he has been forced to sign players perhaps he ideally would
not want to. Given the increased revenue in the Premier League with the new
TV deal, our lack of spending is all the more disappointing.

Whilst I will support the team passionately throughout the challenging games
that await us, I personally feel the current board's short-term approach,
with a reluctance to spend money on quality additions to the squad, leaves
us in an extremely perilous position. As a keen reader of West Ham Til I
Die, a site I believe in general provides fair and honest debate about West
Ham, I believe my views are shared by many supporters. I would like the
board to reconsider their transfer policy whatever the outcome at the end of
the season to concentrate on quality signings for the long term to really
give our club a sustained and bright future in the Premier League. Otherwise
I foresee continued troubles for the club we all love for years to come.

Yours sincerely

Tim Lovegrove

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce FURIOUS over Andy Carroll's red card and Chico
Flores' 'squealing'
Feb 01, 2014 22:30 By Ralph Ellis 1 Comments
The Mirror

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce accused Swansea's Chico Flores of "squealing"
to get Andy Carroll a red card. The England striker was sent off by World
Cup Final referee Howard Webb after an hour of Hammers' 2-0 win at Upton
Park. Allardyce insisted that the Hammers will appeal the dismissal. TV
pictures showed that Carroll's flailing forearm caught the top of Chico's
head as the two fell over each other – but the Spaniard then rolled on the
ground clutching his face. Allardyce said: "He squealed as well as held his
face. Centre-halves are not meant to squeal. He is not my player, he is
Michael Laudrup's player, so that is for him to sort out. "But I don't think
it was the right way to react, but unfortunately he did and Andy has been
sent off. "We will appeal We have not lost anything today because of it, and
hopefully we don't lose him for three games. "Andy is gutted. He is beside
himself. We just have to go through the process and see what happens and
after that we will just get on with it."

Allardyce was involved in a touchline spat with Chico when Hammers played at
The Liberty Stadium earlier in the season. He added: "I didn't say anything
to him today. It is better off me not discussing it with him. "We don't have
a player like that at our club." Even Swans boss Michael Laudrup plans to
talk to Chico about the incident and his reaction. He said: "I have not seen
a replay so I will have to look at that. I don't know if Chico wanted to get
him sent off. I have to talk to him about his intentions and I have not done
so yet. "I am not judging anybody. I played myself once. First of all I
didn't make so many fouls, they were on me, but we are all different. I
don't want to judge anybody. "I have not spoken to Chico but of course I
will do that. "From my position I thought there was contact but I thought it
was like you see a lot of times in every game. The referee is an
international and he had no doubt it was a red card, but I thought it was
harsh." Asked if he felt Chico attempted to make a meal of the clash, he
said: "I cannot say, maybe he did. The referee saw an elbow and must have
judged that Carroll did it on purpose." Chico, who was not travelling back
on Swansea's team coach, had to be ushered into a taxi outside the ground
afterwards by security guards to keep him away from angry West Ham fans.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Joe Cole could join the MLS in summer and emulate Jermain Defoe's big money
move
Feb 01, 2014 22:30 By Dave Kidd
The Mirror

Joe Cole is in line for a money-spinning move to Major League Soccer. The
West Ham midfielder is out of contract in May and it is believed he will not
be offered a new deal if Sam Allardyce remains in charge at Upton Park.
Cole, 32, is one of several Premier League players who is of interest to MLS
Commissioner Don Garber – and he is already free to negotiate with foreign
clubs. The MLS is run on a different model to European leagues with the
League itself signing players and agreeing contracts, rather than individual
clubs. Former Chelsea and England star Cole, the father of two young
children, would be keen to stay in the Premier League if he can match his
current £50,000-a-week wages. But he knows he would earn more by moving to
the States as one of the three 'designated players' allowed at each club,
exceeding the League's salary cap. Cole rejoined his boyhood club West Ham
from Liverpool last January but has struggled to nail down a regular
first-team place under Allardyce, with whom he has a frosty relationship.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

http://vyperz.blogspot.com



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Daily WHUFC News - 1st February 2014

Swansea City match preview
WHUFC.com
Find all the important pre-match information ahead of Saturday's game
against Swansea City
31.01.2014

WEST HAM UNITED v SWANSEA CITY
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
SATURDAY 1 FEBRUARY 2014
KICK-OFF: 12.45PM
REFEREE: HOWARD WEBB
FULL AUDIO AND TEXT COMMENTARY - WEST HAM TV

iPHONE APP I TWITTER I FACEBOOK I PODCAST I INSTAGRAM I YOUTUBE
Match Sponsor

Introduction
• West Ham United entertain Swansea City in Saturday's early kick-off in the
Barclays Premier League, looking to record their first home win of 2014.
• The Hammers will be hoping to follow up a superb goalless draw against
Chelsea on Wednesday night with a first home league win since a 3-0 victory
against Fulham on 30 November 2013.

• Five home games have passed without a win since the triumph against
Fulham, with a 3-0 Capital One Cup semi-final second leg defeat to
Manchester City the team's last outing at the Boleyn Ground.

• Sam Allardyce's side also suffered a defeat in their last league match in
front of the home fans, going down 3-1 to Newcastle United on 18 January.

• Saturday's visitors Swansea City arrive on the back of scoring their first
league win in nine matches, having beaten Fulham 2-0 at the Liberty Stadium
on Tuesday night.

• The Swans have however gone five away league games without a win, their
last success on the road being a 2-1 victory against Fulham at Craven
Cottage.

• Michael Laudrup's team have risen to eleventh place in the Premier League
following their latest victory, five points above the Hammers.

Team news

West Ham United

• Joey O'Brien will miss the game after dislocating his shoulder in the 0-0
draw with Chelsea on Wednesday night. Mo Diame was also forced off against
the Blues with a suspected knee injury and it remains to be seen whether he
will feature.

• Winston Reid and Ricardo Vaz Te are back in full training and may be fit
enough to feature against the Swans.

Swansea City

• Garry Monk is a long-term absentee and will not feature against the
Hammers.

• Michu and Jose Canas are nearing a return following injuries but Saturday
may come too soon for them.

• Goalkeeper Gerhard Tremmel is likely to continue to deputise in the
absence of Michel Vorm.

Last time out

Chelsea 0-0 West Ham United
Barclays Premier League
29 January 2014

West Ham United: Adrian, Demel, Collins, Tomkins, O'Brien, Diame (Jarvis
30), Taylor, Noble, Nolan (Nocerino 80), Downing, Carroll (C Cole 64)
Subs not used: Jaaskelainen, McCartney, Morrison, Borriello

Swansea City 2-0 Fulham
Barclays Premier League
28 January 2014

Swansea City: Tremmel, Rangel, Davies, Williams, Chico, De Guzman (Pozuelo
88), Hernandez (Dyer 58), Britton, Bony, Shelvey (Amat 79), Routledge
Subs not used: Taylor, Cornell, Lamah, Alvaro
Goals: Shelvey 61, Chico 75

Previous meeting

A wet and windy match at the Liberty Stadium ended in a goalless draw as
both sides toiled in the difficult conditions. Jussi Jaaskelainen made a
couple of great saves to preserve his fifth clean sheet of the campaign
whilst Ravel Morrison, Guy Demel, Mo Diame and Kevin Nolan were all guilty
of missing chances at the other end.

Swansea City: Vorm, Rangel, Chico, Williams, Taylor, De Guzman, Britton,
Dyer, Michu Routledge (Hernandez 61), Vazquez (Bony 66)
Subs not used: Tremmel, Amat, Tiendalli, Canas, Pozuelo

West Ham United: Jaaskelainen, Demel, Reid, Tomkins, Rat, Diame (C Cole 64),
Noble, Downing, Vaz Te (Jarvis 34), Morrison (J Cole 78), Nolan
Subs not used: Adrian, O'Brien, Maiga, Taylor

Head to head

Last six meetings (Premier League unless stated)

27 October 2013 Swansea City 0-0 West Ham United
2 February 2013 West Ham United 1-0 Swansea City
25 August 2012 Swansea City 3-0 West Ham United
13 January 1999 Swansea City 1-0 West Ham United (FA Cup Third Round Replay)
02 January 1999 West Ham United 1-1 Swansea City (FA Cup Third Round)
07 October 1985 Swansea City 2-3 West Ham United (League Cup Second Round
Second Leg)
Overall record v Swansea City (all competitions) W 26 D 13 L 17

Ten-year record

West Ham United

2012/13 Premier League 10th (46 points)
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)
Swansea City

2012/13 Premier League 9th (46 points)
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)


Background

• West Ham United and Swansea City have met each other on 56 occasions with
the Hammers prevailing 26 times, Swansea triumphant on 17 occasions and 13
matches ending as draws.

• The clubs first met in an FA Cup first round tie at Vetch Field on 7
January 1922, when the Third Division Swans held the Second Division Hammers
to a 0-0 draw.

• That stalemate saw the sides meet again four day later - the first
encounter between the two at the Boleyn Ground - and again saw a draw, this
time finishing 1-1 with Vic Watson scoring for the home side.

• West Ham's biggest home win against their Welsh opponents came back on 18
January 1958, when Ted Fenton's team recorded a resounding 6-2 win in the
Second Division.
• Swansea have only ever enjoyed victory at the Boleyn Ground once, that win
coming on 25 August 1956 in a Division Two encounter.

• The last encounter between the clubs at the Boleyn Ground on 2 February
2013 ended in a West Ham win thanks to Andy Carroll netting the only goal of
the game 13 minutes from the end of the match.

Referee

• Saturday's referee will be Howard Webb. Webb began officiating in
Yorkshire in 1989. He took charge of his first Barclays Premier League match
as a referee in October 2003 and has since been the man-in-the-middle for a
host of high-profile fixtures, including the 2010 FIFA World Cup final
between Spain and Holland in South Africa.

• He also refereed the 2012 npower Championship Play-Off final at Wembley,
when West Ham United beat Blackpool 2-1 at Wembley to secure promotion.

• Previously, Webb also refereed the 2005 FA Community Shield, 2006 FA
Trophy final and in the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championships, as well
as taking charge of his first UEFA Champions League match in 2006. The
former police officer was referee for the 2007 Carling Cup final and was
selected as England's representative at Euro 2008, taking charge of the
first match of the tournament between Austria and Poland and the Group D
fixture between Greece and eventual champions Spain.

• This season, Webb officiated the Hammers' opening Barclays Premier League
match against Cardiff City and the 0-0 draw with Aston Villa, also at the
Boleyn Ground.

• Webb will be assisted on Saturday by Sian Massey, Scott Ledger and the
fourth official will be Jonathan Moss.

General information

• Tickets for Saturday's Kids for a Quid match are still available. To buy
tickets view our ticket page by clicking here.

• The weather forecast for Saturday afternoon is sunny intervals with
temperatures around 7C (44F).

• Click here for the latest travel news on TFL routes, here for Greater
Anglia services, and here for c2c services.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers snap up Armero
WHUFC.com
West Ham United have signed Colombia international Pablo Armero on loan
until the end of the season
31.01.2014

West Ham United are delighted to announce the signing of Colombia
international Pablo Armero on loan until the end of the 2013/14 season.
Left-back Armero joins the Hammers from Italian Serie A side SSC Napoli,
having previously starred for America Cali in his homeland, Brazilian side
Palmeiras and Italian club Udinese. A regular for his country, the
27-year-old has been capped 49 times and featured in all but one of
Colombia's 16 qualifiers as the South American nation reached the 2014 FIFA
World Cup finals. Born in the port city of Tumaco in south western Colombia,
Armero made more than 100 league appearances for America Cali before moving
to Palmeiras in 2009. The 5'9" left-back spent 18 months in São Paulo,
helping Palmeiras to reach the Copa Libertadores quarter-finals and earning
himself a move to Europe in summer 2010. Armero's first season at Udinese in
2010/11 was hugely successful, with the defender helping The Little Zebras
to finish fourth in Serie A and qualify for the UEFA Champions League. He
was also voted into the Serie A Team of the Year. After starting regularly
for Udinese throughout the 2011/12 and opening weeks of the 2012/13 seasons,
Armero was loaned to Napoli in January 2013 before making the move permanent
last summer. After being used mainly as a substitute last season, the
defender has made nine Serie A starts this term. He also started four of
Napoli's six UEFA Champions League group-stage fixtures, including the 2-0
home win over Arsenal in December.

At international level, Armero has been a regular starter for Colombia since
making his senior debut in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying defeat in Chile
in September 2008. While Colombia narrowly missed out on qualification for
South Africa, Armero did feature at the 2011 Copa America, where 'Los
Cafeteros' reached the quarter-finals. The defender was an integral member
of Colombia's 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, starting 14 of his
country's 16 matches as they finished as runners-up to Argentina. Barring
injury, he is almost certain to travel to Brazil.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Duo depart
WHUFC.com
Modibo Maiga has joined QPR on loan, while Razvan Rat has left the Club by
mutual consent
31.01.2014

West Ham United can confirm that striker Modibo Maiga has joined Sky Bet
Championship side Queens Park Rangers on loan for the remainder of the
2013/14 season. The deal includes the option of a permanent move to west
London at the end of the season. Maiga, 26, has scored once in 14 Barclays
Premier League games this term and has not featured since Andy Carroll's
return to fitness earlier this month. The Mali international joined the
Hammers in the summer of 2012 from French Ligue Un club Sochaux, having
previously played for Stade Malien in his homeland, Raja Casablanca in
Morocco and Le Havre after moving to France. He has played 39 games for the
Club, finding the net six times in total, with half of those goals coming in
Capital One Cup fixtures - including memorably in the Hammers' 2-1 victory
at Tottenham Hotspur in December. The Club can also confirm that Razvan Rat
has departed after his contract was terminated by mutual consent. The
Romanian left-back leaves the Boleyn Ground after making 20 appearances for
the Hammers since joining on a free transfer in July 2013. The Club would
like to thank Razvan for his efforts and wish him all the best in his future
career.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Macca relishing Laudrup duel
WHUFC.com
Assistant manager Neil McDonald is looking forward to locking horns with
Swansea City boss Michael Laudrup
01.02.2014

Neil McDonald is looking forward to locking horns on Saturday with a man he
used to drool over during his playing days. Back in the 1980s, West Ham
United's assistant manager was a Newcastle United and Everton full-back and
a huge fan of Swansea City manager and former Juventus, Real Madrid,
Barcelona and Denmark attacker Michael Laudrup - a man considered to be his
country's greatest-ever player. While their paths never crossed on the
pitch, largely due to the ban on English clubs competing in European
competition, McDonald and Laudrup will face one another when West Ham host
Swansea in the Barclays Premier League this weekend. "He was a fantastic
player, wasn't he? Wow!" said McDonald, when asked about Laudrup. "For
somebody who played at the top level all the time, then to transfer that
into management and try to get the best out of his players, is fantastic.
"I've got a lot of admiration for him. I went to watch a match years ago at
Brondby and it was the first time I'd seen a manager with a leather jacket
and jeans on and I thought 'Wow! I wouldn't mind being a manager and looking
like that!" "He is in control of himself and knows what he is doing and I've
got a lot of respect for him."

Laudrup guided Swansea to ninth in the Barclays Premier League and League
Cup triumph in his first season with the club last term. This season,
Swansea are through to the UEFA Europa League last 32 and the FA Cup with
Budweiser fifth round, while a midweek win over Fulham has eased the Swans'
relegation fears. "As a manager, he has done very well," McDonald continued.
"He has won a cup and his team play some very good football. "We have taken
a point off them already this season and we are hoping to take another three
off them. It'll be a tough battle, that's for sure."

While West Ham may not pass the ball quite as often as Saturday's visitors,
McDonald moved to downplay Jose Mourinho's comments that West Ham played
'19th century football' against Chelsea in midweek. "I think, if you've been
to the majority of West Ham games, you can tell that we don't play like that
all the time! Jose doesn't come and watch us all the time, either! "We do
play some really good football and we have scored the majority of our goals
from open play, so I'd suggest we are not just a long-ball or defensive
team. We have a mixture and football is all about getting results, and it
doesn't matter how you get them. "At times, you have to be route-one and
sometimes you have to be expansive. We have a decent balance between those
styles. "There are lots of things we need to improve on this season -
attacking, scoring more goals and trying to keep more clean sheets - but we
have kept ten clean sheets this season and we just need to score more
goals."

Speaking on Friday morning ahead of the closure of the transfer window,
McDonald revealed that Ivory Coast midfielder Abdoul Razak has settled
quickly into training with his new team-mates. The 22-year-old has joined on
a short-term contract and will look to make his mark over the coming weeks.
"He has come in and trained with the rest of the boys and looked quite
bright and decent on the ball. He is a midfield player which gives us good
competition for places and we'll see how he develops over the next couple of
weeks with his match-fitness and getting up to pace."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
'We need to build momentum'
WHUFC.com
Matt Taylor wants the Hammers to build on their point at Chelses when they
face Swansea on Saturday
01.02.2014

Matt Taylor says the Hammers are focused solely on themselves as they enter
a crucial period of the season. West Ham United take on Swansea City at the
Boleyn Ground in the early kick-off on Saturday, knowing that a victory will
take them out of the bottom three. Taylor says that is all the Hammers are
thinking about - and not what the other teams at the bottom of the Barclays
Premier League may, or may not, achieve. He said: "We're not too worried
about everybody else outside the football club - everyone would probably
have suggested that we'd have gone to Chelsea and it would be a case of how
many they'd win by. "But we went there, proved a lot of people wrong and now
we need to take some momentum into Swansea and pick up three vital points.
"We need to make sure we score more goals, but we have to take the positives
from Chelsea on Wednesday. The positives were that we went to one of the
best teams in the league and came away with what I believe was a well
deserved point. Hopefully we can build on that with a home game on Saturday
now."

Taylor was at the forefront of the Hammers' magnificent defensive effort
which yielded a 0-0 draw. The No14 made a game-high seven blocks to help
frustrate the hosts and he was thrilled to hold the Blues at bay. He added:
"As a team we showed great resilience in our last game. "You've got to
realise that going to Chelsea, you sometimes have to take the sting out of
the game. Chelsea have so much possession, so you have to stick in and get
your bodies on the line.
"What we did on Wednesday was put our bodies on the line and show our
passion and resilience for the shirt. That was important, we gave our fans
something to go home happy with. "You have to do that in games like this and
we're over the moon that we came away with a point."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Carroll targets first goal
WHUFC.com
Andy Carroll wants to notch his first goal of the season when West Ham
United take on Swansea City
31.01.2014

Andy Carroll would love to repeat his last Boleyn Ground outing against
Swansea City when the two teams go head-to-head on Saturday. The bog Geordie
headed the winner when Swansea visited E13 in February last year and another
three point haul would be much welcomed by Sam Allardyce. Carroll made his
first Barclays Premier League start since signing permanently for the Club
in midweek and feels ready to contribute more and more as he gains more
minutes under his belt. He told West Ham TV: "It has been great being back
around the lads and getting a few minutes on the pitch, and I'm looking
forward to starting again in the Premier League. "I can't wait to score my
first goal of the season, hopefully it comes on Saturday, "Scoring last year
against them was a good memory and hopefully I can do that again, to get on
the scoresheet again would be great. "I think we know how they're playing,
they're going to be passing it around and waiting for us to press them.
We've just got to see what the manager wants to do and work on his tactics
really. "The fans will be great for us on Saturday, they just have to get
behind us and lift the whole team."

Carroll has been happy with increasing his pitch time with each passing
game. He added: I thought I did alright at Chelsea, obviously I had a shot
before I came off, that I could've done better with. But I thought that I
put myself about and I felt good. "Obviously it's going to be hard for me,
not being fully match fit to go back out and do it all again, but I'm
confident that I'm feeling good and I felt good against Chelsea and in the
Manchester City game. Hopefully Saturday's exactly the same. "The body's
feeling surprisingly good, with all the work that I've been doing, before
training and before games and obviously in the games. So I'm feeling pretty
good."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Macca on: Swansea City
WHUFC.com
Assistant manager Neil McDonald looks ahead to Saturday's lunchtime kick-off
against Swansea City
31.01.2014

Assistant manager Neil McDonald is looking forward to locking horns with
Swansea City on Saturday, hopeful that West Ham United can build on
Wednesday's goalless Barclays Premier League draw at Chelsea.

In the interim, however, the Hammers will firstly negotiate transfer
deadline day, with Macca confident that the Club has already done some
excellent business this month.

Whether there are to be further additions or not, assistant boss McDonald
reckons that the return of key players from injury will add sufficient
pedigree to make for a much-improved second half of the campaign.

Neil, what's the latest on any prospective comings and goings?

NM: "It's all speculation. We're still looking to try and improve. I think
we've added to the squad excellently, so far this window, and if we can get
anybody else in it will be a bonus.

"We've got a goalscorer just coming back from injury in Andy Carroll. We've
got a goalscorer in Carlton Cole, who has been popping them in over the past
couple of months, so that's been really, really good and the competition for
places is getting much better with everybody coming back from injury.

"Mo Diame's an important member of the team at the moment for us and we want
all the important players to stay here with us to help us fight and get out
of the predicament that we're in. So hopefully he won't be going anywhere.

"As I said, we've recruited really well so far in the January window and if
there's one more we can get, whoever it may be, that would be fantastic. If
we don't, then we've still got a strong squad leading up until the end of
the season.

"We've got George McCartney coming back, he's had a bit of whiplash in his
neck, so he should be fit, which is great. And we've got Razvan Rat as well,
so there's two of them competing for Joey O'Brien's place."

What do you make of Swansea?

NM: "They're a fantastic footballing team, they keep the ball and move it
around the pitch pretty quickly, so we'll have to be well organised, just
like we were against Chelsea the other night. Then we've got to get on the
front foot a little quicker than we did on Wednesday, try to play the ball
forward into the right areas and exploit their weaknesses, which we've
worked on at the training ground."

Will it be '19th century football' at home this time?
NM: "It will be 21st century football, of course! Listen, tactics are
tactics, sometimes you go away from home and you have to try and do as much
as you possibly can. Certainly when you're playing against a top four team
you have to be defensively sound. You have to be well organised and we
certainly were. It's good to get under the skin of the top four teams so
that they can't have it their own way all the time."

What did you make of Jose Mourinho's comments?
NM: "If you go with an open, expansive team, nine times out of ten you're
going to get beaten at Chelsea We went with a game plan to frustrate and try
and hit them on the counter-attack. We did create a few chances to try and
score, so it wasn't as if we didn't put two passes together. As I said
before, it's always frustrating for a team that's at the top not to get
three points, especially at home and we certainly frustrated them all game.
Had a little bit of luck, good fortune as well, but we felt we certainly
deserved the point that we got."
What did it to the morale of the squad to come away from Stamford Bridge
with a point and a clean sheet as well?
NM: "The clean sheet's very, very important. The morale's been very, very
good, considering the position that we're in, in the league. Results like
that give you a huge amount of confidence, especially when everybody in the
whole of the footballing world didn't expect us to get anything and possibly
counting how many goals Chelsea were actually going to score and beat us by!
So everybody's well chuffed and looking forward to the next game to try and
add points to the board.

How important is it to make Wednesday's point count with another positive
result on Saturday?
NM: "Of course, we want to try and make that point count. If we can get
another three points or making sure that we don't get beaten, that's for
sure, and pick up another point, because you have to respect the point. But
we'll be chasing all three. We've played them this season, we've competed at
their place and got a good draw and we beat them at home last season, so why
can't we do that again?"
A lot of players coming back from injury, does the team need a lot of
regeneration?
NM: "I think the regeneration is the players coming back from injury. James
Collins is back, Winston Reid is very, very close. Ricardo Vaz Te is close
as well and Andy Carroll is getting plenty of time on the pitch at the
moment. If we can add other players to that, that will give strength to the
squad and good competition to take us on for the rest of the season."

How's Marco Borriello getting on?

NM: "Marco has been training the last few days and, along with Antonio, is
getting better. It remains to be seen whether he [Marco] starts, or whether
he's on the bench. But from what we've seen in training so far, he's looking
good, he's looking sharp. He can certainly finish and put the ball in the
back of the net in training, that's for sure, so if he gets a chance on
Saturday, I'm sure he'll do his best to put it in the back of the net for
us."

Is there added pressure on the team at home?
NM: "Well, the fans have been fantastic this season. I know we've had a few
defeats at home, but they've been fantastic home and away. We appreciate
their support and we're trying our best to put that form right. It's not for
want of trying and we've got some good home games coming up and we've got to
try and make as many points as we possibly can, and keep the fans onside,
which they have been all season."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Chadwell Chatter
WHUFC.com
Guy Demel on holding Chelsea and the challenge of facing Swansea City's
'tank' Wilfried Bony
31.01.2014

Hello everybody,

I am happy to report that I hope everything is back to normal now following
my concussion, which I suffered at Cardiff City. I managed to play on
Wednesday at Chelsea and that means I'm back to normal. It was a sad and
hard moment for my family when it happened, but now I am back on track and I
am happy to be here! I need to keep working hard on my shape because
football is a really strange sport. When you are out for a week, you lose
your fitness, so I've been working hard with the fitness coach and the
training staff and will continue to do so. On Wednesday I managed to play 90
minutes. It wasn't an easy game but my team-mates helped me. When you play
against a team like Chelsea, you know they are going to have the ball so you
have to be strong defensively. I'm pretty happy with my return to the team.
You have to expect that sort of performance from one of the big teams in the
league, as you do from Manchester City, Manchester United or Arsenal. They
keep moving in the midfield and don't stay in one position, so you really
have to stay concentrated and strong as a team.
On Wednesday we got the clean sheet, but that was not just the back four,
but the whole team. You need your striker and midfield to be good and, to be
fair, our goalkeeper Adrian was superb. He made some important saves and
helped us to get the point. We play at home to Swansea on Saturday and it
will be really nice to get our home form back, because especially now we
need points. We need to be clinical when we play at home to get the points
on the board.
Against Swansea, it's going to be a hard game, but after Wednesday we have
more confidence. We have to keep working hard because in the Premier League
every game is different. You cannot expect, because you drew against
Chelsea, that you will necessarily win against Swansea. That said, it's in
our hands, so we need to do the job.
Swansea have one player who I know well in their striker Wilfried Bony, who
I have trained alongside with our national team Ivory Coast. Wilfried is a
really good striker and that's why he has made it to the national team. What
can I say about him? He's a tank! When you see his body, he is a tank, while
he is also technical, has a good finish and is smart, so we have to stop
him. We need to defend well as a team, and we have the ability to do that.
James Tomkins and James Collins played very well on Wednesday, while Winston
Reid could be back. No matter who plays, we have to get back to our
defensive shape and make sure Wilfried isn't going to shine on Saturday!

Have a good weekend!
Guy

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Transfer Deadline Day: Moncur & Buaben join Partick Thistle
BBC.co.uk

Partick Thistle have signed midfielders Prince Buaben and George Moncur on
loan for the rest of the season from Carlisle and West Ham respectively.
But winger Ross Forbes has been released and has joined Dunfermline. The
20-year-old Moncur has been capped by England at under-17 and under-18 level
and has played in two first-team games for the Hammers. Former Dundee United
midfielder Prince Buaben, 25, joined Carlisle in October after his summer
release from Watford. The Ghana international spent four seasons at
Tannadice and was in the United team that won the Scottish Cup in 2010. A
graduate of the famous Ajax Academy in Amsterdam, Buaben moved to Vicarge
Road in 2011. Meanwhile, 19-year-old striker James Martin has gone on loan
to Belgian Third Division club KV Turnhout. Liam Lindsay, an 18-year-old
Thistle defender, has been farmed out to Scottish Championship outfit Alloa
Athletic.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham sign Pablo Armero from Napoli
BBC.o.uk

West Ham have signed Napoli defender Pablo Armero on loan until the end of
the season. The 27-year-old Colombia attacking left-back has made 18
appearances for his Italian club this season, including in a 2-0 Champions
League victory over Arsenal. He joined Napoli in the summer following a
successful loan spell from Udinese last season. Armero swaps a team third in
Serie A for one 18th in the Premier League. He was allowed to leave Napoli
after they signed Algeria left-back Faouzi Ghoulam, 22, from St Etienne for
an undisclosed fee.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Transfer window summary
KUMb.com
Filed: Friday, 31st January 2014
By: Staff Writer

West Ham United failed to spend a single penny in transfer fees during the
January window - yet still managed to sign a host of new faces to boost the
club's chances of Premier League survival.

Youngster Jaanai Gordon was the first signing of the window, with his
pre-arranged transfer going through on the opening day of the month. The
first to impact upon the first team was Roger Johnson, who arrived from
League One Wolverhampton Wanderers on January 6.

The central defender's arrival was followed by the re-signing of Carlton
Cole, who agreed a new 18-month contract on January 15. Next through the
door was Italian midfielder Antonio Nocerino, who was followed a matter of
hours later by fellow countryman Marco Borriello - the duo both signing on
loan for the rest of the season (on January 25).

Yesterday, West Ham confirmed that former Manchester City youngster Abdul
Razak was being signed from Anzhi in Russia. The final piece of the jigsaw
came in the shape of Pablo Armero, who signed today on loan from Napoli
until the end of the campaign.

The only first team player leaving the club on a permanent basis this
January is Razvan Rat, whose contract was terminated by mutual consent.

Under 21 Pelly Ruddock has joined Luton Town on a full-time basis whilst
four further players leave the club on loan; Modibo Maiga to QPR, George
Moncur to Partick Thistle, Jordan Spence to MK Dons and Paul McCallum to
Hearts.


The January Transfer Window - Business (So Far)

In

Roger Johnson (Wolves) - free transfer
Carlton Cole - free transfer
Jaanai Gordon (Peterborough) - nominal/undisclosed fee
Antonio Nocerino (Milan) - loan for rest of season
Marco Borriello (Roma) - loan for rest of season
Abdul Razak (Anzhi) - free transfer
Pablo Armero (Napoli) - loan for rest of season

Out

George Moncur (Partick Thistle) - loan for rest of season
Jordan Spence (MK Dons) - loan for rest of season
Paul McCallum (Hearts) - loan for rest of season
Pelly Ruddock (Luton Town) - nominal/undisclosed fee
Razvan Rat - contract terminated
Modibo Maiga (Queens Park Rangers) - loan for rest of season

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Swansea and Chico Flores braced for battle with Andy Carroll and '19th
century' West Ham
Jan 31, 2014 22:29 By Matt Lloyd 0
The Mirror

Chico Flores aims to prove a cut above Andy Carroll in their battle of the
barnets when the pony-tailed pair tangle at Upton Park on Saturday.
Swansea's volatile Spaniard allegedly threatened team-mate Garry Monk with a
BRICK two weeks ago, but the coiffured centre-back is more likely to be
brandishing a hairbrush when he faces West Ham striker Carroll. Flores, 26,
said: "Andy Carroll is a tall, strong and physical player, so he is very
difficult to play against.
"He gives West Ham more opportunities to score. He is their danger man and
we must stop him if we want to get another three points. It won't be easy,
but that's what I must do."

Swansea head to east London looking for their first back-to-back Premier
League wins this season after Flores sealed a 2-0 victory over Fulham in
mid-week - ending a run of eight league games without a win. He said: "I was
happy to score, but the three points were more important. We have some big
games coming up against sides in and around the bottom of the table. "West
Ham is another important one for us and we want to keep on winning. It is
important we focus throughout the 90 minutes and keep another clean sheet."

The Swans' manager Michael Laudrup insists they will not be bullied by West
Ham's "19th century" tactics. Laudrup refused to endorse Jose Mourinho's
damning verdict on the Hammers' tactics at Chelsea this week, but knows his
pint-sized players will have a job on their hands to handle big hitters such
as Carroll. "Every game is different, you have to play the way you think is
best for your team in each particular game," said the Dane. "West Ham did
that and they were brave. Yes, they defended inside their own box a lot but
they got a point at Chelsea where, under Mourinho, Chelsea have not lost for
a long time.
"We know it will be a tough game, not because of what they did at Chelsea
but because they are physically stronger than us and I'm sure they will try
to use that. We know what to expect from Carroll, Nolan, Tomkins, Collins,
Diame and others so it will be a tough afternoon."

Swansea are well aware they do not have the size to go toe-to-toe with the
Hammers, so Laudrup – who terrorised defences as a player with his speed and
skill – knows his team must box clever. He said: "We don't have many players
who can cope with the likes of Nolan and Carroll because they are so big and
strong so we have to be clever. If we sit back or concede too many free
kicks, West Ham will bombard us."

Nathan Dyer is ready to start his first game in almost two months after
coming off the bench against Fulham, and new-signing striker David Ngog will
be among the substitutes.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham stars have big love for Big Sam Allardyce AND his controversial
tactics says assistant Neil McDonald
Jan 31, 2014 22:29 By Mirror Football
The Mirror

West Ham No.2 Neil McDonald has rejected criticism of their style and
insists all the club's players are behind manager Sam Allardyce. And the
Hammers' assistant manager also says they had a "huge smile on their face"
when Jose Mourinho slammed their playing style after Wednesday's 0-0 draw
with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. "It stings you when they say that you don't
care," McDonald said, ahead of Saturday's home match against Swansea.
"[Allardyce] knows what he's doing, his team is right behind him. The team
is battling for him. "We've had criticism this season, even off ex-players
who are saying we haven't got any fight and heart for the jersey. "We're
certainly showing that. The players are all together and the club are all
together, the supporters are still supporting the team and we need to move
up the league."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham release defender Razvan Rat just six months after arrival from
Shakhtar Donetsk
Jan 31, 2014 20:40 By Alex Richards
The Mirror

West Ham United have released Romanian defender Razvan Rat, just six months
after he joined the Hammers. Rat arrived at Upton Park in the summer
following a highly-successful, trophy-laden spell with Ukrainian club
Shakhtar Donetsk. However, he has struggled to show his best form in east
London, struggling with the physicality of the English game. And after
reaching an agreement with the club, has agreed to the early termination of
his contract, which had until June to run. The Hammers have swiftly swooped
to replace him, with Colombian Pablo Armero having joined on loan.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

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Daily WHUFC News - 31st January 2014

Hammers snap up Razak
WHUFC.com
West Ham United have signed Ivory Coast international Abdul Razak on a
short-term contract
30.01.2014

West Ham United are pleased to announce the signing of Ivory Coast
international Abdul Razak on a short-term contract. The 21-year-old is a
highly-rated midfielder who began his career with Manchester City and most
recently played for Russian Premier League side Anzhi Makhachkala. Razak,
who made his Premier League debut at 18, will add athleticism and ability to
Sam Allardyce's squad. The midfielder was born in the city of Bouaké, which
is also called home by his former Manchester City team-mates Yaya and Kolo
Toure, before moving to England as a boy. He quickly established himself in
City's Development Squad before forcing himself into Roberto Mancini's
plans, making a first-team debut at 18 in a Premier League fixture with West
Bromwich Albion on 5 February 2011. A maiden start arrived in September of
the same year, when Razak helped City to a 2-0 League Cup third-round win
over Birmingham City. He also featured in subsequent victories over
Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal in the same competition. The youngster
joined Anzhi, initially on loan, in September 2013, and made eleven
appearances for the Russian side in all competitions, including two starts
against Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Europa League. At international level,
Razak has been capped five times by Ivory Coast since making his senior
debut in a 3-0 friendly win in Austria in November 2012. He also started the
Elephants' 2-2 group-stage draw with Algeria at the 2013 CAF Africa Cup of
Nations in South Africa.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers pair head out on loan
WHUFC.com
Jordan Spence and Paul McCallum have joined MK Dons and Hearts on loan
respectively
30.01.2014

Jordan Spence has re-joined Sky Bet League One side Milton Keynes Dons on
loan until the end of the season.. The West Ham United defender played 12
games for Karl Robinson's side in his first spell at stadiummk earlier this
season, and will now look to help the Dons push up from tenth in the table..
The versatile right-back or centre-back could feature for his loan club on
Saturday, when MK Dons host Tranmere Rovers. The defender will link up with
former Hammers winger Luke Chadwick in the squad at MK Dons, where the
first-choice goalkeeper is David Martin, son of West Ham great Alvin Martin.
The one-time Chigwell School pupil has totalled 80 first-team appearances
for West Ham, Leyton Orient, Scunthorpe United, Bristol City, Sheffield
Wednesday and MK Dons, including ten for the Hammers. - Meanwhile, striker
Paul McCallum has joined Scottish Premiership side Heart of Midlothian on
loan until the end of the 2013/14 season, subject to international
clearance. The 20-year-old will hope to score the goals to help Hearts pull
off a miraculous escape from relegation - the Edinburgh side currently sit
bottom of the table, 19 points adrift of safety, after being deducted 15
points in the summer. He could also help Hearts to reach the Scottish League
Cup final, with the Jam Tarts facing Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the
semi-finals in February. A strong, hard-working striker, McCallum enjoyed a
fine pre-season that saw him score in the first-team's 6-2 victory at Cork
City and make further appearances against Boreham Wood and AFC Bournemouth.
The former Dulwich Hamlet youngster also scored four times in five
pre-season matches for the Development Squad and has featured seven times
for the Barclays U21 Premier League title-chasers. The forward joined League
Two side Torquay United on loan in October 2013, scoring three goals in six
appearances in all competitions. McCallum also enjoyed two productive loan
spells with League Two clubs last season, scoring seven goals in 18 matches
combined for AFC Wimbledon and Aldershot Town.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Tonks hails defensive effort
WHUFC.com
James Tomkins was proud of West Ham United's rearguard action at Chelsea
30.01.2014

James Tomkins says West Ham United can take a lot of pride from Wednesday's
goalless Barclays Premier League draw at Chelsea. The centre-back returned
to the starting XI after missing the home defeat by Newcastle United through
suspension, helping the Hammers to achieve a superb clean sheet and collect
a vital point. Talking to West Ham TV, Tomkins said he and his team-mates
would take confidence from their performance and the result they achieved.
"I think we can definitely take a lot of pride from our performance," said
the No5. "I thought we defended really well on the day. Chelsea are on form
at the minute, as well, and the Bridge is always a hard place to come and
get a result, let alone a clean sheet, so it was nice. "Hopefully we can
take this performance forward, which is the main thing, because we now have
confidence going into the next game. "All of the team were rocks - Matty
Taylor and all the back four were getting blocks in everywhere and that's
what it takes when you go there. Sometimes you need the rub of the green to
stop the net from bulging, but it was our day and we all deserved it because
it was a good performance. "I am proud of how I played, because I've had a
couple of niggles in my groins and that's behind me now and hopefully I can
put in performances like that - as I feel like I have most of the season. "I
thought we looked really good defensively and solid, while up front the Big
Man is back and that gives us a lot of belief as well. It's nice to see him
able to play 60 minutes. "Obviously the Italian lads have bulked the squad
up a bit, which is good, so we're looking up now."

With Winston Reid's return to the squad imminent and Roger Johnson having
joined the Club on loan, competition for places at centre-back is now
fierce. With James Collins also fit and performing well, Tomkins knows he
will need to continue to produce the goods if he is to retain his spot in
the starting XI. "I think that's always been the case when all three of us
have been fit, and now we have Roger here as well. It's important that we
keep putting performances in, because I think all four of us are capable of
playing. "Competition for places is always good because you have to prove
yourself every time you play."

Tomkins will now hope to keep his place for Saturday's visit of Swansea City
to the Boleyn Ground. West Ham have kept clean sheets in their previous two
clashes with the Swans, including a goalless draw at the Liberty Stadium in
October, but the defender knows the Hammers will need to be on their game if
they are to record their first home win since 30 November. "We didn't have
many chances on Wednesday - just a couple of efforts - but hopefully we'll
create them a bit more often at home against a team we're looking to beat.
"A lot of people wrote us off before Wednesday's game but we put in a good
performance and hopefully we can put in another one on Saturday and the
crowd will get behind us."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Howes starts in England loss
WHUFC.com
West Ham United keeper Sam Howes played the 90 minutes as England U17 lost
to Belgium
30.01.2014

Hammers Academy goalkeeper Sam Howes was involved as England U17s were
defeated 2-1 by Belgium on Thursday. The 16-year-old stopper played the 90
minutes as Belgium gained revenge for their defeat by the same scoreline
earlier in the week. In drizzle at St George's Park, England started slowly
and fell behind on 19 minutes when Belgium's Dylan Damraoui lashed in a shot
from 20 yards which left Howes with no chance. The Young Lions hit back at
the start of the second period, Manchester United's Demetri Mitchell
knocking over stranded goalkeeper Quintijn Steelant with 48 minutes played.
England pressed for a winner, but it was Belgium who took the honours when
Matthias Verreth knocked home after the home defence struggled to clear
eight minutes from the end.
Despite still being a schoolboy, Howes has been a regular between the posts
for the Hammers' Under-18s this term, playing 14 games for Steve Potts'
side.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Jose Mourinho: Chelsea boss wrong on 19th-Century football
By Professor Matt Taylor
BBC.co.uk

Football historian Jose Mourinho is an intelligent and articulate man and a
talented manager, but he is not a historian. He said West Ham played
"football from the 19th Century" after the Hammers' defensive approach
secured a 0-0 draw on Wednesday. Mourinho's remarks were clearly meant more
as a general slur alluding to the dark, unenlightened pre-Premier League
days of English football than an accurate comparison to the game's Victorian
past. But he might be interested to know that 19th-Century football was
actually characterised as much by attacking and sportsmanship as by dour,
defensive play. How did a 19th-Century football team play? Well, it varied.
It depended on what sort of team it was and at what point in the 19th
century. From the foundation of the Football Association in 1863 to the
early 1880s, British football at the highest level was dominated by teams of
gentleman amateurs, many of whom had learnt the game at public school and
university. Football in this period was a game to be played rather than
watched. Players dribbled up the field until they lost the ball. Team-mates
would back the dribbler up and then continue to try to move the ball to the
opponents' goal. But they were not there to be passed to. When an England
colleague in the 1877 match against Scotland complained to the Hon Alfred
Lyttleton that his dribbling was excessive, and that he was not passing to
team-mates in space, Lyttleton is said to have replied: "I am playing purely
for my own pleasure, Sir!"

As football became more popular, and spread to the working classes, the
passing game gradually replaced the dribbling game. Teams from Scotland and
the north of England were influential in developing a new style of play
based on passing combinations. In the 1883 FA Cup final, Blackburn Olympic
perplexed the Old Etonians by hitting long cross-field passes from wing to
wing. They had also caused a stir by preparing for the match at a training
camp in Blackpool, something that shocked the Etonians and their supporters.
Olympic won 1-0, took the cup north for the first time and changed the game
forever. Professionalism was legalised in England in 1885. The best clubs
became businesses and from 1888 began to compete in the Football League.
Spectators and the press wanted to see good play but increasingly they also
demanded a winning team.

A match from 1885 A picture from 1885, the year the Football Association
formally legalised professional football. Three years later a league was
formed.
How defensive were these teams? During the 1870s, it was not unusual for
teams to line up with six or seven forwards. Their main priority was to
attack, with defending left predominantly to two backs. Over time, many
teams chose to move one of their centre-forwards into a deeper position.
This became the centre-half, who was to be the pivotal figure in a 2-3-5
formation - the so-called 'pyramid' system - that became standard from the
late 1880s.

West Ham line-up - 19th-Century style?
In the 2-3-5 formation favoured in Victorian times:

Adrian

Collins, Tomkins.

Diame, Nolan, Noble.

Downing, C Cole, Carroll, J Cole, Jarvis.

Some traditionalists bemoaned the move away from all-out attack. One
Scottish writer condemned those clubs who kept two defenders close to their
own goal merely, he suggested acerbically, "to keep the goalkeeper in chat".
Another team from Ayrshire was reproached for only attacking with nine men.

Defensive tactics such as the 'one-back game', in which a full-back would
drop into a deep defensive position to limit long forward passing, were
considered unattractive and even unsportsmanlike. But they were defended by
club directors and officials, such as Blackburn's John Lewis, who reminded
critics that the main objective of league clubs was to win rather than
please the spectator. And even the so-called 'defensive' teams, we should
remember, were generally playing with five forwards.

Football in the 19th century was also characterised by a moral code - often
associated with amateurism - that decried cheating or even play that was
contrary to the spirit of the game. The famous Corinthian club, for
instance, opposed the penalty kick when it was introduced in 1891, and are
said to have actively resisted the new law by deliberately shooting wide
when they were given a penalty and withdrawing their goalkeeper if one was
conceded.
That is not to say gamesmanship and time-wasting did not take place, of
course. It almost certainly did. But football in the 19th Century was varied
and complex and changed over time. The best teams were described as
"scientific". Being scientific was not only about being skilled and
technically proficient but also about employing successful strategies and
tactics.

The first great football tactician was William Suddell, manager of the
Preston 'Invincibles' who won the first league and cup double in 1889. He
used a blackboard, and sometimes chess pieces on a billiard table, to devise
tactics and communicate them to his players. The Preston team were known for
their systematic style of play - not particularly fast but methodical and
consistent. They were described as "machine like… in working the ball along
the ground" during a match in 1885.

In the 1889 FA Cup final, the Wolves forwards were characterised by their
"very hard and determined play", whereas the Preston team "plodded away with
a distinct system", and ended up winning 3-0. As a manager synonymous with
pragmatism in the way he strives for success on the field, Mourinho would
surely have approved of that.

Professor Taylor is a historian at De Montfort University's International
Centre for Sports History and Culture and also an author of sports history
books.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham v Swansea
KO 12:45
30 January 2014
Last updated at 16:43
By Steve Wilson
BBC Match of the Day commentator

BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: Upton Park Date: Saturday, 1 February
TEAM NEWS

West Ham will be without Joey O'Brien for several months after he dislocated
his shoulder at Chelsea. New signings Abdul Razak and Marco Borriello may
make their Hammers debut, while Antonio Nocerino is vying for his first
start.

Swansea remain without injured striker Michu, who could return for next
week's derby with Cardiff. Jonjo Shelvey, Nathan Dyer and Jonathan de Guzman
all returned after injury in midweek and came through unscathed.

MATCH PREVIEW

Once West Ham's players have tied up their steeds, disembarked their Hackney
carriages, doffed their top hats and waxed their moustaches they'll hope to
display a different side to their game from the one which left that 21st
century boy Jose Mourinho glowering in frustration on Wednesday night . At
home, they will need to be more expansive and, with their treatment room as
quiet as it's been all season, should have the confidence to be so. After
all, West Ham's solitary defeat to Swansea on home soil came back in 1956,
which is not quite 19th century but certainly from another era. Now they
need to attack and provide some excitement for their fans and some
ammunition for Andy Carroll to feed off. As someone said only recently: "I
think boring is a team who plays at home and cannot score a goal. That's
boring, because you go to your stadium and fill your stadium to see
victories." That someone was Mourinho, by the way. The same Mourinho whose
team couldn't score at home on Wednesday…

A point at Stamford Bridge might be fantastic result, but it's still only a
point and West Ham need wins to haul themselves out of the bottom three,
especially as both Crystal Palace and Sunderland are showing that reports of
their deaths have been greatly exaggerated. Sam Allardyce's move to add the
nous of seasoned Italian internationals Nocerino and Borriello looks
sensible, and may even prove to be a masterstroke similar to the
Hartson/Kitson signings which West Ham fans will recall saved their bacon in
1997. Swansea are supposed to be struggling to replicate their stellar
campaign of last season, yet are 11th in the table and still in the Europa
League and FA Cup, where Napoli and Everton respectively stand in their way.
You'd hardly describe that as a calamity.
I'm certain that they have no need to worry about relegation and if, and I
regretfully expect when, Michael Laudrup moves on in the summer, I'm
confident that the Dane will be another Swans manager leaving with his head
held high and as a hard act to follow.

MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
Swansea's only win in 22 previous league trips to Upton Park (D5, L16) was a
2-1 triumph in the old Second Division in August 1956.
Half of the 46 league games involving these sides this season have been
level at half-time, including 19 that have been goalless at the break (41%).
The two clubs drew 0-0 at the Liberty Stadium at the end of October.

West Ham
West Ham have picked up nine points from a possible 33 at Upton Park this
season, the lowest home tally in this season's Premier League.
The Hammers are without a home win in four games (D2, L2) since a 3-0
victory over Fulham at the end of November.
Sam Allardyce's men have conceded three goals in each of their last three
games at Upton Park, and in six of their last nine at home. They kept clean
sheets in the other three matches.
Adrian has been called upon to make six saves per game in the Premier League
on average this season, more than any other goalkeeper.
Andy Carroll is yet to record a shot on target in three league appearances
since he returned from injury.

Swansea
Swansea's midweek win over Fulham ended their longest ever Premier League
run without a victory (eight matches).
They have only only earned two points from five away matches since beating
Fulham 2-1 in November. Michael Laudrup's side have scored just twice during
this run.
Five of Swansea's six league wins this season have come when they have kept
a clean sheet.
Wilfried Bony has scored six goals in his last six competitive appearances
for Swansea.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Transfer window: MK Dons re-sign West Ham's Jordan Spence
BBC.co.uk

MK Dons have re-signed West Ham defender Jordan Spence on loan until the end
of the season. The 23-year-old returned to Upton Park earlier this month
after a 12-game spell with the Dons, helping them keep six clean sheets. He
will add central defensive options for boss Karl Robinson, who saw Shaun
Williams join Millwall this week. Robinson has been told he can use the
funds from the Williams sale to strengthen his League One side.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Transfer window: Abdul Razak joins West Ham
BBC.co.uk

West Ham have signed former Manchester City midfielder Abdul Razak on a
short-term contract from Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala. Razak, 21, who has
won five caps for Ivory Coast, began his career at Crystal Palace before
joining City. But he did not start a Premier League game and had loan spells
at Portsmouth, Brighton, Charlton and Anzhi, joining them on a full-time
deal in October. The signing is Sam Allardyce's fourth of the January
transfer window.
West Ham, who are 18th in the Premier League, have also signed three players
on loan this month - Wolves defender Roger Johnson, Roma striker Marco
Borriello and AC Milan midfielder Antonio Nocerino.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Transfer window latest
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 30th January 2014
By: Staff Writer

With little more than 24 hours to go before the January transfer window
closes, West Ham are continuing to monitor the situation of several players.

Although he's already brought in six new faces since the beginning of the
month - including Abdul Razak earlier today - Sam Allardyce is eyeing at
least one or two more potential deals as the deadline rapidly approaches.

One player currently in Big Sam's thoughts is Napoli wing back Pablo Armero.
The 27-year-old Columbian has been strongly linked with a £15million move to
Milan, but West Ham are understood to have expressed an interest since
losing Joey O'Brien for the rest of the season in last night's goalless draw
at Chelsea.

Armero, who can also operate at full back moved to Italy via Brazil in 2010
when he joined Udinese from Brazilian Serie A side Palmeiras. He marked his
first full season in Europe by being selected in the Serie A Team of the
Year for the 2010/11 season. West Ham are interested in taking the player on
loan until the summer.

* Young striker Paul McCallum is set to join Scottish Premier League club
Hearts on loan for the remainder of the 2013/14 campaign. The 20-year-old
forward is yet to make his first team debut for West Ham and has previously
enjoyed spells on loan at Rochdale, Wimbledon, Aldershot and Torquay.

* West Ham are once again being linked with a move for former Leeds United
star Max Gradel. The 26-year-old wide man was the subject of serious
interest from West Ham three years ago but opted to move to St Etienne
instead. Gradel has made nine appearances for the French club this season.

* Another player linked with a pre-deadline move to east London is Sporting
Lisbon's Islam Slimani. The 25-year-old Algerian striker, who has made 12
appearances and scored three goals for the Portuguese club so far this
season is not a first team choice at the Estádio José Alvalade and could be
available for a loan move.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers land sixth signing
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 30th January 2014
By: Staff Writer

West Ham have announced the signing of former Manchester City youngster
Abdul Razak on a free transfer. The 21-year-old midfielder becomes West
Ham's sixth signing of the January transfer window and could go straight
into the squad to face Swansea at the Boleyn this Saturday. Razak, who was
born in Abidjan first came to England to join Crystal Palace's youth Academy
before becoming part of Manchester City's Development squad in 2010. He made
his first team debut for the Citizens as a 62nd minute substitute in a 3-0
win over West Brom in Februry 2011. After a couple more appearances for
City's first team Razak spent the remainder of the 2011/12 campaign on loan
at Portsmouth and Brighton, both of whom were in the Championship at the
time. Five more appearances followed in 2012/13 - as did a month-long loan
spell at Brighton in the Championship. In September 2013 Razak joined
Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala on a season-long loan with view to a
permanent deal - a clause that was activated following his first appearance
for the Eagles in a goalless draw with CSKA Moscow. However just four
months later he has returned to England to become part of Sam Allardyce's
squad at West Ham.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Up yours Jose, says Big Sam
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 30th January 2014
By: Staff Writer

Sam Allardyce has laughed off criticism from Chelsea Joe Mourinho regarding
West Ham's perceived negative style , telling reporters "I don't give a
sh*t"!
Allardyce, speaking after the 0-0 draw at Chelsea last night was responding
to earlier comments from the Portuguese manager who described West Ham's
style as "football from the 19th century". When told of Mourinho's comments
regarding West Ham's style of play, Allardyce retorted: "I knew he would! He
can't take it,can he? He can't take it because we've tactically outwitted
him! He can't cope can he, so there you go. "He can tell me all he wants, I
don't give a shit to be honest with you. I love to see Chelsea players
moaning at the referee, trying to intimidate him, Jose jumping up and down
saying we play crap football. It's brilliant when you get a result against
him. "Tactically we got it right, in two areas particularly," continued
Allardyce. "Stopping Hazard, Oscar, William and Eto'o scoring goals and
stopping them scoring from set plays which they're very, very good at.
"They deliver really good balls in there with the big players they've got.
On those two counts we nullifed them and limited them to a few chances. We
did a fantastic job."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham hopeful of signing Max Gradel from St Etienne
Last Updated: 30/01/14 4:19pm
SSN

Sky sources understand that West Ham are "hopeful" of signing of Ivory Coast
international Max Gradel. The St Etienne winger has reportedly rejected
offers from former club Leeds United and Hull City in favour of a move to
Upton Park. Gradel moved to St Etienne from Leeds in 2011 after refusing to
sign a new contract but he has struggled to cement a first-team place,
making just nine league appearances in each of the last two campaigns. The
26-year-old impressed during his time at Elland Road. Having initially
joined on loan from Leicester City in 2009, he helped the club to promotion
from League One and scored 18 goals in the Championship the following
season. St Etienne manager Christophe Galtier confirmed earlier this month
that Gradel would be allowed to leave the club. 'We have several positions
where we have double players in, sometimes even more than that," said
Galtier. "Max-Alain Gradel also needs to play for the upcoming World Cup, so
we will not oppose any departure of his." Having already secured the
services of Italian duo Marco Borriello and Antonio Nocerino, West Ham boss
Sam Allardyce had previously indicated that he will not be making any more
signings during the January transfer window. However, with the club in the
bottom three after winning just one of their last 10 Premier League games,
Allardyce may seek to further strengthen his squad.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham weighing up Sporting Lisbon's Islam Slimani move ahead of deadline
day
Jan 30, 2014 14:39 By Darren Lewis
The Mirror

West Ham are keen to sign Sporting Lisbon striker Islam Slimani ahead of
Friday's transfer deadline. The 25-year-old Algerian international has 17
caps for his country and has scored nine goals for the African nation.
Slimani has been on the periphery this season for his club side, scoring
three goals in 12 League appearances from the bench. His latest strike came
in an away win at Arouca on January 18. West Ham are ready to listen to
offers for a number of players as they bid to clear the decks and free up
space in their 25-man Premier League squad for Slimani. Despite claims from
boss Sam Allardyce that the club have completed their business, Mirror Sport
understands the Irons will accepts bids for midfielder Mo Diame. Fulham boss
Rene Meulensteen expressed an interest in the 26-year-old earlier this month
and could yet return ahead of the window closing. But any move may have to
wait after the 26-year-old fell over advertising hoardings during Wednesday
night's draw against Chelsea. West Ham are also open to offers for misfiring
strikers Modibo Maiga and Ricardo Vaz Te.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Jose Mourinho's criticism of West Ham's defensive tactics bring three words
to mind: pot, kettle and black
Chelsea's manager accused Sam Allardyce of playing "football from the 19th
century" in their 0-0 draw, yet Mourinho is all too familiar with employing
such tactics
Ben Bloom By Ben Bloom1:27PM GMT 30 Jan 2014
Telegraph.co.uk

"West Ham need points, to come here and not play and do it the way they did,
is it acceptable? Maybe yes. I cannot be too critical because if I was in
this position, I don't know if I would do the same. This is football from
the 19th century. This is not the Premier League. This is not the best
league in the world."
So said Jose Mourinho after Chelsea had no fewer than 39 attempts on goal
during his side's 0-0 draw against West Ham United on Wednesday night.

Sam Allardyce, whose side countered with just one shot of their own, went
home from Stamford Bridge with a crucial point in his side's relegation
battle and Mourinho's words ringing in his ears that: "The only thing I
could use was a Black and Decker to destroy the wall" erected by West Ham.
Hold on, is this the Mourinho whose Chelsea team during his first spell at
the club prided themselves on 1-0 victories to the extent that they managed
11 of them as they lifted the Premier League trophy in 2004-05? The Mourinho
who nullified the attacking flair of Barcelona with all-out-defence tactics
on his way to winning the Champions League with Inter Milan in 2010? The
Mourinho who set his Chelsea side up for nothing more than a point at Old
Trafford and The Emirates earlier this season?

Mourinho's first Chelsea side was one that lacked a true playmaker, with the
result that the team often targetted three points at any costs and at the
expense of aesthetics. It is difficult to criticise a side that won 95
points on the way to winning the league at a canter, but, for such
dominance, Chelsea did not set the world alight with their exciting brand of
football. Their defensive prowess was almost unrivalled in recent times (and
is something to be applauded), setting a Premier League record for the most
clean sheets in a season and the fewest goals conceded. Yet only one Premier
League-winning side since the turn of the century have scored fewer goals
than the Chelsea of 2004-05. This is not a criticism of Mourinho and his
side. Merely an observation that tactics must be catered to the situation -
something that the manager did expertly 10 years ago.

Inter Milan v Barcelona, 2010
What do you do when playing against a team that is better than your own
(part one)?
Protecting a 3-1 lead in the Champions League semi-final at the Nou Camp,
Mourinho's Inter Milan side produced a defensive masterclass. Playing more
than an hour with 10 men, Inter held their Spanish opponents to a 1-0
victory in what Mourinho described as "the most beautiful defeat of my
life".
The Portuguese manager's tactics were an utter success, halting the
attacking threat of the likes of Xavi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Lionel Messi
to book a place in the Champions League final. Reacting to criticism
(similar to his own of Allardyce on Wednesday night) of such a defensive
approach, Mourinho replied: "It is a style of blood not skill. When the
moment of leaving everything on the pitch arrives, you don't leave the
skill, you leave the blood.
"We were a team of heroes. We sweated blood. It's a pity I could not play
because I have got the same blood."
Which makes little sense to the outside world, but shows Mourinho is not
afraid to resort to whatever tactics are necessary to win.

Real Madrid v Barcelona, 2011
What do you do when playing against a team that is better than your own
(part two)?
Taking on arch-rivals Barcelona for the fourth time that season, Mourinho
had a Champions League semi-final first leg at the Bernabeu to contend with.
In a bad-tempered game that saw Pepe sent off and Mourinho banished to the
stands, the Portuguese manager even managed to upset his own players with
his defensive tactics as Real slumped to a 0-2 home defeat. Having been
asked to operate as a lone striker with little support from team-mates,
Cristiano Ronaldo then switched to the right to take on an out-of-position
Carles Puyol yet continued to be starved of the ball.
When asked if he liked Madrid's style of football in the defeat, an unhappy
Ronaldo said: "No, I don't like it but I have to adapt to what is asked of
me. This is the way it is. We have a strategy."

Barcelona held Madrid to a 1-1 draw in the second leg and went on to lift
the Champions League trophy.

Chelsea v Arsenal and Manchester United, 2013
What makes Mourinho's comments about Allardyce so hypocritical is the way he
set his side up at against top-four rivals Arsenal and Manchester United
earlier this season. Chelsea's third Premier League match saw Mourinho's
side travel to face the reigning champions at Old Trafford. The Portuguese
manager, starting his second spell in charge of the club, decided to leave
Fernando Torres and Romelu Lukaku on the bench, keep Demba Ba out of the
squad altogether, and start without a recognised striker. Result = 0-0.

A couple of months later Chelsea took on Arsenal at the Emirates in a 0-0
bore draw that left Telegraph Sport's Henry Winter with this as his opening
paragraph to his match report: "This was mission accomplished by Chelsea,
and a not particularly pretty mission. Judging by their players'
celebrations at the final whistle, Chelsea departed with what they came for,
a point, from a Premier League match that was a five-star advertisement for
late-night, last-minute Christmas shopping."

When asked about his side's defensive tactics, Mourinho said: "We came to
win, but it was very important not to lose... we are not unhappy with the
point."
You see Jose, even Special Ones have to resort to "19th century football"
sometimes.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Armero in West Ham talks
By Football Italia staff

Napoli left-back Pablo Armero is reportedly in negotiations with West Ham
after missing out on Milan. The Colombian had been on the verge of joining
the Rossoneri in an exchange of six-month loans with Kevin Constant, but the
move collapsed when the Milan man rejected the transfer. According to Sky
Sport Italia, Armero is now a prime target for West Ham United. The
27-year-old's agent is flying in for a summit with the Partenopei. He only
joined Napoli from Udinese in July and played 18 games in all competition
for them this season.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
St Etienne winger Max Gradel's move to West Ham in doubt
Last Updated: 30/01/14 11:09pm
SSN

Sky sources understand that talks between West Ham and Ivory Coast
international Max Gradel have broken down. The St Etienne winger travelled
to London for further discussions with the Hammers, but they had failed to
reach an agreement by Thursday night. Gradel moved to St Etienne from Leeds
in 2011 after refusing to sign a new contract but he has struggled to cement
a first-team place, making just nine league appearances in each of the last
two campaigns.
The 26-year-old impressed during his time at Elland Road. Having initially
joined on loan from Leicester City in 2009, he helped the club to promotion
from League One and scored 18 goals in the Championship the following
season. St Etienne manager Christophe Galtier confirmed earlier this month
that Gradel would be allowed to leave the club. "We have several positions
where we have double players in, sometimes even more than that," said
Galtier. "Max-Alain Gradel also needs to play for the upcoming World Cup, so
we will not oppose any departure of his."

Having already secured the services of Italian duo Marco Borriello and
Antonio Nocerino, West Ham boss Sam Allardyce had previously indicated that
he will not be making any more signings during the January transfer window.
However, with the club in the bottom three after winning just one of their
last 10 Premier League games, Allardyce may seek to further strengthen his
squad.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham make late bid to sign Greece international Kostas Mitroglou
Last Updated: 30/01/14 11:28pm
SSN

Sky sources understand that West Ham have made a last-gasp bid to sign
Fulham target Kostas Mitroglou. Fulham reportedly agreed a fee with
Olympiakos for the 25-year-old, but their London rivals are attempting to
hijack the move. The Hammers have been the busiest side in the January
transfer window, bringing in six players, and the signing of Mitroglou would
be a major boost to their Premier League survival hopes. The Greece
international has been in scintillating form for Olympiakos this season,
scoring 17 goals in 19 games. Fulham have been holding talks with Olympiakos
throughout the week and edged closer to a deal on Wednesday after settling
on a fee, believed to be in the region of £12.5m. However, they now appear
to be locked in a tense Deadline Day battle with West Ham for Mitroglou's
signature.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham plot Kostas Mitroglou transfer gazumping on deadline day AFTER
Fulham agree £12.4m fee for him
Jan 30, 2014 22:31 By Darren Lewis
The Mirror

West Ham are set to hijack Fulham's £12.4million swoop for Olympiacos goal
machine Kostas Mitroglou. And the Hammers' dramatic move could wreck
Tottenham's deadline-day bid to re-sign Dimitar Berbatov from the Craven
Cottage club. Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is set to finally make a move for
the Bulgarian on Friday, but the Cottagers' manager Rene Meulensteen wants a
replacement before allowing Berbatov to go. Sam Allardyce's daring act of
piracy emerges with Fulham ready to offer 25-year-old Mitroglou a four-year
deal after intense negotiations with his Greek club. Big Sam has been
gazumped himself this window, losing Monaco striker Lacina Traore to Everton
at the last minute. The Hammers boss has also suffered frustration after
Everton defender John Heitinga decided not to move to Upton Park at the 11th
hour - having already agreed terms. Now Allardyce, who earlier this week
described this transfer window as the most ruthless he has known, is ready
to commandeer a rival's transfer target himself. West Ham are set to fund
their bid for Mitroglou by selling midfielder Mo Diame to Queens Rark
Rangers, with the Hoops' ex-Hammers boss Harry Redknapp making his move on
Thursday night, and striker Modibo Maiga to French side St Etienne.

Before Thursday's developments, Greece international Mitroglou was set to
replace Berbatov as Fulham's star striker as the west Londoners had agreed a
£12.4million fee for him. Action ImagesFulham v Aston Villa - Barclays
Premier LeagueStroll on: Tottenham won't get Berbatov if Fulham don't sign a
replacement We revealed earlier this week that Meulensteen was keen on the
25-year-old, who hit 20 goals in all competitions last season. This time
around, he has already struck 17 times to help his club to the top of the
Greek Super League and into the knockout stages of the Champions League -
where they face Manchester United next month. West Ham have also launched an
ambitious bid to take Napoli left-back Pablo Armero, 27, on loan for the
remainder of the season. Meulensteen has cancelled his Friday press
conference ahead of Fulham's weekend Premier League home game against
Southampton in order to complete his transfer business. He is in advanced
talks to sign another Spurs player, midfielder Lewis Holtby, after QPR
loanee Adel Taarabt left the Cottage to join AC Milan. Meulensteen is
determined to keep Mitroglou from the clutches of West Ham - who are among
Fulham's rivals in the battle to avoid relegation from the Premier League

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http://vyperz.blogspot.com



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