Daily WHUFC News - 20th September 2010

Vinny's Stoke Report
Vinny - Sun Sep 19 2010
West Ham Online

Stoke City 1 West Ham United 1

A goal from Scott Parker was not enough to give West Ham their first win of
the season but it does see the Hammers finally get off the mark. This point
was gained in the absence of manager Avram Grant who was given leave due to
the Jewish holy day Yom Kippur. Despite this the team put in their best
performance of the season in a hard fought game. Our first half performance
was very good and we controlled the game with the hosts having very little
of the play. We scored a deserved goal and were unlucky not to get a second
goal through a wonderful effort from Frederique Piquionne. Whilst all three
points were vital due to our abysmal start to the season I can't say I am
especially unhappy with the result as we needed to stop the run of defeats
and we played some good football at times. There is still a lot of work to
be done to ensure Premiership survival but we have to start somewhere and
this draw should be that starting point which will hopefully see us kick on
as overly optimistic as that may sound. Changes were made to both personnel
and formation as we set ourselves up in a much more attacking way.

In defence Tal Ben Haim had joined Avram Grant in respect of Yom Kippur and
was replaced by Manuel Da Costa who was alongside Matthew Upson. This was
fourth defensive partner Upson has played with this season in just five
games. Another change at the back saw Danny Gabbidon coming in for the
injured Herita Ilunga at left back.

In midfield Luis Boa Morte was dropped to the bench in favour of forward
Frederique Piquionne. This saw us go to effectively a 4-3-3 with Piquionne
and Obinna on either side of Carlton Cole. This formation seemed liked a
risk but one which paid off for the most part and was a change which was
needed in order to make us more of a threat going forward. There was no
Kieron Dyer on the bench after reports in the newspapers stated that he had
been involved in a bust up with Avram Grant regarding his non selection.
This had later been re-buffed by the players agent but whatever the reason
Kieron Dyer was missing from the squad.

Starting for Stoke City was former Hammer Matthew Etherington who played
over 160 times for the club scoring 16 goals and was also a former Hammer of
the Year in 2003/04 season. The first ten minutes saw little in the way of
chances although a few tackles were flying about with Valon Behrami
penalised for what looked like a fair tackle as he won the ball in the
process but the referee Lee Mason (who would be very inconsistent
throughout) gave the free kick.
From the free kick taken by Jermaine Pennant it resulted in another Robert
Green moment as the ball was fired straight at him but he made mess of it
and dropped the ball into the path of Huth who hit the post from just a few
yards out. Green had been subject to much abuse from the Stoke fans which
was of course to be expected and with mistakes like this he will be subject
to much more. A ball into the area saw a clearance only as far as Victor
Obinna who hit a goal bound shot which was blocked by Ryan Shawcross in the
Stoke defence. Replays suggest that this was handled by Shawcross and a
penalty would not have been too much of a surprise if it had been given.

We were dominant in possession and the Stoke fans were starting to get a
little frustrated by their team which worked in our favour. You could see we
were gaining confidence as the half went on and despite not having many
clear cut chances we did manage to break the deadlock just after the half
hour mark.
A poor challenge from Danny Collins on Valon Behrami saw a free kick given.
No booking was given to Collins despite this being the worst challenge of
the game and Berhami himself was booked for a soft challenge later on.

The resulting free kick was driven in by Obinna as Upson went up for the
ball with a player on the line attempted to clear the ball but it bounced
off another Stoke player into the path of Parker who could not miss from
just a couple of yards out. The West Ham fans and players went wild as was
the relief in seeing us score. Parker ran over to the West Ham fans showing
just how much the goal meant to him. This was the third goal of the season
for Parker which equals his tally for the entire of last season.

Just moments after the goal we nearly had a second as Piquionne won the ball
just inside the Stoke half and raced forward. The forward cut back on his
right foot and hit a fantastic shot at goal which beat the keeper but
crashed off the cross bar and away. There couldn't have been any West Ham
fans who were not happy going into the half time break as we had done just
about all we could. We had been a lot more aggressive in our challenges,
dealt with the Stoke set pieces and those ugly long throws well enough and
grabbed ourselves a goal. I would presume many of the conversations taking
place amongst West Ham fans at half time would be along the lines of 'let's
make sure we don't concede an early goal in the second half' but this would
be exactly what we would do.

Having watched Stoke vs. Aston Villa last Monday night there were
similarities with the first half as like Villa we had dominated the half
only to struggle in the second. The equalising goal came just three minutes
into the second period with Jermaine Pennant showing some good wing play and
hitting a deep cross to the back post for Kenwyn Jones to get above Da Costa
and bundle the ball over the line. You could suggest that Da Costa should
have been stronger but for me the cross from Pennant was top draw and the
size and strength of Jones would only produce one winner.

Stoke had their tails up and we went through a very rough twenty minutes.
Even thinking back to it now I am surprised that we managed to get away with
only conceding the one goal as we could not get hold of the ball and Stoke
created a few wonderful chances. The first of those great chances came from
a long ball towards Jones which Upson seemed to have under control but the
England international made a mess of it and was easily shrugged off by Jones
who would surely score but Robert Green made an outstanding save to deny
him, tipping his shot onto the post. I would suspect many in the media will
choose to omit the existence of this save by Green as he is simply a keeper
who drops the ball right?

Valon Behrami was taken off due to injury and replaced by Radoslav Kovac.
Although many did not want to see Kovac brought on he was our only viable
option to introduce and bringing on Barrera or Faubert would have had to see
our formation change and with the three forwards doing well this wasn't an
option. At the other end some nice one touch football involving all three
strikers saw the ball come out to Obinna who hit his shot into the ground by
Sorensen in the Stoke goal had to get down to tip the ball away for a
corner. From the corner it was knocked short with Noble receiving it back
and putting in a good cross to the back post which found Da Costa whose
header at goal was saved well by Sorenson when it looked as though it was
about to go in.

Stoke came very close to grabbing the second goal as a long throw from Delap
was diverted towards goal from the head of Fuller as Robert Green had given
it up it hit the bar and bounced away from goal. Whilst the first half was
firmly ours, Stoke can say the same about the second and we rode our luck at
times but I don't think many thought it would be any different when playing
Stoke at the Britannia.

There were a number of positives to take from the game and some of our
football was quite smart with a little bit more aggressive approach which
was needed against a strong side. A win was needed but anyone who watched
this game either on the TV or at he ground will have surely seen an
improvement in the way we performed.

Player Reviews

Robert Green
It wasn't just the mistake in the first half which concerns me but his whole
demeanour seems that of a defeated man. The World Cup would have been
difficult to deal with but he has to get himself back on track because he is
a very good goal keeper and his save from Jones in the second half showed
how good a shot stopper he is.

Lars Jacobson
Another solid performance from the Dane who looks like a proper right back.
Both our full backs did well and although Jacobson is not a player you will
notice much through the game he does his defensive job very well.

Matthew Upson
On the whole he had a good game. The defence knew they would be under
pressure with a lot of high balls to deal with but Upson had a good game
despite one mistake in the second half which Jones came very close to
scoring from.

Manuel Da Costa
I do not have him down as at fault for the goal and thought Da Costa played
really well. The back end of last season Da Costa was playing well and I
think he should be the player starting next to Upson for the foreseeable
future.

Danny Gabbidon
Starting at left back this was the initial concern and potential weak link.
But I was pleasantly surprised by the performance by Gabbidon who was
excellent. He wasn't afraid of the ball which he had seemed to be in
previous performance and I hope this will not be a one off because this was
a solid defensive performance from a player once known only for displays
like this one.

Valon Behrami
Ineffective for the most part but the one thing I will give him is his
willingness to get stuck in and make challenges in an attempt to break up
the Stoke counter attacking. Most of the time he made a foul and also
received the yellow card but we need more aggression.

Mark Noble
He and Parker in the midfield were the heart beat of the team and Noble did
well. His lack of pace lets him down at times as he gets himself into some
good positions but his overall performance was positive.

Scott Parker
Once again he is my man of the match. He just controls everything we do, and
forgetting him scoring another goal his overall performance was that of a
leader. There were a few misplaced passes in the first half but the passion
he showed more than made up for it.

Frederique Piquionne
Fade in the second half but in the first half he was really involved and was
a threat. He came deeper to receive the ball and add another body in the
midfield when needed by some of the link up play with Cole and Obinna was
pleasing on the eye. His shot in the first half deserved a goal and was
denied only by the bar.

Carlton Cole
Had a tough time of it once again and looked desperate to score in the first
half with two similar shots which were easily saved by keeper. A better
display from Cole though and held the ball up better than over the last
couple of games. Hopefully he will get a goal soon because we really need
him scoring.

Victor Obinna
A lively showing from the Nigerian who has something about him. He is
confident, likes to take on players and is not afraid to have a shot. Just
needs to get that goal.

Subs Used

Radoslav Kovac (on for Behrami 52 mins)
Took a little while to get used to the pace of the game but put in some good
tackles and broke up play well.

Luis Boa Morte (on for Obinna 90 +3 mins)
On to waste the last few seconds.

Subs Not Used: Stech, Tomkins, Faubert, Barrera

Bookings: Behrami, Cole

Man Of The Match: Scott Parker

Stoke City:Sorensen, Huth, Shawcross, Faye, Collins, Delap, Whitehead,
Pennant (Whelan 83), Etherington, Walters (Fuller 66), Jones (Gudjohnsen 73)
Subs: Begovic, Higginbotham, Wilson, Wilkinson

Attendance: 27,028

Overall

It may have not been the victory we so desperately needed but it was not
another defeat and that run of dismal results has hopefully been stopped in
its tracks. The team we sent out was one looking for victory and we did not
go their to sit back and defend. This made it difficult for Stoke and
despite riding our luck a couple of times in the second half I think we can
say we deserved at least a point. That was our best defensive performance of
the season with Da Costa and Gabbidon playing very well.

Next Game - Sunderland (a) League Cup

The third round of the League Cup sees a tough away trip to Sunderland in a
game which I will not be attending. I would hope there wouldn't be too many
changes to the team as crazy as it may seem but I want to win this game and
have a bit of a cup run. Hopefully Sunderland will underestimate us and we
will come away with victory which would give us no end of confidence going
into the Tottenham game next Saturday. Defeat will surely set us back and
any confidence taken from this game against Stoke will be lost.

We are finally off the mark then. It may only be a point but hopefully it
will be first of many and next weekend will see a big result against high
flying Spurs.

The View from Coach Paul Groves

"It is a difficult place to come to,It was pleasing that we stood up to the
challenge. The work-rate of the group was fantastic as it has been this
season.
"It was a decent performance. We created a number of half chances in the
first half and probably controlled the first 45 minutes as much as you
possibly can against Stoke in dealing with what they throw at you. "It was
different in the second half, but I felt that we showed good character, good
spirit and good togetherness in terms of asking one or two questions when
they scored." "When they scored was a difficult time but we came out the
other side and started to get a grip of the game a little bit. You are
always going to face that in the last ten minutes ut we weathered that as
well." There is always a tinge of little disappointment because we felt in
the first half we could have gone in two-nil up. "It is a difficult place to
come and get points. They are a strong powerful side and you have to deal
with that." "The responsibility gets shared amongst us all, there is Zeljko
and don't forget Kevin Keen. He is a big part of the set-up. Things were
covered [by the manager] going into the game. You are prepared as much as
you possibly can. You have to react different situations. I was speaking to
Kevin and to Zeljko. We pooled our knowledge and you try to make the right
decisions."

Season 2010/11 Scorers and Bookings

Top Scorers

Scott Parker 3 (2 League, 1 Cup)
Mark Noble 1 (1 league)

Bookings

Noble - 3
Parker - 2
Tomkins - 1
Faubert - 1
Behrami - 1
Upson - 1
Cole - 1

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Stoke keeper backs Green to bounce back
Published 22:44 19/09/10 By David McDonnell
The Mirror

Stoke keeper Thomas Sorensen has backed his West Ham counterpart Rob Green
to restore his battered reputation. Green, whose high-profile gaffe at the
World Cup cost him his status as England No.1, was the target of abuse from
Stoke fans. And Green looked nervous on Saturday, beaten three times as
Stoke hit the framework of his goal, while Kenwyne Jones equalised. But
Green redeemed himself with a fine stop from Jones, and Sorensen said: "It
was a great important save. Had we gone 2-1 up, we would have won. But
that's what keepers are there for. "You saw that again near the end when he
came for a long throw and caught it. That showed confidence. "I don't think
he looked bad at all. He looked comfortable in the second half. One mistake
doesn't make you a bad keeper. You need to have the inner belief that you're
good, no matter what everyone else is saying. "You can see he's playing
through it and doing well. You don't see any signs of him being affected by
it."

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Great Scott: Are West Ham just a one-man team with Parker?
By IVAN SPECK
Last updated at 11:33 PM on 19th September 2010
Daily Mail

If Avram Grant's Yom Kippur reflections had wandered at all on Saturday to
events a few miles away from the Potteries synagogue where he spent the day
in prayer, it would surely have been to give thanks for Scott Parker.
Without him, West Ham, who drew 1-1 at Stoke City, would have been combative
and determined, yet rudderless. With him, they will believe they can stay
up. Parker could have become a Tottenham player this summer. At Upton Park
this weekend, he will face them, hoping to guide West Ham to a first league
win.
Midfield control was theirs thanks to Parker's probing and prodding in a
surprising first half, yet West Ham seemed lightweight up front. Frederic
Piquionne showed glimpses of ingenuity, but Carlton Cole is a shadow of the
player who forced himself into England squads. Victor Obinna offers little
more than pace and erratic shooting. If west Ham are to survive they need
their captain to stay fit. Scott Parker is most prolific tackler (22), most
successful tackler (82%), most creative player (nine chances) and top scorer
(two).
PS In only five PL seasons have the club at the bottom after five games
survived. It says everything about Parker that in addition to his vision and
drive, he is also leading scorer. 'I try to play my game and inspire others
to follow. I will keep playing my hardest and try to bring people along,'
said Parker. He has chased medals before, when he left Charlton for Chelsea,
only to discover that sitting on the bench is no way to win things. It
might have been that way at White Hart Lane too, given Tottenham's crowded
midfield, whereas at West Ham, he is king. He has become leader on and off
the pitch, willing to answer questions while others sneak on to the team
coach. The 29-year-old added: 'It's going to be a tough season, there's no
hiding the fact.'

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Swansea City new boy Frank Nouble aims to make impact
Sep 20 2010 by Tim Lewis, Western Mail

SWANSEA'S latest signing Frank Nouble says he is ready to make a big impact
in the Championship. The on-loan West Ham youngster went straight into the
Swans side for Saturday's win over Scunthorpe and showed plenty of promise
on his debut. At 6ft 2in, the stocky Nouble, who turns 19 on Friday, offers
Swansea boss Brendan Rodgers a more physical option than main striker
Stephen Dobbie, and put himself about well against The Iron. "It was
terrific," said Nouble. "I was really happy with my debut. "The team played
very good football, but I knew before I came to Swansea they were a side who
like to get the ball down so I am really happy I've got the opportunity to
come and get games here. "I was a little surprised to go into the starting
line-up, but I knew I would have to be prepared for anything before I came.
"Hopefully I can add a little bit to the team and it is good for me to get a
run-out."
The former Chelsea starlet is not available for tomorrow's trip to
Peterborough in the Carling Cup, but he is looking to add more firepower to
the Swansea side over the next three months. He said: "I've joined a side
who are full of confidence and that is great for me. "I have not come to
Swansea for a jolly, I want to do well. "The fans can expect a lot of hard
work and some goals, I'm sure, if I am given the chance over the next few
games, I will be able to get some goals for the team. "I have pace, power
and plenty of enthusiasm. I am still young and learning, but I really want
to do well for Swansea and the fans. "I know the manager well so it was good
for me to come back and work with him. "We play good football, this was
probably not our best game, but we still passed the ball very well and got a
win."

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Diamanti: West Ham connection drew me to Brescia
19.09.10 | tribalfootball.com

Alessandro Diamanti admits a West Ham United connection drew him to Brescia.
The former Livorno star had only a handful of Serie A appearances under his
belt before switching to the Premier League, but is back for the Rondinelle.
"I came to Brescia out of recognition for Gianluca Nani, who was the
director who brought me to West Ham," he told the Gazzetta dello Sport."I
didn't even consider the other offers, although the clubs that were looking
for me included Parma and Fiorentina."

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Daily WHUFC News - 19th September 2010

Parker makes his point
WHUFC.com
The Hammer of the Year was at it again on Saturday with a driving display in midfield
18.09.2010

Scott Parker was pleased with the battling display at Stoke City on Saturday that got West Ham United a precious point. The Hammers midfielder scored his third goal in six games this season to put the visitors in front at the Britannia Stadium. Stoke came back into the contest in the second half and earned a draw with Kenwyne Jones' header. Both sides had their moments, Frederic Piquionne rattled the bar and Victor Obinna saw a low drive well saved, and Parker felt the 1-1 draw was "a fair result". He said: "We controlled the game in the first half and probably deservedly went one-nil up. In the second half, we knew they were going to come at us, which they did. "We can take huge positives out of today. We have come here, they have put us under immense pressure and we have defended really well. We have got a point and it is much needed."

Parker was named man of the match by broadcasters Sky Sports but there were other strong displays, with Manuel da Costa and Danny Gabbidon solid after coming into the defence on the day and Piquionne and Obinna looking lively in attack. Robert Green also had to pull off a couple of great saves from Jones and Matthew Etherington. The display was one to cheer the manager Avram Grant, who was not present because he was observing Yom Kippur. "It is always going to be difficult when the manager is not there. We all understand the circumstances. That is football. We have just got on with it and got the result which is good. "It is a platform for us to build on. We have got off to a bad start and come here low in confidence. We can leave high in confidence and take a lot of positives. We look forward to Tottenham next Saturday." Before the London derby, the Hammers will head to Sunderland on Carling Cup duty on Tuesday night.

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Manu targets win double
WHUFC.com
Manuel da Costa believes West Ham United can defeat Sunderland and Tottenham Hotspur this week
19.09.2010

Manu da Costa believes West Ham United's first Barclays Premier League point could spur the Hammers on to a double success this week. The giant Portuguese defender made his first appearance of the 2010/11 season in the 1-1 draw at Stoke City on Saturday, producing a resilient display that was only spoiled by Kenwyne Jones' 52nd-minute equaliser. Da Costa was effective at both ends of the pitch, winning a succession of important defensive headers as the Potters threw a typical aerial barrage into the West Ham penalty area. On the attacking front, the centre-back came close to snatching all three points for the Hammers, only for Thomas Sorensen to claw his downward header out from the base of his left-hand post. All things considered, the Saint-Max born player was happy enough with a point from his trip to the Britannia Stadium. "It was a good performance from all the team - from everybody," he told whufc.com. "We played well against a very strong team. When you play against Stoke City, every ball is a long one. You have to keep your eyes on the ball, because it is always in the air. They are a hard team to play against. "On Saturday, we played well. We stayed strong, even after they equalised, and could even have won the game. In the circumstances, we will take the draw and the point."

Having helped the team to break their duck, Da Costa believes Avram Grant's side can cause a pair of upsets by first winning at Sunderland in the Carling Cup third round, then defeating UEFA Champions League hopefuls Tottenham Hotspur at the Boleyn Ground next weekend. "It is important that we have got a point on the board. Now we have to think about achieving a victory in the next game - first at Sunderland in the cup, because this competition is very important for everybody, and then after that on Saturday against Tottenham at home. "It's very important for the team and for the supporters that we win next weekend because it is a derby match. At the moment, though, I am not thinking about Tottenham. First, I think about the next match, about Sunderland and about getting through to the next round. "I know Tottenham are a big team, a strong team and are a Champions League team, but beating them is possible."

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Coaches step up
WHUFC.com
Zeljko Petrovic, Paul Groves and Kevin Keen all had a big part to play at Stoke on Saturday
18.09.2010

Paul Groves spoke of the togetherness in the team and the coaching staff after an excellent day's work in securing a 1-1 draw away to Stoke City on Saturday. While a strong rearguard action helped secure a first point of the campaign, Avram Grant's backroom staff all ensured the manager's plans and preparation were put into action. Scott Parker's goal was all the Hammers had to show for a dominant first half while an early Stoke equaliser after the interval led to the defence standing firm under some incessant pressure. "It is a difficult place to come to," said senior coach Groves. "It was pleasing that we stood up to the challenge. The work-rate of the group was fantastic as it has been this season. "It was a decent performance. We created a number of half chances in the first half and probably controlled the first 45 minutes as much as you possibly can against Stoke in dealing with what they throw at you.
"It was different in the second half, but I felt that we showed good character, good spirit and good togetherness in terms of asking one or two questions when they scored."

Kenwyne Jones' equaliser prompted Stoke to push for a second but the Hammers kept going and through lively forwards Frederic Piquionne and Victor Obinna, as well as a fine Manu da Costa header, could have had a winner of their own. "When they scored was a difficult time but we came out the other side and started to get a grip of the game a little bit. You are always going to face that in the last ten minutes ut we weathered that as well."

Indeed, Groves said he, assistant manager Zeljko Petrovic and first-team coach Kevin Keen all felt the Hammers could have taken a precious first victory but for some better fortune. "There is always a tinge of little disappointment because we felt in the first half we could have gone in two-nil up.
"It is a difficult place to come and get points. They are a strong powerful side and you have to deal with that."

Groves said the manager would be delighted with the effort everyone put in, ahead of a big week that sees Sunderland up next in Carling Cup action on Tuesday before Tottenham Hotspur come calling to east London next Saturday. "The responsibility gets shared amongst us all, there is Zeljko and don't forget Kevin Keen. He is a big part of the set-up. Things were covered [by the manager] going into the game. You are prepared as much as you possibly can. You have to react different situations. I was speaking to Kevin and to Zeljko. We pooled our knowledge and you try to make the right decisions."

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Winning start for Frank
WHUFC.com
The Hammers two young loan stars both saw action on Saturday and got positive results
18.09.2010

Frank Nouble made an instant impression with an effective 65 minutes for Swansea City as they won 2-0 at home to Scunthorpe United in the Championship on Saturday. The Welsh side signed the Hammers youngster on a three-month loan on Friday and promptly handed him a start the following day. Nouble nearly opened the scoring on ten minutes but just hit the side-netting. The powerful forward gave the visitors plenty to think about and his all-action display helped wear them down, before Scott Sinclair and Stephen Dobbie scored the all-important goals in the closing stages. The win lifts Swansea up to sixth after seven games of the new season.

Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers said: "He's still only 18 and only arrived at the club yesterday. He's got a good physical presence and plenty of pace. As each day goes by he will get better and better. I was very pleased with his performance." Elsewhere, Matthew Fry helped Charlton Athletic to earn a 1-1 draw at Tranmere Rovers, with a 17-minute run-out off the bench. The on-loan Hammers centre-back came on with the scores level and helped keep out the Tranmere attackers. Charlton are tenth in the League One standings.

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Stoke 1 - 1 West Ham
BBC.co.uk
By Paul Fletcher

West Ham picked up their first point of the Premier League season with a hard-fought draw against Stoke. Scott Parker put the visiting side in front with a close-range finish after Stoke failed to clear a free-kick. Kenwyne Jones equalised with a header and had a strike tipped on to the post by Robert Green, while Robert Huth and Ricardo Fuller also hit the woodwork. West Ham struck the post through Frederic Piquionne, while Thomas Sorensen denied Manuel da Costa. It was a tough and uncompromising contest between two teams who started the day in the bottom three. The result ensured that the Hammers, without boss Avram Grant as he observed the Jewish holy day Yom Kippur, remained anchored to the bottom of the table but they have at least ended their sequence of four straight defeats, during which they conceded three goals in each. Referee Lee Mason dished out five yellow cards, but turned down several penalties appeals, with West Ham furious that Ryan Shawcross was not punished for a handball following a Victor Obinna strike in the opening half. A foul from Shawcross led to West Ham's goal, with Stoke failing to deal with Obinna's subsequent delivery into the box.
Delap attempted to hack the ball clear but it struck team-mate Shawcross and was bundled home by Parker. The goal came just after the half-hour mark and Piquionne almost immediately doubled their advantage with a long-range shot that thundered against the crossbar. Shawcross was later fortunate to escape sanction when he appeared to elbow Carlton Cole in an off-the-ball incident that saw the striker fall to the turf. Stoke, who defeated Aston Villa with a last-ditch winner on Monday, looked strangely off the pace but were almost handed a goal by the unsure handling of Green. The Hammers keeper fumbled a delivery from out wide and Huth almost tucked the ball home from a tight angle but the defender's shot struck the post. Jones should then have converted a long throw from Delap but he too was wasteful, heading over from six yards.
However, the former Sunderland striker was on target shortly after the restart, rising above Da Costa, making his appearance start of the season, to convert a brilliant cross from the right by Jermaine Pennant. The goal brought the crowd to life and they were almost celebrating again when the athletic Jones dispossessed Matthew Upson before cutting inside and unleashing a fearsome shot that Green diverted against the woodwork with a superb one-handed save. West Ham responded, with a neat interchange of play creating an opening for Obinna but Thomas Sorensen palmed his long-range effort around the post and brilliantly denied a Da Costa header from the subsequent corner. The last effort of the match fell to former Hammer Matthew Etherington, whose long-range effort with the outside of his boot was saved by Green.

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Kieron Dyer denies allegations of row with Avram Grant
BBC.co.uk

Kieron Dyer's representatives deny claims the midfielder was involved in a row with West Ham manager Avram Grant. Dyer was told by Grant he would not be part of the travelling party for Saturday's match at Stoke. But a spokesman for Dyer, who is struggling with a thigh injury, insists the decision did not lead to an altercation with his manager. Spokesman Graham Shear said: "Kieron confirmed there has been no dispute of any nature with Avram Grant." Mr Shear, of BLP Solicitors, added in a statement: "Kieron Dyer read with concern and bemusement reports on Saturday morning in several newspapers that he supposedly had a "row" or "bust-up" with West Ham manager Avram Grant. "Kieron confirmed that this is untrue and that there has been no dispute of any nature with Avram Grant about Kieron's selection to play against Stoke today or about any other topic. "Kieron is uncertain why he was not selected for the squad and, whilst he does have a thigh injury, if he had been selected, he would have willingly joined the squad on the trip to Stoke today." Grant will not be in charge of the Hammers for Saturday's match at the Britannia Stadium as he observes the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur. The 55-year-old has delegated control of the team to senior coaching staff Zeljko Petrovic, Paul Groves and Kevin Keen.

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Stoke City 1 West Ham Utd 1
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 18th September 2010
By: Staff Writer

Scott Parker's first half strike was enough to earn West Ham their first point of the season at the Brittania Stadium this afternoon.

West Ham's vice captain gave United the lead on the half hour mark - a lead which the Hammers took into the half time break. But Stoke pulled level within two minutes of the restart through Kenwyn Jones to earn a share of the spoils.

Much had been made before the game of Avram Grant's planned absence as a result of the Jewish calendar's Day of Atonement. However his shoes were ably filled by first team coaches Paul Groves and Kevin Keen, who did an admirable job as they led United to their first Premier League point of the season.

Always a lively affair, this fixture lived up to its name with four first half bookings, two for each side. Valon Behrami was first in referee Lee Mason's notebook on 20 minutes for a foul on Jermaine Pennant before being followed by Rory Delay for Stoke four minutes later.

Carlton Cole became the third name taken when he clattered into former team mate Matthew Etherington five minutes ahead of the break and Dean Whitehead made it two each when booked in first half injury time. In stark contrast, only Danny Collins managed to find his way into referee Lee Mason's notebook after the break.

Parker - registering his second strike of the season - put the Hammers ahead on 32 minutes. Victor Obinna's free-kick led to a scramble in the six yard area and West Ham's number eight profitted from the melee by stabbing the ball home from no more than a yard out.

Frederic Piquionne went closes to adding a second goal for the Hammers when he struck the crossbar with a dipping drive from the edge of the box four minutes after Parker had given United the lead. The Hammers could also have been awarded a penalty when Ryan Shawcross clearly handled Piquonne's striker from the edge of the box - though strangely perhaps, there were no appeals from West Ham.

The second half started in the worst possible fashion when Jones - an £8million summer signing from Sunderland - equalised with a simple header at the far post following some good work on the right flank by Jermaine Pennant less than two minutes after the restart.

Travelling Hammers fans could have been forgiven for fearing the worst at this stage, and when Stoke began to pile on the pressure a second goal for the home side was beginning to look inevitable. Jones went close to adding it when a 59th minute effort smashed against Rob Green's far post after Matthew Upson had, not for the first time this season, been beaten far too easily.

However, to their credit, the Hammers dug in and produced enough chances to win the game themselves; the lively Victor Obinna forced a great stop from Thomas Sorensen whilst both Parker and Noble also brought the best out of the veteran 'keeper.

Stoke almost grabbed a winner in the closing stages when yet another Rory Delap throw was hurled into the box; substitute Ricardo Fuller climbed highest but he saw his downward header rebound off the crossbar to safety; Rob Green had already given it up as a goal and was more surprised than anyone to see it stay out of the net.

A goal at that stage would however had been hugely unfair on west Ham, who had more than deserved a point which, hopefully, will be the kickstart this campaign has required. Next up for Avram Grant and his side is the visit of local beighbours Tottenham.

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Groves hails togetherness
West Ham senior coach pleased with side's display
Last updated: 18th September 2010
SSN

West Ham senior coach Paul Groves hailed the Hammers' togetherness after they held on for a point against Stoke at the Britannia Stadium. The Hammers went into the game on the back of four successive top-flight losses but belied this form when Scott Parker gave them a deserved lead on 32 minutes. But Stoke came out much improved after the break and equalised via Kenwyne Jonesbefore putting the Hammers under heavy pressure. But the bottom side, whose boss Avram Grantwas observing the Jewish holy day Yom Kippur, held on to earn a vital point. Asked if it was a good result or if he was disappointed that the Hammers could not build on their excellent work in the first half, Grovestold Sky Sports: "A little bit, yes, I thought we created one or two chances, half chances. "It's a difficult place to come and create chances but I felt in the first half we were in control as much as we could be with the style of play that you face here so that was quite pleasing. "In the second half, obviously, the early goal gave them a little bit of impetus but I thought we weathered that just after that and we came again a little bit. It's a good point." He added: "The players really showed a good togetherness today, a good spirit. "They faced a little bit of adversity there when that goal went in, you could have quite easily have gone under but I felt they stuck together, they stuck at it and like I say I think they came out of it as well."

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Potters come back for point
Jones equalises Parker opener in hard-fought battle at Britannia
Last updated: 18th September 2010
SSN

Man of the match: Scott Parker. Scored and worked tirelessly in midfield to earn the Hammers their first point of the campaign.
Goal of the match: Kenwyne Jones'. Jermaine Pennant put in a fantastic cross from the right which the big striker nodded home.
Moment of the match: Parker's opener. Gave the Hammers a platform to go on and get something from the game.
Save of the match: Thomas Sorensen pulled off a fantastic reaction save to his left to deny Manuel Da Costa's six-yard header.
Attempt of the match: Matthew Etherington hit a curling effort at the end which Robert Green had to tip over.
Talking point: Can this vital draw now help the Hammers climb the table?

Kenwyne Jones headed home as Stoke came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw with West Ham at the Britannia Stadium. Scott Parker had put the Hammers ahead on 32 minutes with a close-range tap-in after Rory Delap's goal-line clearance hit Ryan Shawcross and fell into his path. But Stoke upped the tempo in the second period and Jones equalised three minutes after the restart with a close-range header from Jermaine Pennant's fine cross. Jones and substitute Ricardo Fuller then hit the woodwork but the Hammers - whose manager Avram Grant was observing Yom Kippur and not present at the game - held firm for their first point of the campaign. The two teams had lost seven out of eight Premier League games between them before the start of play and it was a scrappy opening. Delap sent a long throw into the box which Abdoulaye Faye could not connect with properly and at the other end Carlton Cole struck an effort well wide of Thomas Sorensen's goal. Victor Obinna had a little more conviction moments later when he fired in a volley, but it took a deflection and Sorensen was able to catch comfortably. Robert Green, who had spilled a Didier Drogba free-kick in the build-up to a goal in the Hammers' previous match against Chelsea, almost repeated the error when he failed to deal with Pennant's delivery into the box, but his blushes were spared as Robert Huth hit the loose ball against the post.
Valon Behrami then picked up the game's first booking on 21 minutes to give away another free-kick in a similar area which Pennant used to tee up Jones, but the Trinidadian sliced his shot over the bar. Having seen Stoke fail to make the most of their set-pieces, West Ham then took the lead via a free-kick of their own. Obinna crossed the ball from near the right byline into the box and there was a scramble before Delap's clearance off the line hit Shawcross and fell into the path of Parker to prod over the line. Looking energised, the visitors almost doubled their lead within two minutes as Frederic Piquionne unleashed a drive from the edge of the area which cracked against the bar. Stoke attempted to regroup and Jones got his head to another Delap throw-in but sent it over. Tony Pulis' half-time team-talk had inspired the Potters to come from behind and win against Aston Villa last time and it seemed as if the manager's words at the interval had made an impact again as the hosts pulled level within three minutes of the restart. Jon Walters released Pennant down the right channel and the former Arsenal and Liverpool winger played in a delightful cross which Jones headed in at the far post, out-muscling Manuel Da Costa to head home. Former Hammer Matthew Etherington had a chance to put Stoke ahead soon after having been fed by Jones, but saw his effort deflect behind for a corner.
Pennant was providing plenty of impetus and delivered another great ball into the danger zone which Walters was just unable to meet. Green then gave a reminder of his quality by pulling off a fantastic save, tipping Jones' strike against the post after the striker had out-muscled Matthew Upson. Pulis brought on Fuller for Walters with 20 minutes remaining and Pennant lofted another handy ball into the box for Jones, who was flagged offside. West Ham had barely mustered anything in an attacking sense since half-time, but suddenly called Sorensen into action, the Danish goalkeeper diving at full stretch to palm Obinna's shot around the post. From the resulting corner, Mark Noble sent in a cross which Da Costa headed goalwards from six yards, but again Sorensen kept West Ham at bay, getting down low to his left with a superb save.
Jones was then substituted, with Eidur Gudjohnsen receiving a fantastic reception from the Stoke fans as he came on for his debut. With 10 minutes to go Fuller came close to finding a winner with a header from Delap's throw which bounced into the turf and up off the bar. Green then pushed a curling strike from Etherington over as West Ham hung on to secure a precious point.

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Stoke 1 West Ham 1
The Sun
Published: 18 Sep 2010

WEST HAM picked up their first point of the season as they battled to a draw at Stoke. The Hammers were without boss Avram Grant, who was observing the Jewish holy day Yom Kippur. But they put in a dogged display to hold out a confident Potters side. Midfielder Scott Parker fired the visitors ahead after a mix-up in the Stoke defence. But record signing Kenwyne Jones headed in a second-half equaliser. Tony Pulis' men should have gone on to win the match with Jones and Ricardo Fuller hitting the woodwork. However, West Ham showed grit and determination to deny a rampant Potters attack. Parker said: "I think we controlled the game in the first half and probably deserved to be 1-0 up. "I think we can take huge positives out of today. They put us under immense pressure and we defended really well. "We came here today low in confidence and we can leave high in confidence."
Asked about the absence of Grant, Parker added: "It was going to be difficult when your manager's not here but we understand the circumstances. We just got on with it and came here and got a result." Robert Huth and Robert Green were the respective heroes and villains for their clubs last weekend. And they picked up where they left off as Hammers keeper Green spilled at the feet of Huth. But the giant German defender, who scored a 93rd-minute winner against Aston Villa on Monday, could only hit the post. The Potters were on top early on but fell behind when they suffered their own comedy of errors.
Victor Obinna's free-kick into the box caused havoc as Rory Delap smashed his clearance into the face of team-mate Ryan Shawcross. The ball fell kindly to Parker who hammered the ball in from close range. With the Hammers growing in confidence going forward, Frederic Piquionne then crashed a curling effort against the bar. However, at the back they were still a nervous wreck with Jones rising above everyone to head over a trademark Delap throw-in.
That indecision proved vital at the start of the second half when Jones levelled.
Jermaine Pennant, signed on deadline day from Real Zaragoza, showed just why Pulis wanted him with a fantastic cross. And Jones lept easily above Manuel da Costa to power home the equaliser. Another Hammers defensive howler, this time from Matthew Upson, allowed Jones in again. But his blistering effort from a tight angle was brilliantly tipped on to the post by Green. The lively Jones hit the woodwork again from a dinked Pennant cross but was ruled offside. Potters keeper Thomas Sorensen then had to be alert to keep out the Hammers twice in a minute. First, Victor Obinna struck from long range and the Dane tipped the ball around the post. And from the corner, Sorensen got down well to deny Da Costa's header. Ricardo Fuller, on as a sub in the closing stages, almost stole victory for Stoke with five minutes left. Once again, it was Delap's dangerous long throw that caused West Ham trouble as Fuller headed down off the ground and on to the bar. In added time, ex-Hammers star Matt Etherington forced Green into a smart save as the visitors held on for the draw.

Stoke: Sorensen, Huth, Shawcross, Faye, Collins, Pennant (Whelan 83), Delap, Whitehead, Etherington, Walters (Fuller 66), Jones (Gudjohnsen 73).
Subs Not Used: Begovic, Higginbotham, Wilson, Wilkinson.
Booked: Delap, Whitehead, Collins.
Goals: Jones 48.

West Ham: Green, Jacobsen, da Costa, Upson, Gabbidon, Behrami (Kovac 52), Parker, Noble, Piquionne, Obinna (Boa Morte 90), Cole.
Subs Not Used: Stech, Tomkins, Barrera, McCarthy, Faubert.
Booked: Behrami, Cole.
Goals: Parker 32.

Att: 27,028
Ref: Lee Mason (Lancashire).

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Kieron Dyer denies having 'bust-up' with West Ham manager Avram Grant
Representatives of Kieron Dyer have dismissed allegations the midfielder was involved in a bust-up with West Ham manager Avram Grant.
By Telegraph staff and agencies
Published: 11:15AM BST 18 Sep 2010

A number of this morning's newspapers claimed the pair had a heated exchange after Grant told Dyer he would not be part of the travelling party for the Premier League match at Stoke. The 31-year-old, who is currently struggling with a thigh injury, did not make the journey to the Britannia Stadium but insists the decision to omit him did not lead to an altercation with his manager. ''Kieron Dyer read with concern and bemusement reports on Saturday morning in several newspapers that he supposedly had a ''row'' or ''bust-up'' with West Ham manager Avram Grant,'' the player's representative Graham Shear said. ''Kieron confirmed that this is untrue and that there has been no dispute of any nature with Avram Grant about Kieron's selection to play against Stoke today or about any other topic. ''Kieron is uncertain why he was not selected for the squad and, whilst he does have a thigh injury, if he had been selected, he would have willingly joined the squad on the trip to Stoke today.'' Grant was not in charge of the team at the Britannia Stadium to instead observe the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur. The 55-year-old delegated control of the team to senior coaching staff Zeljko Petrovic, Paul Groves and Kevin Keen.

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Stoke City 1 West Ham United 1: match report
Read a full report of the Premier League match between Stoke City and West Ham United at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday Sept 18 2010.
STOKE CITY 1 - 1 WEST HAM
Saturday, September 18 12:45
Premier League
Britannia Stadium
ATT: 27,028
By Oliver Brown at the Britannia Stadium
Published: 2:30PM BST 18 Sep 2010

For West Ham United, this was as much a display of defiance as of solidarity. Avram Grant might be besieged by critics for his side's struggles, but his decision, borne of his strength of Jewish conscience, to stay away from the Britannia to observe Yom Kippur formed no distraction as his players earned a first point of a wretched season thanks to Scott Parker's first-half strike.

While Kenywne Jones equalised early in the second half for Stoke City, ensuring West Ham would stay bottom of the Premier League, Grant's honouring of the Jewish day of atonement drew respect from the dressing room. The Israeli had travelled to the Potteries to prepare his players, although was prevented on religious grounds from watching the match on television.

Such a positive result in this stadium's unforgiving atmosphere was sure to please him, even if he had courted controversy by leaving out Kieron Dyer, recently brought back to the squad after a long-term knee injury. The midfielder was believed to have had a dispute with Grant, refusing a place on the substitutes' bench after being offered one.

Asked about Dyer's omission, Paul Groves, the West Ham coach deputising for Grant, said: "Most players want to play. But he's being managed in terms of his fitness and availability. He is a fantastic professional."

The scrambled nature of Parker's goal reflected the dearth of inspiration among two teams desperate not to lose. Quite why Sky had chosen this as their live lunchtime game was a mystery for much of a dismal first half. Parker, though, could hardly have cared less about the aesthetics after delivering another committed performance. "We can take huge positives; Stoke put us under immense pressure and we defended really well," said the midfielder, who was quick to mention his absent manager. "We understand the circumstances, and we hung on to get a result. We have come here low on confidence but can leave on a high."

Nerves at first paralysed West Ham's players, not least Robert Green, assailed by chants of "dodgy 'keeper" from Stoke fans for the error that had allowed Chelsea's Salomon Kalou to score last weekend. He did little to disprove the charge here, spilling the ball under pressure from Jermaine Pennant and gulping at the sight of Robert Huth walloping the loose ball against the post.

Stoke sought to seize on Green's angst when a Pennant free-kick struck the wall but trickled through to Jones, who let fly with an errant half-volley. Such wastefulness proved West Ham's incentive. When Valon Behrami was fouled near the corner flag by Danny Collins, Victor Obinna whipped in a delivery for Danny Gabbidon to head goalwards, only for Parker to poke the ball beyond Thomas Sorensen. The West Ham supporters were rapturous in their relief.

Alas their spirits could not be sustained, as Stoke resorted to some familiar weapons. Rory Delap launched one of his prodigious throws to entice Jones, but again the giant Trinidadian miscued with an effort high above Green's crossbar. Stoke's hopes lay with the flourishing forward partnership of Jones and the ever-lively Pennant. The effect of his arrival was plain to see in the 48th minute, when his first-time cross was dispatched past Green via the imposing head of Jones. Six of the striker's last seven goals have come from headers, just to underline the £8 million signing's aerial threat. Emboldened, Jones was back in the fray 10 minutes later, using all of his natural strength to outmuscle Matthew Upson and unleash a strike tipped expertly against the far post by Green.
After a summer in which the West Ham goalkeeper has been baited mercilessly for his World Cup mistake for England against the United States, then for his Chelsea gaffe, it was hard not to begrudge him a rare moment of reprieve.

West Ham were showing the "great togetherness" for which Groves gave praise, rallying from a period of pummelling by Stoke to try to find the winner.
Obinna almost succeeded, forcing Sorensen to save well from his long-range shot, while Green was having precious little rest at the other end.
He looked as if his luck had run out when a header from Stoke substitute Ricardo Fuller looped past him, but the ball bounced away off the underside of the bar.

Grant, should he have decided to sit through the highlights of this doughty draw, would have every reason to feel relieved.

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Parker and Jones on scoresheet
ESPN
Updated: September 18, 2010, 8:52 AM BST

Kenwyne Jones netted his second goal in two matches as Stoke drew with West Ham at the Britannia Stadium. The visitors, whose manager Avram Grant was observing Yom Kippur and not present at the game, took the lead in the first half thanks to Scott Parker's close-range finish. Stoke came back strongly after the break, with Jones following up his goal at Aston Villa on Monday by heading home in the 48th minute after connecting with a cross from the impressive Jermaine Pennant. The two teams had lost seven out of eight Premier League games between them before the start of play and it was a scrappy opening. Rory Delap sent a long throw into the box which Abdoulaye Faye could not connect with properly and at the other end Carlton Cole struck an effort well wide of Thomas Sorensen's goal. Victor Obinna had a little more conviction moments later when he fired in a volley, but it took a deflection and Sorensen was able to catch comfortably. Robert Green, who had spilled a Didier Drogba free-kick in the build-up to a goal in the Hammers' previous match against Chelsea, almost repeated the error when he failed to deal with Pennant's delivery into the box, but his blushes were spared as Robert Huth hit the loose ball against the post. Valon Behrami then picked up the game's first booking to give away another free-kick in a similar area which Pennant used to tee up Jones, but the Trinidadian sliced his shot over the bar. Having seen Stoke fail to make the most of their set-pieces, West Ham then took the lead via a free-kick of their own. Obinna crossed it into the box in the 32nd minute and the ball bounced off two red and white shirts before Parker prodded it over the line. Looking energised, the visitors almost doubled their lead within two minutes as Frederic Piquionne unleashed a drive from the edge of the area which cracked against the bar. Stoke attempted to regroup and Jones got his head to another Delap throw-in but sent it over. Tony Pulis' half-time team-talk had inspired the Potters to come from behind and win against Villa and it seemed as if the manager's words at the interval had made an impact again as the hosts pulled level within three minutes of the restart. Jon Walters released Pennant down the right channel and the former Arsenal and Liverpool winger played in a delightful cross which Jones headed in at the far post.
Former Hammer Matthew Etherington had a chance to put Stoke ahead soon after having been fed by Jones, but saw his effort deflect behind for a corner.
Pennant was providing plenty of impetus and delivered another great ball into the danger zone which Walters was just unable to meet. Green then gave a reminder of his quality by pulling off a fantastic save, tipping Jones' strike against the post after the striker had outmuscled Matthew Upson. Pulis brought on Ricardo Fuller for Walters with 20 minutes remaining and Pennant lofted another handy ball into the box for Jones, who was flagged offside. West Ham had barely mustered anything in an attacking sense since half-time, but suddenly called Sorensen into action, the Danish goalkeeper diving at full stretch to palm Obinna's shot around the post. From the resulting corner Mark Noble sent in a cross which Manuel Da Costa headed goalwards, but again Sorensen kept West Ham at bay, getting down low to his left. Jones was then substituted, with Eidur Gudjohnsen receiving a fantastic reception from the Stoke fans as he came on for his debut. With 10 minutes to go Fuller came close to finding a winner with a header from Delap's throw which bounced into the turf and up off the bar. Green then pushed a strike from Etherington over as West Ham hung on to secure a point.

Parker taking positives from result
West Ham midfielder Scott Parker said the Hammers can take "huge positives" out of the result. I think we controlled the game in the first half and probably deserved to be 1-0 up," Parker told Sky Sports 2. "I think we can take huge positives out of today. They put us under immense pressure and we defended really well. We came here today low in confidence and we can leave high in confidence." Asked about the absence of manager Avram Grant, who was observing the Jewish holy day Yom Kippur, Parker said: "It was going to be difficult when your manager's not here but we understand the circumstances. We just got on with it and came here and got a result."
Jermaine Pennant, who set up Jones' equaliser, was later substituted after suffering an injury. "I can walk and there's no pain so hopefully it will not be long," he said. West Ham senior coach Paul Groves said: "It's a good point. The players showed a good togetherness today. They could have quite easily have gone under."

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Daily WHUFC News - 18th September 2010

Avram on Friday
WHUFC.com
Avram Grant has given his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday's
trip to Stoke City
17.09.2010

Avram Grant has given his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday's
Barclays Premier League visit to Stoke City. The West Ham United manager
discussed a wide range of topics, including his plans for the Jewish holy
day of Yom Kippur, dealing with the Potters' direct style and his strong
belief in goalkeeper Robert Green and captain Matthew Upson.

Avram on Yom Kippur...

"I will not be at the stadium because this is a very significant day and out
of respect to my father and my mother, especially after all they have gone
through, and the tradition of thousands and thousands of years. It is the
one day I have respected since I was a child and unfortunately it came on a
Saturday this time. I am going to respect this day. "It is something I have
done since I was a child. Unfortunately it fell on the day of the game, but
I say it again, I have a lot of respect for a tradition of thousands of
years and I think everybody respects this. I have respected other religions
since I was a child and there is no other way. "I didn't notice any negative
reaction. Everyone was very positive and even the rector Alan [club chaplain
Rev Alan Bolding] came to visit me today. We need to respect this tradition
of thousands of years because it is a very special day. I think everybody
respects it - we have had a lot of emails, plus support from the Board, the
owners and from the supporters. "The team will be ready. We prepared the
team. I will not be in the dugout, but that's why we have staff. I have a
good staff and the team will be ready 100 per cent and that's what is
important."

Avram on his role in preparing the team...

"I will have all the input except I will not be in the dugout. The meeting
with the team, the talking with the team, the tactics, the training and the
preparation for the team is the same. The staff know exactly what they need
to know in any situation, and so do the team."

Avram on the importance of the Stoke City match...

"It's a big game for us, especially as I think we have improved by the game
but still have zero points. I know that it's very difficult for any team to
play at the Britannia Stadium, but it's also a good challenge. We need the
points and we will do everything possible to take the points.
"I think it can be a turning point, but even though we have zero points, I
believe in this team, I believe in this club and I believe in these players
that we can have a good season. We know what our target is and it didn't
change. Of course, zero points is not something that we were dreaming about,
but we knew that we had bad fixtures. Even with the bad fixtures, we didn't
give up. "If you saw the last game against the best team in the country
[Chelsea], we didn't give up. We deserved more than we got, but in football
there is no deserve and we need to take the points. We're going to take the
points, in this game and the next games. We don't have any intention to stay
on zero points."

Avram on feeling under pressure...

"All my life I feel under pressure. I don't want to live without this
pressure. It is pressure to achieve something. I was in a team at the top
and when you drew it was a pressure. I was at a team with problems and I was
with the national team where you have the pressure of all the country on
your back. Now, I have the pressure. I don't think it is a good pressure,
but the pressure to push you is a good pressure. I don't want a life in
football without pressure - I don't think it's good."

Avram on Robert Green...

"It has happened to everybody. For him, it has happened at the beginning of
the season. I don't think he is alone. Everybody makes a few mistakes. It
has happened to every goalkeeper and the most important thing is his
reaction. I saw him this week in training and he was very good, very strong
and had good spirit. That is what is important to me because mistakes are
part of the game - your reaction is very important. "I never thought about
taking him out of the team. It is another kind of football than those we
have played against. They have set pieces and throw-ins but we have trained
a lot for this and are prepared for this. "When you want to say about a
player, you have to see all the season. Sometimes you have bad moments in
the game - it has happened to goalkeepers, to strikers, to everybody. The
most important thing is the reaction and I have a feeling you will see Rob
Green at his best tomorrow."

Avram on Matthew Upson...

"I don't speak about all the individuals. The team is winning as a team and
losing as a team. I don't think Matthew did a bad job until now."

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Absent Avram Grant backs West Ham '100%' against Stoke
BBC.co.uk

West Ham boss Avram Grant insists his team will be "100% ready" to take on
Stoke on Saturday despite his absence to observe Yom Kippur. The Hammers
have allowed Grant time off for the Day of Atonement, which requires Jews to
fast and pray over the course of Friday night and Saturday. "I may not be in
the dugout, but we have prepared well," said Grant. "The meeting, the
talking, the tactics, the training and the preparation with the team is the
same."
He explained he follows the custom out of respect for his parents, who
survived the Holocaust, and their heritage - a decision, he claims, his
bottom-of-the-table team understands. "This is a very significant day and
out of respect for my father and mother, especially after all they have gone
through, the traditions of thousands of years, it is one day in the year
that I always respect, since I have been a child," added the former
Portsmouth manager. "I have players from all religions, and they know that
there needs to be respect for the traditions. I didn't notice any negative
reaction."

Three years ago, Grant observed Yom Kippur prior to his first match as
Chelsea manager before flying by helicopter to Old Trafford for the game
against Manchester United. Grant will pick the team for Saturday's game,
while assistant manager Zeljko Petrovic will take charge at the Britannia
Stadium with the help of senior coach Paul Groves and first-team coach Kevin
Keen. The Hammers, who have also given Israeli defender Tal Ben Haim
permission to observe the Day of Atonement, have lost all four of their
Premier League games this season, but Grant is maintaining a positive
outlook. "Even though we have zero points, I believe in this team, that we
can have a good season," stated the 55-year-old. "We know what our target is
and it didn't change.
"Against the best team in the country [Chelsea] we didn't give up. We
deserved more than we got, but in football there is no 'deserve'."

The second of Chelsea's goal in last Saturday's 3-1 defeat at Upton Park
resulted from another glaring error by goalkeeper Robert Green. Green, who
famously spilled a Clint Dempsey shot in England's 1-1 draw with the United
States at the World Cup, failed to hang on to a Didier Drogba free-kick
before Salomon Kalou scored. But Grant has backed Green to bounce back from
his latest howler on Saturday. "It has happened to every goalkeeper and the
most important thing is his reaction, because mistakes are part of the
game," said Grant. "I have a feeling you will see Rob Green at his best on
Saturday."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Carr off to the Palace
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 17th September 2010
By: Staff Writer

Tony Carr will be awarded his MBE in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace next
month, it has been confirmed. West Ham United's Youth Academy Director was
recently delighted to learn that he had been granted the MBE - short for The
Most Excellent Order of the British Empire - in recognition of his
contribution to both West Ham and the English national team, which spans
some 37 years as a coach. The Bow-born life-long Hammer, a striker during
his playing days learned that he had been awarded the MBE in June of this
year. Talking at time, he spoke of his surprise at being given the award
which he called 'a great honour'. "I had to read the letter three or four
times before I could believe it. I was with my wife Brenda and we were just
looking at each other and saying 'wow', " he said. "Who would have thought
of it? Growing up on a council estate in Bow to someone who ends up with an
MBE. I would never have dreamed something like this would happen to me. It
is very humbling to think that you have been recognised by the
establishment. "

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Grant - Players understand
Hammers boss expands on why he has to miss Stoke game
Last updated: 18th September 2010
SSN

Avram Grant insists his players understand why he has to miss West Ham
United's game at Stoke City on Saturday. The Israeli will not be in the
dugout at the Britannia Stadium due to the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur and
his coaching staff will take charge of first-team affairs. Grant's absence
comes as the Hammers go in search of a first Premier League point of the
season after suffering four consecutive defeats. The Hammers boss
acknowledged he is not a religious person, but he stressed there was no way
he could not respect Jewish tradition. "This is a very significant day,"
said Grant. "Out of respect for my father and to mother, especially after
all they have gone through, and the traditions of thousands of years, it is
one day in the year that I have respected since I was 11. "Unfortunately it
came on this Saturday, but I am going to respect it. I cannot do anything,
eat or drink. "I'm not a religious person, by the way, but I respect
religion and the traditions of thousands of years. "It was never a question
I would be in the dugout at Stoke. It's one day in a year and it came on a
Saturday. It's not easy for me. "I will have someone tell me what is going
on during the game. I don't know when I will watch the match on TV, but I
will watch the game on more than one occasion. We're desperate to win a game
and hope it will be against Stoke." He added: "I spoke to a few of the
players about the situation and they know. They respect the tradition and
said 'if you stay away we will do our job'. "I really like the reaction of
the players I spoke with, the owners, the board and many, many supporters. I
have had a lot of emails and it is touching. "I heard about a few fans being
unhappy, but it's normal, some of the people don't understand it."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Grant has Hammers confidence
Experienced coach confident team will cope without him
Last updated: 17th September 2010
SSN

West Ham manager Avram Grant insists his team will be able to cope without
him when they take on Stoke on Saturday. The Hammers boss will be absent
from the Britannia Stadium for the Premier League clash because it is the
Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur. Grant has travelled with the squad up to
Stoke but his coaching staff of Zeljko Petrovic, Paul Groves and Kevin Keen
will be in charge of first-team affairs against the Potters. However, the
Israeli does not believe his absence will have a detrimental effect on the
team as they search for their first Premier League points of the campaign.
"I may not be in the dugout, but we have prepared well," he said. "The
meeting with the team, the talking with the team, the tactics, the training
and the preparation for the team is the same. "The team will be ready 100
per cent and that's what is important. "I have good staff, they know exactly
what they need to know in any situation, and so do the team."

West Ham have frequently denied that Grant is under pressure following a
difficult start to the season, having lost four out of four. Stoke will
prove tough opponents having dispatched of Aston Villa last time out, but
Grant has every confidence in his side despite the standings. "Even though
we have zero points, I believe in this team, that we can have a good
season," he added. "We know what our target is and it didn't change.
"Against the best team in the country (Chelsea), we didn't give up. We
deserved more than we got, but in football there is no deserve. "I know that
it's very difficult for any team to play at the Britannia Stadium, but it's
also a good challenge."

On his current situation, the former Chelsea and Portsmouth boss remarked:
"All my life I feel under pressure. I don't want to live without this
pressure.
"I was in a team at the top and when you drew it was a pressure. I was at a
team with problems and I was with the national team where you have the
pressure of all the country on your back. "I don't think it is a good
pressure, but the pressure to push you is a good pressure."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Upson eyes Hammers win
West Ham defender targets Britannia success
Last updated: 17th September 2010
SSN

Matthew Upson sees no reason why bottom of the table West Ham cannot claim a
much-needed victory over Stoke at the Britannia Stadium. The Hammers have
endured a miserable start to the campaign with four straight league defeats,
their worst-ever start to a season. Upson is not dwelling on the team's
woeful start and is of the firm belief that his colleagues have more quality
than they are showing. West Ham have star players and the England
international knows that if everyone steps up their game they can pull off a
positive result at Stoke. Upson is prepared for the physical battle Stoke
are sure to serve up and is backing his team-mates' character to get their
season back on track. "We're massively better than bottom of the table," he
told the club's official website. "We've got opportunities to put things
right and I think once we've got that solidarity and consistency we'll start
to pick up results. "I'm so looking forward to this game at the weekend. I
want us to turn up as a group feeling positive and really go to win the
game. "Yes, it's a difficult place to go, they've got their tactics and they
structure their team well around it, but if we can deal with that and hit
them with some quality, there's no doubt we can win the game. "It's going to
be a physical game, but we've got to be up for that. We've got to put our
heads in places where we don't want to put them and be prepared to get them
kicked off. "If we can do that and then play with the ball, we can beat
Stoke. We do need to do that first and foremost - it'll be a good test of
our character."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
We'll hammer out a victory
The Sun
Published: 17 Sep 2010

AVRAM GRANT insists his absence will not stop West Ham beating Stoke on
Saturday. The Hammers boss has confirmed he will travel with the squad but
cannot be present at the Britannia Stadium due to the holy day of Yom
Kippur. But he is confident his rock-bottom side can pick up their first
points of the season. Grant said: "I will not be at the stadium. "This is a
very significant day and out of respect for my father and to mother, it is
one day in the year that I always respect. "Unfortunately it came on this
Saturday, but I am going to respect it. "I may not be in the dugout, but we
have prepared well. "The meeting with the team, the talking with the team,
the tactics, the training and the preparation for the team is the same. "The
team will be ready 100 per cent and that's what is important. "I have good
staff, they know exactly what they need to know in any situation, and so do
the team. "Even though we have zero points, I believe in this team, that we
can have a good season."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Rob is still tops for Hammers
The Sun
By CHARLIE WYETT
Published: Today

AVRAM GRANT hopes Rob Green will rediscover his top form for West Ham today.
The England keeper is suffering the worst spell of his career and made
another mistake against Chelsea a week ago in the 3-1 home defeat. But the
30-year-old will start against Stoke. Hammers boss Grant said: "We're doing
everything for Robert Green. "He's a good keeper, but sometimes the best
make mistakes. These things happen to every goalkeeper. "I have a feeling
you will see Rob Green at his best today. "I have seen him in training this
week and he has been very good, very strong and in good spirits."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Karren Brady's football Diary
The Sun
KARREN BRADY - First lady of football
Published: Today
Saturday, Sep 11

A LOT of my years in football have been spent trying to persuade fans they
should look at the balance sheet but for some reason they prefer to look at
the team sheet. On the other hand, these days, supporters sniff a financial
mess at a hundred paces. But I want to assure our fans we are cleaning up
ours at a phenomenal rate, whilst at the same time giving everyone a plan
and a purpose. Yes, we have inherited £50million of long-term debts, to the
banks and Sheffield United. But the bank debt will be down to £25m by 2013,
a sustainable level for a business with a turnover over £80m, and that's
only three years away. And in seven months we have been running the club we
have paid back £20m in bank debt, cut costs by £6m and increased income by
£2m. If we've done that in seven months imagine where we can be in a few
years time. No consolation West Ham have lost their opening four matches,
including today's against Chelsea, but I'm hoping the players will soon
become as mean at giving away goals as I am about handing out free tickets.

Sunday, Sep 12

NO doubt Wayne Rooney is relieved not to be the main headline today even if
his pal, boxer Ricky Hatton, has taken his place. Alleged cocaine-snorter
Hatton announces he's going into a rehab clinic, a far more comfortable
place than the doghouse Rooney currently inhabits at home. The two men come
from similar backgrounds - good working-class families in tough areas where
the love of boxing is second only to football. Their parents must be
distraught.
Hatton has been in decline since he sacked long-time trainer and mentor
Billy Graham. Rooney is fortunate Alex Ferguson is in a far more powerful
position than Graham and he left Rooney out of the squad to face former
club, Everton. The Man U manager has shown him the flying boot. He's a brave
and foolish lad if he ignores the implications.

Monday, Sep 13
FAMOUSLY, the great jockey Lester Piggott used to dine on toast and water to
keep his weight down. Benni McCarthy has been allowed the water. And he's
lighter by close on £100,000 in fines, too. Avram Grant had to be pitiless
with the striker who was expanding daily on a Supersize-Me diet and McCarthy
could shortly be filling a West Ham shirt that doesn't need letting out. I'm
back in Wimpole Street today meeting the club's lawyer when I see a
well-known football manager and his chairman emerging from an anger
management clinic. I call the chairman in question later and he explains
he's trying to restrict his manager to two f****s per sentence rather than
six. Knowing what I do of this manager, he's wasting his money!

Tuesday, Sep 14
DARREN FERGUSON is told he must appear before the FA's beaks to answer a
charge that he cursed referee Kevin Friend in the tunnel after Preston's
late collapse against local rivals Burnley. It seems Scottish blood was
certainly racing at the weekend because David Moyes must also appear before
the FA after dashing on to the pitch because he thought referee Martin
Atkinson had whistled time too soon in their thrilling 3-3 draw with
Manchester United at Goodison Park. Well, knock me off my six-inch
stilettos. Moyes should have been on his knees thanking God for the two
added-time goals that enabled Everton to draw with United, not playing at
Braveheart in pursuit of Edward Longshanks.

Wednesday, Sep 15
THE burden of Wembley costs and the wages of Fabio and his Italian amicos
have helped to shake up the FA's finances. If you look hard you'll find a
trifling sum is spent on developing coaches, probably not an eighth of the
amount set aside by Spain and Germany. My belief is the FA is wrongly
structured and although I could write a small book on that you might be more
interested to hear Roberto Mancini considers he hasn't enough strikers for
Man City's Europa League match in Salzburg. He spent £126million in transfer
fees and his plight is that he has only Carlos Tevez and Jo - combined fees
£40m-plus - to try to beat a team currently third from last in the Austrian
League. At West Ham we eked out £16m for summer transfers and wages, so I'll
hold back on the tears, Roberto.

Thursday, Sep 16
TO return to Tevez, I see he's had his hair cut, an improvement that moves
him instantly from the Boris Karloff portfolio into rugged (ish ... with one
eye closed and the other squinted) Latino. Amazing what difference a good
scissoring can make. But a serious trim marks the day a man gives up
thinking he'd look good in a boy band and becomes a grown up. Usually, the
chop is for the better but not always. Many of us hardly recognised the
mousey-haired striker as Fernando Torres when he turned out for Spain in
South Africa and that went for his play, too. It takes a woman to wonder
whether, like Samson, he lost his pzazz when his locks were snipped.

Friday, Sep 17
DOES Tony Pulis come from the Neil Warnock School of Football Management or
is it the other way round? Anyway, my team is at Pulis' Stoke tomorrow and
if we're not prepared for a relentless battle we'll not pick up points we
need. My married PL director pal rings to tell me he is worried. About his
team, his manager, his debt? No, he informed me he has seen the Angelina
Jolie movie Salt - which is about CIA agents and Russian spies - with his
Russian girlfriend and from the way she keeps practising his signature on
his chequebook he thinks she could be a spy. I tell him that if his wife
finds out about their relationship, whether or not she is a spy will be of
no consequence. His assets and private parts are likely to go in any case!

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Av: I have to respect religion
The Sun
By CHARLIE WYETT
Published: Today

AVRAM GRANT admits he is not religious. But the West Ham manager will miss
West Ham's game at Stoke today out of respect for his parents and Judaism.
The Jewish festival of Yom Kippur started yesterday evening - one of the
holiest days of the year for Jews. And while Grant travelled with the team
to their Staffordshire hotel he will be fasting throughout the 25 hours -
meaning he did not join his players for dinner last night or breakfast
today. Grant, who will be informed of the Hammers' progress this lunchtime,
intends travelling back to London this evening when Yom Kippur finishes. It
is a year since the death of Grant's father, Meir, who lost most of his
family in the Holocaust and buried his parents, sisters and brothers with
his bare hands. So while the Hammers boss may not be religious, his faith
has clearly had a major impact on his life. He said: "This is a very
significant day. "Out of respect for my father and to mother, especially
after all they have gone through, and the traditions of thousands of years,
it is one day in the year that I have respected since I was 11.
"Unfortunately it came on this Saturday but I am going to respect it. I
cannot do anything, eat or drink. "I'm not a religious person, by the way
but I respect religion and the traditions of thousands of years. "It was
never a question I would be in the dugout at Stoke. It's one day in a year
and it came on a Saturday. It's not easy for me. "It clashed when I was at
Chelsea, the day before my first game at Manchester United, so I couldn't
train the players that day and they travelled without me. "I will have
someone tell me what is going on during the game. I don't know when I will
watch the match on TV but I will watch the game on more than one occasion.
We're desperate to win a game and hope it will be against Stoke."
Grant, who has suffered a nightmare in the Upton Park hotseat, admitted his
decision to miss the game has generally been positive. He added: "I spoke to
a few of the players about the situation and they know. They respect the
tradition and said 'if you stay away we will do our job.' "I really like the
reaction of the players I spoke with, the owners, the board and many, many
supporters. I have had a lot of emails and it is touching. "All my life I
have respected others and it is good it is happening the other way -
including Alan, the club chaplain. "I heard about a few fans being unhappy
but it's normal, some of the people don't understand it."
Grant is hopeful his side can finally break their duck. He said: "We knew we
had bad fixtures, but we will not give up. "We deserved more against Chelsea
the best team in the country, but in football you do not always get what you
deserve. "I have been coaching since I was 18. In three years I will have
been doing it for 40 years. I don't know any other life than being under
pressure. "When you're coaching the youth team you want to win and are under
pressure. Then you come to the Premier League, then top clubs and the
national team. "West Ham are a good project. Even though we have zero points
I am very confident in what we are doing and I still believe we can do the
right things for the club. "But it is a pressure I live with all my life. I
don't know any other life. Maybe one day I will try."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Avram & Dyer in bust-up
The Sun
By SHAUN CUSTIS
Published: Today

KIERON DYER was left behind by West Ham last night, after a furious bust-up
with Avram Grant. West Ham's boss, who will miss today's match at Stoke as
he observes a Jewish holy day, had named Dyer only as a sub. But the Hammers
midfielder hit the roof and pleaded to play, even though he is currently
carrying a thigh injury. A club insider revealed: "Kieron told Grant he was
desperate to start and was happy to play through the pain if it helped stop
the team losing another match. "But he was gobsmacked when the manager told
him 'No, you're on the bench'. Everyone knows Kieron's our best player.
"He proved that when he came on at half-time against Chelsea last Saturday.
"So Kieron told Avram to stuff it, saying 'If I'm not fit to play, I'm not
fit for the bench either. I'm going to get some treatment if you think I'm
so badly injured'."
Former England midfielder Dyer did not join his team-mates for the trip to
the Potteries. The row is another blow to the embattled Londoners, who are
rock-bottom of the Premier League without a point from four games. And it
was the last thing Grant needs as he observes Yom Kippur, which forbids him
from working on the Jewish holy day today.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Avram Grant confident his absence will not harm West Ham at Stoke
Yom Kippur holy day keeps manager away from vital match
Stoke complain to Premier League over Arsène Wenger's jibes
Jamie Jackson
guardian.co.uk, Saturday 18 September 2010 00.06 BST

Avram Grant is confident his West Ham United team will be fully prepared for
their Premier League fixture at Stoke City today despite being unable to
attend the game because he will be observing the Jewish holy day of Yom
Kippur. Tal Ben-Haim will miss the game for the same reason.

West Ham have lost their opening four games and scored only two goals. Grant
travelled with the team yesterday, having prepared and selected the side to
take on Stoke, who have so far won only three points.

"The team will be ready 100% and that's what is important. The meeting with
the team, the talking with the team, the tactics, the training and the
preparation for the team is the same," Grant said. "I will not be at the
stadium. This is a very significant day and, out of respect for my father
and mother, especially after all they have gone through, it is one day in
the year that I always respect."

Grant said his decision is understood by the club. "We have had a lot of
emails, a lot of support from the board, the owners and the fans," he said,
adding that he is not concerned by the pressure deriving from West Ham's
start. "I don't want to live without this pressure," he said.

The West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green made a mistake that led to Chelsea's
second goal in their 3-1 defeat last weekend but Grant is adamant he will
recover. "I have a feeling you will see Rob Green at his best," he said.

Stoke's chief executive, Tony Scholes, said the club have complained to the
Premier League regarding Arsène Wenger's comments that Tony Pulis's team
play "rugby-style" football following their game against Tottenham Hotspur
last month.

"We have written to him objecting to these comments and have asked for an
apology. Much as we respect Arsène Wenger, we cannot allow him to continue
criticising us in this way," Scholes said. "In the absence of any apology,
we will continue with our complaint, even though it has been reported that
the FA will take no action. It is not right that anyone in the game can
criticise one of our players without reproach."

It is understood Stoke have written twice to Arsenal but received no reply.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Now Kieron Dyer's missing from West Ham's trip to Stoke after row with
absent Avram Grant
By MATT LAWTON
Last updated at 12:15 AM on 18th September 2010
Daily Mail

The crisis at West Ham deepened last night after it emerged that Kieron Dyer
did not travel to Stoke for today's crunch Barclays Premier League game
after a row with boss Avram Grant. Sportsmail understands that Dyer took
exception after the Hammers manager suggested the injury troubled midfielder
was only fit enough for a place on the bench. It is believed the former
England man responded by suggesting that if he was not fit enough to start
the game then he was not fit enough to play at all. Grant did travel with
the team yesterday, but because he will be marking the Jewish festival of
Yom Kippur he will not be present when his side, without a point in four
games, kick-off at lunchtime. Dyer's latest clash is another twist in his
troubled time at Upton Park since a £6million move from Newcastle in 2007,
with his £60,000-a-week wages singled out by owner David Sullivan as an
example of money wasted by the club.

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Daily WHUFC News - 17th September 2010

Stoke City match preview
WHUFC.com
All the background information and early team news ahead of Saturday's trip
to the Potteries
16.09.2010

Stoke City v West Ham United
Barclays Premier League
Britannia Stadium
Saturday 18 September 2010
Kick-off: 12.45pm
Referee: Lee Mason

Introduction
• West Ham United travel to Stoke City for their fifth Barclays Premier
League match of the 2010/11 season.
• The Hammers are aiming to kick-start their season after tasting defeat in
each of their opening four Premier League fixtures. An opening-day reverse
at Aston Villa (0-3) was followed by a disappointing home reverse against
Bolton Wanderers on Saturday 21 August (1-3), a loss at Manchester United on
Saturday 28 August (0-3) and a closely-fought home defeat by champions
Chelsea last Saturday (1-3). Avram Grant's side also defeated Oxford United
(1-0) in the Carling Cup second round to set up a third-round trip to
Sunderland on Tuesday 21 September.
• Stoke picked up their first league points of the season when Robert Huth's
last-gasp goal handed the Potters a 2-1 home victory over Aston Villa. Prior
to that dramatic victory, Tony Pulis's side had been defeated at
Wolverhampton Wanderers (1-2) and Chelsea (0-2) and home by Tottenham
Hotspur (1-2). Stoke also reached the Carling Cup third round by defeating
Shrewsbury Town (2-1) and face Fulham at home in the third round on Tuesday
21 September.
• West Ham manager Avram Grant and centre-back Tal Ben Haim will both be
absent from Saturday's game as they respect the Jewish holy day of Yom
Kippur. Dating back thousands of years, Yom Kippur - or Day of Atonement -
is the most significant day of the year. It is a strict day of fasting and
abstaining that forbids all followers to work. The club fully respect and
understand the situation. The manager will pick and prepare the side as
usual and fully ensure that all are ready for the match this weekend.
Assistant manager Zeljko Petrovic, senior coach Paul Groves and first-team
coach Kevin Keen will all be on the bench at the Britannia Stadium.
• The match is live on Sky Sports. West Ham will be appearing in front of
live television cameras for the first time since Monday 19 April, when the
Hammers were beaten 3-0 by Liverpool at Anfield in front of the ESPN
cameras. Stoke's 2-1 victory over Aston Villa last Monday evening was
screened live by Sky Sports.

• West Ham's biggest away win at Stoke came courtesy of a 4-1 Division Two
victory on 29 March 1958. Vic Keeble scored twice and John Dick and Mike
Grice once apiece as the Hammers continued their march towards the title and
promotion to Division One.

Saturday's team news
West Ham United

• New signings Lars Jacobsen and Victor Obinna look set to keep their places
after impressing on their West Ham United debuts against Chelsea last
Saturday.
• Defender Tal Ben Haim will miss Saturday's game in respect for the Jewish
holy day of Yom Kippur. The Israel defender's place will go to either James
Tomkins or Winston Reid, who both impressed in Tuesday's reserve-team
victory at Everton, or Danny Gabbidon or Manuel da Costa.
• South Africa striker Benni McCarthy could be included for the first time
since the Carling Cup victory over Oxford United on 24 August after working
hard on his fitness during the recent international break.
• The Hammers could again be without Thomas Hitzlsperger after the
28-year-old picked up a thigh injury during Germany's international friendly
draw in Denmark last month.
• Peter Kurucz, Jack Collison, Zavon Hines and Anthony Edgar on the
long-term injured list are all recovering from knee surgery. Kurucz and
Edgar have recently undergone surgery, while Collison and Hines are regular
visitors to Chadwell Heath as they continue their rehabilitation.

Stoke City

• Stoke City will definitely be without Mali international striker Mamady
Sidibe, who has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2010/11 season after
suffering a ruptured achilles in the 2-1 home Barclays Premier League defeat
by Tottenham Hotspur on 21 August.

Previous meetings

• The most recent meeting between the two sides was on 27 March 2010, when
34,564 supporters saw Stoke City run out fortunate 1-0 winners in a Barclays
Premier League fixture at the Boleyn Ground. Despite the Hammers having the
majority of the play and the clear-cut chances, striker Ricardo Fuller
scored the only goal of the game with an individual strike on 69 minutes.

The lineups were:
West Ham United: Green, Faubert, Upson, Da Costa, Spector, Parker, Noble
(Ilan 76), Dyer (Diamanti 46), Behrami, Cole, Mido (McCarthy 84)
Subs not used: Kurucz, Daprela, Gabbidon, Kovac
Stoke City: Sorensen, Huth, Faye (Wilkinson 26), Collins, Higginbotham,
Lawrence, Whelan, Delap, Etherington (Fuller 67), Sidibe, Kitson (Tuncay 48)

Subs not used: Begovic, Pugh, Amdy Faye, Moult

• Saturday's game marks the 79th time West Ham and Stoke have faced one
another in competitive fixtures, and the 67th in the Football League and
Premier League. West Ham have won 31, Stoke 29 and there have been 18 draws.
In this competition, West Ham have won 26, Stoke 25 and 15 matches have been
drawn.
Overall record v Stoke City (all competitions) W 31 D 18 L 29

Last time out

• West Ham United were beaten 3-1 by Chelsea at the Boleyn Ground on
Saturday 11 September. The Barclays Premier League champions took the lead
in the second minute when Michael Essien headed in Didier Drogba's corner.
Chelsea doubled their lead on 18 when Matthew Upson's clearance hit Salomon
Kalou on the heel and looped past Robert Green. Essien put the Blues 3-0 up
with seven minutes remaining with another header from Paulo Ferreira's cross
before Scott Parker scored an 85th-minute consolation with a superb
cushioned volley. Frederic Piquionne hit the underside of the bar with a
late header, but Chelsea held on.

11 September 2010
Barclays Premier League
West Ham United 1-3 Chelsea
West Ham United: Green, Jacobsen, Ben-Haim, Upson, Ilunga, Parker, Noble,
Behrami (Piquionne 72), Boa Morte (Dyer 45), Cole, Obinna
Subs not used: Stech, Kovac, Faubert, Tomkins, Barrera

• Stoke City picked up their first win of the Barclays Premier League season
in from of live Sky Sports cameras on Monday 13 September, defeating Aston
Villa 2-1 at the Britannia Stadium. Having fallen behind to a diving header
from Stewart Downing, the Potters equalised through summer signing Kenwyne
Jones with ten minutes remaining before Robert Huth diverted the ball into
the net in the third minute of added time.

13 September 2010
Barclays Premier League
Stoke City 2-1 Aston Villa
Stoke City: Sorensen, Huth, Faye, Collins, Wilson (Pennant 65), Shawcross,
Delap (Whelan 87), Etherington, Whitehead, Walters (Fuller 61), Jones
Subs not used: Begovic, Gudjohnsen, Wilkinson, Higginbotham

West Ham United

• Valon Behrami could make his 50th Barclays Premier League start for the
club at the Britannia Stadium. The Switzerland midfielder has made 56 league
and cup appearances in total, scoring three goals.
• The Hammers brought in eight new players this summer - Obinna, Jacobsen,
Germany midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger, Mexico winger Pablo Barrera, France
forward Frederic Piquionne, New Zealand defender Winston Reid, Belgian
goalkeeper Ruud Boffin and Israel defender Tal Ben Haim, who has arrived on
loan from Grant's former club Portsmouth.
• Five senior players left the Boleyn Ground during the summer transfer
window - Alessandro Diamanti and Fabio Daprela both joined Italian Serie A
new boys Brescia Calcio on permanent contracts. Brazilian Ilan was released
at the end of his short-term contract, Egyptian Mido returned to
Middlesbrough following the end of his loan spell and has since joined Ajax,
while Mexican Guillermo Franco was released at the end of his one-year
contract.
• Teenage midfielder Josh Payne was released and subsequently joined
Doncaster Rovers before being loaned to Oxford United. Academy graduate
Bondz N'Gala has linked up with Plymouth Argyle on a permanent basis.
• West Ham possess the tenth-best record in Premier League history. The
Hammers have contested 582 matches, winning 195, drawing 146 and losing 241.
West Ham have scored 682 goals and conceded 822 in those matches. In total,
the Hammers have won 731 Premier League points.

Stoke City

• Stoke City go into Saturday's match 18th in the Barclays Premier League
table, having collected three points from four matches.
• Stoke brought in two strikers to boost their attacking options. Jon
Walters was snapped up from Ipswich Town for £2.75m, while the club splashed
out £8m to bring in Trinidad and Tobago international Kenwyne Jones from
Sunderland. Iceland forward Eidur Gudjohnsen was snapped up from AS Monaco
on a permanent contract, while midfielder Salif Diao rejoined the club on a
free contract. Winger Jermaine Pennant has been brought in on loan from
Spanish club Real Zaragoza. Finally, defender Marc Wilson has arrived from
Portsmouth.
• The Potters allowed young striker Nathaniel Wedderburn to join Northampton
Town on a free transfer, veteran defender Andy Griffin to join Reading for
an undisclosed fee, while England striker James Beattie left for Scottish
giants Rangers, also for an undisclosed fee. Striker Dave Kitson joined
Portsmouth on transfer deadline day as part of the deal that took Marc
Wilson to Stoke, but team-mate Liam Lawrence missed the transfer deadline
and has instead joined Pompey on an emergency loan until January 2011.
• Diego Arismendi has joined Barnsley on loan, while Ibrahima Sonko and Carl
Dickinson have also linked up with Portsmouth on a temporary basis. Ben
Marshall has been loaned to Carlisle United.
• Stoke have the 34th-best record in the history of the Premier League. The
Potters have contested 80 matches, winning 24, drawing 23 and losing 33.
Stoke have scored 76 goals in those matches, conceding 110. In all, Stoke
have collected 95 Premier League points.

Ten-year League records
West Ham United
2009/10 Premier League 17th (35 points)
2008/09 Premier League 9th (51 points)
2007/08 Premier League 10th (49 points)
2006/07 Premier League 15th (41 points)
2005/06 Premier League 9th (55 points)
2004/05 Championship 6th (73 points - promoted via play-offs)
2003/04 Championship 4th (74 points)
2002/03 Premier League 18th (42 points - relegated to Championship)
2001/02 Premier League 7th (53 points)
2000/01 Premier League 15th (42 points)
Stoke City
2009/10 Premier League 11th (47 points)
2008/09 Premier League 12th (45 points)
2007/08 Championship 2nd (79 points - promoted)
2006/07 Championship 8th (73 points)
2005/06 Championship 13th (58 points)
2004/05 Championship 12th (61 points)
2003/04 Championship 11th (66 points)
2002/03 Championship 21st (50 points)
2001/02 League One 5th (80 points - promoted via play-offs)
2000/01 League One 5th (77 points)

Old boys

• West Ham first-team coach Kevin Keen made 201 league and cup appearances
for Stoke between October 1994 and September 2000, scoring 12 goals. Keen, a
former West Ham apprentice, made 279 league and cup appearances for the
Hammers between March 1984 and July 1993, scoring 30 goals.
• Stoke winger Matthew Etherington made 195 appearances for West Ham between
August 2003 and January 2009, scoring 18 goals. He joined the Potters on 8
January 2009, having moved to the Boleyn Ground from Tottenham Hotspur
five-and-a-half years previously.
• Among the other players who have represented both clubs are Clive Clarke,
Bob Dixon, Sir Geoff Hurst, Lawrie Leslie, Nicky Morgan, Henri Camara and
Frank Richardson.

Saturday's officials
Referee - Lee Mason
Assistant referees - Andy Halliday and Mick McDonough
Fourth Official - Kevin Friend

• Lee Mason started refereeing in 1988 and in 1992 he was added to the North
West Counties Football League assistant referees' list, and progressed to
full referee for that competition four years later.
• He was included on the Football League list of assistant referees in 1998,
and was then added to the Premier League list in 2000.
• In 2002, he was promoted to referee for the Football League and in 2003
became a 'Development Group' referee, before finally reaching the Premier
League list of Select Group referees in 2006.
• His first ever match in the top tier was on 4 February 2006, when
Middlesbrough lost 4-0 at home to Aston Villa.
• Mason was also chosen to control the League One Play-Off final between
Barnsley and Swansea on 27 May 2006 and also took charge of the 2009 FA
Youth Cup final first leg between Arsenal and Liverpool.
• Mason took charge of West Ham United's FA Cup fourth-round victory at
Hartlepool United on 24 January 2009. He also officiated the 1-0 Barclays
Premier League defeat at Birmingham City on 12 December 2009.
• The 38-year-old has refereed two Barclays Premier League fixtures so far
this season - Everton's 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers on 21 August
and Blackpool's 2-0 victory at Newcastle United on 11 September.

Next up

• West Ham United travel to the Stadium of Light on Tuesday evening to face
Sunderland in the Carling Cup third round, with kick-off at 7.45pm.
• Stoke City host Fulham in the Carling Cup third round on Tuesday evening,
with kick-off at 7.45pm.

General information
• Saturday's weather forecast is for light rain with a maximum daytime
temperature of 15C (59F) in Stoke on Trent.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Stoke v West Ham
BBC.co.uk
Barclays Premier League
Venue: Britannia Stadium Date: Saturday, 18 September Kick-off: 1245 BST
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 live, local radio, Final Score,
live on Sky Sports 2 & highlights on Match of the Day

TEAM NEWS
Stoke have a clean bill of health ahead of the visit of West Ham United.
Striker Eidur Gudjohnson will be hoping to make his Potters debut, but
Mamady Sidibe remains a long-term absentee with an Achilles injury.

West Ham manager Avran Grant and defender Tal Ben Haim will miss the game
because it falls on the Jewish holy day Yom Kippur. Danny Gabbidon and
Thomas Hitzlsperger are struggling with hamstring and thigh injuries
respectively.

Stoke
Injured: Sidibe (Achilles)
West Ham
Doubtful: Gabbidon (hamstring), Hitzlsperger (thigh)
Injured: Collison, Hines & Kurucz (all knee)

MATCH PREVIEW
Avram Grant's hangdog demeanour may be nothing new, but if the rumours are
true then the former Chelsea manager's future at West Ham looks bleak.
Dating back thousands of years, Yom Kippur is the most significant day of
the Jewish year. It is a strict day of fasting and abstaining that forbids
all followers to work. West Ham United fully respect and understand the
situation The Hammers have made their worst start to a league campaign in
their 115-year history, and fans have already had to lower their
expectations from a mid-table finish to simply top-flight survival. A fifth
straight defeat at Stoke is unthinkable. Grant will miss the game that many
are speculating could decide his future in order to observe the Jewish holy
day of Yom Kippur. Also missing for the same reason will be Tal Ben Haim,
which means captain Matthew Upson's plea for a settled backline will go
unheeded.
The Hammers need look no further than Stoke for inspiration. The Potters
shrugged off their own nightmare start to the season with a late comeback
against Aston Villa for their first victory of the campaign. Tony Pulis
illustrated his commitment to the cause by attending the Villa game despite
a family bereavement earlier in the day, and the Stoke boss will be looking
for the same level of bravery from his squad as he plots the club's ascent
up the table.

MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• These sides have met on 78 previous occasions. Stoke have won 29, West Ham
31 and there have been 18 draws.
• West Ham have won on three of their last four visits to Stoke.
• Stoke are yet to keep a clean sheet in five league and cup fixtures this
season.
• They have lost six of their last nine Premier League matches.
• Kenwyne Jones is set to make his 100th Premier League appearance.
• Matthew Etherington has been the most successful crosser in the league
this season, finding a team-mate 12 times.

West Ham
• Only Swindon in 1993/94 (-12) have ever had a worse goal difference after
four Premier League games than West Ham this season (-10).
• The Hammers have kept one clean sheet in their last 16 league games.
• They have not won a match away from home since the opening day of last
season (a 2-0 win at Wolves).
LEADING GOALSCORERS

Stoke
Faye, Fuller, Huth & Jones: 1 goal (1 league);
Sanli & Walters: 1 goal (0 league)

West Ham
Parker: 2 goals (1 league); Noble: 1 goal (1 league)
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Lee Mason
Assistant referees: Andy Halliday & Mick McDonough
Fourth official: Kevin Friend
LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS
Stoke (W2-1 v Aston Villa, h): Sorensen, Huth, Shawcross, Faye, Collins,
Delap (Whelan 87), Whitehead, Wilson (Pennant 65), Etherington, Walters
(Fuller 61), Jones. Subs not used: Begovic, Higginbotham, Gudjohnsen,
Wilkinson.
West Ham (L1-3 v Chelsea, h): Green, Jacobsen, Ben-Haim, Upson, Ilunga,
Parker, Behrami (Piquionne 72), Noble, Boa Morte (Dyer 46), Cole, Obinna.
Subs not used: Stech, Tomkins, Barrera, Kovac, Faubert.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Stoke City v West Ham United
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 16th September 2010
By: Preview Percy

Top Gear has "The Stig". We have Preview Percy. I wonder if Clarkson would
entertain a swap deal....

Next up we face a trip up the motorways to face Stoke City at the Britannia
Stadium for a 12:45 kick-off in a match that will be shown live on Sky.

Stoke currently lie two places and three points above us in 18th spot. The
Potters' results up to Monday night were fairly similar to ours. They lost
away at Wolves on the opening day and followed that match up with a slightly
unfortunate defeat to Spurs at home. Having ignored a foul in the build up,
the ref decided that the ball hadn't crossed the line from a late header,
despite being in perfect position to see that it had done so. The usual
arguments for goal-line technology followed but frankly when something is
that obvious to an official and he still misses it, I'm not sure I'd trust
an employee of the Professional Game Match Officials organisation to press
the right button on the recording machine without accidentally recording
EastEnders all over the vital moment.

Their three points to date came on Monday night following their somewhat
controversial win at home to Villa. Their late winner followed one of the
worst dives you could ever wish to see from Jermaine "Tag Boy" Pennant.
Pennant has spells at both Arsenal and Liverpool on his CV so his
unsteadiness came as no surprise to anyone, except obviously ref Probert,
who was so shocked that he compounded his original error by allowing Stoke
to take the free kick miles away from where the original, er, "offence" had
allegedly taken place.

They were reasonably active in the window with five plus a loan in and five
plus two loans out. In the arrivals lounge were Pennant, a loan from Real
Zaragoza, Marc Wilson, an alleged Hammers target from Pompey, Eidur
Gudjonsen from Monaco, Jonathan Walters from Ipswich, Kenwyne Jones from
Sunderland and 'keeper Carlo Nash from Everton. Jones, for whom Stoke paid
£8m, will be familiar to Hammers fans from his Mackem days. In one match at
the Boleyn few seasons ago he came off the bench and caused mayhem in the
defence. In subsequent matches the defence managed to keep him fairly quiet
but he still made an impression, getting sent off for a shove into the face
of Herita Ilunga in our match at the Stadium of Light. Jones is likely to be
more of a threat with his current employers, whose "unsophisticated"
approach to the game is right up his street.

Eidur Gudjonsen is another familiar name, having been linked with us during
virtually every transfer window for the last five years. That he wasn't
linked with us during the last window owes much to the fact that SuGo got
rather cheesed off with the way he messed us about during the previous one
before electing to sit on the bench at Spurs for a few months.

No preview of our opponents would be complete without a mention of Rory
Delap whose throw-ins cause so much excitement amongst the home support. So
much so, that a throw-in at the Britannia Stadium is greeted with louder
applause than a corner. Delap has a willing target in Jones, which, given
the fact that we struggled last week in the air against the relatively
diminutive Essien, could be something of a worry. Delap was at the centre of
an hilarious kerfuffle between Lucas Neill and a ball boy a few years ago,
Neill eventually winning the argument by stopping Delap from using the
towels dotted around the pitch in preparation for his party trick.

Another source of high balls into the box is former Hammers winger Matty
Etherington who is enjoying a new lease of life in the Potteries, having
apparently put his personal and gambling issues behind him. Received wisdom
suggests that Etherington retreats into his shell if he gets a kick in the
first few minutes of a match from the opposition right back, so it'll be
interesting to see how the side copes now that we actually have a
right-back. Prior to Jacobsen's arrival, the previous specialist in that
position was the aforementioned Neill, who certainly wasn't above dishing
out an early "reminder" to Etherington when last he faced the winger whilst
wearing the claret and blue. It remains to be seen whether Jacobsen's card
will have been similarly marked.

Apart from Jones and Ilunga there will be another rematch that owes little
to the laws of the game. In the corresponding match last season Matthew
Upson was minding his own business at a set piece when he was felled by a
rather cowardly punch from German defender Robert Huth, who crept up and
decked the skipper from behind. The punch resulted in a deserved three-match
ban for the Stoke player who, when confronted with the rather damning video
evidence wisely elected not to contest the charge of violent conduct.

So what of us. Well we've already mentioned our frailty in the air as
displayed last week against Chelsea and we'll draw a discreet veil over that
second goal. Selection wise, we'll probably be without Hitzlesperger again,
though some sources suggest that Gabbidon may have recovered enough to be
available for at least a spot on the bench. The big question will be the
central defensive pairing. Like Avram Grant, Tal Ben-Haim will be absent due
to his observance of the Jewish Yom Kippur religious holiday. This leaves
one of Gabbidon, Reid, Tomkins or DaCosta to play alongside Upson.
Personally this is not a match that I'd select for Tomkins to use to repair
his apparently fragile confidence. Similarly, I'd rather someone with a bit
more experience than Reid start this one and, with Gabbidon possibly a
doubt, I'd plump for DaCosta to come in.

In midfield Berrera is likely to come into contention having missed out last
week in recovery from two matches in a week for Mexico. Up front, the form
of Carlton Cole is causing some concern – well to me anyway. The player who,
this time last season, seemed to be progressing well under the watchful eye
of Zola, seems to have forgotten much of what he learned. Time and time
again last week he would lose the ball when played up to him and it may be
time to consider the viability of the selection policy that currently reads
"Cole plus one of....."

This match will be equally as tough as last week's was supposed to be – we
are unlikely to receive the respite of them trying to play an awful lot of
football and their general attitude to the game can be gleaned from their
attitude to the skilful Tuncay, who failed to make an appearance on Monday
night. The Villa result, will see them with their tails up – any doubts
about the legitimacy of the goal will be forgotten. The emotional boost
gained from the background to the match, given the sad loss of Pulis' mother
in the run-up, should also not be underestimated.

So with a perfectly bad record, and a tough match to follow is there any
shaft of light at the end of the tunnel? Well strangely I believe there is –
but there is a caveat. For long spells on Monday Villa played football and
ought to have wrapped the match up well before half time. That they didn't
do so is largely down to poor finishing which they lived to regret in the
second half. That too has been part of our problem. The match against Bolton
should have been over by half time and even against Chelsea there were
opportunities – Obinna and Piquionne in particular ought to be devastated
that they didn't open their accounts.

I'm going to plump for a 1-1 draw on this one – optimistic maybe but you
gotta have faith as George Michael used to say. Whatever happened to him?

Enjoy the game!

Last Season: Lost 2-1 - Beattie's pair, the first a penalty following an
Etherington dive, came either side of Upson's equaliser in a match in which
we were probably worth a point.

Danger Man: Rory Delap - Given our recent frailties in defence, their one
"tactic" is just what we don't want to see this week.

Referee: Lee Mason – We only had him once last season, in the 1-0 defeat at
Birmingham in which he sent off Mark Noble for two yellows. Mason is
described as a "turkey" in one leading referee's discussion forum. Then
again the members of the same forum think Mike Dean is our best ref so make
of that what you will.

Local Tip: - There's virtually nowhere close by to the Britannia in which to
get a drink. There is a Harvester across the road which gets jam packed on
match days. If you're going to drink in there get arrive really early and
sort yourself out a table in the restaurant bit – that way you'll get
waitress service for whatever drinks you get with your grub.

Daft Fact of The Day: - Stoke's old stadium, The Victoria Ground, was
actually named after the sponge cake and not the monarch.

(Note this may not actually be true but the page on the local authority's
website headed up "Interesting facts about Stoke" turned out to contain
nothing of the sort so I made one up).

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ben-Haim stays positive
Defender remains optimistic Hammers can get wins they need
Last updated: 16th September 2010
SSN

Tal Ben-Haim is optimistic rock bottom West Ham can start to get the wins
they need to climb the Premier League table. The Hammers go into their clash
at Stoke on Saturday on the back of four losses in the top flight this term,
conceding 12 goals and scoring just two. But Ben-Haim - who along with boss
Avram Grant has been given special dispensation to miss the Stoke game as
they observe the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur - has every confidence the
team can turn things around. The Israeli defender told WHUTV: "Of course we
should be optimistic. "I am sure that if we get one or two good results we
can move forward."
The on-loan Portsmouth defender believes the Hammers played well against
champions Chelsea last time out, despite the 3-1 loss. Ben-Haim, who played
under Grant at both Chelsea and Pompey, added: "We played well and created
chances against Chelsea, but we suddenly found ourselves 2-0 down.
"That is football - we need to look forward and take the points in the next
game. "It will take time, but in football we need to take the points very
quick.
"We hope that we can do it next week."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Nouble set for Swans flight
Teenage striker set to be reunited with Rodgers on loan
Last updated: 16th September 2010
SSN

Skysports.com understands teenage West Ham striker Frank Nouble is poised to
join Swansea on a three-month loan deal. Cardiff and QPR were also
interested in the 18-year-old, who has yet to feature for the Hammers under
Avram Grant this term. But Nouble played under Brendan Rodgersas a youth at
Chelsea and the chance to work with the Swansea boss again persuaded him to
choose a switch to the Liberty Stadium. Nouble told skysports.com: "I am
looking forward to playing for Brendan again and then going back to West Ham
as a better player to help them for the rest of the season."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers - Grant is safe
Gold insists they are behind manager despite poor start
Last updated: 16th September 2010
SSN

West Ham manager Avram Grant has again been told his job is safe by Upton
Park co-owner David Gold. Grant's position has come under scrutiny with the
Hammers currently propping up the Premier League with no points from their
opening four games. The Israeli was appointed as Gianfranco Zola's
replacement following last season's battle against the drop but has so far
been unable to improve the club's fortunes. Defeats by Aston Villa, Bolton,
Manchester United and Chelsea have left the East London outfit bottom of the
pile ahead of Saturday's trip to Stoke, live on Sky Sports HD2 and Sky
Sports 2. Grant will not be in attendance at the Britannia Stadium this
weekend as he observes the Jewish Holy Day of Yom Kippur. And Gold has moved
to reiterate that there are no plans to part company with the former Chelsea
and Portsmouth boss. Gold told The Sun: "It's four games against clubs who
we took two points off last term so we're just behind. "This will be called
a vote of confidence but I assure you it is a proper vote of confidence.
"Against one of the world's best, Chelsea, we saw a spirited performance
which we can build on. "Avram is safe. We will very quickly climb up."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
We'll Av a good go at Stoke
The Sun
Published: 16 Sep 2010

TAL BEN HAIM claims West Ham can get a result at Stoke — despite the fact
Avram Grant will not be there. Hammers boss Grant and Ben Haim will both
miss Saturday's trip to the Britannia to observe the Jewish holy day of Yom
Kippur. The Israeli will still pick the team but his absence is unlikely to
go down well with the West Ham faithful considering the club are rock bottom
in the Premier League. But defender Ben Haim is confident his team-mates are
more than capable of picking up the club's first points of the season. He
said: "Of course we should be optimistic. We need to look forward and take
the points in the next game. "It will take time but in football we need to
take the points very quick."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Av had enough of you two flops
The Sun
By ANDREW DILLON
Published: Today

AVRAM GRANT is running out of patience with Robert Green and Matthew Upson.
Tomorrow's crunch clash at Stoke could be the last chance for West Ham's
World Cup keeper and England defender to beat the chop. The Hammers are rock
bottom of the Premier League and the only team in the top four divisions
without a single point after four games. Much of the blame is being heaped
on the England duo, for mistakes and lapses in concentration which have seen
the Londoners concede 12 league goals already. Their combined clanger led to
Salomon Kalou's crazy goal in last week's 3-1 home defeat by Chelsea. A
Hammers insider said: "They seem to have returned from the World Cup shadows
of the players they were. "They are running out of chances and won't get
many more. The team is bottom of the table and shipping goals at an alarming
rate."
Grant will reshuffle his team for the trip to Sunderland next week in the
Carling Cup. And if he sees an improved performance, he will be ready to
stick with his stand-ins and drop West Ham's two biggest players. Czech
Under-21 keeper Marek Stech, 20, is especially earning rave reviews at Upton
Park.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammer Nouble to nail down Swansea switch
Published 22:30 16/09/10 By MirrorFootball
The Mirror

West Ham striker Frank Nouble is to link up with his old Chelsea gaffer
Brendan Rogers again - at Swansea. Rogers knows what the 18-year-old can do
after managing him in the Stamford Bridge reserve and youth set-ups before
they both moved on to new challenges. Now, he's set to sign him up on a
three-month loan deal. The Swans boss happily recalls one training session
when the then-16-year-old Nouble gave Branislav Ivanovic, now a first-team
regular at the champions, a torrid time. "Everything has been agreed between
the clubs and I'm absolutely delighted we have got a player with big
potential whom I have worked with before," he said. "I brought Frank into
the reserve team at Chelsea when he was 16 and I never forget a session
where we had a training game after we'd just signed Ivanovic. "Frank was up
against a £10milion player but his performance that day took all the coaches
by surprise.
"He was absolutely incredible. It was an amazing display from such a young
guy. But I remember thinking that day that he had all the tools to be a top
player in the Premier League. "Players like him don't come around often but
this is the perfect place for him to come on loan. Frank knows me and he's
coming to a good place. He will be a great addition to the squad."
England Under-19 international Nouble is expected to train with the Swans on
Friday and should be in the squad for tomorrow's trip to Scunthorpe. "Frank
is 6ft 2in, strong, powerful, has great pace, mobility and a real handful -
I've no doubts he will excite the crowd," said Rogers. "I spoke to Steve
Clarke and Avram Grant and they both said Frank has been fantastic in the
games he has played for West Ham. "He is highly-rated but he wasn't going to
be the first choice striker at that level at his age. He needs to play so I
say thank you to West Ham for their help. "There are different types of
loans and some clubs bring in young lads to sit on the bench. But I prefer
for them to come in and make an impact."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham can get a result at Stoke without Grant or me, says Ben Haim
Published 13:38 16/09/10 By MirrorFootball
The Mirror

Tal Ben Haim maintains his West Ham team-mates can go to Stoke and get a
result, despite the absence of both the Israeli defender and manager Avram
Grant. Both men have been given special dispensation by the Barclays Premier
League club to sit out the game at the Britannia Stadium as they observe the
Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur. Grant - whose side have yet to get a point
from four matches - will pick and prepare the side as usual, but will not be
on the bench as he is required to participate in 25 hours of fasting and
prayer over the course of Friday and Saturday. There have been some
suggestions the position of Grant - only appointed in the summer - is
already under threat following the Irons' terrible start. However, co-owner
David Gold maintains Grant is "safe" and has every confidence the team will
soon start climbing the table. Ben Haim agrees. He told WHUTV: "Of course we
should be optimistic. "I am sure that if we get one or two good results we
can move forward."
The defender, who played under Grant at both Chelsea and Portsmouth,
continued: "We played well and created chances against Chelsea, but we
suddenly found ourselves 2-0 down. That is football - we need to look
forward and take the points in the next game. "It will take time, but in
football we need to take the points very quick. "We hope that we can do it
next week."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
London 2012 Olympics: London Assembly criticises Olympic Board over stadium
legacy
The London Assembly has attacked the Olympic Board for making a wrong
decision in pursuing an athletics track legacy for the main Olympic stadium.
Telegraph.co.uk
By Jacquelin Magnay, Olympics Editor
Published: 6:00AM BST 17 Sep 2010

The Assembly's economic development, culture, sport and tourism committee
has found that the plans to transform the stadium from its 80,000 capacity
at Games time to a 25,000 seat athletics arena was "flawed" and has
contributed to delays in securing a lasting legacy. It has also raised
questions about the amount of unsourced money required to convert the
stadium and the nearby media centre into workable premises post-Games. But
the promise of leaving an athletics track for major competitions in London
was a central plank of the Olympic bid and it found much favour with the
voting IOC members, many of whom have track and field links. At the time the
Olympic Board comprised the Mayor of London, the sports minister, the head
of the London organising committee and the British Olympic Committee. The
Olympic Park Legacy Company, which now has control of securing a more
wide-ranging mix of tenants for the stadium, has yet to confirm that the
West Ham United Football Club will be a major post-Games tenant, with the
stadium reconfigured to 65,000 seats and the athletics track also remaining.
The committee said only a major football or rugby club could provide the
huge crowds and regular use that would allow the stadium to pay for itself
and provide significant local employment. "The Olympic Board made the wrong
decision when opting for an athletics legacy and that decision could have
serious consequences for the OPLC and for whoever ultimately takes over the
stadium," committee chairman Len Duvall said. "The only sustainable future
for the stadium is regular, high capacity events and realistically that
means football or rugby. Only then will we see a stadium that pays for
itself and delivers a significant amount of local jobs."
"Put simply, an elite 25,000-seat athletics stadium is not, and was never
going to be, in the long-term interests of the East End or of the taxpayer."
The committee also found the 90,000 square metre media centre has been built
with low ceilings, the roofs being too weak to support rigging equipment and
a lack of central heating, which the committee says, would reduce its
attractiveness to tenants from the industry.

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Avram Grant in bid to be at Stoke on Saturday for West Ham despite Yom
Kippur commitment
EXCLUSIVE By MATT LAWTON Chief Football Correspondent
Last updated at 11:01 PM on 16th September 2010
Daily Mail

Avram Grant is trying to find a solution that will enable him to be at the
Britannia Stadium on Saturday for West Ham's important Barclays Premier
League clash against Stoke. West Ham's Israeli manager has accepted that he
cannot manage his team on what is Yom Kippur, the Jewish day of Atonement.
But Grant is also painfully aware of his team's current predicament - they
have failed to gain a single point from their opening four games - and
concern among many of the club's supporters that the players need their
manager more than ever. On Thursday night Grant was in discussion with
religious leaders in a bid to come up with a plan which he hopes will ease
the sense of anxiety among fans while also not offending people in Israel.
If Avram decides to walk to the Britannia Stadium from the nearest synagogue
it will take him about as long as the match itself as the closest place of
Jewish worship is in Newcastle-upon-Lyme, 4.3 miles away. The Jewish
community traditionally observe the holy day with a 25-hour period of
fasting and intensive prayer that will begin at nightfall on Friday evening
and finish on Saturday night. Grant wants to respect the tradition of Yom
Kippur, as he always has. But he will prepare the team and pick the team for
Saturday's game and he hopes that, by being close by and possibly even
somewhere in the stadium, the players and the fans will not feel he has
deserted them. If Grant were to arrive in Stoke before nightfall on Friday,
attend a synagogue service in the area, return there on Saturday morning and
then walk to to the stadium, without coming into contact with his players,
it might be considered acceptable. Particularly if he then returned to a
synagogue after the match, although again he would be expected to walk - and
not in leather shoes. Stephen Pollard, the editor of the Jewish Chronicle,
wrote on Thursday of Grant's predicament. 'Yom Kippur has no equivalent in
other religions,' said Pollard. 'The nearest is Ramadan, when Muslims fast
during the day. But Yom Kippur is far more intense. 'Grant's problem is that
he is damned whatever he does. If he stays away he will endure the wrath of
some Hammers fans who do not appreciate what Yom Kippur means to him. And he
is damned if he goes - damned in his own mind, that is.
'There is also the small matter of the reaction in Israel. If he desecrated
Yom Kippur, he would turn from being a national icon to a pariah.'
Avi Cohen, the first Israeli to play in England, caused a storm in 1980 by
playing for Liverpool against Southampton on Yom Kippur while Israeli
parliament members demanded that goalkeeper Ddudu Awat be ousted from the
national team for playing for Deportivo on Yom Kippur in 2006 - although no
action was taken. This is not new to Grant. After being appointed Chelsea
manager in 2007, he observed Yom Kippur on the day before an away match at
Manchester United. Pollard added: 'To fans who don't understand the meaning
of Yom Kippur to a Jew, it must seem a terrible dereliction of Grant's duty.
But Yom Kippur transcends everything else to a Jew.'

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Paul Ince Keen To Manage West Ham United Despite Controversial Exit As A
Player
Former midfielder would like return to Upton Park...
By Kevin Emery
Sep 16, 2010 4:22:00 PM
Goal.com

Paul Ince says he wants to become manager of West Ham United before he
finishes his career in football. The former England international would like
to manage his former club despite the hateful abuse he has received at Upton
Park over the years. Ince began his playing career at the club but signed
for Manchester United in a controversial move and he has never been forgiven
by Hammers fans for his exit in 1989, when he was photographed in a Red
Devils shirt before he had completed his move to Old Trafford. But speaking
to talkSPORT, the former midfielder said: "I would like to go back there as
a manager because that is where I started my career as a kid. "It's funny,
when Zola left my wife Clare said to me 'could you go back there?' I said it
would be a shock. "But it was in my head that one day I would like to go
back there as a manager because that is where I started my career as a kid.
"I still love the club, whether the fans might think completely different
that's fair enough, but it's always something that's in my mind." Ince
carved an excellent reputation as a manager in the lower leagues with
Macclesfield Town and MK Dons before moving to Blackburn Rovers, where he
was sacked after a short spell in charge of the Premier League club.

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