Bolton dash Hammers hopes
WHUFC.com
Alessandro Diamanti's late consolation was not enough to avoid a
disappointing home defeat
06.03.2010
West Ham United 1-2 Bolton Wanderers
West Ham United's five-match unbeaten run at home in the Barclays Premier
League came to a disappointing end at the hands of Bolton Wanderers on
Saturday.
Robert Green had not conceded a goal in his four previous top-flight
fixtures at the Boleyn Ground but picked the ball out of the net as early as
the tenth minute. Kevin Davies headed in unmarked from Lee Chung-Yong's
cross before Jack Wilshere volleyed a second six minutes later from Tamir
Cohen's knockdown. Alessandro Diamanti offered late hope with a well-taken
goal but it was too little, too late.
The Hammers never really got going on a chilly but clear afternoon in east
London. Guille Franco was the first one to spark in the home attack. First
he slipped in Carlton Cole ,who was just off the pace of his pass before
feeding Valon Behrami who in turn supplied Julien Faubert. The move,
however, was to break down after that which was, in truth, the story of the
match.
Bolton took the lead soon afterwards with Davies, despite the attentions of
James Tomkins and Faubert, able to head in from Lee's precise right-wing
cross. Green had no chance, and it was a similar story when Cohen was
allowed to knockdown from Lee's centre into the path of the Arsenal loanee
Wilshere.
It was all Bolton with Johan Elmander twice having efforts to add to their
tally. Jussi Jaaskelainen was having a relatively quiet afternoon, having
seen Diamanti fire over with a free-kick before saving well again from the
same player's second set-piece on 25 minutes. That was parried to Franco but
his hook goalwards was cleared off the line by a combination of the
goalkeeper and Zat Knight.
Cole finally got a chance to drive through on goal as half-time approached
but Sam Ricketts made a splendid saving tackle to deny the England man.
Parker also had a shot from range and then saw a rasping effort blocked but
Lee could have made it 3-0 with a clear sight of goal, only to blast over
from 12 yards.
Almost the last act of the half saw the ball loop off Cole and nearly over
the line from a Diamanti cross before the ball was hacked to safety.
With the half-time dancers having done their best to lift spirits, Faubert
lasted barely two minutes of the second period before appearing to tweak a
hamstring. That meant Kieron Dyer's long-awaited home return from his own
hamstring problem and he could have scored with his first touch. Cole laid
the ball off but the No7 could not keep his shot on target.
Cohen and Elmander then had a go at the other end as the frustration mounted
around the stadium. Diamanti was presented with a free-kick opportunity 20
yards out as the hour approached but this time the Italian clattered his
shot into the wall.
The Hammers were given a glimmer of hope on 71 minutes when Cohen earned his
second yellow card for a foul on Parker, having alreday fouled Behrami eight
minutes before. By that time, Mido had come on for Franco, with the
Mexican's last contribution having been to blaze over from a Parker tee-up.
Bolton did not make their first change until the 74th minute with Ricardo
Gardner replacing Elmander. Kovac then quickly followed for Junior Stanislas
as Gianfranco Zola went for broke in the final quarter-of-an-hour. Owen
Coyle responded by replacing Wilshere with Matt Taylor as the visitors
sought to held what they had.
Stanislas won a free-kick on 81 minutes and then promptly put it over the
crossbar before Dyer headed tamely into Jaaskelainen's hands from Diamanti's
cross. The No32 finally gave the Boleyn faithful something to cheer about
when he cut inside and shot into the far corner.
As the game ticked into added time, Davies clipped the crossbar before
Stanislas did likewise at the other end with a rasping half-volley, but the
Hammers will have to improve if they are going to get anything from next
weekend's trip to Chelsea.
West Ham United: Green, Faubert (Dyer 47), Tomkins, Upson, Spector, Behrami,
Kovac (Stanislas 75), Parker, Diamanti, Franco (Mido 67), Cole
Subs not used: Stech, Daprela, Da Costa, Ilan
Bolton Wanderers: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Knight, Ricketts, Robinson, Lee,
Muamba, Cohen, Wilshere (Taylor 78) , K.Davies, Elmander (Gardner 74)
Subs: Al Habsi, A.O'Brien, Weiss, Riga, Klasnic
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Vose at the double
WHUFC.com
Dominic Vose scored twice in a 3-0 FA Premier Academy League win over
Crystal Palace on Saturday
06.03.2010
Dominic Vose continued his rich vein of form by scoring his third and fourth
goals of the season in an impressive 3-0 FA Premier Academy League victory
against Crystal Palace at Little Heath. The schoolboy, 16, has now netted
four goals in six appearances for Tony Carr's Under-18s, helping the Hammers
to secure an important success against the Eagles. England U17 striker
Robert Hall was also on target - taking his tally to seven in 14 appearances
- as West Ham scored three second-half goals. West Ham's U18s will return to
action with a home fixture with Reading next Saturday morning.
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'We didn't come out of the blocks'
WHUFC.com
Scott Parker was left frustrated after a poor start saw Bolton Wanderers
take all three points
06.03.2010
Scott Parker admitted a slow start had cost West Ham United dear in
Saturday's 2-1 Barclays Premier League defeat by Bolton Wanderers. Kevin
Davies and Jack Wilshere took advantage of individual errors to put the
Trotters two goals clear within 16 minutes. Although Alessandro Diamanti
pulled one back with his eighth goal of the season with two minutes
remaining, it was not enough. "It was a very frustrating afternoon," said
the reigning Hammer of the Year. "It was a poor result and a poor start from
us. We didn't come out of the blocks at all, started the game really badly
and a couple of individual errors cost us. "As a team we didn't start well
and before we knew it, we were 2-0 down. When you're 2-0 down within 15
minutes, it is always going to be tough. We got a goal back late on and, to
be honest, we didn't deserve anything out of the game, the way we played.
Having said that, we did have some good chances, but we didn't have a
cutting edge."
Bolton's two early goals silenced a Boleyn Ground crowd that had been in
vociferous mood before kick-off, and Parker admitted the Hammers faithful
had every right to be disappointed with the team's performance. "I just felt
that the crowd were a little bit restless and rightly so, because we didn't
really give them anything to go on. When you're out there, it's always
difficult, and when you feel the edginess of the fans, which was rightly so,
it was always going to be hard. After a little while, although we kept
digging in, it became increasingly difficult."
Having avoided a tenth booking of the season and an automatic two-game ban,
Parker will take his place in the West Ham midfield at former club Chelsea
next Saturday. Having played for the Blues, the 29-year-old knows the
Hammers will have to be at their very best to emulate last year's 1-1 draw
at Stamford Bridge. "It's going to be a tough game. We'd like to have come
out of this game with three points or at least one. Having said that, we
went there last year and got something. "The one thing we need to do at
Stamford Bridge is to start the game right and, if we do, and we get the
fundamentals right, then we have a chance. When you go to Chelsea, you're
always going to be up against a good, good team, so it's going to be
difficult."
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Zola expecting a reaction
WHUFC.com
The manager sees no reason why his men cannot make up for Saturday's loss
next time out
06.03.2010
Gianfranco Zola has backed his players to come back stronger after the
disappointment of a 2-1 home defeat by Bolton Wanderers on Saturday. Early
goals from Kevin Davies and Jack Wilshere had the Hammers on the back-foot
and the home side found it difficult to force their way back into the
contest. A second-half red card for Tamir Cohen paved the way for a late
rally but, despite Alessandro Diamanti's eighth goal of the season, it was
not to be for Zola's men. Click here for the match report. "I'm
disappointed," the manager said. "I wasn't expecting that. Nobody was. The
way we started the game determined the result. "They were better than us and
took advantage of their opportunities. In the second half it was difficult,
we tried until the end but it's our fault and I have no complaints."
The early goals shone the spotlight on the Hammers defence but the manager
reminded his team had been steadfast at home of late, with four clean sheets
in the league at the Boleyn Ground. "When [Johan] Elmander and Davies are
playing like that it's not easy," he added, before suggesting his youngsters
like 20-year-old James Tomkins would learn from the experience. "They are
difficult to handle. James has potential. He needs to work on his game. We
had opportunities to come back after the goal but by then it was too late.
We lost points today and I told the players we have to go and get them back
somewhere else."
Although not one for excuses, Zola said his preparation had been affected by
being without five of Saturday's starters during the international break,
while Jack Collison did not appear at all after a knock on Wales duty. Just
after half-time, Julien Faubert was substituted with a muscle problem while
Junior Stanislas - who hit the bar at the death - also took a blow. "I must
say that after every international game you never know what you are going to
get. It can be good it can be good. It is difficult to assess the squad in
one day's training. It is disappointing because it came before a very
important game."
The Hammers head west to Chelsea next weekend and then face Arsenal at the
Emirates but Zola is not overawed by the challenge. Wolverhampton Wanderers
and Stoke City head to the Boleyn before the end of the month and much can
happen in the next four fixtures. "I don't care if we're playing Chelsea or
Arsenal. Last year we got a point in both games, so you never know. I'm not
going to go there already beaten, that's for sure," he said. "In football
you never know and I am not going to give up. "I know we lost a game but
there is a lot to play for and we have learned a lot from this game. I want
more focus, I want more from the beginning to set the tone. We have to do
that. We have to keep our chin up, being down won't help the situation."
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West Ham 1 - 2 Bolton
BBC.co.uk
By Chris Bevan
Bolton made the most of some poor West Ham defending to clinch their first
away victory since September and climb away from the Premier League drop
zone. Kevin Davies nodded Bolton ahead from Lee Chung-Yong's cross before
James Tomkins' error let in Davies to help set up Jack Wilshere's volleyed
finish. Bolton stayed on top until they had Tamir Cohen sent off after 70
minutes. Alessandro Diamanti replied with a low shot before Junior Stanislas
hit the bar for the Hammers in injury time. But Davies also hit the woodwork
for Bolton in what was a frantic finish and, ultimately, the visitors got
their reward for a determined display. The win was the first in the Premier
League for Wanderers boss Owen Coyle, who had not enjoyed any success on the
road in the top flight with Burnley before taking charge of Bolton in
January. And it was an even more unlikely success given that, going into the
game, West Ham had not conceded a goal in any of their previous four home
matches and Bolton had not found the net for more than seven hours on their
travels. Those statistics counted for little when Davies opened the scoring
after 10 minutes, heading expertly into the bottom corner after Tomkins
misjudged Lee's cross. Things got even worse for the Hammers, and Tomkins in
particular, five minutes later when he tried to shepherd the ball out of
play but allowed Davies to cross for Cohen, who teed up on-loan Wilshere to
score Bolton's second goal, his first in the Premier League. And, while
Diamanti went close to replying with two free-kicks and it took a last-gasp
challenge from Sam Ricketts to deny Carlton Cole, Bolton would have been 3-0
up at the interval had Johan Elmander not skied his shot when the impressive
Davies found him in space in front of goal before the break. The Hammers did
at least improve at the back in the second half, but were desperately short
of ideas at the other end until Cohen saw red for his second booking,
following a trip on Scott Parker.
Even then, Bolton looked like holding out until Diamanti's expert finish
late in normal time - but they were almost denied a deserved victory when
substitute Stanislas smashed his shot against the woodwork with Jussi
Jasskelainen beaten. Instead, Wanderers can celebrate their
second-successive victory, which sees them leapfrog West Ham and move into
13th place, five points clear of third-bottom Hull. The Hammers are more
perilously placed, only two points above the danger zone, and will need a
much-improved defensive performance if they are to get anything from their
next two matches - trips to Chelsea and Arsenal.
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West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola: We started slowly and it is very difficult to
come back from going behind like that against against an experienced team
like Bolton. "The bottom line is that the points we missed today, we need to
get somewhere else. It was a poor performance but our reaction will be big."
Bolton manager Owen Coyle: "It was a very accomplished performance. we had a
nervy last five minutes after they pulled one back but we were certainly
worthy winners.
"It's the first time for a year that the club has won two games back to back
which is another positive to take away. "I'm disappointed we didn't get a
clean sheet because the lads worked hard to get that, but we have to accept
it was a quality finish for their goal."
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Zola on ... Bolton
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 6th March 2010
By: Staff Writer
Gianfranco Zola emerged from the dressing room a good deal later than usual
in order to share his thoughts on a desperately disappointing defeat...
Disappointed?
Yes, absolutely. I wasn't expecting that and nobody was expecting that at
West Ham. I think the way we started the game determined the result - they
were better than us and they took advantage of the situations they created
and it was a killer, really.
We tried very hard in the second half to get back but we couldn't. It was
important to score before the end of the first half; we had an opportunity
with Carlton [Cole] but he took too much time, and in the second half it was
difficult.
We tried until the end, we had opportunities but I think it was too late. No
complaints - it's our fault and as I said to the players, we lost three
points today and we have to go and get them somewhere else. It's as simple
as that. Where I don't know, but we need to get them back.
I must say that after every international game you never know what you're
going to get. It can be good, it can be bad - it's difficult to assess it in
one day's training when you have all the players. I'm disappointed because
it came before a very important game - and that's the story.
James Tomkins - at fault for the second goal?
He hasn't had his best game obviously. To be fair, Elmander and Davies, when
they are on form like today they are difficult to handle. But yes, James
will have to work a lot - he's got big potential but he has to work on his
game, he knows that.
Is the pressure back on?
Yes, but I really don't care whether we're playing Chelsea or Arsenal - I
know they're difficult games but who knows, last year we got a point in both
games so in football you never know. I don't think many were expecting
Bolton to beat us today considering our form but they came here and got a
result.
So in football you never know and I'm not going to go there already beaten,
that's for sure.
Junior Stanislas - injured?
It's just a knock, it shouldn't be a big problem. We are assessing him; I
can't tell you any more.
Is it all doom and gloom?
No... It was the worst thing that can happen - I know we lost the game but
there's still a lot to play [for]. I think we'll learn a lot from this game,
we are the ones to blame because if we had started the game in a different
way the result would probably have been different.
So no, I don't want that - I want more focus, I want more from the beginning
- to set the tone a bit better. But we don't have to come in with our heads
down, that wouldn't help the situation.
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Coyle on ... West Ham
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 6th March 2010
By: Staff Writer
Bolton boss Owen Coyle reflects on his first away win since leaving Burnley
to join the Wanderers...
One of your Cup Finals?
I certainly felt it was. We recognised coming into the game that we'd have
to be at our maximum today. West Ham have been in such terrific form,
particularly at home - I think they were unbeaten in five having won their
last three with a bit to spare in most of them.
But that's why we started on the front foot, to try and nullify their
threat. I think offensively West Ham are as good as what's going, but we did
start really well. When we went down to ten men we did have to withstand a
little bit of pressure but I don't think there's any doubt that we were
worth the three points today. There's no doubt that it was a massive three
points.
Kevin Davies?
I think Kevin Davies is a top player. Sometimes he gets painted as a certain
type of player but he's more than that. He's got a lot of positive
attributes and a a lot of facets to his play. He certainly seems to be
enjoying his football - and that's great for me.
He's certainly not a defender's cup of tea because he's difficult to play
against, as he's an aggressive player. There's no doubt he takes as many
bangs as he gives out but I think he's fair, I think he's honest. Some
people say he doesn't get the goals that he should be getting but I think if
you give him the right service and the right crosses then he'll score goals.
There's no doubt that Kevin Davies will never let anybody down.
I thought Elmander worked his socks off again and was a bit unfortunate not
to get a goal. But what they bring as a pairing and how I want to go about
it - an energy and a desire to win games - is very evident. I felt
particularly that the spirit they showed as a group was there for all to
see.
it's a great three points, it helps us on our way and we're nowhere near the
finished article. There's a lot of hard work to go but it moves us up to
13th. We were in the bottom three last week and have managed to win games
back to back for the first time in over a year.
Cohen's dismissal - any complaints?
I felt it was a foul - I've got no argument with that. I just think it's
always easy when players are on yellow cards, if they commit a foul to [send
them off]. Sometimes a foul is a foul, it's not necessarily a yellow card. I
felt Tamir was a little bit unlucky, I've got to say. But that happened and
we did have to withstand that last 20 minutes.
You're playing more adventurous football?
I love wingers playing - the best sight in football for me is someone
hitting the back of the net, second to that is a player taking the full back
on and getting crosses in because we all want to be entertained. I think you
can do that and win games at the same time.
Having said that I think that you would recognise the hard work that both
our wide players do without the ball - and that's what we needed, because of
the quality of West Ham. Their goal was an unbelievable finish and it gave
me a scary last five minutes or so and a few more grey hairs. But over the
course of the game I think we were worth the three points.
I felt at 2-0 it could have been three or four as we had some good chances.
Jussi made a couple of big saves, if we're analysing the game fairly, but
we've got some terrific football players at the club and we're just asking
them to believe in themselves.
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Zola lambasts poor start
Hammers boss surprised by defending during 2-1 reverse
By James Riach Last updated: 6th March 2010
SSN
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola was disappointed with the way his side
started their 2-1 defeat to Bolton. The Hammers were well beaten on their
home patch by a Wanderers outfit that came flying out of the blocks at Upton
Park. Bolton were two up inside 16 minutes thanks to goals from Kevin Davies
and Jack Wilshere, and could not utilise their numerical advantage when
Tamir Cohen was sent off in the second half. Alessandro Diamanti fired in a
superb consolation two minutes before the end of normal time but it was not
enough for Zola's men. And the Italian tactician says his team need to start
better in future games. "That (bad start) was a big, big thing because you
know it's difficult then," he told Sky Sports News. "You concede a two-goal
advantage to a team like Bolton and then it is difficult to come back. "It's
always been the case. We tried very hard in the second half, we had a chance
to equalise right at the end but it was difficult. "We have a lot to learn
from this game because we cannot afford to do that again."
The Hammers had kept four clean sheets in a row at Upton Park in the league
before the visit of Bolton, but were ripped to shreds on numerous occasions
by the Trotters.
Kevin Davies terrorised defender James Tomkins, and in reality, the match
favoured the away side more than the final score suggests. The defeat leaves
West Ham back in the relegation dogfight, and Zola was surprised by the
manner of his team's defensive performance. "I was surprised because
recently our home record was okay," he added. "We were not conceding goals,
we were stronger than that - it came as a surprise. "To be honest, I have to
say after an international week you never know what you are going to get.
That has been the case today. "They were better than us and took advantage
of their opportunities. That was the killer really. It's our fault. "It
wasn't James' (Tomkins) best game. But when Johan (Elmander) and Kevin
(Davies) are playing like that it's not easy. James has potential. He needs
to work on his game. "We had opportunities but by then it was too late. We
lost points today and I told the players we have to go and get them back
somewhere else."
West Ham now travel to Chelsea next weekend and then face Arsenal at the
Emirates Stadium. "I don't care if we're playing Chelsea or Arsenal," Zola
remarked."Last year we got a point in both games, so you never know. I'm not
going to go there already beaten, that's for sure."
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Bolton brace denies Hammers
Trotters end game with 10 men but pick up three points
By James Riach Last updated: 6th March 2010
SSN
Man of the match: Kevin Davies ran the Hammers' defence ragged and was
rewarded with a fine headed goal to his name.
Goal of the match: Although it proved to be just a consolation, Alessandro
Diamanti's curling effort was a wonderful strike late on.
Save of the match: Jussi Jaaskelainen produced a double save in the opening
period. He palmed away a Diamanti free-kick and then tipped away a looping
cross-shot.
Moment of the match: Tamir Cohen was shown a red card with less than 20
minutes of normal time remaining, but West Ham could not take advantage.
Talking point: Bolton now go above the Hammers in the league table, and
Gianfranco Zola's men will be looking over their shoulders once more.
Bolton picked up their first Premier League away win since September after
triumphing 2-1 against West Ham at Upton Park. It was manager Owen Coyle's
first victory on the road in the top flight, and his side deserved it for a
first-half display full of guile and creativity. Kevin Davies led the line
throughout and he scored the opener after just 10 minutes, powering Lee
Chung-Yong's cross past the helpless Robert Green and into the corner.
Davies was involved in the second six minutes later, keeping the ball in
play before the cross came in for Tamir Cohen, whose header down was poked
home by Arsenal loanee Jack Wilshere. Cohen was sent off in the second half
for picking up two bookings, and Alessandro Diamanti pulled one back with
two minutes to go after a superb curling strike, but despite Junior
Stanislas rattling the crossbar in injury-time, Bolton held on. All the
pre-match statistics had pointed to a home win. Bolton had not won on their
travels in six months or scored away from the Reebok Stadium in over seven
hours of football. West Ham, meanwhile, had not conceded a goal at Upton
Park in four Premier League matches and boasted England duo Matthew Upson
and Robert Green at the back. But Bolton are West Ham's bogey team and
turned those records upside down inside 16 minutes, helped by some
calamitous home defending. West Ham could not handle Davies' physical
presence all afternoon and he put Bolton ahead with a powerful header after
rising above Julien Faubert to meet Lee's cross.
James Tomkins was all at sea at the heart of West Ham's defence, unable to
cope with Davies and Johan Elmander, and it was his mistake which gifted
Bolton their second just six minutes later. The England Under-21
international tried to shepherd the ball out of play for a goal-kick but was
caught out by Davies, who clipped a cross into the box.
Cohen, in the side after Stuart Holden broke his leg in midweek, knocked the
ball down to Wilshere who beat Green from close range with an acrobatic
finish to become the youngest Premier League scorer of the season. West Ham
may have been poor at the back but they were lively going forward and came
close with two Diamanti free-kicks from the edge of the box. The Italian
curled an early effort onto the roof of the net after Parker's surging run
had been checked. After Bolton's double strike, Paul Robinson was booked for
a trip on Radoslav Kovac and Diamanti tried his luck again from a similar
position. But Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen was equal to Diamanti's
powerful drive and he then denied Guillermo Franco, who had pounced on the
rebound. With the Upton Park crowd growing increasingly agitated, West Ham
began to lose their composure going forward. Carlton Cole had the best
chance, racing into the box to meet Scott Parker's through-ball with only
Jaaskelainen to beat. But the England striker took too many touches,
allowing Sam Ricketts time to race back and execute a perfectly timed cover
tackle. Parker wasted another promising opportunity with poor control before
Diamanti drilled a cross into the box but Zat Knight cleared off the line
after a goalmouth scramble.
West Ham's defending was almost comical at times, drawing howls of derision
from the stands. Jonathan Spector, playing out of position at left-back,
allowed Lee a free shot at the far post but the Bolton winger skewed it
wide. And a better striker than Elmander might have had a first-half
hat-trick for Bolton. The Swede saw one effort blocked by Green, he drilled
another into the side netting and then squandered his best chance of the
half from six yards out. Elmander lost Tomkins in the box and was picked out
by Davies' right-wing cross but, under no pressure, he sent his shot over
the bar. West Ham brought on Kieron Dyer early in the second half after
Faubert strained a muscle and he almost made an immediate impact, latching
onto Cole's knock-down but shooting over the bar. Fabrice Muamba was booked
for a foul on Parker to offer Diamanti a third chance from the edge of the
box, but his free-kick hit the wall and bounced clear. Bolton were reduced
to 10 men just after the hour mark after Cohen collected two bookings inside
nine minutes, the second for a mindless trip on the industrious Parker.
Diamanti finally created a breakthrough for West Ham, curling a neat shot
past Jaaskelainen. In a frantic finish, Davies hit the bar after a
counter-attack from Knight before Stanislas rattled the woodwork.
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Resurgent Bolton drag West Ham back into relegation fight
West Ham 1 Bolton 2
The Times
Brian Glanville at Upton Park
BOOED off at half-time by their own supporters, West Ham, then two goals
down, nearly saved the match. But they would hardly have deserved to. It was
difficult to argue with Bolton's manager Owen Coyle, who "felt that at 2-0
it could have been three or four". In the event, after Bolton went down to
10 men when Tamir Cohen was sent off on 70 minutes for a second yellow card,
the Hammers would have drawn had a thundering drive from substitute Junior
Stanislas not rebounded from the bar. A disappointed West Ham manager
Gianfranco Zola reflected: "We are the ones to blame because if we'd started
the game different, the result would have been different."
He could say that again; his team's beginning was disastrous. On 10 minutes,
the splendidly elusive South Korean Chung-Yong Lee, one of two wingers
boldly deployed by Coyle, put over a centre from the right that Kevin Davies
headed powerfully home. In the early stages, West Ham could do little with
Davies and still less with Lee. On 16 minutes, West Ham feebly gave away a
second goal when the young centre-back James Tomkins tried somewhat ineptly
to shepherd the ball over the touchline. Davies crossed, Cohen knocked it
back and Jack Wilshere, the young prodigy on loan from Arsenal, scored.
On 25 minutes, West Ham retaliated with a fierce left-footed free kick by
Alessandro Diamanti - who would score in the 88th minute with a spectacular
goal from the right, also with his left foot - but Bolton's keeper Jussi
Jaaskelainen punched it away. Later in the half, Zat Knight cleared off the
Bolton line, but soon after this, Davies set up a chance that Johan Elmander
wastefully booted over. Scott Parker, doing his best to breathe life into
his largely ineffectual team, prodded the ball that Guillermo Franco
wastefully shot over, to be instantly substituted. But even in stoppage
time, Bolton broke dangerously away down the right through Ricardo Gardner,
from whose cross Davies came close to scoring. "No doubt," said Coyle, "it
was a massive three points."
Star man: Chung-Yong Lee (Bolton) Yellow cards: West Ham: Kovac, Diamanti
Bolton: Robinson, Muamba, Cohen, Wilshere, Jaaskelainen Red card: Bolton:
Cohen
Referee: L Probert Attendance: 33,824
West Ham: Green 6, Faubert 6 (Dyer 47min, 6), Tomkins 5, Upson 6, Spector 5,
Behrami 6, Parker 7, Kovac 5 (Stanislas 75min), Diamanti 7, Cole 6, Franco 5
(Mido 67min)
Bolton: Jaaskelainen 7, Steinsson 7, Knight 6, Ricketts 7, Robinson 6, Lee
7, Cohen 5, Muamba 6, Wilshere 6 (Taylor 78min), Elmander 6 (Gardner 74min),
K Davies 7
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Ten-man Trotters haunt Hammers again
ESPN
Match Information
Stadium: Upton Park, England
Attendance: 33,824
Match Time: 15:00 UK
Official(s):
Lee Probert (Referee)
Updated: March 6, 2010, 8:23 AM UK
Bolton secured a vital 2-1 away victory against relegation rivals West Ham
with two goals inside the opening 16 minutes from Kevin Davies and Jack
Wilshere. Davies was magnificent throughout and his powerful header gave
Bolton the lead before he turned provider, robbing James Tomkins of the ball
to tee up 18-year-old Wilshere. West Ham mounted a spirited comeback after
Bolton had Tamir Cohen sent off for two bookable offences in the second half
and Alessandro Diamanti curled in a late consolation. Both sides hit the bar
in a frantic finale but Bolton held on for a sixth straight victory over
West Ham - and their third this season - which takes them above the Hammers
in the table. All the pre-match statistics had pointed to a home win. Bolton
had not won on their travels in six months or scored away from the Reebok
Stadium in over seven hours of football.
West Ham, meanwhile, had not conceded a goal at Upton Park in four Premier
League matches and boasted England duo Matthew Upson and Robert Green at the
back. But Bolton are West Ham's bogey team and turned those records upside
down inside 16 minutes, helped by some calamitous home defending. West Ham
could not handle Davies' physical presence all afternoon and he put Bolton
ahead with a powerful header after rising above Julien Faubert to meet Lee
Chung-Yong's cross. Tomkins was all at sea at the heart of West Ham's
defence, unable to cope with Davies and Johan Elmander, and it was his
mistake which gifted Bolton their second just six minutes later. The England
Under-21 international tried to shepherd the ball out of play for a
goal-kick but was caught out by Davies, who clipped a cross into the box.
Cohen, in the side after Stuart Holden broke his leg in midweek, knocked the
ball down to Wilshere who beat Green from close range with an acrobatic
finish and became the youngest Premier League scorer of the season.
West Ham may have been poor at the back but they were lively going forward
and came close with two Diamanti free-kicks from the edge of the box. The
Italian curled an early effort onto the roof of the net after Parker's
surging run had been checked. After Bolton's double strike, Paul Robinson
was booked for a trip on Radoslav Kovac and Diamanti tried his luck again
from a similar position. But Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen was equal to
Diamanti's powerful drive and he then denied Guillermo Franco, who had
pounced on the rebound.
With the Upton Park crowd growing increasingly agitated, West Ham began to
lose their composure going forward. Carlton Cole had the best chance, racing
into the box to meet Scott Parker's through-ball with only Jaaskelainen to
beat. But the England striker took too many touches, allowing Sam Ricketts
time to race back and execute a perfectly timed cover tackle. Parker wasted
another promising opportunity with poor control before Diamanti drilled a
cross into the box but Zat Knight cleared off the line after a goalmouth
scramble. West Ham's defending was almost comical at times, drawing howls of
derision from the stands. Jonathan Spector, playing out of position at
left-back, allowed Lee a free shot at the far post but the Bolton winger
skewed it wide. And a better striker than Elmander might have had a
first-half hat-trick for Bolton. The Swede saw one effort blocked by Green,
he drilled another into the side netting and then squandered his best chance
of the half from six yards out. Elmander lost Tomkins in the box and was
picked out by Davies' right-wing cross but, under no pressure, he sent his
shot over the bar. West Ham brought on Kieron Dyer early in the second half
after Faubert strained a muscle and he almost made an immediate impact,
latching onto Cole's knock-down but shooting over the bar. Fabrice Muamba
was booked for a foul on Parker to offer Diamanti a third chance from the
edge of the box, but his free-kick hit the wall and bounced clear. Bolton
were reduced to 10 men just after the hour mark after Cohen collected two
bookings inside nine minutes, the second for a mindless trip on the
industrious Parker. Diamanti finally created a breakthrough for West Ham,
curling a neat shot past Jaaskelainen to give some credence to the rather
bizarre decision to make him man of the match. In a frantic finish, Davies
hit the bar after a counter-attack from Knight before Junior Stanislas
rattled the woodwork.
After the match Bolton manager Owen Coyle hailed his side's victory as "a
massive three points". "I felt it was a cup final for us," said Coyle. "We
recognised coming here we'd have to be at our maximum because West Ham have
been in good form. "We wanted to start on the front foot and we did very
well. It was a terrific performance all round. But there's no doubt we
deserved all three points." Bolton have now beaten West Ham in their last
six meetings - and three times this season following 3-1 victories at the
Reebok Stadium in the league and the Carling Cup. The Trotters had not won
away from home since last September and they arrived at Upton Park without a
goal on their travels in over seven hours - a statistic Davies took just
nine minutes to rectify. "I'm led to believe this is my first away win in
the Premier League but I wasn't conscious of that. I knew it was just around
the corner," said Coyle. "They had us under pressure by the end. But the
spirit was there for all to see. It helps us to move upwards. "I felt Tamir
was a little bit unlucky. Sometimes it's too easy to send someone off when
they're on a yellow card. "There's no doubt it was a massive three points
today. If the players keep giving me that effort we will get enough points
to keep us safe. "Kevin Davies is a top player. He is sometimes painted as a
certain kind of player but he has a lot of assets to his play and is
enjoying his football. "He's not a defender's cup of tea because he's hard
to play against. But he's fair and honest. With the right service, he will
score. "Is it far-fetched to mention him for England? He will do a job for
you if you need a target."
West Ham's defending was calamitous throughout, with Tomkins and Matthew
Upson unable to handle Davies and Johan Elmander. Manager Gianfranco Zola
said: "I'm disappointed. I wasn't expecting that. Nobody was. The way we
started the game determined the result. "They were better than us and took
advantage of their opportunities. That was the killer really. It's our
fault. "It wasn't James' (Tomkins) best game. But when Johan and Kevin are
playing like that it's not easy. James has potential. He needs to work on
his game. "We had opportunities but by then it was too late. We lost points
today and I told the players we have to go and get them back somewhere
else." West Ham travel to Chelsea next weekend and then face Arsenal at the
Emirates Stadium but Zola is not overawed by the challenge. "I don't care if
we're playing Chelsea or Arsenal," he said. "Last year we got a point in
both games, so you never know. I'm not going to go there already beaten,
that's for sure."
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West Ham United 1 Bolton Wanderers 2: match report
Read a full report of the Premier League match between West Ham United and
Bolton Wanderers at Upton Park on Saturday March 6, 2010.
Telegraph
Published: 5:09PM GMT 06 Mar 2010
Kevin Davies was described before kick-off by a local radio reporter - and
West Ham United supporter - as a 'Premiership bully with next-to-no skill',
but the Bolton Wanderers forward made a mockery of such mocking by leading
his side to an invaluable victory. Davies led from the front as Bolton made
light of pre-match predictions to record only their third away league win of
the season and move above West Ham, who had not conceded a league goal at
home for more than six hours before this humiliation. And Davies gave a
lesson in forward play to Carlton Cole, West Ham's leading scorer, who had
an off-day like most of his team-mates. Bolton took the lead with a goal of
beautiful simplicity in the tenth minute. Alessandro Diamanti went
half-heartedly into a centre-circle challenge with Fabrice Muamba, who came
away with the ball and fed Gretar Steinsson. The full-back moved it on
swiftly to Lee Chung-Yong on the right wing, and the Korean's cross from
near the corner flag was arrowed straight at Kevin Davies, who climbed high
above Julien Faubert to thump his header into the corner of Robert Green's
goal. That stunned Upton Park, with Bolton's small band of supporters barely
audible, but within six minutes they were celebrating again as Jack Wilshere
made it 2-0. This time James Tomkins was at fault, the young West Ham
defender's inexperience showing as he tried to shepherd the ball out of play
with Davies on his shoulder. The Bolton forward simply hooked the across
goal from the right for Tamir Cohen to head it back into the path of
Wilshere, allowing the teenager to score with a high volley from close
range. In between, West Ham had not given Bolton too much to worry about.
Jussi Jaaskelainen did not have a save to make until the 25th minute, when
he did well to block a Diamanti free-kick and then tip away Guillermo
Franco's follow-up. Scott Parker put Carlton Cole in on goal, but Sam
Ricketts stuck out of a foot to dispossess the England striker as he
prepared to shoot. Ricketts, playing as a stand-in central defender, almost
made a timely intervention to block Parker after Cole had returned the
favour, but most of the chances were falling to Bolton as Davies led from
the front. He cleverly fed Lee, who crossed for Wilshere only to see the
youngster scuff his shot. Lee also mis-hit a volley when more poor defending
from the home side gave him a clear sight of goal. It could and should have
been 3-0 by half-time as Davies sent in a perfect cross from the right,
between Green and his defence, but when the ball arrived at Johan Elmander's
feet, he scooped it horribly over the bar from ten yards. West Ham's fans
finally had something to cheer at half-time with the return of the
Hammerettes. Their popular cheerleaders, who showed considerably more
teamwork and co-ordination than their team. Back on the pitch, there was
more disruption for West Ham early in the second half when Faubert pulled up
injured and was replaced by Kieron Dyer, whose first touch was a half-volley
over the bar from close range. Davies was working tirelessly for Bolton,
shaking off three defenders to set up Elmander, whose shot hit the hand of
Matthew Upson without penalty. Bolton's task was made harder for the final
20 minutes when Tamir Cohen was sent off for his second booking in the space
of five minutes, for tripping Parker. But West Ham still could not make
their advantage count until the 88th minute, when Diamanti curled a shot
from the right-hand side of the penalty area into the far coner of goal.
That set up a tense finale, especially when five minutes of stoppage time
was shown. Almost immediatelty Fabrice Muamba broke away and crossed fro
Davies to hit the bar with his sliding effort. Moments later Junior
Stanislas did the same at the opposite end, thumping a half-volley against
the Bolton bar from 20 yards - and that was it.
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Jack Wilshere earns a rare away win for supercharged Bolton
Simon Burnton at Upton Park guardian.co.uk, Saturday 6 March 2010 17.02 GMT
This was always supposed to be a one-sided game; the only surprise was the
identity of the one side. West Ham had not conceded here for four games, yet
their defence was chaotic. Bolton had not scored away for four games, yet
they attacked with brio and, on occasion, brilliance. "We have some terrific
players at this football club," Owen Coyle said, grinning. "They've just got
to trust themselves."
Bolton's regret is that they had only a two-goal lead by the time Tamir
Cohen received his second yellow card with 20 minutes remaining. So it was
that after Alessandro Diamanti gave the home side hope by cutting in from
the right wing two minutes from time and shooting inside the far post, the
visitors came within a couple of inches of throwing victory away.
In the 94th minute, the West Ham substitute Junior Stanislas chested the
ball down on the edge of the area and volleyed against the meat of the bar
with the goalkeeper emphatically beaten. He might have cursed his luck, but
a draw would have been a travesty. "They were better than us," Gianfranco
Zola said. "I've got no complaints."
In the first half, Bolton fair blew the home side away with an unrelenting,
irresistible barrage of pressure. They scored twice inside the first 16
minutes and still were not sated, creating chances with a regularity that
had the home fans howling with frustration and rage. Had they been four up
by half-time, West Ham could hardly have complained. On this evidence, Coyle
has not so much transformed Bolton as supercharged them.
Purists may still mutter about their style of play, but Bolton could hardly
be accused of a lack of quality. It always helps, though, to be playing
against a defence as apparently hapless as the Hammers'. Their left-back,
Jonathan Spector, and centre-half, James Tomkins, will look back on this
match with a shudder of horror. Both of Bolton's goals came from their right
flank, where Lee Chung-yong was ascendant throughout. In the 10th minute he
took on Spector, sent in a cross which curled in towards the far post and
Kevin Davies thundered in to head past Robert Green.
Six minutes later, Gretar Steinsson chipped a ball into the inside-right
channel, Tomkins attempted to usher it out of play and Davies stole in to
poke it towards the centre. To their credit, two Bolton players had ventured
into the penalty area, gambling on the possibility of their captain winning
the ball. One of them, Tamir Cohen, headed down and the other, Jack
Wilshere, volleyed into the net.
Chances continued to come, Johan Elmander guilty of a particularly glaring
miss from Davies's cross in first-half stoppage time. Carlton Cole,
meanwhile, had West Ham's best opportunity of the first half but delayed his
shot and the excellent Sam Ricketts stole the ball off his toe. Bolton could
not quite keep up that level of intensity but, though they threw on
attacking players, West Ham still could not attack with conviction.
Alessandro Diamanti polarises opinions at West Ham like no other player.
While he offers the sort of unpredictable creativity and set-piece prowess
that few other strugglers possess, he can be maddeningly inconsistent.
Nothing sums this up more than his frustrating day against Bolton as he gave
the ball away with worrying frequency in a shambolic defeat. Victory took
Bolton above their opponents, and they visit Sunderland on Tuesday in search
of a third successive win. "Psychologically, we're on the up," Coyle said.
West Ham, meanwhile, are looking down once more, and next visit Chelsea and
then Arsenal. "I don't think many people were expecting Bolton to beat us
today," Zola said. "In football, you never know."
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First Team Stars Will Not Be Sold - West Ham United Manager Gianfranco Zola
Hammers chief has the final say...
By David Middleton
Mar 6, 2010 3:46:00 PM
Goal.com
West Ham United manager Gianfranco Zola as his side clash with West Bromwich
AlbionWest Ham United manager Gianfranco Zola has hit out at speculation
suggesting he's not in control of his squad, with rumours circulating about
the new regime at Upton Park undermining his authority. The diminutive
Italian is adamant he still has the final say when it comes to contract and
transfer negotiations, despite talks with a number of key players being
postponed until the close season. New owners David Sullivan and David Gold
are believed to have put off renewing deals with the club's top earners
until the Hammers are assured of staving off relegation from the Premier
League. It's meant England internationals Robert Green and Matthew Upson, as
well as play-maker Valon Behrami, are uncertain about their futures and may
look for a commitment elsewhere. However, Zola is confident he's in the
driving seat and is being consulted every step of the way. Of course I have
the final say. When it comes to football, I tell the owners my preferences
and which players I want," Zola told the Daily Mirror. "I know there have
been talks between [Valon] Behrami and the club and I believe they will talk
again at the end of the season. "I want Behrami to stay. I like him very
much. But we have postponed everything until the end of the season because
the future depends on what the club is doing next season. "The future
depends on the present. I think it is totally correct to do that. With the
owners, the strategy is that we just want to make sure the club is fine for
next year, we are safe and we are in a better position." The Hammers are
sinking amid significant debts, and the new owners are contemplating
cashing-in on the highly-rated Switzerland international Behrami. West Ham
are also facing an end of season relegation battle, with just three points
separating them from the drop-zone and away fixtures at Chelsea and Arsenal
on the horizon.
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